Tag Archive for: business
From the reviews
Is the customer always right?
According to Danny Meyer, one of America's leading restaurateurs, the answer is no--but "they must always feel heard."
In this landmark book, Danny shares the lessons he's learned while developing the winning recipe for doing the business he calls "enlightened hospitality."
This innovative philosophy emphasizes putting the power of hospitality to work in a new and counterintuitive way: The first and most important application of hospitality is to the people who work for you, and then, in descending order of priority, to the guests, the community, the suppliers, and the investors.
This way of prioritizing stands the more traditional business models on their heads, but Danny considers it the foundation of every success that he and his restaurants have achieved.
He hired "genuine, happy, optimistic" people.
They shared their good feelings with customers.
And customers felt liked and valued.
They became regulars --- and if the secret of a successful long-term enterprise
If you're like most people, you probably measure your qualifications by your technical skills...
Your ability to design a web site...
Your ability to write sales copy...
Your ability to drive traffic...
But the reality is, NONE of that matters.
Building a business is a FORMULA. If you can understand instructions and follow the formula, you WILL make money online.
So if it's that simple, why do SO MANY people fail at it?
Personality!
See, there are certain personality traits -- inherent in some, but LEARNED by others -- that allow people to easily succeed, and other traits that cause people to constantly FAIL.
If you could identify those traits, wouldn't you have a better chance at being successful?
Well, here's your opportunity to find out...
... because I've been authorized by none other than Derek Gehl *himself* to offer you a FREE copy of his brand-new report, which lays out the exact traits necessary to succeed online.
The report is available now and is based on Derek's personal observations following a DECADE of working with thousands of successful Internet entrepreneurs from around the world.
http://www.marketingtips.com/qualify/t/1087521
And like I said: he's allowing me to offer a copy to all of my best customers for free... no strings attached.
When you get it, you can do one of two things:
1. Nothing... which is definitely an "unsuccessful trait".
2. Study it and figure out if you have the inherent prerequisites for success, or if you need to LEARN them.
So if you would like a copy of this report, for FREE, go to:
http://www.marketingtips.com/qualify/t/1087521
... and follow the instructions there!
All the best,
Bronwyn
with Rogene Baxter, RN, MA, CMC
Having a successful speaking/training/consulting business takes careful focus on consistent practices that can make or break your profitability. You’ve heard about spending time ON the business, not just IN the business — but what fun is that when you’d rather be speaking? Talented presenters have gone broke because they didn’t know how to squeeze the most profit from each engagement. If you don’t know how to do this you might be one of them.
Rogene has had a highly successful practice for nearly three decades. Clients flock to her for six-figure engagements. She’s figured out the small business practices that pay off big and keep her and a bevy of subcontractors thriving.
You will learn:
- why to start with a business mind-set
- how to develop formulas to more accurately determine fees in proposals so you are not underpricing your services
- what key components to include in a contract to ensure your IP is protected
- how to make sure you are paid on time and ramifications if you are not
- how to you make sure you’re paid regularly for more than one-time engagements
- ways to assure you are making what you think you are
- what you should know about using subcontractors to extend your impact and business
Register or order the CD or MP3 recording
Date: Thursday, June 26
Time: 7:00 pm Eastern, 6 pm Central, 5 pm Mountain, 4 pm Pacific
Length: 60 minutes
Cost: $25
Special Limited-Time Offer:
If you want more information on ways to run your business more profitably, we’re offering a special discount — only $10 each (while quantities last) — on the audiotapes (note: not CDs or MP3s) of two earlier programs to complement Rogene’s program:
- “Don’t Grow Your Career — Build a Business” with Rita Risser, JD, CSP
- “Profitable Proposals For Contracts Beyond One-Time Events” with Warren Evans, CSP
- “Make More Money By Doing Less: How to Leverage One Engagement into Profitable Results for Your Clients and Your Bottom Line” with Lorna Riley, CSP
With your order of Rogene’s teleseminar, CD or MP3, at checkout you will be offered these tapes and transcripts at a special discounted price of $10/each. This offer expires July 15.
Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win
by William C. Taylor (Author), Polly G. Labarre (Author)
This is a business book thankfully written by people in the business of writing. The writers' lexicon and grammatical use well exceeds that ordinarily used by the "big names" in corporate America who too often attempt to engage in writing about business. This is comforting.
In Mavericks at Work, Fast Company cofounder William C. Taylor and Polly LaBarre, a longtime editor at the magazine, give you an inside look at the "most original minds in business" wherever they find them: from Procter & Gamble to Pixar, from gold mines to funky sandwich shops. some well known and others making for fresh and inspiring copy for the jaded business reader. There's an underlying theme here - that old school business methods will lead to financial quagmires. In that context the likes of Ford (yesterday's hero company in books like Built to Last) look like today's losers.
William Taylor and Polly LaBarre argue that the real head-to-head competition in business today isn't process versus process, or even idea versus idea, but rather "values system versus values system." The business leaders who inspire them and who, they argue, are leading the way into the future, are the ones who have rethought the very idea of business, the market, and both internal and external collaboration. A big part of their book applies the model of open-source software and technology-development to the business, and describes how various corporations have harnessed technology and the world's intellectual resources to solve business problems.
But the technological angle is only part of what makes someone a "maverick at work." Another major focus of the book is on companies that have created an energetic and innovative corporate culture that truly inspires employees and delights customers.
This book is basically cut into four components: (1) business should be contrarian; (2) group thinking far surpasses the thoughts of individuals; (3) businesses succeed when they increase/improve customer relations; and (4) businesses are only as good as their employees.
The premise is that the successful businesses of the future must not follow the success stories (models) of the past. Instead, if the business has an asset of value -- e.g. technology, personal service industry -- and implements the above-recited four components, it may succeed. The authors imply that if same business uses the old model, it shall fail.
Want to stop doing business as usual? Then take some lessons from the 32 maverick companies Taylor and LaBarre profile.
It's often hard to tell, when reading a book like this one, whether the authors have really hit on an important insight grounded in solid evidence and research, or instead invented a marketable idea and cherry-picked instances and examples that "prove" their point. Although perhaps the passage of time is the only way to tell for sure, I argue "Mavericks at Work" really has seized on something important. That makes this a valuable read, not only for current and wannabe-future business leaders, but for anyone who ... well ... works for a living.
Use Speaking to Get More Clients
Speaking and making presentations that form memorable experiences, entertain and convey a high impact message can be a very profitable way to grow your business. In fact, public speaking is very comfortable for most lawyers. Like opera singers, many of us love to hear the sound of our voice. Whether it’s summing up to a jury or arguing a case before the Supreme Court, many lawyers are born speakers. Not only will speaking demonstrate your knowledge and expertise, but it will also allow you to develop an emotional bond with your audience. Speaking offers prestige, credibility, visibility, and can be a lot of fun.
Listen to Steve Markman tell you how to do it...Download steve_markman.mp3
The most successful business leaders today are like great coaches who manage by inspiration, instead of intimidation. The command and control, management style is obsolete. In this fast forward global marketplace, there is no such distinction as superior and subordinate. The key to getting and staying on top is to provide a resilient, positive working environment. This requires that you "check your ego at the door" and that you seek alliances with others who may have different talents or strengths than you do. This is what synergy is all about.
David Ogilvy, founder of giant advertising agency, Ogilvy and Mather, used to give each new manager a Russian doll, which contained five progressively smaller dolls inside. A message inside the smallest one read: "If each of us hires people we consider smaller than ourselves, we shall become a company of dwarves. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we will become a company of giants."
To become a giant in the eyes of others, and to succeed in the 21st century, look up to those beneath you! Consider these action ideas as you lead your team:
1. Listen often and openly to what others say, and try to do so without prejudgment.
2. Don't put anyone off or be too busy to listen to and answer questions.
3. Use praise frequently and sincerely.
4. If you feel that criticism is warranted, do it in private, and make sure you say something encouraging after the reprimand.
5. Be firm and be fair. Don't meet with people in person or on the phone when you are angry. Exercise or take a walk first, then communicate when you are relaxed.
6. Don't be afraid or hesitant to share your concerns with others. Far better to discuss a molehill, than to wait until it festers into Mt. Everest.
7. Don't make rash promises and be consistent.
8. Whenever you are in a leadership role, focus your supervision on teaching effective habits and skills, not in pointing out mistakes.
Encourage everyone in both your personal and professional life to speak up and express their own ideas, even if you disagree with them.
Denis Waitley
Reproduced with permission from the Denis Waitley Weekly Ezine. To subscribe to Denis Waitley's Weekly Ezine, go to www.deniswaitley.com or send an email with Join in the subject to subscribe@deniswaitley.com Copyright Denis Waitley International. All rights reserved worldwide.