• Series Y2K+5 Don't think you can, believe you can! June 28 , 2005 Intro From Jeff Glaze Jeff Glaze Editor "Buy my eye-opening ebook!" from Jeff Glaze, The editor of AtlantaEvent.com   Greetings, Don't you just love Summer? I sure do. It is not the heat, the insects, the vacations, the beach, the lawn work, the sunburn, the sweating, the bored neighborhood kids, the picnics, or any of the normal things that might be associated with it that I love. No, I love Summer because of the excitement it brings. Summer generates a sense of adventure. Every time a storm blows in we watch the clouds and the lightning wondering if our homes will survive. When we go to the beach, danger lurks beneath every wave. While we are backpacking in the mountains what wild animal is watching us just beyond the tree line? Sure the other seasons have their own levels of mystery, but in the Summer we are compelled to venture beyond the comfort of our homes and immerse ourselves in the world around us. We take risks that we normally would only watch others involved in and we stretch our minds and our bodies as we strive for the excitement that is life. So what does this have to do with business? Often in our daily business routines, we tend to stay in our comfort zone. Like a creature in their cave we welcome the refreshing blow of the air conditioners as we slog through the workday. Those of us who are willing to brave the elements find success as we get out to talk to people, set appointments and go to meetings. There are also those whose sense of style in their appearance prohibits them from taking off the suit jacket and shedding the long sleeve shirt and tie and ultimately forces them to languish in the breeze of the desk fan. I say to those people, don't be afraid to sweat profusely! Do not fear the beads that form on the brow! It is a healthy thing, it cleanses the body. You would do it to have fun, why not do it for your career?!? Those of you who are out there sweating today know what I am talking about. There is a lot of business out there. Just like adventure, it is something that you have to go out and get. It does not come to your door. Just like adventure, you might get wet in the process, you may get tired and at the end of the day you may collapse from exhaustion. But come tomorrow, you will feel stronger and you will see results. Yes, Summer is a wonderful time, but I need to finish up this newsletter now because I have to get out in the yard. I have an appointment with some ants and they keep coming to my door to remind me that they are waiting! If your business event or organization is not listed on AtlantaEvent.com, add it by clicking on the links. Submit articles here and feedback here. Please remember that we only feature business events and organizations. Thanks for subscribing and be sure to tell others about AtlantaEvent.com! Jeff Glaze - Editor Social Mixer & Charity Event Eckerd Youth Alternatives July 8, 2005 Turner Field - Atlanta - 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Enjoy an exciting evening of complimentary dinner buffet, drinks and an exciting Braves Game in the private "755 Club". As an added bonus, there will be a silent auction with great travel packages, deco arts, dinner certificates, plasma screen, electronics, etc.. Please check out Eckerd.org and see why they are important to your community and how you can get involved. Donation: $75.00 (special price)- (**Tax Deductible**) Game: Braves vs Milwaukee Brewers Contact Nicole for details at 404.822.8270 or email NWorthington@eckerd.org by July 1, 05. Mention (Atlee, Host Committee) for special pricing - listed price $100 a ticket.     Feature Article Is Negative Speak Destroying Your Business? By Jeff Glaze A more rounded approach?   You Got The FR*EE DOWNLOAD Now Get The WorkBook ONLY $4.95 Proceeds go to keep AtlantaEvent.com online If you did not get the ebook, click here   Words mean things. You don't believe me? Try this one - You are talking to a person about a project you are considering hiring them to complete for you. Near the end of the conversation they attempt to set an appointment for you to meet with them and they say " So why don't you come on over to the office and we'll see if we can't get this thing done for you." Excuse me? Did you say see if we can't get it done? In daily conversation, how often do you use negative speak? More than you realize. This is a deadly habit for most of us. We use words like think, might, probably, or should when we can be using words like can, will, yes, or some other positive term. The words that we use influence not only others, but on a subconscious level, ultimately ourselves. As we speak, so do we believe, and as others hear us, they believe as well. Here are some common phrases and their translations. We say "I will try to come by later." They hear "You won't see me later." We say "I might be able to come up with a solution to your problem." They hear "I have no idea how to solve that problem." We say "I probably have that item in stock." They hear "I have no idea what is in the warehouse." We say "If you provide me with the details, we can take a look at what it might take." They hear "I don't expect to hear from you, but if I do we have no idea what we are doing." We say "You should work a little bit more efficiently and you will get it done faster." They hear "Stop screwing around and get it done." And on and on. This negative speak is something that comes natural to us because it is being practiced by so many people in our society today. It is the language of failure and in society failure is acceptable because no one wants to be better than anyone else, or do they? In business you need to either be better than someone else or create that perception, or you won't be in that business for long. Can you expect to change how you speak all at once? Of course not, but if you are more aware of what you are saying, how you are saying it and make a conscious effort to tweak the words you are using, you will notice a change for the positive. I guarantee it. So what do you think? Why don't you give it a try and see if it doesn't make a difference in your life? Just kidding! Jeff Glaze is the editor of this newsletter and www.AtlantaEvent.com and the author of "The Six Xtremes of Power Business Networking". Special Event A presentation on: Power Business Networking An evening with Jeff Glaze: Editor of AtlantaEvent.com - Presented by YoungBucks Location to be announced next week Complimentary appetizers Date: July 19, 2005 Time: 6pm - 8pm 6pm to 7pm - Networking 7pm to 8pm - Program Presentation Cost: $5 members $10 non-members (portion of proceeds go to Starlight Foundation) Posted here soon - http://www.youngbucksatl.com/     Feature Article The Teamwork Alphabet by Susan Friedmann, CSP   What differentiates a great trade show exhibit from a so-so one? The booth staff! The best displays are manned by a coordinated team working together to ensure the exhibit’s success, rather than a haphazard handful of employees who happened to be available that week. How do you transform your staff members into a strong team? Just remember your ABC’s. A: Assign creative, intelligent, and enthusiastic people to trade show duty. B: Begin early to be adequately prepared for the show. C: Create goals and objectives for the show. D: Determine benchmarks for the show, both for individuals and for the entire team. E: Establish a time-frame for each of the benchmarks. F: Find ways to make the trade show fun and exciting for all staff members. G: Get upper management involved to make the show a success! H: Highlight each team member’s strengths with appropriate job assignments. I: Identify how team members can support each other to reach team goals. J: Justify all trade show activities: Are they helping your team achieve their goals? K: Knock off any practices or behaviors that keep your team from succeeding. L: Last minute contingencies require advance planning and coordination. M: Maintain a chain of command. Every staff member needs to know who is in charge. N: New ideas are valuable: Encourage, capture, and implement the best. O: Open your mind to creative, innovative displays and approaches. P: Plan how to convey essential information and skills to your staff members. Q: Question your staff. What do they know? What do they need to learn? R: Recognize the need for training. Ensure your staff is adequately prepared. S: Success is quantifiable. Decide how you will measure yours. T: Time tables and schedules help keep the team on track. U: Understand what kind of teamwork will be necessary to put on a top-notch show. V: Vying for prizes motivates many staffers. Offer great rewards as incentives. W: Watch out for trouble: Identify where the project can go wrong and plan accordingly. X: Examine the decision making process: Is it clear and efficient? Y: Yes men don’t help: Encourage independent, autonomous capable staffers. Z: ZZZZZ: Trade shows are very long. Adequate rest before the show is imperative! Written by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. For a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week, e-mail: susan@thetradeshowcoach.com; website: http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com       This Month - Thursday July 28 AtlantaEvent.com & AtlantaBusinessCalendar.com present Mix, Mingle and Make Business Contacts with Entrepreneurs, Business & Sales Professionals Too many people asked us to keep it going through the summer! Don't miss it! Thursday July 28 ~ 5 to 8 p.m. Copeland's 3365 Piedmont Rd. ( just west of Peachtree St. in Tower Walk) Complimentary hors d'oeuvres ~ Cash Bar Admission: $5 at the door ~ No Reservations Required Free Validated Parking (three hours) Display Tables Available! Bring plenty of Business Cards! Sponsored By Georgia CEO Magazine ~ MostCool Media ~ MegaBucks The First 200 people to arrive receive $10 in MegaBucks! For more details Click Here Their response was.. "We don't have money for marketing because lately we have no customers." Well, maybe not that extreme, but you have to promote to be successful! What can Mostcool Media, Inc. do for you? Click Here     Feature Article 10 TIPS TO HELP YOU GET THE CAREER YOU DESERVE By Svetla Bankova   “Every man’s life is a fairy tale written with God’s finger. The difference between a unhappy fairy tale ending and a happy fairy tale ending are the choices that we make along the way” Hans Christian Anderson There was a time when most people, including my parents, who found a stable job that paid reasonably well stuck with it until retirement,. It never occurred to them, to ask themselves questions like,“ Do I really enjoy what I’m doing?’ or “Does this job allow me to express myself?” Today, people are asking themselves those questions about their employment, due to the ever growing demands placed upon them from their employers. People are prioritizing their lives to obtain a better quality of life, to the point of taking a reduction in pay. If you are really enjoying the job that you have -stop here! You will not need to read any further! However, if you are not quite satisfied or not actually enjoying what are you doing- keep reading these tips – they may help you on your way to find your dream job. 1. First, ask yourself- What is it I don’t like about my job? Make a list of what you do and don’t like! Is this the type of job, the company or the way you have to do your job? In general –rank how much you are satisfied with your current employment- from 1 to 10. Below 6- you are not in the right place. However your best insights will come from being in silence- stop for moment, give yourself a break to hear what you want. Overacting is well known psychological defense that prevents us from getting in touch with our inner selves. 2. Let’s say you don’t like the kind of work you do, but you struggle with not knowing what you do want to do. Ask yourself, what are my talents, hobbies or things I enjoy doing in my leisure time? Begin to align your talents and abilities with your ideal dream job- which will lead to purpose and fulfillment. They are not given to you with no purpose. Who ever said fun should begin after work? The most successful people have fun doing their jobs, they have their business in their hearts and their hearts in their business. You can rarely succeed in something that you hate, right? 3. Don’t limit yourself by remaining in the same job or field, just because you have been trained or you have studied that in the University. Maybe your ladder is laying against the wrong wall? 4. Check out your belief and value system- are they working in your favor? Are you carrying too much baggage? Is it really important to work in a “prestigious” job that you hate? Just to brag in front of friends and relatives or may be thinking it will give you an advantage in the eyes of the opposite sex? Forget it. Researchers show that majority of men and women are willing to support their partner in pursuing their dream career! (Unlikely 50-60 years ago when women looked at men mainly as a provider, and men looked at women mainly as housekeepers and mothers). 5. Once you define what you want to do, devise a plan how to accomplish your goals. Establish a dead line of when you would like to meet your goals. Draw a detailed picture of your dream job – include how much you’ll be making, how your office will look like, what hours you will work etc. Put your vision on paper. Don’t be humble- you can get what ever you want and the way you want it! 6. Once this decision becomes your priority- design all your life around this priority. Do not try to fit new ideas into old style of life. It never works that way. Commit to your goal 100% . 99% is not enough. 7. “Withdraw” all your energy from the old job- stop taking training, investing efforts, making plans- minimize your input in all aspects. I’m not suggesting to walk off your job tomorrow and pursue a career as ballroom dancer or wind-surfer (nothing wrong with that though). Put all that energy into your career transition. What ever you focus on, it will expand. Keep your focus and you’ll began to see new possibilities and meet people that will help you get where you want to be. 8. The fear of failure or failure of success is undivided part of this process. You can either try to make the career transition gradually, which rarely happens, or make the quantum leap. Feel the fear and do it anyway. There is no other way to confront your fear. Start packing up your parachute. If you are on the right track you won’t break your head. 9. Surround yourself with supporters. Consider hiring a career coach/consultant/advisor- somebody that will hold you accountable regarding your goals, will support you and guide you. Their success depends on yours. However you can not hire someone to do push ups for you, right? Our friends play different role- they’ll listen to our complains and help us when we are discouraged and down, but they won’t give you assignments and call you to check if you called 5 companies, mailed your resumes or took that class, right? 10. Never forget you are 100% responsible for your own life and for the decisions you make. You are not alone and a lot of people have been there before you. Go for your dreams! You deserve better life. “I attract in my life whatever I give my energy, focus and attention to, whether wanted or unwanted” from Law of Attraction by Michael Losier Happy “careering” Svetla Bankova CTACC, MBA, MA in Counseling Psychology Career and Personal Coaching/Professional Counseling Metamorphosis Medical Group Ph (678)-218-1710 Cell ( 678)-521-2013 www.RainbowMakerCoach.com sbankova@rainbowmakercoach.com     Feature Article FIVE STEPS TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS (Prepared by Nerella Campigotto, Boomerang Consulting Inc.)     For small and medium sized enterprises in the business or professional services industry, expanding to a foreign market can be a daunting proposition. Many such companies limit their growth by not taking the chance, while others proceed with insufficient preparation and then wonder why they didn’t succeed. The following is a brief outline of the key steps that should be undertaken prior to launching into an international venture, and some of the issues to consider. Step 1: Market Overview Determine which country or countries have a viable market of sufficient size for your services. If more than one location is being considered, determine which location to target first. A wise service exporter will move on to other markets only after success has been achieved in the first location. Even if only one country is being considered as a potential market, it may be necessary to target a particular region to narrow down the focus of the market research. Instead of simply following the easiest and/or most popular export route, consideration should be given to less likely regions, as untapped opportunities may exist there. Avoid becoming an exporter by default. Many international expansion decisions are based on a contract “landing in your lap”. Just because one client from a particular country approached your company and has a need for your services, it does not mean that the entire market should necessarily be targeted without having undertaken any additional research and analysis. The client in question may not be representative of the target market, therefore due diligence is still warranted. Step 2: Market Analysis Ensure all aspects of the market are covered. These should include: the market’s response to your service, competitive intelligence, the impact of foreign currency exchange rates on fees charged and costs incurred, and consultation with local professionals on local laws and regulations. Be prepared to adapt your services for the needs of the targeted market, as well as meet the increased demand that the new market will create. Prepare for cultural differences, both from the perspective of customer service and also employee and/or partner relations. Do not assume there are no cultural differences simply because English is spoken. Also keep in mind there may be regional sensitivities within the target market. It is important to visit the potential market and build relationships through face-to-face meetings, as well as to talk to other companies that have succeeded at exporting their business services to the area. Most importantly, be prepared for the financial and time commitment of the venture to be greater than anticipated. Step 3: Market Entry There are various options available when entering a new market as a business services provider, these include: opening a full branch office, opening a sales or representative office only, operating through an agent, entering a partnering agreement with a complementary business, forming a joint venture, or acquiring a competitor. The advantages and disadvantages of each path should be analyzed. This would entail considering the need for positioning the business name or brand versus the cost efficiency of entry into the market through a partner or agent, market share versus profit goals, and the viability of entering the market in stages by working through an agent or sales office to test the market prior to opening a full branch office. Step 4: Marketing/Business Plans Form a market entry strategy based on the information obtained in the previous steps. A Business Plan or Strategic Intent should be prepared at the beginning of the new venture even if there is no necessity for financing. Prepare a detailed monthly marketing plan, especially if there is no local partner involved whose marketing strategy can encompass both parties. As a business services provider, which usually entails marketing intangibles, this will be vital to the success of the operation, and should focus on image building, and establishing credibility and relationships. Consider diversifying your services or service delivery to better meet the needs of the target market. Also take into account any cross-cultural issues, and translate and localize all marketing material including websites. To avoid making mistakes in this area, engage the services of a local PR firm, advertising agency or other required expertise. Step 5: Start-up of Operation If the Business Plan includes opening a branch office, ensure that all local laws and regulations are understood prior to setting up systems or hiring employees. Accountants and lawyers familiar with the local requirements should have been consulted during the market study stage, and should now be engaged to assist with start-up. Adapt any systems already in place to work cross-culturally. The challenge lies in succeeding with this adaptation without losing sight of your company’s core values and culture. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of transferring staff versus hiring local people for key positions. This can be crucial to the success of the venture and should be closely monitored. Ensure there is smooth communication between offices and with partners. To avoid the risk of miscommunication, translate all pertinent information into the local language even if English is understood by all parties. It is essential to make a long-term commitment to the new market. Always keep in mind that this new venture may require more perseverance than originally anticipated. But ultimately, the most important point to remember may be the old adage: “If you fail to plan, plan to fail.” Nerella Campigotto is President of Boomerang Consulting Inc. a company based in Vancouver, Canada, which specializes in International Business Development. For more information please visit www.boomerangconsulting.com or call: 604-609-6178, email: info@boomerangconsulting.com
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  June 28th, 2005 at 5:04 pm

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