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Monday Morning Motivators – August 14, 2006
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Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java
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“There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
--Kenneth Graham
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Table of Contents
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1. Lean: Lakes and Rocks – Linda Fayerweather
2. Writing Copy that People Actually Want to Read – Part 2 – Rebecca Booth
3. Helping Others – John Meyer
4. To Do This Week
5. Fine Print
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1. Lean: Lakes and Rocks
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Toyota uses the metaphor the Lake and the Rocks to refer to problems. The lake is the work in process, or inventory, or maybe partially completed tax returns and the rocks are the problems that slow the process. Anyone that has boated knows how rocks can slow your boating pleasure. Lowering the level of the water will allow you to better see the rocks. Translating this to your business means the less unfinished work (water in the lake) the more visible the causes of problems become. Of course, you will also discover more and deeper rocks. Don’t despair, a business that wants to be lean, IS will always working in the lean process as the boater will be ever watching for rocks and snags.
Copyright 2006 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
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2. Writing Copy that People Actually Want to Read – Part 2
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Last time we talked, you were ready to stick needles in your eye instead of writing that ad copy you had to do today. Here are more ideas to write copy that people actually want to read:
Step 4: Remove the clichés. What you might think is fresh and carries meaning, clichés are really dead as doornails – and what is a doornail anyway? Keep them in your first draft, because we don’t want to slow down your creative writing. But edit them out before you go to press. Substitute the cliché for something fresh.
Step 5: Use concrete examples rather than concepts. Instead of telling me about your customer service, reliability or effectiveness, show me. Use a client testimonial to get your point across or write a story about a customer who had a problem that you so handily solved!
Step 6: Use strong verbs. Substitute “state of being” verbs – is, am, were, was, are, be being, been – with true action verbs. For instance instead of saying “XYZ sports drink is a drink that will give you energy” use “Reawaken your body with XYZ!”
Copyright 2006 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
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3. Helping Others
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The easiest way to get what you want is to help others get what they want. The more effort you put forth finding out how to help others get what they want, the more receptive they will be to help you get what you want. From simple kindnesses to making great referrals to others, all plant the image of you as a giver. If you are not willing to help others, how can you expect them to help you?
Copyright 2006 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
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4. To Do This Week
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Prepare now for the end – the end of the year, that is.
