business - Pivotal

5 Places you can use Story to Grow your Business (besides public speaking)

Right now, under the banner of a business called Pivotal Public Speaking, I am teaching small business owners about story - story for speakers? ... not altogether ...

If you are speaking to grow your business, then story is vital. It gives you credibility. It creates a deep engagement with your audience of potential clients. Most powerfully, though, it allows you to take a potential client into your business with you so that they feel, and hear, just what it is like to work with you, just what exactly it is that you do for them.

That is "if you are speaking ..."

The stories that you choose and tell, about your business, though, can then be used and re-used elsewhere with exactly the same power.

1. You can use them on the "About" page of your website/blog/web presence. They give that same level of engagement, credibility and awareness, that will have your web visitors clicking through to find out more.

2. You can use them on your sales pages. Let your prospective buyers know that you understand their pain and problems. Let them see your product in action. This is word of mouth marketing - online!

3. You can use them in conversations. You connect at a networking event. What more natural and yet powerful way of deepening that connection is there, than story? People arrive at your product display. Conversation, and story, will give them the human face of your business, your product, your service. And people do tend to buy people first. We know that, though often instictively.

4. You can use your story/stories in your social media marketing. On the surface this means sharing stories about your business - regularly. Facebook loves stories. Distill them down for twitter into tiny conversational pieces. Give them "corporate" style, if you need to, for LinkedIn. Under the surface, though, your brand story drives all that you do in social media. Confine all that you do, say and share to that defined specific story and you establish a strong brand presence.

5. Finally, you can use your stories when you are teaching. Many speaking engagements revolve around teaching about something in your business. Many businesses revolve around teaching something. Here the power of story is perfect for you because it creates engagement, it helps overcome objections to new ideas and it is a vital tool in the integration of brain function so necessary to successful learning.

So in "teaching" story, I am excited to be giving people far more than just a speaking tool, though it is certainly that.

If you are interested in learning more about story, either simply as a speaking tool, or as a tool to grow your business, why don't you join me?

You will learn

How to use stories for different outcomes.

How to draw an audience into your world or your business using story.

4 of the basic types of business story and where to find the ones in your business/life that will be more effective when you speak.

Story structure - the elements and processes of story and how to apply them and which ones work best in different situations.

How to integrate story into your speaking - how it fits into the structure of your presentation, how to use your voice, stage and stage presence to greatest effect and how to remember it.

Integrated into the program is a thread of how you use story to propel your personal growth, the growth of your business and your vision for the future

This is small group workshop format. In all of my workshops I find people learn much from each other, as they are learning from me, and I intend to maintain that.

The next workshop intake will be available later in the year. If you would like to be notified, please send me a message from my contact page and I will keep you in the loop.

Books, Public speaking, public speaking business

21 Ways to Make Money Speaking

ARE YOU READY TO MAKE MONEY - WITH YOUR MOUTH? Inside these pages, discover: 21 specific descriptions that show you exactly how to make money, Exactly what you can expect to be paid as a professional speaker in various settings, The fastest, easiest way to be prepared to speak at a moment's notice, and more! These sometimes small, but impactful steps will bring you an inner peace and allow you to breathe this holiday season. Start your holidays off right and stress-free with the strategies in this book!
http://bit.ly/1ccxCk1

Books

Join the revolution and be a … Career Renegade

Career Renegade

Jonathan Fields

There’s a revolution brewing across the nation--a movement that’s changing lives and revealing little known paths to passion and prosperity.

It’s about building a great living around what you love to do most. Once you’ve been touched by it, you’ll never be the same. This book is your way in, your admission ticket to the world of the career renegade.

Jonathan Fields, mega-firm lawyer turned successful lifestyle entrepreneur, blogger and writer shows you how to turn your passion–whether it’s cooking or copy-writing, teaching or playing video games–into a better payday and a richly satisfying life.

* Discover the 7 career renegade paths to prosperity
* Tap technology to turn a seemingly moneyless passion into a goldmine
* Rapidly test and tune your idea for free, from the comfort of your couch
* Establish yourself as an authority in a new field with little or no investment
* Cultivate the mission-driven, action-oriented career renegade mindset
* Rally others to your cause, and convince them you’re not nuts

Join the movement now…and take back your livelihood and life!

Fields provides pragmatic strategies for creating a realistic business plan, exploiting technology and employing affordable guerilla marketing.

The first part involves discovering one’s secret passion, via a few exercises. What makes the journey with this author worthwhile are his sections on determining the exact work path (yes, via research on the Internet) and on developing a business. The references and ideas will inspire; he also interviews quite a few renewed careerists.

The book is available from Book Depository or Amazon

Yes, these are affiliate links and I will earn a few cents if you buy through them. Thanks in advance!!

inspiration, inspiring stories, Success

Don't put your big dreams on layaway

It was a stormy night many years ago when an elderly couple entered the hotel lobby on the outskirts of a mountain resort area and asked for a room.

"I'm very sorry," responded the night clerk. "We're completely full and so are all the other hotels in the area, but I can't imagine sending you out into the storm again. Why don't you stay in my room?" the young man offered with a smile. "It may not be a luxury suite, but it's clean. I need to finish my bookkeeping here in the office."

The distinguished-looking man and woman seemed uncomfortable, but they graciously accepted his offer. When the gentleman went to pay the bill the next morning, the clerk was still at the desk and said, "Oh, I live here full-time, so there's no charge for the room. You don't need to worry about that."

The older man nodded and said to the clerk, "You're the kind of person that every hotel owner dreams about having as a staff member. Maybe someday I'll build a hotel for you." The hotel clerk was flattered, but the idea sounded so outrageous that he was sure the man was joking.

A few years passed and the hotel clerk was still at the same job. One day he received a registered letter from the man. The letter expressed his vivid recollections of that stormy night, along with an invitation and a round-trip ticket for the hotel clerk to visit him in New York. Arriving a few days later in Manhattan, the clerk was met by the distinguished gentleman at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Thirty-fourth Street, where a magnificent, new building stood.

"That," exclaimed the man, "is the hotel I've built for you to run! I told you at the time that it might happen and today you can see that I was serious."

The clerk was stunned. "What's the catch? Why me? Who are you anyway?" he stammered. "My name is William Waldorf Astor. And there is no catch. You are the person I want managing this property for me."

That hotel was the original Waldorf Astoria, and the name of the young clerk who accepted the first managerial position was George C. Boldt.

This is a true story, and there's a personal message in it for us. Why do we need a benefactor to come along and make us believe in our dreams? How is it that an outsider can perceive more potential in us than we can sometimes see in ourselves?

Usually, we hold ourselves back because of a little voice from the child of our past that recalls foolish mistakes we made or rejections we experienced. Don't listen to those doubts and fears.

This week, don't put your big dreams on layaway. Focus on believing you are worth the effort.

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Reproduced with permission from the Denis Waitley Ezine. To subscribe to Denis Waitley's Ezine, go to www.deniswaitley.com or send an email with Join in the subject to subscribe@deniswaitley.com Copyright 2005 Denis Waitley International. All rights reserved worldwide.

videos

Aim for service and success will follow

“Aim for service and success will follow”

Albert Schweitzer

A powerful and key component of an organization is great customer service.

It is about building relationships and caring for people. Regardless of your job or position within an organization we can all make a difference if we have the courage to try.

The movie, The Simple Truths of Service, shares an inspiring story of service.

The beautiful story of Johnny, the grocery store bagger truly captures the essence of service.

It takes only 3 minutes to watch it, and it brings service and life into perspective.

The Simple truths of Service - Watch it here

Books, Public speaking, public speaking business

Million Dollar Speaking: The Professional's Guide to Building Your Platform

Alan Weiss

Make your move into, or improve your position in, the powerful world of professional speaking
If you think you have what it takes to speak professionally, or you've already been doing so with insufficient reward, now is the time to make your move. => http://bit.ly/13QGLwa

Lifestyle

Simple Steps to Declutter Your Office

Can you stand staying in an office where there are many clutters? What I mean is there are many things on top of your desk, piles of reports are everywhere, magazines are not organized and papers are scattered on the floor. Having this kind of office, can you still locate easily what you need to accomplish your task? Can you maintain your productivity with the many clutters all around you? If your answer is NO, let me help you with the simple steps to declutter your office.

A clutter free office is very important since you will be welcoming visitors to stay in your office while discussing important matters. Sometimes your boss checks your office to monitor you. There are also times that you need the important files to be part of your reports. If all your things are messing around your office, you will not be productive in your daily tasks. With this, you have to start organizing your office.

One of the simple ways to declutter your office is to remove unnecessary equipments. Since you will not need them, then, start removing them to have a bigger space in your office. If you think that you have lots of shelves already in your office, remove some of it or give it to other offices that need extra shelves. Get rid also of boxes which make your office looks untidy. Place all your things or office supplies to the right storage. With this, you will be amazed of the extra space that you can use onwards.

Moreover, declutter your office by maintaining a clean desktop. Place only the important things you need on top of your table. Get away with those things that have no bearing in your work. However, if you think that you need to place some extra papers on your desk, you can use a tray or folders that will keep them intact. Use also drawer organizers to maintain the cleanliness of your drawers. Using these organizers will help you to search easily the items that you need to use.

Labels are very important when you want to have an organized filing of your documents and reports. This helps to minimize clutters in your office. Whether you have a quarterly or monthly reports to put together, indicating labels will help you have an easy access to these documents. It will also keep you reminded that you have to put your documents back to its appropriate storage. Furthermore, use an erase board to keep you on track with the different events that you might be involved in your company.

These are the simple steps to declutter your office. Once you have a clutter-free office, be sure to maintain them so that your clutters will not pile up. Keep your office clean for you to have a healthy working environment that would translate to your increasing productivity.
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Author: Bhadra Patel invites you to FREE report! "Discover How To Quickly And Easily DeClutter Your Home In 3 Easy Steps" That's Right - This FREE Report Will Show You How You Too Can Finally DeClutter And Organize Your Home In 3 Easy Steps. Get it here: Http://www.DECLUTTERHELP.ORG.

Books

Re-write the corporate rule book with Re-Imagine

It's crunch time - learn to re-write the corporate rule book with management guru Tom Peters

We're in a new business climate and we'd better make some big changes. And what changes does Peters propose--or, shall I say, demand? Try these on for size:

* Basing all business (from the smallest department to the biggest megacorp) on projects and the professional service firm model, thus increasing value.

* Embracing branding and design--and providing experiences to Clients rather than just products and services.

* Charging after new markets: Boomers, seniors and--especially--women.

* Relentlessly pursuing talent, especially among (again) women.

* Rebuilding education to prepare young minds for the new world they will soon face.

" Author, provocateur, and business visionary Tom Peters is recognized around the globe as one of the most influential and revolutionary management gurus of the last century. The author of more than 10 best-selling books on innovative business practices, including the groundbreaking In Search of Excellence, Peters gives more than 100 major seminars each year and serves as the chairman of Tom Peters Company.

Buy the book - The Book Depository or Amazon

Yes those are affiliate links, and I will earn a few cents

if you buy the book through them. Thank you!!

words

The Most Annoying, Pretentious and Useless Business Jargon

The next time you feel the need to reach out, touch base, shift a paradigm, leverage a best practice or join a tiger team, by all means do it. Just don’t say you’re doing it.

If you have to ask why, chances are you’ve fallen under the poisonous spell of business jargon. No longer solely the province of consultants, investors and business-school types, this annoying gobbledygook has mesmerized the rank and file around the globe.

“Jargon masks real meaning,” says Jennifer Chatman, management professor at the University of California-Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. “People use it as a substitute for thinking hard and clearly about their goals and the direction that they want to give others.”

To save you from yourself (and to keep your colleagues and customers from strangling you), we have assembled a cache of expressions to assiduously avoid.

=> http://yhoo.it/zRWB1G