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Monday Morning Motivators – April 20, 2009
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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
“All lasting business is built on friendship.” --Alfred A. Montapert
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Table of Contents
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1. Cause and Effect - Linda Fayerweather
2. The Power of Social Media in Action - Rebecca Booth
3. Awakened Entrepreneurs Manage Their Mind - Pat Altvater
4. Make it Easy for Your Referral Sources - Paula Frazier
5. Fine Print
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1. Cause and Effect
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Being totally annoyed with a financial institution that had the nerve to change my password because they were “bought-up” by a rival, I was just a tad surly on the phone with the service rep after several levels of auto-answer. She was excellent at her work because in short order, she had me laughing and we figured out the problem, got a new password and I was on my way to finishing my financial work. The cause of my frustration could have attracted a different effect if the service rep had not been trained so well.
Cause and effect are choices we all make. If I’m insulted, I can allow the effect to hurt my feelings or choose to ignore the insult. I like to think of “cause and effect” a domino – each of us has both a cause and an effect. When businesses owners or managers complain about angry customers they might want to consider the cause and effect. Some industries truly do have angry customers, but sometimes the angry customer (cause) may have a different outcome when someone changes the expected “effect”.
Copyright 2009 Linda Fayerweather
Outsource your Weaknesses
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
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The Power of Social Media in Action
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By now, you’re probably familiar with Susan Boyle, that amazing singer who competed last week on Britains Got Talent 2009. If you are unfamiliar with her, she’s a Scottish spinster who hardly fits the “Got Talent” formula for success: 20something, size 0, and pretty. Susan Boyle tamed celebrity judge Simon Cowell and brought the house down with her singing of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables.
So, what the heck does this have to do with Social Media?! Well, let’s take a look at the track record of this video. Susan initially competed on Britain’s Got Talent on Saturday, April 11. It wound up on You Tube the next day and became such a raving sensation that the story hit US airwaves mid-week and by Friday she was interviewed live on The Today Show. As of Sunday afternoon April 18, the initial You Tube video had netted 30.2 million views. She’s become a media darling on two continents in just 1 week. How amazing is this?! An obscure happening on a TV show in Great Britain is inspiring Americans nationwide. Now, that’s the power of social media.
Copyright 2009 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
419.855.3399
Celebrating 10 years of delivering results for our clients.
www.rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com
www.marketinginabox.biz
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3. Awakened Entrepreneurs Manage Their Mind
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Scientists have identified the “negativity bias” – our tendency to focus on negative things or critical comments. If you get 5 compliments in a day and 1 criticism, which do you remember? Probably the 1 criticism fills your thoughts will defensiveness and you waste time replaying the unproductive conversation or comment.
We all do that at times! What a waste of our mental energy!
To avoid the negativity bias, stay mindful of your thoughts – learn to manage your mind. Effective entrepreneurs know that if they receive a criticism they need to look for the validity in the comment. Is there something to learn from it? If so, be grateful to the person who brought it to your attention. If not, realize that the person who conveyed something inappropriate to you did so from their own need to get something for themselves. Send them love and pay no further attention to their comment.
If you find yourself replaying the comment again in your mind, just say “NO – I already dealt with that!” By keeping your mind focused and thinking of all the positive things about your business, you will be more successful and happy on a daily basis.
Copyright 2009 by Pat Altvater
Transforming Bodies and Minds
http://www.outsmartweight.com
http://www.transformationsinstitute.com
http://www.ignitethepowerwithinbook.com
419-344-6613
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4. Make it Easy for Your Referral Sources
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If you want to get more referrals from people in your network, you have to be able to make it easy for them to find and give those referrals to you. They want to help you, but most will not step out of their comfort zone to make it happen,
Here are 5 things to help you start the process of making it easy;
1. What should I listen for? I am with people all of the time, and many of them are complaining about something, or sharing great news, or contemplating a decision. Each of these conversations present opportunities to develop referrals for you.
2. What visual clue might I see that would lead me to recommend or refer you? Are there things that are common to signals that a person might need you? Such as someone who's car has a dent in it and you are an auto body shop owner.
3. Are there things that I might see that would help me recognize someone as your target market? Like a motor cycle or boat in a drive way for the insurance agent.
4. What kind of things might be happening that would lead me to believe that someone is in the market for your services? A child being born, and child going to college, or a new business that just opened?
5. Is there an activity that you clients often engage in? Such as running in mini-marathons, jogging, bike riding, working out, skiing, or any number of activities that would help me identify our clients?
The more you can paint a picture for your network members the easier it is going to be for them to help you. Unfortunately, this means that you have to give some thought to what and who you are looking for as clients. Anybody or everybody will not be as effective. Profile you clients and teach your network members how to spot the clues.
Hazel Walker has spent the last 15 years networking and teaching others to network. She started out owning her own Insurance Agency that she built using her networking skills. Today Hazel is the Executive Director for BNI of Indiana, a Referral Institute Trainer, as well as a professional speaker and writer. You can email her at Hazel@referralinstitute.com or Tweet Hazel at http://www.twitter.com/hazewalker.
Copyright 2009 by Paula Frazier who is a referral marketing trainer, consultant and keynote speaker. She is an Executive Director for BNI and part of a select team of Master Trainers for Referral Institute. Paula’s business networking articles have been published internationally. She is also acknowledged in the New York Times best seller, Truth or Delusion – Busting Networkings Biggest Myths. Check out #33, Delusion with a twist! Paula can be contacted at paula@referralinstitute-va.com
