How to Make Meetings Not Suck

Have you ever noticed that most meetings are a waste of time? Not just the idle chatter, or the time spent waiting for attendees who are late, but the fact that they take longer than 20 minutes and fill your day with more noise, little of it relevant to your focus?

Here’s a handy guide for how to cure the Boardroom Blues, especially if you’re the one leading the meeting!

The Assumptions:

Meetings shouldn’t be planned for more than 20 minutes.

Meetings should be used for conversations that advance results, for decision-making, and for relationship-building.

They should not be used for disseminating information that can easily be disseminated in another medium.

They should not be used for report-outs of information that is not relevant to all parties in the room.

The only people invited to a meeting should be those who have some value to add or something to contribute to the agenda and purpose of the meeting.

What to do before, during and after a meeting

Before the meeting, make sure the topics on the agenda are going to be relevant to everyone in the room. Determine the agenda ahead of time and send it to everyone. Invite them to add or clarify something to the agenda so that the attendees have some say in what is going to be talked about. They should be part of the decision making.

During the meeting, engage your audience and stay away from “death by PowerPoint.” I don’t think it’s effectively used the way most use it. It needs to engage the right side of the brain to be more effective. You don’t just want to put up visual data. Maybe add an image with it to back up what you are saying. The key is balancing the left and right side of the brain to keep your audience intrigued.

To make sure there is order in your meeting you can use a Native American tradition which is a “talking stick.” This is a decorative stick and whoever has the stick gets to talk. Sometimes, the introverts get drowned out by the extroverts, so a stick helps balance this out. Some of the best ideas come from the quietest person because they’re integrating everyone’s ideas and making it all come together. Remember the basic rule is to respect everyone in a meeting.

After the meeting there should be action items and timelines of who’s going to do what by when that will help determine the bigger picture. When a meeting is done really well you don’t have to allocate positions. People will start volunteering for jobs as the energy of the room is moved in the direction of what the goal is. It’s a matter of knowing who is going to do what when.

Following up is key after jobs are allocated. If someone signs up to do something it’s up to them to follow through with their assignment and if they haven’t completed their task, what’s their counteroffer?

90 percent of meetings don’t have to happen. But, engaging your audience is easy of they have a compelling reason for being there and have had the opportunity to contribute to the agenda ahead of time. It all goes back to respecting their time and making sure everyone understands the focus of the meeting. Your attendees only check out if they’re accustomed to hour-long meetings and they’ve trained themselves to only listen to what applies to them. Keep the meetings short and to the point to be most effective.

DO’S

1. Stick to the agenda, especially if other people have contributed to your agenda

2. Listen to your people, be more of a listener than a speaker

3. Look for ways to eliminate unnecessary meetings

4. Check to see that you can be respectful of other peoples time

5. Be clear in your communication

6. Be purposeful and thoughtful

7. Acknowledge and recognize people who are doing a good job

8. Honor the time of the meeting if you come plan a 1 hour meeting and you’re finished in 30 minutes, don’t try to fill up time. End the meeting. Don’t expect people to stay late if the meeting is planned for 20 minutes and runs over, honor their time as important.

DON’T'S

1. Don’t hog all the airtime yourself

2. Don’t reprimand anyone in front of the group

3. Don’t use your blackberry or get on twitter

4. Don’t plan a useless meeting, use an e-mail to get the information to everyone instead

5. Don’t do the opposite of any of the do’s listed above

Suzi Pomerantz, MT., MCC., CEO of Innovative Leadership International, LLC is an award-winning executive coach, facilitator, and author with over 17 years experience coaching leaders and teams in over 140 organizations internationally, including seven Fortune 100 companies, seven corporate law departments, and over a dozen law firms. Suzi specializes in the intersection between leadership and business development and helps executives, teams and organizations find clarity in chaos. She was one of the first executive coaches to receive the Master credential 12 years ago and is considered a thought leader in the industry, teaching at several of the top coach training schools. She serves on the IJCO Editorial Boards and the ICCO Advisory Board, and has authored 25 publications about coaching, ethics, and business development, including her book Seal the Deal. She is the founder of the Leading Coaches’ Center and co-founder of the Library of Professional Coaching. Learn More:  http://www.SuziPomerantz.com/about-2

When Leads Never Make the Sale

Why Your Leads Aren’t Working – And What You Can Do About It Now. You placed ads all over Google, you bought leads by the thousands from a service, you even had a sales letter sent to a big opt-in list. Then you couldn’t believe it when nothing much happened. Your site probably got a LOT of hits, but nobody bought anything. How could that happen? Experts have been arguing over that one for years. If you had that experience, you’re not alone.

Adsense, opt-in, and purchased leads often deliver poor results. Why? Most often the reason is these leads aren’t NEARLY as powerful as leads you build yourself.

Send out an article like this one, get people to read your good information, then come to you as warm leads — and you’ll have a HOT lead that WILL buy something. What’s the difference?

The prospect reads your information, got to know and trust you, THEN came to your sales information. At this point, the prospect has created a mental bond with you and your ability to help them achieve their goal. This lead, gathered with YOUR lead building system, is FAR more prepared to buy than any other kind of lead.

Don’t believe me? Look who is making good money online year, after year, after year. It’s people who have a big weekly newsletter, have sites filled with good information, spend a lot of time talking with prospects on the telephone, offer an e-book, or send repeated autoresponder messages. These methods all build a RELATIONSHIP with the prospect, making them 20 times more likely to buy. While Adsense might get you thousands of hits, building your OWN leads can get prospects who will actually BUY something.

“But I can’t write an article and don’t like to talk to prospects on the phone,” you say. No problem. Today there are lead building systems that pull in huge numbers of prospects, then use advanced Flash web movies to convert the best of these prospects into hot, pre-sold leads.

These systems are the new cutting-edge of online marketing. They have become so highly developed and easy to use that thousands of people just like you are earning big commissions non-stop with them. It’s not at all unusual to set the lead building system in place, then watch the sales stack up at $1,000 per pop.

Clearly, building your own leads, then using an advanced Flash selling system is the easy way to profits these days. Don’t pass up this marketing method for your business.

If you need assistance in building your lead-base exponentially, we believe we can help. Call us anytime here at Marketing Antics Online.

Happy marketing!

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Marketing Antics Online
http://www.MarketingAntics.com

Marketing:The Invisible Customer

Have you ever felt like you were more of a bother to a vendor or service provider than a valued customer?  What can you learn from these types of experiences to help you build stronger, long lasting relationships with your customers and clients?

How many times have you as a customer felt as though you were putting a salesperson out by asking for assistance or interrupting them as they were engaged in a personal conversation with a co-worker or friend?

I can recall times I’ve actually said to different store clerks, who were either fully engaged in telling their co-workers about the wild party they attended over the weekend or the big fight they had with their husband, “I’m sorry to bother you, but do you have this in my size?” and have them look at me as if I had just shattered the most important moment in their life.

Have you ever had an experience like this?

Many years ago when competition was almost non-existent for many businesses, consumers accepted this type of behavior because they didn’t have many options to choose from. 

Business owners had the upper hand and could charge the prices they wanted without having any real concern for whether or not the customer was truly satisfied or had their need fully met.

Today, competition is fierce, particularly with the power of the Internet and expanding global markets.

If a consumer doesn’t like the product or service, or has a bad experience, all she has to do is tuck her credit card back into her purse and take her pick of any number of other businesses who will gladly give her what she’s looking for.

She doesn’t even have to leave her home if she doesn’t want to!  She can shop online from thousands of vendors who will gladly deliver the goods right to her doorstep.

What does this new reality of conducting business mean to you as a small business owner or home-based entrepreneur?

It means you have to provide exceptional customer service and top quality products if you want to build long-term relationships with your clients and customers.

If you have employees, it is also critical that they understand the importance of making each customer feel like a million dollar customer. It’s all about the experience you provide – the feeling your customer has when doing business with you.

Get to know your customers.  Find out what they’re looking for and why by asking questions, then really listen to what they say.  Make it a point to truly understand what it is they want to create or solve, then if you can provide a solution, offer it to them.

Building a successful, profitable business is dependent on establishing long-term, loyal customers.  Having to pursue new customers to replace those who are not returning can become tiring and expensive. 

As you serve new and existing customers and clients, make them feel heard, seen and valued.  No one likes to be invisible, especially those who are about to hand over their hard earned money.

Treat every customer like a million dollar customer because when you build a long-term relationship with them, they just might very well become one.

Happy marketing!

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Marketing Antics
http://www.MarketingAntics.com

Tony Marino is not only the CEO of Christian Times Online (ChristianTimesNewsletter.com), he is also Founder of Markteing Antics (MarketingAntics.com), and host of the Marketing Antics LIVE Radio.He is the author of the ePublishing Master’s Course.  Additionally, he holds Email Compliance Officer status for many of today’s leading Network Marketing companies, and business consults for businesses ranging from startup to Fortune 500.

He has also worked with the likes of legendary Direct Marketers Ted Nicholas, Gary Halbert, and Vic Conant (Nightingale-Conant). Best-Selling Authors, Harvey McKay, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Brian Tracy. ABC Television’s,  Jimmy Kimmel and NBC’s, Carson Daly. Online Marketers, Dale Calvert and Jay Abraham just to name a few. His offices are located in Portland and Los Angeles and he’d love to hear from you anytime!

Why Rush Postcards Sell?

Postcards! Postcards! Who doesn’t love to get a “great” postcard?

Why are postcards eliciting a powerful impact on me? All I know is that they are beautiful, striking, moving and pleasing to the eyes. The ones I am keeping for several years now are still clean, bright colored and the text are clear and crisp.

Postcards are very much part of my precious personal collections. Aside from scented and floating candles, I also have postcards as my fetish. I am fascinated not only because of the thoughtfulness that other people shows by the mere act of giving the same but because of the fact that the postcards they are sending will be part of my valuable collection.

Definitely, I love to pile and collect. Then, collect and collect. In fact, some of my friends are telling me that I am so weird for keeping all those postcards given to me. Up to now, that craze has not reduced even a bit, that is as far as I am concerned.

Why are postcards eliciting a powerful impact on me? All I know is that they are beautiful, striking, moving and pleasing to the eyes. The ones I am keeping for several years now are still clean, bright colored and the text are clear and crisp. This is because I am keeping them safely. Another factor is the material used. They are usually created with the use of special papers, colors and materials. The paper complements pictures. Shades come in a wide-variety of choices. Bright, pastel, monochromatic, sepia, classic – say it, and you will be grateful they have it! Graphics and images are also flexible in a way that they include every holiday, emotion, event and significant pictures you can think of. The layout and the type of art used also play a vital factor. These are the reasons why they are clear and captivating.

In addition, postcard printing services are now going extra mile by providing aqueous coatings to add luster and glossy look. This was made possible by highly innovative printing equipments. What’s more gratifying is that they are rush. Rush postcard printing is so popular nowadays. This is because, people move in a fast-paced complicated world and delay can entail damage and loss.

Aside from the aforementioned reasons, rush postcard printing also welcomes personalization or customization. All you have to do is prepare the text and pictures or images, then add your message. Give them to the printer together with your instructions. After that, you can leave your trusted printer with peace of mind.

Rush postcard printing companies are using state-of-the-art printing equipments. These equipments may vary from one printing company to another. Be sure to transact with a company that has efficient and reliable postcard printing equipments in order to result to quality and lasting rush postcards. If you do that, chances are, you will be a repeat customer or a hooked collector like me!

Happy marketing!

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Marketing Antics
http://www.MarketingAntics.com

Tony Marino is not only the CEO of Christian Times Online (ChristianTimesNewsletter.com), he is also Founder of Markteing Antics (MarketingAntics.com), and host of the Marketing Antics LIVE Radio.He is the author of the ePublishing Master’s Course. Additionally, he holds Email Compliance Officer status for many of today’s leading Network Marketing companies, and business consults for businesses ranging from startup to Fortune 500.

He has also worked with the likes of legendary Direct Marketers Ted Nicholas, Gary Halbert, and Vic Conant (Nightingale-Conant). Best-Selling Authors, Harvey McKay, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Brian Tracy. ABC Television’s,  Jimmy Kimmel and NBC’s, Carson Daly. Online Marketers, Dale Calvert and Jay Abraham just to name a few. His offices are located in Portland and Los Angeles and he’d love to hear from you anytime!

Is Working From Home Worth It?

Home-based businesses are cropping up everywhere you look. People have decided that being their own boss is the way to go. There are thousands of advertisements, junk mail, and email saying you should start your own home business today!

But should you really start your own home business? Should you be your own boss? What are the risks to operating your own home business? What are the rewards? How many people are successful at operating their own home business? How do I get started? Should I be answering all those ads that say I am missing the opportunity of a lifetime?

These are some of the questions you may be asking yourself every time you see an ad about starting a business from home. In this article, I will try to help you answer them

Let’s start with that first question, “Should I start my own home business?” The answer to that question is different for everyone. If you hate working nine to five and hate working to make other people rich, then owning your own business might be your answer.

If you have some business skill, it helps, however, you do not need to know more than the basics about running your own business. You have to keep several things in mind. Depending on the type of home business you will be operating, do you have the room for it at your house?

Do you have a separate space where you can do your work without the normal everyday distractions of being at home. The children, your spouse, the TV, the yard that needs mowing and other things are all distractions that can cut into your workday. Also, understand you will still have to work every day. That doesn’t change just because you now have a home business.

The bottom line is you need to plan before you make the move to owning your own home business. Make sure it is what you really want and that you are ready to do what it takes to be a success.

The second question is much like the first, “Do I really want to be my own boss?” If you are self-motivated, if you are the type of person who learns fast. if you are a confident type of person, then the answer is yes. If you lack those qualities, then your answer may be no.

Again, that question is something only you can decide and it also depends on the type of business you choose to run. If it is a service oriented business you might have an easier time than with a sales-based home business if you are not the outgoing confident type of person.

Self-motivation is the one quality you can’t do without if you plan to start your own business, whether it will be a home-based business or something else. You will be the one that has to get you out of bed every day and you will be the one that has to tell you to get to work.

What are the risks to operating your own home business? They are several. You should not start your own home business right AFTER quitting your day job. Until your home business starts making money, you are likely going to have to keep your current job while building your home business.

Again, though, the risks are greater for some people than for others. What are your finances? How much is your monthly overhead? Is your income already stretched to the limits? A single person has a head start. A spouse who is not already working also has an advantage over the main breadwinner in starting a home business.

If you are currently working part-time and it costs you almost as much to go to work as you are making, then you may as well take a shot at owning your own business. It isn’t likely to be worse than continuing to pursue a dead-end job.

What are the rewards? The rewards of owning your own home business are many. If you have a family, even though you still have to work, knowing you are home and close by is a comfort to them. Not having to commute back and forth to work is another plus. The gas and vehicle maintenance you save should be considered your first profits in your new home business.

The freedom of being your own boss is another reward. Knowing that it is you who will be making the decisions, who will be responsible for it’s success, and that it is you who decides everything is reward in itself. Too many times when working for others, we see a better way to do things, but no one listens and you don’t have the power to make it happen. In your own home business, you will be making those decisions.

The money is the other reward. Why I say, “other”, is that it isn’t as important as the others. Of course you want your business to be successful and it has to make money to be a success, however, if money is your only motivation, I would still say you have less chance of succeeding then many others who are not solely money-motivated.

Choose something you truly like or love to do for your home business. Do it because it is what you want to do. Don’t choose the type of home business with the amount of income it will generate as the only or most important factor to consider.

If you choose something you love to do, it will be easier to motivate yourself and you will obviously enjoy it so much more. When you combine that with the other rewards, such as being close to your family, then the money becomes secondary. At the very same time, you will also find that is the path to making more money. Because you chose something you like to do, you worked harder at it, and now you are making more money. That is how it works.

The last question is, “How many people succeed in their own home business?” My answer is, “Exactly the same number of people who chose to do something they enjoy.”

I hope this article has helped answer some questions you may have had about starting your own home business. I enjoy what I do and really hope that if nothing else, you remember to choose something you enjoy.

Happy marketing!

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Marketing Antics
http://www.MarketingAntics.com

Tony Marino is not only the CEO of Christian Times Online (ChristianTimesNewsletter.com), he is also Founder of Markteing Antics (MarketingAntics.com), and host of the Marketing Antics LIVE Radio.He is the author of the ePublishing Master’s Course.  Additionally, he holds Email Compliance Officer status for many of today’s leading Network Marketing companies, and business consults for businesses ranging from startup to Fortune 500.

He has also worked with the likes of legendary Direct Marketers Ted Nicholas, Gary Halbert, and Vic Conant (Nightingale-Conant). Best-Selling Authors, Harvey McKay, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Brian Tracy. ABC Television’s,  Jimmy Kimmel and NBC’s, Carson Daly. Online Marketers, Dale Calvert and Jay Abraham just to name a few. His offices are located in Portland and Los Angeles and he’d love to hear from you anytime!

Public Speaking Body Language

Most people have a fear of speaking to a large group. This is a totally normal apprehension. People may visualise the audience laughing at them, or shouting out. This is an extremely rare occurrence, unless you are a politician.

Most people listening to you are aware of the pressures you are under and would never change places with you.

These guidelines will help you to overcome your fears.

1. Know your subject. Read through your presentation beforehand. Read around the subject, so that you are confident that you know more than your audience, even after you have spoken. If you know your subject then you will come across in an interesting way and keep the attention of your audience.
2. Expect to do well. Your expectations are obvious in your body language. If your audience sees that you expect to do badly, you will do badly. Expectation is vital.
3. Look at your audience. Eye contact is vital if you are to judge their understanding so that you can change the pace of your delivery if necessary.
4. Use notes. You should never, never read your speech from a sheet.
5. Slow your speech down. This makes you appear more confident and enables your audience to take it in more easily. If you are talking slower, it is easier for your audience to maintain their attention, and momentary lapses in their concentration mean that they miss less.
6. Vary the tone and level of your voice. This maintains interest. You should speak clearly and project your voice, rather than shouting. Talking quietly in key segments means that your listeners will need to actively listen to those parts of your presentation.
7. Avoid excessive body movements and gestures. Hand gestures can be used for emphasis only.
8. Keep your hands and thumbs visible. Holding your hands out, with the thumbs uppermost is a very powerful dominance gesture. Watch politicians speaking, they all use this gesture.
9. Rejoice in the endorphin high that you will feel when it goes well.

Happy marketing!

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Marketing Antics
http://www.MarketingAntics.com

Tony Marino is not only the CEO of Christian Times Online (ChristianTimesNewsletter.com), he is also Founder of Markteing Antics (MarketingAntics.com), and host of the Marketing Antics LIVE Radio.He is the author of the ePublishing Master’s Course.  Additionally, he holds Email Compliance Officer status for many of today’s leading Network Marketing companies, and business consults for businesses ranging from startup to Fortune 500.

He has also worked with the likes of legendary Direct Marketers Ted Nicholas, Gary Halbert, and Vic Conant (Nightingale-Conant). Best-Selling Authors, Harvey McKay, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Brian Tracy. ABC Television’s,  Jimmy Kimmel and NBC’s, Carson Daly. Online Marketers, Dale Calvert and Jay Abraham just to name a few. His offices are located in Portland and Los Angeles and he’d love to hear from you anytime!

Writing Press Releases

Now that you have a brand new and fresh web site that you will be putting in circulation in the very near future, the next step you will need to take is advertising for this site to make a huge impression on the market. How does one go about writing a strong press release for an impending site introduction? You are not alone if you are unsure on how to go about this, but there are a few suggestions to get you started, here are some that have been successful in the past.

Remember the one fact to keep in mind is that you are going to need the public’s attention, on this media release it is extremely important to remember the fact that the news sells. What you need is very convincing line in communication to get your message across. If an editor finds material that is counterfactual and deliberately untrue or promises that are just not reasonably accepted, they will rubbish the media release. Some of the most frequent are, one of a kind, changing the face of the world, or everyone wins. The entire premise is to act and think like a reporter to get the word out in that media format. If the release is not in a journalistic format, it will not be taken in earnest.

A good measure would be to make the title around ten words, keep it short to grasp attention. A brief summary of the information should be in the headline, and should be powerful and hard-hitting. You are trying to reach the mass public; it should be as wide as a roadside sign or billboard. The best way to get a good review is to have the editor notice your release above all others, this can be done in just a few words. Just like all good journalists know the most effective and important part of the release is always the opening paragraph. This can be referred to as the summary lead. It is always the most essential element of any release that you incorporate the familiar 5 W’s of journalism, and not to eliminate the single and most influential H. who, what, when, where, and the single how are the mainstay in quality information that everyone truly looks for when reading a release. It is imperative on this note to embrace them.

This is the body of the information with the introduction and the closing statements surrounding this bulk. It is the introduction that leads the readers down the path of yearning for more on the subject so it must be dynamic. This opening paragraph is what is known as the hook. This hook not only has to seize the audience’s attention but the press and the editor as well.It is not always an effortless task when Writing press releases. The hook in every sense of the word is strictly fact and not a system of persuasion to the multitude.

Happy marketing!

Tony

Tony Marino
Founder, Executive Publisher
Marketing Antics
http://www.MarketingAntics.com

Tony Marino is not only the CEO of Christian Times Online (ChristianTimesNewsletter.com), he is also Founder of Markteing Antics (MarketingAntics.com), and host of the Marketing Antics LIVE Radio.He is the author of the ePublishing Master’s Course.  Additionally, he holds Email Compliance Officer status for many of today’s leading Network Marketing companies, and business consults for businesses ranging from startup to Fortune 500.

He has also worked with the likes of legendary Direct Marketers Ted Nicholas, Gary Halbert, and Vic Conant (Nightingale-Conant). Best-Selling Authors, Harvey McKay, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Brian Tracy. ABC Television’s,  Jimmy Kimmel and NBC’s, Carson Daly. Online Marketers, Dale Calvert and Jay Abraham just to name a few. His offices are located in Portland and Los Angeles and he’d love to hear from you anytime!