As told by Dan S. Kennedy

In the past couple years, most business owners have had to battle an unfriendly economy, and must now adjust to an evolving “New Economy.” This is harder for some than others, but the path to success is the same for all: not permitting any conditions or circumstances to dictate results. Not to embrace any excuses for not doing well. Excuses sabotage creativity and initiative.

As an entrepreneur, you are going to screw up. And you are going to have bad things happen on your watch that you actually had no hand in, or feel you couldn’t possibly prevent. That’s a given. What’s important to understand is that the world watches and responds to the way you handle these situations.

If you blame others, blame circumstances, offer up excuses, you telegraph weakness. If you step up, accept responsibility, offer no excuses, and roll up your sleeves and work, you telegraph strength and command respect. With excuse-making, you may obtain some sympathy and pity but at the price of respect. And wealth is never transferred based on pity. It moves based on respect. Wealth attraction power has a great deal to do with self-respect and respect of others, and that has a great deal to do with your acceptance, even your embrace, of responsibility.

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As told by Dan S. Kennedy

People who lived through The Great Depression kept a “Depression mentality” their entire lives. They stored and hoarded, they were debt averse, they squeezed the last drop from every tube, repaired rather than replaced anything that might be patched together and made to limp along just a little further. Such thrift is not necessarily a bad thing, and our modern society could benefit from a little more of it.

This kind of thrift taken to extremes, however, represents some inner, emotional scarring. It speaks of fear. In business a certain level of prudent paranoia, of considering worst-case scenarios, and intelligent scheming to avoid them or insuring against them is necessary, just as it is in ordinary life. (more…)

As told by Dan S. Kennedy

“Motion beats meditation.” - Gary Halbert

In the midst of one of his dark periods, when the news was filled with stories of his financial demise, Donald Trump talks about feeling like just staying hidden at home but instead strapping on his tuxedo and going to an important gala - because he knew he could not possibly gain by staying home. At a time, some 30 years or so ago, when I was captain of a company everyone in its industry knew to be in deep and dire financial circumstances, I considered skipping that year’s convention. But I didn’t. It might have been less stressful, less embarrassing, more comfortable to stay home. But I couldn’t possibly gain doing that. I went. I put myself in a place where it was at least possible good, productive, profitable things could happen - and they did.

Hopefully, you aren’t in the upside down financial condition I was, or Donald Trump was, at the above-mentioned times. But regardless of your circumstances, you have to make a point of putting yourself in places where opportunity can occur. My father passed on a pair of cufflinks to me with the letters: YCDBSOYA. They stand for: You Can’t Do Business Sitting On Your Ass

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I know it’s been a while since I last wrote. 

February is a short month in days and it just

seems to have flown by with the sales
and marketing automation projects I have
been working on using ACT! by Sage and Infusionsoft.

However, I had time to read a book on nurture marketing.  This book got me to thinking about how we all try new things in marketing but sometimes the tried and true still work the best today. 

We sometimes lose our way when trying to get out the word about our product and services.  In this world we want the sale now not five days from now. We go for the easy sale and leave the others behind. 

As the sub-title states “A Step-by-Step Process for Growing Clients by Design”, we forget that there are steps to marketing and selling and nurturing is the core to doing it successfully. (more…)

As the book states on it’s cover
“A Little Story About A Powerful Business Idea”.

The Go-Giver is a parable about a salesman named Joe who is struggling to make his sales quota. 
 
Joe hears about a legendary consultant called the Chairman who has made millions and is retired.  Seeking this consultant Joe hopes to use him to assist in closing a BIG DEAL.

However, Joe agrees to spend a week with the Chairman who introduces him to go-givers and at the end of the week the connector who puts them all together.  The Chairman teaches Joe “The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success”,

Bob Burg and John David Mann have written only 133 pages but don’t be fooled by the small number of pages.  As it has been said great things come in small packages.

The writing style of a parable made it not only easy to read but easy to understand and assist in envisioning how I can use what I learned immediately.  I highly encourage you to read it soon and take action to become a go-giver and meet your connector.  You will see how giving will lead to many returns in your business.