Strategic Thinking

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Strategic Thinking Tagged Articles

10 Simple People Skills To Successful Management
Getting the best from your people is vital if you are to make the best progress in your business or organisation. Much comes from the way you interact personally and there are just ten key actions to take to build great, fulfilling and productive relationships...

10 Steps When You Need Help in Your Business
You start off alone. Be it as a solo business owner or a manager looking after a part of a larger business. It gets busier, you get distracted from what you want to do, because there's only one of you and you've only got one pair of hands.

Strategic Thinking and Quick Reaction to New Information is the Key to Organizational Survival.

The future is unknowable, unpredictable and undetermined. However, many leaders and their organizations remain mesmerized by the Newtonian promise of control and certainty. This continued belief has taught us to do very little until the organization is absolutely certain they know what will happen in detail. When action is finally taken, the actions are taken as if the organizations truly can see the outcomes. This type of thinking needs to change if your organization is to survive.

We Have Met the Enemy ...
There are other coffee chains. And damn fine independents. The coffee is good at Dunkin' Donuts ... and McDonald's for that matter. (My next door neighbor will go to the mat defending DD.) Still, Starbucks is sailing in pretty blue ocean to this day. So why is its stock in the tank, why did founder Howard Schultz decide last week to can the CEO and re-take the job himself?

A Strategic Vision Exercise
Hereâ€™s an exercise that Iâ€™ve found helps people think about vision.

The Positive Impact of Strategic Thinking and Planning on Your Success

All of the tips in this article can help you to formulate a great strategy. However, there is no guarantee that your brilliant strategic plan will work. I'm sure you have heard the expression, "learn from your mistakes." As we move forward and make progress on our journey, we will have many experiences to learn from. Use them to your advantage. Apply strategic thinking and planning in your life and increase your success.

The Art of Strategic Thinking
When it comes to thinking, planning, and acting strategically, few companies actually succeed! Having said that these companies can still run well, maintain, grow, and be present in the marketplace. But these companies will never be great! They will never be extraordinary places to work, nor will they be outstanding companies to do business with.

6th of the Top 10 Kurlan Sales Management Functions
This is the 6th in my series of the 10 Kurlan Sales Management Functions. #6 - LEADERSHIP Sales Leadership includes but is not limited to:

What is Strategic Thinking and How to Apply it to Your Business
Strategic Thinking is not a new way of thinking; many successful large organizations have used these practices to establish a clear and precise path on which to carry out their vision. Applying Strategic Thinking practices to your small business will accelerate your success by allowing a crystal clear focus to drive daily tasks - for you and your team.

How Regenerative Leaders Build Enduring Strategic Advantages

Every organization needs leaders who think ahead (strategic thinking). The leaders should have the capabilities for seeing things as they are inside and outside the organization. They need ability to generate, attract, and select powerful ideas. They must have the courage to define and implement values in their decision making. They must be able to identify means for enhancing value (customer benefit). Finally they should be able to convert all thinking into specific actions. These are Regenerative Leader's abilities. All these abilities are needed for using any strategic framework.

The Small Business Owner’s Conundrum
In the current economic climate, small business owners understand that under-performing is not an option. Not if they want to survive, that is. They constantly face situations that call for skills or experience they may not possess on their own. Add to this the fact that small business owners often wear far too many hats and face a unique set of pressures that only they can fully appreciate.

Seven Strategic Actions to Deal With Stress At Work From “Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Look around you and you will see stress. People are being challenged in this new economy. Stress is a fact of daily life and it is especially true at work. And the stress is heightened because many small business owners must face these challenges essentially alone or with some minimal support system for assistance. While some people will strive on stress and will use stress to improve their performance, there are many others who fold or breakdown under the strain of stress. Here are seven strategic actions from “Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach” to deal with the stress at work.

Is Restaurant Marketing Broken?
Is restaurant marketing broken? - Yes. What exactly is it that’s broken?

Ten Tips For Managing Stress of New Beginnings, New Opportunities, New Intentions and New Goals For The New Year

The new year resets the calendar and it is a good time to view the start of a new year as a time of new beginnings, new opportunities, new intentions, and new goals and to develop a strategic action plan to use each of those new things. Too many times, we focus on the stress and the fear of new beginnings or change. One of my biggest recommendations to you for stress relief is to choose an attitude and mindset that looks at all challenges, issues and problems as OPPORTUNITIES wearing various disguises. Another major method of addressing stress is to take a look at just how busy we are on a daily basis. So, if we agree that stress is something that is almost impossible to avoid, here are ten (10) tips from your strategic thinking business coach on how to manage the stress of change.

End of Year Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach: Looking to Success in 2009 and Beyond

As we enter the month of December each year, we often wonder where the year has gone, how quickly it has passed and what we did or did not accomplish. He end of each year finds us thinking about holidays, gifts, parties and friends, as well as the closing out of another business year. The end of the year is a time to look back on the previous year and look forward to the next. And while reflecting on the past year, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach would like to suggest that you take time to remember and to give thanks for the great things that happened in your business. And to build on all of the positive things that you accomplished this past year and carry that positive momentum into next year.

The Marketplace is Changing, Is Your Business Standing Still?
Big shifts are taking place. What does it all mean to you and your business? The strategic planning process offers a set of tools to help you logically think through complex business choices. Read about some concrete ways on how to move forward with confidence

The Economic Crisis... The Bail-Out... And You...
The economic crisis, supposed bail-out and the resultant impact on business and peoples lives... is all too "real"! So, precisely "how" should you or your organization manage these difficult times and challenges? Earnestly consider the following 8 Steps, that may well serve you and your organization throughout the remainder of 2008 and beyond.

Strategic Thinking Tactics - Time To Be A Visionary Leader
Strategic thinking is an approach or a perspective that any manager needs to adopt while thinking about their business organization into the future. It is an indispensable method to learn how to convert long-terms aspirations and goals into reality.

Tribe, Nation, Business Unit – Are we not are all the same?
We often look to cultural diversity when considering organizational processes and strategic leadership. This article notes the need to understand cultural differences as they relate to business operations.

Distributing from Day One
Start-ups - don't delay distribution decisions.

Strategic Thinking for Leaders

The business environment today is constantly in flux and on the edge of volatility. No longer can business simply be the best at making a widget without also considering how to best transfer widgets to market before the competition. Superiority in the widget market is backed by an organizations ability to think and act strategically. This article explains the concepts of strategic thinking and planning and provides some practical competencies needed to develop the skills of strategic thinking.

Strategic Email Actions For Effective Marketing, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The use of email marketing continues to grow and we are almost assured to receive multiple email marketing messages every day. Think about those email marketing messages you receive. Some of them are annoying, an insult to one’s intelligence, totally irrelevant to you and your business or organization, arrogant, or sometimes very offensive. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach emphasizes that one needs to be very sensitive to the use of email marketing and needs to think strategically about the who, what, when, where and why relative to marketing emails that are sent. Here are nine (9) recommended strategic actions to take to help ensure successful use of email in your marketing.

How To Improve Your Own Time Management Through Seven Strategic Questions, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Time is such a precious commodity and it is highly valued by strategic thinkers. Strategic thinking people want to get the most benefit out of their time and they have discovered that a great way to do just that is to develop the ability to ask yourself the strategic questions at the right time. And the beauty of this technique is that you only need to invest no more than sixty seconds to ask those questions before you begin any specific activity, task or assignment. The skill of asking the right questions must be acquired and as time goes by you will improve your ability to ask the real strategic questions. It is important to learn how to ask questions and one tip is to have your questions begin with the word “what.” Here is a list of seven strategic questions to ask.

Eight Essential Qualities of Passionate, Powerful and Proven Leaders, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The term leader is used and dare I say misused quite often in our society today. Leaders are mentioned in the context of community; family; business; church, local, state and federal government; an organization; or some other institution or group. But how many of those mentioned as leaders really possess the essential qualities of a passionate, powerful and proven leader? In order to determine the answer to that question, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach believes one needs to define the term leader by listing the attributes or qualities necessary to earn the title of leader. Here is a list of eight essential qualities that I believe define a passionate, powerful and proven leader.

Ten More Important “Lessons Learned” For Leaders, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Building upon another article I wrote on important lessons learned for leaders, I thought about additional important “lessons learned” for leaders that could be shared. The potential reward and return on efforts related to the strategic action to identify the “lessons learned” from our experiences merits additional thought. I found another great quote to share to confirm the value and importance of the “lessons learned” approach. The following is a quote from John Keats. “Don't be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid. Here are 10 more important "lessons learned" for leaders.

Important "Lessons Learned” For Leaders, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One strategic action that I encourage all my clients to take is to look at any undesired or unplanned outcome of their efforts with a keen eye and a mindset toward identifying the “lessons learned” from the experience. The strongest and most effective leaders have the ability to commit to identifying and acting upon those “lessons learned.” And I believe leaders take a totally different view of failures that are experienced in their businesses and in their personal lives. The following is a quote from Denis Watley that I believe provides a strong confirmation of my belief about failure. “Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.”

Strategic Hiring-What If Tomorrow Doesn't Resemble Today?

We live in times of exponential growth, yet we act as if tomorrow will be just like today. It will not! To do more that just survive, to excel in the future, organization must start building the environment that will allow them to distance themselves from their competition. Strategic thinking is requred and effective implementation critical. Find those thind that need be in play to become the very best.

Critical Skills Needed To Be A Strategic Thinker, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Strategic thinking is a process that defines the manner in which people think about, assess, view, and create the future for themselves and others. Strategic thinking is an extremely effective and valuable tool. One can apply strategic thinking to arrive at decisions that can be related to your work or personal life. Strategic thinking involves developing an entire set of critical skills. What are those critical skills? Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following list of critical skills that the best strategic thinkers possess and use every day.

Strategic Actions For Learning How To Think Strategically, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

What is strategic thinking? What does that term mean? My research into definitions brought me to the following thoughts. Strategic thinking is a process that defines the manner in which people think about, assess, view, and create the future for themselves and others. It is more about creating tomorrow than responding to both day-to-day as well as long-term problems, opportunities, and new realities. It is proactive rather than reactive. Fortunately, it also can be applied on any day at any time and is responsive to the new realities and the accelerated rate of change of today and tomorrow’s world. Strategic thinking always involves change, and many times that means profound personal change. Here are nine actions to learn how to think strategically.

Ten More Compelling Reasons To Hire An Executive Coach

All of today’s true business leaders have either created change, or proactively adapted to change happening around them and their organizations. In today's fast-paced business world, executives often feel the loneliness at the top of their company. What is most important for those executives to recognize is that he or she doest not have to go it alone. In fact, more executives are turning to coaches for outside advice and help. Recently I was preparing for an executive coaching presentation to a group of business owners and senior management staff members. I had been asked to make sure I had a list of ten compelling reasons for executive coaching to pass along to the attendees. Here are the ten compelling reasons that I recalled for hiring an executive coach.

Ten Top Business Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Recently I was preparing for a strategic business coaching presentation to a group of business owners and senior management staff members. I had been asked by the host to make sure I had a list of ten top business tips to pass along to the attendees. Reflecting back over the past several years, I tried to recall what I would select as ten of those top tips. After remembering some of the most highly successful people I have worked with as a strategic thinking business coach and/or an executive coach, I thought of what they had told me were some of the most impactful tips I had shared with them. Here are the ten top business tips that I recalled as having the biggest impact on past clients.

10 Strategic Steps To Take To Achieve Your Business Vision, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Highly successful businesses today have developed visions for their organizations and have the vision integrated throughout the company. However, far too many businesses, even some that may be considered successful, have no clear vision and no real plan for the future of the company. There are some people that have a great fear of strategic planning and of developing a clearly defined vision. And sometimes the fear stems from the lack of knowledge of strategic planning and/or confidence that the people and the organization can actually succeed in developing and implementing a sound strategic plan. This fear and the lack of confidence can be minimized by following strategic steps I have used and that my clients have used through strategic thinking business coaching. Here are 10 recommended strategic steps to follow.

10 Most Compelling Reasons To Hire A Coach, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Many people still may be wondering why they should consider hiring a coach. They are searching for compelling reasons to hire a coach. In the reality of the world of business today there are many real examples of compelling reasons to hire a coach. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has thought about some of the most compelling reasons people have given him for why they hired a coach and lists 10 of those most compelling reasons below.

Seven Ways that the “Main Street” Business Can Compete Against Much Larger Chains
This article explains the challenges that smaller businesses face in competing against the "big boys" and offers seven ways to succeed.

11 Strategic Actions To Combat and Defeat Time Wasters From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

There is not a day goes by when I do not hear someone tell me they do not have enough time to do what they need to do. Or some people will blatantly tell me that they are terrible time managers and waste a lot of their time (not to mention the waste of others time also). Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach recommends that you take a good look at the ways you waste time and the ways others cause a waste of your time and then develop a plan to get rid of those time wasters. In order to facilitate and guide you in this effort. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has developed a list of eleven (11) strategic actions to combat and defeat time wasters.

12 Deadly Mistakes To Avoid On Your Web Site According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Your web site is an extremely powerful tool for your business. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach recommends that you use some strategic thinking when designing and updating your web site. Based upon personal observations, tips from associates, tips from various references, and tips from some advisors, there are some deadly mistakes one must avoid in designing and updating their web site. These mistakes can have a devastating impact on your mage with visitors to your web site. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach is not a web site designer. However, he is a guide and a facilitator for clients and their actions, which sometimes include designing and updating their web site. In order to have an effective web site, there are some deadly mistakes you want to avoid. Here are twelve (12) of them.

Ten Common Characteristics Of Successful Business People According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

It seems that some business people always seem to be prosperous and successful and are able to easily attract clients and more revenue? While other business people seem to struggle constantly and despite their hard work and sincere efforts, they do not prosper and are not successful. Did you ever wonder about why this is true? Could it be an attitude or mindset? Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach recalls from several past books, seminars and workshops that the attitude or mindset one has toward his or her business plays a very critical role in the level of success in that business. So how can we describe this mindset, which is an intangible thing? Some positive characteristics we see in those we consider to be prosperous and successful may help develop a mental image of the mindset. Here are ten (10) characteristics.

Tips To Help People Remember You and Your Name - From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Do you hear people saying they are “terrible with names” or “I simply cannot remember names?” Have you found yourself in a very embarrassing situation where someone wants to introduce you and cannot remember your name? That may be an explanation, but it is not a reason or excuse for people not to commit to being able to remember names. The ability to remember names and call people by their name when communicating with them is a very valuable asset. This skill will provide a strategic advantage in social and business settings. But, yes I remember that some of you have told me that you cannot remember names. So, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach is offering a list of tips to help people remember your name.

Strategic Commitments To Build Trust With Clients According to Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Today many small business owners are accountable only to themselves. And guess what? That means they are really accountable to no one. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach strongly believes that accountability is a non-negotiable business and personal trait. We look around today at what is happening in the workplace and observe one example after another where no one is stepping up to be accountable and where no one is being held accountable for their actions. Whatever happened to accountability? How can an individual or a business be trusted if there is no accountability? Who will be a leader ad take responsibility when things go awry and corrective actions must be taken? Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach suggests that there are ten (10) strategic commitments to make to build trust with your clients through accountability.

Observations of Changing Paradigms In The Workforce From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach is constantly seeking information on new trends, new technology, new insights and new paradigms to share with clients, prospects, friends, colleagues and others. The dynamics of our workplace today is truly astounding. We look at the face of our workforce and see four generations in the workplace. And each generation has different characteristics that present strategic information on how they work, how they communicate, how they think, how they define their values system, and so on. Recently I read an article in one of my colleague’s, Dr. Ira Wolf's weekly newsletters, "The Total View Newsletter" that attracted my attention. ra was looking at the workforce in 2010 and listing the changing career paradigms we can anticipate to take place. Here is the list of paradigm shifts.

More On Business Manners From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Business manners are essential to build relationships in today’s business world. People, who present themselves very favorably, will maximize their business potential. I must tell you that I remain very passionate about business manners and believe very strongly in the results that follow the use of good business manners. In my own efforts for continuous improvement in business manners, I recently did some research that resulted in me finding a great resource - a quiz to establish your Business Etiquette Quotient. he quiz was developed by Lydia Ramsey, a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author.

Powerful Roles For Strategic Marketers According to Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

A strategic marketer or business developer knows how to get to know prospects, listens to what the prospects say, hears what the prospects say and ensures that he or she understands what the prospect is saying. In today’s competitive business world, there is a real need for true strategic marketers and business developers. Too many marketers and business developers are of an old breed and they are using tired old non-strategic approaches to prospects. These “traditionalists” also are not recognizing new characteristics of prospects. Therefore, in my opinion, a new brand of strategic marketer and business developer is needed to be successful in the marketplace today. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following perspective on these roles.

Seven Strategic Tips On Marketing To Your Prospects From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One way to grow your business is to attract new clients and therefore realize increased revenue. Many businesses struggle with this on a daily basis. They are trying to attract new clients but without success or with minimal success. They are experiencing significant competition for prospect’s attention and business and are frustrated by that. One of the keys to overcoming these frustrations is to differentiate your business and uniquely position your business against the competition. So you are now asking how can differentiate and how can we be unique? The answer in its most simplistic form is to give your prospects what they are looking for from you. Your goal is to become the unique solution for your prospects.

Seven Strategic Tips On Dealing With Referrals From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Referrals can be and many times are a vital element of your marketing plan. Sometimes, and many times too often, referrals are taken for granted or they are not sought. How you deal with referrals makes a significant difference in whether you will receive repeat referrals. If the person giving you referrals has a positive and pleasant experience and it is through a process that they can trust, then you will receive more referrals in the future. There are several key elements in building up a trusting relationship with people who refer others to you. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following seven (7) strategic tips on how to establish and solidify that trust with your referrers.

Powerful Strategic Networking Questions From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Networking is an important and absolutely critical activity for business marketers and sales people. People who have the ability to network strategically will always enjoy a competitive advantage in business. Are you comfortable in a networking role? Are you striving to be the best you can be when it comes to networking? What is one major thing you can do to ensure you will be successful at networking? Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach believes the number one thing you should become is a master at asking questions. There is so much power in the ability to ask the right questions and Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has developed a list of ten (10) powerful strategic networking questions for you to use in any business or social setting to open valuable conversation.

A Prescription From The PR Doctor To Prevent Unhealthy Public Relations

The public’s perceptions of the health and well being of a company can be formed by the publicity the company and its leaders receive in the media. And certainly no business or individual wants negative publicity that will taint the current “state of the business” or images of the company and its leaders. Positive public relations are very important to all businesses and require a dedicated strategic thinking effort to achieve the desired results. Yet, there are so many times and so many examples of public relations efforts being done in an unhealthy manner. The PR Doctor has developed a prescription for you to use to prevent unhealthy public relations. The prescription includes the following ten (10) prescribed strategic actions.

A Prescription From The PR Doctor To Become Positive Headline News

Publicity is an essential ingredient in any integrated marketing communications plan. Positive public relations are very important to all businesses and require a dedicated strategic thinking effort to achieve the desired results. The impact of media coverage and positive media headlines can mean an enhancement of your company and your individual image in the communities and the markets where you do business. The PR Doctor has developed a prescription for you to use to become positive headline news. The prescription includes the following ten (10) prescribed strategic actions.

Niche Marketing Fears & Reasons For Those Fears From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

There are so many businesses that are on what I would characterize as a treadmill with their marketing. They are focusing too much of their time, money and other resources on “chasing” new customers and clients with a broad “shotgun” approach. Some of the leaders of these businesses I honestly believe have never met an opportunity they did not want to “chase,” even though the opportunity represents a 0% chance for success and a 100% chance for a waste of resources. Strategic thinking applied to marketing will lead us to make a strong case for niche marketing. There are many business owners and marketing people who fear niche marketing. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers a list of ten (10) major fears of niche marketing and the reasons behind those fears.

Business Coaching As A Valuable Asset For You and Your Business

The challenges facing business owners and senior mangers seem to get more complex each year. And these challenges call for additional resources and tools to deal with the challenges and to take advantage of the opportunities that lie within each challenge. One of the most valuable assets for business owners and their management team members is the strategic thinking, strategic planning and independent, unemotional and unbiased outside advice from a strategic thinking business coach. A business coach in today's business world can be a very valuable asset for business owners.

What Separates the Good Marketers from the Great Ones?
What traits and behaviors separate the good from the great? Check out what sales-and-marketing traits will lead you to the top of your profession...

Reinventing Foreign Aid: "Help Us Help Ourselves"

Participants discussed how to improve aid allocation, increase its efficiency and reduce wastage. The goal is to deploy aid better to enhance the prospects for sustainable development, said Robert Klitgaard, Professor of International Development and Security and Dean, The RAND Graduate School, USA. Joaquim Alberto Chissano, President of Mozambique, agreed that the key issue is efficiency. He noted that often while donors and recipients might agree on principles and delivery terms, full implementation of aid programmes are often not smooth or timely. Problems arise sometimes for such simple reasons as the difference between when the fiscal year begins in developing countries and developed ones. The aid community must look at ways to solve problems and improve efficiency so that non performing countries become performing ones.

Strategic Advice For Giving Feedback From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One of the most critical activities of a coach, mentor, supervisor or anyone that oversees the work of others is to provide feedback to let them know, in a timely and ongoing way, how they are performing. People committed to continuous improvement welcome the opportunity to discuss their strengths and areas for improvement in their performance. Feedback must encourage self-reflection& raise self-awareness. Traditionally, formal feedback is planned as part of a performance appraisal and includes an assessment of how the person is progressing toward meeting his or her goals. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has some advice for those of you that do performance reviews and also offers ten (10) tips to help you achieve a productive and powerful feedback system with people you coach, mentor and/or supervise.

A Strategically Structured Outline For Business Succession Planning From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One major question I ask business owners is: “Do you have a succession plan or exit strategy for your business?” I also ask employees: “Do you know if a succession plan or exit strategy exists in your company or organization?” My experience has more than 90% telling me they have no succession plan or exit strategy. Succession planning is a critical factor for the long-term success of any business. Leadership transitions in business affect the entire organization’s continuity, employee retention, client retention and returns on investment. It is essential to create and implement a process that creates visibility, accountability and greater integration of all facets of the business. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has developed a strategically structured succession plan outlnine and shares it in this article.

Ten Symptoms Of A Business Relationship Problem According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Successful business owners and managers do not take anything for granted and do not take anything at face value. Very successful business owners and managers are trained to look beyond the obvious in search of the real issues and the root causes of those issues. Looking at the health of your business relationships with your clients and customers requires this type of investigation. It is difficult to know if a client or customer loves you and your work or if they are ready to kick you out the door real soon. Sometimes the communications with your clients and customers about your relationship are subtle, while other times they are loud and clear. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten (10) symptoms to look for that may mean you have a business relationship problem developing.

Business Luncheon Manners Always Matter, Ten Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Every business day of the year, there are business lunches taking place. And every business day there are bad business luncheon manners being displayed and observed. Inexperienced staff members to experienced business executives commit these business manner blunders because too many people forget their manners at the business luncheon table. And these business lunch manner faux pas result in a negative image of the person committing them and the company they represent. All business manners are essential to building relationships in today’s business world. People, who present themselves very favorably, will maximize their business potential. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach would like to offer the following ten (10) tips to ensure good business manners at your business luncheon meetings.

Tips On Dealing With Delinquent Clients and Customers From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Business owners know all too well that dealing with delinquent clients and customers is a necessary part of running his or her business. And many of those business owners are not proactive about pursuing those delinquent clients and customers. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach strongly recommends that all business owners (especially small business owners) use strategic thinking to develop a plan to actively and aggressively pursue those delinquent accounts. Collecting overdue bills while maintaining good relationships with clients and customers requires very strategic people skills. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following tips on how to deal with delinquent clients and customers.

The Strategic Use of Powerful Words For Your Marketing - Advice From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Spoken and written words carry awesome power. The words & phrases that you use in your daily business and personal life are extremely important. Our words can add positive power and help us gain success or our words can add negative power and help reduce or prohibit success. This is especially true in marketing. Words make a huge difference in the degree of impact from your marketing communications. One of my favorite sources of insightful and powerful marketing advice is Steve Hackney of Hackney Marketing Ltd. Located in Leicester, UK. According to Steve Hackney, there are a number of “magic” and “hypnotic” words that you can use to increase the power of your marketing. Steve Hackney’s list includes the following 28 words. Steve also provides a list of what he calls “killer words” will make people lose interest or stop reading.

The Strategic Use of Powerful Words For Your Marketing - Advice From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Every day there are multitudes of entrepreneurial spirited people who think about starting his or her own professional service business. And of that multitude, there is some lesser number that actually moves forward and starts their own business to provide professional services off various kinds. Your Strategic Business Coach has worked with numerous entrepreneurs in the startup phase of their professional services businesses and has learned some valuable lessons from those experiences. From those “lessons learned,” Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten (10) recommended strategic actions that you need to take prior to starting your professional services business.

A very effective and powerful marketing strategy is to position yourself as an expert, authority or “guru” in your field. Achieving this coveted status requires planning and following a deliberate process. These achievers are the ones we turn to seek advice and information on a specific topic. We visit their websites, and read their books and articles as sources of valuable information and answers to our problems. These experts also develop and present seminars and workshops at a wide variety of locations. They also are sought out by the media as sources for stories and are often quoted in the media. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers seven (7) suggested strategic actions to achieve expert status.

12 Strategic Questions To Ask Before Starting New Marketing Activity, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The planning and implementation of strategic marketing requires some solid strategic thinking. One strategic thinking tool to use in preparing for any new marketing activity is a checklist or a list of questions to ask yourself before you begin any new marketing activity. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach strongly emphasizes the importance of planning and to asking questions about your endeavors before you begin. Here are twelve (12) strategic questions that Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach suggests you ask yourself before initiating your marketing efforts.

12 Strategic Questions To Ask Before Starting New Marketing Activity, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Ten Strategic Tips on How To Achieve High Visibility In Your Target Market From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach strongly emphasizes the importance of achieving high visibility and establishing yourself and your business in your targeted networks. Gaining high visibility and a positive, trusted position will ultimately enable you to build quality relationships with more people in your niche markets and result in an increased number of prospects. The people who achieve this high visibility exhibit certain characteristics and behaviors. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers five (5) DO's and five (5) DONT'S to make up the following ten (10) strategic tips on how to achieve high visibility in your target market.

Ten Strategic Tips on How To Achieve High Visibility In Your Target Market From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Ten Strategic Tips For Seminar Presenters To Gain Maximum Benefits, According to Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Presenting seminars and workshops is a great strategic marketing tool and Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach strongly recommends the use of this tool. An effective presentation will build your credibility; increase your value in the market, provide an opportunity to further qualify prospects and possibly convert prospects to clients and customers. One of the most important times for the presenter, beyond the preparation time and the actual delivery time, is the day of the presentation and the opportunity that exists that day. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following ten strategic tips, to seminar presenters to gain maximum benefits from their efforts.

Ten Strategic Tips For Seminar Presenters To Gain Maximum Benefits, According to Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Ten Major Reasons Why You Are Not Getting Referrals According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach strongly recommends that all business owners (especially small business owners) develop a strategic referral plan. The power of word of mouth is very strong. Prospects re relying upon the personal referral and testimonials of people they know and trust to help them make their decisions. Positive word of mouth can come in the form of a referral, a testimonial, or both. To distinguish between them, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach defines referrals as specific names of people you receive or personal introductions made on your behalf. Testimonials are written or verbal communications that convey the confidence people have in you. If you are not getting referrals, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten major reasons why that may be true.

Ten Major Reasons Why You Are Not Getting Referrals According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The Strategic Use of Powerful Words, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach strongly believes that it is important to convey your ideas in a strategic manner by capturing the attention of the reader or listener you are addressing. The power of words is not always forefront in our minds when we communicate and Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach wants to remind you about the awesome power of words. Some of the most persuasive words in the English language are: you, easy, health, money, new, love, discover, power, save, result, safety, and guarantee. Using active and lively verbs with the above words can further enhance the power of each of the words. Here is a partial list of active and lively verbs to add even more power to those words.

The Strategic Use of Powerful Words, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

A Strategic Thinking Approach To Making Good Decisions From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Did you ever stop and think about how many decisions you are required to make each and every day. There are probably hundreds of decisions that need to be made in your business and your personal life every day. And those decisions range from very simple to very complex. The ability to make sound decisions is critical for each of us. So, do you believe that you have the skills to make those decisions most strategically and effectively? When a crisis occurs or tough choices need to be made, the ability to make accurate judgments is critical. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following tips to engage in a strategic thinking approach for your decision making and to help you make the right decisions, no matter what the situation. ?

A Strategic Thinking Approach To Making Good Decisions From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Strategic Questions To Ask About Your Business Writing, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Business writing is an art, in my opinion, and good business writing is learned by experience, reading what others write, formal education opportunities, and through the help of coaches, mentors, et al. When we write in our businesses, we are often composing our business communications under some time constraint and that means there is an opportunity for mistakes. Many simple mistakes are made repeatedly and they have a huge impact on the response and your client’s satisfaction. A good word of advice is to develop a list of questions or call it a checklist to use for your business writing. This will help ensure higher quality written business communications. So, with that in mind, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following list of ten (10) questions to ask yourself about your business writing endeavors.

Strategic Thinking Advice For Improved Delivery of Business Email, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Do you ever stop and think about the number of business emails that are sent everyday? Well, industry statistics show that in 2006, there were 6 TRILLION non-spam emails sent by business email users. And the more important question is how many of those business emails actually get delivered to the intended receiver? I did not find that answer, but I did learn that industry statistics show that 75% of daily emails are spam. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach certainly believes you need to be aware of the “state of email sending and delivering” so you can more effectively use email and increase the probability that your email does get delivered to the intended recipient. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has some advice that will help improve the deliverability of your business emails.

Strategic Thinking Advice For Improved Delivery of Business Email, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Effective Lead Generation Tactics From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

A key element of a strategic marketing plan is the generation of qualified leads. No matter what type of business you have, there is the need to generate quality leads. The challenge for many businesses owners (and especially small business owners) is that they are unaware of how to generate those quality leads for their businesses that will result in clients and customers. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach believes that generating quality leads involves the use or a combination of art and science and that it requires strategic thinking. There are many different ways or tactics that can be used to generate quality leads for your business. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following list of twenty (20) effective lead generation tactics that businesses can use to generate quality leads in an effective manner.

Effective Lead Generation Tactics From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The Top Ten Essential Requirements To Be A Great Strategic Thinker, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Strategic thinking is essential to improving your business performance. And in order to raise the bar of performance in your business from where you are now to where you want to be will require a level of strategic thinking that is in perfect harmony with our vision for the business. Strategic Thinking will create a structured and progressive path forward to your vision. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach believes there are ten (10) essential requirements to become a great strategic thinker. Those ten (10) include:

The Top Ten Essential Requirements To Be A Great Strategic Thinker, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

How To Be An Assertive Marketer Advice From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Many business people, especially entrepreneurs, have a real aversion to marketing. They are very concerned that they will be viewed negatively as salespeople and most negatively viewed as a stereotypical used car salesman, who is less than honest and makes promises that are too good to be true! What often happens is that a very passive marketing approach is taken and it simply does not work. It is very important to realize that assertive marketing does not mean you are annoying, loud or deceitful. Assertive marketing does mean you are demonstrating determination, enthusiasm and initiative. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach provides the following advice as to ten (10) ways you can be an assertive marketer.

Strategic Marketing Tips For Tough Market Conditions, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The stock market in the U.S. has been on real wild ride since the credit crunch and the housing market collapses in various parts of the United States. It is still unclear when and how the stock market may stabilize, but it is certain that changes in our economy will be affecting our businesses. And Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach wants to alert you that unless your marketing helps you stand out from the competition, selling your products and services is going to get harder in the next few years. And that means you need to focus on developing a strategic marketing plan. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has developed a list of strategic marketing tips that will help you retain and attract new clients in tough market conditions.

Strategic Marketing Tips For Tough Market Conditions, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Strategic Elements To Confirm Its Time To Run A Short Seminar, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One key element of strategic marketing involves developing, speaking at and running your own one to two hour seminar as an effective lead generation and marketing communications tool. These short seminars provide an excellent opportunity to connect with your prospects and your clients on a one-to-one basis and to demonstrate your expertise with an insightful and interactive presentation. Unfortunately there are too many businesses & organizations promoting short seminars as educational, when there are nothing more than thinly disguised or blatant sales pitches with some not so friendly sales tactics during and after the seminar. A short seminar needs to be very strategic and very ethical in the planning and delivering of these seminars. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach suggests the following

Strategic Elements To Confirm Its Time To Run A Short Seminar, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

How To Know If You Are A Strategic Marketing Communicator, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Competition in the business world requires sound strategic thinking and planning. And one application of those strategic tools is in business marketing communications. And Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach believes that strategic thinking and planning need to be done before developing or recreating any marketing communication. For example, it is important that you take time to think about what role your marketing communication will play and how it will help you achieve your strategic marketing goal(s). If you think and plan your marketing communications in a strategic manner, you will be able to make a more educated, more informed, and strategic decision about each of your marketing communication tools.

How To Know If You Are A Strategic Marketing Communicator, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

You Take Golf Lessons -- So Why Not Strategy Lessons?
People tend to assume that strategic thinking comes naturally, but nothing could be further from the truth. Strategy only looks easy with hindsight. So, just as you'd take lessons in golf or tennis, you should seek to actively educate and train yourself to think more strategically.

Ten Top Tips For Staff Inspiration From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Do you have a happy and highly inspired staff in your business? Have you made a commitment to create an enjoyable and productive environment at work? If you answered NO to either of these questions, then it is time to wake up and learn some tips about how to inspire your workforce and to keep them happy. If you want to attract and retain valuable employees, then you must recognize the need to make your place of business a better, more enjoyable place to work. So what can business owners and their management teams do to keep the staff motivated and happy and achieve a better and more enjoyable place to work? Here are ten (10) top tips from your strategic thinking business coach to help you.

Deadly Phrases In Business That Can Kill Success and Some Antidotes From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Did you ever stop and think about some of the words and phrases you use in your business communications everyday? And did you ever pause and truly think about what message you are conveying with your words and phrases. In today’s conversations, there are many words and phrases spoken without any real sensitivity to the “real message” they convey to the hearer. Many of these seem quite innocent and are probably thought to be inconsequential. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach believes you would be at a strategic advantage in your business communications if you understand that there are some words and phrases that should be avoided. Here is a list of ten (10) phrases and Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach antidote to the deadly phrase.

Deadly Phrases In Business That Can Kill Success and Some Antidotes From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

20 Questions To Ask When Developing Your Business Strategies According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

When you are ready to begin building your business plan and your business strategies, it is very helpful to ask yourself a series of thought-provoking questions to help develop the most strategic and most successful business plan for your business. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has developed the following list of twenty (20) questions for you to ask regarding each of the segments of your business plan: marketing, finance, operations, etc.

20 Questions To Ask When Developing Your Business Strategies According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Strategic Thinking For Business Owners For Successful Retirement, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Small business owners know that running a small business requires constant attention. They tend to work “in their business” rather than work “on their business.” So, it should be no surprise that too many entrepreneurs and small business owners put their own financial planning squarely at the bottom of their “TO DO” lists. A survey conducted by Harris Interactive for ShareBuilder indicated that 47% of small business owners are not confident that they are prepared for retirement. The survey also shows that 60% of the business owners surveyed have NO PLANS to sell their business to help fund their retirement – but for other owners, such a sale can be a crucial part of a successful retirement plan. Here a list of actions to consider when developing your strategic retirement plan as a business owner.

Reasons Why News Releases Are Quickly Tossed Into The Trash, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
Did you ever wonder why your news release never resulted in an article or story in the media to which it was sent? Or did you ever wonder if the release was ever read? Do you know why some news releases always get tossed into the wastebasket? Your strategic thinking business coach shares the following several reasons why news releases end up in the trash.

Business Growth Through Strategic Email Marketing, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Today’s businesses, regardless of their size, must realize how critical it is to engage in strategic marketing activities in order to grow and survive in our business world. Using strategic thinking in deciding which channel can offer you the best return on your marketing investment is also essential for success. A strategic marketing approach will include several different tactics that will provide a marketing system that continuously works toward customer acquisition and retention. One of the most strategic and cost effective marketing initiatives is Email marketing Strategic thinking and planning for marketing requires that goals be set. So, what might be some defined goals for each email marketing campaign you develop? Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following

Business Growth Through Strategic Email Marketing, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Strategic Tips To Entrepreneurs When Considering Becoming A Franchisee, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Many of today’s business owners are entrepreneurs and many of those entrepreneurs are franchisees. Many of these franchisees are very pleased with their experience and results, but too many others have become victims of the dynamics and realities of franchising. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach researched the issue and found ten (10) strategic tips to share with entrepreneurs who have decided to become franchisees.

Strategic Tips To Entrepreneurs When Considering Becoming A Franchisee, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The Strategic Importance of Trust In Business, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

In the world of business today, trust is more important than ever, especially when it comes to your relationships with your clients, customers, employees, and all stakeholders in your business. But what do we mean by “trust.” Webster’s dictionary defines trust as the “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach believes that trust is right at the foundation of the survival and success of any business. Without trust there can be no sustainable business. Trust is a strategically critical issue in any type of relationship because a relationship without trust is not really a relationship at all. There are several levels of trust and I have chosen five (5) to present in this article.?

How A Business Coach Can Help Entrepreneurs According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

In the United States there are over 250,000 new small businesses started each year. Entrepreneurs start many of these businesses. Many entrepreneurs and small business owners are highly skilled, very intelligent and highly motivated. They love a challenge and are willing to take risks. In my business coaching practice I have also found that the majority of the entrepreneurs that are clients have had no formal business education. In other words, they typically have had no training in running a business. And so, they start their businesses and things start to go in the wrong direction. It is not uncommon for them to experience many problems and challenges, which provide the opportunities for assistance from business coaching. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach shares how entrepreneurs can be helped by business coaching.

Ten Strategic Actions To Change Your Marketing Mindset, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Many small business people struggle with marketing their business services and products. This is particularly true with entrepreneurial business owners. They engage in traditional marketing endeavors and they simply do not work. They feel bound and captive to the traditional marketing ways. Well, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach wants you to know that there are actions you can take to get away from the “traditional marketing rut” and the “status quo” or the “me too” type marketing efforts. So, if you are interested in “breaking those chains” of traditional marketing and moving beyond the “status quo” and the “me too” attitudes of marketing, then read and implement the ten (10) strategic actions below, from Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach.

Ten Actions To Take Strategic Advantage Of Business Slowdowns, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One of the realities of business in today’s world is that there will be times that business slow down for a variety of reasons. The traditional reaction to these slowdowns is to run some major sales, which cut prices to gain more business. I believe that by using some strategic thinking in these slowdowns, you can look at doing things that will build your business in the long term – the things you talk about doing but never do because of not having time to do them. Well, here is an opportunity to take a strategic advantage of the time you have during a slow down in business. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten (10) actions so you can gain this strategic advantage.

Ten Actions To Take Strategic Advantage Of Business Slowdowns, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

A Strategic Look At Client Retention From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One behavior I continue to see in the marketing efforts of many companies is the extraordinary expenditure of resources to “chase” new clients and customers. Companies keep thinking up new marketing ideas, increasing their networking activities, and advertising in many non-effective places with the emphasis on gaining new clients and customers. Why? Because there are still many individuals and companies that have the “we have always done it that way” mentality and believe that gaining new clients is how they grow their business. Well, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach takes exception to that thinking and believes the real strategic approach to growing your business is by client and customer retention. Here are 10 strategic actions recommended to achieve a strong ROI for client and customer retention.

Twelve Strategic Leadership Actions To Fire Up Your Employees During Change

Many people and their companies they work for fear and resist change. Some literally detest any change. It is very important to realize that with the application of some solid strategic thinking, change can be a catalyst to energize and fire up your employees. One needs to recognize that change has the ability to open doors, hears and minds that otherwise may remain closed and/or locked forever. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach is a change agent and has learned many lessons from coaching through change. After reviewing those lessons learned from the business coaching experience, here are twelve (12) strategic leadership actions recommended to fire up your employees during change.

Twelve Strategic Leadership Actions To Fire Up Your Employees During Change

Ten Strategic Actions For Commercially Marketing New Technology
The development of successful strategic marketing programs to commercially market new technology is a challenge. It requires the incorporation of good strategic thinking and Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten (10) strategic actions for you to take to develop a successful strategic marketing program for the commercial marketing of your new technology.

Ten Strategic Actions To Improve Sales Staff Productivity

How effective is your sales staff? Are they a high performance team, a mediocre performance team or a woefully “underachieving” and blatantly poor performance team? If you have mediocre, underachieving or poor sales people, what are you doing to change that? If your sales staff is not effective, not performing to its potential and is in need of improved performance, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten (10) strategic actions to take to change that.

Ten Strategic Actions To Improve Sales Staff Productivity

Ten Deadly Mistakes To Avoid In E-Commerce

The growth rate of e-commerce or shopping on the Internet has been exponential. And with the phenomenal growth, competition has become very intense and is now literally only a mouse-click away. What this means is that if you do not use some strategic thinking and planning with your e-commerce, someone else will be taking away your customers and visitors to your website. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following list of ten (10) deadly mistakes to avoid in your E-commerce efforts.

Ten Deadly Mistakes To Avoid In E-Commerce

Ten Major Fears That Scare Small Businesses Away From Strategic Planning

An often offered comment to me when I speak about strategic planning to small business owners and managers is that their company or organization is too small for strategic planning. Or they will offer any number of other excuses why they do not use strategic planning for their business. In my opinion, this is a sad commentary on the thinking of these small business people. They do not realize or comprehend that their business or organization is on a pathway to the business graveyard without a strategic plan. Well, I really believe if the truth were told, the real reason they do not do strategic planning is related more to fear than anything else. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following ten major fears that drive small businesses away from strategic planning.

An 8-Step Strategic Marketing Approach For New Business From Former Clients

How much of your marketing effort is dedicated to marketing and obtaining new clients or customers? Are you devoting your entire marketing effort to find new clients? Or are you using some strategic thinking and developing a strategy to get back in touch with former clients to gain new business from them? It has always intrigued me in my business coaching and business consulting practices that so many businesses give very little effort to or totally ignore past clients and customers that are no longer active. Former clients and customers can be the best source of new business for you. With this in mind, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following 8 strategic steps to gain new business from your former clients and customers by building an effective contact program.

An 8-Step Strategic Marketing Approach For New Business From Former Clients

Ten Top Tips To Achieve Work and Personal Life Balance - From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

In today’s fast paced, hectic, challenging and sometimes crazy world, it is so easy to be consumed by our work and to neglect -or worse – forget our personal life. As a strategic thinking business coach, this topic is standard fare for my work with clients. Many times, the balance of work and personal life becomes a high priority coachable goal. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten top tips, from a personal and a business coaching perspective on how to achieve balance in your work and personal life.

Ten Top Tips To Achieve Work and Personal Life Balance - From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Ten Major Mistakes To Avoid In Your Web Site Design

Business web sites are very effective business tools if they are planned and designed carefully and strategically. Too many times business owners become fascinated with all the “technological gimmicks” and forget about the content and the ease of use of the visitor to the web site. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach wants to encourage all businesses with web sites to avoid some major mistakes and offers the following list of ten major mistakes to avoid in the design of your web site.

Thirteen Strategic Actions To Achieve A Positive, Proactive and Prosperous Life

At each business coaching session or Strategic Planning Team meeting, I always ask clients to share a positive business & personal experience they have had since our last meeting. Most times my clients readily share something, but sometimes they hesitate or struggle to think of something positive to share. This experience of witnessing their hesitancy and/or their struggle with my request has been extremely eye-opening and valuable to me as a business coach. It has provided me with an opportunity to coach them on how to achieve a positive, proactive and prosperous life and to recognize the many positive things that surround them everyday, which they may be taking for granted or not recognizing. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach developed the following list of strategic actions to achieve that positive,proactive & prosperous life.

How To Show Appreciation To Your Clients Without Breaking Your Budget

Let's face it, we know that our clients and customers like to feel appreciated by us. Yet, too often, we neglect to seize an opportunity to show appreciation to our clients and customers. And how many times do we use the excuse that we do not have money in our budget to do something special for them? What a non-strategic thinking and short-sighted view that thinking presents. What about the life time value of our clients and customers? Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach is letting you know that you do not have to spend a significant amount of money to show appreciation to your clients and customers and see a good return on your investment from increased satisfaction and loyalty. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten (10) positive and proactive actions to do show that appreciation without significant costs.

How To Show Appreciation To Your Clients Without Breaking Your Budget

Ten Strategic Steps to Achieving Personal Success – From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach wants you to be successful in your business life and in your personal life. And I am committed to continuously strive to provide sound strategic advice and coaching to help people succeed. With that in mind, I developed the following ten strategic steps to achieving success and wanted to share those with you.

Ten Strategic Steps to Achieving Personal Success – From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach wants you to be successful in your business life and in your personal life. And I am committed to continuously strive to provide sound strategic advice and coaching to help people succeed. With that in mind, I developed the following ten strategic steps to achieving success and wanted to share those with you.

Strategic Tips To Increase The Effective Use of Your Time According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Each of us has the same amount of time each day. Yet, some people are so much more strategic and effective in the use of that time each day. People are constantly telling me how “busy” they are and I usually respond with a question, “What does busy mean?” Many people are “busy” doing tasks but are not accomplishing anything. They have not set goals or deadlines and have not focused on anything. And they waste unbelievable hours of time each day. What about you? How good a steward are you of your time each day? I imagine a number of readers, if they are really honest, will admit they could be better time managers and could certainly improve on the effective use of their time. So, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach will share some strategic tips to help you increase the effective use of your time.

Strategies To Position Yourself As An Authority, Expert or Valued Resource

A critical part of strategic communications and marketing is branding and positioning. Successful business people intentionally develop a plan to position and brand themselves as an “authority;” an “expert;” and/or a “valued resource” in their industry or profession. These people are the ones that appear regularly in the media after being interviewed about some industry trend, new regulation, or other event that could impact the industry. There is tremendous value in achieving the status of “authority;” “expert;” and/or “valued resource” and it does take some strategic thinking and planning to garner those designations. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers some basic strategies that can facilitate your ability to achieve this special status. The basic strategies include:

How To Strategically Use The News To Identify Create New Business Opportunities

Fortunately I am a very avid reader and follower of “the news.” I pay special attention to the business sections of various media and look for trends, and opportunities within the articles that are printed there. I have made a commitment to stay abreast of business news and can tell you that this has been a key strategy for my marketing efforts over the years. You may say to me, “So What?” Well I can tell you that business opportunities for consultants and others are out there if you know how to identify them. I also know that most consultants do not use the news because they never used some strategic thinking to connect the events in the news to potential business. I am saying to you that once you know what to look for in the news, the opportunities will become apparent. And then those opportunities must be acted upon.

How To Strategically Use The News To Identify Create New Business Opportunities

Tips To Deal With Unhappy Clients, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

How many of you have ever had to deal with an unhappy client or customer? What did you do? Did you feel prepared to deal with the unhappy client or customer? Yes, sooner or later, in every business there appears the unhappy client or customer. They are dissatisfied with your service or product. The issue of dissatisfaction may be real or only a perception, but if it is perceived it is believed and there is a problem. Ah, but Your Strategic Thinking Coach wants you to realize that a problem also means an OPPORTUNITY! The criticism from the client or customer is very valuable and the mindset of your company and your employees is critical to recovering and correcting the situation. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has some tips tips to help you strategically respond to criticism from unhappy clients.

More on Reading Emotions Through Body Language From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach is continuously stressing the importance of effective communication. And remember, effective communication does not just mean knowing the right words to say. Emotions and body language play a very important role in transmitting your message. It is also true that body language says a lot about what you're feeling and thinking as of the moment. Knowing how to read a person's emotions based on his or her body language and gestures is a strategic communications skill. Do you know how to sense if somebody is anxious, angry, happy, surprised, or sad by observing and evaluating only his or her body movements? Here are some ways you can read emotions through your observations of a person’s body language.

Strategic Tips For Effective Testimonials According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Testimonials can be very powerful, especially when they are strategically sought from well respected and satisfied clients. Testimonials are much more powerful than advertisements since they are basically unpaid third party endorsements of your company or organization. There are three major reasons why your business should seek and use testimonials. + to build strong bonds of trust + to improve the credibility of your company + to demonstrate your success There are 2 types of testimonials, the solicited and the unsolicited. The unsolicited testimonials come to you without any effort on your part. The client takes the initiative and contacts you directly with their testimonial. Solicited testimonials are the result of a conscious effort by you to pursue them.

Strategic Tips For Contacting Prospects From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Every day presents new opportunity to contact prospects. Are you prepared to make those contacts every day? Do you have a strategic action plan in place to help ensure the most effective prospecting possible? Strategic thinking marketers have gained an understanding of what is possible for them and their business through effective prospecting. A strategic thinking marketer is always looking for new ideas and tips for becoming more effective with their prospecting efforts. A growing number of these successful strategic marketers have business coaches are reaping the benefits of prospecting tips from their business coaches. Here are some of the most effective tips regarding contacting your prospects, according to Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach.

Strategic Tips For Contacting Prospects From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

“Strategic Benefits of Business Coaching, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach ”

There is a rapid growth of business coaching in the United States and those people who have business coaches are realizing some strategic personal and business benefits. These people are gaining an understanding of what is possible for them and their business through business coaching. These growing numbers of people that have business coaches are reaping the strategic benefits of business coaching. Some of these strategic benefits that are being realized, according to your strategic thinking business coach, include:

“Strategic Business Tips On How To Achieve Civility In Today’s Workplace, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Today’s workplace is very dynamic, sometimes very stressful, and too often not very civil. We certainly observe the lack of civility in the workplace with people calling each other names, engaging in personal attacks on each other, exhibiting rude and disruptive behaviors and the lack of respect for one another or ignorance of how behaviors affect others. I believe there is a real desire for the restoration of civility in the workplace. Your strategic thinking business coach offers some tips on how to achieve civility in today’s workplace.

“Strategic Business Tips On How To Deal With The Departure of Key Executive, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
One of the events that occurs in business is the departure of a key executive. This has the potential to be very disruptive and can have a significant emotional impact on employees. So how do you deal with these feelings? Your strategic thinking business coach has some tips on how to deal with the departure of a key executive.

“Strategic Business Tips When Firing Someone From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
One of the most uncomfortable actions in business is the termination of an employee. When an employee is terminated, there is pain for each party involved. Many people postpone the inevitable termination and this only increases the pain and frustration. Your strategic thinking business coach has some tips on how to terminate someone properly so both parties get through the process.

“Strategic Business Entertaining Ideas From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach ”

Business entertaining is expensive and time-consuming and warrants being very strategic and goal oriented beyond what the goals are for business breakfasts and lunches. It is good to know that one of the main purposes of the business entertaining is to make people feel good and to have a good time. It is critical to consider whether the event will emphasize and underline your business mission in a subtle professional way and if your guests will have an enjoyable time and come away with a better understanding of your company, its goals and its core values. Your strategic thinking business coach has some suggestions for different types of events that might fulfill your strategic business entertaining goals.

“Ten Tips For Nonverbal Communications From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach ”

Good communication skills are critical skills for anyone wanting to advance in their professional career. Good communication skills also can help you in your personal life. Although we know that verbal and written communication skills are important, research has shown that nonverbal behaviors make up a large percentage of our daily interpersonal communication. In fact, the research shows that 7% of our personal messages are conveyed by words; 38% by tone of voice and 55% by facial expressions and body language. That is why it is so important to become skilled at nonverbal communications. Your strategic thinking business coach offers ten (10) tips for nonverbal communication or body language to help you learn to read the nonverbal signals of other people and enhance your own communication skills.

“Ten Tips For Nonverbal Communications From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach ”

“Building An Environment of Ethical Behavior. Ten Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach ”

Business ethics has become and has remained a popular news topic in today’s world thanks to Enron, Tyco, WorldCom, Adelphia, et al. We have read and heard about the “waiving of the ethics code or standard” and where compromises were made to ethical standards for business advantages. And now we hear about zero tolerance for unethical behavior. It now seems as though the pendulum is swinging strongly in the direction of zero tolerance for unethical behavior based upon the reactions to ethics misconduct cases across the corporate landscape. Good business leaders have ethics, character and integrity. You have to create an environment in your business that allows everyone to operate in an ethical manner. Here are ten (10) tips from your strategic thinking business coach on how to build an environment of ethical behavior.

“Strategic Marketing Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Using strategic thinking in developing your marketing plan means you understand the needs and desires of your clients and customers, and you show them how your product/service satisfies those needs. You must know: what value your product or service offers & what benefits it provides; what differentiates you & your product/service from the competition; who are your stakeholders, which may include: your suppliers, your bank, your subcontractors or vendors, your associates, your staff, your clients or customers, and of course the general public; where your clients & customers are located geographically; and what are the most effective distribution channels to deliver your product or service? Your strategic thinking business coach provides the following ten (10) strategic marketing tips to use in developing your strategic marketing plan.

Strategic Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach For Managing The MultiGenerational Work Force

One of the most impactful current dynamics in today’s workplace is the presence of four generations of workers at the same time, which has increased the level of challenges to manage, retain and recruit a skilled work force. These four generations of American workers are: The Veterans - born prior to World War II; The Baby Boomers - born between 1946 and 1964; The Generation Xers – born between 1965 and 1980; and The Generation Ys or Boomerangs – children of Baby Boomers, born after 1980. Each group has its own distinct characteristics, values, and work ethics, based on its generation’s life experiences. This is a huge challenge to business today to successfully integrate these diverse generations to effectively work together. Here are some strategic tips for managing a multigenerational work force.

Strategic Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach To Improve Personal Communications

Personal conversations are one of the most common aspects of our human conversations. Personal conversations are an essential facet in almost every one of our relationships. And one might say that the quality of those relationships is dependent upon our abilities to verbally communicate. Have you ever had any training to help you develop your personal conversational skills? Have you ever wished that you could be a better conversationalist? Do you realize that personal communication skills are one of the most powerful and strategic assets you can possess? People with effective communication skills have a real strategic advantage for business and social success. Your strategic thinking business coach has the following strategic tips to improved personal communications.

“Just Say NO – Loudly & Clearly – To Unethical Clients! Advice From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Have you ever been asked to do something unethical by one of your prospects or clients? Have you ever been pressured by a supervisor, manager or owner at your business to do something unethical? Have you ever observed unethical behavior by a prospect or client? In today’s business world, there are daily instances of unethical behavior occurring all around us. What a sad commentary on business and society today. Over more than 35 years in my own professional career, there have been instances where I have been approached by unethical prospects and clients and was fortunate to have had strong ethical mentors and supervisors, managers & owners that supported my actions to turn away from the unethical requests and to report them to my superiors. Your strategic thinking business coach offers the following advice.

A Strategic Look At Dos and Donts of Board Meeting Minutes From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Do you serve on a board of directors and experience significant inaccuracies and inconsistencies in board minutes? Do you know that board minutes are really a very important resource to governing boards? Minutes of board meetings provide evidence that a board has exercised care in decision-making. The minutes also substantiate that a board is operating in accordance with its Bylaws and other documents and rules. Although there is recognition that board minutes are important, many organizations continue to have inadequate records of board meetings. Your strategic thinking business coach offers a list of the DO’s and DON’Ts of board meeting minutes.

A Strategic Look At Dos and Donts of Board Meeting Minutes From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Ten Tips For Writing Successful Business Proposals From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

There comes a time for businesses when they must submit successful business proposals to gain clients, projects, interviews, potential development rights, etc. And for many businesses, successful business proposals are mandatory for their survival. How many of your proposals get accepted and how many get rejected? Or don’t you keep track of the outcomes? It is interesting to note that most successful businesses have more of their proposals rejected than accepted. Your strategic thinking business coach endorses strategic thinking in the preparation of all business proposals. Here are ten (10) tips from your strategic thinking business coach for writing successful business proposals.

“Symptoms That Confirm Your Decision To Look For A New Job, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

I have heard that people leave or fire management, not the company where they worked. And you probably have heard people say they love what they do but hate where they work. There are many things occurring in today’s workplaces that are depressing, disruptive, disturbing and dysfunctional. How can you determine when it is time to look for a new job and quit the old job? Your strategic thinking business coach believes there are several symptoms that confirm it is time to leave. Here are ten (10) of those symptoms.

Strategic Business Greeting Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Do you realize that you only have about 5 seconds to make a positive first impression? And do you understand that the way you approach and greet someone will have a lasting impression on him or her and may set the direction for your future relationship with him or her? Well I hope you answered YES to both questions and are open to some business greeting tips from your strategic thinking business coach. Your strategic thinking business coach offers the following tips on how to gain a strategic advantage when greeting people in a business environment.

Ten Tips For Strategically Scheduling Your Time, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Did you truly schedule your time today in a strategic manner? Will you admit that a great amount of time is wasted in each of our days due to poor (or worse yet) no planning? Do you realize that poor scheduling can result in wasting up to 5 hours per week or 20 hours per month? Am I breaking through to you to gain your attention on making the best use of your time? The efficient use of time gives you a real strategic advantage in your business and personal life. There are many ways to make more efficient use of your time. Your strategic thinking business coach offers the following ten (10) tips for you to be more strategic in scheduling your time.

A Strategic Look At Email Subject Lines From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

What are the first things you look at before you open your emails? What two items determine whether or not you open the email? You will most likely view the “from” email address first & then look at the “subject “ line next before deciding to open your email. The “subject” line is really the equivalent of a newspaper headline and it is a very important factor in a person’s decision of whether or not to “read on” or in the case of email, “to open.” Writing a great “subject” line or a great headline is a challenge. You only have a few seconds and only a few words to make your “subject” line compelling and urgent enough to get the reader’s attention and then “open and read on.” Your strategic thinking business coach offers the following strategic tips on writing effective “subject” lines for your emails.

A Strategic Look At Email Subject Lines From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Strategic Thinking To Develop A Successful Employee Retention Strategy According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Look around you in today’s business world. It is no secret that it is becoming more difficult to recruit and retain skilled employees. In fact, one could say that select businesses and industries are desperate or becoming desperate to find people with the needed skills and attitudes. Okay – what about your business? Have you anticipated and responded to the challenge of employee retention? Or are you like too many businesses that do not focus on employee retention until turnover increases. The successful businesses today have a formalized employee retention program as part of their business strategy. They take a proactive approach to prevent unnecessary employee turnover. Your strategic thinking business coach suggests that you use some strategic thinking to develop a successful employee retention strategy.

Strategically Structured Succession Planning For Company Leadership According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Succession planning is very important to the long-term success of any company. Leadership transitions in business affect the entire organization’s continuity, employee retention, client retention and returns on investment. The rapidly changing demographics in the workplace, especially the aging baby boomer segment, there is a real challenge to find talent for leadership roles. Companies that are able to respond proactively with strategically developed and implemented effective leadership succession plans are in a superior position in the marketplace and global economies. Your strategic thinking business coach offers the following list of recommended strategic actions to structure a leadership succession planning process.

Eight Powerful Strategies To Retain Clients, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Do you practice strategic thinking in your marketing efforts? Do you develop client-retention strategies, in addition to strategies to gain new clients? If you answered NO to these questions, you may want to rethink the way you are doing your marketing. My experience indicates that a strategic approach to client retention is underutilized and therefore a great deal of energy, time, talent and money is being wasted in marketing efforts seeking new clients and ignoring or giving “second rate” efforts to retaining existing clients. A major goal for businesses needs to be the retention of long-term clients, or “clients for life.” This is one of the most powerful strategies for business growth. Your strategic thinking business coach offers eight powerful strategies for client-retention.

Eight Powerful Strategies To Retain Clients, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The Strategic Use of Handouts At Seminars, Workshops and Other Venues, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Being a presenter at seminars, workshops and other venues is an awesome opportunity to make strategic use of handouts. Every attendee at a seminar, workshop or other venue should depart with at least one document that describes your business services and/or products. These documents would include your handouts and business cards. Your handouts are one of your prime strategic marketing tools and it is imperative to make maximum use of them when you have the opportunity. You should never make a presentation without giving out at least one handout. These handouts should always be something the attendees want to keep. The more people keep your handouts, the better chance you have of converting them to clients and customers. Your strategic thinking business coach offers the following tips to maximize the use of your handouts.

How To Strategically Raise Your Warm List To Your Hot List, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

How strategic are you in your marketing efforts? Are you using strategic thinking in the development of a strategic marketing plan for your business? Are you still frustrated by having too few “hot list” prospects? Too many businesses are not being very strategic in their marketing & therefore are wasting energy, time, talent and resources. I hear more and more about “warm lists” for prospects. Why not "hot lists?" Without forgetting or dismissing “warm lists,” look at how to strategically raise the “warm lists” to “hot lists.” To raise the temperature of your prospect list, consider the use of strategic thinking & planning, your ideal client profile and your “warm list” of prospects in the following method from your strategic thinking business coach to create your "hot list" of prospects.

How To Strategically Raise Your Warm List To Your Hot List, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

How To Strategically Develop Your Ideal Client Profile, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Do you use strategic thinking in your marketing efforts? Do you strategically develop a profile of the clients and customers you want to do business with before you start contacting prospects and clients? My experience indicates that the strategic development of an ideal client profile and the development of a most desired client list is woefully underutilized and therefore a great deal of energy, time, talent and money is being wasted in marketing efforts. An deal client profile used as a “filter” to evaluate prospects, instead of thinking everyone is a prospect and chasing too many non-productive leads, will also help you design your marketing message, contact method, call to action and follow-up strategies.

How To Identify Your Marketing Barriers, Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Do you have a strategic marketing plan and process? Are you satisfied with your marketing results? Have you taken time to review your marketing program and determine what barriers are preventing the achievement of a successful marketing program? I believe I know the answers to these questions from too many businesses today. I too often hear a resounding NO to each of the questions. So, let’s engage in a strategic thinking approach to identifying the barriers to your marketing success. And let’s seek an insightful identification of the barriers by asking some questions. What questions might you ask to define your marketing barriers? Here are ten (10) questions your strategic thinking business coach suggests you can use to help identify the barriers that stand between you and a successful marketing program.

Dealing With Stress In The Small Business Workplace, Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

It is certainly no secret that stress is a fact of daily life ad is especially true in the small business workplace. And what makes it worse is most small business owners must face the challenges alone or with little or no support systems. A strategic thinking small business owner knows that he or she must be very aware of their own level of stress, as well as the stress levels of their employees because of the potential negative impacts. How extensive is this stress in the small business workplace? CareerBuilder.com found in a 2006 study of 2,500 American workers that 77% of the workers felt burned out at their jobs. The reduction of stress in the small business workplace is a very important goal. Here are some tips on how to deal with stress in a proactive way, according to your strategic thinking business coach.

How To Recognize Your Ideal Client, Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Do you know how to recognize your ideal client? Do you have know the characteristics of your ideal client? Have you selected criteria to decide whether you will do business with someone or not? The honest answer to these questions from too many of you will be NO! And the sad truth of this is that too many businesses try to be all things to all people and believe that anyone that breathes or has a credit card is a prospect. This approach is definitely not strategic. I suggest a more strategic approach. Define your ideal client. One of my favorite mentors – Michael Gerber, who says, "The foundation of your marketing strategy is an insightful understanding of your customers. It's a "three-legged stool" - who they are, where they are and how they think and behave;" Here are some questions to ask to define your ideal client.

How To Recognize Your Ideal Client, Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Twelve Tips For Home Builders For More Strategic Marketing From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

All businesses need to use strategic thinking & planning in all aspects of their business, especially in their marketing efforts. In working with custom home builders as a business coach, I discovered only a few of them ever recognized the value of being strategic thinkers & planners and had limited themselves to low levels of success. Fortunately, after they opened their minds to being more strategic, their outlook changed and they started putting some tips on strategic marketing to good use. One of the most vivid and remarkable examples was one custom home builder that went from one of their worst years in business to a record setting best year in business after committing to a strategic marketing approach. From that experience, your strategic thinking business coach offers 12 tips for more effective strategic marketing.

Twelve Tips For Home Builders For More Strategic Marketing From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Lessons Learned From Strategic Marketing From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Businesses need to be strategic! There are too many businesses that fail to recognize the value of being strategic in their thinking and planning and have limited themselves to less than optimum results. Today, I want to present some thoughts about strategic marketing plans. I continue to be amazed at how many businesses have no marketing plan at all, let alone a strategic marketing plan. The truth is that the only marketing plan some businesses have is one on “the seat of their pants.” Over the many years of working with business owners, their management teams and employees, there have been many opportunities to experience and capture the “lessons learned” from heir endeavors. In this article your strategic thinking business coach wants to share some of the “lessons learned” from strategic marketing.

Lessons Learned From Strategic Marketing From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

“How To Strategically Develop Your Referral Network. Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Positive word-of-mouth endorsements, referrals and testimonials are extremely effective and powerful means to help grow your business. And in my experience it seems that solid strategic referrals are the most powerful. Therefore it would behoove you to include the development of a powerful referral network as one of the key elements of you strategic marketing plan. Your strategic thinking business coach heartily endorses developing a strong referral network and offers the following ten (10) tips on how to do that. The ten (10) tips are:

“How To Strategically Develop Your Referral Network. Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Ten Survival Strategy Tips For Hostile or Sensitive Interviews From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Have you ever been interviewed by the media in a hostile or sensitive situation? Did you feel prepared to handle that interview? Do you ever notice or even pay attention to how many times people are embarrassed or made to look foolish or ignorant during tough interviews? Do you realize the positive impacts that can result from a superb performance in those hostile interviews? Well, if you have noticed and do realize the potential benefits of strong interview performance, what have you done about it? If you want to increase your preparedness when being interviewed on very sensitive subjects, then you might be open to some advice to help you in your future experiences. Your strategic thinking business coach offers the following ten (10) survival strategy tips on handling sensitive and hostile interviews.

Ten Survival Strategy Tips For Hostile or Sensitive Interviews From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

“Ten Tried & True Ways To Irritate Reporters, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Do you know what really irritates reporters? Many business people are totally uneducated as to how the media works and totally unprepared to deal with the media. And every day those people do things that totally irritate reporters. To help you become aware of and then avoid these irritating behaviors, your strategic thinking business coach has listed ten (10) tried and true ways to irritate reporters.

“Seven Simple Strategies To Increase Your Visibility In The Media From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Do you ever notice or even pay attention to how many times your competition appears in the media? Did you ever wonder how or why the same professionals are interviewed as experts in the media? Do you realize the positive impacts that can result from your visibility in the media? Well, if you have noticed and do realize the potential benefits of media attention, what have you done about it? If you want to increase your visibility in the media, then you must commit to implementing some simple strategies to do so. Your strategic thinking business coach offers the following seven (7) simple strategies to gain media attention and visibility.

“Seven Simple Strategies To Increase Your Visibility In The Media From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

“Tips On Effective Business Presentations From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

What are the real keys to effective business presentations? Many presenters believe they must be entertaining, witty, and authoritative and use all sorts of technical bells and whistles in Power Point presentations or other medium. However, there is some evidence that contradicts and states that audiences really have five basic requirements for business presentations. And those basic requirements are: a focus on a single relevant message; support of the message with convincing evidence; organized presentation of information in comprehendible amounts; clear and enthusiastic articulation; and a limited number of visuals. There are many tips for creating and delivering effective business presentations. Here are ten (10) tips your strategic thinking business coach has chosen to share with you.

“How To Strategically Develop Successful Cause-Related Marketing Programs. Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Cause-related marketing has become a part of strategic marketing plans. Cause-related marketing is an activity where businesses and charities form a partnership with each other to market an image, product or service for mutual benefit. Embracing a cause does make good business sense. A business’s genuine commitment to a worthy cause enhances a company’s image and helps build brand loyalty. Cause-related marketing is a strategic way to highlight a business’s reputation within their target market and the power to be a very positive differentiator from competitors. Using a strategic thinking approach and more than 35 years of marketing experience, your strategic thinking business coach developed a list of ten (10) tips to follow to develop successful cause-related marketing programs. Those tips are:

“How To Be More Media Savvy and Less Media Ignorant. Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Too many people in business today are not media savvy and continue to make one mistake after the other in their dealings with the media. It is important for business people to become more media savvy and less media ignorant. There needs to be a commitment made to learn more about working with the media in a positive way. Based upon more than 35 years of experience in working with the media, your strategic thinking business coach created a list of ten (10) tips on what to avoid doing when you work with the media in order to foster more positive media relations. Here is the list of actions to avoid:

How To Strategically Plan For A Successful Media Conference, Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

A majority of information sent to the media today is through media releases. Another very powerful delivery method is the media conference, where your company spokesperson makes important and newsworthy announcements. Please note the words “important” and “newsworthy.” Media conferences provide a great platform to reach multiple reporters at the same time and give wide prominence to your story. It also is critical to remember that there are challenges and risks in planning and conducting media conferences and it is extremely important to strategically plan them. Here are some tips from your strategic thinking business coach to help ensure your media conference will be successful.

How To Strategically Plan For A Successful Media Conference, Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

A Strategic Approach To Planning For A New Business Year – Ask Your Clients Questions

A new business year has begun and hopefully your strategic thinking and planning has been underway for some time. A strategic thinking business coach suggests that asking clients some probing questions will be very beneficial in your planning efforts for the new business year. The strategy of asking these questions is to gain insight for developing the best solutions for your clients’ problems. Asking questions will help you gain needed information from your clients; build rapport with your clients; increase the clients’ comfort level; understand the clients’ needs; and discover the clients’ concerns, frustrations and fears. What are some examples of questions you could ask your clients? Your strategic thinking business coach suggests the following:

Eleven Strategic Steps To Success, According Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Are you the best you can be? Are you realizing the degree of success that you want? Do you know what you really need to do to achieve your ultimate level of success? I will presume that there are a lot of NO answers to my questions and that you will have an open mind while reading these articles. Your strategic thinking business coach offers eleven (11) strategic steps for you to follow to achieve your ultimate level of success.

Insight Into Incompetence of Managers & Executives, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One of the most common topics of conversation in today’s workplace is the incompetence of managers and executives. And there does not seem to be any evidence that this subject is going away anytime soon. In addition, the managers and executives are very fearful that their subordinates will discover how really incompetent they are. And again, this fear of being “found out” is actually well founded. What is the magnitude of failure among managers and executives? According to one research study, 4 out of 10 newly promoted managers and executives fail. Think about this – that is a 40 PERCENT FAILURE RATE! Why do managers and executives fail? Based upon more than 35 years of experience and observations, your strategic thinking business coach offers a list of ten (10) top reasons for failure.

How Professional Service Providers Can Break Through Resistance to Requesting Referrals, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One of the most powerful strategic marketing tools is referrals. Are you resisting the opportunity to request referrals? In doing some research on this subject I learned that many, if not most, professional services providers resist because of fear. Yes, I said fear. The professional services providers are afraid they will: offend and therefore harm their relationship with a client; fail and not cultivate any new business; be perceived as a “salesman” or a “saleswoman” instead of as a professional; and be placed in a totally awkward and uncomfortable position with their clients. So, what can you do to break through and overcome this resistance? Your strategic thinking business coach has six (6) suggested “break through” strategies for you to consider.

How To Benefit From The Awesome Power of Two Simple Words –Thank You! According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Please think about how many good deeds & intentions you witnessed or were personally involved with or impacted by in the past week. How many times did you witness someone expressing thanks or if you were directly involved, did you take a moment to express your thanks? I believe the responses to the questions would be very interesting and disappointing. Two simple words “Thank you!” have awesome power that binds and builds relationships. Yet, so many people never say thanks. A Lenox etiquette poll found that nearly 5 out of every 10 people don’t always say thanks. Writing sincere thank you notes is a very effective differentiator since it is “the exception” in today’s world. Expressing thanks has awesome power. Here are 7 tips from your strategic thinking business coach to gain that awesome power of thank you.

How To Hone Your Strategic Thinking Skills To Plan For The New Business Year, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Strategic thinking is always important. The initiation of planning for the new business year is an especially important time for strategic thinking. In businesses where strategic thinking, planning and actions drive the company, the business owners and management team need to hone their strategic thinking skills to begin the planning for the new business year. Here are ten (10) recommended ways to hone your strategic thinking skills, according to your strategic thinking business coach.

How To Hone Your Strategic Thinking Skills To Plan For The New Business Year, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The Difference Between Strategic Tactical and Why Business Owners Need To Know The Difference According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Has anyone ever told you that you need to become more strategic and less tactical in your business? Do you know the differentce between strategic and tactical? Are you confused about what is strategic and what is tactical? Based upon observations of business owners and their management teams for the past three decades, I believe there are many confused, misinformed, and/or uneducated people on the differentiation of strategic and tactical. So, let your strategic thinking business coach offer some assistance to eliminate the confusion and correctly inform and educate the reader in this matter.

The Difference Between Strategic Tactical and Why Business Owners Need To Know The Difference According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Ten Top Tips For A Healthy Business To Start The New Year From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The beginning of a new year is a great time to get a checkup on the fitness and health of your business as strategic preparation for the year ahead. Business owners and their management team have the opportunity to perform an annual “checkup” on every aspect of their business, get rid of the "unhealthy" behaviors and performances and address the “unhealthy” things in their businesses, and start with a fitness plan to ensure a prosperous new year. Here are ten top tips to ensure a healthy start to the new year from your strategic thinking business coach.

Ten Top Tips For A Healthy Business To Start The New Year From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Strategic Thinking – A Wise Business Investment, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Strategic thinking is critical to the long-term success of businesses today. Yet, there are too many businesses that fail to invest time, money and human capital into planning for the future. So many businesses are concentrating only on the day-to-day activities in their business and are failing to create or remember a vision for the future. Some businesses work diligently to create strategic plans, business plans, integrated marketing communications plans, etc. only to leave these plans dormant on some shelf. They fail to remember that these plans are living documents, which warrant follow-through, review and updates. Businesses need to commit to spend more time spent on strategy on a regular basis. Here are ten (10) tips from your strategic thinking business coach to help make the best use of time for strategic thinking.

Motivational and Inspirational Quotes That Guide Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach on Visions and Dreams

Owning and being in business can be a tremendous joy and an enormous amount of work. There are times when one can become overwhelmed with the day-to-day activities and lose sight of the big picture, the dream, and the vision. One always needs to be strategically focused on the vision, the mission and the goals of the business and be reminded to work “on the business” and not just “in the business” as Michael Gerber would tell us. But how does one do that? I love quotations and recently found a dozen quotes that I have used to help motivate and inspire me to keep focusing on the vision and the dream. Here are the dozen quotes that help guide your strategic thinking business coach.

Motivational and Inspirational Quotes That Guide Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach on Visions and Dreams

Critical Qualities To Achieve Credibility, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Achieving or earning credibility is something all of us need to strive for in business and in our personal life. Achieving credibility means gaining the ability to be recognized for one’s capabilities and knowledge. In today’s business world, credibility is a critical attribute for everyone. There are a number of qualities that need to be mastered in order to achieve credibility. Here are twelve (12) of those critical qualities, according to your strategic thinking business coach.

Business Coaching Tips For Effective Supervision From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
In today’s workplace there are daily examples of dysfunctional and ineffective supervision. Many people in supervisory roles have not been given the necessary training to be effective supervisors. Here are ten (10) tips from your strategic thinking coach to share with the supervisors in your businesses and organizations.

Seven Benefits Of Strategic Thinking And Planning For A New Year According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

As another new calendar or fiscal year begins, it is wise to take a good hard look ahead at where your business is heading in light of the business environment of the new year. It is also wise to develop new goals for the upcoming year in this new business environment. The way to take this proactive and positive step in your business is to use strategic thinking and planning. Looking at the start of a new year, we can acknowledge some uncertainty in the business environment and perhaps in our personal lives. Therefore, it is the perfect time to engage in strategic thinking and planning to benefit from the opportunities that are always present, especially during uncertainty. Here are seven (7) benefits of using strategic thinking and planning for a new year, according to your strategic thinking business coach.

New Year New Intentions New Stress Ten New Opportunities to Manage The Stress of Change According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

The new year resets the calendar and it is a good time to look at managing the stress of a new year and the changes it will bring. A little stress is actually something positive until it elevates itself into being overwhelming. So, How can we manage the stress of change so it does not become overwhelming? Let’s look at just how busy we are on a daily basis. Look at how much we try to “cram” into a single day. Is it a surprise that many people are stressed? So, if we agree that stress is something that is almost impossible to avoid, here are ten (10) tips from your strategic thinking business coach on how to manage the stress of change.

New Year New Intentions New Stress Ten New Opportunities to Manage The Stress of Change According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

“Time: Is It Our Enemy or Our Friend? Choosing Time as A Friend, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

It is probably safe to say that many, if not most, people struggle with the management of their time. Time is priceless and we each are allotted the same 24 hours each day. However, it seems there is an eternal struggle with the clock and that we are very challenged in trying to mange out time. The sense of pressure and constant urgency at home, at work, and elsewhere in our daily lives leads to us believing that there is simply never enough time. Can we see that it is not time itself, but the use of time that presents us with our conflict? So what can we do? How can we deal with this conflict and choose time as a friend? Succinctly expressed, It would mean that we make peace with time and declare time our friend. Here are seven (7) suggestions from your strategic thinking business coach.

“Time: Is It Our Enemy or Our Friend? Choosing Time as A Friend, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

“Ten More Benefits From Strategic Planning, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach Ten More Benefits From Strategic Planning, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Strategy is about making choices and your strategic thinking business coach always wants to guide you in the making of the most educated, informed and strategic choices in your business. Today’s businesses need a process to guide them in successfully developing and implementing strategies for growth and solutions to business issues, needs and problems. Strategic planning is the process that all businesses need. Strategic planning will save you time, get you and your management team focused, and provide a road map to reach your business and personal visions. In any business activity, one looks for benefits. This is especially true in the case of strategic planning. Here are ten (10) more benefits from strategic planning, according to your strategic thinking business coach.

“Ten Strategic Marketing Actions To Ensure Success In Your New Year, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
The beginning of a new calendar or fiscal year is a great time to use those good intentions we have about new beginnings and jump-start our marketing efforts. So, using a strategic thinking approach, here are ten (10) strategic marketing actions to ensure success in your new year.

“Ten Strategic Actions To Ensure That You Reach Your Goals, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

So many people decide to set goals for an upcoming new year only to have that new year pass by without the goals being met. Personal goals are set and then ignored after the first month. Goals at work are set and then set aside after a few months. Frustration in pursuing goals are causing efforts to be abandoned. What can be done to ensure that you will reach the goals you set? If we apply some strategic thinking to our setting and pursuit of goals, the probability of success will greatly increase. And your strategic thinking business coach wants to share ten (10) strategic actions to take to ensure that you reach your goals. Those ten (10) strategic actions are:

“Ten Strategic Actions To Ensure That You Reach Your Goals, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

“Ten Strategic Tips For An Effective Internet Marketing Strategy From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Attention business owners and marketers! Please read the next sentence very carefully to make sure you get the message. Business-to-business (B2B) Internet marketing strategy and tactics have been reinventing themselves and are changing. The B2B consumer is now more demanding when it comes to your online information. 89% of all business users & IT professionals say online content impacts their selection of vendors. This means that 89% of your new prospects will look at your website before and during their decision making process. I believe it is safe to say that the Internet is the most powerful business communication system in the world today. So, accepting that as true, here are ten (10) strategic tips for you to use to ensure an effective Internet marketing strategy for you and your business.

“Public Relations As A Strategic Tool To Integrate With Your Marketing Efforts, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Integrated marketing communications is a very effective tool. The integration of advertising, marketing and public relations is much more strategic than pursuing each of those elements separately. The old traditional use of advertising as the principal means of promotion for business is no longer effective. Public relations is often overlooked and/or under-valued as part of a strategic marketing plan. The leveraging of public relations will allow your positioning statement (market differentiator) to be integrated into an objective, third party coverage in the media. An article or feature story in targeted business media will be very effective. Public relations can be an even more powerful strategic tool in your marketing efforts using the Internet if you remember to do the following things.

“Public Relations As A Strategic Tool To Integrate With Your Marketing Efforts, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

“Six Strategic Things To Remember When Requesting Referrals, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Referrals are important to most if not all businesses today. In a professional services business, such as business coaching, referrals are a major source of new clients. One of the strategic advantages of referrals is that they tend to be good quality prospects. And another strategic advantage is that they also tend to be relatively easy to convert into clients. Okay, so referrals are a major strategic method of gaining new clients. But, guess what? Only a small percentage of business people adopt referrals as a strategic approach to gaining new clients and those that do adopt the strategy will often neglect the needed commitment of time to generate referrals. There are a few strategic things to remember when requesting referrals from any of the above-mentioned sources. They are ...

“Six Strategic Things To Remember When Requesting Referrals, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

The Dangerous Consequences of Micromanaging Your Business According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One of the most dangerous and damaging practices of business owners is MICROMANAGING their business. And this practice is entirely too prevalent in today’s business world and it wastes valuable resources of time, talent and financial assets. It is particularly prevalent in entrepreneurial businesses. The first commitment a business owner must make is to stop acting like an employee and start thinking and acting like a CEO. A transition is necessary for the business owner to think and behave more strategically and less tactically in their role as owner. The business owner must stop micromanaging and delegate. The business owner must start reducing the amount of time they spend involved in the daily transactions of their business.

“A Strategic Approach To Setting & Achieving Your Goals For The New Year, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
The end of the calendar year or the end of the company’s fiscal year presents an opportune time to review the performance of the past year and to develop some solid business goals for the new calendar or fiscal year. Using some strategic thinking, here are a few tips for setting and achieving your goals for the new year.

“A Strategic Approach To Setting & Achieving Your Goals For The New Year, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
The end of the calendar year or the end of the company’s fiscal year presents an opportune time to review the performance of the past year and to develop some solid business goals for the new calendar or fiscal year. Using some strategic thinking, here are a few tips for setting and achieving your goals for the new year.

“Ten Important Ingredients For Your Strategic Marketing Plan, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Strategic thinking is very important in developing an effective marketing plan for your business. You need to think about a compelling Unique Selling Proposition (USP); an effective positioning statement; and a strategic integrated marketing communications approach. Writing a Strategic Marketing Plan is about understanding the needs and desires of your customers and clients, and showing them how your product and/or service will satisfy the needs of your customers and clients and solve their problems. Based upon more that 35 years of experience, and using a strategic thinking approach, here are Ten (10) Important Ingredients For Strategic Marketing Plans.

“Seven Reasons Why You Need A Strategic Planning Facilitator, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

A professional facilitator brings an independent and open-minded perspective to your strategic planning process. He or she will keep the discussion focused, keep the process on track, and will encourage team members to act as equals in the process. Some organizations choose to “go it alone” and attempt to conduct the strategic planning process entirely “in house.” In my own personal and professional experiences over more than 35 years, I have always witnessed better outcomes of the strategic planning process when an outside professional facilitator is brought in. In fact, many of my clients come to me AFTER they have tried and failed at doing the process themselves. Here are seven reasons why it is recommended that you hire an outside facilitator.

“Seven Reasons Why You Need A Strategic Planning Facilitator, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

“Eight Key Characteristics For A Strategic Planning Facilitator, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Selecting a professional strategic planning facilitator is very important. Facilitation of your strategic planning process involves working with groups of people and requires that the facilitator be tuned in at all times to what is happening. The facilitator also must be able to suspend or change the direction of the process when necessary. An experienced professional facilitator used in your strategic planning process will greatly increase the probability of a successful process and strategic plan and will also enable the participants to leave with positive feelings, a stronger cohesiveness, a sense of accomplishment and a stronger team. In selecting a professional facilitator, your strategic thinking business coach suggests that you look for the following key characteristics.

“Seven Strategic Tips For Selling Professional Services Brand, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Selling professional services presents many challenges and problems with closing a deal with a prospect and/or client. The term “closing” has an inherent seller-orientation and it can be interpreted as putting your needs ahead of the client’s needs. And that is never a desired interpretation for those who sell professional services. The “closing” model also presents some conflicts between the belief that buying is driven by rational decision-making, rather than emotion. What is important is to have the buyer of professional services feel comfortable about a rational decision they have to make. Instead of the “closing” concept, which presumes a transactional, seller-centered, rational model of buying decisions, let’s look at a model centered on trust in the seller. Here are some tips to accomplish that. Here are tips

“A Strategic Approach To Produce A Strong Professional Services Brand, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

A professional services firm, just like other types of businesses, needs to develop a strong brand and a favorable impression in the minds of prospects, clients and stakeholders in their business. In smaller professional service firms, there are limited financial resources for advertising as a primary branding vehicle. Therefore, as strategic approach is imperative to maximize the impact of available resources to rand your professional services firm. How do you influence your market in a strategic way that produces a favorable image of your firm in the minds of your prospects, clients and stakeholders? Your strategic thinking business coach recommends the following strategic approach.

“End of Year Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

As we enter the month of December each year, we often wonder where the year has gone, how quickly it has passed and what we did or did not accomplish. He end of each year finds us thinking about holidays, gifts, parties and friends, as well as the closing out of another business year. The end of the year is a time to look back on the previous year and look forward to the next. And while reflecting on the past year, a strategic thinking business coach would like to suggest that you take time to remember and to give thanks for the great things that happened in your business. And to build on all of the positive things that you accomplished this past year and carry that positive momentum into next year.

“Seven More Reasons Why You Need Business Coaching - From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

The ending of a calendar year is always a good time to reflect upon your business, what was accomplished, what was not accomplished, what went right, what went wrong, where can improvements be made, and so on. With business coaching, you would have a guide to lead you through those questions and more and then coach you in developing goals and an action plan to reach those goals in the year ahead. Business coaching brings great value to business and here are seven (7) more reasons why you need business coaching, from the perspective of a strategic thinking business coach.

“Seven More Reasons Why You Need Business Coaching - From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

“Six Strategic Steps To Improve Your Emails, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

The number of business emails we send and receive continues to grow at an amazing pace. And from my personal experience, more and more of my clients that prefer email communications as a preferred communications mode. Email can be a very effective and efficient means of communicating. However, how many of the emails we send and receive can we honestly say are effective and efficient? And what can we do to improve our email communication? Looking at those questions, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach developed a short list of six (6) strategic steps to take to improve your email communications.

“A Strategic View of Changing Customer Complaints Into Customer Compliments, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

When someone complains about their experience with your business, how do you view those complaints? How do you handle complaints? Do you encourage people to complain if they are not satisfied with your product or service? Do you have any type of procedure to handle complaints? Do you have any idea of the value of complaints? Did you know that 70% of dissatisfied customers will return if their complaint is resolved favorably? Did you know that 95% of dissatisfied customers will return if you resolve their complaint on the spot? Complaining customers are really a treasure. Remember, it takes six (6) times more effort to attract new customers than to retain existing customers. I developed a short list of action items that I believe will turn your complaints into compliments. These action items are:

“Strategic Elements Needed To Produce Compelling Written Sales Communications, According to Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

We all receive various forms of written sales communications each week. Some of these will cause us to totally ignore the piece, others will get a few seconds of our attention and a very select few will grab and hold our attention. So what compels us to respond in these ways? After applying some strategic thinking to this question, here are ten (10) strategic elements that Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach believes produces compelling written sales communications.

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