There’s a restaurant in my hometown that has a regular menu and a “Specials” menu. Neither has varied one iota since I can remember going there. I always laugh when Lisa, the waitress, hands me the unlaminated sheet of paper with the “Specials” on it as though it were new and exciting. “Here are our specials!” she says without even a wink at the repetitiveness of the offer. Maybe there’s something “special” about getting an additional sheet of paper.

I mention this because my Mastermind Group colleagues told me awhile back that I needed to freshen up my menu offerings. I knew they were right when I found myself deleting other company’s emails based on the repetitiveness of what seemed to be the same offer, no matter how much I respected and admired that person. You’ve got to mix it up.

Taking my own advice, I’m creating a new way to conduct my Remarkable Women’s Network events. Rather than doing one a month in different locations, I’m going to offer them only quarterly and have specific agendas at each one ranging from social media to make-overs for yourself and your business image. I’m also adding Soul Proprietor Book Clubs to my mix of offerings.

What this does is freshen things up. Years ago, when I was exhibiting my decorative eggs and jewelry, the first question everyone asked was, “What’s new?” I always had a new line to show them in response. I noticed, though, that often simply because I had something different for them to feast their eyes on, they frequently bought something from the classic line I continued to produce. I’m not sure what the principle of this is, if it has a name, but realized how important it was for them (and me) to keep mixing up the offering.

What are you going to offer in 2011 that is new and exciting both for you and your customers?

BTW, I hardly ever eat at that restaurant anymore.