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Monday Morning Motivators – April 30, 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
"Just because a graph looks good doesn't mean it's true."
--Seth Godin
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Table of Contents
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1. Are You Playing Capture the Flag? – Linda Fayerweather
2. Edit for Success - Rebecca Booth
3. 10 Commandments of Working A Mixer - John Meyer
4. To Do this Week
5. Fine Print
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1. Are You Playing Capture the Flag?
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Toyota "captured" the position of number one US auto maker last week and their comment to the media was "We hardly noticed as we practice Kaizen or continuous improvement". Toyota is the founder of Lean and that comment speaks loudly about many businesses that are constantly comparing themselves to their competition and when they capture market share they celebrate much like many of us did when we played the summer game "Capture the Flag".
Competitive business practices mean you must run the same race as your competitor.
Lean business practices look to excelling at what you do and how you dazzle your customers.
When you find yourself being competitive, relax and look for new ways to excel. Yes, in the Olympics the winner takes the gold, but in the game of business, focusing on excellence and not market share saves time and often creates customers for life.
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
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2. Edit for Success
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Once you get your copy written, take a look at it from an editor’s point of view. Here are a few simple tips on editing your copy:
• Edit for Brevity – cut out excess words. Instead of saying “during the course of” just use “during”
• Edit for Clarity – used specific words versus vague adjectives. Instead of saying “We received several requests” say “We received 17 requests.”
• Edit for Tone & Style – make sure your words sound as if they are coming from you and now an institution. Opt for “I’ll keep you informed” instead of “Further notification will be forthcoming.”
• Edit for Variety – Don’t start each sentence with the same word or in the same format. Mix it up!
• Edit for Content – make sure your purpose is immediately clear. People won’t read on if they don’t catch your drift to begin with.
• Edit for Strength – reread what you wrote to make sure that each paragraph covers only one topic. Including too many topics makes your reader work to hard.
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
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3. 10 Commandments of Working a Mixer
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From "The World's Best Known Marketing Secret" by Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D.
1. Have your networking tools with you at all times.
2. Set a goal for the number of people you'll meet.
3. Act like a host, not a guest.
4. Listen, and ask the five "W" questions: who, what, where, when, and why.
5. Give a lead or referral whenever possible.
6. Describe your product or service in sixty seconds.
7. Exchange business cards with the people you meet.
8. Spend ten minutes or less with each person you meet.
9. Write comments on the backs of the business cards you collect.
10. Follow up with the people you meet.
Copyright 2007 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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Five Week Kaizen of your office.
Week Four – Standardization – implement systems that control.
