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ANATOMY OF A GOOD DIRECT MAIL PACKAGE
An analysis of a good direct mail package.

NOSTALGIA, A POWERFUL BUT OFTEN NEGLECTED SELLING TOOL
Nostalgia can be used as a powerful selling tool. Here's how:

THE FOUR MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EMAIL AND DIRECT MAIL
While there are many similarities between email and direct mail copy, there are four key differences to be aware of. Here are four of them:

Are You A Dinosaur
Do you really know your business? To know your business you must know all the operating metrics as well the core of your business model. Business is part art and part science.

Low Hanging Fruit
Begin anew with the basic fundamentals everyday and one of the best business fundamentals is to remember to pick the low hanging fruit.

Internet Home Based Business--Plan for Mastery
Internet home based business; planning is essential to your business success. One of the most effective ways to market your product or service is through the Internet. This article will address a business plan for home based business...

SEVEN WAYS TO RELIEVE STRESS IN YOUR LIFE
To help you relieve stress in a crazy world seven examples are provided to give you actions you can consider when dealing with some of the often-cited causes of stress.

Resonsible leadership in an interconnected universe
What does a leader's responsibility mean in times of crisis and the established knowledge that we are living in an interconnected universe consisting of energy and consciousness only?

Understanding and Managing Your Stress
Stress management is, in its simplest terms, your ability to deal effectively with all the combination's of pressure that come at you on a daily basis. It is your ability to operate under optimal levels of stress without letting the pressure build to the point where you cannot cope. This is normally accomplished by developing a process of both prevention and intervention.

Role of the Supervisor: Retain Your Best Talent
Employees’ confidence in the ability of their supervisor is one of the most important predictors of retention. Employees want to feel proud of being part of a successful organization and therefore worth an investment of their time. Supervisors must accept the fact that to a large degree employee turnover is their responsibility.

How to Leverage Your Work to Make More Money in Less Time
When you create a product, service, process or system for your small business it takes a lot of thought, planning and time. It's important that you find ways to leverage your work by using it again and again to make more money in less time.

How to Create an In-Demand Information Product in 30 Days
It doesn’t matter what kind of small business you have, you can create a downloadable information product in 30 days or less. Information products are in demand, and you can use them in multiple ways.

Why Starting a Home Based Business is Appealing to an Increasing Number of People
If you have been thinking of starting a home based business, you are among the thousands of individuals with the same mind set. Most people do not have sufficient information to make an informed decision. This article will provide enough information for you to decide if you want to do it.

Five Elements to Financial Freedom AND Fulfillment
In ancient times, five elements were used to symbolize the harmonious workings of the universe. Using a similar approach, I have identified five elements that, when properly deployed, will help us build a solid financial structure and reach high for our dreams - elements that will lead us to our ultimate joy and fulfillment in life.

The 7 Pillars of Purpose Driven Entrepreneurship
Follow your passion, uncover your purpose, and create a successful business, living it. Learn the 7 pillars essential to create a purpose driven venture.

Starting a Home Based Business Opportunity and What it Requires
Starting a home based business opportunity on the Internet is appealing to more people on a daily basis. Before accepting the challenge, it is important for you to know what is required. Here you can get information that will help you to make an informed decision whether it is something you can and want to do.

5 Tasks a Virtual Assistant Can Do For a Business or Executive Coach
Are you a business or executive coach overwhelmed with administrative tasks? By working with a virtual assistant you will have more time to create additional revenue and build your practice. Here are 5 tasks that you can easily delegate to your virtual assistant.

THE ACORN THEORY

The Acorn Theory was first postulated in the modern era, at least in the public domain by James Hillman, author and psychologist, in his bestselling book; The Soul’s Code. It is Hillman’s view that one of life’s greatest mysteries is the question of character and ones destiny. In this theory he proposes that our calling is inborn and that it’s our mission in life to realize its imperatives. He has called it the “acorn theory,” the idea that our lives are formed by a particular image, just as the oak’s destiny is contained in the tiny acorn.

Resume Writing: 3 Quick Tips To Get You Noticed
Resume writing is as much an art as it is a skill. This article gives practical tips on improving your resume.

Starting a Home Based Business-to Start or not to start is the Question
To start or not to start a home based business is the question most asked by individuals looking for an alternative to the traditional job. If you have lost your job recently or have been unemployed for more that 9 months and your benefits will soon expire, we need to talk. This article will provide information to help you make an informed decision.

Which Type of Advertising Works Best?
One of the greatest problems businesses have is knowing which type of advertising works best.

20 Ways to Say No

Saying no is tough sometimes. But it’s a necessary skill if you want to live a life with any kind of balance. Demands on our time, money and other resources can take all that we have if we allow them. And failing to use this important word leads to resentments in our relationships, over-scheduling, overwhelm, over extending, frustration and inattention to our own needs or goals. When we aren’t good at it, coming up with a “no” on the fly can be very difficult. I encourage my clients to create some ready phrases so that they are prepared. The trick is to:

What Is The Definition Of Financial Freedom?
For many people the definition of financial freedom is the position in life where they think all their money problems are over. Is that truly when financial freedom is achieved?

How To Evaluate The Performance Of Your Top Sales Executive
This article present the performance appraisal factors that should be used to assess the performance of a top sales executive. Also, it provides the format of a monthly sales call report that should be used to record the sales call activity of sales reps.

CHOOSING AFFILIATE PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE IS HARD WORK

Those who are in charge of affiliate programs care if you choose the best affiliate offer to promote. In fact, it is part of their job requirement to assist you in making this kind of selection. You are working for them as an online sale professional. This means that you get paid to drive traffic to the offer that the affiliate manager is in charge of heading. The hard part comes when you view the webpage of the program in question. Do you choose to get behind the site that is promising their top reps a new computer, a dream trip to a place that is known to be lovely, or the program that rewards its tops affiliates with 2000 dollars in cash? Your job as an internet marketer is to see clearly, and base your decision on the facts so that you can start promoting as fast as possible.

SQUEEZE ALL YOU CAN OUT OF YOUR AFFILIATE PROMOTIONS
Selling to current clients is one of the easiest jobs in existence. It is tons easier to sell a product in this manner because you already have a relationship with this person. They know that you can deliver, they have already bought what you have offered, and you do not have to prove that you can be trusted.

CHOOSE YOUR AFFILIATE PROGRAMS WISELY!

What affiliate programs are you currently promoting? Did you choose 3 random affiliate offers, throw them in a hat, and just pick the first one that you could grab? Unluckily, there are too many new affiliates who choose what they will promote unwisely. Picking an offer should be done in a way that will greatly increase your chances of doing well. If you pick in an unwise manner, you may be wasting a large amount of time and effort promoting something that is doomed to fail from the beginning. The good news is that there are several tips that you can follow to decide on which offer is best.

MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS CREATE PASSIVE ONLINE INCOME
Membership programs are the rental real estate of the internet kingdom. In other words, these types of programs provide passive income on a monthly basis for those who operate them for a living. This type of business is smart for any online marketer to have in their online bag of tricks. In this article we will mention several types of membership site models you may want to consider.

100% Positive Employee Performance Appraisal

Performance appraisal meetings between boss and subordinate are too often disastrous encounters in which anxiety is generated in both parties, the motivation and trust the boss generated throughout the year are undermined, and employee dissatisfaction with his/her work and the company is planted. This article explains how to avoid these performance appraisal session mistakes and make employee appraisal 100% positive and motivating every time.

Why You Should Consider Starting a Home Based Business
You need a home based business even though we have been led to believe there is a recovery happening as we speak. However, average citizens, the little guy and gal continue to suffer as the unemployment rate moved into double digits. A home business on the Internet is the best option.

Some Tips for Starting an Internet Home Based Business
Any business can be promoted online if you have a website. The blog on your website helps you interact with your customers and build strong business relationships. You could also look for many free methods available on the internet to market your business. Therefore, a website is an absolute must for any Internet home business.

Why Social Media is Just Like Sex.
Let me start with an apology. For those who don't know me, you might be put-off by the title of this article, "Why Social Media is Just Like Sex." But if you do know me, you might be a little more comfortable with the title. After all, there really are some parallels between the two. So check out the article and find out for yourself why social media actually IS like sex.

Which Social Media Tool will be the First to Become Irrelevant?
A recent survey conducted by the 60 Second Marketer with marketing directors around the globe asked "Which social media tool will be the first to become irrelevant?" The answer may surprise you. Check it out.

The Top 13 Social Media Tools for Marketers

There are hundreds of different Social Media tools available, so it’s easy to get confused by them. But social media tools are a little easier to understand if you break them down into three categories - tools that help you network, tools that help you promote and tools that help you share content. Here’s a quick rundown of the top 13 Social Media tools for marketers. I’ve also included some brief tips on how to use each of them.

CPA CAN BE PROMOTED TO AN OFFLINE AUDIENCE

CPA Networks provide a fantastic vehicle that can take you to the destination of your small business dreams. However, you may not ever reach your online destiny without the proper marketing knowledge. Simply put, a CPA company will pay its members when someone takes a particular action. If you are promoting an offer that requires a person to buy a fat loss product, that person must be able to find your product on the internet in order to purchase. It is very simple in theory, but many people who promote to others have a tough time driving traffic to their offers. You can have the best offer in the world, but it means nothing if not a single soul realizes that it exists.

TARGET MARKET YOUR WAY TO THE TOP OF THE ONLINE BUSINESS LADDER
Those who target market do very well with their online business. If you give your viewers something that they are craving, you have a far greater chance of success. There are a number of steps that all marketers should take when it comes to thriving in the online marketing arena. This article will address two of the most vital steps of this marketing formula.

Promoting Your Internet Home Based Business with Article Marketing
This article is about promoting your Internet Home Based Business using article marketing. Thousands of business entrepreneurs on the Internet adopt this form of marketing and promoting. News and information you can use.

VIDEO MARKETING MAY BE WHAT THE ONLINE AND OFFLINE WORLD IS LOOKING FOR IN 2009

Video marketing is almost as popular today as Google Adwords. In case you have not heard, youtube.com was bought for over 1 billion dollars by Google.com. What makes this even more amazing is that this occurred over two years ago. If you are not putting the power of this marketing weapon to use in your own internet marketing home business you are leaving tons of money on the online marketing table. Fortunately, you can now put this incredible resource to work for you if you just utilize a few quick tips. This article will serve to enlighten any fellow online business owners with several video marketing pointers.

What's Wrong With Multitasking?
Switching back and forth among tasks creates stress and divides your attention. Plus, it’s harder to remember where you left off and requires more thinking.

What's Your Passion?
80% of the working population feels on some level, unhappy, dissatisfied, and unfulfilled. In all likelihood, 4 out of every 5 people you meet are frustrated, under-enthused and not feeling like they are living their “purpose”.

Is Your Financial Comfort Zone Keeping You Stuck?
If you'd like to change your financial set point and increase your income here’s what to do:

Survey Shows Business Leaders More Successful at Major Change During the Recession
In this article Rick Maurer discusses his findings from an online survey conducted by Maurer & Associates regarding the challenge of change in today's organizations

The Stuff of a Winning Organization
The company that secures the best people, motivates them most effectively, and nurtures their creativity will surpass its competitors in the marketplace. The success of this kind of company is assured.

OFFLINE BUSINESSES NEED YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW

Are you in a bind right now in your career or personal life? Are you so broke that you can't even pay attention to the words that you are reading? If either of those statements describes the state of your current existence, it is time that you put on your online battle gear. I am referring to the type of armor that will enable you to fight your way out of the difficult situation that you are facing. A fast way to earn money by using the skills that you have as an internet marketer is by calling those people who own a business in your city or town. Often times, we take for granted the words that we have learned over the years as online experts and business owners.

How Can a Virtual Assistant Help Me With My Bookkeeping Virtually?
Are you a small business owner who hates to do their own bookkeeper? This article reviews the steps involved in working with a virtual bookkeeper. By utilizing a virtual bookkeeper this will allow you more time to do the things that you love to do.

When Did You Last Put Your Ear To The Ground?

Adept trackers, Native Americans used to put their ears to the ground to hear horses' hoofs miles away. The ground carried the sound. Later, the train tracks did the same thing if you put your ear to the track, you could hear the train coming from miles away. When Did You Last Put Your Ear To The Ground? Explore these simple ways to "tighten" your marketing tactics from face-to-face to voice mail. Start measuring how you connect with your prospects and make it matter.

A Progressive, High Motivation Wage Payment Plan

A progressive, high motivation wage payment plan based on achieving performance objectives is one of the most important elements in a program aimed at motivating employees to achieve high levels of output, to care in performing their duties, to master jobs quickly, to desire to move into more demanding and higher paid work, to work as a team, and to grow with their employer using their continuity of employment and deep knowledge of the organization, its work, its operations, and its customers to innovate and bring new ideas to the firm.

Quick Checklist-Is Your Firm Ready For Success In The Coming Economic Rebound?

This article provides a quick checklist for a company to use in beginning to rethink and plan its management and operational strategy for the economic rebound ahead. It touches on changing a company’s orientation from “defense” to “offense,” attempting to move away from price only relations with customers to price and long term relationship connections with customers, re-establishing training throughout the organization, bringing in some mavericks, creating a new company mission statement, and locating a new top management recruiting resource to bring in top notch executive resources as the market for these individuals tightens in the rebounding economy.

REINVENTING YOURSELF

Recently and again, I had an opportunity to visit with Geoff Currier on The Nighthawk, CJOB’s evening show. Geoff asked me to join him in a discussion of how some people manage to re-invent themselves and he used the example of Frank McCourt the author of Angela’s Ashes to start things off. As a Life & Business Coach my work with clients is all about reinvention but perhaps not in the way you may think.

Don't Lose Your Focus
Of the many obstacles business people face one of the hardest to overcome is our loss of focus.

THE NEW RULES OF ATTRACTION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Recently, we’ve heard a lot about how we should be using social media to appeal to the younger generation. However, much of the focus has been about the tools and how they work, but little about how and why they appeal to the younger generation.

KNOW THE ‘HOT SPOTS’ OF YOUR DM PACKAGE
What are the ‘hot spots’ of your direct mail package? They are the parts that you want your readers to be drawn to, to pay attention to.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CONSUMER FATIGUE, ONLY MARKETING FATIGUE.
Don’t just blame the recession, there are other factors at play when trying to market to consumers.

"WHAT WE’VE GOT HERE IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE."
When it comes to charities, one neglected area where communication fails miserably is during Post Gift Communications.

EFFECTIVE Meeting Facilitation - Say Goodbye to the WOMBAT

"Oh no! Another meeting! That's 3 hours of my life I'll never see again!" If you've ever felt this way or suspect you've evoked this response in others, read on. A new acronym has popped up that defines many meetings. Many people are now referring to meetings as a WOMBAT (Waste Of Money, Brains And Time). To turn your meetings from WOMBATs to EFFECTIVE, here are some tips to create an environment where participants can bring their strengths and ideas to the table. EFFECTIVE meetings have not only positive discussion, but also a will to make important decisions and to take action.

What's Your Favorite "F" word ?
Interesting replies I received from a Tweet on Twitter concerning thankfulness. This is an article you'll really enjoy.

How to Get More Things Done With Ease and Elegance
Here’s is a quick checklist of what you need to know so you can beat the odds, and create more and more of what you want in your business and in your life with ease, grace and flow.

The Four C’s at Work: A New Approach to Team Building & Why It’s So Important
The Four C’s at Work: A New Approach to Team Building & Why It’s So Important

Which Would You Prefer, Wealth or Welfare? (it's a trick question)
The relationship between the words "wealthy" and "welfare" would surprise most people today. By the time you finish, you will realize you should have both.

LEAN INTO YOUR DISCOMFORT

I must admit that learning to lean into my discomfort has had a very positive effect in my life! It was a process over time but the value of being able and willing to do it, was magnified 10 fold during my two year battle to survive my deteriorating lungs, followed by another two year journey back from the edge of death to good health, after surviving a 13 hour double lung transplant operation. My new lungs came from a 40 year old man who lost his life in a car accident when he was killed by a drunk driver. His incredible gifts saved the lives of four people. I know about discomfort!

Self Motivation
This is an except from my book on self coaching. Chapter 6 deals with self motivation which is an essential ingredient in the self coaching process. This is an excerpt from my book: Deep Coaching: A Guide to Self Directed Living. You can find a free preview of three chapters to download and get directions to download the ebook or buy the book on-line. Thanks for having a look.

An Accountant or a Leader - but rarely both
Sometimes I think that the world is divided between the people who make things happen and those that account for it. I know it is an over simplification but all the personality assessments, type indicators and their like break us into four types: The Pragmatic, the Analytical, the Amiable and the Extrovert.

Having a Purpose

As children we are always asking the question ‘why?’ This often results in the majority of adults becoming frustrated with our incessant questioning. Through this we learn to tone down our questions as we get older. This, however, does not mean that we are not curious and do not want to know. In our workplace, or anywhere we are asked to make a commitment and strive to achieve something, the question looming in our mind is why? Why are we doing this? What is the point? What will we achieve as a result of doing this?

Starting an Internet Home Based Business
Starting an Internet home based business is the best alternative to a traditional job during this deep recession in the United States and the rest of the world. If you have a late model computer with high-speed Internet access and basic computer and Internet skills you are good to go.

Internet Home Based Business
There are many different people starting an Internet home based business these days. A large number of people have computers and know how to operate them. They also have state-of-the-art computers with high-speed Internet access and are ready to tackle the business of running an Internet home based business.

You’ll Need to Be More Than a Full Time Resource for Your Home Based Business
Many people jump on board in a home based business opportunity without really understanding the commitment required to be successful. Prior to getting started, you need to educate yourself and understand you are the one that will be the resource for your business. To learn more, read the article on tips to be more effective.

Home based Business - Understanding the True Value of Customer Support
At the core of any successful business is making your customers happy. The only way to ensure you do that aside from excellent products or services is to have great customer support. To learn more, read the article.

Cubicle Courtesies Unlock Doors

It’s true that the close quarters of office cubicles in companies are a breeding ground for hot tempers, resentments and damaged relations. It’s also true that most of our complaints about our co-workers are valid and should not be ignored. The challenge is to devise and employ strategies to create goodwill in the office so that minor annoyances do not explode into a toxic work environment that no one will benefit from. Open environments and cubicles are here to stay. Ensure that your business relationships enjoy that same longevity by employing strategies of cubicle courtesies which will open doors to a more productive and enjoyable workspace.

The Day our Icons let us down

In the seventies Marks and Spencer plc, in UK was the icon of the retail industry. Everyone used M&S as a benchmark by which they measured their performance and aspired to achieve. National Westminster Bank was the biggest bank in UK and the bank that handled the Bank of England. British Airways was the major airline in the world and a company that other airlines looked up to. There were similar organizations in North America as well and other parts of the world. Then the world changed. In the 80’s the world shifted gear. The icons were found to be set in their traditional ways. In fact all three of these companies were challenged to the level that they nearly disappeared.

Using self-talk to conquer your goals
Having a positive mindset can help you achieve your goals with ease.

When Organic SEO Tastes Too Much Like Hard Work!
This article discusses the reasons why you never see a break down on the amount of money spent on ‘organic’ SEO marketing vs "Pay per Click Advertising". Have you wondered why do companies take up using online ads more easily than using organic marketing? Find out what are the benefits gained by those brave enough to take on the challenge of search engine optimisation or SEO.

Top 12 SEO Tips To Optimise Your Website Content For Organic Search.
This article contains SEO tips and advice on optimising your website including a step by step approach to get you started.

MLM Scam Review Sites -- Just More Advertising ?

We have all seen the ads stating that they have the facts that show which companies are scams and which are not. When you read through the site, you will see many facts and "testimonials" giving details about how unfair the business treats people. There are typically two or three graphically detailed accounts of deception. After you read most of the way through the articles, you come to a point where the author states that he can save you a great deal of money and heartache. Then he lists several companies that he personally recommends, as the best place to invest your money. Seems very logical. Seems as though he is really looking out for your best interest.

MLM Pre-Launch -- Great Marketing or Just Another MLM Scam
If you have been around the MLM industry very long, you have seen all of the hype that is generated when a new "pre-launch" MLM opportunity is announced. The "pre-launch" announcement supposedly gives people the chance to get in to the new opportunity before everybody else. The question is -- who IS everybody else?

Four Things All Business Opportunity Seekers Need To Consider For Success
Finding the proper business opportunity is not an easy task. These concepts will help eliminate the chances of becoming an awful statistic in this industry.

The Hidden Power of Questions
Business leaders who know everything and always have a great plan can climb a good distance. But they rarely make it to the top. Why not? What’s missing? Good questions—that’s what’s missing. Or more specifically, a strong questioning strategy.

Build Your Business with The 5 A’s Method
This is a simplification of basic best business practices. It is a quick tune-up check list to recommit you to what you love to do—your business. See how the ideas work for you.

Secret Pal or Powerful Tool—Your Coach
Consistently I'm asked how to select a coach or why would I want one by people I meet. This teels me they have not had a coaching experience. This article offers insights about coaching and how it may be a powerful business and personal tool for you.

Pushing Boundaries
Have you ever noticed how children are constantly pushing boundaries and checking how far they can push things? It is a natural thing to do as the child endeavors to discover what works and why.

Being Connected
There is an interesting situation in the work place these days caused by the social networking sites.

Another Conference
Who would put a team together that did not share the common goals and seek to work in harmony to complete the outcome?

Remaining Focused

Christopher Columbus set sail heading West to look for new lands. It was a daring move at a time of growing national imperialism and economic competition between states. It was risky and many thought that he would disappear off the edge of the world. However, Columbus remained focused even though he did not know exactly what he would find. In fact, he totally underestimated the circumference of the world and when he landed in the Bahamas he thought he had landed on the East Asian mainland. As with all these voyages in history, Columbus prepared as best he could for the months ahead. In part he was preparing for the unknown, but there was a lot he knew he could plan for and he recognized that his team would need to be able to adapt and change as challenges arose.

Obama on Leadership
After eight years of the Bush Administration and the last year of electioneering, the whole world watched in January, as the first African-American took the oath of office and became the 44th President of United States of America.

When to Fold 'em
One of the important aspects of leadership is to know when to stand firm and when to fold.

How Your Business Model Could Be Limiting Your Income and How to Change It

Most businesses start out with just one or two products or services. Maybe you’re selling services like coaching, event planning, personal training, web design or massage therapy, or maybe it’s an online info product like an e-book or course. Whatever it is, before long you find yourself selling time for money with your income limited by how many hours there are in the day, or you work hard to get lots of clients but the sale amount is so low and, since it’s a one time sale, you’re barely breaking even.

Compromise or Sacrifice?
In your pursuit of business or personal success, what are you willing to compromise or sacrifice? Read this article to appreciate their implications and impact on individuals.

How Chelation Works
Here is a mechanical explanation of the chelating process -- and a comparison of intravenous chelation therapy with oral chelation.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Natural Pain Relief!
MSM stands for Methyl Sulfonyl Methane, organic sulfur. When it rains, MSM falls on the ground and is used by plants. Your body needs MSM and contains some but, if you had more MSM in your body, you would endure far less pain and suffering from arthritis, back pain, Fibromyalgia and muscle soreness.

Water Everywhere!
With water so plentiful around us, usually people question only the quality of water. Hardly anyone asks you seriously, whether you think you drink ENOUGH water. They ask, instead, what TYPE of water you drink, if they ask at all. Typically, the people who ask what type of water you drink have some sort of a water filter to sell. Iâ€™m not selling water filters!

Know When to Send Your Media Release for Free Publicity
Knowing when to send your media release to journalists and editors, can make the difference between getting free publicity or being overlooked.

How to Build a 6-Figure Income from Your Small Business
If you own a small or solo business or practice, or are an independent service professional here are some great business building ideas for you.

Leadership in Difficult Times - Lessons learned from President Obama

There’s no doubt that businesses today are facing difficult times. Those in leadership positions may be experiencing the additional burden of finding the support or direction needed to keep their teams motivated and productive when confronted with a bleak economic outlook, layoffs of their colleagues and friends, greater competition and slashed budgets. Where better to look for advice than the newest leader of the largest employer in the United States, the U.S. Government. Let’s have a look at some excerpts from President Obama’s inaugural address and see how we can apply these lessons to corporate leadership.

You Can Quote Me
The art of writing convincing quotes for press releases and other matreials

Make These Recession Survival Strategies Work For You: Courage and Entrepreneurship
Becoming a successful entrepreneur requires courage, faith, honesty, initiative trust in others and above all, the ability to take risks. Entrepreneurship cannot be learned from a book or from a seminar. It must be practiced. Know yourself, know your brand and focus on what you want to create.

The Science and Art of Great Interviewing

Great interviewers use a structured process to gather the evidence they need to make informed hiring decisions. Plan your questions in advance. Build rapport. Investigate both sides of an issue. Check for capabilities, commitment and chemistry. Learn how to detect then trust your intuition. Keep your interviews on track. And record your observations during the interview in a structured way so you can fairly compare responses of all your candidates

Who's court is that ball in? Or, that ain't my job, man.
You want to be recognized for your contribution. You may not even mind a critique when you don't live to your aims. But you don't want to be blamed for someone else's shortcomings. The people who work with you feel the same way. This article points out how to manage, to keep the responsibility lines straight.

Just the facts, ma'am
Whether or not Joe Friday ever said "Just the facts, ma'am", the facts are necessary for your operation to judge what is not right, and what to change. Objective, open eyed facts, undistorted by opinions nor politics; nor by "it's always been done that way" nor by the dreaded Not Invented Here syndrome.

Policy
Productivity can be improved anywhere, including the board room. Basic policies set in place the mechanisms that control costs up and down the P&L and balance sheet. Be sure those policies serve the organization, and not vice versa.

Give the supervisor what he needs
Or what she needs, to be productive. But what the supervisor needs may not be what your system stresses, what it spews out. Here are points to consider.

Business Coaching and Mentoring: Are They Worth the Effort?
Many people consider Business Coaching and Business Mentoring to be the same thing. Even though they are both organizational development terms, they are not synonymous. This issue of Astronology investigates the practicality of Business Coaching and Business Mentoring.

July 4rth Crash Course in History
Barbeques. Retail sales. Fireworks. These are a few of the things we think of when we consider the 4rth of July or Independence Day. But was July 4th the real day that America was born? In this issue of Astronology, we take a quick crash course into U.S. History with some startling but fun facts.

Do you have to be lucky to be successful?
Do you have to be lucky to be successful? I take time to think about my articles and an idea for one came up a couple of months ago and coincidentally whilst thinking on the topic, an associate sent me something on the same lines as my thought process.

Trapped by your business?
As with all my articles they come out of real experience and my on going conversations with MD’s and Directors. I have been quite active in the business acquisition marketplace recently on behalf of a client. The word “trapped” has come up a number of times in my travels.

Poker – a Metaphor for Business
Poker – a Metaphor for Business One of my sins (if you can call it that) is to play online poker. Not a great stakes player I hasten to add; I tend to play in tournaments with $5 to $10 entry fees. Actually I am quite good at that level and have made a small profit from my forays. But interestingly enough Poker has something to say about business that is worth repeating.

What’s the worst word in Business? FAILURE!

What’s the worst word in Business? FAILURE! No one likes failure or those who have failed. Business is supposed to be about success, making profits, achieving objectives, going places and hopefully having fun! But being in business also means taking risks and making judgements that can and sometimes do go wrong. And hitting that brick wall of failure, sometimes when you least expect it; can be very painful both financially and personally.

Ethics and Business - Why Bother?

I have embarked on a difficult journey in developing skills in Counselling with the University of Hertfordshire. Part of that is a commitment to an ethical framework set out by the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists. I consequently considered that I need to make a similar commitment to my Mentoring clients (or prospective clients). I have separately adapted/abbreviated the BACP framework Now in business many people describe themselves as ethical and portray themselves to their customers and partners in that way. Rarely do they actually set down in writing the ethical framework of how they will do business.

Mentoring to buy and sell businesses

Buying or selling a business is an emotional activity. No matter how hard Managing Directors and their advisers try, the closer the deal gets the more emotional things become I have in my career bought and sold a number of businesses. The most important thing to do whether you are looking to sell or buy is to become detached and a good way to achieve that is to use a mentor like myself to enable that to happen. Detachment comes from precise and careful planning and most importantly from clarifying clearly what the objectives are for the disposal or acquisition.

Mentoring Management Commandments
My experience as a business mentor has shown that no matter what the SME business, the owner/MD has the same issues. These are usually ? Lack of a plan ? Lack of trust of their team ? Working too hard at doing the job ? Not planning or directing the business In response I developed the following commandments for MD’s to have on their walls; I share them with you.

Passionate but not Persuasive
There are times when we have an idea be it business or otherwise which we are passionate about. But I would issue caution when relying on that passion to persuade others. Sometimes you can be passionate but not persuasive...

Mentoring to remove the barriers to your success
Mentoring to remove the barriers to your success “As a result of the one hour I spent with Nicholas, I’ve achieved more in the last 3 weeks than I did in the previous 3 months! Thank goodness for his perception, honesty, clarity of thought and encouragement”. Looks a great testimonial but there is more to this than meets the eye and at one stage I was quite questioning of my approach.

The Vacuum Effect!

The Vacuum Effect! It is interesting how similar situations appear as you go through life. I suppose when something happens once you become more aware of when it happens again. Anyway this month I had a couple of instances of what I will call “The Vacuum Effect”. This is where in companies or organisations you have a key employee leaving with a consequential effect on the rest of the business.

Mentoring to hear what you say, to know what you think!

I recently read in a book a quotation variously attributed to E M Forster and others “How can I know what I think, until I hear what I say?” Managing Director’s endeavour to direct their staff and their company to move forward and would do well to read this quotation and think hard on it. How can others do what they want when they do not understand what the MD thinks or knows? And how can they know that if the MD doesn’t that have that clarity.

Mentoring is Good For You
SME businesses have gaps in their critical skills. They run on sparse resources (people, time and finance) all focused on lots of operational details and red tape. In addition this focus is skewed by personal passions or backgrounds. What they need is a mentor!

Are you Mad to be a Director?
You don’t have to be mad to work here, but it helps! We all know this phrase from office notice boards and the like but there is an element of truth in it for Director/Owners of SME’s. For the disturbing reality is that they are driven mad by the schizophrenic nature of their role.

Create an Amazing PR Platform - Write A Book

Writing a book is a challenge, but having a book, gives you something to promote. You’re now an expert; you’ve separated yourself from the others in your field. You have a reason to pitch your story to the media and they have a reason to interview you as an expert. So, if you have expertise in a field, you have something to say, and if you want to create an amazing PR and promotional platform – start writing.

Oracle launches sourcing software on demand: Why market adaptability may ultimately derail the transition (Part 2)

In this second of our two part review of the April 9 announcement by Oracle that they are now going to offer their Strategic Sourcing and Sourcing Optimization applications on a Software as a Service (SaaS) or on-demand basis, I will focus on the more technical elements of their decision. Specifically, the potentially devastating “weak links” within their current offering that may create an unbridgeable chasm to market acceptance.

Latest PWGSC Press Release Changes Little

Last evening took an interesting turn as I began to receive notifications of the latest press release from the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Chrisitan Paradis regarding the Government Enterprise Network Services: 2009 Industry Consultations Report. The following is a copy of the press release in its entirety followed of course by my take relative to its meaning in terms of the Government of Canada’s Shared Services strategy.

Are there 80,000 reasons that Alcock borrowed a page from Gershon?

“In what has been described as the most significant restructuring of public services for a generation, the rest of the $21 billion (in savings) will have to come from overall efficiency gains such as improving the procurement system, and streamlining areas such as information technology and human resources. That’s why the skeptics are skeptical.” In case some of you are wondering if I am just repeating what I had written in Saturday’s post regarding Reg Alcock’s statement “that the “federal government is on the verge of launching the biggest transformation in the way government is managed in its history,” the above comment was made during a July 22, 2004 BBC interview with Sir Peter Gershon.

Achieving Practical Outcomes to Complex Purchases at the Heart of the Emptoris Acquisition of Click Commerce
“I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity.” Oliver Wendell Holmes, Physician, Poet, Writer, Humorist and Professor at Harvard (1809-1894)

Small Details Big Profits
Business owners who want an edge in a tough economy don't need to put out big bucks. Focus on the little details and you'll soon find yourself rising above the competition.

Working Smarter — Not Harder
What a manager needs to consider as he/she moves from being a supervisor to top levels of management. The challenge of deciding how to work smarter rather than harder.

How sales professionals can use the iPad2 as a serious business tool
Using state of the are iPads and other tablets by sales professionals can set them apart from their competitors.

How do I get my sales people to create some urgency with the client?
If what you have will benefit your prospect enormously and they don’t go ahead now, who will lose? The prospect will, and of course so will you, but if you genuinely believe that what you have is right for your prospect you will be letting them down by not asking for the order then and there.

Is there any benefit to hiring less skilled sales people to prospect for my skilled sales people?
Telephone sales people must understand the sales process used by your team, and understand your products and services. However they must know not to talk about these on the telephone. If they do, then no appointment is needed is it? Instead they must talk only about the benefits of a face to face meeting with someone who can provide more details.

Can you teach “old sales dogs” new tricks?
Here's how to motivate and get the best out of experienced sales people.

How to manage your time so you can get more done each day in sales
How to managing your time so you can get more done each day in sales

Deciding on Web page elements
You would think that the first thing you decide on, when planning your Web site, are the color palette, font style and layout—what it's going to look like---design components, right? Not so. The same approach that you would use in getting a custom home built also applies to constructing a well-built Web site.

Fonts Are Like Spandex - One Size Won't Fit All
Like all good things, fonts are best when used in moderation. It's always a good idea to run your selections by a trusted friend or colleague before you go "live." While a design may seem intoxicating in the moment, things may look totally different in the morning...so font responsibly.

Marketing Definitions in the Raw
Marketing has become a cult. It is rife with mysterious terms, magic powder and self-anointed gurus. Use this list of definitions to better understand the terminology and refute some of the ridiculous statements of the high priests. Warning: some of these definitions might offend some people.

Writing and Publishing eBooks Made Easy #04 - More Advice on Designing Your eBook
Font - It's best to use standard fonts such as Times, Times New Roman, Century/New Century Schoolbook, or Palatino.

The 4 Jobs of Your Logo Font
Many entrepreneurs think that the font for their business name is like a trophy wife-just there to look pretty, all perfect hair and manicure. So, they try to find a font that looks cool, often without looking at any of the features of the font itself. But, the font in your logo is a busy little element. It works 4 jobs!

Essential Tools for Website and Graphic Designers
Website designers and graphic designers have several options available to improve the quality of their digital and print projects to a great extent. Some of the tools include Adobe Photoshop, Font Doctor and BrowserShots.

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