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Monday Morning Motivators – January 29, 2007
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Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“Don't find fault, find a remedy.”
-Henry Ford
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
1. Lean PowerPoint – Linda Fayerweather
2. Creating Customer Loyalty - Rebecca Booth
3. Take Inventory of Your Contacts - John Meyer
4. Fine Print
============================================================
1. Lean PowerPoint
============================================================
Most businesses at some point are asked to do a presentation in front of investors, bankers or maybe potential partners. When you are ready to make that pitch and are possibly preparing a PowerPoint presentation, take a tip from Guy Kawaski formally of Apple. 10 slides – 20 minutes – 30pt font. By condensing your presentation to a very lean talk you will end up with time to answer questions and discuss your needs with the experts. By being efficient with others’ time and succinctly explaining your request even if you leave early, you will be remembered.
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
============================================================
2. Creating Customer Loyalty
============================================================
Frequent buyer cards, previews to moonlight madness sales, and senior discount programs are only a few marketing programs targeted to create customer loyalty. But did you know that customer loyalty actually begins with the people you hire? If your employees aren’t putting your customers’ needs front and center, you won’t foster loyalty. Here are a few tidbits on strengthening your relationships with your clients:
• Hire Smart – Set firm rules about the way you want your customers treated and what your idea salesperson “looks like on paper.” A pushy closer is very different than a sales person who’s personable and thoughtful.
• Train EVERYone – continuous training is critical in keeping your employees focused on your client.
• Follow Up – What are you doing to stay in touch with the client after the sale? Odds are: you’re not. Keeping in touch with a client after a big sale makes a huge impression – it shows that you do indeed care about them and their business.
• Save the Day - Solving a problem quickly can actually make clients more loyal to your company than they were before. People are used to getting caught in voicemail hell when seeking restitution so pick up the phone and negotiate a satisfactory resolution before you lose a client.
• Above and Beyond – Give your clients better service, more information or even a higher-quality product that they expected and you’ll find yourself serving them time and again.
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
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3. Take Inventory of Your Contacts
===========================================================
Prepare your inventory of contacts by simply asking yourself "Whom do I know?" or "Who knows me?" Once you have your list compiled, analyze it and determine who you actively network with, who you passively network with, and who you have lost contact with entirely. This will help you understand your contacts and what type of expectations you should have of your relationship with them.
Copyright 2007 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
Monday, January 29, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
Monday Morning Motivators - Dream Time
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Monday Morning Motivators – January 22, 2007
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.”
-Winston Churchill
============================================================
Table of Contents
===========================================================
1. Time to Dream – Linda Fayerweather
2. Key Metrics - Rebecca Booth
3. Strong Contacts VS Casual Contacts - John Meyer
4. Fine Print
============================================================
1. Time to Dream
============================================================
Exploring the world of Lean teaches that the profit of a company will be increased by eliminating waste in time, materials, process and culture. So what does this have to do with Dreaming? If a company has strived to truly reduce waste, instead of downsizing, find time for employees to improve and innovate. Since the early 1970’s 3M has allowed employees to spend 15% of their time dreaming, Google advocates employees spend 20% of their time “messin’ around”, and many Universities acknowledge that professors with experience outside the Ivory Walls enhance themselves, their students and the University’s reputation. Looking for innovation often requires the owner and managers to plant the seed with ideas and then really listening when they are delivered. 3M wasn’t looking for a Postit®, they were looking for a removable adhesive. Dreaming made the difference.
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
============================================================
2. Key Metrics
============================================================
Need funding from the bank? Looking for investors? You’re going to need to use
key metrics to bolster your pitch. Metrics include the number of customers you’ll have, installations, locations, seasonal fluctuations and ROI. Be realistic. Warm up to your local librarian to find out what numbers are “industry standard.” Investors will pull away if your pitch is to close 50 percent of the Fortune 500 companies as your customers in the first year. Ain’t gonna happen. As Dr. Phil says, “Get real!”
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Strong Contacts VS Casual Contacts
===========================================================
Classify your contacts as "strong contacts" or "casual contacts". Strong contacts are usually personal friends, close family members, business partners, preferred clients, and your networking groups. Casual contacts are friends you see every once and a while, former business associates, suppliers, and some customers. Strong contacts will go out of their way to help you, they usually don't change very much and give you the same type of referrals. Casual contacts don't actively give you business, but they have different contact spheres then you so their leads usually vary in type. Make sure you have both "strong" and "casual" contacts in your networking arsenal.
Copyright 2007 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
Monday Morning Motivators – January 22, 2007
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.”
-Winston Churchill
============================================================
Table of Contents
===========================================================
1. Time to Dream – Linda Fayerweather
2. Key Metrics - Rebecca Booth
3. Strong Contacts VS Casual Contacts - John Meyer
4. Fine Print
============================================================
1. Time to Dream
============================================================
Exploring the world of Lean teaches that the profit of a company will be increased by eliminating waste in time, materials, process and culture. So what does this have to do with Dreaming? If a company has strived to truly reduce waste, instead of downsizing, find time for employees to improve and innovate. Since the early 1970’s 3M has allowed employees to spend 15% of their time dreaming, Google advocates employees spend 20% of their time “messin’ around”, and many Universities acknowledge that professors with experience outside the Ivory Walls enhance themselves, their students and the University’s reputation. Looking for innovation often requires the owner and managers to plant the seed with ideas and then really listening when they are delivered. 3M wasn’t looking for a Postit®, they were looking for a removable adhesive. Dreaming made the difference.
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
============================================================
2. Key Metrics
============================================================
Need funding from the bank? Looking for investors? You’re going to need to use
key metrics to bolster your pitch. Metrics include the number of customers you’ll have, installations, locations, seasonal fluctuations and ROI. Be realistic. Warm up to your local librarian to find out what numbers are “industry standard.” Investors will pull away if your pitch is to close 50 percent of the Fortune 500 companies as your customers in the first year. Ain’t gonna happen. As Dr. Phil says, “Get real!”
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Strong Contacts VS Casual Contacts
===========================================================
Classify your contacts as "strong contacts" or "casual contacts". Strong contacts are usually personal friends, close family members, business partners, preferred clients, and your networking groups. Casual contacts are friends you see every once and a while, former business associates, suppliers, and some customers. Strong contacts will go out of their way to help you, they usually don't change very much and give you the same type of referrals. Casual contacts don't actively give you business, but they have different contact spheres then you so their leads usually vary in type. Make sure you have both "strong" and "casual" contacts in your networking arsenal.
Copyright 2007 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
Monday, January 15, 2007
Monday Morning Motivators - A Perfect Mess
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Monday Morning Motivators – January 15, 2007
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
"An effective way to deal with predators is to taste terrible."
--Walter Eastes
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
1. A Perfect Mess – Linda Fayerweather
2. Pay-Per-Click Advertising – #4 - Forgetting to Test - Rebecca Booth
3. Active Networking VS Passive Networking - John Meyer
4. Fine Print
============================================================
1. A Perfect Mess
============================================================
A Perfect Mess by Eric Abrahamson, a January publication, has readers saying “Great, now I can keep my work space messy”! The author’s premise is that messiness allows people to free their creative side and with serendipity will allow random scrapes of paper to meet on the messy desk and become the next concept to replace Google. Well, we don’t know if that is true or not, but having been out of my office for three weeks, I am well aware of what the world threw at me in my snail mailbox - a lot - and without a rational system to sort, simplify, sweep, standardize and having the self-discipline to do it, I could still have a 3 foot pile in my office.
Many people want to think that Lean means being obsessive about order like having your desk drawers with pencils first, pens second and your coffee cup right of your mouse. Not true, to be lean, we want to focus on a repeatable system for dealing with the stuff life throws at us. Ideally, the work we do for customers will give us a clue as to what is important and what is trash.
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
============================================================
2. Breaking Down Sales Resistance
============================================================
Look at that stack of mail on your desk. Now pay attention to how many billboards, radio spots and TV ads you are bombarded with every day. Overkill huh? The people to whom you are selling are also bombarded with just as many marketing messages. We’re all shutting out the noise. Your job as a producer is to break down sales resistance. One way to do that is to examine your style. Are you projecting as a salesperson peddling a product? If so, people will shut you out. If they see you as an individual with a unique personality who just happens to be providing a service they might need, it will be easier for you to get your foot in the door. Think natural. Act natural!
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Active Networking VS Passive Networking
===========================================================
To be effective in networking, you need to understand Active Networking and Passive Networking. Active networking means that you invite people to your networking groups, carry their business cards with you, basically, you are able to refer them business at any given time. Passive networking means that you sometimes use them as a resource, but for whatever reason do not continually give them business. Active networking is working your contacts and helping them, passive networking is knowing who can help you with a specific issue.
Copyright 2007 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
Monday Morning Motivators – January 15, 2007
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
"An effective way to deal with predators is to taste terrible."
--Walter Eastes
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
1. A Perfect Mess – Linda Fayerweather
2. Pay-Per-Click Advertising – #4 - Forgetting to Test - Rebecca Booth
3. Active Networking VS Passive Networking - John Meyer
4. Fine Print
============================================================
1. A Perfect Mess
============================================================
A Perfect Mess by Eric Abrahamson, a January publication, has readers saying “Great, now I can keep my work space messy”! The author’s premise is that messiness allows people to free their creative side and with serendipity will allow random scrapes of paper to meet on the messy desk and become the next concept to replace Google. Well, we don’t know if that is true or not, but having been out of my office for three weeks, I am well aware of what the world threw at me in my snail mailbox - a lot - and without a rational system to sort, simplify, sweep, standardize and having the self-discipline to do it, I could still have a 3 foot pile in my office.
Many people want to think that Lean means being obsessive about order like having your desk drawers with pencils first, pens second and your coffee cup right of your mouse. Not true, to be lean, we want to focus on a repeatable system for dealing with the stuff life throws at us. Ideally, the work we do for customers will give us a clue as to what is important and what is trash.
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
============================================================
2. Breaking Down Sales Resistance
============================================================
Look at that stack of mail on your desk. Now pay attention to how many billboards, radio spots and TV ads you are bombarded with every day. Overkill huh? The people to whom you are selling are also bombarded with just as many marketing messages. We’re all shutting out the noise. Your job as a producer is to break down sales resistance. One way to do that is to examine your style. Are you projecting as a salesperson peddling a product? If so, people will shut you out. If they see you as an individual with a unique personality who just happens to be providing a service they might need, it will be easier for you to get your foot in the door. Think natural. Act natural!
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Active Networking VS Passive Networking
===========================================================
To be effective in networking, you need to understand Active Networking and Passive Networking. Active networking means that you invite people to your networking groups, carry their business cards with you, basically, you are able to refer them business at any given time. Passive networking means that you sometimes use them as a resource, but for whatever reason do not continually give them business. Active networking is working your contacts and helping them, passive networking is knowing who can help you with a specific issue.
Copyright 2007 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
Monday, January 08, 2007
Prosumer & Wikinomics
============================================================
Monday Morning Motivators – January 8, 2007
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
Winston Churchill
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
1. Prosumer – Linda Fayerweather
2. Pay-Per-Click Advertising – #4 - Forgetting to Test - Rebecca Booth
3. Belonging vs. Participating - John Meyer
4. Fine Print
============================================================
1. Prosumer & Wikinomics
============================================================
The term Prosumer was first coined by Alvin Toffler, author or the 1980 bestseller, The Third Wave, blending the words producer and consumer. Dan Tapscott takes this concept further in Wikinomics defined as the mass collaboration of resources outside the boundaries of the company. Evidence of this is everywhere from UTube videos ending up as news; LDraw to the Lego® CAD open-source software being enhanced by the young ones at play.
Sometimes the rewards for the collaborator are reorganization and sometimes it is serious financial reward. In 2000, Gold Corp and Canadian mining company took its super secret geologic data and developed three prizes for ideas on how to find the gold. It worked, the company found the gold, grew and the prize winners got more business*.
If people are using your product or service, asking them what they would like to see as enhancements is the first step. The second step is listening when a customer says “you really ought to _______” and asking them if they could help solve the problem. Prosumer and Wikinomics are two more examples of how businesses stay lean by listening to their customers and encouraging them to question.
*Gold Corp Story
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
============================================================
2. Pay-Per-Click Advertising – #4 - Forgetting to Test
============================================================
One of the best benefits to PPC advertising is the fact that your investment is trackable. Newspaper, TV, radio and trade journal ads can’t do that. Not only can you tell which words are drawing the most clicks, you’re also able to follow the click all the way through to the completed conversion – whether it’s signing up for your newsletter, making a sale or seeing the visitor click off. With this said, you should spend the time experimenting with keywords and landing pages. It’s easy to make improvements along the way. Keep in mind that you won’t get things 100% correct from the start, however, if you’re choosy about the words you use, select key landing points, pay a higher price for top positioning and test, test, test, you should see tons of success in this dynamic marketing medium.
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Belonging vs. Participating
===========================================================
Don't confuse membership with participation in your networking groups. Some people will join everything and anything just to get their name in front of others. This is a waste of money, if you are not going to become active in the organizations you join. Upon joining any organization, ask what different positions are available for you to lead or participate. This will help you become visible to the group and people like to associate and do business with active people.
Copyright 2007 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
Monday Morning Motivators – January 8, 2007
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
Winston Churchill
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
1. Prosumer – Linda Fayerweather
2. Pay-Per-Click Advertising – #4 - Forgetting to Test - Rebecca Booth
3. Belonging vs. Participating - John Meyer
4. Fine Print
============================================================
1. Prosumer & Wikinomics
============================================================
The term Prosumer was first coined by Alvin Toffler, author or the 1980 bestseller, The Third Wave, blending the words producer and consumer. Dan Tapscott takes this concept further in Wikinomics defined as the mass collaboration of resources outside the boundaries of the company. Evidence of this is everywhere from UTube videos ending up as news; LDraw to the Lego® CAD open-source software being enhanced by the young ones at play.
Sometimes the rewards for the collaborator are reorganization and sometimes it is serious financial reward. In 2000, Gold Corp and Canadian mining company took its super secret geologic data and developed three prizes for ideas on how to find the gold. It worked, the company found the gold, grew and the prize winners got more business*.
If people are using your product or service, asking them what they would like to see as enhancements is the first step. The second step is listening when a customer says “you really ought to _______” and asking them if they could help solve the problem. Prosumer and Wikinomics are two more examples of how businesses stay lean by listening to their customers and encouraging them to question.
*Gold Corp Story
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
============================================================
2. Pay-Per-Click Advertising – #4 - Forgetting to Test
============================================================
One of the best benefits to PPC advertising is the fact that your investment is trackable. Newspaper, TV, radio and trade journal ads can’t do that. Not only can you tell which words are drawing the most clicks, you’re also able to follow the click all the way through to the completed conversion – whether it’s signing up for your newsletter, making a sale or seeing the visitor click off. With this said, you should spend the time experimenting with keywords and landing pages. It’s easy to make improvements along the way. Keep in mind that you won’t get things 100% correct from the start, however, if you’re choosy about the words you use, select key landing points, pay a higher price for top positioning and test, test, test, you should see tons of success in this dynamic marketing medium.
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Belonging vs. Participating
===========================================================
Don't confuse membership with participation in your networking groups. Some people will join everything and anything just to get their name in front of others. This is a waste of money, if you are not going to become active in the organizations you join. Upon joining any organization, ask what different positions are available for you to lead or participate. This will help you become visible to the group and people like to associate and do business with active people.
Copyright 2007 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
Monday, January 01, 2007
Resolve to Do Something
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Monday Morning Motivators – January 1, 2007
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”
--Bill Vaughan
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
1. Resolve to Do Something! – Linda Fayerweather
2. Focus for 2007 - Rebecca Booth
3. Sphere of Influence - John Meyer
4. Fine Print
============================================================
1. Resolve to Do Something!
============================================================
Welcome to the New Year and as you are making those resolutions, try some to make life easier all year.
1. Back-up your computer regularly - really!
2. Produce a P/L and Balance Sheet monthly – look at it!
3. Learn something new this year – maybe a language!
5. Distribute genuine praise regularly to those in and around your business. Doing just one of this may help 2007 be the year of your goals.
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
============================================================
2. Focus for 2007 - New Year… New You …New Business Too!
============================================================
You already know what you do best and you’re focused on delivering more of that. But did you know that focus is fundamental to marketing, innovation and sales success? According to Doug Hall, writer for BusinessWeek, SmallBiz, products with a highly focused marketing message are 60% more likely to be successful than those with broader messages?
Hall notes that in this BlackBerry/cell phone world of rapid communication, we’re prone to knee-jerk decision making versus giving ourselves time to focus on what will actually make our businesses stronger. With today being a new year, I challenge you to think deeply about your marketing over the next few weeks. Dig out that marketing message, look at your product listing and service options – how can each be narrowed? Remember a highly focused marketing message is 60% more likely to be successful than a broader message. Narrow down, move up!
Next week – Pay to Play #4
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Know Who is in Your Sphere of Influence
===========================================================
Sphere of Influence are businesses that surround your business that don't compete with you, yet can give you a lot of business. For example if you put a Banker, CPA, Attorney and Financial Planner together in the same room, they can't help but to do business together. The same goes for a Realtor, Mortgage Broker, Title Company and Appraisal Service. Develop a reciprocal agreement to help the people in your Sphere of Influence, because that is where you can give and receive a lot of business.
Copyright 2007 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
Monday Morning Motivators – January 1, 2007
============================================================
Espresso business tips are designed to "caffeinate" your mind while your java gets you going. Subscribing and Unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”
--Bill Vaughan
============================================================
Table of Contents
============================================================
1. Resolve to Do Something! – Linda Fayerweather
2. Focus for 2007 - Rebecca Booth
3. Sphere of Influence - John Meyer
4. Fine Print
============================================================
1. Resolve to Do Something!
============================================================
Welcome to the New Year and as you are making those resolutions, try some to make life easier all year.
1. Back-up your computer regularly - really!
2. Produce a P/L and Balance Sheet monthly – look at it!
3. Learn something new this year – maybe a language!
5. Distribute genuine praise regularly to those in and around your business. Doing just one of this may help 2007 be the year of your goals.
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
============================================================
2. Focus for 2007 - New Year… New You …New Business Too!
============================================================
You already know what you do best and you’re focused on delivering more of that. But did you know that focus is fundamental to marketing, innovation and sales success? According to Doug Hall, writer for BusinessWeek, SmallBiz, products with a highly focused marketing message are 60% more likely to be successful than those with broader messages?
Hall notes that in this BlackBerry/cell phone world of rapid communication, we’re prone to knee-jerk decision making versus giving ourselves time to focus on what will actually make our businesses stronger. With today being a new year, I challenge you to think deeply about your marketing over the next few weeks. Dig out that marketing message, look at your product listing and service options – how can each be narrowed? Remember a highly focused marketing message is 60% more likely to be successful than a broader message. Narrow down, move up!
Next week – Pay to Play #4
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
===========================================================
3. Know Who is in Your Sphere of Influence
===========================================================
Sphere of Influence are businesses that surround your business that don't compete with you, yet can give you a lot of business. For example if you put a Banker, CPA, Attorney and Financial Planner together in the same room, they can't help but to do business together. The same goes for a Realtor, Mortgage Broker, Title Company and Appraisal Service. Develop a reciprocal agreement to help the people in your Sphere of Influence, because that is where you can give and receive a lot of business.
Copyright 2007 John R. Meyer
District Director, BNI Ohio
http://www.bni-ohio.com
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