Business Journal May 2013
Inspire, Inform & Educate
INSIDE
70th Edition
Black Houston’s Power Brokers
In God We Trust…The Rest Show Data! By Noel Pinnock This foundation applies to everyone despite race, color, or creed, and it is upon this foundation that the common notion of loving our fellow neighbors exists. PAGE 11
Black Veteran Entrepreneurs Resources Abound! By Alvin E. Terry The biggest challenge to any small business is access to capital. Money alone is not the answer ... PAGE 17
Making Homeownership a Reality for Everyone From left to right: Nekea Johnson, Jasmine Brock-Haynes, Harold Ahmad Steele, Kathy Saldua-Silva
Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac. ~ Henry Kissinger Online Community Management By Peter Applebaum . To successfully manage online communities firstly requires a good understanding ... PAGE 26
Virtual Meetings Cut Travel Costs By Monte Enbysk Alternatives to business travel - such as web conferencing with Microsoft Office Live Meeting or similar products - continue to improve with advances in internet and related technologies, most agree. PAGE 39
Tiko Reynolds-Hausman shares info on MENTOR PROTÉGÉ Program
Kevin “Brother D-Mars” Davis and Bill Russell, Momentum BMW
JOIN US AT THE 2ND ANNUAL TOP 50 BLACK
ATTORNEYS AWARD CEREMONY May 23rd
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May 2013
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May 2013
Behind The
Journal
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Publisher’s Message
Keith J. Davis, Sr.
SR. PUBLISHER Keith J. Davis, Sr. SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Kevin Davis
This month’s issue focuses on “Black Houston’s Power Brokers.” It has been our experience in identifying the top attorneys, medical and business professionals and entrepreneurs in the African American community that we hold an astonishing amount of economic power in this city. I am reminded of the song “I’ve Got the Power” by Snap, it is my observation that this is a song that should be our mantra as a race. This issue serves as a reminder that we are still a people of influence in the marketplace. Embrace it and move forward to continue to do great things. As always again, thank you for your continued support of d-mars.com. When you support d-mars.com, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work. Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.
VICE PRESIDENT Kimberly Floyd OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Johnny Ray Davis, Jr. ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla
CONTENTS
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE C.T. Foster Eric D. Goodwine S. Angela White PHOTOGRAPHY L.C. Poullard Grady Carter Tony Gaines MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Andrea Hennekes LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ferland D. Antwine Yong Kwon DISTRIBUTION Booker T. Davis, Jr. Rockie Hayden CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sharon C. Jenkins D.L. Jones Peter Webber Cynthia Nevels Michael D. Taylor Noel Pinnock S. Housley Errol Allan Tim Margeson Mena Freeman Waldo Waldman Elvia Valdez Peter Applebaum Alvin E. Terry Milly Sonneman Clara Caldwell Robert Pierre Jasmine Stone Philip Ritchie Leslie Allen Mark Hunter Colleen Kettenhofen Monte Enbysk www.blackhistory.com Christina R. Grochett
The “Harold A. Steele Mortgage Team” of Liberty Bank ............................................................... Interagency MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ Program for Houston Small Businesses .................................. Bill Russell, The Automotive Dealer You CAN Trust! .................................................................... In God We Trust…The Rest Show Data! ....................................................................................... How to Broker Houston into a Green Power Community? ........................................................... Big Customer Service from Small Businesse .............................................................................. LivePlan.com - The Brains Behind The Business? ...................................................................... How to Select a Financial Professional ...................................................................................... Live the Dream .............................................................................................................................. Black Veteran Entrepreneurs Resources Abound! ......................................................................... Bridging the Multigenerational Workplace Gap ........................................................................... A. Philip Randolph Institute, Celebrates 40 Years of Service ...................................................... The Young Entrepreneur ............................................................................................................... A Couple Of Quick Tips For Winning Entrepreneurs .................................................................... Being Confident At Networking Events ........................................................................................ Green Business Tips ..................................................................................................................... Implementing Threats, Risk and Security Audits ......................................................................... Online Community Management ................................................................................................. Integrity First: Living the Honor Code in Business ...................................................................... Using Your Blog to Build a Platform ............................................................................................. The Value of Business Process Improvement .............................................................................. Simplify Business Storytelling In 3 Easy Step ............................................................................. Making Meetings Work: 9 Tips ..................................................................................................... Freedom Rides ............................................................................................................................. Leading Workplace Change in Six Steps ...................................................................................... Your Buyer is Smarter than You .................................................................................................... Techniques to Help Your Grow Your Consulting Business ........................................................... Virtual Meetings Cut Travel Costs .................................................................................................
MR. D-MARS Tip of the Month “If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful.”
~ Jeff Bezos
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May 2013
The “Harold A. Steele Mortgage Team”
of Liberty Bank, Making Homeownership a Reality for Everyone
“Liberty -- the quality or state of being free” – Webster Dictionary
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he Harold A. Steele Mortgage Team of Liberty Bank and Trust Company, is passionate about helping more people achieve homeownership and financial freedom. When you walk into their office, you see this mission personified in everyone who works there, from the Regional Manager down to the concierge. There’s a southern hospitality extended that is uncommon in today’s business world but reminiscent of the distinct New Orleans culture. It’s a place where they genuinely care about your family, your business success, and the security of your financial future. It’s a place where you can get “free” and walk in the fullness of your financial destiny and possess the promised land of home ownership. It is a utopia that is foreign, but familiar enough to make you hungry for more, it is bank heaven. Their tagline states “There’s freedom here” -the freedom you have as an individual to attain your goals, as a business to achieve your idea of success or even as a community that is gathering strength to reach its full potential. By investing in the development of personal goals, business objectives and communities, we’re making a difference by making the word “bank” a verb rather than a noun, using our resources to get things done. We work hard. Play hard. Invest where our heart lives. And pursue freedom for all.
Trust Liberty Bank. There’s freedom here.” www.libertybank.net Harold Ahmad Steele, Liberty Bank’s Houston Regional Manager and Corporate Real Estate Benefits Director epitomizes Liberty’s mission. MR. D-MARS sat down with Mr. Steele and discussed the nuances of the Liberty Bank’s vision for its Houston mortgage operation. We invite you to grab your favorite beverage and enjoy the conversation that follows. MR. D-MARS: Tell us a little about yourself. Mr. Steele: I have been in the business for ten years. I got into this business originally coming out of the life insurance business. I like this business better, because it affords me a greater opportunity to really help people. Especially in helping our community make the right decisions about housing. I am the only Black CMPS here in Houston. CMPS stands for Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist. That is an advanced designation to teach us how to better educate our clients on how to make the right decisions concerning investments, retirement, mortgages and all different types of things. We will work side by side with our client’s financial advisors such as CPAs, Financial Planners, Attorneys, etc. to help our clients achieve their overall financial goals. At the end of the day as financial advisors in the mortgage business, our job is to not only help you make the right decisions in regards to your housing,
but also help to put you into a position to advance yourself financially. We aren’t finished after that one transaction; we keep up with our clients and develop a long term relationship to assist them as they travel down the road in life. I can’t tell you that I care about you as my client and see a glaring need in your finances that requires addressing and not help you. It may not be under my particular area of expertise, but I will put you in touch with a CPA, financial planner, or someone who does specialize in that area. Because I have the knowledge as a CMPS and the extra training that goes along with that, I can help you and guide you in the right direction. Out of 2200 licensed loan officers here in Houston, there are only fourteen CMPS’s and I am the only Black mortgage professional to have achieved this prestigious designation so far in Houston. This gives you an idea of the training and care we put into our clients. We make sure that when they leave us, they are more educated about finances and mortgages or anything else we can help them with. We really believe in educating our clients. We operate by the Money Third Principle.
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The Money Third Principle stands for God 1st, People 2nd, and Money 3rd. We really truly believe in that because we know if we keep our priorities in that specific order, everything else will work out fine. We really take pride in taking care of our clients and putting them first. Liberty Bank as a company is really committed to financial empowerment and education for the Black community. As the second largest Black owned bank in the country, we have made that commitment. We’ve stuck by that commitment and we plan to stand by it for many generations to come.
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MR. D-MARS: Tell us about some of the programs that Liberty Bank has to offer. Mr. Steele: For our low to moderate income clients we work with the City of Houston and Harris County programs to provide home buying assistance. Liberty Bank offers Jumbo Products for up to $2 Million for the higher end community. We are a little more liberal than some of the local banks. We have another program that will be live within the next 30 – 60 days that provides 100% financing for well qualified home buyers. It’s a huge deal because we will literally be the ONLY bank in town, and to my knowledge in the country, that will be offering 100% financing without you being in the low to moderate income bracket. There are similar programs for low to moderate clients, but for a person who has good credit, that makes a decent amount of money, there just really is no help for you, first time buyer or otherwise. So what we are looking to do is try to help people get into homes. Once again we are committed to our community in particular and helping African Americans get into homes. The first step to financial empowerment is homeownership. And if we can help people, there’s a larger market of people who make good money, have good credit, but don’t necessarily have a lot of money saved or they don’t want to part with it. We see this all the time where people have to dip into their 401k’s for down payment assistance and they can afford to buy a house. They are paying $1,800 to $2,000 a month for rent but they may not have $10,000 that they can part with to get into a home. Those are the type of people we want to help with this program. MR. D-MARS: How can our readers find out more about this program? Mr. Steele: For more information about this program you can contact us at the office at 713-681-3703 and anyone on our
staff can help you. They are a very experienced staff. Both of my loan coordinators are very experienced. One of them has been with me nine years and the other one has been with me six years. Cathy has 15 years’ experience in the business and Nikki has nine years’ experience in the business. MR. D-MARS: How is your bank different when an individual is acquiring a home loan? We know that purchasing a home is a huge process. So what does your bank do to make it easier or more comfortable for the customer? Mr. Steele: When you talk to realtors or clients some of the gripes that they have had in the past are: 1. “I can’t get a hold of my loan officer.” They call in and they can’t get anyone to return their phone calls. They can’t get anybody live on the phone. 2. They don’t close on time. These are two things that we really take a very different approach to and try to address. We always want to make sure that you can get someone on the telephone. That is why I have put a good team in place. If you can’t get a hold of me directly, you can always get ahold of one of my loan coordinators or our processor. We even have a concierge to service our customers. That’s how serious we are about delivering “good customer service.” I don’t know of another mortgage company that has a concierge who does nothing but cater to the needs of our referral partners and customers. In addition to that, closing on time is a big deal, because in today’s market with so many foreclosures and builders in the market a lot of times they have fees associated with not closing on time. If you don’t close on time, it could cost you $100 to $150 a day. That is something that the buyer usually has to absorb. We try
to protect our home buyers from that by offering a $1,000 on time closing guarantee. If you work with us and your loan does not close on time and it’s our fault, we will pay up to $1000 of any un-reimbursable fees that you incur. Once again we don’t take responsibility for third party issues, but if we drop the ball in anyway, we own up to it and make it right by our customers. That’s what sets us apart from the rest. MR. D-MARS: What advice would you give a first-time buyer who is ready to start the mortgage process? Mr. Steele: Whether you are a first, second, third or fourth time home buyer, the most important thing in that process is to make sure you have a good team. In doing so, you have to make sure that they make caring about you as a client a number one priority and are not just looking to make a commission and move on down the road. Also make sure that you have a team that is experienced and has the knowledge to be able to help you avoid the pitfalls. Just like you would not go into a courtroom without an attorney because that is not your area of expertise, in the real estate world there are a lot of pitfalls that you can step into even if it’s your fourth time buying a house. I’ve done this over a thousand times, so there are probably some things that I can bring to the table that will help you avoid some of those pitfalls. If they choose us, they are choosing the right team. We will make sure that they have a team of mortgage professionals that: • They line up their values
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• Insure that they are not going to step in any pitfalls and • At all costs, look out for the customer’s best interest first. Our mission is to bridge the divide of the disparity in financial literacy and education that is experienced in our community every day. We do all that we can at Liberty Bank to make your financial freedom our priority. LIBERTY BANK’S HISTORY In 1972, Liberty Bank was chartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, with a focus on service, integrity and a sincere interest in community and business development. Nearly four decades later, Liberty Bank has expanded to 18 branch offices in six states. Liberty Bank established its Baton Rouge presence in 1994 and opened a third branch in 2004. Liberty then moved into Mississippi in 2003, acquiring First American Bank in Jackson. This was followed by expansion into the Greater Kansas City market with the acquisition of Douglass bank in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, in 2008. Liberty Bank and Trust Company expanded across Greater New Orleans with the 2009 acquisition of United Bank and Trust Company, securing four additional locations to serve that market. That was followed by the acquisition of Home Federal Savings in Detroit, Michigan, which increased the bank’s reach to seven major urban areas in six states. Liberty Bank’s growth has been the result of acquisitions, fruitful partnerships, aggressive marketing, strong management, excellent staff productivity and the trust it enjoys in the community. It all adds up to an efficient, well-capitalized institution that is perfectly positioned to continue fast-paced growths in both profits and assets. At Liberty Bank, we are passionate about helping more people achieve more economic freedom.
Harold Ahmad Steele Ph. (713) 681-3703 ext 104 | Fax (888) 204-9743 License: NMLS ID: 258383 HASteele@LibertyBank.net
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May 2013
Interagency MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ Program for Houston Small Businesses
By Sharon C Jenkins
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Contributing Writer
’m a big fan of small business ownership. I think it’s the backbone of American innovation. But to be successful, you first have to have the courage to go for it. Bill Rancic In 2012 the Interagency Mentor Protégé Small Business Development Program was implemented. The effort is a collaboration between METRO, Port of Houston, City of Houston and the Houston Independent School District. Seven METRO SBEs were graduated as a result. Strategic Partnerships were formed with SCORE, Capital One, and other local small business mentors to insure the success of its participants. They provided mentoring in the areas of website development, networking, financing and growth planning. Tiko ReynoldsHausman is the program coordinator for the new and improved Interagency MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ Program (IMPP), which originally was the brainchild of Velma Laws, former Director, Affirmative Action and Contract Compliance at the City of Houston. Marlyss Young of JAM Electrical Inc. was one of the program’s initial protégé’s and she had this to say about her experience. “God bless Ms. Tiko Reynolds at Houston Metropolitan Transit for all her efforts in going above and beyond in coordinating the first Mentor-Protégé program. We felt honored that JAM Electrical, Inc. was given the opportunity to participate in this program. Having a SCORE mentor was wonderful! He helped us with various aspects of our bidding process, as well as giving the company owners some different avenues to contemplate. The mini-workshops helped provide additional resources and assistance for a small
business owner. Our company was blessed to have participated in the program and we encourage any small business to consider participating in future Mentor-Protégé programs that may be offered through METRO.” In the original program SCORE provided the mentoring for all of the program’s participants. Bill Huff of SCORE stated that, “The Interagency MENTOR PROTÉGÉ Program, spearheaded by METRO, is a form of Leadership where partners have come together for the common good of helping small businesses advance in the game of Entrepreneurship. Small businesses are the backbone of the Economy. Small businesses provide for gainful employment and in total are considered the largest employer in the United States. Programs like the Mentor Protégé Program that help businesses to grow, is one of the catalyst needed in our challenging economy. SCORE appreciates the opportunity to help with this worthwhile objective. SCORE is an organization of former business owners and executives who volunteer their time for the success of small businesses. SCORE brings a lot of business experience, knowledge and passion to the table to help small businesses succeed. We Educate! We Counsel! We Mentor!” On April 18th more than 30 small business owners turned out at Metro to learn more about the mentor-protégé program, which officially began accepting applications on April 22nd. In attendance was Bill Huff of SCORE, Kimberly Williams, VP of the Office of Small Business with METRO, Bernard Willingham of HISD Business Assistance Supplier Diversity, Tiko Reynolds-Hausman of the Office of Small Business Metro, Will Norwood of the City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity and Pedro Gonzalez from the Port of Houston Authority. Pamela Ellis, PMP of Smahrt Solutions was in attendance at the informational meeting and had this to say about the program, “I am very excited about the
opportunity to participate in the program. My company has been in business for 10 years now and we are really looking to expand our offerings to METRO and other public sector organizations. I believe our participation in the program will allow us to gain valuable insight on METRO and its operations, and how we can best serve them.” Protégé’s who enter the program are expected to increase their potential to build financial capacity, increase teaming, and to more successfully compete in the procurement process. Collectively the mentor and the protégé will develop a Business Development Plan (BDP) and benefit from agency initiatives that provide additional assistance to IMPP participants and graduates. Mentors offer assistance in doing business with the government; pricing your product; legal and financial requirements; teaming and partnership agreements and step-by-step training on completing calls for procurements and marketing and branding your business. Protégé’s will have the opportunity for one-on-one networking and professional development.
PROTÉGÉ ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
The Protégé must meet the following criteria: 1. Complete the on-line application and submit a current business plan. 2. Currently be certified as a Small, Wome n- O w ne d , Ve t e r a n- O w ne d , Minority-Owned or Disadvantaged Business Enterprise by the City of Houston, METRO Small Business or hold a current registration from the Port of Houston or the Houston Independent School District. 3. Your business must be in a continuous operation status for at least 24 months preceding your application. If you are currently doing or have done work with any of the IMPP partners, you must be in good standing on that contract. 4. Business revenues must be between $150,000 and $4.0 Million in the most recent fiscal year. 5. Your business must have a minimum of four employees. 6. The protégé must be able to identify the specific type of guidance needed for
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development. 7. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
MENTOR ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
The Mentor must meet the following criteria: 1. Complete the on-line application for approval including the identification of the area of business expertise. 2. Must have successful work history with one of the above mentioned organizations as a prime contractor/consultant. 3. Must have extensive work experience and can provide developmental guidance in areas that meet the needs of the protégé. 4. Committed to the success of the protégé by assisting in the development of a Business Assistance Plan. 5. Willing to provide guidance through one or more dedicated staff members or principals for at least 2 protégés.
IMPORTANT DATES
1. Applications can be completed online at: 2. Applications will be accepted April 22, 2013 through May 8, 2013. 3. Panel Interviews will be held the week of May 13, 2013. 4. Qualifying firms will be notified of acceptance by May 28, 2013. 5. June 4, 2013 is the anticipated start date for the program. THINGS A POTENTIAL PROTÉGÉ OR MENTOR SHOULD KNOW … 1. The IMPP is a multi-week program which requires a substantial time commitment. 2. Applicants should be prepared to share financial and business data. 3. Expected outcomes are improved business plans, the potential for increased financial capacity and teaming. (There are not guaranteed outcomes.) To apply for the IMPP, go to http:// www.hisdtracker.com/dnn/gps/Home. aspx. For more information call Tiko Reynolds-Hausman at 713-739-6032 or send an email to Tiko.HausmanReynolds@ ridemetro.org.
May 2013
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May 2013
Bill Russell, The Automotive Salesman You CAN Trust!
By Sharon C Jenkins Contributing Writer
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f you say the name “Bill Russell” in conjunction with purchasing a car, you can rest assured that you are going to get the best deal possible. His passion for fair and equitable treatment of all people when it comes to purchasing high end items fuels his desire to help those who need help when it comes to purchasing a car. For years he was an icon at Russell and Smith Ford, but Bill has a new address. He is part of The Sonic Automotive Group at Momentum BMW located at 1002 Southwest Freeway. Not only has he re-located, but he has expanded his repertoire of automobiles to include virtually any kind of car you could possibly desire. You can buy anything that you want: car, truck, or SUV, at the lowest payment you have ever seen or heard. He has access to over 300 dealerships nationwide. He can assist you with ANY and EVERY brand, make or model available: BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Ford, Chevy,
Cadillac, and Range Rover …, from almost anywhere in the continental U.S. Numerous Houston car buyers serve as witnesses to the fact that no one in the industry is more fair and trustworthy than Bill Russell! He has over 30 years experience in the automobile industry with huge success because he believes strongly in the sowing and reaping principle. Early in his career, he witnessed that African American customers pay more for cars than other ethnicities. He actually lost his first job as a car salesman as a result. Back in the day, the sales office listened in on their customer’s conversations when the salesman left the customer to talk with their supervisor about financing. Even though he was the third highest ranking salesman for that quarter, he was fired because he felt that it was his moral responsibility to advise his customers on how they should best negotiate the deal for their automobile purchase. After that he took a 10 year break, but car sales was in his DNA and he eventually returned to the industry. When asked, “Why should people trust you?” Russell responded, “Because of God’s grace and the success He has allowed me to have, I can put the needs of my customer above and before mine.
It’s not about the dollar for me at this point. I’ve managed to go beyond the dollar. My mission is to educate African Americans on how to be better stewards of their resources.” He looked at areas where they usually have been treated unfairly in business and established support systems to educate, empower, and eradicate the norm. Some of those areas are: Credit: He researched over • 50 sources of credit repair and found a trustworthy source that assists him in offering credit repair to his potential customers. His clients can rest assured that their credit information will be kept with the strictest confidentiality. Real Estate: Russell believes that • being a home owner is just as easy as renting an apartment. It has been his experience that often people may purchase a $60,000 - $70,000 automobile and place it in their apartment parking lot versus making that investment in real estate. He stated, “I have several customers that 45 days ago, they could not qualify for anything. In the last 5 days they have gotten both a house and a car.” • Mortgages: He has a mortgage company that helps his clients get financed to become homeowners. His goal is to assist others in realizing their dreams. His life scripture is Psalm 112:5, which says: “If a man deals fairly in business, wealth and riches will be in his house.” He has acquired a certain level of wealth, which liberates him to unselfishly help others. For 17 years he hosted a radio program on KCOH as a community service called Bill Russell Car Talk. When he retired from the automotive business several years ago it was because he had achieved the level of success that he set out to attain. As a child he came face to face with his potential for greatness. He decided at an early age that he would not allow his humble beginnings to influence his dreams. Motivated by his faith, Russell has become his own living testimony of God’s ability to empower you to be a David in a Goliath world. He recently returned to the industry because no one had taken up “the mantle” of empowering the Millennial Generation to make wise decisions in the area of car buying. Russell states that, “The new generation of car buyers [ages 35 – 40] are academically educated, making nice money, driving nice cars, but they are not aware of the historical bend in the industry to seller bias and prejudice towards minorities. They buy outside of their
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budget, and they buy on emotion. I can fix all of that. If I can get you into a car, I can get you into a house.” Bill Russell’s Top Twelve Tips on How to Buy an Automobile Do your homework! Use the 1. Internet and the newspaper to comparison shop before you go to the dealership. 2. Let you budget buy the car rather than your taste buds. A luscious car may eventually cause you indigestion when you can’t make the payments. 3. Analyze your finances to determine what you can truthfully afford. That means taking an honest look at your assets and liabilities and determining what you can comfortably allocate for a car payment monthly. 4. Don’t let what’s in your neighbor’s garage influence your decision making process. Keeping up with Joneses may eventually be detrimental to your financial health. Again, seek an automobile that fits into your budget! 5. Review your credit score prior to shopping for a vehicle. You may be pleasantly surprised or somewhat disappointed. Either way knowledge is power, it better prepares you for strategic negotiation on the sales floor. 6. Try to obtain your own financing, prior to your trip to the dealership. This will allow you to comparison shop in addition to giving you some leverage in the negotiation phase. 7. Shop your trade-in before you show up to make a deal. Have your car appraised prior to your visit to the dealership, so that you can comparison shop before you receive an offer. 8. Call Bill Russell if a “down payment” is a problem. 9. Call Bill Russell if you are looking for a favorable payoff on your trade-in, regardless of how much you owe. 10. Call Bill Russell if you don’t like your current car note and want a lower monthly payment. 11. Call Bill Russell if you want to finally deal with someone you can trust. 12. Call Bill Russell at 281-839-3300 and get your dream deal at a price you can afford! To Get Behind the Wheel of Your Dream Car Today: For preapproval go to www. • momentumbmw.net • To view all of Bill’s inventory go to www.sonicautomotive.com. Check out Bill Russell’s website at • http://billmrussell.wix.com/cartalk.
May 2013
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How to Broker Houston In God We Trust… a Green Power The Rest Show Data! into Community? By Noel Pinnock, MPA, CPM Contributing Writer
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n the beginning…God created the heavens and earth (Gen. 1:1). Our faith in God, man and country is predicated upon this unequivocal foundation. This foundation applies to everyone despite race, color, or creed, and it is upon this foundation that the common notion of loving our fellow neighbors exists. Unfortunately, some residents across our nation have varying perspectives on loving one’s neighbors. Some believe that one can only embrace the neighbors who look like them and share common beliefs; while others are more transparent and accepting of the strength that comes from embracing the diversity in communities and a coalition of people. So, why is there such a chasm that continues to divide our communities on the local issues and sends the resonating perception we are more divided than united? Well, in God we trust, the rest show data, and after a careful examination of the voting data and trends throughout the Houston Metropolitan area, to include Pearland, Sugar Land, and Missouri City, I was flummoxed why the turnout was so low in our local elections. I am of the persuasion that local politics hit our homes, families, and businesses the hardest and fastest, and should be given the same level of impetus as said state and national elections. Not only do Local politics shape the contours of policy and services, but it also fuels the future of our city’s economies and quality of life. City servants (elected, hired, or appointed) should possess the audacity to forensically examine ways to not only sustain its people, but also ways to improve service delivery and make local government more accessible. We can no longer sit on the fence of fatigue and allow apathy to set precedents in our local landscapes. One of our nation’s patriarchs, James Madison, coined in the Federalist Paper #51, “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.” What does he mean? Essentially, he is emphasizing that the ambition of government (local, state, or national) must be counteracted by the ambition of its people. Yes, that means
you and me! If there is no counteraction, then one will supersede the other and the inevitable entropy and erosion will take precedence ergo compromising service and quality of life. According to the History News Network: “Most citizens are not psychologically prepared to pay close attention to a campaign when Election Day is months away. Yet, because it has been going on for months, they are also not highly attentive when it is only weeks away. By campaign’s end, they will even have forgotten much of what they had learned earlier. In 2000, for example, Americans knew less about George W. Bush’s position on gun control in October than they had known in February. Overall, our research indicates that the college-educated electorate of today is no better informed and, by some indicators, is less informed than the highschool-educated electorate of fifty years ago. Changes in the voting laws would also help. For one thing, polling hours should be extended. Amidst the uproar over ballot irregularities in Florida in 2000, no commentator saw fit to ask why the polls in that state closed at 7 p.m. local time. Florida is one of twenty-six states that shut down their polls before 8 p.m. Not surprisingly, turnout in these states is several percentage points below that of states where the polls are open until 8 p.m. or later. Limits on polling hours go back decades and have been a convenient way to discourage the participation of lower-income workers who are stuck at their jobs during the day. Turnout would likely also increase if Election Day was declared a national holiday, as the National Commission on Federal Election Reform has recommended. The United States is nearly alone among western democracies in holding its elections on a workday instead of on a holiday or weekend. Turnout is depressed by the fact that most people have little choice but to vote before or after work, and then within limited polling hours.” These and other prevailing issues serve to suppress voting trends at the local level. But, if we want to make a difference in this world, then we had better start examining the roots before we examine its fruits. Remember, all politics happen locally and if you know now what you didn’t know before, then what will you do differently? Let me let you in on a little secret…in God we trust, the rest must VOTE!
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By D. L. Jones
Contributing Writer
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any Americans have become increasingly concerned about the world’s erratic climate change and wonder how long before conditions worsen. Is there anything we can do as a community in Houston, TX about this? By far, the main source of climateaffecting greenhouse gas emissions comes from energy made from burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil. Renewable energy sources, such as wind, water turbines and solar, drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, Houston being the oil and gas capital of the world makes the transition to renewable energy very challenging – especially for those companies profiting millions from oil and gas. Our government offers voluntary and low-cost ways to help companies produce renewable energy, thereby reducing the use of fossil fuels. One specific US program called the “Green Power Community Challenge,” has established benchmarks directly related to the energy we use. Simply put; reach the targets and you classify yourself as a Green Power Community. What an awesome goal it would be for Houston to take the challenge to create Green Sustainable Communities (companies producing renewable energy such as from a wind farm). The obvious benefit is that renewable energy avoids the health and climate damage caused by fossilbased energy. Houston has an opportunity to claim the environmental benefits of the renewable energy, and also provide funds to help develop more renewable energy. Why should Houston incorporate a “GREEN” sustainable energy along with oil and gas? The obvious answer is that the sun is a clean renewable source of energy.
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With rising electricity prices, climate change concerns and a growing demand for electricity, renewable energy resources are becoming an increasingly valuable and necessary part of the world’s energy mix. The future’s most profitable industry is natural sustainable energy. The Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) is one of the world’s largest producers of silicon materials and solar panels, and engages in solar project development activities in selected segments of the solar electric systems, or photovoltaic’s (PV for short) market. Wind, water or solar energy is a good investment. Buying a solar system makes financial sense with a short payback time and good return on investment in countries that provide feed-in tariff or taxcredits and other incentives. The question holds, how can you financially profit in the alternative energy market? The RECs sold by producers of renewable energy come in amounts too large for most consumers to purchase directly. As a result, brokers have emerged who package RECs in consumer-friendly quantities. Brokers can work with utility companies to package REC purchases in amounts that match a consumer’s home energy use, and to allow consumers to pay for the RECs with small additions to their monthly utility bill. Like stock or real estate brokers, REC brokers include fees for their services in the price of their RECs. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, ‘green’ sustainable energy is just one way we can do our part to address greenhouse gas emissions. Getting an energy audit of our homes is a good way to get ideas on how to reduce energy consumption. Purchasing EnergyStar rated appliances is another. Insisting on energy efficient guidelines like LEED for new municipal and privately owned commercial buildings demonstrates Houston’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Becoming a Green Power Community has more benefits than becoming a broker; it really is all about strengthening our community.
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May 2013
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May 2013
Big Customer
Service from
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LivePlan.com -
The Brains Behind the Business
Small Businesses By Errol Allen Contributing Writer
I
t’s often been said that small businesses are the heartbeat of any growing economy. Nimbleness, less red tape and quick decisions are some of the advantages of being a small business. When interacting with small business owners, quite naturally customer service becomes the topic of discussion. I’m often asked “Errol, should I go to all the trouble of developing a customer service strategy?” My response is “Yes you should! If you expect to retain your present customers, thereby growing your business through retention and referrals, then developing a customer service strategy is a smart step to take.” Here are several suggestions for the small business owner. Act Like You’re Already There! - Most small business owners operate with the hopes of one day being a large company. Go ahead and act like a large business by developing customer service strategies that incent your customers to remain loyal to your brand. Decide how you will interact with your customer - What will you do when your customer calls? How many rings before you answer the phone? When your customer leaves a voice mail, how long will you take before returning that call? When your customer enters your establishment, how long will it be before that customer’s presence is acknowledged? How will you determine what’s important to your customer in regards to your product/service? When your customer emails, how long before you respond? When you have a long-term project, how often will you provide updates? When your customer complains about your product/ service, what will you do next? Now I hear some small business owners saying “Errol, I don’t have time for that! I’m too busy running my business!” It’s important to spend time working on your business which means answering those questions! Taking the time to do so will certainly lead to establishing operational standards which should transfer into a great customer experience. Examine Your Processes - Most large organizations understand the need for process documentation, process analysis and process improvement projects. In their quest for growth, small business should regularly take a look at “how they do what they do” Identify your core processes - for example - customer request for product/service, order fulfillment,
product delivery, and customer invoicing. What are the current steps for each of your core processes? What exactly does the customer encounter when interacting with your company? Are they customer friendly - for both the purchasing customer as well as internal customers (you may not have too many internal customers yet, but if you have just one other person involved in the day-to-day operation of your business, that’s an internal customer.) Taking this step assists one in identifying exactly what is taking place on a daily basis. Search for improvement opportunities and make the necessary adjustments to insure that your purchasing customer receives a great customer experience. Establish Operational Metrics - Just as most large companies tend to identify what’s important to measure, it’s critical that small business owners do the same. Operational metrics act as a barometer to assist you in knowing how your business is functioning. A great way to determine what to measure is to simply ask your customer what’s important to them about your product or service. For example, how about establishing operational goals for Order Fulfillment, Email Response, On Time Appointments, Customer Complaints just to name a few. Now I’m big on percentages so let’s go a step further - % of Orders Fulfilled Within Established Goal, % of Emails Responded to Within Established Goal, % of On time Appointments To Established Goal. Utilizing percentages helps one to see at what level the operation is performing in relation to the established goals. Once it’s clear where the operation stands, take the time to get the story behind the number. If an area is performing below the established goal, take a look at what impacts that particular situation. There’s a story behind every number. Take the time to get the story before making any changes. Your willingness to establish operational metrics allows for proactive management of your company instead of reacting to customer complaints or to a customer’s decision to stop utilizing your products or services. Running a small business can be a daunting task requiring the owner to wear multiple hats. In your quest to grow your business, remember to Act Like You’re Already There by developing customer service strategies, Examine Your Processes to insure they are both customer and employee friendly and Establish Operational Metrics to always know the pulse of your business. By taking these steps, you greatly enhance your opportunities for growth! Copyright Errol Allen Consulting © 2013
By Cynthia Nevels
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Contributing Writer
ecently I had an opportunity to interview two fascinating women on my weekly radio show. Two women who know all too well what it takes to raise capital for a small business and the ins and outs of running an innovative global tech company. Sabrina Parsons, Chief Executive Officer and Caroline Cummings, Vice President of Marketing for Palo Alto Software has a different take on how technology can serve as the brains behind the business. Palo Alto Software is the developer of Business Plan Pro, Sales and Marketing Pro and LivePlan – Online Planning. Palo Alto Software’s LivePlan system has more to offer than just executive summaries and forecast formulas. Starting a small business can be a challenge for the novice entrepreneur. In some cases, entrepreneurs tend to be great at creating their widgets, however counting the beans or securing funding tends to be an Achilles heel for some. Some business owners couldn’t manage their way out of a box – at least that is what their staff believes. Female business owners tend to face more internal challenges when it comes to managing the operation and planning for the future. They face more external challenges when it comes to raising capital. Cummings spoke from experience; she pitched to angel investors and venture capitalists for five years before landing a deal and selling her company. “One of the biggest barriers in capital acquisition for women is the negative perception that is broadly held about women in positions of leadership,” shares Cummings. There are myths that women are not interested in, or capable of, starting or running a venturebacked firm.” If you are going to get the attention of an investor, LivePlan executives believe you need more than business planning software
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to organize your thoughts. They have created a unique app that helps managers pitch, plan and manage. Recently, LivePlan introduced a new feature called The Pitch. LivePlan’s Pitch guides you through quickly building a one-page infographic to represent your business. It helps you communicate the value of your business in as little as 60 seconds (much like the famed “elevator pitch”) and highlight the most important parts of your business on a single page, then print or securely share your Pitch page to tell the story of your business to investors and bankers. If you are not ready to pitch your idea to raise capital, Liveplan offers another app to help you keep score called The Scoreboard. The Scoreboard answers the frequently asked question, “Now that I’m up and running, how is my business doing?” LivePlan’s Scoreboard feature brings your budget to life and lets you know how you’re doing by synching your business plan projections and comparing them to real world financials. You can easily see how you’re tracking from the previous month or the same time last year. Scoreboard gives you access to numbers that matter and provides real-time updates on how your business is doing. The Scoreboard is compatible with QuickBooks with some configuration you can share financial data and create reports to measure the success of your company. “60% of small businesses fail because of cash flow issues not because of bad ideas,” states Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software. Small businesses can use tools to help manage the operation without sacrificing significant time away from product development or sales. “It is important to understand where you are financially,” shares Parsons. Liveplan gives small business owners the freedom to focus on what’s important while keeping a finger on the pulse of the business. To hear more about the program tune in to The C-Radio Show on blogtalkradio. com/cradioshow or check out their feature pages: http://w w w.liveplan.com/features/ build-your-business-pitch/
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May 2013
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May 2013
How to Select a Financial Professional By Mena Freeman Contributing Writer
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nce you’ve decided to get serious about financial planning or investing, one of your next steps may be to seek professional help. Perhaps relatives or friends are recommending financial professionals to you. Maybe you know some financial professionals yourself. What is the smart way to choose financial planning advice and service? Consider these 10 ideas: 1. Focus on the person – You probably want a relationship that will continue for many years. This relationship usually is built on a personal level, not with companies. That’s why it’s best to set aside the hype and focus instead on the integrity, style, values and work habits of the individual. Attending seminars is a great way to compare financial professionals because it allows you to evaluate styles before you make a commitment. It’s also a good idea to obtain referrals from people you know and trust, ideally those who are clients of the same professional. 2. Find a good fit – Interview several professionals who have been recommended by friends and family – or perhaps those whom you’ve met at networking events or seminars. 3. Go slow – Some of the best financial relationships are built gradually, so don’t feel pressured to make a commitment right away. Tell the professional what you need to accomplish, and don’t let yourself be pushed into complex processes. If you’re buying a financial product, evaluate how well the professional serves you after the first sale. Continuing service is a true test of a dedicated professional. 4. Listen – In your first or second interview, most financial professionals will tell you how they work and what they do best. Sit back, make eye contact and listen carefully. You’ll learn that some professionals are comfortable recommending high-risk investments, while others are more conservative. 5. Expect to be educated – Ask professionals how financial concepts work, and then evaluate how much clarity and care they put into their answers. The best financial professionals are good communicators and educators who don’t mind teaching their clients. Beware of professionals who brush off questions with flip answers. True professionals don’t bully clients with superior financial knowledge. They share it. 6. Discuss fees – Financial professionals can be paid in many ways – such as through commissions, hourly fees, or fees based on assets invested with the professional. Any method can work, provided you understand and
are comfortable with it up front. Ask candidates how they wish to be paid and approximately how much you should expect to pay them in the first year of your relationship. 7. Ask for documents – Ask to see documents before choosing a financial specialist. If your financial professional acts as an Investment Advisor Representative providing investment advice, ask to see a sample plan and make sure you are comfortable with its depth and style. 8. Evaluate the process – At some point early in your relationship, the financial specialist probably will make a specific recommendation to you, which can involve buying an investment or insurance product, participating in a planning analysis, or opening a brokerage account. Before accepting or rejecting the recommendation, ask yourself if the financial professional learned enough about you and your needs to make an appropriate recommendation at that point. If a recommendation comes too fast, it’s a sign that the financial professional is focusing on his or her needs more than yours. Credentials and background 9. – Many financial specialists have college degrees, and many also have earned professional designations such as CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) or Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®). Once you are comfortable with a financial professional’s style and methods and have checked out personal recommendations, consider degrees and designations as the “icing on the cake.” your financial 10. Remember professional’s role – Your financial professional isn’t your parent, buddy or psychiatrist – and he or she won’t set strict rules on how you can invest or cheer you up when your investments are dropping. Your financial professional will prove most valuable by listening to your needs, making clear recommendations, helping you avoid mistakes, and always telling you the truth. When financial professionals exaggerate their skills or promise success, consider that a red flag. The best financial professionals are helpful and dedicated people who, whenever you have a serious need or question, will make time to address it. Even if you aren’t their wealthiest client, they’ll recognize that your financial goals are very important. They won’t make investing or planning difficult for you. At every opportunity, they will try to simplify your life without glossing over difficult decisions or unpleasant results. A good financial specialist will remind you that you are in charge of achieving your own goals, and you can do that best when you have the benefit of accurate information, objective analysis, and clear recommendations. Prepared by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. The information contained in this article is for general, informational purposes only.
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Live the Dream By Elvia Valdez Contributing Writer
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nderson Cooper said “Learning who you don’t want to be like is the force that allows you to figure out who you want to be,” Benjamin Franklin said an “Investment in knowledge pays the best interest” and lastly Dr. Martin Luther King is remembered best for his iconic words and speech “I Have a Dream.” What do those words really mean to you? TODAY is ours, the day that has been made for you and me to make our dreams a reality. As children many of us learned the words of Dr. King and have embedded them in our mental compartments of U.S. history but do we know what it really is to dream? We have all ended up at this very place here and now because of our own individual dreams and aspirations. To dream is simply not enough to satisfy the desires of our heart; we must also LIVE the DREAM. But first in order to dream bigger we must think bigger. You do not need to fall victim to an excuse or circumstance just because you have been failed by others. This does not give you the right
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to fail yourself. We must acknowledge a world outside our current neighborhood. Do not allow your vision to be limited by your current environment. You can chose to break free from the vicious cycle of a continued generation of poverty. Learn to follow and admire people who have shared your same dream of being more, to do this enlarge your vision. Instead of simply having the dream, we should desire to live the dream. It is our social responsibility to Live the Dream- to show compassion to the world and create peace. It is important to LIVE YOUR DREAM with those who helped you achieve it, those who said you could not, those who inspired you, and lastly those who could never have envisioned you to come back and share it with them. Do not forget we must use our education for improving the lives of others and for leaving our community and world far better than we found it. Never assume because of your education you are too grand or untouchable. The more we see, the more we are capable of seeing, but remember to Always Live the DREAM!
May 2013
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Black Veteran Entrepreneurs Resources Abound! Alternative Financing for Veteran Entrepreneurs By Alvin E. Terry
A
Contributing Writer
fter participating in the “Houston Money Week” initiative for Financial Literacy, April 7th – 13th, as a Veteran Volunteer, U S Air Force, I was able to assist over 300 Veterans gain information on how to get their financial houses in order and to discuss the aspects of owning and running a small business. Financing was the primary concern of those veterans that wanted to start their own businesses. Fortunately there was a lender that specializes in Veteran Owned Businesses. That Bank is “PeopleFund”, www.peoplefund.org. They have offices in Houston, Austin and Dallas. They have lent over $1,000,000.00 to Veterans through PeopleVet and is eager to lend an additional $1,000,000.00 to veteran business owners. They have created more than 2700 jobs for in-need populations across Texas, including Veterans. PeopleFund is a one-stop resource for “Vetrepreneurs” with access to capital and business educational resources. Texas is home to 1.67 million Veterans, equal to
8.67% of the total Texas population. The facts are that there are 878,000 veterans in the Texas Workforce, 90,000 Veterans in Texas are self-employed and over 35,000 new veterans are expected to move to Texas each year. PeopleFund are Texas registered as a Non-Profit 501©3 and is a U.S Treasury certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), a certified SBA Lender that have microloans up to $50,000, and SBA 7A Community Advantage up to $250,000. They actually provide loans to small businesses, non profits and startups up to $250,000. Their commitment is to Texas small businesses and entrepreneurs. Their core values include integrity, service and excellence. The biggest challenge to any small business is access to capital. Money alone is not the answer, particularly for small startups, mentorship, business education and training increases the odds in favor of success. What Makes PeopleFund Different? Non-Profit Business Lender • • CDFI – Support Underserved Populations which includes Veterans • No Application Fee • No Established Minimum FICO Score • Low Loan Equity Contribution • Flexible Loan Terms and No Pre-
Payment Penalty • Post Loan Business Training and Support • A variety of Loan Products: PeopleFund Loans, SBA Micro loan, SBA Community Advantage Loans, Lines of Credit up to $250,000 Who PeopleFund Helps? Businesses that lack access to • bank loans Half of their referrals are from • bankers unable to make a loan to a client Start - ups (12 months or less) – • look for relevant experience, some equity, alternative source of income during startup phase Businesses that require only • working capital Business equipment purchase • Business leasehold improvements • Real Estate acquisition and • construction – owner occupied Real Estate acquisition and • construction – affordable housing Non – profit organizations • Provide post loan training, • education, and support Texas Veteran Residents • Their “Business Loan Portfolio,“ consists of Small Businesses (46%), Nonprofits (20%), Startups (34%). Of startups and small business loans (15%) are to veterans. HOW TO APPLY
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Online at www.peoplefund.org, • click on “get a loan” Call 888-222-0017, ask to speak • to a loan officer THEIR MISSION PeopleFund creates economic opportunity by helping people through Texas to Build healthy small businesses • (business loans, education & assistance) • Achieve financial security and independence Their Resource Partners • Veterans Affairs (Vet Biz) Small Business Development • Centers • Texas Veterans Commission Office of the Governor • SBA • Veteran Business Development Offices and Outreach Centers Texas Military Installations • • Business Capital affiliates, Banks, SBA, CDFI’s Once again, it has been a pleasure to bring to you valuable information that will get you thinking in the right direction, which can ultimately save you time and money! Good luck, stay diligent and be prosperous! You may contact Alvin E. Terry, MBA at alvin.terry@rocketmail or Cell @ 713.392.9107
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May 2013
Bridging the Multigenerational Workplace Gap
Encourage employees to support • one another (no one likes to be thrown under the bus). By Christina R Grochett • Career development should be Contributing Writer ongoing. Implement a training/mentoring program to ensure everyone is directed on oday’s workforce is becoming a path of optimal success. • Be flexible and understanding. increasingly diverse, more • Reward employee performance so now than ever before. Whether culturally, racially or and productivity. Students who enter the workforce and generationally, the modern day employee generally conveys individuality in all want to be successful need to understand forms and many times fits into multiple the importance of working with multiple demographic classifications. While generations. This is the reason why individuality can spark creativity, increase University of Phoenix integrates teamwork productivity and aid in the introduction of and collaboration training into its new and innovative ideas, it can also create curriculum, so students enter the workforce with a skillset that includes organization, dysfunction within the workplace. According to AARP’s Leading a cooperation and effective communication. Something to keep in mind is that Multigenerational Workforce1, the current day workforce is comprised of four while the workplace is a continuously generations: World War II/Traditionalists, changing environment, it is also a place Baby Boomers, Generation X and where positive collaboration can yield the Millennial. When these four generations greatest return. Employees are investments do not seamlessly work together, teams and Millennials are the future workplace run a higher risk of igniting a “generational thought leaders, keeping an open mind and being transparent with every employee differences wildfire.” The first three generations have been is key to ensuring a successful work. Source: AARP; “Leading a 1. working with one another for quite a while; and now that the Millennials are starting Multigenerational Workforce http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/ to integrate even more, the workplace is beginning to yield an entirely different cs/misc/leading_a_multigenerational_ workforce.pdf dynamic. Christina Robinson Grochett is the For example, each generation has a preferred method of communication and Campus Director of University of Phoenix view on authority, leadership and even Houston Campus. An accomplished leader work ethic. While the World War II/ and champion of higher learning, she was Traditionalist generation has a general selected as one of the 2010 Women of perspective on leadership by hierarchy, Influence by Houston Woman Magazine, Millennials tend to instead rely on one of the Top 10 business women by the leadership by achievement and pulling American Business Women’s Association in together. Baby Boomers prefer to pick 2008 and a Cambridge Who’s Who 2011 up the phone or discuss things in person VIP for the Education Industry. Under while Millennials prefer instant messages, her leadership, the Houston Campus was e-mail and text messages. Additionally, selected as a 2009, 2010 and 2011 Best Generation Xers prefer to be left alone Place to Work by The Houston Business to do their job while Millennials gain Journal and was awarded with the 2008, motivation when their actions are 2009 and 2010 Alfred P. Sloan Awards from the City of Houston for Workplace connected to personal career goals. Ultimately everyone in the workplace Flexibility and Innovation. needs to learn how to work together and make the most out of each day; and by doing so there are a few “best practices” to keep in mind. Develop a workplace culture that • is age-neutral and all encompassing.
T
A. Philip Randolph Institute,
Celebrates 40 Years of Service
By Ms. Clara Caldwell Contributing Writer
T
he Texas State A. Philip Randolph Institute recently held its annual state convention at the Crown Plaza Hotel located in Northwest Houston during the weekend of April 5-7, 2013. This was a very special convention because they were commemorating APRI’s 40th years of existence. In conjunction with their 40th year celebration, they acknowledged that this is also the 50th year for the March on Washington. They knew then that this would definitely be an unforgettable year. The organization encouraged all that could, to go and be a part of history. As with all of the state conventions, they started off their APRI Executive Board meeting, with the largest attendance ever. Their focus was primarily on scholarship fundraising. They were graced with a dynamic speaker at the Saturday’s luncheon who was Judge Joel Clouser, Justice of the Peace in Precinct 2 of Fort Bend County. Also, a special tribute by their APRI Youth Department was given on behalf of one of their most dedicated seniors, Ms. Chasity Robinson, the niece of Mrs. Clara Caldwell that recently passed away. She will surely be missed. There were two workshops on Saturday, April 6th. The first was hosted by Mr. Claude Cummings Jr., District 6 VicePresident of CWA. The panel consisted of Mr. John Bland, Vice-President of TWU, Reverend Lillie with the NAACP, Ms. Karrie Washenfelder, President of AFLCIO of Fort Bend County, Ms. Sandra Burleson, National Staff Representative for TWU and a host of other guests. Topics included Keeping the Labor Movement Alive, (we are only 7% organized), Building
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Unionism and Coalitions, Increasing Our Memberships Within Our Constituency Groups such as CLUW, CBTU, APRI and the NAACP just to name a few, and discussing how voter ID attacks affects us all. The second workshop was Ask the Lawyers with Texas State Representative Ronald Reynolds, Attorney Clyde Lemons and Attorney Traci Jackson and Carroll Robinson as facilitator, which covered issues concerning labor as well as personal family issues. This session was very inspirational to all. The APRI State Convention held its banquet on Saturday night honoring none other than Mr. John Bland, Vice-President with the Transport Workers Union. Words cannot express the awesome accolades that Mr. Bland so much deserves. Any time you have two Congresspersons, one being Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee and the other being Congressman Al Green, along with a host of other dignitaries, church members, family and friends, the event was more than extraordinary. APRI would like to congratulate Mr. John Bland for all that he has done for the labor movement. On Sunday morning, what better way to end a convention without a “Word from Above.” Rev. Claude Cummings III graced the participants with a sermon about Words of Wisdom. A host of vendor, family members and friends attended our conference and we all look forward to our 41st conference with your presence. Their upcoming event for the month of May is centered on their scholarship fundraising featuring the Annual Rainbow Tea and Baby Pageant. This event will be held at the CWA Hall on May 19, 2013. APRI will be giving out $23,000 to deserving graduates of APRI.
May 2013
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May 2013
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May 2013
The Young Entrepreneur
By Jasmine Stone
B
eing a young entrepreneur, your small business is only as good for all those people who know about it. And for those who don’t know, well they simply don’t care. After all the hardships you have gone through while starting up your business. After all those attempt to give it all up and return back to more secured corporate living. After all the risks you have to pass through. And now that you have toughed them all, the only aim that you now have is to make your small business grow. Well, that actually is not as simple as it may sound. Making your small business grow will lead you to more compromises. This entails you to take further risks. It is harder this time of course because you are delving into deeper realms of risk. Sometime, the absence of assurance for success will make it more difficult for you to get on through the next level. One of the many paths to growth from your youth in entrepreneurship towards maturity is to spread words of your small home based business. You may posses the best of the products in the industry but there would be no sense to them if the only people who know are those that are within your block. Your product may have the potentials of breaching million dollar sales but if no one buys it, there is no sense in
dreaming of becoming a tycoon. Start promoting yourself and your services. Some small home based business young entrepreneurs begin promoting their products even before they were fully launched. However, there are many who do promotions only when they have tapped the estimated potentials of their items. You always have the choice between the two though. There are two basic techniques that you may use to take your small home based business into the scene. One is through paid advertisement and the other through public relations. Paid advertisements require the process of negotiating with advertising agencies and stations to have your product promoted. Mediums like televisions, websites, newspapers and radio spots are among the most typical options you have. In public relations however, you would have to ask an author to have your story and your business venture written on articles or an expert as search reference. The only problem though is that you have to be convincing or your story must have that extra pop so as to be worthy of mention. While publicity may oftentimes require you to share the toll of finding a writer to work for your home based business, there is still no way for you to disregard the benefits
of having your story advertised. It also has cost effective feature since you seldom pay for such an advertising medium. But the better part goes with the truth that you can be better remembered with an article rather than in a TV commercial. People normally have more trust on a write-up rather than paid advertisement showed in TV or in the internet. Publicity also offers the potentials of reaching through various people and if you have that good streak of luck, the national audience may be reached by your story. Even the online world recognizes that actual power of television advertisements than using links and postings on message boards. There are many times when the website has become successful because it was featured on a television show. Thus, discarding all the “almost useful” power of drawing people through creating juggling lines of links in the web. The media works on herd mentality. Once a program caught site of what your home based business has to offer, other programs may have the hitch of spreading the word further. Thus, you can expect
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other shows to modify your own story to supplement for their own. This is very effective indeed since you will have your advertisement without spending a dime while reaching wide spectrum of audience. The problem though comes with attracting journalist and writers towards your home based small business story. Plan your target points. Your aim is to court writers towards writing your tale. Never put them off by sending bulks of email to virtually all journalists that you know. Point only towards those who are in the beat with your story. Identify what publications will find your venture useful and know which kind will use your story. Try making a list of newspapers, radio programs and television spots that will work well with your aim. If you truly want publicity, go direct with personal emails or letters to those who are most likely to find your small home based business story interesting. Article Source: http://www. articlesphere.com/Article/The-YoungEntrepreneur/207165
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May 2013
A Couple Of Quick Tips For Winning Entrepreneurs
By Peter Webber
S
etting a growth strategy into place with require some strategic planning that includes a knowledge of the demographic that you want to reach and their location on the Internet. Generative visibility that will have the positive results desired requires that it be directed to those mediums and locations that are frequented by potential customers. Once the audience has been identified, there are some easy ways to begin building visibility and credibility within those mediums. Writing informative and interesting articles is one of the fasted ways to reach an audience and motivate readers to visit a website. The articles must be published on a consistently regular basis and be distributed to directories, publishers and social networks with identifiers that contain the level of quality that creates credibility and brand recognition. The need for numerous articles on a weekly basis is often time consuming and can significantly disrupt the ability of the entrepreneur to focus time on the other aspects involved in generating passive incomes on their website. Many entrepreneurs choose to utilize the services of an article promotion or SEO service that produces relevant articles and distributes them on a scheduled basis to the publishers that you pre-determine. The costs of these services vary, but for most entrepreneurs the option is cost effective when weighed against the time that is needed to generate the number of articles required to maintain visibility presence with the audience that is being targeted. The natural, organic growth that results from building a target audience into a customer base can be very slow. Due to this fact, many entrepreneurs opt to explore alternative passive income streams that allow for the establishment of several sources of income through the sole website. Through the aggressive inclusion of several strategies, an entrepreneur can often maintain several profitable avenues
of income with minimal effort. Affiliate exchange programs are available through a network of entrepreneurs and website owners that share the same type of products or services. These individuals use an affiliate exchange that involves posting a web banner on a website that directs interested visitors to your site. In exchange you post the affiliate’s banner on your website. There is no cost involved for affiliate exchange programs and there can be multiple benefits to both website owners when they use this strategy for generating traffic. Pay-Per-Click and Cost-Per-Action are also popular affiliate programs that result in a passive income stream with relatively no effort on the part of the website hosting the banner. These programs pay a commission to the website owner when visitors to their site click on the banner or complete an action for the company with a banner. The commission for these programs is relatively small and as the website generates more visitors, the affiliate programs become more profitable. Several providers offer services to entrepreneurs who wish to expand their audience and grow their profitability. They often provide a series of services that may range from SEO, article writing, training, and other services which will help to provide the momentum and growth that is required for you to achieve your goals for success more quickly. When your team has been established, your growth and income will move forward in a seamless manner that will result in a passive and active income more easily. When you are creating a site with the idea of generating a sustained and growing income, it will be important that you generate visibility and credibility with your target audience as quickly as possible. More info on New Business Marketing now on http://www.realeyesmarketing.com/ Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/Article/A-Couple-Of-Quick-TipsFor-Winning-Entrepreneurs/218674
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May 2013
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Being Confident At Networking Events By Michael D Taylor
I
f the idea of business networking sounds about as pleasant to you as doing your taxes, you are not alone. Many of us dread the act of networking because it simply goes against our instincts. We are raised to think that we should not talk to strangers, and as we grow older, we come to expect a proper introduction by a third party when we meet someone for the first time. Business networking takes away this safety net; you must introduce yourself to strangers yourself, and do so with confidence. Confidence: this is truly key. Here are six tips on how to exude confidence while you are networking at business events. 1. Do a little bit of homework. Before you attend a business-networking event, see if you can find out a little bit about the other individuals who are attending. This can help to give you a comfortable ice breaker, such as the topic of a football team from an individual’s home town. You may even be able to find out something about the attendees’ personal interests. If you can’t find out anything specific, read up on current events. A popular current event serves as a good conversation starter. Just steer clear of anything that tends to be super controversial. Look for cheerful news or interesting and funny stories, such as coverage of the annual national ugly dog
pageant. 2. Get to the event early. This gives you the opportunity to warm up slowly as people gradually arrive. It is a lot easier than thrusting yourself into the center of a large group of folks who are already talking and mingling. And, although it may be way out of your comfort zone, go alone. If you’re introverted, you may be tempted to bring a friend. But if you go alone, you are more likely to actually network rather than just relying on your buddy. 3. Approach people who have empty plates in their hands. Or, if there is a buffet, hang out close to it. Food is a natural pleasure delivery system, and it raises our endorphin levels. So people are likely to be more receptive to your conversation starter if they’ve just had a bite to eat. 4. Be the best dressed person in the room. Dressing well is an instant confidence booster, so make sure your outfit is welltailored. The shoulder seam on your shirt should hit your actual shoulder, not the top of your arm. Your tie knot should be snug and clean, not sloppily yanked to one side. If you want to include an easy conversation starter in your outfit, wear a tie with an interesting pattern or a bright pocket square. Clothing items are good attention getters, and people are more likely to approach you if your outfit
includes something eye-catching. 5. Politely approach people who are standing alone. It’s likely that loners have a little bit of anxiety about networking, like you, and could even be feeling a bit awkward standing alone. They are likely to be very grateful when you take the initiative to approach them.= 6. Set a specific goal for yourself. If you set a concrete and measurable goal for yourself, you are much more likely to measure the event as a success once the networking event is over. For example, bring 6 business cards, and decide ahead of time how you want to introduce yourself to people. Once you have introduced yourself to six individuals and given them your
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business cards, you are finished. You can reward yourself for meeting your business networking goal. Michael Taylor is a Marketing Manager at TIE SNUG. TIE SNUG is a revolutionary new concealed necktie accessory that keeps your tie knot in place, eliminates continuous adjusting and makes wearing a tie more comfortable. Slipping tie knots look unprofessional, so present the right image and dress for success with TIE SNUG. For more information or to make a purchase, please visit http://www.tiesnug. com. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. c om /A r t ic le / B e i n g- C on f ide nt-A tNetworking-Events/261044
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May 2013
Green Business Tips By S. Housley
Going Green Sav es Green
B
usinesses that are “going green” are becoming more and more commonplace. Regardless of your political beliefs or opinions regarding the “global warming” concept, few can argue that being environmentally aware will leave the world a better place. Whether a company is simply jumping on the green bandwagon, or are honestly sensitive about environmental issues is really irrelevant. Consumers like green businesses, and shaping your business to promote being “eco-friendly” makes sense from a public relations standpoint. Not surprisingly, many businesses that have taken the steps to “go green” are also discovering that going green often saves them another kind of green (as in the “money” kind of green). For example, consider hotels that are allowed by longterm guests to only launder sheets and towels every other day rather than every single day. The hotel is presenting an environmentally-friendly face, while at the same time saving money on their bottom line. They save in both staff time and cleaning materials by laundering less frequently, and all while presenting an environmentally-concerned image for
their company. There are a number of steps that almost any business can take to become more environmentally-friendly. Here are just a few...
Power Management and Conservation
Encourage energy conservation throughout the company. Be sure that offices are equipped with energy-efficient light bulbs, and purchase equipment and supplies that conserve power. Encourage staff to turn off lights and equipment in offices and conference rooms when they are not in use.
Telecommuting
Cut travel costs by using virtual conferencing tools. When feasible, allow employees to telecommute (work from home) on certain days or a number of days per week. Statistics show that employees who telecommute are actually more productive, and work longer hours than those who commute to an office each day. Telecommuting can also reduce a company’s “carbon footprint”. A carbon footprint refers to the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses your choices create. Encourage your staff to recycle. Provide recycling bins for soda and drink containers. Encourage staff to use the back side of old printed materials for notes and
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Printing and R ecycling
scratch paper. Use double-sided printing for reports, and use a digital infrastructure that allows documents to be transferred digitally to reduce printing costs. Corporate motives can be questioned, but it really doesn’t matter whether a company truly cares about the planet, or if they are “going green” simply for a cost savings.... because no matter what the motives, at the end of the day green businesses will help leave the planet a healthier place for future generations. When you go camping, the rule is to always leave the campsite in better shape than you found it. The same could be said for the environment, and what a legacy for a generation to leave. Rarely does a business go green as a result of social consciousness, but that does not diminish the fact that being green can also generate green (money). Take tangible steps to make your company more environmentally-friendly.
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Permissions and notification of use not required. Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall. com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall. com audio recording and editing software. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/Article/Green-Business-Tips/241140
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25.
Implementing Threats, Risk and Security Audits By Tim Margeson
P
eople used to close business deals with a handshake. They looked one another in the eye. Today, more and more transactions are electronic, anonymous and, in too many cases, fraudulent. Any organization that stores or moves important information on an electronic network is putting its information at risk. A criminal on the other side of the world or an apparently loyal employee may have the ability to wreak havoc, by stealing, deleting or exposing confidential information. The Computer Crime and Security Survey, conducted by the Computer Security Institute and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, indicates almost two-thirds of the large corporations and government agencies it surveyed lost money when their computer security broke down. The survey noted that 9 out of 10 respondents had computer security breaches during the previous 12 months. Proprietary information worth $170.8 million was stolen from 41 respondents. Fraud cost 40 respondents $115.8 million. When only 45 per cent of executives in North America said they conduct security audits on their e-commerce systems,
(around the world, fewer than 35 per cent had conducted security audits) it becomes obvious that organizations must improve their defenses quickly. The first step in protecting information assets is a Threat and Risk Assessment (TRA). Without the information it provides, organizations are in danger of fixing only what is broken and ignoring potential hazards. While the specifics of a TRA will be unique at each organization, a common methodology provides a starting point. The first step is risk assessment, to identify the most important assets and information: threats and vulnerabilities are identified; solutions are proposed and refined; corporate policies are tightened up; roles and responsibilities are assigned; standards and training are developed. The next step is the creation of a security plan, with its own procedures, budget and implementation timetable. Once those steps are complete, any new architecture can be rolled out and new procedures put in place. At this point, the new system should be tested from the outside for any remaining weak points. Finally, to maintain system security, security should be audited on a regular basis to keep pace with both internal
changes and evolving external threats. The TRA provides the map, but organizations must make the journey. Consulting companies have identified factors that contribute to the success or failure of an IT security project. Senior managers have to support the project and demonstrate their involvement. Otherwise, their staffs will place a higher priority on other activities. Business and technical experts should both be involved because solutions that overburden the enterprise are not acceptable. Individual business units should be responsible for their own TRA to prevent foot-dragging during implementation and finger-pointing later. Interestingly, one consultant recommended conducting assessments
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on a department-by-department basis, rather than all at once. The reasoning is that valuable resources can be narrowly focused, and lessons learned can be carried over to subsequent assessments. The Threat and Risk Assessment is an important tool. Recent reports show not enough organizations are using it. CBL Data Recovery Technologies Tim Margeson is General Manager of CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc., a leading international provider of data recovery services to consumer, enterprise and public-sector clients who experience data loss disasters. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/Article/Implementing-Threats--Riskand-Security-Audits/90973
26.
May 2013
Online Community
Management
By Peter Applebaum
T
he internet is one enormous community. And this community talks. A lot. They create blogs and content, post comments and feedback, and ultimately create discussions and drive conversations on an incredible range of things. So whatever industry you’re in, or whatever product you may be selling, chances are, people are talking about you. A quick search will prove this, and will show you why more and more companies are paying attention to online community management. Think of Wikipedia for a moment. It’s a huge community, with 7,000 new articles created each day and 10 million edits per month. And one reason which contributes to its success is because there are editors who manage and oversee the evolution of articles. Online community management is similar, but on a much larger scale. Because there is so much conversation going on, companies not only want to know what is said about them, but they also want to get into the conversation and understand their market, their competitors and consumer better. Whilst any company can read what consumers are saying about their products or brand, trying to make sense of the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming. Thus, when delving into online community management, many companies decide to employ online community managers who act as their eyes and ears, who help them break down exactly what communities are saying about them. From this however, comes the most important part; companies need to determine the purpose of the online community manager. Is it to promote a new product? Or is it to conduct primary research? Or perhaps it is to see how to improve their products? Whatever the purpose is, it will set out the sort of tasks and methods online community managers will use. Regardless of the purpose however, there are still basic foundations to online community management. To successfully manage online communities firstly requires a good understanding of online channels, and that’s not just social media,
but includes any community websites that are relevant to the company’s purpose. For example, an online community manager working for a cat food company will have accounts in the usual Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Google Reader, but also will also monitor popular cat owner websites, discussion boards, blogs and channels. They would also have set up tracking and alerts for relevant keywords, which will once again depend on the company purpose. If it is to conduct an evaluation of product launch, the online community manager may set up tracking for the company’s product. Social Media Channels However, another thing to bear in mind is the importance of listening and monitoring what is being said in these online communities. Without a solid understanding of the key stakeholders in these online communities, diving into conversations will be both meaningless and fruitless. When the online community manager is comfortable however, they may engage in these conversations, perhaps starting with replying to posts, providing feedback, and from there, create posts and begin blogging. The foundations of online community management are to build, grow and manage communities around a brand, cause or topic. But in order to do this, companies must be willing to be a part of the community. If their sole purpose is to monitor online communities so they can directly market to them, it may come off as insincere and may backlash, causing damage to brand reputation. Successful online community management drills down to active listening, and from there determining the necessary steps to achieve company objectives. Ultimately, online community management is similar to customer service; you have firstly listen to know what people want, so you know what to do and how you can help. Peter Applebaum Tick Yes - Managing Director www.tickyes.com Tick Yes Blog Join us on Facebook! Tel: 02 9387 3244 Email: peter.applebaum@tickyes.com Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. c om /A r t ic le /On l i ne - C om mu n it yManagement/241854
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May 2013
27.
Integrity First:
Living the Honor Code in Business By Waldo Waldman
I
ntegrity First. It’s core value #1 of the U.S. Air Force... embraced by our leadership, taught in our training programs, and a symbol of the commitment and character of the men and women serving our country. I learned a valuable lesson about the true meaning of integrity after only serving several years in the Air Force. It wasn’t on a combat mission flying an F-16. It was during a training sortie I flew as a brand new instructor pilot, and I learned it flying solo. It was a rare occasion for an instructor pilot to get to fly solo, but this was my lucky day and I was going to make the most of it. I had finished my maneuvers in the military operating area (MOA) and was performing my last touch and go’s in the pattern before landing. Feeling really fired up, I pushed the throttles to full power, gained airspeed, and decided to see how many G’s I could “pull” in the pattern. The structural G-limit on the rugged and reliable Cessna T-37B twin engine jet trainer was 6.67 g’s, and I was about to see how close I could come to hitting the limit. You see, I was doing what we call in the Air Force, ‘hot doggin’ it. In other words, I was asking for trouble. I accelerated to 225 knots, banked it into 90 degrees, and pulled. 5.7G’s... One more time...6.4g’s...again...6.8 g’s!!! I looked down and did a double take. “Wow,” I thought to myself, “I just overg’d the jet!” My first instinct was to reach over and punch off the G-meter (zero out the meter sort of like setting an odometer
back to zero). After all, I had seen other, more experienced pilots do it before and besides, the T-37 was tough as nails. What was .127 G’s going to do to the jet? I was faced with a difficult choice, zero out the G-meter and act like nothing had happened. Or immediately land this damaged jet, admit my mistake, and accept the consequences. I cringed as I pondered what my fellow wingmen would think of me. And then I thought to myself... what if my twin brother was to fly that jet tomorrow and the wing fell off? My choice became instantly clear. My commander wasn’t pleased, to say the least. My actions were irresponsible and showed a lack of discipline. Not only was I severely reprimanded, I was grounded from flying for 2 weeks and had to present a briefing to the squadron on the maintenance procedure to inspect the jet for structural damage. The cost of this inspection was $25K of our taxpayer’s hard earned money and the plane (a critical training resource for our squadron) would also be grounded for 2 weeks. Fortunately, the inspection revealed no damage to the aircraft. Nonetheless, I had cost my fellow wingmen valuable training. Have you ever been in a situation where your integrity was tested? Have you ever been given a choice where admitting (or not admitting) a mistake would affect your reputation, the safety of others, and even your career? There are several lessons that can be drawn from my experience. * Your integrity (or lack thereof) affects everyone - For me, failure to turn myself in and admit my mistake could have caused a major accident, or a potential loss of life.
For you, it can be a safety accident, a lost customer and also a lost life. Your actions have to reach outside of your cockpit. * Integrity should not be a choice - it should be instinctual and we should always strive to do the right thing, no matter what the cost. And it doesn’t start and end at work. Integrity should be honored 24 hours a day...your wingmen are watching you. * Rank has its responsibilities, as well as its privileges - As an officer in the Air Force, I had (and still have) a responsibility to comply with the flying regulations and standards of my squadron. It’s called being a professional. As an employee with your company, you too must be responsible to comply with its regulations and standards of behavior. When leading your wingmen on the factory floor, at a hospital, or in the office, you can’t afford to breach your integrity, and you also can’t make exceptions for others. The costs are too high and can be measured in injuries, worker compensation claims, lost man hours, and your reputation. OSHA regulations, safety/ patient care procedures, and operating instructions exist for a reason...they keep people safe, prevent accidents, and help save money for your company by reducing operating costs. Will you make mistakes on the job? Of course. Will you also bear witness to others making mistakes? Absolutely. But, will you have the courage to confront them and hold them accountable, or will you be more concerned with being ‘a nice guy’ who doesn’t ruffle feathers? Sometimes the toughest job of a Top Gun Leader is disciplining your employees when they
mess up. Will you stand up and take action? If you don’t, then who will? The way you can help create an environment where your wingmen will live and work with integrity and admit their mistakes is when you honor your integrity and have the courage to admit your mistakes. This is the foundation of creating a culture of courage. Integrity is contagious and it has to start from the top down. Moreover, when you shift the focus off of yourself and instead focus on your mission and how your actions affect your co-workers and customers, you become a more trusting wingman. Courage builds character. It’s the foundation of integrity. It gives you the thrust to make the correct choice and do what is right despite the consequences. What’s more, you be able to sleep better at night. Waldo Waldman builds team unity within organizations as a high-energy leadership motivational speaker. A former combat-decorated fighter pilot with corporate sales experience, Waldo brings an exciting and valuable message to organizations by using fighter pilot strategies as building blocks for peak performance, teamwork, leadership and trust. His clients include AFLAC, Hewlett-Packard, Nokia, NY Life, and Home Depot. To download Waldo’s Top Gun Motivation mission briefing, visit Motivational Speaker, http://www. yourwingman.com, or call 1-866-9253616. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/Article/Integrity-First--Living-theHonor-Code-in-Business/150660
Using Your Blog to Build a Platform By Waldo Waldman
W
riting a book is hard work, and even more difficult is finding an audience for it. These days, publishers and literary agents are often finding new talent and signing book deals with bloggers - people who already have a large following and are consistently sharing their ideas and thoughts with the world. (It makes sense: If a blogger has 2,000 daily readers, then he or she probably has 2,000 people interested in reading/ buying their book.) As an author, you probably have brilliant ideas and unique takes on issues every day you can share. But if you’re not delivering your messages via a blog or similar platform that allows the world access to your voice, you’re definitely missing out on a golden opportunity. A blog is an amazing tool to have at your
disposal when building a platform for your book. If you already have a loyal following and engaged readership to your blog, you’ll have a receptive audience for your book as well. They enjoy your writing. They enjoy your ideas. They enjoy your voice. They enjoy what you have to offer. So your marketing platform is partially set. With a blog, you’re giving away something for free - you’re hooking your book’s target market with value. If you don’t have that loyal following already set, you’ll need to drive traffic to your blog. Here are a few techniques you can employ to lure readers in: Cross Promote - Build relationships with other bloggers you like and promote their site in turn. This is great for link building and reaching out to a wider audience. Send your book to them, do guest posts for them and have them contribute to your blog. Look at the blogging world as a
community. Don’t isolate yourself. Be Consistent - A lot of newbie’s to the blogging world will start off strong, but, may give up or not be as vigilant about writing new posts if they aren’t getting the traffic they want. Don’t give up though. You never know when the tide will come in, taking you from 10 visitors to a day to 10,000. Be consistent, even if you have only a few loyal readers, providing value on a regular basis. If you deliver thoughtprovoking and interesting ideas regularly, you’ll build upon the audience that you already have. Media Coverage - When you land media coverage, make sure you talk about it on your blog. It’s another way people can learn more about you and your expertise. Be sure to include links to any TV clips, radio interviews, online/print placements or book reviews so your audience knows what you’re up to. It’ll build credibility
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with your current readers and will turn new readers into potential buyers. L. Drew Gerber is CEO of www. PublicityResults.com and creator of www. PitchRate.com, a free media connection service for journalists, experts, and publicists. Sign up now for free publicity advice including a free online marketing course. Gerber’s business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with Online Press Kit 24/7, a technology he developed (www.PressKit247.com). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: AskDrew@PublicityResults. com or call him at 828-749-3548. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/Article/Using-Your-Blog-to-Build-aPlatform/235338
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May 2013
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May 2013
29.
The Value of Business Process Improvement By Robert Pierre
P
rofitability - to say the least, this is a very important aspect of business. Business owners strive to ensure profitability by trying to achieve certain levels of satisfaction among customers and to achieve end business goals. Business processes help ensure that these goals are achieved in a seamless manner. Good and effective business processes are necessary in helping the organization become more productive while maintaining quality standards. Business processes ensure a business’ success. However, since the business environment is fraught with changes, the organization should also learn how to adapt to these changes. This is where a good set of business improvement strategies become necessary. Is Business Process Improvement for existing processes only?
Data measurement techniques and data variables are necessary to successfully carry out a business process improvement activity. This only holds true for existing business processes. The activity ideally begins by studying the existing business process and its various elements. This is done by a procedure called process mapping. The business processes are carefully looked into
to find areas of improvement, which can later be implemented. What does Business Process Improvement achieve?
To illustrate, let us look at Company A. It is a company which is in the business of manufacturing consumer goods for its customers. The company produces 1,000 units daily of a product whose daily
demand has consistently been 2,000 units. Thus, the company should look at ways on how they can reengineer their processes in such a way that they are able to produce 2,000 units and so meet the daily demand. Business Process Improvement sounds easy, is it really easy to implement?
For a person who understands his
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business processes deeply, this would not be a difficult thing to achieve. One critical thing that professionals would need to establish in their minds is that for business process improvement, you need to be open to change. There may be chances that your processes could be completely overhauled which may not go down well with some of the employees of the company. You would need to ensure that all the employees directly affected by the business process improvement measure are taken into confidence before the improvement measures are implemented. Business Process Improvement uses techniques like Kaizen, Six Sigma and Total Quality Management to help professionals achieve optimal results in their business processes. It is important to remember that Business Process Improvement will work only with the organization working as a team. Some excellent Business Process Improvement measures have met their doom because the teams failed to work together for its success. Discover more details about process mapping methods and also software process mapping - just visit the links for more details. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/A rticle/The-Value-of-BusinessProcess-Improvement/102661
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May 2013
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May 2013
31.
Simplify Business Storytelling In 3 Easy Steps By Milly Sonneman
E
ven without a major overhaul, there are small changes that you can make to how you plan stories for business presentations -- that yield big results. How can you successfully communicate your story? Don’t do it the same-old-sameold way. Instead of locking your door and burying yourself deep in your computer, take a fresh approach. Use these three tactics to step away from your desk and into a new zone for creativity. Tip 1 : Step Away From Your Computer If you’re in the habit of hammering out a presentation -- at your keyboard, this could be the problem. It’s just too hard to simplify thinking when you use a keyboard to capture your thoughts. The tendency many professionals have is to build a presentation directly into the slides. This usually results in too many ideas, too much data, and too many slides. Since your goal is to do more with less, the first thing is to step away from your computer. Instead of pounding the keyboard, pick up a pencil. Start sketching your thoughts and ideas. This brings us to the next tip. Tip 2: Gather ‘Round The Kitchen Table In many top creative organizations, people gather around one big table.
The table is filled with sketches, notes, pictures, and scraps of paper. In addition, prototypes, models and samples are on the table. The idea of gathering colleagues around a central table is simple: it’s easier to share ideas in informal setting. Encourage doodling, sketching and open brainstorming. No ideas are ‘stupid’ while this discussion is going on. Keep an open mind during a lively dialogue. Welcome all suggestions and a remarkably creative process is sure to unfold. Now, it’s time to do the critical step: Tip 3: Notice What Emerges Usually after animated discussion, a certain concept or sketch captures the attention of the group. This is important to notice and run with. Stop trying to push one idea or rescue a concept that should be tossed. Instead, go with the idea that has a natural momentum. If you aren’t sure what idea is bubbling to the surface, take a break. Walk away from the table. Go outside and encourage others to do the same. Often after a period of incubation, one sketch or story rises to the top. This practice of stepping away from your computer, brainstorming with colleagues,
and allowing a natural winner to surface will transform how you develop business presentation. In a short time, coworkers will jump at the chance to do this kind of collaborative problem solving. As one of my very successful clients puts it: “None of us is as good as all of us.” The people you work with have a wealth of creativity, experience and insight. Use your team’s brainpower to create powerful presentation stories. If you want to capture attention, structure your story to match your audience. Whether connecting with existing clients, generating leads, or selling to customers, simple visual storytelling wins top results.
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Milly Sonneman is a recognized expert in visual language. She is the co-director of Presentation Storyboarding, a leading presentation training firm, and author of the popular guides: Beyond Words and Rainmaker Stories available on Amazon. Milly helps business professionals give winning presentations, through Email Marketing skills trainings at Presentation Storyboarding. You can find out more about our courses or contact Milly through our website at: http://www. presentationstoryboarding.com/ Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. c o m /A r t i c l e / S i m p l i f y - B u s i n e s s Storytelling-In-3-Easy-Steps/260084
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May 2013
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May 2013
33.
Making Meetings Work: 9 Tips By Colleen Kettenhofen
“I
have noticed that the people who are late are often so much jollier than the people who have to wait for them.” E.V. Lucas 1. Have an agenda. Start out with an agenda handed out to the appropriate people at least 72 hours in advance, listing time, date, and place of meeting. 2. Set ground rules. Let everyone know at the beginning of the meeting that you specifically plan to stick with the allotted time frames and topics in the agenda. This is the key to running meetings that don’t go overtime and yet get results. Also, if the meeting is short, sweet, and productive, it will positively affect people’s attitudes about future meetings. 3. Appoint a timekeeper. Make an announcement ahead of time stating exactly how many minutes each person is given to speak or share ideas. Appoint an individual as timekeeper and literally give that person a “timer” that goes off if someone runs overtime. This is beneficial in brainstorming sessions if someone goes off on tangents, or monopolizes the meeting. 4. Appoint a meeting secretary.
Appoint a secretary who will write down the minutes, what was discussed in the meeting, and distribute this to everyone within 48 hours of the meeting ending. 5. List meeting assignments. In the agenda, state exactly “who” is doing what. For instance, “John Smith, Customer Satisfaction Report, 9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.” List it as such in the agenda. Again, announce at the beginning of the meeting that you plan to stick specifically within the given time frames. This will set the tone for the entire meeting. 6. Coffee and refreshments. If certain individuals are responsible for bringing refreshments to the meeting, list their names in the agenda as well. This will serve as a reminder to them in addition to letting everyone know that food will be served. In my workshops, managers often tell me that “nothing boosts morale or team building better than free food in a meeting.” 7. Begin and end the meeting on time. Nothing reduces morale like a one hour meeting that ends up lasting two hours. The biggest complaint I hear from my participants about their organization’s meetings is that their meetings “start late, and usually run way over time.” When I’m about to begin a training workshop at
a company, one thing I often hear is, “In our organization, meetings start late, so don’t be surprised if people aren’t on time.” Employees become conditioned to think it’s acceptable not to be punctual. Also, end the meeting on time. Better yet, end early. People’s attitudes will change if they start attending meetings that are short, productive and get results. 8. Assist each presenter with their audiovisual equipment. To reduce nervousness, arrange to arrive early and help any speakers ahead of time with their equipment. Nothing minimizes nervousness about public speaking like being prepared. One central skill to effective leadership development is to ensure a smooth running meeting. You want to look professional and in control. 9. Summarize the meeting. As stated earlier, when the meeting adjourns, follow up with a summary and send to all appropriate people within 48 hours. This serves as a reminder of what was discussed, and it’s also beneficial if you have “difficult” people who frequently say, “I don’t remember that being talked about in the meeting.” This way you can refer back to the minutes. Lastly, lots of managers and team leaders
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tell me if you really want an effective 15 or 20 minute meeting, consider taking the chairs out of the room. Give everyone clip boards to write on, along with paper and pens. Standing for long periods of time is uncomfortable. This helps the meeting stay on track…fast! “The speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack.” Robert Orben Copyright 2006 Colleen Kettenhofen Colleen Kettenhofen is a motivational speaker, workplace expert, and co-author of “The Masters of Success,” as featured on the Today Show, along with Ken Blanchard and Jack Canfield. To order the book, or for more free articles and newsletter visit http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com or call (800)323-0683. Topics: leadership, difficult people, public speaking, success. Colleen is available for keynotes, breakout sessions and seminars. You are free to repost or reprint this article provided Colleen Kettenhofen’s name and website are provided with the article. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/Article/Making-Meetings-Work--9Tips/48271
34.
May 2013
Freedom Rides
Taken from www.blackhistory.com Background and Summary
C
ivil rights activists called “freedom riders” rode on interstate buses around the segregated South on “freedom rides” to test results of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Boynton v. Virginia from 1960. In that case, the Court sided with Boynton and mandated all interstate facilities were allowed to be used by any citizen regardless of their ethnicity. The first freedom ride left Washington D.C. on May 4, 1961, and was scheduled to arrive in New Orleans on May 17. But riders were arrested for trespassing, unlawful assembly and violating state and local Jim Crow laws. Most of the subsequent rides were sponsored by the Congress of Racial Equality as well as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. The freedom rides followed on the heels of dramatic “sit-ins” and boycotts against segregated restaurants and the like, which were conducted by students and youth throughout the South. The concept of freedom rides was based on the 1947 “Journey of Reconciliation” campaign, led by civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Like the freedom rides, the Journey of Reconciliation was intended to test an earlier Supreme Court ruling that banned racial discrimination in interstate travel. Rustin, and a few of the other riders, were arrested for violating Jim Crow laws dealing with public transportation, and were sentenced to serve on a chain gang in North Carolina. Arguably, the riders did not engage in civil disobedience since they had a legal right to disregard segregation laws concerning interstate transportation facilities in the states they visited. However, even after Boynton v. Virginia, their rights weren’t enforced and the rides were considered criminal acts throughout most of the South. In fact, upon the riders’ arrival in Mississippi, their journey ended with imprisonment for exercising their legal rights pursuant to the Supreme Court’s decision in Boynton v. Virginia. Despite this decision, the prevailing enforcement patterns and local judicial decisions in the South meant that local and state governments regarded the riders’ actions as unlawful. Most importantly, riders had to rely on non-violent resistance
in facing both mob violence and mass arrest by authorities determined to stop their protests. Freedom riders faced much resistance against their cause but ultimately received strong support from both Southerners and citizens not living in the South. Physical Opposition Aided by Police
The worst violence that occurred during the Freedom Rides arose after the buses entered Alabama. In Anniston, Ala., a mob attacked one of the buses and slashed the tires. Several miles outside of Anniston, when the crippled bus had to stop, it was firebombed by the mob that had been following it in cars. As the bus burned, the mob held the doors shut as the people were intent on burning the riders to death. An undercover law enforcement officer finally drew his gun and forced the doors to be opened. Still, the riders were viciously beaten while they tried to flee the burning bus. When the Trailways bus reached Birmingham, Ala., another group of freedom riders were mercilessly beaten by Ku Klux Klan members, aided and abetted by the police, under the orders of Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor. When these freedom riders exited the bus, they were beaten baseball bats, iron pipes and bicycle chains by people in the awaiting mob. Among the Klansmen attacking the riders was FBI informant Gary Thomas Rowe. White freedom riders were particularly singled out for frenzied beatings. Two riders were hospitalized, including freedom rider Jim Peck, who required 52 stitches to close the wounds in his head. That night, the hospitalized freedom riders were dismissed early from the hospital, at 2 a.m., because the staff feared the mob that had congregated outside the hospital. The Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth organized several cars full of people to penetrate the mob in order to safely rescue the injured freedom riders from the hospital. With most of the freedom riders injured, and the danger of the violence escalating to homicide, it was suggested that the freedom rides be discontinued. Following the serious beatings and hospitalizations, most of the original freedom riders flew to New Orleans to attend a previously scheduled rally.
Enduring the Atrocities
Nashville, Tenn., student Diane Nash, a leader in the SNCC, felt that if violence were allowed to halt the Freedom Rides, the movement would be set back years. She pushed to find replacements to resume the ride, and on May 17th a new set of riders, students from Nashville, took a bus to Birmingham where they were arrested by Bull Connor and jailed. These students kept their spirits up while incarcerated by singing “freedom songs.” Out of frustration, Police Chief Connor drove them back up to the Tennessee line and dropped them off, stating, “I just couldn’t stand their singing.” When reports of the bus-burning and beatings reached U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy, he urged restraint on the part of freedom riders. He sent an assistant, John Seigenthaler, to Montgomery, Ala., to observe the freedom riders’ arrival there. On May 21, 1961, a fresh set of freedom riders who answered SNCC’s call for reinforcements joined with some of the original group of freedom riders. They headed from Birmingham, Ala., to Montgomery, protected by a contingent of the Alabama State Highway Patrol. However, the Highway Patrol abandoned them when they reached the Montgomery city limits. A large mob of White people was waiting at the bus station and brutally beat the freedom riders with baseball bats and iron pipes. The local police allowed the beatings to go on uninterrupted. Once again, White freedom riders, branded “N***r Lovers,” were singled out for particularly nasty beatings. Government official Seigenthaler was also beaten and left lying unconscious in the street. Ambulances even refused to take the wounded to the hospital, so local Blacks rescued them, and finally, a number of the freedom riders were hospitalized as needed. Sadly, Nash saw once more that the freedom ride movement was on the verge of falling through, and she sent out another call for more activists to resume the rides. Both Blacks and Whites went to Montgomery to join the freedom rides. A pattern was established in which they would ride buses to Jackson, Miss., where they would be arrested and jailed. The strategy became one of trying to fill the jails. Once the Jackson City and Hinds County jails were filled to capacity, freedom riders were transferred to Parchman Penitentiary or “Parchman Farm.” There, abusive treatment included:
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placement in the maximum security units and death row, issuance no clothing other than underwear, no exercise, no mail and, when the riders refused to stop singing freedom songs, they took away mattresses, sheets and toothbrushes. Wardens also removed the screens from their windows, and when the cell block became filled with mosquitoes, they hosed all the riders down with DDT pesticides at in the middle of the night. Mission Accomplished
During their journey, the original group of 13 freedom riders grew to almost 450. The freedom rides established great credibility between Blacks and Whites throughout the country, as people of all colors became motivated to engage in direct action for civil rights. Perhaps most significantly, freedom riders impressed Blacks living in rural areas throughout the South who later formed the backbone of the Civil Rights Movement. This credibility inspired many subsequent civil rights campaigns such as voter registration, freedom schools and the Black Power Movement. During the summer of 1961, freedom riders also campaigned against other forms of racial discrimination. They sat together in segregated restaurants, at lunch counters and in hotels. This was especially effective when it targeted large companies who, fearing boycotts in the North, began to desegregate their businesses. Attorney General Kennedy petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission to draft regulations to end racial segregation in bus terminals. The organization was reluctant, but in September of 1961, ICC issued the necessary orders and these new policies went into effect on November 3, 1961. Notable freedom riders of 1961 included: Diane Nash, James L. Farmer, William Mahoney, John Lewis, Jim Zwerg, James Peck, George Bundy Smith, Frederick Leonard and William Sloane Coffin, among others, totaling 436. About 75 percent were male, and that same percentage was under the age of 30; this was evenly divided between Black and White.
Sources: Wikipedia.org; Raymond Arsenault, Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice, Oxford University Press, 2006; David Fankhauser, FREEDOM RIDES: Recollections by David Fankhauser; http:// biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Society/ freedom_rides/Freedom_Ride_DBF.htm. Photo: www.thecommongroundblog.com Map: www.birminghamhistorycenter.com
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Leading Workplace Change in Six Steps
By Leslie Allan
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any organizations muddle through change. How is your organization progressing at implementing that new accounting system or moving to a new employee performance management process? Are your managers nodding approval in public but sabotaging the initiative in private? Are your employees shellshocked and just giving up? Do you have no money left over for postimplementation support? Whatever change your organization is trying to implement, knowing about and working through the necessary steps will go a long way to making your change initiative a success. I have distilled these crucial steps into a process model for change. The model is called the CHANGE Approach, with each letter signifying a step in the process. I have summarized below the key features of each step leading to a successful change transition. Create tension
With this first step, articulate why change needs to happen and why it needs to happen within the planned timeframe. Many change programs start with a big bang, but then peter out ending in a whimper. Other programs struggle to develop the initial momentum. Think about the immediate force that will get your people moving in the right direction. This could be impending legislative changes, new entrants to the market, high levels of customer dissatisfaction, etcetera. Think also about the impacts of not changing, such as loss of market share or fines from regulators. To prepare your company for the impending objections, collect as much data as you can to back your assertions. Harness support
Next, get on board the key decision makers, resource holders and those with the potential to subvert your change process. Start by identifying the key stakeholder groups; the people with something to lose or gain from your change proposal. Include in your analysis the end receivers of the new products or services, such as suppliers, customers and end users of software. Also include internal decision makers and program implementers, such as information technology staff.
Then construct a communication plan that tailors the communication content and style to each stakeholder group’s preferences. Be sure to keep the lines of communication with each group open throughout the entire process. Articulate goals
This step involves defining your organization’s desired outcomes in specific and measurable terms. Doing this removes any ambiguity about your purpose and draws a clear picture of where you want your organization to be at the end of the program. Avoid wishy washy goals, such as “Improve product quality”. Instead, involve your stakeholders in fleshing out meaningful and verifiable outcomes, such as “Reduce customer complaints by 50% by year end”. Break the goals down into manageable chunks and set a baseline for comparison. Most importantly, set up a measurement regime to help keep track of progress.
capabilities needed for thoroughly bedding in the change. Ensuring people capability means everyone having the required skills and knowledge to implement the change and then behaving as per the new way of working. Draw up a formal training plan following a proper needs analysis and ensure that the training is practical and focused on behaviors. Make sure that people are well supported back on the job. On the systems side, ensure that supporting systems are up to the mark. These systems may include information, human resource and financial systems. Plan for the necessary systems procurements, implementations and upgrades as part of the initial change program plan. Entrench changes
This final step is about institutionalizing the change to make it “the way we do things around here”. To prevent backsliding to the old ways, align your organization’s systems and culture to the new required behaviors. Encouraging the new way of working may mean building in performance feedback and reward systems, celebrating some “quick wins”, creating a new look environment, ensuring managers “walk the talk” and updating recruitment and selection criteria. The above process steps have been found by experience to accompany successful change initiatives. Leaving out one or more of these critical steps is a sure road to failure.
Nominate roles
With goals clarified and agreed, now assign responsibility for their attainment to specific individuals in your organization. Make sure you articulate task and outcome responsibilities for people in each of the change role categories. The categories you need to consider are the change drivers (such as program sponsor and steering committee), change implementers (such as project managers), change enablers (such as supervisors) and change recipients (such as operators). Ensure that everyone involved has the needed skills to fulfill their responsibilities and implement training where skill gaps have been identified. Grow capability
To ensure success, build your organization’s systems and people
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On the other hand, paying attention to all of these steps is no guarantee of success. Much depends on the skill of the change leaders, the innate capacity of the organization for change and the intrinsic merit of the change idea itself. Also, the change steps as I have described them here are not meant to be followed in an exact linear fashion. Change in organizations is messy. So, you will sometimes find yourself backtracking to previous steps before you can move forward again. I wish you well on your change journey as you apply the CHANGE Approach process to your organization’s change initiative. (c) Leslie Allan. All rights reserved. Leslie Allan is Managing Director of Business Performance Pty Ltd; a management consulting firm specializing in people and process capability. He has been assisting organizations for over 20 years, contributing in various roles as project manager, consultant and trainer for organizations large and small. Leslie is also the author of five books on training and change management. Find out more about change management and download the free introductory chapter to his practical guide, Managing Change in the Workplace. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/Article/Leading-Workplace-Changein-Six-Steps/206583
May 2013
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Your Buyer is Smarter than You By Mark Hunter Too many salespeople view their buyers as anything but smart, especially those salespeople who deal with purchasing departments. In far too many sales communities, there exists an attitude that buyers and purchasing departments are nothing more than barriers that need to be broken down. Well, yes there are barriers. Ironically, though, they are barriers that more often than not are there due to the very actions of the sales community. One simple thing salespeople need to keep in mind is the fact the professional buyer sees far more salespeople in the course of a week or month than most salespeople realize. Buyers have every reason to put up barriers, because the sales community in general can crank out some pretty pathetic salespeople. How do I know this? Simple - buyers have told me (not just once, but often twice. And not just in one industry, but in several industries). As a consultant, I often have access to buyers in a way that most salespeople don’t. More importantly, the people I meet share with me insights they would never share with the sales community. The buying community is really quite smart. They do their job well. Stop and think for a moment about this question: If they didn’t do their job well, wouldn’t their company let them go, especially in today’s economy?
Buyers are smart. You should also know that they’ve seen every trick and every sales pitch known to mankind. I never cease to be amazed at how well many buyers can play back to me specific examples of sales techniques used by salespeople. What’s even better is that not only have they shared with me examples of what they’ve seen, but they also have shared how they have responded to these sales techniques. I know it may be painful to hear, but you are not as smart as you think you are, and the new trendy sales approach you have learned probably isn’t as revolutionary as you believe it is. It more than likely isn’t going to equip you to blast through barriers the purchasing department has in place. It’s for this very simple reason why I tell salespeople the number one thing you can do when dealing with professional buyers and purchasing departments is to be yourself and be positive. Your buyer will see right through you if you’re not being yourself. They’ll also see right through you if you’re putting on a front and not genuinely showing interest in their business and the concerns and needs they have. If you’re not genuine, it will show. Sure, you might be able to pull off your trick for a one sales call or maybe even a couple, but your trick will be exposed. When it is, the consequences you’ll face will be severe. This is something to always keep in mind. Many times when a professional buyer decides to cut you off, they may not
tell you right away - they may leave you hanging in the wind for days, weeks or even months. One reason they may choose to do this is to simply see how you’re going to respond or, more likely, to continue to gain information from you that they can then use to negotiate a better package with your competitor. When a professional buyer does this, they’re doing their job. You may naively think they’re being stupid, because they’re not being more forthcoming with you. This is where the real stupidity starts to come out with the salesperson. Because the salesperson believes the buyer is not smart, they start to play bullying games back with the buyer. Such examples include trying to go around them or opening up other doors. The only thing this does if further alienate the salesperson from doing any business with the purchasing department, because the buyer with whom you first began working alerts the rest of the buying department about you and what you may potentially try to do. All of this comes back to my original point: Buyers are smart and purchasing departments have a job to do and they do it well. They’ve seen the games that can be played and they know how to leverage such games to their advantage. As a salesperson, you can thrive with buyers and purchasing departments if you follow these simple approaches: Be yourself, be professional, and be engaged
in genuinely wanting to help the buyer and their company. If you can’t do these things, then you shouldn’t be selling. If you are not sure if you’re already doing these things, then I hate to tell you this, but you’re probably not. Don’t walk around telling people you care about them and that you are so concerned about helping them. The salespeople who truly do care and are concerned let it come out in their actions day in and day out. Other people see it and do not need the salesperson to offer a verbal alert to it. Do you think I’m way off base in these observations about the buying community? Don’t take my word for it. Ask your buyer. They will give you a straight answer - but only if you are being yourself, demonstrating trust, and genuinely caring for them and their business. Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on www.linkedin.com/in/ markhunter, and on his Facebook Fan Page, www.facebook.com/TheSalesHunter. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/Article/Your-Buyer-is-Smarter-thanYou/236263
Techniques to Help You Grow Your Consulting Business By Philip Ritchie
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here are many ways to market your consulting business. Below are just 4 simple ways that I think you will find to be very useful and if applied regularly, very effective. Finding a Good Business Partner
A good way to grow your consulting business is to find a partner. There are a number of pretty good reasons for this. First of all you are expanding your potential client base. But you are also increasing the value of your service. How so? In looking for a good partner, find someone who brings a different set of skills and who therefore complements yours. For example, maybe you are bad at developing prospects for your business; find someone who is a consulting marketing guru. If you are someone who is more goal oriented, and always looking at the big picture, find someone who is more detail oriented. Remember too, this person should have the same goals as you. Have the same philosophy in building
your business. Be sure that you also make a written agreement between the two of you to make sure each partner understands their role in the partnership. Join the Chamber of Commerce
For a business consultant, this is a must. This is one of the best ways to have the local business community to get to know you and your services. Your business may be more National than local in reach but remember, much of your business will come from referrals from happy clients that refer you to their contacts who could be just about anywhere in the country. Be sure to be a regular attendee at the mixers and functions and always have enough business cards on hand to give out. Be sure not to try and sell your service right away. Give the members time to get to know you first. Wait until you get to know them a bit. You will find that they will be asking you about your services in many cases. Accept Credit Cards Anywhere
Of course you should be accepting
credit cards, and another way to grow your consulting business is with mobile credit card processing. Accepting credit cards by phone is a good way to do this. These dial pay accounts allow you to close the deal in person write as the agreement has been made. For example, your customer may verbally commit to you on the sale or service you are providing but unless you can finalize that agreement with payment, you may risk losing the customer to other day to day distractions or worse yet, to another consulting service. Having a merchant account that can work on any telephone, including a cell phone gives you this powerful advantage and again will only increase your sales and profitability as a consulting firm. Transaction Based Referrals
You have always heard that in order to grow your consulting business you have to have happy so they will send you nice warm referrals. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Often times they are simply too busy to do so. This is where the benefit of this technique comes into play. Simply stated, a transaction based
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referral is asking for a referral at the point of payment or contractual agreement. A great way to do this is to offer some kind of discount for your service per referral and perhaps even a greater discount if they purchase your consulting services. This will even encourage your client to call the referral and recommend your services so that by the time you contact them they are already a warm lead. Whether you are in small business consulting, computer consulting or any other area of expertise, using these simple ideas can help you take your business to the next level. Add these techniques to your marketing plan, tick to them on a regular basis and you should see a significant growth in business. Philip Ritchie is a National Consultant for hundreds of sales reps in the merchant bankcard industry. To learn more about mobile credit card processing visit www. chargeonphone.com. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/Article/Techniques-to-Help-YourGrow-Your-Consulting-Business/100612
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Virtual Meetings Cut Travel Costs By Monte Enbysk
“A
majority of companies have higher travel expenses than they need,” says Alisa Jenkins, senior director at Bredin Business Information, a business consulting firm. “This doesn’t mean you have to cut out all travel. There are still many cases where meeting face to face is best. But there are also good ways to meet virtually that can make many of your business trips unnecessary.” Alternatives to business travel - such as web conferencing with Microsoft Office Live Meeting or similar products - continue to improve with advances in internet and related technologies, most agree. We’ll address the options, including video conferencing, teleconferencing, online collaboration tools and the web conferencing in detail below. But first: When do you absolutely need to meet? Here are some scenarios mentioned by experts: - You are meeting a new client. - You are introducing new people perhaps your replacement - to an ongoing but important business relationship. - You are attempting to close a significant sale or cut an important deal. - You are delivering a product that you must demonstrate. - You need to resolve a controversial or
complex problem, or discuss top-secret matters such as an acquisition or merger. - You need to meet with an attorney to discuss legal matters. - You need to solicit money from an investor. - You are making sales or training presentations and your materials are best presented in person. - Your competitors are meeting face to face with a client you want. Perhaps you could add other scenarios specific to your company or industry. The point is meetings remain critical to the success of your business. However, there are many meetings where technology can substitute for travel easily and effectively. “You generally need to find the wherewithal to make that initial contact face to face,” says Diane Parks, an information technology products reseller. “But once you have established a relationship, technology can save you time and money for your later meetings.” “It depends on the level of importance and whether deal-making is involved,” adds Bruce D. Phillips, senior fellow for regulatory studies at the United Statesbased National Federation of Independent Business. He says there are times when professional meetings, like conventions, may be dispensable. With increased airport security and the
time it takes to get through airports now, the “quick trip” - where you fly to and from a meeting on the same day - isn’t so quick, or practical, anymore, Parks adds. “Virtual meetings” may not be as much fun, but they can allow you to get a lot of work done at less expense. Here’s a rundown of the alternatives: Video Conferencing
An interactive use of video, computing and communication technologies to allow people in two or more locations to meet - either one-on-one or in groups of up to a dozen people or so - without being physically together. Video can be streamed over the Internet or broadcast over television monitors. Pluses: High-end video conferencing systems (such as those owned by many larger corporations) can bring together large groups of people in disparate locales to hear speeches and presentations in a broadcast-quality setting. But video conferencing today also can be done on the cheap, with inexpensive webcams and free or low-cost software, such as Microsoft NetMeeting. Minuses: Unless you go to a video conferencing centre, audio and video equipment must be purchased. (NetMeeting, for example, requires a PC sound card with a microphone and speakers, as well as a video capture card or camera for video support.) Most video conferencing providers charge by the hour, so you may feel pressured to end on the hour and leave business undone. Web Conferencing
Video conferencing without the video - or, put another way, teleconferencing with the addition of the web for interactive presentations, using PowerPoint, Excel or other documents. Audio can be transmitted by telephone and/or PC microphones. Pluses: All you need is Internet access and a phone. You can make presentations at once to as many as 2,500 people in different locations. You don’t have to email the PowerPoint slides or other documents to your audience ahead of time - you use the visuals and highlight points in real time. Other participants can also use drawing tools to make points or take control of your presentation as well. NetMeeting works well for web conferencing as well. Minuses: It’s certainly not the same as meeting in person, and you miss out
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on people’s facial expressions and body language, unlike video conferencing. But for straightforward business plan reviews, sales meetings, software demonstrations and customer presentations, it works - and brings a lot of people from far and wide together for one meeting. Teleconferencing
Teleconferencing services are offered by long-distance carriers or independent service bureaus using sophisticated call connection “bridges” to join many different phone calls into a single conversation. Pluses: Calls can be set up quickly and easily, at relatively low cost. All you need is a telephone. Accompanying documents can be faxed, emailed or shipped overnight to meeting participants in advance, if necessary. Minuses: Teleconferences work well for simple information sharing and straightforward decision-making that require no visual presentation. But they are not a suitable way to discuss morecomplicated matters, which could be presented better via web conferencing. Teleconferencing also is not a desirable way to begin or even further an important business relationship. But, in a pinch, it can accomplish a lot. Online Collaboration Tools
While email remains a key business tool, this discussion will focus on extranets private websites that allow you to share files, documents and use message boards with selected customers or partners. Pluses: Having an extranet won’t take the place of a long-distance meeting using one of the alternatives above. But it can, over time, reduce the need for some meetings by allowing you to have ongoing communication and document-sharing. Minuses: You can communicate in real time using chat or instant messaging, but most communication is not interactive. Extranets, however, effectively can turn a teleconferencing session into a web conferencing one if all of the participants have access to the private site. Monte Enbysk is a lead editor for the Microsoft.com network and writes occasionally about technology for small businesses. Article Source: http://www.articlesphere. com/Article/Virtual-Meetings-Cut-TravelCosts/89779
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