Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Two Steps to Improving Your Marketing Success

Since the human brain seems to be able to focus on only one thought at a time, it's difficult to evaluate an advertising idea from the perspective of both a marketer and a customer. That's why it's necessary to use a two-step process when developing highly effective ads, sales letters, web pages, and e-mails. The first step involves creating a rough draft of your marketing message, while emphas. . .

Losing the Big-One: Salvaging Lost Accounts

After careful consideration, we have chosen our vendor, and it’s not you.” Hard words to hear. That big deal, the account you’ve been courting for months, has fallen to someone else.“We appreciate all the time and effort you put into your bid. It was quite professional.” Yeah sure, they really appreciate your months of grueling work, but not enough to actually write you a check. You feel like. . .

Customer Service Is Dying- and I'm Not Feeling So Good My...

Have you ever called a company and been greeted with the phrase “Hold, please”? How do they know you can hold? They don’t even know who you are. Maybe you can’t hold; maybe you have 10 seconds of juice left on your cell phone and your hair is on fire. Then you finally get someone on the phone, only to be told, “I can’t actually help you; I’m just paid to apologize, and I’m really sorry about th. . .

Ten Fatal Flaws Frequently Found from the Podium

1. No clear purpose for the presentation. What is the point and focus of the speech? 2. Not starting and stopping on time. Be flexible and be able to cut the talk short if asked. Be in control. 3. Not dressing appropriately. Always be a step above the audience. If it’s business casual, be a little dressier than casual. 4. Not knowing the audience. Make sure you know what the audience expects. 5. . .

The Ten Habits of Highly Effective Speakers

Successful speakers do not do all the right things all the time. They often take risks and risk bombing. But all top speakers take daily action, to move towards their goals with many adjustments. Here are ten ways to be a highly effective speaker.1. Have a passion for your subject(s). If you don’t care about your topic, who will? Make a list of five topics you love. Choose two and be willing to. . .

Growing Your Meetings In CyberSpace

As increasing numbers of people search for information on the Internet, it becomes more imperative to have a compelling Website to promote and support your meetings.Here is my list of "The Seven Most Important Things You can do Online": 1. Identify all your Online MarketsIt's a common mistake to focus your attention on the obvious target audience for your meetings site - the potential attendees. . .

How You Can Avoid Becoming A Victim Of Identity Theft

To reduce or minimize the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft or fraud, there are some basic steps you can take. The most important one is to ask periodically for a copy of your credit report. This is crucial because it is the surest and quickest way to determine if someone is using your name. Your credit report should list all bank and financial accounts under your name, and will provi. . .

Credit Report And Correction Techniques

The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and Trans Union are similar and feature a "Credit Score", which is created from credit report data submitted to them about you. Their report includes where you live, your bill-paying habits, and bankruptcy and arrest information. The information compiled by them is used to determine whether you would be a good borrower. It may also be used by a . . .

Searching for a Home Based Business

"Work hard and you will reap great rewards and benefits" How many times have we heard those words? Although this is not a false statement. The definition of "work hard" varies from person to person. We have all been taught that working hard would provide us with financial and emotional security. But what happens when that security disappears?Due to economic declines which we have no control ove. . .

How Homeowner Can Save Their Home From Foreclosure

Drive around and see how many signs you see that says House for Sale. How many lease purchases do you see? How many abandon houses are on your street? Our country is up against the wall with delinquence mortgages. FHA mortgage lenders are filing claims in the millions from HUD. How do I know? I counsel homeowners every month concerning their mortgage and what they need to do to protect the. . .

Network Marketing: How to Make it Work for You

How or why some people excell at Network Marketing, while others struggle is not as complicated of a question as many would think.After researching the reasons why, I have came to the conclusion that there is a common set of personality traits that a successful person possesses.1. Determination: I have found that individuals who have decided to become self-employed either "in the real world" or. . .

Managers, Got a Grip on Your PR?

What are you trying to do with your business, non-profit or association public relations program? Get a little publicity for a service or product? Or, perhaps, you’re doing what you really should do, persuade your key external stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that lead to the success of your department, division or subsidiary. To reach that objective, and get. . .

Web Conferencing: A Boon to Businesss

It is Sunday evening and you are preparing again to go on a business trip. Monday morning the alarm goes off at 4:00 am, you drag your body and your briefcase to your car, drive to the airport, wait in a long line, get on a plane, get off a plane, and find your way to your client’s office. When you finally get home Monday night, you have spent more time traveling than meeting and you have dozen. . .

Don't Use PR...

…lose the confidence of your key target audiences… discourage them from taking actions that lead to your success…fail to achieve your department, division or subsidiary objectives. A sad scenario that should not occur. In fact, as a manager in a business, non-profit or association, the exact opposite can occur based on a simple premise you can adopt and make happen starting today. And here it i. . .

In Business, Image Isn't Everything; It's The Only Thing!

We have all heard this lament, but how much do we practice it. With all the relaxed rules today, do we really present ourselves in the best light. It seems all the articles I see today are about how old fashioned today's workers find their supervisors or bosses to be in the way they dress, the policies they implement and the old fashioned ways in which they conduct their business.I am of the be. . .

How Do I Implement The Lease Purchase Plan?

Well, as we have discussed in previous newsletters first you have to set up goals for yourself, both long term and short term. Don’t forget these goals define how your business is run. They will determine what you do on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. The best way to do this is to picture yourself a year down the road. Close your eyes and get a mental picture of where you want to be, what yo. . .

Youth Entrepreneurship, A Disappointing Truth

The psychology of entrepreneurship can be very rewarding to one who dreams of starting their own business. The freedom of being your own boss has billions of people seeking financial independence and other entrepreneurial expectations. But is entrepreneurship for everyone? Are their any restrictions on who can become entrepreneurs? Sadly, the answer is yes. Many people turn their heads when it . . .

Be an Entrepreneur

The Department of Labor predicts that the #1 employer in 2010 will be “self.” A recent Internet poll of 25-44 year olds revealed that 90% of them hoped to own their own business. A survey conducted by Ernst & Young found that 75% of influential Americans believe that entrepreneurship will be the defining trend of the 21st century. Some of the factors that have attributed to the rise of the . . .

Work at Home Business Ideas

Here are some excellent businesses that you can start, operate and grow from your home. All these work at home businesses have the following desirable features: Low Startup Costs Ease of Entry High Income Potential Home Based and Operated Worldwide Sales Potential Residual, Recurring and/or Passive Income Potential 1. ConsultingA consultant is someone expert in a field who, for a fee, advis. . .

Team Effort Pays Off for Entrepreneurs

Business owners should not be running the day-to-day activities within their companies. In order to bring small and medium size companies to newer and stronger levels, systems should be running companies. Owners must be in a position to step back and focus on working on the business rather than in the business. The results can be powerful. Through mentoring and advice, coaches help business own. . .

Economics - Psychology's Neglected Branch

"It is impossible to describe any human action if one does not refer to the meaning the actor sees in the stimulus as well as in the end his response is aiming at." align=rightLudwig von MisesEconomics - to the great dismay of economists - is merely a branch of psychology. It deals with individual behaviour and with mass behaviour. Many of its practitioners sought to disguise its nature as a so. . .

Corruption and Transparency

I. The FactsJust days before a much-awaited donor conference, the influential International Crisis Group (ICG) recommended to place all funds pledged to Macedonia under the oversight of a "corruption advisor" appointed by the European Commission. The donors ignored this and other recommendations. To appease the critics, the affable Attorney General of Macedonia charged a former Minister of Defe. . .

Can You Say No?

As a manager you are constantly being asked to do things - by your boss, by one of your fellow managers, by the head of another department, by one of your staff.Your working life is a constant bombardment of requests coming from all quarters.Your boss will ask you for a quick report on something or other in time for his upcoming meeting with the directors or his visit to see overseas customers.. . .

Public Relations: Toast?

Could be, when unit managers in businesses, non-profits and associations don’t get the really important external audience behaviors they need to achieve their department, division or subsidiary objectives.They’re entitled to wonder where their money went when they don’t see behaviors like membership applications or capital contributions on the rise; growing numbers of engineering firms specifyi. . .

Getting Your Employees' Attention Back to Work

It is 9:00 am on a Monday morning. Do you know where your employees’ attention is? Is it on work?Picture this. You are at work. The phone rings. It is your aging father’s neighbor calling to say that Dad is walking around outside in his pajamas and seems confused. You have a full day of meetings and deadlines. Your heart sinks as you try to figure out how to care for your dad and keep your job.. . .

Stop Procrastination- Just do it!

What stops you from 'getting things done?'Have you ever started your day with good intentions of completing a task or project only to find that by the end of the day you've hardly worked on it? Or have you ever set a goal to attend a seminar, learn a new skill or just have more time out for you?I'm sure you have. I'm not going to write a long-winded explanation about the art of procrastination . . .

Time Management Tips - How to Have a Filing System That W...

Recently I was working with a new client who had invested hundreds of dollars for a records management organisation to set up a filing system for his business. The system looked impressive. The only problem was it didn't work! It had been set up in a very complicated manner. The headings were so detailed that a master sheet with a myriad of categories had to be referred to before information co. . .

Time Management - Working Smarter at Work

Let's look at your time management skills. Most of us have to work, and the more you can do in the least amount of time, the better. Working smarter frees you up so that not only do you have a job, but you have a life too!Getting Back To BasicsThe most useful "little helper" for business people must surely be the daily To Do list. You have a couple of choices: Write your list in the morning, as. . .

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 1

At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy, no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true. Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not, it will be well worth your while to p. . .

Introducing the Virtual Time Machine that Gives Back Your...

Minneapolis, MN - October 23, 2003- Finally, a fairly new creation is giving people back their time– The errands and concierge service industry. These services are popping up more and more all over the country. The newest errands and concierge service in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area is Twin Cities Errands. These services are increasing in popularity because errands services act as a virtua. . .

Organize Yourself Otherwise Your Work Could Kill You

We are in a society where people are applauded for starting work early and finishing late.It's about time employers recognised that their people have a life and that working from dawn to dusk does not make them a happy and productive employee.Have you ever heard of the Pereto principle or the 80/20 rule? It goes like this: 80% of your results are produced by 20% of your efforts 80% of your inc. . .

PR: Room at the Bottom?

When special events and communications tactics rule the PR roost instead of a workable plan designed to manage external audience behaviors that impact your organization the most, that’s where public relations results can wind up. You know, bad results like key target audiences showing little confidence in your organization, or seldom taking actions that help you succeed and, in the end, failing. . .

The Ultimate PR "Scam"

It happens to business, non-profit and association managers when their public relations budget fails to deliver the crucial external audience behaviors they need to achieve their department, division or subsidiary objectives.Behaviors they should have received leading directly to boosts in repeat purchases; growing community support; more tech firms specifying the manager’s components; increase. . .

Do You Really Need A Website To Succeed

Rosalind wants to share her inspirational poetry with a wider community. Alas, poor Rosalind lives in a remote town. Jonathan is a graphics artist who settled in a mountain resort community after he left college. He would like to start a graphics business in this new location but office space in local buildings is far too expensive and his meager advertising budget wouldn't attract enough custo. . .

Time Management Training - A Necessary Investment or A Wa...

Many organisations view time management training as something they'll spend their money on, only if they have to. Usually when pruning the company or department budget, training is often the first area that gets the chop. And yet can you really afford not to? Here's what Dr. Donald Wetmore a Time Management Specialist from the U.S. recently said in the on-line e-zine Activepro... Training is no. . .

Disaster Prevention Tips For Hiring A New Manager

It happens over and over in businesses every day.Within large companies, people are promoted to management positions to reward them for performance as individual contributors. After all, the compensation system limits reward options, so why not just promote them?In small businesses, the owner is getting overwhelmed with all that needs to be done. They think that hiring a manager is the soluti. . .

You Are Losing Customers By Not Doing This

Not doing what, you ask.Writing and submitting articles.Writing articles is a cost- effective way of promoting your business. It exposes you to potential customers in a way that few other marketing vehicles do.Writing and submitting your work to online sites gives you fr*ee marketing opportunities. It also increases your credibility in the eyes of potential customers.Have you taken advantage of. . .

Why All Managers Are Alike

Because, like you I suspect, they have key target audiences whose behaviors help or hinder them in achieving their organizational objectives. But even in their own best interests, too few involve themselves in their public relations effort to the degree they should. The result can be a PR program that overemphasizes things like special events, media relations or communications tactics, without . . .

Buy and Hold: How to Perpetuate Your Investment Losses

A recent cartoon in my daily newspaper showed two guys sitting in a bar. One is saying to the other: “I did learn something from my broker...how to diversify my investment losses.”While this struck me as funny, there is certainly an element of truth to it judging by the number of tragic e-mails and phone calls I have received over the past couple of years.This was brought home even more so by a. . .

How To Prevent Your New Manager From Becoming A Statistic

According to a study by the Manchester Group, 4 out of 10 new managers fail in the first 18 months! The top 5 reasons cited: Not building partnerships or teams with colleagues and peers Unclear expectations Not enough political savvy Takes too long to learn the job Inability to balance work and personal livesEvery day new managers are hired or promoted because of "what they know". When they f. . .

Smart Choices: How to Hire the Best

Your organization’s continued growth and success depend on making smart choices and hiring the best. Today’s economy is exploding with talent, allowing you to be selective about the staff you hire. Yet, the crucial step to filling a position is finding the right talent for your organization - someone that has the skills for the job, easily blends with the culture, interacts well with the team. . .

Tips for Launching Your Own Business

This November marks my two-year anniversary of starting my own human resources consulting business. As I look back on the years, I am amazed at what I accomplished and learned. If you are thinking about starting a business, read on!I always dreamed about having my own business, talked to friends about it, and imagined how it might be. But it was only after two people in my life gave me a push, . . .

Make the Most of Your Mentoring Relationships

Mentoring is one of the best ways to learn, to get feedback, and to take your career to the next level. Here are ten tips for making the most of your mentoring relationships.Tip #1Self-assess. Ask yourself, "What skills do I need to get where I want to go?"Tip #2Identify your learning goals. Put them in writing.Tip #3Decide together how the mentoring relationship will work - frequency and ty. . .

Handling Customer Complaints

Handling Customer ComplaintsEven the best business will receive an occasional customer complaint. Knowing how to resolve these complaints will help you gain loyal customers who will then refer others to your business. Here are some important tips.1. Listen carefully to the customer and gather as much information as possible. 2. Restate the complaint as you understand it. This ensures that you c. . .

Make Mine to Grow: Building Your Solo Business to Outgrow...

Many solo entrepreneurs choose to curtail their businesses growth for the purpose of lifestyle. Others have visions of expansion right from the start. Being the only person in a business, wearing all of the hats, is just a stepping stone to increased prosperity. What steps can you take if you plan to expand your business some day? Right from the beginning, develop a business plan and marketing . . .

Managers Who Leave PR to Others

You’re a business, non-profit or association manager who needs to achieve your organizational objectives on schedule. Since public relations should be helping you do just that, why leave it wholly in the hands of others? In your own best interest, get personally involved in your public relations effort and ask the PR team servicing your department, division or subsidiary a few questions. Are th. . .

The Benefits of Catalog Sales For Your Business:

Things to watch out for when selling your product in catalogs.Giving away the farm. Many catalogs will ask for a multitude of discounts and concessions before they even place one order. You give them a set price for your product. But they insist on a lower price. They expect you to pay freight. They want an "advertising allowance." They ask for a volume discount, a catalog allowance, and a phot. . .

Interview With Michael Murray: "Autoresponder Basics"

This interview is with Michael Murray, the author of a top selling ebook titled “Autoresponder Basics.” Michael is also involved with many excellent affiliate programs. Terry: Michael, this is a real pleasure to talk about your experience and business on the Internet. To start off, how did you get involved with the Internet?Michael: I’m disabled and I always figured I’d get a job with computers. . .

4th Quarter 2003 Publicity = 1st Quarter 2004 Prosperity

As the year starts to wind down, many businesses and entrepreneurs are making plans and budgets for the year 2004. Those plans could include anything from setting up goals for new products to preparing marketing, sales and PR/publicity campaigns. When it comes to your publicity plan, WHEN you launch your campaign can be just as important to what and how you launch. HOLIDAY PUBLICITY OPPORTUNITI. . .

OPEC's Swan Song?

Indonesia's Energy Minister, Purnomo Yusgiantoro, is unhappy with the modest production cut, from June 1, of 2 million barrels per day, adopted by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries last week. He intends to demand further reductions at the June 11 get-together in Qatar.The deal struck is so convoluted and loopholed that actual output declines may amount to no more than 600,000 bp. . .