Ending the Year on a Positive Note - Spreety.com -- Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!Finally Something Positive About the Recession - Spreety.com

To date, I have seen very little positive actions come out of this recession
and a lot of people are in what Maslow refers to as the Safety Level - Step 2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs> ). Many are in Step 1 - Basics.

They say that necessity is the Mother of Invention. We all hear, read and
some of us are experiencing this state - managing to necessity. Being at the second level of a five level hierarchy is not a fun place to be. Many are being sensible and keeping expenses under control, eliminating unnecessary costs, adapting to new ways of living, etc. One way that they are doing this is by limiting entertainment expense by watching TV, sports and movies at home - many on the computer.


One good thing that I have seen arise from the ash of this rough recession is spreety.com. It is my understanding that the co-founders started this for themselves and their family. It has now grown to cover the new hit show "Fairy Job Mother", "Glee", "First 48", " Top Model" and networks like "A&E", "HBO", "NBA", "NCAA", "QVC", "MTV", "Nick", and many more. Unlike most computer TV options, there is not a long waiting time before the shows are available and as computer screens are becoming larger and with greater resolution, this is a savvy option to a $100 - $200 monthly cable bill. In addition, since programs can be replayed, it negates the reason for a DVR
-- more savings.

This concept makes me ask two questions:

1.   Will we see more innovations like spreety.com birthed during the
recession?

2.   Will your next "TV" be a computer with a large high resolution screen?

With hope for the human condition and the support of necessity breeding
invention, I raise my glass to spreety.com and others from whom great ideas will come!

Time to Reflect on 2010 - Feel Prepared for 2011 – Are You Ready?

Today is a short day for most businesses in terms of operating hours. Most of you let your staff go home early today and give them tomorrow off. – Yeah for them.

The bad news is that the time clock never stops for most leaders, C-Level Execs, GMs and CEOs. So while you can pat yourself on the back for being a great boss and giving staff (much needed) time to recharge so they can come back and service your business — unfortunately, for you, my friend, it is CRUNCH TIME.

Those being said, take tomorrow—especially the eve --to celebrate that you are still kickin’! I’m not going to post the numbers, but you know, a lot of your brethren did not make it. SO CELEBRATE! And, if you are into it, or your social or family circle is into it, enjoy football games on New Year’s Day. Yell, scream, cheer and get it all out in the all American way--- the Rose Bowl ;)

And then, be thankful that the calendar is in your favor and you can still focus, intensely, on your business before heading back to work on Monday. Many of your staff will start off by coming in groggy, but as I warned you earlier, you should have prepared them to come in on the first work day of 2011 ready to kick butt. If you have to “remind’ them or feel it is a good faith measure, call a first morning meeting with critical staff and GET THEM MOTIVATED. Now, this isn’t license to KA, it is a license to motivate. Example: Kevin (in charge of logistics) your goal is to have expenses reduced by X % by the end of Q1 and/or profitability up by X%. Sally, (in charge of client service) your goal is to increase billable hours by X % by the end of Q1 and so on…..Then, make yourself available THE FIRST WEEK as a consultant to them to figure out how to accomplish their goals (Hopefully, they took you seriously earlier and have a plan). Then have weekly (or daily if someone gets off track) meetings to hopefully celebrate everyone’s progress. And PLEASE reward them weekly if they succeed. It is such a low cost yet effective method to achieve results and so many people just disregard it or think that it is their job anyway so why reward them? Let me give you a simple example why: I took a group of ho-hum lead generators who were well paid and held daily “recognition” – not beat up sessions—and increased quality and quantity lead production by 400% in three months. And when one of the lead clients took one of those leads and turned it into a $1 million + sale, our contract with that client doubled and the staff felt great.

So, my main message to you on this day, 2 days before the New Year is to celebrate survival – until Sunday morning, then get ready to lead with strength and provide mentoring on Monday. Whether you believe you should have to help staff succeed or not, DO IT. After all, YOU are the leader for a reason – so share your knowledge with others who need it so that in the end, you succeed and your clients succeed  -- and you live another day.  

Happy  New Year! ~ Mary

New Budgets Start For Many in 3 Days - Is That a Good or Bad Thing?

Make Your List (Budget) and Check It Twice -

No. I’m not talking about your shopping list! (Although, if you haven't already - be sure to recognize those closest to you and show them your appreciation for all that they do. It's not too late! And even the smallest recognition gift can mean the world to those who work so hard for the success of your company.)

I’m talking about your P&L. I know it is a dreaded word and an even more dreaded process, but take a look at your results to date and more importantly, your projections. As you look at your projections, ask yourself these questions:

·         Are these realistic? Or was I bullied into these numbers? If they are realistic – great. If you were bullied into high projections, use this time to pull out all the stops, include everyone who could get you there (to those numbers) and come up with a solid plan to hit them.

·         Do I have the staff to hit my projections? If the answer is no, get hiring IMMEDIATELY. If you have not built in a budget for additional staff, well shame on you! Whether you need them or not, always ask for help. Let me repeat that....Whether you need them or not, always ask for help. If you didn’t you are in a very difficult situation and I have only seen three solutions to this problem and not all of them are pretty:

1.       Increase your projections to cover the cost of additional staff –ouch, right?!

2.       Review your existing staff and look for an opportunity to restructure and lay off 1, 1 ½ or 2 people in non revenue producing areas and replace them with new positions that are revenue producing with a combined payroll cost to the person(s) you laid off.  That one hurt even to write, but if you don’t ask for help, up front, very difficult choices need to be made. (You can try commission only positions but these don’t always produce the best candidates, but in this economy, you might get lucky.)

3.       Put your tail between your legs and fess up to your boss that you screwed up and didn’t include the necessary costs (human or other resources) to achieve your goal. This could be very risky as the boss may have been the person who forced the numbers on you in the first place. It could be suicide. On the other hand, you know your boss (or should) and he/she might appreciate the frankness and vision and time to remedy the problem versus finding out later that you just haven’t met your goal. I can’t recommend this strategy to you as only you know if your boss would be receptive to such honesty. But, I can say, go in with a solid plan justifying the additional resources and what their specific contributions will be in achieving your goals. Good luck if you choose this one—and let me know how it goes if you do.

Don't make the mistake of starting off on the wrong or unstable or scary foot. Start off with the truth and a solid plan to get there. The truth may hurt in the short run--but when you hit your goals-- everyone will forget that you asked for help up front. *Hint* If yo get htehelp and hot your numbers, send a personal thank you note to your boss for making it possible. Alos thank your tema -- obvious.

Get out the excel sheet, calculator, forecst sheets, etc., etc., and get real. And then write a plan that will really hit the target.

I am a dynamo at this exercise so if I can help, PLEASE ASK! it would be my pleasure and honor to assist you in making a realistic polan that you feel confident. I can also help you too present your plan and rationale for staff additions, if you need help.

GOOD LUCK and get crackin'!

4 days and ticking until the ned of the Tax Year -- Ready?

  

This is such a complex area that if you don't have help doing it and have plenty of money and don't care if you pay too much in taxes, then don't read this.

That's not most business people. Every dollar saved is a dollar they can re-invest in their business or report to their stock holders or investors. So in that case, GET A GOOD TAX PROFESSIONAL!

Just because you have a bookkeeper, doesn't mean you are ok. I cannot tell you how many situations I have gone into where a business "thinks" they are covered and I bring in experts and we find large and sometimes small amounts of money that they would not have paid in taxes had we not come in.

Conversely, I've been in situations with highly paid CFOs or independent CPAs who got "just enough" of a chunk of return annually that everyone was complacent and um er--fat and happy. Then, when I was called in for an overall "health check" (in all areas) , when we got to the finances, my independent people found everything from borderline ethical practices to good tax results for the client but horrid advice and practice for the longevity of the company -- and worse. So be sure your Financial Team is in sync and cares about you and your business, holistically.

My main point in this is that this is the perfect time to take your taxes seriously. Consider a second opinion, consider and budget for a health check of your entire organization, including your taxes, operations, inventory management, HR practice, marketing, et al. It will pay for itself over and over again and a good, honest and objective person (like me ;)!) might tell you things you don't like hearing but they want what is best for your business to succeed -- so listen.

Below are some tax tips sourced from many places and people. The advice may or may not apply to your situation but are worth reviewing with your tax person (or second opinion). I must disclaim that I AM NOT a tax expert. I bring in those guns when I'm on an assignment to ensure that my clients are well taken care of.

With that being said, here are some ideas -- again some may apply to you ---some may not --and laws are constantly changing and country laws differ dramatically.

·         No-income-tax states - Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. These have lured the likes of Tiger Woods, who reportedly moved to Florida simply to avoid additional tax. While a move may seem like a huge commitment, a move across the border from Oregon to Washington, for example, could mean more than 10% of your pay stays in your wallet.

·         Consider incorporating in Delaware – discuss this with your tax accountant

       •This one may seem obvious but it is why I STRONGLY recommend that you record your expenses. Claim work related expenses - If you are self-employed, you can deduct allowable expenses from your gross profits before paying tax on the remaining amount. If you work from home you can also claim for a share of heating and lighting and other bills, such as water tax and mortgage interest.

• Give to charity – Not only in this time of need is it the right thing to do but it can be to your advantage. If you review your finances now with your tax professional, they can guide you as to the amount that would benefit you and you still have time to do it! Also, in some countries, there are extra tax advantages for age groups.

• Avoid tax on savings - In some areas, a non-tax payer (like a minor) or an aged person whose income is below the tax threshold, can fill up out a proper form to get interest paid free of tax. Also discuss other tax free savings plans with your banker.

• If you are recently divorced or an empty nester, consider taking on a renter. In some areas, if the annual rent is under a certain amount, you need not declare your income.

• Make a salary sacrifice. - You can voluntarily agree to a salary sacrifice. This tactic means that you want to be paid less but would take the compensation for this by additional contributions to your pension or by tax-free, non-cash benefits, such as childcare vouchers etc. Your tax and national insurance (NI) bill will drop as your gross income is reduced.

• Pension payments - You are eligible to get tax relief by paying into a pension option. Big savings can be made by those who pay income tax at 40 percent during their working lives and then pay tax at a lower rate after they retire.

• Carry forward losses - If you are self-employed you can cut the amount of tax you need to pay by carrying forward losses from previous years. Check on this. Some areas have a longer waiting period than one year.

• Child trust fund - Interest on money in a CTF is tax-free.

• Assets transfer - If a married couple, or civil partners, pay tax at different rates, they can cut their tax bill by transferring ownership of savings and investments.

• Write off anything that helps you make money. Here are a few examples:

1. Transportation expenses (car, fuel, repairs, rentals etc).

2. Office expenses (papers, advertising, staples, books etc).

3. Furniture (filing cabinets, desks, tables etc).

4. Computers, phones, cell phones & other electronic gadgets.

5. Special tools or devices needed.

6. Special equipment.

7. Apparel or uniforms.

8. Food or entertainment.

This list can go on & on if you are a business owner that has spent any expense to incur an income. If you are an employee then you may not be able to write off anything unless let's say you own a home based business. An employee that owns a home based business can then write off expenses but it would be best to consult a professional accountant before attempting to write off anything.

To add some pithiness to this serious topic, here is a short and amusing list of things that some people have written off in the past:

1. Breast implants.

2. Animal depreciation.

3. Cat food.

4. Body oil.

5. Clarinet lessons.

6. Dentures.

Think Taxes- get your ducks in a row before the end of the year. Even if you report quarterly, take these ideas and discuss them with your tax professional this exercise will empower you to get on top of it.  

Good luck!

April 15 is months away - but December 31 is Days Away - Hint: Taxes!

If you haven't already, it is time to go full blown on your taxes. It isn't a jog to December 31 --it is a sprint!

Tomorrow I will outline some possible ideas to help you pay less in taxes....but until then....especially for those of you in small business who do your own bookkeeping..... start recording everything NOW!

Then, make a New Year's Resolution to keep up with it EVERY DAY...Yes....I said EVERY DAY.

This not only saves you the pain staking chore of doing it all year end...but you will see, daily, where your money is going. You will also begin to see patterns and opportunities for more tax saving opportunities.

So..until tomorrow's list of possible tax saving ideas---get cracking and get your expenses documented...NOW!

See you tomorrow.

Assignment for Today and (hopefully) Yesterday

This is simple.

But important.

I hope you had a beautiful day yesterday, enjoyed friends and family - that was your assignment for yesterday!

Today your assignment is also simple.

But important.

Take today to recharge your batteries as you prepare for the sprint to the finish.

Read one of the books you received (or bought for your self), watch a funny movie, take a nap, eat healthy (at least healthier than you did yesterday;) !), or do whatever you enjoy and include others --or not. Do what makes you happy.

Tomorrow wwe'll start the sprint --so rest up!

8 Short Days Until 2011 – Enjoy, Reward and Praise – What a Great Day!

I know this is starting to sound like an HR blog (!) but I promise you that after the 25^th, we are going to get into the “heavies” i.e.; taxes, Q4 results and what it means to your Q1 Plans, the establishment of actions to keep your finger on the pulse of your competitors, your bottom line, your realistic (or not) projections and much more.

If you are in an industry where you are open all day long today, then be the joyful leader and regardless of issues you may have present a cheerful leadership enthusiasm  to all – even the guy/gal whose performance makes your blood boil---deal with it later. It will be infectious to your employees and customers (if you interact with customers today). Remember the old saying that the fish rots from the head down, well enthusiasm is even more powerful and contagious when it germinates from the top.  

Enjoy the day and take on a fun role - after all – it has been a tough year! By making people feel good,  they will do likewise. If you recall, Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Pay It Forward showed us what a difference each of us can make with this powerful concept in a book and then later a movie.

 But ... and a VERY BIG BUT here is …..if it is not in you to be this way - DON’T do it. Simply go around and shake each and every employee’s hand, look them in the eyes and thank them for their service throughout the year but give them a special thank you as you acknowledge that they would much rather be at home with their loved ones. Tell them you deeply appreciate their commitment. Then, add an important message: ask them if they would please extend your gratitude to their loved ones for tolerating their absence today. You will be gob-smacked with the looks that you will receive and don’t be surprised if you get a note of appreciation from an employee’s loved one or a mention by an employee’s loved one at the next family oriented picnic or holiday party. It means a lot to employees’ loved ones that you know of their sacrifice too. (But again, if it is NOT YOU – don’t do it…it will backfire.)

So enough of what some might call the “soft stuff”. After tomorrow, we tackle some hard core business issues that can not only drastically affect your 2010 results but can impact your critical start to 2011. Now this is not an apology for covering the afore mentioned topics. They are important to a business’ success, but there are also some more traditional topics that need to be covered before we end the year.

I will pop in tomorrow shortly.  

Don’t forget to set out cookies for Santa and carrots for reindeers tonight ;)

9 More Days Until the New Year! – I Hope You Didn’t Cut Out the Holiday Celebration for Appearances or for (minuscule) Fiscal Gain

Believe me, your staff knows that times are tough. But, on the other hand, they also know (and see) excessive  and unnecessary (in their eyes) spending. So don’t take the Holiday celebration away from them. If you truly need to cut expenses and are not just posturing to appear frugal, then be honest with your staff. Hold a quick ‘All Hands Meeting’. (The term was coined for a pre-IPO meeting with all staff but is now used freely as an all staff meeting where everyone meets in one space, standing up for a quick  5-15 minute meeting.)

At the meeting, confirm that it has been a tough year and as much as you want to hold the usual Holiday celebration – you just can’t do it this year in your normal fashion. Then, you have a couple of options:

·         One of my favorites is announcing that you want their help in coming up with the best way to say celebrate with all of them for giving it their all this tough year and to wish them Happy Holidays. Then explain that when everyone leaves the meeting, they will receive a ballot and are asked to fill it out and put it in a ballot box before going home. On the ballot, have no more than three options. Depending upon your financial circumstances, you can offer a variety of choices –but remember—only offer three! Some of the ideas that I have seen well received are:

1.       A ‘themed’ potluck. One that I have seen work well is where the company provides the main course, drinks and dessert (usually a huge sheet cake).The main course can be anything from chicken to prime rib to turkey to ham. Then, ask the employees bring a holiday dish that is traditional in their family and/or in their culture. (Be sure to provide a sign-up sheet so everyone brings something different and you don’t end up with 40 green bean casseroles!)  In one company I worked with, we did this and even after times got better, the employees wanted to continue the tradition. One Christmas we celebrated with a Latin them and the company bought all of the beef and the wear house guys took the meat home and their wives made special marinades and then everyone brought fabulous side dishes to share. It was very festive and the guys who cooked got rave reviews for their bbqing skills! And, I still crave the home-made tortillas!!!

2.       Another idea that I’ve seen is to offer everyone a Friday afternoon off. You can scatter it over 2-3 weeks or pick one day and inform your customers in advance that you will be closed that afternoon. Explain that the purpose of the afternoon is for people to have time for their Holiday shopping, errands, trips to the post office, etc. Now this might sound like a pricey option, but once you to a CBA (cost benefit analysis) and realize that you basically lose productivity after 1 pm on most Fridays, especially during the holidays, and that if you do have a party, even if people return to work, they are generally not very productive, you might find this to be a good option for you to offer.

3.       And lastly, an inexpensive and team developing idea is to have the company provide cake and coffee/tea/eggnog and a secret gift exchange. This is where people choose a name and buy for that person. There is generally a low cost limit, say %10 or $20 per gift. Depending upon the group and the time you have, you may want to allow the swapping of gifts, but I encourage you to limit thes waps so that the party doesn’t take 8 hours ;) It is best to choose a 3:00 pm time for such an event so that employees won’t prolong things as they will be anxious to go home at 5:00 pm. click here for info on this idea

4.       There are numerous options to offer, but following my own rule of three, I only provided three ideas J  Here are a few sites that I found with ideas for frugal office parties: http://sandiego.jobing.com/blog_post.asp?post=27672 , http://www.suite101.com/content/office-party-food-menus-a175132 , http://blog.funawards.com/

The bottom line is don’t miss this opportunity. If you are open tomorrow for business – do something – even if you haven’t taken these steps to include their input. Or announce that you will all celebrate together when you come back to work after the Holidays. FIND A WAY to show your gratitude and humanity to those who work so hard to ensure the company’s success every day. Don’t cheat them out of this honor. And for you die hard “bottom liners” – it will pay off in ways you cannot even imagine.

10 Days Left- Don’t Fall Into the Holiday Slump and Allow Yourself or Others to Return in January With a Warm Up Mentality

So many businesses might as well close the doors for the last two weeks of the year and the first 7-10 days of January. Holiday fog sets in and it is contagious. Staff is concerned with Holiday shopping, cooking, baking, entertaining, etc. Invite local businesses into your facility and publicize the events to your staff well in advance. Ask the vendors to set up ‘Lunch and Learn’ or ‘Lunch and Shop’ sessions for your staff so that they can focus on work, go to lunch and get advice on how to de-stress the holidays, entertain easier and with less effort and how to power shop to knock out their Holiday gift lists. If you can afford it, provide lunch for your employees. Hand them a hot dog (regular, vegan or turkey) as they walk in the door and they can still shop while they eat! Have the entertainining experts provide under 20-30 meals or substantial hors d oevres and when they are made, let the staff enjoy them for lunch. Invite a local therapist to provide de-stressing techniques and include a catered taco or Chinese meal for your staff so they can ‘Lunch and learn’. This may sound corny and old fashioned, but one study I read where some of these tactics were deployed improved morale and productivity by 700%. Yes, I said, 700%!!! 

In addition to helping your staff, you are exposing other local companies to your business who may very well refer you to friends, family and colleagues and nothing is more powerful than a personal referral.

#11– Don’t Cut Out the Holiday Celebration for Appearances or for Fiscal Reasons

Believe me, your staff knows that times are tough. But, on the other hand, they also know (and see) excessive unnecessary (in their eyes) spending. So don’t take the Holiday celebration away from them. If you truly need to cut expenses and are not just posturing to appear frugal, then be honest with your staff. Hold a quick ‘All Hands Meeting’. (The term was coined for a pre-IPO meeting with all staff but is now used freely as an all staff meeting where everyone meets in one space, standing up for a quick  5-15 minute meeting.)

At the meeting, confirm that it has been a tough year and as much as you want to hold the usual Holiday celebration –but, you just can’t do it this year in your normal fashion. Then, you have a couple of options:

·         One of my favorites is announcing that you want their help in coming up with the best way to say “Thank You” to all of them for giving it their all this tough year and to wish them Happy Holidays. Then explain that when everyone leaves the meeting, they will receive a ballot and are asked to fill it out and put it in a ballot box before going home. On the ballot, have no more than three options. Depending upon your financial circumstances, you can offer a variety of choices –but remember—only offer three! Some of the ideas that I have seen well received are:

1.       A ‘themed’ potluck. One that I have seen work well is where the company provides the main course, drinks and dessert (usually a huge sheet cake).The main course can be anything from chicken to prime rib to turkey to ham. Then, ask the employees bring a holiday dish that is traditional in their family and/or in their culture. (Be sure to provide a sign-up sheet so everyone brings something different and you don’t end up with 40 green bean casseroles!)  In one company I worked with, we did this and even after times got better, the employees wanted to continue the tradition. One Christmas we celebrated with a Latin them and the company bought all of the beef and the wear house guys took the meat home and their wives made special marinades and then everyone brought fabulous side dishes to share. It was very festive and the guys who cooked got rave reviews for their bbqing skills! And, I still crave the home-made tortillas!!!

2.       Another idea that I’ve seen is to offer everyone a Friday afternoon off. You can scatter it over 2-3 weeks or pick one day and inform your customers in advance that you will be closed that afternoon. Explain that the purpose of the afternoon is for people to have time for their Holiday shopping, errands, trips to the post office, etc. Now this might sound like a pricey option, but once you to a CBA (cost benefit analysis) and realize that you basically lose productivity after 1 pm on most Fridays, especially during the holidays, and that if you do have a party, even if people return to work, they are generally not very productive, you might find this to be a good option for you to offer.

3.       And lastly, an inexpensive and team developing idea is to have the company provide cake and coffee/tea/eggnog and a secret gift exchange. This is where people choose a name and buy for that person. There is generally a low cost limit, say %10 or $20 per gift. Depending upon the group and the time you have, you may want to allow the swapping of gifts, but I encourage you to limit thes waps so that the party doesn’t take 8 hours ;) It is best to choose a 3:00 pm time for such an event so that employees won’t prolong things as they will be anxious to go home at 5:00 pm. click here for info on this idea

4.       There are numerous option to offer, but following my own rule of three, I only provided three ideas J  Here are a few sites that I found with ideas for frugal office parties: http://sandiego.jobing.com/blog_post.asp?post=27672 , http://www.suite101.com/content/office-party-food-menus-a175132 , http://blog.funawards.com/

The bottom line is don’t miss this opportunity to show your gratitude and humanity to those who work so hard to ensure the company’s success every day by cheating them out of one day or one afternoon of celebration.

The Last 12 Days of Business - Day 11

Rev the Team Up for 2011

Often many employees are in the office and out of the office sporadically during the holidays. Take the time to take roll (or have someone do it for you - Taking roll ensures that you can catch everyone) and hold meetings and one: ones meetings with key managers, supervisors and a hand-picked group of influencers in the office. (Influencers are very powerful in your organization. They are the people that others follow, so get them on board with the new plan for 2011. Include their ideas as you can so they feel ownership and then watch them drive others to get excited about the New Year and the positive changes they can all make to get things done faster, improve communication, increase customer satisfaction and most importantly, enhance the bottom line. Most of them will begin the new initiatives immediately and that puts you about 2 weeks ahead of the game J

Check Back Tomorrow for Day 10!

The 12 Last Days of Business - Day 12

What you do on the last 12 days of business in a calendar year can dramatically affect your success in the following year. And, yes. This does apply to fiscal year financial businesses – the human thinks and works in a calendar year – they mentally re-set on January 1^st. So this either means it is their ½ year re-set for fiscal year businesses or New Year re-set for calendar year businesses. The important thing is that it is a re-set and with that comes huge opportunity as a leader – so buckle up and charge through to the end of the year!

#1 - Be courageous. Don’t be a lazy executive who takes the last two weeks of the year off and leaves the staff to hold down the fort 

For many businesses, it is either boom or bust this time of year. If you are in a bust situation, take this opportunity to MBWA (manage by walking around). Spend time with associates. Find out what they see as working and not working in the organization. Ask them, “what could we do to make things better in 2011?” You just might be amazed at how insightful, thoughtful and brilliant some of the solutions are that come from your staff. If you are in a boom situation, get out there and be the biggest cheerleader there ever was. Even though it is a boom time, it can be enhanced dramatically with daily sales contests and rewards. (And don’t go cheap on the rewards—after all, it is the holidays)! 

As an example of this, I took a Call Center Lead Gen group and cranked them up to 14 highly qualified leads per hour from 1 lead per hour by implementing a 15-20 minute morning meeting where I got the chance to praise employees’ work, announce winners and ask for any issues that came up so we could resolve them right then and there. So, if I can get results like that, imagine what you can do (especially with my help)! And, yes… I have been hired to design these contests and run them on behalf of management, but I ALWAYS insist that management/executives participate in every 15-20 minute meeting. Your presence is powerful and a simple ”great job” or “great meeting” from you means the world to the staff.

Check tomorrow for Day 11!

Mary

Tomorrow Starts "The Last Twelve Days of Business" - Are you ready?

Starting tomorrow, we begin the last 12 days of business for 2010. Daily I will post a recommendation for you to end the calendar year strong and to begin 2011 even stronger....check back - daily! See you then.....

One of the Top 5 Things You Should Seriously Consider Outsourcing

The “Make” or “Buy” decision has always been a tough one. Regardless of whether you are in a small to medium sized business or are part of Corporate America, there are goods and services that are better to outsource than others. One of the Top 5 that I always recommend is Social Media .

There are many words coined to describe various online activities but for the purpose of this article, I am using Social Media to include all of your online publishing events.  For heaven’s sake, just learning the acronyms associated with online business is a feat in and of itself for most people - SEO, SEM SMM, EM, SMOR, EZINE, FB, PRT, UGC, SROI – just to name a few!

But, why should you outsource this area of your business? For the most part, unless this is your business, there is so much to learn. It is also an area that is constantly changing and therefore, it can be immensely time consuming for the novice who doesn’t know the tricks of the trade.

 It is best to leave this one to the professionals. Surprisingly, this is also an area that is usually pretty easy to source and is generally reasonably priced. It is also an ideal fit as an outsourced item for agencies because it is readily available and can expand your services to your clients and then billed with a good margin. For those of you who are not an agency, it is a good area to outsource because, like tradeshows, if your competitors are in the space, then you need to be there too!

There is a trick to securing the right company or person to outsource to and there is an even larger and more important step in getting off on the right foot with your provider.( I liken this relationship to choosing an attorney or great CPA.) You must interview the person(s) who will be providing content for your online presence. It is even worth your while to pay for a consultation so that you can indoctrinate and train your provider on what you do, what sets you apart from your competition, why your product or services are important and who your target customer is.

Without intimately knowing the basics and intricacies of your business, your online presence can be botched in a very fast period of time and you will waste money and you will spend a lot of money to repair it. This is due in part to the speed of the viral world and also to the fact that there is no “big eraser” in the online community. It is very important that you are certain that your provider gets it right the first time.

Take the time, up front, to get referrals and communicate with your potential provider on several occasions before making a decision. It helps to have someone who has worked in your industry before, but I have also had success with starting fresh with providers who knew nothing about an industry. It gave me a chance to be their first look into my field and they did not come with preconceived notions of what I wanted or what would work in my industry.

Once you have chosen an outsourced partner, spend the time and money on training them to understand your business so that they can represent you in a favorable and lasting way.

December 22, 2010

Just read this article on viral marketing: http://adage.com/digitalnext/post?article_id=147753 . I think you will find it thought provocing as you design and deliver your viral marketing tactics. In my mind, it is further support for why you don't "do" viral marketing yourself, or delegate it to a staffer. It is best to hire a professional in this area :) Hope you enjoy the article as well as I did.
 

CMO and CIO Mutually Exclusive Until Recently? Really? I Say Look Up A Ring in the Ladder!

I just read an article by what appears (on paper) to be a brilliant scholar and scientist. He professed that until recently, in most cases, the CIO and CMO have been thought of as mutually exclusive. I couldn’t disagree more.

That being said, I will state clearly that for the last 10-20 years, I have not been a scholar at Stanford or MIT or any “research” institution. I have been “out in the trenches” with some of the top ten rated Marketing Organizations in the United States; some international and highly ranked.

In those organizations, I sat daily with CIOs, IT professionals and even PMs and Analysts working diligently, every day, to help our organization be ever more customer centric so that we could do what we were hired to do: make our clients more money. And that, I am proud to say, “we did - quite well - together”.

We broke new ground in technology, we won awards in both marketing and technology but the best thing we did was listen to our customers. Even better than that, we listened to their customers. Through this process of listening (I use the term listening very broadly and I mean review data, review results, test, analyze, and listen ), a roadmap of new ideas, innovations, prosperity and advancements occurred.

We even had a mantra and I’m sure many of you have heard it, “with enough time and money, we can do anything”. Now, I’ll admit that a few “IT folk” used this term to dare us to sell the client the billable hours to build what would make them money. After we defied their challenge several times, it became a mantra and a challenge to both of us to try to build it ; using another mantra shouted through all corporate hallways, “better, faster, cheaper”. We found a way to build a better mouse trap and we shared the glory and the success with our IT brothers and sisters.

I am going to write that sentence again because I think it comes to the heart of this issue. We shared our glory and success…As an executive, if we won an award, I insisted that the accolades and recognition (including plaques, trips, award dinners, press releases, bonuses, etc.) went to the primary marketer and primary technologist on the project. I started this to the dismay of my colleagues as a young marketer very early in my marketing career and I’ll admit that it was met with wide eyes and surprise by my technology colleagues. Sadly, they weren’t used to the recognition. What I experienced was that my technology colleagues began to work better and faster with less resistance with me versus some of my marketing colleagues. My colleagues soon caught on and we created synergy. Ah ha! My college professors of Organizational Behavior were right - it does come down to who gets the cheese!

You see what I believed to be the only fair thing to do -  after all, we both worked hard on the project so we both should share in the pats on the back – turned into my clear understanding that organizations do work based upon reward. If CMOs and CIOs feel and work as if they are mutually exclusive, then I say, look up a ring on the ladder at the CEO. How is he/she doling out the cheese?

Mary is a graduate of the UCLA Anderson Graduate School and a Marketing Executive Consultant with over 20 years of experience in marketing, operations and general management

Know When To Hold Em' - Know When To Fold 'Em - Touche Caroline!

Know when to hold ‘em – know when to fold ‘em. This is great advice in poker, life and also in business.

As I was thinking of writing a blog about the importance of knowing what NOT to do and how it is just as important as knowing what to do, I got this post from a very sweet friend and business woman who has made a life changing decision. She is going to close the retail sales of her product at the end of the year, take a break and re-strategize the business model. This take guts ladies and gentlemen. And as a consultant and executive in SMBEs to Fortune 500 businesses, this is seldom done, when often it should be.  

As those of you who have worked with me or know me from my blog(s), I  consult in three areas: marketing, operations and business strategy. The very easiest thing to do is tell a client that most things are fine but if they do “this” and/or “that”, their business will rebound, survive or grow. The MOST difficult conversation (remember this is often with the person who is paying you) is to tell the client that it is time to pull up the tents and go home.

Now, don’t get me wrong, most businesses still have life left in them, but some have run their course or LTV (Life Time Value). You see LTV not only applies to a singular product, but it applies to a complete business model sometimes. The ship has sailed – as they say. Some businesses have a short life span and others longer ones.  I’m sure that you can think of products (which entire businesses were set around) that no longer exist. Let’s do some easy pickin’ and call out beta and vhs. They had their time. There were businesses (especially manufacturing niches) that were built around them and now they are gone. Some of them were able and had the capital to retool for newer technologies, but some did not and had to see the handwriting on the wall and do the unpleasant but necessary action of closing the doors.

 I applaud the ones that ask for help (like from someone like me) when they see things declining and call for help early enough to get help and an outside and unbiased opiniom. (Yes, even though they pay the bill, I am honest and tell them the bad news too! –I’m not saying it is easy ;) – but I do it.) And if called in early enough, often the business can be saved with minor, sometimes major tweaks. The exception to this is when the news of change is met with resistance.

There are organizational structures where staff resistance can put you right out of business and it is so unfortunate, because those employees don’t see that they are resisting themselves right out of a job! In this volatile environment a “go with the flow” attitude is best for everyone. The worst scenario is when the resistance to change comes from the top. When this occurs, the best advice is an introduction to a good bankruptcy attorney and inform the client that this is the Option B to change. Most choose change. Unfortunately, some don’t and I wish them the best and leave a detailed change strategy in their hands (along with the BK attorney contact info) and leave. I’ve watched ships sink and it isn’t fun. So unless I am hired specifically to close up shop, which I have been several times, then I prefer to leave it in the hands of its leader and wish for the best. After all – miracles do happen! Although there wasn't a huge resurgence and demand for vhs, there could have been, right?!

So enough about my views on this and onto a real life example of a leader taking an extremely bold step and closing shop to take the time to re-strategize. Bravo to you, Caroline! I know you will reemerge with greatness –whatever that may be for you in the future.

Here’s a repost of her blog. It is boldly written with heart, brains and thoughtfulness and I commend the decision. (I also happen to love the product – which leads me to make a small plug for the DEAL you can get on it now as they sell off inventory. The product is a t-shirt with a positive affirmation written backwards. So, as you look in the mirror—as those of you who do affirmations and follow law of attraction concepts know you are to do – you can read your affirmation to yourself. It is brilliant, creative and fun and I do hope to see the product return sooner rather than later.

So please take a moment and read this repost and if you like affirmations, you will find one that speaks to you or perhaps will help an ill friend or loved one and snatch 1 or 10 up at these blow out prices and give freely to friends, loved ones and don’t forget yourself! They make fabulous birthday gifts and as the holidays approach, they are a fabulous gift for that special someone who may need a lift in their spirits and I tell you, wearing one of these shirts will do it!

Happy Thanksgiving and remember to be Thankful, Gracious and Share Your Abundance.

This has been such a very difficult year for so many. We all may think we have been “hit hard”, but trust me, others have it worse. Please visit a local food pantry and even if it is a canned item –drop something off with thankfulness for all that you have.

Mary

Repost from:  www.reflectmylife.com

Listen to Your Heart  - by Carline Yacu of  www.reflectmylife.com

Listen to your heart. This concept is so simple and so powerful, yet it’s application is often times so difficult.
Why?
There are several concepts in life like this…though simple in theory, they are incredibly challenging to execute.
Losing weight for example.
In order to lose weight, this must occur:

Calories consumed < Calories burned

Simple concept, yet not so easy to do.
Saving money for example.
In order to save money, this must occur:

Money spent < Money earned

Simple concept, yet not so easy to do.
Why?
I believe we struggle with these concepts because there are so many other things that play a role in our decision-making. We have been trained to seek immediate gratification, which is why we are so easily swayed by external factors. Our desire for instant pleasure blinds us from focusing on our longer-term goals. Well, I suppose I should speak for myself!
Have you ever had a very healthy day, and just when you were getting ready to pat yourself on the back for being so disciplined, your co-worker or roommate walks in with a piece of rich, delicious, moist, succulent chocolate cake?
UGH! The temptation!
Have you ever been so diligent about your weekly spending and then, just when you thought you were in the clear, an opportunity comes up to go to a killer concert or have dinner with out-of-town friends?
UGH! The temptation!
It’s all around us, all the time. Which is why these simple concepts are often SO hard to abide by.
Well, the same is true with listening to your heart. The concept makes sense and sounds so simple, but I have found that even its application is challenging to live by.
In fact, I have found that it takes more courage to listen to your heart, than not.
Why? What temptations keep us from listening to our heart?
• Temptation to do what’s easy?
• Temptation to do what other’s expect you do to?
• Temptation to put on a happy face, when deep down, you know something is wrong?
As I started thinking more and more about this, it became crystal clear that we don’t listen to our hearts because of fear.
• Fear of getting hurt
• Fear of failure
• Fear of what others might think
• Fear of succeeding
• Etc
(well, at least for me!)
I realized a fear that has managed to weave itself in and out of my life is not having the approval of others, essentially not being seen as a “success.”
So, I have decided not to allow my fear to own me. Instead, I am going to dance with my fear. As I acknowledge its existence, I will lead the dance.
I think you will be shocked with what I am about to tell you. I have been wavering on this decision for a while and in the end, I have decided to follow my heart…despite what others may think.
After a lot of sleepless nights, tears, tangled thoughts, and deliberation, I have decided to stop selling Reflect products and services in 2011.
This decision has not been easy as I genuinely love our products and services and believe whole-heartedly in them. The reality is that it has been a challenging market and I need to make a decision that makes sense for everyone, including myself.
My heart has been telling me that there needs to be a change to our product offering, but my mind has been pushing me to make more sales calls, network more, add better functions to the website, and keep persevering.
I have accepted that I need to listen to my heart.
I am still committed to our mission and vision of helping people live a better life. My personal purpose is 100% aligned with Reflect’s purpose, so Reflect is not going away; it is just going to re-emerge in a different light, and potentially through different vehicles.
I don’t have those answers right now, but I know that in January 2011, I will be taking time to reflect (pun intended!) in order to better serve my amazing customers and the world. This is what my heart is telling me to do.
Although I didn’t have a home-run with Reflect from a business/financial standpoint, I know that I hit the ball out of the park when it comes to building relationships with my customers and other friends in the personal development field.
Because of you, this journey has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Thank you. My journey is not over however; in fact, there is a part of me that believes it is only beginning!
The Reflect Blog/Facebook/Twitter pages will still exist as I’d love to share my adventure with you and communicate with you on a regular basis! I plan to deliver valuable content and stories that you can hopefully relate to and benefit from.
I have an amazing mentor, Pete, who has been by my side from the inception of Reflect. When I told him my feelings, he recited this quote to me:
“…if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” –Teddy Roosevelt
So, like I have, I challenge you to listen to your heart, dance with your fear, and step out of the stands and into the ring. Though the journey can be emotional and uncertain, it is empowering and remarkable all at the same time.
Thank you so much for understanding and I look forward to hearing from you!

“Can't Afford to Market Right Now - Check Back in Six Months”

How many marketers and business coaches are hearing, “I just don’t have the budget now. Check back with me in six months”?

And, how many businesses who really need help (and who may not make it another six months without marketing or business coaching) are saying this?

         

          Here’s the sad but true story that I recently read a version of and thought it was so appropriate for today’s business environment that I had to share it. You may have heard it before, but it is worth reading again. In fact, it might make a good holiday card  - LOL!

Why is it so prevalent that a person wakes up under a marketed blanket on a marketed mattress and pulls off marketed pajamas then bathes in a marketed shower, brushes his/her teeth with marketed toothpaste, washes with marketed soap, puts on marketed clothes, drinks a cup of marketed coffee, drives to work in a marketed car and when asked to spend money on marketing, states that they can’t? ironically, when the business’ sales eventually decline, he/she markets the business for sale!

How do you overcome this obstacle? One way is to forward this to those with similar behaviors. Not a subtle approach – but one that can hit home and change attitudes and then behaviors.

After all, “Continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different outcome is a sign of insanity, right?”    

Good luck!

Mary

Homage To Our Veterans

A very dear friend, Irene Brennick, author of "Bring Your Audience to Their Feet" is multi-talented and wrote and performed this tribute to everyday heroes like our Vets.  Please take a moment  on this special day and listen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad-tNkoRvSo



Feel free to pass along to anyone you know who would enjoy it and please especially take a moment and pass it on to a Vet or a Vet's Family so that they do know that there are those of us who appreiciate their service, sacrifice and dedication to our country.

Thank you and thank you with great admiration and appreciation to our Vets and their families.

Mary