Managing Conflict - Be a Coach, Not a Cop

Managing Conflict - Be a Coach, Not a Cop
Conflicts will occur even in professional environments, but
the conflict needs to be redirected from the perception of
customers. In most conflicts neither party is right or
wrong; different perceptions have collided to create
disagreement. By managing conflicts skillfully, you can
gain cooperation, improve performance, reduce stress, solve
problems quickly, enhance teamwork, foster creativity, and
increase staff morale.

To manage conflict effectively you must be a skilled
communicator; an open environment encourages employees to
talk about work issues. Ask questions and focus on problems
as perceived. It may be as simple as conflicts about desk
position, air temperature control, public address volume,
or choice of background music, if that is what you have.
Here are some points to consider:

- Acknowledge that a conflict exists. Find out what's
happening and be open about the problem. Inquire of both
employees together to avoid appearing to favor one or the
other. Honest and clear communications is important.

- Let them express their views. Feelings of anger and hurt
usually accompany conflict situations. Let these emotions
be expressed before any problem solving takes place. After
the initial venting, let quiet discussion prevail.

- Define the problem. What is the problem, and what are the
negative aspects on work and relationships? Is differing
personalities the issue? Sometimes age difference feeds the
conflict. Are there deeper underlying causes of conflict?

- Determine underlying needs. The goal is not to find who
is right or wrong, but to reach a solution everybody can
live with. Compromise is the rule, but sometimes you need
to go beyond that. Look first for needs rather than
solutions. Find out why each party is asking for their fix
to the problem.

- Find common areas of agreement. Agree on the problem, the
procedure to follow, and the worst fears. Some small
changes can be helpful at the outset to give experience of
some success.

- Find solutions to satisfy needs. Generate multiple
alternatives, and determine which actions will be taken.
Make sure both sides buy into actions. Silence indicates
reserve, meaning no agreement. Seek to obtain real
agreement from both sides. A veiled warning about
continuing conflict may dampen the fire before it leads to
serious actions.

- Determine follow-up you will take to monitor actions.
Schedule a follow-up meeting in two weeks to determine how
everybody is doing.

- What if conflict remains unresolved? Unresolved conflicts
can be a disruption in operations, and other avenues may
need to be explored. An outside facilitator may be able to
shed light on possible solutions. When conflict becomes a
performance issue, it may lead to coaching sessions,
performance appraisals, or disciplinary action.

Anger - Dealing with anger, especially when it is directed
to you, can be a challenge. Effective listening can help
defuse anger, but when it is directed to you, it is
difficult to respond definitively. Ask for staff backup to
help regulate the situation. An angry person needs to let
off steam that may have been building for some time. Show
that you are paying attention. The person needs to know
that someone is really listening to her point of view. In
addition, the person needs to feel that you empathize with
her and acknowledge that you understand the situation. Be
attentive and patient, and the party will become less angry
as she expresses herself. Be sincere as you honestly
validate the situation causing anger. Finally, be calm as
you hear sometimes inflammatory comments in the heat of the
moment.

Conflict resolution resources ' The Conflict Resolution
Center Int'l in Pittsburgh, PA is a non-profit organization
promoting non-violent approaches to conflict resolution.
They maintain an excellent library on line, and they offer
various publications for those interested in these issues.
Managing Conflict is the web page of Douglas Noll, attorney
and peacemaker. His thesis is that peacemaking is the best
route to follow. The Maxwell School of Citizenship and
Public Affairs at Syracuse University deals with academic
research into conflict management. Finally, CaseBreakers
specializes in internet based criminal records and
background checks.

----------------------------------------------------
For more management and leadership articles, please visit
http://www.CrassCaptain.com . Find Christine-Casey-Cooper's
new book, entitled The Crass Captain's Guide to
Organizational Dysfunction, on Amazon soon.

Using the Internet to Grow Your Business Quickly

Using the Internet to Grow Your Business Quickly
With the worldwide reach of the Internet, what often gets
forgotten is growing locally. The politicians had it right
with that famous saying that "all politics is local." It
doesn't matter how they rank nationally; politicians need
their hometown votes to stay in office. That logic makes
sense for most businesses, too. Local clients and customers
tend to be the most loyal, because they know you personally.

Every year, new studies point to more consumers using the
Internet to search for businesses that offer a service or
product they need. More than ever, their focus is local,
right down to getting directions from Mapquest.com or using
a Google map to find their way to the most conveniently
located source.

To make your business stand out locally, include your
business name, location, zip code and hours in all Internet
directories. Key search words are important, but so is
letting consumers in your immediate vicinity know that you
are right next door.

To make it personal, get personal by inviting individuals
and organizations to meet with you. Go to individuals and
organizations within a 25-mile radius to meet with them. It
works.

6 Smart Ways to Think Local and Grow Your Business Fast

1. Get your business listed free. There are several
Internet search engines that provide opportunities to set
up free listing accounts. There may be a company 1,000
miles away or overseas that offers what you do, but listing
yourself as the closest local provider makes you the
convenient choice. Here are a few places to start in
setting up free accounts: Google Local at
www.google.com/local/add/login?hl=en_US, Yahoo Local at
http://listings.local.yahoo.com and YellowPages.com at
www.yellowpages.com/sp/contact/update.jsp.

2. Follow the 25-mile rule. Get out a local map and draw a
circle around a 25-mile radius from your front door. Target
local consumers and businesses within that 25-mile radius
that are your potential customers. Visit a local Chamber of
Commerce directory on line to hone your search. Spend an
afternoon driving your target area to discover small
businesses that might not be listed with local chambers.
Instead of spending huge sums on direct mail that might
bring you only a very limited return, invest in a targeted
direct mail campaign focusing on those 10 to 100 potential
customers within the 25-mile radius.

3. Host an event. Using the names and addresses of
potential customers inside your 25-mile radius, create an
invitation list to an event that will allow potential
customers to meet you personally. Offer a free gift or
service as an incentive. If you are a solo entrepreneur
with limited or no space (and limited funds), partner up
with another business or even a nonprofit organization to
co-host an event. Each partner should offer a free gift or
service to double up on the incentives to attend your
event. For ideas, visit the "events" listings in your local
newspaper and online. Circle those that are co-hosted by
similar and also dissimilar organizations for ideas.

4. Follow up. Send personalized thank-you notes to those
who attend your event, and include a flier describing your
services. Include a special offer of a personal invitation
or an opportunity to subscribe free to your newsletter that
will get their attention. Your personal touch tells your
future clients that you are willing to get personal to meet
their needs. For a smart guide to how to write business
thank-you letters, go to
www.ehow.com/how_1378_write-business-thank.html.

5. Get out there! Set aside one afternoon or morning each
week to meet with potential clients (and partners for
future events). Search your local newspaper or
www.craigslist.org for neighborhood meetings, and introduce
yourself. Offer to be a guest speaker, and choose a
general-interest topic that will sell yourself first, and
then your product or service.

6. Participate. Join a nonprofit group for a good cause,
and bring plenty of business cards with you. Write a letter
to the editor of a local newspaper, and include your
business title and business name. More than 90 percent of
all businesses are small businesses. Your perspective on
small businesses is important, because your perspective is
personal. For smart tips on writing letters to the editor
from the Humane Society of the United States, go to
www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/citizen_lobbyist_center/lobbyi
ng_101/tips_on_writing_letters_to_the_editor.html.

Because the Internet has brought untold convenience and
immediacy to our lives, growing locally by using the
Internet, so that our local, hometown resources can find us
is a great way to market yourself virtually.

----------------------------------------------------
Ruth Klein is an award-winning business owner, best-selling
author and marketing and time management consultant whose
clients range from solo entrepreneurs to the Fortune 500.
Sign up to receive Ruth's 7 Part Mini-Course on Branding
and Productivity. http://tinyurl.com/25tqo5

How to Facilitate a Strategy Workshop

How to Facilitate a Strategy Workshop
A key skill for any business consultant working with a top
team is the ability to help them clarify and define their
strategy. This strategy will then inform decisions about
what to focus on, how to organize work, where to prioritise
spending.

1. Opportunities, Threats and Risks

As a starting point, focus on the external factors facing
the business or part of the business you are working with '
that is, what are the opportunities, threats and risks to
the business. An example might be a change in mortgage
lending which presents an opportunity for your business as
a property developer. Or it could be a major home builder
moving into your geography which directly threatens your
business. This should be done as a brainstorm exercise to
generate as much contribution and engagement as possible.

After this, prioritise each issue using a 2 x 2 matrix with
"What is potential likelihood" on the vertical axis (low to
high) and "How relevant is it?" (low to high) on the
horizontal axis.

Once the highly relevant issues which have a high potential
of occurring (that is, the top right hand corner of the
matrix) have been prioritized by the group, discuss each in
terms of:
What is it?
How relevant is it? Why is it relevant?
What is the potential likelihood?

2. Strengths, Weaknesses and Gaps

Now move to the internal factors impacting the business.
Brainstorm the significant internal factors facing the
business or part of the business. An internal strength
might be the technical skills of your team or your well
established sales processes.

Next, prioritise each factor again using a 2 x 2 matrix
with the "How strong or weak" (low to high) on the vertical
axis and "How important is it?" (low to high) on the
horizontal axis.

Once the important, 'strong' factors have been identified
discuss each in terms of:
What is it?
Why is it relevant?
What is its' potential impact?

The first two steps are very like a SWOT analysis except
that each factor is prioritized and each of the top
priority factors discussed. This discussion enables the
team to share their concerns and expectations for the
future, something which gets missed if you merely
brainstorm.

3. Critical Success Factors

After the prioritized SWOT focus on the critical success
factors, that is, what must we as a business get right over
the next 2 to 3 years to be successful. At this stage, to
ensure that the focus is still a strategic one, it is
important to address the external threats and opportunities
(that is, step 1) when thinking about the CSFs.

After brainstorming, discuss each CSF ' why people see it
as important and the implications to the business of each.
After the discussion undertake some prioritization exercise
such as nominal group technique (NGT). NGT usually
consists of allocating 3 votes to each individual and they
are free to allocate those votes as they see fit. They can
allocate 3 to one factor or distribute one vote for to each
of three factors.

4. Values

A critical component of a strategy workshop must also
address 'how' people will work together, not just what they
will work on. Where the CSF's are aligned to the external
factors, the Values tend to be aligned to the internal
factors (no. 2). These values are what will unite a group
and keep them intact during difficult or stressful times.

To do this, brainstorm the following question: "in your
opinion, what must we value (believe in) as a business to
achieve this success?"

Discuss each value:
What does this mean?
Why is it important?
What does it look like? ' how would you role model this to
others

Agree and prioritise the top half dozen or so values using
a prioritization technique such as NGT.

Ask the group, how do these values match current values?
What do we need to do differently to achieve these values?

5. Key Organisation Design Criteria

As part of a strategy workshop it is important to think
through how resources should be organized to exploit
opportunities, fight off threats from competitors and make
best use of our strengths. Although designing an
organization usually requires technical expertise in job
design, the responsibility for defining what type of
organization we want to create and work within belongs with
the top team.

Brainstorm the following question: "in your opinion, what
are critical organization design issues re structure,
processes, roles, performance management, reporting etc?"

At this stage it is important to think about the ideal
future organization and not the existing organisation.
Think about the major work processes and how this work
should be organized ' eg if we need to be more customer
focused should we organize our teams around our major
customers and their concerns.

Discuss each criterion:
Why?
Implications?

Prioritise as necessary, finding the show stoppers or key
enablers.

6. Key Strategic Drivers

As a summary, ask the following question: "What are the 2
to 4 key strategic drivers for the organization over the
next 2 to 3 years?"

This is best done in silence as it gives individuals a
chance to reflect over what has been before ' the SWOT, the
CSFs, the Values, the Organisation Design criteria.

List everyone's first driver, then discuss implications
List everyone's second driver, then discuss.

Generate a summary statement: shared view of objectives
(goals) over next 2 to 3 years by the individual or as a
group.

----------------------------------------------------
Pam Kennett is Founder and Director of Chiswick Consulting
Limited a management consultancy which provides advice and
direction to clients in marketing and human resources. For
more information on top team and strategy workshops contact
her at pam@chiswickconsulting.com or visit
http://www.chiswickconsulting.com .

Women in Corporate America - Have we made progress?

Women in Corporate America - Have we made progress?
March is National Women's Month. Unfortunately, when you
look at the overall statistics, things are not improving.
In the last large-scale census done by Catalyst, most
numbers either went down (such as the % of women corporate
officers) or held stagnant (% of women on board of
directors). This is not good! However, if I look at it on
a smaller scale and see all the amazing women clients that
I have worked with, I see a lot of progress and success. I
choose to look at the positive and hopefully the micro will
become the macro. Some of my own stats...The graduates of
the first 9 month Professional Women's Dream Team class (a
leadership development class for women) set goals at the
beginning of those 9 months—95% of them achieved their
goals. Of those who wanted to get promoted, 100% did!

Individual success stories from my female clients include
the following:

One client was feeling very stagnant in her current role
and wanted to play a bigger role in her organization. We
developed a plan in her coaching session as to how she
could get a promotion. Our coaching included role-playing
talking about her accomplishments and coming up with a
strategy as to whom she needed to network with to let them
know her achievements. It also included helping her gain
the confidence to go for jobs she would not have formerly
pursued. She ended up getting a double-promotion and loves
what she is doing!

In doing a networking assessment, one woman realized that
while she was a good networker, she needed to follow more
of the networking tips. She did and attributes much of her
promotion to that.

Another woman was very skilled at what she was doing, but
was not able to get senior management's approval for her
promotion. Through our coaching, she realized how she was
projecting herself to others. The way she communicated,
both in what she said and in how she carried herself
signified a lack of confidence, and therefore a lack of
credibility to senior management. She became aware of
those things, learned to correct them, and gained the
credibility she deserved...and got the promotion!

Finally, one client had been told by her manager that she
was doing all the right things in her job, but some people
in the organization didn't have the confidence in her that
was needed for her to be promoted. During our coaching
sessions, we set a strategy which included gathering more
specific feedback, figuring out the "WIIFM" (what's in it
for me) for those individuals and how she could prove to
those individuals that she had it in her to be promoted.
After implementing her strategy...she got promoted!

When you are looking at women's progress in Corporate
America, it's easy to get discouraged...however; I look at
the individual successes and choose to be optimistic. Here
are some other things you can do...whether you are a woman
or a man:

1. Acknowledge and highlight the successes of the women in
your organization.

2. Reach out and find a woman to mentor.

3. Understand some of the obstacles that hold women back
(for example, not networking enough, communicating in a way
that decreases their credibility, lacking the confidence to
try for promotions, etc.)

Hopefully, the next statistics will be more positive! With
the women I've met continuing to succeed in the workplace,
they will be!

----------------------------------------------------
Kerrie Halmi of Halmi Performance Consulting specializes in
increasing women's success in business through speaking,
coaching and facilitation. Kerrie has over fifteen years
of experience in the Human Resources field with such
clients as eBay, Wells Fargo and Kaiser. She received her
MBA from the University of Michigan and is certified in
coaching with Corporate Coach University International. See
http://www.halmiperformance.com

Top 3 Qualities Employers Are Looking for In Temporary Workers

Top 3 Qualities Employers Are Looking for In Temporary Workers
Whether you are in between jobs or just looking for some
temporary work to pay some of the bills, there are certain
skills you need to have in order to land a worthwhile
temporary position. Herewith are the three top qualities
employers are looking for in temps:

1) Great computer skills

Temps are often called upon to use basic computer programs
such as Microsoft Word and Excel to create word processing
documents and spreadsheets. Depending on the company or
industry, they may also be asked to create PowerPoint
presentations. Knowing how to use various computer programs
will enable you to add value to your company by creating
presentations, databases, mailing lists, and so on.
Therefore, you would do well to cultivate these software
skills and list them prominently on your resume. You should
also be comfortable with internet search engines and email
programs.

2) Good writing skills

A temp worker may be thrown into any number of tasks, from
writing web copy to proofreading a manuscript to creating a
brochure to desktop-publishing an office memo. As such, it
is essential for you to be able to do any of the above with
equal facility. Great writing skills really help in just
about every project, making you a versatile and desirable
candidate for a temp position. Cultivate your writing
ability through practice and lots of reading

3) Strong phone skills

Temps are often in charge of answering phones and directing
calls, and therefore you must be ready to deal with
customers and clients over the phone. A charming phone
manner is a winning quality; you can display yours to
potential employees in your own phone conversations with
them. Speak clearly, enunciate, be direct and remember
always to be unfailingly polite. Take accurate notes and be
sure to write down phone messages diligently. Employ your
best customer-is-always-right attitude so that the callers
come away from their interactions with you with a positive
experience.

In general, flexibility and a good attitude are key
components of a successful temporary employment
application. Demonstrate to the employer that you're ready
to pitch in whenever and wherever your help is needed, and
you will be likely to land a good temp job quickly! It's
also important to maintain a positive attitude even in the
face of disappointment - who can't have a positive attitude
when everything is going well and moving smoothly? And
always remember the six P's. Proper, Preparation,
Prevents, Particularly, Poor, Performance.

----------------------------------------------------
Ken Anczerewicz is an author and publisher devoted to
providing time & money saving resources designed to help
students of all ages achieve their financial goals. Learn
how to create your own income stream by clicking here now:
http://www.resourceriver.com

What Is the Most Critical Career Choice Graduating Students Make?

What Is the Most Critical Career Choice Graduating Students Make?
Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley

Imagine my surprise Wednesday (3-5-08) when I discovered
that Warren Buffett, who has played second fiddle to Bill
Gates as the world's richest man for several years, is now
the wealthiest billionaire in the world with a net worth of
$62 billion.

For the uninitiated, a billion dollars is a million dollars
1,000 times. At $62 billion, you could also say that
Buffett is worth a million dollars 62,000 times. Gates
slipped to No. 3 at $58 billion on the just released 2008
list by Forbes magazine.

Equally surprising to me was the fact that, after reading
The Tao of Warren Buffett, I discovered that Buffett had
some very valuable information on what students should know
when selecting their first job after graduating.

"Managing your career is like investing—the degree of
difficulty does not count," said Buffett. "So you can save
yourself money and pain by getting on the right train."

According to Buffett, one not only needs to learn what kind
of business to invest in but what kind of business to work
in.

If one goes to work for a company with poor long-term
economics, then he (or she) can never expect to do really
well because the company does not do well. Salaries will be
below average and raises will be few and far between, and
there is greater risk of losing your job because management
will always be under pressure to cut costs.

But if you go to work for a company that has great
long-term economics working in its favor, then the company
will be awash in cash. This means higher salaries and tons
of raises and promotions for a job well done. Plus there
will be plenty of room for advancement as management looks
for ways to spend all that free cash.

In short, Buffett says you want to work for a company that
has high margins (of profit) and makes lots of money. And
you want to stay away from businesses that have low margins
and lose money.

One is a first-class train ride to Easy Street; the other
is a long, slow, hard freight-train ride to nowhere in
Siberia.

A good example of a company with high margins, no debt and
billions in cash reserve is Microsoft.

The next step to getting on with your career is to also
work for a company that allows you to do what you love
doing.

"There comes a time when you ought to start doing what you
want," says Buffett. "Take a job that you love. You will
jump out of bed in the morning. I think you are out of your
mind if you keep taking jobs that you do not like because
you think that it will look good on your resume. Isn't that
a little like saving up sex for your old age?"

It is not hard to figure out why Buffett is a very smart
person. He did not become the wealthiest man in the world
by being stupid. It takes no talent to lose money; it takes
a lot of talent to make a lot of money.

According to Buffett, spending a life getting up and going
to a job that you hate, with people you do not respect,
leads to frustration and discontent, which you bring home
with you from work and share with your family, which makes
them unhappy as well. This, of course, makes for a lousy
life for everyone you love, including yourself.

When you find a job you love, going to work puts a smile on
your face, which you can take home with you at the end of
the day to share with your loved ones.

If you are worried about money, remember that the people
who love what they are doing are the ones who rise to the
top of their fields and end up making the most money. Do
what you love, says Buffett, and the money will come.

(Editor;s Note: The Tao of Warren Buffett is written by
Mary Buffett (Warren's daughter-in-law) and David Clark,
both of whom were the best-selling authors of Buffettology.

----------------------------------------------------
Read my 4-part series on Job Interviews: "It Is Not What
You Say, But How You Say It That Counts ' Part 1", "How to
Answer When Asked Your Strengths and Weaknesses ' Part 2",
"How to Handle Job References ' Part 3" and "What Do
Employers Really Want When Hiring? ' Part 4".
Find my Blog at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/JobsandCareers.html

Where is the Organization Headed? Is Everybody Entitled to Know?

Where is the Organization Headed? Is Everybody Entitled to Know?
Goals should be clear and spelled out for all to see. Not
only are they clearly stated, but they are specific in
terms of deadlines and specific numbers, like earnings and
other quantifiable items. For example, a sales organization
would spell out "we are earning $5000 in the month of May."
It is expressed in the present tense. An engineering team
might spell out "The planning is complete," and "detail
drawings are released to the production team." Planning
routines like Microsoft Project carry out goals planning in
an organized fashion. Several styles are available, but the
most popular is the Gantt Chart in which task elements are
shown with timeline starting and completion points. As work
is completed the bar so indicates. Late starts and late
activities are clearly indicated. Actual completion date is
shown when accomplished.

There is a cost connected to proceeding with planned goals.
This should not be a surprise. Resources need to be put in
place in a timely manner so that the goals have some
guarantee of succeeding. This could be planned hires,
office environment expanded and arranged to receive new
staff, and needed equipment put in place to accommodate
activities. Computer networking is a must in a modern
organization. A plan for success is a plan that includes
training of managers as well as individuals in the
organization. Rather that react to day to day conditions
the organization plan drives activity, which flows from the
plan in place. All of this appears on the master plan.

Rather than drifting aimlessly day to day, the organization
is driven by the plan to meet short term and long term
goals, and individual activities are paced by what the plan
indicates. Weekly reports indicate how individuals are
measuring up to the goals on the plan. This periodic
feedback will be cause to put corrections in place so that
the goals are met. These corrections could be in the form
of short term staff adjustments and realignments to meet
the needs of the unit needing assistance.

Without the discipline of clear goals, including but not
limited to a project schedule with attendant weekly report
updates, activities drift aimlessly like a ship without a
rudder. Work, any kind of work, will be found to fill the
allotted time, and nothing supporting the goals is
accomplished. The manager becomes frantic when his goals
are not met, and the worker wonders why sparks are flying
from the direction of the boss's office. Organized
published goals and schedules are the answer, and it is
easy to learn to initiate, update, and report to those
involved in the project.

----------------------------------------------------
For more management and leadership articles, please visit
http://www.CrassCaptain.com . Find
Christine-Casey-Cooper's new book, entitled The Crass
Captain's Guide to Organizational Dysfunction, on Amazon
soon.

Marketing Mentality: Your Two Businesses- Delivery And Marketing

Marketing Mentality: Your Two Businesses- Delivery And Marketing
What do you mean by two businesses? I can't even keep up
with one. Relax, I don't literally mean two separate
businesses, but you do have two businesses in one.

The first thing that I do when I sit down with a new client
is to ask them to describe the operation of their business.
They generally give me a very detailed description of
their products and services, operations, and customer
service follow up. Rarely do they ever mention marketing
in terms of the operation of their business. The main
reason that they have become a client is that they are not
attracting enough clients of their own. Their description
of business operations is the very root of the problem.
What I mean is that they do not recognize that they really
have two businesses: one is product or service delivery and
the other is the business of marketing their products and
services. In order to succeed one must realize that both
of these businesses must be fully functional. In fact, if
the marketing side of the business is not working, then
there will not be much use for delivery.

The next thing that we discuss is their history and
experience in developing the expertise in their product or
service area. They describe to me in great depth the years
of training, experience and success they have had with
their main products and services before going into their
own business. In fact, most of them would never have
considered starting their business without that extensive
background and experience. What most business owners and
independent professionals do not have any or much
experience in is in the business of marketing. What is
interesting is that despite their depth of experience,
training, and knowledge in their core business, they rarely
have invested the time, effort, or money to gain the
knowledge and experience in marketing. If one accepts the
premise that marketing is a business you must be in, then
why is it that we don't see the need to have the same level
of knowledge, experience, and expertise in marketing?

Why is it that I am harping on this? The reason is that I
want all business owners and independent professionals to
take immediate action to obtain the training, experience
and expertise necessary to attract all of the clients they
want. This will not happen without recognition that you
must master the business of marketing in the same manner
that you have mastered your core business. Without this
acknowledgment and action you will continue to get similar
results despite any effort that you put out there. Many
business owners and independent professionals are already
frustrated because they are working incredible amounts of
hours for very little results. The answer as far as
marketing is concerned is not in more work but in
understanding how to put together and execute an effective,
fully integrated marketing system. Much of this system
should be automated and based on the principle of marketing
"to many at one time" while maintaining marketing intimacy.

Here are some suggestions how to immediately begin to get
the training and experience you need to market your
business effectively:

1. Read several books on modern marketing. Do not read
books from "marketing gurus" that teach outdated marketing
tactics! What I mean is that reading books on outdated
push techniques such as cold calling techniques, untargeted
direct mail, and prospecting strategies will be a complete
waste of time. We are in an era of the whole marketing and
you must learn and master these strategies and tactics.

2. Take a course to learn an effective pull marketing
system. There are many outstanding coaches and trainers
who have great systems and processes for learning are to
market your business more effectively in a 21st-century
manner. Spend some time reading through their free
material, learning about the trainer, and attend free
tele-classes before signing up for the paid program.
Investing in the proper program is just as important, if
not more than the investment in time, energy and money that
you have made learning your core business over many years.

3. Join a mastermind or membership oriented marketing group
where you receive ongoing training, construction,
interaction, and accountability. You must approach your
marketing with the same discipline and accountability that
you operate your core business under. Since it is so easy
to let this area slip, membership in one of these types of
groups can pay untold dividends.

4. Let me repeat one more time, how critical it is to
recognize your second business of marketing. This is a
mindset and mentality that you must develop if you want to
attract clients more consistently and effortlessly than
ever before. I encourage you not to hesitate for one
moment to make an investment in both time and money in as
quickly as possible developing the side of your business.

Make a commitment today to get started and you will
remember this day as the turning point in the success of
your business!

----------------------------------------------------
And are you ready to learn more about how to take action?
Then I would like to offer you free access to my FREE audio
class The 5 Step Marketing Plan Generator. You can get your
instant access at http://www.GuaranteedGS.com/audio.html
From David Eissman and GuaranteedGS.com

It ALL Has To Match If You Want To Create The Ideal Business

It ALL Has To Match If You Want To Create The Ideal Business
There are some solo-entrepreneurs that market 'til they're
blue in the face, and STILL don't attract ideal,
high-paying clients. They're seemingly doing all the "right
things": they've got marketing materials, marketing plans,
they're speaking, networking, etc. and yet producing no
real results. Yes, they have some clients. Yes, they're
making their bills. But they're not seeing the kind of
success they so desperate want. (Are you one of those?)

You might be wondering, "What is going on? What am I doing
wrong?? I'm busting my chops, working like a dog, and yet
my 1ncome is still NOT what I want it to be... in fact, not
even close." On the outside, everyone probably thinks you
have a great business, but YOU know what's really going on,
especially financially. I actually hear this a lot. As I am
working with higher level clients (people who have plenty
of clients but not the business or 1ncome they really want
to be making) I'm noticing that the marketing is only half
the problem.

What's usually happening is two things are getting in the
way. Yes, the marketing needs to be tweaked or reworked.
Usually, the target audience needs to be narrowed down or
changed to a higher level client, and then inevitably, the
marketing message needs to become clearer and more
compelling. So, we work on that.

But most of the time, it's something MUCH more drastic and
destructive. It's what's going on INTERNALLY that's
botching your results: THE MINDSET. And I've come to
realize that if the INSIDE is not matched to the OUTSIDE,
then you won't get the results you want. Period. Here's
what I mean:

There's the OUTER game of Client Attraction: the marketing
and the action and the behaviors.

Then, there's the INNER game of Client Attraction: your
thoughts, feelings and beliefs.

If these do not match, there's no way you can create the
business you SAY you want. Here's an example: Pretend Susan
is a solo-entrepreneur and she's been in business for
almost 4 years. She's networking, speaking locally, doing
an ezine, and everything else she "should" be doing. She's
good at what she does, but she's just not making the mo-ney
she wants to make. Not even close. That's when we examine
her marketing and make tweaks.

But here's the kicker: we ALSO look at the stuff under the
surface too. When we probe deeper, we realize that one or
more things aren't in alignment with her big goal she says
she wants:

The Thought: "I WANT TO MAKE $500,000 this year."

The Feeling/Belief: "IF I HAVE THAT MANY CLIENTS, I WILL
GET OVERWHELMED AND LOSE MY FREEDOM. BESIDES IT WILL BE TOO
MUCH WORK, SO WHY BOTHER."

The Action: SUBTLE SELF-SABOTAGE BEGINS TO HAPPEN, because
deep down, Susan wants freedom and ease more than she wants
the money. She may not think that consciously, but it's
very real on a subconscious level. And that translates into
Susan not doing what it takes, not taking the actions or
exhibiting the no-excuses behavior that would create a
business that brings her that much mo-ney per year.

Essentially, what's happening with Susan is that she's
driving with the brake on, and going nowhere fast. So, she
steps on the gas pedal even more, but still not getting any
results. It's destructive, but most importantly, after a
while, there's going to be a shortage of gas and then the
whole car will stop moving. She thinks she just wasn't
meant to be in business and packs it up to go back to
working for someone else, feeling like a big failure and
taking a blow to her self-esteem. For Susan to create the
1ncome she wants, all 3 need to match and be congruent.

The Thought must match the Feeling/Belief must match the
Action and Behavior. If not, you'll keep struggling, not
knowing why it's all so difficult.

It's an insidious game and the worst part of it is, you
usually don't know this is going on! Worse, you may not be
able to recognize the underlying limiting beliefs, fears
and self-doubt that stops your behavior. The solution?
Getting really clear on where you're not being congruent.

This is BY FAR, my most effective thing to work on with a
client or workshop participant. Why? Because when you
change someone's inner states (the INNER game of Client
Attraction) you begin to immediately see an increase in
their business and in their 1ncome. Quantum Leaps begin to
happen and it's as if the vice-grip that's been holding
back the success of your business is FINALLY RELEASED. And
there's just so much more easy and flow (and financial
abundance pours in.)

I've seen it time and time around with my clients and
Mastermind members. When we clear the GUNK, the mo-ney
follows. I know from experience, because it happened to me.
In fact, it keeps happening, over and over again. The more
I work on my INNER game, the more I make. And it all
becomes easier: I work less and make mo-re. That's when you
know you're becoming more congruent.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

If you're feeling like you're working really hard but not
seeing RESULTS (either in your number of clients or in your
re-venues) then it's time to look at your INNER game of
Client Attraction: your mindset. Notice the relationship
between your thoughts about your goal, your feelings about
achieving your goal and the actions you're taking to reach
that goal.

Are they congruent? Are they aligned? If not, then you're
going nowhere fast. Not until you get yourself a mindset
breakthrough. That's when the marketing breakthrough
happens, which results in an 1ncome breakthrough. Once you
create those breakthroughs, your business and your life
will NEVER be the same. I guarantee it.

----------------------------------------------------
Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is
founder of the Client Attraction System™, the proven
step-by-step program to attract more clients, in record
time...guaranteed. To receive your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by
mail and receive her weekly how-to articles on attracting
more clients, visit http://www.ClientAttraction.com .

How Is Your Business Different?

How Is Your Business Different?
Creating a marketing and business plan for a small business
can at times seem like an overwhelming task for a new
business owner. Yet, it need not be. A business plan is
simply a formal statement that contains a set of business
goals; and a marketing plan outlines the necessary actions
which the business needs to take in order to achieve its
marketing objectives.

In order to properly construct a marketing or business
plan, small business owners should ask themselves some
simple questions: How is your business different? What
value do you provide? In what areas does your company
excel? What is your expertise, or the expertise of your
staff? What are your strengths? And equally important, what
are your businesses weaknesses? What image does your
company portray? Is the image truly reflective of your
strengths?

Honestly answering such critical questions will help a
business owner understand their business strengths and
allow them to develop a business and marketing plan.
Invariably, attempting to be everything to everyone is
bound to fail. A component of a solid marketing plan is
building brand and corporate identity. When creating a
brand and company identity, consider how the business is
different from others. A business should not try to portray
itself as something that it is not -- highlight the
business strengths, and emphasize those strengths while
building your business brand. A company identity will help
consumers define your brand, which is how the company is
perceived by consumers. In order to help influence the
company image, it is a business owners job to convey how
their business is different. This can be referred to as a
unique selling proposition.

It is a business owners job to make their customers aware
of the benefits to working with their company. In effect,
it is their job to help customers make an educated
purchasing decision. Provide information on all aspects of
your expertise, from company background to return policies.
Small businesses can build consumer confidence by providing
information related to all aspects of the small business.
This information will help potential customers recognize
your company as a serious business.

It is also a small business owners job to reassure
customers and to make them aware of any advantages to
working with the company. For example, if a small business
excels at customer service, add an email tagline that
conveys the business' commitment to customer satisfaction.
Likewise, if all the businesses products are handmade, add
a slogan to the logo that indicates that.

Just as each individual person is unique, so is each and
every small business. Some businesses are defined by their
unique differences. When developing a business and
marketing plan, it is important to have a clear
understanding of the businesses focus and how the business
differs from its competitors. Once a small business owner
has assessed the strengths and weaknesses of their
business, they can then begin to construct a plan of action
that will establish and build on their corporate identity.

----------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll
http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing,
publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon
manages marketing for RecordForAll
http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing
software.

VOIP in Mobile Phones - Telecom Innovations

VOIP in Mobile Phones - Telecom Innovations
The technology field has gone through several changes
during the past few years, most of us remember the years
when the Sanyo 6400 was thought to be the top of the line
because of its flat design, gray finish and because it was
featured in the MIB movie during the time it was to be
launched. The fact is that compared to today's range of
features found in many mobile phones, such model lacked
several features which are indispensable to most consumers.

If you recall such cell phone style then you know that "the
web" which users were able to access at the time was
strictly text based, even if the screen had color; while it
was an inconvenience the ability to access the web through
a mobile phone was actually thought to be an impressive
breakthrough in the telecommunication industry. Things
didn't stop there, newer mobile phones improved the way the
web was accessed by providing screens with higher
resolutions using liquid crystal display, this was later on
improved and perfected.

With improvements in screen resolution users are now able
to access the web in a more natural way compared to the old
text based form, newer cell phone features increased the
demand of these devices because it is convenient to have
mobile access to emails, stock quotes and such. Internet
is not the only feature added to newer models; MP3 players
and digital cameras have been added as well. The most
recent cell phone model which created big change in the
telecom industry was the iPhone by Apple.

As far as you know that's all there is to it but that is
not true, newer versions are incorporating what is called
VOIP or voice over IP in cell phones compared to
traditional formats such as GSM. VOIP is complemented with
high-speed WLAN Internet connection, higher resolution
cameras (2.0 MP+), radio (in addition to mp3 player), more
web based applications, etc. One of the many cell phones
which supports VOIP and all the features mentioned is the
Nokia 6300i; while the design may not be as good as the
iPhone the features are certainly attractive; if you are a
Skype user then you know the benefits this technology can
offer. The way phone numbers and VOIP contacts are
organized has changed as well, new phone models will allow
hundreds to thousands of records to be listed side by side
for easy browsing.

The integration of voice over IP in cell phones is very
exciting, it will enhance the way we communicate and create
a great buzz around the telecommunication industry during
the next few months.

----------------------------------------------------
No1Tele.com provides more information about <a
http://no1tele.com mobile phones and http://no1tele.com
VOIP cell phones. Learn more about cutting-edge technology
which will change the way you communicate with your friends
and family, visit us today!

Can you Have a Business and Kids?

Can you Have a Business and Kids?
Many parents want to have a work at home business so that
they can spend more time with their children and give them
a better quality of life. This is a noble idea and in
theory sounds great but as with most things, when you put
it into practice it is not so perfect. There are a lot of
challenges to working at home and caring for your children
at the same time. If you are looking to have a mix of a
home business and kids then you are going to have a very
differently defined work schedule than a parent that works
out side of the home. It can be difficult to make your kids
understand that even though mommy or daddy are at home,
they are working and cannot be disturbed. You are going to
have to train your children to accept this fact and it will
not be easy at first.

If you want to be successful with a home based business or
even just work at home employment you are going to have to
resign yourself to the fact that you are just not going to
get all the work done that you would like to. Now on
occasion you might, but most of the time you probably will
come close but not get all of your work done. Most people
that work at home will take on more than they realistically
can do and if you throw some kids into the mix, then all
bets are off. If you are looking to work and have your
children around as well you never know when you are going
to have to stop work and deal with some sort of emergency.
However there are ways to deal with this and set yourself
up so that maybe you can stop the amount of time you are
disturbed or even schedule the time as well.

The best thing you can do to make sure that you have a
stress free work day is to realize that you have to be
flexible. If you are willing and able to approach your work
with an attitude that you have to be flexible then you will
have a better quality of life and your business and kids
can happily coexist. An example of this flexible attitude
is if your kids need some attention from you during the
time you have allotted for work, what is the best way to
handle this? You need to resign yourself to the fact that
you will need to take a break and help them with what they
need. It might even be better for your mindset if you just
schedule a break at a certain time each day and let your
children know that they need to not disturb you until break
time. You might then need to make up that time for your
business after they have gone to bed. Another strategy that
you might be able to use to get that undisturbed work time
is to give them motivation through the enticement of fun
time or play time with mommy or daddy. The deal could be
that if your children give you so many hours of undisturbed
business time then you will give them an hour of fun at the
park or the zoo or some additional activity they like.

----------------------------------------------------
http://www.Trade4net.com
http://www.Trade4Net.com/blog/

"Are you living your true "Authentic Self"?"

"Are you living your true "Authentic Self"?"
Let me ask you a question...

Are you surrounding yourself with the right kinds of people?

One thing I've learned in business and in life is that it's
vital to my success as a person and a business owner to
only keep company or surround myself with people who are
good for me.

This has a lot to do with marketing too if you think about
it because it comes back to your target market - who is
that ideal type of customer that you want to work with? A
few of you might not be able to control those who you work
with and those you don't however I hope that most of us
can. But do you choose wisely? Or do you follow the greed;
greed for the next sale or the money that will come in with
every new client and what that money will be able to bring
you - luxuries, commodities, basic necessities, etc.

I'm suggesting that in order to be really fulfilled in life
and to feel like you are well balanced and highly
successful that you have to sometimes make hard choices.

---- To work with someone or not.

---- To live or stay with someone or not.

---- To associate yourself with someone or not.

You do have a choice.

If you believe like I do that "It will all work out in the
end", then you can empower yourself to make the choices
that are right for you.

For example: Have you ever gotten that feeling in the pit
of your stomach that something wasn't totally right when
you spoke to a potential client or prospect? Or even when
you talk with a friend or family member maybe too - those
are the hardest relationships to work through this with.

Why do you think you feel that way?

I believe it's because you know they could potentially be
somewhat toxic for you to work with or be around. What do
you think?

It really is ok to NOT work with someone if it doesn't feel
right you know. There are others out there that will meet
that person's needs, you don't have to. And is the money
you'll gain from that sale or customer really worth the
negativity you might have to endure, the extra energy you
might have to exude or just the life draining feeling that
will pull from you so you won't fully be able to be your
"authentic self"?

I encourage you to take a look at your client base and even
your friends and family to see where there might be some
toxic activity leaking into your brain, yourself and your
business. Then I urge you to make some changes and free
yourself because when you do, you will begin to attract
what is really good for you and your business.

----------------------------------------------------
© Copyright 2008 K.Sawa Marketing
Katrina Sawa is an Award-Winning Relationship Marketing
Coach who's helped hundreds of small business owners take
dramatic steps in their businesses to get them to the next
level in business, revenues and life. She offers one-on-one
coaching, group coaching and do-it-yourself marketing
planning products. Go online now to get started with her
Free Report and Free Audio at
http://www.jumpstartyourmarketing.com !

How to Stay In Touch After the Interview

How to Stay In Touch After the Interview
We spend so much time and energy preparing for the job
interview that we can easily forget that what happens
afterward can have just as strong an impact on your
application as what you say during it. Indeed, the way you
carry out your follow-up plans says a great deal to the
employer about how serious you are about the job opening
and how enthusiastic you feel about working for his or her
company.

The first thing to do right after the interview is to send
a quick note thanking the interviewer for his or her time.
This not only demonstrates your courtesy, but it also goes
a long way toward making sure that the interviewer
remembers you and keeps you in mind during the selection
process. The note can be sent either via snail mail or
email, whichever you feel is most appropriate. If the
company is very formal, then opt for a hard copy letter or
note on nice paper, perhaps handwritten. If the company is
less formal, an email will usually suffice. Always remember
to make the content of the note professional and
respectful; address the interview as "Mr." or "Ms." and
sign off using "Sincerely."

But sending the post-interview thank-you note is only one
of the ways that you can ensure you stay fresh in the
interviewer's mind long after the conversation is over. Let
a few days pass, then call up and ask to speak to the
interview over the phone. Keep it brief but still make a
point to run over a summary of all the salient points you
mentioned during your face-to-face interview. Emphasize the
value you stand to add to the company, your top attributes,
your best skills, and your unique characteristics.

But remember—this follow-up phone call can do more
damage than good if you're not prepared. Make sure you
continue the positive impression from the interview and
prepare accordingly. Remind yourself of the talking points
from your interview, and make sure you don't confuse this
employer with another employer at another company. If it
helps you, write out an outline of areas to be covered and
use this to guide your conversation. You can also take
notes on what the employer says to you.

Be prepared for any outcome. In the best case, the employer
may even tell you that you've been offered the job. If this
is what happens during your phone call, make sure you ask
all the relevant questions about the position: salary,
benefits, start date, and so on. It's important not to
accept just yet. Thank the employer but ask to think it
over for a day or two to make sure it is the right decision
for both you and the company.

If the employer doesn't offer you the job, don't keep him
on the phone hoping to convince him. Rather, stick to your
main points, and keep it brief. The follow-up phone call
should last no more than about five minutes. You've already
made your case, and the point here is merely to reiterate
and remind the employer of all your best qualities.
Dragging it on too long may only irritate him. So state
your points clearly, be cordial and friendly, and then
thank him for his time at the end.

If you follow this plan you will be sure to maintain a
positive impression in the employer's mind even days after
the interview!

----------------------------------------------------
Ken Anczerewicz is an author and publisher devoted to
providing time & money saving resources designed to help
students of all ages achieve their financial goals. Learn
how to create your own income stream by clicking here now:
http://www.resourceriver.com

Potential Diseases Caused By Diesel Exhaust Exposure

Potential Diseases Caused By Diesel Exhaust Exposure
Every day at work, employees working with diesel engines
are exposed to diesel exhaust. Further, exposure to diesel
exhaust is chronic. Failure to protect from diesel exhaust
combined with chronic exposure will very likely result in a
chemical disease. Although the harmful effects upon
railroad workers of exposure to diesel exhaust has been the
subject of several studies and has been known for many
years, most of the railroads have done little or nothing
about taking preventive measures, or informing their
employees of the hazards. There are two chemical diseases
one can contract from diesel exhaust exposure: obstructive
lung disease and cancer. In addition to entering the body
through the respiratory system, harmful diesel exhaust
components can enter the body through the eyes, possibly
causing permanent damage to the optic nerve, and possibly
even to the brain and central nervous system.

Diesel Exhaust and Obstructive Lung Disease

A recent study determined that between 40% and 50% of train
service workers suffer from the effects of obstructive lung
disease as a result of their chronic, unprotected exposure
to diesel exhaust. Railroaders who work in the shop crafts,
as well as the maintenance of way and signal departments,
have also suffered the effects of chemical disease when
exposed to diesel exhaust in the workplace.

The effect of obstructive lung disease is shortness of
breath. Diesel exhaust exposure causes obstructive lung
disease by the deposit of diesel soot into the lungs.
Diesel exhaust's ultra-fine particles lodge in the lungs
where the particles cannot be easily removed by the lung
itself (mucociliary escalator). Eventually, these fine
particles clog the lumen in the lungs and gradually the
lungs lose their elasticity and become less and less able
to expand and contract with each breath. Each day of
exposure to diesel exhaust results in accumulation of the
particles that restrict breathing.

Another common outcome of obstructive lung disease is
diesel asthma. Diesel asthma is commonly mistaken for an
allergy. Sufferers of diesel asthma notice that once
exposed to diesel exhaust there is a sudden shortness of
breath or quick on-set hypersensitivity to diesel exhaust,
both of which occur without warning. This reaction to
diesel exhaust becomes increasingly severe and persists
long after exposure has ceased. Over years, obstructive
lung disease may cause the loss of fifty percent or more of
the lung's capacity.

Compared to chronic, unprotected, diesel exhaust exposure,
cigarette smoke is innocuous. Further, modern diagnostics
are capable of distinguishing between the lung damage cause
by diesel exhaust as opposed to cigarette smoke.

Diesel Exhaust Exposure and Cancer

There is medical evidence that exposure to diesel exhaust
causes cancer in humans. Medical studies of workers
chronically exposed to diesel exhaust show that diesel
exhaust causes cancer of the lung, urinary tract, bladder,
stomach, prostate, mouth, larynx, esophagus, and colon.
Further, the type of cancer caused by diesel exhaust
typically metastasizes--the cancer spreads to other
locations in the body.

Diesel Encephalopathy

Lastly, medical professionals have recently made a
connection between diesel exhaust and diesel
encephalopathy. A recent study of workers tied diesel
exhaust exposure to memory deficits, sensory losses,
equilibrium imbalances and mood swings. Diesel
encephalopathy is a relatively new discovery, but some
claim it can be detected.
If you have been exposed to diesel exhaust and have
suffered injury, you may have a legal case.

----------------------------------------------------
For more information on diesel exhaust exposure use
LegalView's information portal at http://www.LegalView.com/
. LegalView offers an array of legal topics ranging from
mesothelioma lawsuits to the Heparin recall,
http://baxter-heparin.legalview.com/ .

Speed Coaching

Speed Coaching
I think I'm missing out. I'm guessing a lot of managers,
who could benefit from developing good coaching skills,
self-select and decide not to attend my training. I'm
further guessing that this may be because their perception
of coaching involves two cosy chairs facing each other,
soft lighting and a couple of hours spare to really get
stuck into some deep rooted psychological cause behind
certain difficulties that occur at work.

It is easy to understand where this view comes from and the
coaching profession doesn't help because it welcomes and
indeed encourages this perception; it makes it seem as if
coaching must ALWAYS occur at this level to be helpful, but
it doesn't. A trained Life or Executive coach may well work
at this depth to bring about the significant and permanent
change for which they have presumably been hired but the
coaching manager is less concerned with causing tearful
epiphanies and more concerned with restoring focus and
improving performance on the job. This can be done far
quicker.

Most coaching is supported by a questioning framework. I
devised the coaching ARROW and although this comes with a
wide range of sample questions, it can be boiled down to
five:

A - Aims - What do you want?
R - Reality - What's happening now?
R - Reflection - How big is the gap?
O - Options - What could you do?
W - Way Forward - What will you do?

These five simple questions give us an opportunity to coach
at great speed. They will not, on their own, create
fundamental change or improvement but they will create
focus and mobility. These being, in my view, the desired
outcomes of any coaching conversation in a work context.
Imagine you wanted to add a little coaching to a
conversation with a colleague who was about to make an
important business pitch. Asking 'What do you want?' could
really get them focused on a positive outcome and ready to
bring it about. It's not dissimilar to an athlete mentally
rehearsing the race in their mind as they settle into the
blocks. Imagine, talking to another colleague who had just
returned from a meeting that had gone spectacularly well,
but they were unsure why. Exploring 'What's happening now?'
immediately afterwards could really bring some insight and
learning to bear.

When our team members become used to being coached in this
way, they often come with Aims, Reality, Reflection and
Options already thought through. They just want to check
things out with us and get some 'permission' from us for
the way forward.

I think of this technique as Martini coaching: 'Anytime.
Anyplace. Anywhere' I have taught the technique to managers
who hardly ever see their team, but can still do some good
coaching around the coffee machine, in the lift or on a car
journey. Another tip is to have the questions to hand on a
small piece of paper so that you can self-coach before you
settle down to tackle an important task. G o ahead and
order the cosy chairs and soft lighting for the major
conversations, but there's plenty of coaching that can be
done in the meantime.

----------------------------------------------------
Matt Somers is a coaching practitioner of many years'
experience. He works with a host of clients in North East
England where his firm is based and throughout the UK and
Europe. Matt understands that people are working with their
true potential locked away. He shows how coaching provides
a simple yet elegant key to this lock. For a bumper load of
coaching tips and tricks - including FREE resources - visit
http://www.mattsomers.com

Success Sequence for Exponential Profit Growth

Success Sequence for Exponential Profit Growth
In studying what the CEOs did whose companies grew the
fastest in stock price, I observed that the following
sequence was followed to achieve that great success:

1. They learn to do one business model reinvention.

2. They decide to do a second business model reinvention
and need to expand the scope of what they consider and
where they get help.

3. They decide to turn business model reinvention into a
repeating activity, which requires a shift in corporate
priorities and attention.

4. Their business model reinvention success propels them
beyond the boundaries of their original marketplaces. They
need new targets of opportunity for their subsequent
reinventions and must begin searching for them.

Here's a brief example of such a sequence by a one-man
business to help you grasp what I'm describing:

Mr. Ray Hughes is a native of the Isle of Man, located in
the Irish Sea. There he learned to be an outstanding golf
caddy. He served up to two golfers at a time by carrying
their bags and providing advice.

Based on how much they liked his service, he could hope to
get additional jobs from the same golfers. If one pair of
golfers wanted to start early and another pair late, he
could potentially carry four bags a day.

Unfortunately, the winter weather in this native land is
bad enough to deter golfers, and work is scarce then. This
way of serving golfers on the Isle of Man was his original
business model.

Mr. Hughes decided to improve his business model. He
realized that if he could find a place where there were
lots of golfers and good year-round weather, he could earn
more money. He decided to move to the Monterey peninsula in
California, home to many famous golf courses including
Pebble Beach. The temperature is moderate there year round,
and winter weather brings mild rain in which golfers will
often play.

Because of the quality of these courses, golfers fill them
from dawn to dusk. As a result, he could work more often.
Further, the prices for playing are very high. Golfers are
interested in having a good experience and value their
caddies more highly than on the Isle of Man.

As a result, his income from each golfer also rose. The
main drawback was that the cost of living is very high in
that area, especially for housing.

The pro shops at these courses often receive requests for
caddies, and encourage golfers to make their own
arrangements. The pro shops usually refer such requests to
caddies who have been praised by other golfers. Because so
many players told the pro shops they were pleased with Mr.
Hughes, he was often recommended.

These introductions became the basis of his next business
model innovation. Many of the callers wanted to have more
than one caddy. Could he help them?

Mr. Hughes is a good judge of golfers and caddies. He
inquired about the golfers who would be visiting and
matched the golfers with compatible caddies. For example,
an inexperienced golfer might be helped by a caddy who had
a low-key personality and experience as a teaching pro to
help the duffer navigate the course more pleasantly and
successfully.

As a result of helping other caddies get jobs, they also
favored him with referrals in turn. That further increased
the number of bags he could carry in a year.

Also, those who liked the caddies Mr. Hughes had assembled
for them would often pay him extra for the service, even
though he asked for no more pay. The pro shops heard
favorable comments about these services as well, and
referred larger parties to him.

Mr. Hughes is a very intelligent, inquisitive, and
interesting man to converse with, and he quickly learned a
lot about the golfers who visited these courses. Many of
them were attending business conferences at the Pebble
Beach resorts. Almost all of the conference sponsors used
travel agents and meeting planners to arrange for meeting
and sleeping rooms, meals, and other resort services.

Mr. Hughes asked the golfers and the resorts whether they
would be willing to let him play the role of travel agent
for these occasions. The resorts and many conference
sponsors who had played with him were happy to do so.

Naturally, Mr. Hughes still organized the caddies, while
adding a major source of income. At this point, he overcame
the high cost of living in the area through expanding his
role from being a person solely providing a physical
service to someone who was also helping make business
conferences more successful.

Copyright 2008 Donald W. Mitchell, All Rights Reserved

----------------------------------------------------
Donald Mitchell is chairman of Mitchell and Company, a
strategy and financial consulting firm in Weston, MA. He is
coauthor of seven books including Adventures of an
Optimist, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise, and The
Ultimate Competitive Advantage. You can find free tips for
accomplishing 20 times more by registering at:
====> http://www.2000percentsolution.com .

Part-time Business - 3 Great Part-time Business Ideas To Help Make Your House Payment Each Month

Part-time Business - 3 Great Part-time Business Ideas To Help Make Your House Payment Each Month
Have you been looking for the ideal part-time business?
Easy low-cost ways that you could make more money? Have you
been wanting your own business but you don't want to take
any risks like quitting your job and going full time even
if it's a lousy job that you currently have?

Have you considered a part-time business where you could do
just one or two small side-jobs a month to make your house
payment and or pay other bills? Maybe you are looking for
something more than that, but hey, that is a good start!

Maybe you work at home right now but could use an extra
$1,000 a month to pay the bills so you can continue to work
at home in comfort the rest of the month and be able to
concentrate on your work.

If so, listed below are three great ways that you can start
your own part-time business and make some red-hot immediate
income on the side. This is also a great way to test the
waters before doing anything radical like quitting your
present job and going part-time on a full-time basis.

Way back in 1991, I decided to start my own house painting
business. I didn't plan on making it a part-time business
but that is what it shaped itself into over the years.

You see, I only work 6 hours a day on average and I never
work weekends so that amounts to only 30 hours a week that
I do work. The nice part though is that I make a lot better
money working part-time than I used to when I had a boss
and worked 45 hours a week.

I can actually make more in a day and a half painting than
I did all week long at my last regular full-time job. And I
can come and go as I please. I can't get fired or get in
trouble for being late either and I like that a whole lot.

Anyways, listed below are three easy to start, low-cost
part-time businesses. Each one can make you a quick $300 -
$500 for just a few hours work and over a thousand a week
if you wish. The reason I write about these 3 businesses
listed below is because I know them and they make me money.
These are 3 moneymakers that I specialize in.

#1 Residential/Commercial Painting Business: If you love to
paint this is a handy service you can render for the busy
homeowner. Many wives won't let their husbands go near a
paint brush. Many customers like having things done for
them. I started my painting business for practically
nothing and it gives me great immediate income whenever I
need it.

#2 Ceiling Star Mural Painting Business: Another great
part-time business. Star mural painting done right is
breath-taking. This is something new that is just getting
started. Kids and teens everywhere have glow stars stuck to
their ceilings. Just think if you offer families a
realistic looking star mural ceiling in their bedrooms!
There is no competition. If you are fascinated with the
stars this is an awesome business to get into and is
perfect for retirees as well as teens and college students.

#3 Drywall Repair/Finishing Business: Drywall Repair and
Finishing goes hand-in-hand with painting. You can easily
charge $300 - $500 doing simple small repairs like water
damage and texturing. I just finished a small repair job
for $335. It took me an hour and a half the first day and
the second day took 6 hours. Not too bad a wage for only 7
hours work.

You can also get small jobs hanging drywall. A customer
might have a basement or garage that they need drywall hung
in. Then taped, finished and painted as well. You will also
get asked to do the painting most of the time as well.

So there you go. 3 easy low-cost ways to start a full or
part-time business. All can be started for less than $500.
You can run them at 30 hours or less or turn them into a
thriving empire. You can even add them all together as a
home improvement business.

----------------------------------------------------
Lee Cusano has owned and operated his own successful
painting business since 1991. He has also helped many
others to start their own painting business with his "Paint
Like a Pro Estimating and Advertising CD-ROM".
Lee also offers a free report titled "How To Gain a High
Success Rate For Getting Painting Jobs". To get it go to
http://www.Painting-Business.com

Coffee in the Office - The Traditional Vending Machine

Coffee in the Office - The Traditional Vending Machine
With the choice and variety of office drinks machine
available today, choosing the most suitable one for your
office can be difficult. I have already posted several
articles discussing the pros and cons of different types of
machines and in this article we discuss another ' the
traditional office vending machine.

Many years ago the basic office vending machine consisted
of a table top unit containing several canisters of loose
dried drinks ingredients, push buttons to select the drink
and a simple coin mechanism to enable money to be collected.

A typical arrangement for the machine of ingredient
canisters or hoppers would comprise of freeze dried coffee,
powdered milk, drinking chocolate, sugar and one other
ingredient usually soup. Tea was not really an option as
the taste of instant tea was not of sufficient quality and
despite improvement this still remains the case today.

A plastic cup was taken from a column, money inserted in
the mechanism and the cup put underneath the various
selections and a button pressed to select the ingredient
required. A white coffee for example would require a 6
stage process to produce a drink that still had to be
stirred. Coin inserted, cup taken, coffee pressed, milk
pressed, sugar pressed and lastly hot water added by
pressing the final button.

This format still forms the basis of many smaller budget
office drinks machines today. The technology has improved,
the taste and choice of the drinks is vastly superior but
the concept remains the same.

Larger automatic machines still use different ingredient
hoppers, but have incorporated the whole process into a
single one button operation that dispenses the chosen
beverage into the cup at a fixed position so there is no
need for manual operation.

Generally these types of machines offer instant drinks
only, so that tea drinkers are often forced to choice an
alternative. This sort of machine is easy to restock as it
is a simple matter of refilling the various canisters
inside the machine with the appropriate product. However
spillages do occur and it is important that a daily
cleaning and hygiene process is undertaken.

Modern and more expensive office vending machines can offer
fresh brew coffee and leaf tea options and serve fabulous
tasting drinks. However the complicated brew process means
that cleaning and maintenance is more involved and your
service engineer will need to call more often. Machine,
drink and service costs are all higher for fresh brew
machines, so this needs to be taken into account.

It is always best to discuss your requirements with a
reputable supplier who will advise the best solution to
your office drinks needs and suggest the most appropriate
style of machine to suit your particular office layout,
taste and budget.

----------------------------------------------------
For more information about office coffee and drinks
solutions visit http://www.cafebar.co.uk

5 Super-Easy Steps to Increase Your List of Referral Partners to 100

5 Super-Easy Steps to Increase Your List of Referral Partners to 100
Do you obtain much of your business through referrals from
others-from people who know, trust, and like you?

Are you happy with the number of referrals your referral
partner network is producing?

Do you want to increase the size and quality of your
referral partner network?

Getting business by referral from other people is one of
the fastest ways to grow your business. If you want to earn
more business by referral, you have to be involved in a
referral partner network that is large enough so it can
provide you with a steady stream of new business. Referral
partners are people who are in touch with your prospective
clients on a regular basis.

For example, if a business provides web site design
services to small business, their referral partners may
include graphic artists, copywriters, business coaches,
etc. Get the picture?

By actively seeking out referral partners (some of whom you
may not personally know at this time), you will increase
the number of people who can refer business to you.

A network of 100 referral partners is usually large enough
to provide you with enough business. Yet, is not too large
that you can't handle staying in touch with them---perhaps
monthly with an eZine publication, or meeting them
quarterly for coffee or lunch.

Here are 5 super-easy steps you can take to build your
referral partner list:

1. Think about who your potential client is, and brainstorm
what type of business services they need to operate their
business. This information will give you clues about what
other professional categories may be good referral
partners. Develop a list of 10 professional categories.

2. For each professional category you identified, actively
seek to get to know 10 people. This is most likely a simple
task because there's a good chance you already know people
in these occupations. If you need more individuals to
increase your list to 10, ask current business associates
if they know individuals they would recommend. Ask existing
referral partners if they will introduce prospective
referral partners to you.

3. Schedule a time to meet with your potential referral
partners. Meeting these individuals provides you an
opportunity to tell them about your products and services,
and their benefits. It also gives potential partners the
opportunity to tell you about their products and services,
as well.

At your meetings, give prospective referral partners
details about your market niche so they know exactly what
type of prospect is right for your business. For example,
if you are seeking businesses that generate $1M to $5M in
revenues, and operate in the metalworking industry, give
your referral partner this information.

4. When you meet someone who seems willing to send you
referrals, add their name to your referral partner list
until eventually you attain 10 people x 10 occupations =
100 referral partners

5. Once you have 100 names on your partner list, determine
your tactics of how you will stay in touch with them to
build relationships. Here are some ideas about how to stay
in touch: Develop a tickler file to remind you to contact
and meet them. Send out a monthly eZine to keep your
business top-of-mind Attend networking functions Send
greeting cards Invite you referral partners to a cocktail
or holiday party. The methods you can use to keep in touch
are endless! Contact your referral partners at least one
time, every three months, to keep your relationships intact.

Over time, you may find some people are not good referral
sources. Replace them on your list to keep it fresh.

----------------------------------------------------
Bonita L. Richter, MBA, founder of Profit Strategies,
teaches entrepreneurs and business owners how to start and
grow businesses, attract more clients, and market their
businesses to increase sales, business success, and
generate wealth. Find out more about how to market your
business and boost sales with her popular FREE eBooks at
===> http://www.Profit-Strategies.biz

"JumpStart Your Business Right Now - Get More Clients, More Money and More Free Time for Yourself!"

"JumpStart Your Business Right Now - Get More Clients, More Money and More Free Time for Yourself!"
Do you need to get back in the swing of things with your
business after the holidays and not sure where to begin?

Are you feeling stuck on what to do or where to do it?

Well, the first thing I would tell most of you is to get
networking! Jump right up from your desk, bring a stack of
business cards and attend some events pertinent to your
business right off the bat. This is the best way to
generate new leads and new contacts; just do it, don't
think about it. This might be tough or uncomfortable and
you might want to 'ease' your way back into those circles,
but don't do it. Otherwise it could take you up to three
months to get back on track.

Get networking now to chamber events, trade or association
meetings, business events or expos - anything where your
target market will be. Afterwards, you'll be forced to
follow up and the whole marketing cycle begins again!

Follow up you say? What's that? Well, in my experience
only about 5% of small business people do this on a regular
basis, however it can be the single most effective way to
attract and retain new business and referrals. What are
you waiting for? No one is going to do your networking or
your follow up for you.

To effectively follow up with new prospects, new contacts
or anyone in general you can do any or all of the following:

1. Mail a handwritten note with your business card
"It was great to meet you, let's get together for coffee to
see how we might be able to work together. When are you
available next week?"

2. Send a personal email
"It was great to meet you, this is what I do now tell me
what it is that you do so that we might be able to refer
business to each other."

3. Make a phone call to say
"It was great to meet you, how could we help refer business
to each other?"

Not only do you need to follow up with these people within
48 hours of meeting them, but you need to follow up again
and again and again. Find new approaches each time, ask
them questions, ask them for coffee, mail them a list of
your services, drop off a promotional item and your
brochure or email them an article you read that you thought
they might be interested in.

Persistence is the key. If a lead is really warm to hot,
you will want to follow up or contact them at least four
times. If they turn you down at all or tell you no, keep
trying different angles, kill them with kindness, refer a
potential client to them, show them you give without
expecting to receive. Most of the time, with persistence,
you can win the sale or meeting.

Now, I can hear some of you thinking, "Ok, the follow up
isn't the problem, it's the actual networking, talking to
people I don't know in a big crowd."

Well, what I say to that is get over it!

Take some public speaking courses, do a lot of practicing
in front of the mirror or a friend, or you can even join
Toastmasters or a business referral organization which will
help you fine tune your 10, 30 or 60 second commercial. If
all else fails or none of this appeals to you, too bad, do
it anyway.

Let's face it, running your own business is tough, you
don't always get to do the things you like to do, sometimes
you have to do the things you don't like to do - so get
used to it and fake it 'til you make it.

The trick to networking for those who are shy or who don't
like crowds or small talk is to ask a lot of questions and
ask for other people's business cards. Don't worry about
talking about yourself or passing out your cards, just
worry about the other person and getting their card. Ask
them lots of questions about them, their life, their
business, their target market, what kind of referrals they
like to receive, etc. Because you can always follow up
later and send them your card and info!

An important thing to remember when networking is to make
sure you wear a clear, professional nametag so when you're
busy talking about other people and what they do at these
events, they can still read your name, business and what
you do on your shirt so in case they are interested in what
you do, they will ask.

So, now that you've started networking, doing your follow
up and the leads and referrals might be starting to trickle
in, what else is there? How are you marketing your
business? Do you have a written marketing plan that you
refer to and update on a regular basis? If not, write one.
There are free seminars offered in most cities by the SBA
or other Business Centers who are there to be a resource to
small business owners or of course that's something I can
help you with too in my 1-On-1 Marketing Planning Meeting.

For those of you who really need some alone time to
rejuvenate and prepare to get back to business, try a
weekend retreat for yourself. Go away from your home and
your office for 2 days, stay over night if you can in a
hotel or spa retreat to gather your thoughts and plan the
coming year.

During this retreat, you will want to write down every idea
or creative thought that comes into your head. Then you
want to plot out on a big calendar any annual events,
promotions, sales or focuses for your business. Along with
those, you will want to outline timelines or deadlines for
needed tasks or items in order to accomplish those such as
book a hotel conference room for the client appreciation
event and order and send invitations. Plot those on the
calendar too allowing ample time to accomplish each item.
Don't forget to add in your personal vacations and family
time too - you have to do this to keep balance in your life
for sure but if you don't calendar it right off the bat,
that time gets eaten up doesn't it??

Your client base is your most valuable marketing resource
so keep adding to it, following up with everyone on it and
work them for repeat business and referrals and you will
succeed. If you keep reaching or spending money trying
only to get new business and forgetting about the old
contacts and clients you will most likely fail.
Now, get networking!

----------------------------------------------------
© Copyright 2008 K.Sawa Marketing
Katrina Sawa is an Award-Winning Relationship Marketing
Coach who's helped hundreds of small business owners take
dramatic steps in their businesses to get them to the next
level in business, revenues and life. She offers one-on-one
coaching, group coaching and do-it-yourself marketing
planning products. Go online now to get started with her
Free Report and Free Audio at
http://www.jumpstartyourmarketing.com !

The Cost of Inaction - Can You Afford It?

The Cost of Inaction - Can You Afford It?
What is the cost of inaction? Only you can determine this,
but will you? Examine, by projecting yourself a year into
the future, the status in your life if you simply keep
doing the same things you are doing now. Furthermore,
examine the projected worsening damages that may present
themselves by allowing inaction to continue unabated.

Think of status quo as a fleeting moment. Other than the
blink of an eye we are either progressing in our journey to
success or we are losing ground. This writing is to focus
those of you who wish sincere change in your life the
opportunity to experience it. Margot Zemach's award winning
book for children, "It Could Always Be Worse" comes to mind
as a great read if you are feeling as though you are losing
ground. If you do nothing to change, like those in this
legendary Yiddish folk tale, it could always be worse.

As a business coach, I listen to the reasons people are
interested in a business opportunity where they chart their
own destiny. Reasons like repeated loss of a job,
insufficient retirement plans leaving retiree with the need
to supplement to make ends meet, or not enough for
life-long dreams of travel, adventure, or comfort. Some
are not able to work outside the home and earn enough to
pay day care or are gone so much they have little time left
for parenting. Many, ridden with credit card debt, are
unable or barely able to make their monthly payments.
College tuitions, family vacations, leisure pursuits go
unfunded. Those in the housing industry, mortgage lending
and real estate sales are experiencing perhaps the greatest
downturn in their careers right now.

If you resonate with one or more of the profiles listed and
you are ready to "pick your self up" and "start over again"
then you can benefit from these words. Note - If you are
truly "ready go" skip dusting yourself off. There is
little time for it.

Some people say if you do nothing to change your situation,
you will be in the same situation a year from now. I do
not believe that is true. If you do nothing about your
situation, you are likely, in reality, heading down hill.
Even ground is just a blink of that eye. If you do not
course correct, you will not be in the same situation; you
will be in a worse situation. Moving to a positive field,
the state of attraction will be a solid step of action.

What will it be that will initiate course correction,
change, that action for you? Many factors or interrupters
keep us from action. However, the prevalent ones center on
fear. Fear, fear of change, fear of the unknown, fear it
could be worse all keep people from the self-confidence
they deserve and it keeps them from action. Daily I talk
with people who are desperate for a change in their lives.
They are experiencing the unhealthy pain of a stress
pressed life. Inaction will not drive you in any upward
bound direction. Most people do not fall into success.
They just do not. Most of us who enjoy a ladder of our own
climbing have worked hard for what we have achieved. We
have become fearless and taken ACTION.

Sure, there is risk. Risk can be minimized. In the system
that we teach, a unique business model, people are able to
work their W2 jobs while they grow their own residual
income stream. We call this "straddling". It is a good fit
for those ready to make positive change in their lives and
be proactive in accomplishing a sustainable income not
dependent upon the whim of corporate mergers or bosses who
are trying to produce bottom line results to keep their own
jobs. Those who have lost their jobs have a great
opportunity to build a residual based income. Our model
has the capability of producing substantial income within
one to two years so often a job is still necessary for a
time. While job-hunting, one can easily devote two to four
hours a day to beginning a business that will pay for a
lifetime.

If INACTION is a word of past and you are READY GO to work
fully focused on charting your own destiny, climbing your
own ladder then follow the link provided. It could always
be worse and if one anchors in inaction it is very likely
it will be worse. In the words of Henry Ford, "Whether you
think you can or think you can't you are right". Which
right do you want to be?

----------------------------------------------------
Financial Strategist Nancy Quinlisk helps thousands of
young families and those on the horizon of retirement to
create wealth for the future. She charts the way for
developing a solid plan and teaches how to replicate the
system for others, thus dispelling the common myths that
sabotage wealth cycle development.
http://www.powerof12online.com

Building Your Booming Business - Leave the Past Behind and Intend Great Things!

Building Your Booming Business - Leave the Past Behind and Intend Great Things!
My childhood was what some would call dysfunctional. My
father died in an auto accident when I was seven years old,
and my grief stricken mother never totally recovered from
the loss. My brother and I lived with alcohol, and
sometimes abuse, as a way of life. But that was a long
time ago...

Over the years, I've learned to forgive my mother, who
chose to leave this world when I was 21 years old. I've
learned to use my past as a spring board to my life now.
My tenaciousness, ambition, and caring and belief in the
power of people to reach their goals all came as a result
of what I lived. What I am is not what I was; I am what I
have chosen to be right now. I am the result of intentions
I have brought to fruition, with God's grace and guidance.

I'm sharing a little bit of my story with you as a
demonstration of the power you have within you to succeed,
no matter what your past looked like. You're not defined
by mistakes or circumstances from the past. Those were
just roles you played for a little while. You are defined
by what's inside of you right now ' by how you're choosing
to live your life, and how you express love, kindness,
gratitude, and all the other qualities that make life worth
living.

When you're building a new business, all these qualities
are right there with you. There's no room for the past,
there's only room for what you want right now. The gifts
your past experiences gave to you will now serve you in
moving forward. That's the only real function the past
should play.

So from now on, whenever a wretched thought or feeling from
the past creeps into your mind put it to good use. Ask
yourself what it taught you that you can use right now.
How can its lessons help you decide what you do or do not
want your business to represent to your community of
customers. Then let it go. It has no power to hurt you
now, because you have the ability and power to take charge
and build your business and life in your own unique way,
regardless of what did or didn't happen to you in the past.

For example, if you were treated in the past like you were
less worthy than other people because you didn't grow up in
the best neighborhood or wear $150 tennis shoes, use that
experience as an example of how you don't want to treat
other people. Make sure that all your customers know how
important and special they are to you, not just as a
customer ' but as a person.

If you felt like you were never heard by your family, fine
tune your listening skills and make sure your customers
know you care about their opinions, and you're willing to
do whatever it takes to be an essential ingredient to their
success.

Use the gifts the past has to offer - then let it go.
Nurture a clear vision of the potential and possibilities
that lie before you right now. Use all your life
experiences to create an environment that expresses the
soul of who you are, and what you want your business to
become.

Make a bold statement to the world by creating a life and
business that feeds not only your spirit and the spirit of
your customers, but your bank account as well!

----------------------------------------------------
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.