Tiffany Nielsen

Adult and Youth Etiquette Workshops

Linking In or Blanking Out? Business Etiquette for LinkedIn Users

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I use the social networking site LinkedIn for many reasons. It’s one of those sites that discourages the nuances of risqué photos and unwanted, uninvited posts. LinkedIn is also the place to showcase our talents, network our business services and dock our contacts online. No matter where professions take us, we can easily keep relationships moving along with us.

I get excited when I receive invitations to LinkedIn with others because I like to meet new people. But what really gets my etiquette happiness bursting at the seams is when I receive a request with a message attached. You know from experience that any invitation you receive, be it to a fundraiser, a party or some other event, usually includes a message as to why: “It’s Tiffany’s 40th Birthday” or “Open House for our New Business”, etc…  you get the point. But, oddly, some networkers purposely or mistakenly skip over this nugget of relationship building which could be a decided business advantage.

Since the fun of my business is sprinkling etiquette fairy dust when opportunities arise, I’m compelled to spread some of it today.  LinkedIn Etiquette? Yes, it exists.

  • When you send an invitation, you can build a friendlier connection if you include a message. The message can be a simple introduction or a sincere message as to why you want to connect. Maybe some people don’t attach a message because they don’t know what to say. Rest assured you can make it easier for people to connect with you by letting them know how you met, why you want to connect with them, etc… We already have enough mysteries to solve.
  • Consider including your LinkedIn URL in your email signature line. This makes it easier for people to find you on LinkedIn. Please feel free to link up with me.
  • Be sure to send a “thank you” message to new connections that accept your invitation. And, don’t worry about those who don’t accept. If you haven’t heard back from an invitation request, wait a few weeks and then resend the request. If you still don’t receive a response, move on.
  • In my opinion, writing a LinkedIn recommendation is a gift to someone, not a requirement. We all can mutually benefit each other if we are willing to give to get.  A personal thank you email or handwritten note to the person who writes a glorious recommendation on your behalf wins friends. And, the offer to write one in return for yours is good business.

I hope these etiquette tips support you in some way or at least validate your own etiquette expectations for LinkedIn. I want to build on this etiquette list with your help. Please comment below with your own tips and let’s mutually benefit each other by sprinkling etiquette anywhere and everywhere we can.

Christmas Hats: A Timeless Manner

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Christmas is surrounded by traditions, both old and new. Hats were a traditional accessory worn to church once upon a time, and I believe they deserve a come-back. I like the way hats dress up an outfit and turn eyes as people stop to look. Christmas Mass is my excuse to dress up my holiday outfit with a favorite red felt, timeless hat. I hope you find inspiration to wear your favorite hat this season. And, if you do, please be sure to take a picture and post it for us to enjoy.

Etiquette Helps Make New Friends

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The timeless Girl Scout song “Make New Friends” plays out in my mind the moment I meet someone new to me.  I highly recommend this magic, considering how much I enjoy working with new as well as old friends. Image expert Marytina, our in-house image consultant and long-time friend, joined the Premier Etiquette team this year.  Then, along came new golden friends Doris Gularte, Corrie Cubillas, Sister Barbara, Mandy Lebow and star student Theresa from Notre Dame High School in Salinas, CA. These angels made our dreams come true through their insight and conviction to share our latest and greatest etiquette program.

Thank you Notre Dame High School for making friends with us! The mother/daughter event challenged the audience to re-establish civility and elegance in their homes, businesses and communities. Gaining self-respect by learning to like exactly who they see when looking in a mirror inspired their determination to go out and make a positive impact on their surroundings. Wow!

California School Loves Etiquette

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Personal image and etiquette leadership were the hot new topics for 25 girls at Valley Preparatory Charter Academy. These smart and sophisticated girls relinquished their Saturday afternoon to hang out with “yours truly.” Keep in mind, they CHOSE to be there.

Mock interviews and confidence building activities broke the ice, helping the young women move comfortably past what they might have feared their Saturday would turn out to be- a boring lesson on how to be nice. Yes, we spoke to them about pleasantries and why they should abundantly use magic words like “please” and “thank you,”  but we also guided them to use the principles of etiquette so they could learn how to make this “life thing” work for them. I’m always surprised when I hear people say that their kids wouldn’t enjoy such a program. Au contraire!

There comes a point in education when we leave scissors and glue behind for more grown-up classroom materials such as computers and interactive white boards. In this case, since we believe it is more fun to interact  than listen to boring lectures about “do’s and don’ts” of how to look and behave, we splashed tables with craft supplies and fashion magazines to open a montage of collage making.  The agreeable chatter of “Oh, I love that!” and “I want these shoes. They are so me,” crafted the perfect opportunity to teach the girls how discover their personal image.

A three course dining etiquette lesson included warm bread, tasty soup and a deliciously prepared entrée followed by a late afternoon dessert. Mix good food with fun tips on how to refrain from grossing people out at the dinner table and you get a pleasant-to-be-around, graceful, enjoyable person.

Each girl received a personal consultation from my in-house image experts Marytina Lawrence and Sabrina Jimenez. Some people might not see how image and etiquette are connected, but they are. Imagine what it is like for a young girl to hear she’s beautiful and perfect just the way she is when statistic show eighty percent of girls find fault with their image?

It was our mission to energize these young women to become the best possible version of themselves.  We owe an abundant amount of gratitude to Executive Director, Shelly Melton, Educator, Lisa Taylor and Nutritional Coordinator, Janice Walstrom (below, third to the right) and her thoughtful team. Without them, this program might not be possible. Thank you!

Be on the look-out for these shining stars. We are so proud of them and we are forever grateful that schools like Valley Preparatory Charter Academy find means to continuously invest in their kids, knowing they deserve every ounce of it.

© Tiffany Nielsen

Image Consulting Teaches Effects of Color

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The Power of Color
Image Consulting Teaches Effects of Color

We just concluded our first California women’s image consulting “Train the Trainer” program. It was so fun!! The four day action-packed training for aspiring consultants focused on color, body frame and fashion personality for women. Our volunteer models praised the consultations, finding the results fascinating and eye-opening. Our new consultant team emerged empowered and anxious to build their businesses. We are so thankful for the positive outcome!

On the subject of color, we discussed how we connect or respond to it visually and mentally. Our lead trainer Marytina Lawrence shared some color connections that I found intriguing and sometimes very funny! I figured you would too, so here are a few examples to ponder.

Yellow Legal Pads: I don’t know about you, but when I write on a yellow legal pad, my penmanship earns me a failing grade! A reliable resource informed me that the color yellow affects our small motor skills, thus taking legible writing to pure messy note-taking for some people. So, why would a manufacturer produce yellow writing paper if it sends our penmanship right down the tubes?  Beats me.

US Armed Forces: Navy blue is the authoritative color in formal and semi-formal suits of all US Armed Forces. The color emphasizes a polished look, is found in our country’s flag and is non-combative. People in uniform always appear confident and ready to get to business…exactly what we need in this day and age.

Green Grass in the Meat Case:  Here is a humorous take on the color green. Remember when meat cases were lined in fake green grass?  I do.  Does that date me? Come to find out that the reason the savvy meat retailers decorated their meat cases with green was to draw out the “red” found in red meat. Bright red meat means “fresh.” I don’t see turf bedding in cases anymore.  I’m always intrigued with what merchandisers figure sells best. We learn something new every day, don’t we?

Imagine the power of color to lift our spirits, cloud our motor skills, awaken our senses and even scream danger. I’m really glad we have color because the world would be awfully dull without it.