Leadership - Are you in a fog when it comes to leading your team and your own business leadership?

Leadership - Are you in a fog when it comes to leading your team and your own business leadership?
Leadership isn't an exact science and is uniquely carried
out by each individual leader according to the leader's own
style, ethics, background and the situation.

This week while taking a walk in the snow and watching my
horses in the fog I couldn't help but think how often we
feel lost in the fog with no clear idea of what to do next
for our business or team. Just like my horse April, we
sometimes feel like hanging our head and doing
nothing..staying deep in the fog.

So today when in my quiet time the writer used (Psalms
46:10) "Be still, and know" it made sense to me. To get out
of our fog we need to be still. We can't hear the answers
to our leadership and business problems unless we slow down
and be still.

When April looked up from her field of fog and saw me, I
thought, we also need to look up, out of our own fog of
self absorption. When we only focus on ourselves and our
needs it's difficult to know what our followers need from
us. We need to look up and be observant to understand what
we need to do as a leader.

April wanted to be with me so she began to trudge through
the snow towards me. Just like April we need to be in
action. As we are in action and moving we'll begin to move
out of our fog and into resolution. But it's necessary to
be moving. We must be Taking the Reins of our own lives and
looking toward our team to know what they need from us as
leaders and our business to know our next steps!

Leadership is about action but this action may be in small
steps and small chunks. It is a mistake to think that your
actions have to be huge and overwhelming. Small chunks and
small steps will take you there in a more realistic
consistent fashion.

Being a successful leader is as much about whom you are as
what you do. It's necessary to look deeply into yourself
and evaluate what you find there. Ask yourself the why
questions that lead to personal growth.

Think of yourself as having three levels:

The conscious - where we process facts, analyze problems,
recognize our feelings, and show ourselves to the world. At
this level we're aware of our experiences while we are
experiencing them.

The subconscious - is where we store information and what
makes us react to a given set of circumstances, while
sometimes unaware why. In our subconscious we may remember
information we read, the mood of a piece of music, or how
it felt to do a flying lead change.

In order to get out of our fog to inspire others to follow
us or to know the right business direction for our
business, it's necessary to balance these two levels. Your
subconscious and conscious minds need to be in inner
harmony. Our mind and spirit govern our body.

Lastly our Spirit where we are driven to improve ourselves;
to love, trust, and make commitments. It includes the
attitudes that lead us to act as we do. In our spirit is
where we're touched by the beauty of a horse running in the
field or standing grazing in the pasture. Our Spirit is
where we are inspired to grow and become. It's in our
spirit that we learn from horses how to be a more effective
leader and person.

Leaders lift your head, look forward, and taking the reins,
began your journey out of the fog and into your future.

----------------------------------------------------
Jean Starling holds an MBA in International Business and is
an Author, Business Strategist and Executive Coach. Go to
http://www.leaderstakingthereins.com to get your Free
Leadership Home Study Course and learn how to be the leader
that people want to follow. Contact Jean at
mailto:jean@leaderstakingthereins.com .

Tips to Boost Your Job Interview Confidence

Tips to Boost Your Job Interview Confidence
You say you're feeling nervous about interviewing? Guess
what - so is everybody else. It is very common to be
nervous before the interview. It's also OK to be nervous.
Being anxious can raise your energy level and that's a good
thing.

Here are some other tips that will raise your energy and
your confidence.

Demeanor, and Attitude can mean a great deal in the
interview.

The interview begins when the interviewer first sets eyes
on you. Whether you are sitting or standing make sure that
your posture portrays self-confidence. The interviewer
extends a hand to shake and this is the first connection
made. Make sure you give a firm, not bone-crushing
handshake. This applies to shaking hands with men and
women. While you are shaking the hand, check out the eye
color of the person you are connecting with. Eye contact is
especially important to show confidence.

Preparation will make a huge difference in your confidence.

The act of writing out your answers to difficult questions,
particularly if you have a "glitch" in your resume or
background, is important to sounding prepared.

Read through the job description/posting -- one, two, three
times -- and then read between the lines. What are they
looking for? While you're at it, check out their website
and do research on the company. Read their mission
statement. If it "reeks" of team building jargon, make sure
you are prepared to talk about your past experiences
working with teams.

Practice makes perfect.

If you rehearse your answers you will feel more confident.
Use a tape recorder, watch yourself in front of a mirror,
or get a friend to practice with you. Practice, practice,
practice -- it will make a difference.

Enthusiasm could be the tie-breaker between you and someone
else getting the job.

If there are two or more people interviewing for the same
job, the one that shows passion and interest in the job
could be the one chosen. This is a quality that you will
have to feel and not fake. If it isn't there, it will be
difficult to pretend it is. Make sure you are interviewing
for jobs that are of genuine interest to you and not just
somewhere to get a paycheck. You will be happier in the
long run and a better performer as well.

Be Yourself

One of the factors in choosing the right person is finding
out whether you are going to fit in. If you believe in
yourself it will be easier for you to be yourself in the
interview. Basically, would these people interviewing you
want to work side-by-side with you day after day? And,
would you want to work side-by-side with them? Remember,
this is a two-way process. You are looking at them at the
same time that they are checking you out. Turn up your
intuitive powers. Listen carefully and read between the
lines. Is this the right place for you?

It's OK not to get a job offer.

You won't get a job offer after every interview. It's a
tough job market with lots of competition. Go to the
interview and give your best performance. Once you've done
that it is out of your control. Sometimes there are factors
that have nothing to do with you, but will prevent you from
getting that job offer. That's OK -- your turn will come
eventually.

Searching for a job is not easy. You may find your emotions
rising and falling like a roller coaster. It's important
that you keep your morale up during this period of job
search. Don't give up. Giving up is defeat and you're not a
quitter!

----------------------------------------------------
Carole Martin is America's #1 Interview Coach. Celebrated
author, trainer, and mentor, Carole can give you
interviewing tips like no one else can. Her workbook,
"Interview Fitness Training" has sold thousands of copies
world-wide. Sign Up to Receive Free Weekly Interview Tips
at http://www.interviewcoach.com

Drive Growth with the Windmills of Your Mind

Drive Growth with the Windmills of Your Mind
Most organizations see their plans and preferred ways of
operating as unchangeable best ways to do something. This
attitude is like having a windmill that is fixed to face in
only one direction. When the wind blows in just that
direction, the windmill generates lots of energy. When the
wind blows in any other direction, the windmill is idle.

The person who figured out how to make a windmill that
turned on its axis so it would always be facing the wind
came up with a breakthrough solution for harnessing wasted
power. Such a windmill generates maximum energy over all
360 degrees of the compass, rather than only over a range
of 15 degrees or so. As a result, with a wind blowing
randomly from all directions, it creates 20 times more
power than a fixed windmill. The beauty of such a solution
is that it makes a virtue of uncertainty rather than taking
the risk of a narrow view of where the wind will come from
in the future.

A breakthrough solution for making use of external
influences can be a way to do something that provides 20
times or more benefit from the same or similar level of
resources (such as a pivoting windmill) than when applying
the usual or 100 percent solution (a fixed-facing windmill).

It can also be a way to do something 20 times faster to get
the same benefit from the same or similar level of
resources. A pivoting windmill also exemplifies this
feature because it will generate the same amount of power
as the fixed-facing windmill in less than 5 percent of the
time in locations where the wind blows randomly from all
directions.

In some situations you can have breakthrough solutions that
provide improved methods and increased speed simultaneously
for a combined 40,000 percent benefits (2,000 percent times
2,000 percent equals 40,000 percent). This circumstance is
most likely to occur when having the benefits sooner is
worth vastly more than having the same benefits stretched
out over time. It occurs routinely when the benefits of
one breakthrough solution produce skill, time, and
resources to add other 2,000 percent solutions in other
areas of practice. This transferred advantage means that
time and resources are constantly being used more
efficiently across the whole organization.

When irresistible forces are in play, the benefits are
likely to boom way beyond the 2,000 percent level for
breakthrough solutions because those forces create enormous
momentum for the first organization that responds
appropriately, leaving other organizations in the dust.

Consider Amazon.com and its pioneering entry into selling
books and music on the Internet. Shortly after going public
inception and within months of being started, the company
had achieved a market capitalization for its stock that was
far larger than that of all its conventional competitors
combined.

As a result, the company was able to pay for even faster
development of its position on the Internet, which made its
future growth and profit potential expand much sooner as
well. While it was still losing money on each book sold,
Amazon.com stock sold for a multiple of more than 20 times
the total price of each book the company sold.

This high stock price was used indirectly to allow the
company access to vast resources for the book business and
to enter other electronic commerce markets. Now that's
stallbusting your way to a breakthrough solution involving
irresistible forces!

Copyright 2007 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 .

Apprenticeships: A Business Win-Win

Apprenticeships: A Business Win-Win
Have you ever experienced a win-win when doing business?
Doesn't it feel good? We think so! We are constantly
looking to create win-win opportunities in our business.
In fact, it's one of our core company values. We talk
about win-wins. We tell people about win-wins. And we
spend time trying to look for ways to create win-wins on a
regular basis.

We really love helping others create business success and
satisfaction, and if there is a way for us to do that and
to benefit our business at the same time - wow! We just
think that is the coolest thing ever!

One win-win we've identified as a great thing for any
business, is offering apprenticeships. Think back to your
early twenties. Remember those days when you were trying
to figure out how things really worked in the business
world? Did someone offer you an opportunity to learn some
real life business skills? If so, wasn't that incredibly
beneficial to your development as a future professional?
And if you weren't that lucky, can you see how that might
have escalated your success-factor?

First, identify some time-draining responsibilities that
you or your employees have. Things like administrative
duties and research. These are a great start to a job
description for your Apprentice.

Just think of what you could do with that time. It would
be like finding an extra 2 hours a day, at least! Make a
proactive plan for what you will do with your new-found
extra time. What are the most productive income-producing
activities you do in your business? Wouldn't it be great
if you could spend your extra time doing those things? Can
you see what a positive impact this would have on your
business? Pretty exciting, right?

Next, call your local college's career office and start the
conversation. Tell them about your business and how you
can offer some real life experience to a student in the way
of an apprenticeship. Some apprenticeships are offered at
no charge to the company. The students are willing to work
for free just to gain some real life experience. Others
require that you offer a salary. You can discuss these
options with the career office, as well.

Offering apprenticeships really is an easy way to create
another win-win in your business. You win by gaining extra
time and your apprentice wins by gaining valuable real-life
business experience. What could be better?

----------------------------------------------------
Kelly L. LeFevre, MSM, and Molly A. Luffy, MBA, authors of
the upcoming book Unleash Your Marketing Karma: How to
Build Your Business by Giving It Away, are Co-Founders of
the Business Building Roundtable. This free virtual
community helps service-based solo/micropreneurs create
powerful strategies and implement innovative techniques to
achieve their ultimate success and satisfaction. To learn
more visit http://www.BusinessBuildingRoundtable.com

Non-Profit Does Not Mean No Work

Non-Profit Does Not Mean No Work
Many Non-profit organizations enact in an egregious manner.
It perplexes me that Non Profit organizations believe that
there is a significant difference in performance, reporting
and business methodology. This myth is not only untrue and
must cease. Fact, Non-Profit organizations require
bureaucracy, goals and accountability. More importantly
Non-Profits must always be marketing.

While reading a national periodical I read that a fairly
prominent Non-Profit was preparing to cut as much as
one-third of its headquarters staff, up to 1,000 employees,
and pare regional management due to fundraising issues. Is
this a lack of money, or simply a lack of selling and a
lack of accountability? I am often intrigued when
management cuts staff to raise profits and even more
concerned when issues arise because organizations fail to
remain committed to its only rational goals- retain and
gain clients.

Organizations and their managers emulate children; they
will find an excuse for anything. The real issue is
accountability. Some non-profits fail miserably at
marketing and sales. Recent research for this article
indicates that many non-profits focus attention on
operations rather than an outward focus.

Currently, examples of fund raising efforts involve galas
and unfortunately notoriety following a disaster. Most
organizations are staffed with volunteers uneducated in
closing sponsors and requesting money. The means to an end
for many organizations is to implement a professional
selling force that is 1) hungry in the hunt and enjoys
searching for dollars in precarious places, 2) enjoys
networking to uncover possible donations and 3) will not
hesitate to ask for the business.

Secondly, many firms believe that internal training
augments large spending. Not true. From over 25 years with
clients around the globe I typically get calls from
organizations to conduct training for two vital reasons,

1) there is a bias within the organization that disavows
market trends.

2) organizations fail to provide proper motivational and
productivity tools that create a competitive sales force.
Managers are not well versed in compensation, goal matrices
etc. Sales people are driven by proper goals and
compensation.

3) There is a systematic approach to selling and many
internal trainers use books and tapes rather than practical
experience. Sales take longer to close and professionals as
well as executives get frustrated with lagging revenue.

4) Internal training is myopic. In recent research 76% of
firms that internally train do so once per year, then
speculate why production and profits fail.

5) People go into sales because they hunger for money and
the thrill of the hunt, non-profits tend to instruct
service and fail to create the panacea.

6) Internal training fails in how to close business.

Finally, there is a horrendous disconnection between,
clients, staff and at times boards of directors concerning
marketing intentions. On a recent journey to train a
non-profit there existed a variety of interpretations with
the firms marketing message. Staff and executives could
not agree on the external message to clients. Worse yet
many staff were unclear why the organization existed. It is
imperative for organization to develop a solid value
proposition. A pithy statement focusing on output and
client values transcends purpose for staff and focus for
clients and donors. An example statement- Transforming
lives on the road to independence. With all working in
concert the organization operates with a joint purpose. All
staff are then involved in the selling process. The outward
focused message creates interest and conversation while
illustrating how sponsorship is utilized.

Clearly not all non-profits are dysfunctional and many do
not have these issues. Yet many do and fail to realize that
success hinges upon the ability to raise funds-
continually. Rather than use perfunctory fundraising
methods, organizations should use methods employed by for
profit institutions. With changes in market conditions and
the economy specifically, donations become slimmer and
competition increases. Currently, 850,455 public charities
and 104,276 private foundations are registered with the
IRS. (Source: The Urban Institute, National Center for
Charitable Statistics, Business Master File 01/06) In
addition, 463,714 other types of nonprofit organizations,
such as chambers of commerce, fraternal organizations and
civic leagues, are registered with the IRS. (Source: The
Urban Institute, National Center for Charitable Statistics,
Business Master File 01/06) This creates a highly
competitive enviornment with many organizations vying for
similar dollars. Even for non-profits the world flatten
with globalization and competition requiring a thirst for
differentiation.

----------------------------------------------------
Drew Stevens PhD
http://www.gettingtothefinishline.com
Drew Stevens Phd works with organizations to maximize sales
in less time. Drew can assist your organization with sales
or customer service. Order his latest book now, Split
Second Selling available on Amazon.com or at his
website,http://www.gettingtothefinishline.com/products.php

It's Not Procrastination, It's Fear of Rejection (Get Past It and Get Marketing)

It's Not Procrastination, It's Fear of Rejection (Get Past It and Get Marketing)
Have you ever been stopped in your marketing tracks because
of procrastination and didn't know where it was coming
from? This happened a few times with some of my private
clients recently, and we noticed that every time, it wasn't
really procrastination, it was a fear of some sort that was
holding them back.

Perhaps you've experienced it too? The fear of reaching out
to people, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of not
doing something right, and the kicker, fear of REJECTION? I
don't think I know anyone who's not experienced some form
of fear of rejection when marketing themselves. I think
it's innate for many of us. Problem is, it holds us back
from doing what it takes to get clients. And it's got to
stop.

Fear of rejection keeps people from marketing, from
networking, from asking for the sale, reaching out, from
getting help, from public speaking, from asking for
referrals, and from collaborating with strategic alliances.
You've heard me say this a thousand times: if you don't
market today, you won't have clients in six months.

So, understanding that there's some sort of fear stopping
you, what do you do about it? I've done a lot of research
on this, for my clients, and for myself over the years.
I've read books, special reports, and anything that was
available on the subject. Problem is that most people just
GLOSS OVER what you should do.

The "experts" talk about changing your mindset, thinking
positively, and all that good stuff. OK, but that's not
practical enough for me. I wanted to know EXACTLY what to
do to eliminate the fears and limiting beliefs that have
held me back in the past, and that I continually see my
clients struggling with.

I've discovered there's more to getting clients than just
the OUTER game of Client Attraction (marketing). There's
also an INNER game of Client Attraction (your mindset and
beliefs) and if you don't deal with the inner part, then
you'll keep doing the same things (and making the same
money) you've been making for years to come. I don't know
about you, but I prefer to continue to grow and make more.

So, I went on an internal search for what the answer was
and I found it. I've worked (and continue to work) on my
personal growth and development, and I've broken it down
into a series of steps that, when done in sequence, help
eliminate the limiting beliefs and fears that hold us back
from marketing (and shining, personally) in a big way.

Here's what you do:

1. Establish the root fear or limiting belief that's
holding you back from marketing. (Fear of success, fear of
failure, fear of rejection, fear of overwhelm, fear of what
others will think of you, fear of doing it wrong, fear of
asking for what you want, fear of saying no to someone,
etc.) Let's pick fear of rejection, just for argument's
sake, since it's such a biggie with my clients.

2. Think back to your childhood. What is the earliest
memory you have of being rejected? Write it down. (I'm
serious, don't just read this assignment, write it down.
That's how you get results.) If you get stuck, then go back
to what the original thought that popped up when you read
the assignment. That's usually the big one that needs to be
addressed first, even if you don't think it is.

3. Write down ALL the events in life in which you can
remember feeling rejected (your parents, kids in grade
school, high school, the dating years, cheerleading or
sports tryouts, the working world, and of course, since
being self-employed).

4. Now, think about what MEANING you created about
yourself as a result of each of those incidents. ("I'm not
good enough," "I'm dumb," "I'll never be good at
marketing," "When I reach out, I get rejected," "I'm not
cut out to make a lot of money," etc. Really spend some
time on this, because that's where the healing begins. Be a
hard grader.

5. Then, make a separate list of how these MEANINGS you
created have stopped you in life. Did you stop reaching
out? Did you stop taking chances? Did you retreat into a
hole? Did you hold back from taking advantage of
opportunities that could have advanced you? Write them all
down.

6. Now, go back to the list of meanings you created and
ask yourself, "What if what I THINK happened wasn't
actually the case?" Here's what I mean: If you were
rejected by your "crush" in high school after telling this
person you liked him, imagine other scenarios other than
"I'm unattractive" or "I'm not lovable." Could they have
secretly been dating someone else? Could they have been shy
and not known what to say? Could they even have been
interested in someone their own gender? Write it ALL down.

7. This is a list of ALTERNATIVE reasons why they wouldn't
have done the 'right' thing by you, rather than thinking
you were unattractive or unlovable. Now, look at this list
and pick one, because I'll guarantee you, what you THINK
happened is probably not what happened. Each person has
their own writing on the wall and even if they said or did
something unacceptable, we don't REALLY know what that
reason was (we might never know what was going on for them
at that time).

8. Reevaluate the limiting belief or your fear. Is it
REALLY true that you were rejected? Could there have been
another reason for what happened? Is it really WORTH your
still being affected by this and having lost out on
opportunities your whole life because of what one (dumb)
person said or did? Is that event really WORTH you being
stopped in your marketing now?

9. Decide to select the ALTERNATIVE reason for what
happened and move past the fear. You deserve to not be
stuck in your tracks any more. You deserve to be free from
what others said or did to you in the past. You deserve to
be successful and that's what I want for you.

10. If you can't seem to let the fear go, then just FEEL
the fear, and do what it takes anyway. You've heard the
saying: "Successful people feel the fear too and they do
what it takes anyway." That's been my experience. When I
feel myself getting stopped, I often use the process above,
and then I just push through and get things done. Funny
thing is, it's never as bad as what I had feared. Best of
all, every time you push through a fear that stops you, you
exercise that muscle. After a while, limiting fears or
beliefs don't have a chance against you.

YOUR CLIENT ATTRACTION ASSIGNMENT:

Make a point to do the exercise above. Take an afternoon or
an hour, and really work through what's stopping you. It
can seem scary at first, but I assure you, when you
actually do it, it becomes easy. And it feels so FREEING at
the end.

You'll notice that you will start DOING more than before,
taking advantage of opportunities, and getting better
results in marketing. That immediately equals more paying
clients, more results, and in my experience, financial
freedom and being able to live the life you really want. I
once read that the view from the other side of fear is
SUCCESS. Are you game?

Now, if you clear the fears and still are not sure what to
do to get clients in a way that feels easy and authentic to
you, it's time to start doing things differently.

----------------------------------------------------
The Client Attraction Home Study System™ avoids the "Bright
Shiny Object Syndrome" and instead gives you the most
important things to do to set up simple, solid marketing
systems, so that you consistently fill your pipeline and
continually get new clients.All the tools, scripts,
templates, and examples are handed to you on a silver
platter. Easy. You can get it at
http://TheClientAttractionSystem.com

Is a GPS Fleet Tracking System Right for My Business?

Is a GPS Fleet Tracking System Right for My Business?
If you are a Fleet Owner you've probably been thinking
about installing a GPS system in your fleet for years,
BUT...you've hesitated. You're just not sure. Will it
really make a difference? Is it worth the investment? How
will I break the news to my drivers?

Over the past seven years I have installed thousands of GPS
Fleet Tracking systems for hundreds of companies and
frankly, if you have waited this long to install a system
in your fleet you are probably losing money every day.

When I first started installing GPS Fleet Tracking systems
back at the "turn of the century" the early adopters felt
like pioneers, and wanted to be the first on their block to
have this cutting-edge technology. However, most Fleet
Owners waited to see what would happen. They watched their
competitors install various systems, most with great
success. Amazingly, as of this writing less than ten
percent of fleet owners have installed a GPS Fleet Tracking
system. Why? Simple - too much confusion. Fleet owners
are bombarded with direct mail ads and telemarketing calls
from salespeople selling everything from battery operated
devices to GPS enabled cell phones. After seven years,
I've learned that there really is no alternative to an
in-vehicle, real-time system. The other systems will not
give you the reliable, timely information you need and are
more trouble than they are worth. Besides that, the
in-vehicle solutions have become very affordable and easy
to install and - most importantly - almost always pay for
themselves within their first ninety days!

Is a GPS Fleet Tracking system right for your business?
Try to identify areas in which you are experiencing
inefficiencies or un-necessary costs where a GPS Fleet
Tracking system can have an immediate and lasting impact:

1. Do your drivers take their vehicles home with them? If
so, are they permitted to use your vehicles for personal
use? It is amazing how many miles can be shaved off once
your system is installed, saving big dollars on fuel and
maintenance while at the same time eliminating the
potential liability of personal use of your vehicles.

2. Are your drivers paid by the hour? Do they clock in and
out with a paper time card, noting the time that they start
and end their day on the "honesty" system? In general,
I've learned that most employees are not "out to get" their
employers, but it is hard not to fudge the time card a
little. Saving only ten minutes per day of time card abuse
will easily pay for your system all by itself!

3. Do you worry about your drivers doing side-jobs with
your vehicles and materials? With a GPS Fleet Tracking
system you'll get paid for every job performed by your
assets.

4. Are you concerned about potential liabilities if your
drivers are speeding or driving recklessly? With GPS you
are virtually riding along with every driver, all day every
day. Your drivers will know it and will think twice before
putting your assets at risk!

These are just a few of the many ways that a GPS Fleet
Tracking system can help you to - simply stated - keep MORE
of the money already flowing through your company for
YOURSELF! Over the past seven years I've learned that
(understandably) fleet owners simply will not purchase a
system unless they are absolutely convinced that it will
save them much more than it costs. Once again, most Fleet
Owners find that their GPS Fleet Tracking system pays for
itself within the first ninety days.

I know, you still have some concerns about how to break the
news to your drivers - that's normal. Your employees are
like your family, right? I've learned that your best
employees will embrace the system, and yes - the ones that
have something to hide will fight it. In fact, you may
even lose a few people - but you'll be better off without
them.

As soon as your system is up and running you'll kick
yourself for waiting this long - but you will also be
thrilled with the increase in efficiencies and decrease in
costs to manage your fleet.

----------------------------------------------------
Don Mastrangelo has installed thousands of GPS Fleet
Tracking systems for hundreds of fleet owners since 2001.
He can be reached at http://www.ReadySetGoGPS.com ,
mailto:support@readysetgogps.com or (800) 688-0999.

How to Beat Nerves before a Presentation

How to Beat Nerves before a Presentation
If you've been selected to give a presentation at the next
department meeting or if you have to present new
information to a client, you may become very nervous in the
days leading up to giving the presentation. While a certain
amount of nervousness is expected, if you start to lose
sleep, lose your appetite or you're under a tremendous
amount of stress, consider the following tips to help you
overcome nervousness and give a terrific presentation.

Create a Professional Presentation

Most presentations focus on one or two topics and can last
anywhere from ten to twenty minutes. Before you begin
preparing, ask the people in charge of the meeting how long
your presentation should be. Take into consideration
slides, handouts or other visual aids you want to use so
you can create a presentation that is the perfect length.
When drafting your presentation, make sure you understand
your topic so you can interact with your audience easily.
During a casual presentation you will be able to use visual
aids, ask and answer questions and repeat important pieces
of information in order to reinforce your points.
Practice your presentation using visual aid devices that
will be made available to you at the meeting. This will
make you more comfortable changing from slide to slide,
starting or stopping a power point slide or referring to
documents you've given to the audience.
If you choose to hand out information before, during or
after the presentation, make sure you bring enough copies
for everyone. Find out how many people will be attending
and make at least five extra copies in case additional
people decide to attend.

Choose the Right Outfit

Wearing your favorite suit on the day of your presentation
can help reduce any stress you have. When you know you look
good, your body language will become relaxed. You may even
feel more comfortable answering questions during the
presentation. If you don't have anything suitable to wear,
consider buying a new outfit to make the occasion even more
special. Choose a neutral colored business suit (pant or
skirt suit), polish your shoes and wear a white shirt
underneath so you don't stand out from other people in the
room. Brightly colored suits are usually not appropriate
for presentations and may distract others from listening
closely to what you have to say.

Talk to the Audience

Meeting with those who you will be presenting to is a great
way to reduce stress. Knowing more about your audience will
make them seem less intimidating. Arrive early to set-up
and join the group for coffee or tea before the meeting
begins. Even if you will be presenting to co-workers, make
sure you mingle with other people in order to calm your
nerves.
Giving a presentation can be stressful, but if you've
prepared your materials in advance, you should be able to
overcome any feelings of nervousness once you start
talking. Make sure you listen to yourself as you give the
presentation. If you feel you're talking too quickly, take
a deep breath in order to slow down. This will keep you
focused on what you're saying and keep the audience engaged
too.

----------------------------------------------------
Sharon Alexander is the author of the ebook Claim that
Job.com - The Ultimate Job-Hunting and Career Management
ebook that teaches the skills and techniques needed to
succeed in a competitive job-market.
http://www.claimthatjob.com .
http://www.claimthatjob.com/blog .

Sales Lessons Learned From Watching The Apprentice

Sales Lessons Learned From Watching The Apprentice
Watching the celebrity edition of the Apprentice on
television proved to be far more than solely an
entertaining experience.

Knowing in advance that Gene Simmons, the brains behind the
KISS phenomenon and the self-proclaimed god of women, would
take episodal charge over the female celebrity group, I
could not resist watching. Frankly, I was somewhat
surprised at what transpired during the hour. The Donald
had no choice but to fire him. He failed at his task.

This reality show actually provided a healthy dose of
business reality, demonstrating many valuable sales lessons
that we can all benefit from.

1. Know Your Goal Before You Begin Taking Action.

Gene errantly delegated the initial responsibility of
meeting with the client to two team members. If instead,
everyone on his team, including himself, were present, he
would have benefited from the perspectives of each as they
moved towards satisfying their customer and the sales goal
that they had in mind. The women who met with the Kodak
executives failed to listen carefully and fully grasp the
desired intent and goals of their customer.

Simmons, as their leader, never knew what his customer
actually wanted as he was too busy constructing a campaign
that he thought was important and relevant. He was too busy
marketing Kodak that he failed to consider their desired
goals and product emphasis, their new ink. In fact, he did
not see the importance of meeting with his customer and
clearly understanding their perspective and goals.

2. Understand Your Task.

We must listen and pay attention to our customers. They
will tell us exactly what they want if we ask them. Ask
clarifying questions until you are crystal clear on their
goals. Gene neither had a grasp of their true task or even
the name of the product. His project was doomed early on.

3. Listen Carefully to Those You Have Teamed With.

Your sales team is a valuable asset. Their thoughts,
evaluations and conclusions are important and should be
respected with regard to the decision-making process.

4. Keep Focused.

Once you have a clear understanding of your customers
needs, adopt a laser-like focus until the job is done. If
an activity is not relevant to the desired outcome, it is
likely an activity that is hindering your progress. Stay on
task.

5. Remember: The Customer is Always Right.

The customer expects us to work on his behalf. If we make
assumptions and suppositions based upon our desires, they
may not be in-sync with what our customer is expecting of
us. Simmons ignored his customer altogether, focusing
instead on his own ego and creative ideas. While his
marketing was impressive, his strategy and sense of purpose
were flawed. He continued acting upon what he wanted for
himself, not the desires of his client.

It does not matter if we think we are smarter, better
equipped or more experienced than our customer. If we lose
sight of their business and what they want, we lose;
period. "You cannot hit a target you cannot see". You
cannot ask relevant questions if you do not listen. And...
you cannot satisfy the needs of your customers if you do
not know what they need.

Thanks Gene, these are indeed valuable lessons learned.

----------------------------------------------------
Daniel Sitter, author of both Learning For Profit and
Superior Selling Skills Mastery, has garnered extensive
experience in sales, training, marketing and personal
development spanning a successful 26 year sales career.
Experience his blog at http://www.idea-sellers.com