Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Communicating with Case Studies

Not long ago, I made a partnership pitch, on behalf of an organization I represent, to another organization with similar interests. If the idea had come to fruition, it would have radically changed our organization.So, you can imagine my impatience when I didn't hear back from the person to whom I'd made the proposal. She had welcomed the idea, but told me the decision would be made by a counci. . .

What's Your Selling Sentence?

What's your Selling Sentence? If you have a business, you need a selling sentence. Sometimes called the Defining Sentence or the Secondary Statement, the Selling Sentence is the group of words that clarify and refine the nature of your business when seen or heard with the name or logo of your business. You tell ‘em what you do for them' with your Selling Sentence. The Selling Sentence clearly d. . .

How Much Do You Need To Earn Per Hour To Achieve Your Yea...

Have you ever asked yourself what your highest income producing activity is?If you’re like most people you probably go about your day-to-day business never really thinking about the moment to moment activities that consume your day.I’d like to walk you through an exercise that has helped me and my clients really stay focused on earning their highest possible revenue per hour. Let’s assume that . . .

What To Ask Before You Hire Security Services For Your Bu...

Most business owners never think about what they security need for, they just want to know how much it will cost them! This has a variety of adverse affects on your business right away! First the old cliché, “You get what you pay for” has never been more appropriate than when you hire security at a low rate per hour! When you take the lowest bidder to provide security for your business, then yo. . .

While You're Waiting

Not long ago, I made a partnership pitch, on behalf of an organization I represent, to another organization with similar interests. If the idea had come to fruition, it would have radically changed our organization.So, you can imagine my impatience when I didn't hear back from the person to whom I'd made the proposal. She had welcomed the idea, but told me the decision would be made by a counci. . .

10 Mistakes That Reduce Profitability

In my professional experience as a sales and marketing coach/consultant, I've had the opportunity to work with a number of small business owners on various issues related to sales and marketing. The owners who are struggling to keep their businesses afloat tend to engage in some, or all, of the following mistakes that reduce profitability. Mistake #1: They fail to market or market inconsistentl. . .

How to Start a Business on the Internet

So you want to start a business? Good for you. Really, I mean that sincerely. I think about the millions of people that let the thought pass briefly through their minds on he way to work everyday. The vas majority of people merely toy with the idea at points in their lives when they hate their bosses or their pay or their lack of vacation time. You, on the other hand, are investigating wh. . .

Lead People...Manage Things

Master The Five Key Facets of High Performance LeadershipMany people in leadership positions struggle with understanding what makes a great leader. While billions of dollars are spent annually on leadership development, quality leadership is still in short supply. Organizations have responded to the demand for high performance leadership with myriads of education and training programs and resou. . .

Managers: A Key to Your Survival

Most business, non-profit and association managers live to tell about it only IF they achieve their operating objectives. Very little wriggle room there. But among such managers are those who fail to do anything about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect their business, non-profit or association. On top of that omission, they risk their careers by choosing to pursue the. . .

Meditation: Why Just Sitting There Isn't Just Sitting There

Meditation: Why Just Sitting There Isn’t Just Sitting There At first you might not think this is a tool for creativity. Meditation does typically involve sitting quietly by yourself for a period of time. No computers or pens or pads of paper included to record your inspiration. So how can this help you as a writer or an artist? Meditation is an excellent tool to increase your focus, to stimulat. . .

In Praise of Personal Pronouns

Rudolph Flesch, a pioneering advocate of readability, put great stock in the liveliness of the written word.One way of getting that liveliness into our writing, he said, is to use the personal pronouns: you, me, I, we, us, he, she, him, her, and they.When we use personal pronouns, several important things happen. For starters, we personalize our writing, and that makes it easier for readers to . . .

Don't Sell Your House--Ever!

Keeping your existing house when you buy a new one could be THE most profitable financial decision you could make. Consider the following:1. Second stream of income: When you move to another place and keep your current house as a rental, this gives you an extra stream of income.2. Pay less tax: Your rental property produces business income. When you have a business, you are entitled to tax writ. . .

How a Photoswitch Saved My Job

In 1996 I was employed as maintenance supervisor at an olive cannery in the heart of California’s fertile San Joaquin valley. We were restarting the cannery after an extended shutdown while the cannery changed owners. This was my first opportunity to work in the food industry and a cannery. There were issues for me to learn and learn fast. The new harvest season’s olives were due to start a. . .

How Well Do You Speak?

The ability to speak well can enhance your career, clinch a sale, sell a point of view and increase your business productivity. 1.The most important objective of any speaker is to appear credible and knowledgeable about their subject. Speak to your audience as if you were having a conversation.2.Grab the audience’s attention in the first few minutes with a question, startling comment, inspirin. . .

Using Sector Funds to Construct Diversified Mutual Fund P...

‘Sector funds are too risky.’ ‘I doubled my money with Fidelity Select Technology in 12 months!’ ‘Avoid sector funds.’ If all of this sounds confusing, you are not alone. Sector funds are among the more misused and misunderstood investments. So, how should you use sector funds?Before looking at one of the uses of sector funds in detail, let’s review what sector funds really are: Sector funds co. . .

Increase Your Income Through International Trade

If you operate a small business, you may feel that your income potential is quite limited. However, you can increase and diversify your income through international trade. 1. Importing Retail store owners can find additional products to sell from foreign manufacturers, distributors, and other suppliers. Advantages of importing include increased product selection, lower costs, and increased inco. . .

Getting Results from Your Writing & Speaking

When we communicate, we usually want something to happen. We want results. And, when we’re conscious of results, we’re seeking effective communication. To put it another way, the effectiveness of communication can be measured by the responses it gets. It's not measured by how well we wrote or how eloquently we spoke, although those can help us get the responses we want.Good writing and speaking. . .

Make Sure You Get The Customer Perspective

Businesses that fail, often forget to seek out the customer perspective. I have talked to some folks at businesses that were less than succesful, and when asked if they actively seek out customer comments, the answer invariably is no. Why don't they do that? Why not get the customer perspective? Oftentimes, the company is overconfident, and thinks they know what customers want. This myth, becau. . .

The 8 Biggest Mistakes When Designing Portfolios - and Ho...

Are you as good an investor as you think? Do you consider yourself a well-informed investor able to anticipate and avoid nearly all pitfalls associated with investing? Chances are, you are making one of the common errors that could cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, or worse yet, your financial independence, control and security.“I see people making the same costly mistakes over an. . .

Why Small- and Medium-Sized Businesses Should

As the owner or an employee of a small- to medium-sized business, you might have never thought about media monitoring. Maybe you are not even sure what exactly is meant by this and have thus ignored it so far. But you should take some time to get acquainted with the concept of media monitoring. For companies of every size, it is a crucial tool for market success. When you monitor the media, you. . .

The Seven Secrets to New Age Leadership

Did you ever notice that In our American culture, we have the tendency to look outside of ourselves for leadership? That’s a trap. Isn’t it time we looked inside ourselves to see how we can be the leader we want and need to be in the 21st century? I certainly think so. Leadership used to be about telling people what to do. We saw the manager as “hero.” Managers were needed to solve problems, ne. . .

Top 10 Ways to Turn Clients Into Raving Fans

Do you find great joy in being a coach? If so, you will find that your enthusiasm is contagious and will attract clients. Be sure to develop a superb and supportive community. Enlist them in building a practice and in supporting you as you go down the coaching road. Embrace change. It is your constant companion as you build your coaching business. 1. Be someone that they really e. . .

The Three Largest Factors In Your Interest Rate

There are three major factors that affect how much you pay for a loan. Understanding these factors can save you time, money and frustration. 1. The Federal Reserve Discount Interest Rate.Banks and other lending institutions borrow money from the Federal Reserve Banks. The discount rate is the interest rate a Federal Reserve Bank charges eligible financial institutions to borrow funds on a shor. . .

Business Writing Tip: Question & Answer Format

Traditionally, business writing uses the "one thing after another" format, which usually means a plain recitation of the facts, circumstances, or whatever else needs to be said.But, we have a number of other options, and some of them may provide more responses or better responses. Consider the Q & A format, for example:Question: What's the Q & A format?Answer: It's a series of questions and ans. . .

Managers: Why Not PR Like This?

I mean public relations that presumes from the get-go that the right message, strategy and communications tactics can change perceptions among each of your business, non- profit or association audiences. And do so in a way that produces the behaviors you need to achieve your objectives. It all comes together when you persuade those important outside audiences to your way of thinking by doing so. . .

Retirement is never urgent until...

If you’re like many people, your retirement savings have not been growing consistently over the years. We’re not referring to the wild fluctuations in the stock market, but rather the fluctuations in our short-term needs. Every once in a while, it just seems like a good idea to yank ALL those retirement savings out and pay for something.You might need to pay for a down payment. You might need t. . .

Retirement or Financial Freedom?

In the past most people never retired. They died. The average life expectancy was much less than it is these days, and there were no financial planners around to help people save up enough to quit work. As recently as the 1960’s, if you did manage to save up enough money to retire, you’d be lucky to live another 5 or 6 years before you kicked the bucket. This made financial planning for retirem. . .

6 Ways Small Businesses Can Survive In A Crazy Economy

Contrary to popular belief, small businesses can survive a crazy economy by taking some proactive steps. 1. Provide spectacular customer service -- every time. Have a friend or colleague visit your business and provide feedback from a customer’s perspective. This person should be unknown by your staff and willing to provide a candid assessment. 2. Make sure your front and back office work like . . .

Help Your Kids Learn More About Managing Their Personal E...

Remember when cash was a tangible commodity in all of our personal economies? As kids, we went to the bank, shopped with our parents and frequently watched them pay with cash. Now with cash on the endangered species list, today’s kids see their personal economic situation much differently. As we enjoy the convenience of charge cards, stored value cards, debit cards and ATM cards, the challenge . . .

Alarming Marketing Trend

One key discipline of successful direct marketing has been to test marketing communications tactics to continually improve results. There is now an alarming trend according to a recent survey that we conducted among business-to-business marketers who are readers of Sales Lead Report. Only 24% of the marketing professionals surveyed said they usually or always test their marketing communications. . .

Buying New Construction...How Do I Begin?

The prospect of shopping for a new construction residence can be quite daunting, but the rewards of owning a brand new home out-weight the disadvantages if you know the potential pitfalls. The following are important considerations: Overall Dollar Budget, Location, Cost Per Square Foot, Finishes, Upgrades, Parking and Delivery Date.Overall Dollar BudgetTo establish a budget for purchasing a hom. . .

Speaking Body Language

I observed an almost surreal event when I was a business student.At the front of the classroom, an entrepreneur was practicing a pitch he would make later to venture capital firms. Specifically, he was talking about a technology his firm had developed, a respirator which had the potential to save the lives of many infants.When he talked about the potentially great financial returns, the audienc. . .

The Cost of Going Public in the United States

The following data is taken from "Going Public" by James B. Arkebauer (1994) and the IPO cost website at: http://www.intranet.ca/~tgil/p2.htmlYou should keep in mind that costs vary based upon the complexity, the size of the underwriting and the history of the private company.The following IPO costs would be reasonable for a company with over $2 million in gross revenues and a 3-5 year operatin. . .

Let The Market Choose Your Price?

Setting the correct price is hard for any on-line business, and there are plenty courses and manuals dedicated to this delicate subject.You want to have a price that will make you a profit, obviously. But you also want to have happy customers who feel you've charged a "fair" price.The problem is too low a price will make your product seem inferior. Give-away products suffer even more from this . . .

Peddling Your Own Wagon Through Local Exposure

In my e-book "Articles That Sell", I've shared the secret of marketing your business on the Internet. If you've been active in your efforts, you've been writing and publishing free reprint articles.Guess what? I've got another incredible marketing secret for you. While online marketing has unlimited potential it often misses a valuable mark. This missed mark is your own local area. You could be. . .

Delegate or Drown

Why waste your precious time working on tasks, which are definitely not your forte when you can delegate or invest your money on a product or service which will free up your time? You can then focus on the more important areas in your work and your life.Debbie's StoryDebbie was the Director of her own computer company, employing four staff.Debbie had a hectic lifestyle. She worked long hours, h. . .

How to Get a Grip on Your Money

Most people have no idea where their money goes. They earn it and they spend it.That's fine if you want to live from week to week and are not concerned about your financial future. However if you want to increase your wealth and have more options, action needs to be taken by you otherwise you could end up like most people further down the track, totally dependant on a pension.Karen's StoryKaren. . .

Develop Your Managers and Keep Your Staff

Following on from the last edition of The Organised Times where we spoke about developing the people in your business, this week we're focussing on the importance of the continual development of your managers.Leadership comes from the top down. Poor management skills is the cause of most employee dissatisfaction and results in their poor performance.The following article by Nathan Chanesman fro. . .

How To Negotiate A Higher Price For Your House

Negotiation is where many FSBO home sellers really have problems. The wrong attitude or a slip of the tongue could cost you thousands. Here are a few pointers to keep you on the right path: 1. Show interest in selling the house. In an effort to project a sense of strength many people either take an aggressive "take it or leave it" attitude, or they appear to be overly relaxed, almost disinteres. . .

Get Organised and Transform Your Life

It takes effort to get results, and not just any effort, it takes smart effort. You cannot expect to achieve anything without doing something. Unfortunately in our society today, people are making an enormous effort to keep themselves busy all day, yet for many they look at what they have done and realised that much of the time had been wasted. They review their day and wonder what they had ach. . .

Unleash Your True Potential

Some time ago I attended a birthday party and met a young guy who just happened to be 30. I say young because when you're 47, that is a young age!He told me about his career in a major corporate company where he's been working for the past 3 years.John was complaining about the extremely long hours he works…sometimes from 7.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. weekdays and often on weekends. He bemoaned the f. . .

Make a Decision and Take Action!

How are you progressing with the goals you set yourself this year?Have you made a start? Or are you still thinking about it or caught the very popular "I'm too busy" epidemic?Mary's StoryMary runs her own publishing company employing 5 people. She is married with two teenagers.When I first met Mary she told me how stressed out she was trying to juggle work and home effectively. Her business alt. . .

Overcoming Work Addiction

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?If you find these questions disturbing then see how you rate with these ones:Do you work more than 50 hours a week?Do you dream about work?Do you feel that in order to succ. . .

How to Hire the Right People

One of the biggest challenges any business owner or manager has is hiring the right people. I've recently discovered a simple, inexpensive yet very effective way which will help you get it right. This week I've asked Nathan Chanesman, Managing Director of Myprofile Pty Ltd. to please explain…"Without quality employees who share your vision and work ethic your business is not going anywhere.So h. . .

Develop Your People and Make More Money

What is the no. 1 asset in your business beside yourself? It's your people.Then why is it they often fall to the bottom of the list when it comes to doing anything to help them improve their performance and look after them? If you want your business to run more effectively and/or make more money then you must invest time and energy into your no. 1 asset otherwise you will eventually lose them. . . .

The Pitfalls of Procrastination

We all put off making decisions and taking action sometimes (yes, me too). It's okay to do that occasionally but if you are a regular pontificator then it will constantly cause you pain, even if you aren't aware of it. By putting things off on a regular basis you hold yourself back and instead of progressing in your life, you'll regress.Mary's StoryI've been coaching Mary for over the past 6 mo. . .

How to Network Your Way to Success

Successful people do not achieve success on their own, they surround themselves with a well-developed, sophisticated support network. In a world that grows more complex and more competitive each day, networking is necessary not only for survival but for high achievement"…excerpt from the best-selling book "Masters of Networking".Observing many people when I'm out and about attending various bus. . .

Gaining Free Publicity Through Press Releases

One of the greatest ways to promote your product or service is with publicity. Many people have little, if any, understanding of how to go about securing publicity, never mind free publicity. Fact is, people will pay more attention to free publicity than they often do to paid advertising. A simple way to gain free publicity is to write and distribute a well-written and well-formatted press rel. . .

What Does It Take To "Have It All" In Life?

Many people have asked me why I wrote my book, 'The Street Kid's Guide to Having it All', and I realized that some people simply do not believe that it is possible to 'have it all'. Well, I am here as an ambassador to dispel that rumor once and for all.If you are serious about learning what it takes, then read on and I'll take you on a short journey.Let's suppose that at some point in the past,. . .

Beware of Psychic Vampires

I am often asked how I stay happy and motivated all the time. The answer has two parts to it; positivity and self-talk.Many years ago I had a colleague who was forever complaining about everything and everyone in her life. Each day when she arrived at the office, it would start, "you wouldn't believe this... can you imagine he did that...this will never work, I'm so tired..." and so on. This wo. . .