If you’re a small business or entrepreneur you can bet your bottom dollar that the high gas prices are affecting you. It probably will be your “bottom dollar” too!
Regardless of what the politicians are telling us, and regardless whether you deliver your products to the client or not the price of fuel is affecting you. It’s affecting your business because it’s affecting the consumer – your consumers.
In a recent survey done by the National Retail Federation they state, “Whether gas prices pose a fiscal or psychological concern consumers are affected regardless of income.”
Some interesting stats show that from the number of adults nationwide16.4% delayed a major purchase such as cars, TV, or furniture. Dining out has been reduced by 25.2%, 31.2% decreased vacation travel plans, 17.3% are spending less on groceries, and 23.7% are spending less on clothing.
That equates to the fact that restaurants, travel agencies, motel/hotels, car dealers, furniture stores, and retail clothing stores are all going to be affected by gas prices. If any one of those listed is the business you’re doing, then your bottom line of profits is definitely affected. The interesting part of all that is that it didn’t matter if those polled were in the $50K+ income bracket or less than $50K, the results were the same.
The only distinction seemed to be that adults in the age bracket of 45-54 years of age had the highest percentages but with the same outcome. For instance of the 25.2% of adults that reduced dining out, 28.6% of them were in that age bracket, and so on down the line. The survey also noted that 70% of the consumers of that age group were impacted by higher gas prices.
As you might have guessed, when these survey figures were broken down by region the West was higher in all categories than the NE, Mid-West, or Southern regions. Still only 5.7% of us have increased carpooling.
It’s a fact, whether we like it or not, that every penny spent on gasoline is a penny kept from retailers. Looking beyond just the retail industry, what about the service business. The cost of doing business for a repairman is going to increase as the expense for gasoline increases, and ultimately his prices will reflect that increase. It doesn’t matter whether he’s doing electrical, roofing, renovating, plumbing, whatever service drives up to your home is going to cost more in the long run.
Ultimately, as the domino effect goes into play, those who can least afford price increases will be the hardest hit. Seniors and retirees on fixed incomes just have to suck it up and bear the price increases. As the survey pollsters have said income levels didn’t vary results of choices, it still varies the ability to handle the domino effects. If income remains stationery but prices rise, there’s definitely an affect on those with fixed incomes.
For the entrepreneur to overcome the situation it requires some really extreme methods. Following are some tips to keep your expenses down:
Order supplies online, anticipating a price increase, and have them delivered to you.
Research your competitors online and save the gas.
Group doing an errand or two when they’re in the vicinity of a scheduled client meeting.
Do more of your business by mail, email, or on the internet. You can do just about anything from paying a vendor to transferring funds from one bank account to another on the internet, and you don’t use any gas. The only time you have to go to the bank is to make a deposit.
If you conduct business at Trade Shows and have to travel find ways to cut corners. Carpool to the airport with a colleague or even a nearby competitor. (You’re both going to be doing business at the same show anyway.) Perhaps, you can combine two trips with only one return home after the second trip. Perhaps putting an ad in the Trade Show program can save you making a trip. (You could use that plan for the less important trade show.)
Consider whether media advertising for your business would be cheaper than what you’ve been doing in person considering gas prices.
That’s just a few ideas to get those little gray cells working. After all, as an entrepreneur you’ve done marketing on a shoestring before. I’m sure you can come up with at least ten more ideas than I’ve given you. You might also want to check out the web site: http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?=(put in your zip code)
At that site you can find the cheapest gas prices in your area. I’d venture to say that these rankings change daily, so check it out when you need gas.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Frugal Marketing for Entrepreneurs
How many e-mail messages do you send everyday? You’re probable missing out on a simple, inexpensive marketing tool. Seize the opportunity to promote your business to a highly targeted market without spending a dime by utilizing your e-mail signature line.
If your email signature line only contains your name and contact information, you’re missing out on advertising to e-mail recipients that have opted for communications from you.
These people are key members of your unofficial marketing network. They are your prospects, clients, press contacts and colleagues and your signature line is the perfect, unobtrusive space for a unique promotional pitch.
Try these tactics to turn your “sign-offs” into sales:
Highlight what your company offers.
Offer an incentive for recipients taken a specified action.
Use the associated web address for the incentive, if it’s also on your site.
Give better visual positioning to the promotion rather than contact info.
Play with eye-catching fonts and colors.
Use less than 64 characters/line so that words don’t wrap to a new line.
Write a “signature” for different categories of recipients.
Change your signature copy frequently.
Never miss a chance to get your product or company noticed.
Another thing that many entrepreneurs don’t think about is the letters they send out. They are merely accepted as solving a problem or answering a need, when you can carry the e-mail idea over into every piece of mail you generate.
On the company letterhead simply add a line at the bottom of page 1. It could be a “tag line” of sorts made up of a slogan that “brands” your services or business. Try to come up with something unique so that every time it’s heard the prospect thinks of you.
Examples of this would be, “Good to the last drop,” which of course is Maxwell House Coffee. “Finger-lickin’ good,” which is KFC chicken, and so on. You get the message of what I’m saying. Play around with this until you come up with a pearl that is uniquely you.
If your business/service does not lend itself to this idea, then focus on increasing your credibility by using a “membership” tag line. For instance a funeral home would be less than tasteful using the line, “Our clients are dying to visit us;” but they COULD use the line “Members of Undertakers Assoc. of America” at the foot of their letterhead. This establishes immediate credibility in the mind of the recipient, even if the letter they received was a direct mail advertising letter.
When you’re an entrepreneur in today’s marketplace you have to be inventive and creative to buck the “big boys” on the block. I suggest that every entrepreneur read about the life of P.T. Barnum to get a better understanding of a truly great entrepreneur.
It isn’t always the almighty dollar that gets the best advertising for our business; it’s the best IDEA that makes you stand out in the crowd.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
If your email signature line only contains your name and contact information, you’re missing out on advertising to e-mail recipients that have opted for communications from you.
These people are key members of your unofficial marketing network. They are your prospects, clients, press contacts and colleagues and your signature line is the perfect, unobtrusive space for a unique promotional pitch.
Try these tactics to turn your “sign-offs” into sales:
Highlight what your company offers.
Offer an incentive for recipients taken a specified action.
Use the associated web address for the incentive, if it’s also on your site.
Give better visual positioning to the promotion rather than contact info.
Play with eye-catching fonts and colors.
Use less than 64 characters/line so that words don’t wrap to a new line.
Write a “signature” for different categories of recipients.
Change your signature copy frequently.
Never miss a chance to get your product or company noticed.
Another thing that many entrepreneurs don’t think about is the letters they send out. They are merely accepted as solving a problem or answering a need, when you can carry the e-mail idea over into every piece of mail you generate.
On the company letterhead simply add a line at the bottom of page 1. It could be a “tag line” of sorts made up of a slogan that “brands” your services or business. Try to come up with something unique so that every time it’s heard the prospect thinks of you.
Examples of this would be, “Good to the last drop,” which of course is Maxwell House Coffee. “Finger-lickin’ good,” which is KFC chicken, and so on. You get the message of what I’m saying. Play around with this until you come up with a pearl that is uniquely you.
If your business/service does not lend itself to this idea, then focus on increasing your credibility by using a “membership” tag line. For instance a funeral home would be less than tasteful using the line, “Our clients are dying to visit us;” but they COULD use the line “Members of Undertakers Assoc. of America” at the foot of their letterhead. This establishes immediate credibility in the mind of the recipient, even if the letter they received was a direct mail advertising letter.
When you’re an entrepreneur in today’s marketplace you have to be inventive and creative to buck the “big boys” on the block. I suggest that every entrepreneur read about the life of P.T. Barnum to get a better understanding of a truly great entrepreneur.
It isn’t always the almighty dollar that gets the best advertising for our business; it’s the best IDEA that makes you stand out in the crowd.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Friday, April 25, 2008
THE SECRETS OF FREE ADVERTISING
The opportunities for getting free advertising for your product
or services are limited only by your own imagination and
energies. There are so many proven ways of promoting your
objectives without cost that it literally boggles the mind just
to think of listing them.
One way is to write an article relative to your particular
expertise and submit it to all the publications and media dealing
in the dissemination of related information. In other words,
become your own publicity and sales promotions writer. Get the
word out; establish yourself as an expert in your field, and
"tag-along" everything you write with a quick note listing your
address for a catalog, dealership opportunity, or more
information.
Another really good way is by becoming a guest on as many of the
radio and television talk shows or interview type programs as
possible. Actually, this is much easier to bring about than most
people realize. Write a letter to the producer of these programs,
then follow up with an in-person visit or telephone call. Your initial
contact should emphasize that your product or service would be of
interest to the listeners or viewers of the program--perhaps even
saving them time and money.
Other ways of getting free or very inexpensive exposure include
the posting of advertising circulars on all free bulletin boards
in your area, especially the coin-operated laundries, grocery
stores, and beauty and barber shops. Don't discount the idea of
handing out circulars to all the shoppers in busy shopping
centers and malls, especially on weekends. You can also enlist the
aid of the middle school students in your area to had out
circulars door-to-door.
Some of the more routine methods include having a promotional ad
relative to your product or service printed on the front or back
of your envelopes at the time you have them printed with your
return address.
Be sure to check all the publications that carry the kind of
advertising you need. Many mail order publications just getting
started offer unusually low rates to first-time advertisers; a
free-of-charge insertion of your ad when you pay for an order to
run three issues or more; or special seasonal ad space at greatly
reduced rates. And there are a number of publications that will
give you Per Inquiry (PI) space--arrangement where all orders
come in to the publication, they take a commission from each
order, and then forward the orders on to you for fulfillment.
Many publications will give you a contract for space. In this
arrangement you send them your ad, and they hold it until they
have unsold space, and then at a price that's always one third or
less the regular price for the space need, insert your ad. Along
these lines, be sure to check in with the suburban neighborhood
newspapers.
If you send out or publish any kind of catalog or ad sheet, get
in touch will all the other publishers and inquire about the
possibilities of exchange advertising. They run your ad in their
publication in exchange for your running an ad for them of
comparable size in yours.
Finally, there's nothing in the world that beats the low cost and
tremendous exposure you get when you advertise a free offer.
Simply run an ad offering a free report of interest to most
people--- a simple one page report with a "tag-line" inviting the
readers to send money for more information, with a full page
advertisement for your book or other product on the backside. Ask
for a self-addressed stamped envelope, and depending on the
appeal for your report and circulation of the publication in
which your ad appears, you could easily be inundated with
responses!
The trick here, of course, is to convert all these responses, or
a large percentage of them, into sales. This is done via the
"tag-line," which issues an invitation to the reader to send for
more information, and the full page ad on the back of the report,
and other offers you include with the complete package you send
back to them. As mentioned at the beginning of this report, it's
just a matter of unleashing your imagination. Do that, and you
have a powerful force working for you that can help you reach
your goals.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
or services are limited only by your own imagination and
energies. There are so many proven ways of promoting your
objectives without cost that it literally boggles the mind just
to think of listing them.
One way is to write an article relative to your particular
expertise and submit it to all the publications and media dealing
in the dissemination of related information. In other words,
become your own publicity and sales promotions writer. Get the
word out; establish yourself as an expert in your field, and
"tag-along" everything you write with a quick note listing your
address for a catalog, dealership opportunity, or more
information.
Another really good way is by becoming a guest on as many of the
radio and television talk shows or interview type programs as
possible. Actually, this is much easier to bring about than most
people realize. Write a letter to the producer of these programs,
then follow up with an in-person visit or telephone call. Your initial
contact should emphasize that your product or service would be of
interest to the listeners or viewers of the program--perhaps even
saving them time and money.
Other ways of getting free or very inexpensive exposure include
the posting of advertising circulars on all free bulletin boards
in your area, especially the coin-operated laundries, grocery
stores, and beauty and barber shops. Don't discount the idea of
handing out circulars to all the shoppers in busy shopping
centers and malls, especially on weekends. You can also enlist the
aid of the middle school students in your area to had out
circulars door-to-door.
Some of the more routine methods include having a promotional ad
relative to your product or service printed on the front or back
of your envelopes at the time you have them printed with your
return address.
Be sure to check all the publications that carry the kind of
advertising you need. Many mail order publications just getting
started offer unusually low rates to first-time advertisers; a
free-of-charge insertion of your ad when you pay for an order to
run three issues or more; or special seasonal ad space at greatly
reduced rates. And there are a number of publications that will
give you Per Inquiry (PI) space--arrangement where all orders
come in to the publication, they take a commission from each
order, and then forward the orders on to you for fulfillment.
Many publications will give you a contract for space. In this
arrangement you send them your ad, and they hold it until they
have unsold space, and then at a price that's always one third or
less the regular price for the space need, insert your ad. Along
these lines, be sure to check in with the suburban neighborhood
newspapers.
If you send out or publish any kind of catalog or ad sheet, get
in touch will all the other publishers and inquire about the
possibilities of exchange advertising. They run your ad in their
publication in exchange for your running an ad for them of
comparable size in yours.
Finally, there's nothing in the world that beats the low cost and
tremendous exposure you get when you advertise a free offer.
Simply run an ad offering a free report of interest to most
people--- a simple one page report with a "tag-line" inviting the
readers to send money for more information, with a full page
advertisement for your book or other product on the backside. Ask
for a self-addressed stamped envelope, and depending on the
appeal for your report and circulation of the publication in
which your ad appears, you could easily be inundated with
responses!
The trick here, of course, is to convert all these responses, or
a large percentage of them, into sales. This is done via the
"tag-line," which issues an invitation to the reader to send for
more information, and the full page ad on the back of the report,
and other offers you include with the complete package you send
back to them. As mentioned at the beginning of this report, it's
just a matter of unleashing your imagination. Do that, and you
have a powerful force working for you that can help you reach
your goals.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Is Franchising Your Bag?
Are you wondering what the hottest franchising trends are? Much of the recent success in that area is traceable to two demographic trends: Americans are getting older and feeling pressed for time. Doesn’t sound too bright, but it means booming business in franchising circles.
Now I am by no means a Franchise Guru. I’ve never owned one, worked for one, or even considered one and for good reasons.
First, when I started my publishing and publicity business I wasn’t flush financially enough to pay the “freight” on a franchise. Secondly, it seems too much like working for another corporate business to me. Things are done their way or no way, and you work for two – you and the piece the company takes. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be your cup of tea, because many entrepreneurs love franchises.
I’m not going to expound as a franchise expert, but rather I’ll give you the facts about the hottest ones to look at if you like franchises. Despite the status of the economy it seems the most stunning growth in franchises in 2004 has been in the senior-care segment. Seven senior-care companies ranked in the top 500 in Entrepreneur magazine have grown a total of 370 units in one year, and almost 39% in the past year.
Experts say that despite the large increases, this market hasn’t peaked yet. By 2010, 39 million Americans will be 65 or older, and that’s almost 20% of the North American population. About 30% of non-institutionalized seniors live alone, per the Dept. of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging. Many of them need extra help at home or companionship.
As the nation ages and boomers turn 60, this segment of the population will grow. “Elder care will replace child care as the number one social issue,” predicts Jeff Huber, vice president of Home Instead Senior Care – a franchise that grew from 356 to 448 units this past year.
The next hottest area is kids. Parents want their kids to have fun and be well-educated and will spend money to ensure this in good times and in bad. Children’s products and services segment of franchises have grown steadily over the year and become one of the top 5 overall categories in term of unit size in 2004.
What’s changed? Spending on children is now being fueled not only by baby-boomers, but by Generation X – a group that has $736 billion in spending power. Another change in the market in the past 25 years is the increase in dual-career families. According to some in the industry, this is an ideal time to enter the education sector of franchises for kids.
Kids’ fitness programs are also growing. Caryn Burnier, franchise sales director with Stretch-N-Grow International, says they have added 50 units last year. “We expect to see more children enrolled in fitness programs in the coming year,” says Jerry Perch, vice president of sales/marketing for the 92-unit Kinderdance International Inc. franchise.
Last, but not least, the tech industry is rebounding from its nose-dive in the past. This is because there is an increased dependence by people and businesses on their technology. People need advice on what to buy and what not to buy, and what is the proper solution to their particular need.
Computer Moms International Corp., a training and support provider, has seen a shift in its client base since it started 10 years ago. The greatest demand for services from the Computer Moms group has shifted to the business market, and the group added 30 franchises last year. The experts claim that the demand for quality full-service training and tech support is vast now and expected to become greater.
Following on the heels of those three areas are franchises in the area of Home Improvement, Fitness, Income Tax Preparation, Business Consulting, Specialty Ice Cream, and Coffee. So, if you’re in the market for a franchise type business pay heed to the up-and-coming hot leaders and let somebody else go for the 7-Elevens.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Now I am by no means a Franchise Guru. I’ve never owned one, worked for one, or even considered one and for good reasons.
First, when I started my publishing and publicity business I wasn’t flush financially enough to pay the “freight” on a franchise. Secondly, it seems too much like working for another corporate business to me. Things are done their way or no way, and you work for two – you and the piece the company takes. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be your cup of tea, because many entrepreneurs love franchises.
I’m not going to expound as a franchise expert, but rather I’ll give you the facts about the hottest ones to look at if you like franchises. Despite the status of the economy it seems the most stunning growth in franchises in 2004 has been in the senior-care segment. Seven senior-care companies ranked in the top 500 in Entrepreneur magazine have grown a total of 370 units in one year, and almost 39% in the past year.
Experts say that despite the large increases, this market hasn’t peaked yet. By 2010, 39 million Americans will be 65 or older, and that’s almost 20% of the North American population. About 30% of non-institutionalized seniors live alone, per the Dept. of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging. Many of them need extra help at home or companionship.
As the nation ages and boomers turn 60, this segment of the population will grow. “Elder care will replace child care as the number one social issue,” predicts Jeff Huber, vice president of Home Instead Senior Care – a franchise that grew from 356 to 448 units this past year.
The next hottest area is kids. Parents want their kids to have fun and be well-educated and will spend money to ensure this in good times and in bad. Children’s products and services segment of franchises have grown steadily over the year and become one of the top 5 overall categories in term of unit size in 2004.
What’s changed? Spending on children is now being fueled not only by baby-boomers, but by Generation X – a group that has $736 billion in spending power. Another change in the market in the past 25 years is the increase in dual-career families. According to some in the industry, this is an ideal time to enter the education sector of franchises for kids.
Kids’ fitness programs are also growing. Caryn Burnier, franchise sales director with Stretch-N-Grow International, says they have added 50 units last year. “We expect to see more children enrolled in fitness programs in the coming year,” says Jerry Perch, vice president of sales/marketing for the 92-unit Kinderdance International Inc. franchise.
Last, but not least, the tech industry is rebounding from its nose-dive in the past. This is because there is an increased dependence by people and businesses on their technology. People need advice on what to buy and what not to buy, and what is the proper solution to their particular need.
Computer Moms International Corp., a training and support provider, has seen a shift in its client base since it started 10 years ago. The greatest demand for services from the Computer Moms group has shifted to the business market, and the group added 30 franchises last year. The experts claim that the demand for quality full-service training and tech support is vast now and expected to become greater.
Following on the heels of those three areas are franchises in the area of Home Improvement, Fitness, Income Tax Preparation, Business Consulting, Specialty Ice Cream, and Coffee. So, if you’re in the market for a franchise type business pay heed to the up-and-coming hot leaders and let somebody else go for the 7-Elevens.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Five Easy Steps to Staying Motivated
Motivating yourself to excel at your job or to be an example to your employees, should not be something you do only when the spirit moves you. It’s an ongoing process that should include every facet of your business life. This means your mental attitude, physical well-being and appearance, work atmosphere, your interaction with others (clients and employees alike), and your off-the-job environment.
Motivational experts get paid big bucks to tell professionals, striving for success, that they must constantly examine these factors. How do you do that? Follow the 5 tips that follow, and watch the changes.
Maintain a Positive Attitude – Let’s realize that life is only 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. We’re responsible for our own actions and attitudes, and changing them when appropriate. When you’re around people/things that are uplifting and positive, you feel that way. You have more confidence in yourself, and know you can change whatever needs changing. If you can make your workplace such a place you’ll find happier workers and higher production. You might even find your employees look forward to coming to work!
Leave Personal Troubles Home - Everyone has problems, but they don’t belong at work. Turn your attention and energy entirely to your on-the-job tasks. This will actually be good for you because you’ll get a mental break from your troubles.
Create Positive Affirmations - The reason for writing goals for your business is the same as creating positive affirmations on paper. What your eyes see and ears hear, your mind will believe. Try it! After you’ve written them down, read them aloud to yourself – and do it every morning when you get into work. You’ll be amazed at what happens. Come up with a set of new ones every month. Statements such as, “I’m an important and valuable person,” or “I know I’ll make good use of my time today.” Repeating them out loud everyday at a set time will help reinforce positive actions.
Make Sure Break Times Are Really Break Times - This is an area where most bosses/entrepreneurs fall down. You become so intense about the project or situation you’re working on that you don’t ease up. Thinking that it’ll be solved in the next few seconds, and then you’ll get a cup of coffee can lead you right up to quitting time. Regularly adhering to a specified break schedule, even if you’re the boss, releases the tension. If you work on a computer this is even a greater problem because before you realize it – you’ve been working in that same position for hours. The best answer to this is to set yourself a reminder on your appointment calendar for every 2 hours, and let the computer reminder chime send you the alert to move around.
Exercise, Exercise, Exercise - I know that lately it seems that “exercise” is the cure-all to every physical ailment or your love life, but despite that there is some truth to that ugly word. By “exercise” I don’t mean that you should go out and join a gym and spend your lunch-time, 3-days-a-week there working out. What is really beneficial and workable is that at those chiming alerts from your computer, get up and walk around your desk or room. Maybe go outside and get the mail and enjoy the sunlight (if you’re an entrepreneur that has a home office), or just get up and do a few stretches. Concentrated, tense thinking – typing - plotting plans - or whatever your work, makes all those muscles tighten up and knot up. Then when we move we “ooh” and “ouch” because we’ve knotted up into a ball of tension. Periodic stretching, even at our desk, or just getting up and walking over to the window and getting a different view can help. One of the greatest disservice modern business décor has done to us, is making our offices pristine, sleek, unencumbered spaces. There is nothing more relaxing than getting up from your desk and walking over to a peaceful, serene, seascape or pastoral painting and just drinking it in visually. Momentarily transporting your mind out of work and into that place does wonders. A few good paintings and less shiny chrome in offices would benefit us all.
It only takes a little concentrated effort on our part to keep motivated and productive, which leads to success. I know you’re going to hate hearing this, but it’s true anyway – and that is, “WHEN LIFE GIVES YOUR LEMONS – MAKE LEMONADE!”
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Motivational experts get paid big bucks to tell professionals, striving for success, that they must constantly examine these factors. How do you do that? Follow the 5 tips that follow, and watch the changes.
Maintain a Positive Attitude – Let’s realize that life is only 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. We’re responsible for our own actions and attitudes, and changing them when appropriate. When you’re around people/things that are uplifting and positive, you feel that way. You have more confidence in yourself, and know you can change whatever needs changing. If you can make your workplace such a place you’ll find happier workers and higher production. You might even find your employees look forward to coming to work!
Leave Personal Troubles Home - Everyone has problems, but they don’t belong at work. Turn your attention and energy entirely to your on-the-job tasks. This will actually be good for you because you’ll get a mental break from your troubles.
Create Positive Affirmations - The reason for writing goals for your business is the same as creating positive affirmations on paper. What your eyes see and ears hear, your mind will believe. Try it! After you’ve written them down, read them aloud to yourself – and do it every morning when you get into work. You’ll be amazed at what happens. Come up with a set of new ones every month. Statements such as, “I’m an important and valuable person,” or “I know I’ll make good use of my time today.” Repeating them out loud everyday at a set time will help reinforce positive actions.
Make Sure Break Times Are Really Break Times - This is an area where most bosses/entrepreneurs fall down. You become so intense about the project or situation you’re working on that you don’t ease up. Thinking that it’ll be solved in the next few seconds, and then you’ll get a cup of coffee can lead you right up to quitting time. Regularly adhering to a specified break schedule, even if you’re the boss, releases the tension. If you work on a computer this is even a greater problem because before you realize it – you’ve been working in that same position for hours. The best answer to this is to set yourself a reminder on your appointment calendar for every 2 hours, and let the computer reminder chime send you the alert to move around.
Exercise, Exercise, Exercise - I know that lately it seems that “exercise” is the cure-all to every physical ailment or your love life, but despite that there is some truth to that ugly word. By “exercise” I don’t mean that you should go out and join a gym and spend your lunch-time, 3-days-a-week there working out. What is really beneficial and workable is that at those chiming alerts from your computer, get up and walk around your desk or room. Maybe go outside and get the mail and enjoy the sunlight (if you’re an entrepreneur that has a home office), or just get up and do a few stretches. Concentrated, tense thinking – typing - plotting plans - or whatever your work, makes all those muscles tighten up and knot up. Then when we move we “ooh” and “ouch” because we’ve knotted up into a ball of tension. Periodic stretching, even at our desk, or just getting up and walking over to the window and getting a different view can help. One of the greatest disservice modern business décor has done to us, is making our offices pristine, sleek, unencumbered spaces. There is nothing more relaxing than getting up from your desk and walking over to a peaceful, serene, seascape or pastoral painting and just drinking it in visually. Momentarily transporting your mind out of work and into that place does wonders. A few good paintings and less shiny chrome in offices would benefit us all.
It only takes a little concentrated effort on our part to keep motivated and productive, which leads to success. I know you’re going to hate hearing this, but it’s true anyway – and that is, “WHEN LIFE GIVES YOUR LEMONS – MAKE LEMONADE!”
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Finding Your Potential
If you want to make more of your talents - live up to your full potential
- you have to learn to use them. You have the power to change your habits
- to acquire new skills and fully use the skills you now have. You can
improve your performance, your productivity, and the quality of your whole
life.
What makes a high achiever? Is it luck, intelligence, talent, dedication?
All of these things figure in - they all make a difference. But we all
know intelligent, talented, hard-working people who do not consider
themselves very successful or even happy. And we know people who are not
exceptionally bright but seem happy and successful.
So there must be something else, some secret to success. Actually there
are several secrets to achieving your peak performance - living up to your
full potential.
Your success at business, friendship, love, sports - just about anything
you try - is largely determined by your own self-image. Your unhappiness
is something you choose. So, you're thinking no one chooses to be unhappy.
Well, maybe not - but you have to consciously choose to be happy,
self-confident, and successful.
Happiness is elusive when we go after it directly. So is self-confidence.
Both seem to be more "side-products" than something you can achieve in and
for itself. So how, then, can consciously choosing to be these things be
of any value? Well, the secret is to focus on other things.
First, focus on your potential. Begin by making a complete and accurate
assessment of your potential. To do this you must take an inventory of
yourself - you will make a few lists. Sit down and make a list of all the
things you can do well. Be honest with yourself. When that list is done,
make a list of all the things you like to do, even if you think you can't
do them well. Then, make a list of all the things you would like to do, if
you could. Now list your hobbies.
Then, go back to the list of things you can do well. You are probably
being much too hard on yourself. Most of us are. We have this little
voice in our heads telling us things like: "You're so dumb," or "You can't
learn to do that," or "You never do anything right," or similar nasty
things. And even worse, we listen to that voice as if it's telling us the
gospel truth. So now, shut off that voice - you can do it - and add a few
more things to the list of things you can do well. Pretend you are your
best friend - it's amazing how much more forgiving and charitable we are
with our friends than we are with ourselves. Now that you are your best
friend, you should be able to add a few more items to your "do well" list.
But do be honest - don't list things you feel you really can't do well.
Next, go to your list of things you like to do but you feel you don't do
well. Speaking as your own best friend, do you think there are some things
on this list that could be moved to your "do well" list? There probably
are. If you like to do it, chances are you do pretty well at it. Treat
your hobby list in the same manner.
Next, go to your list of things you would like to do if you could. Ask
yourself, "Why can't I do this, if I'd like to?" Put your reasons on
another list. OK. So you have a lot of lists going - what good is that
going to do? Well, you have just made an assessment of yourself. If you
have been truly honest in making these lists, it may even be a fairly
accurate assessment. Probably it isn't, but that's OK. This assessment
isn't carved in stone. It's subject to change. But for now we will work
with what's on the lists. At least you have a place to start.
Look over your lists again. You are focusing on all the things you feel
you can't do and the reasons why you can't do them, right? Well, don't.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO - FOCUS ON YOUR POTENTIAL. Make it a habit to
focus on your strengths. Don't forget to include your undeveloped
potential, as well. Train yourself to focus on your potential instead of
your limitations.
Now that's not to say that you should ignore your list of reasons for not
doing some of the things you would like to do. Not at all! But look at
them from the viewpoint of your strengths. For instance, you'd like to
play basketball but you think you are too short, so you don't even try. In
this case, you are looking at it from the viewpoint of your limitations.
Now, when you look at it from the viewpoint of your strengths, you would
say, "Well, I may be pretty short to play, BUT I am fast. I can handle the
ball well. I have a lot of stamina. I can't change being short, but I can
refuse to let my limitations overcome my strengths."
You see the difference? Focusing on your limitations lets those
limitations make your decisions for you. Focusing on your strengths lets
YOU make the decision. To go back to our example: when you've decided to
overcome your height limitations to play basketball - something you really
want to do - you will be more determined to develop your strengths to
compensate. You will do well, because you will be doing what you really
want to do and you will be determined to develop the full potential of your
strengths. Very few people concentrate on fully developing any of their
strengths. That's where you will have the edge. You know your true
disadvantages but your determination, your singleness of purpose, will
inspire you to fully develop the talents and skills you do have.
OK. You probably have no interest in playing basketball. Then go to your
assessment of yourself. What do you have a major interest in? What do you
have a natural aptitude for? Go for it. Devote yourself to something you
really like to do. Don't choose something just because you think you could
make more money at it than you could by doing something else that you would
really rather work at. You won't work to develop your full potential. You
may start out with enthusiasm, but you will soon flag. It will be a chore
to go to work. You'll probably find yourself hating to go. It'll be
difficult to work on improving your skills because you don't like what you
are doing. You probably won't be working up to your potential. Your
success will probably be limited by your growing lack of interest and your
happiness will surely be affected.
If, however, you devote yourself to something you really like to do, you'll
enjoy your work, you'll be enthusiastic, and you'll probably find yourself
working on improving your skills just for the sheer joy of it. You will be
working to reach your full potential. You'll probably soon find you are
making more money at this truly interesting occupation than you ever
dreamed possible. And because you like what you are doing, you will be
happier.
When you know you are working to your full potential and you enjoy your
work and begin to feel successful, you will find that self-confidence and
happiness soon follow.
But, you must be realistic and honest with yourself. If you set goals that
you can't possibly reach, you are setting yourself up for failure. You
will make yourself frustrated and unhappy. The key here is a realistic and
honest assessment of your potential.
Although most people will be unnecessarily harsh in their assessments, it
is easy to become too hopeful when you start breaking down barriers. If,
for instance, you're extremely interested in and fond of music and would
love to be a singer, it would be unreasonable to set a singing career as
your goal if you can't sing a note (some talents are inborn). But if you
are knowledgeable about the music business and would be happy being
involved in some other capacity, then it would be reasonable to pursue a
career in the business.
Be wary of making otherwise perfectly reasonable goals unattainable because
of stringent time frames. When you set a goal, you will most likely set
times for achieving certain steps along your way to achieving your final
goal. Even if you don't set the time frames formally, you will probably
have a pretty good idea of how long you are giving yourself. It's wise to
sit down and formally set these goals. Think about it and give yourself
reasonable time to achieve them. Make a deal with yourself to view these
time limits as flexible.
Don't get discouraged if things don't work out as planned. Sometimes
finding our place takes both time and error. All of us experience failures
of one magnitude or another. The key is to view the failures as a learning
experience - if nothing else, failures teach us what not to do. Remain
flexible. As long as you keep focusing on your strengths and potential,
the right thing will come along - and probably sooner rather than later.
But don't quit at the first sign of boredom. Even if you have truly found
your niche, you will not feel enthusiastic 100 percent of the time.
Don't worry about others - don't compare your progress with that of others.
No matter how successful you are, there will be someone else who, to you,
looks like she's got it made - who looks like she's getting where you want
to go faster and easier than you are. Maybe she is. Maybe she isn't. Who
cares? Focus on your own achievements. Work to develop your skills and
talents to their full potential. Compete with yourself - your short term
goals should be based on today's accomplishments. If you have reached
Point A today, make Point B your next objective - improve yourself and
don't worry about the other guy.
OK. You have decided what your ultimate goal is. Make sure it is a
definitely defined goal. "Someday I want to be famous" just won't cut it.
Define exactly what you want to do. Define a reasonable time frame. Know
what you have to do to get there. You don't need to know every little
detail, but you do have to have the big picture and many of the details.
If you have a goal in mind but don't know what it takes to reach it, then
you need to find out. Do some reading, talk to people who know, ask
questions and LISTEN to the answers. Think that sounds like a lot of work?
Well, remember what you are preparing for - your success and happiness.
Surely you want to put a little effort into that! Anyway, a little
reseach into what it will take for you to reach your goals isn't too
difficult.
Train yourself into making this "research" the next focus of your life.
You will be focusing on your strengths, on your purpose, and on learning
and doing. If you have chosen a goal that is right for you, focusing on
these things and devoting the necessary time should not be too difficult.
It may take a bit of self-discipline at first, but your determination and
interest will carry you through until the focusing process becomes a habit.
When you have a real desire to accomplish something, initiatative should
only require an occasional shove - but you may need to give it a nudge now
and again.
Get into the habit of visualizing your success. Now sitting around and
daydreaming in generalizations about it is not what we mean. You need to
visualize specifics. To return to the basketball example, daydreaming
about being carried off the court on your teammates' shoulders is just
daydreaming. Picturing in your mind how you will work a play if your
opponent makes a particular move, picturing your exact response to it, is
visualizing specifics. If you run through specific moves in your mind, you
will be prepared when the need for those moves arises.
Don't be afraid to use your imagination to visualize new and better ways to
accomplish things, as well. Here in your mind, you can try doing things in
ways that are different from the usual. This is a creative process - you
may have heard of creative thinking. Training yourself to think creatively
is largely learning to let your imagination work on methods that are
different from the "way things have always been done." It's breaking away
from the idea that a thing can be done effectively in only one way. It's
looking at a problem from all angles. Just play a game of "what if." Ask
yourself, "What if I did this thing this way?" It's OK to get a little
crazy sometimes. But, you must also spend some of your thinking time at
specific visualizations of the moves you need to make to accomplish your
goals.
Visualizations are important but actual physical practice of your skills is
important, too. Practice the boring little skills that are necessary as
well as the skills that you enjoy. Don't let yourself rely on just the
things that come naturally and easy to you. Develop your limited
potentials as well as those that you feel are your assets.
Work on developing the more general attributes that are important to almost
any goal:
Success comes more easily to those who have a pleasing personality. This
is not to say that you should bend to eveyone's wishes or scrape and bow.
Rather, develop an attitude that is respectful of other's opinions but true
to your own beliefs. Be flexible - don't be so rigid that you can't accept
another's opinion when it is superior to your own. Be willing, even eager,
to learn from others. Changing your opinion in light of more facts is a
sign of strength of character, not weakness. Be willing to extend a
helpful hand, be a team player. Develop a sense of humor. Be polite and
caring - but be your own person.
Learn to guard against emotional responses. You are susceptible to errors
of judgement when you let your emotions get in the way. Of course,
everything we do is done based somewhat on our emotions, but strong
emotions have little place in decision making. Hold your emotions in
check. Try to delay decisions if you are in an emotional state. Learn to
ignore your emotions and use reasoning to arrive at your decisions.
Develop the habit of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm works like a magnet - it draws
people and success. It's a pleasing personality trait that people like to
be a part of. It seems to be contagious - the people around you become
enthusiastic, too, and become more cooperative. Enthusiasm sparks
initiative and singleness of purpose.
We've talked of working to develop habits - the habit of focusing on your
goals, the habit of focusing on your strengths, the habit of learning and
"researching," the habit of visualizing, the habit of enthusiasm. Now we
will talk of habits in a little different light - breaking them. First,
assess your habits looking for the ones that may be displeasing to others.
Offensive habits can hold you back from success - they are often a part of
an unpleasing personality. Look for things like grumbling or grunting at
people instead of answering, gazing at anything but the speaker when
conversing, smirking or sneering when you don't agree - anything that is an
automatic, displeasing mannerism. It will be very difficult to assess your
habits accurately. After all, a habit is something that we do without
thinking much about it. You will have to spend some time at this and be
very conscious of yourself. Ask someone you trust to help you with this
assessment. It may take a lot of work to break yourself of displeasing
habits. Try substituting a different, more pleasing behavior for the habit
you wish to break.
OK. You have set definite goals, you have a definiteness of purpose, you
have researched and know the specific steps to take to achieve the goals,
you have resolved to be flexible and to develop a more pleasing
personality. Now what?
Well, just because you have a clear purpose, know what you want, are
willing to work on developing your potential, and willing to be a nice
person, success will not drop into your lap overnight.
You will probably find that one of your first steps in achieving your goals
will be to take a job somewhat below where you hope eventually to be. But
you've already analyzed the steps to your goal, so you presumably have
planned for this. However, you do want to advance and, of course, as
quickly as possible.
As you advance toward your goals, you will undoubtedly run up against some
difficult people (maybe even difficult bosses), and there will be times
you'll need to deal effectively with them. Since you are working on
becoming a nice, enthusiastic person and a team player, you already have
half the battle won. Your attitude is as important as the other guy's
attitude when you are dealing with difficult people.
Always keep in mind that your job is a training field for you. You are
getting paid as you learn the things you need to know to achieve your
goals. Pretty good deal, right? If you view your job as a paid
opportunity to advance toward your goals, you will be an asset to your
boss. You will also be a happier, more productive person. Viewing your
job in this manner will allow you to view the difficult people you will
inevitably need to deal with as an opportunity to grow. From them and the
situations they create, you will learn to negotiate with, side-step around,
and draw out the best in others without letting yourself become upset.
Each time you successfully deal with one of these people you will gain
confidence and probably friends to add to your support network. The skill
of negotiating with difficult people and the confidence you have gained
from these encounters comes in handy when you are ready to ask for a
promotion or raise - even if your boss happens to be a nice person.
Successful negotiation is not a contest of wills - it is working together
to solve a problem or come to an agreement. It is an opportunity to learn
how others feel about the issue.
Always be prepared. Know who you are talking with. Always know as much as
possible about the person. Know about the person's marital status, family,
hobbies, education, difficulties, attitudes, and whatever else you can
learn. The information may give you an understanding of the person. If
you know the circumstances, you will more easily find the most effective
way to get your point across. At the very least, the information will make
the person seem more familiar which will give you more self-confidence.
Know the issue - not just your opinions about it. Be able to back up your
opinions with reasons and research. If you are asking for a promotion,
know the demands of the job in question. Know and be honest about how much
of the job you are already qualified to do and how much additional training
you will need. If you may not be as qualified as someone else applying, be
prepared to negotiate for a smaller-than-offered salary until you are fully
trained - remember the training is worth a lot to you. Be enthusiastic and
focus on your strengths - don't boast but give an a simple and accurate
listing of the strengths you feel make you a good candidate for this job.
The strengths you cite can and should include specific job related skills,
your present accomplishments on the job, your interest in the field (not
just this job), your enthusiasm, your ability to work as a team member, and
other personal traits that will be an asset on the job.
Always enter into negotiations with a calm and reasonable manner. Don't
let emotion and emotional outbursts have a place at the negotiating table.
You must be in control of yourself if you want to get your point across.
People are more likely to listen to your views if you present them in a
calm and reasonable manner. Present your ideas with conviction but don't
try to intimidate others or be demanding. State your views simply,
completely, and orderly. When you are expressing an opinion rather than a
fact, use a qualifying "I think" or "In my opinion." When others are
expressing their views, listen carefully and ask questions if something
isn't clear. Don't disagree until you are sure you understand their
position. When you do disagree, do so in a pleasant non-threatening way.
"I see what you mean, but . . ." or "I can understand why you think that,
but . . ." are a couple of good ways to begin a statement of disagreement.
Be courteous and leave them a chance to save face.
Be prepared to face people who are not calm and reasonable. Don't let them
get to you. Remain calm and reasonable and even be a little sympathetic.
Let's say you have entered into negotiations with your boss for a raise and
he blows up with, "I can't afford to give you a raise. This business isn't
exactly a gold mine. Don't you realize how tough times are?" Remain calm.
Put yourself in his shoes. Try to find something you can agree and
sympathize with. For instance, look sympathetic and agree, "I know you
have a lot of expenses and you work hard to keep this business going. It
must be really difficult for you sometimes." This will probably not be the
response he expects. It will probably take the wind out of his sails.
Most likely he will calm down, and since you are sympathetic to his
problems, he'll be more willing to listen to you. If you remain calm,
reasonable, and sympathetic, he will calm down. When he is calmer, discuss
with him the reasons you are a valuable asset to him. Don't threaten but
calmly and reasonably discuss the bargain a small raise is. With that
small raise, he'll be keeping a happy and fully trained employee who knows
the company. When you consider the expense of finding and training another
individual, giving you a raise is a bargain for your boss.
Play "Let's Make A Deal." Be prepared to deal. Don't expect to get
everything you want. If you are willing to gracefully make some
concessions, you will be more likely to arrive at a satisfactory deal.
After all, a negotiation has at least two opposing sides. This means
someone else has something they want, too - even if that something is
simply to leave things as they are. Arrive at a compromise that everyone
can live with. Remember, you are working at long-range goals, and you may
be negotiating with them again.
Developing your potential more fully is a key to happiness and fulfillment.
Although we have primarily discussed this in terms of a job, these same
concepts can be used in many other areas of your life.
In developing your potential to it's fullest, you will want to become a
more efficient person - get more done in less time - so you can take full
advantage of the opportunities that you make for yourself. You will note
that most effective, successful people seem to accomplish a great deal.
It's true that this is partly due to enthusiasm, but there's more to it.
The first barrier to efficiency is procrastination - putting off getting
started. Sometimes you know you are procrastinating. You may not want to
do the task at hand so you keep putting it off until tomorrow. The thing
to do is to look at it from a different angle. If it'll have to be done
sometime, tell yourself, "why not do it now, and get it off your back."
And that's just where it is! On your back dragging you down. Putting
things off makes everything harder to do. If you keep putting things off,
you'll soon have several things piling up, and then the sheer number of
tasks you have backed up will make it seem impossible to ever get caught
up. This affects everything you do try to do.
Sometimes you don't even realize you are putting things off. You may keep
yourself extremely busy doing things of little importance to unconsciously
give yourself excuses for doing the things you really should be doing. You
say to yourself, "Look how busy I am. I just can't get everything done."
But the result is the same as when you know you are procrastinating. It
soon bogs you down. All you are doing is "running in place."
So how do you beat procrastination?
The first step in beating procrastination is to admit to yourself how often
you do it and assessing your methods of doing it. Not very difficult,
really, when you become aware of the tactics some of us use to hide from
ourselves what we are doing.
The key in overcoming procrastination and becoming more efficient is
organization. Plan ahead. Know what you want to accomplish today, this
week, and in the long haul.
Make lists. The lists for today will probably be more detailed than the
longer-term lists. That's OK. Now look over the lists and rank the tasks
in order of importance. Make three or four groupings based on importance.
Within each group, star the things you least like to do.
Each day you will have a "today" list to work on. Tackle the tasks that
are most important first. If you have several "most important" tasks on
your list, take on the least liked things in that grouping before you do
the better liked ones. When you have accomplished a task, check it off.
You'll be surprised what a good feeling you have when you check things off.
What a sense of accomplishment! It's an incentive to do the next task on
the list. When you have completed the tasks in the first grouping, begin
on the list of next importance. Again do the starred items in that group
first. Keep on checking things off as you get them done.
Do you see what is happening? You get the most pressing, least liked tasks
out of the way early in the day when you are fresh and rested. As the day
goes on you will feel less and less pressure. You have reserved the less
important tasks for the end of the day when you will be more tired.
With this system you will have not only increased your efficiency but also
reduced some of the stress in your day. Stress can get in the way of
efficiency. Your new efficiency will help you develop your potential. It
is, in fact, a part of living up to your potential.
Another important part of efficiency is in delegating work. If you are in
a position where you have assistants or designated people under your
supervision, you need to learn to delegate. If you are not in such a
position yet, you still need to know - since you're working on developing
your potential you very likely will be some day.
Delegating work is difficult for many people. Some find it hard to ask
others to do things for them - others find it hard not to demand that
others do tasks. Delegating is an art.
First, you need to realize that the people under your supervision are
PEOPLE. Seldom, if ever, should you demand - that takes away self respect.
In order to achieve a happy and co-operative crew, you need to help them
build self-respect and self-confidence. A happy and co-operative crew is
an asset to you. Demands do not promote self-respect and co-operation.
Oh, it's probably effective to demand in the short run - but in the long
run you will be better off to gain co-operation without demanding.
People who are asked to do a task, are given explanations and clear
instructions, and are praised for a job well done will grow in
self-respect. They will also respect you as a good supervisor. If you
hesitate to ask for their assistance, your crew will feel that you do not
trust them or have faith in their abilities. This affects their
self-respect and, as a reaction, will affect their respect for you, as
well.
When you delegate work, don't delegate just the "junk" tasks. Your crew
needs to be given some important tasks to do as well as unimportant ones.
The important task gives them a sense of the respect you have for them and
the faith you have in their abilities. It's a good idea to save some
"junk" tasks for yourself. Perhaps the most respected and effective boss
is the one about whom the crew says, "She never gives us anything to do
that she wouldn't do herself." Why? Because, by her actions the boss is
saying that, though her position is above theirs, she is still just "plain
people."
Delegation of tasks is important because you can gain in effectiveness and
get more done if you properly supervise a crew. Don't feel embarrassed or
hesitant about delegating work. If it helps you to shine, it helps your
crew shine, too. A well-run, effective department is a credit to the whole
team. With proper delegating, you can help your crew achieve their
potential as well as achieving your own.
All of us have untapped potential - perhaps even areas of genius - that we
have neglected to develop. Whether your concept of success has to do with
business, love, friendship, sports, a combination of these or something
else, more fully developing your potential will help you achieve your
goals. If you can learn to assess your potential, set realistic goals,
and go after those goals with determination, organization, and purpose, you
will use your potential more fully, gain confidence, and be a happier and
more successful person.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
- you have to learn to use them. You have the power to change your habits
- to acquire new skills and fully use the skills you now have. You can
improve your performance, your productivity, and the quality of your whole
life.
What makes a high achiever? Is it luck, intelligence, talent, dedication?
All of these things figure in - they all make a difference. But we all
know intelligent, talented, hard-working people who do not consider
themselves very successful or even happy. And we know people who are not
exceptionally bright but seem happy and successful.
So there must be something else, some secret to success. Actually there
are several secrets to achieving your peak performance - living up to your
full potential.
Your success at business, friendship, love, sports - just about anything
you try - is largely determined by your own self-image. Your unhappiness
is something you choose. So, you're thinking no one chooses to be unhappy.
Well, maybe not - but you have to consciously choose to be happy,
self-confident, and successful.
Happiness is elusive when we go after it directly. So is self-confidence.
Both seem to be more "side-products" than something you can achieve in and
for itself. So how, then, can consciously choosing to be these things be
of any value? Well, the secret is to focus on other things.
First, focus on your potential. Begin by making a complete and accurate
assessment of your potential. To do this you must take an inventory of
yourself - you will make a few lists. Sit down and make a list of all the
things you can do well. Be honest with yourself. When that list is done,
make a list of all the things you like to do, even if you think you can't
do them well. Then, make a list of all the things you would like to do, if
you could. Now list your hobbies.
Then, go back to the list of things you can do well. You are probably
being much too hard on yourself. Most of us are. We have this little
voice in our heads telling us things like: "You're so dumb," or "You can't
learn to do that," or "You never do anything right," or similar nasty
things. And even worse, we listen to that voice as if it's telling us the
gospel truth. So now, shut off that voice - you can do it - and add a few
more things to the list of things you can do well. Pretend you are your
best friend - it's amazing how much more forgiving and charitable we are
with our friends than we are with ourselves. Now that you are your best
friend, you should be able to add a few more items to your "do well" list.
But do be honest - don't list things you feel you really can't do well.
Next, go to your list of things you like to do but you feel you don't do
well. Speaking as your own best friend, do you think there are some things
on this list that could be moved to your "do well" list? There probably
are. If you like to do it, chances are you do pretty well at it. Treat
your hobby list in the same manner.
Next, go to your list of things you would like to do if you could. Ask
yourself, "Why can't I do this, if I'd like to?" Put your reasons on
another list. OK. So you have a lot of lists going - what good is that
going to do? Well, you have just made an assessment of yourself. If you
have been truly honest in making these lists, it may even be a fairly
accurate assessment. Probably it isn't, but that's OK. This assessment
isn't carved in stone. It's subject to change. But for now we will work
with what's on the lists. At least you have a place to start.
Look over your lists again. You are focusing on all the things you feel
you can't do and the reasons why you can't do them, right? Well, don't.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO - FOCUS ON YOUR POTENTIAL. Make it a habit to
focus on your strengths. Don't forget to include your undeveloped
potential, as well. Train yourself to focus on your potential instead of
your limitations.
Now that's not to say that you should ignore your list of reasons for not
doing some of the things you would like to do. Not at all! But look at
them from the viewpoint of your strengths. For instance, you'd like to
play basketball but you think you are too short, so you don't even try. In
this case, you are looking at it from the viewpoint of your limitations.
Now, when you look at it from the viewpoint of your strengths, you would
say, "Well, I may be pretty short to play, BUT I am fast. I can handle the
ball well. I have a lot of stamina. I can't change being short, but I can
refuse to let my limitations overcome my strengths."
You see the difference? Focusing on your limitations lets those
limitations make your decisions for you. Focusing on your strengths lets
YOU make the decision. To go back to our example: when you've decided to
overcome your height limitations to play basketball - something you really
want to do - you will be more determined to develop your strengths to
compensate. You will do well, because you will be doing what you really
want to do and you will be determined to develop the full potential of your
strengths. Very few people concentrate on fully developing any of their
strengths. That's where you will have the edge. You know your true
disadvantages but your determination, your singleness of purpose, will
inspire you to fully develop the talents and skills you do have.
OK. You probably have no interest in playing basketball. Then go to your
assessment of yourself. What do you have a major interest in? What do you
have a natural aptitude for? Go for it. Devote yourself to something you
really like to do. Don't choose something just because you think you could
make more money at it than you could by doing something else that you would
really rather work at. You won't work to develop your full potential. You
may start out with enthusiasm, but you will soon flag. It will be a chore
to go to work. You'll probably find yourself hating to go. It'll be
difficult to work on improving your skills because you don't like what you
are doing. You probably won't be working up to your potential. Your
success will probably be limited by your growing lack of interest and your
happiness will surely be affected.
If, however, you devote yourself to something you really like to do, you'll
enjoy your work, you'll be enthusiastic, and you'll probably find yourself
working on improving your skills just for the sheer joy of it. You will be
working to reach your full potential. You'll probably soon find you are
making more money at this truly interesting occupation than you ever
dreamed possible. And because you like what you are doing, you will be
happier.
When you know you are working to your full potential and you enjoy your
work and begin to feel successful, you will find that self-confidence and
happiness soon follow.
But, you must be realistic and honest with yourself. If you set goals that
you can't possibly reach, you are setting yourself up for failure. You
will make yourself frustrated and unhappy. The key here is a realistic and
honest assessment of your potential.
Although most people will be unnecessarily harsh in their assessments, it
is easy to become too hopeful when you start breaking down barriers. If,
for instance, you're extremely interested in and fond of music and would
love to be a singer, it would be unreasonable to set a singing career as
your goal if you can't sing a note (some talents are inborn). But if you
are knowledgeable about the music business and would be happy being
involved in some other capacity, then it would be reasonable to pursue a
career in the business.
Be wary of making otherwise perfectly reasonable goals unattainable because
of stringent time frames. When you set a goal, you will most likely set
times for achieving certain steps along your way to achieving your final
goal. Even if you don't set the time frames formally, you will probably
have a pretty good idea of how long you are giving yourself. It's wise to
sit down and formally set these goals. Think about it and give yourself
reasonable time to achieve them. Make a deal with yourself to view these
time limits as flexible.
Don't get discouraged if things don't work out as planned. Sometimes
finding our place takes both time and error. All of us experience failures
of one magnitude or another. The key is to view the failures as a learning
experience - if nothing else, failures teach us what not to do. Remain
flexible. As long as you keep focusing on your strengths and potential,
the right thing will come along - and probably sooner rather than later.
But don't quit at the first sign of boredom. Even if you have truly found
your niche, you will not feel enthusiastic 100 percent of the time.
Don't worry about others - don't compare your progress with that of others.
No matter how successful you are, there will be someone else who, to you,
looks like she's got it made - who looks like she's getting where you want
to go faster and easier than you are. Maybe she is. Maybe she isn't. Who
cares? Focus on your own achievements. Work to develop your skills and
talents to their full potential. Compete with yourself - your short term
goals should be based on today's accomplishments. If you have reached
Point A today, make Point B your next objective - improve yourself and
don't worry about the other guy.
OK. You have decided what your ultimate goal is. Make sure it is a
definitely defined goal. "Someday I want to be famous" just won't cut it.
Define exactly what you want to do. Define a reasonable time frame. Know
what you have to do to get there. You don't need to know every little
detail, but you do have to have the big picture and many of the details.
If you have a goal in mind but don't know what it takes to reach it, then
you need to find out. Do some reading, talk to people who know, ask
questions and LISTEN to the answers. Think that sounds like a lot of work?
Well, remember what you are preparing for - your success and happiness.
Surely you want to put a little effort into that! Anyway, a little
reseach into what it will take for you to reach your goals isn't too
difficult.
Train yourself into making this "research" the next focus of your life.
You will be focusing on your strengths, on your purpose, and on learning
and doing. If you have chosen a goal that is right for you, focusing on
these things and devoting the necessary time should not be too difficult.
It may take a bit of self-discipline at first, but your determination and
interest will carry you through until the focusing process becomes a habit.
When you have a real desire to accomplish something, initiatative should
only require an occasional shove - but you may need to give it a nudge now
and again.
Get into the habit of visualizing your success. Now sitting around and
daydreaming in generalizations about it is not what we mean. You need to
visualize specifics. To return to the basketball example, daydreaming
about being carried off the court on your teammates' shoulders is just
daydreaming. Picturing in your mind how you will work a play if your
opponent makes a particular move, picturing your exact response to it, is
visualizing specifics. If you run through specific moves in your mind, you
will be prepared when the need for those moves arises.
Don't be afraid to use your imagination to visualize new and better ways to
accomplish things, as well. Here in your mind, you can try doing things in
ways that are different from the usual. This is a creative process - you
may have heard of creative thinking. Training yourself to think creatively
is largely learning to let your imagination work on methods that are
different from the "way things have always been done." It's breaking away
from the idea that a thing can be done effectively in only one way. It's
looking at a problem from all angles. Just play a game of "what if." Ask
yourself, "What if I did this thing this way?" It's OK to get a little
crazy sometimes. But, you must also spend some of your thinking time at
specific visualizations of the moves you need to make to accomplish your
goals.
Visualizations are important but actual physical practice of your skills is
important, too. Practice the boring little skills that are necessary as
well as the skills that you enjoy. Don't let yourself rely on just the
things that come naturally and easy to you. Develop your limited
potentials as well as those that you feel are your assets.
Work on developing the more general attributes that are important to almost
any goal:
Success comes more easily to those who have a pleasing personality. This
is not to say that you should bend to eveyone's wishes or scrape and bow.
Rather, develop an attitude that is respectful of other's opinions but true
to your own beliefs. Be flexible - don't be so rigid that you can't accept
another's opinion when it is superior to your own. Be willing, even eager,
to learn from others. Changing your opinion in light of more facts is a
sign of strength of character, not weakness. Be willing to extend a
helpful hand, be a team player. Develop a sense of humor. Be polite and
caring - but be your own person.
Learn to guard against emotional responses. You are susceptible to errors
of judgement when you let your emotions get in the way. Of course,
everything we do is done based somewhat on our emotions, but strong
emotions have little place in decision making. Hold your emotions in
check. Try to delay decisions if you are in an emotional state. Learn to
ignore your emotions and use reasoning to arrive at your decisions.
Develop the habit of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm works like a magnet - it draws
people and success. It's a pleasing personality trait that people like to
be a part of. It seems to be contagious - the people around you become
enthusiastic, too, and become more cooperative. Enthusiasm sparks
initiative and singleness of purpose.
We've talked of working to develop habits - the habit of focusing on your
goals, the habit of focusing on your strengths, the habit of learning and
"researching," the habit of visualizing, the habit of enthusiasm. Now we
will talk of habits in a little different light - breaking them. First,
assess your habits looking for the ones that may be displeasing to others.
Offensive habits can hold you back from success - they are often a part of
an unpleasing personality. Look for things like grumbling or grunting at
people instead of answering, gazing at anything but the speaker when
conversing, smirking or sneering when you don't agree - anything that is an
automatic, displeasing mannerism. It will be very difficult to assess your
habits accurately. After all, a habit is something that we do without
thinking much about it. You will have to spend some time at this and be
very conscious of yourself. Ask someone you trust to help you with this
assessment. It may take a lot of work to break yourself of displeasing
habits. Try substituting a different, more pleasing behavior for the habit
you wish to break.
OK. You have set definite goals, you have a definiteness of purpose, you
have researched and know the specific steps to take to achieve the goals,
you have resolved to be flexible and to develop a more pleasing
personality. Now what?
Well, just because you have a clear purpose, know what you want, are
willing to work on developing your potential, and willing to be a nice
person, success will not drop into your lap overnight.
You will probably find that one of your first steps in achieving your goals
will be to take a job somewhat below where you hope eventually to be. But
you've already analyzed the steps to your goal, so you presumably have
planned for this. However, you do want to advance and, of course, as
quickly as possible.
As you advance toward your goals, you will undoubtedly run up against some
difficult people (maybe even difficult bosses), and there will be times
you'll need to deal effectively with them. Since you are working on
becoming a nice, enthusiastic person and a team player, you already have
half the battle won. Your attitude is as important as the other guy's
attitude when you are dealing with difficult people.
Always keep in mind that your job is a training field for you. You are
getting paid as you learn the things you need to know to achieve your
goals. Pretty good deal, right? If you view your job as a paid
opportunity to advance toward your goals, you will be an asset to your
boss. You will also be a happier, more productive person. Viewing your
job in this manner will allow you to view the difficult people you will
inevitably need to deal with as an opportunity to grow. From them and the
situations they create, you will learn to negotiate with, side-step around,
and draw out the best in others without letting yourself become upset.
Each time you successfully deal with one of these people you will gain
confidence and probably friends to add to your support network. The skill
of negotiating with difficult people and the confidence you have gained
from these encounters comes in handy when you are ready to ask for a
promotion or raise - even if your boss happens to be a nice person.
Successful negotiation is not a contest of wills - it is working together
to solve a problem or come to an agreement. It is an opportunity to learn
how others feel about the issue.
Always be prepared. Know who you are talking with. Always know as much as
possible about the person. Know about the person's marital status, family,
hobbies, education, difficulties, attitudes, and whatever else you can
learn. The information may give you an understanding of the person. If
you know the circumstances, you will more easily find the most effective
way to get your point across. At the very least, the information will make
the person seem more familiar which will give you more self-confidence.
Know the issue - not just your opinions about it. Be able to back up your
opinions with reasons and research. If you are asking for a promotion,
know the demands of the job in question. Know and be honest about how much
of the job you are already qualified to do and how much additional training
you will need. If you may not be as qualified as someone else applying, be
prepared to negotiate for a smaller-than-offered salary until you are fully
trained - remember the training is worth a lot to you. Be enthusiastic and
focus on your strengths - don't boast but give an a simple and accurate
listing of the strengths you feel make you a good candidate for this job.
The strengths you cite can and should include specific job related skills,
your present accomplishments on the job, your interest in the field (not
just this job), your enthusiasm, your ability to work as a team member, and
other personal traits that will be an asset on the job.
Always enter into negotiations with a calm and reasonable manner. Don't
let emotion and emotional outbursts have a place at the negotiating table.
You must be in control of yourself if you want to get your point across.
People are more likely to listen to your views if you present them in a
calm and reasonable manner. Present your ideas with conviction but don't
try to intimidate others or be demanding. State your views simply,
completely, and orderly. When you are expressing an opinion rather than a
fact, use a qualifying "I think" or "In my opinion." When others are
expressing their views, listen carefully and ask questions if something
isn't clear. Don't disagree until you are sure you understand their
position. When you do disagree, do so in a pleasant non-threatening way.
"I see what you mean, but . . ." or "I can understand why you think that,
but . . ." are a couple of good ways to begin a statement of disagreement.
Be courteous and leave them a chance to save face.
Be prepared to face people who are not calm and reasonable. Don't let them
get to you. Remain calm and reasonable and even be a little sympathetic.
Let's say you have entered into negotiations with your boss for a raise and
he blows up with, "I can't afford to give you a raise. This business isn't
exactly a gold mine. Don't you realize how tough times are?" Remain calm.
Put yourself in his shoes. Try to find something you can agree and
sympathize with. For instance, look sympathetic and agree, "I know you
have a lot of expenses and you work hard to keep this business going. It
must be really difficult for you sometimes." This will probably not be the
response he expects. It will probably take the wind out of his sails.
Most likely he will calm down, and since you are sympathetic to his
problems, he'll be more willing to listen to you. If you remain calm,
reasonable, and sympathetic, he will calm down. When he is calmer, discuss
with him the reasons you are a valuable asset to him. Don't threaten but
calmly and reasonably discuss the bargain a small raise is. With that
small raise, he'll be keeping a happy and fully trained employee who knows
the company. When you consider the expense of finding and training another
individual, giving you a raise is a bargain for your boss.
Play "Let's Make A Deal." Be prepared to deal. Don't expect to get
everything you want. If you are willing to gracefully make some
concessions, you will be more likely to arrive at a satisfactory deal.
After all, a negotiation has at least two opposing sides. This means
someone else has something they want, too - even if that something is
simply to leave things as they are. Arrive at a compromise that everyone
can live with. Remember, you are working at long-range goals, and you may
be negotiating with them again.
Developing your potential more fully is a key to happiness and fulfillment.
Although we have primarily discussed this in terms of a job, these same
concepts can be used in many other areas of your life.
In developing your potential to it's fullest, you will want to become a
more efficient person - get more done in less time - so you can take full
advantage of the opportunities that you make for yourself. You will note
that most effective, successful people seem to accomplish a great deal.
It's true that this is partly due to enthusiasm, but there's more to it.
The first barrier to efficiency is procrastination - putting off getting
started. Sometimes you know you are procrastinating. You may not want to
do the task at hand so you keep putting it off until tomorrow. The thing
to do is to look at it from a different angle. If it'll have to be done
sometime, tell yourself, "why not do it now, and get it off your back."
And that's just where it is! On your back dragging you down. Putting
things off makes everything harder to do. If you keep putting things off,
you'll soon have several things piling up, and then the sheer number of
tasks you have backed up will make it seem impossible to ever get caught
up. This affects everything you do try to do.
Sometimes you don't even realize you are putting things off. You may keep
yourself extremely busy doing things of little importance to unconsciously
give yourself excuses for doing the things you really should be doing. You
say to yourself, "Look how busy I am. I just can't get everything done."
But the result is the same as when you know you are procrastinating. It
soon bogs you down. All you are doing is "running in place."
So how do you beat procrastination?
The first step in beating procrastination is to admit to yourself how often
you do it and assessing your methods of doing it. Not very difficult,
really, when you become aware of the tactics some of us use to hide from
ourselves what we are doing.
The key in overcoming procrastination and becoming more efficient is
organization. Plan ahead. Know what you want to accomplish today, this
week, and in the long haul.
Make lists. The lists for today will probably be more detailed than the
longer-term lists. That's OK. Now look over the lists and rank the tasks
in order of importance. Make three or four groupings based on importance.
Within each group, star the things you least like to do.
Each day you will have a "today" list to work on. Tackle the tasks that
are most important first. If you have several "most important" tasks on
your list, take on the least liked things in that grouping before you do
the better liked ones. When you have accomplished a task, check it off.
You'll be surprised what a good feeling you have when you check things off.
What a sense of accomplishment! It's an incentive to do the next task on
the list. When you have completed the tasks in the first grouping, begin
on the list of next importance. Again do the starred items in that group
first. Keep on checking things off as you get them done.
Do you see what is happening? You get the most pressing, least liked tasks
out of the way early in the day when you are fresh and rested. As the day
goes on you will feel less and less pressure. You have reserved the less
important tasks for the end of the day when you will be more tired.
With this system you will have not only increased your efficiency but also
reduced some of the stress in your day. Stress can get in the way of
efficiency. Your new efficiency will help you develop your potential. It
is, in fact, a part of living up to your potential.
Another important part of efficiency is in delegating work. If you are in
a position where you have assistants or designated people under your
supervision, you need to learn to delegate. If you are not in such a
position yet, you still need to know - since you're working on developing
your potential you very likely will be some day.
Delegating work is difficult for many people. Some find it hard to ask
others to do things for them - others find it hard not to demand that
others do tasks. Delegating is an art.
First, you need to realize that the people under your supervision are
PEOPLE. Seldom, if ever, should you demand - that takes away self respect.
In order to achieve a happy and co-operative crew, you need to help them
build self-respect and self-confidence. A happy and co-operative crew is
an asset to you. Demands do not promote self-respect and co-operation.
Oh, it's probably effective to demand in the short run - but in the long
run you will be better off to gain co-operation without demanding.
People who are asked to do a task, are given explanations and clear
instructions, and are praised for a job well done will grow in
self-respect. They will also respect you as a good supervisor. If you
hesitate to ask for their assistance, your crew will feel that you do not
trust them or have faith in their abilities. This affects their
self-respect and, as a reaction, will affect their respect for you, as
well.
When you delegate work, don't delegate just the "junk" tasks. Your crew
needs to be given some important tasks to do as well as unimportant ones.
The important task gives them a sense of the respect you have for them and
the faith you have in their abilities. It's a good idea to save some
"junk" tasks for yourself. Perhaps the most respected and effective boss
is the one about whom the crew says, "She never gives us anything to do
that she wouldn't do herself." Why? Because, by her actions the boss is
saying that, though her position is above theirs, she is still just "plain
people."
Delegation of tasks is important because you can gain in effectiveness and
get more done if you properly supervise a crew. Don't feel embarrassed or
hesitant about delegating work. If it helps you to shine, it helps your
crew shine, too. A well-run, effective department is a credit to the whole
team. With proper delegating, you can help your crew achieve their
potential as well as achieving your own.
All of us have untapped potential - perhaps even areas of genius - that we
have neglected to develop. Whether your concept of success has to do with
business, love, friendship, sports, a combination of these or something
else, more fully developing your potential will help you achieve your
goals. If you can learn to assess your potential, set realistic goals,
and go after those goals with determination, organization, and purpose, you
will use your potential more fully, gain confidence, and be a happier and
more successful person.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Figuratively Speaking
I’m tired of reading those boring business articles, and I’m thinking that you might be too. So, as you read on, relax and put down the pad and pencil, and enjoy a few chuckles with me.
Some interesting trivia compiled by Clark Consulting has to do with that business giant, Donald Trump:
Percentage of professionals surveyed who say it’d take more than the prize of $250,000 for them to intern for Trump was 38%
Percentage who say that Donald himself couldn’t pay them enough to work for him was 27%
How well do you perform as a boss?
Percentage of workers who would cover for their boss if he/she made a mistake was 46%
Workers who wouldn’t cover for their boss was 45%
Men who would cover for their boss was 51%, women was 40%
What do your workers think?
Workers who say not asking for help when they need it is the biggest mistake when networking is 37%
Not keeping in touch with contacts was thought to be the biggest mistake by 25%
Not thanking people for their help was considered a mistake by 22%
Percentage of workers who burned their bridges with past employers was 13%
How do we feel as Americans about work?
Those who feel as though they live to work rather than work to live equals 34%
Citizens who feel our culture places a higher value on success at work than success at home was 74%
Those who felt that the American value of hard work and long hours has had a positive effect on our culture was 33%
How about the opinions of female workers?
Percentage of women working for privately held businesses owned by women was 52%
Women working for privately held men owned businesses was 38%
We owe those enlightening figures to the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, and from the Census Bureau we find that:
In minutes, the average length of an American’s commute to work is 24.4
The average commute in North Dakota, the state with the quickest drives to work, is 14.8 minutes.
The percentage of Americans who drive to work is 77%
Those who car pool is 10%
Those who use public transportation is 5%
Now that you’re armed with all those figures and statistics, the next speech you give to your favorite organization can be peppered with some fascinating trivia.
This may not seem like a very valuable business articlee often forget in our zeal to be a success that there must be time made for laughs. Every once in a while we must remember what Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Not he is great who can alter matter, but he who can alter my state of mind.”
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Some interesting trivia compiled by Clark Consulting has to do with that business giant, Donald Trump:
Percentage of professionals surveyed who say it’d take more than the prize of $250,000 for them to intern for Trump was 38%
Percentage who say that Donald himself couldn’t pay them enough to work for him was 27%
How well do you perform as a boss?
Percentage of workers who would cover for their boss if he/she made a mistake was 46%
Workers who wouldn’t cover for their boss was 45%
Men who would cover for their boss was 51%, women was 40%
What do your workers think?
Workers who say not asking for help when they need it is the biggest mistake when networking is 37%
Not keeping in touch with contacts was thought to be the biggest mistake by 25%
Not thanking people for their help was considered a mistake by 22%
Percentage of workers who burned their bridges with past employers was 13%
How do we feel as Americans about work?
Those who feel as though they live to work rather than work to live equals 34%
Citizens who feel our culture places a higher value on success at work than success at home was 74%
Those who felt that the American value of hard work and long hours has had a positive effect on our culture was 33%
How about the opinions of female workers?
Percentage of women working for privately held businesses owned by women was 52%
Women working for privately held men owned businesses was 38%
We owe those enlightening figures to the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, and from the Census Bureau we find that:
In minutes, the average length of an American’s commute to work is 24.4
The average commute in North Dakota, the state with the quickest drives to work, is 14.8 minutes.
The percentage of Americans who drive to work is 77%
Those who car pool is 10%
Those who use public transportation is 5%
Now that you’re armed with all those figures and statistics, the next speech you give to your favorite organization can be peppered with some fascinating trivia.
This may not seem like a very valuable business articlee often forget in our zeal to be a success that there must be time made for laughs. Every once in a while we must remember what Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Not he is great who can alter matter, but he who can alter my state of mind.”
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Entrepreneurs In The Land of Credit!
No matter who you are, what type of business you’re in, or how long you’ve been around – we all at one time or another have visited the “land of credit”. It is vital to the reputation of your business that we learn some tips about credit and how to not let it ruin us. It’s a smart move, especially in today’s political and business climate, when credit laws are changing at what seems like minutes and not months.
“Old-school” business mentors have fostered the idea that a man’s word was his bond, but in today’s business world the majority of people are always assuming – and assuming the worst. Creditors, debtors or anyone that base their theories on assumptions are headed for failure, and yet it’s done everyday. When people fail to pay their bills on time, many creditors assume the debtor doesn’t have the means to pay the debt. These creditors will often set up an arrangement or lower the amount so that you can repay the debt. This is a step to credit repair, however it takes you to contact the creditor and apprise him or her of your situation.
Staying in contact with your payments each month can help you avoid bad credit and getting into such a situation. If you have several bills on hand and all the bills are pressing, it makes sense to pay off the debt that benefits you the most. After this is paid then you can set aside an amount toward the next debt. Once you follow this strategy it allows you to work your bills down gradually thus repairing your credit standing.
If you don’t have the funds to pay the entire bill, at least pay the minimum amount due so that you can continue using the service. Many debtors assume they are in debt and there’s nothing that they can do to resolve their problems, and this is the process of giving up on life. When we give up, it leads to stress and the answer is often right in front of our nose. Creditors are business people too, and if approached properly will usually try to work with you.
Of course making the wise decision ahead of the game is the ultimate solution to maintaining good credit. If you research the marketplace before coming to a purchasing decision, you’re well on your way to avoiding bad credit and credit repair hassles.
Many people when taking out a home mortgage loan are not aware of the options available to them. They’ll walk in the bank door, fill out the application, and accept the terms & conditions when offered to them. There are many families and individuals who filed bankruptcy because they couldn’t afford their homes anymore, and primarily because they didn’t take the time to check the marketplace first and search the options available to them.
Being informed and educated are two of the best tools offered to us. There are mortgage loans that offer overpayments and underpayments, and these loans include vacation packages and lump sum payments to the borrowers. There are also other loans available that offer low mortgage monthly installments and low interest rates with insurance policies attached that will pay your mortgage if you are sick, unemployed, or in an accident.
On the other hand, there are mortgage loans that have high interest rates, high mortgages and balloon payments attached. When balloon payments are attached to home mortgages it is almost guaranteed that in a few years you’ll be searching for a solution to repair your credit. There are many home lenders who will not tell you the truth about the variety of home loans available because they are making money and you’re a source of income. It’s important to scope the terms & agreements carefully, as well as reading all fine print on any loan contract before you sign. If you’re applying for a home loan and want to avoid bad credit, it makes sense to learn what the fees include and how much those fees are.
There are some home loans that offer an “acceleration clause”, which covers you if you miss mortgage payments. The lender will apply the clause by allowing you leniency providing you make payments the following month on time. This type of loan is great for avoiding bad credit, foreclosures, and repossessions. The marketplace is swarming with realtors and other sources that will help you get a mortgage loan affordable to you with benefits included, make sure to do some checking before you choose one.
Here are some tips about loans that we’ll all take out during our life:
Car Loans – When applying for a car loan it’s also important to research the marketplace before agreeing to any terms & conditions. Make sure you find the best deals affordable to you. In college I learned the secret golden rule of car dealers, and that is that most dealers up the fees on cars by 15%. This means that if you negotiate wisely with the dealer you can get a reduction on the vehicle up to 15%.
Credit Cards – A word of advice when applying for credit cards, stay away from cards that have fees attached and high interest rates. Avoid credit card offers that have upfront fees or offer a high line of credit for a fee.
College Loans – Always consider investigating student loans before committing your self to a personal loan agreement. You may be qualified for a student grant from the government if you take the time to research the opportunities.
In my next column we’ll delve deeper into this question of keeping a good credit reputation and solutions for repairing bad credit.
-30-
KNOW THE SCORE
by Maureen Stephenson
Building Credit History
Building your credit history is important in today’s time, especially since the laws are changing. We are moving into a system that is making it difficult for us to get ahead unless we have excellent, or at most good credit history.
Credit is important to rent, obtain student loans, and apply for loans or credit cards, as well as getting jobs and especially for entrepreneurs wanting their own business. Nowadays if you do not have a major credit card, it is nearly impossible to make purchases at some areas.
Bad credit only leads to frustration and headaches we want to avoid. If you have bad scores on your credit report, it takes seven long years before the credit is cleared and ten years for bankruptcies to be removed from your files. Therefore, if you want to save yourself some headaches it is time to get started building your credit history.
To do this you have to keep constant watch of the activities on your credit report. To obtain copies of your credit report contact the three B’s. TransUnion, Equifax and Experian have updated copies of your reports. To find out more information go online to get the information needed to get your copies. After you review, your credit reports make sure there are no false claims against you on the report before you proceed to clear up your accounts. If you notice, any false claims make sure to file a dispute immediately with each credit bureau. You are protected under law and it is the credit bureaus obligations to investigate the claims and clear up any mishaps.
After your have cleared up any allegations made against you, your next step is knocking down the accounts on your credit report. It is time to save money, and start building a credit history. Building credit is essential for your future survival. You might want to start by applying for a personal loan or else a credit card. If you are turned down, ask a family member or friend to co-sign with you to get the loan or credit card. Make sure your family member or friend has established credit and their history is not delinquent.
Once you get the card or loan, make sure you meet each month’s installments. If you miss any payments the co-signers are responsible to pick up the tab. do not make enemies, pay your dues on time. After about six months of using your credit card or else paying on the loan you will have notoriety and able to apply for credit cards or loans in your own name.
After about one year, you will have built your credit if you continue this procedure and can then apply for a home mortgage loan or car loan. It depends on your income and age when bank lenders investigate your case to determine if you qualify for a loan. Therefore, if you are in your forties and just getting started building credit your applications will take longer for consideration. Getting started early is the trick to building a stable credit history. Now if you have a credit history already you want to maintain payments to avoid complications.
Once you establish a bad credit history, it is harder to get back on your feet again. The best solution for maintaining, building, or else reestablishing credit history is to keep a close monitoring system on your financial tabs. Remember, credit history is important to your future and nowadays everyone judges you by your credit.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
“Old-school” business mentors have fostered the idea that a man’s word was his bond, but in today’s business world the majority of people are always assuming – and assuming the worst. Creditors, debtors or anyone that base their theories on assumptions are headed for failure, and yet it’s done everyday. When people fail to pay their bills on time, many creditors assume the debtor doesn’t have the means to pay the debt. These creditors will often set up an arrangement or lower the amount so that you can repay the debt. This is a step to credit repair, however it takes you to contact the creditor and apprise him or her of your situation.
Staying in contact with your payments each month can help you avoid bad credit and getting into such a situation. If you have several bills on hand and all the bills are pressing, it makes sense to pay off the debt that benefits you the most. After this is paid then you can set aside an amount toward the next debt. Once you follow this strategy it allows you to work your bills down gradually thus repairing your credit standing.
If you don’t have the funds to pay the entire bill, at least pay the minimum amount due so that you can continue using the service. Many debtors assume they are in debt and there’s nothing that they can do to resolve their problems, and this is the process of giving up on life. When we give up, it leads to stress and the answer is often right in front of our nose. Creditors are business people too, and if approached properly will usually try to work with you.
Of course making the wise decision ahead of the game is the ultimate solution to maintaining good credit. If you research the marketplace before coming to a purchasing decision, you’re well on your way to avoiding bad credit and credit repair hassles.
Many people when taking out a home mortgage loan are not aware of the options available to them. They’ll walk in the bank door, fill out the application, and accept the terms & conditions when offered to them. There are many families and individuals who filed bankruptcy because they couldn’t afford their homes anymore, and primarily because they didn’t take the time to check the marketplace first and search the options available to them.
Being informed and educated are two of the best tools offered to us. There are mortgage loans that offer overpayments and underpayments, and these loans include vacation packages and lump sum payments to the borrowers. There are also other loans available that offer low mortgage monthly installments and low interest rates with insurance policies attached that will pay your mortgage if you are sick, unemployed, or in an accident.
On the other hand, there are mortgage loans that have high interest rates, high mortgages and balloon payments attached. When balloon payments are attached to home mortgages it is almost guaranteed that in a few years you’ll be searching for a solution to repair your credit. There are many home lenders who will not tell you the truth about the variety of home loans available because they are making money and you’re a source of income. It’s important to scope the terms & agreements carefully, as well as reading all fine print on any loan contract before you sign. If you’re applying for a home loan and want to avoid bad credit, it makes sense to learn what the fees include and how much those fees are.
There are some home loans that offer an “acceleration clause”, which covers you if you miss mortgage payments. The lender will apply the clause by allowing you leniency providing you make payments the following month on time. This type of loan is great for avoiding bad credit, foreclosures, and repossessions. The marketplace is swarming with realtors and other sources that will help you get a mortgage loan affordable to you with benefits included, make sure to do some checking before you choose one.
Here are some tips about loans that we’ll all take out during our life:
Car Loans – When applying for a car loan it’s also important to research the marketplace before agreeing to any terms & conditions. Make sure you find the best deals affordable to you. In college I learned the secret golden rule of car dealers, and that is that most dealers up the fees on cars by 15%. This means that if you negotiate wisely with the dealer you can get a reduction on the vehicle up to 15%.
Credit Cards – A word of advice when applying for credit cards, stay away from cards that have fees attached and high interest rates. Avoid credit card offers that have upfront fees or offer a high line of credit for a fee.
College Loans – Always consider investigating student loans before committing your self to a personal loan agreement. You may be qualified for a student grant from the government if you take the time to research the opportunities.
In my next column we’ll delve deeper into this question of keeping a good credit reputation and solutions for repairing bad credit.
-30-
KNOW THE SCORE
by Maureen Stephenson
Building Credit History
Building your credit history is important in today’s time, especially since the laws are changing. We are moving into a system that is making it difficult for us to get ahead unless we have excellent, or at most good credit history.
Credit is important to rent, obtain student loans, and apply for loans or credit cards, as well as getting jobs and especially for entrepreneurs wanting their own business. Nowadays if you do not have a major credit card, it is nearly impossible to make purchases at some areas.
Bad credit only leads to frustration and headaches we want to avoid. If you have bad scores on your credit report, it takes seven long years before the credit is cleared and ten years for bankruptcies to be removed from your files. Therefore, if you want to save yourself some headaches it is time to get started building your credit history.
To do this you have to keep constant watch of the activities on your credit report. To obtain copies of your credit report contact the three B’s. TransUnion, Equifax and Experian have updated copies of your reports. To find out more information go online to get the information needed to get your copies. After you review, your credit reports make sure there are no false claims against you on the report before you proceed to clear up your accounts. If you notice, any false claims make sure to file a dispute immediately with each credit bureau. You are protected under law and it is the credit bureaus obligations to investigate the claims and clear up any mishaps.
After your have cleared up any allegations made against you, your next step is knocking down the accounts on your credit report. It is time to save money, and start building a credit history. Building credit is essential for your future survival. You might want to start by applying for a personal loan or else a credit card. If you are turned down, ask a family member or friend to co-sign with you to get the loan or credit card. Make sure your family member or friend has established credit and their history is not delinquent.
Once you get the card or loan, make sure you meet each month’s installments. If you miss any payments the co-signers are responsible to pick up the tab. do not make enemies, pay your dues on time. After about six months of using your credit card or else paying on the loan you will have notoriety and able to apply for credit cards or loans in your own name.
After about one year, you will have built your credit if you continue this procedure and can then apply for a home mortgage loan or car loan. It depends on your income and age when bank lenders investigate your case to determine if you qualify for a loan. Therefore, if you are in your forties and just getting started building credit your applications will take longer for consideration. Getting started early is the trick to building a stable credit history. Now if you have a credit history already you want to maintain payments to avoid complications.
Once you establish a bad credit history, it is harder to get back on your feet again. The best solution for maintaining, building, or else reestablishing credit history is to keep a close monitoring system on your financial tabs. Remember, credit history is important to your future and nowadays everyone judges you by your credit.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Email Promotions
Opt-in email marketing works with any business model, you can make money following some key rules. When you have someone’s email address, they are practically inviting you to come sell them something. They want to hear from you, hear the updated news; they want to receive your information. This means lifetime valuable relationships with customers who are interested in what you have to say. You can see the results of the email you have just sent out within hours, which means no wasted advertising dollars, you know what works and what doesn’t, simple as that. Opt-in email marketing is not only effective and instantaneous, but free.
You can utilize opt-in email marketing if you already have an online business, or an offline business, or no business at all. For offline business, collect email addresses from your clients and send them an occasional email with a discount and watch the appointment book get filled up quickly. Drive qualified buyers to your web site by sending your customers a free report or newsletter subscription which entices them to buy the full version. So, what if you do not have a business at all. Everyone has an interest that they are passionate about, whether it is yoga, or fishing. Start writing information packed newsletter about your favorite topic and recommend other people’s products or services for a commission on any sales you send them. Post your free newsletter offer on online newsgroups, or other newsletters. You will get a lot of subscribers because it is free.
Best of all, there are thousands of companies willing to pay you to sell their products on your newsletter. Here are a few websites to check out to find those companies:
www.affiliateguide.com
www.associateprograms.com
www.affiliatematch.com
You will earn commissions every time one of your newsletter subscribers buys a product from the company.
Bob Pearse found Roadmap to Riches because I was sick & tired the worthless products being promoted on the Internet today – on trends that really don’t appeal to many people. When Bob Pearse chose the Personal Development field to be the focal point of the Roadmap to Riches product line, Bob Pearse did so with the premise of it being an $8.9 BILLION Dollar a year Industry. You see, when looking for a home based business, you need to ask yourself, “Would I buy this product if there wasn’t a business opportunity attached to it?”
People WANT what we have to sell! A Billion Dollar Trend with millions of consumers can’t be wrong… To find out more go to http://www.official30seconds2wealth.com today and like Bob Pearse find your Roadmap to Riches
You can utilize opt-in email marketing if you already have an online business, or an offline business, or no business at all. For offline business, collect email addresses from your clients and send them an occasional email with a discount and watch the appointment book get filled up quickly. Drive qualified buyers to your web site by sending your customers a free report or newsletter subscription which entices them to buy the full version. So, what if you do not have a business at all. Everyone has an interest that they are passionate about, whether it is yoga, or fishing. Start writing information packed newsletter about your favorite topic and recommend other people’s products or services for a commission on any sales you send them. Post your free newsletter offer on online newsgroups, or other newsletters. You will get a lot of subscribers because it is free.
Best of all, there are thousands of companies willing to pay you to sell their products on your newsletter. Here are a few websites to check out to find those companies:
www.affiliateguide.com
www.associateprograms.com
www.affiliatematch.com
You will earn commissions every time one of your newsletter subscribers buys a product from the company.
Bob Pearse found Roadmap to Riches because I was sick & tired the worthless products being promoted on the Internet today – on trends that really don’t appeal to many people. When Bob Pearse chose the Personal Development field to be the focal point of the Roadmap to Riches product line, Bob Pearse did so with the premise of it being an $8.9 BILLION Dollar a year Industry. You see, when looking for a home based business, you need to ask yourself, “Would I buy this product if there wasn’t a business opportunity attached to it?”
People WANT what we have to sell! A Billion Dollar Trend with millions of consumers can’t be wrong… To find out more go to http://www.official30seconds2wealth.com today and like Bob Pearse find your Roadmap to Riches
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
EBook Writing Business
If you are a savvy writer with great English grammar skills, you should consider writing eBooks. It pays very well and you can do it in the comfort of your own home. It is very simple to write up an eBook. All you need to do is have Microsoft word and the internet. Do some research first on the topic. Know everything you can know about it, read up on it and save some quotes in your favorites area. You may want to stop by the local library to pick up some books on the topic too. That will help you when writing up your eBook. EBooks should be between 50 – 75 pages depending on the topic and what the assignment is. After you have thoroughly researched your topic and you know a lot about it you want to create a table of contents. You want the chapters to flow freely from one thought to the other. Make sure you cover as much as you can about the topic and title each chapter, writing a few notes about what you want to write about -which you will delete later.
The next step would be just to get started on it! Start writing creatively, from your heart, not just spitting out facts on a paper. People are reading your eBook because they do not want to read and search for information located everywhere about a specific topic. They want a concise, easy to read; interesting eBook they can print out and curl on the couch with. It goes without saying that no one should ever plagiarize; not only is it unlawful, it is disrespectful.
Always spell check and edit your work by reading it when you have finished. Polish it off by organizing each chapter into an eBook. Come up with a savvy title that catches the audience. If you really enjoy this line of business, you could do this full time and quit your day job.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
The next step would be just to get started on it! Start writing creatively, from your heart, not just spitting out facts on a paper. People are reading your eBook because they do not want to read and search for information located everywhere about a specific topic. They want a concise, easy to read; interesting eBook they can print out and curl on the couch with. It goes without saying that no one should ever plagiarize; not only is it unlawful, it is disrespectful.
Always spell check and edit your work by reading it when you have finished. Polish it off by organizing each chapter into an eBook. Come up with a savvy title that catches the audience. If you really enjoy this line of business, you could do this full time and quit your day job.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Monday, April 14, 2008
EBPP GAINING
Electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) started showing signs of renewed life in 2003, after its introduction in the late 90s. It took a few years for the idea to take off, and industry experts are considering 2003 a success, but a high rate of adoption by we average Joes and Janes is still a number of years away.
If you examine the electronic bill payment landscape you will note that the current usage surge is largely by the Generation X demographic, in spite of the fact that a single-source option is not yet in place. Forecasters thought that banks would probably be the single-source option, but there is still no solid consolidated infrastructure among those banks that have systems in place. The way it’s working now is very much like the way automated teller machines (ATMs) used to operate, that is providing access only to certain cardholders with specific affiliations.
While banks are taking steps toward consolidating infrastructure, in 2004 we will likely see a continued proliferation of individual organizations, where each has its own presentment and payment strategies and solutions. Consumers will have to go to multiple sites to pay their bills, and for the short term will put up with that system.
For the long-term though, the single-source EBPP system is going to be the process of choice for consumers. Eventually, they’ll want to receive and pay all bills electronically from the single site, but that won’t happen until the above mentioned consolidation.
Many banks will work overtime during 2004 to educate consumers about the benefits of online banking, because it will be a cost saving to them. There is a lot o upfront costs to banks and financial institutions, the ultimate benefits of processing payments through the Fed’s automated clearing house (ACH) instead of through the Postal Service are immense. It all boils down to a cost-saving issue.
I wonder how long it will take the average entrepreneur to embrace this new EBPP? Will you and I be comfortable maintaining a web site or some type of electronic presence so that we can electronically bill our customers/clients for goods or services? Perhaps this is how our forefathers felt when Henry Ford tried to replace the horse and buggy with his auto machine, but I must say I find a certain comfort in the good, old-fashioned “paper trail”.
I must confess that I do use the electronic trail on occasion, especially when I know the mail won’t beat the due date on my supplier’s invoice, but to transact all commerce via EBPP is another matter. One must admit however, that at least 1/3 of our office space these days is dedicated to files filled with paper.
Still, that old “paper trail” is comforting – much like the cookie crumbs dropped while walking in the woods that assure us we’ll find our way home again.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
If you examine the electronic bill payment landscape you will note that the current usage surge is largely by the Generation X demographic, in spite of the fact that a single-source option is not yet in place. Forecasters thought that banks would probably be the single-source option, but there is still no solid consolidated infrastructure among those banks that have systems in place. The way it’s working now is very much like the way automated teller machines (ATMs) used to operate, that is providing access only to certain cardholders with specific affiliations.
While banks are taking steps toward consolidating infrastructure, in 2004 we will likely see a continued proliferation of individual organizations, where each has its own presentment and payment strategies and solutions. Consumers will have to go to multiple sites to pay their bills, and for the short term will put up with that system.
For the long-term though, the single-source EBPP system is going to be the process of choice for consumers. Eventually, they’ll want to receive and pay all bills electronically from the single site, but that won’t happen until the above mentioned consolidation.
Many banks will work overtime during 2004 to educate consumers about the benefits of online banking, because it will be a cost saving to them. There is a lot o upfront costs to banks and financial institutions, the ultimate benefits of processing payments through the Fed’s automated clearing house (ACH) instead of through the Postal Service are immense. It all boils down to a cost-saving issue.
I wonder how long it will take the average entrepreneur to embrace this new EBPP? Will you and I be comfortable maintaining a web site or some type of electronic presence so that we can electronically bill our customers/clients for goods or services? Perhaps this is how our forefathers felt when Henry Ford tried to replace the horse and buggy with his auto machine, but I must say I find a certain comfort in the good, old-fashioned “paper trail”.
I must confess that I do use the electronic trail on occasion, especially when I know the mail won’t beat the due date on my supplier’s invoice, but to transact all commerce via EBPP is another matter. One must admit however, that at least 1/3 of our office space these days is dedicated to files filled with paper.
Still, that old “paper trail” is comforting – much like the cookie crumbs dropped while walking in the woods that assure us we’ll find our way home again.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Friday, April 11, 2008
DO 'S AND DON'TS
DO WRITE OUT ALL DETAILS in your ad offer. Read it, edit it,
and re-write it for a shorter, money saving effective ad.
"Think small".
DO FOLLOW ALL THE RULES when writing your classified ad. Use
these ideas.
Attention Interest Desire Action
DO USE A NAME with each classified ad including your envelopes.
DO NOT CHARGE for sales letters or circulars.
DO BE HONEST with all your classified ad claims.
DO IDENTIFY your product.
DO WRITE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD simple, clear and direct.
DO USE WORDS EVERYONE KNOWS and everyone will understand what
your are saying.
DO USE A WORD that will benefit a reader.
DO NOT OVERPRICE your product.
DO ADVERTISE FREQUENTLY. Constant exposure creates a familiar
offer with better response.
DO OFFER A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE in your classified ad,
salesletter or circular if possible. An excellent sales
technique!
DO TEST YOUR AD in 2 or 3 smaller, low cost publications.
Record results. Code each ad.
DO READ PUBLICATIONS that relate to your product. Write for ad
rates, paid circulation, discounts and closing dates. Keep
records.
DO HAVE ALL YOUR LITERATURE AND PRODUCTS ready for mailing when
your ad appears in the publication of your choice. Do not delay
in responding.
DO USE THE COPYCAT METHOD. Do what other successful advertisers
are doing. Only with a slight twist, idea or offer.
DO RUN SEVERAL ADS worded differently. Keep records of results.
DON'T OVER ADVERTISE. It can be expensive. If you want to, do
it gradually.
DON'T PRETEND YOU KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS. Because you don't.
Take time to find out what you need to know.
DON'T TRUST YOUR MEMORY. A thought will leave you as quickly as
it came. Always write down a good idea. NOW!
DON'T PLACE YOUR AD in the wrong classification.
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY on ad words to amuse or entertain, but
use words to persuade, inform and sell your product.
DO USE A SHORT BUSINESS NAME. Make it easy to pronounce and
remember.
DON'T FORGET THE M.E.D.I.C.S. Motivation. Enthusiasm. Desire.
Image. Creativity. Success!
DON'T GIVE UP. If your ad doesn't pull after a fair exposure,
try re-writing it. One or two different words may do the trick.
DON'T SPEND THE PROFITS. Re-invest the money in more continuous
advertising.
DON'T FORGET, an ad that offers "FREE DETAILS" means writing a
sales letter or circular.
AVOID HIGH TYPESETTING COSTS AND MISTAKES
Getting your price lists, brochures, catalogs or newsletters
typeset does not necessarily have to be a costly procedure.
Keep in mind that the main cost in typesetting is the time
involved in setting type. By minimizing the time needed to
create a typeset piece you can effectively keep your cost down.
The following suggestions can help reduce your typesetting
expense.
Know what you want the FIRST time around. Have a picture in
your mind. Trial and error can be costly. Don't have a
typesetter set it one way, then decide a different format would
look better.
Reduce and eliminate author's corrections by thorough proofing
and re-proofing.
Avoid minimum charges by combining small jobs and having them
set at the same time.
Try to use one family of type to save time and money by avoiding
font changes. The consistent look is better.
Give explicit instructions on marking up copy: type styles,
column widths/margins.
With a large job, such as a brochure or annual report, request a
style setting proof sheet to get approvals before the entire job
is done.
Avoid super rush jobs, especially if you don't really need them.
Avoid lengthy corrections on the phone. You might end up paying
for corrections later that could have been avoided if you had
done your editing on proof sheets.
Get the layout finished and approved before having type set...
the same goes for copy, of course.
Avoid the use of "run-arounds" (reducing the width of the copy
to make room for a photo in the column, for example). If you do
use them, use simple shapes, boxes, squares.
Avoid the use of curved or angular type. Type reading left to
right on a page (for example, this report) is faster and less
expensive to set than copy that is set in a curve or running
sideways on the page.
The use of unjustified text and captions is less expensive than
justified because it sets quicker, costing less time.
Don't depend on the typesetter to read your mind. Be specific.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
and re-write it for a shorter, money saving effective ad.
"Think small".
DO FOLLOW ALL THE RULES when writing your classified ad. Use
these ideas.
Attention Interest Desire Action
DO USE A NAME with each classified ad including your envelopes.
DO NOT CHARGE for sales letters or circulars.
DO BE HONEST with all your classified ad claims.
DO IDENTIFY your product.
DO WRITE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD simple, clear and direct.
DO USE WORDS EVERYONE KNOWS and everyone will understand what
your are saying.
DO USE A WORD that will benefit a reader.
DO NOT OVERPRICE your product.
DO ADVERTISE FREQUENTLY. Constant exposure creates a familiar
offer with better response.
DO OFFER A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE in your classified ad,
salesletter or circular if possible. An excellent sales
technique!
DO TEST YOUR AD in 2 or 3 smaller, low cost publications.
Record results. Code each ad.
DO READ PUBLICATIONS that relate to your product. Write for ad
rates, paid circulation, discounts and closing dates. Keep
records.
DO HAVE ALL YOUR LITERATURE AND PRODUCTS ready for mailing when
your ad appears in the publication of your choice. Do not delay
in responding.
DO USE THE COPYCAT METHOD. Do what other successful advertisers
are doing. Only with a slight twist, idea or offer.
DO RUN SEVERAL ADS worded differently. Keep records of results.
DON'T OVER ADVERTISE. It can be expensive. If you want to, do
it gradually.
DON'T PRETEND YOU KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS. Because you don't.
Take time to find out what you need to know.
DON'T TRUST YOUR MEMORY. A thought will leave you as quickly as
it came. Always write down a good idea. NOW!
DON'T PLACE YOUR AD in the wrong classification.
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY on ad words to amuse or entertain, but
use words to persuade, inform and sell your product.
DO USE A SHORT BUSINESS NAME. Make it easy to pronounce and
remember.
DON'T FORGET THE M.E.D.I.C.S. Motivation. Enthusiasm. Desire.
Image. Creativity. Success!
DON'T GIVE UP. If your ad doesn't pull after a fair exposure,
try re-writing it. One or two different words may do the trick.
DON'T SPEND THE PROFITS. Re-invest the money in more continuous
advertising.
DON'T FORGET, an ad that offers "FREE DETAILS" means writing a
sales letter or circular.
AVOID HIGH TYPESETTING COSTS AND MISTAKES
Getting your price lists, brochures, catalogs or newsletters
typeset does not necessarily have to be a costly procedure.
Keep in mind that the main cost in typesetting is the time
involved in setting type. By minimizing the time needed to
create a typeset piece you can effectively keep your cost down.
The following suggestions can help reduce your typesetting
expense.
Know what you want the FIRST time around. Have a picture in
your mind. Trial and error can be costly. Don't have a
typesetter set it one way, then decide a different format would
look better.
Reduce and eliminate author's corrections by thorough proofing
and re-proofing.
Avoid minimum charges by combining small jobs and having them
set at the same time.
Try to use one family of type to save time and money by avoiding
font changes. The consistent look is better.
Give explicit instructions on marking up copy: type styles,
column widths/margins.
With a large job, such as a brochure or annual report, request a
style setting proof sheet to get approvals before the entire job
is done.
Avoid super rush jobs, especially if you don't really need them.
Avoid lengthy corrections on the phone. You might end up paying
for corrections later that could have been avoided if you had
done your editing on proof sheets.
Get the layout finished and approved before having type set...
the same goes for copy, of course.
Avoid the use of "run-arounds" (reducing the width of the copy
to make room for a photo in the column, for example). If you do
use them, use simple shapes, boxes, squares.
Avoid the use of curved or angular type. Type reading left to
right on a page (for example, this report) is faster and less
expensive to set than copy that is set in a curve or running
sideways on the page.
The use of unjustified text and captions is less expensive than
justified because it sets quicker, costing less time.
Don't depend on the typesetter to read your mind. Be specific.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
DISPLAY ADVERTISING 101
Advertising isn't hard to do. You prepare an advertisement or write a
classified ad to sell your product or generate interest to send people more
information. But the way most people make mistakes is either by their
inability to write effective ad copy and by sending it to be published in
the wrong publication. Here are some pointers to follow:
Writing Effective Copy
Never try to sell anything costing more than $5 in a small display ad or a
classified ad. First of all, you don't have enough room to tell people
everything they need to know to entice them to order.
Instead, you need to employ the "Two-Step" method of advertising. Request
the reader to send you $1 or 4 first-class postage stamps for more
information. When they respond, you will send them a brochure, flyer, order
form and cover letter so they can place an order for the real product.
Now that pricing is out of the way lets talk about writing your ad copy.
The best way to learn how is to read the ads other people have written.
Don't copy them word-for-word, but use them as a guide to write your own ads.
Once you get the hang of it, you'll be writing effective ad copy just as well as the pros.
Advertising in the Right Publication. Although this may sound a little
silly and you think it is only common sense to know this - people will often
overlook this fact when choosing the publication they will be advertising in.
Instead, they will look for the lowest price for the amount of circulation
they receive. Unfortunately, this does not work out. Even though you need
to look for good deals that make it easy on your pocketbook, you will be
throwing money away if you don't pre-qualify the publication you choose.
One way of pre-qualifying the publication is to send for a sample copy.
Most publishers will send them to you free of charge for the asking. If you
don't know of any mail order publications, just write to Glenn Bridgeman,
PO Box 10150, Terra Bella CA 93270 or William Lee, Rt 1, Box 10790,
Madisonville TN 37354 and ask them to send you some. (Be sure to enclose
$1 or 4 first-class postage stamps in with your request to offset postage
costs.) If you tell them you are new to mail order and are interested in
publications to advertise in, you certainly will find the $1 you spent is
well worth the effort because both of these publishers are very reputable,
honest and helpful.
Study the publication to see what other people are advertising and how they
are advertising it. Contact some of the people who sell items similar to your
own with the hope of networking with them. You would be surprised how much
free publicity you can get just from corresponding, calling and networking
with others.
Once you locate a publication you want to advertise in, give it a try for
3 months. If you don't get any response or only a few orders, try another
publication. There are millions of them and eventually you will hit the right
target market that will be interested in what you have to sell.
Don't Stop With One Publication. Just because you locate the target market
of people who are interested in purchasing your product there is no reason
you can't advertise in more than one publication. In fact - if you don't,
your ad will become stale. If the same people continue to see your ad every
month they will probably get tired of looking at it. Besides, if they wanted
the product they would have ordered it by now. Don't tire them out! Alternate
different size ads and get rid of ones that don't work well.
Leave your ad running as long as it brings in orders for you but also
advertise in 5, 10, 20 or 50 other publications also to generate a steady
stream of orders and to reach more people.
Key Your Ads. Many beginners in mail order never key their ads so they
know what publication people saw their ads in. In fact, I personally never
did this myself and ended up losing a lot of money. So please don't make the
same mistake I did. Keying your ads means that you place a code of some sort
in your address so that when people write and order something from you, you
immediately will know where they saw your ad. Keep a record of every name
and address of the publisher you send an advertisement to. Record the date
you sent the ad and the date you received a checking copy, proving that your
ad appeared. Also record the "code" you used so you can immediately identify
where it came from.
If your address is "123 Anytown St," it could become "123 Anytown St,
Suite A" for one publication and "Suite B" for another. The postman will
still deliver your mail to "123 Anytown St." Of course, if you live in an
apartment complex and there are apartment numbers you could turn "111 Johnson
Apt A" into "111 Johnson, Apt A-1" for one publication and "Apt A-2" for
another. Post office box addresses are also simple. Turn "PO Box 585" into
"PO Box 585, Dept A-1" for one publication and "Dept A-2" for another.
People will sometimes even change their name on the ad for keying purposes.
You might see the name "Harriet's Recipe Book" instead of Harriet Ranger.
Harriet might also use "Harriet's Cookbook" or even "Harriet's Solution to
Stress" on her ads relating to these products. Use your own imagination and
pretty soon, keying your ads will be a normal part of your life.
Be sure and keep track (on your Record Sheet) of how many responses you
receive from each publication. After 3 months, look over your Record Sheet
and get rid of the publications that didn't do well. You'll go broke if you
spend $10 per month advertising a 2-inch ad if you only receive $1 back in
orders. After awhile you'll be able to see where it pays you to advertise
your particular product and then you can send in larger ads to those
publications. Never stop using this method and you'll never stop getting
orders in your mailbox. It's a win-win situation for everybody!
Tabloids -vs- Adsheets. Another question about advertising that many people
have is whether its better to advertise in tabloids or adsheets. Many people
will sell you information on the best day to mail and the best time of the
year to advertise. They think they have it down to a science and will
convince you of their methods.
However, there is NO set rules that can be employed by everyone. That's
because there are a wide variety of ways to approach various products. If
you sell travel services and read a report that told you not to advertise
during the summer months, you'd go broke. The summer is the travel industry's
biggest money-making season!
Don't get hung up on specific statistics made by people who claim to be
expert researchers. There is no way to determine what is best for you than
to try it yourself and see what works. You are the person in control of your
business and you are where the buck stops. Take advantage of your authority
and try every angle you can think of until you determine what's best for your
company's product and/or service.
Tabloids are a fantastic advertising vehicle and adsheets are too. Sometimes
people feel a small 1" camera-ready ad gets lost in a tabloid filled with
100's of them. This may be true in some circumstances and not true in others.
Do you look at 1" ads in tabloids? Of course you do. You scan the pages and
your eye is always directed to one or two on the page that catches your eye.
Ask yourself "why" they caught your eye. Was it because the ad was placed in
a specific area on the page? Was it because of the headline or the word
"free"?
Classifieds work well in tabloids and adsheets and sometimes they don't,
Look in the back of the Globe or Enquirer. Don't they have page after page
of classified ads? If nobody was reading them and responding to them, the
advertisers wouldn't be submitting advertising to the Globe or Enquirer for
them. So evidently, people DO read classified ads - even if there are 100's
of them. Test the waters and do what works the best for you.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
classified ad to sell your product or generate interest to send people more
information. But the way most people make mistakes is either by their
inability to write effective ad copy and by sending it to be published in
the wrong publication. Here are some pointers to follow:
Writing Effective Copy
Never try to sell anything costing more than $5 in a small display ad or a
classified ad. First of all, you don't have enough room to tell people
everything they need to know to entice them to order.
Instead, you need to employ the "Two-Step" method of advertising. Request
the reader to send you $1 or 4 first-class postage stamps for more
information. When they respond, you will send them a brochure, flyer, order
form and cover letter so they can place an order for the real product.
Now that pricing is out of the way lets talk about writing your ad copy.
The best way to learn how is to read the ads other people have written.
Don't copy them word-for-word, but use them as a guide to write your own ads.
Once you get the hang of it, you'll be writing effective ad copy just as well as the pros.
Advertising in the Right Publication. Although this may sound a little
silly and you think it is only common sense to know this - people will often
overlook this fact when choosing the publication they will be advertising in.
Instead, they will look for the lowest price for the amount of circulation
they receive. Unfortunately, this does not work out. Even though you need
to look for good deals that make it easy on your pocketbook, you will be
throwing money away if you don't pre-qualify the publication you choose.
One way of pre-qualifying the publication is to send for a sample copy.
Most publishers will send them to you free of charge for the asking. If you
don't know of any mail order publications, just write to Glenn Bridgeman,
PO Box 10150, Terra Bella CA 93270 or William Lee, Rt 1, Box 10790,
Madisonville TN 37354 and ask them to send you some. (Be sure to enclose
$1 or 4 first-class postage stamps in with your request to offset postage
costs.) If you tell them you are new to mail order and are interested in
publications to advertise in, you certainly will find the $1 you spent is
well worth the effort because both of these publishers are very reputable,
honest and helpful.
Study the publication to see what other people are advertising and how they
are advertising it. Contact some of the people who sell items similar to your
own with the hope of networking with them. You would be surprised how much
free publicity you can get just from corresponding, calling and networking
with others.
Once you locate a publication you want to advertise in, give it a try for
3 months. If you don't get any response or only a few orders, try another
publication. There are millions of them and eventually you will hit the right
target market that will be interested in what you have to sell.
Don't Stop With One Publication. Just because you locate the target market
of people who are interested in purchasing your product there is no reason
you can't advertise in more than one publication. In fact - if you don't,
your ad will become stale. If the same people continue to see your ad every
month they will probably get tired of looking at it. Besides, if they wanted
the product they would have ordered it by now. Don't tire them out! Alternate
different size ads and get rid of ones that don't work well.
Leave your ad running as long as it brings in orders for you but also
advertise in 5, 10, 20 or 50 other publications also to generate a steady
stream of orders and to reach more people.
Key Your Ads. Many beginners in mail order never key their ads so they
know what publication people saw their ads in. In fact, I personally never
did this myself and ended up losing a lot of money. So please don't make the
same mistake I did. Keying your ads means that you place a code of some sort
in your address so that when people write and order something from you, you
immediately will know where they saw your ad. Keep a record of every name
and address of the publisher you send an advertisement to. Record the date
you sent the ad and the date you received a checking copy, proving that your
ad appeared. Also record the "code" you used so you can immediately identify
where it came from.
If your address is "123 Anytown St," it could become "123 Anytown St,
Suite A" for one publication and "Suite B" for another. The postman will
still deliver your mail to "123 Anytown St." Of course, if you live in an
apartment complex and there are apartment numbers you could turn "111 Johnson
Apt A" into "111 Johnson, Apt A-1" for one publication and "Apt A-2" for
another. Post office box addresses are also simple. Turn "PO Box 585" into
"PO Box 585, Dept A-1" for one publication and "Dept A-2" for another.
People will sometimes even change their name on the ad for keying purposes.
You might see the name "Harriet's Recipe Book" instead of Harriet Ranger.
Harriet might also use "Harriet's Cookbook" or even "Harriet's Solution to
Stress" on her ads relating to these products. Use your own imagination and
pretty soon, keying your ads will be a normal part of your life.
Be sure and keep track (on your Record Sheet) of how many responses you
receive from each publication. After 3 months, look over your Record Sheet
and get rid of the publications that didn't do well. You'll go broke if you
spend $10 per month advertising a 2-inch ad if you only receive $1 back in
orders. After awhile you'll be able to see where it pays you to advertise
your particular product and then you can send in larger ads to those
publications. Never stop using this method and you'll never stop getting
orders in your mailbox. It's a win-win situation for everybody!
Tabloids -vs- Adsheets. Another question about advertising that many people
have is whether its better to advertise in tabloids or adsheets. Many people
will sell you information on the best day to mail and the best time of the
year to advertise. They think they have it down to a science and will
convince you of their methods.
However, there is NO set rules that can be employed by everyone. That's
because there are a wide variety of ways to approach various products. If
you sell travel services and read a report that told you not to advertise
during the summer months, you'd go broke. The summer is the travel industry's
biggest money-making season!
Don't get hung up on specific statistics made by people who claim to be
expert researchers. There is no way to determine what is best for you than
to try it yourself and see what works. You are the person in control of your
business and you are where the buck stops. Take advantage of your authority
and try every angle you can think of until you determine what's best for your
company's product and/or service.
Tabloids are a fantastic advertising vehicle and adsheets are too. Sometimes
people feel a small 1" camera-ready ad gets lost in a tabloid filled with
100's of them. This may be true in some circumstances and not true in others.
Do you look at 1" ads in tabloids? Of course you do. You scan the pages and
your eye is always directed to one or two on the page that catches your eye.
Ask yourself "why" they caught your eye. Was it because the ad was placed in
a specific area on the page? Was it because of the headline or the word
"free"?
Classifieds work well in tabloids and adsheets and sometimes they don't,
Look in the back of the Globe or Enquirer. Don't they have page after page
of classified ads? If nobody was reading them and responding to them, the
advertisers wouldn't be submitting advertising to the Globe or Enquirer for
them. So evidently, people DO read classified ads - even if there are 100's
of them. Test the waters and do what works the best for you.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Cruise to cash
Some people were born organized and then there are those of us who struggle with organizing every year at this time. It seems that it’s always at the end of the year when that little annoying bug begins nudging you to clear things up and start the new year organized.
Well, I’ve read just about everybody’s directions, books, and helpful hints about getting organized (in fact, I’m thinking of writing one myself), and I’ve got to tell you there are some misconceptions being fostered by every organizational guru. It will be my pleasure to give you the “skinny” on that in today’s column.
Here are the 8 misconceptions that we can throw out:
Handle paper once. This is not only impossible, but in most cases it’s unrealistic. Instead of handling paper once, get in the habit of doing something with each piece of paper to move it forward. If you get some information about an upcoming seminar/trade show, for example, decide if you’ll attend or not. If you’re to attend then note the date on your calendar and sign up. If not, then toss the information immediately. If you want to wait to sign up, then make a note in your planner to respond well before the deadline and file the paper in your “to-do” file.
Always keep papers stored out of sight: Some of us work better when their desk is clear, whereas others feel stifled if they aren’t surrounded by stacks of paper. If you’re an “out of sight – out of mind” type, keep papers you use often nearby in files or stacking bins. They’ll be accessible, yet not clutter your desk. When working on a project, spread out the papers related to it, and when you’re done put them away together in one place.
Everyone should be organized to the same degree. Different people work differently. Don’t feel that you have to work the same as someone else. Find a comfortable level of being organized, and make the necessary changes to maintain that level. I usually draw that line when I’m looking for something and can’t find it; that’s when I know things need to get reorganized.
Soon we’ll be a “paperless” society. Don’t you believe it. Experts have been saying that for years, and we won’t be paperless for a long time. It’s not technology that’s the problem, it is human nature that’s the culprit. We’re creatures of habit and used to seeing things in print rather than on a computer screen. The younger generation is now being trained on computers at an early age, so when they join the workforce, the “paperless” society will have a better chance of becoming a reality.
One planning system should fit everyone. When used correctly, daily planners are an ideal way to stay organized. Keep in mind, however, they are designed by a few for many users. When buying a planner, whether paper-based or electronic, determine what you want it to do and choose a system accordingly. If you can’t find one to suit your system, design your own based on your individual needs.
You have to be born organized to be organized. We learn both good and bad habits at an early age. It’s possible to change any bad habit, including disorganization. Youngsters raised in an organized environment sometimes rebel as adults by being disorganized. The opposite is also true, but neither is carved in stone and behavior can be modified.
You MUST use a “to-do” list. Planning day-to-day is not realistic for everyone. Someone may do the same task every week, but others find their plans changing daily. Consider your particular need, then plan by the day or the week.
Being organized means being a perfectionist. A perfectionist may spend time on insignificant details while disregarding the big picture. When others complete a project quickly and on time, the perfectionist continues to work until the project is perfect. A perfectionist becomes more effective when he/she lowers his/her standards slightly and concentrates on ways to increase productivity.
Misinformation, when taken seriously, can hinder you from doing what you want. The next time you hear one of those “Organizational Gurus” espousing one of the above misconceptions, consider its value and work to develop your own style of organizing.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Well, I’ve read just about everybody’s directions, books, and helpful hints about getting organized (in fact, I’m thinking of writing one myself), and I’ve got to tell you there are some misconceptions being fostered by every organizational guru. It will be my pleasure to give you the “skinny” on that in today’s column.
Here are the 8 misconceptions that we can throw out:
Handle paper once. This is not only impossible, but in most cases it’s unrealistic. Instead of handling paper once, get in the habit of doing something with each piece of paper to move it forward. If you get some information about an upcoming seminar/trade show, for example, decide if you’ll attend or not. If you’re to attend then note the date on your calendar and sign up. If not, then toss the information immediately. If you want to wait to sign up, then make a note in your planner to respond well before the deadline and file the paper in your “to-do” file.
Always keep papers stored out of sight: Some of us work better when their desk is clear, whereas others feel stifled if they aren’t surrounded by stacks of paper. If you’re an “out of sight – out of mind” type, keep papers you use often nearby in files or stacking bins. They’ll be accessible, yet not clutter your desk. When working on a project, spread out the papers related to it, and when you’re done put them away together in one place.
Everyone should be organized to the same degree. Different people work differently. Don’t feel that you have to work the same as someone else. Find a comfortable level of being organized, and make the necessary changes to maintain that level. I usually draw that line when I’m looking for something and can’t find it; that’s when I know things need to get reorganized.
Soon we’ll be a “paperless” society. Don’t you believe it. Experts have been saying that for years, and we won’t be paperless for a long time. It’s not technology that’s the problem, it is human nature that’s the culprit. We’re creatures of habit and used to seeing things in print rather than on a computer screen. The younger generation is now being trained on computers at an early age, so when they join the workforce, the “paperless” society will have a better chance of becoming a reality.
One planning system should fit everyone. When used correctly, daily planners are an ideal way to stay organized. Keep in mind, however, they are designed by a few for many users. When buying a planner, whether paper-based or electronic, determine what you want it to do and choose a system accordingly. If you can’t find one to suit your system, design your own based on your individual needs.
You have to be born organized to be organized. We learn both good and bad habits at an early age. It’s possible to change any bad habit, including disorganization. Youngsters raised in an organized environment sometimes rebel as adults by being disorganized. The opposite is also true, but neither is carved in stone and behavior can be modified.
You MUST use a “to-do” list. Planning day-to-day is not realistic for everyone. Someone may do the same task every week, but others find their plans changing daily. Consider your particular need, then plan by the day or the week.
Being organized means being a perfectionist. A perfectionist may spend time on insignificant details while disregarding the big picture. When others complete a project quickly and on time, the perfectionist continues to work until the project is perfect. A perfectionist becomes more effective when he/she lowers his/her standards slightly and concentrates on ways to increase productivity.
Misinformation, when taken seriously, can hinder you from doing what you want. The next time you hear one of those “Organizational Gurus” espousing one of the above misconceptions, consider its value and work to develop your own style of organizing.
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Monday, April 7, 2008
You Can Cruise to Cash
We’ve all had friends in our circle who were known as “Mary & John”, and when “John” split “Mary” was alone. Mary was the “odd” number at the dinner party and we were all concerned about her. Well, today it seems that the union of Customer & Service have had a breakup. Service has split and Customer is on his/her own.
Today, let me tell you a story that many of you will find humorous but is all too common. I can tell you this without fear of our local editor getting sued because it’s about me, but business owners take note that you don’t fit the profile of company “X”.
Four weeks ago I decided that I needed another green recycling can from my trash pickup company. We’ll call them Brown Keg Trash Pickup, an anonymous company in the interest of avoiding litigation. I called their Customer Service number, and as an environmentally conscious citizen requested my extra recycle can. The cheerful voice on the other end of the line chirped, “Of course, we’ll have one delivered in 48 hours.” After giving her all the pertinent location information, I hung up the phone with the satisfied feeling of a good citizen.
I arrived home about 5 p.m. the next day and I was happy to see another green can at the mouth of my driveway. When I looked again, I noticed that I had another green can – but it was without a lid. I quickly dialed my cheerful telephone voice at Brown Keg Company thanking her graciously for the rapid service and then told her about the missing lid. Just as cheerfully as the first time, she told me to leave it at the end of my driveway after my usual trash pickup and they would replace the entire unit since they didn’t have extra lids. I agreed, and after hanging up the phone I pondered their plight of having lidless cans but no extra lids. I conjured up all sorts of scenarios that explained where all the lids to the lidless cans went, and sympathized with their predicament.
Well, 3 days went by and there sat my poor, green, lidless can at my driveway’s mouth and a replacement never arrived. Feeling empathy for this green plastic waif, I returned it to the side of it’s brother that had a lid. I called my cheerful Customer Service voice again, and reiterated the plight of my poor lidless can and after a chuckle she assured me a complete unit would be forthcoming. I found it necessary to make use of my lidless friend, and put it out the next pickup day filled to the brim. Fortunately, it wasn’t windy and all the contents remained inside it. That was 2 weeks ago, and life being what it is other more important tasks have occupied me until this morning when facing another pickup day I thought of my lidless friend.
Once more I picked up the phone and called my trash pickup company, and this time I listened to a litany of choices of buttons I could punch and chose my cheerful Customer Service button again. I was transferred, listened to a brief melody when there was a “click” and I expected my cheerful voice to chirp “hello”. The next thing I heard was another click, silence, and then the dreaded dial tone that means you’ve been disconnected. Not being one of the “fainthearted”, I simply redialed my number. Again there was the litany of button choices, my choice and the music, and just when I began to feel that all was right with the world I heard – “click”, “dial tone” and nothing.
This was not the morning for the phone to be playing games with me, so I made one more determined effort and REDIALED! “NASA, we have lift-off !” I once more heard the litany of button choices, but this time I outfoxed that monotonous voice and punched “0”. I asked for the Manager of Customer Service, I was given her name and was transferred. What greeted my eager ear was, “You’ve reached the voicemail of ……., please leave your name and number and she’ll return your call.”
So here we sit - my lidless, green can and I facing another pick-up day. This eager-to-serve plastic green waif must bravely face another dutiful day half-clothed.
You must admit that is an amusing story, and one that far too many of us have lived through, but what a sad commentary it is about our business community. Doesn’t it make you wonder if our language has changed so drastically that what we interpret “Customer Service” to mean - is not what today’s business owners mean. It makes me wonder when the marriage of Customer and Service broke-up, leaving us all the lonely ones.
Entrepreneurs and business owners take note! If you’re going to have a number for your customers to access your Customer Service, please follow these rules.
Have the phone manned by an employee that can hear thunder and see lightening.
Give that employee training in helping the caller and not shuffling the problem to another desk.
Have an overseer, who can also hear thunder and see lightening, check that all incoming complaints were handled appropriately.
After learning how to find your customers and what they want; after getting them committed to doing business with YOU; and after wooing them to keep them as your customers – WHY WOULD YOU LET “SERVICE” DIVORCE “CUSTOMER?”
If your customers aren’t getting the service they require from you – your competitor will be only too happy to help them!
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
Today, let me tell you a story that many of you will find humorous but is all too common. I can tell you this without fear of our local editor getting sued because it’s about me, but business owners take note that you don’t fit the profile of company “X”.
Four weeks ago I decided that I needed another green recycling can from my trash pickup company. We’ll call them Brown Keg Trash Pickup, an anonymous company in the interest of avoiding litigation. I called their Customer Service number, and as an environmentally conscious citizen requested my extra recycle can. The cheerful voice on the other end of the line chirped, “Of course, we’ll have one delivered in 48 hours.” After giving her all the pertinent location information, I hung up the phone with the satisfied feeling of a good citizen.
I arrived home about 5 p.m. the next day and I was happy to see another green can at the mouth of my driveway. When I looked again, I noticed that I had another green can – but it was without a lid. I quickly dialed my cheerful telephone voice at Brown Keg Company thanking her graciously for the rapid service and then told her about the missing lid. Just as cheerfully as the first time, she told me to leave it at the end of my driveway after my usual trash pickup and they would replace the entire unit since they didn’t have extra lids. I agreed, and after hanging up the phone I pondered their plight of having lidless cans but no extra lids. I conjured up all sorts of scenarios that explained where all the lids to the lidless cans went, and sympathized with their predicament.
Well, 3 days went by and there sat my poor, green, lidless can at my driveway’s mouth and a replacement never arrived. Feeling empathy for this green plastic waif, I returned it to the side of it’s brother that had a lid. I called my cheerful Customer Service voice again, and reiterated the plight of my poor lidless can and after a chuckle she assured me a complete unit would be forthcoming. I found it necessary to make use of my lidless friend, and put it out the next pickup day filled to the brim. Fortunately, it wasn’t windy and all the contents remained inside it. That was 2 weeks ago, and life being what it is other more important tasks have occupied me until this morning when facing another pickup day I thought of my lidless friend.
Once more I picked up the phone and called my trash pickup company, and this time I listened to a litany of choices of buttons I could punch and chose my cheerful Customer Service button again. I was transferred, listened to a brief melody when there was a “click” and I expected my cheerful voice to chirp “hello”. The next thing I heard was another click, silence, and then the dreaded dial tone that means you’ve been disconnected. Not being one of the “fainthearted”, I simply redialed my number. Again there was the litany of button choices, my choice and the music, and just when I began to feel that all was right with the world I heard – “click”, “dial tone” and nothing.
This was not the morning for the phone to be playing games with me, so I made one more determined effort and REDIALED! “NASA, we have lift-off !” I once more heard the litany of button choices, but this time I outfoxed that monotonous voice and punched “0”. I asked for the Manager of Customer Service, I was given her name and was transferred. What greeted my eager ear was, “You’ve reached the voicemail of ……., please leave your name and number and she’ll return your call.”
So here we sit - my lidless, green can and I facing another pick-up day. This eager-to-serve plastic green waif must bravely face another dutiful day half-clothed.
You must admit that is an amusing story, and one that far too many of us have lived through, but what a sad commentary it is about our business community. Doesn’t it make you wonder if our language has changed so drastically that what we interpret “Customer Service” to mean - is not what today’s business owners mean. It makes me wonder when the marriage of Customer and Service broke-up, leaving us all the lonely ones.
Entrepreneurs and business owners take note! If you’re going to have a number for your customers to access your Customer Service, please follow these rules.
Have the phone manned by an employee that can hear thunder and see lightening.
Give that employee training in helping the caller and not shuffling the problem to another desk.
Have an overseer, who can also hear thunder and see lightening, check that all incoming complaints were handled appropriately.
After learning how to find your customers and what they want; after getting them committed to doing business with YOU; and after wooing them to keep them as your customers – WHY WOULD YOU LET “SERVICE” DIVORCE “CUSTOMER?”
If your customers aren’t getting the service they require from you – your competitor will be only too happy to help them!
To begin Cruising to Wealth like Steve Whitehead just go and follow the steps he has outlined to sign up today. In no time at all you will be making money and vacationing all at the same time just by following in the steps of Steve Whitehead and Cruise to Cash. If you would like to contact Steve you can call him at 951-805-6332.
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