China: Perspectives of leading the R&D world environment

China: Perspectives of leading the R&D world environment
The United States of America have been ahead of all
international competition in terms of annual Research and
Development expenditure; this, for as long as we can
remember. The U.S bare an image of leading world statistics
on many various domains, but by taking a step back we can
speculate on one new R&D leading player in the next couple
of years.

According to OECD projections, based on most recent trends,
China's R&D investments would have exceeded Japan's in
2007, reaching 136 billion USD, opposed to Japan's 130
billion USD forecast. This puts China in the second R&D
investments position, still far behind U.S 's astronomical
330 billion. However, it is interesting to note that,
China's engineers and scientists usually make between
one-sixth and one-tenth of what Americans do, which means
that the wide gaps in economical terms do not necessarily
result in equally wide gaps in manpower or results.

"The rapid rise of China in both money spent and
researchers employed is stunning." Dirk Pilat, Head of the
OECD's Science and Technology Policy division.

When looking in depths at the manpower available, China
again meets the second place after the U.S. Nevertheless,
in China, the number of researchers increased by 77%
between 1995 and 2004, and China now benefits from the work
of 926,000 researchers, when the U.S employ 1.3 million.
Indorsing these figure, U.S production of engineers and
researchers is growing at a sluggish pace, when every year
China's universities and schools form 325,000 engineers in
average per year, which is five times as many as the U.S.

Not to mention China's R&D intensity (R&D/GDP ratio), which
has more than doubled from 0.6% of GDP in 1995 to just over
1.2% in 2004. This represents an increase from just over 17
billion USD in 1995 to 94 billion USD in 2004.

This has a very positive impact on both science and
high-technology sectors. China has launched a few very
competitive products, and has registered quality patents,
in a 10-year-old world emerging biotech industry. In a one
billion potential patients market, 15 Chinese biotech
products for health are already on the market, with another
60 still developing.

This points out the potential of China in advanced
technology, and it highlights the fact that China is not
only a country excelling in textile, toy factories and
other simple production facilities, but it is a major
player on skilled sectors such as R&D. One dreadfully
expensive challenge still lies ahead for China: developing
costly and state of the art research centers and scientific
infrastructure, generating a higher quality and more
numerous scientific investigations.

----------------------------------------------------
Tim Lyons is Executive Director of Manage China. Manage
China is a company that helps foreign firms who are
interested in doing business in China.

http://www.managechina.com

Celebrating Failures

Celebrating Failures
What is the real "f" word? It's failure. We all want
things to go perfectly - or what we perceive as perfectly.
But the truth is, they don't, always. Trying new things
creates the possibility of failure. In a business
landscape where the message is predominantly that "Failure
is Bad," it's no wonder that failure is perceived as a
dirty word.

Now seriously, every manager, business owner, executive and
employee has made mistakes and experienced what they
consider failures. As human beings, it's almost second
nature to us to follow the path of lease resistance by
beating ourselves up over every perceived failure and then
to continually remind ourselves how often, and how badly,
we've screwed up.

There is another way. What would it look like if rather
than seeing any task or action that didn't turn out as
originally planned as a "failure", we saw each of them as
learning opportunities...? What might we create? What
opportunities might arise for us? What would change if we
were able to step away from self-blame and emotional
flagellation and move forward into celebration? Years ago,
when Bill McGowan was still alive and running MCI, there
was a sign in the lobby that said, "Make Some Damn
Mistakes." The philosophy underneath that sign was that if
you didn't make mistakes you were not taking risks. Bill
truly believed that risk- taking was the greatest
opportunity for learning, and that nothing new, creative,
innovative or exciting happened without taking risks. It's
simply too bad that the culture has changed since MCI was
sold to WorldCom.

Part of the problem with the entire concept of failure is
that it allows leaders of companies to actually see things
as successes or failures, instead of as learning
experiences. Every single move a company makes, or action
that it takes, is an opportunity for learning - whether it
works or not. Even things that work out perfectly the
first time may not work the next time. Without
understanding what made the action or move work, what
conditions or environment or alignment of the stars made it
come together, there is no true success.

After all, you won't be able to duplicate the perfect
action if you don't understand what conditions allowed it
to work out perfectly in the first place. And will those
conditions be the same the next time? If something didn't
work, was it a failure? Of course not. If an action
didn't work, it simply means that something interfered with
that action working as well as planned. Any number of
things - from timing, to economy, to client needs, to the
vehicle used for distribution - any number of random
factors may have interfered with the action working as
planned. But if you automatically consider that action a
failure, you lose the important opportunity of learning how
to make it work better the next time.

When something you've planned for your company doesn't work
as well as expected, it's not necessarily comfortable, but
it's usually illuminating. When you look at everything from
the perspective of "what can we learn from this?", then you
put yourself in a place where you can make better decisions
about the future and you also encourage your people to work
from a position of innovative re-thinking. They will be
empowered to constantly improve actions and strategies.
How can you lose with that?

What if we celebrated failure instead of hiding our
"mistakes" in some allegorical closet?

History has shown over and over that not daring to fail, or
conversely refusing to admit failure and the lessons
intrinsic to it, has often created devastating consequences
of grand proportions. It's no small matter how we look at
the idea of failure and our response to it.

Let us not forget that our greatest successes, in business,
science, literature and indeed, life, have started from
failure. That's how we learn. Success isn't nearly so
powerful.

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't
work." - Thomas Alva Edison

----------------------------------------------------
Linda Finkle, CEO of INCEDO GROUP, works with innovative
leaders around the world who understand that business needs
a new organizational growth style. These innovative leaders
know that powerful cross-functional communication is the
highest priority and the strongest strategy for building
organizational effectiveness. To find out more, visit:
http://www.IncedoGroup.com

Virtual Assistants: What Can They Do For Your Business?

Virtual Assistants: What Can They Do For Your Business?
* Do you want an afternoon to go golfing rather than
answering email?

* Or four hours to spend with your family?

* Or five hours you can spend doing whatever you want?

And no:

-- Payroll Tax

-- Vacation Pay

-- Sick Leave

-- Health Insurance

-- Office Space or Equipment

You only pay for the time you use.

You can have more time and continue to build your business
- hire a Virtual Assistant.

When I started my own business, I knew I couldn't do it all
myself. The best use of my time is on sales and the sales
strategy consulting that I do. That is my Brilliance --
the things I'm best at and love to do. I aim to do my
Brilliance activities 85% of the time.

I couldn't have done all I've done without a team of
Virtual Assistants. I've worked with Virtual Assistants
(VAs) for a long time. I've written three ebooks, many
articles, given teleseminars and produced audio CDs. I've
also developed consulting, marketing materials and
presentations to show my clients how to do this for their
own businesses - so their income is not solely based on
their time. They can sell information products online even
when they're not working with clients and bundle products
with services for additional income.

Virtual Team members are valuable and make a huge
difference in my business. It means that I don't work all
the time, even as my business continues to grow. I can
focus on doing the things I do best and know my Virtual
Team members are there to take care of the detail work and
things that are not my expertise.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

"A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an independent entrepreneur
providing administrative, creative and/or technical
services. Utilizing advanced technological modes of
communication and data delivery, a professional VA assists
clients in his/her area of expertise from his/her own
office on a contractual basis." (http://www.ivaa.org)

They do the work for entrepreneurs that a corporate
assistant would do in a corporation.

What Can a VA Do for Your Business?

To give you an idea of what's possible, here are some of
the things that a VA can do for you. Review the list and
mark the ones that you could have someone do for you:

~ Power Point presentations

~ Prepare proposals

~ Vendor coordination

~ Shopping cart

~ Send out your ezine or newsletter

~ Event Planning

~ Customer Service

~ Handle client needs

~ Project Management

~ Scheduling

~ Billing

~ Proofreading, Editing

~ Transcription

~ Spreadsheet development

~ Handle CD production

~ Develop forms

~ Research

~ Organization

~ Web design and maintenance

~ Put workbooks together

~ Graphic design

~ Compile, maintain databases

~ Keep you on track, help you meet deadlines

~ Set up and manage autoresponders for e-mail marketing

~ Automate systems for your business

~ Compile and maintain lists and databases

~ Submit articles to online directories

~ Take care of all the details - coordinate with others,
make sure it all gets done

~ Keep things going when you travel: check and respond to
voicemails, e-mails, phone calls

~ And many more . . .

I've chosen to work with a team of Virtual Assistants
because I want to have each team member do what they do
best and love it. Productivity, satisfaction and quality
of work are higher. And, with the Internet, I'm not
limited by geography. I can work with the people who are
the best in their areas of expertise, no matter where they
live.

How Do You Find a VA?

The best way to find a VA is to ask other people who use a
VA who they use. Tell them what you want a VA to do for
you, and ask them what their VA does, so you'll find
someone with the skills you're looking for. If you are a
member of a forum or professional organization, post a
request on the board outlining what you're looking for in a
VA. List the types of things you want them to do for you,
and some of the skills you're looking for.

I call this "Jan's 10-Foot Rule" - Ask everyone within 10
feet of you what you're looking for, and someone will come
through. Try it! It works.

There are also organizations where you can look for a VA or
you can do a Google search. I've always found my team
members by referral, so I have no experience with the
organizations. There are certifications that a VA can get.
My experience is that there are good VAs with and without
the certifications. The certifications add credibility and
professionalism. Certification is not a criteria that I
require a VA to have, though I do take it into
consideration.

* AssistU -- http://www.assistu.com/

* International Virtual Assistant Association --
http://www.ivaa.org/

* Elance - http://www.elance.com.

This is good for project
work. You post a description of the work you want done, and
people bid on it.

Interviewing a Virtual Team Member:

Interview at least 3 to 5 people before you decide.
Interview them the same way you would for a permanent hire
for your business. Get their name, phone number, e-mail
address, and website. Check out the website before the
interview.

The following questions have paid off tremendously for me
in hiring the right people:

* How did you decide to start your VA business (Web design
business etc.)?

* How long have you been in business?

* What do you like best about your work?

* Tell me about one of your favorite projects for a
favorite client - what you did, how you approached it, how
you worked together.

* Here's an example of the work I want you to do for me.
(Describe your project with details, outcome, deadlines,
etc.). How would you approach it?

* Who are your best clients?

How Do They Work? What Do You Pay Them?

A VA works in several ways. You can hire them on an hourly
basis, project basis, and on retainer. Retainer fees are
usually lower than straight hourly fees, depending on how
many hours you pay them on retainer.

Have a good idea of what you want them to do and a time
budget for your work. If you don't know, describe the
project and ask them how much time they anticipate it will
take.

They will most likely have a welcome package and an
agreement for you to sign before you start working with
them. Review it as you would any agreement. If there's
something you don't agree with, ask about it. If there's
something missing that you want in the way you work
together, tell them. For example, I ask my team members to
sign a non-disclosure agreement. And I want them to
itemize the time they spend in a way that I can analyze my
business from the operations perspective.

Off to a Great Start: Working With Your New Team

Working with Virtual Team members is similar to working
with a local person. It's critical that you communicate
clearly. Be sure your first conversation and project are
off to a great start:

1. Assure a smooth transition, and minimize the time you
spend on it yourself. Outline for yourself exactly what
your project involves: the purpose, audience, desired
outcomes, and exactly what you're looking for them to
provide.

2. Set up a weekly coordination call. Always have an
agenda. Give them specifics about the work you want them
to do - purpose, timelines, time estimates. Tell them
what's planned and coming up in the next few weeks. No
surprises. They can often meet tight deadlines if they can
plan ahead.

3. Tell your team members what you expect in working with
them. For example, that you want close communication and no
surprises. If they have questions, let you know before
they proceed with something.

4. Manage them as you would a local person. Let them know
what they're doing well, what could be improved. Always
ask them for their input on the way the work is done. Ask
them if they see a way to simplify or streamline processes.

5. Pay them promptly.

6. Know their work schedule. What day/time will they do
your work? Plan accordingly. Arrange a day for them to do
your work. Get things to them quickly.

7. Let them know their value to you, the work and your
business. Praise them for good work. Refer other people
to them.

Hiring a VA gives you time and helps you build your
business so you don't have to work all the time. Decide
what work you really want to do, and outsource the rest to
a Virtual Assistant. You have all the benefits of an
assistant on a flexible basis that fits your business and
your budget. I could never do without a Virtual Team.

----------------------------------------------------
Jan Wallen works with companies that want significant sales
results. Jan is action- and results-oriented. Once you
start working together, she is 100% committed to
significant sales results for you. To learn more, call
(646) 485-4059 or go to http://www.janwallen.com

Errors In Judgment--Learning From Your Mistakes

Errors In Judgment--Learning From Your Mistakes
In any major or even minor business venture, there are
mistakes that you will make. In many cases, the mistakes
made by an entrepreneur are enough to convince him or her
that he or she has failed. However, the key to being
successful is to learn from your mistakes and move on.
This article discusses the importance of learning from your
mistakes and how to take the errors in judgment they
represent and turn them into opportunities to move forward.

No matter what you do in life, even if you are an expert,
you will make mistakes. Even the absolute greatest experts
make errors in judgment. One thing that separates them
from the people who fail is learning from their mistakes.
They understand that motivation alone is not enough. You
may be motivated but if you are headed in the wrong
direction you will need education to get you back on the
success track. The best education comes when you are able
to look at a situation that is not working or is wrong, get
educated and go forward in the right direction. You can
see precisely why something failed and what you can do to
keep it from failing. Having the ability to do this makes
you different from those who have failed. Used in the
right combination motivation and education will lead you to
success.

How to Learn From Your Mistakes

When you know that you have made a mistake in a situation,
a business venture or had a plan that did not succeed, you
must find out why. First, you must be take responsibility.
You must look at yourself. This sounds easy but it is
very difficult for many. The key is to look at how you have
related to the situation or challenge in front of you. If
you continue to relate the same way in the future, it
doesn't matter what you have learned, you will still face
the same obstacles. Humans actually learn from their
mistakes when they choose to think or relate differently.
Think about children. If a child touches a hot stove and
gets burned, he or she has a firm imprint in their mind
that the stove is hot and they should not touch it.
Chances are, remembering the pain of the burn, they will
not touch it again. If you have some hot stoves in your
life you must relate differently before you will stop
touching them.

This is the magic of our mistakes. If we learn how to see
what happened and what prevented the success of any given
situation, we can eliminate it. This is how individuals
learn to move forward and to have success. If you want to
have success, it's important to be able to learn from your
mistakes, and here's the key, apply what you have learned.

Using Mistakes to Propel You Forward

Remember, a mistake is nothing more than a learning
opportunity to propel you forward. It gives you the keys
to your success, education and the opportunity to approach
a situation differently. When you effectively use these
tools to your advantage, you will hold a card in your hand
that is one of the most powerful cards you can hold. This
ability to learn and apply yourself positively is what will
propel you forward within your business, your career and
your life. Next time you come face to face with a mistake
don't react. Welcome it. You have just received an
opportunity for learning a valuable lesson in order to be a
true success!

----------------------------------------------------
Steve Scott is a business/life coach and a business
development consultant. He specializes in teaching
entrepreneurs and solo and sales professionals to create
their own unique success stategies-bringing them balance,
more freedom and greater abundance.
http://www.progresssetfree.com

The Hidden costs of doing Business in China

The Hidden costs of doing Business in China
All the eyes of the business world are oriented towards
China. This "economical wonder" is the source of many
entrepreneurial opportunities, which seem easily
accessible. Who doesn't what to be part of the Chinese
miracle economy? Most of us want a piece of this huge
profit cake. There are, nevertheless, many examples of
business that struggle to enter China, consequence of a
narrow view of costs that lie within Chinese business
environment. Hopefully there are more examples of success
stories that have managed those costs in a pro-active way.

Motorola has done considerable investments to enter China,
and most of it was dedicated to technology transfer. They
knew the costs that were associated to it, and they were
one of the pioneer foreign firms to achieve such business
success, beginning in 1987 with a representative office in
Beijing. The pressure of transferring technology lies in
creating your own competition in a bubbling business
environment.

Foreign firms are eager and impatient of entering this
dynamic market, however the Chinese business process is far
from what foreign companies are used to. Initiating Joint
Ventures with a Chinese partner could be an adventure full
of twists and turns. In our determination to do business in
China, some forget that we need them more than they need
us; and unfortunately we are not sole players in this
quest. Many of the established firms, have encountered time
wasting related costs, and delays mainly due to
communication and cultural issues.

Setting up legal firm requirements, and gathering the
necessary documents and information to kick off the
implementation procedure can be a hassle if done
inappropriately. For example, while the capital requirement
for setting up a Wholly Own Foreign Enterprise can run in
excess of US$100,000, this doesn't need to be the case. In
fact, the capital requirement actually varies between
industries and could indeed be less than this. Moreover,
often all capital is not required up front and can be
dripped fed into the business over a period of time.

China has been, and is still seen as a large pool of cheap
labor.With the economical boom, especially in fast
developing cities such as, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou,
Guangzhou... the cost of qualified labor is following
china's trends: leading to fast growing wages. Companies
also realize once set up, that managing Chinese staff is
not only about opening a cross-cultural management book...
It is once again a complex journey to achieve.Furthermore,
having access to quality and responsive Chinese staff is a
definite competitive advantage, instinctively reducing the
amount of time lost and inevitably, the amount of hidden
costs.

Fortunately, the Chinese business environment is gaining
more and more flexibility, and business frameworks of
foreign set up firms are available.Feedback and experiences
are now accessible to have a clearer view of the does and
don't while doing business in China. Likewise, there will
always be ways to compress hidden costs, and by that, ways
of gaining increasingly competitive positions.

----------------------------------------------------
Tim Lyons is Executive Director of Manage China. Manage
China is a company that helps foreign firms who are
interested in doing business in China.

http://www.managechina.com

AVOIDING DISASTERS: Construction Projects and Insurance Safety

AVOIDING DISASTERS: Construction Projects and Insurance Safety
Construction projects can be simple, short term tasks or
complex, multi-year endeavors involving millions of
dollars. In major projects, numerous outside contractors
(and subcontractors) are often hired, even if the overall
project is awarded to a large well-known engineering or
construction firm. Unless the project is insured in a Wrap
Up program (all contractors, subs and subs of subs are
insured under one contract for one job), then management
cannot presume that all of their contractors are insured
continuously through the period of the project.

Many Construction Projects Involve Multiple Tiers of
Subcontractors
In a major project involving multiple aspects such as
roadwork, foundations, electrical, plumbing or roofing, the
general contractor awarded the overall contract often hires
a variety of local contractors, assigning them small
portions of the job. These subcontractors may even hire a
second or third tier of subcontractors to perform specialty
work not within their area of expertise. Subcontractors
often work on vital aspects of the project. If an injury,
death or serious industrial accident involving hazardous
materials occurs, dealing with the consequences can be
daunting, even for a well capitalized firm. Recently a
settlement for $458 million was reached by contractors in
the Boston 'Big Dig' construction project due to the death
of a motorist from a tunnel ceiling collapse. Insurance
claims are the responsibility of the contractor and
subcontractor. However, if their policy has lapsed or
carries insufficient limits, the company could be held
liable- often for tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.

Despite Contractual Risk Transfers the Company May Be
Responsible for Uninsured Claims
Ultimately, the company is responsible for anyone who
enters their premises or performs any activities on their
behalf, leaving them basically three choices on how to
handle that risk:
* Avoid the risk - don't do the activity or let anyone on
their premises (often not an option)
* Assume the risk or part of the risk - large deductibles
and Loss Sensitive insurance programs are examples
* Transfer the risk - often done by contract and/or
insurance.
Even if the company has transferred the risk via contract
to someone else, such as a vendor or a contractor, they
need to be sure the vendor/contractor has the financial
resources to finance that risk, which often is by insurance.

Require Proof of Insurance - Certificate of Insurance Form
Most companies require proof of insurance prior to
beginning a project in the form of an Insurance
Certificate. Unfortunately, many companies stop there and
fail to monitor the ongoing coverage status. This can
result in policies expiring and not being renewed, changes
in limits, or other issues later on. Tracking those
insurance certificates is a basic Risk Management activity
and one that every company should do. Without this
function, the company or it's own insurance carrier assumes
their vendor or contractor's risk (even if they have signed
contracts transferring the liability). Manually checking to
see that each contractor is insured may be overwhelming,
however, companies which specialize in this service can
make the process easier.

Implement an Effective Certificate Tracking System
Tracking the insurance certificates can be performed by a
service or managed internally using software. Although
outsourcing hands off the daily responsibility, the
solution means on-going monthly fees and may limit your
control on what requirements you can track and how you
interact with your vendors/contractors on issues. Software
packages give you:
1) more flexibility,
2) greater control of your data and
3) are generally less expensive on an ongoing basis.
Regardless of which option you select, the minimum
requirements of an effective certificate tracking system
would include the following features:
* User defined Insurance Requirement Categories- used to
set vendor certificate policy, limit and additional terms
requirements.
* Compliance verified- for no certificate, missing
policies, insufficient limits, missing additional terms,
soon to expire and expired policy dates. Ability to
override individual policy, limit or additional term
requirements.
* Follow-up letters automatically generated- containing
detailed list of non-compliance issues. Letter template can
be customized. Reminder letters sent automatically.
* User defined fields to organize/identify vendors- for
filtering/sorting screens and reports.
* Attachments for electronic archival- of actual
certificates.
* Comprehensive insurance certificate tracking reports-
detailing non-compliance issues by vendor.
* Password access- with multiple levels of user rights.
* Audit Trail- created for certificate maintenance history.

Accidents Happen Despite the Best Safety Programs
Unfortunately accidents do happen! One of the ways to
protect your company from unnecessary costs is to ensure
your contractors have valid insurance that meets your
requirements. Don't wait until that first multi-million
dollar claim to discover your contractor's insurance lapsed
and you are now liable for their employee's injuries or
negligence. Implement an effective insurance certificate
tracking system as part of a comprehensive risk management
program.

----------------------------------------------------
GG-One Software has been providing insurance certificate
tracking software since 1996. Their Fastrack Insurance
Certificate Tracking and Document Management product is
available in Web and Windows versions. Visit their website
to learn more.
http://www.ggonesoftware.com

Want to Know How to Use the Power of Publicity to Your Company's Advantage?

Want to Know How to Use the Power of Publicity to Your Company's Advantage?
With the increasingly rapid pace of our business world, the
importance of getting your brand name regularly in front of
your target market is a very real situation that all
companies face. Even more difficult: actually being
remembered by consumers. Every month hundreds of
thousands of new companies with stacks of new products and
services flood media channels, so it's imperative to find
new ways for your products to be noticed and stand out in
such a crowded marketplace. Besides the obvious methods of
direct mail and display advertising, many companies also
choose to be featured as a guest on talk radio shows around
the country or distribute their press releases to national
magazines and newspapers.

These are, of course, fabulous ways to gain exposure, but
there is yet another vehicle which can help you harness the
power of publicity - appearances on local and national
Television!

TV is one of the most tangible forms of media to promote
your company and products to the masses. As it is a visual
medium, TV enables your target market to actually see and
hear why your product is of value to them. The visual you
create leaves the audience with a lasting impression you
just can't make on radio or in print. But just because
you've been invited on as a guest, and you're an expert on
your product, does not necessarily make for good TV.

In addition to having product knowledge and being a really
good looking man or woman there's something called a
likeability factor that involves a variety of tools you
need to have, for the masses to really sit up, pay
attention and buy into your message. With this in mind,
here are a few tips that will help you become the kind of
guest every host wants to have on his or her show and will
enable you to capitalize on this very valuable air-time.

1) Be energetic. Hosts and producers don't want duds on
their show! Have some energy and show your enthusiasm. The
more engaging you appear the more interested and involved
the audience will feel.

2) Be mindful of body language. If you are on-set watch
out if you are notorious for tapping your feet, squirming
in your chair and clenching your fists - these send the
wrong message. If you always talk with your hands, that's
okay; just don't over-exaggerate your movements and make
sure you don't make loud sounds that could interfere with
your microphone.

3) Research current news topics. Become well-versed in
current affairs that relate to your topic. If the anchor
asks you a question about a timely news story and you don't
know what he's talking about it erodes your credibility,
and likeability factor to their audience. So it's a good
idea to do a quick online news search for any stories
related to your topic right before your scheduled
interview. On the off chance that you are asked a question
that you don't know how to answer, be honest about it.
It's better to admit you're not sure about something than
to give out incorrect information.

4) Don't sound rehearsed. You don't want to sound like
you're reading from a telemarketing script. That's a cue
for viewers to simply tune out - they want to be
entertained and informed, not sold to. Instead, jot down
the key points you want to convey ahead of time. It's okay
to think about what your answers will be, but don't feel as
though you have to learn your lines. Then when it's time
for the interview, focus on those talking points and always
bring your answers back to your key message.

5) Don't be wordy. Don't try to look smarter by using
words only a few will understand. No one likes listening to
a pompous lecturer. People respond better when you talk
like they do. So keep your message simple and easy to
understand so viewers can relate to you better. Also avoid
insider jargon or technical terms that the general public
may not be familiar with. Keep in mind, your goal is to
achieve broad appeal to a wide audience; you can't do that
if they can't understand you.

6) Pace yourself! Remember that what you're really doing
is having a conversation. Talk at a normal pace - many
people talk too fast when they feel nervous and this can be
extremely distracting for viewers. Think about it, who
wants to sit down with their morning coffee and tuning into
their favorite morning show to watch (and listen to) an
annoying motor-mouth! The best way to combat this?
Actually listen to the interviewer's questions. The host
will appreciate your attentiveness and your engagement in a
lively dialogue.

7) Be descriptive. Pepper your answers with descriptive
words. Don't forget that a good portion of the TV audience
may not be actually watching their TV; they could be
getting ready for work, watching their kids or making
dinner. So appeal to their senses and help paint a picture
with your words.

8) If you stumble, stutter, or slip-up during an interview,
forget about it and move on. Don't dwell on your mistakes.
Don't get flustered. Even the most experienced news
anchors flub a line from time to time. It's best to just
move on instead of drawing attention to it. However, if
you've said something that is factually incorrect, address
it immediately and say something such as, "what I meant to
say was". The bottom line is stay on message and you'll be
fine - the audience understands that everybody makes
mistakes.

9) Get to the point. Don't ramble endlessly. You'll lose
your audience with long-winded answers that go on and on.
We've all struggled to stay awake during speeches or
lectures that seemed to last forever. But, in this case,
viewers will simply change the channel at which point
you've lost a great opportunity to promote your product!

10) Convey appropriate emotions. If you're talking about a
serious topic such as cancer, terrorism or mortgage
foreclosures, you shouldn't be grinning. Likewise, if your
topic is light-hearted, smile and don't be afraid to share
a chuckle with the host. Haven't we all seen someone on TV
whose facial expressions don't match the nature of the
subject? It's disconcerting for viewers and it makes you
look disingenuous. This is key for the likeability factor.

...and the list goes on, but this is a great start! Always
remember that your intention for every interview is to
enlighten the listening audience about your product or
service and interest them in purchasing it. And, what
happens if you're successful? Well you may not only be
invited back as an expert guest, but you could also drive
demand into the stores where, let's be honest, you would
rather your customers be parked instead of in front of the
tube!

----------------------------------------------------
Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on publicity
for authors for nearly two decades as CEO of Event
Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to
receive her free Ebook "How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest"
visit http://www.emsincorporated.com .

Stuart learns that micromanaging spells disaster!

Stuart learns that micromanaging spells disaster!
Stuart had built up his electrical contracting company over
five years - and was disappointed to find that the staff he
had recruited did not seem to share his enthusiasm for the
job.

I asked Stuart to describe his company structure - and it
became clear that right from the early days, he had been
planning for the future. Casting his mind back to when he
had started his new venture, Stuart told me that he had
dreams of creating a successful business which would bring
employment to local people. Stuart knew that if he were to
achieve his ambitions, he needed to design a proper
structure for his fledgling company.

As well as creating appropriate systems and procedures,
Stuart had worked out how to ensure that everything from
sales & marketing through to finance & purchasing was
covered. Having taken a "big company" approach to his
small business, Stuart had believed - somewhat
optimistically - that actually running his company would be
plain sailing.

However, to his horror, profits were down for the second
year running and Stuart was beginning to believe that he
had been mistaken with his "grandiose" ideas and structural
plans. "Perhaps I have just been thinking too big," he
said, "maybe I just need to scale down the operation."

I assured Stuart that his approach had been correct - and
that many business failures can be attributed to the lack
of proper planning together with poor systems and
procedures.

"In order for a business to succeed, the right structure
needs to be in place from the beginning. So, I think we
need to look elsewhere to discover the root cause of your
problem," I said, asking him to tell me next about his team.

"Well," he replied, "I pay them over the odds but it looks
to me as though they take no ownership of anything. In
fact, they act as though they are just doing a 'job' - and
I'm disappointed as I expected so much more from them. "

Stuart had hoped that a fresh pair of eyes would provide
the answer - and together we decided to conduct a 360o
assessment of the company's management team. As I sat down
with Stuart's staff, I kept hearing the same story: "Stuart
doesn't trust us to do our jobs properly." Most of his
staff felt that Stuart interfered with their work - and
"micromanaged" their activities. By the end of my last
one-to-one session, I had concluded that Stuart simply
didn't want to let go of his "baby".

In our follow up meeting, I discussed my findings with
Stuart, who smiled sheepishly and admitted that he had
always liked to be in "control". I suggested to Stuart
that if he wanted to see different results, then he needed
to start to do things differently.

"You know that you took on good people in the first place,
so how about focussing everyone on the company goal of
making more money - and then letting them get on with their
jobs!"

Initially, Stuart looked sceptical but his face began to
relax as I continued, "Discuss with each individual their
personal targets and action plans - and make sure that the
latter are all specific, measurable and timed. You might
also want to get together with your staff monthly - almost
like a business coach - to discuss their progress and
successes. Of course, you will also be able to see if
there are any problems looming on the horizon. By allowing
people the space and freedom to do their jobs, you will
increase - exponentially - their motivation and job
satisfaction."

Stuart nodded and he saw the sense in my suggestions. I
continued, "Your job is to create the vision, strategy and
structure for the company's long term success or in other
words you are here to work 'on' the business, while your
staff are in place to work 'in' the business. "Just
remember," I concluded, "that you are not here to do
everyone's jobs in the company - leave that to the experts
you employ!"

----------------------------------------------------
Olivia Stefanino is a leadership consultant, speaker and
author of the internationally acclaimed management book,
"Be Your Own Guru". Interviewed on more than 25 radio
stations and featured in "The Guardian", "Natural Health"
& "Red", Olivia is a guest columnist for a number of
national and international publications. Download your
fr*ee e-booklet, "128 ways to harness your personal power!"
by visiting http://www.beyourownguru.com

Surviving Technology - 5 Tips to Keep Your Customers from Firing You...

Surviving Technology - 5 Tips to Keep Your Customers from Firing You...
As a business owner, how you perceive your customers
trickles down into all aspects of your business. How you
feel about them, talk about them, and serve them provides a
filter that your employees and service providers see
through, and that your customers can perceive right away.
This is a filter that your customers are intuitively aware
of in their interactions with you. They will be attracted
to you, or not, based on how you feel about serving them.

When you're starting out in a new business, you may be
looking for ways to best utilize your time, since it may be
just you juggling all aspects of the business. Utilizing
the latest technology is one way you can potentially
alleviate some of the stress of being the only person
answering the phone. As a small business, you may be
competing with many larger companies, so customer service
is especially critical. One major advantage of being small
is that you get to interact with your customers on a more
personal level, and this is where you can shine.

If you decide to use technology in your business it may be
one of the first interactions your customers have with you
as a service provider. Their first impression of your
business through this technology can start you off with a
warm, friendly relationship or an adversarial one. Once a
relationship starts off on the wrong foot, it's always
harder to change its direction...

A common example, I encounter on a daily basis, is the use
of directive recordings for the first contact with
customers. As a continuous user of technology, I want it
to provide me with a reliable way to access information, so
I can connect to the people and resources I need to build a
financially viable business. When I call for support and
receive recording after recording, with no option for
talking to a live body quickly, it's wasting my time and
causing me stress and frustration. In this way, technology
is keeping me from experiencing the very ease of
communicating and accessing information it was supposed to
provide!

The maze of companies that have gone to this method of
providing customer service is astounding. In many cases,
by the time a person reaches a live body they are so
frustrated that the service rep has to first overcome their
irritation before the problem can be addressed. In
addition, you need to take great care in choosing the tone
of the recording, since reaching a recording, as the first
point of contact with a company, can make customers feel
like you don't want to be bothered with their requests for
service.

It's possible to create a better customer service
experience and serve the company's best interests at the
same time? Here are some possible answers to this dilemma.

1. Give the customer no more than 3 or 4 recorded options
when calling in for customer service. One of the options
should always be allowing the customer to dial zero to
reach a person, who can immediately direct the customer to
the department that can best help them. I suggest using
zero since it's the most universally recognized number for
operator assistance.

2. If you require that the customer input their account
number, don't ask them for it again when they reach a
service provider. If your technology doesn't allow you to
transfer the account number to a representative, don't
require that the customer provide it up front. If the
account rep needs to verify the account number, tell the
customer they are asking again for verification purposes,
or verify other personal information instead. Repetition
is a small, but irritating, inconvenience.

3. Always provide a call back option if customers have to
wait more than five minutes to speak to a representative.
Show your customers you respect their time and you will
find the respect is returned.

4. Always call back the same day, if possible, but no later
than 24 hours after the initial contact. Unresolved issues
that go on for an extended period of time cause customers
to be even more irritated when they finally speak to
someone who can help them.

5. When talking to customers, always listen to all the
issues before responding. I have had more than one
customer service representative interrupt me before they
heard all my issues. This led to me repeating the problem
several times, and more frustration, because I was not
being heard.

Your customers are normal people with fears, insecurities,
and obligations just like you. These are people who are
looking for your business to help them:

* Solve a problem.

* Enjoy life more.

* Feel better about themselves.

* Provide something they need.

* Feel more secure.

The bottom line is, they are coming to your business
because they want help.

In the technology arena it's easy to get side-tracked by
the latest and greatest thing to make your life and
business "easier". But technology alone won't pay the
bills. Always come back to the basics of great customer
care strategies.

----------------------------------------------------
Would you like to learn more about how building a
soul-based business can create a thriving business that
feeds your spirit and bank account? Visit my website at
http://www.soulpreneursuccessstrategies.com to check out my
free "Creating Money" ebook, free articles, and Soulpreneur
Coaching Services.
Sandy Reed, the Soulpreneur's Coach, is a business coach,
writer, ex-corporate manager, and co-owns her own
successful home-based business.

How Great Leaders Successfully Jumpstart Reorganized Teams

How Great Leaders Successfully Jumpstart Reorganized Teams
So many clients have been telling me they're launching new
teams this month. But there's a catch - these are new teams
made of "old parts," which is to say no brand new employees
are on the teams. The teams are comprised entirely of
managers, professionals, and staff who have been
reorganized to better meet market demand.

Is it any different launching a brand new team vs. a
reorganized one? I don't think so, but it's easier to blow
it, because of assumptions you make about people you
already know. The steps are the same; it's the nuances that
are different.

Most leaders and their direct reports do a fantastic job of
addressing the goals and business objectives of the team
and of planning the tasks to be done. It's the building of
relationships that is too scant or poorly executed, and
this is why it's essential to build a relationship with
each new team member, and to get any relationship issues
out on the table so they can be addressed. If you don't
have time to deal with relationships now, when exactly will
you? This also gives you a chance to spend time with new
team members and learn who's on board and ready to move
forward with you and who isn't.

Let's look a little more closely at underlying relationship
problems, because they always come back to bite you.
Because your team is comprised of people who already have
working relationships of some sort, you need to understand
what's already going on, who's likely to work well together
to produce results, and if there are problems to be
addressed early on.

You also need to observe what's never going to be fixed
because, frankly, this means you need to eliminate someone
(or several someone's) from this team soon. It sounds
harsh, but it's the truth. I see more leaders drag down
their teams with team members who hate each other, each one
waiting out the other, hoping the hated peer will quit or
get fired. This makes it impossible for the team to get to
work and move the organization forward.

Be sure to check your relationship assumptions at the door,
even as you keep your legitimate concerns. A legitimate
concern is one that's backed up by observed behavior or
reports from reliable and utterly trustworthy sources. If
you've seen two people nearly try to kill each other while
working on separate teams, o.k., you can safely assume
you'll need to do some heavy-duty relationship repair or
eliminate one of them from the team, but remember that
there are plenty of relationship problems and strong points
that are mostly hidden from you. This is true for all
leaders. There are no exceptions. You just can't see
everything that's going on all the time, nor should you in
most cases (that would be micromanagement). But this is
also why you have to ask.

To that end, here's what I see the best leaders doing,
generally in this order:

1. Meet with each of your direct reports one-on-one,
preferably in person, in a private place.

During the one-on-one, ask each direct report to share any
observations or concerns, not just about the business goals
and objectives for the team, but about the team's ability
to work well together to get the job done. Be open about
your own concerns, too, to encourage a frank discussion and
to begin building a trusting relationship with each of your
new direct reports. No, they won't tell you everything,
but you'll at least establish that you want a relationship
characterized by frank exchange.

Ask what he or she needs from you as a leader. You might be
surprised. If you don't ask, you will give your directs
what you want from a leader, not what they want, which is
often different. I'm working with two leaders now whom I'm
convinced are among the most independent people on the
planet. They constantly have to remind themselves that 80%
or more of the managers and professionals in their
organization want what seems like an absurd and downright
insulting level of direction, because their needs are
different.

Share what you need from him or her as a team member and,
in the case of management teams, what you expect from his
or her leadership. So few team members will ask, and this
is incredibly good information to know.

2. Bring the team together for a good, solid launch. That's
launch, not lunch, but food is always a nice addition. Ask
each person what he or she wants to get out of the meeting,
the one thing that will cause them to leave at the end
saying, "Wow, that was a great use of my time on this new
team."

Yes, this does mean a little bit of designing the meeting
on the fly, particularly if you are surprised by some of
their answers. If you or they absolutely hate
improvisation, ask them in advance and build the agenda
accordingly. Have a flipchart in the room and use it to
track the discussion and any decisions made.

Reiterate any important messages that you shared in the
one-on-ones, whether they be business/task-oriented ("the
company missed our sales target by 20% last quarter for the
first time and it's our job to turn that around this very
quarter") or relationship-oriented ("I expect you to work
together, to share resources, and to come to me with
solutions, not just problems. I want you to work out your
differences regardless of whether or not I'm in the room. I
don't plan to play referee; I've got my hands full calming
shareholders.").

3. Do some concentrated teambuilding focused on the
relationship side of the equation; the business/task side
as well, if you need it. I use the Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator® (MBTI®) to help people work better
together because it is reliable and valid and I have
delivered proven results with it many times over. I also
occasionally use other tools if I deem them a better fit.

Whatever tool you use, make sure you use it to learn about
each other and your likely team strengths and blind spots
in a non-judgmental manner. Any tool that measures
someone's effectiveness, for example, is terrible for
team-building, because it puts people in a hierarchical
line-up from the most effective to the least effective.

Use a tool that brings people together by helping them
understand their own styles and needs and the styles and
needs of their teammates, not one that designates some
styles as superior, which is impossible to measure, anyway.

4. Collectively set measures for team success. The obvious
measures are the achievement of your business goals, but
what about also measuring some of the things that enabled
that achievement? How about a measure of the quality of
your decision-making process? How about a measure of how
committed you are to work with each other going forward?
How about a measure of how quickly and effectively you were
able to integrate new team members, or respond to changes
in direction or work load or whatever else matters to the
team? The options are endless, but there's merit in
identifying a few measures of how you got there, not just
whether or not you got there.

Happy Launching!

----------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Selby Long, Founder and Principal of Selby Group,
provides executive coaching and organizational development
services. Jennifer's knack is helping clients navigate the
leadership and organizational challenges triggered by
change and growth. She knows firsthand that great plans
often fail because companies don't take into account the
human factors that come into play when implementing them.
Visit Jennifer at: http://selbygroup.com

The World's Oldest Job Interview Question - and How to Answer It

The World's Oldest Job Interview Question - and How to Answer It
"Tell me about yourself."

It really isn't a question. It's an open-ended command.
It's an icebreaker for both interviewer and interviewee.

To put it another way, imagine you're single, and imagine
yourself at a cocktail party. And as you're mingling, you
meet someone attractive, and you say, "Tell me about
yourself."

And that person doesn't shut up for the next fifteen
minutes. Does that sound like fun for you? Probably not.
You're probably looking to catch the host's eye for a
conversational escape by minute five, and mentally crossing
off a list of lame excuses to walk away by minute ten.

In other words, you've essentially stopped listening and
you feel trapped. Do you want your job interviewer to have
the same experience with you?

When you rehearse your answer to this question - that is,
when you practice or role play with a friend, business
coach, or loved one - here are a few tips for creating a
great answer:

1. Don't go for the throat.

Your resume got you in the door, and you're going to be in
the interviewee's chair for another 30-60 minutes. Relax.
Don't try to tell the interviewer why you're the right one
for the job in that first answer. No interviewer ever hears
the answer to "Tell me about yourself" and says, "Stop the
interview! The job is yours!"

2. Keep it high-level.

The executive summary of your resume has the salient points
of your career direction concisely packaged. Drawing from
that language (though not parroting it) reinforces your
personal marketing message, and connects the dots between
you and the position you're seeking.

3. Keep it focused.

Don't talk about your early childhood unless it has a
direct correlation to why you're in the interviewee chair.
And if it does have a direct correlation, get to the point
fast.

4. Keep it brief.

You'd be surprised at how slow time moves in an interview.
In a conversational tone and style, reading this article
aloud would take less than three minutes, and it's about
400 words. Three minutes is forever in an interview,
especially at the start.

There's a reason why "Tell me about yourself" is so
commonly used, and it's just to get the conversational ball
rolling. Keep your answer simple, high-level, focused on no
more than 2-3 salient points, conversational, and about
half as long as this article.

----------------------------------------------------
Allen Voivod is the Chief Blogger for ResumeMachine.com,
the leading resume distribution resource for managers,
executives, and professionals looking to accelerate their
job search results. Get the attention of thousands of
hiring agents with the largest and most frequently updated
recruiter database on the web, and dive into a wealth of
immediately useful career articles and blog posts - all at
http://www.ResumeMachine.com !

Can Becoming a "Thoughtleader" Give You an Edge? Attempts to Quantify Its ROI Say YES

Can Becoming a "Thoughtleader" Give You an Edge? Attempts to Quantify Its ROI Say YES
Have you ever thought about or noticed a competitor
utilizing "thoughtleading" as a business development
strategy? Positioning yourself and your firm as
leading-edge thinkers in your field involves publishing
articles and books, speaking regularly to professional
groups, getting yourself noticed by the media and surveying
your target market in order to produce research data that
only you possess.

If that sounds like fun, or simply a potentially
advantageous way to distinguish your firm's services, one
major hurdle to choosing to implement such a novel strategy
might be the question of ROI, specifically: : Does evidence
exist that a thoughtleading strategy really will generate
new business growth? Is there any way to accurately measure
this? Can a "thoughtleading Return-on-Investment (ROI)" be
quantified? More importantly, can it pay dividends for YOU?
Happily, the answer to all four questions is "yes."

Studies indicate that a quantifiable ROI can in fact be
discerned, and, just as happily, indications are that
results will be overwhelmingly affirmative. Getting to the
heart of the issue, however, first requires an
understanding that age-old ways of measuring ROI may not
always apply here. That's because a new equation in our
economy, one that's mistier than traditional bottom-line
measurements, demands alternative methods of measurement.
This new equation is the economic asset of "intellectual
capital" (or IC).

The concrete ROI metric standard until now has always been
based on "I-can-see-it-with-my-own-eyes." This still
applies to material goods of course but IC's decidedly
non-Industrial Age elements can be harder to fathom. Mary
Adams, Managing, Principal of Trek Consulting LLC
(http://www.trekconsulting.com/), specialists in the
developing study of IC as an asset that can be measured,
explains it this way: "Can you imagine a merchant without
an inventory report, having to sell product without knowing
the quantity or price of goods he owns? Yet this is the
position that most corporate leaders are in today. They
lack basic consolidated information about their most
important resources: Do we have the right people, network,
and knowledge to meet our goals? Are we positioned for
continued innovation? Where are we at risk?"

Such relatively "soft" questions leave the interpretation
of data and resulting ROI conclusions in the hands (and
minds) of analysts to a greater degree than has been true
of traditional ROI measurement with its clear numbers and
black-and-white company balance sheet. As one example,
Kennedy Information, the nation's premiere management
consulting think tank, which regularly conducts surveys of
management consulting compensation, has found that firms
and individual consultants at the topmost point of the
compensation chart are paid way, way better than the
remaining 99% below. When asked how the top 1% manage this,
the response is crisp and clear: "Oh, those highest
revenue-producers are the ones who regularly publish
articles and books, do speaking engagements, and connect
with the media," the Kennedy people explain. "They are the
thoughtleaders."

Another recent study has also correlated increased revenue
with publishing, speaking, media and other individual
thoughtleading actions, adding that thoughtleading's ROI
will be measurably high when thoughtleading actions are
integrated with a firm's more traditional marketing and
sales activities. Article-publishing ROI, for example,
incorporated in the marketing and selling pipeline, can
easily be measured by asking prospects if the firm's
published articles had played any part either in their
initial decision to approach the company or in their
ultimate decision to do business with the company. One
professional services firm can testify to this personally.

"We always email prospects a PDF or two of our published
articles early in the sales process," says the firm's
president. "We want our prospects to see a relevant
published article of ours so they will glance at it and be
impressed. 'Wow, this looks pretty cool' may be all they
say, then we move on. But that's sufficient to stamp my
firm as something more than some run-of-the-mill
consultancy, which is what they may be thinking."

Some studies have even produced clear and definitive
measurements sufficient to satisfy even the most old school
quantifiability standards. One survey of law firms by
Levick Strategic Communications and PR Newswire surveyed
200 firms that had gotten themselves mentioned consistently
in the legal media. Their survey found that the 25 firms on
its list with the highest revenues were also those with an
average increase of nearly 20% in overall media presence
over the previous two years. Firms ranked below these 25 in
terms of income, however, reported a mere 1% increase in
media presence.

Is there also anecdotal evidence that thoughtleading
produces a measurable ROI? You bet. Former top executive
recruiter Jim Masciarelli, now founder and CEO of
PowerSkills Solutions, a "relationship capital" consulting
firm, recalls one time when his book PowerSkills: Building
Top-Level Relationships for Bottom-Line Results clearly led
directly to a piece of business that he certainly would not
have landed on his own: "A partner of a top venture capital
firm who knew me from my past career as a retained
executive search consultant called me up after receiving an
announcement of my book PowerSkills, which details a system
I created for building profitable business relationships.
He said, 'I understand you're now doing advisory and
alignment work with CEOs and executive teams. We could
really use your help!'

"Their portfolio company had just acquired a major Internet
company in a 22- billion dollar stock deal," Jim recalls,
"but the CEO did not yet have a plan to integrate these
companies. The mere announcement of my book (and, with it,
my new practice) repositioned me as an expert in his mind
in this new line of work I was now pursing. As a result, I
got the introduction to the CEO and ultimately the
assignment as well."

Are you wondering if all this means that publishing an
article or a book, or engaging in other thoughtleading
actions such as public speaking, media and research, will
automatically yield you new business and/or drive your
incomes levels up above that of your competitors? Well,
there are no guarantees in life, so no one can say for
sure. But it is clear from all the data and anecdotal
evidence that the likelihood is there. Since most of your
competitors will ignore it, a thoughtleading business
development strategy could be the smartest decision a
professional services firm could make. There are just so
very many facts, figures, studies, stories and personal
experiences to back you up.

----------------------------------------------------
Ken Lizotte CMC is author of the new book The Expert's
Edge: Become the Go-To Authority that People Turn to Every
Time (McGraw Hill) which shows professional service
providers how to position themselves as thought leaders so
they can "separate themselves from the competitive pack."
Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO) of emerson consulting group
inc. (Concord MA), Ken speaks at conferences and other
business events on such topics as becoming a thoughtleader,
getting published, creative thinking and work/family
balance. Visit Ken's website at
http://www.thoughtleading.com

Team Building Lesson: The View Cast Supports Whoopi Goldberg

Team Building Lesson: The View Cast Supports Whoopi Goldberg
If you want to see a specific example of a high performing
team in action, be sure to watch the recent video clip of
The View in which the cast collectively demonstrates their
support for fellow team member, Whoopi Goldberg, after she
was not included in a montage of host clips at this year's
Oscars, especially since Whoopi was the first African
American woman to host.

What is a High Performing Team?

A high performing team gets extraordinary results because
they have created a solid foundation for productive
communication, innovative solutions, and great performance.
In other words, they have equipped themselves with right
team culture.

What business lesson can we learn from The View clip?

Let's look at how they responded when the Oscar oversight
was mentioned:

1. Each member showed her support for Whoopi's
accomplishments.

2. Their concern and empathy for the omission was voiced.

3. The View team verbally rallied around Whoopi.

4. Whoopi showed her deep gratitude for their support by
kissing each cast member on the cheek.

Of course, you don't have to start kissing your team
members at work, but you should take a cue from the girls
at The View in regard to the powerful support system
demonstrated in the clip with Whoopi.

And if you happen to be a team leader, supporting your team
is vital to their success, and yours. Otherwise, you may
miss out on the many benefits that teams are so well known
for, such as high performance and innovation.

Supervisory and co-worker support is so powerful that it
can actually act as a shock absorber to the amount of work
stress you feel on the job. Do you think if Whoopi happened
to be feeling left out or stressed, that her team member's
support made a difference? You bet it did.

What does this mean for teams?

It means that leaders and their organizations have the
power to design teams that can get great results, be highly
dedicated, and experience less stress on the job.

Six Team Design Elements For Success:

1. A Supportive Environment

Support from your peers or supervisor can buffer work
stress. Examples include statements of understanding,
flexible assistance with work schedules, and public
recognition.

2. Empowerment

Balance decision-making leverage and a sense of control
with job responsibilities. No one wants to be held
accountable for a situation beyond his or her control.

3. Mutual Trust

Increase trust by building a culture of partnership and
shared value. Building a typical us versus them culture is
counterproductive and wastes time and money, yet lots of
leaders unintentionally fall into this approach when they
fail to think about team design in line with their core
purpose.

4. Team Members with Specific Expertise

Each team member should understand what the other has to
offer in regard to knowledge, skills, and abilities and how
it connects to his or her own expertise and shared business
objectives.

5. A Unified Team Vision

Have the team create their vision in order to build
momentum and trust.

6. Open Communication Channels

Knowledge and information should be shared on all levels.

The elements above can add up to the right team culture.
Building and designing a team culture should be aligned
with the results you're after. The payoff is a high
performing team with infinite possibilities. Thank you
ladies at The View for demonstrating a great of example of
co-worker support in action.

----------------------------------------------------
Diana Keith, owner of M-Level Systems Consulting and
business psychologist, works with leaders and their teams
to increase innovation, morale, and productivity. Get your
Free Strategy Guide For Success
http://www.mlevelsystems.com at her website.

Simple & Easy Media Tips to Giving Good Interviews

Simple & Easy Media Tips to Giving Good Interviews
Who doesn't want to get the word out about their company,
service, or product? As a publicity expert with more than
twenty years experience in the field, I have encountered
hundreds of companies who have wanted the same thing. My
answer is to appear as a guest on local radio, TV news
shows and/or gain editorial coverage in print which will
enable you to get the word out to thousands (and possibly
millions) of consumers.

From my experience, here are some tips that will help
anyone get started in the race to attract attention from
the broadcast media - radio and TV. How To Know if You Are
a Good Candidate for Radio and TV.

Almost anyone can be a candidate for radio and TV, but if
you are a company with consumer-oriented products you are a
perfect fit! If you are a professional firm with legal,
financial or consumer related services this would work for
you too. With specialty radio and TV programs on law,
relationships, lifestyles, health, gardening and more,
there are definitely shows out there that can be a perfect
match for your message.

Does Practice Make Perfect?

Oh, definitely. The professionals who are in the media all
the time make it look very easy, but actually it's a skill.
The more interviews you do, the better you get at defining
your message and honing your presentation skills. And once
you do a few radio call-in shows and speak to a few hosts,
you'll find that the questions you get are similar.
Usually, there's one area of your message that's really
interesting to people and you can start to craft your
answers to respond about that area.

Where To Focus Your Pitches.

Local radio shows on the 250-watt or 1,000-watt AM stations
are a great place to start. There's also internet radio,
which is becoming more popular and could be another good
way to get started. With more radio shows going to national
programming the weekend programs are also the best place to
find radio shows that are looking for guests.

For TV go after your local morning news programs or weekend
lifestyle segments. And there's also community-access
cable, which can be relatively easy to get on and can
provide wonderful experience and a way to build up your
confidence on camera.

How to Spark Producer Interest.

Well, first, stay up on the news. Listen to the radio, read
newspapers, watch TV. That helps you figure out what's in
the news and how your message might tie in with it. Once
you have an angle or tie-in to a current news story, put
together a press release that positions you as an expert on
this issue and sells them on why they should have you as a
guest. Remember, pitch your expertise as a solution to a
problem that's making news - don't go in with a sales angle!

Getting Prepared for the Interview.

Make sure you're fully prepared with facts, figures, and
anecdotes to talk about when you're on the air. Make up a
cheat sheet or note cards loaded with your best information
and key points. Most TV interviews are going to be very
short -- three to five minutes at most -- so you really
must know your message before you go on the air.

Do some dry runs with a friend or business associate acting
as the host, so you get your answers down. The audience can
easily detect the difference between a guest bursting with
knowledge and one whose knowledge well is drying up. If you
don't have much to say, you'll lose the audience's
attention and any credibility that you were building with
them.

Do As Many Interviews as Possible.

There is no such thing as overexposure; you want to conduct
as many media interviews as you can. The more interviews
that you do, the more buzz you will build about your
company, product or service. And you should make yourself
available at a moment's notice, if need be. Talk radio
interviews are typically done from your home or office, so
that makes it very easy.

Think of media appearances as instant promotional
opportunities, and be available day or night. Anytime
you're on the air, you're going to boost your company,
product or service's visibility and sales.

How To Get Invited Back.

You need to sparkle on air. Enthusiasm speaks loud and
clear, so in order to keep the audience attentive you need
to maintain a high level of interest throughout the
interview.

Remember, media is about entertainment. So you want to be
both informative and entertaining, not boring. Do that and
you'll find the host jumping in to help you promote your
message.

How to Give a Good Interview: Eat, Sleep and Turn Off Your
Phone!

It sounds obvious, but the first thing is make sure you're
really well-rested and well-fed. Your attention isn't going
to be focused if you're hungry or tired.

Also, if you're doing a radio interview from your home or
office, close yourself off in a room where there are as few
distractions as possible. Get your cell phone out of there!
Then, try and relax and be yourself. Nobody knows your
message like you do -- so you really are an expert. Have
fun with it!

And don't be too hard on yourself after your first
appearance. No one goes out and bats a home run the first
time at the plate. So try to be as comfortable as possible
and as prepared as you can be, and then enjoy yourself.

----------------------------------------------------
Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on publicity
for authors for nearly two decades as CEO of Event
Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to
receive her free Ebook "How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest"
visit http://www.emsincorporated.com .

Phil learns to serve rather than be served!

Phil learns to serve rather than be served!
Phil swaggered into my office, sank into the back of the
chair that I offered - and swiftly folded his arms.
Without saying anything, Phil simply looked at me with his
left eyebrow raised.

His defensive body language made it clear that he was not
looking forward to our session and I recalled that it had
been his boss who - concerned that his newly appointed
manager was causing waves in the office - had made the
appointment for Phil.

Phil was new to the role of management - and I was
beginning to get the impression that the problems in the
office were due to his "throwing his weight about".

Gently, I asked Phil how he was enjoying his new job.
"Yeah, it's great. I always knew I'd make it to manager
level, as I'm very ambitious. And as I see it, this is just
the first rung - I intend to make it all the way to the top
of the ladder!"

Proud of the fact that he was the youngest manager in the
company, Phil also felt that he had a lot to prove. In a
bid to ensure that he had the right skills, he had invested
both time and money in various management strategy books -
however, when I asked him about the "softer" skills of
leadership, he simply shrugged his shoulders.

"All of that stuff is just baloney. What really matters is
that an organisation has a clear plan of action, a clear
chain of command and a clear set of rules of engagement."

I pointed out to Phil that his language sounded almost
military in style - and asked him if he felt that being in
management was simply dealing with one "skirmish" after
another.

"I guess that pretty well sums it up," he said. "Sometimes
I think I should have a flak jacket! To be honest, the
people I manage aren't awfully good at taking orders - and
if we are going to hit our sales target, then sometimes I
have to pull rank on them to ensure that the job gets done."

Not surprisingly, it turned out that Phil's father had been
in the Army - and from our discussion, it appeared that
Phil's home life as a child had reflected his father's
career.

"Dad never allowed us to have our say," said Phil, "We were
just expected to follow orders. I guess that's the only
way I know - and frankly, I can't say that it's harmed me."

"No," I said, "But it's in danger of harming your career.
Most people have not had the same kind of childhood
experiences as you - and will not welcome your dictatorial
style. The people who work for you expect to be led - not
bullied."

Phil flushed red - and then went white at my words. But I
pressed on regardless, knowing that if he was to succeed in
the future, Phil had to understand now that he needed to
adopt a different management style.

I explained that if Phil wanted to earn respect as a
manager - and indeed earn promotion in the future - then he
needed to learn to respect his staff first.

"Poor leaders expect to be served and demand respect," I
said. "But great leaders expect to serve - and earn
respect."

Phil listened to my words and didn't speak for several
moments while he allowed them to sink in, eventually
saying: "You're right, I'm beginning to see why my staff
have been behaving the way they have. I guess if I change,
then they'll change."

I simply nodded my head in agreement.

----------------------------------------------------
Olivia Stefanino is a leadership consultant, speaker and
author of the internationally acclaimed management book,
"Be Your Own Guru". Interviewed on more than 25 radio
stations and featured in "The Guardian", "Natural Health"
& "Red", Olivia is a guest columnist for a number of
national and international publications. Download your
fr*ee e-booklet, "128 ways to harness your personal power!"
by visiting http://www.beyourownguru.com

Believe in yourself if you want to work at home and succeed in your business

Believe in yourself if you want to work at home and succeed in your business
How many people do you know that want to be an entrepreneur
and actually take action and make things happen? Probably
not a lot of them, right?

You see, many just like to talk and talk about opening up a
home based business and actually do nothing.

There are also those who study the business from all
aspects but are too scared to take any action. They don't
really believe that they can succeed. They have what I call
doubts and yes, many excuses.

They have excuses like:

1. I don't have enough money to get started

2. I'm too old to start a business

3. A business is a big headache

4. I don't know if it'll work

5. It's too risky for me

6. I don't have the time to do this

Many people who want to start their own business just have
one thing in common. They basically don't believe in
themselves. They doubt their abilities to succeed in
business. Negative thoughts is what kills their ambitions,
goals, dreams, and desires to get started and make it big
in business.

If you are reading this article and have come across these
negative thoughts, you need to flush them out and let them
go. They are sitting in your mind like an old unwanted
furniture. Just take that old "furniture" and throw it out.
Replace your negative thoughts with some new "furniture"
thoughts.

How do you do that? You will probably won't be able to do
this yourself. You will need some help. What will help you
is to read motivational books and listen to inspiration
audio Cd's or tapes. If you read and listen everyday for
just a few short days, your thoughts and actions will
change dramatically. Your old negative thoughts will start
to turn to positive thoughts and comments. This is one
thing that you have got to do.

What I am going to give you next is the steps that I and
anyone can take to start and succeed in their business and
destroy self doubts and getting rid of unwanted negative
thoughts:

1. Surround yourself with successful and positive thinkers.

What you need to do is to stop associating with people who
are just flat out losers. People who will always find a
problem to every opportunity. If you want to fail in life,
then having friends like that is the best way to go.

If you can just surround yourself with successful and
positive people, your life will change so much. Your
thinking will be much more positive which will lead you to
taking more action and making things happen in your
business.

2. Set Goals.

You want to know where exactly you are going. Write down
your weekly goals, your monthly goals, and what ever you
want to accomplish in your business.

3. Be Confident and believe you can achieve anything.

If you believe you can't achieve something, you probably
won't. You have to believe that anything that you want to
accomplish, you can do it. Never say to yourself that doing
something is impossible. When someone tells you that you
can't accomplish something, prove them wrong.

4. Don't be a dreamer, be a doer.

Stop saying that you will start tomorrow or next week.
Start taking action right now. Even if it is small action,
do it. Putting things off and saying that you will do it
later will not help you at all. The only thing that will
happen is that you will keep putting it off and you may
even never do anything.

5. Never Give-up.

Quitters never win and winners never quit. You need to know
that it is very possible that you will have many setbacks
while starting and building your business.

Things will not always be as smooth as you want it to be.
Everytime you have a setback, don't let it bother you too
much. Just learn from it and move on forward.

And know this:

90% is attitude and 10% is taking action.

----------------------------------------------------
Tal Fighel is inviting you to visit this legitimate Online
Data Entry Typing Opportunity by clicking here:
http://www.work-at-home-income-directory.com/Data-Entry-Inco
me.html Or you can visit his work at home directory where
he is offering legitimate and honest work at home
opportunities:
http://www.top-work-from-home-opportunities.com

How To Grow Your Company By Buying A Business

How To Grow Your Company By Buying A Business
Growing a company organically can be a long and arduous
task. Developing products and services. Marketing and
selling. Building a relationship with customers whilst all
the time worrying about the costs and whether your business
will work.

An alternative way to achieve a fast increase in the size
of your company is to make an acquisition. This means
buying a company that you can merge with your existing
business. Sometimes the investment you would have to make
to reach a certain size in 2 to 3 years can be more than
the cost of acquiring a company that could get you there
tomorrow. So it's worth considering.

This can even work if you are starting up. We raised
finance for starting a business and, before we even
embarked on implementing the business plan, we found one of
the main competitors in the market was up for sale. After
agreeing it with our investors, we made an offer and
acquired the company for a good price. Within 6 weeks we
had a fully fledged business completely up and running,
with an established name, services, customers, offices,
staff and a year's worth of marketing already done for us.
It jumped us at least 18 months ahead in our business plan
and probably saved us over £500,000 in costs.

If you already have a business or you're thinking of
starting one, then it's worth taking some time to
investigate the opportunities in your chosen market and
seeing what's available. One of the biggest advantages of
buying a business is that it can bring a ready-made
customer base. And whatever business you're in, you'll
know that the costs of acquiring customers can be
significant.

You can find businesses for sale through the internet and
through specialist business brokers. You can also find
them by talking to others in your industry, including your
competitors.

You'll most likely need help from professional advisers
when you decide to actually make an acquisition but your
initial investigations can be done at a low cost and with
minimum disruption.

It's up to you whether you choose to look for a business
that's smaller, the same size or even bigger. It really
depends on what your plans are. You may even find yourself
inspired to move into a different industry when you find
what's available.

Of course, acquisitions don't come without their own
special challenges, so you'll need to understand the risks
and rewards involved in buying someone else's business.
However, if you set clear objectives and create a solid
action plan then it's something that can really work for
you.

Make a list of what you want in your own business. This
could include more customers; more products or services;
bigger offices; more experienced staff or any other items
specific to your needs.

Then start your search for companies that fit your criteria
and at the same time calculate how much it would cost you
to achieve all your objectives by doing them yourself from
scratch. Once you find some companies that match what you
want, you can start making approaches and offers. Your
calculations will show you how much you want to pay by
comparing what the acquisition would bring you against what
it would cost to build it yourself. And you may be able to
pay a lot less than that.

Just imagine, after reading this, you could find yourself
in 6 weeks time with a business twice the size of your
current one and with many more opportunities to explore.

----------------------------------------------------
Andy Warren is the Managing Director of Marshall Keen Ltd.
He is a chartered accountant, successful CFO and
entrepreneur with extensive experience in M&A, Corporate
Finance, Business Growth and Exit Strategies. Marshall Keen
http://www.marshallkeen.com specialises in CFO services for
early and mid stage businesses, particulary in the tech
sector. Andy is also the author of How to Buy a Business
for a Pound http://www.buyabusinessforapound.com

Why using Free Marketing can help your business

Why using Free Marketing can help your business
The advantages of freebies can be many but at the same time
you can be caught up in a marketing campaign that you just
don't want. So how can you beat the marketing pitfalls when
you are offered something for nothing?

In this article we discuss what to look for and how to test
for validity.

1. Let's consider free classifieds and email sites.

a. Free Classifieds are completely harmless. Having tested
hundreds of sites there is nothing to be found that will
cause you any marketing grief. What you do need to do
though is look at the sites that will give you an option of
both pay per ad and free ads. You should also look for
sites that promote to the search engines on a regular
basis. This gives your ad and your website more visual
power and your website backlinking from the major search
engines.

b. Email sites are usually known as Safelists. A safelist
can boost your business a thousand fold. There are free
safelists and there are paid ones. We have found both types
of safelists to be effective. We have however, found a paid
safelist has a slightly better quality range of leads than
that of a free safelist. A safelist allows you to email
thousands of likeminded clients without being accused of
spam. This is very important as direct marketing is the
most effective form of marketing and spamming is a fineable
offence. Therefore safelists rectify this problem.

2. Search Engine Submission. This is a minefield and
unless you have loads of time you probably don't want to do
it yourself. Free search engine submission offers are great
but what they essentially do is list your website on
smaller non-descript sites where nobody will find you. To
really get your website out there you should pay somebody
to do it. We have found that as little as $10 a month will
get your website into over 1000 quality websites and
increase your hits and your sales.

3. Marketing need not be all about the Internet. What
about promotional material such as business cards? A
business card is something you really must have no matter
what business you are in. A person with your business card
in their pocket, wallet or on their fridge will be a great
asset to you. Why? Because whenever they access these areas
they see your card and are subliminally reminded of you.
That is why repetitive TV and Advertising works - it is all
subliminal. So what has this to do with freebies? Well
surprisingly there are companies out there who want to help
you by giving away free business cards. You normally only
need to pay for the postage. They can offer you a great
range of designs and layouts to ensure you have a
professional look without the cost. So don't discount a
Business Card freebie it could well give your business a
kick start.

Finally...

4. Free downloads. There is nothing free in this world or
is there? Most times you have to pay a service fee, a
postage fee, or read other peoples ads, or receive offer
for whatever it is you are accessing for free. This can be
really worth your while. If you are looking for free
downloads then look for those that have an admin free
attached and don't expect you to sign up in some way. That
way you will not get bombarded by junk mail and just get
what you were wanting - free downloads. Also if you are in
business look for the free downloads that give you the
opportunity to give away goodies to your clients, or to
resell as well as to use yourself. Otherwise there is no
point even bothering.

So there it is an overview of the great way to market your
business using freebies.

Best wishes with your business!

----------------------------------------------------
Katherine Quirke is an Australian based business
entrepreneur. She has worked in the IT industry for over 10
years and owned a number of businesses over the last 20
years. Sharing her knowledge has become a passion. Further
information: http://www.potentialtime.com.au/printshop.htm
and http://www.potentialtime.com/advertising.htm

Solving The Catch-22 of Your Business Model

Solving The Catch-22 of Your Business Model
Start-up entrepreneurs, independent professionals and
business leaders may be equally deeply passionate about
their product or service model. Despite, or in fact because
of that passion, their success may be at a stand still.

In the late 1990s I worked with a woman who had a brilliant
cosmetics idea that had HSN (the Home Shopping Network)
interested. In order to play to that audience, the product
needed to be displayed in a fashion other than the one the
entrepreneur wanted. She was adamant. It was her baby after
all. More than 20 hours of explaining and cajoling and
analytically demonstrating the potential for sales if done
"the HSN way" produced no shift in her devotion to her
model.

The boxes of her prototypes are sitting on her closet floor.

So what's the Catch-22?

If you are completely, absolutely, positively set on your
model, be it fixed OR flexible, you're not running your
business, it's running you.

There is NO single best model to use - every model is a
blend of the internal forces of the personality, decision
making, skills and processes, and of the external forces
where that effort is aimed.

What sets successful businesses apart from the ones that
are languishing is that the key decision makers step back
from the market, the product, the model and re-check
whether the formula they are currently using is getting
them the result they say they want: profitable growth;
competitive differentiation; stability; and so on.

Contrast that with the jewelry designer whose original
model was "I need to make every piece because they must be
made exactly the way I want them to be." However, she
hated making duplicates, so her business was stalled. She
was willing to test a new model. In four hours of our
discussions and one month of research she located people
experienced with the materials she used in her jewelry
making who could demonstrate their ability to reproduce her
pieces exactly the way she wants.

Her jewelry is now being sold in Hawaii, California and
Canada.

The President of a business in transition from one
generation to the next informed me flat out that they
couldn't change the model for how they market or package
and provide services "because everyone else in the industry
does it this way." He and his management team were unable
to imagine a single other way to package their expertise to
change the game. In a single brainstorming meeting with the
management team, I was able to suggest six ways to do so.
In the second meeting I was able to walk them through the
entire discussion of the pros and cons of each and they
outlined what the required changes in materials for sales,
sales training scripts, and customer service activities
would need to be if they decided to pursue it.

Now they'll need to decide which are the High Payoff
targets they'll pursue.

My attorney client "Mike" called this week and said "I'm
sick of training, I want a different model!"

I've been working with him on the management skills he
needs to develop using his current model: bringing in entry
level junior attorneys to grow and expand his legal service
offerings. The root of his decision is that his market is
changing and he wants to establish a firm that can flex to
meet the regulatory and seasonal waves that influence the
flow of work coming to his firm while also growing the
business.

He's tested his first model, the time and content of the
training he needed to commit to bring a less experienced
person up to speed. He created a way of evaluating the
trade off between time and effort, and so on. In reaction
to the experience he's having with training, he's now
asking himself if he'd rather bring in much more
experienced and much more expensive lawyers to build his
business.

I'll be working with him to explore that approach, to test
it, analyze it and learn from it.

If you're completely fixed, you're not testing where
opportunities, efficiencies, and profits might come from.

If you're relentlessly flexible you're probably not
gathering enough information to identify where you could be
more systematic in order to gain efficiencies that will
make you profitable.

If you found yourself wincing at the idea, it's probably
time for you to step back and challenge your model.

----------------------------------------------------
© 2008 Linda Feinholz Management expert, consultant,
and coach Linda Feinholz is "Your High Payoff Catalyst" If
you're ready to focus on your High Payoff activities, boost
your professional and personal results and have more fun,
get her FREE audio mini-course "7 Quick & Simple Steps to
Increase Your Focus, Ease Your Effort & Accelerate Your
Results" and the free weekly newsletter The Spark! Visit
http://www.YourHighPayoffCatalyst.com

Office Printers - Keeping Daily Costs Under Control

Office Printers - Keeping Daily Costs Under Control
Even a moderately-sized business can expect to find the
daily business of print cost management a major challenge
in terms of cost control. These days a multitude of printer
systems are available, often at very low purchase cost, and
it takes little time for individuals and workgroups to
acquire and operate their own print devices within
departmental or workgroup budgets. Without an overall
strategy for printer acquisition and maintenance, daily
print costs can spiral out of control. How can these costs
be reduced and managed effectively?

Print Auditing and Control Systems

The effective answer to the problem is to consider a
software solution which enables an analysis and then a
real-time controlling system. The two-pronged approach of
analysis and implementation are discussed here.

Printing Analysis

On average, businesses can spend up to 12% of revenue on
document production, management and distribution.
Amazingly, this is the third largest expense, after office
rental and personnel costs.

The first step to reduce printing costs is - naturally
enough - to analyse the existing print volumes. But how to
get an accurate picture of what your organsation's print
volumes truly are? By installing an auditing and analysis
system creates and environment where comprehensive
reporting capabilities are easily achieved. Based on this
knowledge, you are in pole position to optimise your
printing network.

The fact is, that such an analysis is crucial. It is not
enough simply to know how many sheets of paper you use each
month and attempt to estimate the overall costs based on
manufacturers figures. In fact, it is clearly a nightmare
for growing businesses, to have any idea what is being
printed and where, or who is printing and how much their
overall printing costs are. This situation can be avoided
if you have access to the right print analysis information.

Print analysis software enables a business get a grip on
printing costs by answering the following questions:

- Which staff member is printing?
- What is being printed?
- Where are the print jobs going?
- Which printer in your organisation is used the most?
- How big is each job?

After the Analysis - The Implementation

After the analysis, installed print cost reduction software
will allow proactive choices, for example to restrict
colour usage by user, to enforce printing limits and
redirect expensive print jobs to the most efficient
printing device.

It is quite likely that most businesses are underestimating
printing costs by more than half. Once the analysis phase
it set up and running, then print cost reduction software
can assist cost-saving changes in working methods.

Some example Changes to Print Processes

For example, print jobs can be allocated to the print
device within the company most appropriate for the job in
hand. Thus for example, a workgroup might be printing
thousands of pages monthly on an old, expensive printer,
while an executive uses a top-of-the-line, efficient
printer for just the occasional page. With print tracking
analysis software, this situation can be identified and the
jobs swapped accordingly.

Again, you can direct jobs to the new digital copier when
printing large documents, rather than an older inkjet
printer to reduce printing costs. Most print cost
management software will either suggest or force users to
print to more efficient printers based on the size of the
print job. Additionally, you might want to disallow colour
printing from specific individuals or disallow black and
white printing to colour devices, and of course, configure
individual printers to do only duplex (double-sided) output
to save costs.

Reporting tools can show instantly where excessive use is
being made of certain printers, in terms of paper and
consumables. Identifying such overuse will mean immediate
and effective action can be taken to prevent losses. Most
reporting tools will also provide electronic records with
the name of every document printed, who printed it, and
when it was printed. Apart from anything else, this reduces
paper use by showing that all printing is being monitored
(after all, stacks of pages left on printers at the end of
each day will inevitably disappear). Additionally of
course, administrators can make much more informed
decisions about the efficiencies of individual printers,
and can make acquisition choices according for new
equipment.

All these benefits mean a clear benefit in terms of the
return on investment for the software itself, its
configuration and maintenance.

----------------------------------------------------
Jimi St. Pierre writes for several Office Equipment
suppliers in the UK, including office printer supplier
Principal. Helpful advice on reducing printing costs can
be found as part of Principal's comprehensive Print
Supplies website at => http://www.principalcorp.co.uk/