"People Skills Beget Success” "

--The Meridian, December 2008

Click the link above to see the full article.

Informational Interviews

Quick Tip...

If you're not sure where to locate the best people to reach out to, a good place to start is industry specific trade magazines. Pay close attention to the, "people on the move" section. You will not only find a great person to contact, but a little background info as well. Most of these publications are on file at the library. Have fun!

Informational Interviews

One of the more underutilized methods of networking is the informational interview. People love talking about themselves and sharing information about their job and industry. Take advantage of this to gain valuable insight and build your database. It may not lead to instant gratification, but if you plant enough seeds and water them properly, opportunities will present themselves when you least expect it.

Begin by targeting a specific company you would like to work for and the relevant department. Obtain the contact information of the department head - ie: VP, Marketing. Obtaining their contact info and getting them on the phone or via e-mail is all about being creative. See a future post if needed.

You simply want 15 minutes of their time (which will lead to an hour if you're truly personable and passionate about this field) to gain a better understanding of their job/industry and any advice they may have. Before you meet or speak, do whatever you can to obtain information about them and/or their company to assist with your "small talk".

Your goal - Keep the focus on them. Ask open ended questions to keep them talking. Take lots of notes. Send a hand written thank you. E-mail them asking if they don't mind hanging onto your resume should they know of any career opportunities. Stay in contact.

Articulation

You have a 3.8 GPA. You have tons of extracurricular activities. You are qualified for the position in question. But, you don't get the job.

Do you think the person interviewing you had a very clear picture of what you bring to the table? Maybe you pointed out that you had a good sense of humor, had a great work ethic, or were extremely hungry to learn. Frankly, responses like these are way too vague. They must be expanded upon so the interviewer has a clear picture of what type of asset you will be to the organization. It's not about you!!!!

I want you to write down the 2 things that make you special. These two things should be memorable and give the interviewer a big reason to hire you. What's in it for them?

The 2 examples below should give you an idea of where I am hoping you go with this. Your responses should obviously be tailored to the position at hand.

Examples:

1) "I am very friendly, thus I'm comfortable working with people. It doesn't take me long to warm up and I really believe that more can be accomplished working together. I also have no problem asking for help or giving assistance."

2) "I've really developed some great multi-tasking skills here at school. Thus, juggling a few projects at once and meeting deadlines will not overwhelm me. Frankly, I welcome it. I feel more productive in a faster paced environment."

Any Questions? Send me an e-mail at eric@ericbarronlive.com.

"I’m not your typical…trainer. This is entertaining and relevant” "

--Brokers Weekly, October 2008

Click the link above to see the full article.

Dress for success: Do's for women

"It is much more important to wear things that fit versus the brand name,” said Eric Barron, president of Eric Barron Live. “Baggy is great for a sweatshirt on the weekend, but not for professional attire. "

--Entry Level Examiner

Click the link above to see the full article.

"Barron, a well-known sales coach, took the stage at the Gotham Comedy Club to teach brokers how to be effective communicators by first understanding their own communication style and then adapting this when dealing with clients and co-workers."

--Broker's Weekly October 2008

Click the link above to see the full article.

You're never stuck!

Our lives have become chaotic. Most of us wish we got more sleep and had more time to spend with family. Stress related illness is through the roof as is the need for anti depressant and anxiety drugs. The financial markets are crashing. Why bother getting out of bed in the morning?

In times like these, it's critical that you find time to reconnect with yourself and prioritize what's really important to you. You have to find a way to do something you love. You have more options then you think!!!

A friend thought she was "stuck". She was miserable at her job but it paid well. She couldn't afford to take a pay cut nor did she have the savings or risk tolerance to follow her dream of opening a coffee shop. I urged her to find some other way that would allow her to slowly move in this direction, and we did.

She would set out to become an expert in this field. She spoke to dozens of owners, suppliers, and hundreds of customers. The information she compiled was incredible. Albeit, it took almost a year, as she still had a full-time gig.

The results? She opened up a marketing and consulting firm that strictly worked with small businness owners, with an obvious specialty in independently owned coffee houses. After 2 years, her self-employed income has surpassed her salaried income and she now has complete freedom to follow her dream if she chooses.

You're never stuck!

Staying Focused

It's never about how you start, but how you finish. If you've had a great year so far, I highly recommend not coasting into the holidays, content with your success for 2008.

You may be thinking....geez Eric, when is enough? Frankly, I am more concerned with keeping the momentum you've already built - keeping you sharp. Look at the many sports teams that have "coasted" into the playoffs, resting their best players. Most of these teams have made early exits!!!

Consistency and Momentum are king. Don't let complacency sabatoge the business you've worked so hard to build!!!

Handling Adversity

If I had to pick the single most important aspect to overall success it would be how someone rebounds from adversity.

Everyone faces small and large doses of it throughout their lives. Few realize how much their professional and personal success is determined by the growth opportunities that arise from these situations.

Angry, upset, frustrated or distraught? Professional roadblock or personal tragedy? Speed bump or giant hurdle?

Tip...Take the time you need to evaluate what just transpired. Reflect!!! This means you should not bury yourself in another project immediately. Share your thoughts and feelings with someone else. Take some mental notes and most importantly...move forward stronger then you were before!!!

Creating Structure

For some, a little structure is all that's needed to increase productivity. Some tips:

• Write down everything you would like to get done for the week.
• Seperate the "must get done" from the "would be nice to get done".
• Time-block the "must get done" into your calendar.
• Prioritize the "would be nice" in order of importance, and time-block as many as you can.

Be flexible and leave enough free time in your schedule. Things typically take longer than you plan, and unexpected tasks will arise.

Make sure you leave time to think, plan, and review. Yes, this should be time-blocked as well. You cannot run a business being "reactionary" all day long.

This is a good first step to creating some structure in your work week. More to come.

Eric Barron Live Featured in Broker's Weekly

"...Networking is a lifestyle; it's a commitment to build a relationship with others. You have to present your brand as a value to benefit people...."

--Broker's Weekly August 2008

Click the link above to see the full article.

Attention Management

Many skills can be taught...

The right attitude cannot...

Thus, please don't become overly enamored with someone's resume and so-called credentials. The right attitude is tough to measure, yet such a critical component of the hiring process.

Tip...If you love the candidate, make sure to take them out of the office setting for a second meeting. In addition, bring someone else along that embodies the heart and soul of your company for a second opinion.

Energy

I've said this before and can't repeat it enough. You spend time eating right and working out. You read food labels. You may buy organic products or be part of the green movement. Then why do you offset this by filling your mind with such negative energy that you receive from what you read, watch, listen to, and even your friends and family?

Please don't think you can simply rid yourself of crappy energy so easily. You cannot turn off your subconscious. Where do you think "bad attitudes" orginate from? Negative energy!!!

What are you feeding your brain?

Asking for Business

Maybe your phone isn't ringing because you haven't yet learned how to ask for new business. Many of you simply say, "If you know of anyone who needs my services.....or......It would be greatly appreciated if you would pass my name along to anybody......"

This is no way to make your phone ring. Take the words "Anyone" and "Anybody" out of your vocabulary. It gives your potential referral source way too many people to consider. Mention these two words and what do you think comes to mind? You're right if you said "Nobody".

Tip...Narrow it down for them. Help them focus on a specific segment of their sphere of influence and you stand a much better chance of having them come up with a warm lead or two. Example - "Is there anyone in your group at work who may be in the market for......or.....Is there anyone in your family who may have a need for."

Become a better networker simply by...

Being well read. I know it sounds simple, but the more you have to talk about, the easier it is to network. From politics, sports, local and international news, and business, keeping up with current events, on a variety of topics, will allow you to find a common thread with almost anyone.

Tip...Take 30 minutes a day to peruse espn, bloomberg, cnn, and the ny times (or whatever your local paper may be). This is not optional. Make it a recurring task in your calendar, beginning today!

Do we read anymore?

The answer is, kind of. We have become a "skimming" society, as we are constantly bombarded with information. Some good, much useless.

That means your message must be compelling and compact. If you don't catch their attention in the first few sentences, or the first 30 seconds, "bye, bye".

You also have to ask yourself that if "they" (your customer, boss, employee) only read the first few sentences/paragraphs, would that be enough for them to at least walk away with a good understanding of your message?

Bottom Line...Less is more and don't bury the message.

Breathing

How often do you take a full breath in and a full breath out? Never or very rarely? That's a problem.

Close your eyes and take 10 slow deep breaths in (nose) and out (mouth) and I dare you to tell me that you don't feel calmer and more focused. Now try taking 20.

In this crazy world where we rarely "shut off", you must find the time to refocus your energy. At first you may get very anxious and the quiet time may be very unwelcome. But coming from a person who can't sit still and now does this almost every day for 10-15 minutes, you'll be shocked by the fantastic ideas, thoughts, and emotions that emerge from "quiet time".

Bottom Line: This doesn't have to be a painful exercise. Even doing it for 20 seconds before meeting a client will allow you to better focus on the tasks at hand.

Talk too fast?

Most of the time, "quick talkers", garner less trust.

EBL's quick tip to slow down your speech pattern...

Read lots of poetry out loud. As you read, be sure to pronounce every syllable of every word. Annoying....Yes. Highly valuable....Yes, Yes, Yes. 30/30 - 30 minutes a night for 30 days and you will see a remarkable difference.

Pause more often

There is nothing better than a well timed pause. Not only can it reinforce what was just said and give time for the other person to "digest", but it can also be utilized to draw attention back to you.

Remember when your teacher shouted to gain your attention, to no avail? What happened when they went silent?

Master Sales Skills…Maximize Potential June 24th, 9AM-12:30PM at the infamous Gotham Comedy Club

Welcome Facebook members!

Here is the description of our exclusive half-day workshop next week, with only 6 spots left:

**********
In a strong market, everyone makes money. In an uncertain market, only the better trained and more educated thrive. Are you determined to raise the level of your game and gain market share while others worry about making ends meet?

Master the skills we cover with you in our half-day event and you will communicate better with your customers, learn to work more efficiently, reduce overall stress levels, and inevitably, build greater wealth.

The EBL Way:

Act: Before the event, you will take a brief online DISC personality assessment. This 20+ page report is very insightful in identifying your unique personality style and will be waiting for you at the event. There’s no pass or fail and your results will not be shared with anyone.

Think: Each personality style has specific behavioral strengths and limitations: your preferences, your ideal work conditions, and how you relate to people. Learning how to utilize the aspects of your personality style most effectively is critical to maximizing your potential.

Sell: You will begin to “people-read” and examine the verbal, visual, and vocal cues that are unique to each style. No longer will you let other people’s behavior frustrate you, but instead you will use what you’ve learned to close more deals!

Part lecture, part interactive role-play, and part group activity, this fast-paced half-day event is guaranteed to leave you wanting more or your money back. No questions. Take the time to understand why people speak and act a certain way, and you’ll begin fulfilling your true potential. Now that’s EBL’s definition of success. Join us.

Date: Tuesday, June 24th, 2008
Time: 9am – 12:30pm
Location: Gotham Comedy Club, 208 W.23rd Street, off 7thAve
Attire: Professional
Cost: Online Special: $75 Dollars --includes materials

To Register:

By phone: 212-366-5200
By email: events@ericbarronlive.com

**********

Check out the rest of our blog or subscribe to our email feed to learn more about Eric Barron Live.

Something is better than nothing

Can't believe I just told someone in my office that I have no time to blog - big event tomm.
Wow - that's a bunch of crap. I cannot stress enough that even when you feel like you have no time, there is always a few minutes to squeeze something in that's critical to your progress.

If you planned to make 10 phone calls, making 2 is better than making 0. Got it?

Blah, Blah, Blah

So much whining. The economy is in the crapper. Gas is above $4/gallon. Housing prices are declining. The stock market is tanking. Hillary lost.

Who cares. Many moons ago I remember a Mortgage Consultant who was obsessed with the Bond Market. He was a true expert and a great predictor of where rates were heading. This knowledge was surely a good thing and should have made him a stronger sales person. However, he was also a compulsive worrier and freaked out with every bit of bad "bond market" news. It distracted him from things he needed to continue doing to maintain a solid pipeline of business.

All the while, a young gun in the same office, who knew very little about the bond market, honed his sales skills and worked his ass off making new contacts. Within 6 months, he began to surpass the more experienced Consultant - who had a 5 year head start. This should have never happened.

The Bottom Line...Pay less attention to things that are out of your control and focus on the things that will make you money. There is someone out there, right now, who needs your product or service, no matter what the economy is doing. Go find them!!!

Blogs, Blogs, Blogs

What are you feeding your brain? I sure hope it's a regular dose of my blog. Want some other suggestions.....click on the link below.

http://adage.com/power150/

But I don't see much improvement

This is one of my favorites complaints. It's funny how people, including myself, expect instant gratification. What's it going to take for us to realize that there are no real shortcuts to business success? Can you "google it" in a milisecond - sure. Unfortunately, this has spoiled us. I remember when we had to go get the microfilm or microfiche and wait 18 years for it to be brought to the counter, let alone take the time to read it and possbily even copy it from the machine.

But some things simply take time and lots of practice. On-going practice for months or years is required until you "master" certain aspects of your craft. If you're not willing to make this commitment, take my aunt's advice (you'll need it) - "it's just as easy to marry rich as it is to marry poor."

Bottom line...many of us have "natural ability". What are you going to do with yours?

How's your focus?

As the temperature outside rises, are you having trouble focusing on the tasks in front of you? Taking 2 hour lunches outside? Leaving work early for happy hour?

Now, more then ever, you need to take out those goals for 2008. Revisit and revise them if necessary. Blow them up and put them at your desk or tape them to your medicine cabinet. Shrink them down and carry them in your wallet. Constantly remind yourself why you're doing what you're doing. If this is not enough, then the goals you orginally set were not motivating enough.

How are you rewarding yourself when you reach your goals? How about booking a vacation you really can't afford unless you meet your financial goals. If that's not motivating enough, go teach english in another country. If that's not rewarding enough, seek help or attend an EBL event.

Bottom line...enjoy the beautiful weather, but stay focused!!!

Branding and Presentation Skills Workshop

Winning Techniques to Increase your Bottom Line...

· Are you memorable or generic?
· Do you present the same way all the time?
· What do your clients think about you – perception vs. reality?
· Why is someone choosing to work with you versus your competition?
· Do you have a clear and consistent message, one that your audience

can relate to?

Join Eric Barron, one of New York’s Premier Coaches & Speakers, for a FREE half-day workshop on Wednesday, June 18th at the infamous Gotham Comedy Club. You are guaranteed to leave this session with the branding and presentation skills necessary to maximize your potential. Refreshments will be served.

Seating is limited…RSVP is required

When: Wednesday, June 18th
Time: 9am-12:00pm
Where: The Gotham Comedy Club
208 W. 23rd Street, off 7th Ave
Cost: FREE

RSVP to events@ericbarronlive.com

http://www.ericbarronlive.com/

Bye, Bye to "I"

Please take "I" out of your vocabulary. It's arrogant and a turn off. There are many subtle ways to let the other individual know how great and wonderful you are. The best way is to actually let someone else do the talking. Did someone say testimonials?

Bottom line...modesty is very, very attractive. Have you listened to your "pitch" lately?

Testimonials

Step one...satisfied customer
Step two...written testimonial on company letterhead (if available)
Step three...use it in your sales presentations
Step four...close more deals

Tip...Let others sing your praises. People don't want to hear how great you are - from you!!!

Voice Mail

When is the last time you changed your outgoing voice mail? Do you even remember what it says?

Great sales people pay attention to every detail of their business. You may not think what your vm says will make or break a deal, but it could. It all depends on who's on the other end of the recording. Can you be everything to everyone? Absolutely not. At the very least, you have to stay true to your brand.

For example, I know someone who claims to be a very caring, warm, and charming individual. He prides himself on his "likeability" factor. Yet, he only recently, at my urging, recorded a personal outgoing message. Previously, he used a recorded version offered by verizon b/c he did not like how his voice sounded.

Bottom line...don't let your vm get stale and more importantly, make sure it's consistent with your "professional message".

Walk Away

Knowing when to "walk away" is one of the most valuable things you can master.

Walking away from a customer who is wasting your time...
Walking away from a confrontational situation that will only escalate with your involvement...
Walking away when you're exhausted to rejuvinate and come back even stronger...

Got it?

Those that Dominate

The conversation or meeting are not necessarily the ones who make the decision. The worst mistake you could make as a salesperson is to underestimate the " thinker" of the bunch. This reserved individual, who is listening to and analyzing every word, can easily be the one who makes the final decision. And most importantlly, the one who writes the check.

Professionalism

No matter the situation, you must always remember to maintain a certain level of professionalism.

But he yelled first. But he cut me off. But she was rude. But he cursed first.

C'mon, are we still 10 years old? A true professional, not an occassional professional, never "stoops" to the other person's level. Take a deep breath and let the moment pass. You will be happy you did.

Stop getting defensive

When someone gives you an objection, why do you feel the need to get defensive? For many, it's habitual. You ramble and overwhelm your customer with reasons/information that you think will satisfy their objection. Not good.

Objections are good as they show interest on the part of the customer. And frankly, they may not even be "real" objections at all, as the customer is simply looking for confirmation of their decision - from you!!!. Take a deep breath, don't let them get you "excited", have some self control and throw it right back at them.....empathize and ask good questions.

"I understand. Can you elaborate why you feel that way?" "What exactly are your concerns about making a commitment to purchase?" "What aspects of the "product or service"do you like?" There are dozens of these questions that should be customized based upon your business.

The longer you keep the dialogue going and let them speak, the closer you will get to sealing the deal. Oftentimes, the customer will even talk themselves into the purchase as they realize all of the benefits and positive aspects your product or service provides them.

N R G

Energy transfers. No, this is not an April fools joke. Smile, someone smiles back. Get excited about something, so will the other person.

Positivity and being half full are genuine traits that will not be perceived as phony by your customer or co-worker. Best of all, you can learn to be more positive. You can learn to be more enthusiastic. You can learn to be "half full". Not only will your business thrive, so will your health.

Spend the Money

One of the biggest reasons small businesses fail is undercapitilization. If you're self-employed or compensated mostly on commission, you own your own business - like it or not.

Make sure you have sufficient funds to invest in the most valuable asset you have - YOU. Better clothes, better marketing materials, even an assistant - one that will allow you to utilize your wonderful strengths and not force you to do things you hate doing and frankly, are not good at.

Don't have the funds? Then why did you take this career path to begin with? Beg, borrow and steal to give yourself the needed resources to fulfill your potential. If that scares you a little, too bad. No one said this was going to be easy. Enjoy it and embrace the challange.

Living = taking some risk and believing in your ability.

Best tip I can give you - take UCLA or Louisville in your office pool. Have a great Wednesday!!!

Written versus Verbal

A customer verbally tells you that they "must have" 4 things in order to consumate a transaction. Are they telling you the truth or exagerating? Did they even give it much thought? Are they realistic?

If possible, try this - ask them to confirm, via e-mail, what they told you verbally. "Susan, can you please confirm what you must have in order to move forward with this purchase? Sorry to ask again, but I want to make sure that nothing is missed. Thanks."

You can say this a million different ways depending upon the situation and what you're selling. The bottom line - was the message consistent? Did their needs list increase or decrease? Did they not even respond, confirming that they may not be as serious as you initially thought?

Get it in writing and you will be that much closer to either making the sale or cutting them loose. Either way, you benefit.

Past, Present, Future

A big reason people never fulfill their potential is because they live in the past or the future. I know you've heard this before, and I'm not here to lecture you. But the fact remains, I work with sales people and entrepreneurs everyday, and this is one of the biggest factors in limiting their success.

"What could I have done?" Learn from the past but don't let it be the anchor that "sinks" you. There is still "time" to accomplish things in life. Reflection is good, obsession is not. Learn and move on.

"What should we do?" Look too far forward and you will miss the great things that happen every day. Also, you will spend way too much time in "planning" mode versus "doing" mode. Put a plan together for the future, and then get all of the little things that need to be done today, to make those BIG things happen tomorrow.

Don't let them miss the message

I am sometimes (ok, maybe often) a little louder than the average person. You may be thinking that I shouldn't care, as long as I don't offend anyone and stay true to who I am - and I agree. One problem, my MESSAGE may get lost as some people get distracted by my tone and pace.

Since it is very important to me that people don't miss the message being deliver, I do my best to tell them what to expect, up front, when seeing me for the first time.

You should do the same with your customers. It may not be that you speak loud and fast, but soft and slow, which can be just as irritating for some. The bottom line is that when first impressions are being formed, it is critical that the "right" connection is made. If you have a delivery that you think may "frustrate" or "intimidate" the other individual, just give them a heads up as what to expect so your message is not lost. Or, you always have the option to adapt and adjust to the other person's preferrred style of communication - just don't lose your "it" factor along the way.

You have choices

How you handle each situation. Condition yourself to have a positive mental outlook, and attitude, and I guarantee that your customer will follow suit.

Remember, you just don't become what you think about all day long, but also who you associate with. Be miserable and half-empty and those are the customers you will attract. Doesn't make for a very fun transaction, does it?

Valentine's Day Special

We are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with. This includes our loved ones and friends.

Positive energy, support and encouragement, and lots of hugs and kisses go a long way in motivating us to succeed and fulfill our potential. Thus, make sure they (whomever "they" may be - spouse, friend, roommate, mom, etc.) know that you need their love.

This is the most "hokey" you will ever see me get. Sorry, but the hug my 3 year old gave me today did wonders for my energy levels.

Listen much?

When someone is speaking with you, what are you doing? Like most, you are probably preparing a response while that person is still speaking - inevitably missing most of their message. A big NO-NO.

Why do you do this? Who or what is creating the need for such rapid fire banter? You, that's who. You are directly responsible for creating most of this chaos.

Slow down!!! Listen to the other peron closely. Stay present in the conversation so you can figure out what buttons to push in order to move the conversation in a positive direction. A good little tip to find extra seconds to formulate a response is to simply repeat back what the other person just said. For example - "John, I just want to confirm what you just said. You expect to find a 2 bedroom, 2 bath with a minimum of 1100 square feet, in downtown Manhattan for under 1,200,000 in the next 30 days. You also expect to utilize a down payment of approximately 20%. Is that correct?"

Repeat things to ensure that there was no misunderstanding and to give you some extra time to formulate a sound response. Do this, and you will be more successful today than yesterday. EBL's definition of true success.

Don't overwhelm

People typically don't remember much of what you say, but they do remember your "delivery" and "energy".

You are probably thinking - "tell me something I don't know." So why doesn't this stop you from spewing tons of information upon the other individual in an attempt to impress? And guess what, they remember none of it!

Don't be afraid to focus on ONE or TWO specific points that you think the other individual (not you) wants to hear. Make it powerful and make it very, very clear.

Remember, less is generally more when it comes to someone processing information and making a decision.

Enjoy the superbowl....

Finding more time

There's never enough time in the day......

That's probably true, but are you really utilizing every minute effectively? No, we're not robots and we all need "down time". I just want you to think about all of the 10-30 minute intervals you have, that you waste on down time. Sound harsh? Too bad and while you're at it, stop complaining about all the money you're not making.

Commuting, Waiting for a service - like the doctor, Getting up 15 minutes earlier, Talking to your mother or spouse, Watching re-runs, Eating - This is not a joke. Did you really need 60 minutes for lunch?, Reading page 6, Surfing the web, Instant messenger, Playing on-line poker, Shopping for clothes or worse - shoes.....on, and on, and on.........

Comprende? Get my drift?

Preparation and Focus

Do you prepare the same way for each call, presentation, or meeting? Why don't you? Too busy or just take it for granted?

Does Tiger Woods not go to the range before each round? Did Michael Jordan not warm-up, physically and mentally before each game? Every athlete goes through a pre-game ritual. They attempt to clear their mind and focus on the task at hand. They know, oftentimes the hard way, that outside distractions will negatively affect their productivity.

Do you have a pre-game ritual - every time? I bet not. Frankly, no matter how good you think you may be or how many times you have done a particular task, unless you FOCUS and eliminate all mental distractions, you will never live up to your potential - day in and day out.

Consistency is king and perparation and focus are what fuels it!!!

Who cares what they think!!!

We often seek out advice from others to be sure that our decisions, ideas and choices make sense. Oftentimes, their opinions have great influence.

Here's the problem...if they don't understand how your target audience thinks and acts, their opinion doesn't matter. How dare you limit yourself based upon someone's advice and input, who may be very bright and have tons of "experience and knowledge", but is clueless about the market you are trying to reach.

"General" business sense only goes so far. It's kind of like "mass marketing" - an archaic way of thinking compared to "target marketing". Why do you think companies spend so much money on focus group research? Because they want direct feedback from the people they hope to buy their product/service.

Wouldn't you be better off getting feedback from the people using your product or service? Who cares what other's think!!!

Passion

The most successful people have a real passion for their work. It's not just a job. They hop out of bed in the morning. They can't stop thinking about things to do the next day to make their business/job more productive. It's obvious to everyone around them that they enjoy what they do.

Do you enjoy what you do? Are you doing it for the money? Do you feel that you're trapped and cannot change careers because of your financial commitments?

Everyone has choices. I don't care how old you are. How much do you really believe in yourself or idea? How much are you willing to sacrifice or take a step or three back?

If you are not passionate about what you do everyday, then you're not alive. Go for it and don't you dare let anyone stop you. They're just jealous.

Good is sometimes good enough

I learned many years ago that striving for perfection is oftentimes not a good thing. It stops you from moving forward and making progress. It's a crutch used by many to keep them in their "comfort zone" or sometimes simply used as an excuse to "bitch".

Stop making excuses!!! Stop striving for perfection all the time. Let it rip. Move forward. Things don't have to work out exactly as you had hoped for the situation to be considered a success. Oftentimes the other person didn't even realize that things didn't go as planned.

This is not to say that mediocrity is acceptable. Just chill and do the best you can given the situation. It doesn't have to be perfect. Good is oftentimes good enough.

What are you giving?

What have you given your customers or referral sources that you feel has earned their loyalty or gotten their attention?

So many sales people complain to me that they don't have the budget in order to "woo" others. What a crock!!!

You don't need to spend a dime to give, "great information". People love information that is user friendly, targeted and thoughtful. Great information allows people to make great, educated decisions. So many sales people feel like they need to "hoard" info and that's why they have the reputation of being "sneaky".

What information are you passing along? How often? In what format? Is it valuable to the person receiving it?

Give great information and your phone will ring off the hook with new business!!!

True Character

It's easy for someone to have a good attitude when things are going well. But what happens when adversity strikes? Do you lash out? Place blame? Get defensive?

A true character test is being consistent in more difficult situations. Remember, most things tend to "work out". The unnecessary stress you add by getting all "hostile" only adds fuel to the fire and exacerbates the existing situation.

Tip.....take your time before reacting. Take a walk, yell into your pillow, or simply get another opinion. Just whatever you do, don't react or should I say....overreact.

Shame on you...but there's hope

Have you already fallen short of accomplishing a specific goal your first week into 2008? Shame on you....but there's hope.

I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to share your goals with someone else. Particularly someone you care about or respect. It is remarkable how different human beings act once they know someone is "watching". Efficiency and productivity goes through the roof!!!

Stop being embarrased or afraid to share your thoughts, dreams, and GOALS. The positive impact it will have on your life will be well worth it!!!

Google you?

What comes up when you google your name or your business? Do you like what you see? Is it accurate? Is it updated?

If not, you only have yourself to blame. It's up to YOU to put information out in the universe for it to get "noticed" by search engines. Have you been quoted in an article recently? Have you made an effort to get your name in the press? Have you offered to write an article for a local trade paper specific to your business? Have you made an effort to "SEO" (search engine optimize) your website? Do you blog?

Lots of no answers to the above questions will not only make you invisible on the web, but even worse, may allow inaccurate content about who you are and what you do to materialze for all the world to see.

Take action!!! People, for better or worse, believe the "written word".