Fluid Goals for Changing Times

In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely

 loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.

Robert Heinlein 

Our culture is changing and depending upon where you are reading this from, the life around you is  very likely changing much faster than you even begin to be aware.

In America we've morphed in two short decades from a society that feared and resisted change to one that not only accepts change as inevitable, but 1. completely takes dramatic change for granted and 2. and does little to prepare to stay with it.

Instead, as a society, the American culture just chases after what it wants in afterthought.

Daily practice suggests some slight modifications to the traditional rules of goal-setting:

1. Set goals with expectation that the longer the timeline, the more likely they will almost certainly change.

2. Goal plans must be "LIVING DOCUMENTS."

3. Constantly re-evaluate your goals and your plans. A robust evaluation system will help insure good results of achieving your goals. The evaluation must be active and passive. This means that you must be asking questions, looking for problems in your plan (active) and keeping an awareness of problems (passive). For a good mental picture of passive and active, think about active and passive sonar on a submarine; active is pinging for an enemy while passive is listening and being keenly aware of surroundings.

4. Don't allow your tolerance for change to allow you to give up on something prematurely. This is one reason your plan should have minor-goals that lead up to the major outcome.

If you've been running your career in an unfocused manner, and most people do, it is absolutely critical that you take the time to learn and practice proper goal setting.

Your management and leadership is important to your success; get trained and stay trained.


To learn more about goal seting email me about our eLearning Leardership and Training modules: Danny@RP2Development.com.

Part of the source for this posting is from MuRF's Buddy2Boss Online Manager/Leadership training program.

Set Goals Effectively = Less Stress

Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how

you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.

Tom Landry

People who use goal-setting effectively:

• Suffer less from stress and anxiety
• Concentrate and focus better
• Show more self-confidence
• Perform better in all areas of life
• Are happier and more satisfied with life

In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia. The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners, those getting good results, can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them. 



Source for this material is from the MuRF Buddy2Boss Online Manager/Leadership training program. To receive a free segment of the GOAL SETTING module, please email danny@RP2Development.com.

Your management and leadership is important, get trained and stay trained.

Contact Danny Smith at 512-773-6528 or danny@rp2development.com

Call or email now to discuss our 

GOAL SETTING online course!

Danny L. Smith/512-773-6528 danny@RP2Development.com

April is CAREER AWARENESS MONTH

Find Your Right Path

Do you know your Right Career Path? Are you in a job, or going into one, you aren't sure about?

There's an App for that! $99.00 (50% off regular price)

Most people don't know what job they should really be in. Click here for more information about finding your Right Job.


Here's what one 50+ year old man told be last month:

Danny, until I took this Career Assessment, I wasn't sure that I was headed in the right direction with my career change. I've been in sales all my life and while I've done well, I've been questioning myself lately. Not anymore.


And from a 24 year old:

Thanks Dad. You had me take this assessment when I was 17 to help YOU and Mom get an idea on what I've might do for a living. You used that assessment to point me in the right direction.


Ha! With a mission statement that includes "...make a difference..," it doesn't get any better that!

Let RP2 Development help you
find your Right Path.

Click here and/or contact us at 512-773-6528 or danny@rp2development.com

I Need a Real Good Dose of QBQ - Stop the Blame and Criticism

I'm really going to try to practice what I preach here and not blame others, nor myself. So, I'll try to just start with....read John Miller's great little book QBQ: The Question Behind the Question

I will ask only What and When questions and not Why and Where.

I will not blame anyone, including myself.

I will read QBQ again (I need my monthly vaccine against all the griping and complaining about all the things I have little influence over).

I will pay attention to what I have influence and accountability over and NOT gripe about the rest of the world and the "them's, those people, blah blah blah."

I will not blame. I will ask only What and When.

What do people really think they are accomplishing by complaining about others?


Lord. Strength, wisdom and discernment. As my friend Steve Collier reminds me...Shrewed and Innocent. Yes, that's it...read Steve's book also. I don't want to end up like all the rest and I'll be the same five years from now, as I am now accept for ...........and the books I read.

4 Keys to Great Management/Leadership

There are 4 key areas to being a great manager and leader: Relating to Others, Managing Your Time, Thinking Clearly and Building a Team.

We can break these down, and will but you must think 4 KEYS to Great Managment and Leadership -

Relating to Others

Managing Your Time

Thinking Clearly

Building a Team


Think and practice whatever you want, but put them into these 4 areas; relating to others, managing your time, thinking clearly and building a team.

RP2 Development; your online and collaborative training source.

Your management and leadership is important, get trained and stay trained.

Contact Danny Smith at 512-773-6528 or danny@rp2development.com

April is CAREER AWARENESS MONTH

Do you know your Right Career Path? Are you in a job, or going into one, you aren't sure about?

There's an App for that! $99.00 (50% off regular price)

Most people don't know what job they should really be in. Click here for more information about finding your Right Job.

What are people saying about this powerful career tool?

Until I took this Career Assessment, I wasn't sure that I was headed in the right direction with my career change. I've been in sales all my life and while I've done well, I've been questioning myself lately. Not anymore. Thanks (a 50+ year old man last month)

Thanks Dad. You had me take this assessment when I was 14 and then again at 17 to help YOU and Mom get an idea on what I've might do for a living. You used these assessments to point me in the right direction and it works. (a 24 year old young man)

Ha! With a mission statement that includes "...make a difference..," it doesn't get any better that!

Let RP2 Development help you

find your Right Path.

Click here and/or contact us at 512-773-6528 or

danny@rp2development.com

"Where our main purpose is to make a positive

difference in the lives and communities we serve"

Conflict Resolution Happens..One Way or Another

A complete absence of conflict is not harmony, it is APATHY!

Unknown

I've been in many situations where people just wanted to get through "it" without conflict. Invariably, there were problems that weren't discussed. As Patrick Lincioni states in his book of the same title, there's always Politics, Silos, and Turfwars. Well, maybe he didn't say always, but there are always IF you aren't having conflict.

What makes us think, this culture we live in, that all conflict is bad and must be avoided? Conflict will happen when there are - 

• a lack of resources
• frustration with people, systems or processes
• red tape (simplistic for bureaucratic procedures
• unfair treatment (of course, we can argue "fair")
• jealousy shown with favoritism

Learning how to have good conflict takes time and training. You need to learn things like -

• knowing not the existence of conflict but how to handle it
• what is your purpose? What outcome do you hope to achieve?
• 4 fundamental issues of conflict (facts, goals, methods and values)
• 5 phases of conflict (anticipation, conscious, discussion, open dispute and open conflict

Obviously there is a lot more about conflict resolution you need to learn to be an effective manager, but you MUST learn proper conflict resolutin to ever become anything more than a Level 1/Position Leader.

RP2 Development can help.

Contact us today to receive a free sample of our

online Conflict Resolution training module.

Danny Smith
512-773-6528
danny@rp2development.com

Communicate Well - a page from The Speed of Trust in God's Eyes

Death and life are in the power of the tongue

Proverbs 18:21

 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,

so that you may know how you should answer everyone.

Colossians 4:6

Most Christians would say they “trust God.” Yet, how is that practiced, how is that played out in the real world? My purpose in the next few minutes is to get you to think just little about Communicating Well; its importance and some practical applications. To help drive these points, I'll use a couple of Biblical illustrations from John Maxwell's Leadership Bible and a behavior as described in Stephen M.R. Covey's Speed of Trust. Hopefully you'll pick up the importance of Communicating Well; that practice sure helps me trust God, myself and others at a much higher level.

Here's a bit about how Talk Straight as described in The Speed of Trust;

Tell the truth and leave the right impression. Be honest and let people know where you stand. Use simple language. Don't manipulate or distort facts. Don't spin the truth. Don't leave false impressions.

Opposite - to lie or deceive

Counterfeit - beating around the bush, withholding information, double-talk, flattery, positioning and spinning the truth. Technically telling the truth, but leaving a false impression. Legally splitting hairs.

The points-to-ponder here are "tell the truth and leave the right impression" and "counterfeits." I've worked at practicing these specific behaviors for over 4 years now and invariably the problem I come across is a distortion, or counterfeit of the behaviors.

A Biblical example of not Communicating Well -

Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-6; communication was one of many ways that Adam failed by…

a. ignoring some details in the message he was supposed to communicate
b. allowed himself to be influenced more by Eve than God
c. failing to remember, or ignoring, the consequences of disobeying God
d. not taking responsibility for his communication failure

In this example the king’s hunger for power, unreasonable demands, poor decision and unwillingness to listen ultimately led to his destruction.

Listening and hearing are two separate things. While we all hear as it’s a function of our ears, listening is a willingness, even a response to hearing.

An example of Communicating Well -

1 Samuel 10:3 – 12:25; While Samuel wasn’t “King,” he was the King of Communication. Samuel….

a. spoke words of revelation (back in 7:3)
b. spoke words of inspiration (10:3-6)
c. spoke words of exhortation (10:24)
d. spoke words of affirmation (10:24)
e. spoke words of information (10L25)
f. spoke words of declaration (12:20-25)

Samuel kept his message simple, knew his audience, lived what he preached and looked for a response from the people by urging them to obey God.

Additional scripture about Communicating Well: Exodus 12:3-23, Joshua 4:1-9, Psalm 19:14, Proverbs 12:14, 15:1-7

In closing, here are some additional points-to-ponder:
- you may be a good speaker, but are you a good communicator?
- do you pay close attention to what God is telling you?
- regardless of your temperament, skill or gifts, do you give appropriate attention to detail?
- as a leader and a follower are you clear about the message your speaking and hearing?


Communicate Well in your management, leading and especially following!

Danny

Note: other writings on "a page from...." can be found by searching this blog for "a page." This is part of an ongoing project as described @ http://thespeedoftrustingodseyesproject.blogspot.com/

Mixing and Managing 4 Generations of Employees

According to Douglas Adams in The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the following rules describe our rules living with technology:

1. anything that was in the world when you were born is normal and ordinary and is part of the way the world works

2. anything invented from the time you are/were 15 years old until you are 35 years old is new and exciting and you could possibly get a career in it

3. anything that is invented after you are 35 years old is against the natural order of things

As we intereact with one generation and then another, we here different things like.. Get a life! He wants feedback. What the heck is that? They have no work ethic. They come to work to be entertained. It's five o'clock, I'm out of here. He works all the time. I don't live to work - I work to live. No news is good news. Why don't they quick worrying about that and get back to work.

Phrases like this come from performing and no-performing employees and it is important to know how to manage and lead this mult-generational workforce. At no time in American history have so many different generations with such diversity and worldviews and phylosophies

Source - MuRF Sytems "Buddy2Boss" training module -Managing Generational Differences.

Stop being a buddy and learn how being a boss can help you get the result you want in 2011. Learn more about the our management and leadership programs - get better results from you and your people - be proactive - contact Danny Smith at 512-773-6528 or danny@dannylsmith.com.

Marketing vs Selling and Are We Always?

Talk Straight But Leave the Right Impresstion

Stephen M.R. Covey

Whether you know it or not you're marketing yourself every day. And to lots of people! You're marketing yourself in a quest to make a sale, warm up a relationship, get a job, get connected, get something you deserve. You're always sending messages about yourself.

Jay Conrad Levinson, Father of Guerrilla Marketing



I'm off-site this week and running behind on postings and updates. But....I've had some interesting conversations and comments about Selling vs Marketing AND whether or not we are always marketing and/or selling.
That exchange was rattling around this morning, which led to the following postings on Twitter (@DannyLSmith), which led to a few reTweets and DMs -

- Not responding back to people is bad marketing. Be sure your selling the impression you want.


- Everyone is always marketing, and that leads to not being able to sell.


- Trust includes "talk straight but leave the right impression." Is the impression you are leaving what you mean to sell?


More rattling led me to "who am I kidding? Of course we are always marketing!!"

So, while some of the arguements the past few days and hours have been about whether or not we are always marketing....yes, we are always marketing.

I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. My bad and apologies to all including  Kate Stewart (@GoldScaffold) and Jay Conrad Levinson/Mitch Meyerson (my Guerrilla Marketing coaches).


To that end.....

Danny

Listening Well: A page from "The Speed of Trust in God's Eyes"

“…let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath”

James 1:19

“Low trust causes friction, whether it is caused by unethical behavior or by ethical but incompetent behavior.Low trust is the greatest cost in life and in organizations, including families…Low trust slows everything – every decision, every communication, and every relationship. On the other hand, trust produces speed..the greatest trust building key is “results.” Results build brand loyalty. Results inspire and fire up a winning culture….also put suppliers and customers under the main tent as strategic partners…”

Page xxv of Forward in Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey

In his book Covey describes Trust in a very unique way that include the behavior of Listen First. In his description Listen First is a component of both Character and Competence.

Behavior #11: Listen First
Listen before you speak. Understand. Diagnose. Listen with your ears – and your eyes and heart. Find out what the most important behaviors are to the people you’re working with. Don’t assume you know what matters most to others. Don’t presume you have all the answers – or all the questions.

Covey points out the Opposite of Listen First is "To speak first and listen last, or not to listen at all "

My years of practicing and teaching Speed of Trust has brought a real appreciation for how Mr. Covey points out the "Counterfeit" to the Behaviors. The counterfeit to Listen First is – Listening without understanding, pretending to listen, spending “listening” time formulating your reply, focusing only on getting out your agenda.

In 2 Chronicles 10:15 there's an example* of NOT Listening Well, or First - “So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from God, that the Lord might fulfill His word….” (NKJ)

In this example the king’s hunger for power, unreasonable demands, poor decision and unwillingness to listen ultimately led to his destruction.

Listening and hearing are two separate things. While we all hear as it’s a function of our ears, listening is a willingness, even a response to hearing.

An good example* of Listen First can be found in 1 Samuel 26:1-25 – In these verses of scripture David displays an example of many of the behaviors Covey teaches in Speed of Trust including the Listen First -

a. David initiated contact with Saul and set the stage for communication
b. David appealed to Saul’s sense of right and wrong
c. David asked questions and listened for a heartfelt response
d. David asked Saul to listen so he could share his perspective
e. David was determined to own up to anything he had done wrong
f. David submitted himself to Saul
g. David offered forgiveness and reconciliation as an act of trust in God

David displayed love in everyway in this exchange. As you hear people today, listen to them by loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, and loving others as you love yourself. Trust is in direct relationship to this verse about love.

Additional scripture about listening; 1 Samuel 3:1-3, Job 2:11-13, Habakkuk 1:1-11, Luke 2:42-52

History proves that we will be the same five years from today in direct relationship to who we associate with, the books we read, what we watch and what we hear. Be purposeful and listen well to what your hearing and what you say to yourself.


To that end, do today well.


Blessings, Danny

Note: other writings on "a page from...." can be found by searching this blog for "a page." This is part of an ongoing project as described @ http://thespeedoftrustingodseyesproject.blogspot.com/



*Examples of Listening Well and Not Well taken from "The Leadership Bible" by John Maxwell

What is Your Biggest Challenge? What Are You Doing About It?

Seriously, what is your biggest challenge and what are you doing about it?

Or, do you know what to do about it?

Let's dialog below.

T.A.S.K.S. Based Goal Setting

How does one properly set and stay engaged in achieving goals?

By practicing and staying engaged in T.A.S.K.S. - Based Goal Setting.

By T.A.S.K.S. I'm referring toyour Talent, Attitude, Skill, Knowledge and Style

In order to achieve a goal you must align the goal with your capabilities. If you don’t have the Time, Attitude, Skill, Knowledge and/or Style needed to accomplish that goal, then you’ll need to gain those particular capabilities.

This is the true essence of having long and short-term goals and the time in which you set to achieve them. Achieving good-meaningful-goals is a daily practice that with a few modifications to traditional goal setting rules you will achieve results.

Here is how to practice TASKS - Based Goal Setting:

1. Set long-term goals.

2. Set short-term goals that step into your long-term.

3. Set daily goals to step into your short-term.

4. Evaluate and correct (learn) the Talent, Attitude, Skill, Knowledge and Style you’ll need to accomplish each of your goals (daily, short and long-term).

5. Increase your capabilities one-day-at-a-time to achieve the short-term.

6. Evaluate and correct your goals on a continuous basis. Goals should be “living documents.” Things (life, lack of capabilities, etc) will get in the way that will cause you to not achieve many of them. But, you must be in a constant practice of evaluating, correcting and re-implementing the goal setting process.

You can read more about TASKS Based Goal setting by clicking here.
 
RP2 has a complete eLearning class on Goal Setting. This class normally sells for $195.00 but mention you read this post/article and receive this OnDemand eLearning course for $150.00.

Only 10% of people in management and "formal" leadership positions have had any "formal" management and leadership training. Be a 10 percenter and put your best behavior forward.

Contact Danny Smith @ 512-773-6528 or danny@rp2development.com
 

It wasn't said by Bill Gates - 11 Things You'll Never Learn in School

Thanks Donny Hunter for sending to me and I agree, this should be posted in every school or kid's bedroom.

The folllowing list has been credited in viral emails to Bill Gates giving a speech at a High School about eleven (11) things they did not and will not learn in school. In truth, it is from the book "Dumbing Down our Kids" by educator Charles Sykes.

Mr Sykes writes about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world. The 11 Things List should be treasured and as Donny said, it should be posted in the bedroom of every high school student in America -


Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.


Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.


Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss


Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: They called it opportunity.


Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.


Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room..


Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer.


*This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.


Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF.


*Do that on your own time.


Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one..


Thanks again Donny. Another good reminder!


To that end....be purposeful today!


Donny can be reached at http://www.speedbumpsinlife.com/

Reading "Shrewd and Innocent" by Steve Collier - the Intro

Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Jesus in Matthew 10:16

It's Spring Break week in my part of the world and many of my clients have taken the week off. Thus, I'm attempting to take a breather from the norm, not going on vacation, but hoping to get some things done that have been pestering me for a while.

But, if I were going on vacation, I'd read a good book or two. So pretending a bit I am (on vacation) I'm embarking on a book from my "got-to-read" stack; Shrewd and Innocent by Steve Collier.

Steve is an architect by trade and was recruited, as a running back, by Texas, the same year as Earl Campbell.

Couple the author's background with the title of Shrewd and Innocent and I'm expecting a very purposeful trip this week.


Expect, and work at, a good week!

Your "Level" of Leadership

Levels of leadership has come up regularly in coaching sessions.

Since our ability to get good results depends upon other people, understanding how you are leading others important.

A few quick notes about Level 1 (Position) and the corresponding chart below for now -

• a new manager will always start out at Level #1.
• new employees to a team or organization will treat everyone else at Level #1.
• Level #1, as described in the chart, is the Position level. You have a position, and maybe a "title," so people with follow you accordingly.
• If you've worked with someone before and they had a good experience and/or results, you could start out WITH THAT PERSON at a high level. But don't expect to stay there if you don't perform well.

Five Levels of Leadership is from John Maxwell’s collection of writings on leadership. Originally it was published in the book The 21 Most Important Minutes in a Leaders Day. Maxwell’s new book The Five Levels of Leadership will be published in Fall, 2011.

Learn what it means to work with different people at varying levels of leadership. You can do this by reading up on the subject, acknowledging the levels in your current relationships (up, down and around) and practicing the levels yourself.

To that end....

Processes, Technical, Do-This/Do-That, Don't-Do-This/Don't-Do-That

I follow a lot of people on Twitter, get a few daily newsletters, and pay attention pretty well to current and historical events. Well, not so much current as historical.

How many new list and ways of doing things can we come up with though? Really...does a new gadget or way of doing things really work, or is it just a way of getting on to something new and not getting better at the basics?
And the blame! Whoa, how did blaming someone else become a marketing technique? And speaking of marketing techniques, how did a competitors problems become your competitive advantage?

We hear about leadership this, lead with....., be a leader, do this, don't do that. Buy this thing, don't buy this one. Run this program, install this ap.

But......we'd better learn how to be better followers first. We'd better improve ourselves; our own talents, attitudes, skills, knowledge and styles.

Look at your history and really good authors have been writing and pounding this into us for centuries and we keep trying to come up with something new widget, list or way.

Years ago I harped about high touch before high tech. I wanted to be able to do something well by hand before adding a money and technology to the fray.

Today, I'm going to pay attention to being a better ME. I'm going to pay attention to enhancing my strengths. I'm going to pay attention to what I have influence over and not some far fetched issue in another country or my state capital. Am I concerned, do I pray about those problems? Sure. But I can't do anything personally and why get all wrapped up in it?

Just be a better me and be prepared for the path.

To that end....

Newell Rubbermaid Uses Processes to Place People in Right Place

Brian Hults, VP of Global Organization and People Development at Newell Rubbermaid, states "we are a pretty young company despite being 108 years old.

In Talent Management's article on Insight/Talent Containers Mr. Hults talks about the changes Newell Rubbermaid has undergone in the past five years and its approach to talent.

The online article quotes Hults saying: we have a strategic planning process, which leads to an annual operating process. Out of the annual operating process is where we determine our business plan for each succeeding year, and that's where goal-setting our performance management program stems from.....we take that annual operating process, put that into our goals and then cascade those goals throught our organization.

Every year we have an organizational review process, where we review all of our leaders in the company, assess their competencies, talk about their strengths and their development needs, and then we translate that into their development plan. This is also the process we use to place people into key roles in the organization.

To read the complete article and other Talent Management information, go to http://www.talentmgt.com/.

And, to that end, RP2 Development helps small and medium business with talent managment. We are located in Austin, Texas, and you can learn more about us by on this website (http://www.rp2development.com/) or Danny Smith's LinkedIn Profile.


Danny
512-773-6528
danny@rp2development.com





100 Marketing Weapons

Here is a list of common Guerrilla Marketing weapons. Some of them have to do with your demeanor, your style, your image, your identity; the way you look and conduct yourself. Others are actions you perform while a few are responses to others actions.

Obviously, not all apply to any one person or even business.


1. Marketing plan

2. Marketing calendar

3. Niche/positioning

4. Name of company

5. Identity

6. Logo

7. Theme

8. Understanding Personalities (your own and others)

9. Business card

10. Signs inside

11. Signs outside

12. Hours of operation

13. Understanding you own sales/marketing strengths and weaknesses
14. Window display

15. Flexibility

16. Word-of-mouth

17. Community involvement

18. Bartering

19. Club/Association memberships

20. Partial payment plans

21. Cause-related marketing

22. Telephone demeanor

23. Toll free phone number

24. Free consultations

25. Free seminars and clinics

26. Free demonstrations

27. Free samples

28. Giver vs taker stance

29. Fusion marketing

30. Marketing on telephone hold

31. Success stories

32. Employee attire

33. Service

34. Follow-up

35. LinkedIn

36. Gifts and ad specialities

37. Catalog

38. Yellow Pages ads

39. Column in a publication

40. Article in a publication

41. Speaker at any club

42. Newsletter

43. Twitter

44. Benefits list

45. Computer

46. Selection

47. Contact time with customer

48. How you say hello/goodbye

49. Public relations

50. Media contacts

51. Neatness

52. Referral program

53. Sharing with peers

54. Guarantee

55. Telemarketing

56. Gift certificates

57. Brochures

58. Electronic brochures

59. Location

60. Advertising

61. Sales training

62. Face-to-Face Networking

63. Quality

64. Reprints and blow-ups

65. Flipcharts

66. Opportunities to upgrade

67. Contests/sweepstakes

68. Online marketing

69. Classified advertising

70. Newspaper ads

71. Magazine ads

72. Radio spots

73. TV spots

74. Infomercials

75. Movie ads

76. Direct mail letters

77. Direct mail postcards

78. Postcard decks

79. Posters

80. Fax-on-demand

81. Special events

82. Booth at Trade Show

83. Audio-visual aids

84. Facebook

85. Prospect mailing lists

86. Research studies

87. Competitive advantages

88. Stationery

89. Speed

90. Testimonials

91. Reputation

92. Enthusiasm, passion

93. Credibility

94. Training classes

95. Being easy to do business with

96. Brand name awareness

97. Logo on Shirt

98. Customer mailing list

99. Competitiveness

100. Satisfied customers

101. Having a sales/marketing coach!

Stewardship: Work and Rest (Podcast from Tim Keller)

Great message about Work and Rest in link below you can download to your iPhone/Pod. There are a number of great messages on the list that pops up but this one should be highlighted in Blue.


It is titled Stewardship.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?i=81008047&id=352660924

Being Personable and Wearing Blue Shirts

Being personable has always been a trait I've wanted to be known for, though many think the scowl on my face is an indication of my attitude and aloofness (it's just the way my face looks and I practice grinning sometimes. Never mind).

Being personable is important. After a meeting on Monday (I'll call him Doug) I followed-up with Doug by email to let him know how much I appreciated his time and would get back with him on his proposal. I also mentioned how good a job I thought he did in the presentation and attention to my concerns.

Doug replied back via voicemail thanking me for the compliment. He later emailed to let me know he was shocked that I complimented him, how unusual for him to receive compliments but wanted me to know how much he appreciated it.

I've done previous business with Doug over the past 8 years and have always found him to be credible, a good communicator, personable and pleasant to do business with. Maybe I'm doing a better job of practicing what I preach.........being more personable myself.

Just rambling this morning. Again.

This is the first day of the rest of your life. Make it a great one and compliment someone!

Danny

And while I like wearing white shirts, Cathy tells me a blue shirt softens my scowl and makes me more approachable. (Love you Babe)

(maybe she'll hear I mentioned her and actually read my blog!)

Danny L. Smith

Sr. Mortgage Loan Officer
Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach^TM
Impact Leadership Coach
NMLS #138873
Phone: 512-773-6528
Fax: 512-551-0006
Danny@DannyLSmith.com
www.DannyLSmith.com

Starting Again, Again

I'm too old for this

All this is causing me to rethink me

I don't know what's wrong with me but this is insane

I'm over 50 and really don't know what I want to do

After 24 years of selling, I don't really know the proper way to sell

This downturn in the economy is tougher for me than I've ever seen it

I just can't break out of whatever it is I'm stuck in mentally

I'm realizing that I'm a mile wide and an inch deep

I realize I've always had it easy and I thought I was pretty good, but now...

Maybe I just need to take a few months off and start over again

Comments from discussions I've had over the past three weeks

Reflecting on these discussions and the commonalities has been a bit eye opening to the state of mind many of us have. Or maybe it's just me softening a bit and listening, or is it I'm hearing? Maybe it's along the lines of what Maxwell means when he says Everyone Communicates, Few Connect?

I know what they're talking about and not from opinion, but experience. And this is coming from a guy that couldn't get his diesel started the other night (out-of-town) and told the third roadside assistance person to not show up with one of those little jump-box battery booster things, but bring two big cars and stop at an auto parts store and get my some ether. Arg. Tow my truck on a Friday night and leave it Dallas. Give me a break.

So what do we do?

Let me just say this, and you can go as deep as you want with it..."your going to be the same five years from today as you are today except for what you watch, what you listen to, who you associate with and what you read."

Yes, there are some other things like decisions, fate, money, habits, disciplines and..did I say decisions? But what you read, watch, listen to and who you associate with will make the biggest difference in everything else.

Starting over again? Again? Change some things this time. Learn who you are and be as purposeful about what goes into your eyes and ears as you are your mouth. It makes a difference on your heart and your pocketbook.

To that end......

Danny