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Monday Morning Motivators – December 17, 2007
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Enjoy your java with an eclectic collection of tips and ideas to use today and to get energized for the week ahead. Subscribing and unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“Economists have correctly predicted nine of the last five recessions.”
-- Paul Samuelson
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Table of Contents
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1. Refuse to Recess – Linda Fayerweather
2. Kicking Bad Habits - Week 2 - Rebecca Booth
3. Law of Attraction – Step 3 – Pat Altvater
4. Motivating Your Referral Sources – Paula Frazier
5. To Do This Week
6. Fine Print
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1. Refuse to Recess
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The media pundits relentlessly talk of recession by reminding us that the perfect storm of financial ruin is just around the corner. Refuse to let your business be part of this negativity. And it certainly wouldn’t hurt to recession-proof your business by developing dynamic plans for cash, sales, expenses, employees, and equipment - call these plans "budgets". Budgets work for those who can live with a plan and understand that extemporaneous actions feed unpredictability. Start with a Cash Budget and review your Cash Controls. Seriously examine your fixed costs and then make a Marketing Plan that capitalizes on your existing customers. Review your debt to see if refinancing is available and ask your staff for help identify cash leaks and savings. Planning now may ease your path through s-l-o-w times. For details on these ideas and more, go to Ten Tips to Recession Proof Your Business. And remember – a recession is 2 consecutive quarters with a decline in gross domestic production. The GDP for the Second Quarter 2007 was 3.9% and for Third Quarter it was 4.9% - that is actually a 1% increase!
Copyright 2007 Linda Fayerweather
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
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2. Kicking Bad Habits: 2 – Consequences of Your Bad Habits?
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Did you know that a habit is an action that is simply not thought through? Habits that are counterproductive will produce negative impacts that are often left unnoticed. Remember how I abhor sending invoices? My monthly income comes 30 days later due by my bad habit of procrastination. By recognizing the repercussions of a bad habit on your business, you can create a powerful motive for change. Once again take time to assess each of your daily chores. Which ones are habits? Which ones are thought through processes? Assess the habit, identify any consequences they may have and put together a plan for turning the habit into a process.
Copyright 2007 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
www.marketingsolutioneers.com
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3. Law of Attraction – Step 3
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It’s important that your actions are congruent with your intentions. If you say you want abundance but then act like scrooge, you won’t manifest prosperity! If you say you value quality time with your family and then work until all hours of the night, your family life suffers!
So take a look at what you’re passionate about having in your life and see if your actions are congruent with that thing, activity, relationship or feeling. I’ve created a worksheet, with the help of Marketing Goddess, Rebecca Booth, called “What Makes Your Heart Sing”. I’ve included a link so you can do this exercise to discover what you are truly passionate about and then commit to spending more time on those things in 2008.
www.transformationsinstitute.com/heartsong.html
Copyright 2007 Patricia Altvater
Transformations Institute
Author, Journey to Health 12-Month Total Transformation Program
www.transformationsinstitute.com
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4. Motivating Your Referral Sources
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Truth or Delusion? People are more likely to refer others to you if you give them a finder’s fee? DELUSION!
Referrals are generated by people and people are motivated by many different things! While finder’s fees and referral bonuses may work for some, they don’t work for everyone. The key is to get to know individual referral sources as individuals.
An effective relationship building tool to help with this is the GAINS profile. It’s a great way to be sure you walk away from every meeting with specific, valuable information to help you move forward in your referral relationships – especially when it comes to their unique motivations.
G = What are their short term and long term goals?
A = What have they accomplished within their industry?
I = What are their personal interests?
N = What networks are they involved in?
S = What skills do they have that make them successful in their business?
One of the best (and most under asked questions) in referral relationships is, “How can I help you?” Don’t just ask it. Be prepared to answer it…by sharing your own GAINS information.
To learn more about the GAINS profile offered by Referral Institute through their Certified Networker Program, visit: http://www.referralinstitute.com/main/program.php .
Copyright 2007 Paula Frazier
BNI & Master Trainers for Referral Institute
Executive Director
BNI – Southwestern Virginia http://bniswva.com
Referral Institute http://www.referralinstitute.com
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5. To Do This Week
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Take a vendor to lunch this week!
