Yet many customers see past the low price offers and advertising campaigns, and are willing to pay more in order to receive outstanding service. Even if budgets are tight, service to customers can’t be compromised.

We know that in recession economies, the companies that have a good customer service ethic ingrained into their cultures will prosper and survive, by maintaining a solid core of customers.

How do you promote good customer service within an organization?

Create Memorable Customer Experiences

The best customer service leaves a long lasting impression on the customer, giving the impression that they are a valued customer rather than a cash cow. Increasingly, consumers are becoming disillusioned with the attitudes of many organizations, unhappy with the endless automated menus and the general lack of interest. Before cutting back on staff and making savings, don’t forget that the quality of customer service is something that does may not appear on a balance sheet, yet it will pervade every part of the business. Consumers will vote with their feet and choose another provider, so any company that neglects its core customers is doomed to a slow decline.

The Power of ‘The Word of Mouth’

Despite big advertising campaigns and the electronic age, word of mouth is still the best advertisement for any business. When looking for a good service provider or retailer, consumers still canvas opinion from friends and business associates. Referrals and a solid relationship with your company is the final push that makes people decide to use your business rather than the competition.

The Loyal Customer is Gold

The scramble for new customers, and the race towards the lowest common denominator, has become the modus operandi for many businesses. Among the ‘Special Introductory Offers’ and ‘Free Gifts’ for new customers, loyalty to the old lies forgotten, somewhere in the Twentieth Century. The best companies understand that they have to make customers feel included, as part of the organization. This loyalty is only possible if you treat them as an asset.

My Customer Service Could be Improved – How Do I Go About It?

Create a Bond of Mutual Trust

Building a relationship of trust lies at the core of customer service, and you must ensure that you always give patrons a positive experience. An advertising blitz can be invaluable in attracting new customers and promoting a brand, but customer service keeps core customers returning again and again. One of the tests of customer service quality is how you react when things go wrong, as they inevitably will. Consumers are discerning enough to realize that even the best make mistakes, and it is how you respond to a customer complaint that makes the difference.

In fact, extreme customer service not only remedies a situation, but can turn it into a positive. A customer, who can see that the company and individual employees have done everything within their power to help, will tell their friends and family about it. You are tapping into the power of the word of mouth, still the best way to spread awareness, even in this electronic age.

Good Communication and Clarity

Even if you provide great customer service, and try your best to accommodate the customer’s requests, miscommunication can undo all of the good work. If you make assumptions, or second guess the customer and get it wrong, you will create an awful impression. Customers are not always sure what they want, so make sure that you ask the relevant questions, establishing: Who? What? Where? When? Why?

Always confirm what they said, and make sure that you summarize before finishing the conversation, preventing mistakes and further miscommunication.

Treat Your Employees as if they were Customers.

Out of all of the fundamental basics of developing a good customer service culture, and going the extra mile, treating staff well is the most often ignored. It is also the most important because, however well trained, friendly and efficient the staff member, if they are treated contemptuously, they will not treat the customer well.

In this age of personality tests and assessments, it is often forgotten that a genuine smile is the foundation of customer service. Even over the phone, a customer can usually pick up that a member of staff is unhappy or aggressive, and will immediately go on the defensive. This makes any further attempts at fostering a good relationship much more difficult.

Checklist:  Is your Company Culture Customer Focused?

If you are providing extreme customer service, you can answer ‘Yes’ to all of these questions!

___ Employees love working here.

___ Employees feel appreciated.

___ Employees are empowered to solve customer problems.

___ The company is focused on delivering great customer experiences.

___ Communication is open between all ranks, from top management down to line workers.

___ Employees understand the vision and the brand promise.

___ The entire workforce operates in a culture of continual improvement.

___ Employees want to find ways to improve the customer’s experience.

___ Customer and employee experiences with the company are positive.

___ Employees and management talk regularly about how to improve the customer’s experience.

___ Customer problems are quickly resolved, and the customer is ‘wow’d’ by their experience with the company.

___ Your employees and customers act as evangelists for the company.

___ Your standards for customer service are high.
___ The overall employee retention is high.

___ Your company consistently exceeds employee and customer expectations.

A Few Examples of Good Customer Service

Some companies have become renowned for the quality of their service and, while they still work at staying ahead of the game, are reaping the benefits.

Starbucks, for example, may not serve the cheapest or even the best coffee, but customers keep going back because of their great atmosphere, product, and their extremely helpful staff.

Harley Davidson tries to keep customers for life, and provides excellent long-term aftercare. Very few people own just one Harley over the course of their life, and the company is a shining example of the benefits of maintaining a core of loyal customers.

Panera Bread restaurants offer free internet access, and this decision has been a great success, with other companies scrambling to catch up – not only has the number of customers increased but they are spending longer in the store, a true win/win situation.

Looking at the negative side, all automobile manufacturers are struggling during the financial crisis, but the US companies will be lucky to survive, because they failed to listen to what the consumer actually wanted. Toyota and Daewoo, on the other side, can rely on enough core loyalty to see them through the tough times.

Changing a culture is a slow process, but fostering a belief in good customer service will give your business a great reputation, hard to build and easily broken. To change your culture, you need to ask yourself a few questions, and establish the weak parts of your customer service paradigm.

Are You Customer-Focused?

___ You respond to customer phone calls and emails within 1 business day, if not sooner.

___ You keep in touch with your customers regularly. You send thank you notes, and follow up by asking customers for their feedback so you can learn how to improve your service and their experience.

___ You have a website with easy to access information, FAQs, for customers.

___ If you make a mistake, you apologize and fix the problem with no questions asked.

___ You give rewards to show customers you value their business, such as offering a free service or including an unexpected freebie with their purchase.

___ You keep your word, and always do what you say you will do – which includes meeting deadlines and delivering the product or service you promised.

___ You offer a no-risk guarantee. Companies that are generous on refund and return policies win loyal customers.

___ You get to know your customers, their likes and dislikes. When you know their concerns, you can deliver services and products that cater to their problems and preferences.

Read more about Customer Service:

• Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless: How to Make Them Love You, Keep You Coming Back, and Tell Everyone They Know by Jeffrey Gitomer

• Superior Customer Service: How to Keep Customers Racing Back to Your Business–Time Tested Examples from Leading Companies by Dan Blacharski

• Branded Customer Service: The New Competitive Edge by Janelle Barlow and Paul Stewart

• Award Winning Customer Service: 101 Ways to Guarantee Great Performance by Renee Evenson

However exceptional your customer service culture, and however well intentioned, there are going to be occasions where you receive a complaint. Many complaints are customers blowing off steam because they have had a bad day, and all that you can do is listen and try to help as best you can.

Other customer complaints are the result of simple misunderstandings, and a little smooth diplomacy, attention and politeness can solve the problem quickly and efficiently. The customer will end their contact with you with a smile on their face and tell their friends and family about the great service.

“According to the University of Michigan’s 2007 American Customer Satisfaction survey, overall customer satisfaction remains flat over the past year. In some industries such as computers, hotels, and restaurants it is getting worse. In the 2005 Customer Rage Survey, the most recent available, 70% of respondents who had a problem reported feeling this fevered emotion at least once during a recent transaction, up from 68% in the 2003 poll.

As for those unpleasant interactions, each victim had on average four exchanges with the offending company to resolve the problem. And 15% of the ticked-off customers entertained fantasies of revenge: They said they’d like to repeatedly pester the business, and cost it time and money as payback.”  – Fortune Small Business, Sept. 24, 2007

Many complaints are reasonable and well made. Rather than viewing a complaint as an inconvenience, use them as a great opportunity for your business to move to another level of service. Instead of being defensive, you can be grateful to the customer for helping to improve your business.

According to John Tschohl, president of the Service Quality Institute in Minneapolis (customer-service.com) and one of the world’s foremost experts on service recovery, a recipient of good customer service will tell five other acquaintances on average. A client who suffers bad service will tell 10 and possibly even hundreds if he goes online to complain.

Are You Customer-Focused?

___ You respond to customer phone calls and emails within 1 business day, if not sooner.

___ You keep in touch with your customers regularly. You send thank you notes, and follow up by asking customers for their feedback so you can learn how to improve your service and their experience.

___ You have a website with easy to access information, FAQs, for customers.

___ If you make a mistake, you apologize and fix the problem with no questions asked.

___ You give rewards to show customers you value their business, such as offering a free service or including an unexpected freebie with their purchase.

___ You keep your word, and always do what you say you will do – which includes meeting deadlines and delivering the product or service you promised.

___ You offer a no-risk guarantee. Companies that are generous on refund and return policies win loyal customers.

___ You get to know your customers, their likes and dislikes. When you know their concerns, you can deliver services and products that cater to their problems and preferences.

Customer Complaints – An Opportunity for Improvement

Spotting the Problem

When you work inside a business, you become so wrapped up in the everyday processes and protocols that you may fail to notice the tiny details which make a huge difference. While you are busy thinking about your next project or event, you may have failed to notice the little things that can improve your customers’ experiences with you. Maybe it’s just the hold music on the telephone or your voice mail system that annoys your customers, a little thing that causes a great deal of irritation.

If a customer brings a little complaint like this to your attention, you have just improved your business, because you can solve the problem quickly and easily. Customers have certain minimum expectations from any business, and become upset when these expectations are not met. Usually, their expectations are reasonable, like service with a smile or a prompt return of their telephone call. These small things are exceptionally important to a business, because of the silent majority, the ones who are unhappy, yet won’t take the time to give you their feedback.

By taking action swiftly, and going the extra distance, you have shown customers that you are a problem solver, somebody that they can approach.

The Silent Majority

For every customer who brings a little complaint to your attention, how many have remained silent and simply voted with their feet? People tend to be polite and do not like to cause too much trouble, so they will simply leave and visit your competitors. Potentially, because of a small issue, a lot of customers will decide to take their business elsewhere, and it is unlikely that they will come back. Listening to a complaint, and taking action, will prevent the loss of customers, and the effects upon your sales can only be positive; one small change has wide reaching effects.

Customer Feedback

We are all human, and most of us like it when people say nice things. It is great ego boost to receive a compliment about how wonderful you and your business are. This praise will tell you what you are doing right, but it tells you little about what customers actually want – this goes back to the idea of expectations. Most businesses have business plans, where they try to estimate and predict what customers need but, as the saying goes, no battle plan survives contact with the enemy, and market research is no different. Customer complaints give you a great opportunity to fine-tune your business plan and, possibly, find a new niche to enter.

A Complaint is an Advertising Opportunity

Consumers are discerning enough to understand that mistakes happen and that expectations are not always met. That is life, but what they do expect is that the problems are rectified. By showing respect and politeness, and fixing the problem quickly and efficiently, you have just advertised your business. People who complain are the most likely to tell all of their acquaintances about bad service, but they will also spread the word about the wonderful and helpful staff, who went out of their way to help. A small effort on your part turns a seeming negative into a positive. Sending bunch of flowers and offering an apology goes a long way, and fosters loyalty, a two way process.

Building Loyalty

Are you one of those businesses more concerned with increasing the number of your customers than looking after the ones that you already have? Over the last couple of decades, customer service has become a poor relation to profit, and consumers don’t have to do business with companies that do not listen to them.

A loyal customer will spend a lot of money with you over the years, and they should be treated as an integral part of the business. By addressing a customer complaint, you have reinforced that loyalty and they are going to keep coming back, because they know that you listen to them and respect them. Loyal customers are what keeps a business going through the hard times.

Staying a Step Ahead

The bottom line is – when you regard a customer complaint as an opportunity, rather than a burden, you are helping your business maintain a loyal customer base and spread positive word of mouth advertising.

Read more about Customer Service:

• Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless: How to Make Them Love You, Keep You Coming Back, and Tell Everyone They Know by Jeffrey Gitomer

• Superior Customer Service: How to Keep Customers Racing Back to Your Business–Time Tested Examples from Leading Companies by Dan Blacharski

• Branded Customer Service: The New Competitive Edge by Janelle Barlow and Paul Stewart

• Award Winning Customer Service: 101 Ways to Guarantee Great Performance by Renee Evenson

- Mary Kay Ash
The attitude that employees are expendable and replaceable is slowly changing as businesses realize that investing in good employees is the key to success.

Keeping a stable workforce allows you and your employees to build an atmosphere of trust, where all are aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to construct a team that is far stronger than the sum of its parts.

PriceWaterhouse-Cooper’s Saratoga Institute estimates that high turnover can cost organizations between 12 and 40% of their pre-tax income, a figure that can cripple a business at a time when profit margins are shrinking. Before trying to keep employees, you have to first understand why they choose to leave one employer for another. This will allow you to tackle the underlying issues behind high turnover, or your inability to attract and retain the best and brightest.

“Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.”

- Steve Jobs

Why Do Great Employees Leave?
These are some of the primary issues that cause staff to leave and seek alternative employment

1)    Low Trust in Management. Layoffs may be inevitable for many employers in a down economy.  How you manage the process will either strengthen your team, or erode it. Consistency in communication and direction is important, and establishes trust. A poor manager will send out a flurry of directives, often contradicting each other, and will soon have staff questioning management’s competence. If management keeps changing direction, why should your employees apply their full attention to a task, when they know that they will soon be told to do something else or move to another department?

2)    Burnout (Work-Life Imbalance): Naturally, as a manager with a task, the temptation is to seek out your best employees, simply because you know that they will do a great job.  Great employees can usually accomplish more than the average employee. Their work is better quality.  Supervisors sometimes overload a great employee (remember the saying, if you want something done, give it to a busy person).  The problem is that your top employees may soon find themselves with a disproportionate workload.

Usually, they are paid at the same rate as everyone else, and begin to feel resentful that they are working much harder than their colleagues. Be aware if you are overloading your best employees. Be more selective in how you assign your tasks, saving your best workers for times when you really need a job doing well.

3)    Little Advancement or Unwanted Promotion: Many employees leave simply because they feel that they have little chance of promotion, especially when they see less capable people move up the ladder. Often, your best employees are modest and don’t constantly remind you how good they are, so it is up to you to take action and promote the right people.

Conversely, sometimes your best employees find themselves suddenly thrust into supervisory positions when they really don’t want the responsibility or stress. Some people just want to put in a good shift and earn an honest day’s wage.  It’s up to you to have this conversation with people.  Find out what your best employees really want, and try to meet their goals.

4)    Managerial Micromanaging: Good employees like to be given meaningful projects, and then be able to complete it without constant distractions. If you are micromanaging, (constantly telling the employee what to do and how they should be doing), you may be de-motivating staff.  If you think about it, micromanaging is literally telling your employee that you believe they are not bright enough to do the job.

If you have hired the right employees, trust in their initiative and let them get on with things, letting them know that you are there if they need you. By doing this, you are giving them respect and ownership of their work, which leads to greater job satisfaction.

5)    Disregarding Opinions: As a manager, you should crave feedback, because it lets you know what you are doing well and what you are not doing well.  Welcome and invite suggestions and feedback at all levels; not only does this improve morale, the people working on the front line often give great suggestions about how to work smarter.

6)    Money and Extras: Naturally, money is always a sticking point, especially in a tough business climate. If an employee finds a job with far better pay, there isn’t a lot you can do, and that is a simple fact of business. However, you can minimize the risks by making sure that your wages and benefits are as competitive as you can afford.

Try to avoid penny-pinching measures. Little extras, such as having free or low cost tea/coffee/soda available, are a simple and small measure towards creating employee goodwill.

7)    Work-Life Balance – Respecting Time: Many companies do not respect the work/life balance of employees and assume that they will gladly devote their entire life to the cause.  Rather than assign time for training, employees are asked to take their training material home and read it, or they are expected to complete paperwork in their own time.

When people are excited about their work and feel a strong sense of purpose in their company’s mission, they’ll gladly work more hours than requested.  Many people are seeking more work-life balance; they’re willing to sacrifice money for more family and vacation time.

Great employees are aware that they can always find another job, so you should try to keep them or you risk being left with a workforce that is fine, but not excellent. Changing some things, such as wages, might be difficult if a business is struggling, but others are a simple matter of changing approach.

Setting a goal is not the main thing.
It is deciding how you will go about achieving it
and staying with that plan.
– Sports quote by Tom Landry

HOW CAN YOU ATTRACT & RETAIN THE BEST EMPLOYEES?

1 – TRUST & TEAMWORK: Develop Supervisors who build trust with their teams.  The supervisor relationship greatly impacts an employee’s decision to stay or leave.
2 – CULTURE: Identify what it is about your organization that is unique – what do you offer employees, that others don’t?  Build on this.  Have a strong first 90-day orientation period. First impressions are important, so make sure you’re presenting your best impression and providing the best entry to your organization, with solid training, orientation, follow up and feedback.  Before hiring, assure that you are hiring people aligned with both the job goals, skills and your company culture.

3 – LISTEN TO & VALUE PEOPLE: When you ask someone for feedback and really listen, you’re communicating to them that you value them.  Ask for feedback – then listen.  What are things that make your employees feel more valued?  What do your employees want to achieve?  What are the factors that are causing people to leave?  Challenge old policies – are your rules driving good people to leave?

4 – TEAMWORK: Create a positive team environment, one in which people get along and cooperate willingly with each other.

5 – PURPOSE: Create meaningful work and projects.  People need to feel excited and engaged in their work. When assigning projects, communicate how the project or task is important and aligned with the mission/vision of the business.

Even if you are a good manager, good people will still leave, so don’t forget the power of the exit interview.  Exit interviews, completed by a neutral person (not the employee’s manager) will give you a great oversight of how you can change things and make your workplace a happier, more productive place.

“Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.”

- Stephen Covey

- Abraham Lincoln

The uncertain economy and the exponential growth of the internet are changing the way we work. For employee and entrepreneur, small business owner and CEO alike, looking into the future and looking for trends will help you adapt. Here is a list of five trends that we think will affect business practices in the near future.

Voice Recognition Software

For people who like to work on the move or, through arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or other medical conditions find typing difficult, speech recognition technology is proving to be extremely useful. Undoubtedly, many people who used voice recognition applications in the past will remember that they weren’t particularly good, and had the annoying habit of turning your carefully crafted words into a language vaguely resembling English.

The current generation of programs is much improved, with a very low rate of error depending on the speaker’s voice and accent. Applications such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking and LumenVox are leading the way, with versions aimed at everyone from home users to medical professionals.

Voice recognition software isn’t quite accurate enough for creating finished, publishable documents, but it can easily handle a rough draft or a quick staff memo/email, where the odd typo isn’t going to make a real difference. Researchers are currently designing voice recognition applications that can detect human emotion, a very interesting concept.

Reversing the Flow: Changes in Advertising

Traditionally, advertising used to be the domain of high-powered consultants, using think tanks stuffed with creative types creating powerful advertising campaigns designed to increase brand awareness. Blue-sky thinking, paradigm changes, thinking outside the box, and a host of other 1980s management buzz phrases were the order of the day.

The influence of internet buying analytics and research into customer psychology is changing this top-down process. Instead of looking to cascade ideas downwards, advertisers are increasingly looking at what the customers are actually doing, using this as a basis for campaigns.

Online advertising, where every click a customer makes is recorded, have aided detailed analysis of buying habits, forcing advertising executives to adjust their role. They look at this information and use it to design customer-centered campaigns, strategies and tactics from the bottom up, incorporating feedback and detailed analytics.

Location and Geo-Targeting

The internet has already changed the way in which businesses operate, and many are still struggling to adapt to the online world. Just as they developed methods for engaging a global audience, the increase in mobile browsing is threatening to reverse this trend.

Search engines have already incorporated geo-targeting as they seek to match people with services in their local area, so online businesses and marketers cannot afford to ignore their local market. The global is becoming the local.

Some advertisers have already started to use GPS data to target certain locations, and this shift towards localized advertising provides opportunities for local businesses. For example, a restaurant can build their web advertising strategy around their local area, reaching out to people using their mobile phone to find a nearby place to eat.

Downsizing and Opportunity

Considering the current insanity pervading the world financial markets, the economy is going to have a huge effect on the way that businesses operate. Most businesses are having to cut costs, and many are trying to incorporate flexibility into their structure, allowing them to react to changing circumstances.

Finding full time jobs is becoming more difficult, because many organizations prefer to issue part-time contracts, giving them the opportunity to increase and decrease wage spend as demand fluctuates. Outsourcing to small businesses is growing, providing a more cost-effective way of getting certain tasks done than using full time departments.

Naturally, for small businesses and freelancers, this trend could be a positive, with a sharp increase in the amount of contracts available. By the end of 2011, WhichLance.com predicts that freelancers will account for at least $150 million of business spending, and this figure will grow.

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

- Peter F. Drucker

Open Source – Are the Corporate Computing Dinosaurs Facing Extinction?

Every few years, Open Source Software and analytical tools have been touted as a threat to the old order, offering cost-effective alternatives to standard business software. Usually, the clamor dies down and Open Source once again fails to upset the old school. With a few honorable exceptions, such as Firefox, open source products always seemed to lack something and people would continue to fork out hundreds of dollars for an established brand.

Finally, the tide is turning, and open source is starting to make inroads into the computing market, matching the quality and practicality of commercial products. Huge organizations have used open applications such as Linux, MySQL, Apache, and Firefox for years, but this trend is trickling downwards to affect small and medium businesses.

Rather than spend a small fortune on licensing for anti-virus software, Avast and AVG are proving themselves to be just as robust as commercial offerings. OpenOffice is closing the gap on Microsoft Office for word-processing and spreadsheet applications, and GnuCash is developing free account/invoice software that is perfectly adequate for small businesses and the self-employed.

Most of us are going to encounter open source applications at home, at work, or on the move, and this is an area ripe with potential.

The New Decade Unfolds

These are just a few of the trends that we think will affect business in the coming years, although futurology has a habit of throwing up the unexpected. One thing is certain: Current practices will change, and the key is to see change as opportunity rather than a challenge.

If these trends come to pass, they will carry their own set of difficulties and a steep learning curve. However, they also give us new ways to succeed, innovative methods for working efficiently, and fresh markets to explore. The future isn’t as scary as it seems, despite what the media likes us to believe.

“We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.”

- George Bernard Shaw

Normally, business productivity and time management books fall into one of two categories:

1. Basic commonsense tips for improving productivity, all of which generally recycle the same information that can be found online (Try Googling 10 Top Time Management tips and you will see what I mean).
2. Motivational guides that tell you to organize and manage. They are packed with terms like ‘Positivity’ and ‘Visualize’ but never actually tell you how to do anything.

Two books, The Organized Executive, by Stephanie Winston, and Steve Chandler’s Time Warrior, break away from these tired stereotypes. Winston was one of the first to develop a commonsense guide, and most other productivity tips are mere copies. Chandler, by contrast, completely changes the concept of time management.

Stephanie Winston: The Organized Executive

Organized Executive on Amazon

If you want to improve productivity the old school way, you need a tried and tested book. Stephanie Winston’s relates a traditional approach to time management and shows you how to organize an efficient office.

Winston’s book is well laid out and her writing style is light but authoritative. The book covers a range of topics for ensuring that your office is a clean and efficient environment, with employees fully aware of their responsibilities. This book shows you how to:

• Assess exactly what tasks need doing
• Prioritize tasks
• Break down projects and work out realistic timescales
• Delegate
• Follow up
• Toss, Refer, Act, File (TRAF) – Be ruthless in tossing out paperwork. Refer paperwork to those who are most skilled. Create an action folder for tasks, ready for prioritization. File any tasks that do not need delegation or action, ideally with a date when they can be safely removed.

This book has aged a little, and misses out many of the modern innovations that have seen us move towards the paperless office and lean systems. A lot of the advice in here is based upon traditional values, in the days before we invented software that can do pretty much everything. However, despite most business’ claims that they are streamlining, managing through-flow or [insert latest management buzzword], the vast majority of modern offices are still swamped with boxes of paper balanced precariously on shelves or stuffed under desks.

As a result, the book is probably a little too old school for experienced managers, but they are not really the target audience; it is perfect for starting managers and supervisors wishing to learn how to do the simple things well. I have met many new managers with great software skills or training in people skills, but they haven’t got a clue about the basics of filing, organization, keeping diaries, or prioritizing.

For them, Winston’s book is a great investment. It isn’t some esoteric management book promising riches and success. Neither is it one of the rather thin and tired ‘101 Ways to Organizer Your Office.’ It is a classic book packed with commonsense tips and practicality.

“Information’s pretty thin stuff

unless mixed with experience.”

- Clarence Day

Time Warrior – Steve Chandler

Time Warrior on Amazon

In a 180-degree change of direction, Steve Chandler’s Time Warrior is a book that will appeal to any businessperson.  Chandler’s style is direct, yet manages to keep a flowing, very readable style with a touch of warmth and humor.

Time Warriors is a complete departure from these tired formulas and encourages you to reassess how you work and live, completely changing your mentality. This book skillfully departs from the tired ideas of using to do lists and shuffling paperwork, and Chandler actually encourages you to move away from the old ideas of linear time and concentrate only upon the ‘Now.’

The analogy he gives is the samurai concentrating upon slowing down time and focusing on action. Chandler believes that we expend all of our energy on mediocrity, trying to keep our heads above water with no sense of purpose. We waste our time balancing contradictions and our energies are spread too thinly to achieve anything.

Perhaps the best way to sum up Time Warrior is with the Bruce Lee quote that Chandler refers to often: “The warrior is an average person with laser focus.” If you watch a skilled warrior, they are always in motion, always seeking to carve out space to move and think. A Time Warrior’s battle is against interruption and distraction, looking to create uninterrupted space for serenely focusing on tasks.

Some of the concepts explored by Chandler are:

• Uninterrupted Time: One hour of interrupted time is worth three hours of interrupted time, A Time Warrior, before starting work, will seek to carve out uninterrupted time.
• Non-Linear Time: The non-linear time is binary; you only have now and not now. Complete small, achievable tasks, and create a routine
• Sustained Assault: Focus on a problem and attack it until it is solved, instead of allowing yourself to be distracted. Always complete things, because incomplete projects prey on your mind and sap your creative energy.
• Focus: With the same time and energy you expend in avoiding an overwhelming job, you could actually make a solid start.
• Only the ‘Now’ is Important: Concentrate on the present task instead of cluttering your mind with thoughts of the future. The future distracts
• Procrastination and People Pleasing: Most procrastination is based upon fear. However, this is fear of what other people will think when you fail. The constant compromising of your personality to make it conform to what others expect saps energy; you can channel this into creativity, instead.
• Silencing Emotions: Most time-management problems stem from emotions; “I can’t do this” or “What will the boss think?” Your inner voice will try to distract you; it might say that you are disorganized. Instead of letting it eat away at you, clean your desk, now, and silence the voice.
• Set Realistic Goals and Challenges: Set process goals and do them, now; this could be working through your inbox in 30 minutes, or scything through your in tray. Sustained action is the key
• Problems Become Projects: Capture a problem by writing it down. Redefine the problem; rather than use meaningless buzzwords to make it merely sound positive, convert it into a project, which is a challenge to be solved with the warrior’s focus

Two Approaches: Whatever Works For You

These two books offer two different approaches to time management, one using tried and tested formulas, the other looking at a whole new approach. Winston’s book is perfect for those needing to know how to organize an office efficiently. Chandler’s book is great advice for people looking for a way to breaking away from the tired motivational books or time management books packed with theories that do not reflect reality.

“Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil. ”
- J. Paul Getty

“LinkedIn is for people you know. Facebook is for people you used to know.
Twitter is for people you want to know.”
- Author Unknown – Via socialmediatoday.com & Via Jay Baer, Convince & Convert

“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make,
but about the stories you tell.”
- Seth Godin, sethgodin.typepad.com

Creating Social Marketing Campaigns

Whether you are a small business owner or self-employed, the benefits are immediately obvious; creating social campaigns can generate a great return on investment and give you a viable alternative to search engine marketing methods. Even if you are an employee, there is a strong possibility that more of your duties will involve social networking, so understanding the processes and techniques will help you stay ahead of the curve.

Instead of making vague statements about using Twitter or Facebook, organizations are now demanding that their marketing departments produce plans incorporating social networking. Companies are investing in software that can track the efficiency of social marketing, seeking a good return on investment.

Social media marketing is largely indirect and based around interaction, similar to the traditional blog and comment method. If you work in customer service, for example, you may well spend more working time replying to comments on your company’s Facebook fan page or sending out Tweets. Interacting with existing and potential customers via social networks is important if your business wants to attract the growing number of Facebook addicts who would rather leave a comment than pick up the phone or open their email.

If you believe this a job for the marketing or customer service department, think again. Answering Facebook inquiries is a job that tends to be given to the member of staff who looks least busy. A large number of employers are looking for dedicated social network marketers, and, job advertisements for administrative staff often mention familiarity with Facebook pages and Twitter accounts.

“If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.”

– Jeff Bezos, CEO at amazon.com

“In the absence of communication among your customers, advertising rules.”

– Don Peppers, founding partner of Peppers & Rogers Group and 1to1 Media

The Growing Social Website Phenomenon

According to Entrepreneur.com, over half of Americans are members of social sites, and they are outspending conventional computer users; $67 per person in the first quarter of the year as opposed to $50, a sum of money that businesses cannot ignore. A good proportion of this from referrals; social site users are likely to take the advice of friends rather than listen to poorly constructed sales copy, in the virtual equivalent of good, old-fashioned word of mouth.

A recent study showed that 59% of consumers trusted the advice of friends on social sites. This makes sense; imagine a user posting a status update “I want to buy a new laptop – what do you advise?” Their friends are more likely to give an unbiased opinion.

Some businesses may feel that this isn’t important to them, as they have products and services that cannot be sold online, so they stick with traditional advertizing, perhaps begrudgingly throwing up a web page or two. However, social networking isn’t necessarily about selling, but creating awareness and promotion by word of mouth.

“Social Media marketing is about brands acting, well, social. Which means they need to show up to the party with a nice bottle of wine, if that’s what the party calls for. They need to come ready to have a dialog, and add value to the event.”

– John Battelle, Founder & CEO of Federated Media Publishing, battellemedia.com

Social Sites and Human Resources

For HR managers, social networking is becoming an increasingly important aspect of recruitment. Sites such as Linkedin and Ecademy are well known as business networking sites, but they do suffer from the problem of underexposure; people tend to visit and leave. On the social sites, people tend to remain logged in for longer and check notifications more often, so a business can use these sites to create publicity and seek recruits.

You can email the contacts on your business account and ask for referrals and suggestions, or even advertise directly on your business page. On the other side of the coin, if you are looking for work or a new job, social suites are increasingly becoming a great way to find jobs, research a company, and apply.

Many HR resource professionals, especially for larger companies, are setting up dedicated staff pages to help foster a sense of teamwork and unity, allowing employees and managers to interact in a semi-informal environment and create a buzz. News about community initiatives, staff competitions and announcements can help to increase staff morale.

Networking is also important for businesses; many networks have sprung up on Facebook, and checking these sites is a great way to keep track of trade shows, interesting articles, networking prospects, and sales opportunities. For example, many professional organizations Tweet the latest business news.

Social Sites: The Disadvantages

Of course, it is not all plain sailing and social media networks have their concerns, some of which have led to companies banning these sites from the workplace:

• Loss of employee productivity
• Leaking information
• Unprofessional behavior

A company must ensure that work time isn’t wasted on social sites, although they are no worse than any internet surfing during work hours

Companies can insist that their employees are responsible for everything posted on a site, both on their business and personal accounts, and they must be aware that talking badly about the company on their personal account is unacceptable.

An employee should be aware that they represent the company at all times and should avoid actions that could insult fellow coworkers, managers, or business associates.

“The qualities that make Twitter seem inane and half-baked
are what makes it so powerful”
– Jonathan Zittrain, Harvard law professor and Internet expert

Social Sites and Job Hunting

If you are career minded, set up accounts with LinkedIn and other networking sites that help you upload a resume of your abilities, skills, and experience, and hopefully a company will find you. You can also become proactive and seek out the companies hiring on these sites, or use the search functions on sites like Facebook.

“Don’t worry; skills are cheap, passion is priceless. If you’re passionate about your content and you know it and do it better than anyone else, even with few formal business skills you have the potential to create a million-dollar business.”

– Gary Vaynerchuck, Author of “Crush It”, garyvaynerchuk.com

Social Sites

The growth of social sites shows little sign of slowing down, and an increasing number of employees and business owners will find that using these sites becomes part of the job. In a huge shift away from the traditional search engines, social websites are the future.

“Whoever said that things have to be useful.”

– Evan Williams, Twitter co-founder and CEO

­ Will Rogers

Recessions are an awful time for HR managers and business owners, who are faced with the unenviable task of trimming the workforce. Every round of redundancies tears the heart out of the workforce, but there seems to be no end to the bad news. According to workplace.com, HR managers are recording high-levels of stress, with many seeking career changes, suffering from stress related problems, drinking more heavily, or taking up smoking.

There is no easy way around this: restructuring is always difficult for a company and, despite the fact that the last thing you want to do is tell employees that they have to leave, especially when you know that they will have bills to pay, a mortgage, and families to feed, it is unavoidable. Constant layoffs create uncertainty and, unsurprisingly, cause your workforce to lose motivation as stress permeates the organization.

How do you handle this?

How can you help your workforce ride out the storm?

In difficult times, there is no ‘magic bullet’ to make all of the problems go away, and stress management in the workplace is a vital part of riding out the storm.

These tips are all designed to promote damage limitation during an economic downturn.

Always remember that your employees are fully aware of economic reality and most of them will be supportive, as long as they are kept informed.

Here are a few tips for riding out the workforce stress: there is no ‘magic bullet’ to make it all go away, but you can at least lessen the impact. If your business is restructuring, your have to be able to spot the signs of stress and act, because your workers will look to you for guidance.

“I’ve tried yoga, but I find stress less boring.”

-       Anonymous

-      

Stress Management in the Workplace Tips

Look to the Wise Old Heads

Throughout difficult periods, your older workers have seen it all before. They are often islands of calm amongst the maelstrom, so don’t be afraid to ask them for advice and help.

Avoid the Difficult Customers

For staff on the front line, spending most of their time dealing directly with clients, times can be particularly hard. It is difficult to remain warm and bubbly when the threat of redundancy looms overhead. During economic turmoil, customers are often tense, and it doesn’t take much to spark off a full-scale confrontation.

If this is a potential problem, try rotating your staff, giving everybody a break away from the coalface, even if it means stepping in yourself.

Dive In and Man the Pumps

Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty, helping staff out when they are struggling, even if for short periods. Apart from the immediate relief, it helps to promote the feeling that you are all in this together and shows that you are sharing their burden.

Working alongside employees will help you to isolate potential problems and find solutions, although try to avoid crossing the line and micromanaging.

Your Employees Deserve Honesty

Uncertainty is the biggest cause of stress, if people don’t know if they will have a job next week. Be honest and straight with your staff, telling them the bad news instead of giving false hope and empty platitudes.

If employees know what to expect, they can mentally prepare and focus. Some staff, aware of the problem, might find other jobs or take early retirement, easing your burden. They deserve nothing but the whole truth.

Listen to Feedback and Be Open to Ideas

Tied into honesty is the idea of listening to feedback. Your employees are stakeholders in the business and listening to their opinions may help. For example, some businesses reported that staff offered to cut everyone’s hours or job share rather than cut the workforce, so it can pay to be open to ideas.

Keep a Lid on Bullying

In difficult times, even the happiest and most well motivated teams can descend into infighting and form cliques, seeking mutual support. Unsurprisingly, incidences of bullying rise and scapegoating becomes much more common. For example, every business has members of staff who make the odd mistake; in better times, this is usually a source of mirth and good-natured banter.

When people are stressed, this can take a sinister turn and become bullying as staff members seek an outlet for their aggression. Keep your eyes open and take allegations of bullying seriously, but don’t forget that those doing the bullying are not necessarily bad people and are just projecting their inner turmoil.

Be delicate; in most cases, when you point out to a staff member how much they are hurting another human being, they are usually embarrassed and remorseful. Sometimes, it just takes an outside observer to highlight the issue.

Counseling and Listening

It is very easy for managers to become an object of fear, and employees dread that call to the office, fearing that it will be bad news. Make it clear that your door is open for any problems, whether work or home related. Be a good listener and try to help in any way you can.

Dealing With Absenteeism:

Don’t assume that a member of your staff increasing their sick days is being lazy or disruptive, but it could be a sign of underlying stress. Invite people to be open about any problems, whether caused by stress at work, family problems, or financial difficulties. Once you know the problem, you can try to resolve it, offering advice or allowing them to take some vacation time to recharge and revitalize.

Reduce Bureaucracy and Avoid Confusion

Some streamlining of systems may be necessary to handle lower staff numbers, but try to keep disruption to minimum. You need to make the job easier, not more difficult, so be sensitive to the needs of your team.

Taking Care of Your Staff

It is tempting to increase productivity by indirectly expecting staff to work longer hours or take fewer breaks. This is very shortsighted and creates resentment; in the short term, you might get more work done, but these practices will eventually harm productivity in the long term as absenteeism and poor motivation spread through the company like a virus. Include yourself in this; you are only human, too.

In difficult times, there is no ‘magic bullet’ to make all of the problems go away, and stress management in the workplace is a vital part of riding out the storm.

“In times of stress, be bold and valiant.”

– Horace (Ancient Roman Poet 65 BC-8 BC)

Too many people settle for mediocrity, ending up stuck in a rut and working in a spiritually and mentally unfulfilling job. Rather than going for what they really want to do, there is always some reason for why they cannot attain their dream career or life experience.  Do any of these sound familiar?

• I’m too old to change
• I don’t have the time
• I’m not clever enough
• I can’t afford to do what I really want to do
• I will wait for an upturn in the economy

These excuses, and others like them, conveniently hide the real reason for inertia, the fear of change that holds all of us back at some point in life. It is easy to let this fear take over, letting it prevent you from fulfilling your innermost desires.

As with anything in life, if you want to overcome fear, break your goals into small, manageable tasks and take action on them one at a time. There is always a way to reach your goal, but the important factor is to know your destination before you set out on the road. Once you have that, everything else will fall into place.

If you truly know what you want from your career, yet you are not moving towards that goal, here are a few tips to help you on your way.

“The fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”

– Muhammad Ali

Simple Strategies for Attracting Your Dream Job

1. Learn by Example: Do you already know someone who is doing what you dream of, a person who will be willing to share some of their knowledge with you? Are there any role models, mentors, or coaches that you can learn from? Study what others have done and don’t be afraid to ask iquestions. Once you know what you want to achieve, you just need to plan the route!
2. Seek Out Supportive People: Surround yourself with people who support your dream 100%. There is no harm in having somebody prepared to inject some realism, but there will always be naysayers who always seem to point out what can go wrong yet never point out what can go right.
3. Break A Large Job Into Smaller Jobs: Keep your eye on the ultimate destination, but try to avoid taking on too many tasks at once. If you try to accomplish too much too quickly, you risk burning out and never getting there. Break down your dream goal into smaller, achievable aims and, with a simplified plan in place, you can slowly but surely chip away at the task.
4. Get a Foot in the Door: In the long run, it is better to take a step towards your dream career rather than stick with the dead-end job, even if it means taking a financial hit. Sometimes, you can tighten your belt and make do with less for a while – failing that, you can look at dedicating a few hours a week to studying and gaining experience.
5. Improve Communication: Improving your communication and people skills can be the catalyst for propelling you towards the career you really want. Good communication will help you to get your points across clearly, helping you to become well respected.
6. Make Yourself Stand Out: It always helps if you are seen as the type of person who goes the extra mile, with a refreshing ‘Can Do’ attitude. If you are to be interviewed for a specific job, study the objectives and skills required, ensuring that you have the right qualities and skillset to be the perfect match. If you lack some of the skills, show that you are willing to take the initiative and acquire them.
7. Take Action: There may be a number of things that hold you back from applying for your dream job. Identify these causes and eliminate them, recognizing what you are afraid of so that you can cast aside anything that stands between you and your dreams.

If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,”

Then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.

– Vincent Van Gogh

Thinking Laterally: A Few Career-Changing Ideas

• Job Fairs: These are a great way to discover new careers and hunt down opportunities. You will be able to determine which companies are hiring, and find out if you need to go back to school for specialized training.
• Career Assessment: Take advantage of the various career assessment options, including free career tests online. After answering a few questions about your personality, preferences, and skills, you will receive a list of potential jobs that match your talent and temperament.
• Take a Class: Going back to school can cost money, but it is an investment in your greatest asset: yourself! If you find that you enjoy a class, you know that you have found the perfect career. If not, you can move onto something else, with no harm done.
• Network: Connect with people on FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other similar sites. This will help you to find the right people, and opportunities can arise when you are least expecting them.

The Power of Patience: Dreams Can Take A Little Time to Manifest

Once you have made a list of actions that will move you towards your goal, you can start the process, even if it is very much a long-term investment. Set your plan into motion immediately, starting your research, setting up a savings account, or finding a mentor. These small tasks can help you to build an unstoppable momentum that will sweep you to your final destination.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal:
It is the courage to continue that counts.”
– Winston Churchill

A positive attitude energizes work and study, stimulating creativity. Boosting your attitude on a daily basis will change the course of your life and career as your optimism translates into enhanced income opportunities.

All too often, we let our actions be governed by our emotions, allowing negative thoughts and feelings to have a detrimental effect on every aspect of our lives. Family relationships, career, and social life can all be influenced by negativity, causing you to accept your fate and plod through life, with little chance of self-improvement.

Boost Your Income by Boosting Your Attitude

Would things be different if we transformed negative thoughts into positivity?

Can changing how we feel truly change our direction in life?

Living in the present, rather than the past, and developing a positive attitude about the future can help us to reach goals that we once thought impossible. A brighter outlook on life can help us to open our eyes to more possibilities and encourage us to move in new, more exciting directions.

This is easy to say, but how do you attain a better outlook on life? It all revolves around your attitude, and having a positive and outgoing approach is the most important key to changing your self-concept, boosting your income and improving your life.

Techniques for Improving Your Attitude

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.

– Winston Churchill

1. Take Charge: Figure out the things that make you unhappy and find ways to eliminate them from your life. Believing in yourself provides a solid foundation for change. It’s important to be true to yourself and look after your own well-being. Nobody is saying that you should become completely self-centered, but do try to avoid doing things for the sole purpose of making someone else happy at your own expense.
2. Love Yourself: If you want others to see you in a positive life, you have to learn to love yourself. If you project negativity, you will be seen as a disruptive force that people will avoid. We all have faults – it is how you deal with them that matters.

The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being
can alter his live by altering his attitudes of mind.
–  William James (1842-1910)

1. Self-Control: Understanding that you cannot directly control how others think and feel about you is crucial if you are to develop self-control. Change must be indirect, and becoming positive will win hearts and minds.
2. Victim Mentality: It is easy to slip into the victim mentality, always seeking to blame others for misfortune, and this will prevent you from developing and achieving your goals. Take responsibility for your own actions and attitude, and you will soon find that people stop dictating how you should live your life.

Every thought is a seed.  If you plant crab apples,
don’t count on harvesting Golden Delicious.
– Bill Meyer

1. Change Your Thoughts: Negative thoughts inevitably lead to negative actions. Try to change the way that you react to situations, looking for positives instead of overanalyzing the negative aspects of people and situations. If you think positively, you will act positively, keeping the negativity at bay and ensuring that almost anything is possible.

“If you are facing in the right direction,
all you need to do is keep on walking”.

– Buddhist saying

1. Cultivate Your Own Cheerleader – and be a Cheerleader for Others: In life, the best things we do often go unrecognized by others, whether at home, work, or socially. When this happens, step and praise yourself just because you deserve it! This can make you feel much better about yourself when others fail to put their gratitude into words. Lavish self-praise will not only encourage you to do better next time, but it will give you the confidence to explore new areas of life.

I don’t like that man.
I must get to know him better.

– Abraham Lincoln

Be sure to share your “inner-Cheerleader,” and become someone who encourages and praises friends, family members, and colleagues.  The more you become somone who helps and encourages other people to achieve their goals and dreams, the more likely you’ll achieve your own.

1. Help Dreams Become Reality: Misery really does love company and, if you believe that you will never achieve anything, this will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Dream big and dream often, figuring out what you want from life and setting plans into motion. If you want a better job, the biggest obstacle to success is yourself, so take the necessary steps to make your dream happen.

Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character.

– Albert Einstein

1. Positivity Breeds Opportunity: A positive attitude is the key to changing your job situation, improving relationships, and enhancing your quality of life. People sense good vibrations and react accordingly; if you appear to be more confident, they are more likely to present you with opportunities.

I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street,

I met a man who had no feet. – Ancient Persian Saying

1. Gratitude is an Attitude. Start by being grateful.  Think about people you feel grateful for.  Write a list for everything you have in your life that you are grateful for.  Given much of our world’s population lives in poverty, as a North American, you have much to be grateful for.  Many studies have shown that people who are more grateful have higher levels of health and well-being.  They also are more likely to be in careers they enjoy.

Positive Attitudes Attract Positive Outcomes

If you can believe in yourself, you can go on to bigger and better things. A positive attitude and behavior attracts positive results.  So if you want to advance in your current job or embark upon another career, simply begin by cultivating and sharing a positive attitude and approach.

A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds;

it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities

that were somehow absent before the change.

–  Earl Nightingale

How you work and your effectiveness in managing a multitude of duties and information can make the main difference between having a profitable business, or getting promoted.

The Strength of To-Do Lists

By writing down your goals, you are much more likely to get those things done.

How much more most likely? Research shows that people who write down their goals are about two times as likely to achieve them as those who do not. And if you count those who write down their goals but don’t quite fulfill them, they still get a lot closer than they’d have if they hadn’t written them down in the first place.

This research is true in long-term goals like building your dream house or traveling the world – but exactly what does all of this have to do with daily To-Do listings?

Well, what is a To-Do list but a list of goals for the day? Which means by writing your daily goals list on paper, you’re a lot more than twice as likely to make significant process towards checking individuals tasks off than should you just flew by the seat of your pants. Here are some tips to help you create do-able, effective To-Do lists:

1. Make it Reasonable.

We’re all too familiar with the endless To-Do checklist, the one with dozens of items, more than you could accomplish inside a week, let alone a day. While writing every single thing you have to do down on a list may make you are feeling like you’re getting your existence under control, it’s actually counterproductive. Not only will critical tasks get lost in the pile, you can become overcome with the sheer volume of stuff you have to accomplish.

2. Make it Specific.

One of the biggest problems with To-Do listings is that people write down projects versus tasks. Anything that goes on your daily To-Do list should be something you can actually accomplish, such as “Call John about product release programs,” instead of “Finalize product release.”

Should you write down projects instead of tasks, you can’t ever cross all of them off – they just sit on your list and move from one day to the next that is obviously counter-productive and frustrating. However, basic psychology teaches that rewards make us wish to accomplish an activity more. So that every time we check off an item on our list, it motivates us to do more. You can only do this if the items are small enough to complete and check off.

3. Make it important.

I have been tempted to write down things on my list just so I can cross them off. And while this gives me a little momentary boost, it doesn’t do a lot to move you closer to your goals. So before something makes it onto your list, consider if it’s critical to the completion of your goals. If not, do not even write it down.

When used correctly, To-Do lists are powerful tools that can help you to definitely accomplish more in less time. Through “respecting the list” and following these types of three tips, you’ll have a To-Do list that will harness your time and help you move nearer toward your biggest goals.

Technology & the To-Do List

While a paper and pen will create effective To-Do lists, there are other technological options available all the time. You might want to check out some of these choices for turbo-charging your daily To-Dos:

1. Remember the Whole milk (rememberthemilk.com).

With interfaces along with Google Calendar and applications for Twitter, the iPhone and the Android, Remember the Milk is like a To-Do list on steroids. You can set up reminder messages to be sent to a person via IM or email, you can share your tasks with others, and set priorities. Service is free.

2. Basecamp (basecamphq.com)

The online service provides task and project tracking, messaging, and file storage for multiple users. Basecamp may be more than you need for a daily to-do list, however check out the free trial. You may like its capabilities for monitoring multiple lists across multiple projects and users. The basic service is $24 per month, along with larger, more robust plans rising to $149/month.

3. Ta-Da Lists (tadalist.org).

If you just want basic list capability without a lot of bells and whistles, Ta-Da Lists is for you. You can create multiple lists, share them with others, and obtain them to your iPhone. Service is free.

4. Rough Underbelly (roughunderbelly.com).

This particular To-Do list service has a unique way of tracking priorities. A person assign a certain number of points to each task, and your daily score is tallied as well as tracked over time. There’s also a timer function. No collaboration or sharing. Service is free.

5. Toodledo (toodledo.com).

Want to assign priorities, tags, and deadlines, set goals, create folders, as well as collaborate with others? Toodledo may be just the answer for you. This is a robust list function where you can shop all your lists and information together. Service is free.

6. Mindomo (mindomo.com).

If you prefer to create mindmaps before assigning tasks in order to lists, check out Mindomo. You can create maps, embed notes, and work online and off. The basic version includes seven roadmaps and is free; upgrades are for sale to $6/month for an individual and $9/month for a team.

There are literally a large number of tools available to help you track your projects and activities. Don’t get blinded by the glitz of the technology, although – the best tool is definitely the one that is easy to use as well as available when you need it.

URGENT Versus IMPORTANT

Do you feel like your day is spent in “firefighter” mode – putting out one emergency blaze after another? You can easily spend eight hours or even more at the beck and call from the urgent activities on your checklist: The phone call that comes right when you’re sitting down to do some much-needed proper planning, the unexpected invitation to a meeting. While these all might be deserving tasks, they’re not necessarily associated with your high-level goals. And as a result, time you’ve set aside for your important activities can be usurped by the tyranny of the urgent.

Yes, it’s hard to disregard a ringing phone or perhaps a full email inbox. But if you want to accomplish your goals, you need to have a system for focusing on the important tasks instead of the urgent ones.

Here are five tips for keeping your attention on the “Important” rather than the “Urgent”

1. Know what “important” is.

Keep your own high-level goals in front of you, literally and figuratively. You must know what you are trying to accomplish this month, now, today, so you can filter your activities accordingly.

2. Create a work area with no distractions.

It’s not practical to turn off your telephone ringer for 8 several hours straight, or to check your email only once a day. But you may set up zones where you restrict outside interruptions. Start with a basic time first thing in the morning for one hour. Get one big product off your To-Do list before you decide to check email. If that works well, add another quiet area in the afternoon, maybe right before you quit work, so you can put your planning collectively for the following day.

3. Manage expectations.

You train people how to treat you as well as what to expect from you. If you always respond to their emails immediately, they’ll grow to expect immediate answers. Slowly wean them from expecting you to be on-call, 24/7.

4. Create systems to support your habits.

Email in-box filters can shuffle non-critical newsletters and group emails to another file for later reading. Removing all non-essential applications and icons from your computer desktop (and from your physical desktop, too!) can keep you focused. File documents frequently to keep your space clear. Figure out where you’re getting derailed and create some limitations to keep you on task.

5. Remind yourself you can’t do everything.

Admitting you can’t do everything can go a long way in order to helping you see your limits. To reach your goals without being continually pulled off course and distracted, you need to be strategic about where you perform spend your time.

If you find yourself feeling like a task-completing machine, crossing off items from your To-Do list as soon as you write them down, remind yourself of the big picture, and hold fast to that vision.  Knowing what to do, as well as what NOT to do, is much more important than being productive or attempting to do every task that crosses your desk.

Can implementing these principles improve personal and organizational performance?

Most people have heard of Chaos Theory and the Butterfly Effect, the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings over the Atlantic can cause hurricanes in Florida. A huge, dynamic system, like the weather, is influenced by innumerable tiny factors. These are practically impossible to predict and may seem innocuous at the time, but they can have severe repercussions.

The Butterfly Effect: Ripples and Consequences

The Butterfly Effect can influence human interaction together, and it is built around the idea that any action you take starts a reaction that will reverberate and grow, having an impact further down the line. Whenever you make a choice in life, try to think about the potential repercussions, because every action you take will have a consequence.

To give an example of the Butterfly Effect in action, imagine a manager who is having a stressful, busy day. She takes her anger out on one of her supervisors, shouting at him and making him feel very uncomfortable. This places him in a bad mood and he proceeds to be very abrupt with his staff, and they become tense and on edge, becoming less pleasant to customers.

The manager’s stress cascaded down the chain, increasing in intensity and in the number of people it affected at each stage, potentially costing the company money and increasing the chance that disillusioned staff will leave the company or even worse, become less productive and negatively influence others around them.

Use the Butterfly Effect as a Force for Positive Change

Luckily, the idea of the cascade Butterfly Effect can also be used to your advantage. Imagine that the above manager kept her stress to herself and instead praised her supervisor for working well under pressure. He will pass this goodwill onto his staff and they, in turn, will interact with customers much better. This principle lies at the core of harnessing the Butterfly Effect to improve productivity.

Although we often have to think on our feet and have to react to situations quickly, there is always time to think about the consequences of our actions. Most organizations are built around a hierarchy, and clear vision, drive and simple kindness at the top will soon filter down throughout the organization. While we are all governed by emotion, an effective manager is cool and calm under pressure, aware that any they action they take can have serious repercussions.

The Butterfly Effect can also be used on a personal level, as a way to organize and, most importantly, plan ahead. Small changes to a business plan or an operational procedure can have far-reaching effects that may not be apparent immediately but reap dividends in the long term. In a business environment where “short-termism” dominates far too often, thinking ahead and making the small decisions for the future is a great way to get ahead.

Putting the Butterfly Effect in Practice

1. Small Actions, Big Gains: Concentrate on the small actions that can create long-term effects. For example, taking a few minutes in a morning to brief staff on what is expected for the day gives them a clear goal and direction. This will greatly improve efficiency and cut down on wasted time.
Be open to change, and make a list of actions you will commit to take on a daily basis that will lead to long term positive results.
For example, list the areas of your life in which you want to make a change, then commit to one action or change in each area:
A) worklife and career
B) relationship and family
C) health
D) finances
E) recreational / vacation
F) home

2. Long Term Goals: When you are clear about your vision, and mission, values, and goals, your actions and decisions will be clear. With the Butterfly Effect, you may not always see results immediately and the reaping the rewards of your actions can take months or even years.
As an example, most businesses have staff training procedures in place, but the time that is supposed to be devoted to it always seems to be disappear when you are busy. When you have a mission to create the best organization with well-trained staff, finding a few minutes a day for training can have huge long-term repercussions: Infused with confidence, your staff will perform better and, perhaps, a previously overlooked member of staff might show that they have what it takes to become a great supervisor or manager. Using the Butterfly Effect is all about long-term investment.

3. Invisible Effects: In some cases, you may not even see the results at all.
For example, imagine that you revitalize your health and safety procedures and invest in better protective equipment. If you hadn’t upgraded, an employee could have had an easily avoidable accident and sued you. This costs the business time and money, causes you stress, and potentially ends up with you having to cut costs in other areas, lowering production. Making a small investment now, can prevent a future bad consequence.

4. The Butterfly Effect & Relationships: Consider that each interaction with another person will have longer term implications. You can also apply the Butterfly Effect outside work, improving your family life and also your work life.
For instance, ensuring that you devote a few hours for spending with the family strengthens relationships and also helps you to unwind and relax. Failing to do this can result in stress-related illness or relationship difficulties, with the associated devastation to your family life and to your career. Behave and interact in a way that results in the best long term effects.

5. No Guarantee of Success: Looked at individually, not every small change you make to your working practices will ultimately bear fruit. Sometimes, the effects are invisible, or the change might not have the impact you imagined. However, looking holistically, you will notice that all of these small changes added together have a positive effect, overall, and using the Butterfly Effect will change work practices and increase productivity, gradually and organically.

The Butterfly Effect: Organic Growth

The Butterfly Effect is not a quick fix and they will not improve productivity overnight. However, this principle provides a good framework for long-term success, gradually improving all aspects of your business and strengthening every single level. Identifying and committing to small changes you can make does not require a lot of time or resources, so it is a very low-risk strategy to implement and adapt.

Whether you work for a company or you are self-employed, harnessing the potential of the Butterfly Effect is a good route to success. Just making a few small changes can help you to build stronger foundations for the future.

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The term “butterfly effect” is attributed to Edward Norton Lorenz, a mathematician and meteorologist who was one of the first proponents of Chaos Theory.
More information about the Butterfly Effect:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-butterfly-effect.htm

*Elmore Leonard put it into three words: “Don’t be boring.”

Innovation and creative thinking are an integral part of every industry. Whether you are a bricklayer or the head cheese at a dot com company, at every level of progress you will need to think of new and intelligent ways of going about your work.

Break free from considering your work to be only a means of livelihood. Think about where you want your position to take you in terms of education, connections, and prosperity, and go about your goals in the way most unique to your talents and strengths.

Gear your everyday tasks for dynamic results.

Adopt a new way of handling the monotony that your job sometimes entails. Start by thinking of a task in an unusual way, and start moving away from any kind of boring routine you can’t bring yourself to complete. Boredom is a slippery pit that kills productivity.  Introducing an element of fun into your daily schedule will refresh your outlook, creating new possibilities for output and accomplishment.

The bottom line is that you can enjoy your work, and even humdrum tasks, by experimenting with and indulging your creativity. Have balance, and have some fun with it.

Elmore Leonard wrote dozens of page-turners that have been transformed into famous Hollywood films, such as “Get Shorty,” and “Jackie Brown.”

*William Wordsworth wrote, “Be passionate and let your thinking come from deep within just like breathing.”

When you are truly passionate about something, it will feel natural to you, and your best work will reflect this natural affinity.

Genuine passion is extremely important in the most rewarding careers.  We all work to pay the rent, but if you can pay your rent, love your work, and be fulfilled by intrigue and challenges—then you have found a calling as important to you as breathing.

Challenge yourself to find your essential nature. Then, put your passion to work. Find the facets of your position that you have an affinity for, and fine-tune your ability to succeed.

William Wordsworth was a major poet who helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature.

*William Strunk, Jr. said,” Be concise.”

Most of us think precision and clarity can be achieved by crunching long hours at the computer or desperately burning the midnight oil. You need your rest!

The quality of your work will improve dramatically if you can focus on a project with dedicated time allowed for its production and clarification. Keeping it simple is one thing; taking the time to understand the demands and intended results of a project will guarantee a cohesive success.

1. Take time to think things through to a conclusion.
2. Take time to reconsider situations from different angles.  Allow enough time to go over projects with a “cool” and considered mind.
3. When time itself is an issue, keeping things orderly and in precise fashion can prevent later catastrophe.

William Strunk, Jr. wrote The Elements of Style (1918) a writing guide to English usage.

*Madeleine L’Engle declared, “It’s a good thing to have all the props pulled out from under us occasionally. It gives us some sense of what is rock under our feet, and what is sand.”

Any setback is an opportunity, when looked at openly and without undue accusations.  What may be perceived as failure can only be an indication of “what isn’t quite working.”  A false direction will eliminate a wrong approach. Again, framing and perception and critical thinking are key; it is imperative to have a positive attitude that helps you encounter and quickly move on from tasks and even whole projects that are not in a stable condition. When you find an issue in the workplace that is shifting from not being on terra firma, it is helpful to remember that we can only build on the most solid base.

When mistakes are made, when projects fail, when deadlines are not met, take any available time to determine why a goal wasn’t met. Seek positives worth keeping, and outline new approaches. Evaluate, and be flexible enough to fluidly move on. Take full advantage of what will, eventually, “be a good thing” you have learned to solidly build upon.

Madeleine L’Engle won the Newbery award for the renowned and pivotal children’s book, “A Wrinkle in Time.” She has authored over 60 other books as well.

*Ray Bradbury said, “Don’t shun criticism.”

We tend to avoid people (and not just family members), who have no encouraging words for us.  We tend to like people who like us.

However, constructive criticism brings in unparalleled opportunity. Even a negative tone can inspire a beautiful and hopeful or needed change.  Listen to the perspective different from your own.

While managers, coworkers and peers may seem unapproachable at times, their feedback can work wonders by giving you the freedom of a different frame of thought. Facing and coping with rejection is difficult, but to receive and embrace criticism the same way we open towards compliments is a gift in itself. You will never regret accepting constructive criticism once you are aware of its clear value to you and your successful accomplishment.

Ray Bradbury is critically famous for his over 500 stories, including “Farenheit 451.”

Don’t be boring.  Be passionate.  Be concise.  Learn from setbacks how to stand on solid ground. And don’t be afraid of criticism.

There are all kinds of literature written to better your business sense, to inspire your success, to motivate your spirit, and to make sure your socks will match your briefcase. You will find, however, that fine-tuning your business acumen doesn’t have to come in a perfectly packaged business product available for only $29.99.

The truth, really, is that any author will speak to your individual sense of command and accomplishment. When you are open to hearing new voices, in books, from your favorite author, or from your friends, bosses, and co-workers, you will have gained a huge advantage in critical thinking and creative problem solving. You are now geared for success in a completely unique and individual way.

As Albert Einstein strategically put it… “No problem can be solved by the same consciousness that created it. We need to see the world anew.”

Now, put your favorite author to work for YOU!

Demands and deadlines are an inherent characteristic of modern life, often leading to an unsustainable work-life balance. Success may aid an affluent lifestyle, yet it is often at the expense of healthy well-being. Simplifying areas of your life can seem impossible, particularly when demands upon your time and expertise is great.

These Seven Steps to Simplifying Your Life will allow you to distinguish the unnecessary from the obligatory, thus relieving stress and creating more “you” time.

1. Know Your Priorities:

Prioritising is a concept used by spiritualists to create “Zen” within their lives, that is; creating calm through focusing on what truly matters, and mapping priorities. Are you focused?

A simple method to identifying your key priorities is the creation of a list. Your list should encompass obligatory priorities, such as family, however; should not neglect your own realistic needs and aims.

• Who are the people most important to you?

Do you allocate enough time to the relationships you have with people closest to you?

• What gives you the greatest sense of meaning or purpose?

Is it achievement, providing for your children, your career or charitable gestures?

• What is it you truly want from life?

Success, wealth, happiness, enrichment, family, career progression? .

• What personal accomplishments will fulfil you?

What achievements would contribute to your own happiness?

Once compiled, your list will identify the areas of your life to which, you devote too much time and effort. Post your list somewhere you visit frequently, whether it be a on your office wall, or refrigerator. In times of stress, reading these priorities will reaffirm the people and goals most important to you.

2. Know Your Limits:

Being “in demand” in any capacity can be draining. Knowing your limits means not exceeding your physical, emotional or mental capacity. It means knowing when to “say no” to a project or offer of more hours, in order to focus your attention on a priority, or on yourself. Over-commitment can lead to the neglect of other important areas in our lives, from nutrition to relationships.

One way of simplifying your life, improving productivity, time management, and focusing upon priorities is to evaluate your current routine:

• Evaluate Wants V. Needs:
  • Ø Learn to Say “No”:
  • Evaluate Your Own Well-Being:
  • Re-Structure Your Routine:

3. Working Life:

Are you a “yes” person? Do you find yourself “biting off more than you can chew”?

If you answered yes, you are one of many who takes on overtime, additional workload and assists others without question or plausible excuse. Whether motivated by money, progression or loyalty, this kind of easy-going attitude will enable others to take advantage of your goodwill. The daily commute can also add to the demand, working life already places upon us. If your work-life is eating into your personal life, to the extent you are not seeing your family on a healthy, regular basis, it is vital that you make some alterations.

• Cut the Commute: Move closer to your work location to cut down on commuting time and fuel usage, increasing your free time, as well as money.

• Learn to Decline Offers: Learn to say no when your work life overshadows your personal life.

• Is it Worthwhile?: Is the offer of additional hours going to assist in paying vital bills or contribute to a well-earned holiday? Will it benefit you or your family?

4. Family Time:

Now that you have allocated more free time, it is important to utilize it effectively, and spending time with family should be one of your top priorities. Consolidating working hours down to those which are contracted may mean some budgetary analysis has occurred. Memories can be made from the simplest of ideas, which can also be free.

• Outdoor Activities: Picnics, cycling trips, camping, treasure hunts, nature walks, fishing, hiking, running, swimming, volleyball, football, rounders/ soft-ball, Frisbee, or any similar game which requires team effort and interaction.
• Home Activities: Board games, console competitions, charades, card games, dining together, art and crafts activities, cooking together, treasure hunts or gardening.
• Community Activities: assisting with community projects such as carnivals, campaigns, shows or fund raising can unite a family in a joint effort, for a beneficial cause.

5. Leisure Time:

The “stay-cation” is the new  budget friendly trend for holidaying. The recession has hit many families hard, to the extent that an exotic holiday is not a feasible option. The time has come for families to become more creative, and utilize facilities on their door-step for a saver “stay-cation”. While leisure time spent with the family is a priority, one should not neglect ones’ own requirement for quality time. Activities such as those outlined below, are extremely cost-effective, and most can be enjoyed locally.

• Sport: Public swimming pools, gymnasiums, and community centres all offer access to low cost, public facilities and activities.
• History: Many locally based museums offer free admission, or discounted rates for families with children.
• Art: Local art exhibitions are often free to local residents. Amateur exhibitions are almost always free.
• Music: Many big bands, orchestras and locally based bands play in admission-free venues, or at community events. These are often listed in local newspapers.

6. Shopping:

The weekly grocery shopping can often be an odious and time consuming task, not least because of having to control your children, and navigate around other people in a supermarket. Shopping to the confines of a budget can also be stressful, especially when promotions and offers are sent to tempt us. Simplifying this process can be as simple as changing your routine.

• Switch to online shopping.
• Set yourself a strict budget.
• Only buy what you need.
• Utilize cash-back websites.
• Adhere to a list.

7. Streamline Your Life:

Simplifying your life means the removal of everything, that is not vital to your new lifestyle. This includes material objects which you may have been storing  for months, if not years, on the premise you will utilize it in the future. Re-organizing your possessions will enable you to de-clutter mentally and physically, making space for your new organized lifestyle.

• Sell your items on auction sites.
• Donate your items to charity.
• Swap items on recycling sites such as Freegle.
• Host clothes-swap parties.
• Give old items a new lease of life and sell for profit.

A network can bring you new business, clients, or even your next employer.  Or, you may someday require the professional help of an attorney, an accountant, or other professional, and you can draw upon your network to find a trusted professional.

Grow Your Network Online

Increasing your network of online contacts is a great way to stay informed about people in your industry.  LinkedIn.com, is one example of an online professional networking site. LinkedIn.com boasts more than 70 million members in over 200 countries. Linkedin members are professionals who seeking to increase their network of contacts.  Linkedin.com membership is free, and it’s an easy way to begin networking online.

Here is a list of 29 popular business networking sites, in alphabetical order:

1) apsense.com

A free business social network where people get paid to come together to share their business.

2) biznik.com

Biznik is an award-winning business networking community for anyone growing a business.

3) ceoworld.biz

A site where top executives and entrepreneurs can network and collaborate.

4) connectture.com

Connects you with influential people who can help your career, business, and personal life.

5) ecademy.com

A business social network founded in 1998 now with millions of users of the site each year worldwide.

6) entrepreneur connect

Where small-business owners and entrepreneurs can exchange advice and make connections.

7) facebook.com

Facebook is one of the most popular social networking sites.

fastpitchnetworking.com

As one of the fastest growing social networks for business professionals, Fast Pitch! has connected millions of businesses across the world.

9) gather.com

Gather is social networking grown up – the site where adults go to keep up with the people, conversations, and moments that matter.

10) konnects.com

Designed to mimic the natural way that business professionals meet and transact business in a faster, cheaper, more efficient way.

11) linkedin.com

Over 70 million registered users maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business. The people in the list are called Connections.

12) littleengine.com

LittleEngine is a community of Small Businesses, for local owners and patrons who make a point to support and buy from local businesses.

13) meet the boss

Business networking tool for business executives around the world, across all industries (English language).

14) meetingwave.com

A free business and social networking tool that helps you connect offline with people you want to meet in the places you will be– whether traveling or near home or work.

15) naymz.com

Naymz is a powerful tool for any professional looking to advance their career to the next level. Our innovative professional networking platform allows people to find and discover new connections, opportunities, ideas, and information based on their backgrounds and reputations.

16) netparty.com

For young professionals to network with each other on a business level and social level.

17) networkingforprofessionals.com

A business networking organization that powerfully combines online business networking and real life events.

18) partnerup

A networking community that entrepreneurs and small business owners use to find the expertise and resources they need to start and grow a business.

19) passitto.com

Business professionals and groups who actively exchange referrals, network, and generate business for each other.

20) qapacity is a business-oriented social networking site and a business directory. Users are given tools to promote their business online, to keep their clients and business partners up-to-date with their work, and to reach new clients.

21) raisecapital

A site where entrepreneurs showcase their business ideas and capital needs directly to investors.

22) ryze.com

A free social networking website designed to link business professionals.

23) spoke.com

Provides on-demand business to business contact information for sales people, marketers, and recruiters enabling sales lead generation.

24) talkbiznow

An interactive business networking site for professionals.

25) upperz.com

Upperz is a free social network site for professionals that connects you with your business and professional contacts.

26) viadeo.com

Viadeo is an online business social network for finding clients, suppliers, business partners, key business information, recruiting or being recruited.

27) wecando.biz

Find quality businesses that have been recommended by a network of contacts.

28) younoodle

Discover and support the hottest early-stage companies and university innovation.

29) xing.com

Xing includes over 9 million users with personal profiles, groups, discussion forums, event coordination, and other common social community features.

For a list of popular online networking sites, see this list at Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites

Networking at Live Events

Live events are often hosted by companies who want to share their knowledge with others, and build or strengthen client and vendor relationships. They are a great way to network with others in your field. Personal interaction builds strong relationships. In addition, attending regular events allows you to practice your networking skills.

3 Reasons to Attend Live Networking Events

There are many reasons to attend a live event. For one, curiosity often gets most people. They want to see what it is all about and how the event, or attendees can help their business.

1. Attending live events gets you out of your comfort zone. Think of attendance at live events as personal growth training.  Practice your relationship and speaking skills while at these events.

2. Meet people with similar goals. If you are new to business, you’ll gain new and practical information and advice that will help your business or career goals. Attend with an open mind and be prepared to listen to interesting people and thought-provoking seminars.

3. Networking helps you build your business or career. You’re likely to meet kindred souls in the form of potential clients.  Live events provide a great opportunity for increasing your professional network. Ask for business cards, collect vendor business materials and be open to meeting people who are more than willing to talk with you about how to take your business to the next level.

Speaking at the Event

Speaking at an event increases your credibility and expert status. Getting the podium can get you new business.  Before you reach the podium, make sure that you:

1. Know the main focus of the event. Share with the group in the session your knowledge and expertise based on what the event is trying to highlight. If it is geared towards a niche then feel free to discuss how you got into your niche, what marketing techniques you use and new ways to expand the niche

2. Know the other presenters. Some of them may be sitting in your audience. If they are more seasoned than you, prepare a few questions for them about how they stay calm and at ease before a presentation.

3. Practice a lot. There is no substitute for this one. The way to avoid those dead silent moments when it seems that all your thoughts fly away is to get up and go over your speech many times. This is also how you prepare to deliver well-timed jokes. The more practice you get in, the more comfortable you will feel going off script when inspiration hits you.

4. Have materials in place. The audience will want handouts. Give the handouts at the end of your presentation. Otherwise, attendees will be reading your handout as you speak. Prepare something eye-catching as well as informative for them to take with them. You can create a packet of material including your business card and other pertinent information about how to reach you. Don’t forget to place a sign-up sheet at the door so you can contact them later.

5. Present your products.  Use your presentation as a platform for gaining new business partners, new customers and more sales. Bring along some free samples, or an information-packed article or handout. One tip though, don’t make your presentation a sales pitch. You’ll do better if you remember that your presentation should be about giving valuable information that helps your audience.

Successful Networking after the Event

What did you learn at your last live event? Did you take any actions with the new knowledge you received?

Here are a few tips to help you take action with your pocket full of business cards and that briefcase full of helpful handouts.

1. Create a plan and capture action-items. Take out that handy notebook and look at the notes you took at the event. Add relevant action items to your “To Do” list or calendar, so you don’t forget the good ideas you had while at the event.

2. Email the people you met at the event. Now, is the time to cement that lasting impression that you believe you made on the people you met at the event. Contact each person individually and tell them what a great time you had meeting them. Help them remember you by including your photo at the end of the email. If you can recall the conversation (ideally, you took notes), impress them by recounting one tidbit from your conversation with them in your email.

3. Get involved in online social networking. Find your new contacts on social networks: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, for example. Invite them to be connections, or friends, so you can keep in close contact.

4. Blog about the experience. Get your readers interested in the event happenings. Share your experiences and any new business advice you received at the event.

5. Did you speak at the event?  If so, turn that seminar presentation into an online ebook, or a downloadable white paper on your website.  You could create an e-course on your topic. Use the handouts as filler for your monthly newsletter, content for your site or new topics for video media.

Motivation is very important in sales; if you are not motivated, you sell less, and this vicious cycle can bring down even the best and most confident salespeople.

The way to break out of this negative mentality is to change your approach and look for a new angle. A fresh start or changing your approach can break the mental block and have you attracting success again. Even if you are a gnarled sales veteran with years of experience, a refresher course can breathe new life into your career.

Even if you spend a couple of days rerunning through “old” techniques, you can always learn something new. Perhaps you overlooked a technique, or you find that a new take on an old system can revive your approach.

A single tip can be all it takes to help you generate more leads or close more deals, and increased success brings better motivation; better motivation means that you spend more time selling.

The Twenty Tips for Making New Sales Success

Here are twenty tips to help you revive your sales approach. These valuable tips are simply reminders of what all seasoned and successful sales people understand.

1. 1. Contact and Serve

Contact all of your clients who are thinking about buying or who have recently bought from you. If it is a potential customer, try to find out exactly what they need to move along and actually buy from you. Instead of pressurizing them and breaking out the hard sell, listen and reassure.

Ultimately, the first mantra of sales is ‘Identify a problem, find a solution,’ yet many salespeople forget this simple maxim. Telephone them and go back to basics; solve their problem and serve them in every way possible.

With this approach, you can also identify the timewasters; if they want a solution that you cannot provide, you can forget them and move on.

1. 2. Staged Closing

Knowing when to close deals is the key to new sales success. Many salespeople who are brilliant at generating leads simply cannot close deals, ultimately wasting all of that good work.

People think of closing as getting the signature on the paper at the end of negotiations. This is true, but think from the customer’s point of view; they will be spending a lot of money and want to be 100% sure that they are doing the right thing. They will have questions, so it is up to you to address every single concern and give an answer, closing the deal in stages.

Ask questions, such as ‘Is this what you need?’ ‘Is this service something that you are interested in?’

These small, staged closes let you keep on the right track and prevent you from asking for too much, too soon and frightening off the customer. Slow and steady is the way to go with new sales.

1. 3. Trust and Integrity

New sales are great, but returning customers are valuable; if a customer is happy with your product, they will come back for more. Trust and integrity should be at the core of your approach. So, how do you gain trust?

The answer is providing service at every stage of the process, during the initial presentation, the sale, the delivery, and during the aftercare. A simple call a few days after the sale, asking if they are happy with the product, can work wonders.

• Return calls promptly
• If you don’t know something, tell them, then find out the answer
• Be confident and helpful, without straying into arrogance
• Be honest
• Follow up
• Be friendly

If you capture trust and convince the customer of your integrity, people will want to buy from you, knowing that they have spent wisely.

1. 4. Overcome Objections

Customers have questions, many of which can lead them to reject your product or go to a competitor. These questions are objections that you must overcome, but sometimes the questions actually mask the real reasons for their concerns. For example, a customer might ask you why your competitor is selling their product at a much lower price. It is easy to assume that they are playing hardball, trying to force you to lower the price.

On the other hand, they might be concerned that, if they spend such a large amount of money and get it wrong, their employer/spouse/partner would not be happy. You need to find out exactly what is stopping the customer from buying and offer a solution.  Probe for a reason and offer a workable solution, building upon your trust and integrity.

1. 5. Probe

Probing allows you to treat every customer as an individual, and this is a key to success.

You need to constantly probe for what the customer wants, establishing how serious they are about buying. Sometimes this happens early in the conversation. Aat other times, you can waste time trying to sell to a client who has already decided that they are not interested.

Remember when you started in sales; you spent time running through your sales spiel, only to find that the customer is not interested but was too polite to interrupt!

Alternatively, you may fail to address concerns and spend your time telling the customer why your service is the best, without addressing what they actually need; that is an easily avoidable lost sale.

From the very start, you should probe; you don’t want to overwhelm the customer with questions, but a few carefully selected, open questions dropped into the conversation can work wonders. Sometimes, an open-ended question causes the customer to open up, and then  convince themselves that they should buy.

1. 6. KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

Related to probing is the idea of KISS. Don’t spend time rambling about why your product is the best; talk about why it is the best for that customer. Some customers are ready to buy and just need a little reassurance in a few areas, but telling them irrelevant details actually gives them reasons not to buy, creating room for objections.

Customers will run away if they smell a sales pitch; they want an individualized product and a salesperson who wants to help. Address their concerns and build upon those; don’t give them extra excuses to back out by overcomplicating things.

7.    Features and Benefits

At the core of sales is added value: Every single feature of your product should have a benefit, because customers are not spending money, they are investing money. If a feature costs extra but brings no added value to the customer, then it is useless. Know how to communicate the benefit of every feature of the product or service you are selling.

8.   Knowledge and Growth

Knowledge is the key to outperforming the competition. Knowledge breeds confidence and, if you learn everything about your product, it is easier to sell by promoting the benefits. Study your competitors and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Learn about your customers, looking at their background and asking why they may be interested in your products. If customers see you as knowledgeable, you become the first port of call for information and they will be more likely to trust you.

9.    Best Practices and an Open Mind

In many sales areas, managers and directors send directives explaining the best practices. It is tempting to ignore these amid the flurry of e-mails, but they can be a goldmine and act as the focus for reviving a flagging campaign. Other reps may have found simple methods and techniques that work, and the company is sharing this information with you. Try some of these techniques and keep an open mind.

10.   Teach to Learn

Teaching others can be a great way to assess your own approach. Showing new reps the ropes can often expose weaknesses in your technique and help you to learn. For example, if you find it difficult to explain things to a new rep, then you can rest assured that your customers will be equally perplexed.

A new rep will ask questions, many of which will expose gaps in your knowledge, allowing you to tackle these and improve.

11.    Co-Selling – Everyone’s a Winner

Sales Reps can learn a lot from each other, and going on sales calls with colleagues can help you develop new techniques. A simple change in approach, or a new way to interact with customers, can completely change your outlook. Every sales rep has their own style, but it can always be improved upon. Learning from each other can augment and enhance, helping both to incorporate a little more flexibility into their approach.

12.    Ask for Referrals

If you have a satisfied customer, ask them to refer you to others and, in most cases, they will be happy to help. Whether it is asking the customer directly, or being a little more passive and indirect, go for it. A referral from a happy customer is usually a very easy sale, especially as you have somebody else doing your advertising, with absolutely no effort on your part!

13.    Generate Leads

Leads are the lifeblood of sales. Even if you are the best closer that has ever walked the earth, without good leads you will fail. Find leads by any means possible; scour the internet, pay for lead generating services, and get out there and visit every business in your town. If doesn’t matter how you do it, but be proactive in finding clients; it is all about playing the numbers game.

14.    Follow Through

Most sales reps fizz with ideas, new ways to find customers or ideas that may lead to a rich seam of leads. Sadly, many are forgotten after a few hours, when something else crops up. Write these ideas down or use a digital voice recorder to keep track of your ideas and, at the end of the day, transfer these ideas on to your ‘to do’ list.

15.    Explore New Opportunities

Many sales reps tend to drift into certain areas and attract specific labels. You may well excel in a specific area but, if you start to identify only with one label and stop exploring other markets, you will lose potential clients.

Explore new opportunities and try to sell outside your niche. For example, if you have managed to sell a product to a small business owner, you might be able to sell to the employees. If a larger business has dealings with a smaller one, you can use referrals to expand your audience. Think laterally and you can generate new leads with very little effort.

16.    Play the Numbers Game

The numbers game is the easiest way to increase sales and this principle is simple. If times are hard and you are struggling with sales, work harder, because the more people you contact, the more likely you are to sell. You will receive more rejections but, importantly, you will generate more leads. If your motivation is low, this can be the hardest part to overcome but it will bring results.

17.    Develop a Thick Skin

As a sales rep, you hear the word ‘No’ a lot. Even the toughest, most experienced salespeople can go through periods where this gets them down. The key is to see ‘No’ as an opportunity that may lead to a ‘Yes,’ and you can probe and ask why the answer is no. Perhaps it will uncover an issue that you can resolve, an objection that you can overcome. Even a flat and unconditional ‘No’ can give you a referral opportunity:  ‘If you are not interested, do you know anyone that might be?’

Keep your skin thick: The ‘No’s’ cannot hurt you but they can also unlock opportunity.

18.    Leave Work at Work

This is extremely important, because the biggest enemy of any sales rep is burnout. Even when you are going through a successful period, overdoing things can tire you out. Once you have arrived home, focus on relaxing and spending time with your family, or unwinding with your hobbies. You must balance work and life, or you may lose motivation and enthusiasm for your work.

19.    Listen and Learn

Listen to the customer at all times, rather than trying to force the issue. Many customers know exactly what they want and, rather than getting caught up in ego, trying to show the customer how clever you are, listen.

20.    Be Helpful

Try to be as helpful as you can, to customers, colleagues, and even the competition.

If you are honest and helpful, colleagues will ask you to take care of their customers when they are away on holiday. Helpfulness and simple kindness does come back at you as your reputation builds, so will your success. You will end with a few referrals coming your way, where the customer asks for you by name.

You are selling yourself alongside the product. You never know what rewards kindness and honesty will bring you in the future!