Author Archive

Why am I Here? We’ve all asked the question at some point in life. What is the real purpose of life, why this or why that and what does it all mean? Certainly, every business owner has asked, why am I doing this. This is really a very relevant question to explore. The single greatest reason for small business failure is lack of vision or focus. Without clear vision it is too easy to get distracted by the less relevant. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​It is also easy to become discouraged when challenges arise.

Revelation 4:11 gives us a glimpse into the simplest answer to the purpose of life question. Put simply God has created us for His pleasure. Obviously, God takes delight in our singing and any attempt to honor or entertain Him with our worship. But like a father he is also delighted in our daily discoveries, victories, and yes, even failures. I have privileged of enjoying my grown children and my toddlers at the same time. Some of my fondest family memories are of mastering bicycle. When they started out and found themselves crashed I found delight in being there to pick them up and encouraging them to get back on. When finally caught on I would become so proud that I would call for neighbors or anyone nearby to witness the victory. Perhaps the most troubling development in my children so far was Jon’s decision to drive. Every parent must feel the same concern, and even anxiety at the thought of their baby behind the wheel of such a powerful and dangerous machine.  He did very well overall. But one afternoon he was in a hurry and sped through a “yellow” light. He was pulled over. I was delighted. Not that he was scared witless or that he may suffer great consequences but that he responded well and in the end learned from the experience. Just as a father delights in the day to day events in his children’s life, so, our heavenly father delights in our lives.

Revelation 4:11
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

When we think of our careers and businesses, I think, sometimes it is difficult to reconcile our faith with our work. I have heard so many believers testify to the miracle of employment only to complain about the same job soon after. Our job is a part of our journey here on earth and a part of our identity. Our faith and career can and should compliment one another. In reality they inseparable, especially if you actually believe God  is intricately concerned with our lives.

I said all of that to bring you to this question. What’s next? With the economic challenges, political calamity, and social changes in our nation many business have failed and nearly everyone has seen changes to their financial landscape. Some have made career changes. Others have come out of retirement. Some have downsized and others have lost homes. A few have lost faith. Unfortunately, such loss of hope is premature at least. Vision can help you weather stormy times in life and business.

During trying times we should resist the “I Quit” attitude. Of course there are times to acknowledge defeat and give up on a bad idea or idea that is out of time. Repositioning yourself is almost always an option. More than ten years ago my business was thriving as it was and we were projecting some promising growth. However, I was facing some personal challenges and family needed my laser focused attention. My business demanded full time attention. Rather than end our business venture we simply turned our focus to a clientèle and put our previous client list on the back burner. As a result I was able t make more money working few days per month by serving fewer higher paying customers. adjustment allowed me time to redefine my brand and personal mission. Given recent economic challenges and the occurring in my industry we again repositioned our business. Our new focus has been on online brand growth and serving customers in a virtual world and through information resources. In doing so I am free to build other streams of income to ensure all our eggs aren’t in one basket. A mistake I never want to make again. But, I’ll leave my sermon on multiple streams of income for another post.

Rather than give up on your dream or business how can you reposition your efforts. There are three specific ways you can re-purpose and position your business to continue regardless of demanding times.

If your business isn’t producing the profits needed to continue growing and sustain your financial needs you may need to simply restructure financially. You may be able to give up a brick mortar facility and pour more money into your virtual real estate and beef up your marketing efforts. However, if restructuring your business finances you should also your personal finances and trim the fat from both budgets. In doing so you can live more comfortably on the income from your business. Another smart financial move may be implement technology to better manage your work, information and customer communication. Instead of spending your quality time making follow up calls and responding to emails you can use automated responders and web based information management. Some businesses have improved customer service ratings while transition a large amount of customer service to self managed web based support.

A second strategy can include downsizing or upgrading the services you offer. Take a look at the clients you serve different perspectives. Can you serve them in a different way or find new clients that are willing to spend more for a less time consuming service. A plumbing service stopped serving on demand clients and shifted his business to only serve regular customers. If a call came in first question asked was, “Are you a service subscriber.” If the answer was no the caller was informed that Premium Plumbers (name changed) is a members only service provider. The subscriber packages were explained and the caller would become a member subscriber or not. The bottom line is that this plumber was tired of on demand service calls and late night calls fix plumbing or furnace issues for customers who may never call again. With the new business model customers pay in advance for maintenance service that is scheduled and greatly reduces the need for surprise service calls inconvenient breakdowns for the customer. In time the plumbing service was making more money serving fewer customers and the proprietor was spending less time making the money.

Finally, consider changing how you serve your customers. For example, we are doing fewer platform presentations and offering clients webinars, information products custom developed training resources to meet their needs. While not every business can take advantage of this approach, many can, at least, in part. An auto detailing business just wasn’t meeting the needs of the proprietor. finally decided to close the brick mortar facility and took a nine to five weekday job and offered onsite auto detailing for select customers. In doing so he was able to keep his brand alive and eventually built a sustainable business that enabled him to work only a few hours a day and make a comfortable living.

3 questions will help you focus your vision and position your business to survive tough times.

Why am I in business?

If your are simply trying supplement your income you can continue your business with less time commitment and produce additional income. If you have goals of being fully supported by your business income you will need to create a plan for growing the business in the time you have available. You may simply be in business for the pleasure of serving or meet the needs of others. Understanding why you are really in business will help you maintain balance.

Can I recover my investment?

If you have made sizable investment in resources to your business you need consider options for recovering your investment  should the business fail or need to restructure. I once owned carpet cleaning service. When we decided to close our doors we kept one of the portable commercial machines. It has paid for itself many time over. Had I sold it when the business closed I would have taken a considerable loss. You may want to continue doing business as opportunity arises to recover your investment or simply make a little extra money from time to time.

What is my obligation the business?

You may feel you have made a commitment to customersvendors or even trusted support  parties that need to be kept. I feel that some of my business is in response to God’s calling on my life. I continue these business efforts to satisfy the calling and serve those God has called me to serve.

Remember, whether your business succeeds or fails God has a purpose for your life. He may even have a purpose for this experience. In the event of success or failure give God glory and seek to learn from the experience.

Bill The Builder is available for keynotes and presentations. Your group can learn importat skills and improve performance through high quality Webinars lead by a leading facilitator. Just email for availablity: charles@charlesspeaks.com

Business Postcard Marketing

Post cards are not a marketing tool of the past. However, postcard marketing must be understood and you need to understand options and how to make the right choices. You also need to understand what a postcard campaign is supposed to do for you.

Obviously, you would like for a postcard campaign to produce sales and this is a best case scenario. However, if sales is your measure for success you may be disappointed by the results you get. Keep in mind that every piece mailed can potentially create brand exposure and increased brand recognition. The role of the postcard is really three and in this order of priority: branding, lead generation and direct sales. As a direct sales tool the post card only works when you have a highly targeted list. The best targeted list also knows your brand well enough to make a decision to buy. Post cards work well to generate leads. You simply need to grab the recipients interest and direct them to share contact information for some value you can offer. However, postcards work best when you focus results on brand building. If your postcards aren’t clearly defining your brand you are losing the greatest value they have to offer.

For strong brand building through a postcard campaign remember three simple rules.

1. Make sure every postcard contains a graphic illustration of your brand. Hopefully your branding strategy includes an icon, logo or mascot.

2. Clearly define the value of doing business with your brand. There may be a thousand others out there offering what you offer; how does your brand do it better or bring more value to the customer.

3. Make exploring your brand easy and convenient. Include links to your web presence, contact information, diverse resources they can use and a special offer to increase  their interest in getting to know you. The best special offer for this is free.

 I recommend at least two calls to action on every piece:

The first is the offer. Make an offer that will grab attention. You might consider, Free Lifetime Coaching. Free Lifetime Coaching may seem too good to be true, so you may need to validate the offer. I will cover the amazing offer later in this post.

The second is the request. By the request I mean an invitation for the recipient to pass the postcard on to anyone who may find your offer interesting. Include a line that simply says, “Be a Hero, pass this postcard on to your business colleagues.” can get the job done. You may be surprised at the number of times a piece is passed along simply because you gave the idea.

One question you may ask is, what size postcard should I mail? This is a valid question. When considering postcard size you need to think about at least three questions:

How much do I need to say?

                If your offer is pretty amazing you may need more copy to make it believable. You may need to answer a few reader objections. Therefore you need more space.

What is the direct mail competition for your market?

                If the competition to grab your reader’s attention is high you need to stand out and a larger piece may be the right solution.

How much are you ready to spend?

                A four by six postcard will cost 28 cents standard postage while a six by eleven postcard will cost  44 cents. Getting creative may allow you to create outstanding copy and graphics that will get the smaller card read.

All that said here are some critical components of a well read postcard campaign.

Bold Headline

Make it bold so it pops off the page. Use light colors on dark backgrounds and darker colors on light backgrounds. But nothing is more important than the headline message.

Your headline must speak to the reader’s need. If the headline grabs them where it hurts they will read on. Once they start reading, action is a result of good copy. I have found that the best headline is an amazing offer headline. The amazing offer is of such wild value that it is nearly too good to be true. Therefore, it raises curiosity and the reader reads on. Now you must convince the reader in few words that you can deliver on the promise and call them to action.

The Offer

The offer is the most important part of your postcard design. The offer is the reason to take action or follow up with you. I can offer free coaching for a lifetime. We have the technology and resources in place to provide group interaction, live consulting sessions and email support at little cost to me or my staff. we bundle these services with one no cost personal phone call per month and have a Lifetime coaching package to offer. Disclosing how the coaching is provided is not important on the postcard.

It is important that the respondent understands that the offer is available on certain terms. Clearly define those terms to make the offer believable.

The point of Contact

Make it easy for the respondent to contact you. I would include a landing page website url. This is the best response option because you are actively engaging and dialoguing with the reader. Another might be the leave a message response. Invite the reader to simply call a number and leave a name and email address for more information. This approach is great for busy people on the go. Using both will increase your response. Remember, you want the reader to take action. Tell them what to do and make it easy for them to answer the call.

So, you’re an entrepreneur and own your own business. If you’ve been in business for more than seven days and served more than two customers you probably already know that there is more to business than making a sale or providing a service. there are taxes to be dealt with, licensing, documentation, legalese, lead generation and customer management. Just to name a few. If you’re like most small business owners you wear many hats. You’re responsible for inventory, sales, marketing, accounting, customer service and more. By now you have asked one question several times. Is there an easier way.

The short answer is yes. However, not usually in a single box. This article came about because I was browsing the web and found a small business toolkit that promised more, I am sure, than it could deliver. I found there were many tool kits for many business needs. All this begged an answer, what do I need in my toolkit as a small business owner.

I am going to narrow this article down to the three must have tools to keep you in business  while also having a life. The minimum tools you must have include: Customer Relationship Management or CRM, Invoicing or billing, and communication.

Let’s start with the communication. It is critical that you be available to answer customer and potential customer questions when they want answers. Unfortunately, you don’t likely have the resources or time to be available at all times. This is where a strong communication strategy and tools come in handy.

Your communication strategy should include three tools: Web presence, voicemail and literature. I recommend that all of your literature be provided online as well as hard copy.

Literature is still a valuable tool even with all the digital progress we’ve made in the past decade. I recommend that every piece of literature you might hand a customer or potential exist in digital format as well. The literature arsenal should include a detailed business brochure, business card, policies, product or service specific leaflets to inform and much more. Think about how you can make literature available and keep it handy at all times.  Making documents available for immediate access will impress many web savvy customers today. To make your documents available online you need a web site.

 Your web site should be simple, universally accessible, user friendly and loaded with valuable information. Online success is obtained with a two edged sword: search engine optimization and rich content.

 Some have called LinkedIn the new Yellow Pages. LinkedIn should also be a part of your web toolkit. there is no better way to make it easy for people to find you online. LinkedIn will automatically search engine optimize you and your business if you use it wisely.

Now that people are finding you online you will want to be virtually accessible. Voicemail is a great way to make yourself accessible even when you can’t answer the phone. Using voicemail can give your business a voice. You can use a tool like www.K7.net to setup multiple voicemail boxes, for free, to meet specific needs of customers and potentials. You might have a number customers can call for project status or updates. By simply updating the greeting daily the customer gets to hear your voice sharing relevant information they may want to know. Because they hear the information in your voice they feel connected with you and that you are really committed to them. Furthermore they can leave a message which makes them feel they can contribute. You get the messages by email and can manage the communication process without difficult to manage interrupting phone calls. A strong voicemail strategy can improve you customer relations and save you lots of time and stress.

I can help you build a stronger communication strategy and help you build it around cost free tools that will help you do business like the big dogs no matter what size your staff or budget. Just call,(724) 49BUILD or (724) 492-8453 to arrange a free consultation.

Now that you are talking to customers you need to get money out of them. The backbone of successful small business collections is having the tools to handle invoicing consistently and systematically. The software to do this can be very expensive. I have found two invoicing or billing tools you should consider for your small business toolkit. They are both free. The first I want to mention is www.zoho.com. Zoho offers Zoho invoice free for the first 5 invoice a month. If you offer a big ticket service or product this may fit your needs with little or no cost. Zoho remains very affordable when you need to manage more customers. I recommend Zoho first because they also offer other valuable tools you will want in your small business toolkit. And they work seamlessly together. another great Free tool for invoicing is www.billingboss.com. With both solutions you can have automated billing service that sharpens your image and handles balance due calculations, repeat billing, invoice reminders and even tracks overdue accounts.

Finally, the last tool I want to mention in this article is CRM. Big business has used CRM software for years with great success. The resources and affordability of modern technology make it practical for even the smallest business to automatically and systematically manage customers and contacts. With Zoho CRM I have a single stop resource for storing all of my contacts and documenting leads and potentials as they come to my attention. I can even document phone calls, schedule appointments, schedule emails to go out and start a web meeting with a client in a single click. There is no neater or more efficient way to manage your contacts. Best of all it is free for up to the first 500,000 contacts. So what’s holding you back, get started now.

The few tools I have suggested here will save you time, make you more thorough and create more opportunities for you. I am interested in growing your business momentum. My team and I are constantly researching better and cost effective ways for you to manage your business. Make www.charlesspeaks.com your first resource for small business guidance.

Social Marketing Strategies that Work

I was recently asked, “What single component makes a social media strategy outstanding?” Really the answer is very simple. However, who cares is you are effective in your social marketing strategy if you aren’t reaching the right people with the right message?

The key to any successful social marketing is to socialize the right people. The more targeted your efforts the better your results. Another consideration is that if you are making the wrong offers to groups or users with no interest you are perceived a spammer. If you are making offers and never “GIVING” any value you are perceived a spammer as well.

You can use a message across numerous groups and networks if you custom tailor it to meet the needs of that group. You might have a audio book on diffusing angry people and choose to write an article excerpt from the audio book. You can rewrite the article with keywords and solutions specific to certain groups. In example if writing to the Customer service alliance you would want to change the words in your manuscript to match. Instead of, “an angry supervisor raises his voice,” you might write, “a first time customer raises his voice.” By being very specific your writing seems more relevant and valuable.

All that being said; the most important component in any social marketing strategy is to socialize. Make sure you engage your network just as you would face to face. Ask questions, answer questions and share. The more conversational you are the more your network will warm up to you. As they warm up you build trust and credibility.

 I recommend you make a 5 minute daily commitment:

1.  Spend 2.5 minutes to check you updates and reply to any that are relevant and for which you have feedback. You should do this on both Facebook and Linkedin if appropriate and you have time.
2. Spend 2.5 minutes to browse your group’s discussions and comment when appropriate.

You can answer questions, agree, disagree and add you own additional advice and tips where appropriate. The key is to engage the network and have a conversation. Conversational networking is the best way to build trust, rapport and credibility. These will contribute to trust and help you close more sales and build strong leads.

Make sure your posts are branded and contain contact or website URL information so readers can learn more about you. I learned a long time ago that the reader may not be diligent about finding my profile and links but if they are in a post that caught their interest they are very likely to follow the link and explore my site to get to know me better.

Bill “thebuilder” is available for keynotes, seminars and custom tailored training that is guaranteed to build your business momentum. Just call or email for available dates.

937-935-6789 or charles@charlesspeaks.com

Social Media Team

As you begin implementing social media into your business growth strategy it is critical that you choose and prepare your team. A solid social media team strategy includes team members from three groups. You need to consider customers and connections as a part of your team and strategize their involvement. You should also include your employees and the value they may be able to add to your social media campaign. Finally you should consider third party team members. These may include writers, consultants and coaches. These experts can assist you in developing and keeping your social media campaign fresh and interesting.

Three simply components will help you get the most out of your effort while building a solid and well defined campaign.

Begin with solid and clear policies. A social media policy should define acceptable and unacceptable use and guidelines for use. Here are some bases you need to cover:

• Define who can and cannot access social media from the office. Often employees assume that social sites are open to all and are a free for all because the company has a social media presence.
• Define what can and cannot be shared on social networks.
• Designate time expectations and limitations.
• Appoint a social media officer to police and govern your social media.
• Establish guidelines for dialoguing with users who may post positive or negative content about your brand.

Plan campaigns and events that build on your social media presence. Companies that get the best results from social media act more like party planners than marketers. Events can be virtual or actual events hosted for your social connections.

Finally establish a content management strategy. Probably the most important component of a successful social media strategy is relevant content. It is not only important to provide high quality content. You must keep your content fresh. Rehashing what everyone is saying sin not fresh. Ask employees to share, the varied writing styles can add interest and perspective that attracts a wider audience. You can also get third party experts to contribute to your content by doing audio interviews or welcoming their articles with the incentive of posting their contact information for all of your readers. Joint ventures make it easier to keep your content fresh and build relationships that work to grow your network. Your content management strategy should include the following:

• What to post
• When to post
• Who will post
• How to post (written, audio, video & other media)

Making your social media campaign a team effort will greatly increase your results and make it easier to manage.

Project Management Critical Path

The project management critical path is the path of scheduled activities with no slack time. In other words these activities cannot slip. Work must be completed on schedule and with excellence. Unfortunately, many project leaders are a real stickler for maintaining the schedule but not the standard of excellence needed for sustainable project results.

I have audited too many projects that looked good on paper but produced less than desirable long term results. While the project completed on schedule or within budget the deliverables didn’t hold up to the test of time. Following are three safeguards that will help project managers lead project management critical path activities with excellence.

1. Communicate like the expert you are.

You are the project manager for a reason. Your leadership feels you poses the qualities needed to produce results, they trust you. If your communication is weak, however, they may not continue to trust you. Make the hard calls and ask the hard questions. even if you are met with resistance, you will earn respect for having done so. Some examples include:

• Ask for more money when sticking to the budget will create costly end results
• Ask for more time when the cost of the time will be compensated by improved results
• Negotiate unrealistic expectations regarding schedule and budget
• Explore cutting other efforts in the project to make resources available for critical path activities

Obviously, it is also important to communicate with clarity and candor with your project members. Ask your team members for a commitment to excellence. Reinforce critical path activities and follow up with responsible members frequently. In doing so, some may feel micromanaged. To overcome this use the following statement, “I want to make sure you have the support and resources you need to meet your goals, is there anything I can do for you or anything I need to know?”

2. Put your best people on critical path activities.

When delegating work and leadership, make sure your best players are on the critical path. Often these activities aren’t the most desirable responsibilities on the project so make sure people are recognized and rewarded. I often remind my leaders that the responsibility in question is of extreme importance to the projects overall success.

when human resources are spread thin you can utilize your top performers by making them responsible for overseeing work on certain activities. They become the “go to” person for the rest of the team. they may also be responsible for check-ups and follow-ups to ensure quality and timely results.

3. Prioritize your own time based on the critical path.

Many project managers really struggle with staying focused on what matters most. They tend to suffer from the “squeaky wheel” syndrome or just get caught up in the drama of leadership. Make sure others crisis aren’t becoming your priorities simply because they are experts at whining and complaining. some find it easy to spend more quality time with project members with whom they are familiar. This can be a huge time trap. Schedule time for your critical path activities and the people responsible for them. everything else comes second. Keeping your priorities in order will allow you to lead for excellence in everything.

Another time trap is taking too much responsibility for issues that are not on the critical path. The moment you realize you are managing a crisis for a non critical activity, ask yourself, “who can I delegate this to?”

Bill “the builder” Carpenter has facilitated projects in over a dozen industries. With an emphasis on clarity and quality Bill has trained and coached top performing project managers from companies like: Ford, Caterpillar, Hershey and more. He is available for keynotes, seminars and web based training programs. Call for availability 937-935-6789

 Project Management of

Regardless what you manage, why you manage and with whom you manage the number one responsibility of every project manager is to create clarity. The better you are at creating clarity the more efficiently your projects will complete. When developing the 3D methodology of project management I learned that the single greatest deficit in every project office was failure to clarify. The single most common weakness among project managers was communicating clearly. In this article I will point out the 3 main reasons we don’t clarify and how to improve our processes with the 3 laws of clarity. First, let me clarify some of the industry experience and research that shaped the 3D Methodology.

I began managing projects in the construction industry and moved on to real-estate. I have personally been involved on projects with the following organizations:

• Hershey
• National City Banks
• Hallmark
• North Alabama Health
• Waste Management
• Rockhurst University
• Many more

What I am trying to illustrate is the diversity of industries where we have applied these methods. These aren’t just suggestions or untested theory. More than 300 companies across dozens of industries have been trained in these methods and rate the content an average of 5.8 on a scale of satisfaction with a high of 6. That means our students are getting results. Another interesting statistic is that 94% of participants said they would recommend the training to others. Three percent of participants don’t complete the evaluation at all. That means 99% of our participants rate the quality of our solutions very high.

If you are responsible for the project management of health care services, food preparation, construction, manufacturing, education, or any other industry or service you must master the art of clarity. Creating clarity is an art and it is a vanishing art at that. Fortunately there are three simple laws that serve as the foundation for this critical communication skill. Once you understand and observe these laws you will see immediate improvements in all your projects. So, here they are.

1. I am responsible for the clarity in all of my conversations and communications.

I should never assume that the other party will take this responsibility. When I assume the responsibility I reduce the possibility of misunderstanding and conflict. To assume this responsibility I must do three things very consistently.

Listen with all of your listening senses. They are sight, hearing and a sixth sense we will call discernment. I might ask, “Do you understand what to do?” and the receiver says “Yes.” We both know that a verbal yes doesn’t always equal yes. Here are some examples where yes may mean other things.

• “Yes” starting off with an audible draw for breath and trailing off may mean, “yes I know what to do but I’m not sure how.”
• “Yes” said while shifting my gaze downward may mean, “I’m saying yes to save face because I don’t want to honestly admit id didn’t get it.”
• “Yes” said with a firmed jaw and lowered tone may mean, “I’m conceding because I am intimidated by you, but disagree.”

By listening for tone and tempo as well as watching for micro-expressional cue you can greatly improve your listening skills. Obviously, you want to be cautious about how you respond to your observations because discernment is more of an art than a science. If I discern much disparity between what you say and what you express it is usually a good idea to explore further.

I recommend two books that will help you with reading and understanding people:

• How to Read Any Person Like a Book by Gerard Nierenberg.
• Understanding How Others Misunderstand You by Ron Braund, Ken Voges.

Observing this law is tougher in print but the following will help you:

• Ask for read receipts with critical email communication
• Read and reread all contractual documents and correspondence used to propose services or products
• Backup all proposals and agreements for reference purpose
• Promptly respond to all discrepancies or disparity in any correspondence
• When terms are disagreeable be prompt in responding and respond with crystal clarity
• If you are unsure of the clarity in correspondence you are preparing ask someone to read and critique it
• Use the subject line to clarify the content and importance of an email message

As the project manager you must observe this law with all project correspondence whether, in meetings, documentation or daily sharing of information.

When we bring 3D project Management training to your organization your team will learn powerful communication methods that increase professionalism and performance. Call to reserve your training dates today. (937-935-6789) Please pass this article along to your HR office and anyone in your organization responsible for employee development.

2. Clarity is lost when correspondence changes hands.

It’s a fact. The originator of a message understands her objectives and may give great attention to detail. However, when the delivery of the message is handed off to another team member the message becomes diluted by the messenger’s understanding of the subject matter, values, delivery skills and even commitment to the message. If the message changes delivery hands several times the massage can be vastly different by the time it reaches its intended audience.  Here are some tips that will help you avoid dilution:

• Put critical information in writing and make it clear that the written copy must be shared with all dialogue
• Make yourself available to anyone impacted by the information for Q&A or other support
• Deliver high priority messages yourself
• Use technology to participate in the assimilation and management of information through conference calls, web based meetings and audio recordings
• Live delivery usually improves clarity
• Develop policies and guidelines for the assimilation, management and protection of information
• Insist on universal use of software and methodology in project management of resources

3. Follow-up communication improves clarity

Clarity is lost as information is contemplated and processed through personal and social filters. You might deliver crystal clear expectations to the IT department but the IT group may lose the placement of urgency on certain points simply because their priorities are different. Therefore, it becomes necessary to follow up on critical needs and requirements through follow-up correspondence and meetings. I know people hate meetings but they are a necessary evil in project management of all types. Here are some tips that will make you meeting more effective.

• Keep them short
• Keep them relevant
• Keep good minutes for no shows
• Keep agenda and schedule commitments

You can also follow-up information with emails and voicemails. Unfortunately, some may perceive a follow up as dummying them down. So consider the following:

• Follow-up consistently with everyone
• Use I statements to soften the follow-up (i.e. “I want to be sure I left nothing out…” or “I want to reinforce the importance of…”)
• Tell participants that follow-ups and reminders will be sent for clarity and support
• Be supportive (i.e. “I’m calling just to be sure you have all the resources and support you need…”)

Bill Carpenter teaches 3D Project Management through onsite and web based training venues. Simply call or email to reserve your training date. 937-935-6789 or Charles@charlesspeaks.com

Money Saved With Training Budget Cuts May Be Lost Many Times Over

because of loss of productivity, reduced safety compliance and legal liability caused by poorly trained staff, according to Governing Magazine and the B&G Report.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out. People’s performance is based largely on personal habit, beliefs and values. When those habits, beliefs and values don’t result in top performance and acceptable results the only way to change those results is information. Because people’s habits and bias are deeply etched in the psyche they quickly return to poor habits and unacceptable behavior when performance is not directed through solid and applicable information. Not to mention to that people can be downright forgetful.

“Now why was it that we needed to use those safety pins? Oh well, it won’t matter this time.” This is the popular self dialogue that leads the well intentioned employee down the path of non compliance.

Consistent training serves to reinforce what we know to be best practices, correct poor performance standards and empowers consistency and congruency in the working environment to ensure the safest and most productive outcome.

I was conducting a communication training for a client with whom I had done the same training before. A gentleman who had already attended the seminar twice was obviously impressed with a solution offered and expressed an interest in sharing. He commented that he would like to have heard that in he last two presentations. I didn’t have the heart to inform him that I had in fact covered this point in the past two classes. Before I could move on, the department supervisor, with some disgust, replied that the same approach was shared in the past and that she had sent a copy of the audio to all staff to reinforce the ideas on two different occasions.

Instead of cutting training, cut training cost. Here are four things you can do that will drastically reduce the cost of your training.

1. Hire trainers who can deliver training via webinar and multimedia. You can save bi because you aren’t paying for travel and accommodations. You can deliver highly targeted training in smaller segments that have been proven to increase the benefiting results of training. Media rich training if more favorably completed and is proven to produce higher results.

2. Avoid over priced brokers who subcontract with experts to deliver training. Any of the trainers they may provide for you can be found EASILY online in minutes. These broker slash training companies can charge upwards of 3 to 5 thousand dollars for a training day and subcontract the training to a trainer they might pay $300. There is no chance you’re getting the best possible training for the dollar with that arrangement.

To find a trainer fast use Google. In example, if you need project management training you might search for, “hire a project management speaker.” Check the web sites of a few results that are not paid advertisers. Here is what you should look for on the site:

• Sample video and Audio – If it isn’t there move on fast
• Testimonies and references
• Samples of writing and other qualifications

3. Train trainers within. I have had several clients hire me to develop training and then train a few of the staff to deliver the training on an ongoing basis.

4. Supplement your training with resources. Books, ebooks, audio and video can be used to reinforce and refresh. I had one client who suggests never hiring a trainer that does not offer such supplemental resources.

Keep your team as sharp as possible. Failing to do so will cost you. You can learn more about effective and budget friendly training at www.charlesspeaks.com and my blog www.charlesspeaks.com/billthebuilder
To book training call 937-935-6789

Traditional websites just don’t pull their own weight. Times have changed, people have changed and your marketing methods must compensate. Web 2.0 is not a passing fad. Web 2.0 works for very specific reasons.

First and perhaps the most important is the very nature of people. We are naturally social and desire transparency. Web 2.0 gives us the freedom to get to know and be known by those we do business with. We are more comfortable buying when we are familiar with our options and the service provider.

The second reason Web 2.0 has worked so well is the fact that just as we are naturally social we tend to be skeptical because of bad experiences. It is easier to do business when we believe we can trust. Web 2.o empowers customers with customer feedback, sampling our products and services, familiarizing with our business model and convenient support.

Finally, Web 2.0 empowers us to reach a much larger number of prospects in less time with less effort. Because we can automate responses and share vast amounts of information we can build relationships with prospects over time through ongoing engagement. Web 2.0 solutions enable a business of any size to reach, engage and eventually convert more customers with little to no expense other than time. Time spent can be very little if the tools are used right.

It is not uncommon for the sales process to take a little longer online. So don’t expect immediate gains. However, if you continue to engage and create value for your web 2.0 site visitors you will start seeing results soon. I recommend using at least four social media solutions.

1. LinkedIn
2. YouTube
3. Twitter
4. Blogging

We have developed a package solution that any business can implement. You can have a strong Web 2.0 presence online in as little as one week including all of the above tools. You package includes a complete marketing campaign. Here is what you get:

• Brand analysis
• A Web 2.0 CUTTING EDGE Web Site that is Search Engine optimized and easy to manage
• Lead Capture system to ensure you capture as many visitors as possible
• Branded YouTube Channel (including 2 free HD video recordings)
• Branded LinkedIn Profile
• Branded Twitter Profile
• 4 hours of training to get you started
• Marketing optimized Web site Graphic design to make you brand look good
• 30 days no cost email support

Whether you have no website at all or have seen little or no results from your traditional website this proven solution is for you. It is not uncommon for a static website without all the needed tools to succeed to cost thousands of dollars. If you have been using free hosting or cheap web site solutions because you didn’t think you could budget better. Now you can.

All of this is only $1200 and your site will be functional within 21 days.

I am so sick of the excessive and misuse of the term spam. Most people define spam as any attempt at marketing. I expect soon we will here commuters complaining about all the spam messages they get on the drive to the office. I mean after all, there are bumper stickers, billboards, roadside signage and I can’t even turn on my radio without hearing an advertisement. Come on, get you head out of the sand and the negativity out of your life. Yes, marketing is going on all around us. It always has. With every technological advancement we’ve had to learn to cope and manage those messages.

Here are four guidelines that define spam. This is the official definition. This settles it. If anyone has a question about what exactly spam is–send them here.

1. Spam is an unsolicited message sent from another party assuming, with little supporting evidence,  you share an interest in them or their product or service.
2. Not all unsolicited messages are spam. If a marketer finds that you share membership in the same club or group, he or she may introduce themselves, service or product if the association by membership would merit a shared interest. Since, networking is the primary reason for many memberships it should be expected, by any sane intelligent person, that they may receive an introduction or two.
3. If a marketer incessantly sends or posts messages of a sales and marketing nature, without offering some no obligation value, he or she has crossed into the Spam Zone. This guideline is especially important in the world of networking whether actual or virtual. We network naturally and it is in our nature to become familiar with those we work or do business with. Such socialization makes it easy to build rapport, credibility and trust. These three elements are prerequisite to a healthy sales / business relationship.
4. A message with a link to a blog or other information website is not necasarily spam. In fact, as I will explain at the close, every message you send should contain contact information and a link or links that will help the recipient get to know you. Some have been using the term “spam” in reference to any message with a link; clearly a thoughtless conclusion.

All that said, if you are in business, you had better be marketing, and in today’s competitive culture, you had better be marketing aggressively. Here are some steps that will help you get ahead and generate leads with your social marketing efforts.

1. Introduce yourself and be very visible and transparent about you, your products and services, as well as who your customers are. Let people get to know you. In fact, you should not actually post any direct sales copy to your contacts until you have given, with no obligation, some value.
2. Include links in emails, direct messages, blogs and instant messages, so people can find you easily and get to know you. You may consider stating in posts with a link that this link is a bit of valuable information requiring no obligation. This may help satisfy the less than sharp paranoid type who apparently close their eyes when passing billboards.
3. Use direct contact media like email, tweets, direct messages and wall or profile posts to direct contacts to a blog or other website containing information with sales copy. Avoid posting sales copy in direct contact media.
4. Finally, try offering free gifts, content and samples. The more value you give the more your contacts learn to trust you. Samples are great incentives. Make sure the sample itself is perceived as valuable.

I strongly recommend that you read Jay Conrad Levinson’s book Guerrilla Marketing. I have the proud pleasure of sharing Guerrilla Marketing Explained, an interview with Jay Conrad Levinson exploring 7 Steps to Effective Marketing. You can’t go to a book store and get this Audio Ebook. It is available only through a few select distributors. You may listen to a sample track and access thousands of dollars in free training in audio, video and downloadable ebook format by subscribing at www.charlesspeaks.com.

Simply enter your name and email on the right side of any of my site pages, and you will be asked to confirm your subscription. You will then receive a key to unlock the vault. You may access the vault by hovering over the Momentum Resources tab at the top of the page and select the Free Resources menu option. Enter your password and enjoy.