We often say “face time beats Facebook” and “high touch beats high tech,” but we don’t always have the luxury to meet everyone in person. That’s why we recommend GoToMeeting, Skype, FaceTime, or other live video.

Seeing the other person’s facial expressions gives you instant feedback you can’t get over the phone. You can quickly correct misunderstandings before they’re verbalized. You see each other in person in real time, and that alone appeals to our human nature. This is a real person, not a text, memo or a voice on the phone.

Using this technology over the years has taught us several points of etiquette that will make your video conferencing communications more effective. Here are our top 10:

1. Video — meet first. If it’s important, make your first meeting by live video. They will feel more comfortable with you, be more likely to forgive your imperfections, and give you the benefit of the doubt. You will seem more sincere. This is your opportunity to make a good first impression.

To read the entire article, please visit The Business Journals

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post ​10 Tips for Video Conferencing Etiquette appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

Seeing the other person’s facial expressions gives you instant feedback you can’t get over the phone. You can quickly correct misunderstandings before they’re verbalized. You see each other in person in real time, and that alone appeals to our human nature. This is a real person, not a text, memo or a voice on the phone. Read more… 

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post Entrepreneurs’ Organization – Top 10 Tips for Skype Etiquette – Setting the Stage appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

Seeing the other person’s facial expressions gives you instant feedback you can’t get over the phone. You can quickly correct misunderstandings before they’re verbalized. You see each other in person in real time, and that alone appeals to our human nature. This is a real person, not a text, memo or a voice on the phone.

Using this technology over the years has taught us several points of etiquette that will make your Skype communications more effective. Here our top ten:

1. Skype First. If it’s important, make your first meeting by live video. They will feel more comfortable with you, be more likely to forgive your imperfections, and give you the benefit of the doubt. You will seem more sincere. This is your opportunity to make a good first impression.

2. Prepare Yourself. Look clean and well groomed, but don’t overdo it as that will appear insincere. Don’t distract them with flashy jewelry, dramatic make-up or wild styles. Business casual and low key wins the day. Have a drink of water before you go on. Put a smile on your face and sit up straight.

3. KP Your Desk. Don’t have anything between you and the camera that says you’re messy or disorganized. Lose the stack of papers, sticky notes and potato chips! Consider the visual message you are sending.

4. Aim Your Camera. Check your camera angle. Ideally, it should be coming from the middle of the screen or even with their eyes, but since we are still waiting on that technology, put the camera directly in front of you and on top of your screen. Don’t sit too close or your head will appear much too large. Look at the camera when you speak. Don’t put the camera to your side. It’s annoying to see someone talking into thin air.

5. Prepare Your Background. If you have a sunny window directly behind you, close the blind. Think about what they see behind your head. A clean wall or curtain is better than a cluttered office or weird artwork. Remember you don’t want to distract them, so look to see what they see before you call.

6. Prepare your presentation. Have in mind exactly what you want to convey, what commitments you want from them, and be prepared for questions. Books, pictures or shared documents are great props to use.

7. Small Talk First. Talk about the weather or something neutral to give them time to adjust to you and how you speak. They are taking in a lot of information at first so make it friendly. Don’t talk too fast.

8. Give and Take. Be sure to givethem ample opportunity to respond and ask questions. Ideally, they should talk as long as you do. Take notes. Listen closely to their remarks and address them before you go on with your points.

9. Smile and Say Goodbye. Look at the camera. Make eye contact the last thing they will remember. Give a friendly wave goodbye and thank them for the meeting.

10. Send a Follow Up. Right after your live video meeting, send them a thank you email saying how much you enjoyed meeting with them and politely summarize the action items.

Think of it as a visit from them to your office! This is a wonderful opportunity to make a good first impression, so prepare yourself for the best! Happy Skyping!

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post Top 10 Tips for Skype Etiquette – Setting the Stage appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

To watch the interview, please click the play button below.

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Inkandescent Magazine Wrote a recent article on the art of leaning in after the book “Lean In” by Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg. Inkandescent asked us for insights on how we worked together to build Barefoot Wine and about our book “The Barefoot Spirit”

Here’s a partnership perspective from an entrepreneurial couple without kids.

We asked Barefoot Wine co-founder Bonnie Harvey for insights on how she and her partner, Michael Houlihan, worked together to build their business into what is now the #1 bestselling vino in the country. Not only that, but they co-wrote “The Barefoot Spirit,” which was published in May and is the June 2013 New York Times #2 Business Bestseller. Harvey said:

Working with your significant other in the same business is a challenge not recommended for everybody, but building the Barefoot Wine brand from nothing to a national and international bestseller with my business and romantic partner was a positive and profitable experience.

Skills. For one thing, we had different skill sets, and we each needed and respected the other’s contribution in order to succeed. He was front office and I was back office. For another, we did not micro-manage each other. We gave each other the freedom to do our own thing and control our area of the business unfettered.

Decisions. All of our big decisions were unanimous. If we didn’t both agree, we didn’t do it. Even when we had a proper board of directors, it was made up of two women and two men, and we all agreed that all decisions would be unanimous. If three people couldn’t convince one, then it probably wasn’t a good idea anyway. This policy avoids the I-told-you-so’s that can go on for years and hurt working relationships.

Space. We made sure our workplace got out of the domestic part of the house as soon as possible. Starting out, we couldn’t afford a washer and a dryer, so we had plenty of space in the laundry room. It was important for us to physically and behaviorally separate work from our private lives. We had rules. One was no business talk in the bedroom. We also gave ourselves some space and time away from business to keep the romance alive. Every January, we would plan, and buy tickets in advance, for a few vacations a year. Then we would look forward to the break and plan our work around those breaks.

Chores. We had different skill sets in the home as well. I cooked and he cleaned. We also decided when we met that one of the things we both wanted in life was services. So as soon as we could afford it, we got a regular house cleaner, gardener, and maintainence person. Sure we could have saved the money, but instead we saved the time and made more money because of it.

Working with your partner in business is not for everyone, but if you follow whatever rules you agree on together, you will have a much better chance of success.

Click here to read our BeInkandescent cover story on Barefoot Wine.

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post BeInkandescent Magazine June 2013 appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

If you are born into a world where you apparently didn’t have to communicate in real time, and if you inherited a technology that provided a comfortable firewall that insulated you from personal rejection, are your social skills more likely to be handicapped? Could we learn to walk if we were handed a crutch at birth?

A close friendship is one that builds on trust and empathy. A relationship can start using text, email, or social media, but in order to be lasting and dependable it has to grow in person. And like learning to walk, we are going to be vulnerable, but that’s why we get so good at walking! Being vulnerable is a requirement in learning social skills. Personal interactions help both parties gain a level of trust for each other. Facebook can’t compare with face time when it comes to building a strong relationship.

Here are 7 advantages to real time, in person, face-to-face relationship building:

1. Facial Expressions. The human face has at least 20 muscles that work in concert to create a myriad of telling facial expressions. Observing those expressions during verbal communication can give you instant feedback about how your message is being received. You can quickly adjust you message on the spot to make it more meaningful or agreeable, and avoid possible misunderstandings.

2. Body language. Unlike a posed profile shot or any still image sent over the internet, you have an opportunity to see the other person’s dynamic reaction and make adjustments. Their real-time body language also provides tons of non-verbal communication you cannot read in a text or email. As humans and social animals we are already wired to get this feedback instantly.

3. Time investment.  When you travel with someone you really get to know them. There likely will be situations that cause stress and anxiety. You will both get to see how the other handles a variety of situations. When you spend time with others, you find out what you truly have in common and you have an opportunity to share your opinions. Spending an extended period with anyone helps you both get to know each other. Visiting someone repeatedly over a period of time can also provide valuable non-verbal clues to his or her values and concerns.

4. Tonality. When spoken, the same words used in a text or email can have different meanings based on the tone, inflection and emphasis of the speaker. You can quickly be aware of intentions behind the spoken word. This can give you a unique opportunity to discuss ideas they may not understand or be comfortable with.

Text, email and friending are great communication tools, but they are not relationship building. Virtual communication is just that – virtual. When you get real, you gain much more than the price of time and vulnerability.

Next week, we will explore other great advantages of face-to-face, real-time communication including Vulnerability, Personalized Attention, and Employability. Plus, we will explore ways to improve your social skills. So, stay in touch.

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post Building a Relationship is More than Texting and Friending – Part 1 appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.