18 Career Enhancement Caveats
March 31, 2009
Core value investing in your career
Many people walk through their lives never, ever being better at something than anyone else. What is it that you know or do better than almost anyone else in the world? What is it that you do uniquely well? Do your core values for yourself and your family fit with what you are doing, where you are putting your energy, what you are developing, and where you are focusing/immersing yourself?
In your career, as well as in your life, to achieve full capacity and happiness, all of you must be going in the same direction. For career and personal success to achieve its fullest potential, the inside and the outside must match: strength, motivation, passion, strategies and goals must be consistent with who you are and be an extension of who you are — not to define yourself, but to be defined by you. The application of focus and direction on your potential and goals with all of you going in the same direction allows expansion of strength and measurable results to achieve your vision.
Knowing what you want to achieve is crucial, with a game plan, specific steps, and measurable results. Review your responses in these four areas.
Sponsorship: A Key to Powerful Marketing
March 30, 2009
Sponsorship is the fastest growing form of marketing in the U.S. It is still very much in its infancy, especially in the trade show arena. With this in mind, you can find unlimited opportunities to broaden your competitive advantage by increasing your credibility, image and prestige in sponsoring events attracting your target market.
Some trade show promotional opportunities include sponsorship of the press room, an international lounge, a speaker or VIP room, an awards reception, educational programs, banners, badge holders, audio visual equipment, display computers, tote bags, shuttle buses, napkins and drink cups.
So, why should your company be interested in sponsorship? When done well, it offers significant opportunities for distinct marketing and competitive advantages, as well as showing support of the event.
What is sponsorship?
Sponsorship is the financial or in-kind support of an activity, used primarily to reach specified business goals. According to IEG’s Complete Guide to Sponsorship, “Sponsorship should not be confused with advertising. Advertising is considered a quantitative medium, whereas sponsorship is considered a qualitative medium. It promotes a company in association with the sponsee.”
Firing Underperforming Employees in Your Small Business
March 30, 2009
Here are a few tips on how to hand out pink slips when it comes time to terminate an employee.
As a small business owner with employees, you will likely find it necessary one day to terminate an underperforming employee ? if you haven’t already. In an ideal world, that wouldn’t be so. We would hire the right people from the start, and then train and motivate them to do the job.
But, that’s not realistic. In the audio book, "Sound Advice on Small Business," entrepreneur Jim Schell says, "The world and the people who inhabit it fall something short of perfect, and thus firing is a necessary evil of having employees."
For some small business owners, taking this unfortunate step is stressful. It might be tempting to delay the action. Schell says don’t. "Once you’ve made the decision, get on with it," he says. "Procrastination is painful for both parties."
Before calling the employee into your office, prepare yourself mentally. "Remember that the underperforming employee is dragging down the rest of the team," says Schell. "Good employees are being penalized."
Sales Prospects Avoiding You?
March 29, 2009
This issue’s topic on sales prospects comes in response to a question I received from a reader.
Question: Five weeks ago, I had a good conversation on the phone with an important prospect in my territory. They have a need for our product and the prospect seems to acknowledge this as well. Every time I have talked to him, he has been very interested and seemingly aware of the problem in his company that our product can help solve. I sell print management and print tracking software and the prospect acknowledged that the cost of printing is an issue for his organization. Last time we talked, he indicated he needed to gather some information regarding his current operating cost (which we most likely would be able to cut) before coming in for a demo. But when I called back at the time we had agreed upon, I kept getting voicemail. I have not been able to get him on the phone and he doesn’t respond to the voicemails I left either. What do you recommend I do?” When Sales Prospects Won’t Take Your CallsWhen sales prospects stop taking your calls, it’s never a good sign. It means one of three things:
Christmas Carol Coaching - Help to Get Ahead at Holiday Time!
March 28, 2009
I’ve always been fascinated by situations where art imitates real life and right here is a perfect example, which links Christmas and business & personal development.
If you want to read about a serious piece of dodgy people management (bordering on potential litigation); a man all adrift with the world and himself; shown how to do it by three visionary experiences (and with a brilliant example of supportive team-building thrown in); and then the ultimate Christmas ’shift’? These are all brilliantly described for your pleasure in a seasonal read of ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens.
Here, Dickens brings out all of these wonderful examples and takes us through the life of Scrooge, ending in an exemplary and joyful outcome for a guy whose life is changed for the better, forever (despite years and years of baggage).
Judge The Site by Its Content
March 27, 2009
Judge The Site by Its Content
by: Stephen Freeman
People are intelligent. And now they are net-savvy. So the days to grab their attention with loaded graphics, colors and style of your website only, are gone. To hold on to your visitors and make them come back again and again to your site, you must provide them with the right content. Website content that would fulfill their need for information search.
After all, the internet has become so popular for its Information resources that web site content management is very important. The content of a site should be in line with the website theme and its description. If the site is a theme based site, which most sites are (at least initially!), they should provide special attention to the genuineness and details of the content. It is the content that creates the credibility of the website in its visitors mind. That’s the reason Content is the King!
Today’s tech-savvy customers are very fast judging the reliability of a site by the web copywriting, and they switch to your competitors site at the blink of an eye. So to make your customer read through your webpage, there should be authenticity in the content. If you can back your ideas and views by examples, recommendations and comparisons, it will surely make your customers believe and keep them glued to your site. So you need professional copywriting technique.
Are You Playing or Practicing Leadership?
March 26, 2009
Anne was a new supervisor, and like many new supervisors she took the new role as a manager and leader seriously. She took advantage of training that was offered to her. She learned how to do performance reviews effectively, listened to other leaders to learn from them. She read several books recommended to her by others.
More importantly she tried hard to apply what she was learning. Anne was practicing leadership.
When we are diligent in practicing anything we are consciously practicing our skills. We are trying things again and again to get better. We are focused on fundamentals. Something happens to many of us though when we begin to get comfortable with our new skills ? whether they are leadership skills or sewing skills or tennis skills. We stop practicing and start playing.
What is the difference?
When we can consistently get the tennis serve in, we tend to want to play matches more than to continue to practice that serve. Once we have the sewing basics down (or so it seems) we want to make something. In both cases our focus moves to something other than getting better ? because that is what "practice" is for.
Easy Marketing Methods with Letters, Post Cards, Referrals and Testimonials
March 25, 2009
Easy Direct Marketing Methods for Insurance Agencies
This Month: Strategies for Letters, Post Cards, Newsletters, Testimonials, Referrals.
Selling insurance is tough: too many agents selling too few clients, and ouch - trying to show value when all you are selling is a piece of paper that no one really thinks he needs? until it’s too late. But you knew all that. Here’s how to get more business and keep the customers you have.
Send a "Thank you for your business" letter.
I’ll bet you ten bucks that I know the last piece of correspondence your customer received from you or your providers: it was a bill. Right? OK - 99 out of 100 of you pay up. Break this cycle of insurance bills with something refreshing. Send a bottle of champagne. Just kidding. Send that bottle to me, Schramsberg/NAPA is just fine. To your clients and prospects, send a couple of refreshing "Thank you" letters.
Spend the 74¢
Still Using Federal Reserve Notes?(How to Beat Inflation)
March 25, 2009
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”
Hosea 4:6
This short article will address the topic of
inflation, its causes, the effects thereof, and
how to safeguard against it.
Do not fall victim to inflation, i.e., the
government manipulation of your money. Let me
explain.
I. What Causes Inflation
Have you ever heard of the Federal Reserve? Well
then you know what causes inflation. The “Fed” is
the engine of inflation, by self-admission. But
how can that be?, you ask. The “Fed” is a branch
of the federal government, no?
It is not. It is neither federal, nor are there
any reserves - anywhere - to speak of. Time was,
when the American dollar was indeed as good as
gold, for it was actually backed by gold. These
days, the dollar is no more than a three cent
piece of paper(the three cents includes the price
of ink), worth anything only because our
government says it is. This is to say, that the
dollar has value due only to government’s faith in
the people’s ignorance, or, more accurately, the
My Product is Obviously Better ? Why isn?t it Selling?
March 24, 2009
The movie, "Field of Dreams" opens with a farmer standing in a cornfield. He hears a disembodied voice saying, "If you build it, he will come"?by the end of the movie the mantra has changed to "If you build it, they will come".
The movie takes a religious theme and applies it to baseball. The story appeals to our sense of order in the universe, that if you create something exceptional whether it be a product or service, it will take on a life of it’s own and automatically be successful.
In reality, we know that that is not so. "Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door." It didn’t work when the better mousetrap was designed and it won’t work now.
How are you going to reach your prospective customers?
Look beyond the features of your products and services, to the reason the customer would want to do business with you.
Developing an effective strategy requires a clear idea of who your core group of prospects is.
Demographics ? age, sex, education, income
Are augmented by
