Say it loud and proud with these funky, spunky, cheap ideas to get noticed.
Marketing is made up of many, many, many things all working to support one another and to touch your customers many times. And yes--I meant to say "many" that many times. Marketing is a process, not an event; you have to think marketing all the time. Read on ...
Monday, September 8, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You
The "How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You" leadership system teaches the 48 essential skills needed to be an effective, respected leader.
It starts by helping you to evaluate your own leadership style, and learn to use your strengths and manage weaknesses. It then teaches the key skill-sets needed to lead effectively: Creation of a robust vision of the future; Motivation; Execution and Team member development. This course will give you the skills to be an effective, successful leader, and promises to transform our life.
How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You
"How to Lead" is an incredibly high quality program, developed by true world experts.
It starts by helping you to evaluate your own leadership style, and learn to use your strengths and manage weaknesses. It then teaches the key skill-sets needed to lead effectively: Creation of a robust vision of the future; Motivation; Execution and Team member development. This course will give you the skills to be an effective, successful leader, and promises to transform our life.
How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You
"How to Lead" is an incredibly high quality program, developed by true world experts.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Seven Tips for Managing Price Increases
Consumers get hit with the price-increase hammer every time they drive past a gas station. Harvard Business School professor John Quelch offers tips on how marketers can cope with inflation and consumer sticker shock
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5957.html
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5957.html
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Women at the top
It started, as most discussions of this kind do, with a common lament: "How do we keep highly skilled, talented women executives from opting out of the workforce?" It ended with the four women charged with commenting on this nagging dilemma talking about the need for more flexible schedules. Yes, we hear that a lot, not only in the executive ranks, but in all walks of the work life. We hear it constantly. We hear it from women and we hear it from men.
But yesterday, we heard about it in terms of the executive suite, where some women manage to break through the glass ceiling that continues to exist in our business culture. Co-sponsored by The Week and The Conference Board, "Women in Power: Views From the Top," featured Catherine Kinney, president and COO of the New York Stock Exchange; Dr. Caroline Kovac, general manager, Healthcare and Life Sciences, IBM Corp.; Shelly Lazarus, chairman and CEO, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide; and Suzy Welch, co-author, along with husband Jack Welch of Winning, and former editor of the Harvard Business Review. The discussion was moderated by none other than CNBC's "Money Honey" Maria Bartiromo, who expertly navigated the conversation.
The panelists, guided by Bartiromo, discussed a wide range of topics from corporate scandals and governance issues to balancing work and family, to China, the productivity of the U.S. workforce, and biotech. It was as topical a discussion as you could ever wish for from four women who, while they are in very different businesses, can relate to one another's climb to the top. But what the Minute found most interesting was the work/life balance discussion.
Article continues
But yesterday, we heard about it in terms of the executive suite, where some women manage to break through the glass ceiling that continues to exist in our business culture. Co-sponsored by The Week and The Conference Board, "Women in Power: Views From the Top," featured Catherine Kinney, president and COO of the New York Stock Exchange; Dr. Caroline Kovac, general manager, Healthcare and Life Sciences, IBM Corp.; Shelly Lazarus, chairman and CEO, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide; and Suzy Welch, co-author, along with husband Jack Welch of Winning, and former editor of the Harvard Business Review. The discussion was moderated by none other than CNBC's "Money Honey" Maria Bartiromo, who expertly navigated the conversation.
The panelists, guided by Bartiromo, discussed a wide range of topics from corporate scandals and governance issues to balancing work and family, to China, the productivity of the U.S. workforce, and biotech. It was as topical a discussion as you could ever wish for from four women who, while they are in very different businesses, can relate to one another's climb to the top. But what the Minute found most interesting was the work/life balance discussion.
Article continues
Monday, July 7, 2008
The new PR - create experiences and relationships
PR is now about creating experiences and being a "professional relationship" expert
Robert Scoble
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Stop paying your business expenses
Jay Conrad Levinson, the father of GuerrillaMarketing, has created a report called
“The Guerrilla Balance Sheet”
which claims that businesses can turn their expenses into profit centers.
The idea is that if you profit at everything you do you’ll never run out of cash again…
Jay produced a video at http://www.consultpivotal.com/Afebene.htm
Do you think it’s possible?
The report certainly convinced me some of my biggest business and marketing expenses can be turned into profit centers simply and easily.
In fact, some of it I was almost doing!
This provided the missing piece...
I’ll be able to do a whole lot more marketing now…
So get ready to hear more from me...
Bronwyn Ritchie
PS According to Jay this is a continuation of a trend. It used to cost a lot to send a message to your target market...then came email which was free…and now you can actually profit off your marketing...
See for yourself at http://www.consultpivotal.com/Afebene.htm
“The Guerrilla Balance Sheet”
which claims that businesses can turn their expenses into profit centers.
The idea is that if you profit at everything you do you’ll never run out of cash again…
Jay produced a video at http://www.consultpivotal.com/Afebene.htm
Do you think it’s possible?
The report certainly convinced me some of my biggest business and marketing expenses can be turned into profit centers simply and easily.
In fact, some of it I was almost doing!
This provided the missing piece...
I’ll be able to do a whole lot more marketing now…
So get ready to hear more from me...
Bronwyn Ritchie
PS According to Jay this is a continuation of a trend. It used to cost a lot to send a message to your target market...then came email which was free…and now you can actually profit off your marketing...
See for yourself at http://www.consultpivotal.com/Afebene.htm
Friday, June 13, 2008
Customer Service - Listen up
Have you ever been sitting down for dinner and the phone rings with a telemarketer on the other end? You might hear: "I'm not selling anything; I just want to ask you a few questions. We are a research firm . . . ."Companies spend millions of dollars each year gathering data from potential customers, yet they fail to listen when an existing customer has something to say. Successful organizations have developed a process of listening to their customers and then doing something with what they hear. There are several ways to listen to your customer.
REad on ...
REad on ...
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Starbucks Experience
: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary (Hardcover)by Joseph Michelli
It's important to understand that "The Starbucks Experience" is not, and is not meant to be, an "exposé" of Big Coffee. People seeking that should look elsewhere
What "The Starbucks Experience" is, is a very interesting inside look at the approach to business that has made Starbucks not only a commercial, but also a cultural, phenomenon.
Starbucks is an exemplar of the values-driven business model that will set apart the next generation of business leaders. Joseph Michelli has taken us deeper inside that business model and pointed out some important ways that all of us, whatever our job or station in life, can adopt and adapt "the Starbucks experience" for our own uses.
He explores the various levels on which Starbucks succeeds, from its generous HR policies and lively work environment to its attention to detail and genuine concern for social causes—all of which highlight how singular a company it is. (Michelli throws in the word "unique" as often as twice a sentence.) The genius of Starbucks success lies in its ability to create personalized customer experiences, stimulate business growth, generate profits, energize employees, and secure customer loyalty-all at the same time. With unique access to Starbucks personnel and resources, Joseph Michelli discovered that the success of Starbucks is driven by the people who work there-the “partners”-and the special experience they create for each customer.
The company's practices are undeniably innovative and inspiring, and there's surely something in this book that's applicable to most businesses. It's up to the reader to decide how much of this is relevant and useful, and what the important lessons may be.
Michelli reveals how you can follow the Starbucks way to
· Reach out to entire communities
· Listen to individual workers and consumers
· Seize growth opportunities in every market
Custom-design a truly satisfying experience that benefits everyone involved
Michelli believes that Starbucks is guided buy five principles that make the business successful:
1) MAKE IT YOUR OWN The people who work in the stores, who do the everyday work you see are called PARTNERS, not workers, not employees. The objective is to get a lower level associate functioning in an entrepreneurial fashion. Somehow Starbucks gets it done. Basically, each partner is asked to conduct himself in accordance with what the company calls the "FIVE WAYS OF BEING".
A) Be Welcoming
B) Be Genuine
C) Be Considerate
D) Be Knowledgeable
E) Be Involved
2) EVERYTHING MATTERS There are two fabulous quotes that are used in this section. We should all memorize them:
A) Retail is Detail
B) All Business is Detail
I was floored by these quotes. When you think about it, Starbucks is completely right. You have to get those DETAILS right. If you do that, the mosaic that you are trying to create between store, coffee and customer - it all comes together.
3) SURPRISE AND DELIGHT It might be opening a store an hour early because you see a customer standing outside. Perhaps you had 10 regular customers from the library across the street, and now the library has moved. You run the Starbucks, so what do you do, you visit the new Starbucks where the library moved, and you introduce your old customers to the new Starbucks. Who does this type of thing; what business has such people affiliated with it? The answer is Starbucks. Somehow this company has managed to create these types of dedicated professionals.
4) EMBRACE RESISTANCE Most companies seem to fight off criticism or complaints - not Starbucks. They look upon criticism as an opportunity to learn from the person doing the criticizing. A case in point is a high level Starbucks executive calling up a person who did a radio show flailing against what he viewed as a lack of consistency in the coffee and service at his local Starbucks. The company embraced the criticism as an opportunity to learn on a company-wide basis. This is very unusual to say the least.
5) LEAVE YOUR MARK It's right in the company's mission statement. The company will "contribute positively to our communities, and our environment." From buying environmentally friendly products to constantly worrying about developing a reputation for integrity, Starbucks takes what it does seriously. This is reflected in every nuance of the customer experience
Filled with real-life insider stories, eye-opening anecdotes, and solid step-by-step strategies, this fascinating book takes you deep inside one of the most talked-about companies in the world today.
For anyone who wants to learn from the best-and be the best-The Starbucks Experience is a rich, heady brew of unforgettable user-friendly ideas. We're not all in a position to shape corporate policy, but one of the powerful truths Starbucks teaches is that everyone can have a big -- even a defining -- impact on a customer's experience of your product or service. You don't have to be a Starbucks fan to get a mental caffeine-buzz off an idea like that.
“…as someone involved in the non-profit world, namely a church, I can see how these principles would work for charities, churches, schools, social service agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. The book promotes excellence in a caring, committed, and purposeful way which can change the way corporations can do business and can help nonprofits remain innovative and relative too.”
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Business Plan Step-by-Step Outline
The process of writing a business plan helps ensure that all aspects of your business are focused on the same goal, and that you don't have any major gaps in your business model. And, of course, if you go out to borrow money or get investors, you will need to have a formal business plan in place to present to them. A business plan can also help you communicate more effectively with potential employees, partners and customers.
... more
... more
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Creating a Power-Packed Headline
Every part of your sales message is important. Your opening is crucial.
Your presentation of product benefits ... of proof and credibility elements ... of the offer and premiums ... of your guarantee ... and of your closing "ask-for-the-sale" copy are all critical.
But of all the things you do to produce a sale, nothing equals your headline when it comes to pushing response through the roof. In my 33 years in this business, I've seen great new headlines produce 25%, 35%, even 45% lifts in response and ROI.
Why are heads so important? Two reasons:
Read the whole article
Sunday, April 20, 2008
There's still time
There's still time to sign up for Derek Gehl's FREE "Build-a-Biz" video training series!
The first video is being released next Monday (April 21st). -- but is ONLY available to people who registered for it.
You can still register right now by going to: www.marketingtips.com/xtreme-challenge/t/1087521
In these videos, Derek is going to show you the exactsteps you need to take to build a money-making website in ONE WEEK (or less!).
... How?
By doing it himself -- ON CAMERA, right before your very eyes!
Quite simply, there's no other learning tool like this. Sure, you can buy a bunch of books (as thick as a lawtextbook and just as exciting to read), or watch a bunch of speakers on stage, TELLING you what to do instead of SHOWING you what to do.
But when have you ever seen anyone sit down and physically demonstrate how the entire process WORKS -- from the first spark of an idea, all the way through to the very first sale?
And how would it help YOU to watch something like this?
Finally, those gaps in your understanding would all be filled...
Imagine the "turbo-boost" it would give to your business efforts!
So if you'd like to learn the steps you need to take to build your own money-making website in as little as ONE WEEK (or less!)
...... Reserve your FREE "front-row seat" NOW at: www.marketingtips.com/xtreme-challenge/t/1087521
Thanks,
Bronwyn
P.S. A lot of people are wondering if Derek is going to fall flat on his face
...... But I know he has a "secret weapon" in his corner that's going to make it EASY for him to build a money-making website in less than a week!
To discover what this "secret weapon" is, sign up for Derek's FREE videos at: www.marketingtips.com/xtreme-challenge/t/1087521
The first video is being released next Monday (April 21st). -- but is ONLY available to people who registered for it.
You can still register right now by going to: www.marketingtips.com/xtreme-challenge/t/1087521
In these videos, Derek is going to show you the exactsteps you need to take to build a money-making website in ONE WEEK (or less!).
... How?
By doing it himself -- ON CAMERA, right before your very eyes!
Quite simply, there's no other learning tool like this. Sure, you can buy a bunch of books (as thick as a lawtextbook and just as exciting to read), or watch a bunch of speakers on stage, TELLING you what to do instead of SHOWING you what to do.
But when have you ever seen anyone sit down and physically demonstrate how the entire process WORKS -- from the first spark of an idea, all the way through to the very first sale?
And how would it help YOU to watch something like this?
Finally, those gaps in your understanding would all be filled...
Imagine the "turbo-boost" it would give to your business efforts!
So if you'd like to learn the steps you need to take to build your own money-making website in as little as ONE WEEK (or less!)
...... Reserve your FREE "front-row seat" NOW at: www.marketingtips.com/xtreme-challenge/t/1087521
Thanks,
Bronwyn
P.S. A lot of people are wondering if Derek is going to fall flat on his face
...... But I know he has a "secret weapon" in his corner that's going to make it EASY for him to build a money-making website in less than a week!
To discover what this "secret weapon" is, sign up for Derek's FREE videos at: www.marketingtips.com/xtreme-challenge/t/1087521
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Stop Paying Your Business Expenses?
Jay Conrad Levinson, the father of GuerrillaMarketing, has created a report called
“The Guerrilla Balance Sheet”
which claims that businesses can turn their expenses into profit centers.
The idea is that if you profit at everything you do you’ll never run out of cash again…
Jay produced a video at http://www.consultpivotal.com/Afebene.htm
Do you think it’s possible?
The report certainly convinced me some of my biggest business and marketing expenses can be turned into profit centers simply and easily.
In fact, some of it I was almost doing!
This provided the missing piece...
I’ll be able to do a whole lot more marketing now…
So get ready to hear more from me...
Bronwyn Ritchie
PS According to Jay this is a continuation of a trend. It used to cost a lot to send a message to your target market...then came email which was free…and now you can actually profit off your marketing...
See for yourself at http://www.consultpivotal.com/Afebene.htm
“The Guerrilla Balance Sheet”
which claims that businesses can turn their expenses into profit centers.
The idea is that if you profit at everything you do you’ll never run out of cash again…
Jay produced a video at http://www.consultpivotal.com/Afebene.htm
Do you think it’s possible?
The report certainly convinced me some of my biggest business and marketing expenses can be turned into profit centers simply and easily.
In fact, some of it I was almost doing!
This provided the missing piece...
I’ll be able to do a whole lot more marketing now…
So get ready to hear more from me...
Bronwyn Ritchie
PS According to Jay this is a continuation of a trend. It used to cost a lot to send a message to your target market...then came email which was free…and now you can actually profit off your marketing...
See for yourself at http://www.consultpivotal.com/Afebene.htm
"Your Frontline Business Guide Book"
Award winning author Brian Hazelgren once again puts his expertise into the hands of the Entrepreneur. In his first books “Your First Business Plan” and “The Big Book of Business Plans” Brian instructed his readers in writing winning business plans
Now in “Tactical Entrepreneur” Brian discusses topics such as
• How to make it in the brutal world of business ownership
• Acquire the TACTICAL abilities needed to be successful
• Creating the FREEDOM needed to reach your goals
• Establishing Calculated Risks
• Learning from others mistakes
• Do you have what it takes?
• Targeting your market
• How to build a successful marketing plan
• Business Planning
• Plus Much More!
The book also contains worksheets, brainstorming techniques, the nine signs of an entrepreneur and a sample business plan. This book is a must for anyone who is just starting out or the seasoned professional who needs a refresher course.
Get your own copy of Tactical Entrepreneur visit http://www.tacticalentrepreneur.com/?afid=2215
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
"Easy does it" - online business
Imagine if setting up a money-making Internet business went like this:
Step 1: Click HERE.
Step 2: Now click HERE.
Step 3: Do this (NO, not like that... like THIS.)
Well, thanks to Derek Gehl and his team of Internet wealth experts, it really is that easy!
They've just released the MOST complete online business start-up solution the world has ever seen. And you can take it on a risk-free 30-day test drive for just $2.95!
(Think I'm exaggerating? You can see it for yourself at:
http://www.consultpivotal.com/Areality101.htm )
Not only does this package include the 2008 version of Derek's #1 best-selling course on how to build a money-making online business...
(It's created more six-figure-income Internet businesses than any other resource on EARTH)
... For the first time ever, you can also get Derek's NEW fully-automated business creation software -- which you can use to "point and click" your way through every stage of setting up your own, fully customized business!
**But ONLY if you're one of the first 300 customers!**
So if you've been looking for an easier way to get online fast, try out Derek's new start-up solution for just $2.95 at:
http://www.consultpivotal.com./Areality101.htm
Step 1: Click HERE.
Step 2: Now click HERE.
Step 3: Do this (NO, not like that... like THIS.)
Well, thanks to Derek Gehl and his team of Internet wealth experts, it really is that easy!
They've just released the MOST complete online business start-up solution the world has ever seen. And you can take it on a risk-free 30-day test drive for just $2.95!
(Think I'm exaggerating? You can see it for yourself at:
http://www.consultpivotal.com/Areality101.htm )
Not only does this package include the 2008 version of Derek's #1 best-selling course on how to build a money-making online business...
(It's created more six-figure-income Internet businesses than any other resource on EARTH)
... For the first time ever, you can also get Derek's NEW fully-automated business creation software -- which you can use to "point and click" your way through every stage of setting up your own, fully customized business!
**But ONLY if you're one of the first 300 customers!**
So if you've been looking for an easier way to get online fast, try out Derek's new start-up solution for just $2.95 at:
http://www.consultpivotal.com./Areality101.htm
Friday, February 15, 2008
This video will save you $1000's
"This product is going to REVOLUTIONIZE the Internet!!!"
... Aren't you sick of claims like that?
Lately we've been getting bombarded with products that are being trumpeted as the ONE thing absolutely EVERY online business owner MUST have if they want to make money on the Internet.
I'm sorry, but I find these outrageous claims hard to swallow.
Especially when many of these products will ONLY work for you if your business is ALREADY making money!
If you're just starting out... or if your site isn't getting any visitors or sales... then BEWARE! Most of these products won't give you the answers you're looking for.
(Plus, they'll drain your bank account of $1000s!)
That's why I was so excited to come across Derek Gehl's free instructional video, "Reality 101."
You can check it out here:
http://www.consultpivotal.com/reality_101.htm
In this 30-minute video, Derek explodes a lot of popular marketing myths and tells you exactly what you REALLY need to do to make great money online.
(Hint: It's all about the "bare bones" fundamentals... Not "flash-in-the-pan" trends that are here today, gone tomorrow!)
If you're eager to throw back the curtain and discover the REAL truth about what you need to do to ensure the success of your online business, then I suggest you watch this video now:
http://www.consultpivotal.com/Areality_101.htm
All the best,
Bronwyn
P.S. If you've been searching for a "magic bullet" that will help you set up a profitable online business literally overnight, then you REALLY need to watch this video:
http://www.consultpivotal.com/Areality_101.htm
... Aren't you sick of claims like that?
Lately we've been getting bombarded with products that are being trumpeted as the ONE thing absolutely EVERY online business owner MUST have if they want to make money on the Internet.
I'm sorry, but I find these outrageous claims hard to swallow.
Especially when many of these products will ONLY work for you if your business is ALREADY making money!
If you're just starting out... or if your site isn't getting any visitors or sales... then BEWARE! Most of these products won't give you the answers you're looking for.
(Plus, they'll drain your bank account of $1000s!)
That's why I was so excited to come across Derek Gehl's free instructional video, "Reality 101."
You can check it out here:
http://www.consultpivotal.com/reality_101.htm
In this 30-minute video, Derek explodes a lot of popular marketing myths and tells you exactly what you REALLY need to do to make great money online.
(Hint: It's all about the "bare bones" fundamentals... Not "flash-in-the-pan" trends that are here today, gone tomorrow!)
If you're eager to throw back the curtain and discover the REAL truth about what you need to do to ensure the success of your online business, then I suggest you watch this video now:
http://www.consultpivotal.com/Areality_101.htm
All the best,
Bronwyn
P.S. If you've been searching for a "magic bullet" that will help you set up a profitable online business literally overnight, then you REALLY need to watch this video:
http://www.consultpivotal.com/Areality_101.htm
Your 401k Plan Is a Recruiting Magnet
Competitive base pay, medical insurance and a 401k plan are the must have benefits necessary to attract and keep talent in your company. According to a study by Watson Wyatt Worldwide, related in The Human Capital Edge: 21 People Management Practices Your Company Must Implement, companies that emphasize better benefits and use them to attract and retain high caliber staff add 7.3 percent in additional profit to their bottom line.
Read on ...
Read on ...
Monday, February 11, 2008
Implement a Mentoring Program in Your Biz
Pick-your-own mentor programs help new employees move ahead.
Scott Allison, 41, knows the value of mentors for recruiting, retaining, developing and motivating his 44 employees. "Every time we've done an employee survey, mentorship has popped up as an interest and a need," says the president and CEO of San Francisco-based national independent communications firm Allison & Partners.
Allison's appreciation for mentoring dates to the early days of the 4-year-old company. Back then, however, the firm didn't have enough resources to establish a formal mentoring program; there weren't enough senior people to supply mentors to everyone who was interested. Allison decided to allow for informal mentoring, where employees got to choose their own mentors. That method, he figured, made the most of the mentoring resources he had. The approach worked well enough that today, even though Allison has enough senior employees to designate mentors, he still uses the voluntary program.
Read the whole article
Scott Allison, 41, knows the value of mentors for recruiting, retaining, developing and motivating his 44 employees. "Every time we've done an employee survey, mentorship has popped up as an interest and a need," says the president and CEO of San Francisco-based national independent communications firm Allison & Partners.
Allison's appreciation for mentoring dates to the early days of the 4-year-old company. Back then, however, the firm didn't have enough resources to establish a formal mentoring program; there weren't enough senior people to supply mentors to everyone who was interested. Allison decided to allow for informal mentoring, where employees got to choose their own mentors. That method, he figured, made the most of the mentoring resources he had. The approach worked well enough that today, even though Allison has enough senior employees to designate mentors, he still uses the voluntary program.
Read the whole article
Friday, February 8, 2008
How Investing in Intangibles -- Like Employee Satisfaction -- Translates into Financial Returns
Contrary to management theories developed in the Industrial Age, employee satisfaction is an important ingredient for financial success, according to a new research paper by Wharton finance professor Alex Edmans.
His findings also challenge the importance of short-term financial results and may have implications for investors interested in targeting socially responsible companies. The paper is titled, "Does the Stock Market Fully Value Intangibles? Employee Satisfaction and Equity Prices."
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
The Simple Truths of Service
Customer service is not a department . . . it is an attitude."
How true it is! The video leads with an unforgettable true story about a young man with Downs Syndrome who changes the culture of a grocery store by giving the customers a little more than they expect. Here's a warning: Once you watch it, you'll never
forget it!
Just click on the link below. It takes only 3 minutes to watch it, and I truly hope you'll share it with every person in your organization. I guarantee it will.. Make Their Day!
Click Here: The Simple Truths of service Video
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tips For Developing Your Prospecting Skills
By Louis Bonaventura
Are your prospecting skills not up to par? Do you keep wondering why you are always getting rejected? Is it your business? Is it your products? Or is it you?
Here's how to hone your prospecting skills to become a better prospector and take your Network Marketing business to new levels!
The first thing you need to remember is that "Professionals Sort . Amateurs Convince."
People can sense desperation. Yes, even over the phone! If people sense that you are desperate and trying to convince them to join your business, they won't join! Think about it; would you join somebody who sounds like they are desperate? I highly doubt it, I know I wouldn't. You don't want everyone in your business either! You want people who are motivated and want something; people who are professional and trainable; people who are looking for change. Prospecting is a fine art and your skills need to be developed.
Repetition is the key. In the beginning, your skill level will be low and you will need to make up for that with the numbers. What I mean is that you will need to speak with more people to get the same results. As your skills improve, you will get the same results while talking with less and less people. I'm not saying to talk with less people, just that it will take less people to obtain the same results.
Prospecting is nothing more than communicating with people. It boils down to asking, listening and collecting. You have to ask questions. You want to ask questions that allow people to open up. This will prompt them to ask you "how" questions and "why" questions. "How" questions qualify for your time, "why" questions do not. The "why" is their reason, not yours. You can tell them "how" but not "why".
Then you have to listen to the answers and collect the information! Listening is a skill that is almost never taught. It's about them, not you. Find out what they want. What is their "why?" Once you find their "why" you have found their hot button. This is what will motivate them. In order to find this, you must learn to listen!
If somebody's "why" is not strong enough, they will either won't join (or buy) or they will and not produce, and then eventually quit telling you that "it doesn't work." This is not true. This just means it didn't work for them because they didn't have a strong enough reason to be doing it!
Also, people will buy from, or join with, somebody who is a leader. You need to be a strong leader and believe in yourself. You need to send the message that you are the leader people are looking for. You've heard the statement "The fortune is in the follow-up." This is so true!
But you have to distinguish who is worthy of your time and who is not and only follow-up with people who deserve your time. Keep in mind that follow-up doesn't mean begging, chasing or convincing. Follow-up means you get back in touch with people who are very serious about changing their lives. Do you think Donald Trump begs, chases and tries to convince people to do business with him. Not on your life and neither should you!
People who have requested information and are interested in looking at it are worth your time. Don't follow-up with people who ask you to call them back in a week or so. Tell them to call you back when they are serious about changing their life.
When making recruiting phone calls, it should take you no more than 30 seconds to find out if somebody is interested or not. Include your name, location and a little bit about why you are calling. For example: "Hi ____, my name is __________ and I'm just giving you a quick call from here in _________. ____, your name came across my desk as somebody interested in owning your own business and I wanted to find out if that is still true." That's it. Don't say anything else until they give you an answer. All you are looking for here is a Yes or a No. If they tell you "No I'm not interested" or "Please take my name off your list" say "Thank you ... have a great day" and hang up. Don't waste your time! Move on to the next call on your list. Don't take it personally, they don't even know you! Maybe this just isn't the right person, or they are having a bad day, or this person simply isn't serious about changing their life. It has nothing to do with you personally! Move on. If they tell you something else that indicates they want to hear what you have to offer then proceed with your script or presentation.
Make sure you ask questions, find their "why" and above all, listen! The decision on whether somebody joins your business with you is yours, not theirs. Maybe they are serious about changing their life, but you have an uneasy feeling with them, or you just don't "gel" with them. Don't waste your time. Tell them that they are not the person you are looking for and move on. It's your business. You decide who you work with and who you don't, nobody else. This is a hard concept for most people to grasp because they are trying to "go to the next level" in their company, or trying to be in the top 10 this month. Taking on everyone who says yes is not necessarily a good thing to do. Be selective and don't waste your time on people who do not deserve it.
Prospecting is about sorting, not selling or convincing. "Professionals sort . Amateurs convince." When it comes to talking with people, get a Yes or a No as quickly as possible and move forward from there. Prospecting is 80% listening and 20% asking questions. Make sure you follow-up with the right people and don't waste your time with the wrong ones. Following these tips and advice will set you well on your way to improving your prospecting skills.
Remember that "practice makes perfect." Keep practicing and moving forward and your skills will naturally develop and get stronger. Don't get frustrated, simple discipline over a period of time will produce results.
About The Author:Lou and Robin Bonaventura have been Professional Network Marketers for 4 years. They attribute much of their success to personal development and continual learning. Visit http://www.SNGBlog.com and http://www.SuccessNetworkGroup.com for more insight into how personal development can benefit you.
Are your prospecting skills not up to par? Do you keep wondering why you are always getting rejected? Is it your business? Is it your products? Or is it you?
Here's how to hone your prospecting skills to become a better prospector and take your Network Marketing business to new levels!
The first thing you need to remember is that "Professionals Sort . Amateurs Convince."
People can sense desperation. Yes, even over the phone! If people sense that you are desperate and trying to convince them to join your business, they won't join! Think about it; would you join somebody who sounds like they are desperate? I highly doubt it, I know I wouldn't. You don't want everyone in your business either! You want people who are motivated and want something; people who are professional and trainable; people who are looking for change. Prospecting is a fine art and your skills need to be developed.
Repetition is the key. In the beginning, your skill level will be low and you will need to make up for that with the numbers. What I mean is that you will need to speak with more people to get the same results. As your skills improve, you will get the same results while talking with less and less people. I'm not saying to talk with less people, just that it will take less people to obtain the same results.
Prospecting is nothing more than communicating with people. It boils down to asking, listening and collecting. You have to ask questions. You want to ask questions that allow people to open up. This will prompt them to ask you "how" questions and "why" questions. "How" questions qualify for your time, "why" questions do not. The "why" is their reason, not yours. You can tell them "how" but not "why".
Then you have to listen to the answers and collect the information! Listening is a skill that is almost never taught. It's about them, not you. Find out what they want. What is their "why?" Once you find their "why" you have found their hot button. This is what will motivate them. In order to find this, you must learn to listen!
If somebody's "why" is not strong enough, they will either won't join (or buy) or they will and not produce, and then eventually quit telling you that "it doesn't work." This is not true. This just means it didn't work for them because they didn't have a strong enough reason to be doing it!
Also, people will buy from, or join with, somebody who is a leader. You need to be a strong leader and believe in yourself. You need to send the message that you are the leader people are looking for. You've heard the statement "The fortune is in the follow-up." This is so true!
But you have to distinguish who is worthy of your time and who is not and only follow-up with people who deserve your time. Keep in mind that follow-up doesn't mean begging, chasing or convincing. Follow-up means you get back in touch with people who are very serious about changing their lives. Do you think Donald Trump begs, chases and tries to convince people to do business with him. Not on your life and neither should you!
People who have requested information and are interested in looking at it are worth your time. Don't follow-up with people who ask you to call them back in a week or so. Tell them to call you back when they are serious about changing their life.
When making recruiting phone calls, it should take you no more than 30 seconds to find out if somebody is interested or not. Include your name, location and a little bit about why you are calling. For example: "Hi ____, my name is __________ and I'm just giving you a quick call from here in _________. ____, your name came across my desk as somebody interested in owning your own business and I wanted to find out if that is still true." That's it. Don't say anything else until they give you an answer. All you are looking for here is a Yes or a No. If they tell you "No I'm not interested" or "Please take my name off your list" say "Thank you ... have a great day" and hang up. Don't waste your time! Move on to the next call on your list. Don't take it personally, they don't even know you! Maybe this just isn't the right person, or they are having a bad day, or this person simply isn't serious about changing their life. It has nothing to do with you personally! Move on. If they tell you something else that indicates they want to hear what you have to offer then proceed with your script or presentation.
Make sure you ask questions, find their "why" and above all, listen! The decision on whether somebody joins your business with you is yours, not theirs. Maybe they are serious about changing their life, but you have an uneasy feeling with them, or you just don't "gel" with them. Don't waste your time. Tell them that they are not the person you are looking for and move on. It's your business. You decide who you work with and who you don't, nobody else. This is a hard concept for most people to grasp because they are trying to "go to the next level" in their company, or trying to be in the top 10 this month. Taking on everyone who says yes is not necessarily a good thing to do. Be selective and don't waste your time on people who do not deserve it.
Prospecting is about sorting, not selling or convincing. "Professionals sort . Amateurs convince." When it comes to talking with people, get a Yes or a No as quickly as possible and move forward from there. Prospecting is 80% listening and 20% asking questions. Make sure you follow-up with the right people and don't waste your time with the wrong ones. Following these tips and advice will set you well on your way to improving your prospecting skills.
Remember that "practice makes perfect." Keep practicing and moving forward and your skills will naturally develop and get stronger. Don't get frustrated, simple discipline over a period of time will produce results.
About The Author:Lou and Robin Bonaventura have been Professional Network Marketers for 4 years. They attribute much of their success to personal development and continual learning. Visit http://www.SNGBlog.com and http://www.SuccessNetworkGroup.com for more insight into how personal development can benefit you.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sales motivation
If you’re in sales, I know you’ll use this often for that “shot of inspiration” to maintain a positive attitude. But, you don’t have to be in sales to love this book. If you like quotes and you like beautiful photos, well...this little book will “knock your socks off!”
Click here to turn the pages of this beautiful little book
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Scorched-Earth Networking
Are you burning the very people you're trying to impress?
Find out how not to be the networker no one wants to do business with.
By Ivan Misner
In my more than two decades of developing business networks and coaching networkers, I've noticed some very different styles of networking.
One of these styles, which results in the ground smoking wherever these networkers tread, I call "scorched earth networking."
Let's talk a little about this style, so you understand how important it is to avoid this type of networking in cultivating a successful business networking model.
Just what are the hallmarks of a scorched-earth networker? Experience has shown me that this type of networker...
Article continues
Find out how not to be the networker no one wants to do business with.
By Ivan Misner
In my more than two decades of developing business networks and coaching networkers, I've noticed some very different styles of networking.
One of these styles, which results in the ground smoking wherever these networkers tread, I call "scorched earth networking."
Let's talk a little about this style, so you understand how important it is to avoid this type of networking in cultivating a successful business networking model.
Just what are the hallmarks of a scorched-earth networker? Experience has shown me that this type of networker...
Article continues
Monday, January 7, 2008
Top 10 Business Plan Books
Many books have been written on starting a business and the necessity of writing an effective business plan. Each book in our list of recommended business plan books, is devoted solely to the topic. Some have forms and outlines, others have sample business plans for you to review.
These are the best step-by-step guides on content, presentation and execution of a business plan still in print today.
These are the best step-by-step guides on content, presentation and execution of a business plan still in print today.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Businesses are made by people - Quotation
Businesses are made by people. We've proven time and time again that you can have wonderful shop, and put a bloke in there who's no good, and he'll stuff it up. Put a good bloke in, and it just turns around like that.
Gerry Harvey
Gerry Harvey
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Top tips: Being diverse gets results
US author and entrepreneur Frans Johansson answers questions about diversity.
Q. What does diversity bring to a business, and how can it make money?
A. Diversity brings the possibility to leapfrog competitors. By leveraging different perspectives, a company can create "Medici Effect", an explosion of groundbreaking ideas. A corporation must first understand the need for diversity and then how to use it. With those two pieces in place, however, it will outperform. This is ultimately reflected in shareholder value. Diversity can make money in several ways. The most fundamental is in how it drives innovation. When Volvo Cars decided to create an all-female engineering team it came up with hundreds of ideas, most of them never suggested before - and many were brilliant. In addition, diversity can help us find unique market opportunities. When the Hispanic networking group at Frito-Lay in the US (part of PepsiCo) suggested the company develop a "Guacamole Chip", the company went for it and made $100 million in its first year of sales. Read on ....
Q. What does diversity bring to a business, and how can it make money?
A. Diversity brings the possibility to leapfrog competitors. By leveraging different perspectives, a company can create "Medici Effect", an explosion of groundbreaking ideas. A corporation must first understand the need for diversity and then how to use it. With those two pieces in place, however, it will outperform. This is ultimately reflected in shareholder value. Diversity can make money in several ways. The most fundamental is in how it drives innovation. When Volvo Cars decided to create an all-female engineering team it came up with hundreds of ideas, most of them never suggested before - and many were brilliant. In addition, diversity can help us find unique market opportunities. When the Hispanic networking group at Frito-Lay in the US (part of PepsiCo) suggested the company develop a "Guacamole Chip", the company went for it and made $100 million in its first year of sales. Read on ....
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