The Next Step

Week of August 24, 2009

Enjoy your java with an eclectic collection of tips and ideas to use today and to get energized for the week ahead. The archives are stored at: MondayMorningMotivators.blogspot.com

"Sweeping dirt under the rug only creates a bump you keep tripping over." --Rhoberta Shaler, PhD

This week's topics include:
• What is Your Next Step Part 2 - Linda Fayerweather
• Reasons to Buy - Rebecca Booth
• Connect with Like-Minded People - Pat Altvater
• 29% Solution – Join a Web-based Networking Group - Paula Fraizer

What is Your Next Step Part 3
Last week we talked about our next steps having a Purpose – Goal – Profit – Do --> PGPD. This week to make a next step happen is to schedule it. Even if it is a simple task, getting it on your schedule will do two things:
1. Relieve your mind of trying to remember it
2. Put it on your schedule to make it a real task or project.

So, take a look at your TO-DO list and identify what you can schedule now, delegate or delete. This alone will free up some valuable brain space to think about your next business adventure.


Copyright 2009 Linda Fayerweather
What's working in your Business?
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz

Reasons to Buy
I saw a commercial last night about American Express’s Shine a Light Program. If you haven’t seen it, be on the lookout for it. Not only is it excellently written, its message of forming relationships with customers is priceless. (Oops, wrong card). Bravo’s Top Chef Judge and restaurateur Tom Colicchio tells the viewer why he shops directly with Urban Angler versus buying his fly fishing gear online or via a catalog. He’s interested in three things:

1) Actually feeling the equipment he’s interested in buying
2) Getting opinions from the staff on what’s the best gear and where’s the best place to fish
3) Forming relationships - even friendships - with the people at Urban Angler.

Keep this in mind when you’re working with a client/customer today. Even if you’re not a retailer, these are important things that customers want to know/see/feel. BTW, the ad appeared on Bravo TV, so keep watching for the commercial. You can view the ad online if you’re interested. Simply Google Amex’s Shine a Light Program.

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

Awakened Entrepreneurs Connect with Like-Minded People
A fantastic way to build your business is to connect with like-minded people. Open, mindful engagement with like-minded people always empowers you, helps you learn what you need to learn about yourself, and gives you the experience of giving and receiving unconditional love and support. And, that IS one of the most soul-nurturing things you can do for yourself and your business. It’s like recharging your battery.

I recently attended the inaugural meeting of the new Toledo area chapter of Powerful You! Women’s Network (click here for more information - http://www.powerfulyou.com). The “networking with a heart” meeting was just wonderful and I noticed when I take time to engage with like-minded women, I feel totally appreciated and connected. Another time when I feel this way is at my mastermind meeting facilitated by Linda Fayerweather (click here for more information....____). The sense that everyone is there to offer suggestions and support to each other is very fulfilling and helps me realize I am not alone.

Who do you engage with at this level? And, if you don’t have people right now who are able to have this level of connection with you, what will you do to bring these types of relationships into your life?

Copyright 2009 Pat Altvater
Transforming Bodies and Minds
http://www.outsmartweight.com
http://www.transformationsinstitute.com
http://www.ignitethepowerwithinbook.com
419-344-6613



29% Solution - WEEK 13: Join A Web-Based Networking Group
So you’re stuck in your proverbial cave? There’s still a way out…through the world wide web!

Some say that if you successfully harness the power of the internet you can actually experience positive results in your business networking efforts. David Teten and Scott Allen, authors of The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online, tell us that online networks may even become the next power lunch or golf course.

Many times when folks hear the word “network” they assume it’s referring to the way computers are physically connected and hardwired together. The most current definition has to do with the virtual connection to today’s wired-up world. WWW dot opportunities seem almost infinite!

These days, how often do you hear, “Let’s do lunch?” Almost never! It’s been replaced by, “Shoot me an email” or “Let’s catch up on FaceBook.” My 14 year old daughter literally uses the word “talk” in place of “text” and describes online communications as if they’re discussions.

Like it or not, we can keep up or get left behind because technology is going to continue to move forward with or without us. It’s generally more empowering to get started on your own terms. So let’s do it!

This week TAKE ACTION by venturing out via computer:

1. Find an online business community that’s a good fit for you.
2. Set up your profile (completely).
3. Request connections with people you know.
4. Post your status and comment on a colleague’s blog/status.
5. Schedule daily or weekly time to regularly participate in your online community.

Can you establish relationships and do business online? Yes. I still firmly believe that the strongest relationships, those that stand the test of time and turmoil, will be those that are nurtured face to face, nose to nose and toe to toe. Online communities shouldn’t take the place of the actual community you live and work in. It should enhance and add value to it!
Paula Frazier 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


Have a profitable week.

Linda Fayerweather, Editor
Changing Lanes LLC

planning on attending the WEN Lunch Bunch on Monday. Join us - lunch is only $12 at the Ramada on Secor in Toledo.

Customer Service

Customer Service, Empathy and Success all walk the same walk!

“To err is human, to forgive is divine.” –Alexander Pope

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This week's topics include:

* Customer Service for Small Businesses - Linda Fayerweather
* Take it from a Success Coach
- Rebecca Booth
* The Inspired Entrepreneurs are Empathetic - Pat Altvater
* 29% Solution Diversify - Paula Fraizer
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Customer Service for Small Business – Part 3
This week’s customer service tip for the rest of 2009 is Recovery.
To err is human. . . is an old quote that ends with “to forgive is divine” and with customer service, sometimes we have to forgive ourselves, learn and move on. When you have a customer service issue with a customer you value, try this process:
1. Identify WHY it happened. Asking “WHY” at least 5 times of yourself or your staff is a great Lean tip that works and will help you get to the root cause of the problem.
2. Develop a process to deal with these types of problems or clients. Sometimes we can’t stop the problem from happening but can mitigate the angst our customers feel.
3. Now, make things right by recovering in style and create a deeply loyal customer.
4. Document the process and build a procedure that is repeatable.
5. Schedule to review your new procedure at least quarterly and tweak to perfection.

These steps are work, but in the end, problems become a welcome, fine-tuning of your business model. I personally would rather run then have a customer service problem, but knowing where I fail my customer is so important to getting and keeping the right customers.

Week 1: Diversify
Week 2: Compensation and Tracking
Next week: Say NO

Copyright 2009 Linda Fayerweather
What's working in your Business?
Changing Lanes LLC
http://www.changinglanes.biz/

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Take it from a Success Coach
The most powerful business tool is the ability to learn from your mistakes. Entrepreneurs are sponges when it comes to knowledge. We are constantly on the outlook for innovative ways to improve our business practices. We attend workshops, talk with our peers, garner feedback from our clients and devour magazines and books in hopes of taking our businesses to the next level.

Success Coach, Romanus Wolter, says that all of this information is meaningless without our own unique interpretation of it. Things move so fast that we often forget to apply what we’ve just learned to our businesses. With this said, we can – and do – falter. While we can’t reverse or change that history, Wolter says can change four very small habits and improve our businesses:
1. Make Hindsight Your Mentor – document your lessons – those you’ve learned the hard way by a mistake or those that you’ve learned from that workshop you just took. Keep a notebook with you at all times and take note of the what you’re doing right, wrong and what you can implement.
2. Trust Your “Sixth Sense” – your natural instinct is a powerful one. Finetuning your instincts will show you how seemingly random events fit together in your business. When you get that tingle in your gut, don’t ignore it. Stop and evaluate the information and explore how you might use it.
3. Integrate Hindsight with Foresight – History is a great teacher. Let past experiences provide you with helpful advice for the future. Weave what you’ve learned into future projects. Chronicle your lessons and update your business practices accordingly. By disciplining yourself to look at the past and future simultaneously it helps you make significant breakthroughs.
4. Let Yourself Make Mistakes – Making mistakes is a natural part of the process. Be open to tweaking your hindsight lessons to fit the particular needs of a new project. Open your mind to new strategies and recognize that errors may occur. Be truthful with yourself even it if hurts. By drawing on lessons you’ve learned as you engage in everyday actions, you’ll achieve even more with less effort. Hindsight is an effective tool in propelling your business forward and an important reminder that you have the ability to attain any goal.

Go for it!
Copyright 2009 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
419.855.3399
Celebrating 10 years of delivering results for our clients.
http://www.rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com/
http://www.marketinginabox.biz/

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Awakened Entrepreneurs Cultivate Enthusiasm for Their Work.

“I have found enthusiasm for work to be the most priceless ingredient in any recipe for success.” ~ Samuel Goldwyn
Those words are so true, aren’t they? It’s difficult to act enthusiastically when your energy is low. Neither can you muster up much creativity. In fact, studies indicate that when your morale is low day after day, the creative part of your brain becomes thinner and when you are excited and positive, the creative part of your brain becomes thicker. So your ability to think creatively is directly tied to your energy level.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll discuss some of the ways to keep your enthusiasm for your work high.
One way to have more enthusiasm is to participate in activities that produce morale lifting endorphins, such as exercise. Start your day with vigorous exercise which will cause the body to produce endorphins and you’ll feel better all day long. Or, if you feel your enthusiasm waning as the day goes on, spend 20 minutes exercising, and you’ll return to your desk ready to press on.

Copyright 2009 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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Dear MMM Readers,

As someone that relies completely on word-of-mouth to build my businesses, I’ve found The 29% Solution, written by leading referral marketing expert Dr. Ivan Misner, to be instrumental in my success. He offers 52 weekly networking success strategies (one per week) and specific actions to take to experience success through focused, purposeful networking efforts. I look forward to sharing them with you in the coming weeks.

WEEK 9: Meet the Right People

“Master networkers know that a good contact isn’t necessarily a good connection. One of the most important things we’ve learned is that it’s not what you know, or even who you know – it’s how well you know them and how well they know you that really counts in building a powerful network.”

“A contact is someone you know, but with whom you haven’t fully established a strong relationship. A connection is someone who knows you, likes you and trusts you because you’ve taken the time to establish credibility with [them].”

I can’t tell you how many networking events I’ve attended over the last 20 years. Without exception, there are always two main groups of people you can easily recognize. One group is enjoying, or finds comfort in, the food and drinks. The other group is there shaking hands, kissing babies and collecting as many business cards as possible from their new contacts hoping to find that one special person that will become their next client.

One of your main goals should be to meet the right people. Quick note: I’m not saying that there are “wrong” people; simply people that are better suited than others to help you build your business. How do you know who the right people are?

TAKE ACTION this week to identify them:

1. Identify 5 professions (other than your own) that serve your preferred clients. Those are the folks you want to meet when you’re out and about.
2. Identify 2 specific business goals and then identify the specific people you can seek out to help you accomplish each goal.
3. Identify 3 associations and organizations you can ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE in to meet and develop relationships with the right people.

Unless and until you can take all of those business cards to your local bank and cash them in, it’s probably not in your best interest to become a card collector. Instead, you should attend networking events with purpose…the purpose of connecting with the right people.

Paula Frazier 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.


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Have a profitable week.

Linda Fayerweather, Editor
Changing Lanes LLC

Mid Year Is Here

Week of June 29, 2009
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This week's topics include:

* Mid-Year Recession Busting - Linda Fayerweather
* What Makes a Good Email Message? – Authenticity - Rebecca Booth
* The Inspired Entrepreneurs are Energetically Responsible- Pat Altvater
* 29% Solution Diversify- Paula Fraizer
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Mid-Year Recession Busting

In 2 days, 2009 will have 50% of the year remaining. Last week we talked about Planning and Leveraging. This week you need to dust off your Vision or create one if you are lacking.

Having a long term vision is a must. A vision out three to five years will give you an opportunity to plan for the future instead of just ruminating on the present. Visions will be true to the Mission and Core Values of a firm but also will be lofty and sometimes cause staff to gasp. That gasp indicates you have stretched the challenged the status quo.

A good vision is:
~Long term - 3 to 10 years out
~Big and focused on success
~Written in the present test
~Identifies your passion, unique market position, niche and perfect customer
~Quantifiable - think revenue goal
~A written description of why you are building/growing this business.

A vision helps you GET over the past, LIVE in the present and PLAN for the future!

Check out Changing Lanes Workshops for building your business plan with a vision that works.

Next week – Have a Long Term Vision
Copyright 2009 Linda Fayerweather
What's working in your Business?
Changing Lanes LLC
http://www.changinglanes.biz/

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What makes a good email message? Part 3 – Authenticity

One of the best emails I’ve received in a long time is from an art teacher (Paul Brand) with whom I study. He doesn’t follow the rule of frequency and sticking to it. Instead he started his post off with “This is the first email in an occasional series of notes about my paintings and art related activities.” While this may not be of interest to you, it was to me. In his post he had a picture of a recent watercolor that he had finished. What’s better yet- he showed the photograph of the house he was painting and a description of the type of mood he was trying to capture in the art. Mind you the photograph of the house was extremely different from the painting itself. Yet, Paul “taught” me how I can let my imagination fly when painting in watercolors. The content was meaty and authentic because Paul is a teacher and a friend. His casual style of writing along with the inclusion of details from a family trip helped authenticate the post. If you would like to see an example of the post, simply email me at rebecca@rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com and I’ll forward it to you. It’s a perfect example of email marketing that works!

Copyright 2009 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
419.855.3399
Celebrating 10 years of delivering results for our clients.
http://www.rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com/
http://www.marketinginabox.biz/

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The Inspired Entrepreneurs are Energetically Responsible

We are half way through the year, are you where you want to be in your business?

If you have not achieved the benchmarks that you intended for the first 6 months of the year, take a look at where YOU are focusing your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Your success does not come from outside of you, so you can’t blame anyone or anything not the economy, not your industry, not your employees if you are not where you want to be.

It’s time to take unqualified energetic responsibility for everything and move out of lower energy and into focusing your thoughts, feelings and actions on where you want to be. Become single minded in your approach to staying out of negativity. When you find yourself experiencing negative emotions, take a moment to center yourself, reread your company vision and mission statements and tap into the passion that you have for achieving your vision. That passion will help you take the necessary actions that will lead to achieving your 2009 intentions!

Copyright 2009 Pat Altvater
Transforming Bodies and Minds
http://www.outsmartweight.com/
http://www.transformationsinstitute.com/
http://www.ignitethepowerwithinbook.com/
419-344-6613
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear MMM Readers,

As someone that relies completely on word-of-mouth to build my businesses, I’ve found The 29% Solution, written by leading referral marketing expert Dr. Ivan Misner, to be instrumental in my success. He offers 52 weekly networking success strategies (one per week) and specific actions to take to experience success through focused, purposeful networking efforts. I look forward to sharing them with you in the coming weeks.

WEEK 8: DIVERSIFY YOUR CONTACTS

“A major key to success in building a powerful business network is diversity. The problem is that when you surround yourself with people that have similar contacts [and most of us do] you may find it hard to connect with new people or companies with whom you want to do business. If you limit yourself to that one circle of friends and colleagues, your business’s exposure will be finite – limited to that same circle of associates, and the people they know. This can be a recipe for the slow and painful death of your business!”

I hosted a workshop several weeks ago. Everyone in attendance looked…well…like me - suit on, hair done, laptop in tow and Blackberry in hand EXCEPT one guy. He had on uniform pants, work boots, a sweat shirt and had his hair pulled back in a pony tail. Almost no one talked to him. Why? Because he was different!

The one person that did take the time to connect with him, a very smart BNI Executive Director, had struck gold. He learned that Jeremy was an auto mechanic. He wasn’t just any auto mechanic; Jeremy was one of two Certified Master Porshe Mechanics in all of Southwestern Virginia. Do you think some of his clients may be part of our target market?

TAKE ACTION:

1. Attend a networking event.
2. Find a person in the room that no one is talking to and engage them.
3. After learning something about who they are and what they do, ask them to introduce you to someone in the room that THEY know. Diversity…here we come!

How much money are you leaving on the table by hanging out with people that are already connected to the majority of the people in your network? Get out there, meet someone new and start digging. You never know when you might strike GOLD!
Paula Frazier 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

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Have a profitable week.

Linda Fayerweather, Editor
Changing Lanes LLC



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