How to Stay Motivated - Part 1

 by: Dr. Zonnya First Lady of Motivation

As a "Motivation Trainer" for over 20 years, I have researched the subject of "Motivation." It is talked about a lot, but not very much is taught or written about it. It seems to be a word that eludes us. I often here people say: "Can you motivate me?" or "I need motivating." or "I've lost my motivation."

Part of the challenge in understanding the concept of "Motivation" is to understand what it means. We seem to have a distorted definition of what it is. Since we know that words have positive or negative energy connected to them, it is important that we know what words we are saying and what those words mean.

Let's start our journey into understanding "Motivation" with a workable definition.

Motivation is:

1. Making a Choice

2. To Take Action

3. For a Result

4. Whether You Feel Like It or Not.

"Motivation" is about what you choose, not how you feel. The first myth about "Motivation" is that it somehow has something to do with how you feel. So if you feel like exercising, you are motivated, and if you don't feel like exercising, you aren't. If you feel like working your network marketing business, then you are motivated; if not, you just aren't motivated. If you feel, like going to church, you are motivated; if you don't feel like it.... And as you can imagine, there are hundreds of scenarios that we could mention.

Once we accept a "new definition" of "Motivation," we can move forward to using it as a tool in our lives to help us achieve results.

Starting with 1. Making a Choice.

Everything is a choice. Choice equals results. Good choices = Good results. Bad choices = Bad results. From the time you are born, until the time you die, you will literally make hundreds and hundreds of choices. Every choice has a result. The caveat is that you may make a choice today, but not get the result today. Results are still coming even if delayed. To stay motivated, we start with what choices will we make for specific results in our lives in every area: Physical, mental, spiritual, social, financial, family.

2. To Take Action

Once we make a choice for a result, the mind automatically goes into the mode of: "What action do I need to make in order to achieve the result?" This is how we develop our action plan for choosing and accomplishing results in our lives. If you don't know what action to take to achieve your result, you mind will go into the mode: "Where do I go to learn what to do to accomplish this result?"

Your mind is a powerful friend or foe. With all the many years of studying the mind, we still know so little about it. It was created to help you. Unfortunately with some of our old negative programming, often our mind does not help us. It is so important that we are continually alert to negative programming that is keeping us from fulfilling more of our potential.

The reason we take action is for the result.

3. For a Result

What results are you choosing for your life today? The results you have in your life today are from the choices you have made in your yesterday. The results you will have today and in the future will be from the choices you make. Understand, you cannot make the right choices if you have not clearly defined the result.

What results do you choose for your health, you body, your eating habits, etc?

What results do you choose for your thinking, your attitude, your words that you speak, etc?

What results do you choose for your spiritual life? I did not say "religion"; I said for your "spiritual" life?

What results do you choose for being involved with your community, your friends, etc?

What results do you choose for you business, your profession, you finances, etc?

What results do you chose for your family, for your relationships, etc.?

It is important that you develop a "result-driven" mindset.

4. Whether You Feel Like It or Not.

When you make a choice to take action for a results, then how you feel does not enter into the equation. How many times do you do what you do, when you do not feel like it? If you have children, how many times do you get up in the middle of the night to take care of your child when you did not feel like it? Have you ever gone to a business training seminar, but you didn't feel like it? Have you ever persevered in the midst of feeling bad, to do a business presentation or make extra calls?

In all of these situations, "Motivation" was in operation. You were "Motivated."

We are "Motivated" when we make a choice to take action for a result whether we feel like it or not. Motivation is not about "feeling," it is simply about "choosing." We can have a Motivated day every day we choose to. Should we chose to have a "laid-back" day, that is great...that is a choice too.

We begin the journey of staying motivated when we first know what "Motivation" is.

Is This the PR You Thought You Were Getting?

 by: Robert A. Kelly

You know, where you do something positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that MOST affect your organization? And where you do so by persuading those important external folks to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed?

Yes, that?s right, it?s where you use the fundamental premise of public relations to produce external stakeholder behavior change ? the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

What it boils down to is (1) your public relations effort must involve more than special events, brochures and news releases if you really want to get your money?s worth, and (2), the right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors that help you succeed!

You can do it when you bring that fundamental premise of PR mentioned above, into play. It goes like this: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

What kind of results can you, as a business, non-profit or association manager, expect from such an approach? Well, for starters, improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies, stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; and even capital givers or specifying sources looking your way

And that?s not all. You also could see progress in the form of membership applications on the rise; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; rebounds in showroom visits; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels; as well as community service and sponsorship opportunities; not to mention new thoughtleader and special event contacts.

Yes, that?s promising quite a bit but that?s what this approach to public relations is capable of delivering.

Of course the PR people supporting you as a manager ? agency or staff ? must be real team members and committed to you, as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with target audience perception monitoring.

Ask yourself how important it is that your most important outside audiences really perceive your operations, products or services in a positive light? Then assure yourself that your PR staff buys into that notion wholeheartedly. Be especially careful that they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Review the PR blueprint in detail with your team, especially the plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Use questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

The perception monitoring phases of your program obviously can be handled by professional survey people, IF the budget is available. But keep in mind that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Clearly, you will need a well-defined goal, one that responds to the aberrations that appeared during your key audience perception monitoring. As a flexible goal, it could call for straightening out that dangerous misconception, or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or doing something about that damaging rumor.

Inevitably, a goal needs a strategy to show you how to get there. And here, you have three strategic choices for handling a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. Unfortunately, a bad strategy pick will taste like fudge sauce on your spareribs, so be sure the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For instance, you don?t want to select ?change? when the facts dictate a ?reinforce? strategy.

Changing people?s minds to your way of thinking is a tough assignment, so your PR team must set down the needed corrective language. Words that are compelling, persuasive and believable AND clear and factual. You must do this if you are to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the desired behaviors.

Sit down again with your communications specialists and review your message for impact and persuasiveness. Then, select the communications tactics most likely to carry your words to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Because the credibility of a message can occasionally depend on its delivery method, you might introduce it to smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases or talk show appearances. One good thing about doing progress reports for clients or bosses is that they sound the alert for you and your PR folks to return to the field for a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Using many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session, you must now stay alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

If impatience shows up, you can always accelerate things with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

It should be an irresistable premise for any manager! Do something positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that MOST affect your organization. And do so by persuading those important external folks to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed.

Wow!

end

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1125 including guidelines and resource box.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

Why and How to Work with a Consultant

 by: Bryan Wilson

A good consultant provides specialist abilities and experience, innovative ideas, second opinions (reality checks), unbiased appraisals, and new approaches.

A good consultant will leave you with tools, plans, and materials, and will transfer knowledge and resources to help you use them.

Avoid making mistakes and wasting time and resources. A small investment and timely, professional advice can mean savings and increased revenues in the future.

Adding the services of a consultant can make a difference when time or human resource constraints would otherwise mean a lost revenue, market, promotion, or funding opportunity.

Know your limitations and expect a consultant to know theirs. You may have someone on staff who will volunteer to create advertisements, a website, or a marketing plan--but if they aren't truly qualified, you could be paying later to undo damage or make up for missed opportunities. A good consultant will also refer you to other specialists or obtain the services of subcontractors when they need to complement their own expertise.

You are uniquely qualified to handle many aspects of your own business. Hiring a specialist, when necessary, can free you to do what you do best and make the most of your resources.

HOW TO WORK WITH A CONSULTANT

Find a specialist with experience in your industry!

Get to know the consultant(s) and work together informally to help them prepare a proposal that addresses your objectives. You can often get some good, free assistance in clarifying these objectives.

Don't waste the consultant's time if you aren't serious about evaluating their proposal, and don't seek so many proposals that none of the consultants who respond have a good chance to be hired (You should generally keep the number of applicants in the running to four or fewer). Do expect the consultants to ask good questions and learn about your business. Avoid consultants who say they have immediate solutions or feel ready to talk about details, design, technology, or implementation before they have begun to understand your business and objectives??look for a careful approach!

Clarify your specific goals and larger objectives, and state these in writing to the consultant when you request their proposal. Remain flexible about these goals, since you are paying for the advice of the consultant about these matters--perhaps some of your goals could be refined or modified!

Prepare a rough budget range for the consultant. A good consultant will not simply bid the maximum amount, but should give you a few price options depending on the scope of their services. They will tell you if the budget is truly unrealistic and can help you re-evaluate your objectives or propose dividing the project over multiple phases. Maintaining an open dialogue about budgets and prices is preferable to developing an adversarial relationship during the bidding phase, which can lead to misunderstandings, wasted resources, and poor outcomes for the project.

Remember to include your own monetary and human resource costs in your internal budget estimate. Also allow for any costs associated with materials, transportation, or other expenses that a consultant may need to pass on to you. Clarify how expenses will be handled.

Clarify the timeline for the project. Remain flexible about the deadline, if possible, and realize that a fast-approaching deadline may impact the price quoted by the consultant. Expect the consultant to prepare a project outline that meets this timeline. Realize that it is not uncommon for a project with an unrealistically short deadline to end up being finished long after the same project would have been if you had allowed an extra few days or weeks from the start.

Sign a written contract with the consultant. This can often be as simple as signatures on the proposal submitted by the consultant, if all important matters were covered in that document.

Establish a project manager or producer to be the main contact for the consultant and to be responsible for all major decisions. Make sure this person has the knowledge and authority to make decisions and allocate necessary resources. The consultant should also assign one person from their staff who will have final responsibility for decisions and will handle most communication with you.

Maintain regular communication during the project, between project managers/producers on your staff and the consultant's. Expect to be shown incremental progress and to be asked to give your approval at major project milestones. Make sure you formalize these important decisions in writing--these milestones and approval areas should usually be agreed upon at the beginning of work. Do, however, trust your consultant and avoid micro-managing every detail and piece of work.

Before the project begins, agree upon cost and deadline implications of any change requests made by you, or changes to the scope of work, should these be necessary. Change requests and "scope creep" are common causes for disagreement and strained relations between clients and customers--recognize that "minor changes" add up quickly and can sometimes make the project financially untenable for the consultant. Conversely, if both parties have communicated well, and been realistic in their objectives, you will often find that a good consultant will make an extra effort on something, just to make sure you are happy with their services.

If something does go wrong with the project and relations begin to be strained, agree to take a break from the work for a couple of days or more. It will often be far easier, afterward, for both parties to understand the other party's point of view, to reach compromise, to correct a misunderstanding in a way that is satisfactory to all, and to get back to work.

Finally, make sure you will know how to use (and update, where relevant) new materials, documents, and plans created by the contractor. Include resources for training in the budget.

IN CONCLUSION

By following these guidelines, you should be well on your way to good results on your next project! While these may at first seem like a lot of unnecessary rules, or barriers to a speedy completion of your project, they will actually prepare for smooth and timely completion. It is much better to be clear about things from the start than to have to repeat work later; or worse, have a major disagreement which will strain relations and prove beneficial to neither party. There are many good consultants available who can bring specialist expertise and good management skills to your projects. A little extra help and relevant information might be a great investment in your future success. Best of luck with your work!

(Seattle, USA; August 2004)

Managing Your Business? Cash Flow

 by: Monte Zwang

You wouldn?t drive a car without a gas gauge or speedometer, and if you?re driving on an empty tank, you won?t get very far. Then why would you make financial decisions without the proper tools? Businesses must master controlling the flow of cash. Cash flow planning helps eliminate uncertainty, identify obstacles and move forward armed with information. With information you can make plans and changes to improve your business.

Why a Cash Flow Statement?

Many business owners believe their financial statements will give them all the information they need. Financial statements are an historical tool that shows you where your business has been. A Cash Flow is the fancy name for a working budget that tells you how much cash your business actually has. Working in sync with your balance sheet your cash flow should be an easy-to-read tool that allows you to monitor sales, costs, profitability, collections and cash. It allows you to plan for future cash needs for growth, while identifying operational issues requiring immediate action.

Successful cash flow planning does not require a degree in accounting. What you need is real-time understanding of where the cash is originating, where it is going, and how much is left over (just like you do at home). Businesses need to operate with a cash flow model that looks ahead one year, month by month, and is updated with actual results every week.

Create a Worksheet

The formula for successful cash flow management is deceptively simple. Money in. Money out. Money left over. If there isn?t any money left over, then you need to do something differently.

Start with Sales. Sales is work performed that is documented by cash register receipts, guest checks or invoices. Project the amount of sales you anticipate month-by-month starting with the current month. Sales should fluctuate when you consider the seasonality of your business. Break the sales into categories and be conservative.

Project your collections month by month. Collections are the money you put into the bank in the form of cash, checks or charge card vouchers. If Sales do not equal Collections, you either have accounts receivable or a cash control problem.

Review your expenses. Define your expenses into two major areas: Cost of Sales (expenses that fluctuate with sales such as product costs) and Overhead Expenses (expenses that do not fluctuate with sales). Define the cost percentages for your major sales categories. Forecast all other Overhead Expenses (rent, utilities, insurance, licenses, etc.). Project all expenses out in the month they will be paid.

Forecast your payroll. List your current and anticipated employees and categorize them as Cost of Sales labor or Overhead labor. Cost of Sales labor may be projected in part by a target labor cost percentage. Estimate payroll expense per employee (average hours worked, rate of pay) over the next twelve months.

Evaluate Your Profitability

With monthly sales and expenses projected, business profitability, feasibility and value can be determined. Total Sales minus Total Cost of Sales Expenses (including Cost of Sales payroll) minus Total Overhead Expenses (including Overhead payroll) equals Monthly Cash Reserve. This is also your profitability. Is there any money left?

What debt are you servicing? Evaluate this debt separately from your profitability. Debt takes many forms including notes, loans, credit cards, leases, and lines of credit. When businesses must restructure their debt in order to improve cash flow, lenders expect the business?s Balance Sheet to look a certain way in order to qualify for financing.

So, What?s Next?

Once this working budget is assembled, a break-even sales volume can be determined that generates enough profit to cover debt load and have no cash loss. Your cash flow objectives are now clarified and strategies can be implemented. Any issues that caused a cash flow problem will now be corrected.

With your Cash Flow mapped out, you have the beginning of control.

Cash Flow Planning brings financial stability to a business through pro-active budgeting, monitoring and adjustments. You will understand where you are today and what your options and priorities are. You will be able to forecast your cash needs and gain control of your business. With the use of a Cash Flow, your business will have more money and a road map for the future.

? Written by Monte Zwang of Steele Development Corporation, a consulting firm specializing in business development and financial strategies. You can reach Steele Development by calling 206.878.9666 or online at www.Steeledevelopment.com.

Seven Tips For Work-At-Home Motivation

 by: Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.

Considering a work-from-home business? Clients often say their biggest fear is loss of momentum. Here are ten tips to keep yourself motivated and productive.

(1) Build structure into your day.

Create a schedule and To Do list every evening for the next day, before you sign off for the day. (And yes ? it is important to sign off, even if you return later to complete a project.) Include breaks and email reading time.

(2) Define goals by numbers ("write 1000 words") instead of time ("2 hours on Mega account"). One of the joys of working at home is you get to quit when you?re finished ahead of schedule.

(2) Train friends and neighbors to respect your working hours.

Clients tell me about neighbors who say things like, "I told the UPS truck to leave the package at your house since you?re always home." Discourage phone calls with a prepared response, like "I will call you after four o?clock today." You will be tested. Prepare to hang tough.

(3) Get the family on board.

Deal with their concerns before you start and be prepared to show how you are creating a win-win situation. Clarify what counts as an emergency ? a valid reason to interrupt while you are working - and what can wait till dinnertime.

(4) Build breaks into your schedule.

When I started my own business, I was warned, "Plan to get out of the house! Otherwise you'll never leave your desk."

Frankly, I didn?t get it.

Why wouldn?t I take breaks? Now as I find myself answering just one more email, or adding two more paragraphs to an article, I see the clock move and realize I must stop if I want to get to the gym or the store before closing time.

Bonus Tip: A dog will force you to get moving, no matter what else is going on in your life.

(5) Make promises you will be motivated to keep.

My weekly ezine motivates me to write at least one article a week. You may be energized by company and client deadlines.

As your responsibilities grow, you will tend to accumulate more and more "real" deadlines and it?s easier to stay motivated. But in the early stages, you?re isolated, you?re working hard and results don?t appear immediately. That?s why some people hire coaches and consultants to create accountability.

(7) Give yourself time to test your commitment.

Not everyone enjoys the work-at-home option. My clients tell me they need six to twelve months to decide how they are responding to this arrangement. You may decide to return to a workplace where you can see real people everyday. Or you may get hooked on having a dog-friendly, gossip-free workplace where you can open the windows all year round.

No-Holds-Barred Conversation with Dan Lok - Part 1

 by: Dan Lok

Question: If you were starting out and had no references or a substantial resume, how would you go about finding paying customers for your services?

To answer your question, I'll assume you're a junior copywriter or marketing consultant.

When I first started out and didn't know a soul, I'd open the yellow pages and cold-call the business owners. I'd go to networking events and try to get business. (Sucks!)

Sometimes I'd do a little 'switchcraft' and call the companies who sent me direct mail letters.

Before I had a track record, I wrote a lot on a results-oriented basis. This is also know as a 'sink or swim' or 'thrive or starve' approach.

I'd write an ad or sales letter for a client, with the guarantee that if the ad didn't work, I didn't get paid. If the ad did work, I'd receive a flat fee.

Once I'd proven myself as a credible, conversion-oriented copywriter, I switched to requesting compensation based on a percentage of the sales. Ultimately, I changed to a flat fee, plus a percentage.

It wasn't easy. It's a good thing that 'thin is in' because I've been through a lot of lean and hungry months. I got ripped off so many times I can't even count them. Understand... I'm not saying this is what you should do, but that's what I DID.

In the beginning, you have to be pretty much shameless and willing to check your ego at the door. Be prepared to take on any kind of job for any kind of price. You want to make yourself damn busy. You want the law of supply and demand to work in your favor.

Your goal is to build up a portfolio of satisfied clients as quickly as humanly possible.

If it soothes your wounded ego, think of the process as 'earning as you're learning.' By taking a wide variety of jobs, you'll not only hone your skills a hell a lot faster, you'll also build up a reputation as someone who's 'earned his chops.'

And don't forget to collect testimonials.

Success breeds success.

Ultimately, just like me, when you're in demand, you'll be able to name your own price and do business on your own terms. If a prospect has a problem with how much you charge, you don't need to have a problem with them.

All you have to say is, NEXT!'

Don't worry, if you're good at what you do, you don't have to 'settle for less.' (If you're not good at what you do, and aren't striving to make yourself better, you have no business being in business.)

Here's another plus about providing good value: your clients will tell other people about you. You won't have to go looking for clients; clients will come looking for you. That's the position you want to be in?at the head of the 'receiving line,' picking and choosing your clients.

Your skills are in demand. The business world needs good copywriters. And good copywriters are rare. So the pro's in this profession are always in high demand.

As a marketing consultant or copywriter, you're better off if you don't have to engage in actively persuading prospects to hire you. You're in a much more powerful position, of course, if they come to you.

An excellent way to make yourself the 'go-to' writer that everyone wants is to establish yourself as an expert. Writing a book, creating a website and speaking at events are all excellent ways to gain a reputation as 'Miss Information' or 'Mr. Know-It-All.'

Question: What's an easy way to deal with lingering doubts and questions about an offer with the best ways to create urgency and compel people to act now?

As any good copywriter or marketer will tell you, overcoming resistance is essential to closing a sale. And as any successful copywriter or marketer may keep secret, there are essentially 5 foolproof ways to create a sense of urgency.

1) Limited Time

Time waits for no man, and neither should your offer. Set a time limit to send a clear message that says, 'You must act NOW.' Be sure to state a very specific deadline. Dont say 'This offer will expire soon.'

Do say, 'This offer will expire on July 20, 2004' or 'This offer will expire at midnight on June 12th' or 'This offer will expire in 10 days.' I think you know what I mean.

2) Limited Quantity

What do diamonds, vintage wine, and a triple-play in baseball have in common? They're valuable because they exist in limited quantity. Give your 'Widget' the same value by advertising that only a limited number of these Widgets were produced. Or say that only a limited number of these Widgets will be sold.

Again, be very specific. The above example should really read: 'Only 341 of these Widgets will be sold at this special 38%-off discount price.'

For a double-whammy, add a little financial incentive to your limited quantity offer: 'Only a limited number of these Widgets will be sold at THIS special price' or 'Only a limited number of these FREE BONUES will be given out.'

3) Exclusivity

People want to feel special and like they're getting something that other people aren't. Thats why the 'golf club members only' deal work so well...

4) Superiority

I've got an ego, you've got an ego, and you can bet your sales message that your prospect has an ego. Appeal to it with offers that say, 'This deal is ONLY for action takers.' and 'This deal is ONLY for successful people.'

5) Popularity

People like things that are popular and they trust what other people like... even if they don't know those people. It's the reason that restaurateurs always put customers in the front windows...you don't want a prospective diner looking in on a bunch of empty seats...

People like to be part of the 'popular crowd' and they also don't want to experience the pain of being on the outside looking in. So stir up the pain and remind your visitors what they will miss out or lose if they dont act now.

These two tactics are a one-two punch that will knock consumers right out of their lethargy and right into your offer.