Tip #376: 3 Steps For Positioning Yourself As An Industry Expert

One of the easiest ways to drive sales opportunities and to ensure job security is to become an expert in your field. In fact, the term "expert" carries a tremendous amount of authority, trust, and credibility - the things that reduce the risk of people not buying what you have to sell . . . and goes a long way in ensuring your job security.

3 Steps To Help Position You And/Or Your Business As The Go-To Expert.

Step 1: Focus On A Niche-- Instead of trying to sell or market yourself to everyone (including your own company), you are better off narrowing down your focus to a specific industry/industries or job function. Doing so will help you develop certain skills, buzzwords, and contacts. It will also position you as the resident expert. Recently, a business acquaintance of mine told me how she was able to set herself up as the go-to expert for management/leadership training in three industries (nuclear energy, coal, and solar). When she told me what she was doing, I asked, "Are there enough companies you can target to make a living from it?" She smiled and said, "There are hundreds of locations, and I am the only management/leadership training expert in the country who concentrates on these industries." Find your niche and you will eliminate any sales obstacles or job issues.

Step 2: Write About Your Industry Expertise-- After reaffirming your niche, you need to begin the process of writing about your area of expertise. You could write weekly e-tips, newsletters, books, articles, training manuals, new processes, and techniques; your options are endless. You can even create your own website and design it as a way for people to access your information. If you can, write about things that teach people about your expertise and what you do.

The More Business You Do In An Industry, The More Of An Expert You Will Become.

Once you start marketing yourself on a proactive basis, you will become recognized as an expert in an industry -- even if you never had formal education in it; however, there are times when certification or specific training is needed to truly be considered as an expert.

Step 3: Become A Speaker Or Presenter As Often As You Can-- If you are proactive in networking and publishing articles, you will find that people will ask you to speak at conferences, chamber meetings, and industry associations, or even make presentations within your own organization. Sure, most of us get nervous about speaking in front of a group, but keep this in mind: You will gain instant trust and credibility when you do it.

Executive Summary: Start today by thinking of niches in which you could become an expert. After that, write down ways you can network, i.e. trade shows or associations meetings, as well as targets of opportunities. The key here is building up a database of names/e-mail addresses. After you build this database, start the process of "dripping" on people with e-mails and direct mail campaigns . . . just make sure the content is relevant to whomever you are targeting.

For more information, visit our website.

Tip #375: How Much Is "Internet Surfing" Costing Your Business?

It is all too common to stroll by an employee's desk and catch him/her browsing the Internet -- obviously, for personal use rather than business-related research. In fact, the American Management Association (AMA) discovered that 68% of businesses lose money and time on employees who are "Internet surfing."

Internet surfing is the use of work-provided internet access for personal enjoyment while maintaining the appearance of being productive. The trouble with Internet surfing, unfortunately, is that it comes in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Worse yet, it is typically carried out on software that businesses rely on, such as e-mail and web browsers.

The Five Most Common Forms Of Internet Surfing Are:

1. Chat rooms/instant messaging
2. E-mail correspondence to personal contacts
3. Online gambling
4. Online stock trading
5. Web browsing, primarily to news and sports websites

How Much Is Internet Surfing Costing Your Business?

Of course, not all Internet surfing starts intentionally. Often enough, employees log online to look up something business-related, but, through a series of "wiki moments," they find themselves viewing websites that stopped being work related several clicks ago. However, the bottom line is that Internet surfing is nothing but costly.

Now Read About This Study.

In a study conducted by surfControl, a web-filtering software maker, it was revealed that if 1,000 employees engage in personal web surfing for only one hour a day it would cost that organization up to $35 million a year.

How To Combat Internet Surfing Effectively.

The most obvious way to combat Internet surfing is to monitor Internet usage, but this can be tricky. This is why we suggest including Internet usage policies in your employee handbook. These policies should define which types of websites are considered inappropriate as well as address excessive Internet usage. Furthermore, the consequences for violating these policies should be clearly outlined. Consequences can range from docked pay to having computer privileges restricted.

If you do choose to monitor employee computer usage, be sure to consult with an attorney in order to avoid any legal risks relating to rights to privacy.

Executive Summary: As powerful a tool as the Internet is, especially for businesses, it is also a vehicle for distraction and procrastination. Everyday software, such as e-mail clients and web browsers, provide a temptation for employees to catch up on news or read about their favorite sports heroes.

In order to effectively combat Internet surfing, employers should take preventative measures by writing Internet usage policies into their employee handbooks. And, instead of monitoring the sites employees visit, employers should evaluate how much time employees spend online in order to better address concerns about productivity.

For more information, visit our website.

Tip # 374: The Value Of Sending An Online Survey To Your Customers

The start of a new year is a time of renewal for many businesses, and one of the best ways to help augment the process is to conduct an online customer satisfaction survey (online surveys are great tools to help you determine what is and is not working for customers.)

What You Don't Provide A Customer May Not Be Obvious To You...Even If You Are The President Of Your Company.

As you look back on 2011, you probably learned a lot about your business, but what may not be obvious are the things that a customer desires, wants or needs from your business. With that said, we suggest conducting a satisfaction survey for current customer and past customer. By implementing a survey, you will learn a lot about what your company is doing right and perhaps what you should be doing.

4 Ways To Conduct A Survey.

There are four main ways to implement a survey:

1. Face-to-face interviews
2. Telephone interviews
3. Written questionnaires (faxed or mailed)
4. Online surveys

Out of the survey types listed above, online surveys are by far the most cost-effective, and the results can be quickly compiled with online survey tools. No matter what mode you choose, we suggest keeping three factors in mind: the quality of your e-mail or mailing list, the type of survey questions/choices and, of course, the results.

Survey The Right People.

Before you begin developing your survey questions, put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. You will want to ensure that you know the name of the person being surveyed, his/her title, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address. Do not hesitate spending extra time double-checking your database's information.

Ask The Right Questions.

When you are ready to design your survey, ask yourself, what is the objective of this survey? If you are building the survey questions around multiple sections, use a logical break in the sequence of the questions asked. If not, your survey will seem jumbled and confusing. In other words, keep your survey simple and straightforward.

When you are developing the choices for your survey, avoid score-based questions as research has discovered that survey respondents are often too generous with their scores when grading is required. For example, out of a 10-point scale, respondents will typically select 7's, 8's or 9's and rarely ever dip below a 6. Naturally, this results in inaccurate survey data that businesses cannot rely on for evaluation. Because of this, we suggest using:

• Strongly Disagree
• Disagree
• Agree
• Strongly Agree

When asking someone to grade a product, we recommend using a four-step expectation scale, like this:

• More useful than we expected
• About as useful as we expected
• Less useful than we expected
• Below our expectations

Take The Results To The Next Level.

After sending out your survey, wait 1 to 2 weeks before collecting your responses. Keep in mind that when it comes to online surveys, a 30% response rate is considered good. Once you have your responses, use the data as a springboard for discussion with customers. Ask them if the results mirror their own sentiments regarding your services, and inform them of any changes you may soon implement.

Executive Summary: Every business should strive for improvement, especially if they hope to succeed in this ever-changing business climate. One of the best ways to start upgrading or changing things for your business is to ask the people who spend the most time using your products or services-- your customers and past customers.

For more information, visit our website.

Tip #373: Employee Motivation = Revenue AND Production

The job of owners, directors or managers is to get things done through their employees. And to make this happen, leaders need to be able to motivate their staff. Nevertheless, for many people, this is easier said than done.

Motivating People Is Poorly Practiced By Many Leaders.

Regardless of all of the research and books on the subject of motivating people in the workforce, employee motivation is not fully understood and often times poorly applied. To truly understand employee motivation, we must understand people (which tends to be the weak link in the process).
Understanding people is a complex process; however, it is a necessary part of effective employee motivation. Once a leader has mastered this skill, effective management and leadership is easily implemented.

On The Job Improvement Is Augmented Through One's Motivation.

No matter what one does for a living, everyone needs to be motivated. Whether you are a cabinetmaker, chef or CEO of a Fortune 100 company, you need to be driven or at least motivated (internally and externally) to do your job.

Not Everyone Has High Self-Motivation.

Self-motivation is a trait that everyone has, but the level of motivation varies from person to person. In order for any business to survive and succeed, it needs to have employees who are highly motivated. While there are scores of options for motivating employees, our research has shown that most people do not know where to start. With that said, we have bulleted a few ideas to get you (or someone you know) started down the right path.

• Set High Expectations And/Or Goals
• Employ Positive Reinforcement
• Treat People, Job Descriptions And Positions Fairly
• Meet An Employee's Need(s)
• Restructure Roles And Responsibilities
• Financial Rewards Based On Job Performance

Employee Motivation = Revenue And Production.

You can improve your staff's motivation quickly (and often times at little or no cost) by following these five steps:

Step 1: Improve Everyone's Work Environment-- Look for simple ways to make it more enjoyable to come to work, like putting on a fresh coat of paint, having clean bathrooms or replacing some worn out carpet. Even a larger or updated company sign can bring new life to the work environment.

Step 2: Make Work More Challenging, Fun And Interesting-- Training workers in new areas and assigning new job tasks can give workers new insights about the business and improve their skill sets. This can build confidence in their ability to perform different job functions and increase worker morale.

Step 3: Give Kudos For A Job Well Done-- Everyone appreciates being noticed when they do something right or go above and beyond their normal responsibilities, especially if the job is monotonous or difficult.

Step 4: Give Money Or Perks For Outstanding Performance-- Make bonuses or perks a motivation for employees to work harder and better at their job. Share their outstanding performance with other employees.

Step 5: Keep An Open Line Of Communication With Everyone-- You need to know if your employees are no longer challenged or have become bored with their job. The only way to become aware of this is when employees are able to communicate their desires to their immediate supervisor. Although no one can accommodate the needs of everyone, you should try your hardest to lend a proactive ear to the needs of your employees.

Executive Summary: There are many factors that motivate people. Surprisingly enough, pay, benefits and working conditions are typically given a low rating. And contrary to popular belief, money is NOT the prime motivator. People want to be respected, acknowledged and rewarded for a job well done.

For more information, visit our website.

Tip #372: Five Tips For Improving Your Work Performance

Everyone is looking for an edge in today's demanding and competitive business world. In order to maintain your work's level of performance, new habits need to be formed and refined. That being said, the main key to improving your work's performance is not to be overwhelmed by setbacks or problems but to control problems and improve how your work gets done.

5 Tips For Improving Your Work Performance Are:

Tip #1: Get Rid Of Clutter (Both On Your Desk And In Your Filing System) -- Many of us have let our workspaces become cluttered with papers and knickknacks. Anything that isn't work related should be filed or trashed (and no, we're not talking about your family's pictures or clocks). If your space is out-of-control, then your work may take on that same chaos.

Tip #2: Set Your Daily Priorities In Order -- Before you start your workday, write down a prioritized list of what needs to be done so that you stay focused. This sounds simple, but many people fail to do this exercise.

Tip #3: Work to Quickly Resolve Problems -- When a problem arises, resolve the problem as quickly as possible. Unresolved problems or obstacles can become a big distraction to your work performance.

Tip #4: Stay Organized -- Learn to stay organized; one of the best ways to do this is to circle a date on your calendar for organizing your workspace, and make sure you stick to it.

Tip #5: Know How To Manage Your Team and Your Manager -- It's critical to know when to delegate work out to others and when to accept work delegated to you. In fact, many team leaders fail to utilize their team's capabilities effectively when the workload becomes heavier.

Executive Summary: Remember that you don't need to do all the work yourself, so when your manager asks you to take on a new project, it's ok to sometimes have them set your boundaries and priorities. This may help them realize that, in order to meet the deadline, others need to be involved in order to accomplish the project effectively.

P.S. It has been proven over time that habits take about 30 days to develop. Print these habits out and keep them at hand. Review them frequently until they become routine (feel free to send them to someone who can benefit from them, too).

Tip #371: 5 Quick Steps For Solving Business Problems

Everyone experiences problems at work, but how we approach these problems makes all the difference in how well we resolve them in an efficient manner. In fact, the basics to business problem solving are not too much different from how we solve problems in our private lives. That said, we must first recognize there is a problem, second, identify the cause of the problem, third, gather all facts relating to the problem and, fourth, review the options available for solving the problem.

Click here for more tips to solving business problems

To help you identify each of the named areas, below, you will find five steps for helping you solve even the most complex problems.

The 5 Quick Steps For Solving Problems Are:

Step #1: Define What The Problem Is -- Ask yourself what is the problem? A clear understanding of the problem is the first step in solving it. If you are discussing a problem with a team member, don't assume that all parties involved define the problem in the same manner. Make sure that everyone agrees what the problem is so that there isn't any type of misunderstanding(s).

Step #2: Understand The Root Cause(s) Of The Problem -- We all want to resolve the problem, but we first need to find the root cause of the problem. Was it from miscommunication? Was it from the failure to follow certain processes or procedures? Understanding the root cause will help prevent the problem from happening again.

Step #3: List Possible Solutions To The Problem(s) -- Go to a white board or flip chart and write out a list of possible solutions. It pays to spend extra time on the list, especially if the problem is rather complex in nature or requires communication with a team member, department or remote division to solve the problem.

Step #4: Select The Best Possible Solution -- Rank the solutions in order, with #1 being the best solution. Don't forget to look at the cost(s) associated with each possible solution, too.

Step #5: Make a Decision To Take Action -- Don't wait for the problem to grow out of hand, as it could have a huge rippling effect on your organization, especially if there is a customer involved. In addition, the longer the problem goes unresolved, the more stressful the problem can become for everyone involved. Also, new problems could arise at any time that can distract from solving the old problems if one waits.

Executive Summary: Accepting responsibility for the consequences of actions taken or decision making is the reason most people shy away from taking a leadership role in problem solving. But you don't have to be afraid, as people who are good at problem solving are some of the most valuable and respected people in business. And remember this: Every problem has a solution!