Easy Online Invitation Printing Services
The innovations made in technology had totally changed the way businesses handle all their printing jobs. The introduction of online printing had totally helped business people handle all their printing projects without the need to leave the comfort of their homes. Thus with online printing business had achieved to attain fast turn around days and easy printing jobs.Invitation printing is among the preferred printing services opted at present. Although it is often implied that invitations can be done through the word of the mouth, people still make use of invitation cards for formality, for their clients or friends not to forget about the affair that will about to happen.Online printing can be a very ideal choice of doing your invitation printing projects. Through online printing you only need to:1.Provide all the necessary requirements your chosen printer requires – by simply providing them your digital files online printers can easily print your cards and deliver them on the designated deadlines you had set. However in submitting your files see to it that they are on the right file format. Please always check on the file requirement your printer requires.2.Provide a layout plan – giving your printer with the

Finding Out Why a Potential Customer is Calling On You
Our challenge as the business owner/sales person answering the telephone, is to build rapport with the caller, quickly and easily.In most cases, the caller has been told something about you and your product or service. It is your job to find out exactly what they are calling about without asking that question directly. Most businesses have a number of products or services that they offer. Talking about all of your products and services to the caller may be a waste of time, if they have only one particular interest they are inquiring about. How can you find out why they are specifically calling?Here is a question you can ask that will give you a clear indication of what product a caller is interested in, or what problem a caller wants you to solve with your service."What was it about the brochure (or business card, ad, promotional material, etc.) that attracted your attention?" or "What was it that Betty (the person who referred you to the caller) said that made you decide to call?"The person's answer to this question will reveal what their problem or need is. Your job here is to listen. Listen 80% of the time and ask good questions the other 20% of the time.Once you have heard why the person is calling,

Delegation Dilemmas
It’s late Friday afternoon and everyone is packaging up to go home for the weekend except Janette. Her desk is still piled high with all those important assignments. Why does Janette still have work when no one else does? She just can't let go. Others have a life, but she's too busy ensuring her importance to the company and working late. If she has her finger in every piece of the pie it will make her more important? The reality is that she does not impress anyone. Others may question her ability to perform (she always has work to do and has to stay light to do it.) The favorable portrait she hopes to paint may actually be a negative one. What can Janette do? She can set boundaries. Pick the assignments she can accomplish and do well. She should delegate the rest.Renee has just been promoted; she is taking the workload for three people while her team has nothing to do. She is overcome with the need to validate her recent promotion. It’s important to her to show the boss just how well placed his trust was in her by giving her the promotion. The reality is that her boss may reconsider just why he placed his faith in her. He didn't promote her to become a workhorse but rather to lead a team of successful productive team members.ve advantage.

Kudos to every distributor out there that has figured this out but you are in the minority. Treating your employees as your most precious asset is not a mystery. It’s not rocket science. It’s actually fairly simple. WARNING! Lip Service about it isn’t good enough. Putting it in your mission statement, posting it on the wall, publishing it in the company newsletter doesn’t mean crap if you don’t act on it. Acting on it means spending money. Invest in the greatest power you have for achieving success. Your employees. Don’t cut training and education from the budget every time there is an economic hiccup.

Examine the following tips and I think you’ll be able to figure it out

• Start at the beginning, examine your hiring practice. The first thirty days of employment are critical. Create a buddy sponsor and pay the buddy $100 to guide the new employee the first month. Let the new employee choose his buddy after two weeks. Can you imagine the cooperation and help the new person will get that first week. Make sure you have a legitimate documented employee orientation program.

• Identify training needs throughout the organization. Create a training matrix. Allocate funds. Develop an intern program for leadership candidates that show exceptional promise. Create mentoring programs. Train your managers on coaching and mentoring. Don’t forget education. Reimburse tuition; create specific educational curriculums for specific management level employees. Create a company university program.

• Burn the annual appraisal forms. They are worthless. Create an obligation for all managers to spend a minimum of thirty minutes a month discussing performance and opportunity with their direct reports. Record it on a 3 x 5 card. This will make annual performance reviews meaningful because you now have data for the entire year, twelve mini reviews.

• Statistics and surveys prove that the majority of employees that leave their employers do not leave due to pay. Employees want to be treated like people. They want respect and trust. Employees will not start respecting their leaders until their leaders start respecting them. They will not start trusting their leaders until their leaders start trusting them. Ask yourself how you would want your managers to treat your son or your daughter if they worked for them? Some of you have family in the business.

• Fairness---- Employees want fairness in all their dealings. This starts with fair pay. Is it your goal as a company to pay at or above market? This includes base pay, benefits, recognition and other non monetary rewards. Fair and consistent treatment is a must. Award and recognize with extra paid days off in conjunction with a weekend. Buy the book 1001 ways to make it fun to come to work.

• Accountability ---- Employees want to be held accountable. They want to be empowered. They want to contribute. Make sure they understand what their job really entails. What are their responsibilities? Job descriptions, if you have them, are often vague or incomplete

• Coach and Mentor your employees.

Do these things and you will be on your way to becoming Employer of Choice. Your recruitment and retention problems will be minimal. Employees will excel. They will release that discretionary energy and apply it to creating competitive advantage. Training your employees will increase their drive for success. Fairness creates happy employees. Happy employees create satisfied customers.

What’s the Rave about RONA?

To start with I must admit that I am not a big fan of RONA. I know many of you out there including some clients that I have worked with are religious about RONA. Some like Rice and some like potatoes. It certainly has its attributes. It’s about value based management.

RONA stands for Return On Net Assets. This equals the Net Operating Profit after tax divided by the sum of cash and working capital requirements plus fixed assets. It takes into consideration the assets a company uses to achieve its success.

RONA = Net Income

Fixed Assets + Net Working Capital

The higher the return, the better the profit performance for the company.

RONA Attributes:

• It can maximize value creation

• Increases corporate transparency

• Aligns managers interest with share holder/owners interest

• Improve internal strategic communication

• Establishes clear priorities

• Streamlines budgeting

WHY I AM NOT A BIG FAN of RONA

Several things keep me from being a big fan of RONA.

1. It can create a negative incentive for individual managers to avoid investing in growth. This is especially true when their bonus or incentive is tied to RONA. Branch managers, middle managers and other managers may make decisions based on RONA that are not in the best interest of the company’s long term growth strategy. A manager could elect to make his personal bonus on the backs of his employees by running too lean. This could cause service problems, customer complaints and quality problems just to mention a few. There are other measurements that can be used just as effectively but I’ll leave that discussion up to you and your CFO.

2. It is an all embracing process that often requires a culture change. This almost always requires consulting assistance. (Good for our business)

3. It can seem complex to middle management. Actually for most of management that are not trained in finance.

4. Requires diligent, explicit CEO and Board support

5. Specific RONA value based management training is essential By the way---- just for the record --- the perfect value based management system has yet to be invented or discovered. All methodologies have their drawbacks.

Client Corner------ A question from Joe

Rick, I have a salesman that does a pretty good job but he is always whining about something. He takes up a tremendous amount of my time, inside sales and anybody else that will listen. I don’t want to fire the guy because he does put up decent numbers. What do you suggest?

Joe, VP of Sales, Building Products Industry

Dear Joe;

Wow! If I used this term with my wife she’d probably take my head off but you have what is typically known as a high maintenance “Cry Baby Salesperson”

This condition is known as “High Affliative Needs”. It can be a sales person’s downfall. We all have affiliative needs but for a sales person, if they become excessive, they can undermine any real talent they have. This type of person is generally a very likable person and c

rty minutes a month discussing performance and opportunity with their direct reports. Record it on a 3 x 5 card. This will make annual performance reviews meaningful because you now have data for the entire year, twelve mini reviews.

• Statistics and surveys prove that the majority of employees that leave their employers do not leave due to pay. Employees want to be treated like people. They want respect and trust. Employees will not start respecting their leaders until their leaders start respecting them. They will not start trusting their leaders until their leaders start trusting them. Ask yourself how you would want your managers to treat your son or your daughter if they worked for them? Some of you have family in the business.

• Fairness---- Employees want fairness in all their dealings. This starts with fair pay. Is it your goal as a company to pay at or above market? This includes base pay, benefits, recognition and other non monetary rewards. Fair and consistent treatment is a must. Award and recognize with extra paid days off in conjunction with a weekend. Buy the book 1001 ways to make it fun to come to work.

• Accountability ---- Employees want to be held accountable. They want to be empowered. They want to contribute. Make sure they understand what their job really entails. What are their responsibilities? Job descriptions, if you have them, are often vague or incomplete

• Coach and Mentor your employees.

Do these things and you will be on your way to becoming Employer of Choice. Your recruitment and retention problems will be minimal. Employees will excel. They will release that discretionary energy and apply it to creating competitive advantage. Training your employees will increase their drive for success. Fairness creates happy employees. Happy employees create satisfied customers.

What’s the Rave about RONA?

To start with I must admit that I am not a big fan of RONA. I know many of you out there including some clients that I have worked with are religious about RONA. Some like Rice and some like potatoes. It certainly has its attributes. It’s about value based management.

RONA stands for Return On Net Assets. This equals the Net Operating Profit after tax divided by the sum of cash and working capital requirements plus fixed assets. It takes into consideration the assets a company uses to achieve its success.

RONA = Net Income

Fixed Assets + Net Working Capital

The higher the return, the better the profit performance for the company.

RONA Attributes:

• It can maximize value creation

• Increases corporate transparency

• Aligns managers interest with share holder/owners interest

• Improve internal strategic communication

• Establishes clear priorities

• Streamlines budgeting

WHY I AM NOT A BIG FAN of RONA

Several things keep me from being a big fan of RONA.

1. It can create a negative incentive for individual managers to avoid investing in growth. This is especially true when their bonus or incentive is tied to RONA. Branch managers, middle managers and other managers may make decisions based on RONA that are not in the best interest of the company’s long term growth strategy. A manager could elect to make his personal bonus on the backs of his employees by running too lean. This could cause service problems, customer complaints and quality problems just to mention a few. There are other measurements that can be used just as effectively but I’ll leave that discussion up to you and your CFO.

2. It is an all embracing process that often requires a culture change. This almost always requires consulting assistance. (Good for our business)

3. It can seem complex to middle management. Actually for most of management that are not trained in finance.

4. Requires diligent, explicit CEO and Board support

5. Specific RONA value based management training is essential By the way---- just for the record --- the perfect value based management system has yet to be invented or discovered. All methodologies have their drawbacks.

Client Corner------ A question from Joe

Rick, I have a salesman that does a pretty good job but he is always whining about something. He takes up a tremendous amount of my time, inside sales and anybody else that will listen. I don’t want to fire the guy because he does put up decent numbers. What do you suggest?

Joe, VP of Sales, Building Products Industry

Dear Joe;

Wow! If I used this term with my wife she’d probably take my head off but you have what is typically known as a high maintenance “Cry Baby Salesperson”

This condition is known as “High Affliative Needs”. It can be a sales person’s downfall. We all have affiliative needs but for a sales person, if they become excessive, they can undermine any real talent they have. This type of person is generally a very likable person and c

energy and apply it to creating competitive advantage. Training your employees will increase their drive for success. Fairness creates happy employees. Happy employees create satisfied customers.

What’s the Rave about RONA?

To start with I must admit that I am not a big fan of RONA. I know many of you out there including some clients that I have worked with are religious about RONA. Some like Rice and some like potatoes. It certainly has its attributes. It’s about value based management.

RONA stands for Return On Net Assets. This equals the Net Operating Profit after tax divided by the sum of cash and working capital requirements plus fixed assets. It takes into consideration the assets a company uses to achieve its success.

RONA = Net Income

Fixed Assets + Net Working Capital

The higher the return, the better the profit performance for the company.

RONA Attributes:

• It can maximize value creation

• Increases corporate transparency

• Aligns managers interest with share holder/owners interest

• Improve internal strategic communication

• Establishes clear priorities

• Streamlines budgeting

WHY I AM NOT A BIG FAN of RONA

Several things keep me from being a big fan of RONA.

1. It can create a negative incentive for individual managers to avoid investing in growth. This is especially true when their bonus or incentive is tied to RONA. Branch managers, middle managers and other managers may make decisions based on RONA that are not in the best interest of the company’s long term growth strategy. A manager could elect to make his personal bonus on the backs of his employees by running too lean. This could cause service problems, customer complaints and quality problems just to mention a few. There are other measurements that can be used just as effectively but I’ll leave that discussion up to you and your CFO.

2. It is an all embracing process that often requires a culture change. This almost always requires consulting assistance. (Good for our business)

3. It can seem complex to middle management. Actually for most of management that are not trained in finance.

4. Requires diligent, explicit CEO and Board support

5. Specific RONA value based management training is essential By the way---- just for the record --- the perfect value based management system has yet to be invented or discovered. All methodologies have their drawbacks.

Client Corner------ A question from Joe

Rick, I have a salesman that does a pretty good job but he is always whining about something. He takes up a tremendous amount of my time, inside sales and anybody else that will listen. I don’t want to fire the guy because he does put up decent numbers. What do you suggest?

Joe, VP of Sales, Building Products Industry

Dear Joe;

Wow! If I used this term with my wife she’d probably take my head off but you have what is typically known as a high maintenance “Cry Baby Salesperson”

This condition is known as “High Affliative Needs”. It can be a sales person’s downfall. We all have affiliative needs but for a sales person, if they become excessive, they can undermine any real talent they have. This type of person is generally a very likable person and c

s on the backs of his employees by running too lean. This could cause service problems, customer complaints and quality problems just to mention a few. There are other measurements that can be used just as effectively but I’ll leave that discussion up to you and your CFO.

2. It is an all embracing process that often requires a culture change. This almost always requires consulting assistance. (Good for our business)

3. It can seem complex to middle management. Actually for most of management that are not trained in finance.

4. Requires diligent, explicit CEO and Board support

5. Specific RONA value based management training is essential By the way---- just for the record --- the perfect value based management system has yet to be invented or discovered. All methodologies have their drawbacks.

Client Corner------ A question from Joe

Rick, I have a salesman that does a pretty good job but he is always whining about something. He takes up a tremendous amount of my time, inside sales and anybody else that will listen. I don’t want to fire the guy because he does put up decent numbers. What do you suggest?

Joe, VP of Sales, Building Products Industry

Dear Joe;

Wow! If I used this term with my wife she’d probably take my head off but you have what is typically known as a high maintenance “Cry Baby Salesperson”

This condition is known as “High Affliative Needs”. It can be a sales person’s downfall. We all have affiliative needs but for a sales person, if they become excessive, they can undermine any real talent they have. This type of person is generally a very likable person and can strike up a conversation about anything, anywhere. That is why they seem to achieve relative success in field sales. But remember, if this person is wasting your time due to this condition, chances are, some or most of his customers feel the same way. You need to find out.

The question you need to ask yourself: “Is this sales person maximizing the full potential of his territory in market share, profitability and share of spend at existing accounts? The answer to that question will determine whether you must coach, mentor or manage this individual.

Mentor

If he is attaining peak territory performance. Become a confidant and be totally honest with him. When his points are valid – acknowledge that. When he is just whining --- let him know. Be constructive and supportive. Encourage him. Give him examples and help him come to the same conclusions about each situation as you do.

Coach

Since you stated he put up decent numbers, it sounds like he is worth your investment of time. Start with the numbers. What should peak performance in his territory be? Set some stretch goals. Work with him utilizing your sales expertise in targeting, goal setting and action planning to achieve these stretch goals. During the process, his high maintenance, affiliative needs should be apparent. Demonstrate how they can interfere with the achievement of his goals.

Manage

Some managing is certainly mixed in with the coaching process but if coaching doesn’t do the trick and he is actually performing below territory expectations it may be time to get tough. Stick with objective facts. Stick with the numbers. Clearly define expectations and stick to them. You just might have to throw him off the bus.