Friday, September 9, 2011

A business should always be profitable.

Productive                                                  





     A business is only as profitable as its productivity, A good healthy level of office productivity is something that any business needs to grow. An office environment can either be one that is happy, joy full, full of  activity, and productive, or it can be slow, nervous, depressed, and inefficient. Often it may fall somewhere in between. The question of how to maximize the productivity thus comes into play. By following the tips below, you can bring together a productive and cheerfull work environment.


1. Organize
   Organization is primary for any office. There are a number of different tasks to be taken care of in an office environment and they tend to function at maximum productivity and efficiency when there is good Organization. With this in mind, you need to make sure that the entire office work flow is well organized. Note that this extends to the electronic data on servers and computers as well as to the physical office environment. Make sure electronic data is well organized and clear, with general cleanliness of work pages and interfaces. The office itself should have easy to access file cabinets, Rolodex number mini-files, acceptable office machines, and as little clutter as possible. Take those piles of papers and do something with them, either file them appropriately or throw them out. Simply cleaning up work surfaces can go a long way toward promoting a sense of organization, and thereafter it is just a question of putting things in their right places and categories.


2. Temperature

   Believe it or not, having an office at the right temperature can increase productivity significantly. If an office is too cold employees may feel uncomfortable, spend time rubbing their hands together, take frequent coffee breaks, and so on. If it is too hot they may become lethargic, sleepy, or even dehydrated. You want your employees to feel very comfortable for maximum productivity, so make sure to really offer them the right type of environment from a temperature standpoint. You don't want to be paying your employees to cudder up and sleep!


3. Make Good Use of Space
   The right use of office space is very important. Crowded office spaces where people have trouble walking around, getting by each other and getting access to office machines does not help productivity. An office that is well furnished and laid out spatially will prevent this type of thing. Go for the right balance of easy accessibility and circulation with enough desks, surfaces, and office machines so that employees do not have to wait too long to use them. Make sure employees are not sitting on top of each other trying to work, space their desks apart from each other. This leads all the way out to the parking lot, you don't want bickering over who gets what parking space, so just have them draw straws or something smiler to reduce irritation. Giving the hardest working employee the best parking space.


4. Office Politics

   Finally and possibly the most important, there is the question, what is the  general atmosphere like? A friendly and relaxed office environment is the best overall tone to create and leads to the best productivity. People work hard when they are inspired, feel liked and appreciated, and feel that they can communicate well. It should still be a competitive environment though to ensure people don't slack, reward the hardest workers of each month with a cash bonus or something. You should also throw a weekend gathering here and there so workers can gather and communicate with one and another, doing this will help grow relationships with one another, they would be more likely to help one another. Depending on the company they would also be more in tune to creating new ideas for the company, thus helping it grow.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Speak like a king.

               
Confidence




      I'm serious, when you are speaking you want to be the center of attention, all eyes on you, people should be captivated by what you have to say. Public speaking invariably comes at or near the top of the list whenever people are asked about their greatest fears. Given that so many people are unable or unwilling to speak in public, does it really make a difference if you too are not confident about giving presentations? The answer is yes, public speaking opens up lots of opportunities and anybody can do this with a little self practice and following a few tips.

1. Know your material

   Find out what your going to speak about. Know more about it than you include in your speech. Use humor, personal stories and conversational language, that way you won’t easily forget what to say. Finding out what your going to be talking about is far better than arriving on stage and finding out what your going to be talking about in just a few minutes.

2. Practice

   Practice, Practice, Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected. This helps build a natural presence with speaking aloud.

3. Know the audience
    Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers. Get to know the people your going to be talking to, so when they see you on stage you are more relaxed by seeing  familiar faces.


4. Know the room
     Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids. Sit in the chairs and pretend you listen to someone, This will make you become familiar with the place you will be speaking at.

5. Relax

    Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything. ("One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Pause. Begin.") Transform nervous energy into confidence.

6. Visualize

   Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear, confident and powerful. Visualize the audience clapping, it will boost your confidence.


7. They want you to succeed

    Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re rooting for you. They want you to keep them busy, your not wasting their time or they wouldn't be there.

8. Mistakes
   Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem – the audience probably never noticed it. If they did, just laugh it off as a dumb mistake, this will make them laugh. Mistakes are common, most of the time people bow their head with nervousness because they realize they made a mistake. This is the wrong way to do it, make a joke out of it if you have to, they will laugh with you and reduce stress on yourself.

9. Experience
   Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you — as an authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. Talk to your mail man, talk to people at the grocery store, talk to anybody that you can. This builds experience and makes your confidence level shoot through the roof.


10. Conclusion
   When you are nervous about speaking in public or unsure of your presentation skills, you will be in a constant state of anxiety in any situation where you may be called upon to speak. Toasts at weddings, an invitation to present at a conference, a meeting with a valued client or supplier. The prospect of these scenarios will make you shudder. It's the very fact that the majority of people are not accomplished public speakers that makes you stand out if you are able to do so. By volunteering to take on the dreaded and challenging job of speaking to a crowd, your superiors will be impressed and your co-workers will be beyond grateful that they did not have to do so. You immediately stand out from the crowd as a confident, assertive and team-oriented individual.


The ability to make presentations and speak in public opens up a wealth of different career paths. Sales, marketing, management and more are all career directions which are much more easily accessed when you have confidence in your public speaking skills and are able to give clear, effective presentations. Your co-workers and subordinates are better able to understand and follow your plans and visions, while your clients and suppliers can follow your line of reasoning and know exactly what you are trying to communicate to them. With some practice and experience, this is all a walk in the park.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Determined To Be Successful.

                                                     
                                                          Determination







      Do you want to be successful in your life?


    Of course, we all want to lead a successful life. We all want a new home, a new car, to be financially secure  and have the things you want. Nobody was created to live a mediocre kind of life and nobody aims at that. But will success come your way just by dreaming about it? The answer is no! If you really want to become successful in your life, there are some important steps you must inevitably set your heart on. Although it's such a clear road to success, very few people follow it. The day you learn to follow these steps, you will be basking in the sunlight of victory.


.Visualize

    The first step to success is visualization. Do you always visualize your success? Do you always see your success in your imagination all the time? If you don't, it's about time you started applying this simple ingredient for yourself to see many positive changes in your life. When you visualize in your mirror and draw imaginary pictures in your mind, you  to tell your subconscious mind to begin working on it, which it cooks productively to give you responses on how to fulfill your desires. The subconscious mind is a very powerful tool that is always working weather you know it or not. Visualize it to the point you feel like it has already happened.


.Desire

   The next step is desiring. Desiring is not just wishing temporarily to have something and you stop there. For instance, if you need to start a new business, you don't just stop at visualizing it and wishing to have one. Everybody wishes to have a business and brags about how one day, they are going to be a big business owner. But for you to have one, you have to focus your mind on it. You have to hunger for it, as if you would starve without it. From the bottom of your heart you must tell yourself this is what I'm going to do and nothing else. You want the idea to be like a drug that your addicted to and can't live without it. That's how it works, Walking the road to success does not stop at only visualizing, you must desire it as if it was the oxygen you breath. Only then will you strive to succeed in this world.


.Goals

   After you visualize and desire, you start establishing your goals. Setting goals helps you to know where you are going and how to get there step by step. It's like a honey do list you check off as you go, to aim higher and to remain focused. You visualize in your mind what you want, then you desire it from the bottom of your heart, then you set your goals on when and how to start it. Write them down, writing them down helps you  walk swiftly down the road to success without forgetting a single detail. After clearly defining your goals, write them down on paper or put them in your computer. Let them be absorbed in the mind for you to react the right way for your subconscious mind to work on them. That's how it works, when you focus your mind on your goals, the subconscious mind will help bring you to the people that will support you to begin your business. It will provide you with the energy to work on your business tirelessly all night long. It will help you turn what seemed to be impossible to something very easy to achieve. Are you ready to do that?



.Hard Work

   As you plan to start your journey to success, be reminded that success does not come by chance. It's not about admiring other successful people. It's about changing your ways of doing things. Learn to visualize, learn to desire, learn to set clear goals and to focus your heart on achieving your goals. You will get knocked down and stomped on while your down there, it is not an easy path to walk, if it were, everybody would be doing it and there would be no jobs in the world. You must put in ten times the effort as anybody else, then at the end of that long hard road, there is nothing but success and luxury waiting for you. Don't be one of the people at the office telling everyone how big your going to be one day, get out there and do it, put every fiber of your being into it.


.Conclusion

   In the end, you will pat yourself on the back and be so happy that you stood up and walked forward.  Just remember to visualize what your want, desire it from the bottom of your heart, set yourself up with goals to be fulfilled and just smile and walk forward, because you know one day, you will sit back and say, I'm proud of what I accomplished and have no shame in it, I have everything I could ever want.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Value Proposition, a step ahead of competition.

                                                       



                               So why do your customers buy from you?


Your customers are free to buy whatever they like from whomever they choose.  If you can answer this question, You should be able to keep loyal customers and attract new ones. If you can't, it's time to do some work. The first thing is the value proposition. The value proposition behind a business is the morals and beliefs and thus why and how a business operates. It's a clear differentiator of what separates you from anyone else in your industry. Your value proposition connects what you do best with what your customers need most. The more clear and direct the value proposition you hold, the stronger your customer connection will be and this means more rapid and effective growth.

So how do you make your customers feel for you? There is so much consumer choice around these days that, customers don't buy products that just do the job, they buy products that make them feel something. Safe, special, valued, superior, attractive, secure. Your product is something many businesses can offer. A value proposition is not just about better products or cheaper products. Value is a perception - it exists in peoples' minds. So your value proposition must speak to your customers perceptions. Your value proposition is not WHAT you do it's HOW you do it. If you can make your customer feel their desired feeling you will ensure loyal repeat customers and a business that grows in multiples of ten. As a business owner you stay one step ahead of the game. So rather than hoping or guessing that your customers like your value proposition, create one that they need!


 5 ways to establishing an approach to a strong value proposition.

 1. Find out What your target customers Want.


   What is their cake and icing? The more cake and icing you can solve the more successful you will be. Also find out what they don't want. If you're not adapting in response to your customers you are sending a message that says: 'I don't care'. No customer will give you their loyalty in return for a cold shoulder and bad service. The growth of your business relates directly to how much you LISTEN to customers and how much you ADAPT. Your value proposition must be based on what they want.

 2. Stick with it.


   Once your value proposition matches your customers' desires, make sure it is present in everything you do. Don't use it here and there. A shallow value proposition will work against you and unwind all your other good doings within the business. Tell and show your customers that you have listened to them. We all like to be heard. Then show them how you have put that knowledge into your value proposition. This will build differentiation between you and your competitors. You will create a niche where there is immense potential for growth and market share. The greater the differentiation, the greater the reasons for buyers to discriminate in your favour. It's then not a, we got to beat our competitor's prices, it's a quality campaign.

 3. Give it to them Consistently.


   Once you know what your customers want from you, make that consistent with everything you provide. Don't just do it here and there and offer specials. Build that emotional connection into all aspects of your business. From product development right through to marketing, communication, planning and daily operations. Doing this will really cut competition by basking your business in sunlight.

 4.  Customer service is the champion.

  This is probably the most important one. Customer service is an integral part of our job and should not be seen as an extension of it. A company’s most vital asset is its customers. Without them, we would not and could not exist in business. When you satisfy our customers, they not only help us grow by continuing to do business with you, but recommend you to friends and associates. Identify and anticipate needs, customers don't buy products or services, They buy good feelings and solutions to problems. Most customer needs are emotional rather than logical. The more you know your customers, the better you become at anticipating their needs. Communicate regularly so that you are aware of problems or upcoming needs. Connecting what you do best with what your customers need most is the number one guide to customer service. A business owner takes that process further by ensuring the five basics of customer satisfaction are also answered in your value proposition. All of the below are critical in a customer making a decision to buy from you. Especially in their decision to continue to buy from you.

 •Time (customers want things sooner and faster)
 •Quality (customers want things better)
 •Reliability (customers want to depend on)
 •Cost (customers wish more for less)
 •Consistency (customers wish for good service and quality to continue)


 5.Conclusion, Know your competition.


   What is the real difference between you and your competition? The assumption that your product is superior is dangerous and will lead to complacency and gaps in the market place. It's not enough to know where the competition is, you have to know where they're heading. Once you understand this it gives you the strength to say, this is what makes us different, this is our value proposition, our differance. The decision to buy is 80% emotional and only 20% logical. So what makes you differant is what will attract customers and bring them back. The better you know your competitors the more specific you can be about what your unique value proposition is. This will put you a step ahead of the game and help with obtaining loyal customers.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

In shape for business.

                                                             
    Now you may be thinking, what the heck is this guy talking about? You need to be in shape to run a business, preposterous. Well I wouldn't go as far as to  say that being in bad shape will make your business fail, just that being in good health will make everything run smoother. Last time I checked, if I didn't eat something all day, I was quite on the grumpy side. On more occasions than one, you might have thought of starting some kind of exercise routine, but lack of time, typical excuses or sheer laziness may have kept you away from actually starting it. It's never too late to begin, and considering the many advantages of exercising, you should find a little time each day to fit in an exercise program.

      To begin with, exercising helps to keep your body more fit, which in turn wards off various health problems. Also a toned and energetic body gives you a sense of wellness and boosts your confidence. Exercising relaxes your body, giving you the ability to think clearly as it relieves most stress. You also sleep a lot better at night when your worn out from a good workout. However, if you are exercising after a long gap of time or have a certain health condition, you may want to consult your doctor before you proceed.


You can start your exercise routine with these 5 steps below.

     • Warming up

   Never start off on heavy exercising immediately. First you must do some light warming up exercises to prepare the body for more intense exercising that is to follow. This helps to increase the blood circulation in your body and generates heat in your joints and muscles. Warming up exercises may include walking, squats ( I know guys are going to say "Are you kidding me?" to this one, but you wouldn't say that if you could squat a thousand pounds like some of the world's strongest men.) , and some light dumbbells to curl with, five pounds will do, remember, your not trying to strength train yet, just getting the blood to flow through your body.


    • Stretching

   This helps to increase the range of movement of your joints, improves your flexibility, boosts circulation, and also relieves stress. Stretching for 10 to 30 seconds each is recommended, and you should breathe freely while doing so. Stretch light after a warm up, but don't stretch hard until after your done with all of your exercises, as it weakens your muscles and you won't be able to exercise as well as you could have.



     • Cardiovascular Activity

   Once warmed up, you can start with an aerobic kind of activity like running, cycling, speed walking or just walking. Outdoors is the best method for this, but a gym is a good alternative. You must begin with a slower walk or peddle and gradually increase your speed, or adjust the incline if your using a treadmill. Cardiovascular exercise should be ideally done for 20 to 30 minutes. Any easy way to know if you are overdoing it is to see if you can talk normally after this exercise, if you feel too tired then slow down.


    • Strength Training

   This helps to tone up or build up your muscles. Different kinds of exercises are done to target separate muscles groups. You can find out what workouts work what muscle by a simple Internet search. You do more reps with low weight for endurance and tone, you do fewer reps with  heavy weight to rip your muscles so they scar over and get bigger. ( Now the girls are going,  "No way, I'm not doing that" it's not as bad as it sounds). Reps are how many times you lift a weight without stopping for a break, sets are how many times you do those reps. So 3 sets of 5 reps would be lifting the weight 5 times and then take a break and do it again, until you reached 3 sets. Free weights like dumbbells and barbells, and weight machines are used for this activity.


    • Cooling Down

   Like warming up, cooling down is also important. After exercising heavily, you must continue the exercise at a reduced intensity till your heart rate and breathing normalizes. An abrupt stop is not desirable. So now that you are all set to start on your exercising regime, remember to start very slowly, and to increase the intensity and duration of the exercise as your body gets more and more used to the regime, then slowly winding back down.


  • Eating food

   Here is where I'll tell you to eat healthy and blah blah blah, and don't forget to eat nothing but vegetables, no this isn't about loosing weight, it's about doing business to the best of your ability. It's more of a make sure you get enough food in you so you have the energy to do what you need to do during the day. This should include breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For best results though, It's better to eat 5-6 small meals during the day to keep you going. I would recommend though to lean more on lean meats instead of fried food and stuff like that, as it gives your body more nutrients, thus giving you more energy.

  • Conclusion
   That's about all there is to relieving stress and giving you energy to carry yourself throughout the day. Remember to eat well, do a little bit of stretching, spend a couple minutes of warming up, do some strength training and some cardio. If you follow this you should feel confident, with a clear mind, and ready to tackle anything!