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Casual Articles - If My Work is Good Enough
"If you ask (people) what they want in a leader, they usually list three things: direction or vision, trustworthiness, and optimism. Like effective parents, lovers, teachers, and therapists, good leaders make people hopeful." — Warren Bennis, An Invented Life: Reflections on Leadership and ChangeSomeone once said to the bestselling author and television pastor, Robert Schuller, "I hope you live to see all your dreams fulfilled." He replied, "I hope not, because if I live and all my dreams are fulfilled, I'm dead. It's unfulfilled dreams that keep you alive."Hope is one of the most powerful sources of energy ever known to humankind. Without hope, we slip from living to just existing. Hope charges our spirit and draws us forward to a better tomorrow. Hope helps us see beyond the problems to the possibilities. Hope gives life meaning. Hope helps us take responsibility for our choices. Hope stretches us and energizes our continuous grow
http://www.turningpointemarketing.com/free_resources/articles.html
* Next, pick one new thing that you've learned and schedule it into your calendar to try. Start small, get some successes under your belt, and keep moving. Aim for one new marketing action every week.
* As you start experiencing better results from your actions, you'll notice a shift in how you feel toward marketing. It won't feel like such a burden. It'll feel like a natural part of what you do. It won't be "someone else's job." You'll actually start to enjoy it (trust me, it can happen - I used to HATE this stuff!).
* Be patient with yourself and with the process. You didn't become an industry expert overnight, nor will you become a great marketer instantly. If you really want the freedom to do the work you love, you've got to commit to the life skill of funding your passion for the long haul.
* Don't let naivet? or arrogance stand in your way. Marketing is not about hustling, twisting arms, misleading, or shameless promotion. It is about sharing what you know with the right target clients, in a way that they can understand and see the value for themselves in the good work you do.
A very wise and successful business professional recently told me the key to his success: being willing to do the tasks that most other people aren't willing to do - even if you don't want to do them. Marketing may not be as diffic
Business cards are valuable tools that you can have in advertising and promoting your business products and services. It can help you effectively to market you products and services.As an essential tool in representing your business the business cards must possess significant information that will notify your clients’ about the good services you can provide. Informing the people around you about the updates will significantly work to market your business.Primarily the following are the effective ways of marketing your business with business cards.1. Producing an effective business cardWhen we talk about effective we must see to it that the cards we produce should really work out. We need not to produce a card for advertising purposes only but something that is worth keeping for future references. The cards must not be used for the sake of advertising but for the sake of making your prospects involved to your business.
Don't you think that good work should speak for itself...that if you're good enough at what you do, you shouldn't have to hustle up business?
I've been working with a lot of really Smart People lately. Physicists, Economists, Chemists, Electrical Engineers, Programmers, Researchers and highly educated professionals of many kinds. These folks are at the top of their game and world-class contributors in their chosen field.
Here are some of things they've said to me about marketing:
"If you're good, the money will come; we're above the money game."
"It feels sleazy to have to sell our market impact..."
"Isn't there an implied value to what we do? Why do we have to market it?"
"Yes, I'm angry that I have to market. It's not why I chose this career."
If you can relate to any of these statements, you're not alone. Even these really Smart People have to face the harsh reality that great work can't protect them from the "M Word" (marketing). Whether you've taken an entrepreneurial route, or work inside a large organization, marketing is a life skill that's essential for survival.
I remember fighting this reality early on in my professional career, limping along and barely surviving as a business because we were in denial about the reality of our situation: that if we didn't step up and figure out how to attract more clients, we'd be out of business.
Of course it wasn't until I was in a whole lot of pain (i.e., cash flow was a problem) that I changed my behavior. I had a choice to make: figure out how to bring in more clients or perish!
If you want to get your professional services understood, valued, and used in the marketplace, ignoring this responsibility is not an option. So as a Smart Person, do what comes naturally: LEARN your way out of your problem.
We're all on a learning curve about something, regardless of PhDs, technical expertise, or years of professional success. For many professionals, finding yourself at the bottom of the Marketing Learning Curve is a frustrating experience. To make matters worse, your target clients are on a steep learning curve about the value of you and your work!
So the key is to move both yourself and your target clients up the learning curve. And knowing how to market, then skillfully applying this knowledge to your target audience is what will get you there.
Here are the four stages you have to go through (picture a staircase or ladder, with one stage on each level). In turn, you can take your target clients through these stages to learn about you and your firm:
Stage 1: Unconsciously Incompetent. In other words, you're clueless. This is when you don't know what you don't know. For you, it could be not understanding the driving principles behind effectively marketing a professional service...or the 5 P's of marketing a professional service that you must follow, in exact order, if you wish to be successful. For your target clients, it could be that they don't know you exist or that they have no idea what problems you can help them solve. Ignorance can be bliss, but it won't get you more clients!
Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent. Now you're anxious. You've become aware of what you don't know. Reading this article could move you to this stage. Witnessing a colleague or competitor win a contract that you missed out on could do it. For your target clients, this could happen if you do a free or low-cost assessment of their needs, or give them a short case study illustrating other client successes that they've not been able to achieve on their own. Bottom line: you're more motivated to close the gap between your current state (in pain) and your desired state (pain-free and successful).
Stage 3: Consciously Competent. Armed with new knowledge, you're starting to feel more confident. With some effort, coaching, courage to try new things, and small successes, you're starting to get better results for your efforts to attract more clients. It still takes a conscious effort to do the right things, but you're on your way. For your target clients, this stage means that they see "What's In It For Them" to do business with you, are confident that you can solve their problem better than anyone else, trust that you'll not let them down, and see a clear path of action to get their needs met. This is a good place to be, because it means there's a good chance that you'll close the deal.
Stage 4: Unconsciously Competent. Like tying your shoes, this is when it all feels natural and easy. You're probably here in your chosen field of expertise. With the right approach and accumulated successes under your belt, you'll get here in your ability to attract more clients. Your target clients are here only after they've gotten the results they want and can solidly trust their relationship with you over the long haul. They voluntarily and enthusiastically refer you to others. They eagerly ask about and await your next solution or offer of how to continue helping them. This is a blissful place to be and will get you more clients than you ever thought possible!
Facing your "marketing reality" can be a tough pill to swallow. To make this easier, give these things a try:
* Start with increasing your knowledge. Read some articles about marketing in your particular field that you might not normally bother with. Attend a talk or workshop about marketing that typically wouldn't make it into your schedule. Expose yourself to new ideas and fresh knowledge. A good place to start is my free articles at:
http://www.turningpointemarketing.com/free_resources/articles.html
* Next, pick one new thing that you've learned and schedule it into your calendar to try. Start small, get some successes under your belt, and keep moving. Aim for one new marketing action every week.
* As you start experiencing better results from your actions, you'll notice a shift in how you feel toward marketing. It won't feel like such a burden. It'll feel like a natural part of what you do. It won't be "someone else's job." You'll actually start to enjoy it (trust me, it can happen - I used to HATE this stuff!).
* Be patient with yourself and with the process. You didn't become an industry expert overnight, nor will you become a great marketer instantly. If you really want the freedom to do the work you love, you've got to commit to the life skill of funding your passion for the long haul.
* Don't let naivet? or arrogance stand in your way. Marketing is not about hustling, twisting arms, misleading, or shameless promotion. It is about sharing what you know with the right target clients, in a way that they can understand and see the value for themselves in the good work you do.
A very wise and successful business professional recently told me the key to his success: being willing to do the tasks that most other people aren't willing to do - even if you don't want to do them. Marketing may not be as difficu
Trade show giveaways are hot marketing tools. They can enhance your company's branding and image, create a positive and memorable association with your company or products, and even help you build a list of qualified leads. But not all tradeshow give away ideas are effective. Quality giveaways with value to the recipient create positive impressions about your brand, where cheap, thoughtless items do the opposite.Tradeshow freebies can be anything, some popular ideas are:*Pens *Notebags *Candy *Baseball hats *T-Shirts *Mousepads *Key chains *Coffee mugs *Product samples *Magnets *CalendarsGreat giveaway ideas are ones that have utility for the recipient and are not disposable. The best ideas are items that will be seen and passed on to others in your target market after the show.Make sure your give away includes a take away about your company, product or service. And
Of course it wasn't until I was in a whole lot of pain (i.e., cash flow was a problem) that I changed my behavior. I had a choice to make: figure out how to bring in more clients or perish!
If you want to get your professional services understood, valued, and used in the marketplace, ignoring this responsibility is not an option. So as a Smart Person, do what comes naturally: LEARN your way out of your problem.
We're all on a learning curve about something, regardless of PhDs, technical expertise, or years of professional success. For many professionals, finding yourself at the bottom of the Marketing Learning Curve is a frustrating experience. To make matters worse, your target clients are on a steep learning curve about the value of you and your work!
So the key is to move both yourself and your target clients up the learning curve. And knowing how to market, then skillfully applying this knowledge to your target audience is what will get you there.
Here are the four stages you have to go through (picture a staircase or ladder, with one stage on each level). In turn, you can take your target clients through these stages to learn about you and your firm:
Stage 1: Unconsciously Incompetent. In other words, you're clueless. This is when you don't know what you don't know. For you, it could be not understanding the driving principles behind effectively marketing a professional service...or the 5 P's of marketing a professional service that you must follow, in exact order, if you wish to be successful. For your target clients, it could be that they don't know you exist or that they have no idea what problems you can help them solve. Ignorance can be bliss, but it won't get you more clients!
Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent. Now you're anxious. You've become aware of what you don't know. Reading this article could move you to this stage. Witnessing a colleague or competitor win a contract that you missed out on could do it. For your target clients, this could happen if you do a free or low-cost assessment of their needs, or give them a short case study illustrating other client successes that they've not been able to achieve on their own. Bottom line: you're more motivated to close the gap between your current state (in pain) and your desired state (pain-free and successful).
Stage 3: Consciously Competent. Armed with new knowledge, you're starting to feel more confident. With some effort, coaching, courage to try new things, and small successes, you're starting to get better results for your efforts to attract more clients. It still takes a conscious effort to do the right things, but you're on your way. For your target clients, this stage means that they see "What's In It For Them" to do business with you, are confident that you can solve their problem better than anyone else, trust that you'll not let them down, and see a clear path of action to get their needs met. This is a good place to be, because it means there's a good chance that you'll close the deal.
Stage 4: Unconsciously Competent. Like tying your shoes, this is when it all feels natural and easy. You're probably here in your chosen field of expertise. With the right approach and accumulated successes under your belt, you'll get here in your ability to attract more clients. Your target clients are here only after they've gotten the results they want and can solidly trust their relationship with you over the long haul. They voluntarily and enthusiastically refer you to others. They eagerly ask about and await your next solution or offer of how to continue helping them. This is a blissful place to be and will get you more clients than you ever thought possible!
Facing your "marketing reality" can be a tough pill to swallow. To make this easier, give these things a try:
* Start with increasing your knowledge. Read some articles about marketing in your particular field that you might not normally bother with. Attend a talk or workshop about marketing that typically wouldn't make it into your schedule. Expose yourself to new ideas and fresh knowledge. A good place to start is my free articles at:
http://www.turningpointemarketing.com/free_resources/articles.html
* Next, pick one new thing that you've learned and schedule it into your calendar to try. Start small, get some successes under your belt, and keep moving. Aim for one new marketing action every week.
* As you start experiencing better results from your actions, you'll notice a shift in how you feel toward marketing. It won't feel like such a burden. It'll feel like a natural part of what you do. It won't be "someone else's job." You'll actually start to enjoy it (trust me, it can happen - I used to HATE this stuff!).
* Be patient with yourself and with the process. You didn't become an industry expert overnight, nor will you become a great marketer instantly. If you really want the freedom to do the work you love, you've got to commit to the life skill of funding your passion for the long haul.
* Don't let naivet? or arrogance stand in your way. Marketing is not about hustling, twisting arms, misleading, or shameless promotion. It is about sharing what you know with the right target clients, in a way that they can understand and see the value for themselves in the good work you do.
A very wise and successful business professional recently told me the key to his success: being willing to do the tasks that most other people aren't willing to do - even if you don't want to do them. Marketing may not be as diffic
About 20 years ago while I worked for American Stores Company (now part of Albertson’s) I headed up a customer service program named “Smile and Speak Up.” Employees attended a two-hour customer service training class and then tried to be seen being courteous to customers by mystery shoppers who visited stores twice each week for ten weeks. An employee could win small cash rewards plus the recognition of being a winner. My job was to organize the program and take to various groups of stores.Most people associated with the Smith and Speak Up program praised our efforts to improve customer service in the stores. The wife of the chairman of the board, for example, once told me that she could see a difference where the program had been implemented. But even with the general acceptance of the program, I was never convinced of its effectiveness. This is why.True customer service in a retail store is a combination of five basic elements: (1
Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent. Now you're anxious. You've become aware of what you don't know. Reading this article could move you to this stage. Witnessing a colleague or competitor win a contract that you missed out on could do it. For your target clients, this could happen if you do a free or low-cost assessment of their needs, or give them a short case study illustrating other client successes that they've not been able to achieve on their own. Bottom line: you're more motivated to close the gap between your current state (in pain) and your desired state (pain-free and successful).
Stage 3: Consciously Competent. Armed with new knowledge, you're starting to feel more confident. With some effort, coaching, courage to try new things, and small successes, you're starting to get better results for your efforts to attract more clients. It still takes a conscious effort to do the right things, but you're on your way. For your target clients, this stage means that they see "What's In It For Them" to do business with you, are confident that you can solve their problem better than anyone else, trust that you'll not let them down, and see a clear path of action to get their needs met. This is a good place to be, because it means there's a good chance that you'll close the deal.
Stage 4: Unconsciously Competent. Like tying your shoes, this is when it all feels natural and easy. You're probably here in your chosen field of expertise. With the right approach and accumulated successes under your belt, you'll get here in your ability to attract more clients. Your target clients are here only after they've gotten the results they want and can solidly trust their relationship with you over the long haul. They voluntarily and enthusiastically refer you to others. They eagerly ask about and await your next solution or offer of how to continue helping them. This is a blissful place to be and will get you more clients than you ever thought possible!
Facing your "marketing reality" can be a tough pill to swallow. To make this easier, give these things a try:
* Start with increasing your knowledge. Read some articles about marketing in your particular field that you might not normally bother with. Attend a talk or workshop about marketing that typically wouldn't make it into your schedule. Expose yourself to new ideas and fresh knowledge. A good place to start is my free articles at:
http://www.turningpointemarketing.com/free_resources/articles.html
* Next, pick one new thing that you've learned and schedule it into your calendar to try. Start small, get some successes under your belt, and keep moving. Aim for one new marketing action every week.
* As you start experiencing better results from your actions, you'll notice a shift in how you feel toward marketing. It won't feel like such a burden. It'll feel like a natural part of what you do. It won't be "someone else's job." You'll actually start to enjoy it (trust me, it can happen - I used to HATE this stuff!).
* Be patient with yourself and with the process. You didn't become an industry expert overnight, nor will you become a great marketer instantly. If you really want the freedom to do the work you love, you've got to commit to the life skill of funding your passion for the long haul.
* Don't let naivet? or arrogance stand in your way. Marketing is not about hustling, twisting arms, misleading, or shameless promotion. It is about sharing what you know with the right target clients, in a way that they can understand and see the value for themselves in the good work you do.
A very wise and successful business professional recently told me the key to his success: being willing to do the tasks that most other people aren't willing to do - even if you don't want to do them. Marketing may not be as diffic
The greatest challenge in a trade show is to convey your message forcefully and effectively in the three seconds that customer spends walking by your trade show booth. It is important that your booth looks attractive and grabs the attention of customers by clearly showing the identity of your company and its products. The right booth can create a lasting first impression.Full size custom graphics and high degree of flexibility and portability can make your trade show booth a success. High quality eye-catching designs are necessary to cast a spell on other exhibitors. There are a number of companies that specialize in creating trade show displays that will give a polished and professional first impression to your customers. If you want to add custom text and images, you should use Velcro or magnetic-backed signs that can be attached to your trade show booth easily. Use multiple signs to update the booth but don't reprint the graphics.<
Stage 4: Unconsciously Competent. Like tying your shoes, this is when it all feels natural and easy. You're probably here in your chosen field of expertise. With the right approach and accumulated successes under your belt, you'll get here in your ability to attract more clients. Your target clients are here only after they've gotten the results they want and can solidly trust their relationship with you over the long haul. They voluntarily and enthusiastically refer you to others. They eagerly ask about and await your next solution or offer of how to continue helping them. This is a blissful place to be and will get you more clients than you ever thought possible!
Facing your "marketing reality" can be a tough pill to swallow. To make this easier, give these things a try:
* Start with increasing your knowledge. Read some articles about marketing in your particular field that you might not normally bother with. Attend a talk or workshop about marketing that typically wouldn't make it into your schedule. Expose yourself to new ideas and fresh knowledge. A good place to start is my free articles at:
http://www.turningpointemarketing.com/free_resources/articles.html
* Next, pick one new thing that you've learned and schedule it into your calendar to try. Start small, get some successes under your belt, and keep moving. Aim for one new marketing action every week.
* As you start experiencing better results from your actions, you'll notice a shift in how you feel toward marketing. It won't feel like such a burden. It'll feel like a natural part of what you do. It won't be "someone else's job." You'll actually start to enjoy it (trust me, it can happen - I used to HATE this stuff!).
* Be patient with yourself and with the process. You didn't become an industry expert overnight, nor will you become a great marketer instantly. If you really want the freedom to do the work you love, you've got to commit to the life skill of funding your passion for the long haul.
* Don't let naivet? or arrogance stand in your way. Marketing is not about hustling, twisting arms, misleading, or shameless promotion. It is about sharing what you know with the right target clients, in a way that they can understand and see the value for themselves in the good work you do.
A very wise and successful business professional recently told me the key to his success: being willing to do the tasks that most other people aren't willing to do - even if you don't want to do them. Marketing may not be as diffic
You bet a name is important. Many small business owners try to come up with a clever name for their business rather than one that explains what they do. And, nine times out of ten, that is a mistake. Your business name should give your prospects some idea of what your business is about.One of the most useful processes you can use to come up with a good name is to turn it around. Rather than looking at the name from your perspective, approach it from your prospect's perspective.1. Identify your target market. Be specific. What are their wants and needs? Specific gender? How big are they? Do they make a certain amount of revenue? What do they look like? Draw a picture of your prospect.2. Why should they do business with you? What are the benefits? What makes you different from all the other businesses in your industry?Based on your answers to 1 and 2 above, brainstorm a list of words that could potentially turn into a co
http://www.turningpointemarketing.com/free_resources/articles.html
* Next, pick one new thing that you've learned and schedule it into your calendar to try. Start small, get some successes under your belt, and keep moving. Aim for one new marketing action every week.
* As you start experiencing better results from your actions, you'll notice a shift in how you feel toward marketing. It won't feel like such a burden. It'll feel like a natural part of what you do. It won't be "someone else's job." You'll actually start to enjoy it (trust me, it can happen - I used to HATE this stuff!).
* Be patient with yourself and with the process. You didn't become an industry expert overnight, nor will you become a great marketer instantly. If you really want the freedom to do the work you love, you've got to commit to the life skill of funding your passion for the long haul.
* Don't let naivet? or arrogance stand in your way. Marketing is not about hustling, twisting arms, misleading, or shameless promotion. It is about sharing what you know with the right target clients, in a way that they can understand and see the value for themselves in the good work you do.
A very wise and successful business professional recently told me the key to his success: being willing to do the tasks that most other people aren't willing to do - even if you don't want to do them. Marketing may not be as difficult as your chosen profession, but it's still a stretch for many of us. Your willingness to try new things that most others won't, already puts you ahead.
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