Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Your Home Office - Stay Put or Move Out

Is it really your time to take that a leap and move from your home office to a commercial property? To help you answer this question, let's take a step backwards for a moment and answer two other questions. Why do you want to move? Why is this move necessary? The first question is -- why do you want to move? Sit down, grab some paper, and make a list. Put down as many reasons as you can think o. . .

Over Deliver - The Key to Customer Satisfaction

Client satisfaction starts with meeting or beating the contractual obligations of the relationship. There are also some intangibles that can help you to over deliver to a client. MeetingsIn most organizations it’s easy to deliver additional value around meetings, because statistically, most companies run meetings poorly. Capture important notes during your meetings and then deliver your neatly . . .

Reviving Dead Clients

Most consultants I’ve talked to don’t spend any time trying to recover inactive clients and it’s a big mistake. We tend to magnify the problem we had or just want to move on, but sometimes a simple apology and offering to make things right will bring you back a client worth thousands of dollars in billing.Clients can quit contacting you for a number of reasons: They had a bad experience. They n. . .

Getting Referrals

ReferralsA substantial part of your business can come from referrals. The key is to provide extraordinary customer service and educate your clients and influencers to this fact. You must actively cultivate referrals; otherwise you’re just leaving it to chance.Referrals Start with Great ServiceThe foundation of great referrals is great customer service. A large part of your business can be gener. . .

Consulting: A Different World

I won't say I have a vast array of knowledge as a consultant...collectively I've only been doing it about 8 years. However, there are some things that I have observed that I think will be helpful to those of you who are new to the profession. We will first dispel the myths and address the realities associated with being a Consultant, then we will address the commandments of being a good and v. . .

Why PR is an Engine for Economic Growth

Business, non-profit and association managers committing their public relations resources to (1) doing something about the behaviors of those important outside audiences that most affect their operation, (2) creating the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives, and (3) doing so by persuading those key outside folks to their way o. . .

Naming Names... How to Name your Business, Product or Ser...

Sometimes the best inspiration comes from hearing about the deconstruction of other company's names. For you, I am happy to share how I came up with "Slice A Day :: your slice on marketing"...First the purpose and vision of my site was to have people volunteer some marketing stories...true case studies of business owners and how they promote business. Then gathered the supplies for brainstormin. . .

15 Ways Salespeople Can Get Motivated

First, recognize that motivation is an inside job. The word motivate means to impel, inspire, hope, stimulate, incite, propel, spur, goad, move, induce, prompt, instigate, fire, provoke, actuate, cause, egg on, drive, excite, and to trigger. Don’t wait for someone to motivate you, here are 17 ways you can motivate yourself. 1. Set daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and lifetime goals. A goal is a g. . .

Buying and Selling Distressed Houses for Maximum Profit

If you want to become a real estate investor, find a "fixer-upper" owned by an anxious seller. Finding distressed houses at bargain prices, fixing them up, and then selling them on a consistent basis can make you a millionaire.Why Sellers Sell At a DiscountHomeowners' problems often prevent them from staying on top of their home's upkeep, and factors such as job loss, divorce, serious illness, . . .

The 7 Traits of an Exceptional & Successful Entrepreneur

How often have you either referred to or considered the expression, “Success is a journey and not a Destination?” Probably many times, yet often being in a hurry to get there, we forget that success is not an end unto itself, but is instead an ongoing process. Though some people seem to have the Midas touch and easily turn everything to gold, most of us have to give our endeavors lots of time, . . .

Working at Home : The Dream and the Reality

Everyone dreams of working at home. No sitting in traffic breathing car exhaust. Wake up and start work when ever you choose. Work in your pajamas. Do only interesting tasks that you enjoy. Take a break whenever you feel like it. Sounds too good to be true. The reality is that the first thing many people who work at home want is to earn enough money to rent an office away from home. Why? Becaus. . .

Right PR Empowers a Manager

Business, non-profit and association managers are in a stronger position to succeed when they use their public relations resources in a way that alters individual perception leading to changed external stakeholder behavior. A mouthful, but true. Here’s the obvious core of this approach: persuade your most important outside audiences with the greatest impacts on your organization to your way of . . .

The Likeability Factor – Do You Have It?

Growing up, we all had a mental picture of the perfect life partner The person we thought would be our happily-ever-after -- a person with a perfect smile, beautiful eyes, and an adorable button nose. Fast forward to reality and who did you wind up with?Chances are that if your partner of choice happens to be male, you ended up with a guy who is shorter than you expected, has less hair than you. . .

What 80% of Businesses Don’t Know: Tips for Improving You...

What is the number one way to prevent failure in business? Take a minute to really think about your answer. What comes to mind? Increasing patients or customers served? … Effective marketing? … Location, location, location? … Improving patient or customer care? … Being the best in your industry? Although these are all essential aspects of business, the answer isn't any of the above. The number . . .

How To Discount Your Way Into Sales Oblivion

I don't even like saying the word d---------g. I have literally obliterated it from my dictionary with a black marking pen. I'll bite my tongue until it bleeds, before I say the word.Earlier this week Bernadette, my wife, and I went shopping . . . something I love to do. Just kidding! We were looking for a 3-piece plant stand for our deck. We found one in a catalog and went to the store to . . .

How Envelope Stuffing Scams Con

Here's a legitimate looking advertisement found in the classified section of a local newspaper. "Our Company will pay you up to $5 per envelope stuffed! Hurry this opportunity will not last long!" Most work at home envelope stuffing scams look legitimate. A perfect way to make fast cash! Now the hard cold facts: It's practically impossible to make several hundred a week stuffing envelopes a few. . .

Nine Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Head To The Off...

One thing you can count on during the holiday season is the obligatory office party. No matter what the size of the organization, there is always an effort to bring coworkers together for one more moment of merriment. Some people look forward to the chance to mix and mingle outside the confines of business and others would rather give up the annual bonus than have to spend precious personal ti. . .

Student Home Purchase Plan

Tuition costs are climbing, housing costs are climbing, it seems like all the costs for students are climbing these days. Students can afford cost increases less than any other demographic in Canada. Because of this, parents and students alike are looking for new ways to offset the costs of education.Student loans can be used to defer these costs to some extent, but they need to be repaid after. . .

Financial Services Marketing Insights: A Marketing Compass

What we now call “marketing” began long before the name was coined. In the mid-1800s, traveling salesmen dressed “snake oil" and other tonics in fancy packaging and extolled their virtues to a gullible public. New marketing applications soon proliferated in the belief that marketing could make many new things possible in virtually any business situation. For more than a century, implementation,. . .

A Great Way to Do PR

As a business, non-profit or association manager trying to get a bang for your PR buck, you could pretty much concentrate on simple print and broadcast mentions or, for that matter, the whole basket of tactical public relations weaponry including old favorites like high-visibility speech appearances and newsworthy special events. But if you really want premium public relations results, you must. . .

Slash Your Phone Bill in Half Now!

Rip Out Your Phone Lines I hate the phone company. Reading my phone bill is like reading hieroglyphics. I thought that the break up of ma bell was suppose to make it easier for the consumer. We were suppose to get more choice. The choices seem to all be the same. For instance, I was so elated last year when the phone company offered me a lower rate. Yes, 29.99 and that was all I had to pay. Wel. . .

FOCUS on Your Business Program. Power of FOCUS.

If you are anything like me, you probably find yourself often thinking of new projects to start, new things to achieve. I did that in my beginning on Internet. That in itself is very beneficial and indeed a required ingredient for success. The trick is to know where to draw a line. The trap I kept falling into was hoping and looking for new and better programs all the time,easy to find new once. . .

Credit Establishment 101

There will come a day when you need credit. You may want to buy a home or a car and your credit rating will become very important to help make these dreams come true. One of the first things you will need to learn is the basic principle of money management, especially the ability to repay your creditors on time within the 30-day grace period they establish for you. Most people secure credit car. . .

The Future Of Banking - Bank Online

Chances are your bank is a virtual place. Since the invention of the Internet you can see your balances anywhere, at any time. Most banks think globally and have acted this way by creating secure portals to manage their account holder’s information stored in their databases. This information stored usually shows account balances, previous transactions, current balances, interest paid and electr. . .

Obtain a Car Loan No Longer Than Necessary

Some time in your life you will need a new car. You may not want to have the burden of a new car debt, but you may find there are very few alternatives. There are some simple things you can look for that will help reduce the amount of money every month. Depending on your credit situation, a car loan can be very easy or rather difficult. Even though there are dealerships that specialize in selli. . .

Refinancing your home - How and why?

Chances are you may need a little extra money to get some work done around the home or perhaps your current interest rate is 7.5% and the prime interest rate is 6.0% there is a benefit to restart the clock on an existing mortgage and save thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. The first thing you must realize is that refinancing your home can also be tax deductible, meaning that you wi. . .

Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rate Now!

With today’s credit card companies, there are many opportunities to get your cards rate of 21% or more reduced. The higher the amount of interest your card charges will cost you more for a simple purchase and ultimately may take you years to pay off instead of months, should you make the minimum payment allowed. People often just pay the minimum balance as a way to improve their credit rating; . . .

Home loan applications made easy

You have finally found the home of your dreams. You have searched all over and are ready to purchase it. Before you even make your offer you should seek out the financing first. In some cases, it is easier to have a pre-approval in hand before making any financial commitment through a contract. Why get your hopes up after you purchase the home when you can buy with assurance and wait by the set. . .

Tread Softly When Dispensing Unsolicited Advice

I recently received an e-mail from an Internet marketing colleague. Actually, it was a series of e-mails. Everything started out pleasantly enough, he initially e-mailed me to tell me that he clicked on my ClickBank payment link and it wasn't working properly, which I appreciated and thanked him for. But it didn't end there. He immediately bombarded me with a slew of e-mails offering me various. . .

The Self-employed Employer

It's that time of year again, when all Canadians rush to their mailboxes, their corner stores or their neighbor's houses to read the latest edition of Maclean's Magazine.For those who don't know it, Maclean's is the Canadian equivalent of Time or Newsweek, and the time of year is the annual Top 100 Employers report – the employers who issue more than just a paycheck (although right now a payche. . .

Three Simple Ideas That Increase Profit… FAST!

Are you spending more time trying to get new clients than actually working with them? If the answer is yes, then these three simple ideas will help you. First, have you ever asked for something and got something different to what you thought you*d asked for? Or have you ever thought you had asked for something and got a blank expression or worse... just got completely ignored? Or even worse, be. . .

A Real Estate Investing Primer

There are a great many books and web sites devoted to real estate investing out there, but most of them concentrate on one specific area of investing. It's often hard to find a general description of real estate investing, one that lists the various real estate investing strategies and how to get started. That's what this article will set out to do.Before beginning, you must understand that r. . .

Debunking the FAFSA Myth

With the plethora of big-business entities jockeying for the money of students on the path to becoming well-to-do responsible consumers with a house, car, and 1.5 children, it's often missed that the US Government is the first place to start when planning student finances.Scholarships, traineeships, fellowships, loans: Uncle Sam is nothing if not prolific in the diversity of programs available.. . .

Book Review: The NEW Game Of Business

If you think you've seen and heard everything there is to say, The NEW Game of Business brings new distinctions and a fresh perspective to the world of business.This slim, easy-to-read soft cover book is so good that it should be required reading in business schools around the world. Every entrepreneur and every company employee, from the janitor to the CEO should read and reread this book. The. . .

Ten Ways to Manage a Rapidly Growing Business

While some new business owners face the issue of not enough customers, others face the issue of too many customers/clients. Both are serious issues and must be dealt with carefully. There are many lists on how to find new customers/clients. Here is a list of 10 ways to deal with a rapid influx of new customers. The goal is a steady flow of just the right customers/clients.1. Know the customer/c. . .

How Long Should You Hang Onto Your Home-Based Business Dr...

A home-based business becomes for the business owner, an entity in and of itself. Because so much hard work, blood, sweat and tears goes into every home-based business, it is easy to view it as having a "life" of its own and a home-based business can be more real to the business owner than anything else in their lives.However, there is also a dark side to a home-based business, especially one t. . .

What to do When You receive a Bad Check

As a small business operator, personal checks may be one method to receive payment for your goods or services. As a way to receive payment, a personal check is actually better than credit cards because the fees are less and there can be no charge back. Fortunately, most people are honest and studious in taking care of their checking account. But sooner or later every small business operator wil. . .

The Real Estate Bubble Fallacy

There has been a lot of talk lately about the "Real Estate Bubble", and a lot of folks are asking the question: "When it is going to burst"? They are saying that the market just can't sustain this level of growth and appreciation much longer, and I heat them say that it is inevitable that it must come crashing down soon. People are worried. They don't think it can last; That whatever goes up, m. . .

Why Radio Advertising Could Be The Best Thing You Ever Di...

In the marketing world, radio has earned the reputation of being the odd step-cousin. You know the one. No one knows quite what to do with him. Especially at family gatherings when everyone tries hard to avoid sitting with him. (After all, who knows WHAT he'll start talking about.)Much of that reputation comes from radio being tough to track. On one hand, radio does work. Businesses do notice a. . .

Celebrating Successes: The Power Of Compliments

Years ago, when I was new in management circles, a veteran administrator decided to share his self-described secret of success. He said: You have to be careful, Bill. I*ve learned not to compliment my people. Makes them too self-assured, and they get lax in their work habits. Better to keep them guessing. As I listened, I uttered silent thanks, grateful that Don was a professional acquaintance-. . .

The Seven Best Ways For Salespeople And Entrepreneurs To ...

What’s the one thing starting today that you could start doing, stop doing, or change that would have a dramatic impact on your client relationships? It’s an excellent question and I hope you’ll take a moment to consider your response. It sometimes takes a great deal of effort and an extraordinary amount of energy to close “a big deal.” Never forget, it may take even more effort and energy, to . . .

Ten Tips to a Job Winning Interview

These days, interviews don't come easily. When you get The Call, make the most of your time -- and go for it! 1. Investigate the company's culture, markets, and finances. But resist the temptation to show off what you've researched: "I just read that you're about to embark on a new product line") unless you have a question directly related to your career. 2. Look like you belong. Learn. . .

7 Tips for Starting a New Business in a Small Town

Q. I am transitioning to a new career after sixteen years to spend more time with my family. We moved to a very small town (less than ten thousand people) and I want to start an coffee shop business and also offer PC repair. How can Iinvestigate and then promote this business?A. In a big city, you'll make decisions by numbers and neighborhoods. In a small town, you schmooze!On the surface, ever. . .

Maybe the Strongest PR on Planet Earth?

Strong for business, non-profit and association managers when they use the fundamental premise of public relations to produce external stakeholder behavior change – the kind that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives. And strong when they do something positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect their organization. And finally, if this is you, reall. . .

Why Mobile SMS/Text Messaging?

What is Mobile SMS/ Test Messaging?Mobile text Messaging, or Short Message Service (SMS), as we all know it, is the ability to send and receive text messages to and from mobile telephones. The text can comprise words or numbers or an alphanumeric combination. SMS was created as part of the GSM Phase 1 standard. The first short message is believed to have been sent in December 1992 from a Person. . .

How to Change Career Horses in Mid-Stream

You’ll get wet but the reward just might be a more fulfilling ride!In Survival is Not Enough, author Seth Godin says change is the "new normal.” Rather than thinking of work as a series of stable times interrupted by moments of change, Godin says we “must now recognize work as constant change, with only occasional moments of stability." For many of us this very thought stirs both a nervous anxi. . .

Yesterday's Hero

Wonder Woman makes it looks so easy. She gets up every morning, fights the good fight, calls it a day, and starts the whole process all over again. This is the way most of us begin our workday. We work hard, accomplish lots, and get up in the morning for an encore presentation. From childhood we were told that if we put 110% into our careers that we will be shoo-ins for promotions and raises. I. . .

Fuel Index (A measuring stick of a company's success)

Every company has a Vision, a Mission and a set of core Values. Companies develope multiple strategies that implement these Values to relaize the Mission.I always wondered, Is there any relationship between a company's Values and company's success? Is there any influence of these Values on a company's sustainability? Do the company's Values impact other factors of success? How do we measure tha. . .

No Income Verification Home Equity Loan

A no income verification home equity loan is a second mortgage loan that does not require you to provide income documentation to qualify for the loan. This type of loan is great for homeowners who need a home equity loan but have hard to document income.The majority of borrowers with hard to document income are either self-employed or commission based employees. Consumers who fall under these. . .

Is This Any Way to Run Your PR?

You bet! Especially for business, non-profit and association managers who REALLY need to persuade their key outside audiences to their way of thinking. Then move them to behaviors that lead to the success of their department, division or subsidiary. Could this be you? If so, you may need to reduce your emphasis on tactical public relations weaponry with its simple print and broadcast mentions. . . .