Do What You Love

http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=2105
Tom Kelley is currently General Manager at IDEO, a firm that helps its clients create innovative products, services and environments. Tom is a frequent speaker on managing innovation for U.S., Asian and European audiences, and has appeared on international news programs for BBC Television and Nikkei Satellite News.

As the co-author of three books, including The Art of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from IDEO, America's Leading Design Firm, Tom illuminates the strategies for fostering a culture and process of continuous innovation.

Prior to joining IDEO, Tom was a management consultant for Towers Perrin, advising senior executives on organizational and operational issues in North America, Asia and Australia. Tom holds an MBA in Marketing from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, where he received the Delbert J. Duncan citation as the year's top marketing scholar.

Open 24/7 for business…

Are you able to turn your daily/weekly routines into an opportunity to market your business?

Today's question posted on Twitter is a good lead in to my discussion on getting you to think about where and how you market your business. If you are going to be in business for yourself it does not hurt for you to start practicing today. I have heard and I am sure that you also heard others that start a new business venture say, "I don't have time to network because I'm so busy." The question I have gotten next is, "How do you find the time to do it while having two small boys and working full-time?" My response to them was, "I do it wherever I am or when the opportunity arise".

Yes it is a job raising two boys and I could come up with all types of excuses of why I cannot find the time to market my business. However, on the other hand I think having my boys gives me that extra push to not have so many excuses so that they are better off in the long run. On Twitter we have shared quotes around being successful and we have shared that it states in the mind and you have to change the way you think first. Changing the way you market your business, by seeing the numerous opportunities around and keeping your business open 24/7.

What does it mean to be open for business 24/7? I will share some examples of what it means below:

1. If you have kids a great opportunity could be to talk to people in the park, the doctor's office or while picking up your child (ren) from daycare.
   
2. While on the job you could leave literature out on your desk where someone could see it upon coming to talk to you or as they are walking by your office.
   
3. While on vacation marketing your business can be as simple as leaving a flyer with an attached business card in the room where you slept, the newspaper stand, or in the check in/out lobby.
   
4. When you do your grocery shopping keep your eyes open for bulletin boards to post information or other advertisement stands.
   
5. Use memberships you have to your advantage. You could probably pass your business cards out to other members so they are kept in the loop of what you are doing.
   

 

Lastly, being an entrepreneur is not easy because if it was everyone one would be doing it, right? Well you took the first step, which was deciding to be an entrepreneur and I know you are on the right track because you are seeking ways to grow your business and that is how you found this blog. With continued practice you will become a pro and believe me when I say that marketing your business wherever you are, will be like second nature to you and keep your business growing too.

 

"The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don't like to do."-- Albert E.N. Gray from the essay: "The Common Denominator of success."

A style for Success..

I was speaking with my wife the other day about how can I walk in a room and have other people look at me and say "I can tell he's successful", without them even meeting me yet. Today I stumbled upon these tips from GQ. Now I am the most non-fashion person out there, as I really dont care. However, I am aware of what personal appearance can do for first impressions. I learned a few things listed below. Some of these mistakes I have made in my fashion:

http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/268/the-7-style-mistakes-weve-all-made/

The 7 Style Mistakes All Guys Make
… And how to correct them
By GQ.com

Can you really blame a guy for wearing his jeans a bit too high on his waist? For grabbing a dress belt that’s not quite a dress belt? For not knowing what the heck collar stays are? Well, no. But we can offer advice that that will prevent him from suffering these flubs again, while guaranteeing better style for life.

Mistake 1: The Schlumpy Leather Jacket


Problem: There's nothing modern-or even retro-cool-about a leather jacket that fits like a rain poncho.


Solution: When trying on a new leather jacket, keep going down a size until you can't get it on, then buy the next size up. It should feel snug as a wetsuit but will take your body's shape over time. The coolest style right now? The bomber you see here.

Jacket, $1,695, by Dolce & Gabbana. Shirt, $375, by Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquiére. Khakis, $48, by Dockers. Shoes, $488, by Brooks Brothers Peal & Co.

Mistake 2: The Barack Obama Jeans


Problem: Whitewashed high-waisted jeans aren’t just dorky—they also emphasize all the wrong parts of your body.


Solution: Medium-rise raw denim jeans sit at the most flatter place (on your hips), follow your legs (instead of saddlebagging out from your waist), and form-fit to you as you break them in. Oh, and while you’re at it, replace the Seinfeld-esque running shoes with some lace-ups or classic sneaks.

Jeans, $90, by Martin + Osa. Sweater, $100, by Uniqlo. Shirt, $40, by H&M. Shoes, $560, by Alden. Watch by IWC.

Mistake 3: The Cheap Printed Tie


Problem: Let’s pretend this tie isn’t a little ugly. And tied too long. It still isn’t working. Why? A cheap thin silk tie gets you an unacceptably tiny knot.


Solution: Go for a sturdier silk tie, which’ll make for a solid knot. Plus, keep any patterns understated. Also, a quick note on length: The tip of your tie should not hang below the waistline of your pants.

Tie, $135, by Ralph Lauren Black Label. Shirt, $360, by Etro. Pants, $280, by Acne. Tie bar by Kenneth Cole.

Mistake 4: Sagging Suit Pants


Problem: Just bought a cool skinny suit? It ain’t cool if it stacks up at your ankles like baggy jeans.


Solution: Take your suit to a tailor and tell him you don’t want a break. Those are the words you should use: “I want this suit hemmed with little or no break.” Period. Remember: Tailors are used to working with guys who don’t know what they want. Be assertive so he understands that you’re after a specific look and don’t just want “the usual.”

Suit, $1,095, by D&G. Shoes, $395, by Calvin Klein Collection.

Mistake 5: The Pancake Collar


Problem: When you're not wearing a tie, the collar on your dress shirt flattens out and sinks beneath the lapels of your jacket. The look? Sloppy.


Solution: First, look for dress shirts with firm collars that stand up on their own., framing your face. Second, use collar stays. You know, those little plastic things. Every proper dress shirt has slots for them.

Shirt, $150, by Thomas Pink. Suit, $1,195, by Emporio Armani.

Mistake 6: Right Suit, Wrong Belt


Problem: You want Tiger Woods's swing, not his style, especially when wearing a suit. A silver-tipped faux cowboy belt is not a dress belt. If you've got one, retire it.


Solution: Invest in a high-quality leather belt that's an inch to an inch and a half wide. If it smells and feels buttery, that means it'll age beautifully. And the buckle should be subtle.

Belt, $69, by Club Monaco. Shirt, $370, by Marc Jacobs. Pants, $195, by Boss Black.

Mistake 7: The Oversize Suit


Problem: You invested in a dark handsome suit, but you look a little...eh in it. Know why? It's a size too big, and all that extra material is boxing (shoulders), sagging (waist), and flopping (ankles).


Solution: Repeat the leather-jacket method from the opening page. When trying on a suit, keep going down a size in the jacket until it gets uncomfortable. Then go one size up and buy that. And unless you’re over six feet two, buy a regular length, not a long.

Suit, $1,395, and shoes, $395, by Calvin Klein Collection. Shirt, $360, by Etro. Tie, $150, by Black Fleece by Brooks Brothers.

Its all About Relationship!!!

The other day I had a day off and thought, "hmm what can I do or who can I talk to that I didnt know before to add a nother person to my network of friends and associates?" I decided to go to the mall about 5 minutes from my house. Its no secret that I am in the business of helping people make money or save money with my business opportunity and product line. I remembered that in the mall there are kiosks that are owned by entreprenuers who are looking to make additional income if at all possible. I went and passed out a few of my opportunity handbills, and said hello to a couple of folks.
All of a sudden a lady comes up to me and asks for my hand, I obliged just to see what she wanted to do with it (I thought it was a cologne pitch, honestly lol). She proceeded to shine up one of my fingernails with this tool. The product was wonderful to say the least, and if I had my gall, I would have purchased it on the spot as a gift to my wife. I decided instead, and said "let me see how bad she wants this sell?" I gave her my card to email me info on her product.

Why?
I wasnt being mean, I wanted to test out some of the things I have read so far about growing a business. We all know in marketing, and in business in general, if you can establish a relationship with a customer that business tends to repeat itself. I went back and handed the woman my card, and told her to "email me and I'll buy your product" (it was really good, I was amazed by it).
She looked at the card, kinda glanced over it with this look of "what is this for?". She then walked away off to the next person walking the mall. I dont know what she did with my card, but to this day I have not recieved an email from her about her product, which I was ready to buy btw.

Why is this important?

What happened there showed me that to her, I was worth enough for her to want my money, but not worth enough for a business relationship. So instead of potentially having a person who is in marketing, who has several blogs and message boards, active on Facebook and Twitter, and is a leader in my local church, raving about her product to my friends, family, and network, she got nothing in return, all by simply ignoring my card. I would give my right arm if I could have a customer say to me, "yes I want your product, all you have to do is send me an email!!" They would probably get more than one email from me..lol. Furthermore, when she gets new products out, she would have had an avenue to send out product updates to me, I probably would have gotten some of those also.
I learned a great lesson that day, as the customer mind you, that the businesses who are best able to establish relationships are going to be the most successful ones. This is imperative in todays climate where small businesses are taking it on the chin everyday from either more competition or consumers who arent consuming.

Business Is A Way To Make Money But Is More Than a Money Grab
I learned that even when I am passing out my handbills, cold calling, or simply walking into a business and asking to meet with the owner, my mindset should not be simply: ask to demonstrate the product- proceed to demonstrate the product- then ask for sale". That is the money grab method, and it is fast going extinct in todays marketplace. In some cases this may work, but it is more advantageous to have a little exchange between you and the person. They may not be interested in your product or opportunity, and thats fine, because every person is not the type of customer you want. However, they may refer you to someone who is interested, simply because you took time to exchange with them, or maybe get their information, and be a real human and not creepy sales guy.

Marketing Strategies: How You Can Create Your Own "Success Blueprint" by Dr. Maya Bailey

http://www.90daystomoreclients.com/art-blueprint.php

Marketing Strategies: How You Can Create Your Own "Success Blueprint" by Dr. Maya Bailey
Have you often wondered how you can become even more successful? Has it ever seemed to you that you have a “glass ceiling” on your level of success? In spite of all your hard work, do you find yourself still falling short of having financial security? Do you see people climbing the ladder of success, only to take one step forward and two steps back?
This is not simply a case of bad luck or poor planning. We can only be as successful as the “success blueprint” embedded in our subconscious minds. This article describes ways that you can create your own “success blueprint”.
1. Become the deliberate creator of your life
What does this mean? This means that instead of feeling like “life happens to me” you begin to believe “I create my life.” This is really the difference between playing the role of the “victim” and declaring that you are the deliberate creator of your life.
If you find yourself complaining, blaming or justifying, then you are probably falling into the victim mode. The only payoff of that is attention but the downside is never having what you want. Change that mindset now and decide that you create your own level of success.
2. Start to identify self limiting beliefs
Here's some examples of self limiting beliefs that I hear a lot from people who feel "stuck":

I'm not good enough
I have to struggle to make a living
There's never enough money
As you identify the self limiting beliefs, don't be alarmed. Remember these are not facts they are only beliefs. And they can be changed. The only way to change them is to first become aware of them. You're already on your way to letting them go. So celebrate every belief you find as a weed in your garden that you can now discard.
3. Install empowering beliefs
Once you have decided to release the old self limiting beliefs because they are no longer true you are making space for new Empowered beliefs. For example:

I am highly worthy
Money comes to me easily and effortlessly
I work smarter, rather than harder
4. Become crystal clear on what you want
You might think that you know what you want if you say, "I want to be successful". Actually that is a very vague message. You have a much better chance of getting your desires fulfilled in creating a positive success blueprint, if you specify what you mean by "successful".

How many transactions would you be doing per month?
What would be your yearly income?
What kind of people will you be working with?
How many hours per week would you be working?
Specifically, what kind of work would you be doing?
5. Visually rehearse what you want to create
Have you heard that top athletes mentally rehearse their performance before an event? Did you know that Tiger Woods visualizes his golf strokes before he ever gets on the green?
In the same way, visualize yourself successful in your field. Whatever your niche market, imagine that you are successful in providing them with the service they need. See yourself receiving checks that reflect your full commission. Imagine just having sold a home. See the happy faces of the sellers as you bring them over a bottle of champagne. Whatever it is you're thinking of doing, visualize it first.
6. Step inside the visualization
In my 12+ years of coaching success minded professionals to double and triple their incomes, I find that they often skip this final step. And yet this is perhaps the most important step. Not only do you need to visualize what you want to create, but also you need to visualize yourself having it now, and feel what it feels like.
For example, imagine your dream, having already come true. Visualize yourself driving, your brand-new car (smell the leather) into the driveway of your brand-new house. Be in the living room of your new house, what is the view like? Picture the happiest scene possible in your new house, perhaps a gathering with friends and/or family. How does it feel to know that you have succeeded in reaching your dream? How does it feel knowing that you have an abundance of resources, not only for your own financial security, but also to give to others? When you feel it, you create it. Your thoughts and feelings radiate energies that magnify back to you what you want. So the more you can live in your future fantasy, as if it's happening right now, the faster it will come to you. Your subconscious mind does not know the difference between fantasy and reality. Follow the simple steps above, and create your own “success blueprint.”
Putting these ideas together will help you to create your own “success blueprint.” Your subconscious mind will receive the program it needs that determines your relationship to success.