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    Career As A Stock Broker
    A stock broker is a commissioned agent who arranges for selling or buying stocks or other financial instruments for his or her clients. The stockbroker sometimes is not needed these days when buying and selling can be done over the internet. Still, the earning potential of stockbrokers has never shown signs of decreasing.I Am Not A College Graduate; Can I Become A Stockbroker?Anyone who is interested can become a stockbroker, provided he has or she has the requisite grasp of the subjects required and a good understanding of the financial markets. Anyone from high school graduate to a Harvard scholar can become a stockbroker. However, these days it is desirable that aspiring candidates have a college degree due to the complex nature of the job and the larger grasp of the economy that is needed for making technical and commercial financial analyses.Do I Need A License And What Are The Requirements For Obtaining One?Yes; but before you get your license, there are exams that you need to pass in order to qualify to represent clients. Although licensing requirements vary from state to state, the overall requirement is roughly the same.National Association of Securities Dealers, or NASD, conducts this licensing examination which is called the General Securities Registered Representative Examination, or Series 7 exam. After this examination, one is required to put in an internship of at least 4 months with a registered brokerage firm.Most states also require a secondary examination. This is the Uniform Securities Agents State Law Examination, which is devised to test candi
    or gain and/or the avoidance of pain (loss). Your title should create an emotional response toward gain and away from pain (loss). What about the title of this report? Gain is explicit while avoiding pain (loss) is implied. Consider the possible combinations of “gain/pain” in your title. This also holds true for any classified ads you might place.

    Some title suggestions:

    “How To . . .,”

    “Secrets Of . . . ,”

    “The Truth About . . . ,”

    “A Guide To . . . ,”

    “X Ways To . . . ,”

    “. . . Made Easy,” or “ . . . Revealed!”

    “7 Ways To . . .”

    “10 Sure-Fire Tips For . . .”

    “5 Big Reasons To . . .”

    “The Untold Story Of . . .”

    “Tips On . . .”

    “Instant . . . Strategies (Tactics) Anyone Can Use”

    “10 Deadly . . . Sins”

    “You Want To . . . ?”

    “Your . . . Is Already Out Of Date!”

    “New Methods for . . .”

    “Who Knows Why . . .?”

    “People Are Saying . . .”

    “Now Is The Time To . . .”

    “Save Money The Easy Way”

    You get the idea . . . .

    According to Richard Bayan, author of "Words That Sell," the most effective words to use in a title are (in order of effectiveness): You, Your, How, New, Who, Money, Now, People, Want and Why. Check classified ads to see what other words might prove to be effective in creating a desire for your report.

    Keep it broad-based and general. Be specific only when you feel it’s necessary and you’re comfortable in doing so. Remember that this most likely will be new information for your customers and prospects, so don’t overwhelm them with too much detail.

    Use anecdotes, stories and examples to make your points; use the KISS formula: “Keep It Short & Simple.” To paraphrase a wise author: “The truly great writer is the one who can give the most to his/her readers while taking the least amount of their time.”

    There are at least five effective ways you can d

    Legal Restrictions
    A home-based business is subject to many of the same laws and regulations affecting other businesses and you will be responsible for complying with them.There are some general areas to watch out for, but be sure to consult an attorney and your state department of labor to find out which laws and regulations will affect your business.ZoningBe aware of your city's zoning regulations. If your business operates in violation of them, you could be fined or closed down.Restrictions on certain goodsCertain products may not be produced in the home. Most states outlaw home production of fireworks, drugs, poisons, explosives, sanitary or medical products, and toys. Some states also prohibit home-based businesses from making food, drink or clothing.Registration and accounting requirementsYou may need a - work certificate or a license from the state (your business's name also may need to be registered with the state), sales tax number, separate business telephone, and separate business bank account.If your business has employees, you are responsible for - withholding income and social security taxes, and complying with minimum wage and employee health and safety laws.ZoningYou've decided on your product or service. You've written your business plan and you're about to order business cards and stationery. Before going any further, call your city or town hall to obtain a copy of your zoning ordinance. If home-based businesses are allowed in your municipality, keep re
    NOTE: As I was preparing to submit this article, I had to think about which category was most appropriate. The content primarily deals with developing effective marketing tactics for your business. However, upon further contemplation, I decided to place this article under the Business Customer Service category because I’ve concluded that all effective customer service is the best and highest form of business marketing. I think you’ll agree.

    An Intriguing Story

    This true story is about the legendary marketing strategist, Claude Hopkins and the Schlitz beer company. Schlitz was about to go flat in the beer brewery industry. They wanted desperately to break into the top ten American breweries but didn’t know how to do it. That’s when they contacted Claude Hopkins.

    Hopkins’ first item of business was to take a tour of the Schlitz facility. Even though the central brewing plant was located on the shores of Lake Michigan with its enormous fresh-water supply, the company had dug five, 4000-foot artesian wells because they wanted the purest water available. Hopkins was shown a special laboratory in which over 2,500 experiments were conducted by company scientists to cultivate the finest mother-yeast cell. He was taken through five different three-foot-thick plate glass rooms where beer was condensed, redistilled and recondensed for purity. The final stop was the tasting room where beer was tasted from five samplings on five separate occasions. He learned that the bottles they used were cleaned and sterilized twelve times!

    After his tour, convinced of the company’s commitment to both its product and its customers, Hopkins exclaimed to his hosts, “My goodness, why don’t you let people know about this amazing process your beer goes through?” They replied, “This is the way all beer is made.” Hopkins immediately responded, “That may be, but the first company that tells the public about this will make a fortune!”

    What would you have done with Hopkins’ advice? The problem in American business today is not a shortage of good ideas; rather, it’s the lack of implementation of good ideas. The Schlitz company took Hopkins’ advice and became the number one brewery in America within six months!

    How did they do it? They simply told the story you just read to all their customers and prospects.

    Educate your prospects and customers about what you do, how you do it and why it’s important to them. This is not merely telling how you’re different from your competition; rather, it’s a preemptive strike against your competition by informing the public of what your business and industry actually do. The more information and expert knowledge you can share with prospects and customers, the greater the chances are that they will make an informed buying decision -- the one you want them to make.

    Here’s the point: The first one to tell the public about the how, what and why of your business and industry -- even about “business as usual” processes and concepts -- gains a marketing advantage. I call this the “W.Y.K.V.W.O.D.K.A.A. (A.W.)” (Pronounced, “Wick-vee-Wadkah”) marketing principle: “What You Know Very Well Others Don’t Know At All (or “As Well).” Slap yourself in the face with the obvious and tell your customers and prospects about it and you’ll gain the competitive advantage.

    How do you tell your customers and prospects about it? Write a report . . . .

    Focus on Customers, Not Competitors

    What about competitors getting hold of your report? Wouldn’t that be bad news? Chances are they already know much of what you’d be writing about. After all, they are in the same industry. The focus is on your customers and not on your competitors. Giving information to your customers gives them additional reasons to be loyal to your business. And if they remain loyal to your business, where’s your competition? YOU are your own competition: it’s not that others steal your customers, it’s that you don’t do those things that keep your customers coming back to you. One of those things that increases customer loyalty is providing expert information and on-going learning opportunities.

    Whatever you do in your business, you’re giving your customers one of two things: a reason to come back or a reason to go elsewhere.

    But wouldn’t the information in your report stimulate competition? That might happen, to be sure. But the likelihood of it happening is extremely remote. Even if it does, the caliber of competition will be low. Cassette Duplications Unlimited, in the late 1980's, circulated a report entitled, “How to Produce Your Own Audio Cassette Program” which was amazingly detailed, honest and straightforward. It also contained excellent information about the business of audio duplication and distribution.

    A few did use the report as a blueprint to set up their own business and “compete” with Cassette Duplications Unlimited. However, these were small-time operations none of which lasted very long. Most who read the report must have said something like: “Golly, this cassette production and duplication business involves a lot of detail and effort. I never realized it took so much work. Cassette Duplications Unlimited really knows what it’s doing – they’ve got my business!”

    This approach contributed to their eventual evolution into the infomercial giant Guthy-Renker International, purveyors of Fran Tarkenton, Tony Robbins and other marketing “cash cows.”

    By educating their prospects about how much expertise and work goes into an audio tape program, the company killed two birds with one stone: they discouraged most of their readers from becoming competitors while increasing their customer base from this very same group of readers!

    Focus on your customers, not your competition. When you educate your customers, you dilute your competition.

    Actions to Take Right Now:

    • Make a bullet-point list (like this one) of everything you know about your business and your industry. Become aware of the obvious and ask yourself, “what am I taking for granted regarding my products and services?” It’s these things that your customers are probably taking for granted, too. Remember the W.Y.K.V.W.O.D.K.A.A. (A.W.) marketing principle. This is a significant key to use if you want to lock up additional market share.

    Focus initially on processes you use to make and distribute your product(s) and/or the methods used to develop and deliver your services. Proprietary information does not need to be divulged or even hinted at in order to make the report valuable.

    • Ask yourself, “Do my prospects and customers know about any of these things?”

    Check off those items you think they already know about. This is not to completely eliminate these topics from being part of your report. It may be that some of these “obvious” topics need to be included in order to establish a natural knowledge flow from what is known to what isn’t. That’s the way we learn new information: by relating it to what we already know.

    • Make a new list of the items you have not checked (the ones you think your customers and prospects don’t know about) and write a brief statement describing:

    - how you do each item

    - why it’s important for your customers that you do it that way (but also soliciting their feedback and suggestions on how you can improve)

    - steps customers can take to make it easy (easier) to do business with you

    • Write your final report (or have someone write it for you) following these guidelines:

    Take time to come up with a powerful title. Your title is the sizzle that sells the steak. People are motivated by the potential for gain and/or the avoidance of pain (loss). Your title should create an emotional response toward gain and away from pain (loss). What about the title of this report? Gain is explicit while avoiding pain (loss) is implied. Consider the possible combinations of “gain/pain” in your title. This also holds true for any classified ads you might place.

    Some title suggestions:

    “How To . . .,”

    “Secrets Of . . . ,”

    “The Truth About . . . ,”

    “A Guide To . . . ,”

    “X Ways To . . . ,”

    “. . . Made Easy,” or “ . . . Revealed!”

    “7 Ways To . . .”

    “10 Sure-Fire Tips For . . .”

    “5 Big Reasons To . . .”

    “The Untold Story Of . . .”

    “Tips On . . .”

    “Instant . . . Strategies (Tactics) Anyone Can Use”

    “10 Deadly . . . Sins”

    “You Want To . . . ?”

    “Your . . . Is Already Out Of Date!”

    “New Methods for . . .”

    “Who Knows Why . . .?”

    “People Are Saying . . .”

    “Now Is The Time To . . .”

    “Save Money The Easy Way”

    You get the idea . . . .

    According to Richard Bayan, author of "Words That Sell," the most effective words to use in a title are (in order of effectiveness): You, Your, How, New, Who, Money, Now, People, Want and Why. Check classified ads to see what other words might prove to be effective in creating a desire for your report.

    Keep it broad-based and general. Be specific only when you feel it’s necessary and you’re comfortable in doing so. Remember that this most likely will be new information for your customers and prospects, so don’t overwhelm them with too much detail.

    Use anecdotes, stories and examples to make your points; use the KISS formula: “Keep It Short & Simple.” To paraphrase a wise author: “The truly great writer is the one who can give the most to his/her readers while taking the least amount of their time.”

    There are at least five effective ways you can d

    Keys to Business Success
    In order to be successful at business ownership you need to know a few important factors. There are those who focus way to much on the financial aspect and neglect many other important keys. Business ownership is never an easy road, luckily there are many people who are more than willing to help you out along the way.One of the most important keys to business success is the understanding that time is money. When you are in the business world, your common objective is to being in profits and make money. What you need to figure out is how to convert time into money. You need to make sure that every minute you spend working is with one hundred percent effort for maximum benefits.Another important key to successful business ownership is the ability to meet people and make connections. This means everyone that you can think of including customers or clients, suppliers, staff, associates, as well as partners and investors. Always keep your mentor around, no matter how successful you become. Having a great mentor in the business world can be the one advantage you have above the rest.It is always important to have the necessary knowledge and skills you need to run your business successfully. This doesn't necessarily mean academic college and diplomas, but also other skills that you may need in your industry choice. Don't go blindly into an industry without checking out the field first. Stick with knowledge and skills that have been universally tested and proven.This type of knowledge includes information such as money making trends, marketing strategies, customer service, selling skills
    s will make a fortune!”

    What would you have done with Hopkins’ advice? The problem in American business today is not a shortage of good ideas; rather, it’s the lack of implementation of good ideas. The Schlitz company took Hopkins’ advice and became the number one brewery in America within six months!

    How did they do it? They simply told the story you just read to all their customers and prospects.

    Educate your prospects and customers about what you do, how you do it and why it’s important to them. This is not merely telling how you’re different from your competition; rather, it’s a preemptive strike against your competition by informing the public of what your business and industry actually do. The more information and expert knowledge you can share with prospects and customers, the greater the chances are that they will make an informed buying decision -- the one you want them to make.

    Here’s the point: The first one to tell the public about the how, what and why of your business and industry -- even about “business as usual” processes and concepts -- gains a marketing advantage. I call this the “W.Y.K.V.W.O.D.K.A.A. (A.W.)” (Pronounced, “Wick-vee-Wadkah”) marketing principle: “What You Know Very Well Others Don’t Know At All (or “As Well).” Slap yourself in the face with the obvious and tell your customers and prospects about it and you’ll gain the competitive advantage.

    How do you tell your customers and prospects about it? Write a report . . . .

    Focus on Customers, Not Competitors

    What about competitors getting hold of your report? Wouldn’t that be bad news? Chances are they already know much of what you’d be writing about. After all, they are in the same industry. The focus is on your customers and not on your competitors. Giving information to your customers gives them additional reasons to be loyal to your business. And if they remain loyal to your business, where’s your competition? YOU are your own competition: it’s not that others steal your customers, it’s that you don’t do those things that keep your customers coming back to you. One of those things that increases customer loyalty is providing expert information and on-going learning opportunities.

    Whatever you do in your business, you’re giving your customers one of two things: a reason to come back or a reason to go elsewhere.

    But wouldn’t the information in your report stimulate competition? That might happen, to be sure. But the likelihood of it happening is extremely remote. Even if it does, the caliber of competition will be low. Cassette Duplications Unlimited, in the late 1980's, circulated a report entitled, “How to Produce Your Own Audio Cassette Program” which was amazingly detailed, honest and straightforward. It also contained excellent information about the business of audio duplication and distribution.

    A few did use the report as a blueprint to set up their own business and “compete” with Cassette Duplications Unlimited. However, these were small-time operations none of which lasted very long. Most who read the report must have said something like: “Golly, this cassette production and duplication business involves a lot of detail and effort. I never realized it took so much work. Cassette Duplications Unlimited really knows what it’s doing – they’ve got my business!”

    This approach contributed to their eventual evolution into the infomercial giant Guthy-Renker International, purveyors of Fran Tarkenton, Tony Robbins and other marketing “cash cows.”

    By educating their prospects about how much expertise and work goes into an audio tape program, the company killed two birds with one stone: they discouraged most of their readers from becoming competitors while increasing their customer base from this very same group of readers!

    Focus on your customers, not your competition. When you educate your customers, you dilute your competition.

    Actions to Take Right Now:

    • Make a bullet-point list (like this one) of everything you know about your business and your industry. Become aware of the obvious and ask yourself, “what am I taking for granted regarding my products and services?” It’s these things that your customers are probably taking for granted, too. Remember the W.Y.K.V.W.O.D.K.A.A. (A.W.) marketing principle. This is a significant key to use if you want to lock up additional market share.

    Focus initially on processes you use to make and distribute your product(s) and/or the methods used to develop and deliver your services. Proprietary information does not need to be divulged or even hinted at in order to make the report valuable.

    • Ask yourself, “Do my prospects and customers know about any of these things?”

    Check off those items you think they already know about. This is not to completely eliminate these topics from being part of your report. It may be that some of these “obvious” topics need to be included in order to establish a natural knowledge flow from what is known to what isn’t. That’s the way we learn new information: by relating it to what we already know.

    • Make a new list of the items you have not checked (the ones you think your customers and prospects don’t know about) and write a brief statement describing:

    - how you do each item

    - why it’s important for your customers that you do it that way (but also soliciting their feedback and suggestions on how you can improve)

    - steps customers can take to make it easy (easier) to do business with you

    • Write your final report (or have someone write it for you) following these guidelines:

    Take time to come up with a powerful title. Your title is the sizzle that sells the steak. People are motivated by the potential for gain and/or the avoidance of pain (loss). Your title should create an emotional response toward gain and away from pain (loss). What about the title of this report? Gain is explicit while avoiding pain (loss) is implied. Consider the possible combinations of “gain/pain” in your title. This also holds true for any classified ads you might place.

    Some title suggestions:

    “How To . . .,”

    “Secrets Of . . . ,”

    “The Truth About . . . ,”

    “A Guide To . . . ,”

    “X Ways To . . . ,”

    “. . . Made Easy,” or “ . . . Revealed!”

    “7 Ways To . . .”

    “10 Sure-Fire Tips For . . .”

    “5 Big Reasons To . . .”

    “The Untold Story Of . . .”

    “Tips On . . .”

    “Instant . . . Strategies (Tactics) Anyone Can Use”

    “10 Deadly . . . Sins”

    “You Want To . . . ?”

    “Your . . . Is Already Out Of Date!”

    “New Methods for . . .”

    “Who Knows Why . . .?”

    “People Are Saying . . .”

    “Now Is The Time To . . .”

    “Save Money The Easy Way”

    You get the idea . . . .

    According to Richard Bayan, author of "Words That Sell," the most effective words to use in a title are (in order of effectiveness): You, Your, How, New, Who, Money, Now, People, Want and Why. Check classified ads to see what other words might prove to be effective in creating a desire for your report.

    Keep it broad-based and general. Be specific only when you feel it’s necessary and you’re comfortable in doing so. Remember that this most likely will be new information for your customers and prospects, so don’t overwhelm them with too much detail.

    Use anecdotes, stories and examples to make your points; use the KISS formula: “Keep It Short & Simple.” To paraphrase a wise author: “The truly great writer is the one who can give the most to his/her readers while taking the least amount of their time.”

    There are at least five effective ways you can d

    Essential Office Equipment for a Home Business
    You’ve come up with a name for your business, and you’ve laid out a business plan. Now, its time to put together your home office. Many people just starting out spend too much money on their office equipment. A good home office is not only cost effective, it’s space saving.The first piece of office equipment you will need, no matter what home business you may be establishing, is a desk. Yard sales or second hand stores can offer you a great product for a low price. It may not be the best on the market, but you can invest in the high end office furniture when you hit it big and have the money to waste. Starting out you need inexpensive and functional.The next piece of essential office equipment is a printer. There are some nice, compact models on the market today that do a multitude of work at a small price. These all-in-one systems will print (usually with both black ink and color ink), they will fax, they will scan, and they will copy. The biggest downfall of these is that they can be slow.If the business will be paper heavy, and you will be making lots of copies or doing a large amount of printing, then you may need to invest in a stand alone printer. Instead of leasing a new one (and throwing money away in the process), you can usually find some discounted ones at a used office equipment store.The final piece of office equipment that most every business can utilize is a computer. Here is where the eyes can be much bigger than the checkbook. Get a computer that has the memory you need and will do the functions you want for your business. Spending extra money to ge
    business, where’s your competition? YOU are your own competition: it’s not that others steal your customers, it’s that you don’t do those things that keep your customers coming back to you. One of those things that increases customer loyalty is providing expert information and on-going learning opportunities.

    Whatever you do in your business, you’re giving your customers one of two things: a reason to come back or a reason to go elsewhere.

    But wouldn’t the information in your report stimulate competition? That might happen, to be sure. But the likelihood of it happening is extremely remote. Even if it does, the caliber of competition will be low. Cassette Duplications Unlimited, in the late 1980's, circulated a report entitled, “How to Produce Your Own Audio Cassette Program” which was amazingly detailed, honest and straightforward. It also contained excellent information about the business of audio duplication and distribution.

    A few did use the report as a blueprint to set up their own business and “compete” with Cassette Duplications Unlimited. However, these were small-time operations none of which lasted very long. Most who read the report must have said something like: “Golly, this cassette production and duplication business involves a lot of detail and effort. I never realized it took so much work. Cassette Duplications Unlimited really knows what it’s doing – they’ve got my business!”

    This approach contributed to their eventual evolution into the infomercial giant Guthy-Renker International, purveyors of Fran Tarkenton, Tony Robbins and other marketing “cash cows.”

    By educating their prospects about how much expertise and work goes into an audio tape program, the company killed two birds with one stone: they discouraged most of their readers from becoming competitors while increasing their customer base from this very same group of readers!

    Focus on your customers, not your competition. When you educate your customers, you dilute your competition.

    Actions to Take Right Now:

    • Make a bullet-point list (like this one) of everything you know about your business and your industry. Become aware of the obvious and ask yourself, “what am I taking for granted regarding my products and services?” It’s these things that your customers are probably taking for granted, too. Remember the W.Y.K.V.W.O.D.K.A.A. (A.W.) marketing principle. This is a significant key to use if you want to lock up additional market share.

    Focus initially on processes you use to make and distribute your product(s) and/or the methods used to develop and deliver your services. Proprietary information does not need to be divulged or even hinted at in order to make the report valuable.

    • Ask yourself, “Do my prospects and customers know about any of these things?”

    Check off those items you think they already know about. This is not to completely eliminate these topics from being part of your report. It may be that some of these “obvious” topics need to be included in order to establish a natural knowledge flow from what is known to what isn’t. That’s the way we learn new information: by relating it to what we already know.

    • Make a new list of the items you have not checked (the ones you think your customers and prospects don’t know about) and write a brief statement describing:

    - how you do each item

    - why it’s important for your customers that you do it that way (but also soliciting their feedback and suggestions on how you can improve)

    - steps customers can take to make it easy (easier) to do business with you

    • Write your final report (or have someone write it for you) following these guidelines:

    Take time to come up with a powerful title. Your title is the sizzle that sells the steak. People are motivated by the potential for gain and/or the avoidance of pain (loss). Your title should create an emotional response toward gain and away from pain (loss). What about the title of this report? Gain is explicit while avoiding pain (loss) is implied. Consider the possible combinations of “gain/pain” in your title. This also holds true for any classified ads you might place.

    Some title suggestions:

    “How To . . .,”

    “Secrets Of . . . ,”

    “The Truth About . . . ,”

    “A Guide To . . . ,”

    “X Ways To . . . ,”

    “. . . Made Easy,” or “ . . . Revealed!”

    “7 Ways To . . .”

    “10 Sure-Fire Tips For . . .”

    “5 Big Reasons To . . .”

    “The Untold Story Of . . .”

    “Tips On . . .”

    “Instant . . . Strategies (Tactics) Anyone Can Use”

    “10 Deadly . . . Sins”

    “You Want To . . . ?”

    “Your . . . Is Already Out Of Date!”

    “New Methods for . . .”

    “Who Knows Why . . .?”

    “People Are Saying . . .”

    “Now Is The Time To . . .”

    “Save Money The Easy Way”

    You get the idea . . . .

    According to Richard Bayan, author of "Words That Sell," the most effective words to use in a title are (in order of effectiveness): You, Your, How, New, Who, Money, Now, People, Want and Why. Check classified ads to see what other words might prove to be effective in creating a desire for your report.

    Keep it broad-based and general. Be specific only when you feel it’s necessary and you’re comfortable in doing so. Remember that this most likely will be new information for your customers and prospects, so don’t overwhelm them with too much detail.

    Use anecdotes, stories and examples to make your points; use the KISS formula: “Keep It Short & Simple.” To paraphrase a wise author: “The truly great writer is the one who can give the most to his/her readers while taking the least amount of their time.”

    There are at least five effective ways you can d

    Does Your Advertising Deliver the Right Message?
    So often small business owners will design their own advertising and some do an exemplary job, but then some don’t and it is a shame really. As a former advertising representative for an Aviation Trade Journal in my younger years, well let’s just say I am pretty aware of the costs of all sorts of advertising, whether it be print, radio, TV, billboards, bus stop benches or even the Bus itself with one of those new shrink rap signs; boy those are cool and they better be as the cost alone is about $18,000 just to put it on the bus.It is great to see your ad the top of page 3 of the local newspaper, as you know that will certainly generate some interest. But are you delivering the right message to all your thousands of potential customers out there?Is that message consistent with other advertising? If you are not delivering the right message and it is not consistent you might be actually diluting your brand name, turning off your preferred future customers and cutting into the Return on Investment for that advertising. Don’t waste money.When designing an add take a look at it and think to your self, does it grab you in under 2-3 seconds. You should be able to tell right away. Then does it tell the right story; that is to say does it deliver the proper message? Consider all this in 2006.
    customers, not your competition. When you educate your customers, you dilute your competition.

    Actions to Take Right Now:

    • Make a bullet-point list (like this one) of everything you know about your business and your industry. Become aware of the obvious and ask yourself, “what am I taking for granted regarding my products and services?” It’s these things that your customers are probably taking for granted, too. Remember the W.Y.K.V.W.O.D.K.A.A. (A.W.) marketing principle. This is a significant key to use if you want to lock up additional market share.

    Focus initially on processes you use to make and distribute your product(s) and/or the methods used to develop and deliver your services. Proprietary information does not need to be divulged or even hinted at in order to make the report valuable.

    • Ask yourself, “Do my prospects and customers know about any of these things?”

    Check off those items you think they already know about. This is not to completely eliminate these topics from being part of your report. It may be that some of these “obvious” topics need to be included in order to establish a natural knowledge flow from what is known to what isn’t. That’s the way we learn new information: by relating it to what we already know.

    • Make a new list of the items you have not checked (the ones you think your customers and prospects don’t know about) and write a brief statement describing:

    - how you do each item

    - why it’s important for your customers that you do it that way (but also soliciting their feedback and suggestions on how you can improve)

    - steps customers can take to make it easy (easier) to do business with you

    • Write your final report (or have someone write it for you) following these guidelines:

    Take time to come up with a powerful title. Your title is the sizzle that sells the steak. People are motivated by the potential for gain and/or the avoidance of pain (loss). Your title should create an emotional response toward gain and away from pain (loss). What about the title of this report? Gain is explicit while avoiding pain (loss) is implied. Consider the possible combinations of “gain/pain” in your title. This also holds true for any classified ads you might place.

    Some title suggestions:

    “How To . . .,”

    “Secrets Of . . . ,”

    “The Truth About . . . ,”

    “A Guide To . . . ,”

    “X Ways To . . . ,”

    “. . . Made Easy,” or “ . . . Revealed!”

    “7 Ways To . . .”

    “10 Sure-Fire Tips For . . .”

    “5 Big Reasons To . . .”

    “The Untold Story Of . . .”

    “Tips On . . .”

    “Instant . . . Strategies (Tactics) Anyone Can Use”

    “10 Deadly . . . Sins”

    “You Want To . . . ?”

    “Your . . . Is Already Out Of Date!”

    “New Methods for . . .”

    “Who Knows Why . . .?”

    “People Are Saying . . .”

    “Now Is The Time To . . .”

    “Save Money The Easy Way”

    You get the idea . . . .

    According to Richard Bayan, author of "Words That Sell," the most effective words to use in a title are (in order of effectiveness): You, Your, How, New, Who, Money, Now, People, Want and Why. Check classified ads to see what other words might prove to be effective in creating a desire for your report.

    Keep it broad-based and general. Be specific only when you feel it’s necessary and you’re comfortable in doing so. Remember that this most likely will be new information for your customers and prospects, so don’t overwhelm them with too much detail.

    Use anecdotes, stories and examples to make your points; use the KISS formula: “Keep It Short & Simple.” To paraphrase a wise author: “The truly great writer is the one who can give the most to his/her readers while taking the least amount of their time.”

    There are at least five effective ways you can d

    Show Me The Money!
    Around the world's coffee machines, talk about the culture of an organisation and its impact on performance wastes thousands of hours a day. We talk about the results that would be possible if the culture were just right; we complain where we see issues of organisational culture impacting performance.Talking is one thing; what’s rare, however, is real recognition of the fact that great leaders explicitly manage the culture of their organisation. They understand that results are not only linked to culture, results are the expression of an organisation's culture.Results are the Expression of CultureResults are tangible, measurable, and objective. Results in business always include profit and cash. Results in other organisations may be different, but every credible organisation will have a set of tangible results to produce.The state of the results of an organisation displays the prevalent culture. We're not just talking about the long-term results; we're talking about results in every period - including this one! We're talking about the results that need to be produced this week, and even today. Where there is a shortfall in results, there is always a shortfall in culture. If you look for the cultural shortfall and resolve it, your required results will be easier to produce.A client recently was off track in producing agreed cost savings. They had a target of ?50k to find in one week. It was Thursday and they hadn’t properly identified any savings. They called us up and said that they wouldn’t meet the target - they had had a very busy week.
    or gain and/or the avoidance of pain (loss). Your title should create an emotional response toward gain and away from pain (loss). What about the title of this report? Gain is explicit while avoiding pain (loss) is implied. Consider the possible combinations of “gain/pain” in your title. This also holds true for any classified ads you might place.

    Some title suggestions:

    “How To . . .,”

    “Secrets Of . . . ,”

    “The Truth About . . . ,”

    “A Guide To . . . ,”

    “X Ways To . . . ,”

    “. . . Made Easy,” or “ . . . Revealed!”

    “7 Ways To . . .”

    “10 Sure-Fire Tips For . . .”

    “5 Big Reasons To . . .”

    “The Untold Story Of . . .”

    “Tips On . . .”

    “Instant . . . Strategies (Tactics) Anyone Can Use”

    “10 Deadly . . . Sins”

    “You Want To . . . ?”

    “Your . . . Is Already Out Of Date!”

    “New Methods for . . .”

    “Who Knows Why . . .?”

    “People Are Saying . . .”

    “Now Is The Time To . . .”

    “Save Money The Easy Way”

    You get the idea . . . .

    According to Richard Bayan, author of "Words That Sell," the most effective words to use in a title are (in order of effectiveness): You, Your, How, New, Who, Money, Now, People, Want and Why. Check classified ads to see what other words might prove to be effective in creating a desire for your report.

    Keep it broad-based and general. Be specific only when you feel it’s necessary and you’re comfortable in doing so. Remember that this most likely will be new information for your customers and prospects, so don’t overwhelm them with too much detail.

    Use anecdotes, stories and examples to make your points; use the KISS formula: “Keep It Short & Simple.” To paraphrase a wise author: “The truly great writer is the one who can give the most to his/her readers while taking the least amount of their time.”

    There are at least five effective ways you can distribute your report.

    1. Mail it to everyone on your customer and prospect mailing lists with a cover letter that tells them that this information will help them better understand the benefits of doing business with you and why you’re at the top of your industry.

    Repeat the mailing every three months. The report should always be included with every mailing regardless of the purpose (discount coupons, special sales announcements, administrative information, invoices, etc.).

    2. Take out a classified ad in the newspapers in your market area. The ad could read something like: “The Whole Truth About XYZ Company (or Industry) Revealed! Free report from insiders tells all. Call today xxx-xxxx.” Mail on an “as requested” basis.

    3. Place a stack of your reports at every check-out register and entrances/exits in your location(s) for customers to voluntarily pick up and take with them. You can also include a copy of the report with every purchase. As mentioned above, think about including a report with every invoice and other paper you mail. You could even hand them out to people who are inside and/or outside your establishment.

    4. Offer your report free on your website. Customers will be able to download it easily and quickly for instant access whenever they want.

    5. Publish your reports in the Ezine (Electronic Newsletter/Magazine) you email your opt-in customers and prospects at regular intervals (weekly, monthly, quarterly). Highlight a single section of your report(s) each time you send out an issue to emphasize one of your main points and reinforce its value for the reader. Repetition is the mother of teaching and learning and is the best approach to shaping perception and changing habitual behavior. Repetition is the mother of teaching and learning and is the best approach to shaping perception and changing habitual behavior. It’s true!

    All the above methods for distributing your report can be used simultaneously or in any combination you desire. Your customers and prospects will eventually read the information and become better educated about you and your business, specifically regarding:

    1. Competence in conducting your business

    2. Commitment to your customers

    3. Benefits experienced when doing business with you

    4. Industry facts and trends

    5. Uniqueness of your business within your industry

    6. The on-going value you offer to your customers over the long-term

    A Concluding Story

    Here’s a great story to put us all in our proper place.

    Tom Selleck, star of Magnum P.I ., a 1990’s television show that was filmed in Hawaii, relates the following incident. “Whenever I get full of myself, I remember the nice, elderly couple who approached me with a camera on a street in Honolulu one day. When I struck a pose for them, the man said, ‘No, no --- we want you to take a picture of US.’”

    Who’s the star of your show? Be sure to point your camera in the right direction by focusing on your customers by proactively providing them with useful and practical information about your company and its personnel, your industry and the long-term value you bring to loyal customers. When you make your customers the stars of your show, they will make you a star in their economic universe.

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