Casual Articles - Business

Improve the Management Wins for Winning Business Teams Part 7: Consistent Goal Achievement
During the last 5 years when speaking to or working with organizations, I have personally surveyed well over 1,000 individuals from small business owners to Fortune 1000 executives and have learned that everyone wants success. Yet, if this is true, then why don’t we as organizations or as individuals have more success?The answer to this question lies within the ability to consistently plan, set and execute goals. However, the knowledge and skills necessary to learn how to set goals is not a recognized course in most high schools or even colleges. Without knowledge and skills, developing positive attitudes and habits necessary for consistent goal achievement are even more difficult to realize.Years ago, Zig Ziglar recognized that consistent goal success must include specific criteria much like the proportional ingredients in any favorite recipe. The criteria (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistically Set High, Target Date/Time Driven) are well accepted among most goal achievement workshops. However, in today’s world, goal achievement must include the W.H.Y. - Written, Habit Forming and Yours.When individuals learn how to set and achieve their own goals, the likelihood increases for management to achieve theirs. The challenge by management is to link organizational goals to personal goals. By helping employees first achieve their own goals, this will catapult organizational efforts and employees begin to ta

NG>"when is a press release not a press release?" The answer is, when a press release is to be used to impress all sorts of people who are not members of the press. Only we want them to think that this is what the press will write about us, so we put it in a press release. That would be okay as long as that's as far as it goes.

But the awful truth is the same document (paper or electronic) really does get sent out to the press. And quite rightly they ignore it, once again because it is of no interest to the readership of the publication concerned.

For Heaven's sake, you folks who do this sort of thing, please grow up and face reality. If you want to promote your

Take the Test: Do Your Marketing Materials Really Grab Attention?
Today’s constant bombardment of marketing messages means your materials must grab your prospects attention in the first few seconds, or your efforts are wasted.How do you know if your marketing materials will prompt prospects to keep reading? Take this simple test: hold each of your marketing pieces at arm’s length and answer the following questions:1. Got white space? If your materials look crowded, add white space by increasing the sides, top or bottom margins. Try adding extra blank spaces between each section so the information is more readable. You should also add headlines to break up the text. Consider editing your copy and eliminating wasteful graphics to gain even more space.Too much white space pushes prospects away just as much as when there is too little. To make sure prospects give your piece more than a glance, add meaningful content or graphics to keep prospects reading.2. Do the graphics really pertain to what you’re selling? Include graphics with meaning and get rid of the rest. Effective graphics should either further the prospect’s understanding of your products and services or provide additional information necessary to the buying decision. They should not push the prospect away from the selling process by acting as fillers without meaning. Consider adding illustrations, diagrams, or happy customer photos to keep things meaningful.3. Are the headlines readable? Reading s

Years ago when my Dad owned a group of local newspapers I spent my school and college vacations working in the editorial office. We used to amuse ourselves over our sandwiches at lunchtime looking through and trashing the endless press releases that would arrive in the mail each day, all beautifully produced with glossy photographs (this was in pre-internet days).

We trashed them because all but the odd one or two were ill-considered, highly subjective, barely camouflaged advertising copy that had about as much editorial news value as last week's shopping list.

Why am I telling you all this? Because despite the fact that this happened many years ago, it's still happening today. Both offline and now online editors continue to laugh sardonically at the self-promoting garbage they receive from corporate sources exactly as my Dad and I laughed umpty-dump years ago. I salivate just thinking about how I could spend the fortunes wasted on those releases and photographs over so many years.

And why does this continue to happen? I believe it is because the organizations who send out this stuff - particularly their financial managers - just can't get their heads around the difference in culture between what they want to say, and what editors need to deliver to their audiences. Good PR advisers try hard to compensate, but ultimately it's the client who pays their fees, and if the client insists on issuing garbage there's not much a PR adviser can do other than resign the business.

Time after time after time I'm called into companies and asked to comment on why the PR coverage they get in the media is so poor. 99 times out of a 100 it's because they've issued press releases that are only of interest to themselves and their bosses. And yet when I point this out to them they can't understand it. "But our development team worked 14 hours a day for three years to win that contract!" they shout indignantly. "And the CEO had to cut short his vacation in Turks & Caicos just so he could sign the documents by the deadline! I mean, it's the most important thing to have happened to us in the history of the company!"

"I know," I croon soothingly, "but those points aren't of much interest to the readers of your regional business press, or your trade press for that matter."

"Well, maybe not," they reply. "But they are very relevant to us, and to our shareholders. That's why we made such an elaborate issue of those points in the press release."

Ah, I think to myself as I gaze out of the window to see if my creatively-parked car is going to attract the attention of passing traffic policepersons. Here is another problem we encounter with press releases. It's called "when is a press release not a press release?" The answer is, when a press release is to be used to impress all sorts of people who are not members of the press. Only we want them to think that this is what the press will write about us, so we put it in a press release. That would be okay as long as that's as far as it goes.

For Heaven's sake, you folks who do this sort of thing, please grow up and face reality. If you want to promote your

Wife's Marketing Prowess Helped Edison See the Light
It is well known that Thomas Edison was an inventor, a genius, and he never slept. Did you know that Mrs. Edison was a genius and never slept too? She was the marketing guru behind his engineering success. True, Tom had discovered what is today known as the light bulb. When he showed it to the Mrs. Mina Edison, his second wife, she asked “what are you going to call it?”Tom said. “I call it an affordable electrical home-lighting device.”“Great,” she responded, “with a name like that it will sit on the shelf at the patent office. We will just add it to the other money-losing patents you have conceived.”“How will people know what it does? She asked sarcastically, “From its name? You need a short catchy description that customers (yes, even in the 1880s they were already called customers) will immediately identify with.”This time Tom listened. The English inventor, Sir Joseph Swan, his arch rival, was ready to introduce a similar device and he did not want to lose out this time.Mrs. Edison started grilling her husband. “Why will people want to buy your affordable electrical home-lighting device?” “Well, it has the incandescence of 81 candles or 2.3 gas-burning lamps.” he proudly answered.“Tom, I keep on telling you that those are features. Customers don’t buy features; they buy benefits,” she said. “How will this device benefit people?”“They will be able to stay up later and read more books,” he offered.She

today. Both offline and now online editors continue to laugh sardonically at the self-promoting garbage they receive from corporate sources exactly as my Dad and I laughed umpty-dump years ago. I salivate just thinking about how I could spend the fortunes wasted on those releases and photographs over so many years.

"I know," I croon soothingly, "but those points aren't of much interest to the readers of your regional business press, or your trade press for that matter."

"Well, maybe not," they reply. "But they are very relevant to us, and to our shareholders. That's why we made such an elaborate issue of those points in the press release."

For Heaven's sake, you folks who do this sort of thing, please grow up and face reality. If you want to promote your

How to Transform an Entrepreneur Into a Franchisee
IntroductionTell me what is wrong with this sentence: Franchising provides the opportunity for entrepreneurship. It is grammatically correct and “entrepreneurship” is a “real” word; so, where is the error? It is in the logic of the statement. Being a franchisee and being an entrepreneur are not one of the same.An entrepreneur embraces the total risk of creating an idea, generating the revenue to get started, and implementing their know-how in order to make their business work. Becoming a franchisee is a bit different. Most of the autonomy has already been completed in the process and the business franchisee maintains the processes and vision started by the franchise.Either business venture can be lucrative, but they should not be confused for one another. Becoming a franchisee does grant one a great deal of freedom because there will still be superiors to answer to and patterns of others will have to be adopted. For a true entrepreneur who thrives on their creativity and isolation in calling the shots, the role of the franchisee may not be appealing.The reverse is also true. For one who enjoys security and structure, yet wants to branch out on their own, becoming an entrepreneur may appear to be too risky. Franchisees get guidance from the franchisor and a cookie-cutter outline in order to model their business. These factors can become huge advantages in providing success.The following will illustrate some broad di

ultimately it's the client who pays their fees, and if the client insists on issuing garbage there's not much a PR adviser can do other than resign the business.

"I know," I croon soothingly, "but those points aren't of much interest to the readers of your regional business press, or your trade press for that matter."

"Well, maybe not," they reply. "But they are very relevant to us, and to our shareholders. That's why we made such an elaborate issue of those points in the press release."

For Heaven's sake, you folks who do this sort of thing, please grow up and face reality. If you want to promote your

The 6 Stages of Modern Career Development
Career experts say that people will change careers (not jobs) 5-7 times in a lifetime. This being true, career management is an important life skill to develop and cultivate. There are six stages of modern career development: Assessment, Investigation, Preparation, Commitment, Retention, and Transition. Learning the characteristics of each stage will empower you to navigate through each stage easily and with more confidence.In the Assessment Stage, you are getting ready for your life’s work. This stage is characterized by unawareness, in that you are not sure what your values, strengths, and weaknesses are. You start to feel like you want to know more about yourself and make a conscious effort to get in touch with who you really are.Key characteristics:Taking assessment instrumentsWorking with a career counselor or career coachIn the Investigation Stage, you are researching what work exists in the world. This stage is characterized by feelings of confusion, in that you are not sure what career options exist for you. You may feel overwhelmed with all of the different jobs and opportunities that exist as you begin the process of researching the modern world of work. But if you approach this stage with a positive frame of mind, you will find that you will learn about many possibilities you may have never considered.Key characteristics:Researching the world of w

nts by the deadline! I mean, it's the most important thing to have happened to us in the history of the company!"

"I know," I croon soothingly, "but those points aren't of much interest to the readers of your regional business press, or your trade press for that matter."

"Well, maybe not," they reply. "But they are very relevant to us, and to our shareholders. That's why we made such an elaborate issue of those points in the press release."

For Heaven's sake, you folks who do this sort of thing, please grow up and face reality. If you want to promote your

Change Your Thinking and Improve Your Career
Successful people approach their every interaction in a manner that’s different than everyone else. People who are successful enter into each interaction with a desired outcome. They have an idea of what they want from each meeting, each phone call, and each email. The most successful individuals have internalized this behavior; they don’t even realize that they are doing it. There is also a flip side to this coin. Successful people are incredibly appreciative when other people are focused on achieving an outcome from a meeting or interaction. This helps them cut through clutter and enables them to be almost twice as productive as everyone else.Many people ask me if, by outcome-driven, I mean communicating in a frank or direct way. Although direct communication is often helpful and appreciated, that is not my specific focus. In this case, I am referring to the thought process that occurs prior to an interaction, such as scheduling a meeting, accepting an invitation to a meeting, picking up the phone, writing an email, or even going to the store. Most people take these things for granted. You will sit in a meeting for an hour or more and then leave the room wondering why you just wasted an hour of your life. You go to the mall with no clear purpose and end up just killing time.Outcome-driven thinking is about being in the moment. What you do right now will create your past and it will have an impact on your future. Your life is a collection of the

For Heaven's sake, you folks who do this sort of thing, please grow up and face reality. If you want to promote your achievements to your share/stockholders or staff or suppliers or whoever, then just go ahead and do it and dress it up in "press release" costume if you must, although I don't think that fools anybody.

But whatever you do, don't send it to the press - and don't kid yourself or anyone else that to use the same document for both purposes is a way to economize. It's a sure way to shoot yourself through the foot and indirectly could cost you a fortune.

If you want to get coverage in the media then you must forget all elements of self-congratulation. Whatever information you send out has to have something "in it for them" (the audience) - something new, interesting and relevant. It doesn't have to be earth-shattering, just worth reading.

If your organisation has done something brilliant and you're proud of it, by all means say so; just be sure to emphasise what's great about it for the audience and/or the rest of the world, not merely for yourselves. Let the facts tell the story. If your organisation genuinely deserves to be congratulated, it will be.

And you don't simply have the audience to consider in this case, because unlike the forms of communication you control, with media coverage the decision of whether or not to transmit your message rests with someone else - usually the editor. Editors and journalists are either very busy or very lazy or both (and don't chastise me for admitting that, guys. I've been there, done it, got the T shirt and drank too much in the brasserie at lunchtime too.)

If you supply them with material they can see is relevant to their readers and preferably is usable with the minimum of editing, they will warm to it a lot faster than something that may hold a grain of interest but will take someone a whole evening to rewrite and several phone calls or e-mails to check for accuracy.

Try to match the style and writing approach of the publication. If you're sending a release out to several publications that circulate among the same readership, then one release should be relevant to all. But if you're aiming at different press groups - say the trade journals and the business pages of the regional dailies - you will need to rework the approach of your press release according to the different audiences.

You'll usually find that the basic core of a press release can remain pretty well the same across all media groups, because it consists (or should consist) of the pure facts - the old journalist's formula of who, what, how, where, when and why. What changes is the angle, and particularly the lead-in.

That means the headline, which should be short and attention-grabbing,

HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.casualarticles.com/article/34344/casualarticles-How-To-Write-More-Powerfully-For-PR-Offline-And-Online.html">How To Write More Powerfully For PR, Offline And Online</a>

BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.casualarticles.com/article/34344/casualarticles-How-To-Write-More-Powerfully-For-PR-Offline-And-Online.html]How To Write More Powerfully For PR, Offline And Online[/url]

Why is it that academics the world over are trading in their old profession and training to become plumbers? It is a phenomenon that can be seen all over the world as plumbing is becoming a lucrative trade in most countries. The reason for this is a lack or rather shortage of plumbers, pushing demand higher than the current levels of supply.

Why do some customers never return? What can you do to increase customer retention. Start by understanding the cost of poor customer service and how to recover from the lose.

In theory, finding the best passive income opportunity may sound like something easily accomplished; however, many newbie marketers find the internet marketing road filled with bumps. Due diligence is the rule of thumb to be followed before joining any project.

Tags

Links

Casual Articles - How To Write More Powerfully For PR, Offline And Online

Related Articles: