How to Write a Press Release

How to Write a Press Release
Getting Started. To get started on your radio press
release, think about who you will be pitching your show to.
Ultimately your show is being pitched to radio hosts and
producers who are inundated with press releases and phone
calls every day. They are looking for the hottest show
ideas that their listeners will enjoy.

So, come up with a show idea. Think about how you can tie
your product and message to something that a producer or
host would deem newsworthy. Think outside the box a
bit...some of the best radio show ideas live there!

Now that you have your show idea there is something else to
consider: why should they listen to me and not the
countless other people who seemingly know more than me on
the subject? Radio shows need expert, not guests sharing
unqualified opinions. Remember, they can just as easily
get these opinions by taking calls from their listeners.

You are an expert and you don't even know it! Think about
it: who knows your product and message better than you do?
You can probably talk about your product with more
knowledge and enthusiasm than anyone else out there. Later
you'll learn the press release tricks to position yourself
as an expert.

Now you not only have a show idea, but you are an expert!
Well done! Now it is time to start working on the release.
Throughout this process do not forget the following vital
piece of information: THE PRESS RELEASE IS YOUR TOOL TO GET
BOOKED ON RADIO SHOWS!

The Five Pieces of the Press Release Puzzle The following
are the important components of a radio press release which
will make your show idea come to life for producers and
hosts, as well as position you ahead of the pack.

1. Headline! Headline? HEADLINE!!! Arguably the most
important aspect of your press release, headlines are so
vital that there are entire books written and seminars
taught on how to construct the most effective ones. Now,
don't let this scare you. Writing a killer headline is
definitely a skill that can be developed; all you need is a
clear and concise overview of your topic. Write down your
show idea and look it over. Now look it over again.

What is your key message? Is your show idea newsworthy?
Are there any well-known people that you can tie into your
topic? Do you have any impressive statistics that are
relevant? Is there anything controversial that ties
directly into your subject? The answers to these questions
will help you develop a headline which is ready for
increased pick-up by producers and hosts.

Your headline must communicate the topic of the show
instantly in an eye-catching way. It should not be longer
than 1 sentence and will act as THE sound bite on your
topic. Now that's a lot of weight to put on a single
sentence!

Sometimes to alleviate the weight of the headline, you may
need a sub-head to support it. If your headline gives just
a taste of your show topic, then a sub-head is useful to
explain it further. When someone reads the headline and
sub-head together it should immediately click what the
concept of the show is. Do this correctly and you will
definitely grab some attention!

2. Discussion Topic This is your chance to present a
concise summary of your show topic. It should continue
naturally from the headline to further expand the topic.
The headline gets the attention and the discussion topic
gives the reader more.

The length should be two sentences, tops. This forces you
to present (and think about) your topic in a concise
manner. Again try to tie your topic to current events,
celebrity, or controversy! Don't be worried about
repeating yourself in the different sections of the press
release. After all, you want to get a cohesive point
across! (A great tip: try writing the Topic Summary and
Headline together. It is a great way to save time!)

3. Talking Points/Questions These are an absolute must for
talk radio as they are the shaping tools that guide the
host through your topic. Funnily enough, most times the
host will read directly off of the press release during the
interview. This not only makes them look knowledgeable,
but it saves them heaps of time! So why not have them read
YOUR words?!

Yet again you will need to tie in current events and any
controversy that will stir interest (are you tired of
hearing this yet?). Generally it is good to give no more
than 10 of these conversation shapers. If you do get your
show picked up, the interviews generally last anywhere from
5 to 30 minutes...so concise is a word that you should
familiarize yourself with right now!

Remember: the more interesting the questions - the more
interesting the interview!

4. Topic Overview This is where the traditional press
release that you may have seen before resurfaces. The
reason it only appears now is because in radio you need to
grab their attention quickly, something that the topic
overview doesn't. Keep in mind that you are pitching your
show topic to inundated radio producers and hosts whose
time is very limited. With hundreds of releases hitting
their inbox, the more eye-catching and relevant your
headline is, the more they will read on.

Once you have gained their attention with your eye-catching
headline, topic summary and talking points it is time to
present the full show idea. This is your opportunity to
fully flesh out your topic to position you as an expert on
the topic you are discussing. Do not write a sales piece
here - write your show! Work your name, personal quotes
and product name into the summary. Liberally use the
following to build your topic and profile: statistics,
testimonials, current news facts, professional title (which
is real and honest). Use anything that will interest the
producer, host and in effect THEIR AUDIENCE! Try to limit
this to a page maximum, with an ideal range to be 4-6
paragraphs with around 4 sentences max in each one.

5. Biography Now this is the one element that people tend
to forget, underplay or overplay. THIS IS ABOUT YOU! This
is your chance to position yourself as the expert you are
in order for your show idea to be picked up, with you in
the driver's seat. Use your qualifications, education,
career, relationships, memberships, travel history, how
many dogs you have....etc. Basically use anything that can
help qualify you as an expert on the topic. If you are
writing about religion, anything that you do in your life
that pertains to religion is applicable and increases your
plausibility as an expert on that topic.

A word of warning though: don't sensationalize yourself.
By doing this you will immediately turn-off producers and
hosts. Instead, effectively communicate your achievements
and expertise on the topic that you are presenting. Simply
rehashing your resume with bullet-points is an absolute
"no-no".

Don't Forget! * The goal of a radio press release is to
market you, the expert, and your topic to radio producers
and hosts in order to get booked as a guest on their shows.
All of the sections of the release should support each
other and come together to present a clear view of your
show topic. The best way to get someone to hit the delete
button on your press release is by presenting them with a
disjointed release that does not clearly present the topic
or explain why you are an expert on the topic.

* Be concise at all times. If your release is "top-heavy"
it will be dumped almost immediately, most times without
even a glance. Make sure that the Headline and Topic
Summary sections are top-notch, tight and straight to the
point. With radio you have the freedom to be slightly more
sensational than with print. By having an eye-catching
headline and topic summary you will grab attention, and the
rest of the release will feed it. Don't just go for
eye-catching statements if they do not communicate your
topic. Be clear and get your idea across as best as you
can.

* And guess what? All of this hard work means nothing if
your show topic is flat. Put lots of thought into your
show idea. Think about topics that will appeal to the
masses rather than a small niche market. The broader the
appeal and the more timely the subject matter, the more
interesting you are to radio producers and hosts.

The radio press release is the best marketing tool to get
you onto talk radio shows so you can publicize yourself and
your product. If you take your time developing your topic
and put lots of thought into developing your press release
you can almost guarantee that radio stations nationwide
will start biting! So get writing!

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

Why Buyouts Don't Work - The 7 Deadly Sins

Why Buyouts Don't Work - The 7 Deadly Sins
It might seem like a great idea to buy a company but there
are many pitfalls along the way. Most buyouts of companies
end up failing for the buyer because they ignore these 7
deadly sins.

Make sure you don't fall into these common traps.

1. You pay too much

The most important part of the deal when buying a company
is what you agree to pay when you go in. The reason
private equity works is because they will always seek to
pay the minimum price and they won't even consider looking
at a deal that is overpriced (unless competitive ego gets
in the way).

Don't get into a bidding war. Don't buy into the Seller's
or Broker's stories. Don't pay more than you can afford to
finance. And do negotiate hard and get the lowest price
you can. It's simple common sense but the lower price you
get going in, the more profit you make coming out. That's
just good business.

2. You have no experience in that industry

Sometimes it's great to have a fresh view brought into a
company from another industry. However, if you don't know
the industry then you can easily underestimate timings,
costs, salaries and the competition.

If you're set on entering into a new market then do your
research first and ideally bring along people with
experience in that arena. You may be the exception who
bridges the gap and moves from one industry to another
successfully but that road is littered with the damaged
careers of many who didn't.

3. You skip due diligence

Of course you're cost conscious when you buy a company and
Due Diligence can seem like an awful lot of effort.
However, buying a company without proper Due Diligence is
taking a major risk.

If you buy a car without checking it over then you might
find it has some faults that need additional work. If you
buy a house without a survey you can find serious problems
with damp and subsidence which could cost you a lot to put
right.

If you buy a business without Due Diligence you could be
taking on major liabilities (including tax, NI and VAT) as
well as the potential for insolvency, personal bankruptcy
or even criminal penalties as a director of the company.

There are so many things that can be hidden in the history
of a business and its directors and as a new director you
inherit all those past issues and become responsible and
liable for them.

Always make sure you undertake proper Due Diligence and if
you have any concerns about the company you're buying then
either back out of the deal, get it checked by a lawyer or
structure the deal in a way that protects you.

4. You forget about your own business

It can be very exciting chasing after acquisitions, making
deals and completing a purchase. However, if you forget
about the running of your own business during the 3 to 6
months you'll spend on the acquisition process then you
might not have much to bolt it on to when you've finished.

When you're making an acquisition, you'll often have your
best team members around you (your CFO & COO).
Unfortunately, these can be the key individuals who keep
your business running when you're not around.

It's tough to run a business and an acquisition but you
need to juggle both at the same time otherwise you will
ultimately lose out. It can be a good idea to use more
external resources to help you through the process and free
up some of your time.

5. You ignore the staff and the good ones leave

The process of being acquired can be very unsettling for
employees in the target business and often they are left in
the dark until after the deal is completed. They will know
something is happening as their bosses run around with bits
of paper and panicked expressions and they might deduce
that the outcome will be bad. If they expect to lose their
jobs then they'll start to look for new ones.

Unfortunately this can mean that some of the best staff can
have already lined up new jobs before you acquire the
business. And if they've not been treated well by the
previous management then they may choose to leave soon
after the deal is completed.

Another common issue is the lack of communication which
often occurs after the deal is completed. The staff in the
acquired company are left to wonder what's happening and
given no direction. And it won't take long for the good
ones to find new jobs.

As part of the acquisition process you must find out who
the key employees are and engage with them as soon as you
can (before or after the deal) and keep them enthused and
motivated about the future of the new combined businesses.
If you don't then you'll only have yourself to blame when
you have a new business and no-one decent to run it.

6. You leave the business to fester

Along with a lack of communication after a deal is
completed, the purchasing company often goes back to
focussing on their own business and fails to properly
integrate the business they've acquired.

When the previous owners have sold out, unless they are on
clear incentive programs or earn-outs, they can easily lose
their motivation to keep driving the business forward.
They can decide that it's no longer their issue. It's now
yours and they'll wait to be directed by you. And with
no-one driving the business it won't be long before things
start to slip.

As part of the acquisition process you must create an
integration plan and implement it as soon as possible after
the deal is complete. Make it clear and communicate it
widely. If you don't then every day will see your new
acquisition losing value.

7. You lose the customers to the competition

The customers are often the last to hear when a company is
taken over. But as soon as they do they expect to be
contacted and assured that business will continue as
normal, or even improve.

If you don't communicate with the customers after the deal
they'll assume you don't care about them. And then they'll
go and find someone who does care about them, namely your
competitors.

Many customers will have experienced the chaos that can
ensue after an acquisition with confusion over accounts,
contacts, deliveries and payments. They'll be watching to
see how you handle these things and they'll be acutely
sensitive to the fact that it's your problem and not theirs.

Again, create your integration and communication plans for
customers well before the deal is completed and make sure
you start implementing them immediately.

If you're thinking of buying a company then watch out for
these seven howlers and make sure you protect yourself with
these simple actions.

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

The Brand market place in China

The Brand market place in China
Global marketing brand strategies show effective results,
but in most of cases, they cannot be applied on local
markets...Especially when focusing on the Chinese
environment. China is widely viewed as being one of the
world's fastest growing markets. In pursuing this rapid
economic expansion, Chinese companies have now begun to
recognize the importance of brands, and their development.
Brand capital is one of the key drivers of growth and
wealth in the business world. Creating and managing brands
in China has become a crucial component to success in the
China market. We will try, focusing on example of different
nature, to reach a recipe that both limits the level of
risks that can occur when setting up a brand in China, and
that actually adds value to any kind of business.

In industries going from food retailers to luxury emerging
products such as wine, China's "brand war" is on. We all
are consumers, and as consumers living in cities such as
Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Guangzhou... try to
count the amount of brand communication you are confronted
to, in your daily routine. Bus, subways, taxis, boats,
trains, construction sites, roads... every mean is good to
catch the eye of a potential customer for a glimpse of a
second. May it be global brands or small to medium
enterprises, all have a good card to play in this
advertising game.

Why does localization matter? The answer lies in a unique
combination of market characterists; the product, the
competition, and a few other factors. The rapid and dynamic
pace of the market environment in China since 1978 is well
known. So one could understand the need of topicality when
working on brand management in China. Let's take the KFC
example. In 2007, KFC had just over 1,800 restaurants
serving in China. KFC's overwhelming and unexpected success
was the result of combining the right timing and location
plan, while leveraging their brand's position. We could
also mention their strong organizational implementation
capabilities, and a couple of well planned strategic
"hits". This to point out that, KFC's entry in 1987 was a
success because they did not attract Chinese people with a
custom made American product, but they opted for a more
flexible market approach.

If we now focus on another example, the Henry Wine Estate
based in the U.S, has had trouble launching itself at first
when wanting to export their red wine in China. However
after having requested local expertise, he found that he
hadn't developed his brand in the most "Chinese" effective
way. Wine, as one of China's new luxury products in vogue,
had to be marketed, packaged and branded in a very specific
manner. After having properly invested in that sense
($250,000 efforts with local partners), and having
repositioned its brand to a much higher profile of
customers, they finally managed to build solid foundations,
and quality partnerships. Implementing a comprehensive,
flexible, and localized business strategy seems to be one
answer to Brand relevancy in China.

The right mix is a big question in all big consumer goods
companies (i.e. the balance between what parts should be
global and what parts should be local). For Kodak in China,
new products, quality of products and services, brand,
value propositions and Kodak values are global while retail
concept, advertising, promotion and packaging are
localized. Knowing that when a brand owner seeks to appeal
a new local environment, he creates the risk of losing
previous brand consistency.

As western brands, Chinese brands are amazingly
competitive. Li-Ning's "Anything is possible"(sport brand),
has learned all about large-scale advertising, now
recognized by million of consumers. Lenovo (computer
technology) is one of the top Beijing Olympic sponsors.
Throughout all this excitement around brands in the market
place, we could ask ourselves, which brands will they stay
in the front seat, how long will they stay there, and what
will be the costs of them staying in power?

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

http://www.managechina.com

A Review of Nitro Marketing by Matt Gill & Kevin Wilke

A Review of Nitro Marketing by Matt Gill & Kevin Wilke
Nitro Marketing is a company geared toward affiliate
marketers looking for ways to increase their profit margin.
This company offers the services and tools that are made by
Internet marketers for Internet marketers. They add the
"Nitro Marketing" edge to make your business boom.

The two guys behind Nitro Marketing have a lot of Internet
marketing experience behind them. Together, these two are
an unbeatable team that will sweep the Internet marketing
sector by storm.

Matt Gill has the uncanny ability to think outside the big
box and forecast trends that are up and coming. Matt can
recognize opportunities in the market, then maximize those
results. This is an ability few people actually have.

Before Matt came to Nitro Marketing, he was the E-Commerce
program manager at Allegiance Telecom. Matt was very
instrumental in developing their suite of Internet
services. Domain registration, Internet connectivity and
web hosting were his forte.

Matt is not only an accomplished network marketer,
consultant and business owner, he has a great marketing
mind and possesses a great understanding of administrative
and the technical aspects of conducting successful business
on the Internet.

Kevin Wilke has had a successful marketing career on the
Internet since 1996. Kevin is the master at maximizing
profits and revenue for websites, then putting them all on
autopilot. Kevin knows how to work less and make more
profits.

Several of the top affiliate programs online, respect Kevin
as one of their most profitable affiliates. Kevin is the
founder of PureNetProfits, the first performance based
marketing companies on the Internet.

Nitro marketing will tap you into what is hot right now on
the Internet. They will provide you with the tools and
knowledge that will boost your profits and be successful.

Get connected with Nitro's "What Works NOW - Nitro
Knowledge" newsletter. They will give you updates with all
of the inside scoop of what other big time Internet
marketers are using. All of their closely guarded secrets
of Internet marketing tactics will be revealed. If you wish
to find out what none of the big guys are telling you, it
will be in the Nitro Marketing newsletter.

Nitro Marketing wants to offer all affiliate marketers the
opportunity to join there affiliate program. "The Insiders
Club of Product Launch Partner" is now open.

What makes their affiliate program different than all of
the other programs out there is Lifetime Customers,
residual monthly commissions, large commissions and a
tested, finely tuned marketing system that operates 24/7.

But that's not all! Nitro Marketing also offers over 50
different services and products to pick and chose from, so
you can market any of these from your site. With free sign
up, real-time reporting and tracking, free support, the
monthly newsletter and much more. You don't even need your
own website to join!

When you do join this affiliate program, you are set up
automatically to promote any of Nitro's products and sent
full training instructions with their support.

----------------------------------------------------
Learn the Lemons from the Straight MLM Winners at
http://www.MLMreviewKings.com/leads.html
from Brian Garvin and Jeff West at
http://www.MLMreviewKings.com . This article may be used
royalty free provided Bio & Links remain intact. Copyright
© Mission Billion, Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Falke: German Sock Makers

Falke: German Sock Makers
Falke is a German company that offers a wide variety of
fashion items and products. Over time, Falke has garnered
the reputation of being one of the premier German brands
when it comes to socks, since it was first introduced in
the market in the year 1895. quality cotton socks, wool
socks, and silk socks are the forte of Falke. This German
brand also became one of the first to feature colored socks
and patterned socks in the market. Quality and style are
definitely prioritized. The Falke collection certainly has
its own style, one that no person can mistake for another
brand.

For Falke legwear, the Airport socks make great choices.
These short socks are made of cotton in the inside, and
breathable Merino wool on the outside. The socks come with
hand-finished toes, and are also available in knee-length.
Airport Rib socks are elegant ribbed socks that are made of
the finest cotton in the inside, and Merino wool that is
active-climate on the outside. Because of the socks'
comfort bands and elasthane properties, they are of the
perfect fit for any user. With hand-finished toes that are
free of whatsoever type of pressure, these socks come in a
wide selection of vibrant colors.

Invisible socks are characteristic of the Falke brand with
its Family Step line of socks. These socks have been
tailored to fit elegant shoes while giving feet utmost
protection with their anti-slip system.. The socks are
invisible in appearance as well.

Wearing socks at home can also be done with Falke homepads.
These casual socks are made from a Merino blend that is
hard-wearing, with non-slip textured soles. The soles come
with reinforced nubs as well, which are perfect for the
main stress zones of the feet.

Falke has also gone beyond producing socks. Knitwear, for
instance, has been added to the Falke collection of clothes
in the market. For knitwear, modern classic fashion is
available to suit anyone's taste, as well as individual
collector's items. As for accessories, Falke provides the
optimum quality with their basic caps, gloves, and scarves.
The classical and elegant appearance of these accessories
comes with trendy colours that can set off the fashion
world in an instant. These accessories are also made of the
finest in Merino wool. There are also that come with braid
patterns, perfect for the country winter season. These
braid patterns are perfect for both classic and sporty
outfits.

With the wider range of products, Falke is certainly one of
the leading brands in the fashion industry these days.

----------------------------------------------------
Paul Beckett a socks retailer who owns KJ Beckett,
specialists in luxury accessories for men. Purchase men's
socks from leading designers including Pringle of Scotland,
Ted Baker, Richard James, Falke and many other labels. View
more at:
http://www.kjbeckett.com/acatalog/menssocks_p10.html KJ
Beckett is based in Bath, England.

2008 Work at home opportunities for moms

2008 Work at home opportunities for moms
What do women really want when it comes to earning money in
order for them to help their husbands pay of their bills,
mortgage, food, electricity, phone, and other things that
needs to be paid.

Many women are looking into a home based business
opportunity where they can actually stay at home with their
kids, get rid of their current jobs, and work for
themselves from the comfort of their home. Many even turn
to the Internet to find work at home opportunities that are
great for moms.

There are many types of businesses and online opportunities
available such as Data Entry income programs, Rebate
processing opportunities, Online Paid Surveys, and Online
Type At Home positions.

If you are.....

* A professional working woman who is sick of working in
the corporate world.

* A Stay at Home mom who wants to create additional income.

* A mom that wants to stay at home with her kids.

* A retired woman who wants to make some additional income
for fun.

* A mom who wants to be home when the kids come from school.

* A woman who already has a existing business offline but
wants to earn money online too.

You can find at home Internet opportunities to be
successful and earn some extra money on the web. Any women
who has the burning desire to make money online can do it.

I myself have researched many work at home opportunities
online for moms, dads, and just regular people and found
that while many are good programs to join, many are also so
called scams. Not every program will be good for you.
While some opportunities may work for some, it may not work
for others. You need to find what's right for you.

I mentioned in the last paragraph that many wok at home
online opportunities for moms that are out there are flat
out scams. Some of these programs will promise to teach you
to earn money online from home, but right after they get
your money, they just disappear from the face of the earth.
Your money is lost and there is no way to get it back.

What I would suggest is to go to a search engine and do a
search for "working at home". The first 2 or 3 websites
that come up, take a look at what online opportunities they
are offering on their sites. When you do find 1-2 good and
honest programs that you like, it will not hurt to do some
research on them and see how good they really are. You can
usually get some great info about these programs at work at
home forums.

Another thing that you can do is to find a friend, a
neighbor, a family member, or even a friend's friend that
makes money online and ask them for help. If they are
making good money from home, the best way is to see and
learn what they are doing. If you can get someone in your
circle of friends or family to show you how to earning
money online, this is the best way to go.

Then once you find out that 1 or 2 of these programs are
good, you can actually take action simultaneously and learn
how to earn multiple streams of Internet income.

So take action, do some research, and start to enjoy
working from the comfort of your home. Work the hours you
want. Do what ever you want to do. Be your own BOSS and
live life to its fullest.

----------------------------------------------------
Tal Fighel is inviting you to visit his 2008 Work at home
opportunities for moms article at:
http://www.work-at-home-income-directory.com/2008-Work-at-ho
me-opportunities-for-moms.html Or you can visit his work at
home directory where he is offering legitimate and honest
work at home opportunities for moms and dads too:
http://www.work-at-home-income-directory.com

The Perfect Argument - The True Secret to Winning!

The Perfect Argument - The True Secret to Winning!
Everyone around us was waiting with baited breath, leaning
forward in their seats, watching as if to see if the lions
would eat the gladiators in the arena.

Well, it was actually a more modern version of that moment
- A presenter at a conference posed an offer and a
challenge.

"Who wants to win $200?"

Two contenders stepped up briskly and were seated across
from each other at the table.

"Are you familiar with arm wrestling? Yes? So here's the
challenge. I'm giving you 20 seconds to get the other guy's
arm down on that table and if you do I'll give you 200
bucks. Ready? Go!"

And the fists clenched, muscles seized and the hooting and
hollering started immediately... They had every intention
of making sure the $200 was their own.

That moment was very like the ones that go on in offices,
school hallways, and homes every day.

A challenge is posed. Two people who are sure they're going
after different sides of a 'win/loose' battle have every
ounce of energy poised. And everyone else leaps to take
spectator seats, reinforcing the strategizing and
maneuvering and battling.

As I watched I leaned over to the woman next to me and said
out of the corner of my mouth "They ought to go for broke!"

"What?"

While adrenaline fed the clenched fists, frozen arms and
straining necks at the front of the room, I said... well,
I'll get back to that in a second.

How many times a day do you get to watch a discussion turn
into a battle over who will win?

At one of my clients, a manufacturer of industrial
machinery, battle broke out between the head of Accounting
and the head of Sales. A string of emails flashed back and
forth for a month, each one longer, more heated and
accusatory. And the President of the company was cc'd on
the series after weeks of this going on.

"What do I do with this?" he asked me, tossing me page
after page of print.

"Change the conversation." I said.

"What?"

I'm asked that a lot.

"If you read the emails, each of them is insisting that
their stand is the company policy. Your head of Sales says
she struck a unique agreement with a new distributor in
order to open the market in the northeast for your product,
ahead of the competition. She's guaranteed them commission
payouts every 15 days. Your head of Accounting says payout
on that schedule is against company policy and she won't do
it. Are they both correct in their perspectives at this
moment?"

"Yes."

"Then change their conversation from competing to see who
can forcibly win an argument, to HOW might this situation
be addressed so that the company succeeds."

And the 3 of them sat down and in 6 minutes had ironed out
their solution.

Don't tell me "But Linda, that's obvious! It's common
sense!"

Life and business are about habits and adrenaline more
often than they're about common sense. I bet you could list
at least 4 disagreements you overheard, or even
participated in this past week.

Because no one started with the question "What could
success look like in this situation?" and they certainly
seldom pose the question with the other party at the table
to join in.

When you look at the clenched fists of arm wrestlers,
they're identical to the joined hands of agreement. The
only difference is the intention - to win over the other
person, or to create joint success.

How do I know? Well in addition to the tens, or is it
hundreds of times I've helped clients shift their
conversation and their results, I did it there and then in
the room.

"He said 200 bucks for getting the arm on the table. He
didn't put any limit on how many times. Work fast and work
together and everyone wins."

She grinned.

And at the 20-second mark both their arms were still in the
air.

The presenter grinned and said "Anyone else want to try?"
And I grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the table and
headed for the front of the room.

As we sat ourselves down, he said "I want to up the ante
here." Before he went any further I asked "Is that the
total limitation - arm touches the table top within the 20
seconds?"

"Yep, but this time, it's for a 45-hour 15 week $2,997
course with me!"

I confess.

We both smirked. I looked her in the eye and with a faint
side-to-side wiggle of my head quietly said "Fast and easy!"

"Ready? Go!"

Remember... 15 emails for 4 weeks and lots of anger...
versus 6 minutes and a solution?

Well, $5,996 in under 3 seconds.

That's what we created before the rest of the room had a
chance to start rooting. Both of our arms were down on the
tabletop within the first 3 seconds, and then we relaxed
and easily did it another couple of times while looking up
at him as the 20 seconds expired.

Hands in the same position as the combatants, the
difference was in the intention.

What is your intention? What is the success you're focused
on creating?

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

Leaders: Are You Accidentally Sabotaging Your Team?

Leaders: Are You Accidentally Sabotaging Your Team?
Let's take a look at a familiar team scenario:

You've assembled an exceptional team for an upcoming
project, and spent time and money choosing members based on
their experience, personalities, and skills pertaining to
the job at hand. You know you have the talent to get the
job done, so there is no doubt that everyone on the team is
able to make a solid contribution.

Except, very little seems to be getting accomplished.
Communication is minimal, team motivation is meager, and
strategy sessions are like pulling teeth. In fact, no one
even wants to look you in the eye.

You, as the leader, are very perplexed. These are the very
same people who, last quarter, put together and executed a
very impressive project. Their project manager gave them a
great recommendation. So what's so different about this
project? Why isn't the team motivated? Maybe they are tired
because they worked so hard last quarter. Maybe they are
sick of each other.

The main thing that's changed for this high performing team
is their leader and his or her leadership style. Your
leadership style is your approach for interacting or
working with your team, and it can make or break the
results you're after.

What's Your Leadership Style?

The wrong leadership style can easily become a threat to
your team's motivation and success. So what's the right
leadership style?

When you're working within a team environment, the leader
should take on more of a coaching role with experienced
team members. Unfortunately, new or less experienced
leaders often try to take charge or apply a very powerful
approach.

Those leaders who overpower their teams can create
unnecessary fear, interpersonal conflicts, and an overall
feeling in the team that the contributions of individual
members do not matter. This can lead to low productivity,
lousy morale, and wasted time and money. Ouch.

Quickly Get Your Team Up To Speed

Begin to lead successful teams and reap all the benefits
that high performing teams have to offer by developing a
leadership style that is both motivating and supportive to
your team.

Six Team Leadership Tips For Management Success

1. Assess whether or not a team leader is even needed
before one is assigned. Sometimes the team can self-manage
the project.

2. Participate but don't take over. Let the team work out
the planning and strategy details together.

3. Keep in mind, the one who speaks the most in team
meetings is perceived as the leader. Give all members the
opportunity to contribute.

4. Train the team together when possible to build
camaraderie and a shared understanding. Train along side
them to build rapport.

5. When appropriate and with notice, be unavailable for a
team meeting or presentation. When done right, this lets
the team know you trust them.

6. Ask your team for feedback on how they think the project
is going. Give them the control they need to present and
implement alternative approaches.

Leading High Performance Teams begins with a strategic
action plan for the right team culture.

My Suggestion: Start with examining your own leadership
style, and then put an action plan in place to align your
approach with the results you're after.

The Big Message here is to really assess where you are and
determine what changes you need to make to take your team
and business to the next level.

----------------------------------------------------
Diana Keith, owner of M-Level Systems Consulting and
Business Psychologist, works with leaders and their teams
to increase Innovation, Morale, and Productivity. Get your
Free Strategy Guide For Success
http://www.mlevelsystems.com at her website.

Painting Business - How To Move Anywhere in the USA and Find Instant Painting Business Profits

Painting Business - How To Move Anywhere in the USA and Find Instant Painting Business Profits
Do you ever get tired of the area you live in? Have you
been thinking about moving to another state lately? What if
you could move to a nice quiet town or a warmer climate?

If this is the case, I have some tips listed below for
finding the best places to move and how to find income when
you get there.

I used to think that if I ever got tired of living in
cloudy, cold Michigan that it would be hard to relocate
somewhere else. I thought this because all my painting
customers are in the Kalamazoo area of Michigan.

But today, I realize that this not true. As a matter of
fact, I know that I could move close to any large city and
start getting painting business within 7 days and possibly
24 - 48 hours.

Because of being a house painter so long, (since 1991) and
the marketing methods I use, I can be up and running
instantly just about anywhere. All I would need is access
to a paint store and just a few other small resources.

Having your own service business, especially your own
painting business can give you financial security and
stability. It can even make you quite wealthy. Plus,
service-type businesses are needed all across the country.

Here are 6 things you would need to be successful in your
painting business if you wanted to relocate say, to a sunny
and warmer climate:

1.) a dependable vehicle - it doesn't have to be fancy. It
can even be a car. I worked out of my car when I first
started my painting business.

2.) a few painting tools - a step ladder, a small extension
ladder and a few other basic painting tools like a
fluorescent painting light, a roller, a paint pole, a
roller bucket, a few brushes, a few drop cloths, a work
radio, etc.

3.) a paint store - somewhere you can get quality paint,
buy painting tools, establish credit, etc.

4.) possibly a helper - If you have a buddy to help you
turn your jobs you can make just as much money twice as
fast. Many painters do work on their own though.

5.) good information on estimating and advertising - here
is the kicker. If you have had previous painting experience
but are unsure about how to bid or how to drum up business
on a low budget, you will need some good information from a
reputable source (i.e. a successful painting business
owner). Good estimating knowledge will pay for itself over
and over again.

6.) a cell phone - now days you don't need a land line
anymore. You can use your cell phone and voice mail to
receive customer calls. This is nice because you don't have
to be home to answer the phone. You can be on the job or
lying on the beach somewhere and still get your calls or
messages.

That is all that is really needed to live anywhere you want
in the USA and to have permanent cash flow for life. So if
you get the 7-year itch or whatever that means, and need a
fresh start, there you have it - a solid plan for
financial success wherever you want to go.

The only thing left to do is to figure out where you would
like to relocate to. A good way to find out where the best
places are to live is to visit some chat rooms or forums
online. Talk to others to find out what states are the best
to live in. Economically, Minnesota was rated number one
last time I checked, but who would want to live there?
That's colder than Michigan!

----------------------------------------------------
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