Monday, March 30, 2009

To MLM or Not to MLM?

I was posed a question the other day about MLMs, why it leaves a bad taste in some peoples mouth, the term MLM even triggers spam filters. Some programs even advertise "This is not MLM" as though that is a plus for it. Is MLM really bad?

And it got me to thinking.....

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Why Register a Domain when Promoting an Internet Home Business

Many internet home business owners are lost when they first start out building their internet home business and spend time purchasing bulk popunder traffic that does not really work for them. This article will highlight 3 simple steps that any internet home business owner can take to effectively promote any internet home business.

Registering your own domain

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Defining a Quality Networking Group

When it comes to quality, how do you choose the group that matches your expectations?

Defining a quality group is not as easy as it looks. You first need to conduct the research into meetings, type of attendance etc. The next thing you want to know is the size of the group. Size does count as a smaller group will not often have enough leads for each individual. You should also make sure that the level of the person belonging to the group is at the appropriate place. By level we mean: is the person belonging to the group an influencer on decisions or are they the person that makes the actual decisions? Often with these groups, it is the salesperson that attends, and they can only suggest something to the decision makers. The decision maker does not necessarily need to be the CEO, but it is likely that they are part of the administrative executive. Do not waste your time with groups that do not have access to the decision makers.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Savvy Networking: Grow Your Business and Your Career

Did you know that contacts are the bread of career life? In times of change, information and relationships are a source of power. Savvy networking will help you to tap into this power to grow your business and your career.

Savvy networking is a systematic process of establishing and maintaining relationships for seeking out information and resources in order to accomplish specific goals. Its focus is on the building of rapport and long term interactions rather than quick, short-term connections of 'here today gone tomorrow'. Its purpose is to access all kinds of information and a wide variety of resources in order to achieve one's individual career goals as well as one's team or work group's objectives.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

How to Make the Most of Those First 30 Seconds

Did you just meet the most important person in your career/business? Tongue tied and not sure what to do about it? With advance planning and creative thinking you can be confident you will know how to handle this situation should the opportunity present itself.

We all have had the juncture when we run into someone that we have really wanted to meet. Those who are prepared for the occasion will find themselves a step ahead on the career ladder or at the front of the line for business opportunities. Consider this, we all are bombarded with information; we meet dozens of new people with regularity. Ask yourself who do you remember and why?

Even in 60 seconds you can make an impression. The key is to make that impression a lasting one or one that will trigger instant recognition. How do you do that? Practice, practice, practice.

The most important step is having a pitch and then practicing it over, and over, and over. You need to be comfortable with your words. You are conveying a powerful message and you need to sound sincere and convincing. Above all, you need to look the part (if you find that you smirk at your own words then others will too. If this is the case, no one is going to be sold on why they should remember you.)

Start by boiling down your core message.

Who are you? What do you do? Why do I need to know you? What will make me remember you? Now that you have answered these questions read the results back to yourself. Is your message compelling, memorable, or is it just plain uninteresting and dull?

It's easy to change your message so don't panic. What is it that you do best? What is your strength in your job? Do you make people money? Do you keep your company's X out of the fire? Has you best suggestion been implemented? Have you just invented a new product? The list goes on and on. Utilize words that make people want to ask a question, drive them to ask you to contact them, or compels them to ask for your business card.

Now let's prepare to tell someone what you do best.

Here are some examples:

My name is X. I'm a top-notch accountant. I save my client companies X dollars every year. When I meet your team, I can improve your bottom line. Let me share some examples of my work. When can we meet?

My name is X. My new product invention catapulted my company to #1 in the category. I'm so creative that I can come up with a new invention/product in record time. I would be happy to share some of my creative secrets with your team. When can we meet?

My name is X. My marketing skills are superlative. My nickname is the marketing maven. I can brainstorm with your team with examples on how we can transform your marketing efforts. Who should I speak with?

Notice the action verbs improve, catapulted, brainstorm, and transform. These are words that create an image and leave a lasting impression. Think about words that express a call to action. Words that leave the person you are meeting knowing they want to follow up.

Keep on working at your message toward distilling down the core elements. The simpler your message, the better it will be received.

Be sure and ask for a meeting or the appropriate contact name. Make an effort to get a commitment for follow up. Do not just hand them your business card and smile. Use these tips to solidify your first impression in the first 30 seconds of meeting someone. Your career might depend on it.

JoAnn Hines' specialty is PACKAGING PEOPLE. Whether you want to be paid more, you just lost your job, or you want to progress in the one you have, Ms. Hines advice and expertise can help you transform your personal brand. She can show you how to package yourself and make your brand a hot commodity. It's easy once you know the ropes and begin to utilize her insider's secrets. She shows you step by step how to increase your visibility, credibility and marketability with easy to use tutorials and templates.

It is time to get started "Packaging Yourself."

Email me the Chief People Packager @ pkgcoach@aol.com

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Lesson 69 - When Networking Events Fail

The Story

In a quest to create strategic alliances, coalitions, and partnerships, we don't usually allow ourselves to imagine our efforts failing. We don't imagine faltering at building relationships with people, since working with others comes naturally to most people.

It's even harder to imagine that people would decline to help us with our work after they've gotten to know our reputations. It is unthinkable to consider that after doing all the right things, attending the right events, having a polished image, keeping lines of communications open, and establishing proper business rapport, that business ventures set up through network could fail.

We don't typically invest our time, effort, and money in attending events that in some way are not mutually beneficial. For example, frequently benefactors donate large sums of money to their favor charity for several reasons. First, because they support the work the organization is accomplishing, and second, to increase their reputation and prominence in the business community through establishing and advancing their niche in the market place through public relations. Monetary donations also provide tax credit to the donor's organization. So given all that we do to be successful in establishing networks to make our work and events successful, how do we handle networking efforts that fail?

A while ago I began attending an organization called the "Love Corporation's" yearly fundraising event. The first year a friend invited me to accompany her. Each year after that I began attended the event on my own. By the fourth year of participating, I had pretty much gotten to know certain people and these certain people knew me. Many of the relationships I found through this event blossomed into more permanent friendships, with people whom I would communicate with on a weekly basis.

During the fourth year an incident occurred. I asked a certain NBC Washington news anchor if I could interview him for my second book. He agreed, and we had the interview on the spot. Up to that point when we saw each other we would have great conversations. So, when Barbershop Talk was released I sent him a complementary copy. With that complimentary copy, I wrote up an idea for a news story and hoped that he would include my book and me in the story.

It is difficult to admit that through this incident I realized that for four years I read our relationship wrong. He liked my story idea and subsequently aired a story using my idea and suggested topic. However, he didn't include my new book or me, and gave me no credit for the idea! I sat angrily in front of the television and watched him interview other people using my idea without getting any credit as the person to whom the idea was attributed.

My years of networking with him at this yearly event failed. It failed for one reason, because I assumed that he was honorable and would help those who helped him. I was so wrong. Another reason the relationship failed was because I didn't know his work ethic well enough before trusting him with an idea. We never can exactly know what goes on behind the scenes of a news programming business, and journalism, like other professionals, are not always straight and honest.

Maureen Dowd described the way I felt through defining the Woodard-Darman Law that, "A friendship between a reporter and source lasts only until it is profitable for one to betray the other."

The Lesson

What is the best way to handle failed networking events or situations? The best thing to do is evaluate and learn from what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it from happening again. Though one cannot predict what will happen in every situation, predicting consequences of certain situations comes easier with age and experience. Analyzing all the factors that lead to the specific outcome you desire will allow you to be prepared when the outcomes unfolds. So in retrospect, I was betrayed but in the long run given material to reflect on through which to teach others.

Melvin Murphy is a Consummate Speaker, Noted Author & Certified Seminar Leader. His latest book is title, It's Who You Know! Creating Alliances and Partnerships through Networking. Contact him at: MMurphy833@aol.com

Friday, March 6, 2009

How to Shmooze

Definition: talk idly or casually in a friendly way
Value: priceless

Gearheads like me have trouble understanding that great ideas and hard work aren't enough... you gotta shmooze too. Every day we deal with peculiar life forms called "humans", and they have needs beyond the performance of tasks. They like to connect on a human level, too.

Even non-gearheads need this reminder. Sometimes they are trying so hard to get the job done, or are just uncertain and uncomfortable, that they forget to blend this critical element into their work.

Have you ever been frustrated seeing a back-slapping moron doing very well in business, while you, the much more capable one, are struggling? Then these ideas are for you. When working with customers, vendors or co-workers, try this:

1. Don't start by diving into the task. Spend a couple sentences warming up first. A simple "How was your weekend?" followed by listening to the answer, will start the interaction on a human level.

2. When you listen, listen also for the emotional tone of the response and respond to it. Example: if the person is harried, consider saying, "Hey, you look like you are under a lot of pressure right now... what can I do to help?" And mean it. And try to help.

3. Sprinkle the person's name into your conversation once or twice. People pay more attention when they hear their name. And it brings you closer to her.

4. Smile and relax. Putting yourself in a good, balanced attitude will help her get there too.

5. Don't take yourself too seriously. Recognize that we are all imperfect and struggling. Share a bit of your struggle and recognize theirs. Example: "Wow, I tried so hard to get this done, but it was really tough. I know you must be having a hard time with your part of it, too. "

5. Create alliances as opposed to adversity. In business we are constantly trying to get someone else to do what we want them to do. Frame your request against a backdrop of mutual benefit. Instead of, "I need this...", try "In order for us to reach our goal, I can accomplish this if you can do that."

6. Observe people you consider to be good shmoozers. Note what behaviors are effective and try to add them to your skill set. The art here is to still be yourself at the same time. Think of it as an adjustment to your approach rather than a complete redo. If you have been a vocal non-golfer, don't suddenly morph into Tiger Woods overnight and expect to be taken seriously.

7. Try to gain a clear vision of the difference between who you are, and what you do. The former is called personality, the latter is called behavior. Personality is very close to your core. Behavior is actions which you undertake. Developing shmoozing skills involves experimentation with your behavior.

But the real beauty of working on your shmoozing is that the positive responses you will get from others will, in turn, be gratifying to you. And this response will make you happier and more successful, which in turn will go right to your core.

What started out as developing a business skill has a real chance of actually enhancing your life. Is there a reason to wait?

Copyright 2005 Mark Meshulam

Mark Meshulam offers a unique suite of productivity software at http://www.poingo.com, and an interesting, informative blog at http://www.poingology.com

Monday, March 2, 2009

Water, The Magical Drink

Glowing skin comes free of charge to you. Our simple water does it effectively. The effect of water is immediate, say overnight. Your skin not only glows but you also feel a lot better after having a glass of water. Your wrinkles will seem less pronounced and your body will work most effectively as the waste and toxins are washed away. This is what our free of cost renewable source of energy does to us.

Tip: Drink a glass or two of water if you are watching your diet. Dehydration triggers false feelings of hunger so its easy to confuse thirst with hunger.

Natural spring water, whether its fizzy or still, is full of natural minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium, which are so important for our growth and healthy skin, along with iodine copper and iron .Fizzy water is believed to be absorbed much quicker in body and is thought by some beauticians to aggravate cellulite.

Tip: People who drink a lot of tea, coffee, hot chocolate and aerated drinks tend to have tired-looking skin and have greasy skin and spots.This is because these drinks contain caffeine which prevents your body from making efficient use of minerals and vitamins.Try not to drink more than 3 cups of tea or coffee a day.

Alcohol and Smoking also effect the skin in great great way.Keep their intake low. Excessive intake of alcohol can lead to split veins. Smoking which has Nicotine doesn't help you keep healthy skin too. Try Giving up Smoking. Nicotine attacks the blood vessels that feed the skin with oxygen and nutrients, as well as those that drain away the body waste. Smoking also age the skin greatly and affect nail beds and hair follicles, which nestle the epidermis.

Tip: Try not to take more than recommended 21 units of alcohol a week and GIVE UP SMOKING. Learn more about the ill-effects of smoking and learn how to give smoking effortlessly and painlessly at http://www.weightloss-health.com/quitsmoking.htm.

So, I would advise you to increase your water intake. One of the best way is to start a day with a glass or two of water. These initial glasses are important as you are reversing any mind dehydration that may have occurred overnight. It is always advisable to have water empty stomach as it avoid unnecessary dilution of digestive juices. So half hour before your meal, do have water. Get into the habit of taking water bottle along with you when you go out so that you can refresh yourself whenever you want.

Benefits of Pure Water:

a) It doesn't create any false feeling of hunger if we have proper intake of water. Hence, no overeating.

b) Skin feels moist with the increase in energy levels.

c) Pumps you up, improves mental and physical performance.

d) Flushes out Toxins and unwanted substances.

e) Gets you rid of dark circle under eyes.

f) It also alleviates migraine headaches, high blood cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis pain, allergies and high blood pressure.

Tip: Your intake should not be less than 8 glass of water per day

Jasdeep: for http://www.weightloss-health.com your complete and most comprehensive family guide on Health.

Also get free tips and tricks on Anti-Aging at Anti-Aging Tips, Products and Treatment

If you wish to reproduce the above article you are welcome to do so, provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this resource box and LIVE link to our website