Category: Planning & Management

Article Contributed by Dr. Joey Faucette

The most common remark I hear in coaching business people today is, “We’ve gone through a lot of changes and more are coming.”

Ironically, each client believes their situation is unique.

You’re not. It’s all of us.

Some of us are excited by it. Others are terrified. Most are just trying to keep up.

So how do you increase sales with greater team productivity and get out of the office earlier while experiencing a fire hose volume of change?

Invite your customers to show you how.

Here are 3 Strategies to Profit from Change:

Focus on Change

Focusing on the positive is an integral dynamic of your Work Positive lifestyle that is a powerful antidote to the dizzying pace of change today. One of your positives is the relationships with customers who consistently invite you to solve their problems whether it be to fix a car or financial advice on investing.

Focus on this positive with these three questions:

What are our customers asking for?

Listen deeply to their concerns, hopes, and desires. They will tell you exactly what products and services they wish you offered that hold the gold to more revenue.

How can we give them what they want?

Remember that most of us are looking for turnkey solutions. Your customers might ask, “Help me with my retirement AND college education savings” or “Change my oil AND pick up my car when it breaks down.” They trust you and that’s the ultimate currency of change. Establish yourself as top-of-mind with them and give them what they want.

Who leads us from where we are to where they want us to be?

Somebody on your team must work on the business to do the research, planning, and implementation for expanding services. Carve team time for coordination.

Filter the Changes

Remember, “Good enough is good enough.”

As you embrace change and direct it to more profits most likely you will try to perfect it before you roll it out.

Filter as you roll through the changes.

Get the product or service out the door and into the consumption habits of your customers. Ask them, “How do you like it?” and “How’s it working for you?” and “How can we improve?”

Filter the change to grow those parts of the operation that work well and eliminate the ones that don’t.

Good enough is good enough.

Forward through the Change

Your mantra as you focus and filter change is, “Forward through the change.”

Yes, you will get frustrated. Sure, you will be stretched. Of course, you will want to quit.

We all do. These responses to change are expected.

Persevere. Keep moving forward. Profit from the change.

Change happens regardless.

You may as well increase sales with greater team productivity and get out of the office earlier, right?

About the Author

Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), Positive Success Coach, & speaker who helps business professionals increase sales with greater productivity so they get out of the office earlier to do what they love with those they love. Discover more at www.GetPositive.Today.

Article Contributed by Dr. Joey Faucette

It costs too much to do business with some people.

Who are your “some people?”

How much time do they steal from your enjoyable customers? How much energy do you give them? How much attention that can be more profitably invested in your ideal customers relationships?

You’re throwing good time, energy, attention and therefore money after bad.

So why are you doing business with “some people?”

Select one of them. Just one. The most obnoxious of the bunch.

Here are 3 Ways to Get More Ideal Customers:

Displace Them

First, decide to displace the customer who is taking money out of your pocket.

Explain the situation something like this: “Mr. Jones, it’s obvious that I can’t seem to get it right for you no matter how hard I try. So, to help you get what you’re looking for, here’s a list of my best competitors that provide a similar product/service and their phone numbers. I am sure one of them will be able to help you.”

By doing so, you release yourself from the time, energy, and attention it costs you to do business with Mr. Jones.

Replace Them

Second, make a list of your ideal customers/clients. As you write their names, think about why they are ideal. Maybe it’s because they pay on time. Or, they do repeat business with you. Or, send their friends to see you.

Now select one from this list. The next time Ms. Smith comes in, or you can call her, say something like, “Ms. Smith, I really appreciate doing business with you. You always (insert your appreciated characteristic here). I’d like to say ‘Thank you.’ So here’s a gift card to (insert local restaurant here). Have a nice meal on me. And if you think of a friend who I can take good care of the way I do you, please feel free to give me her name and phone number, okay?”

Ms. Smith, your ideal customer, knows others like herself. By gifting and asking, you replace Mr. Jones with a friend of Ms. Smith.

Feeling more profitable already, right?

In-Place Them

When Ms. Smith’s friend, Ms. Miller, comes in and does business with you, have the same gift-and-referral-request conversation with her that you did with Ms. Smith, who already told her about your outstanding customer service. She expects to receive the gift card and to provide you with one of her friend’s information.

Keep her in place by repeating your successful formula.

Then go select your next Mr. Jones to displace and replace so you increase your sales with greater productivity and get out of the office earlier. Work Positive!

About the Author

Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), Positive Success Coach, & speaker who helps business professionals increase sales with greater productivity so they get out of the office earlier to do what they love with those they love. Discover more at www.GetPositive.Today.

Article Contributed by Greg Dastrup

It is the aim and objective of businesses, whether as small businesses or as start-ups, to increase revenue each quarter. While this is the case, the process is not as simple as it sounds and actually requires carefully crafted strategies to fully integrate into a successful system. There are a number of generic tips that can be harnessed in order to achieve the set financial goals by the third quarter of the year. There tips have been carefully analyzed and further proven to work once the practical question is brought. In addition, the steps are easy to apply and can be structured based on the specific preferences of every business structure. The tips include:

1 – Setting fewer goals

In Q3, it is advisable to aggressively make a priority for the financial goals that are to be achieved. After this has been done, then the process of diverting resources to the actual process of actualization commences. It is to be appreciated that it is way easier to achieve few bur precise goals as compared to many and broadly defined objectives. The revenue structure that has been adopted should ensure that the goals have been listed with the most pressing needs being at the top and the least in priority falling below the list.

2 – Set a bar for the results to be achieved using quantifiers

The financial goals to be achieved should have adequate and clear metric systems as the set guidelines. This can include using the market share, the number of total clients that the business has or potential investors and the sources of revenue stream for the business. This bar should be practical and one that the business can realistically achieve within the set time. In case some of the features that are to be analyzed do not fall within a category that can be quantified, then that means that it falls below on the list until a clearly defines system has been established.

3 – Have a checklist against every agreed goal to the achieved goals

Ideally, every financial goal should have a timeline for achieving it set. This is essential and guides every business in ascertaining the areas that have already been met and the ones that are yet to be met. Of further importance in relation to this concept is to have a team of clear experts in the specific department with an evaluation and monitoring structure to ensure that this is achieved for all the set goals. The monitoring system should also be structured in such a manner as to report on any deviations from the set financial goals and provide recommendations as corrective measures.

4 – Categorize the financial objectives

It is important for every of the business structures to have a clear category for all the financial needs that have been set. This is important as it ensures that there is a clear hierarchy in addition to making the process easier in terms of the management process. The terms that have been set have to be ones that are realistic in nature based on the features and circumstances of each business entity.

5 – Make use of qualified experts and personnel

It is worth noting that the process will not be effective if there are individuals qualified to carry it out. The theoretical perfection has to be backed up by individuals who can make it practical, and this practicability has to be one that can be maintained. Moreover, the members that are stakeholders to the firm have to be acquainted to the financial goals that have been set by the business and be willing to help keep the staff focused on the goals set. Often leaders have experience with such tasks and likely have gone through professional influence training courses to help them develop these skills.

However, while the above five pointers should be used as guidelines, the unique needs and features of every business should be considered in order to make the task effective in the long run. This way, you will not be run over by the next quarter’s financial needs!

Author Bio: Greg Dastrup is a small business analyst and lead generation expert. He consults for brands in both the US and Australia and is currently a speaker at international business conferences.

Article Contributed by Indira Moola

Almost each and every business traveller would understand the headaches that a manual expense travelling could cause. Misplacing all the travelling receipts, documents could lead to the delays in reimbursement, while a simple calculation errors when people attempt to reconcile their expenses by hand could end up costing a company with thousands of dollars at tax time. An average business now spends 10% of its annual budget on all the expenses related to business travel. And according to a research study done by the Aberdeen Group 40% of small business owners say that they have been looking out for different ways in order to reduce the expense processing costs.

Even more important that the costs associated with expense travelling, it is also time that eats the entire process up. Business travellers continue wasting their valuable times tracking their expenses through pen and paper or even through excel spreadsheet. Businesses today to this are increasingly looking for the cloud based expense management software as one of the best solution to their business. Using expense management software business organizations could submit receipts from any location and time. And in most of the cases the receipts could be entered into company accounting system electronically snapping an image through a smart phone device.

Business Travellers to could easily increase their productivity when they start using digital expense management tools. And they are explained as follows.

Taking advantage of all the unproductive moments

Business travel is filled with downtime. So whether you are waiting at a car rental kiosk or relaxing in a hotel lobby for your next meeting you could then use your free time on the road to input the business receipts using smartphones, tablets, or laptops. By using expense management software you could easily digitize receipts and add notes about relevant purchases made though the information is still fresh in your mind.

Skipping paper receipts whenever possible

Whenever you are given an option do have the receipts emailed to you rather than printed. Most expense management software solutions to this would allow you to forward the receipts to a special address, or submit receipts from inside a browser window that would be automatically entered into your company accounting system. Doing this would not just allow you to save paper but would also save your time and money.

Having a look at the device compatibility

Most of the cloud based expense management system tools offer mobile apps for users along with android phones and iPhone devices. Business travellers need to check and make sure that the platform they are choosing offers a mobile app that compatible with which ever smartphone or tablet devices that they own.

Paying attention to the costs

The costs associated with expense management software system could vary from platform to platform. Professionals need to pay attention with unique benefits that certain platforms offer and avoid paying for all the unnecessary features that they do not plan on using.

Keeping your original receipts

By taking a snapshot of the receipt and entering it automatically into expense management software system can sometimes give professional a false sense of security. Tax experts recommend that business travellers retain their copies of receipts even after having a scanned version of all those receipts into their online accounting software.

About the Author:

Indira Moola, Marketing Operations Manager at Expenzing, focused on growing <a href=http://www.expenzing.com>Corporate Expense Management software</a> product and communicates the value of identity to customers, partners, and the larger community by targeting specific markets through segmentation and analysis.

Article Contributed by Monique Craig

According to eBullpen, LLC, 46% of newly hired employees leave the workplace within one year of signing an employment contract. Deloitte shows that 50% of all the employees are actively looking for another job. These alarming statistics, put together by Strategic Diagnostics, should make every manager wonder what can be done to keep well trained employees within the company. An inspiring corporate culture has a stupendous power to attract and retain valuable personnel. It can instill well-being in employees and their managers, and make the office a better place to work in. Read on to learn how to build an inspiring company culture from scratch with the use of six effective strategies.

1. Choose the components of corporate culture

It is crucial to remember that an inspiring company culture is a sum of real events, actions and their consequences, and the way they are dealt with. It is not an obsolete codex of behaviour. Think about it rather as a set of values and traditions your company stands by. With that in mind, the first step every manager should take is to decide which elements of company’s work cycle will best define its organizational culture. Creating and managing an inspiring culture can act as a safe cushion to boost team spirit when times get tough.

2. Inspire friendly rivalry

Whether you are planning to boost performance, strengthen motivation, or instil happiness, establishing an inspiring company culture is the best way to go. It is important to foster the environment, where friendly competition leads the way to company’s development. A competitive organizational culture determines the levels of engagement in employees and encourages committed individuals to bring more business to the firm.

3. Rethink your approach to mistakes

Errors of judgements are inevitable in any line of business. Business Insider describes how the mistakes of the most important CEOs, CTOs, and VPs have shaped their professional careers. It shows that mistakes should be seen as valuable lessons, not a punishable offences. A positive corporate culture should, therefore, be recognized by the way it treats mistakes. As Bill Clinton used to say, ‘it is how you handle adversity, not how it affects you’.

4. Establish office traditions

A positive company culture is an engine which can transform any workplace past all recognition. An unorthodox approach of Google, as described by International Business Times, proves that an inspiring organizational culture matters more than a steady paycheck. There are many ways to create a sense of community and build a supportive team. Office employees should be able to get together to engage in extracurricular activities, such as playing a fantasy league game, taking up volleyball, or discussing thrillers at book club meetings.

5. Show appreciation

Forbes quotes a recent study by Accenture which shows that as much as 35% of employees leave the company due to unfair internal arrangements, and 43% are dissatisfied with constant lack of recognition and other company culture related failures. Appreciation and respect are the most important motivators for any employee, therefore, it is crucial to recognize achievements and reward proactive behaviour. Asking for employees’ feedback is another effective way to show respect, so do not hesitate to include team members in the decision-making processes.

6. Lead by example

Visionary leaders have the charisma to create a ‘can-do’ attitude in the company. They also have the communal responsibility to inspire employees to transgress their limitations. Forget closed-door policy, which creates a clear division into ‘us’ and ‘them’ and supports an outdated atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Instead, influence, inspire and share your enthusiasm with the team.

A company culture derives from everything that happens in a workplace. Good things strengthen the morale, whereas bad make the employees and managers rethink their choices. With the help of these tactics you will be able to build an organizational culture with confidence and determination, and inspire actions that will contribute to greater performance and engagement of your devoted employees.

Monique Craig is an Australian blogger and marketing specialist who works for Oneflare, an online marketplace which connects customers with local service providers.