۞Examining your corporate culture: Are you a good influence?

Here are two definitions of corporate culture. (1) The body of beliefs, values, norms, rules of conduct, ethics, history, stories, heroes and heroines, rituals, and other symbolic activities that provide meaning to the people of the company about the organization as a whole (American Management Association). (2) The way we do things around here (the definition for non-MBAs). GMs can influence the culture of the entire company. Sales Managers have the ability to influence the micro-cultures of their departments. Here are seven components of corporate culture you can influence. 1) Practices If the message you want to send is, "We want to keep good people here longer," look at your practices. Celebrating length of service (or not) is a practice. Celebrating company birthdays and giving an increasingly nicer present as the years go by tells employees that length of service means something. Awarding an extra week of vacation after five years of service is another practice to consider. 2) Myths Your ability to influence the stories that are told to new employees is part of the process of setting the culture. Making sure that they understand something of the history and influence of the company in the market helps you create a semblance of stability in a whirlwind of change. 3) Ceremonies GMs can use meetings or speeches to communicate vision and values, and celebrate team efforts, or not. You have a choice. Taking time to celebrate first or big orders is one example of a ceremony. 4) Symbols How you distribute perks, titles, and even office furnishings influences the culture. Something as simple as a special parking place for the employee of the month sends a message. So does having special executive parking places closer to the building than the rest of the troops. Do you want to send the message that power has its privileges or that the first person to get to work gets the best space? 5) Power Be aware that power and how it's used influences culture. Managers tend to use position power. Their attitude is, "I'm the boss, so do what I say." Leaders tend to use more personal power. They use the word "because" a lot. Leaders work to increase understanding and share information. How you use power as an executive generally passes down the line. 6) Systems There are hard and soft systems, complex and simple ones. Hard systems include computers and other technology. Soft systems include meetings and committees. All are designed to get work done. Consider your company's communications, paperwork, and customer service systems (if applicable), even systems for earning promotions and pay increases. How simple or complex these are will shape your culture. Your company has a culture whether you choose to influence it or not. As the boss, you have a tremendous opportunity to influence the culture of your company. A strong culture can help you get superior performance out of average people. Spending time to influence "the way we do things around here" is a profitable investment of management time.
۞How to Quickly Put Together A Written Presentation

Making the company's sales advantages easier to comprehend is perhaps the most compelling reason companies are turning to the written sales presentation. For all their advantages, there are also many disadvantages. One of them: The presentation may be too long and clients won't read all of it. Also some executives question the time it takes by both sales and clerical employees to put it together. Now, an easier, but equally effective way is emerging. It's the "Six Page" written presentation- it may be a few more pages or one or two less. This approach is well worth studying and is not costly to produce either in time or money. Here's how it works. The company's written presentation includes six points: 1.The salesperson's understanding of the prospect's business. 2.The salesperson's acknowledgement of a similar product the client may be using currently. 3.The discovery of a problem the potential client can solve using your product in general and with your company specifically in mind. 4.The proposal in written form. 5.The proposed schedule with start and stop dates. 6.Summary and closing question. Written presentations can be an outline of points the salesperson wants to cover. Obviously, it has to be custom-written. There is no room here for preprinted or "canned" material. Write or type key points to be covered in outline form. By using key words or short phrases, salespeople can control eye contact with the potential client. It is not necessary to start the presentation with page one. What matters is that there is something in black and white (and sometimes color) to make the concept more visual. By using an outline, the salesperson can depart from the presentation to field a question and then return to the outline without missing a beat. Some salespeople resist using a written presentation because they feel more comfortable "winging it". These may be the very salespeople who turn in erratic performances. The prepared salesperson would likely welcome any tool that helps him or her present the company's products in the best light. Writing the sales presentation is good for the sales executive. It requires discipline to think of these six basic areas. It requires precise thought as to the client's needs. It helps eliminate "briefcase stuffing" where account execs, on their way to an appointment, pick up a business card, personality profile, product information sheets, and other leave-behinds and stuff these in their briefcases for the hastily prepared presentation. A lot is gained when a prospective client thinks "Nobody else works this hard for my business". The secret: It's not working hard, it's working smart.

۞Getting Started With Twitter

Twitter is fast becoming one of the more popular methods for communicating online and has a large number of loyal followers who stick with it despite the growing pains and competitors. While this article won't cover everything possible with Twitter, it will give you a good starting point on how to start using it and how you can use it for your business.What Is This Twitter You Speak Of?So what is Twitter and how can it be of benefit to you or your business? Twitter is a free online micro-blogging application which gives you the ability to send out short messages (up to 140 characters) called "tweets" to people who are following you on Twitter.
You can send tweets either through your computer or by using your cell phone via a text message. These tweets/messages can be about anything you want and they can include links, as well.Making Twitter even more useful is the ability to send a direct message to someone you are following (this is done by entering @username at the beginning of your message) or replying to someone's tweet with your tweet. You would be surprised how common it is to reply to someone's message then to have someone who is either following you or the person you sent the reply to reply to your initial message and so on. People can follow you and your tweets by first signing-up for their own free Twitter account at the Twitter site then adding you to their líst of people they are following. Once you have created your account, you can either check your Twitter page (your personal page which appears after you sign-in at the Twitter home page) for any of your friends' new messages or you can send out your messages. But it is much easier, in my opinion, to use one of the many online or desktop applications which give you the ability to do all of this and more.Twitter As A Communication ToolTwitter is a quick and easy way to communicate with family, friends, business associates, and also within a company setting. Being an online service, Twitter is available to anyone with online access. All you have to do is login to your account through any number of third-party applications developed for Twitter or through the Twitter site and you are ready to go.Within a company setting, employees could have a Twitter account created for them with the option to have their messages protected. This means only people they (or you or the person in charge of creating the Twitter accounts) approve will be able to send and receive messages from them. The same thing could be done using an instant message program but with Twitter, there would be no software to install and it would be accessible from anywhere with an online connection. Additionally, the person who is in charge of the Twitter accounts will have the power to control who is and who isn't part of this private Twitter network.
Even though there are tons of online communication applications available, Twitter can also be used as a way for people who are collaborating on a project to stay in touch with one another regardless of where they are. And depending on which third-party application they are using to Twitter with, these conversations can be saved for future reference. There are even some third-party apps which you can use to send files up to 10MB to anyone you are following as long as they are using the same application, that is. Still, a handy feature to have and one which may become a feature of Twitter if there's a big enough demand for it.Marketing With TwitterHerein lies the great thing about Twitter from a business perspective: the marketing potential it offers users. Sure, it is great to send messages and chat using Twitter, but it can also be a great marketing tool if used correctly. Have some breaking news you want to get out quickly? Send it out as a Tweet. Made an important update to your blog or web site? Let people know about it instantly with a Tweet.Want to promote your project, book, movie, whatever by giving away a free download or preview? Send out a Tweet with a URL to the free download. Only want to market something to certain individuals you are following? Simply enter their username preceded by the "@" and you are set.Another simple marketing tool available with Twitter is the ability to befriend people who are following someone you already follow. While this practice could backfire on you if you begin to add everyone you find following someone you are following, be picky and just befriend those who either share similar tastes that you do or work in the same field as you or already follow many of the same people you do. Otherwise, you could come off as a spammer which will be a hard image to shake.Twitter Now And BeyondTwitter represents a fundamental change in the way people communicate online. There have always been instant messengers and they have their place and purpose but they don't provide the one thing which sets Twitter apart and that is the ability to instantly communicate with either a couple of people or potentially thousands without the need for proprietary software. No need to download this piece of software in order to communicate with this person or that organization. Much like how blogging has become a staple of today's society, Twitter and "twittering" is on the same path to becoming ingrained in today's culture despite only being around for less than two years. So simple in its execution, powerful in the marketing opportunities it offers, and ease of use, Twitter will be one of the top web technologies to gain worldwide prominence in 2009.
۞Can use PPC to drive traffic

You’ve heard of landing pages as we’ve spent considerable time discussing them here at the Pay Per Click Journal Blog. You know that a well-optimized landing page coupled with a well-optimized PPC ad that is focused on driving traffic to a well-converting page will lead to great rewards. But what about your blog? Is PPC a good tool for driving traffic to a website that changes every day?
Well, first, you must ask what is the monetization plan. You can use pay per click advertising to drive traffic anywhere. But if you expect to realize a profit and see some ROI from your efforts, you’ve got to have a monetization plan in place.
There are, of course, more than one way to monetize a blog. Your blog could be a membership site like Brian Clarks. Or you may offer a free download wherein you make your sales offers, or build an opt-in list that allows you to follow up with future marketing messages. All of those OK monetization plans, though not the only ones. The bottom line when it comes to PPC advertising is to have a plan for monetization and make that plan work for you.

۞How to Ensure You Never Hear "I Don't Need That"

Greetings! I saw that just yesterday, real estate company Century 21 decided to quit producing and running TV ads. They were usually entertaining, and I'll miss them. One of my favorites was a humorous piece that illustrated a great a great sales point. A real estate agent is showing a couple a house. He pulls in a driveway of one that looks exactly like the 20 others on the block and says "How about this one?" The wife says, "We said no ranches." He backs out of the driveway and pulls into one directly across the street. "This is more of a Colonial-inspired ranch." "No ranches," they respond in unison. So he then drives them across the street again to another identical house: "Well, this is a Tudor-inspired ranch." "NO!" the husband shrieks. At that point the narrator comes on and states "Century 21's Pledge Point #13: Century 21 agents will show only the houses you want to see. Wow, what a novel concept, I say with my tongue firmly planted in cheek. Why in the world wouldn't that be the first thing that all new agents hear? "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to sales training. Our first point: show only homes that people want to see. Thank you and go get 'em." Matter of fact, it should be one of the first things ANY new sales reps hears: talk only about what prospects or customers are interested in. There you go. Follow that point. Live it. Make it an ironclad rule. It will reduce or eliminate objections. Matter of fact, one thing you should never hear is "We don't need that." Here are specific action items to help you avoid hearing the "We don't need it" objection. Have a "Needs" Mindset Never begin a call, or the planning of a call, from a product/service presentation perspective. Such as "I'm going to call today to present our new product line to customers." Instead, adopt the mindset of "What needs, problems, and desires must my customers be aware of in order for our new product line to be of value?" Take your product/service benefits and results and define what needs or problems must exist before the benefits truly would be of value. Then create questions you'll ask. For example, a sorter/collator attachment for the prospect's copy machine would only be of value if, 1) they don't have one already; 2) they have-or anticipate-copy jobs that require sorting and collating; and, 3) they're doing it manually and it's taking the time of a person who could be doing something else, or they want to prevent that from occurring. Embellish their Needs and Problems The hungrier someone is, the better that scrumptious dish sounds, and the more desirous they become. You enhance their hunger with your questions so that when they hear your presentation, they're listening from an open, receptive, salivating state of mind. This is the key to helping them want to buy instead of selling them. Using the sorting and collating attachment example mentioned above, taking point 3, where the company had a person performing the tasks manually, embellishment questions would include, "How much time are they spending?" "What does that cost in terms of labor?" "What other things could they be doing?" Recommend AFTER Questioning Only present after you've identified their needs, problems, and potential gains they desire. Make this an unbendable rule! It's here that you ensure you won't hear the "Don't need it" objection. Get Information Before You Give It I define a "pushy" salesperson as one who presents something a person doesn't want or need. Asking the questions first eliminates that possibility. Know When to Leave In some cases you'll come up empty in the needs department. In that case, don't hesitate letting go without a time-wasting presentation that would only create objections. You might, however, want to ask one more catch-all question to drag your net through the sea to catch anything you might have missed: "Joe I'm not sure if what I have would be of any value to you. Could you see any possible circumstances changing where you would be expanding your assembly line?" Again, a simple concept: talk about only what they have interest in. It's the difference between "pitching," and giving someone what they want. And it's simple to understand which approach works better. *About the Author: Art Sobczak works with thousands of sales reps each year helping them get more business by phone. He provides real world, how-to ideas and techniques that help salespeople use the phone more effectively.

ۺ Setting Up a "Venture" Limited Liability Company The Right Way

"Three friends and I are going off on our own to set up an information technology consulting business. We want to form a limited liability company for this business, but we want it to be flexible enough that we can grow and attract venture capital investors. What are some of the things we should be thinking about legally?" Limited liability companies (LLCs) are very easy to set up when there are only one or two people involved in the business, or the business is not likely to grow rapidly (for example, a family owned retail or service business). When people who aren't related and don't know each other very well go into business together, things get a bit more complicated. Here are some of the things you and your friends should discuss before committing to this venture: Who Will Own This Business? Right off the bat I see a problem -- there are four of you. If you divvy up the LLC ownership equally, you're setting up a situation where if two of you want to "zig" and the other two want to "zag," the LLC cannot function. We lawyers call that "deadlock." Try to divide up the equity so that one or two of you own 51 percent or more of the LLC ownership shares (called "membership interests"). Who Will Run This Business? You should consider forming a "board of managers" to run the LLC business, similar to a corporation's board of directors. Three of you should serve as the "managers" of the business to avoid "deadlock" situations. So the fourth person won't feel left out, you can add a "supermajority voting" clause to your LLC Operating Agreement (similar to a partnership agreement) requiring that the four LLC owners unanimously approve major decisions affecting the LLC business (such as the admission of a new member, a merger or acquisition, or investments over a certain dollar amount). Your lawyer can provide you with a list of common matters that are covered in a "supermajority voting" clause. Capital Contributions. At some point, your LLC will need additional infusions of cash. If you do not make these "pro rata" (in proportion to your respective LLC ownership percentages), then your percentage ownership of the LLC will change depending on the amount actually contributed by each member. To keep this from happening, consider a clause in your LLC Operating Agreement requiring that any additional infusions of cash be made in the form of "loans" -- that way if one or more members cannot pay their fair share, the others can make up for it without changing the ownership of the LLC. Compensation. Since all of you will be working in the business, you will want to make withdrawals from the LLC checking account from time to time to pay your living expenses (called "draws"). Work out a formula now as to how each of you will take "draws," or put a provision in your LLC Operating Agreement requiring the members to vote unanimously on "draws" each month. Voluntary Withdrawal. If one of you has trouble meeting his obligations to the LLC, or comes under family pressure to "get a day job" if the LLC business isn't providing him with a decent living, you will have to figure out a way for him to "withdraw" from the LLC. You should agree to pay him fair compensation for his LLC ownership interest if he withdraws, but make sure (1) the LLC pays him over a period of five to 10 years so as not to burden the LLC's cash flow, and (2) he or she is bound by a noncompete clause not to steal business from the LLC or otherwise compete unfairly with the remaining members. Involuntary Withdrawal. If one of you dies, becomes disabled, is divorced from his or her spouse or files for bankruptcy, there's a chance a "stranger" will end up owning a piece of the LLC. Have your attorney draw up a "buy-sell" agreement requiring the LLC to purchase the ownership interest of any member who dies or becomes disabled, or any person who acquires a piece of the LLC in a divorce or bankruptcy proceeding. As soon as possible after you form the LLC, the LLC should purchase "key person" life insurance and "disability buyout insurance" on each of the four owners (or those owners without whom the business couldn't function). That way, if one of you dies or becomes disabled, the proceeds of the insurance policy can be used to purchase his or her ownership interest without impairing the LLC's cash flow. Watch Out for Noncompetes. Since it appears some or all of you are leaving "day jobs" to start this new business, make sure you haven't signed any "noncompete" or similar agreements with your current employer. Even if you haven't, try to avoid contacting your employer's customers, suppliers or employees for at least a year after you start the new business. Cliff Ennico (cennico@legalcareer.com) is a syndicated columnist, author and former host of the PBS television series "Money Hunt." This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com.
ۺThe Way It Was
In 1927 in Savannah, Ga., an insurance executive also involved in real estate put together 500 stockholders to start his company. Everything was on the up and up; it looked like a good venture: He was honest and hard-working and had real ability. But a little thing happened one day on the way to the top -- the market crashed, and the gentleman not only lost all of his money but something like $300,000 of his friends' and stockholders' money. Not too long after that, unfortunately, he passed away. He left behind a young son named Johnny, and Johnny determined that he was going to repay every stockholder to honor his dad and the commitments he had made to those stockholders. It would be safe to say that virtually none of those people expected to be repaid. They understood that it was an investment, a gamble, and certainly, they understood the Depression. However, the young son was convinced that honor was the most priceless possession his family had and that integrity was a way of life. Twenty-seven years later, in 1955, Johnny Mercer paid the last penny that was owed. Some of you "old-timers" will recognize the name. He was a songwriter and orchestra leader. His best-known song was "Accentuate the Positive, Eliminate the Negative, and Don't Mess With Mr. Inbetween." For Johnny Mercer, there was no "in between." You did what was right and that was it. Period. Although the details are somewhat sketchy, I have an idea that many of his friends, undoubtedly his banker, certainly the stockbrokers and chances are good his attorneys, perhaps even his preacher, were saying, "Johnny, it's a noble effort, but it's not necessary." He felt that it was. Take Johnny Mercer's approach to integrity, and I'll see you at the top!
This One Took Courage One of the most courageous stories in the penal world is that of Captain Pillsbury, the warden at Wethersfield Prison in Connecticut. One day, he was informed that a desperate inmate had sworn to "bump him off." When you get that kind of message, you do not take it lightly. Fortunately, Captain Pillsbury knew that this convict had served as a barber in his youth, so he promptly sent for him. When the inmate walked into his office, Captain Pillsbury said, as he was eyeing him keenly, "I want you to shave me." He gave him a razor and pointed to the chair. The two men were alone. As the prisoner accepted the razor, his face beaded with perspiration and his hand started shaking violently. He was unable to proceed until the warden said to him: "You know, John, some of the fellows here think you and I are enemies, but I know we are friends. I know I can trust you, and so I decided to prove it to the other boys. This ought to satisfy them, shouldn't it?" At that point, the inmate broke down, confessed his intention, grabbed the warden's hand and swore his devotion. Then, he gave the warden the best shave of his life. Chances are good that most of us would not have taken that step of faith. However, Captain Pillsbury knew that all of us like to be treated with trust and respect. Perhaps this gesture alone saved his life, because from that point on, this inmate would do nothing that would harm the warden who had trusted him. Yes, trust is an important factor in our everyday life. There are no successful marriages without trust. The employer/employee relationship involves trust. Actually, everything of value we do begins with trust, and when you trust yourself, you learn to trust others. Learn to trust, and I'll see you at the top! To find out more about Zig Ziglar and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. Subscribe to Zig Ziglar's free e-mail newsletter through info@zigziglar.com. ۺSome Surefire Survival Strategies For Tough Times
No doubt about it -- it's getting pretty scary out there. People are cutting back on expenses, doing more things themselves that they used to "outsource" to small businesses like yours, and slowing down their payments for your products and services. In an economy like this one, survival is all about cash flow. Keep a positive cash flow at all times, and you will make it through the tough years to come. While cutting costs will help you maintain a positive cash flow, at least for a while, sooner or later you run out of things to cut. The tougher, but longer term, way to maintain your cash flow is to do everything you can (short of selling below cost) to keep business flowing in the door. I recently conducted a very informal (and very unscientific) poll of some local small businesses to find out what they were doing to cope with the current economy. Here are some of the survival strategies they've come up with -- not only do they seem to be working, but some of these businesses are actually growing! Strategy No. 1: Don't Be Too Picky About the Work You Take On. A couple of weeks ago, I had a plumber over to my house to fix a leaking faucet in one of our bathtubs, and I asked him how his business was doing. "Well, it's tough, but we're managing," he said. "There's no construction work being done right now, so we're not doing any big jobs. But there are lots of little, 'emergency type' jobs out there, and we're doing OK with those -- you are my fifth call today." You can make money doing a few big jobs. You can also make money doing lots of little ones. Since the little jobs require less money, people are more likely to pay to have them done, especially if they're "emergencies." Strategy No. 2: Find the "Dirty Jobs" People Are Still Willing to Pay For. I've always said that succeeding in a service business is a two-step process: (1) find a dirty job that no one likes to do but has to get done; and (2) charge lots of money for doing it. The same process applies in difficult times, except that if the job isn't really all that dirty (mowing the lawn, for example), people will start doing it themselves. You've got to find the really filthy jobs people will still pay others to do for them. Here are some local businesses that are not only surviving but growing right now, to give you some ideas: -- "pooper scooper" services that come to your home and clean up after your large, vicious dog; -- "water damage" services that clean up your basement after you've had a flood; -- tax return preparation services; -- home health care aides for elderly people; and -- automobile service stations that specialize in one or two popular makes or models (so as to compete more effectively with the auto dealerships' service departments). Strategy No. 3: Turn Your Customers Into a "Family." Lois Mirabella of Mirabella Miniatures in Fairfield, Ct., (www.miniaturecorner.com/retailers/ct.htm) sells dollhouses, dollhouse furniture and miniature reproductions of household objects. In an economy like this one, you would think her store is failing, especially since she doesn't have a website or a presence on eBay. But you would be wrong. Her store is always packed with customers who come from all over New England to check out her merchandise. What's the key to her success? "I treat each of my customers as if they were family," Mirabella explains. "With this economy, people want hobbies they can do as a family, and dollhouses are perfect for that." But it's not just a question of increased demand: Mirabella keeps detailed track of each item her customers purchase, calls them on the telephone (no e-mail, because "it's too cold") when she receives new items she knows they will be interested in, introduces her customers to other customers with similar interests, and hosts "events" at her store where customers can meet the craftspeople who make their favorite miniatures. Create a "community" where none currently exists -- it's easy to say "no" to a vendor, but it's a lot tougher to say "no" to a friend. Strategy No. 4: Convert Your "Luxury" Products Into Affordable "Splurges." A French gourmet restaurant saw a sudden downturn in business earlier this year. Rather than shut down, they downscaled their entire menu, losing their $50 entrees and offering "bistro fare" at $15 to $20, along with an expanded wine-by-the-glass selection and "appetizer size" portions of their traditional gourmet fare. Most of the lost business came back, and they are picking up new customers who wouldn't have considered eating there under their old business model. One of the greatest ways to keep your customers in tough times is to convince them they do not have to give up entirely the luxuries they love as long as they (ahem) "control their portions," and that your business will help them do just that. Cliff Ennico (cennico@legalcareer.com) is a syndicated columnist, author and former host of the PBS television series "Money Hunt." This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com.
ۼWhen Selling a Business, Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be . . .
"Last year, we sold our small-sized, family business corporation to two individuals. The deal was that they each pay us half of the purchase price for the business and get equal 50 percent ownership. While the first person paid his share all in cash, the second person chose to pay his share in 10 monthly installments. The year passed by, and he (the second person) did not pay a penny. Now, the new owners aren't talking to each other -- they can't agree on even basic business transactions. Unfortunately, the first person can't get out because he personally guaranteed the retail lease for the business. The second person has a poor credit score, due to a prior bankruptcy, so the second person can't put the lease in his own name. It feels like we are stuck. What are the available options to solve these disputes?" Let's take this one step at a time. First, if I understand your e-mail correctly, you sold your business to the two individuals, not to a corporation or a limited liability company (LLC). This means that they purchased the business as a partnership, which means that they have "joint and several liability" for the purchase price and all other partnership debts. In plain English, each partner is liable for the whole purchase price (not just the amount he paid you at the closing), and you can pursue either or both of them if payment is not made. Clearly, the second person is at fault for not paying his share of the purchase price. But you have every legal right to collect the entire balance of the purchase price due from the first person, or from both partners, unless you promised the first person in writing you wouldn't do that. The first person can then bring a legal action against his partner seeking reimbursement for his share of the purchase price -- lawyers call that a "contribution and indemnity suit." Given the second person's poor financial condition, the suit probably won't be successful, but as teenagers say nowadays, "that is SOOOOOO not your problem!" Why did you wait for the second person to miss all 10 of his installment payments before bringing the subject up with him and his partner? If I were in your shoes, I would have been yelling at the top of my lungs and demanding payment the minute the first installment date was missed. It appears to me that you have become a little too friendly with the first person: You have been listening with a little too much sympathy to his "tale of woe" and are reluctant to hold him accountable for his partner's default. Nevertheless, you sold your business in good faith and have every right to collect the full purchase price due to you. What happens between the two partners has nothing to do with the debt owed you, and you have a duty to yourself and your family to collect that debt from whoever has a pocket deep enough to pay. Assuming that neither partner has the resources to pay you at this point, you have to look at the possibility of taking control of the business back from them. Hopefully, when you sold the business, you insisted that the partners put up some collateral -- their stock in the corporation or the assets of the business -- for the second person's loan. If the loan transaction was properly drafted, you can "foreclose" on that collateral, take back the business and satisfy your debt out of the business' future income. Of course, this will mean you will have to reassume the lease of the retail space where the business is being conducted. If the two partners owe any back rent or other amounts to the landlord, you probably will have to pay these current in order to stay at that location. You also need to look at the paperwork you and the two partners signed at the closing -- if they "subleased" the retail space from you for the duration of the lease term, you may still be on the hook as a "guarantor" of their lease obligations until the lease expires -- that's the way the law works in most states. My strong suspicion is that this was a "handshake deal" with no lawyers on either side, and you probably are "stuck." Aren't you glad now you saved a few bucks in legal fees? Here are a few lessons from this experience: -- never sell or buy a business without competent legal help; -- whenever you agree to "loan" money to someone, get it in writing, and be sure to take collateral in case there's a default; -- when assigning or transferring a lease, make sure the landlord releases you in writing from any future lease obligations; -- never buy a business as a partnership -- form a corporation or LLC to act as the purchaser; and -- never go into business with someone who has a prior history of cheating his creditors.
Ф The 3 top roadblocks to online success. Why do so few people ever make any m@ney online? There are a lot of reasons. But, these rank as the top 3 in my book.************************************************Reason #1: Information Overload*************************************************
We live in the information age. According to some reports, the average person is bombarded by roughly 3,000 advertising messages alone—every day. Is it any wonder we get distracted? Just think about all the things we are told we need to learn in order to be successful online. Here's a quick list just from memory... Creating a websiteEmail marketing, Ezine advertising, Copywriting, Blogging, Creating products,Pay per click advertising, Facebook marketing, MySpace marketing, Twitter marketing, YouTube marketing, Google Adwords, Google Adsense, SEO, Etc!! Are you kidding me? No wonder most of us are dazed and confused trying to keep up with everything. Trying to master all these different skills atthe same time will only lead to utter frustration and feeling overwhelmed. It will not lead to success.
************************************************Reason #2: The "Bright and Shiny" Syndrome************************************************
This goes deep into human nature. But, have you ever noticed how we always want the next big thing? We buy a product believing it will be the answer.Then a week later, we're already looking for something else. Because we're constantly jumping from one thing to another, we never find the time to master the basics. Just like in sports, music or any discipline...making m@ney online comes down to mastering the basics. And guess what? The gurus understand this about human nature. That's why they're constantly creating new products to sell to us. They make their money and satisfy our need for getting our hands on the "bright and shiny" thing. Unfortunately, 90% of the information they giveus is untested, hyped up or out-dated. And, it just gives us another thing to be distracted by.
***********************************************Key #3: Fear of The Unknown; Getting Out of Our Comfort Zone***********************************************
Let me tell you something maybe no one ever has. Getting started making m@ney online is difficult. It can be confusing, intimidating, overwhelmingand discouraging. I should know, because I felt all those emotions at times as I was getting started. Have you ever seen the movie, "What About Bob?" There is one phrase they keep repeating in that movie: Baby Steps. And that's what it's going to take for you to be successful. Baby steps. You see, most people let the fear of the unknown hold them back--almost like an invisible wall. If you want to be successful at anything, it will take getting out of your comfort zone initially.You are going to have to learn some new things. Just think for a minute about how a baby learns to walk. It isn't graceful. It isn't easy. But, they keep trying...until finally they are taking steps. Do you ever wonder if you have what it takes to be successful? We all doubt ourselves at times. But, think about this, you've already mastered what scientists consider the most difficult function we experience as human beings—the ability to walk upright. So, if you could learn how to take your first steps as a toddler, do you think you can learn how to take your first steps to be successful online? Of course you can!! Stop doubting yourself. The key is too NOT give up. And another thing. Have you ever noticed how a child learns? By imitating others. Look, this is a BIG secret to success. The key is to imitate others who are already achieving the success you want to experience. So if you want to grow up big and strong online, start acting like a child. Take baby steps and imitate others who are successful. Like they say, you gotta walk before you run. The key is to start walking. Remember...baby steps. Best, Matthew Sunderland PS: Okay, let's be completely honest here...I hatehaving to learn things the hard way. What about you? I slaved away at a factory job for years working hard every day and making peanuts to show for it. Where did it get me? Nowhere, except very deep in debt. PPS: So...what if you didn't have to learn how to make m@ney online the hard way? What if you couldliterally copy the exact campaigns that are making some of the top guys $100k a month?
Ж Using This Question Should Require a License
Greetings! Do you know what causes lots of accidents during test drives of autos by prospective buyers? It's the salesperson asking, "Is this the type of vehicle you would like to own?" Huh? Yes, it's true, according to car salesperson, Jim Miller, interviewed in Douglas Rushkoff's book, "Coercion: Why We Listen to What They Say." A question like that, preceded by the proper set up, creates a state of suspended animation that causes the mind to do strange things. Miller says that first the salesperson "reinforces" the prospect; he makes the potential buyer feel awful about the bucket of rust he now drives: "How does the ride compare to your car?" "How do the seats feel?" Comfortable? Just like an armchair?" Then he asks the question. The question that car salespeople joke, causes a split second of customer insanity. "The mind goes blank, the body paralyzes, the eyes get glassy, dilated. And you'd be surprised how many people have an accident at just that moment." The author, Rushkoff, says the power at work here is "disassociation." With the car example the prospect is already in the vehicle but then asked to own the same type of vehicle. Your present situation is reframed in fantasy, creating a momentary disassociation from the activity you're involved in. (Kind of like me asking you, could you imagine yourself reading this email newsletter right now?) That's why so many drivers crash, according to Rushkoff. "It's a momentary loss of awareness during which the customer's defense mechanisms and rational processes are disabled." He says the technique is so powerful it's in the CIA's interrogation training guide. Am I personally buying into this? I don't know. Who am I to argue with the CIA? However, the example cited just one car salesman, although he did add that the technique was from a popular training program in the car business. What I do know is that the process and techniques are similar to what I've been suggesting for a long time: identify and embellish their need, pain, or problem. Then present your recommended solution. Then ask for commitment. Identify and Embellish Their Need, Pain, or Problem Once you've uncovered a need area, resist the tendency many salespeople succumb to: talking about their product or service. Instead, question more to get them to further visualize, relive, feel, and even exaggerate the pain. "How often does that happen?" "Then what do you have to do?" "What other problems does that cause?" "Then what?" "What does that cost you?" Present Your Recommendation This is where you talk about your solution. Use their words as much as you can--they won't argue with what they said. Ask for Commitment Here's where you can ask the "magic question" cited by the author to put them in that state of stupor--or at least get them to imagine owning and enjoying the results or your product or service. It's really sort of a trial close. "How do you feel you would use that?" "What do you feel that would do for you?" "Would you see this as something that would help you avoid those problems in the future?" "How much do you think this would help you make/save?" Their answers, of course, are designed to get them mentally taking ownership of what you sell. And that makes the final close a lot easier. After all, if they sell themselves, that's better than you having to do it, right? Think about these ideas, adapt them, and use them in your own situation. Just don't cause any car wrecks.
۞15 Innovative Uses for Twitter (That You Probably Haven't Thought Of)
Sure Twitter is a great communication channel and as such, you do find a lot of self-promotion and name dropping. But there is so much more to Twitter. The comment got me thinking, would the critics feel the same if they could see more innovative ways to use it?
So I decided to put together a líst of some of the more unique and inventive uses for Twitter. Some already exist while others are my own ideas. Here goes:

1) Community Help Desk - I've already used Twitter several times to investigate an issue I've been having with my computer, or a problem one of my clients has come across. Just yesterday I was able to pinpoint the source of a domain redirect issue because my followers in other countries could reach the site even though I was being redirected.

2) Write a Collaborative Book - you and a bunch of your favorite Tweeps could write a novel, one sentence (tweet) at a time. The results could range from hilarious to Shakespearean. I thought of this while reading about the popularity of Japanese novels composed via mobile text messages, but it turns out that some attempts have been made at this already.

3) Live Webinars/Tutorials - you could create a new Twitter account with protected updates and ask invitation-only participants to follow you. Then you could hold a *closed* webinar at a pre-arranged time using Twitter for delivery instead of expensive webinar solutions. Twitter allows you to live chat, post links, photos, videos, audio files and text so there is no need for any plug-ins.

4) Free Market Research - Who needs to pay expensive market research companies to learn stuff about your latest product? Just send a link, a free sample or a short survey to your followers and watch the feedback flow in.

5) Online Reputation Management - Twitter is ideal for tracking what people are saying about you, your company or your product. Which work just like Google Alerts and send you regular emails containing any discussions involving your chosen Twitter accounts or hash tags. These work well for competitor tracking too.

6) Laugh a Day / Therapy - I'm consistently amazed how many long-term Twitter users fail to use the favorites option to bookmark tweets that they like. Whenever I read a tweet that makes me laugh out loud, I favorite it immediately. Then, whenever I am feeling a bit flat, stressed or sense a bad mood coming on, I turn to my favorites líst knowing I will be giggling in no time. You can also rely on your followers to sense when you're down and cheer you up.

7) Competitions - Companies have been holding competitions on Twitter for a while now. You basically elicit a response from your followers in exchange for the chance to win something. You could ask a question about one of your products or ask followers to find something on your site to win a gíft certificate. But with a bit of ingenuity, you can be even more inventive.


8) Virtual Alarm Clock - Did you know you can use Twitter to set appointment reminders for yourself or others?

9) Idea Sharing / Community Mind Mapping - So this great business idea comes to you in the shower and you are busting to make it happen. But you want to be sure that your stroke of brilliance is fabulous and not folly. This is where your Twitter followers come in. Whether you tweet publicly or DM only your most trusted followers to keep it under wraps, you'll get unbiased and practically instantaneous feedback on your big plans. Would you use it? Could it work? How much would you pay for it? What features should it have? Tapping into the combined brain power of your Twitter community is a great way to flesh out a business plan.

10) Competitor Tracking - You can use Twitter to monitor the activities of your enemi... er competitors without alerting them. Simply create an anonymous Twitter account and start following them. If they bad-mouth your company, or tweet about a product that may threaten your market share, you'll know immediately.

11) Bug Testing - Along the same lines as 4), you can use your Twitter followers as live BETA testers when you roll out a new product or software version. Your followers will often report bugs faster than paid customers because they *know* you and want you to succeed.

12) Become Your Favorite Character - Ever idolize a particular movie star or TV character? Why not create an account for them and tweet in character?

13) Sport / Treasure Hunt Aid - With it's 140 character limit, Twitter is the perfect medium to deliver clues for online and offline scavenger hunts and popular sports.

14) Live Presentation Aid - Presenting at a conference or other event with Internet access from your laptop? You can tweet on the big screen to a) make a point b) elicit a response from Tweeps in the audience c) conduct live research d) gain instant feedback on a topic or question. I've used Twitter this way in the past and not only is it entertaining for the audience, but it's also a great way to overcome stage fright.

15) Build a Twitter Application - Despite not being monetized yet, Twitter's phenomenal growth has spurred the development of hundreds, that make money from Twitter either via advertising or donations. Why not build an application around Twitter and make your fortune?

۞The Procedure is Important

One of the most foolish things parents can do is frighten their children by saying things like, "If you do that, the police will get you!" -- as if the police were our enemies instead of our friends and protectors.

Here's an idea that will create a real win-win situation. When you see an officer of the law who is not engaged in a critical activity, take a moment and say something like this: "It's really neat to see you at this location because it gives me a greater feeling of security. You folks are doing a good job, and I appreciate you and your commitment."

This will amaze and please the officer, provided he or she is not too stunned to show any real emotion. I guarantee you that in 98 percent of the cases, they are delighted. This procedure is especially important and doubly effective if a son or daughter is with you. Your child will learn that the police officer is a friend and someone they can trust, not someone to fear or avoid.

When children see their parents showing police officers courtesy, admiration and respect, seeds will be planted in their minds that it must be nice to have a job and a uniform that brings admiration and respect. That child might even decide to be an officer of the law when he or she grows up.

Think about that last paragraph. This would mean that in the future we would have a selection of the finest young men and women to serve in the police force, and crime would be more effectively battled.

Whether this happens or not, you will have accomplished a great deal -- namely, the identification in your child's mind that authority is important and it is something they must respect. See you at the top!


When They Do You Wrong

When you are offended, whether it's a "big deal" or a "little deal," intentional or unintentional, you should calmly suggest to the offending party that, while you realize it was probably unintentional, you would appreciate it if they would be more thoughtful in the future. Once the issue has been dealt with and settled, let it remain settled.

What often "upsets" the offended party the most is the thought, fear or feeling that the offending party really did not care. It's very difficult to know what the other person was or was not thinking at the time the offense occurred, so I encourage you not to even give it a try. Take it at face value. Sometimes, it is because the other person is thinking only of his or her own immediate needs. Maybe it was just a thoughtless or temporary lapse in the thinking of the other person.

The question is how much the offense really weighs in the total relationship formula. Perhaps you've ridden to work with the same person for five years. What possible difference could forgetting to pick you up to go to work this morning make in that five-year relationship? If the offense was committed by your mate and the negative feeling that resulted is affecting you as well as your children, settle the issue and then move on to something else.

If you are the party at fault, whether with your mate, a co-worker or one of your children, you need to apologize, ask forgiveness and move on. If it's appropriate, an extra scoop of ice cream for the child, a rose for your wife, a thoughtful card for an associate at work or a note dropped in the mail to re-emphasize that no harm was intended demonstrates your concern and sincerity.

Take this approach and your relationships will be more pleasant and longer-lasting -- and I'll see you at the top!


۞Changing the "Ma and Pa" Mindset

A sales manager told me a sad story last month. "We lost two people in one month to another industry. They left because the company that recruited them offered a one-week sales training program in Chicago."

A 23-year-old rookie who was driving me to a presentation told me she had interviewed with several companies and chose to work for the company that had a "more formal training program."

Your training program may double as a recruitment tool and triple as a retention strategy. A wise man once said, "If your people see the company as a place to grow and not just a place to work, they will stay with you 12 to 18 months longer."

According to Dartnell's 29th Sales Force Compensation Survey 1996-1997, "The average spending across all companies to train newly hired sales reps is $7,937.... Experienced sales reps in our current survey are given, on average, 33.9 hours of training at a cost of $4,034 year per rep."

Putting your training program on paper or in calendar form shows recruits and current staff the opportunities they will have for growth. Saying to a new recruit, "You'll be attending three seminars, taking part in a certification program, and going through nearly 25 hours of video training" can help you sell the job to a person who has more than one offer.

"We are shaping the world faster than we can shape ourselves and we are applying to the present the habits of the past."--Winston Churchill

Sir Winston seems to be talking directly to today's salespeople. Despite the changing landscape of sales, there is evidence that the "Ma and Pa Mindset" continues to prevail.

Below are several situations I've encountered. After each "item," I'll attempt to influence your thinking as you sell training.

Item: Recently, the president of major group told me, "We really don't want to invest money in training a person for the first 90 days until we see if they are going to make it."

This is analogous to the businessperson who tells us that he must wait until business improves before he can afford to advertise. What would you tell him? There are two good reasons to invest in training from Day One of a person's career: They will either succeed sooner or fail faster with training than without it. That's right, I said fail faster. If you train them and they don't catch on, you can save 60 days or more of frustration and thousands of dollars in lost sales.

Item: One of our telephone sales representatives heard this comment not long ago from a sales manager: "I'm not taking them off the streets to send them to a sales training seminar. They haven't made budget in six months!"

There are two tremendous logic lapses in that thinking--but that's how insidious the Ma and Pa Mindset can be. Obviously, if they haven't made budget in six months they need some new direction. And second, training may or may not take place on the street, but it is work and it is vital. Training is a planned program, designed to impart specific knowledge, skills and attitudes to increase desired behavior in measurable ways. Training is working ON your business instead of IN your business for a time in order to make you more effective.

Item: Another manager told me, "We're having a sales contest and the winner gets to come to your seminar."

Imagine being "led" by a person with "reasoning" like that. You're sitting in the sales meeting thinking, "Let me see, if I sell more than anyone here, I get to go to sales training. Why isn't that the consolation prize?" It's the mindset of a Ma and Pa businessperson to think of training as a reward instead of a requirement. The winner of a sales contest should get a limousine ride to the Hilton and a weekend in the "Hot Tub Suite." The "losers," on the other hand, should get a Saturday morning sales training session. Want to see people really compete?

Item: The vice president of sales for an unbelievably large and powerful company said, "I can't see going to corporate and suggesting they invest $400 to train a new person. That's a lot of money."

So is $92 million in profits that year. Of course, these are people we're talking about, not portfolios. The cost of "human capital" can be calculated by multiplying payroll times the prime rate. That's the "money costs" of paying the people who work for you. By getting an extra 10 or 15 percent productivity out of the same worker, you can leverage your human capital costs across the entire operation. That's something you may be able to sell up, especially if you're selling up to a bean counter.

These isolated "items" ultimately start to form a pattern, and it isn't pretty. Just the other day, I even heard a group vice president say, "We just need some warm bodies." He has taken his Ma and Pa Mindset with him to a new corporate job.

The rules have already changed. The Ma and Pa Mindset is outdated; but sales training is innovative, it's a necessary tool that is shaping companies. Here's hoping that the minds will soon follow.
☼Action in years 2009
The new year 2009 might be a tough year for many businesses but if you do it correctly, it can be a very successful year for you.
Before you start with new things, you should make sure that your current website is up-to-date. The following checklist will help you:
Step 1: Check your company information
Does your about page draw a current picture of your company? If you have a staff listing on your website, is it up-to-date?
Check these pages as well as the copyright notice and the privacy police of your website to make sure that your web pages don't look outdated.
Step 2: Check your contact information
Does your website list your current phone and fax numbers? Are the mailing and email addresses listed on your website correct? You'll lose customers if your contact information is outdated.
You should also check the email addresses that you use on your website. Are help@yourdomain.com, info@yourdomain.com, order@yourdomain.com, etc. redirected to the correct recipient? Send test email messages to all addresses that are listed on your website.
Many businesses have so strong spam filters that many legit customer email messages don't reach them.
If you have contact forms on your website, make sure that they work and that they are easy to use. If someone doesn't enter a correct email address in your contact form, does the error message make sense?
Step 3: Check your auto-responders
Do you send automated confirmation messages when someone sends you an email message? Does your shopping cart send email messages after an order?
Check the text of your automated messages to make sure that it says what you want to say and that is contains current information.
Step 4: Check the links on your website
The older your website is and the more pages your website has, the more likely it is that it contains some broken links. For that reason, you should regularly check the links on your website.
Step 5: Check if your web pages are ready for Google
If you want to get high rankings on Google, you must make sure that it's easy for Google to parse your web pages. Can Google easily find all of your web pages? Do you target the right keywords on your web pages? Are all elements of your web pages optimized for Google?
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ЖDebunking the Top 10 Search Engine Myths

We've all done it at some point in our professional lives. We search a keyword that describes our business only to scratch our head as to how our competitor's website shows up on the top of the líst instead of ours. If you've gone one step further and read about Search Engine Optimization, then surely you have come across the conflicting information online.

One article tells you to do one thing while another tells you to do the opposite. Which one should you believe?

This gray area of what you should or should not do is much like the modern day "Bat Cave." If you are lucky enough to stumble upon it, chances are you don't quite know how you got there and if you had to go back one day you would probably just find
So what should you believe? The general rule is to combine what you read or heard with what you have experienced and somewhere in there lies the truth. To get you started, let's debunk some of the more commonly used myths floating around.

1) Use a Keyword Rich Domain Name:

It is widely believed that if you include your keywords in your domain name like www.professional-website-design-in-nj.com it will greatly improve your rankings. This is not true. It is best to choose a domain name that is short, easy to remember and if possible includes your company name.

2) Google Partnership:

If you are ever approached by a company claiming to have a partnership with Google, run in the opposite direction. There is no such thing as a "preferred" relationship with Google and in fact on Google's website it even states: Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a "special relationship" with Google, or advertise a "priority submit" to Google.

3) Meta Keyword Tag:

It used to be that the Meta Keyword Tag was given a lot of weight in the early days of Search Engine Optimization, but people abused it and now it does very little. You may still want to include your keywords here, but know that it will not do much and in fact most search engines won't even check it.

4) Bold or Italicized Text:

Adding emphasis to certain keywords like using bold or italics can make your text easier to scan for the reader if done properly, but has little to no effect on your search engine ranking.

5) Content Length:

There is no search engine rule stating that your content needs to be a specific number of words in order to get indexed. Any recommended length is more to assist the reader in understanding what you do than to aid the search engines
6) Duplicate Content:

Posting specific content like an article or blog entry on your site and then on another site will not get you penalized. In the search results, Google will recognize that the content is the same and only choose one of the pages to display, but it will not hurt your overall search engine ranking.

7) Avoid Flash:

Any text that you place in Flash will not be readable by a search engine, but this doesn't mean you have to avoid flash altogether. You can still very successfully incorporate Flash into your site through rotating pictures or a header on the page. Just don't have an all Flash site or use a Flash intro if you are interested in increasing your search engine rankings.

8) Pay-Per-Click:

Some say that using Pay-Per-Click will help your organic listing while others say it will hurt. Both are false. The fact is that Google has gone to great lengths to separate the two departments of organic and paid listings to a point where the two departments don't communicate or even sit at the same table for lunch.

9) Update the Site Frequently:

Updating your site often is a good idea if you have something new to say. Just don't change around a few words to accommodate the search engines as that won't help your listing at all. Regularly adding legitimate content like articles, press releases and blog entries will help though.

10) Doorway Pages:

Many companies will sell this idea of increasing your ranking by creating hundreds of one page sites loaded with keywords that link to you from various domains. This is considered spamming the search engine and is not recommended. If you properly optimize your site and focus on the correct way to get listed, you will improve your ranking much quicker than these doorway pages ever could.

Of course there are many other myths out there confusing the general public about what works and what doesn't work. Some of them are spread by people who don't really know the truth and others are spread by SEO companies in an attempt to make search engine optimization confusing... mission accomplished!

Regardless of where the myths come from, if you or the SEO Company you hire use common sense and do things the right way, you will have no trouble finding the proverbial Bat Cave and when you get there please tell them that I want my utility belt back!
ۼMotive and Motivation

There are three basic steps in the acquisition of the things people want. First, you think, see or hear about a piece of property, a beautiful diamond, an attractive person of the opposite sex, a degree from a prestigious university, etc. This causes you to want, cherish or covet it -- and that's the second step. The last step, depending on the motive, will make you happy and successful or will bring you untold grief. Step No. 3, you acquire the object of your covetousness.

If you acquire a mate who you have courted with integrity, we're off to a wonderful start. If, however, the object of your desire is already married, it brings grief and can also be expensive. (One woman was awarded a million-dollar settlement because another woman had "stolen" her husband.) If you work hard, save your money and legitimately acquire that beautiful property or home, you will experience happiness. However, if you rob a bank, embezzle money or acquire something through dishonest means, you ultimately lose, big-time.

For those people who fulfill the third step with a lack of integrity, step No. 4 takes place. They try to hide what they have done. They plead their innocence, claim they've been "misunderstood" and that "the press is out to get me." The case goes through the courts, and years later you find out they have been sentenced to several years in prison.

When Joe Louis, the former boxing heavyweight champion, was told his next opponent was fast and that he planned to run until Joe grew weary, he responded, "He can run, but he can't hide." Wrongdoers can run, but they can never escape themselves. Message: Play it straight, and I'll see you at the top!

Saying A Lot Without Saying a Word

In addition to the spoken and written word, we communicate with our smile, frown, expressions and body language in a dozen different ways. When we shuffle papers on our desks while an associate or employee is telling us something, we're communicating that what we're doing is more important than what they're saying.

When, as managers, we keep our doors closed, we're communicating that we do not want to be bothered by anyone. When the factory superintendent has his office at the back door next to the parking lot and leaves the door open, he's communicating to the workers that he's open to them and interested in what they have to say. When his office is up front and the door closed, he's communicating an entirely different message.

When a parent puts his or her child to bed during a TV commercial, he or she is communicating that it's important for the child to go to bed and do it quickly, so Mom or Dad can get back to the program. When parents turn the TV set off and put the child to bed casually, sharing events of the day, they communicate just how important that child is to them. When you look a person in the eye and nod or shake your head as the person talks to you, you communicate that you are listening intently and that what they're saying is meaningful to you.

Actions, as well as verbal and facial expressions, communicate volumes. People who are consistently late communicate that they believe their time is more important than the time of the one having to wait. While most of us forgive an occasional slip, the one who is perennially late loses friends and influence in the process. Consider what your actions and expressions communicate, make the necessary changes, and I'll see you at the top!


۞If Passed, "Employee Free Choice Act" Makes Unionization Easier

Q: We have talked about bringing in a union at our workplace, but our conversations have been more emotional than factual. How do we decide whether bringing in a union would be a benefit or a detriment to us as employees? What sorts of issues can the union help on, and what issues are best for individual negotiations? We have heard rumors about the union dues sometimes costing more than the raises we would get. We need the facts so we don't start something for the wrong reasons. If we decide to, how do we go about it?

A: Before considering a union, direct communication between employees and management is the best way to improve workplace conditions. A. Bruce Clarke, attorney and CEO of Capital Associated Industries (an organization helping employers create a positive work environment through information, advice and training) says, "Under today's laws, you have the right to vote in secret with a government agent present to enforce that right.

If the "Employee Free Choice Act" passes in the new Congress, it will be easier for unions to organize employees. The secret ballot would be eliminated as would time for the employer to respond. All that would be needed is a majority of employees signing union authorization cards to be certified by the National Labor Relations Board. Unions favor the passing of this act because a labor union could be formed and officially recognized within days. Employers dislike the law for same reasons.

Don't expect a union to solve all your problems or be able to guarantee raising wages and increasing benefits. Employers routinely refuse union demands and offer what they feel fits their business plan and economic realities. Typically, unions lack the economic power to enforce their demands. Clarke says, "Union contracts deliver, on average, lower pay increases than non-union workplaces. Still, some of the older unionized industries offer legacy pay and benefits packages that look attractive from the outside." If your workplace has basic safety issues and unresponsive management, you may need a union to negotiate a reasonable solution. Unfortunately, some companies still need to be forced into taking responsibility and doing what is fair.

Keep in mind that a union can turn a flexible workplace into a rigid one, so most employers prefer a non-union workplace to maintain job-duty flexibility, the absence of petty grievances and a more congenial environment. Companies know that to remain non-union and retain good employees, they must be financially competitive in their area. An employer motivated to remain union-free for the right reasons can be the best place to work. You'll see very few unionized companies on the national lists of "Best Places to Work." Also, large companies tend to expand non-union facilities and shrink unionized ones for all of these reasons.

Union dues vary widely by region and craft. Twenty-two states have "right to work" laws, which allow employees the choice of joining the union. In the other states, employees may be required to join and pay dues if a union is in place. Check www.nlrb.gov and www.capital.org for more information.

Please send your questions to: Lindsey Novak, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. E-mail her at LindseyNovak@yahoo.com, or visit her Web site at www.LindseyNovak.com. She answers all e-mails. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.


۞In Depth Guide To Producing YouTube Videos


I have now had a chance to read, YouTube: An Insider's Guide to Climbing the Charts. Thanks to O'Reilly for the review copy. The book is very comprehensive, including great coverage of all the technical video stuff. I see the above blog post title as an endorsement, not a criticism.

One thing that stands out is that YouTube success requires a lot of work. This should be no surprise as this is an artistic medium. The book focus more on YouTube as an art channel than YouTube as a news or marketing channel but the lessons apply to all uses.

Any artist will tell you that you need to pay your dues and obtain basic competence in your medium before being able to accomplish artistic depth. This applies to both visual and literary arts. I would not be surprised to see courses on YouTube in art colleges than cover video and/or the web. In these cases, this book should be on the reading list.

The book covers how to succeed in storytelling and directing, shooting, editing, and rendering, creating your very own channel, broadcasting user-generated content, re-broadcasting commercial content, handling music, cultivating a devoted audience, fitting into the YouTube community, among other things.

The book was written by YouTube veterans Alan Lastufka and Michael W. Dean and includes a lot of their personal experience. It also has interviews with YouTube stars LisaNova, Hank Green (vlogbrothers), WhatTheBuckShow, nalts, and liamkylesullivan. There are a lot of links to great YouTube clips.

There is also a nice chapter on using other social media to promote your YouTube efforts. You can use blogs for simple promotion but starting a community invites more engagement by your audience. It is interesting how people build communities around all types of interests, YouTube simply being a more recent example. I remember reviewing a documentary on BBQ competitions and the community around these events. There were always those who put in the extra effort and they were usually the winners.

۞The Secrets of Follow-Up Revealed

Michael Dean provides a chapter on time management to help with the effort issue. He noted that he wrote that chapter while waiting in his doctor's office. Ironically, I am writing this review at my doctor's waiting room and can appreciate his approach.

I liked the background on Hollywood movies and how YouTube differs. It gave me a better understanding of treatments and techniques in both media. In both cases, conflict is the essence of drama. The sequence is similar to what I learned in building sales pitches in PowerPoint. Define a situation, introduce a complication, and then offer a resolution. In this case, whatever you are selling without this sequence there is no story or focus and people lose interest.

So if you want to be a YouTube star, this book is required reading. It will either excite you or test your commitment by pointing out all that needs to be done. In the end all the competence will still need an artistic vision. Skills are certainly necessary but not sufficient. Good luck and I hope to see you on YouTube. If you have some favorite clips, either yours or others, please leave them in the comments to this post. I am a sponge for these.

There are different types of traffic exchanges online. They all have the same goal in mind, to bring traffic to your website. There are many types, like link exchanges where you exchange links on websites, banner exchanges (swapping banners), and these things called manual traffic exchanges.
If you’ve never heard of a manual traffic exchange before, it can sound confusing. But basically the premise is you are manually exchanging traffic with other webmasters. You yourself are viewing websites in return for other people viewing yours.
The biggest difference with a manual traffic exchange and link exchanges or banner exchanges is that the traffic you have to generate, whereas the others generate traffic from the visitors already going to your website. This is why so many people think it’s a brilliant idea to go to an auto traffic exchange.
Auto traffic exchanges have one flaw, and it’s a big one.. Pretty much everyone using them has that same brilliant idea, to find a way automatically generate traffic, forgetting that pretty much nobody is looking.
So with the disadvantage of having to view the websites yourself, what could the advantage be? Well the people viewing your website are actually viewing it. With a banner exchange that banner could be at the bottom of the page and the viewer is looking only at the top.
Of course not everyone will always look straight at your ad and read it over carefully and sign up to your offer or buy your product or whatever the first time. But the same thing goes for TV ads, and yet they still work.
That’s where branding comes in. On average they say it takes 7 views of an ad before it’ll work, well lucky for you with a manual traffic exchange it’s easy to do

☼10 Effective Ways To Reduce Your Business Costs

1. Barter
If you have a business you should be bartering goods and services with other businesses. You should try to trade for something before you buy it. Barter deals usually require little or no money.

2. Network
Try networking your business with other businesses. You could trade leads or mailing lists. This will cut down on your marketing and advertising costs. You may also try bartering goods and services with them.

3. Wholesale/Bulk
You'll save money buying your business supplies in bulk quantities. You could get a membership at a wholesale warehouse or buy them through a mail order wholesaler. Buy the supplies you are always running out of.

4. Free Stuff
You should try visiting the thousands of freebie sites on the internet before buying your business supplies. You can find free software, graphics, backgrounds, online business services etc.

5. Borrow/Rent
Have you ever purchased business equipment you only needed for a small period of time? You could have just borrowed the equipment from someone else or rented the equipment from a "rent-all" store.

6. Online/Offline Auctions
You can find lower prices on business supplies and equipment at online and offline auctions. I'm not saying all the time, but before you go pay retail for these items try bidding on them first.

7. Plan Ahead
Make a list of business supplies or equipment you'll need in the future. Keep an eye out for stores that have big sales. Purchase the supplies when they go on sale before you need them.

8. Used Stuff
If your business equipment and supplies don't need to be new, buy them used. You can find used items at yard and garage sales, used stores, used stuff for sale message boards and newsgroups etc.

9. Negotiate
You should always try negotiate a lower price for any business equipment or supplies. It doesn't hurt to try. Pretend you are talking to a salesman at a car lot.

10. Search
You can always be searching for new suppliers for your business supplies and equipment. Look for suppliers with lower prices and better quality. Don't just be satisfied with a few.


It's important so let's one more time quickly review the five simple success guidelines that will help you become a masterful Customer Service Diplomat:

#1: Remember you are your company to its public. To the typical customer you are the company. How the customer feels about you will be how he feels about the company.

#2: Treat each customer like your closest friend. You, I and everybody else share the desire to be treated as important people. You naturally, automatically treat your friends this way. The successful customer service diplomat learns to treat everyone with the same friendly attitude.

#3: Customer service diplomacy gets first priority. Nothing else can be more important than the customer because nothing else matters without the customer.

#4: The customer controls your future. In a very real sense this is true. In some organizations favorable and unfavorable comments and letters from customers do go into your file and do influence raise and promotion decisions. In a broader sense the success your company
has that permits it to continue in business, grow in business, prosper and reward its people has a direct relationship to customer satisfaction.

And #5: Customer service diplomacy means going the extra mile. The extra courtesy, the extra knowledge, the extra effort - little things can have big impact. You can make a meaningful positive difference by going the extra mile.

When you program your mind with these five success guidelines by reviewing these five simple success guidelines several times they will become part of your memory in your attitude system. It will ultimately, automatically influence your...


☼Bad marketing
Thinking of ramping up your marketing?

It's a good time for it, especially if cash flow's starting to get a little tight. But if you haven't been marketing for a while - you could find yourself lapsing into some bad marketing habits.

And if you haven't been getting the results from the marketing you have done recently, maybe you' re already following some unconscious patterns that undermine your potential results.

With that in mind, here are four of the most common bad marketing habits responsible for getting businesses nowhere fast, while depleting their resources and destroying their will to adopt better, smarter, more effective marketing habits. Take a step back, look at your marketing, and ask yourself - "Have I fallen prey to any of these bad marketing habits?"

Bad Marketing Habit #1: Lenny & Squiggy Marketing

Remember the popular TV show "Laverne and Shirley," back in the 70s Lenny & Squiggy were the girls' greasy, annoying, unwelcome neighbors, and they always barged in to the girls‟ living room in an utterly clueless, obnoxious fashion. Whenever you send a marketing piece out without...

1) A plan in place

2) An invitation

3) An informed idea of who you're marketing to

4) The patience to let an organic response happen on a realistic timeline

5) The understanding that even the best, most ingenious campaigns don't draw (or necessarily deserve) 100% of your Ideal Audiences' attention

...you're committing the crime of Lenny & Squiggy Marketing. Please, break this habit!

Bad Marketing Habit #2: Spray 'n Pray Marketing

Ever find yourself blasting out an email, postcard, article, press release, or advertisement willy-nilly, and just crossing your fingers and hoping someone will respond?

Then you've fallen prey to the "spraying 'n praying" habit. The antidote?

1) Know your target market.

2) Craft your message accordingly.

3) Use the "Content Catapult" that your target market uses most.

4) Pay attention to your results.

5) Design your next campaign to incorporate what you've learned, so you get even better results the next go-round.

No more "spraying 'n praying," ok?

In the world of hyperlocal searching and mega-niched networks, there's really no need. Oh yeah, it's not very smart or cost-effective, either.

Bad Marketing Habit #3: Me-Me-Me Marketing

You're a victim of the "Me-Me-Me" Marketing habit whenever you're focusing on what you want or need, instead of what your customers, clients, and/or prospects want or need.

This is probably the most common mistake people make when they're trying to market their products or services. Instead of singing your own praises, tune into your audience's favorite radio station, W-I-I-F-M. (That's "What's In It For Me?")

Pay attention to what they want to know, hear, do, and be... What's keeping them up at night? How can you solve their problems, ease their pain, or increase their pleasure? What words, pictures, tools, techniques, and media could you use to inform, educate, entertain, or inspire them? Answer those questions, and serve it up accordingly.

Bad Marketing Habit #4: Seat-of-the-Pants Marketing

The "Seat-of-the-Pants" Marketing habit starts when you skip the marketing component of your business for whatever reason, then one day wake up and realize you need more leads, clients, revenue, or all of the above. But you don't have a marketing budget, plan, or a clue as to where or how to start.

So you fly by the seat of our pants. You make hasty decisions. You say "yes!" to whatever marketing opportunity presents itself first. You hook campaigns around holidays, sales, or whims, then you sprint, flail, flounder, and eventually fall on your marketing face.

Being creative, flexible, and ready for anything is one thing. But when it comes to building your business with vision and clarity, conquer this habit quickly.


The good news is, bad habits - especially bad business and marketing habits - can be changed for the better, so they can drive more leads, land more clients, and make some serious bucks.

Good luck, and happy marketing!

۞Hey, tough guy: It's OK to cry

Did you know that there are seminars for people who do seminars? One of the things they tell us in those seminars is that seminar leaders should share "failure stories" and not just "success stories" with the audience. Reason: Some of our audience members are struggling, and they have trouble relating to the "raving success" up on the platform.

By sharing how we dealt with failures, we reach some audience members in a place where they can relate to us and relate what we are saying to their current situation.

Is there a lesson here for a manager? Sure. Some of life's most important lessons come from our failures, not our successes. Sharing your failures and fears may be more instructive than telling them your success stories.

If your people aren't afraid when they make a call to a tough client, then they aren't human. And, if you've never been afraid, you're not human either. In fact, at this time you may be afraid about making the quarter.

One way to help your people reach their goals is to get them to confront their own fears by understanding that other people (you, for instance) have had those same fears and have still been successful. Sharing your failures humanizes you and provides more development bang for the buck than several hours of motivational tapes. Sharing your mistakes with a struggling employee gives that person more hope and help than simply showing them how to do it the right way.

Once in a while, I ask a roomful of managers to close their eyes and remember their first days at the company. Then I ask them to write down words that describe them during those first few days. "Excited" and "scared" came up a lot.

Face it (even though you'd rather forget it): you've felt fear before. Telling new people that you, too, have been frightened will go a long way toward getting them through their initial stage fright.

Sales is a series of defeats punctuated by profitable victories. Letting your people know that you didn't win them all may be a better strategy than filling them full of your success stories and forgetting about the failures.

It is difficult enough to get people to try new skills in the field without having them worried that they won't do it right. Assuring people that it is better to make the call than wait until they can do it perfectly is part of your job.

You could think of it this way. As a manager, your job is to give them permission to fail enough times so that they will succeed. Then, you'll have nothing to fear.

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