Senator, Shut UP!

There's a story about me that's been reported in a couple of national publications. I've never confirmed it and I'm not going to now, but I am going to repeat it because it illustrates perfectly a point I want to make. (Which means I'm passing on hearsay and rumor about myself, refusing to be an authority on my own life. Aren't you glad you subscribe to this newsletter?)

I was working with a client--a well known and powerful senator--on his personal selling skills. As Selling Power magazine reported the story:

"On Maher's second day in Washington, he set up a roleplay for the senator who quickly turned it into a filibuster.

"'Senator,' Maher allegedly broke in, "shut up!"

Stunned, the senator did just that--for a moment anyway. But every time he tried to speak, Maher interrupted, talking over him, refusing to let him squeeze in a syllable. When Maher started shaking a figure in the man's face and lecturing, the senator reached the point of apoplexy. That's when Maher flipped on the VCR and played a tape of the senator doing the exact same thing the day before--to another legislator, a less powerful man--but one whose vote the senator needed.

Maybe I Said That, Maybe Not

I work with some of the most intelligent people in the country. And I respect all my clients. But if I had done something like this, it would have been because sometimes you simply have to demonstrate to someone how his behavior makes the person he's hoping to persuade, feel.

Most salespeople realize that the days are long gone when they can ram a product down the customer's throat and choke off his or her objections. The rest of us need to realize it as well. Particularly those of us in management. Because though we never try to do it with superiors and seldom try it with peers, too many of us are still in a cram and ram mode when it comes to our subordinates. Which doesn't tend to generate wholehearted, enthusiastic support.

A few years back, Psychology Today reported a study of top executives, comparing those who had gotten "de-railed" in their careers with those who keep moving on up to senior management. The most common problem among the "de-railed?" Insensitivity to others: an intimidating, bullying, abrasive style. Which means a lack of empathy, an inability to look inside themselves and find a piece of themselves that's very much like whomever they're dealing with.

You may think of yourself as the stereotypical tough boss with a heart of gold, "crusty but benign," like Lou Grant from the old Mary Tyler Moore show and so many other TV and movie bosses. Those who work from you may not be getting the same picture.

Even many of us who'd never cram and ram are frequently guilty of not listening. Not observing. Once again, this is an especially serious problem in management. There's always a tendency for managers to talk too much and listen too little, to ramble on and waste our people's time.

People with less power have to act interested in what we say. So we start believing we're fascinating, and we talk too damn much. We know we should spend more time listening, but we seldom do.

If power corrupts, the first thing it corrupts is the little voice in our heads that tells us when to shut up.

Tip: Shut up.

Technology Investment in the Small Business Sector - Where Should You Put Your Money?

Earlier this year, The Federation of small Businesses (FSB) and Intellect created a joint report, based on an internet survey completed by 2,200 members, to grasp how small companies are utilising technology to grow and create jobs. We will discuss the key findings of this report below and what opportunities these offer you and your business.

With around 4.8 million different SMEs in the United Kingdom and a difficult economic climate to battle with, small businesses have to be innovative and economical in order to survive and grow. Creating the best possible use of the latest technology for instance cloud hosted desktops opens up a lot of opportunities to boost the performance of your organisation while keeping up with the competition.

In a report created by the Federation of small Businesses (FSB) and Intellect, some key trends stand out concerning how and why small businesses are investing in technology and outsourced IT solutions.

59% of small businesses see technology as being beneficial for innovation

Innovation and growth go hand in hand. The rise in user friendly technology has allowed us all to embrace our inner geek. We're slowly morphing into a world of budding app creators, infographic designers and web site builders. Every month holds a brand new invention that might provide your business the edge over the competition like the rise of cloud hosted desktops, so stay informed and keep creating.

95% of small businesses use email and 62% see the benefit that technology has for communicating with existing customers.

The fast pace of innovation means there are currently a great number of ways to speak with existing clients and targeting potential prospects. Nowadays, devices integrate so seamlessly, which makes communicating with your customers a great deal easier and more unified. Our email syncs with our smartphones, hosted telephony solutions, instant messaging and video.

While email is still the most efficient type of communication you must ensure that your platform allows you to do so in the most effective method possible, be that sharing your calendar on-line with colleagues, sending out branded email templates or blocking spam. Indeed, plenty of SMEs are using hosted email services and cloud hosted desktops to provide such functionality.

76% of small businesses see cloud services and cloud hosted desktops as having a positive impact on business innovation.

Small businesses are constantly looking at ways to work more flexibly and cost effectively. Cloud services are in high demand because of the way they allow you to:

• Save money - on hardware by using the resources of a cloud provider

• Optimise operations - provide global, 24/7 access to tools

• Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) - provide your staff the flexibility to work from any device

• Improve data management - Increase information sharing, collaboration and thus improve information accuracy

• Attract talented employees - who may not want to work in a traditional work environment

With the internet powering the creation of thousands of new businesses and unleashing a whole new wave of start-ups and competition, there is a new generation of tech savvy small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) coming through. It is important that you continue to invest and prioritise technology in your overall business development plans to keep pace with your competitors. By ensuring that you're aware of and have access to all of the services and support available to you for example utilising cloud hosted desktops or outsourced IT solutions, these are things that can keep you ahead of the game.

Buyers Remorse Can Kill Your Paycheck

Whenever "Buyers Remorse" strikes your client, it is clearly going to cost you money, one way or the other. When a person works on a commission basis and a cancellation happens, it usually comes out of your next paycheck rather quickly. Sometimes you can resell your client and refresh them as to why they purchased in the first place. It helps to find the client's "why" at the time of the sale, as a closing tool to make the sale in the first place.

We are talking about, Buyers Remorse, you may have experienced it firsthand at one time or another. Don't allow this subject to be the elephant in the room. You are ready to close your sales deal, the criteria has been met and the client is ready now.

At a time when you were buying that pretty car, then later felt like you spent too much money, you may have personally experienced buyers remorse.

Maybe that time you had somebody at your kitchen table selling you a funeral plan or an insurance policy and later decided that not only do you not need the product, you do not intend to part with your hard-earned-money.

This is how buyers remorse feels to your clients. Unfortunately, this is exactly what cancellation of your sale consists of and really hurts at payday.

Call your client after a cancellation of your sale. You sold it, now it is your responsibility to try and work it through. It helps to verbalize to your client that you do understand how they are feeling, as you attempt to save your sale. It also helps to know that once in awhile, nothing that you say or do will save your sale. At that point, let them cancel and do refund monies immediately.

If they paid you by check, write them a refund check from your business account.
When they pay by credit card, refund a credit through your merchant credit card account promptly. Do not make the client wait for any refunds due to them.

Your promptness and understanding, may very well bring your client back to you, after they are ready. Let it simmer for a month or so, then give your client a follow-up phone call. The client will appreciate that you did this and did not pressure them and perhaps in the future, go forward after all, with you and your company.

When a client is price shopping, sometimes you closed the deal and then their afterthought is with the lower priced item for sale by a competing company. Match the price, if you can and if you are authorized to do so. If you own the company, you do do have wiggle room when it comes to price points.

There are laws to protect consumers and merchants must abide by those laws. Relationship selling is a must. Please the customer and ask for referrals. Especially, when you know that you have a great product and your company is golden. Be that a Cancellation or a Sale, ask for referrals. Remember, they purchased from you first. They must have liked you and your product, even if they did cancel as an end result.

We cannot always control situations. Every family is different. Every potential sale started with a single thought that your buyer had at the time they engaged you in conversation.

Deliberate Intimidation and Other Jokes

Then there are the Marvin Winchells of the world, those who try to intimidate deliberately.

"Marvin has to let you know that he's really too important to be dealing with the likes of you," one of Marvin's vendors complained. "He's always late for meetings. He'll keep you cooling your heals while he chats on the phone about his golf game. He's got that huge office. Giant desk. His chair is a leather throne. The two cloth chairs for visitors are smaller and shorter. The topper is, he's actually whittled down their legs. And the front legs are shorter than the back. So you can't get comfortable, and if try to balance anything in your lap, it slides down to the floor."

"An old trick," I offered. "I think psychiatrists used to use it."

"Sure. I've heard of it, but I've never known anyone else who actually went to the trouble to do it. Then he has to act distracted and disinterested in anything you have to say. And shake his head while you're talking as if he's much too smart to believe a word of it. And of course, nothing you do is ever right--or ever likely to be."

"And at the slightest excuse," I offered, "the screaming starts. And the demands."

He chuckled, "You know Marvin."

"I was in sales. Every sales rep knows a Marvin."

He nodded. "Saying Marvin is high maintenance is like saying cancer is annoying. With all aggravation and all the hand-holding required, I was spending more in antacid than we were making on the account. So one day I get a call."

"From Marvin."

"Don't be silly. Marvin's much too big a deal to call me directly. I get a call from Marvin's secretary. She says, Please hold for Mr. Winchell, please." This is typical Marvin. Then he'd leave you hanging there for 20 minutes. Only I'd had enough. So I say, The only thing I'll hold for Mr. Winchell is his trophy wife. And I can't do that right now cause I'm busy canceling his last order--his very last order."

Why should anyone feel intimidated by someone like Marvin, someone with such massive insecurities that they feel they need to go to such lengths to gain an edge? This is a person you should be feeling sorry for. What could be more pathetic than the image of this guy down on his knees in his best, overpriced, dressed-for-success suit, shaving down those chair legs?

Tip: Never be intimidated by someone who thinks his best shot is winning through intimidation.

They're usually just telling you that they're in competition with the world and that--without the intimidation--they don't believe they can win. And they're usually right. They try to blow themselves up like a balloon--hoping for larger than life--and when it doesn't work, when the balloon pops... Well, you'll never see a greater change of scale--a greater loss of stature--in any human being.

Any good negotiator would love to run across a Marvin Winchell. An unethical one could take him for everything--including the defective office furniture.

A Healthy Business Profit Does Not Guarantee a Healthy Future

A successful business is one that is making a profit, paying the bills, and letting you live comfortably, right?

Wrong. A healthy profit does not guarantee a healthy future. You might have made profit this month, but what about next month... Can you guarantee future success?

Profit measures what has happened, but it does not recognise everything that enables your business to generate that profit today and into the future. Your daily efforts, employee contribution, marketing and most importantly, client perception and trust, will all contribute to future success. Developing these aspects of your business adds value - and it is value that measures what will happen in the future.

To better understand this concept, think about how you would prepare yourself to invest in a company. You could either look at its current profit level, or you could look at the price, its future potential, the value of its stock and whether this value will increase over time.

Making a judgement based on profits would seem unreasonable, and like an investment, your business has the ability to increase or decrease in value overtime. Thankfully, unlike profit, you have full control over how much value your business holds for as long as you continue to invest in it.

Once you believe and understand that it is value driving your business success, you can look forward rather than back, and profit will naturally drive everything in the background.

Here's how to increase your business value?

• Differentiate your business: a business that has unique capabilities and stands out from its competitors is more likely to be recognised, and rated, by customers. Providing an unparalleled service creates long-term, profitable customer relationships. If you don't have a differentiating factor, create one. Whether you make your focus about being the fastest, most reliable, or most customisable service, there are two rules to follow. Ensure your differentiating factor is as specific as possible, such as 'Delivered within 24 hours - always', and make sure you can always fulfil it.

• Form strategic and collaborative alliances: strategic alliances can be a great source of growth, for example; connecting with a complementary company may allow you to tender for work you may not be able to deliver on your own. To make the most out of a strategic alliance, be clear on your desired outcomes, prepare a business plan and SWOT analysis of your joint alliance, and set specific time lines and trial time frames.

• Develop your brand: an established and recognised brand builds market credibility over time, and such a reputation can help sustain revenues through growth. Perform some internal research and understand what three things define your business. Use these as the building blocks of your brand. It's also important to enhance the emotional appeal of your brand, whether it be touching imagery, or a reminder of your company's longstanding role in the community. A brand will endure far longer if it doesn't appeal purely to the rational side of people's brains.

• Retain important staff: key staff members who are experienced are a valuable asset. Provide a work environment that is enjoyable to be in, create opportunities for career progression, empower your team by encouraging an open dialogue, and acknowledge individual contributions. Provide these opportunities and incentives and your team will want to help you create a valuable business.

• Strengthen systems and structures: having procedures and training manuals in place strengthens your business value. They provide the ability to quickly train new staff, create accountability and ensure everyone is working on the same page. Create training documents, incorporate a project management system, and regularly hold team meetings to keep track of everyone's expectations and outcomes.

Creating a valuable business is not a difficult process, but one that relies on an understanding of what it is that determines your success; not your profits, but the employees, customers, operations and services bringing it in.

Passing Score For The PMP Exam, Is There One?

Is there a passing score for the PMP Exam? The simple answer is no. There is no set official percentage that you have to obtain in order to pass the PMP Exam. In the early years 61% was the stated threshold, but several years ago the PMI changed that requirement and that is no longer the case. Since then, the PMP Exam is differently structured and the scores are strategically calculated.

To explain this further, here is a passage taken straight from the PMI's PMP Handbook:

"The passing score for all PMI credential examinations is determined by sound psychometric analysis. PMI uses subject matter experts from across the globe to help establish a point at which each candidate should pass the examination(s) and the examination point of difficulty. Data that shows how candidates actually performed is cross referenced with the subject matter experts to ensure that the point of difficulty on each examination is healthy."

So, basically this means that there is no set percentage to pass or fail the PMP Exam. This level varies for each exam and is reflective of the exam's overall difficulty and how well all the student's taking the exam score. As well, each question is given an individual rating and weight depending on its level of difficulty.

As for the structure of the PMP Exam, it is comprised of 200 multiple choice questions. There are 25 questions that are considered pretest and are randomly and strategically placed throughout the exam. They do not affect the final score and are used to test the validity of future exams. So, it is only the other 175 questions that will be counted in the final score. These questions cover the 5 Process Groups (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, and Closing). It is worth noting that the PMI does not specify a passing score for these areas either. On your PMP Exam scorecard each area is broken down and given a rating of Proficient, Moderately Proficient, or Below Proficient.

As for the PMP Exam Simulators that you use for your training, most (including ours) do have a passing score, with the score of each area of expertise broken down further. A score of 75% is generally what everyone aims for. When practicing, aim for this score and you should be well prepared for the Exam and up for the challenge.

The PMP Exam is tough, but understanding how the exam questions and scoring are structured should help in preparation and your overall success.

Move From Family Business to B-School

Applicants who have worked in a family business sometimes worry that their professional profile won't measure up when compared with other MBA hopefuls with more traditional employment paths. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Every year, top schools accept students who will go back to work for the family business. In fact, 9 percent of the applicants accepted into the Harvard Business School class of 2014 had worked for, or planned to work for, their family-owned company.

Business schools strive to compose a cohort of diverse personalities and backgrounds to guarantee lively discussions, so depending on your role in the company and the type of business itself, your experiences would likely add a unique perspective to the class.

Part of your school selection research should focus on what types of resources and support for family businesses are offered by your target programs. For many applicants, a one-year MBA program is ideal since you won't need the internship and recruiting opportunities that job-switching students in two-year programs rely on.

I advise applying to the best schools that you think you can get into because they will offer a great education as well as the best networking opportunities. Also, think about whether the school's geographic location will help you build a network which would directly help your family business.

Family business management has emerged as an important discipline at business schools as second- and third-generation family members realize the need for specialized skills in order to take over the reins and create a more corporate work environment. Over the past decade, schools have introduced courses and clubs on family business, founded centers dedicated to the subject or launched concentrations in this area.

Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management has a Center for Family Enterprises. Columbia Business School, stating that 80 percent of businesses worldwide are classified as family businesses, offered a course this spring on Family Business Management. And students and alumni of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School can participate in the Wharton Family Business Club.

If the school offers a student club focused on this group, reaching out to current members for their insight on the program's benefits might prove invaluable in your decision-making process.

As with any winning application, the strategy in this case is to show in detail how an MBA degree will help you further your professional goals. Explain with specifics what you need to learn in order to grow the family business.

Paint a clear picture of your vision for the company's future, and leave no doubt as to how an MBA will help you make an impact on the business after graduation. That way, the admissions committee understands why business school is the logical next step.

For your essays, start brainstorming some of the challenges your business has faced, and come up with examples that show how you as a family worked to overcome those obstacles. Business schools place a high value on teamwork, and what better way to show commitment and follow-through than by demonstrating you know how to work well with others to achieve a common goal?

As many applicants know, the ideal recommender for an MBA application is the manager to whom you report directly. However, if your immediate supervisors are relatives, you'll need to get creative since you cannot have a family member write your recommendation letter.

Can you approach a supervisor or manager from a company you've previously worked for? Or have you worked closely with any clients or vendors that can speak to your managerial or leadership abilities?

Our client Bill had been working for the family business, a manufacturing company in Baltimore, for three years after college.

After brainstorming for recommenders he could approach outside the business, Bill hit upon a retail vendor that had been supplied by his company for more than a decade with whom he'd built a strong relationship. Since this vendor was evaluating Bill on many similar criteria as a direct supervisor and was an objective, outside source, he turned out to be the perfect choice.

In the end, Bill's family business-based application fared well next to candidates coming from a corporate background. He was ultimately admitted to Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business and University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, and chose Darden to be a little closer to home.

Alberto Gimeno, director of Esade Business School's International Family Business Lab, recently noted in the Financial Times that "Concepts such as honesty, pride, loyalty and long-term commitment... are everyday practices of successful family businesses around the world."

If you're planning on pursuing an MBA to learn how to take your family business to the next level, take pride in your professional circumstances and know that business schools will value your accomplishments and responsibilities, whether acquired at a Fortune 500 company or under Mom and Dad's tutelage.

JPMorgan Shareholders Disappoint Dimon Critics

A lot of people hoped Jamie Dimon, the chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, would lose one or both of those titles. Most of those people, however, were not JPMorgan shareholders.

Those shareholders overwhelmingly voted to keep Dimon's dual roles united in his hands, rather than to split them. Dimon had previously suggested he might resign entirely if the measure to split his duties passed. Only 32 percent of shareholders voted for the split, down from 40 percent a year ago. (1)

Dimon's win prompted a chorus of responses from those who disapprove, which ranged from the incredulous to the angry. Richard Eskow blogged at the Huffington Post: "What's Wrong With Jamie Dimon is What's Wrong With America." Steve Denning at Forbes asked, "Jamie Dimon: Dr Jekyll Or Mr Hyde?" The Daily Beast's Daniel Gross wrote a column that carried the succinct, if glib, headline, "Jamie Dimon to Shareholders: Suck It."

Yet the majority of JPMorgan shareholders evidently don't feel that Dimon has let them down. So Dimon's detractors are furious at the company's owners for keeping him in charge. The nerve of those shareholders, acting like they own the place!

Those shareholders know how to express displeasure with JPMorgan's governance when they feel it. At the same meeting, three members of the board's risk committee received less than 60 percent support, prompting the board's presiding director, Lee Raymond, to tell shareholders to "stay tuned" for future changes in the committee's composition. (1)

So the shareholders want, and will probably will get change - but they don't want to change Dimon's responsibilities. This is probably because over the past five years - which is to say, since the early days of the financial crisis - JPMorgan stock has appreciated more than 20 percent. Wells Fargo, up more than 40 percent, has done better, but Wells Fargo has only a minor presence outside the U.S. A more accurate comparison would be against Citibank, which has fallen around 80 percent, or Germany's Deutsche Bank, down nearly 60 percent.

The $6-billion "London Whale" loss last year was an embarrassment for Dimon and JPMorgan. But good businesspeople keep individual events in their greater context. In this instance, the context is that, despite the loss, JPMorgan continues to post solid profits in a challenging regulatory environment. According to Bloomberg, the bank has posted record results for three straight years. (1) And at the same annual meeting where shareholders voted not to split Dimon's duties, JPMorgan announced that its second-quarter dividend will be 27 percent higher than that of the previous quarter. (2)

Dimon deserves to be held accountable for JPMorgan's failures, but he also deserves credit for its successes.

JPMorgan is not a paragon of excellent corporate governance, nor is it an example of outstanding citizenship for a financial institution. On the other hand, it is not an egregious outlier, either. If Dimon has managed, in a terrible environment for global banks, to run a global bank that performs more or less like a large national bank, it demonstrates the kind of talent you want at the head of a big company.

Which is exactly why his shareholders kept him there.

Sources:

1) Bloomberg, "Victory for Dimon as JPMorgan Shareholders Reject CEO-Chairman Split"

2) The Motley Fool, "JPMorgan Chase Chase Raises Dividend 27%"

Seven Exciting Wrought Iron Home Decor Ideas

So, you are planning to decorate your home but not sure where and how to get started? Well, don't worry, this is a common problem experienced by most home owners. While choosing the right decor items is subject to individual choices and requirements, there are still certain home decor ideas that work pretty much with everyone. The following is list of 7 such ideas that can change the overall look and vibe of your home overnight without requiring you to spend hefty sums.

1. A wall featuring quality artwork not only can enhance the beauty of your home, but it also reflects your artistic sensibilities in the most glorious way possible. There are a plethora of options at your disposal when it comes to decorating your home walls with wrought iron - for example, metal wall art, mirrors, clocks and what not!

2. Add a wrought iron table top candle to your living or dining room. They are available in a range of different sizes, styles and shapes - making it possible for you to incorporate them regardless of how much free space you have in your home

3. Tastefully chosen lamps and wall candles made out of such material help transcend the charm of your living room beyond words can explain. They bring your home a distinctive rustic and chic look. Better still, these items are available in various styles, thereby making it possible for you to incorporate them regardless of what kind of interior design you may prefer.

4. If you have curtains, then consider embellishing it with handcrated iron curtain rods and curtain supports.

5. A charming wrought iron staircase also makes a splendid gateway to the upper levels of a home.

6. Iron tables and other furniture make excellent choices when it comes to adding a rustic look to your living and dining rooms. They are easily available in your average home decor shops, and better still - you will have plenty of options including coffee tables, sofa tables, side tables, dining room tables and hall tables!

7. Do you own a lawn or a garden? If so, why leave it behind while you redecorate the rest of your home with these products? A simple search on the Web will give you access to a number of sites that deal in high quality wrought iron lawn ornaments, including plant hangers, rustic art, marble stakes and what not!

How to Start Your Own Restaurant Business

The restaurant business is considered as one of the most competitive industries in the world. There will be a large number of eating places in any populated area which caters to different individual needs. While some offer fast food, others might be devoted to more health conscious people. There could even be specialized eateries which provide various varieties of only one dish like soups or salads. In order to start a new restaurant of your own, you will need to have plenty of commitment, attention to detail and planning to ensure that it is a success.

Form a clear outline of your restaurant's menu before starting. Determine the growth areas of the industry and your target customer base. Identify the ways in which you will meet the needs of the market by, say, offering free deliveries or special cuisines. Do a thorough analysis of all the competing eateries in the area and figure out ways in which you can improve upon their offerings. Ascertaining various business strategies will help you implement and maintain a competitive edge over others.

Using all the information you have gathered during your research, develop a detailed business plan. Use it to organize and develop milestones you would need to meet for the growth of the business. Use the business plan to develop a budget to determine all the startup costs as well as funding needs. Establish the company structure of your restaurant and register with all relevant state authorities.

Depending on your requirements, choose an appropriate location and lease, build or purchase a building. Make sure that the kitchen area is large enough to accommodate all the staff, equipment, freezers, etc. The seating area should also be large enough to accommodate all the guests you have in mind and the required design elements. Apply for all the necessary licenses and permits and be prepared for a visit from city officials who will want to inspect the facility to ensure that it meets all safety codes.

Lease or purchase all the equipment, furniture, etc. that you require and ensure that it is safely installed. Ensure that all your equipment have proper guarantees to protect it from future damages. Remember to secure a strong insurance policy which protects all the aspects of your business, including you and your staff, from any liabilities.

After you have secured all the necessary paperwork, start hiring the necessary members of your staff. Do this as early as possible to ensure the quality of employees. Make sure that the people you hire have good records and are experienced in the hospitality industry. Provide them with aprons or uniforms and ensure that they look clean and tidy. Make sure that they are aware of the restaurant's procedures and policies.

After you have set up your restaurant, promote it as aggressively as you can. Advertise in your local newspaper, radio station, etc. Provide samples from your menu to potential customers to lure them in. Also ensure that you maintain all the safety and health requirements to prevent any problems with the food you serve.

Decorating Your Home Office For Increasing Your Productivity

Do you own a home office where you spend most of your professional time working and even interacting with clients, suppliers, business associates etc? If so, you are probably already familiar with the issues that usually bother people working in such an environment - yes, we are talking about the same old problem of not being able to give your 100% because of the homely touch that still clings to your workplace.

For all we know, offices should look like offices irrespective of whether it is in a corporate skyscraper or in the basement of your house. The crunch of the matter is that before your productivity is seriously hit by the aforementioned factors, all your efforts should converge at introducing a professional touch in your home office. Not only will it give you the office-like vibe which is crucial for productivity purposes, but it will also make a positive impact on the clients/customers/business associates/suppliers when they visit your office.

Decorating a home office is not much different from decorating the rest of your house - it requires creativity as well as a precise objective with regard to what type of design theme you want to incorporate. As for the budget, don't worry about that - there's a wide variety of quality home/office decor items that you can easily find in any decent online or brick-and-mortar shop, at a decent price.

For the sheer high quality, cost-efficiency and the charm that cling to it, wrought iron office artwork and accents make the perfect home decor that you can opt for in a bid to beautify yours. The best part about wrought iron home decors is that they are pretty versatile - for example, if you want to bestow your walls with sophisticated and rustic art pieces, you can get numerous wrought iron artwork that can meet your expectations at affordable cost. Similarly, a visit to the nearest home decors shop or an online search on your favorite interior design and home decor portal could lead you to a wide number of wrought iron items like business card holders, table clocks, and other items that will help you add the desired look in your home office.

Overall, the possibilities are endless - all you need to have is a taste for redecoration with the best possible options available at your end. For a better evaluation of the possible cost associated with any such venture, visit a reputed online home decor shop that deals in wrought iron products.

What Vacuum Metalizing Can Do For Your Product

Vacuum metalizing is ideal for giving sparkly finish to your glass, plastic, metal, ceramic and paper products. No matter the size of your product, it can be metalized to enhance its look or make it more durable.

Vacuum metalizing is done with many metals like aluminum, copper, nickel, platinum, titanium, gold, lead, silver and tin. The product you want to metalize is put in a vacuum chamber in the company of the metallic finish of your choice. Heat is then introduced to the chamber so that the metallic finish will evaporate and form a thin metallic film around the product being coated. The product is properly rotated in the chamber to ensure that the finish is applied uniformly around it.

Vacuum metalizing is very crucial to certain industries like medical, automotive, manufacturing and so on. Products with rough texture or plain look will be enhanced in appearance through metalizing that is perfectly done. A lot of car parts are vacuum metalized and that is why they have stunning looks that appeal to many consumers. Apart from making products to be more attractive, they will also be made stronger and long lasting so that users will enjoy using them.

However, getting a company that will handle the vacuum metalizing of your product is not an easy task. This is because there are lots of companies all over the place involved in this type of business. It is very important for you to investigate properly before dealing with any company. You can decide to go for a local company or check online to see the various offers available. It is advisable to go for a local company and majority of local companies are now online so that you can compare prices and features.

You can choose a non-local vacuum metalizing company if the shipping cost to and fro is not higher than the cost of doing it locally. It is also important to consider quality because it will determine the durability of your product which will be noted by customers. Since the quality of the service of the metalizing company will reflect on the quality of your products, you should not compromise quality service at all cost for enhanced profitability. Your desire of taking your business to the next level can only be achieved if you are focused on producing durable products that customers will be scrambling to get at all times.

Fear of Tummy Tucks: Timidity and Business Success

One of the most successful young executives I've ever known walked away from an unlimited future because he was terrified of not being able to live up to the astonishing record he'd established. He was terrified of being shown to be not quite as good as everyone had come to believe he was. It was like a rookie entering the major leagues, hitting.432 with 74 home runs, winning the MVP, and then retiring. Because he was afraid that the rest of his career would tarnish his achievement.

It probably would have. In baseball terms, that young executive probably never would have hit over .360 or .370 again. When they put up his plaque in the Business Hall of Fame in Mishawaka, Indiana, it probably would have noted that he barely averaged 65 home runs a year. Or maybe he wouldn't have had a Hall of Fame career. Maybe his career never would have been much more than outstanding, or remarkable, or good, or OK. Or even fair or poor.

At least he would have had a career.

Unfortunately, he was more concerned with maintaining his image than succeeding. He gave up what he wanted to do--which means he failed--because he was afraid of failure.

Too many of us do the same--if not quite so blatantly. And often without even having the achievement. Too frequently we're afraid of tarnishing what amounts to a lack of achievement.

Here's my suggestion. Discover whatever you're most afraid of failing at and, as soon as possible, go out and FAIL at it. Unless it's skydiving or tightrope walking or surgery or some such (in which case please ignore this particular suggestion), you will find that:

1) It didn't kill you,

and

2) It didn't kill you.

And,

3) After you do it, after you've already failed, most of the time there's no longer much to be afraid of.

If it's not something you can actual rush right out and fail at, envision failure. Is it any worse than not trying? Or trying in a half-hearted way, hoping you can save face if it doesn't work, and virtually guaranteeing you'll fail?

Fail.

Every one of those people whose opinions we're all so concerned about has failed at one thing or another. Some of them are afraid to try because they're afraid that if they failed, we'd have a lower opinion of them.

I always tell audiences that fear of failure is a lot like fear of tummy tucks. Or butt lifts, breast implants or hair transplants.

I, for example, have a hair transplant. This is, admittedly, a vain and probably dumb thing to have had done. I'm hardly good looking enough to be the kind of guy you'd consider vain about his appearance. But when faced with the prospect of being bald, guess what? To the surprise of virtually everyone who knew me, myself included, it turned out I was as vain as the next guy. Maybe vainer; the next guy didn't bother to have chunks of his scalp sliced out and crammed into little holes elsewhere on his head.

But that's not the point. The point is, that once you have a hair transplant--or, I suppose, a tummy tuck or butt lift--virtually everyone you mention it to will confide that they've considered some form of cosmetic surgery for themselves. A great many of them will tell you they wished they had the courage to go ahead and do it. We're far more alike than we are different.

Don't have the hair transplant. I can't comment on the butt lift. But as for failure, go ahead and fail. Some people will envy your courage. Will others think less of you? Probably. Let them. Do you really value the opinion of anyone who'd prefer that you never tried rather than risk failure? Besides, that type of bozo will think a lot more of you once you eventually succeed.

And if you never succeed? I've always liked what Teddy Roosevelt said: "It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcomings, who knows the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the high achievement of triumph and who at worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his place shall never be with those timid and cold souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

Why worry about any "cold and timid soul?" Unless it's your own. As George Bernard Shaw said, "A life spent in making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." Consider your past. What do you regret more, the times you've failed or the times you never tried? What would you prefer to look back on in the future?

Reality Check for Meetings

Recently, I spoke at an awards dinner for a class of sales trainees. The corporate trainer introduced me as, "a special treat--a motivational dynamo." What the trainees didn't know was that, as part of that special treat, they were about to discover that the products they'd have to sell were the most expensive in the marketplace--by far. Prior trainees had been left to make that discovery on their own, once out in the field. That hadn't worked. So the training director had asked me to "see if you can slip them this little fact of life buried in a hail of purple whale manure." Then he'd handed me several formulas for proving that more money is really less money: none completely accurate; all vaguely reminiscent of medieval arguments on the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin.

Seeing a disaster in the making, I suggested a different strategy. Fortunately, the powers-that-be agreed. Instead of clouding the issue, I hit it head on. "When you get out in the field you going to hear about a lot about your company's prices," I said. "In fact, you may have already heard something about them. Are your prices more expensive than the competition's? Absolutely. Much more expensive! But do you really think your competition would charge less if they could charge more? They're not humanitarians. They want to make as large a profit as possible, just like anyone else. They charge less because that's all they can get anybody to pay. You people charge more because you can charge more: because your clients are not just willing but happy to pay more for the results your products deliver. Now let me tell you exactly why they're so willing... "

We all know that you can motivate people for the short term by pumping them up with illusion and wishful thinking, by sugarcoating the facts, even by out-and-out lying. We've all seen it done; we've all had it done to us. But if you want to your meetings to stimulate change and affect long-term behavior--to get your people where they want to be, to get the organization where it needs to be, to have a financial impact and improve the bottom line--you'd better start by dealing with reality. Bury potential negatives in a hail of purple whale manure and "whale manure" is what they'll be saying about your meeting.

Reality Checklist

1. What are the negatives surrounding this meeting, topics you might be tempted to hide, topics everyone will be thinking about-and the chronic complainers will be grumbling about-whether or not they're ever mentioned out loud?


2. Understand the potential downside of those negatives: to your attendees, your organization and to any others involved.


3. Understand the potential positives that surround those negatives: for the organization, for your attendees, for everyone involved.


4. Isolate the What's in It for Them for each of the Thems you need to reach. Take care of the What's In it for Them, and the what's in it for you--and the company--will take care of itself.


5. Marshall your best possible case, then imagine yourself presenting that case to the group. Imagine there's unlimited Q&A with the biggest complainer in the company taking the lead.


6. Are you, yourself, really sold? If not, don't expect that you or anyone else will be able to sell the group.


7. If you're not sold, what would it take--what can you or the company do--to make the case more saleable? If it can reasonably be done, do it.


8. If it can't be done, deal with the reality, frankly and honestly, explaining why it is the reality and why it's in the best interest of the company--and therefore ultimately in the best interest of each employee.
9. Never forget that truth is the ultimate sales trick. And the ultimate motivator.

Bloomberg Businessweek

Bloomberg Businessweek for the latest in economic trends

Bloomberg Businessweek is an indispensable resource for those in business who want a global perspective on business news. Company leaders around the world rely on Bloomberg to help them move their investments, careers and businesses forward, always looking toward the next level. The publication strives to filter out the "noise" and extraneous information in order to give business professionals the most timely access to the latest and most relevant information. Readers can then use this information to make smarter business decisions across the boards. Always putting things in an intelligent context, their trustworthy approach to business news has been helping readers since 1929.

This forward perspective approach combined with useful insights inspires readers. It compels them to turn their business ideas from just concepts into taking concrete action. Bloomberg Businessweek helps readers to cultivate a deeper understanding of the latest business trends that are currently driving economic growth as well as potential future trends. Bloomberg also explores in depth how technology is now creating new opportunities in a dynamic and ever-evolving way.

Bloomberg puts forth the best practices to help keep business leaders ahead of the competition in this challenging and competitive economy. The business leaders of today and tomorrow consistently turn to Businessweek for the important information, motivation and inspiration that they just cannot get from any other publication in quite the same package, accessible language and delivery.

Businessweek is also seen as a great value by its readers in terms of its cost per week. From business to politics to technology, Bloomberg Businessweek explores business from every angle with a generous amount of content. It offers a wide variety of excellent articles as well as some stimulating feature articles from week to week. Some say there's so much quality content, there's hardly enough time in a week to do it justice; before they know it, another issue loaded with insights and quality content is available.

In addition to the traditional print version, Bloomberg Businessweek also offers an electronic Kindle version of the publication. It contains the same articles that are featured in the print edition, however it may not contain all of the same images, graphics or tables as the print version. The upside is that readers report that much of the electronic content is free of advertisements. Readers also really appreciate the convenience of wireless auto-delivery of the magazine as well as the ability to read it on the go from anywhere with their e-reader or tablet. The black and white Kindle version is auto-delivered every Friday, three days before other subscribers.

If you're looking for quality, cutting-edge content that keeps you up on the latest business news and trends, then Businessweek is for you. The magazine offers content relevant to anyone interested in business, from the young executive to the entrepreneur to the CEO. The content is highly readable and doesn't overload with too much technical jargon. Long-time readers of Businessweek describe it as the perfect blend of reporting on current events and trends combined with sound, practical business advice for the present and future

Choosing the Right Font for Indian Language Translation

In this age of globalization, documents/websites/software etc are being converted into multiple languages. The idea is simple - the content should be in 'the language of the reader'. For a website, it is the viewer (prospective client); for a software, it is the end user; for a tech document, it is the technical analyst and so on. Reading in his/her native language not only gives the end user/reader a 'homely' feel but also helps him/her comprehend the subject easily and relate more easily to it.

The booming Indian economy has lead to a rise in the demand for Indian languages, thus leading to an increase in the number of translation agencies in India. However, typing in Indian vernacular languages is not known to all. The fonts in these languages are not inter-convertible as is the case with English fonts. Let us take the example of Hindi and Marathi fonts.

Hindi is the Indian national language and most of the correspondences in the northern part of the country happen in Hindi. As a lot of content is written in English and other Indian regional languages, thus, there is a growing demand for Hindi translation services. Hindi is written in Devanagari script. As a hand written document is not accepted at most places (and is not clear), the Hindi content needs to be typed by the Hindi translator.

Maharashtra, towards the central portion of India, is the economic hub of the country. Marathi is the language that is spoken in Maharashtra and hence any communication between Mumbai and rest of the country/world requires Marathi translation services. As a matter of fact, Marathi is also written in Devanagari script and many characters are similar to those in Hindi!

An important point to be considered for typing in any vernacular language is the application in which the text is to be used. For example - is the text need simply in a word file, does it need to be incorporated in a software, is it a website content and so on. Unicode is the font that is used most commonly and is the simplest and most universal font for these languages. Unicode fonts are easily portable and can be transmitted across PCs without any character loss/encryption errors etc. A website content is most commonly written in Unicode font only.

There are other types of fonts that are known as ttf (true type fonts) and otf (open type fonts) that are also used for typing. There are many software and design applications which do not accept Unicode fonts and would need the Marathi translator (or Hindi translator) to type in ttf/otf fonts.

In a nutshell, choosing the right font for typing is completely based on the application the content is to be used and should be chosen with a deep thought as this forms the basis for professional translation services.

The Unique Challenges of Business Leadership Coaching

People at all types of companies are increasingly turning to professionals who have experience in business leadership coaching. The lifestyle of an executive can be extremely demanding, causing individuals to lose sight of personal strengths as they lead colleagues in the completion of company objectives. If you work as a coach, you'll likely find it's a rewarding profession that, like all others, comes with a few obstacles to overcome. Keep reading to learn how you can be maximally effective for clients, whether you're just getting started or have been working in the field for several decades.

Developing Self Reflection Capabilities
As you coach clients, you'll work on unlocking their potential and demonstrating how it's not necessary to engage in reinvention so much as trying to awaken qualities that already exist.

To encourage this process, it's useful to help clients reflect on certain behaviours and determine whether there may be more appropriate ways to respond during similar situations in the future. However, while practising business leadership coaching, you'll also need to build up self-reflection abilities within yourself.

Client sessions can be unpredictable at times, and this reality can reduce confidence. Because of that, it's smart to continually ask yourself about the factors of a client meeting that went particularly well, along with those that could have been improved. Resist the urge to scold yourself about any parts of the client session you'd like do over again. The important thing is not to dwell on what's already happened, but simply to focus on moving forward and learning about what to emphasise during future meetings with clients.

A Safe Environment to Explore Specific Factors
After becoming certified in business leadership coaching, you may find you're not as connected to educational resources, especially because you're no longer attending regular classes taught by an instructor. To compensate, use online modules that not only help you determine the positive and negative factors of a client meeting, but more importantly, how to adapt so each subsequent session will be more beneficial for everyone involved.

Because online resources can be used in the privacy of your home or office, they shouldn't make you feel self-conscious, and instead will foster a sense of empowerment. One common issue in business leadership coaching is that coaches might be aware that improvements must be made, but are unsure how to go about making changes that last. By answering those questions through resources available in the online realm, you can gain information that'll help you both when things are going well, and when you've reached an obstacle.

Business leadership coaching isn't always easy, but by being more aware of the above challenges and how to tackle them, you'll be more able to thrive. Take the next step towards being a proactive coach today.

How to Create an Inbound Marketing Strategy

What Hollywood can teach us about hooking an audience

A powerful inbound marketing strategy is a lot like a good film. Both should hook an audience instantly, keep them captivated with a compelling story and always leave them wanting more.

In fact, movies can teach marketers a lot about how to effectively execute an inbound marketing strategy to gain more leads and close more business.

You should read this if you're struggling with:

• Getting your website found
• Engaging on social media
• Converting website visitors into enquiries
• Generating sales ready leads
• Measuring the success of your marketing

Step 1: Create a magnetic presence

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, the Internet is just another way of getting rejected by women." George Pappas, You've Got Mail.

Poor George. He clearly hasn't discovered how to create a compelling online profile.

His profile would probably start: 'I like to read, go to the cinema, and play golf. I would like to meet an attractive, rich woman.' Nothing outstanding, terribly cliched and just all wrong.

Don't let your marketing efforts suffer the same fate.

The first step is to make sure potential customers can find you

This means understanding how your website generates traffic and whether it's attracting the right type of leads.

The next step is to structure your website content properly. Search engines help users find what they want online by ranking content in terms of quality.

They look at the following things when ranking your website against a search term:

• Keywords
• Hits
• Tags
• Social shares
• Inbound and outbound links

Decide on the fewest crucial keywords and then ensure you include them on relevant pages throughout your website.

But that doesn't mean loading your website with keywords and content links

Search engines recognise this behaviour and will give these sites a lower ranking (or blacklist them) - not to mention that this makes for a poor user experience, too.

So approach search engine marketing (SEM) or search engine optimisation (SEO) like the formula for a winning film and use this SEO checklist to ensure every piece of content is optimised to achieve the highest ranking possible.

Since prospects will rarely go to the second page of search results, you should aim to get your content on the first page and hook them right away.

A higher search ranking will result in more traffic to your website and ultimately more leads to your sales team.

Step 2: Connect with your audience

If search engine marketing is about getting the attention of your audience, then social media marketing is about keeping it. You want your audience to be just like Dorothy: charmed by Jerry's opening line and willing to stick around to find out more. If only converting a lead was that simple.

Unfortunately, statistics show that only 27% of B2B leads are sales-ready when first generated2. This means that the vast majority of your buyers are two-thirds of the way through their buying process before they even start talking to your sales team.

So you'll need to warm them up by connecting and engaging in their preferred way (which nowadays is through social media).

Ask Yourself 4 Questions Before Applying to B-School

As a prospective MBA, you'll benefit enormously from taking time at the beginning of your application process to contemplate the path you're about to take. This is a great time to ask yourself critical questions, as self-evaluation and reflection are crucial to any MBA application journey. Setting aside some time for heavy thinking before you start writing your essays will prepare you for a solid and strategic application.

Question 1: What are your career goals? As you contemplate applying to MBA programs, the very first step in your self-evaluation process is to consider where you want to be in your career. Ask yourself what you would do if you didn't need to work for money and what your core values are.

If your career goals are not immediately revealed, ask your friends and family what they see you doing. This process should reveal good ideas and a spark of passion for your career path.

If you are in a field where MBAs are not traditionally required, you may still benefit if your career goals include rising to senior management within your company or starting your own company. As a first step, look around at the people you most admire and want to be like within your target company or industry. Read their bios to see their skill set and educational background.

Talking to people who are pursuing your target career, at any level, is also a great way to understand what you need to do to accomplish your goals.

Question 2: Why do you want an MBA? While an MBA is a great experience, ultimately it's a tool to advance your professional aims. The degree is highly focused on practical business applications, not intellectual curiosity.

Preferably when you answer the question of your career goals it will be clear why an MBA is the right degree for you. If your career path doesn't immediately reveal the need for an MBA, yet you know you want one, you may want to delve into your motivations.

Consider your expectations for the degree and critically evaluate whether your hopes match the reality of an MBA program. If you know current MBA students or alumni, sounding them out first is a great way to start your research and make sure you are committed to the MBA application process.

Question 3: Is an MBA the right degree for you? Evaluating your professional goals might reveal that a different type of graduate degree would be useful.

Those interested in finance might also consider a master's in finance, which typically prepares students more specifically for a career in corporate finance, financial analysis or investment management. That degree may prepare you to be the chief financial officer of a company, but may not be the ideal degree for a general manager or CEO.

If you're interested in public policy work or managing in the nonprofit sector, you might look into a law degree, a master's in public policy or master's in public administration. On top of those options, you could pursue a joint J.D./MBA or a joint M.P.P./MBA or M.P.A./MBA.

While any one of these degrees can help you achieve your goals, you may want to consider the environment of each school, the academic focus, the time you will spend pursuing the degree and what works best for you personally.

Question 4: Are you competitive in the MBA applicant pool? As you think about entering an MBA program, you should be aware of the competitive pool of candidates who apply every year. Evaluate yourself against successful candidates to the schools you are considering.

The easiest first step is to see what the mean GMAT and GPA is for a successful applicant to your target programs.

If your "numbers" are much lower than the mean at your dream schools, you may want to consider taking classes to build an alternative transcript or retaking the GMAT. While no candidate is perfect, minimizing any red flags in your application will ensure that you have a strong chance at admission.

Why Do I Need a Business Coach?

So, you started a small business and things have been moving along great. You have been working hard and the day to day operations are relatively stable. What do you do now? Many new business owners have great ideas and are very creative. Unfortunately the same traits that make someone capable of dreaming up and starting a new business can get in the way of them growing that business to its fullest potential. This is where a business coach comes in.

A business coach delivers many valuable assets to a small business. First, it gives the owner someone to bounce ideas off of that is not fully invested in the ideas. This kind of input will often get you a more truthful assessment of an idea than advice from within your company or friends and family. They offer a fresh approach to problem solving as well.

Coming up with a great idea is one thing, but when it comes to organizing, relating to staff, and growing an idea into a company, many creative people lack the linear thinking needed to stay focused on a single plan. A business coach is there to help you develop the skills necessary to follow through with your idea and maximize its potential.

Many business coaches offer you the opportunity to work with someone who has had success growing businesses in the past. This experience means that you have the opportunity to skip some of the trial and error that goes along with trying something new. Someone who has experience in your industry may also be familiar with regulations, strategies and other things that affect your specific type of business.

Another area business coaches often assist with is employee communications. Sometimes creative people are not the best communicators and if you have never managed people before you may lack some of the necessary skills required to be good at that specific part of running a company. Knowing how to effectively communicate with employees, investors, and others who are involved with your vision is imperative if you want to be successful.

When you are looking for a business coach, you want to find someone who is experienced in your industry but is willing to work with you to identify the specific areas where you need help. No two companies are the same, so personalized coaching is important if it is going to work. Look for a coach who you will be able to trust and someone who will always tell the truth even if it is not exactly what you want to hear.

How You Sound and How You Think You Sound Are 2 Different Ball Games

I recently read an article dealing with the power of the speaking voice and the fact that people who have resonant voices can earn more money than those who do not. As a voice coach, I will not tell you that a great-sounding voice will make you rich; however, I can tell you that those who discover their 'real' voice sound better, look better and feel better about themselves which can lead to better jobs, more sales, certainly greater success in your business.

Before going any further, I should explain that you have 2 voices: the one you hear on your voice mail, answering machine, or other form of recording equipment and the one you hear in your head. The bad news is that everyone else recognizes you the way you hear your voice on a recording. That which you hear in your head is distorted sound, vibrating in the solid and liquid of the brain, and is not a true sound.

The good news is that you actually have a much better voice inside of you. I call it your real voice and it is powered by means of your chest cavity. Most people are unaware of this and not using this, their largest and most powerful resonator. Instead, they rely on the throat, voice box, mouth, and nasal cavities to power and amplify their voiced sound. The results are often voices that are whiny, throaty, high-pitched, weak, wimpy, nasal, shrill, hoarse, reedy, whispery, etc. The list is never-ending.

When you discover your real voice, the pitch of your voice will probably be deeper. For the majority of people, that is what happens. Not only will your voice be deeper but you will also notice that it has more breadth - fullness - and can be increased in volume without shouting which is known as projection and is only possible if you are using your chest cavity as your primary sounding board.

Another benefit of discovering your 'real' voice is that you will be heard the 1st time you speak. If you are constantly asked to repeat yourself because you are soft-spoken or possibly have a heavy accent, your voice will be easier to understand because your volume and your diction will improve.

No, I will not tell you that you will become rich with voice training but I can say that you will be more successful, both personally and professionally. Discover your real voice and you really will captivate your listeners just by the sound of your voice.

About Dormant Bank Accounts

Banking experts estimate that nearly £5bn may be sitting unclaimed in UK bank accounts that have gone 'dormant'. Precisely what does this imply, and will you be entitled to some share with this plenty of idle money?

A bank account goes dormant when, during the words in this British Bankers' Association, a bank including an individual ‘loses touch collectively'. What this results in used is a customer has either died or moved house, plus your budget haven't been told and they are struggle to locate the account holder a while later.

If there won't be transactions by using an account a duration of around 12 months, the lending company will email qualify for the account holder in the last known address to ask them as long as they want to take care of the account open. If no reply is received, then the bank will alter the status from the account to 'dormant'. So this means any longer, no statements, chequebooks or other correspondence are going to be posted out to you for your customer.

The bucks within the account will still earn interest at no matter the normal rate of this account is, along with the bank will still record the account balance and keep a record in the last known address of the holder.

A few numbers of main reasons on an account being made dormant. The initial and many obvious you are to save lots of banks the administration costs of delivering statements and the like when there isn't a activity inside account monthly (besides that initiated with the bank itself, like interest rates).

The reason is much more important and should be aware of is identity fraud.In case a bank continues to send statements to have an address when the account holder is not really there for them, it's all regulated too straightforward for these documents to at the disposal of fraudsters, who can use the sensitive information they contain to start a campaign of ID theft.

Most dormant accounts could possibly have smaller balances, but some will in the end have a considerable sum, often those belonging to someone who's perished. If you think you might be eligible to money held at a dormant account, you possibly can make claims by filling in the form provided by the lending company involved.

You will want providing your advantages of developing a claim, like the account belonged to some close relative whose estate was passed to your account. Also, you should be able to prove your personal identity, as well as the first link the account holder if it is still valid.

If the bank doesn’t agree which you're permitted control you the account, you have the right to pursue an appeal, where your claim is re-examined. That this appeal fails, you could possibly take your claim in to the Financial Ombudsman Service, whose decision is final and binding.

How to Gather Fabulous Testimonials About Your Work Without Feeling Uncomfortable

Doesn't it feel great to receive commendation for the work you do? There's nothing better than knowing you've truly made a difference in someone's life or business and have helped them reach a new level of success.

Even better than your personal feelings is the fact that receiving positive feedback from your clients creates social proof for prospective clients. This is one of the reasons websites like YELP are so popular. Like it or not, the folks who are considering hiring you are going to details about what it's like to work with you.

Most professionals I know don't feel comfortable flat out asking for feedback and a testimonial. Perhaps that is true of you. If so, you'll be happy to know you can easily circumvent any uncomfortable feelings by having a system in place to regularly collect testimonials from your clients.

Here's how you do it:

1. Do GREAT work - This may seem completely obvious, but it's definitely worth mentioning. To get happy, satisfied clients, you have to do what you promised, when you promised, to the best of your ability. Don't make excuses. Meet your deadlines and look for ways to add value. This will create a fabulous experience for your clients and build your confidence in your ability to deliver great service.

2. Determine when it's best to solicit feedback - When you ask your clients for their feedback often depends on what type of service you have and how you deliver your offerings. Perhaps it's best to ask after a particular milestone has been reached. Maybe it's mid-way through the engagement. Or you might get the most comprehensive response at the end of your project. Consider the results your clients are looking for when they first begin working with you. As soon as they start achieving their goals, you want to ask for their feedback.

3. Build the request into your process - This is how you circumvent any uneasy feelings about asking for feedback. Keep in mind, the only way you can improve your business is to truly listen to what people like and don't like about their interaction with you. So make asking for their feedback a part of your work together. You can easily solicit a testimonial (and/or constructive feedback) by asking, "How is this working for you?" "Is this what you expected?" Once you ask the question, LISTEN! Don't get defensive or nervous. Just listen. Try not to take any constructive criticism personally. Appreciate that the person was honest enough to tell you their true feelings. Celebrate what they enjoy and adjust what they don't.

4. Take it one step further - Once your client gives you their initial feedback, say thank you! Assuming their feedback is mostly positive, ask if you can take 5 minutes to ask them a few additional questions. You can either conduct this interview yourself or have someone on your team do it for you. (I've often found that clients feel more comfortable talking about me to someone else.) You want to ask them just three simple questions: 1) What prompted you to reach out for help in the first place? 2) How would you describe the experience in working with me? 3) What specific benefits and results have you enjoyed as a result of our work together? Ideally you want to record this interview so you can use their EXACT language.

5. Get their approval to use their comments - Thank them again for their feedback and ask if it's OK for you to use their comments in your marketing materials. 99.9% of the time they will say yes. As appropriate, ask for their permission to use their name and a photo of them along with their comments. Then compile your notes and voila! You have a fabulous new success story to showcase in all of your marketing materials.

The key to being successful with this is to do it consistently. Occasionally you may get a client who wasn't blown away by working with you. That happens to everyone, so don't take it personally. Use that experience as an opportunity to grow and improve your offerings. At the same time, take EVERY opportunity to solicit feedback from your clients and leverage that positive feedback to generate testimonials for your business.

The next time someone says to you, "I really appreciate XYZ about working with you," follow the aforementioned steps and use that to create more social proof for the solutions you offer.

Why Visit Specialty Hobby Shops?

Hobby shops can become one of the best locations for you to visit. These facilities are often dedicated to a few special activities, whether it be model trains or airplanes. If you are looking for a way to spend your time, these facilities can help. You could go to that deep discount department store and purchase some of the items you need. When you do so, though, you miss out on the true experience that hobbies can bring to people. If you have not done so yet, now is the perfect time to visit this type of location for your specific needs.

More Selection

One of the best reasons to visit hobby shops instead of just buying online or through a department store is the variety. There simply is no better way to get more choices. Whether you may need a small wheel of a very special shape or you need a specific type of glue to hold it together, these locations have it. You do not have to buy something that could take away from the piece or may be hard to use. You likely will find everything you need on-hand at this type of location and that can make the most difference overall.

The Help You Need

Another reason to visit this type of location is as simple as being able to choose what you need and to get advice about it, too. Often times, the people working in these facilities are fountains of information. They can help you to determine the right item to give to a child that loves trains or what type of product will solve your problem. Sometimes, they can give new ideas about the various options you have that you did not know about. They may even be able to simply offer an ear so you can talk about your ideas, needs, and limitations.

Getting More

You may want to visit hobby shops for more than just buying something, though. You can take a class and learn about the activity that you like. You can bring your child in to see the various models setup and potentially spur ideas or interest in a child that could benefit from this type of experience. You may be able to spend some time learning about the various groups in the area that meet and share a love for the same hobbies you do.

A visit to the hobby shop may be just what you need. There is no better time to find one, too. You may not realize just how many fabulous locations are available nearby but you will want to spend some of your time checking out those options in person.

Is a Virtual Assistant Right For You?

You have a situation. You have work you need done on a daily or weekly basis or perhaps you have a project you need completed. Do you hire another full or part time employee? Maybe contract out a Temporary Staffing Agency? What are your options?

You actually have more than you think. You also don't have to blow your budget to get the work you need done. Quick, Quality, Results. If that is what you need you, you may need to take a look at a Virtual Assistant. What is that? They are an innovative form of office administrators that have evolved mainly because of the economy and a growing need for quality work that is cost effective. They are practical alternatives for companies when hiring a full-time employee or a temp is just too expensive.

The main advantage is that since they are independent contractors, they normally will charge by the hour or by the project. Because they are depending upon consistent work and need to have referrals from established customers, they will normally produce better quality work, at a much more economical rate than you could get from a temp service.

Keeping that in mind, you also won't have to deal with the hassles and additional expenses like training, taxes, etc., that you would with a temp or if you added another on-site employee.

Traditional employment options do not always deliver the results needed for all companies. If you only need a few hours of work a week, you could hire a temporary staff member, but after adding in all the fees associated with temp agencies, they tend to cost more per hour than even a full-time employee. You will also more than likely, have to provide them with some sort of training.

If you decide that temp staffing, isn't going to work, you are left with full or part-time employees. They require training, equipment and supplies plus now you are legally responsible for them. That isn't really an issue if your company can afford all that, but it isn't uncommon to find that the actual expenses of a employee turns out to be double or more, the cost of their yearly salary when you add in financial obligations and benefits.

This is what makes hiring an online assistant so cost effective. They are already trained in administrative duties, plus you'll find the majority of them are very detail orientated and multitasking wizards. Any range of skills from correspondence, power-point presentations, email, literature, scheduling, messages, calls and appointments are just some of the things you can expect. But that is hardly all. Many are experience in much more than just basic administrative support. It isn't uncommon to find some that are top-notch marketing and advertising experts, writers and researchers, customer development and much more. There is just no limit on the services you can receive.