Last night, I had the privilege of speaking to a fun group about internet marketing. They wanted to learn about e-zines, blogs, audio postcards, etc. I was really surprised when during introductions, several people mentioned that they came because they wanted to learn more about the subject. Wow..no pressure!
Actually, I was very excited because I enjoy helping improve the condition of my clients and audience. That's a term that Alan Weiss (www.summitconsulting.com) uses all the time in his coaching and mentoring. I believe in it. If you're in business just to make a buck, people will know it. Yes...you need to eat. Me, too! In fact, with two kids in college next year, I really hope people like me ;-]
But, by improving the condition of your client will not only make them better, it will make their clients and audiences better. And, they might buy from you, too. Now that's a great ripple effect.
Focus on what's good for your client and the rest will take care of itself. Just think if we all do that!
Dan
P.S. Want to better improve the condition of your client? By becoming a better presenter and communicator, you will be able to deliver your message more powerfully and impact more people. Improve your presentation and communication skills by attending my Panic to Power Boot Camp. Learn more and register by clicking here...
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Data Backup
Backing up your data has become more important than ever in this technological business world. It's an issue I constantly discuss with my clients. If you do any speaking, consulting, or maybe you're an author, you know the survivability of your business may depend on your backup.
Of course, I need to practice what I preach so I'm always looking for more efficient and inexpensive ways to do this. My friend and mentor Scott Simmonds has devoted two recent blog posts about data backup. You can read his blogs by clicking here. He mentions a new service he has been using that's Internet based and costs only $50 per year. I'm interested, especially with a free 30-day trial. I know what my homework tonight is going to be!
Make sure you are doing all you can to protect your valuable computer media. In the end, it's far more valuable than the hardware.
Dan
P.S. If you live in the Greater Seattle area, you have the opportunity to take part in my next live The Bull Stops Here workshop. It's all about disaster - how to avoid it and how to survive it. To learn more and to register, click here...
Of course, I need to practice what I preach so I'm always looking for more efficient and inexpensive ways to do this. My friend and mentor Scott Simmonds has devoted two recent blog posts about data backup. You can read his blogs by clicking here. He mentions a new service he has been using that's Internet based and costs only $50 per year. I'm interested, especially with a free 30-day trial. I know what my homework tonight is going to be!
Make sure you are doing all you can to protect your valuable computer media. In the end, it's far more valuable than the hardware.
Dan
P.S. If you live in the Greater Seattle area, you have the opportunity to take part in my next live The Bull Stops Here workshop. It's all about disaster - how to avoid it and how to survive it. To learn more and to register, click here...
Thursday, January 24, 2008
You can always learn something new
I was at a meeting today where the guest speaker was giving strategies to effectively writing blogs. As a person who juggles four (yes, four) blogs, I was an interested participant. I learned something I never knew...
When I copy and paste my post that I wrote in a Word document into this template, if I don't save that document into a plain text or notebook format, I can pick up some crazy characters on my blog post. You may have noticed some either here or on my newsletters. I never knew how that happened.
My instructor gave me the solution, which I detailed above. Here it is again. If you type out your blog first on a Word document, when you save it, make sure instead of saving it as a word document, you save it as plain text or notebook format. There is a drop down button at the bottom of the "Save As" box. This will keep you crazy character free. A big thanks to her for that useful information.
Dan
P.S. Need some useful information on being a better presenter. You can get some great strategies to becoming that dynamic speaker that's inside of you. My Panic to Power Boot Camp is only a couple of months away. Click here to learn more or register...
When I copy and paste my post that I wrote in a Word document into this template, if I don't save that document into a plain text or notebook format, I can pick up some crazy characters on my blog post. You may have noticed some either here or on my newsletters. I never knew how that happened.
My instructor gave me the solution, which I detailed above. Here it is again. If you type out your blog first on a Word document, when you save it, make sure instead of saving it as a word document, you save it as plain text or notebook format. There is a drop down button at the bottom of the "Save As" box. This will keep you crazy character free. A big thanks to her for that useful information.
Dan
P.S. Need some useful information on being a better presenter. You can get some great strategies to becoming that dynamic speaker that's inside of you. My Panic to Power Boot Camp is only a couple of months away. Click here to learn more or register...
Monday, January 21, 2008
How valuable is your time?
I once asked a client what he thought his time was worth. He answered without hesitation – “$300 per hour”. Okay. I can buy that. If your time was worth $300 per hour, how much money do you waste a day?
This was never more evident for me than this past week when I had a SNAFU with my e-mail. Seems I was “hijacked” and had a bunch of SPAM spewing from my e-mail out something I learned that is called “port 25”. Well, Comcast didn’t like that, so they shut down port 25. From Wednesday morning on, I could receive e-mail but not send from my Outlook. Big problem.
It would have been nice if Comcast would have advised me. I guess that would have been too easy. After all, how many hours could I have saved had I knew WHY I couldn’t send e-mails?
Fortunately, I had a member of my Toro Team help me get through this hurdle. Without his help, I would have wasted much more time.
As a professional presenter, you need to remember that time is your most valuable asset. Think of it as your inventory. When you schedule out a date in the future, make sure you’re receiving some money down to save that date. If they cancel without any remuneration to you, you’ve lost the ability to schedule that time to someone else. That’s loss of inventory. Time is not replaceable so be very careful how you allocate it. Be as protective of your time as you would any other business tool. Maybe even more.
What’s your time worth?
Dan
P.S. One valuable way to spend your time is at my Panic to Power Boot Camp in Seattle on March 18. Why? Because your ability to motivate, persuade, and improve the condition of others is directly proportional to your ability to be a dynamic presenter. You will walk away with strategies that will put you head and shoulders above your competition. What could be more valuable than that? To register now, click here…
This was never more evident for me than this past week when I had a SNAFU with my e-mail. Seems I was “hijacked” and had a bunch of SPAM spewing from my e-mail out something I learned that is called “port 25”. Well, Comcast didn’t like that, so they shut down port 25. From Wednesday morning on, I could receive e-mail but not send from my Outlook. Big problem.
It would have been nice if Comcast would have advised me. I guess that would have been too easy. After all, how many hours could I have saved had I knew WHY I couldn’t send e-mails?
Fortunately, I had a member of my Toro Team help me get through this hurdle. Without his help, I would have wasted much more time.
As a professional presenter, you need to remember that time is your most valuable asset. Think of it as your inventory. When you schedule out a date in the future, make sure you’re receiving some money down to save that date. If they cancel without any remuneration to you, you’ve lost the ability to schedule that time to someone else. That’s loss of inventory. Time is not replaceable so be very careful how you allocate it. Be as protective of your time as you would any other business tool. Maybe even more.
What’s your time worth?
Dan
P.S. One valuable way to spend your time is at my Panic to Power Boot Camp in Seattle on March 18. Why? Because your ability to motivate, persuade, and improve the condition of others is directly proportional to your ability to be a dynamic presenter. You will walk away with strategies that will put you head and shoulders above your competition. What could be more valuable than that? To register now, click here…
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
One of those days...
It's been over a week since I've posted a blog and that's a BAD thing. One of my goals is to make sure I'm posting an article at least twice a week. I found time now to do it because...well...it's been one of those days!
Are you dependent on your e-mail to work? If you're like me, it's a vital form of communication. As a consultant, my ability to respond to my clients e-mails is critical. Today, for some reason, my Outlook on e-maul has changed (pun intended).
I am able to receive e-mails, I just can't send them out. It's kind of like being able to talk, but no one can hear you. You can SCREAM, but the message is silence. Frustration has been the word of the day to say the least.
I've spent time talking to all the experts and I've stumped them. Great! That's just what I needed with all the other "stuff" I have to do.
What I've done in the past few minutes is realize that I need to get over being angry and be productive. I turned off the e-mail so I wouldn't have to see the error messages that were just making me mad. I decided to post my blog and vent a little to you, while at the same time getting a "to-do" checked off.
If your like me, there are times when you let things that you can't control, control you. When that happens, do like I did this afternoon. Take a step back and find another "to-do" that needs to be checked off and control what you can. In the end, you'll feel better and gain a feeling of accomplishment. The problem will be there when your done and you may be in a better frame of mind to deal with it.
Wish me luck with my e-mail...
Dan
Are you dependent on your e-mail to work? If you're like me, it's a vital form of communication. As a consultant, my ability to respond to my clients e-mails is critical. Today, for some reason, my Outlook on e-maul has changed (pun intended).
I am able to receive e-mails, I just can't send them out. It's kind of like being able to talk, but no one can hear you. You can SCREAM, but the message is silence. Frustration has been the word of the day to say the least.
I've spent time talking to all the experts and I've stumped them. Great! That's just what I needed with all the other "stuff" I have to do.
What I've done in the past few minutes is realize that I need to get over being angry and be productive. I turned off the e-mail so I wouldn't have to see the error messages that were just making me mad. I decided to post my blog and vent a little to you, while at the same time getting a "to-do" checked off.
If your like me, there are times when you let things that you can't control, control you. When that happens, do like I did this afternoon. Take a step back and find another "to-do" that needs to be checked off and control what you can. In the end, you'll feel better and gain a feeling of accomplishment. The problem will be there when your done and you may be in a better frame of mind to deal with it.
Wish me luck with my e-mail...
Dan
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Insure Your Pets While They Ride with You
I was reading my favorite blogs on Google Reader the other day and I saw my friend and mentor Scott Simmonds posted an article about pet insurance. As you may know, I'm also an insurance consultant (http://www.toroic.com/) so I keep track of current events in the industry. I thought you might find this of value.
Here's the deal - Progressive Insurance has come out with protection to cover your pet if they are hurt in an accident. Now that's creative thinking! The coverage will come from your Collision insurance and cover up to $500 for vet bills and medicine associated with an accident. To learn more go to:
Dan
P.S. Scott Simmonds is my guest on Thursday, January 10 at 6:00pm PST as part of my Toro Teleconference Series. By being a participant, you will walk away with seven (7) questions you MUST ask your insurance agent today. To register now, go to:
http://www.toroic.com/store_2008tcs_jan.htm
P.S.S. Have you added this blog to your RSS feeder yet? If not, why? You will get current information on issues involving your insurance that will save you time, money, and frustration. Is there anything better than making your life simpler and easier when it comes to your insurance?
Monday, January 7, 2008
Amazing Grace...
“Having heard all of this, you may choose to look the other way…but you can never say again that you did not know.”
- William Wilberforce (1759-1833)
This past weekend, my family watched the 2007 movie, Amazing Grace. Amazing is exactly what it turned out to be.
I’m embarrassed that as a History major I had never heard of William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was the leading abolitionist in the early 19th century leading the charge against the British Slave Trade. His pastor, John Newton, was the famed Slave Trade Captain who reformed and penned the song, Amazing Grace. He was Wilberforce’s inspiration for the fight.
The movie accurately characterized the power that Wilberforce conveyed in his ability to speak and present. Though it took over a decade (in large part due to the war with France) Wilberforce never relented and finally won a great battle in Parliament. Had it not been for Wilberforce’s skill as a dynamic communicator and presenter, who knows how many more lives would have been negatively impacted?
What lives do you currently impact? What lives can you impact? Either personally or through your chosen vocation, your ability to communicate your message carries great weight. Your family, your friends, and your clients gain value from you. Make the most of your gifts and change lives for the better, just like William Wilberforce did 200 years ago.
Dan
- William Wilberforce (1759-1833)
This past weekend, my family watched the 2007 movie, Amazing Grace. Amazing is exactly what it turned out to be.
I’m embarrassed that as a History major I had never heard of William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was the leading abolitionist in the early 19th century leading the charge against the British Slave Trade. His pastor, John Newton, was the famed Slave Trade Captain who reformed and penned the song, Amazing Grace. He was Wilberforce’s inspiration for the fight.
The movie accurately characterized the power that Wilberforce conveyed in his ability to speak and present. Though it took over a decade (in large part due to the war with France) Wilberforce never relented and finally won a great battle in Parliament. Had it not been for Wilberforce’s skill as a dynamic communicator and presenter, who knows how many more lives would have been negatively impacted?
What lives do you currently impact? What lives can you impact? Either personally or through your chosen vocation, your ability to communicate your message carries great weight. Your family, your friends, and your clients gain value from you. Make the most of your gifts and change lives for the better, just like William Wilberforce did 200 years ago.
Dan
P.S. Want to get better at your presentations? Now is the time to register for my Panic to Power Boot Camp in Seattle on March 18. For more information, click here…
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