Author: Pamela Swift

Categories
Communication Skills

How Communicating With a Lack of Specificity is Sabotaging Results in Your Organization

Article Contributed by Skip Weisman

Communication is a catchall phrase for things that go wrong in companies and relationships. Unfortunately, the concept is too ambiguous to do anything constructive to fix it.

There are seven communication mistakes that lead to mis-understandings, and cause conflicts between co-workers, and bosses and their subordinates, which lead to low morale and toxic work environments.

They are called the “The 7 Deadly Sins of Organizational Leadership Communication.” This article will address the least understood and most common of these leadership communication sins, a “lack of specificity.”

The “Law of Specificity” states, “the level to which communication lacks specificity is the level to which individuals are required to become mind readers, guess and assume. We all know what happens we assumptions are made.

Three of the most common areas for non-specific communication, which will be addressed in this article, are:

  1. Lack of Specific Details
  2. Lack of Specific Direction
  3. Lack of Specific Meaning

Lack of Specific Details

This is one of the most regularly violated. It’s a simple as leaving out dates, times, and locations, etc. when making a request. Even when one believes they are being specific, often times they are not.
A recent client, who has embraced adding specificity to his communication, and has effectively integrated this strategy into his senior leadership team’s culture, sent me this e-mail recently:

“I will be in the office working on two projects Thursday and Friday. I can take a break to speak with you, though. To be specific, can you call me at 11:30am?”

He thought he was being specific. You may, or should notice, that although he was specific regarding the “time” he wanted a tele-coaching session, he forgot that he gave me two days to choose from.
This type of communication happens all the time. Double check your communication for specificity and ask for clarification when you feel you need it.

Lack of Specific Direction

Another client, a CEO, had a habit of moving things off his desk by putting them in his office manager’s in-basket. Because of his position, the office manager assumed that if he was giving her something “it must be important.”

Every time she would immediately stop what she was doing to work on the latest thing he had given her.
This seems like a very proactive assistant getting things done. The challenge is that it was causing stress and frustration for the office manager, as it prevented her from accomplishing her other priorities.

The problem was solved in 30-seconds by asking the CEO if everything he put in her in-box was an urgent priority requiring immediate attention. He said, “no,” that he was just trying to get stuff off his desk.

Moving forward the CEO began putting notes on items identifying the required level of urgency. This allowed the office manager to prioritize and schedule those items around her work without having to assume and mind-read.

Lack of Specific Meaning

A wife recently accused her husband of leaving the front door to their home “open” when he came home from appointments during the day. Her meaning for the word “open,” as it pertained to the front door of the home, and the husband’s meaning were found to be very different.

Upon further discussion it was learned the wife meant the door was not “locked” so as to seal the door to keep the cold winter air from seeping through the weather stripping. The husband’s meaning for an “open” front door was that the latch was not shut and the door was truly open so one could see outside.

Words have different meanings to different people in different contexts. Often times we assume the other person has our same point of reference. That is often not the case, causing misunderstandings and trust to break down.

A lack of specificity is just one of seven communication mistakes organizational leaders are making when interacting with their peers, direct reports and those they answer to such as shareholders and board members.

About the Author

Skip Weisman of Weisman Success Resources, Inc. of Poughkeepsie, NY (www.WeismanSuccessResources.com) works with organizational leaders to improve personnel, productivity and profits by helping them “Create a Champion Organization,” one that communicates effectively and takes action with commitment towards a shared compelling vision. His latest White Paper Report is “The 7 Deadly Sins of Organizational Leadership Communication” available free at www.HowToImproveOrganizationalCommunication.com

Categories
Recommendations

Businesses Make Their Postage Habits More Tech Savvy

Article Contributed by Samantha Morse

In the new world of smart devices, businesses are trying to get on top of the tech world in all facets of their operations. One of the last places consumers and businesses might think of as tech savvy is the mail industry, but they are finally jumping on board as well. FP Mailing Solutions has released Mailone™ which is a mailing, tracking and accounting software that allows businesses to save money.

This new software makes postage meters extra smart and easy to use. It allows all businesses to easily take advantage of significant cost savings every time they place a package on postage scales without needing to do any calculating. It is software that is easy to use for most businesses of all sizes. Kevin A. Pietras, the Director of Marketing for FP Mailing Solutions says, “Software with this kind of performance typically is priced for only the largest mailers, but mailone™ is priced so it can pay for itself in just months, even for small- and mid-sized operations.”

Mailone™ offers percent savings for a multitude of shipping criteria. The process is all electronic eliminating wastes, it also allows for free discounted and delivery confirmation. Commercial-Base Pricing offers discounts up to 9.9 percent on Priority Mail and 5 percent on Express Mail. Detailed reports can be generated in graph or table form, and can reveal new opportunities for savings and efficiencies allowing for even more cost savings that already present. Also, cost figures are easily exported to financial accounting software.

Mailone™ allows for cleaner and easier accounting/documenting. The accounting feature automatically records detailed data on an unlimited number of transactions, accounts and customers. The process is appealing because it can track expenses by department or customer, bill back accounts and automatically add a handling fee if necessary. This makes Mailone™ extremely attractive for businesses that ship a lot of product. It’s only a matter of time before businesses go completely electronic with the release of new innovative products

About the Author

Samantha Morse is a writer and pet lover based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for an online resource that provides expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs such as phone systems & voip service at Resource Nation.

Categories
Home-Based Business

Home Business? Target the Ideal Prospects

Article Contributed by Tami Stodghill

If you think about it, there are “ideal prospects” out there everywhere. And they are ideal, for one, because they are used to commission-based sales and have learned to live and budget based on that. They are people who are open, usually, to alternative sources of income as they probably have had to be. Those ideal prospects I’m talking about are realtors and people who work at car dealerships and small business owners.

The economy has changed the game for these people. High-priced items such as homes and vehicles have fallen prey to the financial situation that so many people are affected by. Which means that with slower sales, their commissions suffer. And that means that your opportunity could offer them a great backup tool for generating income.

These potential prospects are located in every neighborhood, every city, and all around the globe. And if presented right, your opportunity could not only solve the issues they are facing, but grow your business in the process. We have found that by contacting these professions, they are generally open to new sources of revenue and are not as hesitant to try a business that could allow them to replace or supplement their income. They understand direct sales and commission structures and therefore, the need to explain exactly how those things work is unnecessary.

If your opportunity is thriving in this recession, then you can greatly benefit from targeting this type of customer. What will be most important in your approach, is that you present your opportunity with accurate and complete information as to what will be necessary for them to be successful. By presenting your product or service in a way which demonstrates how it is still a necessity or benefit in this economy, you will automatically show them that it is a viable source for them to run with. In our case, we learned everything we could about the real estate market and its current condition, researched specific areas and then targeted realtors and car dealer reps in those areas. We also know our product line inside and out, which assists us in better presenting all the benefits that the products offer, even in this economy. If you can spin your product as useful and with potential, it will help you sell your opportunity to these professions.

We also have talked more with small store owners. Our local printer/copy shop owner asked all about our business when we had some additional business cards printed. With small business owners suffering the effects of the economy (especially in storefronts) , many are looking for additional ways to generate income themselves. They still have their overheads such as lease, utilities, materials, etc, and with business down, they are wanting to find a way to “ride out” the slow business period by bringing in outside income. These businesses can be restaurants, salons, any type of small store/retail, auto body and detail shops, convenience stores owned by private owners, coffee shops, etc. All of them are being affected right now and have seen decreases in sales, so if you can present your opportunity in a way that will allow them to research the potential and reap all the information they can, you will find they will definitely consider your option.

We make it a point to stay friendly with every business we frequent. In maintaining a positive, outgoing and congenial attitude when you shop or visit a business, you will portray the benefits that your opportunity has afforded you. People will sense that the freedom and financial security that your business provides you is a viable option. And I can’t tell you how many times our simple, pleasant demeanors have started a conversation that has led to others wanting to know about what we do.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with your local businesses personally, or even those types of businesses via the internet. Your ideal prospect exists in many areas and you can actually utilize the economic situation to your advantage.

About the Author

Tami Stodghill was the Press-Relations manager, for a world-wide extensible-technology distributor based in London and the US for 20 years. She was also a freelance writer for several industry publications and is now a home-based business owner with WMI. She makes her home in Page-Lake Powell, Arizona, in the summers and Palm Harbor, Florida in the winters where she enjoys boating and reading, camping, hiking and meeting new people. She runs a blog site exclusively to offer tips for success for any small or home-based business.

Categories
Technology

Five Steps to Become a More Efficient Small Business

Technology can be a lifesaver for a small business owner, but only if you know how to use today’s top tools to spark efficiency. Communication is one area that is fast becoming critical to the success of small businesses. These suggestions are good reminders on how communication technology can shave unnecessary expenses while streamlining employee workflow:

1. Improve employee satisfaction.

Aging phone systems and slow networks can frustrate your employees and annoy your customers. In some cases, an employee might become burned out and decide to move on. To help ensure that employees are productive and satisfied, your business needs a secure, reliable, and fast network.

2. Reduce unproductive travel time.

All too often, time spent on the road is time lost. A networked phone solution that offers video calls and Web conferencing can help reduce the time and expense of traveling to offsite meetings and training sessions. Instead of spending time traveling, you can use the time to get work done with technology.

3. Make it easy to work together.

Smooth collaboration between employees, partners, suppliers, and customers is a sure-fire way to boost efficiency while also reducing costs. An intelligent network lets your business take advantage of interactive calendaring, videoconferencing, unified communications, and other technologies for easy collaboration. In fact, through May 31, small business owners can take advantage of a free trial of the Verizon Collaboration Center, which gives easy access to all of these features. Companies can register for the free trial at: http://business.verizon.net/betterway/challenge.php

4. Streamline customer communications.

Delivering fast, knowledgeable service is the best way to keep customers satisfied. Linking your network phone system to a customer relationship management (CRM) solution is a great way to enhance customer communications. When a customer calls, a pop-up window with their records appears on an employee’s IP phone screen, computer screen, or both.

5. Develop a long-term technology plan.

The process of replacing obsolete hardware can interrupt your employees and bring the office to a standstill. You can minimize such disruptions by carefully determining short- and long-term business objectives and working with your network vendor or IT professional to deploy technology that matches them.

Categories
Sales & Marketing

Home Business: Make Sales With a Millionaire Mindset

Article Contributed by Tami Stodghill

I have been contacted the last few weeks by some people who have purchased a business opportunity or are wanting to do just that. But many of them are concerned they are not “natural sellers”. They either have a limited past in sales, an unsuccessful past in sales or are worried they won’t be able to sell the opportunity/service/product in such a way that they will profit from their venture. When we started out, my past was NOT in sales.

Actually, our backgrounds were in Press Relations, Freelance Writing and Technical Support. We didn’t have to worry about quotas or reaching sales goals, so this was an issue for us as well. Would we have what it takes?

The answer is that anyone can be successful in sales. And all it takes is the proper mindset. Seriously. And if you can adopt that mindset, you will find success in your venture. I’ve covered other things that are important to home-business success, and please note that these are all still a must when it comes to achieving the kind of success that most people want—consistency, positive attitude, honesty, integrity and ongoing training and mentoring. But equally as important is the approach you take with your business. Adopting this mindset released us from fear of failure and being able to move forward with our business.

Stop right now and ask yourself, “if I had a million dollars in my bank account right now, would I be afraid of calling this prospect back and chancing rejection?” Because it will instantly change your approach and your selling technique. It will free you to speak with prospects honestly and openly and will take the “desperate” out of your sales pitch. You will relax and say what you mean—covering the best about your opportunity with total self-confidence.

Let me explain further, why this approach will make you the best representative you can be for your business…

When you convince yourself that each and every sale will not determine your success, and that you have breathing room, so-to-speak, your technique instantly alters to one that projects success. And people need to know that they can believe in YOU as well as the opportunity you are selling. Since I dealt with a great number of editors through email when I was in Press Relations, phone interaction was rarely needed and I have to admit that my phone skills cried out for a complete makeover. I dreaded dialing a number to return a call to a prospect and when I did, I instantly tensed up and got ready for the rejection. Obviously, I went nowhere fast. And through the advice of a seasoned colleague, I completely revamped my approach and mindset to that of a millionaire. And lo and behold—I found success.

People don’t want to buy into a business through someone who lacks confidence, seems beaten down or desperate. That’s all there is to it. They want to follow the lead of others who are experiencing success and who are relaxed in the pursuit of that success. By telling myself that no call I made would make-or-break me, I went into it without apprehension, without trepidation and without butterflies in my stomach. Every lead wasn’t going to decide my success or failure. There will always be people out there who are looking for something, and your opportunity might not be what they are looking for, no matter what your technique is. So to stress over it, only displays a business that isn’t that desirable. When you phone or contact prospects with confidence and with the attitude that you know you believe in your business, people gain a sense of trust and will, in turn, believe in your opportunity too.

Take a few minutes each day to ensure your mindset is what you need it to be to make every call and contact count. Tell yourself that your bank account reflects your success, so that the sense of desperation and “overselling” that can occur are no longer an issue. Our lives, and our business, changed the moment we took that advice. And I guarantee YOU will find that others will respond and will find what you have to offer is exactly what they want for themselves.

About the Author

Tami Stodghill was the Press-Relations manager, for a world-wide extensible-technology distributor based in London and the US for 20 years. She was also a freelance writer for several industry publications and is now a home-based business owner with WMI. She makes her home in Page-Lake Powell, Arizona, in the summers and Palm Harbor, Florida in the winters where she enjoys boating and reading, camping, hiking and meeting new people. She runs a blog site exclusively to offer tips for success for any small or home-based business.