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Series
Y2K+5
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If you have
a voice, use it and speak out.
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July 12,
2005
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Intro From Jeff
Glaze
Jeff Glaze
Editor
"Buy my
eye-opening ebook!" from Jeff Glaze, The editor of
AtlantaEvent.com
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Greetings,
What gets your attention?
Whatever it is, it may not get mine. In fact I may not notice at
all. And more important, were you trying to get my attention in
the first place?
Often we get so involved in trying to get new business, we feel
like we need to sell to everyone we meet. In doing that we begin
to feel desperate to make a sale. It is often this desperation
that actually prevents us from selling.
In the image above I show posters stapled to a post on the campus
of Ohio State University. It is appropriate on a college campus
to advertise a band, concert, or other event in this manner. Have
you ever seen this type of advertising in your neighborhood?
Probably not, and why is that?
Because the chances of you being the target market are very slim.
But that is obvious, isn't it?
What is not obvious is who your market might be. If you are
selling auto insurance, everyone who drives a car is a prospect.
But even with that size of a prospect pool, often insurance
agents still have a rough time finding clients. In fact some even
go out of business because the way they try to find new clients
does not address the market they are speaking to.
There is no magic formula. But there are statistical models and
there is market research. You can perform market research with
everyone that you talk to. Simply ask their opinion, take that
opinion and then average the responses to find what might be the
best way to reach your prime audience.
Granted, this is a cheap way to do it, but if you are not doing
anything, it is a starting point. When you begin to see results,
you might even be ready to allocate some funds to get
professional help, and how many times has someone said to you
"you need professional help!"?
Check out the articles this week, there are a few nuggets
included. Stay safe and see you next week!
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
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Special
Event!
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A presentation on:
Power Business Networking
"The Psychology Of
Networking"
An evening with Jeff Glaze: Editor of
AtlantaEvent.com - Presented by YoungBucks
At Boi Na
Braza In
Buckhead
3215 Peachtree Rd., N.E.
Buckhead 404 / 814-1086
Complimentary appetizers
Date: Tuesday, 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/
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Feature
Article
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Don't let your
business die - get a second opinion.
By Jeff Glaze
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
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Your
doctor says you have a terminal disease and you have a few weeks to
live.
Do you accept that diagnosis? I doubt it.
In most cases you would probably seek a second or even a third
opinion before you would accept death.
When it comes to business often we reach the wall that we can not
overcome and we accept defeat and close the doors. We might easily
accept failure in business and move to something else because we
can not see a solution to our problems.
Just as a disease might be diagnosed and a treatment to cure it
might be suggested, a business which is suffering losses and
failure might be turned around if we give an expert the chance to
help us.
In most areas of business there are consultants who can help us.
Certainly there is a fee associated with that help, but when you
consider the costs associated with closing a business and starting
another one, it is surely more cost effective to get some
help.
With that said, here are just a few tips on selecting a consultant
to help you get over or through the wall.
1. Identify and admit the problems. - Often it is difficult for us
to admit there is a problem. We want to look for a reason that does
not point a finger at our shortfalls so we may say something like "
well the entire economy is down". Yet at the same time there are
others in the same business who may have more clients than they can
handle. We have to attempt to look at our business objectively and
admit that something is wrong. If you have employees, ask them what
they think, encourage honesty. Be open to criticism and reassure
them that their opinions will not be held against them.
If there is reluctance, offer a suggestion box or other anonymous
type of survey and respect their privacy. This type of feedback can
often give you an idea of what you need to take a closer look at.
If you do not have employees, ask a friend or spouse for their
honest opinion and be prepared to accept what ever they may say
objectively. Remember there is a problem that may not be obvious to
you but glaringly obvious to them.
2. Find a consultant who specializes in that area. - A lot of
people who were downsized after 9/11 became consultants. That is
what happened to me. Two weeks after the event, I was called into
the office and "let go".
Even though I had a lot of knowledge at the time, it took several
years to hone the skills that I have today that were rooted in that
past career. My point is a lot of people make the claim to be a
consultant, but they may have only a superficial understanding of
their craft and may have only applied it in their former structured
corporate environment. We both know that a corporate environment
can often be very different from "the real world".
So how do you choose the consultant?
Ask for the details. Ask for references, ask for a comprehensive
plan and ask what you will be getting for your money. Will you get
a large notebook of a plan that has been modified from their
previous client, or will you get a specific plan based on research
for your company, not your industry. After you get the plan will
they assist you in implementing it or will they slam it on your
desk and ask for a check leaving you scratching your head on how to
implement?
Often we are so desperate for a solution, any solution sounds good
to us, with reservations. If you have a feeling that something is
wrong, question them for more information or more references. Go
with your gut feelings, not the feelings of your heart.
3. Do a bit of investigation - There are a lot of scammers and
incompetents out there. Sure I hate to say it but it is true. Do
some research. Check with the Better Business Bureau, perform a
search on the web for the company name and look for items that may
exist. Spending a bit of time on this could save you a lot of
money, headaches, and possibly your business.
In the course of your investigation, you may actually find some
POSITIVE feedback so try it and see what you get.
4. Lastly for this article - Ask for referrals. Find someone who
you trust or admire and ask them if they know anyone who can help
you.
We don't have to run away from a burning building if a fire hose is
right outside. Often we can find a solution where it seemed before
that there was none. There is not a person I know who wants to
admit failure. Failure is not a bad thing if we learn from it. To
turn around a failing business can be a powerful thing. Before you
give up and walk away, try fixing what is broken. At least then you
will know that you tried everything and there will be no what-ifs
down the road. Not only that, you will learn from your mistakes and
be able to avoid them on the next go-round.
Jeff Glaze is the editor of this newsletter and
www.AtlantaEvent.com and the author of "The Six Xtremes of Power
Business Networking".
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Special
Event
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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
For more details
Click Here
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Feature
Article
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Ambitiously
Pursuing Your Own Self-Direction
by Jim Rohn
(Excerpted from The Power of Ambition series)
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What is
the origin of true ambition? There exists really only one place to
find true ambition and that is within you – in every
thought, in every movement, in every motivation. Your ambition is
an expression of who you truly are, your own self-expression.
Self-expression. Isn't self-expression really self-direction? How
you think, how you move, how you motivate yourself. Ambition is a
result of self-direction and self-direction is one of the six key
principles necessary for building ambition.
Positive self-direction says, "I know who I am and I know where I
want to go. I'm accumulating knowledge and experiences and feelings
and philosophies that will help prepare me for opportunities that I
know will show up without notice or any help on my part." Because
you know where you want to go, you have already been working on the
parts of your personality that will make you better. Working on
your attitude, working on your health, working on your time
management skills. Putting it all down on paper. And you constantly
see yourself in the place you want to be, going in the direction
you want to go.
Direction determines destination. So here is a question you must
ask yourself, "Are all the disciplines that I'm currently engaged
in taking me where I want to go?" What an important question to ask
yourself at the beginning of the month, the beginning of the week,
the beginning of the day.
Because here is what you don't ever want to do - kid yourself. Kid
your neighbor, kid me and kid the marketplace, but don't kid
yourself - fingers crossed - hoping you will arrive at a good
destination when you're not even headed that way. You have to ask
yourself often, Am I? Am I doing the disciplines that are taking me
in the direction I want to go? Don't neglect to ask these important
questions, questions that help determine your direction, the set of
your sail, your destination.
Is this the direction I want for my life?
Is this someone else's direction?
Is this a goal I have been ingrained with since my childhood?
Is this goal my parent's, my spouse's, my boss', my children's or
is it Mine?
Ask yourself these questions and then debate them. After you have
answered these questions within yourself, then take it one step
further and ask, "What am I doing that is working or not working?"
Debate it all. Work with your mind to figure out the best possible
direction for you - your self-direction. And then ambitiously
pursue your own self-direction. Let the power of your own ambition
take you where you want to go, to do what you want to do, to create
the life you want to live!
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
This article was
submitted by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher.
To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine go to
www.jimrohn.com or send a blank email to subscribe@jimrohn.com
Copyright © 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved
worldwide.
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Their response
was..
"We don't need a marketing plan, we bought an ad
in the Phone Book"
Six
months later the sign in the window
read,
"Office Space For Lease".
Well,
maybe not that extreme, but you have to promote to be
successful!
What can Mostcool
Media, Inc. do for you?
Click
Here
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Feature
Article
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HOW SUCCESSFUL
MULTINATIONALS COMMUNICATE INTERCULTURALLY
by Nerella Campigotto,
Boomerang Consulting Inc.
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Most of us have at some
point encountered challenges within our organizations when it
comes to communicating effectively, whether it be internally with
our colleagues, or externally with our clients, partners and
suppliers. Add to this the element of communicating between
different cultures, and the issue becomes even more
complex.
Some
multinationals struggle with these issues on a daily basis, but
they learn to pay attention and make the effort to meet the
various needs of the cultures in which they do business. Others
choose to ignore these issues and impose their
headquarters’ viewpoint, often unaware of the negative
impact this may have on their bottom line.
The
topic of business communication can be broadly separated into two
areas; external and internal communication. External
communication covers areas such as an organization’s
marketing materials, negotiations with clients, partners and
suppliers, and general public relations and business practices.
Internal communication involves policies and procedures,
management and training, human resources and legal requirements,
newsletters and other employee communiqués.
With
external communication many organizations do more than just pay
lip service, and do translate and localize their marketing
efforts. It is still surprising, however, to find a number of
multinationals that don’t do so with their websites, a
matter that seems particularly unacceptable in the e-commerce
world. Ensuring that you communicate with your target audience in
their own language seems self-evident. In addition, it is also
important that the translation be undertaken by professionals, or
your company’s image may be seriously tarnished. It is
also prudent to engage professionals in the area of public
relations, who are familiar with the culture in which your
organization is operating, as some matters need to be conveyed in
a particularly sensitive manner.
The
subject of intercultural negotiations and transactions is quite
complex and easily warrants a separate article. Here the medium
of communication is of importance; certainly the Internet and
email have facilitated the process somewhat, as these allow time
for consideration. However, where negotiations take place
face-to-face, the dynamics of the transaction need to be taken
into account. Which culture is dominant? Where and in what
language does the negotiation take place? Keep in mind that even
if the other party is willing to use English, this is often a
means by which the true intent can be obfuscated by a lack of
clarity, hidden behind the excuse that English isn't their mother
tongue. The reason intercultural negotiations can be difficult is
because the motivation, as well as the perception of the process
and its outcome, tends to be different.
It is
evident that an inability to reach consensus with prospective
clients and partners affects your business’ bottom
line. What may seem less evident is that negotiating isn't just
an external matter, but also involves internal dealings with and
among staff; ineffectual communication can be quite costly here
as well. Multinationals must make staffing decisions that
determine the corporate culture in their foreign branches; should
managers be local or transferred from headquarters? There are
arguments for both choices, as long as the decision is given
clear consideration since the result, of course, affects internal
negotiation and communication practices.
Internal communication
procedures that involve local legal and human resources
requirements are usually dealt with in a positive manner by
multinationals (often because they do not have a choice);
relevant materials are translated and local policies and laws
adhered to. What about staff training? Often such procedures are
simply imposed from headquarters in English, with no real
appreciation for whether the message is clearly understood and,
most importantly, followed. What about corporate relations
efforts such as employee newsletters, Intranet content etc.? Some
companies will spend small fortunes trying to communicate their
brand and vision at headquarter level, and then completely
disregard the effect in their foreign markets, thereby
jeopardizing potential profits.
To
conclude, we can easily see that to operate successfully in a
foreign market, companies need to consider many aspects of
intercultural communication that may affect their revenues and
profits. Ultimately, to achieve positive results it is important
to demonstrate awareness of the other culture and empathy for the
foreign market, without losing the uniqueness and message
inherent in the company’s culture.
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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Networking
Tip
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Networking
Tip
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Invite a friend, when you
are attending a regular networking event, to attend with
you.
This will give you an opportunity to get a personal introduction
to someone there that they may know and you may not. It also
gives you the chance to introduce them to those you may
know.
This personal introduction will help you to do business with
prospects faster and will remove some of the obstacles
encountered in getting to know them.
It also will allow you to get a second opinion on the value of
the organization and determine if that group is a right fit for
you.
Share an opportunity with others and others will share
opportunities with you.
Note: You are there to make new contacts so do not work the room
as a team for the entire event. Separate when you arrive and
compare notes later.
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