The Blended Salon & Spa, Can it Work? Yes, it's the Wave of the Future!

Oh, I bet you think I am writing about a Salon and Spa
under one roof. No, that's not the "blend" I am writing
about. I want to review the concept of a commission and
rental shop all in one place!

Well, now you really think I am crazy. I don't think so.
Some salon owners are crazy smart when it comes to making
money and being successful. Some have figured out the
right mix of booth rental and commission arrangements to
make the shop run like a well oiled machine!

So, who are these owners?

I would like to profile one I am particularly impressed
with. He is smart, talented professionally and financially
savvy while having a heart and working hard to improve the
lives and careers of his professional team. This is an
amazing combination. I have listened, in the last 4 years,
to many, many salon and spa owners. I have listened to
those who work for both the commission shop owner and the
booth rental owner and none have had the work and life
ethic of this particular gentleman.

Mark Cottle, who owns Kaya Beauty in Henderson, Nevada, has
no idea I am writing about him but that's ok because he
would just blush if I told him before I was done! Mark is
a very talented Beauty Professional. He is a teacher,
mentor and businessman. "I want my team to be successful"
he says if you ask him why he is so comfortable when one of
his professionals says they want to go rental, "any salon
owner who doesn't want to have their team "own" their own
customers and do great things is scared of loss". His
confidence in his ability to groom great talent shines
through in everyone in the shop.

You must remember, although I am a financial professional
who created a solo beauty professional contact management
software, I am also a very vain newly 50 year old women who
hates any gray hair showing through and needs to be
"blonde" although God gave me the good old Italian dark
brown to work with! I am very loyal to some very talented
professionals who credit Mark & Kaya for their success.

I am also finally getting my nails done and for a treat had
a facial and massage on my birthday as a gift from my
staff. What an amazing event, all at Kaya, the top
treatment with great people, all loving what they do and
making their work into an enjoyable career.

All of them, when asked what is important to the salon& spa
owner say " Mark cares only about the happiness of the
client", "If the client isn't being taken care of by one
professional in the salon, we all must understand and help
them to find the right professional in the salon to work
with". Wow, what a concept.

Mark bought each member of his team a copy of the Redken
sponsored Michael Cole book "A Little More off the Top" to
read and study and discuss at future meetings for the
group. I was lucky enough to read a copy and what a great
book for all beauty professionals as well as any business
person who lives with customer service as a crucial part of
their career. Mark gave them the book with the goal of
building success for each team member which in turn builds
success for the shop.

Now I can't tell you the financial formula of booth rental
to commission and what the splits are and what the monthly
fees are. I can tell you that all work to sell product,
not "force sell" product to the clients, the front desk
calls all clients of commissioned staff the day before the
appointment (I believe this is too late, but that's another
client management story), and are super friendly helping
out however they can.

When Mark said to me, as I commented on how wonderful his
management style was and how unique he is in the
marketplace, "If a client likes a professional's work, they
will follow them anywhere. Why shouldn't I make the
professional happy to be here so the client will be happy
to be here? I don't own the client, nobody does, but
client loyalty to their professional is expected". I knew
then that Mark understood the fundamentals that most salon
owners ignore or suppress for the sake of "owning' the
client.

Your professionals are you best and most valuable asset.
As a Salon & Spa owner treat them right and you will have
the beauty professional and their clients for life.

----------------------------------------------------
Diane Dutton, CEO, Speaker and Business Strategy
Consultant. I would love to discuss group opportunities for
your spa or salon and many other techniques to improve
profitability. For more information on Client Keeper
opportunities for area distributorships and group salon
discounts see us at http://www.cksystemz.com and
http://cosmosuccesskit.com . Look for more ideas and
concepts from me in the future!

Recruitment Law: The Importance of Knowing the Regulations

As a recruitment consultant your days are generally spent
focusing on making sales and dealing with client
requirements. Getting roles, finding candidates, chasing
feedback, organizing interviews, the list goes on, leaving
little time to focus on the clients themselves. But with
such focus on making a sale, are you inadvertently leaving
your clients open to risks?

Over the past few years government legislation has
tightened the regulations governing employment law, yet
very few recruitment consultants are aware of the
implications that theses changes have for their clients. It
is shocking to think that companies are using agencies to
provide services that are potentially opening them up to
law suits that may cost them millions of pounds.

There have been numerous instances over the past few years
which have brought home the risks faced by employers today.
The most notable of which was the case of Muscat vs. Cable
& Wireless Plc. In this case, a temporary worker was able
to successfully sue Cable & Wireless for wrongful dismissal
because the contractor was able to prove that the working
situation was one of "implied employment".

"Implied Employment" refers to a situation where a
contractor working for a client through a Limited Company
and a recruitment agency is treated by the client the same
as a permanent employee. This includes having to organize
annual leave, contract extensions and pay rises with the
client directly. From a recruitment agency standpoint, this
is unacceptable.

First and foremost, there is rarely a direct contract
between a contractor and a client, the contract is between
the contractor's Limited Company and the agency. The agency
will then have a contract with the client to provide the
services of the contractor's Limited Company, not the
contractor specifically. Quite simply, any contractual
negotiations, any annual leave, sick leave etc, all of this
must go through the recruitment agency. Line managers who
involve themselves in these conversations or behaviours are
opening themselves and their companies up to some serious
legal risks.

Yet many agencies do not train their consultants about
these regulations or the risks that their clients face. It
is understandable that managers within an organization
would not be aware of the legal aspects of hiring
contractors. Therefore it is the responsibility of the
recruitment agency to ensure that the client is aware of
the risks and that the consultant ensures that both the
contractor and the managers work in such a way as to negate
those risks.

Thankfully these lawsuits do not happen very often but this
does not mean that recruitment consultants can continue to
be complacent. These cases still happen, this behaviour
still continues and clients are still put at risk because
consultants are not trained sufficiently in the
requirements of contract law. By no means should
recruitment consultants become employment law experts, but
it is important if they are working within recruitment, to
understand the simple things which can be done to minimize
these risks.

Firstly, consultants should always read the contracts which
go out to their contractors. If at any point a contract
uses terms like "the employee" or "the team" this can be
considered implied employment. The contractor must always
be referred to as "the Limited Company" or "the Company".
That is because the contract is with the Limited Company,
not the individual contractor, hence the presence of the
right of substitution clause.

It needs to be reinforced that any contractual negotiations
or annual leave must go through the agency. As the contract
is between the agency and the client, the contractor and
the client have no legal grounds to make these
negotiations, only the agency can negotiate with the client
on behalf of the Limited Company. It is recommended that
recruitment consultants understand the basics of the IR35
regulations. These are all laws which govern the industry
that you work in and can have a direct impact on your
working life.

To learn more, speak to your agency's legal team. They
should be in a position to provide training and information
about the regulations and give a deeper understanding about
the nuances of contract law. For more information on the
Muscat vs. Cable & Wireless Plc case visit :
http://www.msi-network.com/Content/general/UK_employment_law
_update_3.aspx

Look beyond the sales and understand your industry. Not
only will you be protecting your clients and your
contractors, you will be building trust with them making
yourself a consultant they will want to work with again and
again.

----------------------------------------------------
Mandy Leonard is a co-founder of Enabled IT, which
specializes in working in partnership with clients to
provide a customer centric recruitment solution. With
experience in both the recruitment and technical sector,
she has specialized in sales and management training to
optimize the abilities of sales forces.
For more information please visit
http://www.mandyleonard.com or e-mail
contact@mandyleonard.com

The 7 Keys to Asking Clients the Right Questions

The secret to successful communication in business and in
everyday life is asking the right questions. Understanding
the value of effective questioning is probably the single
most dominant factor in achieving business success. The way
to learn about what people need is to ask a question and
then listen carefully to the answer.

What do Oprah Winfrey, Larry King, and Barbara Walters all
have in common? They are all great interviewers. They
have the uncanny ability to make people feel comfortable
and talk by asking the right questions. The bottom line is
that customers and prospects will gladly volunteer
information about what they think they want in pricing,
products and services if you ask the right questions. The
more questions you ask, the more the customer or prospect
will talk, which allows you to uncover their "hot buttons".
Remember, approximately 90 percent of customers and
prospects think about themselves first.

To start, you should always remember the 7 keys to good
questioning. It's a matter of being clever, and being
direct. How better to accomplish this than to utilize
these 7 keys:

1. Why? For example: Why would you choose software A over
software B for your small business IT Solutions?

2. Who? For example: Who would you recommend this product
to and why?

3. Where? For example: Where did you first hear about my
small business?

4. When? When were you hoping to have project A completed?

5. What? What troubleshooting issues have you discovered
while using this software program?

6. How? How do you feel about our new shipping policy?

7. Is it? Is it alright if I contact you in the future if
I need more information?

You've probably already noticed that number 7, "is it"
isn't one of the standard questions that you consider when
you think of posing questions, but "is it" allows you to
verify what you have learned by listening carefully to the
answers to keys number 1-6. Confirming and verifying what
customers are saying demonstrates to them that you are
listening carefully to what is being said, and reassures
them that their input matters. It also allows you to
better absorb and synthesize what is being stated so that
you can put it into its best application.

There is an art to asking the questions. While using the 7
keys to good questions does get you off to a good start,
you have to remember to keep things well focused, so that
the responses that you receive will be tailored to what you
are seeking to discover. Most people have a natural
tendency to pose very general questions. However, while
conducting business, you need to aim to ask questions that
are as detailed as possible, so that you will receive a
better response, and so that the person with whom you are
speaking will know you are a good listener.

Keep in mind, also, that just because a question is
detailed, doesn't mean that it has to be verbose in any
way. Rather, it must simply be worded in a way so that the
right information is provided within the response.

For example, if someone were to ask you "how do you start a
small business?" that would leave you in a bit of a lurch
with regards to what to say and where to start.
Additionally, it will necessarily lead to a number of other
questions that negate the purpose of asking the original
question in the first place: more detailed questions.
Don't waste the time of the person to whom you are asking
questions, don't waste your own time, and keep confusion to
a minimum. A better question with which to begin may have
been something more detailed such as: "How do you start a
small mail order business in Richmond, Virginia, that deals
in laptop computers?" Notice the difference?

The foundation to asking good questions and achieving a
wealth of practical answers is to apply the 7 keys in a
direct and detailed manner. They allow you to get to the
root of your question, so that you will gain the
information and direction that you need to take specific
action.

----------------------------------------------------
Robert Moment is an innovative small business coach ,
speaker and author. Robert specializes in teaching
entrepreneur how to start a small business that profits and
grow. Visit http://www.howtostartyoursmallbusiness.com and
sign-up for the FREE Small Business Coaching 7 day
e-course titled, "Turn Passion into Profit: Small Business
Startup".

Astak WL906D Weatherproof Night Vision Wireless CCD Color Camera

Security cameras are perfect for maintenance of home
safety; the Astak WL906D Weatherproof Night Vision Wireless
CCD Color Camera effectively protects premises throughout
day and night. Security cameras help to keep an eye on the
children within the perimeter of the home. These cameras
are now in high use and people are keen to install these
cameras to ensure better home security. Homeland security
cameras also help you keep an eye on your children at play
time. These cameras considerably minimize risks of theft,
robbery, burglary and other criminal offenses. The prices
of these cameras are pretty cheap and these cameras are now
also sold online.

There are different models if security cameras but Astak
WL906D Weatherproof Night Vision Wireless CCD Color Camera
is both good looking and functions well.

Weatherproof wireless CCD cameras are in high demand and
this camera can be attached to the TV or VCR. Usually no
wiring is required and it gets installed within just 5
minutes. Most of the wireless cameras come with sensitive
microphones and provide audio-visual monitoring.

Many people prefer security systems but the security
systems are often costly and people cannot afford it. For
such people, Astak WL906D Weatherproof Night Vision
Wireless CCD Color Camera is the ideal solution. Moreover,
this is weatherproof and wireless. The price is also
affordable. These CCD color cameras are widely available in
Wall mart stores.

Individuals need to feel they have a secure home. Often for
many reasons, measures of security remain lower that what
should be done. This can lead to major crisis and unwanted
hassle. So, precautionary measures are highly advisable.
The Astak WL906D Weatherproof Night Vision Wireless CCD
Color Cameras come with powerful Imaging Sensor of:
1/4-inch CCD. It takes hardly five minutes to complete the
installation process. Overall weigh of the camera is 8 kgs
and the dimension is Width x Length x Height = 44 x 44 x 56
mm.While purchasing any Weatherproof Night Vision Wireless
CCD Color Camera, it is prudent to check the night vision
range; the night vision range of this camera is 30 feet.

Astak WL906D Weatherproof Night Vision Wireless CCD Color
Camera is indeed provides a fashionable look. The price
usually ranges between $135 and $ 140.With a shutter speed
of 1/50 - 1/10,000 second, the camera effectively monitors
the front and the backyards of the home and ensures safety.
Instead of being confused with the different home security
cameras available in the market, it is prudent to rely upon
this Astak manufactured camera.

Selection of a wrong CD camera can be just wastage of
money, so vivid research can be of great use. There are
different online articles on home security cameras and it
is best to go through them to have a clear insight about
these cameras. Performance of Astak WL906D Weatherproof
Night Vision Wireless CCD Color Camera has been good and it
is a reliable product. The prince of this CCD Camera is
moderate compared to the other similar products available
in the market.

----------------------------------------------------
Online retailer offering consumer electronics products,
including cellular phones and accessories, personal
computers, and computer components. Network power cameras
are now available directly through Netfreez at remarkable
prices. Choose also the right installation kits for
Cameras. To find out more information, please visit
http://www.netfreez.com/

Marketing Strategies for Your Business / Promotional Events!

Now that you know your Vision, your Ideal Client, how to
Build Authentic Relationships, create Strategic Referral
Partnerships and Client Referral Strategies, you can
effectively and easily create a promotional event.

As you may recall, I mentioned in last month's article that
there are several marketing strategies to fundamentally
build a business. The strategies are simple but not always
easy, however if they are coupled with vision, vigor and a
little tenacity, both business and life can be enjoyed with
ease and results produced with velocity.

Remember as these strategies unfold in your reading each
month, I never said it would be easy, however I am saying,
it "can" be done with ease AND velocity with the right
energy going in the right direction.

And you must keep in mind that you will have to address
what I call the "human condition."

The thing that will come between you and success is the
"human condition"; your self imposed barriers, road blocks,
and what you think you already know. Be aware of the
barriers and road blocks as you read these.

Yes, I'm repeating this each month intentionally. Why? The
two most prominent reasons are: to shift how you think in a
way that builds your muscles to understand the fundamentals
of marketing AND to address the human condition that could
stop you from implementing the strategies and creating
extreme success.

Keep in mind that Vision must be first.… Another critical
part of effective marketing is "Promotional Events".

A promotional event is quite simply an event that promotes
your goods or services.

The event can be used to generate revenue however generally
it will only generate a nominal amount of revenue. This
type of event itself is designed for promotion and sales
rather than increasing bottom line. The purpose is to
generate revenue as a result of the event rather than
because of the event. Or said another way, simply generate
sales at the promotional event.

The event can vary. It could be a workshop that you provide
for your clients and potential clients which educates them
in an area of your expertise. It could be an open house. It
could be a party of some sort. The event is simply one
which provides value to your clients and/or offers an
experience of you, your product and services and your
company.

The charge, if any, for the event will be nominal. What I
call a no-brainer charge, a charge most will clearly pay to
get access to your information.

I'm sure you've all received an invitation to a workshop or
class at no cost, haven't you? That most likely was a
promotional event. There's no reason you couldn't do the
same thing.

A few things to keep in mind:

The event must add value to others. The event should be at
no cost or very little cost to the attendee. The event must
be easy to attend/signup/register for or come to.

The event can be as small or as large in attendees as you
are comfortable with hosting. Be sure to make it large
enough that it is worth it to you and your business. You
can analyze your close ratio and look at your projections
of sales to determine how may attendees you need to produce
a desired result. If you haven't done this pre - homework,
you may have to test a few events to see what's right for
your bottom line.

The possibilities are endless of what you can do, however
with promotional events frequency is key. The frequency of
your event will create a greater result in your bottom
line. If you think of a good commercial, don't you see it
more than once, twice, and three times even? Why should
your business be any different? Your business and offering
should be promoted as often as possible. Consistency and
frequency are key!

To bring an abundance of attendees to your promotional
event, advertise it surely, but more importantly, simply
use the strategies you've learned so far in your reading.
First, know your ideal client, tap into your authentic
relationships, your strategic partnerships and existing
clients so they can assist you in this effort.

I won't go into all of the past strategies here, because
you can read them again, but I can tell you a little about
the benefit of having strategic partners when creating a
promotional event.

Your strategic partners will gladly invite their clients to
your event because it provides value and serves them to do
so. Your event should be valuable to their existing
clients. You might recall from your reading about strategic
partners that they serve your client, therefore your event
will provide value for them. If you've done your homework
properly, the strategic partner will gladly invite their
existing clients and potential clients for the sheer
benefit it is to him/her and him/her business.

The strategic partners will attend your event because you
and your other strategic partners will invite their
potential client to be there.

Everyone meets new potential clients! It's a win/win for
all parties involved.

Strategically, you are creating a collaborative effort.
Strategic partnerships are greatly beneficial when creating
a promotional event. The collaborative effort creates
astonishing results.

Remember everything must be win/win for all parties
involved.

The attendees receive value The strategic partners meet new
potential clients Your relationships expand The attendee's
relationships expand and so does their client base if
they're in business. Your clients feel appreciated Your
client base expands You and your strategic partners create
a collaborative effort.

Critical points of this article!

• Know your vision
• Know your ideal client
• Tap into your authentic relationships
• Tap into your strategic partnerships
• Tap into your existing client base.
• Create a promotional event.
• Advertise and Promote your event
• Create a collaborative effort and win/win for everyone
• Remember, you also must "implement" the strategies
channeling the right energy in the right direction to have
them be most effective and reflect success in your business.

Remember, you don't have to be in business alone or
struggle to make it successful.

----------------------------------------------------
The Power, Passion & Purpose Group, brings over twenty
years experience in business, relationship and individual
life coaching. Join the P3groups mailing list to receive
their online magazine - The P3 Power Boost Magazine for
Women at http://www.TheP3Group.com .

Catalogue & Home Shopping: Flick, click or both.

Flicker, clicker or both?

There has been a long held view that Catalogue and Home
Shopping companies are a little staid, a little outdated or
just plain old old-fashioned. There is also a slightly more
modern view that the internet and shopping on the internet
in particular, is for techies or whiz kids or dare I say,
for young people.

I'm sure you'll have your own view on the matter, but
opinions aside, there is a growing audience who recognise
that neither viewpoint has any substance today.

If there's such a thing as a mercenary shopper, then I
believe I'm it, and I strongly urge you to join me. Any
retailer of any description will curse me for saying this
but the fact is, there are an incredible number of places
for you to spend your hard earned cash and in today's
retail environment, finding the best deal no longer
involves fighting your way through the weekend crowds or
pounding the pavements up and down the high street.

The Internet has brought the high street right into your
living room and in doing so it has also brought both
opportunity and dilemma for both the staid old Catalogue
businesses and, the snappy new web only retailers. It's
also because of the internet that neither can afford to sit
on their laurels.

Catalogue and Home Shopping retailers can no longer rely on
the lure of extended credit terms to attract new customers
because credit can now be obtained with ease and far
cheaper, which is where the newer internet only retailers
are cashing in. It's fair to say that the traditional
Catalogue and Home Shopping retailers recognise this fact
and the more astute ones now have an internet presence as
well. However, despite their traditional credit hungry
customers being in decline, they still account for a
significant chunk of their business and as such, cutting
them loose would be commercial suicide. They have no choice
but to endeavour to satisfy their old customers and their
new ones.

The upshot of these dilemmas for you and I is opportunity.
To keep pace with web only retailers, Catalogue and Home
Shopping retailers are being forced to come up with new
initiatives to attract new customers and yet despite the
undoubted success of some of these new initiatives, there
is no shortage of irony when they play their ace. Their ace
is that they still produce printed catalogues and not only
that, they produce very good printed catalogues. The
production of these very good catalogues has been fine
tuned over many, many years and to their readers, they have
always been held dear. The printed catalogue of today is a
brilliant shop window which offers plenty of product
information, beautiful detail filled photography which is
as colour accurate as possible to ensure customer
satisfaction.

The new mercenary shoppers (me!) are taking advantage of,
and are enjoying the opportunity to pick up a catalogue,
browse, read and compare, before going online to browse,
read and compare, and only when they have found the best
deal, do they place an order. No crowds, no queues, no sore
feet, no communal changing rooms just the best possible
choice at the best possible price. Consumer heaven.

I urge you to become a mercenary shopper. Go online, order
a free catalogue and browse, read and compare to your
hearts content and then, and only then, part with your hard
earned cash and enjoy your choice.

As always, Happy shopping.

----------------------------------------------------
Sam Benton urges you to be among the first to take
advantage of some of the best offers, the best brands, from
the most respected and innovative names in Catalogue and
Home Shopping. For up to 20% off first orders and our
pre-sale notification promise, Click here ==>
http://www.the-catalogue-site.co.uk