Time To Reflect On My Goals With My Family

This will be my last post for 2008 and I will make it shorter than what I'm sure most of you expect from me. For me, this time of year is the time to reflect on my goals and how I met or exceeded them over the last 12 months. What changes do I need to make to my goals if any and, do I need to create a new plan of execution on my goals for the New Year?

Without a plan I don't have a road map to success. Without a plan I may still reach my goals but I may take a longer more detoured route to get to my destination. Thus a map saves me time and fuel.

I also make sure that my family, (my support system), agree with my goals and my plan so that I'm not at odds with them over the year. For example; if working longer hours is a requirement to make more income which will give us a bigger house then, the family needs to agree that the goal of a bigger house is what we all want and therefore Dad, husband, wife, need to support each other during these times of sacrifice when working late. In other words, the goals and the plan become 'OURS'. We all take ownership. As a family we are all driving in the same direction taking the same route to the same destination. This will create a much more harmonious environment for all and will contribute to reaching your goals. Even if you are single and not married you still have family and a support system of friends. To succeed in business you need to succeed in life. You need a balance between family, friends, your personal spiritual beliefs and business.

I hope my experiences expressed give you guidance and again, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Paulo Coelho And Another Christmas Gift to His Readers

I received a special Christmas email today from Paulo Coelho author of 'The Alchemist' which is one of my favorite books listed at the bottom of my blog. Paulo never forgets to send a special story at Christmas to his fans. We can learn from this in business and that is to never forget your customers at Christmas. All your customers, those small and great and those in your pipeline who will become your customers. Enjoy the story:


The music coming from the house

Paulo Coelho

On Christmas Eve, the king invited the prime minister to join him for their usual walk together. He enjoyed seeing the decorations in the streets, but since he didn’t want his subjects to spend too much money on these just to please him, the two men always disguised themselves as traders from some far distant land.
They walked through the centre of the city, admiring the lights, the Christmas trees, the candles burning on the steps of the houses, the stalls selling gifts, and the men, women and children hurrying off to celebrate a family Christmas around a table laden with food.
On the way back, they passed through a poorer area, where the atmosphere was quite different. There were no lights, no candles, no delicious smells of food about to be served. There was hardly a soul in the street, and, as he did every year, the king remarked to the prime minister that he really must pay more attention to the poor in his kingdom. The prime minister nodded, knowing that the matter would soon be forgotten again, buried beneath the day-to-day bureaucracy of budgets to be approved and discussions with foreign dignitaries.
Suddenly, they heard music coming from one of the poorest houses. The hut was so ramshackle and the rotten wooden timbers so full of cracks, that they were able to peer through and see what was happening inside. And what they saw was utterly absurd: an old man in a wheelchair apparently crying, a shaven-headed young woman dancing, and a young man with sad eyes shaking a tambourine and singing a folk song.
‘I’m going to find out what they’re up to,’ said the king.
He knocked. The music stopped, and the young man came to the door.
‘We are merchants in search of a place to sleep. We heard the music, saw that you were still awake, and wondered if we could spend the night here.’
‘You can find shelter in a hotel in the city. We, alas, cannot help you. Despite the music, this house is full of sadness and suffering.’
‘And may we know why?’
‘It’s all because of me.’ It was the old man in the wheelchair who spoke. ‘I’ve spent my life teaching my son calligraphy, so that he could one day get a job as a palace scribe. But the years have passed and no post has ever come up. And then, last night, I had a stupid dream: an angel appeared to me and asked me to buy a silver goblet because, the angel said, the king would be coming to visit me. He would drink from the goblet and give my son a job.
‘The angel was so persuasive that I decided to do as he said. Since we have no money, my daughter-in-law went to the market this morning to sell her hair so that we could buy that goblet over there. The two of them are doing their best to get me in the Christmas spirit by singing and dancing, but it’s no use.’
The king saw the silver goblet, asked to be given a little water to quench his thirst and, before leaving, said to the family:
‘Do you know, we were talking to the prime minister only today, and he told us that an opening for a palace scribe would be announced next week.’
The old man nodded, not really believing what he was hearing, and bade farewell to the strangers. The following morning, however, a royal proclamation was read out in all the city streets; a new scribe was needed at court. On the appointed day, the audience room at the palace was packed with people eager to compete for that much-sought-after post. The prime minister entered and asked everyone there to prepare their paper and pens:
‘Here is the subject of the composition: Why is an old man weeping, a shaven-headed woman dancing, and a sad young man singing?’
A murmur of disbelief went round the room. No one knew how to tell such a story, apart, that is, from the shabbily dressed young man sitting in one corner, who smiled broadly and began to write.

Based on an Indian story.

Translated from the Portuguese by Margaret Jull Costa

To Use A Business Broker Or To Not?

I've been asked many times by people who are looking at a franchise business if they should use a Business Broker and I've always stated that the best start is to decide what industry you want to work in first. The questions that should be answered first is; can I succeed in the long haul in this industry? Is it a high growth industry? How much market share will I have and how quickly can I grow my market share? Who is my competition and where is the competition coming from in the future? Can my franchisor adapt to industry changes and challenges in a timely manner so that I continue to grow my business? (reference Thomas L. Friedman's book 'The World is Flat' or click on my link to his MIT presentation found at the right side panel - 'My Favorite Videos Library') Will I enjoy working in this industry? Will my business afford me the lifestyle I'm accustom to and strive to achieve? For example; will my business provide me freedom to enjoy life or will it require me to be a slave to the business? Will it require travel?


Essentially a broker can help you identify these questions and then help you answer them by finding the franchise business that best meets your needs. Or, they could be helping themselves by matching you to a franchisor or selected few franchisors that meet their personal criteria which is; who pays the biggest and quickest commission.


I could go on and try and answer the question of 'To Use A Business Broker Or To not' or I can have you read an article from Entrepreneur.com written by Mark Siebert which will take you inside to the seldom seen world of the Business Broker. His insight will perhaps answer this question for you better than me. 'Should You Use Franchise Brokers?'

Here is also a great video discussion with franchise lawyers on the topic of; 'The Pros and Cons of Franchise Brokers' from the AllBusiness.com website.

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Lean And Mean At All Costs!

'Lean and Mean' is a phrase I remember used back in my Materiel Management days and today we hear it used more and more in Manufacturing with Lean Processes and Inventory (or no inventory) Management systems. Having lived through other recession periods most recently in the mid to late 1990's I'm starting to hear the old battle cry from Business Managers and the Self Employed of; 'Lean and Mean at all costs'. Essentially what I'm really hearing is...employees can be sacrificed and taken advantage of at all costs.

Granted, that during times of great growth or success a business gets fat and a recession can be an opportunity to trim fat. But trimming to the bone is going too far. I'm a strong believer that a company is only as good as its employees and generally its employees are only as good as its management.

A synergistic management team that cascades down ideas and asks questions and allows open creative discussion between all staff and has continuous training will always succeed. Conversely, a management team that is afraid to speak for fear of losing their job and/or led by an over controlling manager will fail.

In this time of economic stress we need to trim fat, yes, but we also need to recognize the best in our staff and allow them to have ideas. Ideas that might foster other ideas in a true brain storming fashion and thus find new and innovative ways to cut costs, improve efficiencies and increase sales, etc. Lean and mean at all costs should not mean taking advantage of your staff by fear of loss of employment. In the end you may be out on the streets yourself, looking for a job.

Your Business Will Fail Within 24 Months

Imagine reading in the papers, hearing on the radio and watching on TV everyday business investment and economy experts claiming that your business will fail within 24 months. What would you do? Would you curl up in the fetal position and wait for doomsday? Or, would the fighter in you do everything and anything to prove them wrong and keep your business alive? I would venture to say that most business owners are fighters. If we were not fighters we probably would have caved in against all the negativity we heard before we got into business.

So, if we are fighters why are we allowing the media to promote negativity? Sure, investment portfolio's have taken a hit and people have lost their home due to mis-guided sub prime lending strategies in the US but can we get through all this? Of course we can. Big business, employees of big business will be impacted by this first. The suppliers of big business will be impacted next. If you are an employee of a big business then you should look at getting into a business. A franchise business is a good decision. If you are a supplier to these big businesses then you need to get all your eggs out of the one basket. You need to fine new clients. The most value for your marketing dollar is Internet Marketing. Ask anyone who has moved part of, or most of, their marketing budget to the Internet why they did this and they will all tell you that it is because the Internet, if done right, will get you better results.

Don't do this yourself. Seek out a professional in Internet Marketing. Internet Marketing is much more affordable than you might have been led to believe given leaders in the industry such as WSI Internet Consulting who leverage their Global Presence to bring the costs down. But it is not about cost. It is about value. What will be the value, impact to your business. The cost is not as important as the value of the new business brought to your business. What is the cost to your business if you don't act now and seriously do something on the Internet? Do you take charge of your life, your business, or do you let life take charge of you? Perhaps the cost of not taking action now, not fighting, and thus curling up in defeat in the fetal position is as significant as; Your Business Will Fail Within 24 Months.

Warren E. Buffett - "Put Your Mouth Where Your Money Was"

There is no getting around the fact that the stock market is a scary place to have our money right now. At least that is what many in the media would have us believe. In a short term investment strategy, (the get rich quick investor schemes), I would agree with these media doom and gloom naysayers. However, Warren Buffet like many others who follow a sound long term strategy based on history know that doing the opposite of the masses will generally reap you greater rewards, in the long term. In fact, Warren claims that; "...If prices keep looking attractive, my non-Berkshire net worth will soon be 100 percent in United States equities."

(click here to read Warren Buffett's opinion in The New York Times, October 16, 2008) The close of his editorial opinion says it best: "I don’t like to opine on the stock market, and again I emphasize that I have no idea what the market will do in the short term. Nevertheless, I’ll follow the lead of a restaurant that opened in an empty bank building and then advertised: “Put your mouth where your money was.” Today my money and my mouth both say equities."

Warren's close says it best for me. This restaurateur had the foresight and the bravery to act against the doom and gloom media provocateurs and put his cash into a business. Entrepreneurs want to grow cash in business and in these economically challenged times your personal money is best put into growing the economy at the small and medium size business levels. This is where the growth is going to continue more so as online advertising is leveling the playing field. Bigger business will be impacted first and hardest causing a negative impact on their employees and their suppliers. If you are presently an employee of a big company then you need to investigate self employment through the purchase and operation of a franchise business. The following presentation I came across from Franchise Research Corporation says it all best. www.franchiseresearchcorp.com/brief2810 Why wait years for your investment portfolio to come back to where it is today when you can get it back quicker in a franchise business. Makes sense to me.

Do Not Think Negative - Why?

To answer this question we first need to understand the context in which it is asked. For example; if I was trying to lose weight/fat I would want to think negative. My starting weight is 200 and I want to lose 40. In this context, losing negative fat measured in numbers creating a loss is actually a positive. Are you still with me? I didn’t lose you, I hope. If I lost you that of course would be a negative. Why? Because my objective is to keep you reading which would be a positive outcome.

I think we can all agree that a negative is the opposing or opposite of positive. But, as demonstrated with my weight loss example, a negative could actually be a positive. I found a very interesting definition from a 1999 Meadows School, Las Vegas, ‘Debate Glossary’ that argued Negative is: “The side that opposes adoption of the resolution.” Wow! I really like that argument. This would suggest that the adoption side could be wrong if for example it had a negative impact on the majority or the masses. Then, if the majority could get the argument changed to their side then a new adoption would be challenged by the minority and the roles of negative versus positive would be switched. This suggest to me that negative (and positive) are in constant battle with each other and in some circumstances negative is positive and positive is negative. Hmmm. No wonder, many people struggle with the idea of positive thinking.

With the many negative thoughts that constantly argue with our internal rational thinking and emotional thinking meters and radars we will in most cases take the path of least resistance. This would explain to me why so few are truly successful in reaching their hearts desires and goals. Saying to someone “Think Positive” is just another opposing view to adoption and therefore makes the command negative in the mind of the receiver.

So, how do the top achievers reach their goals? Through practice and through trial and error. They have mastered their thinking and, to be a master, you have to expect to fail. But, you pick yourself up and you try and try again. You do this when you want to quit smoking. You do this when you want to get your drivers license and failed on your first attempt(s). You do this when you want to win the heart of the person who is your soul mate. You do this in business and you do this in life. If your dream and desire is strong enough as presented in my examples that most of us have experienced in life then you will adopt a positive plan to succeed and accept the negative as part of the ongoing argument that only strengthens your persistence and tenacity to succeed.

Well, if you are still with me and read this far then I congratulate you on your tenacity and you have just proven to yourself that you can be successful and that is positive thinking.

'Inch by Inch Life Is a Cinch...' - Mac Anderson

I love this 'Simple Truth' from Mac Anderson:

When I was a freshman in college I learned an unforgettable lesson.
I was having a rough week when there was a lot to do and very little time to do it. I was overwhelmed. I panicked.
That night a friend stopped by my dorm room. When I told him my problem, he said, ?Mac, I'll share something with you that my grandmother told me a few years ago. She said to always remember: ?Inch by inch, life's a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard.??
I said, ?Bob, come on. Here I am drowning in work and your lifeline is a quote from your grandmother. Come on!?
After he left, however, those twelve little words kept dancing in my head. I took out a piece of notebook paper and listed all the things I had to do in the next three days. That night I began knocking them off one by one.
Three days later I took out that paper and marked through the last thing on the list. It felt great! And then I took out another piece of paper and wrote down the words: ?Inch by inch, life's a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard.? I then folded the paper and put it in my wallet. As many of you know, I've been collecting quotes ever since.
You see, success doesn't come cascading like Niagara Falls; it comes one drop at a time through short-term, realistic goals.
Experts on motivation disagree on a lot of things, but one thing they all agree on is that your levels of motivation are directly tied to your expected probabilities of success. In other words, if you believe you can do something (the goals are realistic), you're likely to be highly motivated. If, however, you think you can't (because the goals are unrealistic) your motivation level falls greatly.
The lesson here is to continue to dream big dreams, but realize that the short-term goals that take you to the next plateau are the real keys to success

Are Top Salespeople Champions?

Is there a difference between a Winner and a Champion? Why do some people achieve their goals and others do not? Are the Top Salespeople Champions? Let me answer these questions for you by offering my personal observation.

There is a reality show in the United States titled; 'Dancing with the Stars'. Celebrities learn to dance many ballroom dances in unreasonably short time frames and then perform weekly on stage in front of millions. They are all winners for overcoming their fears and succeeding to complete their dances regardless if the judges gave them high or low marks or the viewing audience voted them back for another week or not. The champion is the one left standing after all the eliminations are completed.

My observation is that each of the celebrities are paired up with a Professional and Champion ballroom dancer who teaches them the dance and performs it with them on stage. From Champion to Champion when they worked with the frustrated celebrity they have all continued to provide words of inspiration with positive motivation. Defeat or not winning is not even considered by the Champion. They focus only on keeping the celebrity focused and remind them that they can and will do it. No matter how difficult the routine or short the availability of time they always get it done. This is the true nature of a Champion.

Top Salespeople I have found will share this in common with the Champion. Defeat is not an option. Optimistic and positive inspiration is their life. Setting goals and then creating a plan for execution is their routine. I believe that Top Salespeople are the Gold Medalists in business. What are you doing to be a Gold Medalist Champion in your career, in your organization and in your personal life?

Be mindful of your attitude. Help are others to succeed with your insights and positive words. Set Goals and then create a plan which you are prepared to follow. Be a Champion.

I refuse to be a 'Sneezer' for Microsoft

Seth Godin in his book the Purple Cow talks about using the industry specialists, the industry pundits, to create a buzz about your product and brand. He calls these people Sneezers who spread the virus in marketing terms about your product and brand. Even if the Sneezers are spreading a negative buzz this is still good marketing. When I wrote about Microsoft and their $300 million ad campaign with Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld I failed to realize that I had been pulled into Microsofts 'Purple Cow' marketing strategy and became a Sneezer. The internet is a buzz now with bloggers and YouTubers waiting with baited breath to pounce on the next Microsoft ad. The fact that I'm writing a blog post now about Microsoft and their ads is continuing the viral marketing campaign they clearly intended to happen. I have been sucked in to becoming a tool of Microsoft. Congratulations Microsoft! A job well done.

The truth is, as much as I hate being a marketing tool for Microsoft, and not getting paid for my services, I admire their strategy. Microsoft has clearly taken a page right out of Seth Godin's book the Purple Cow and there are not many companies who would have the courage and visionary foresight to do so. This blogger gets it now and for those of you who don't get it I recommend you read Seth's book the Purple Cow.

If you want to view the second ad which is 3 times longer than the first click here.

Can Microsoft Survive?

I just saw my first Microsoft TV ad which had Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld buying shoes and ending with a question posed by Jerry regarding tasty edible computers. I really don't get this ad. What is Microsoft thinking? Will the series of ads build a plot and have an exciting conclusion? Will the $300 million dollars Microsoft is spending on these ads with Gates and Seinfeld payoff in sales and branding? What kind of brand image will they create? As I said, I just don't get it. You can catch the ad on YouTube: click here and let me know your thoughts.

I can't help wondering if Microsoft has more money than they have visionary wisdom. I have been a PC user from the beginning and more and more I see Apple as the better alternative. As for an advertising budget of $300 million on television ads you have to wonder if they are in tune with where the tech buyers are seeing advertising which is on the internet. More specifically, on 'Social Media' platforms such as YouTube, FaceBook, MySpace, Blogs, etc. I mean even General Motors recognizes the internet as the best form of advertising today by increasing their online advertising budget from $197 million last year to $1.5 billion in 2008. Companies like WSI Internet Consulting, the largest global Internet Consulting Franchise Business with over 1500 offices in over 87 countries recognized Internet Marketing and Social Media as the latest wave of their sales worldwide and have certified their franchisees as Internet Marketing Specialists to the small and medium size businesses, the largest market in the world. With WSI consolidating this fragmented market they are leveling the playing field in the advertising world. It means that small and medium size companies can compete with the big boys on the internet.

As the SME's market share grows vertical channel by vertical channel, the market share enjoyed by larger companies will decrease. This will position WSI and their franchisees into a multi-billion dollar supply to SME's. Larger companies like Microsoft will see competition from the SME's that they just didn't see coming. As and when this happens, Microsoft will have to remember that not all companies can be bought. Apple certainly isn't selling and neither is WSI.

Entrepreneurs Seek Advice: Business Owner or Employee - Which Are You?

Entrepreneurs Seek Advice: Business Owner or Employee - Which Are You?: "http://franchisefun.blogspot.com/2007/11/buying-franchise-does-not-need-to-be.html"

Back From Vacation, When Was Your Last Vacation?

I just returned from a 2 week road trip from Mississauga, Ontario, through upper state New York, Vermont (Stowe) then through Maine to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, PEI and back through New Brunswick, Quebec and then home. 5600 kilometers (3480 miles) was travelled and we saw a great deal including visiting family along the way. Nature made places of note, Ausable Chasm, New York, Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, and Cape Bear, PEI. Man made historical places of note include the Acadian Village, Caraquet, New Brunswick click here, Le Pays De La Sagouine, new Brunswick click here and the Highland Village in Iona, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia click here. We of course saw many other great sights but too many to mention.

When you work as an employee you plan your 2 or 3 weeks per year easily enough because your boss needs your dates in advance to schedule all their employees vacation times. When you're self-employed you need to plan but not a year in advance. With perhaps no more than a few days to juggle a few appointments around you are able to go at a moments notice allowing you much more freedom to get the right time for the right prices. I personally find that the least amount of planning generally produces the most rewarding vacation as well.

I also know that entrepreneurs have a tendency to over work with a reluctance to let go to others in their employ. Ask yourself why you got into business in the first place? Besides earning a better income wasn't it to also earn a better lifestyle? If you're not enjoying the freedom business ownership can bring through the success of your hard work then why do it all. When was your last vacation? Maybe it's time to reconnect with your family, friends, and mother nature. Maybe it's time to recharge your batteries.

Remember that people like to do business with people they like. A vacation gives you a refreshed attitude, making you easier to connect with and you also have a great opener with new prospects and existing clients by talking about your recent vacation. Don' forget, however, to listen to them tell you about their vacation. This shows you care. And you will care because that is how we build our business with repeat customers who refer us to other great clients. Have a great vacation - it could be the reason for your continued success!

Ray's Success Breeders Cup

I've been thinking more and more about what contributes most to an entrepreneurs success and although it comes down to a combination of many influences the most important to me is learning from others who have achieved success. How did they get there? What drove them to success? Who played a part in their success? When have they achieved success before? Is success everything they hoped or planned it to be? What is success? What was their measurement(s) of success? What were the barriers to their success and how did they overcome these barriers?

These questions when answered by people who created success for them self and/or their company are answered they give all of us who strive for our own successes a potential road map to follow. I believe Success Breeds Success. Therefore, starting today, I will add a new category to my blog: 'Ray's Success Breeders Cup'

I will be searching out highly successful entrepreneurs and businesses on the move to have a one on one conversation to answer the questions above. This conversation will be added to my blog under this new category with a link to their website.

If you are interested in being interviewed by me by telephone, email or person to person, I'm opened to any method that is most convenient for us both. Just respond with your interest as a comment to this post and I will reply by email.

Remember: The true meaning of success is in the helping of others to succeed.

Cold-FX Teaches Business Owners About Prevention

Is Cold-FX the cure for the most common illness, the common cold? Maybe. The makers of Cold-FX don't make the claim to cure the cold. They in fact have applied simple logic to this age old problem. The same problem that persists business owners and turns most of us into 'firefighters'. We run around the office in complete turmoil, always busy but never getting anything done, trying to solve urgent problems...'firefighting'. When we firefight we tend to ignore what is really important in our business and that is; working on our plan.

What does this have to do with Cold-FX? Plenty.

Cold-FX is a remedy that works on the age old Ben Franklin quote; 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.'

Cold-FX claim to 'boost your immune system to stop, shorten or reduce cold and flu symptoms'. And from the people I know who use the product every day, it works. Why does it work? Because it doesn't wait for the cold and then try and cure the problem. It has a plan that when followed prevents the cold. Do you see the similarities to business and where I'm going now?

How many small and medium sized business owners, the true entrepreneurs, have a business plan? A Marketing plan of any kind? Not many, based on the many I have spoke to over the years.

Think of your business plan as your road map to success. Or, as your ounce of prevention...your Cold-FX. Make sure your plan lays out what you want to achieve in growth over the next 5 years. Start at a high level and then drill down to the point where you have a daily plan. If you don't know how to do this then source out some local expertise and get it done. Check with your local Chamber of Commerce for direction to perhaps resources or someone on their membership roster.

Sure you will have fires to put out occasionally but now you will be able to prioritize what is urgent, what is important and what can wait based on your plan.

Business Owner or Employee - Which Are You?

I was reading some articles on ezine where I also post articles as an expert author and came across a great article. Kimberly Gingras has some personal observations that helps you determine the difference between the mentality of an employee versus the business owner. If you're thinking about making the move to self employment then you should read this short article by Kimberly on ezine: click here for the article.

New Business (Entrepreneur) Internet Marketing Support List

If you are new to self-employment and trying to get your business message out to the market then you must know the power of the Internet. It is not enough to have a great looking website. Even if you spent thousands of dollars on that great looking website, if no one finds you on the Internet then it was a waste of money.

Too often I read about how small and medium sized businesses are sold a website by the local technocrat. Usually a recent tech grad from the local college. I have seen first hand bad looking websites out perform great looking web sites. Why? Because they are found on the top of the search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc. Just imagine if you had a great looking website that was also on the top of the search engines...life would be grand. For this you need a professional Internet Marketing Specialist. However, in the interim, you can start getting your website noticed by the search engines by adding valuable content to your site. Text documents i.e. 'White Papers' are great and when they are downloaded frequently the search engines will see this as value and begin to move you up the page rankings. Adding a blog to your site which is text rich is also favoured by the search engines. So, this is where I maybe of help. Add my blog to your site and I will add your website link to my blog. As long as you are an ethical and legitimate business then I am agreeable to unite for our success.

The links list is in the right margin of my blog and top spot goes to Daisy of Unique Stuff For Them as she is the one who triggered the idea in my mind. Good luck to Daisy and good luck to all who start requesting my blog connection.

Think 'Inside' The Box

I know, 'Think Inside The Box' goes against everything you have been told in this new era of evangelistic business gurus' shouting creativity for better productivity, higher yields, higher profitability, etc. They shout from the Ivory Tower roof tops to 'Think Outside The Box'. Well here is a possible paradigm shift...sometimes a re-invention of an old invention is the best invention. Perhaps building in the box is the best idea for an already successful idea.

Take for example the Japanese grocery markets who complained that watermelons odd larger shape took up too much precious retail display space. The natural reaction is to say too bad. Can't change mother nature. But instead, the Japanese re-invented a great idea by thinking inside the box. They grew watermelons in a box and the watermelon then formed to a uniform box shape. This saved dollars in shipping cost and allowed for more units at the point of sale, the grocery market.

What about the small wheels on our travelling suitcase. Two great inventions, the suitcase and the wheel come together to form an even greater idea.

What are you doing in your business to 'Think Inside The Box'?

Make Money As A Blogger With Bloggerwave

I have just been introduced to this new Blogger Community that brings advertisers together with Bloggers. If you promote an advertiser you get paid. Sounds good to me so while I learn more you can as well. The following is their ad and if you want to go to their opportunity site click here bloggerwave:



'Do you have a blog and want to make some extra money? Then bloggerwave gives you the opportunity. Bloggerwave is aiming to be Europe's biggest advertising media on blogs and you can help us grow so more and more jobs will come.'

Why Pay Franchise Royalties?

I read a great article at About.com on Royalties...Why are Franchisees Required to Pay Them? and this is something I have had a few discussions about. Many franchisees believe it is for services rendered to the franchisee on an ongoing basis. They are completely wrong. The Royalties are for the franchisors brand recognition and the franchisors proven system.

The franchisor through franchise development (selling more franchise operations) and the associated marketing grows the brand. When the franchise hits a 'tipping point' in franchise units sold the brand awareness at the street level explodes. This has been experienced by many large franchisors over and over again. McDonald's, Tim Horton's in Canada, etc., have all sold for less before this tipping point was reached. When the bucket tipped and their name was household then the cost for their franchise went up and so did the value of each franchisees business. Royalties support this part of the franchisors business. If you don't pay your royalties you are not only in breach of your agreement, you are also not reinvesting back into your business in an area that will have the biggest impact on sales, albeit over the longest period of time.

You can bet that in the beginning Tim Horton franchisees didn't want another franchisee across the street from them and probably tried to hold the Royalty at ransom to object to this intrusion to their 4 square blocks they drew business from. Today, not only are they encouraging this growth they are probably buying the corner across the street from Tim Horton's. The Tim Horton franchisee is doing more business today as a result of the brand being seen and experienced by millions of Canadians and now Americans, every day. This happened because of the convenience for the consumer to buy the product and now has become part of the Canadian culture.

Why Pay Franchise Royalties? Because it makes good business sense.

Cold Calling Tip #4 - Get An Agreement

What is the definition of a good Cold Call? The answer is; 'Agreement'. At the end of each of your calls you should get an agreement to the next step or the next action to be taken by you and your suspect. For example; 'We will speak again on Tuesday at 3:15 to discuss my findings'. Or, 'I will call you in 2 weeks to see if anything has changed in your organization'.

Always leave the door open for a follow up to your call. These suspects then go into your calendar. If you have an agreement to a follow up then you must follow up. Your suspect will respect your professionalism based on the fact that you do what you say you will do. If you promise to send them some industry related information to their business in the next 10 minutes then make sure you send this information in the next 10 minutes. Your actions speaks volumes to your suspect on how you will be professional and responsive to their needs in the event you do conduct business together.

Getting an agreement can also be that there is not a good fit between what you offer and your suspects needs. Eventually you may have to accept that a NO is really a NO. In this situation, respect that decision with acknowledgement of the NO and remind them that if anything changes in the future to please contact you or refer you to any person they know who would benefit from your product or services. Offer them a referral incentive like a dinner for 2 at their favorite resturant. Be creative with your incentives but make sure it is what they would appreciate as a reward.

Too often I have heard from an excited sales person how they had a great call with a suspect where they connected at an emotional level and as a result the sales person didn't follow their agenda for the call and, didn't get the agreement to the next step. If you end a call not clear on what actions are to be taken next by both of you, including when you will speak again, then it was not a good call.

Remember that an agreement is where both parties agree to the next step. When you said you will follow up in 2 weeks on Tuesday at 3:15 did they respond "Yes that works for me"? If not, then you don't have agreement.

Get an Agreement on each Cold Call you make and watch your closing ratios increase. Watch your client list increase. Watch your revenue increase. Watch your life change.

Make Child Poverty History Toolbar

Have you ever wondered how you can help the starving children around the world but stopped yourself because the problem just seems too big for one person to solve? Well now is your chance to once again think about this but from a more powerful position. WSI as part of their 'Make Child Poverty History' campaign has now launched the MCPH Toolbar. When you load this toolbar click here and then conduct searches over the internet using this toolbar Yahoo will pay World Vision to help feed children.

When you think about the billions of searches conducted on the internet every day you can just imagine how quickly this can grow if we tell the world about this toolbar. We all know WSI has launched a sponsorship program where they will match dollar for dollar every child you sponsor. As individuals working with companies such as WSI, Yahoo, Benefitbar.com and others we can eradicate child poverty in our life time.

Go ahead, make their day!

Cold Calling Tip #3 - What Did I Learn

The fear of cold calling, prospecting for leads, can be over come by learning the objections, writing them down, preparing a great response to each objection and then practicing the responses. This sounds like common sense and it is but, like most common sense ideas, they require execution.

There are two great helpful hints to over coming the fear of cold calling in this tip. The first is that you learn the objections from each call you make. This means that you go into every call not with the objective to sell something and deal with the fear of rejection but rather with the objective to learn and improve. This mind set allows you to look at every call in a more positive and rewarding attitude. Therefore every call is now a successful call.

Secondly, if your call ends with no appointment then what did I learn from the call. What objections did the prospect have and how did I respond? How could I have answered the call differently? Write down the objections immediately after the call and then think about a better response you could have given if you had the opportunity to conduct that call again. Do some research if necessary to prepare a better response. The internet, your product marketing material, your existing clients, etc., can all contribute to crafting the perfect response. Once you have crafted the perfect responses then practice out loud.

The use of a digital recording device is great. Replay it, evaluate it, correct it, record it again and again, and again, honing your response until you don't have to think about. When you reach the point where you can respond to each objection automatically without thinking about your response then you are ready. You are now ready to try out your new skill on the next calls. In a week or two you can even try out your objection handling on the prospects you first learned the objections from. Always remember that any prospect worth calling on once is worth calling on again.

Cold Calling Tip #2 - Know Thy Self

Cold calling sales prospects should be part of your prospecting plan. Your plan to generate leads may include networking, trade shows, seminars, referrals, etc. Cold calling is just one method of many lead generation tasks you should employ. Therefore, it should also be part of your weekly/daily plan. Let's say for example you plan to make cold calls for 1 hour per day each morning. This would then be the first task on your daily agenda or calendar. I don't know about you but some days my mood or energy level is higher or lower than others. Know Thy Self.

I may plan for one hour of cold calling each morning but if I'm at a high energy level I may extend this period when I have the time available. Alternatively, if my energy level is low I will only make a few calls. Why? Because my prospects are important to me and I don't want to jeopardize a new relationship because I said all the wrong words or did not express my objectives clearly or passionately enough to generate enough interest from the prospect to learn more.

I also don't want to carry over the negative energy from one bad call to the next call. If I have a bad call I will take a short 15 to 30 minute break from the phone and do something to clear my head and change my mood. For example; I do another task or take a walk. It is important to be in the moment with each and every call. I can't truly listen and engage with someone new if my mood, my energy and my thoughts are somewhere else.

Know Thy Self!