Most Recent Blog Posts

• Even losing customers can impr

  • From: sophielb
  • Description:

    It's a fair comment to say that every organisation will occasionally lose customers. However it's vital that any disappearing customer is still engaged. After all, there was something which made them choose to stop using your product or service.
    
    Sometimes it's just not possible. If you're selling FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) obviously you can't expect to have a 1-2-1 relationship with either your customers or your ex customers. Resources just don't allow it, and customers just aren't interested. There are methods using social networking, but often true engagement just cannot exist, so customers are dealt with as a collective and series of stats.
    
    However, for smaller organisations, dealing on a more personal level it's vital you keep track of new customers as well as former customers.
    
    As a policy, I try to greet every new customer personally, I'm genuinely grateful for their interest and custom. Whether they are the first customer or the 1,000,000th, it makes no difference to me. Without them the company would be nothing, so I thank and try to help. This can and does take a significant investment in time, but it's worth it. Relationships cannot be underestimated, however young.
    
    I try to start that relationship building as soon as possible. It's a commonly stated phrase that your customers will not tell you they are dissatisfied. Personally, I don't buy into this. I think they would do if they are offered the chance - not through feedback forms, but through genuine communications. Ultimately, getting personal feedback is so much more beneficial as it also allows you to respond directly. I've seen a roadmap for a competitor product - and that was very helpful, but I couldn't help feel that what was suggested was what should be on any product roadmap in this day and age. Everything on their was on ours...! However, we've been asking for feedback personally and we've been able to address small issues which make big differences to our users. This is truely invaluable. It may not make us that many friends in the press, but it does seem to make friends with the people that matter!
    
    This relationship also goes beyond the moment the customer leaves. Don't forget that they will have left for a reason - and while they may not have told you they were unhappy, they may well tell you what you could do to improve. So ask the question, if you can, and you never know, your product roadmap or customer service strategy may take a huge positive step.
    
    So the message from me? Talk, communicate, but be genuine, be personal and above all else, don't be afraid of the answers you get. They could just make the difference of your organisation being a huge success, an average performer or even an ex-organisation.

  • Blog post
  • 2 months ago
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• Have you taken the path of you

  • From: Business901
  • Description:

    One of my steps in working with a client is that I like to put together their Marketing calendar to understand what they have on the table, events, conferences, advertisement, flyers, etc. They usually have some type of marketing in place, and we are looking at improving the system not dismantling it. After the marketing calendar has been constructed, I start moving, sometimes just the post-it-notes from a chronological order to a marketing flow stream based on the customers' viewpoint. We could even call it an assessment, but initially I am just on a fact finding mission, in Lean terms = Current State Map. The next step in the process is diagramming this current state map and in Duct Tape Marketing terms, their Marketing Hourglass.

    However, this week the procedure took a strange turn. I completed the process but I happen to know one of the client's customer very well. So, after constructing this hour glass with the new client, I was able to sit down with his customer and my friend and map the process from the customers' point of view. Voice of Customer seems to an over-used word in our industry but this was one of my best experiences. We actually pulled the clients file from the customers file cabinet, reviewed the folders on his computer including e-mails and bookmarks. I then laid out all the marketing material that had accumulated, highlighted and even taking note of the bent corners in the catalog. This was all followed by an interview.

    Of course, my sample size of 1 is not a good indicator. The key to this process was the awaking to the client and myself on what the customer valued and what his procedure was in making the decision. His process was simply different. We talk about going to Gemba and walking the walk from the customers' point of view, but do we? How much non-effective marketing could you save by doing this? How much effective marketing could you implement?

    P.S. Use a larger sample size.

    Related Posts:

    Is your Value Stream Mapping backwards?

    Mirror Marketing E-Book

    Another word for Marketing - How about Voice of the Customer?

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  • 2 months ago
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• John Jantsch is experiencing a

  • From: Business901
  • Description:

    Last week I wrote a blog post stating that I thought that Seth Godin was experiencing a lean transformation. I alluded to the fact that I thought John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing, was headed down the same path. After reading John's blog post in the American Express Open Forum. I'm convinced! He said the other week he went kayaking in Coeur d'Alene. I think he went to a Lean Transformation workshop. Here is why:

    John said:

    1. You've got to deal with where you are now and plan transitions that make sense for your culture, customer, and message or you're destined to fail..(Lean Culture)

    2. Make it so simple that anyone can tell it….(Value Stream)

    3. Questions, or a process of using key questions to produce answers..(VOC).

    4. If you don't hold every initiative accountable you can't make your plan work..(Muda!)

    5. Begin to spot the places that are causing friction and thereby slowing momentum..(Theory of Constraints)

    6. Commit time and resources to things that are clearly counterproductive..(More Muda)

    7. Commit to correcting the course..(Continuous Improvement)

    8. Meet at least every six weeks to renew your..(Kaizen)

    I encourage you to read his entire post. Is this Lean Marketing? His 7 steps, are equivalent too..

    1. It's not about the plan = Lean Culture

    2. Deal with today's reality = Current State Map

    3. Look for the Right Answers = Voice of the Customer

    4. Simplify Meaning = Value Stream Map

    5. Monitor Friction = Lean Metrics

    6. Take out the trash = 5S or Muda

    7. Guess Again = Kaizen

    So, do you think he was kayaking or do you think Seth Godin and John Jantsch snuck off and found the Marketing Gemba!

    Related Blog Posts:

    The Toyota Lean House - Re-built for marketing

    The Marketing HourGlass

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  • 2 months ago
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• The Ultimate Marketing System

  • From: Business901
  • Description:

    Readers of my blog have read my explanations of the Lean Marketing House and how your Marketing Channels determine your number of pillars and the size of each. You can suffice with just one pillar if it is big enough and strong enough to hold up the roof but the other day I realized that I had forgotten to describe what I will now call the Forgotten Pillar. Continuous Learning in the Lean Marketing House means the Ultimate Marketing System. This is a term coined by Duct Tape Marketing and actually includes their workbook and CD's explaining their system. Most marketing plans and systems fail if adequate training is not provided.

    Lean Six Sigma Practitioners always realize that the training is what makes the processes work. Without, old habits stay the same and new habits are never developed. Nor are these new habits expanded to the greatest extent. It happens in marketing too. Marketing that works today is all about authenticity, customer touch points and the connection of those touch points. You have to be everywhere, but you also have to be you. Perfect marketing is less important because people really are seeking you. Even from an organization viewpoint, they are expecting a human and personal experience.

    How do you go about creating this new wave of marketing in your organization? My advice is that you have to create a continuous learning cycle within your company. This is best done by starting out with a learning system, a structured program and a Marketing coach. This is self-serving to say the least, but it is what I truly believe.

    I use the Duct Tape Marketing System as the learning system and the structured program to get someone started. I am not going to go through the entire program, you can do that here, but it will set you on the road to success and provide a foundation for you to build from. Without going through these necessary steps, you will never fully defined your marketing needs and just continue to respond to the marketing idea of the week. I cannot tell you how many phone calls I get weekly a call from an Ad Rep telling me about the next greatest deal. Please take note: It's not about the money, it's about the target!

    Now, the coach is pretty important. I am not going to talk about that even Tiger Woods has a coach, or you need someone to keep you on track, hold you accountable and all that garbage. I am going to discuss about someone that has been there done that in the real world. I am also going to mention another cliché: Talk the talk and walk the walk. I can only talk for myself, I walk my system. I believe in the Duct Tape Marketing philosophies. I practice them. If you think that is not true, just look at my Tag cloud on my blog. Look at my Alexa score, Hubspot rating and Twitter feeds. They are better than the vast majority of corporations and certainly better than most individuals. Why is that? I simply follow the practices that John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing has taught me. Have I added a few tricks of my own? Certainly - Authenticity, Personalization, Differentiation and building your Core Message is what I have learned in my Continuous Learning cycle. What can you gain from that expereince? You will simply short-circuit your learning curve by having a coach on board!

    Do you have Continuous Learning going on in your Marketing?

     

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  • 2 months ago
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• ISONAS Is A Green Technology P

  • From: kondorsecurity
  • Description:

    ISONAS, the World Wide leader in IP Access Control Systems, recognizes the PowerNet™ as a Green Technology Product.
    
    

    Green building is as much about design strategy as about selecting eco-friendly materials.
    

    
    Integrated design is thinking about how a building works as a system, and designing that system to be environmentally friendly is a key part of green building. Certain products, particularly those that deal with energy, can be used in ways that enhance the environmental performance of a building. The ISONAS PowerNet™ Access Control System can be used in any building type, and through its BACNet and OPC interfaces can integrate seamlessly with Building Automation applications.
    Reduced energy usage, which also reduces carbon dioxide emissions and your energy bill, is one of the most effective green strategies for business. The PowerNet IP Reader from ISONAS uses PoE (Power over Ethernet) to power the reader and the associated door hardware. This provides the lowest possible energy cost for powering an Access Control system.
    Eco-friendly materials are used in the manufacturing of ISONAS Reader-Controllers. ISONAS is certified with RoHS, a standard banning the general use of six hazardous substances including lead and mercury. ISONAS has also taken the strategy of using green materials in its packaging and shipping of its products.
    The smallest manufacturing carbon footprint of any Access Control system is made possible by the panel-free nature of the PowerNet series. Combined with a single Cat 5 cable for installation versus the multitude of copper wiring required by alternative Access Control systems, the ISONAS PowerNet is the cleanest, most sustainable Access Control system in the world.
    Low impact manufacturing means that ISONAS creates inventory based on consumer demand. With the ability to access and analyze real-time demand signals, ISONAS is one of a growing number of companies moving from push to pull manufacturing. By nature, this not only eliminates excess inventory, thereby reducing waste, but it also decreases carbon emissions as it relates to the creation of products and materials.
    No Paper Waste is the ISONAS philosophy. As an IP product manufacturer in the electronic age of technology, marketing materials as well as technical manuals are created electronically and posted on our website available to everyone in PDF form. By making technical manuals, marketing materials and catalogs easily accessible on our web site, ISONAS does not waste paper on needlessly printing excessive paper-based documents.
    Localized Manufacturing ISONAS is based in Boulder, Co, where its PowerNet Readers are manufactured for the North American market. Off-shoring models of the past are increasingly being replaced with more efficient “right-shoring” models, as the risks and costs associated with manufacturing at long distances from one’s customers continue to surface. Longer lead times, increased fuel costs, larger carbon footprints and excess inventory are causing companies to re-examine where and how much they outsource. With the ability to analyze the various factors driving costs and environmental impacts, companies can create balanced plans that are both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. ISONAS is committed to manufacturing as close to its end user base as possible.
    
    About ISONAS Security Systems, Inc. Since 1999, ISONAS Security Systems has provided advanced, Internet Protocol (IP) Access Control solutions for customers who require the superior, real-time access control enabled by a true network appliance. ISONAS is the first and leading developer of IP-at-the-door reader-controllers. Driven by its Windows-based Crystal Matrix Software™, ISONAS products are easily integrated with other network based systems, providing the most advanced physical access security for buildings and workplaces worldwide, across a wide range of industrial applications.

    
    Thanks for visiting Kondor Security and remember, if you can't find it at first glance, you're more than welcome to contact us.

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  • 2 months ago
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• Character building in Fargo

  • From: tvandehei
  • Description:

    Shortly after graduating in 1990 from my Alma Mater, St. John’s University (like a mother’s womb—warm, peaceful, quiet, happy--compared to the “real world”), I moved to Hell (Fargo, North Dakota—Hell is cold, not hot).  Hell was hiring; there were no jobs anywhere else.  So, I packed up my basketball and ten speed and took a job as the “Production Manager” for a small wholesale tuxedo business.  The business, as you can imagine, was highly seasonal.  This resulted in periodically hiring full-time, temporary staff to handle the shipping/receiving, dry cleaning, and alterations, all managed under my youthful, inexperienced watch.  Because I was so “green,” I made many hiring mistakes; also in management; and in leadership.  This resulted in an onslaught of misery with impeccable timing:  when the work flow increased, the hours got long, the temps started resigning.  My ultimate responsibility was to ensure that the Groom in Bizmark was wearing the white tuxedo ordered, and the prom date had a matching periwinkle bow tie to his girlfriend’s gown.  If I failed, those special moments would be tainted by my ineptitude.  If the temps fled; I was the safety net.  Following were the countless hours “pinch hitting” where needed (management was out the window—it was absolute chaos), begging the few dedicated workers I had to stay, racing up and down the 3 story building, pressing shirts in the basement (sometimes well over 100 degrees), learning how to blind-stitch a pair of pants, and making sure shipping labels were properly affixed.  My longest day was 36 hours.  I remember the feeling, as I peeled my suit off at the end of the day(s), eyes blood shot and swollen, and seeing the salt stains around my navy blue dress socks from the sweaty heat of that basement:  nobody knew and nobody seemed to care.  The job; the location, all irrelevant.  I was the hardest working 22 year old in the state.  It was a secret, so I left a year later with the opinion I didn’t belong in management; it was miserable, and I wasn’t any good at it.  It was certainly character building.

     

    Another experience, similar, was in working for a large, residential painting contractor in the Chicagoland Area.  I was 24, and recruited by them to head up the North Shore operations, later to take over a major portion of the metro area.  It was my first crack at managing the P & L:  sales, marketing, operations.  Although the company was very small at the start, I was in way over my head.  Like always, I compensated with effort where my ability was lacking.  In the beginning, I had only 12 employees and finished with over 100, and the company made a decent profit.  This, like the tuxedo business, was highly seasonal.  I moved from Minneapolis to Chicago, was alone, and worked every day for the first few months.  I was so “challenged” (I was terrible at the job at first) I slept in my office from Monday through Thursday.  My logic was that if I saved a half hour commuting to and from, I would be able to get an hour longer sleep.  So, every night at about 10 PM in my little office suite, hearing through the thin walls a periodic car racing by, the air conditioner rattling in the window, I would unroll my sleeping bag, turn out the lights, set my watch and wallet on the oak-colored Formica desk, curl up on the musty old carpet, and sleep like a 25 year old (I was thankfully young).  The hard work was starting to pay off as we grew.

     

    One morning, we had an executive meeting at the headquarters of the company with the leaders of the Minnesota and Ohio operations getting together to discuss our respective performance.  It was a Friday morning, the end of a work week with nights spent on the office floor, and while driving south for the meeting, I pulled out my electric razor to start shaving (I was one of those guys—saved about 5 minutes a day).  The battery died.  I couldn’t shave.  When I arrived, the owner of the company looked at me with disgust—tired looking and day-old stubble--and tossed me a rhetorical question like he was throwing a Frisbee:  “You couldn’t even shave, could you?”  Now, he’s not a mean-spirited guy and had every right to expect professionalism from me.  However, it was out of character for me to look like that, and he knew I was working hard; I tried to explain I had been sleeping in the office to keep up, but he cut me off and we began the meeting.

     

    Why is all of this pertinent?  Well, as I progressed, those painful experiences I’ll never forget.  Not so much the hard work, but the combination of the hard work (and performance) and not feeling appreciated.  At a very young age I held positions where I hired many, many people.  It became clear to me through that process, that there weren’t very many people willing to be dedicated and put forth the effort I thought was so common.  I DID learn that it played a key role in my success as I started to develop in my career.  So, through simple deduction, I realized that if I was able to identify similar effort, there was almost immeasurable value there; likewise, with the opposite.  That epiphany shaped the way I recruited, managed and lead, looking specifically for signs of determination and effort--even above experience and a history of success--and created an environment where the great people surrounding me carried me to levels I hoped for but didn’t expect.  Although not always with perfect execution, those I inherited with that character, I spent the lion’s share of my time with, mentoring them.  To summarize my lesson learned the hard way, after identifying those characteristics, I made it my mission to ensure I would never allow an opportunity to pass in recognizing that level of determination and effort.  These characteristics, once identified, are true “diamonds in the rough” and should be treated as such, with great care.

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  • 3 months ago
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• Lessons of Leadership from a C

  • From: tvandehei
  • Description:

    Cur-mud-geon:  a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man.

     

    Well, my favorite curmudgeon isn’t what I’d call “old,” but I’d be kidding all of you if I didn’t admit to the opinion that he aspires to curmudgeonhood; many would say excels at it.  His name is Royce Renfroe (this post wouldn’t be as exciting to put “out there” without also disclosing the name of the subject).

     

    I remember when we first met in the late ‘90’s, he was the new President of the company, and I had just started.  It was a scary time for me:  just moved to California with my new wife, gave up a strong business in Chicago, and found out, shortly thereafter, that the company was now under someone else’s control.  In control by a big, scary Italian guy with a boisterous voice who speaks in “trucker” and would barely grunt at me when we first met.  He’s incredibly bright and has a memory aided by a stack of legal pads where he would seemingly be able to do a word search and pinpoint an old commitment made and not delivered by some unfortunate soul.  “If I remember correctly you said you would. . . . ;” or “If my memory serves, you promised. . . . (blah, blah, blah, followed by sweaty palms for the receiving party).” 

     

    He’s a very colorful personality with lots of “isms.”  In referring to my competing for a promotion, or a conflict with a peer, I remember him asking me, “What the f*** do you think this is, the Good Ship Lollipop? (I have to admit, I’ve used this one myself).”  Or, “Is this a hill you want to die on?”  Speaking his mind to his boss, the CEO of the parent company is an understatement.  While enjoying an elegant dinner at one of the finest Orange County golf clubs, he told the unfortunate individual that “. . . . I don’t give a gosh darn f*** what you think” while arguing the virtues of a new product or how we were planning on bringing it to market; or, “expressing” (I’m using that verb diplomatically) his differences in philosophy.

     

    Enough with the character building.  Let’s move onto the topic at hand:  leadership.  There are many definitions I’ve read, and many opinions on what it means.  To simplify it, we’ll use the concept of merely pointing a group of people in a single direction toward a common goal.  Rudimentary definition; difficult proposition.  I’ve had many opportunities to exercise that skill set over the past nineteen years with varying levels of success.  As Royce would put it, the financials are your report card; there was never a time where anything was attempted while he was in control where we didn’t measure the results.

     

    With all of his quirks and—to me, early on—his shocking behavior, Royce was a leader continually getting an “A” on his report card.  And, that’s what we’re all here for (“legally and ethically” as he would put it), right?  I was fortunate enough to enjoy his mentorship for many years and observe him at his best.  Throughout those years, I hung on every word and made careful note of every commitment I made; most importantly, I developed from a sales person, and then moved through the corporation to the general management position he previously held; that development would have been impossible without his guidance.  The following is a description of why he had the impact on me that he had—along with many others.  These are the reasons we were willing to follow as we “charged the hill,” no matter what the outcome.  He somehow pulled out the best in those around him.

     

    Integrity is one characteristic of his I most admire.  “Everybody’s born with it; some give it away.”  Whatever came out of his mouth he really believed; if he made a commitment, he kept it.  Further, he lead the team with incredible consistency.  There was never a question about where he stood; never an impact on his decision making by emotions, or a bad mood.  As you are all aware, the tone of the organization is always set by the person at the top.  His tone was one of focus on results which had a material impact on the company’s culture and performance.

     

    A characteristic I haven’t often read about in good leadership is a certain degree of drama.  Let me define that.  While speaking about the company, or the people within the company, his emotions would well with pride; while explaining what made us unique, he would look off into the distance, or down at the table as if concentrating and describe what we were.  The drama of his statements made people listen.  More importantly, the passion for the organization and for what we stood was clearly meaningful to him and therefore become meaningful to us. 

     

    The most impactful qualities, and those that I admire most in him, those that really set him apart, are his courageousness and discipline to not waiver.  These are characteristics to which many of us aspire.  From that came the ability to be a contrarian.  In a small business where you are all fighting to maintain a high degree of differentiation, you must have the courage and discipline to be a contrarian; the courage to be honest with oneself and other stakeholders.  And, last and certainly not least, Royce had the desire and patience to teach those who showed interest.  He spent countless hours with me teaching me whatever he thought I should know for my development, allowed me to make mistakes, challenged me to put thought and care into my decisions, supported me when I my decisions were bad ones and celebrated when successful.  In summary, he and other great leaders inspire you to WANT to grow and become better than you otherwise would.

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  • 3 months ago
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• It’s All in the Presentation!

  • From: tvandehei
  • Description:

    That’s the title to the book that Al Frink says he will someday write, summing up his business philosophy and approach to sales and marketing.  I had the unique opportunity in my early 20’s when in sales, to travel with Al and make sales calls throughout some of the smallest towns in the Midwest.  We developed sort of a Father/Son relationship as he offered me a level of advice and support much undeserved considering the size of my territory.

     

    Al has experienced a tremendous amount of success in his career, growing up in a blue-color L.A. neighborhood in the 50’s.  He started out in retail sales, and then moved into a manufacturer’s representative position where he quickly found out that if he “. . . . wasn’t as good as [his] competitors, [he]can always out-work them.”  Hard work became his hallmark; and, he demanded the same of those around him.  As an example, I remember getting a phone call from him in my Sioux Falls, SD hotel room at 4 A.M. to discuss the sales and merchandising of a new product.

     

    After working for a manufacturer and distributor in his industry, he (at 30) and his partner (at 23) decided to form a company focused on the high-end niche’ of the flooring business.  After a few years of moderate success, they were pushed out by investors and forced to begin anew.  That’s when Fabrica was formed—the mid ‘70’s—with a Small Business Association loan and money borrowed from a friend.  Thirty years later, Fabrica was viewed as the “tip of the spear” (a quote to me from a supplier) in the industry from a quality and design standpoint--a leader in the business.  In 2004, the company was inducted into the Small Business Association “Hall of Fame” along with other organizations such as America Online, Callaway Golf, FedEx, General Mills, and Intel.  Quite an impressive feat.  As a local business leader in “The O.C.,” after selling Fabrica, he was recommended for a leadership position in Washington as the first Manufacturing Czar, and accepted the post as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing and Services.  He has enjoyed a lifetime of great achievement. 

     

    In addition to dedication and hard work, what really set Al apart was, and still is, his attention to detail.  This is a natural gift, and when casually observing him, you’ll notice he can’t help but examine every detail.  He can spend hours in a local hardware store, continuously sizing up the quality of a product.  I once caught him staring at a pair of needle nose pliers for a few minutes, opening and closing it, weighing it in his hand, examining the handle.  I’m sure he was formulating how he would present the product.  He really can’t help himself.  And, he has turned that appreciation for, and attention to detail into success beyond measure.

     

    Let me give you some examples.  Working in textiles, we used samples to present our products to our customers in various distribution channels.  The “hand” (how it felt) of a product was very important.  I remember him examining my worn-out looking samples with disgust; he almost turned his head.  He explained that they were a representation of me, like the clothes I wore.  He immediately began snipping the edges—couldn’t stand not to--which became sort of ragged through use.  Then, he handed me his fancy scissors that actually came in a holster (a leather holster), as a gift—I promised to use them from that point forward.  He treated his products like they should have been encased in a glass shadowbox (a good lesson) and further instructed me to take a spray bottle and lightly mist my samples after checking into my hotel room in the evenings.  He stated that the water would “. . . . open up the yarn and make the tips feel softer.”  The weather during the winter in the Midwest is extremely dry and made our samples feel kind of crunchy.  We sold our products for roughly five times the industry average, so we couldn’t afford anything unappealing.  If you can imagine a young man, right out of college (me), lugging all of his samples into a dimly-lit cheap hotel room in a small Midwestern town, spreading his samples out along the walls, on the spare bed, across the dresser—they were everywhere—hunched over and lightly misting them as if watering my favorite plants in the greenhouse.  Quite a funny picture.

     

    From that point on, I went through an hour-long ritual, and watered my samples, clarifying for me what attention to detail meant.  I’m sure I was the only manufacturer’s rep in my business, other than Al, that took such care in presenting products.  Or, hopefully other reps in the same company were doing the same.  That, along with many other small differences taught by Al had an impact on my success in sales. 

     

    Another example of his attention to detail, which became the lever in his overall “Presentation” was his ability to build strong relationships.  If we entertained a key account, we would cook to make it more personal, it would be at his home, and we would have a theme and a band playing by the pool.  If we dined with an account at a restaurant, the restaurant and the location of the table was pre-planned to have the most impact, a tremendous amount of thought was put into the menu, and every detail was thought through to provide the right presentation or to reinforce that we provided a unique product in a unique way (and we sure did charge for it).  The care he put into all of his relationships with customers was remarkable.  The emotions elicited by his contact were feelings of being special.

     

    The same went, of course, for the packaging of the products in shipping, the packaging of the samples, the way the colors were laid out, even the quality of our business card stock.  The overall “Presentation” of the company was an extremely consistent message of quality.  The act of actually presenting products, in his method, was an art form. 

     

    He practiced and practiced, and when selling to a customer, he was remarkably adept at building value.  He picked apart every detail and added romance; every objection was thoroughly thought through and overcome; the descriptions used in his presentations were memorable.  After every point he’d follow with the rhetorical question:  “Over-priced or undersold?”  Describing the company, he would create lasting sound bites that would stick with the sales force and our customer base:  “We’re a gourmet restaurant in a fast-food industry.”  A product:  “It’s built like a tank, but paint it pink and put Mary Kay behind the wheel.”  Watching him was like watching a magician; by the end of the presentation, all heads in the audience were nodding “yes” in agreement as if in a trance.

     

    In an effort to reinforce the importance of his process, teaching me, sweeping his index finger through the air, across his body (like John Wayne) and tilting his head to the right:  “Presentation, presentation, presentation.”  This simple concept of putting so much care into the process of selling exemplifies one man’s ability to achieve great success and help build an organization once recognized as an industry leader.  Of course, this applies to not only the sales process, but all forms of current marketing. . . . even more so, today, with less face to face interaction via a website, email, blogs, etc.  It’s all in the presentation!

     

     

     

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  • 3 months ago
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• Watch True Blood TV Show Onlin

  • From: davemarketer
  • Description:

    Forget about Sex and the City. Watch True Blood TV show online, the HBO unabashedly sexual series. This show centers on Sookie Stackhouse [Ana Paquin], a telepathic waitress who works at Merlotte’s in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana.
     
    When Sookie meets Bill Campton [Stephen Moyer], a 173-year old vampire, the possibility of a peaceful co-existence between vampires and humans is put to the test. That tolerance is stretched almost at breaking point when they fell in love. Add to this murky brew the unsolved murders of several fangbangers, human women who have affairs with vampires, and we have another classic from show creator Allan Ball, who once explored similar dark territory in Six Feet Under.  
     
    Whereas Six Feet Under bordered on the prim and grim, Ball gave full reign to his death fixation by injecting True Blood with oftentimes animalistic, life-infusing sex. One of these jaw-dropping sex scenes involved Sookie and Bill making rough sex in the middle of a graveyard. Viewers who have not seen the show can download True Blood online and see for themselves.
     
    True Blood is peopled with interesting characters. Aside from Sookie and Bill, there’s Sookie’s brother Jason [Ryan Kwanten], who is often shot in the buff, humping away at some unfortunate women who almost always turn up dead. And there’s Lafayette [Nelsan Ellis], who part-times as Jason’s gay drug pusher, and Sam Merlotte, Sookie’s boss, who also happens to be a shape-shifter.
     
    Ball had a brainwave about the series after he came across Harris’ Dead Until Dark, the first installment in the vampire series.  He read the entire series and became interested in bringing Harris’ vision to the small screen.
     
    The books had two other adaptation options when Ball approached their author. But in the end, Harris chose to work with him because she liked his enthusiasm and felt that Ball understood what she was doing with the books.
     
    When the series premiered in September 2008, True Blood garnered a very modest 1.44 million viewers.  By November, however, this figure jumped to 6.8 million a week, which included repeat and on-demand viewings. The series is now HBO's most popular series since The Sopranos and Sex and the City.
     
    If the saying sex sells is anything to go by, then Ball and HBO certainly did find a goldmine in the show. Watch True Blood TV show online now.

    Discover how you can instantly watch satellite TV on pc for pennies. Also read another article on how to watch satellite TV on PC.

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  • 3 months ago
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• Discover The Health Benefits o

  • From: davemarketer
  • Description:

    Those looking for natural ways to be healthy may be very pleased to find out more about the health benefits of Acai Berry.
    
    As you must know, Acai Berry has been used by indigenous people in the Amazon Rainforest for thousands of years, for long life. You see, Acai Berry is one of the most nutritious fruits in the world. Many consider Acai Berry as a super food, and it may very well be. This deep purple fruit is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins that boost a human being’s vitality.
    
    The healing properties of Acai Berry cannot at all be taken for granted. Besides the abundance of antioxidants, Acai Berry is also rich in anthocyanin, a compound that is said to contribute largely to good heart health. Anthocyanin is also found in red wine, but in lesser quantities. The fruit also has high levels of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, thereby helping to protect the heart and reducing bad cholesterol levels.
    
    The powerful combination of antioxidants, essential vitamins and anthocyanin also makes Acai Berry very effective in delaying the aging process. At the same time, it can also be used in detoxification and also in weight loss.
    
    In the past, Acai Berry was limited only to the people in the Amazon Rainforest, but nowadays, this powerful fruit comes in different preparations so more people can experience its health benefits when they take Acai Berry as a supplement.
    
    If you are unable to take Acai Berry in its freshest form, you will nonetheless be able to take it in capsule form. Since the discovery of the goodness of Acai Berry, many manufacturing companies have come out with their own version of Acai Berry supplements. It is important that you take extreme caution before buying Acai Berry supplements. Always take time to read through product reviews and customer testimonials so you can be confident that you are making the right decision.
    
    Most sellers of Acai Berry are so confident in their product that they allow you to try Acai Berry supplements for free for a certain period, say two or three months. Then again, always read thoroughly the terms and conditions the product comes with to make sure that you can always return the product without any obligation on your part if you don’t experience any visible effects at all.
    
    The health benefits of Acai Berry are definitely more than just hype. Be on the road to good health yourself when you use Acai Berry as a food supplement.

    1000s of people have tried these acai berry pills and have seen improved health and weight loss. Read this about how to lose weight using acai berry supplements.

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 172

• How You Can Download Music to

  • From: davemarketer
  • Description:

    There are many ways that you can download music to iPod Touch without any trouble at all. Whether you want to download music from the web to your PC and to your iPod Touch, or add music to your iTunes library from an existing CD, keeping your iPod Touch music library updated is never a problem.
    
    In fact, you can even download songs straight to your iPod Touch, as long as you make sure that the WiFi settings in your iPod are turned on. Even without a PC, you can download music straight to your trusty iPod Touch, through the iTunes WiFi Music downloading store. If the WiFi connection is fine, downloading this way is often quick and easy.
    
    However there are a few advantages when you download songs to iPod Touch through your computer. First off, you will have an organized file of the songs and music you have downloaded, as well as a back up in case the songs get deleted from your iPod Touch. Also, if your WiFi connection is unsteady, restarting the downloading process can eat up too much time.
    
    The iTunes store is an excellent online music store made ideally for iPod owners. Here you will be able to find a range of songs neatly categorized according to genre, artists, and date released. The music quality is never compromised and you are assured of getting the full versions of the songs.
    
    If you find that doing iPod Touch music download this way is expensive, especially at 99 cents per song, you can always seek for more cost-effective alternatives online. In fact, there are membership sites that allow you to download songs with less expense.
    
    Rather than paying 99 cents per song and ending up paying a huge amount if you make multiple downloads, membership sites only require that you pay them a set-up fee. There are no recurring costs afterwards.
    
    However, you have to be careful in choosing other downloading sites. Some sites allow you to obtain music downloads for free, but before going for this, you have to check on the reliability of the site first. Many membership sites offer excellent deals at a price you can always afford.
    
    The iPod Touch is an excellent gadget that allows you to listen to music, watch videos, and transfer entertainment files. With a few helpful tips, you can download Music to iPod Touch seamlessly and start listening to your favorite songs anytime you like.

    Download iPod song downloads now! For your reading pleasure, you may wish to look at more tips about iPod music downloads.

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
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• Buy Repossessed Vehicle in Man

  • From: davemarketer
  • Description:

    
    Each year, there are about hundreds of cars in Manitoba that are being seized by the government. These vehicles will be auctioned to the public and about 95 percent of the original price will be taken off from their original price. Believe it or not, the auction bid usually starts at $100 and you will notice that if you are going to buy repossessed vehicle in Manitoba.
    
    Not only seized cars are sold at Manitoba repossessed vehicle auctions. Since the government needs to dispose a number of used cars every year, you can also take the chance to own one of those signature vehicles. People like you who need a personal means of transportation, car dealers and so on will find used vehicles that are still in good condition, and they can resell them to earn extra income.
    
    If you were thinking that participating in auctions in Manitoba is difficult, the truth is that is it isn’t at all. First and foremost, try browsing for information online. There are websites that contain the complete information about the auctions that will be held in the place. You may simply register online or go personally to the auction office.
    
    When you reach the place, you should ask for the registration form. Fill it out and get your bidder number after submitting it to the one in charge. You might as well be asked to present your driver’s license with your valid address. If you wish, you can ask for an auction catalog or subscribe to it.
    
    If you are not yet ready to purchase but have plans to do so in the future, the best thing that you can do is attend biddings as an observer. See how it goes so that next time around, you will know what to do.
    
    You can also buy repossessed cars in Manitoba days before the auction at pre-auction prices. Pre-auctions usually occur every weekend. You will find the details on the auction sites that you will visit.
    
    If you will come to the actual auction, your will benefit a lot if you will go there early in the morning. If the auction will occur in 3 days, as much as possible, go there on the first day. Big buyers would usually be there too on that day and because of that, the best cars would then be sold out.
    
    If you win the bidding and allowed to buy a repossessed vehicle in Manitoba, you will be asked to deposit an amount of $500. You can pay that via bank transfer, BPAY, EFT or bank check. You can pay the balance within 24 hours. You cannot bring home the vehicle until the payment enters the account of the auctioneer.

    Discover more tips about public car auctions such as where to find cheap public car auctions near your home. Also, read to find out even more on seized car auctions.

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
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• The Deliberate Culture and Bui

  • From: tvandehei
  • Description:

    I had the unique opportunity of working for a small, highly-respected leader in the consumer durables sector called Fabrica International.  We were manufacturers of carpet and rugs, imported, exported, developed our own products, and handled our own distribution.  The industry is highly competitive, yet we prospered, grew at a healthy pace, and had profitability never seen before in our industry.

    Many years ago I was asked by our parent company to present to the corporate management team, as well as our sister companies’ management teams, why we were performing at the aforementioned levels.  It was a very interesting and introspective exercise that lead me to a place I didn’t expect:  culture.  Among our competitors, we all had access to the same machinery, the same raw materials, and the same operational processes.  There were high barriers to entry, but because it is an extremely capital intensive business, volume was always the directive in an attempt to offset overhead.  The resulting industry became very price driven with our competitors’ emphasis on manufacturing efficiencies.  Somehow, we were able to operate within a very small niche’.  We offered a unique product in a unique way at a very unique price point.

    My presentation focused on various issues including operations, organizational structure, and the performance orientation of our people.  However, the pivotal difference was the fact that everyone in the company, from the President to the Receptionists knew who we were as an organization and where we were going.  It was clear, and they performed their duties accordingly.  The culture was deeply tied to that direction.

    The importance of culture, if refined and focused, is very simple and directly connected to, and supportive of, your branding effort, particularly in a niche’ operation:  every contact with every customer or client reinforces or dilutes your brand; every contact among all of your associates or employees and any company affiliate reinforces or dilutes your brand.  If your receptionist sounds pleasant, your company is a pleasant company; if your sales rep handles a problem with integrity, your company can be trusted; if your customer service representative handles an issue with a sense of urgency, your company cares about its customer base.  These messages go out by the thousands on a daily basis.  On an individual basis, they have virtually no impact; collectively, they can define you in the marketplace.  The question for you is, with what definition would you like your organization to be labeled?  Your company’s culture is at the heart of this matter.

    As many of you are aware, this issue is typically left to chance at the beginning or start of a new company:  an idea is formed; an opportunity identified; a better product; or a team that can deliver the same product or service in a better way.  Then, the business plan is drafted.  The company’s culture follows by accident, and in many small businesses, there isn’t a truly defined company culture.  All efforts are directed toward the market opportunity.  As a result, there are mixed messages sent out by the thousands:  One message stating the founders’ intentions; the next counter-acting that message.  This results in a small company remaining small and never realizing its full financial potential.  You may have a strong marketing focus, or a very unique product or service, but likely delivered in a very disjointed fashion:  one step forward, one step back; one step forward, one step back.  The clarity of who you are and where you want to go is probably lacking, and as a result, the strength of your brand isn’t where it should be.  The danger is becoming just another company in a pool of competitors offering the same thing.  That sameness or lack of differentiation will continue to put pressure on your bottom line as you try to grow with seemingly nothing else than price to drive that growth. 

    The astounding conclusion to me, in my personal experience, was that this critical building block in an organization is—practically—a free one.  It takes thought, commitment, discipline, ability to communicate.  It doesn’t take an expensive ad campaign or a better website, or even better products or services.

     

    Further, it isn’t all that complicated.  Let me explain:  as a business owner, a business development manager, or someone in a sales and marketing leadership role, you are already fully aware of your prospects in the marketplace.  Your chosen opportunity will lead you to how your brand should look.  For example, if you want to deliver a high-quality, high-end consumer product, your marketing should reflect that in whatever industry you complete.  At the point you’re clear on your brand, or how you envision it in the future, you can define the development of the company culture.  It begins with recruiting.  Whom you hire needs to reflect your brand proposition, and those individuals need to understand it clearly relative to their position in your company.  The continual evaluation of those recruits and how they’re fitting into your culture, thereby supporting your brand, needs to become part of your daily ritual.  The people, and your expectations of them, need simply to be consistent.  That consistency will strengthen your brand, almost for free, sending whatever message you want sent, by the thousands.

    To summarize, your market opportunity will define your brand; your brand will define you culture.  Your culture will support, reinforce, and strengthen your brand, setting you apart from your competitors and help you grow your business.  Be deliberate in developing your culture by defining who you are and where you’re going, put the right people in place, and commit to communicating that direction to all involved. 

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
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• Ready for Operational Excellen

  • From: Business901
  • Description:

    This particular document covers Operational Excellence and how one would get started. Robert Stapp of OP-EX Direct Results was in the hot seat answering the questions.

    An excerpt from the transcript: "It's when you decide that you want to move from being a good company to a great company. That's when you say to yourself: "OK. We need to take this path, and this path is the path of operating excellence."

    OP-EX Transcript on Operational Excellence -

    Related Blog Post:

    Operational Excellence, It's about the People not the Tools

    Hoshin Kanri aka Policy Deployment

    News Release

    Technorati : Black Belt, Lean, Operational Excellence, Six Sigma

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 189
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• Ready-To-Publish Content On AN

  • From: guypotter
  • Description:

    Fresh Content = Easy, using this free software
    
    If you do business online, you need fresh content - PERIOD!
    
    PPC landing pages, minisites, squeeze pages, review sites...
    
    ... all of these need quality, relevant content to even stand a fighting chance in the search engines.
    
    And you can't just scrape stuff from article directories anymore. It's not 2005.
    
    The problem is... getting great content is usually VERY time consuming or expensive.
    
    That was yesterday.
    
    Today, it's fast and easy, once you download this software:

    Ready-To-Publish Content On ANY Topic

    
    2,483 people already paid $297 to access this.
    
    But today, it's yours free (no strings... no catch).
    
    Go download it now and give it a whirl.
    
    This thing rocks! You are going to love it.

    Ready-To-Publish Content On ANY Topic

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 266

• The official StrAIT Advisors B

  • From: mnpattison
  • Description:

    This will be a short post to redirect you to our official StrAIT Advisors blog at www.straitadvisors.com

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 133
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• ISONAS Reader-controllers and

  • From: kondorsecurity
  • Description:

    ISONAS reader-controllers can be optionally enabled to read HID’s Proximity credentials. HID’s Proximity credentials have many formats available. Each format specifies the amount and contents of the information recorded on the credential.

    Basic Guidelines for ISONAS’s HID-Enabled reader-controllers:

    • All formats of HID Proximity Cards (125KZ) can be read.
    • Indala cards and the ProxPass cards are not supported.

    
    
    
    The data on the card is converted into an ISONAS equivalent credential number.

    ISONAS Reader-controllers and Proximity Credentials from HID

    
    For more information, click here and browse our catalog or if you are looking to obtain a quote or cannot find what your are looking for, you are more than welcome to contact us.

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 235

• Application Notes: Using the I

  • From: kondorsecurity
  • Description:
    The ISONAS reader-controller supports two TTL output leads. These leads provide logic level signals that can be used to communicate with external systems such as alarm sounders or lights.
    
    These TTL leads are normally held at +5V DC, and when activated, drop to 0V DC. The ISONAS driver circuits for these TTL signal leads can source or sink 24 milliamps. This means that the external system must not draw more than 245mA from the TTL output when it is at +5 VDC nor source more than 24mA when the TTL output is at 0 VDC.
    
    Some external systems (example: alarm systems) will directly accept these logic signals. For other usages, these leads can drive external relay boards, which are capable of controlling larger power draws.
    
    An great example application would be a DOTL (Door Open Too Long) alert in a factory or industrial setting. You would use a relay module, such as the Altronix RBSNTTL, with your ISONAS system to trigger an alarm sounder, such as the ATW Terrier, to notifiy you if a door has been held open too long.
    
    

    • ISONAS IP/PoE Access Control Systems
    • Altronix RBSNTTL Relay module
    • ATW TERRIER Alarm Sounder
    For more information, check out the knowledge base article by clicking here. (PDF)
  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 240

• Factory Authorized ISONAS Rese

  • From: kondorsecurity
  • Description:

    Authorized ISONAS Reseller

    
    
    

    We are proud to annouce that we are a memeber of the new ISONAS Authorized Reseller program. More information coming soon.

    

    For more information of ISONAS product, click here and browse our catalog. If you are looking to obtain a quote or cannot find what your are looking for, please contact us.

     

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 315

• Business Coaching To Help You

  • From: wendyhearncoaching
  • Description:

    Are you thinking of business coaching because running your own business not quite the dream you'd hoped it would be? Are you finding it much tougher and wonder what happened to the freedom you'd have, the profits you'd generate and the growth that would naturally occur?

    The reality is for many business owners that there is a lot to do and a lot to think about. Some of these thoughts may be keeping you awake at night. These thoughts may be worries about problems in your business or just simply just things that need to be though through. If they're keeping you awake at night, your health will suffer and your ability work effectively and do what needs to be done is diminished.

    The first thing you need is a little time. Allow yourself a little time in your day, say about 10 minutes, so that you have the opportunity to think through some of these things. When you give yourself this time every day you're more likely to leave your mind free for sleeping at night.

    If the day to day running of your business keeps you very busy during the day, any concerns may temporarily be put to one side, then at night your mind kicks in with the problems, keeping you awake. If you want to sleep better at night these concerns and problems need to be faced head on. Although this can feel scary at times, keep focused on how much better you'll feel once the worries are out of the way. The first step is to identify your concerns, then brainstorm some possible solutions and come up with an action plan to handle them.

    With business coaching, taking actions to handle your worries is proactive, so not only do you feel better but you're taking some necessary steps to work through the problems. Then if these problems keep you awake at night, just remind yourself that you have a plan and the worries are being handled.

    Ideally having someone to support you through facing any problems, brainstorm ideas with and devise an action plan is often very beneficial especially if they see your business with fresh eyes. Find out how business coaching can help you with this.

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 229
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