Guest Blog Post by Deb Bixler 5/3/2012
In a direct sales business, there is a lot of responsibility and tasks that need to be done to keep the business running smoothly. When the business first starts out, the consultant may be able to handle it on her own. But as the referrals keep rolling and the business starts to grow, the consultant will find that she needs help to keep the business going.
Guest Blog by Doris Lee McCoy, Ph.D. 4/28/2012
Dr. Zhengrong Shi, a champion of green energy, is the founder and CEO of SunTech Power, which is the world’s largest producer of solar panels; when it comes to dedication to the environment, there is no one finer. His story, which is detailed in VISIONARIES CHANGE THE WORLD: Making Commitments and Taking Action, is truly remarkable.
Management styles reflect human basic behaviors. Bosses and employees all reflect one of the four basic behavioral styles:
1. The Steady Relater.
They want to maintain good relationships.
We’re all in this together. So, let’s work as a team.
They like to maintain the status quo and are reluctant to make changes.
They are drawn to helping professions, focusing upon relationships.
2. The Cautious Thinker.
The overriding concern is for accuracy.
Can you provide documentation for the claims?
Guest Blog Post By Kris Miller 4/20/2012
Guest Blog Post by Deb Bixler 4/18/2012
In the direct sales business, many sales consultants brand their company. Branding your business gets attention, recognition, and eventually more customers. You can brand your company by getting on the Internet and getting its name, purpose and products out to millions of users online.
* Start a company Facebook page. Invite people who are potential customers. Don’t invite just to achieve high numbers; you want people who are interested in your page and your products.
* Start a business Twitter account with a picture or a logo.
Guest Blog Post by Robert Brands 3/26/12
Innovation leaders must manage a team and foster an environment that nurtures creativity. And when it comes to situations of dealing with international teams, the innovation leader should be aware of, understand, and respect the cultural differences that come along the way.
Guest Blog Post by Mike Wittenstein 3/24/12
“How will marketing automation affect the customer experience?”
I was asked this question during a recent panel discussion. The answer depends on how you think about the customer experience. Technology that lets marketers push more brand messages faster and at a lower cost equates to more interruptions from the customer’s point of view.
Customers are people and we should do things for them rather than to them. Automation is great for saving time but it should be used for the benefit of the customer, not just the marketer. Customers would reveal more about their purchase intentions if vendors would design experiences around what customers want to buy.
Guest Blog Post by Hank Moore 3/22/12
Analogies of a musical group to business strategy. From The Monkees can be learned some valuable lessons about putting together companies, empowering work teams, fostering leadership, making the parts relate to the whole and spawning other business interests.
The death of Davy Jones fostered a fond remembrance of The Monkees and a discussion of 1960s cultural influences.
I’m writing a Davy Jones tribute in the form of a business case study. From The Monkees can be learned some valuable lessons about putting together companies,empowering work teams, fostering leadership, making the parts relate to the whole and spawning other business interests in a diversified portfolio.
Guest Blog Post by Eleanor Ward 3/19/12
There is nothing in life that is harder to do than take action. The old phrase talk is cheap is very true..The more you talk about something to everyone and anyone who will hear, is more than likely the only action you will ever take. While it would seem that talking about something or our goals would spur us to action, often times this is not the case. The more we talk about a goal, a dream or what we want for our lives the more the thought actually just goes out into thin air or into someone else’s head who will simply take action on a thought that we originally had. While this may seem hurtful there are better ways to spend life than being mad that you didn’t get your Slanket or whatever off the ground.
Guest Blog Post by Bob Littell 3/10/12
In early 2000 I began presenting nationally about a new form of networking that is based on the Golden Rule, which states that you should help other people first in order to receive. Something amazing happened.
To be honest, the “new” concept, that I named “NetWeaving” wasn’t really all that new. The co-founder of Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Arthur Blank, expressed the thoughts of a number of people when he learned about the concept of NetWeaving: “I’ve been doing this my whole life, but just never had a word for it.”