Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Create a Positive, Upbeat, "Can-Do" Workforce and Dazzle ...

Given the choice of dealing with a positive, upbeat employee with a "can-do" attitude or dealing with a disgruntled, distracted, uninterested one, which would you choose? No contest. Customers always want the best experience possible; they want it to be easy and pleasant to do business with your company. Enter the real challenge of "Relationship Management," the relationships. Until all of our . . .

How to Work From Home and Enjoy Life

How would you like to have at least an extra hour in your day just for yourself so that you can have more fun? When you work from home there can be a tendency to work longer hours due to the flexibility that you have.If you work from home, these ideas if implemented consistently will free up your time so that you can enjoy more of your life.Look After Yourself First Exercise regularly and eat h. . .

Goalsetting - How to Easily Set and Get Your Goals

Which of the following changes to your life do you want to make to your life this year? To have a slim and trim body? Find a stimulating job Take up a sport or hobby Buy your dream home Travel to an exotic destination Have more time with your family Establish your own business Double your income Become involved in the community Develop your creativity Improve your skills Create a pla. . .

Small Business Ideas - Your Image Can Lose You Business

What image do you and your people portray to your prospects and clients? Here's a situation that happened to me recently and hopefully you'll glean useful small business ideas that will make you money instead of costing you money.January is always a good time to grab bargains so when I noticed that two well-known blind companies were advertising 35% off their blinds, I decided to give them a ca. . .

How to Successfully Work From Home

Working from home can be a most effective way to be more productive! Today's open plan offices stop many people from getting their work done. The constant noise, phones ringing and colleagues interrupting can drive anyone to distraction! Many people would dramatically boost their productivity if they could spend some or all of their workday out of the main office and join the thousands of small. . .

Clutter Control

Remember when you charged into the office that first day, all primed to make the new year the best ever. You made a New Year's Resolution that you would definitely get organised to start the coming year with a bang! So what did you do? You cleaned out all the clutter that had accumulated throughout the past year and in some instances, the past decade!And once you had completed this mammoth task. . .

Work From Home and Make More Money

Why do you work from home? Hopefully you enjoy what you do and want to enjoy the lifestyle being at home can offer you, however is it because you want to make money so that you can have, be and do more in your life?When you work from home you have so many advantages over many traditional businesses. You have more flexibility so when you do have to put in the extra hours, at least you're at home. . .

If You Can’t See It, They Won’t Do It

Recently, while developing a customer service program, I asked my client to provide me with detailed descriptions of behaviors he wanted his team members to engage in. He called me back a short time later and told me that his department heads were having a difficult time with the assignment. They knew what the employees were doing wrong, but they couldn’t put into words what excellent perform. . .

Selling To Your Difficult Person

We all have people whom we find difficult. We don't understand them, connect with them, or even talk comfortably with them. But, when we own a one person business, seeing someone as difficult gets in the way of our selling effectively and their buying wisely.It is easy to blame the other person. They're the difficult ones. But, the truth is, if you find someone difficult, for sure they will fin. . .

How to Help Your Company Become a World Class Company

Most people think real change in an organization occurs as a result of top-level leadership. This isn't always the case.Oftentimes, it's someone within the rank and file who stands up and challenges the status quo. Remember the old adage, "If the people will lead, the leaders will follow."Years ago I was the säles manager for company with about 30 employees. The business was struggling, and a m. . .

Easy Steps to Work-Life Balance

Knowing when to disconnect, shut it off, unplug, or walk away from work is one of the essential keys to work/life balance for harried and overworked people. When was the last time you completely left work behind? How frequently do you take work home, check e-mail or voice mail from home, or take your work with you on vacation? Do you feel you can’t afford to not do these things? What’s the . . .

Home Office Feng Shui

Whether you believe in the Oriental powers of feng shui or not, there are an increasingly large number of people who do. Either way, it's fun to examine different ideas, so let's take a look at your home office from the feng shui point of view.Business people in Asia have considered work place feng shui to be a crucial contributor to personal and business success for centuries. Anything that ha. . .

How to Use Free Articles to Explode Your Internet Business!

In this article I will show you how to use articles to explode your internet business. Writing articles and posting them on the internet can pull in a flood of traffic to your web site.You may be asking yourself “how can writing a simple article impact my business”?It is quite simple! There are numerous article directories listed on the internet to post your articles on. This is . . .

Diversification on the Internet.

I have been on the Internet observing many new and exciting things over the past 5 years.There are a lot of good opportunies out there but there are also some get rich quick schemes which aren’t so good. I see more and more different types of money-making, multi level marketing ideas popping up all the time. Different people with different ideas. Some work for some, some work for many . . .

Stress in the Workplace

Why are you so busy? Do you really have too much work? Is work so important to you that you'll sacrifice just about anything in your life to get the job done? Even if it's at the expense of your health and your relationships? Stress in the workplace can be caused by many factors, however from my experience I've found for many people it is their inability to organise themselves and their time. T. . .

Should You Invest In Savings Or Payoff Your Debts?

I have faced this financial question 8 years ago and recently I have friends asked me this same question. I think I should write it up so that it may help some of you that having the same situation. The decision whether to invest your monthly excess cash into savings account or paying off your debt is a tough one.There are few factors you need to consider before you make the decision and I list. . .

PR: Time For a New Playbook?

When your public relations results pretty much depend on whether your news item gets used in a newspaper column or on a radio talk show, you may be ready for a fresh approach. Why not shoot for a 1-2 PR punch? First, focus sharply on those external audiences who play a major role in just how successful a business, non-profit or association manager you will be. And second, use the proactive publ. . .

Making the Most of Your Year

Do you find yourself amazed at how quickly the months pass? Do you find yourself in a small panic over all you know you have to do and how little you feel you are actually accomplishing? Join the crowd! We live in a busy world where our time, priorities and energy are constantly challenged. The reality is that there is simply not time for everything and we don't have enough energy to complete e. . .

A Rough Guide to Everyday Mental Calculation!

We all need to check a bill from time to time. The problem is, how do you do it when you're in a rush, when you're under pressure, and when you don't have a calculator handy? Actually, it's not at all difficult if you know what to look for. Here's how to do it... Example 1 --------- Suppose you are ordering some building supplies and you want to check that the price is about right before you op. . .

Are You a Marketing Octopus, or a Marketing Worm?

One of the greatest challenges to effectively marketing a business is determining which marketing method is best for your business.Most people look at what their competitors are doing to market their businesses and then simply imitate that, whether good or bad. The best marketing strategy does not involve selecting only one or two marketing approaches that we see others using. The best marketin. . .

Flat Fee MLS Listings - Is this the future of real estate

Realtors are all a buzz about this new form of listing houses on the MLS (multiple listing service). Some feel it creates more work for the buyers agent, while others see this as a way to tap into the For Sale By Owner market. It use to be when you made the decision to sell your home, you essentially had two methods available to you. You could list your home with a traditional real estate compa. . .

10 “No Money Down” Ways to Buy Real Estate

Turn the Television on any Sunday morning and you’ll find yourself in the middle of a “how to buy real estate” infomercial. Can you really buy a house with no down payment? Can you really make thousands or millions of dollars buying real estate. Of course the answer is “yes” and “no”. The real question is, are you willing to pay anywhere from $500 to $5000 for the information, classes and hotli. . .

Coaching-An Adapting Tool For Attaining Fulfillment In Th...

At a time when the global economy is bringing innovation, new ideas and new opportunities into the marketplace, outsourcing and the elimination of white-collar jobs has left many of us feeling anxious and insecure about the future. It is increasingly apparent that the American Worker can no longer look to the corporation for a sense of security, place, benefits or loyalty. As reliance on old st. . .

Why Do You Want PR?

To get someone’s name in the newspaper or a product mention on a radio talk show? If that’s all you expect, fine. But that response tells me that, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you may have overlooked an important reality: people act on their own perception of the facts, leading to predictable behaviors about which something can be done on your behalf. And you may be compoun. . .

Secret Shopper Business

Secret Shopping is a good part time business for stay at home moms, students, retired folks, or just about anyone who wants to make a little extra income. It's simple to get into this business and you can work the hours you want. Secret Shoppers might be on duty at your local grocery store, retail stores, hotels, restaurants, video stores, theaters, banks, government agencies, even the lo. . .

Using Emotion for Persuasion

The other day, I received the last issue of a business magazine before my subscription runs out. Now, I like this magazine, but I'm swamped with reading matter so I won't renew.Of course, I've received many reminders and offers about renewing; magazines try very hard to keep the subscribers they've got. So when the last issue came with a special promotional wrapper on the cover, I wasn't surpri. . .

Businesses Should Specialise Not Generalise

In the 1980s it was the fashion for businesses to be diverse and to offer a variety of service. This strategy was found to be wanting in the 1990s when many businesses decided to stick to the core businesses they know best and to dispose of non-core businesses. Hence one of the basis fundamental rules of starting a small business is ``find a niche and stick to it.'' What this means is that bu. . .

Kick-In-The-Pants Job Search

Believe it: three obstacles will hold you back from your ideal job -- your résumé, you, and your job-search methods. There’s no hidden formula; there’s no bribery needed; there’s no one standing in front of employment — other than YOU! You’ve probably heard all the excuses, or used them yourself. The job market is bad; technical jobs are going overseas; those thousands of manufacturing emplo. . .

Don't Wait for Tax Time to Look at the Bottom Line

A curious thing happens to entrepreneurs in the spring of every year. They wake up one day and realize they had better figure out how much money they made last year so they can pay their taxes. But wait, shouldn't a business owner already KNOW how much money he or she made last year, last quarter, or last month? If you don't keep track of how much money you're making, you have no idea whether y. . .

To Outsource or Not to Outsource

In these days of restricted head count and tight budgets, the question of whether to outsource or hire in-house staff is more critical than ever. The technical publications function, however vital, is undergoing more scrutiny and also facing greater challenges than ever before. Companies that already employ an in-house technical publications department are looking at doing more with fewer. . .

Presentation Pitfalls Series: Top 10 Content Mangement Mi...

Here, David Letterman style, are what I consider to be the Top 10 most common mistakes presenters make when organizing and preparing their content: 10) Not setting the stage. An introduction should be more than just "Hello. Today we'll be discussing _____." If you just jump into the content without setting up the presentation, it can get you off to a jumpy, disjointed start. An introduction sho. . .

How to Get a Business Loan in Five Steps.

Need funds to startup or expand your business? Follow these steps: A lender looks at a loan request in three sections known as the "three C's". They are: Credit. Did you pay previous lenders back as contracted? Capacity: Can you afford to pay back this loan? Collateral: If you don't pay back the loan from what asset can the lender recover their principal?Step one is:1. Identify your strength an. . .

What Paper or Computer Files Should You Keep?

As business people we must deal with a great deal of paper and information from email and the net every day. You need to know however, that according to the "Pareto Time Management Rule," only 20% of all paper and information is important. That leaves 80% that is not important. It's just another decision to make as to whether this information makes your life better or not.Does this shock you? I. . .

Top Ten Online Choices to Get Clients to Choose you Again...

Did you know that 95% of coaching businesses fail because their owners don't pay enough attention to sales copy?Whether you are a professional speaker, coach, or entrepreneur, every business wants more clients. Even more, they want to entice clients to continue an ongoing relationship. Your Online sales copy matters. Here's the rest of the 10 top ways to get new clients and keep your present on. . .

Top Ten Online Choices to Get Clients to Choose you Again...

Did you know that 95% of coaching businesses fail because their owners don't pay enough attention to sales copy?Whether you are a professional speaker, coach, or entrepreneur, every business wants more clients. Even more, they want to entice clients to continue an ongoing relationship. Your online sales copy matters. Here's 10 top ways to get new clients and keep your present ones:1. Make sure . . .

What is SMS?

What is SMS?SMS, also known as short messaging service, is the rage in Europe and parts of Asia. Gradually SMS is gaining momentum in the US as a low cost messaging solution. SMS is defined as text messages, up to 160 characters in length, sent to mobile phones. In recent months SMS has become synonymous with any text message sent to a cell phone.Benefits to SMSSMS is a convenient, cost effecti. . .

The Cost of Green Eggs and Ham

Young readers know that March 4th is the birthday of Dr. Seuss. Many parents trip their tongues over Seuss stories like "Green Eggs and Ham". "Do you like green eggs and ham?/I do not like them, Sam-I-am./I do not like green eggs and ham".Our son wields a wild spatula when making his April Fool's Day green eggs and ham. Sometimes his culinary skills warrant a cost per item analysis th. . .

Finding a Loan With Bad Credit

No matter what your credit history is the simple fact is that at some point in your life you will need a loan. If you have a few black marks on your credit report and you are feeling that your bad credit will not enable you to qualify for loans, do not feel despair because there are banks that will lend to people in your situation. If you are seeking a bad credit personal loan there are a few . . .

What’s Wrong With You, Why Don’t You Understand Me?

Recently while waiting for our lunch to be served in a nearby restaurant, my husband Michael and I were discussing our son’s upcoming science fair project. Michael was describing the steps that my son should follow to complete the assignment. While Michael was going through this elaborate process, I diligently tried to follow what he was saying, but I sat there completely clueless. As I stru. . .

Present Your Message with Power and Pizzazz

If you’re ready to kick your career or business up to the next level, then make it a goal to become a powerful presenter. People view savvy communicators as being more capable, intelligent, and knowledgeable than those individuals who have difficulty in communicating their ideas. You can quickly gain the status of an expert in your field when you are able to present your ideas effectively. Al. . .

Do You Want to Impress Others? Then Don’t Talk …Listen

Recently my friend Michelle was concerned about a professional conference she was planning to attend with her husband, a veterinarian. She has no background in veterinary science, so she did not think she would be able to effectively communicate with the people at the conference. I asked her why she thought she had to use technical jargon when she spoke to the other conference attendees. She. . .

To Be An Effective Leader, Do A Check-up From The Neck Up

Before we can effectively lead anyone, we must take an introspective view of ourselves. We must do a check-up from the neck up. We must be certain that the thoughts and attitudes we hold are in alignment with the role we perform.Check Your VisionAs a leader you need to have vision of what you want your team to accomplish. A vision is more than just a statement; it is a complete picture with . . .

Instant Rapport: The Key to Sales Success

Did you ever meet someone with whom you just clicked? Someone who was so much like you that you practically knew what he was thinking? How comfortable did you feel with that person? Did you trust him? Chances are that you have very high rapport with that person.Rapport means harmony between people. When people share rapport, they speak the same language. When people don’t have rapport, it. . .

Having Trouble Motivating Others? Try WIIFM

Recently my fourteen-year old son Matt dressed up as Santa Claus and attended a Christmas caroling event for one of my professional organizations. Was my son excited about the idea of spending one of his evenings singing to seniors instead of being with his friends? Not really. Then how did I get Matt to agree so readily to come to the event and play Santa? It was easy; I told him that afte. . .

Clean Up In An Office Cleaning Business

With the economy still trying to recover, and unemployment still high inmany countries, a good solution for many people is to find an easy tooperate business. Most people think of large expenses or a lot ofexperirnce needed when they think of running a business, but there is aunique business that requires neither one of these. It is starting anoffice cleaning business.The office cleaning busine. . .

Secret and POWERFUL Way To Build Your Opt In List

I decided to write this article to show you a very powerful method how you can instantly BOOST the size of your opt in list. This method is very powerful yet not many people use it.This method can quickly add several hundred subscribers to your list and can be implemented in minutes. All you need is an article (written in a special way) and a little time or money to invest.So here's what you ne. . .

When Bad Interviews Happen to Good Candidates

Going through the motions of a bad interview is like peeling back the layers of an onion. Sally learned this lesson the hard way, hands-on during an interview that should have been a piece of cake. Sally applied for a position that fit her qualifications perfectly. When she received an invitation to interview, Sally believed she was a shoo-in for the job. Feeling confident, she approached the i. . .

10 Tips To Build, Manage And Profit From An E-Commerce We...

Just because you've built your e-commerce website doesn't mean the customers will begin to come. You need to bring in the visitors, showcase your products, convince them to buy, and bring them back yet again to make any significant gains. The customers need to be wooed by the unique customer experience that will bring them back, and have them sing your praise to their friends, spreading your na. . .

Body Language Speaks Louder Than Words

Has it ever occurred to you how much you are saying to people even when you are not speaking? Unless you are a master of disguise, you are constantly sending messages about your true thoughts and feelings whether you are using words or not. Studies show that your words account for only 7% of the message you convey. The remaining 93% is non-verbal. 55% of communication is based on what people . . .

How To Seal The Deal In Seven Seconds

Can you close a sale in just seven seconds? If you make a great first impression, you can do it even faster. Seven seconds is the average length of time you have to make a first impression. If yours is not good, you won’t get another chance with that potential client. But if you make a great first impression you can bet that the client is more likely to take you and your company seriously. Whet. . .