What I recommend you do is go for referrals. Go off of personal referrals, business referrals of other people who have used attorneys that they’re pleased with. You may also get referrals from your local or state chamber of commerce, and if you belong to any organizations or associations with your particular industry, that’s another good place to get referrals.

And finally, if you belong to any networking groups, I would ask the other business owners for folks they’re satisfied with. When choosing an attorney, choose someone whose personality also matches the kind of person that you want to work with. Hope those tips are helpful.

The advance warning is about something you should DEFINITELY do, if you possibly can.

In this economy intelligent people are crying out for proven ideas on how to build their business and make a lot of profits.

So many people are asking for my help that I am opening up 3 hour blocks of time inviting the right people to my home in the Philadelphia PA area to help them in their business.

If you, too, like the idea learning my business and marketing on and off line ideas, you’ll be interested in this invitation.

You are invited to come to my home and work with me while we have some sandwiches and beverages for a full 3 hours, hands on, where I help you with your business success.  I won’t offer you additional services, won’t follow up with you, won’t coach you and will teach you hands on how to make your business more profitable.

I have several days coming up quickly to help you directly.

Yes: it is short notice – but I hope you are in a hurry to succeed. I am certainly in a hurry to help you do so!

Let’s face it, in times like these it doesn’t pay to sit around thinking about doing something. The sooner you act, the sooner you’ll see results, and I’m here to help you do so.

So, please RSVP straight away.

Respond to t@coachinstitute.com if you want to reserve a date.

The investment for 3 hours of my time to build your business is only $3,000 – but I only have a couple of dates open.

So, let’s see if we can find a date and if so, and only if so, will I request your credit card.

No payment plans.

This is only for serious folks who know my phone time for 3 hours is more than what I am asking for live lunches with me!

I really hope to see you at my home shortly,

T

 To find out how you can earn free tickets, read on… 

There is no registration link for tickets to this special 2-day event because there is no registration fee being charged AND it will include admission for yourself and up to 2 adults. Think how useful this alone will be. You can “gift” admission to two friends, associates, staff members or business colleagues or you can impress two special clients or customers – because their tickets will cost you nothing and you can afford to offer them this special 2 day seminar.

This seminar, which I am personally conducting, will not be a thinly or otherwise disguised sales presentation for anything. You will receive 100% value from my 30+ years business building experience.

I will be discussing key issues for getting more customers, building sales and increasing profits in today’s competitive marketplace, and presenting you with a variety of proven strategies and techniques. You will learn simple, practical solutions for maximizing sales and profits with little or no increase in marketing expense.

Having helped companies in a wide variety of industries increase their sales and profits, many of the most effective techniques I will teach you are the result of “cross-pollinating” highly profitable techniques from one industry to another.

So it doesn’t matter whether you are a coach, consultant, accountant, chiropractor, dentist, hairdresser, masseuse, private investigator, butcher, baker or candle stick maker; it doesn’t matter whether you own the company, whether it’s a franchise, whether you are a solo-preneur, whether you are a small business with several employees, whether you work from a store or office or work virtually from home – I know what marketing and business building techniques and strategies work best for your business.

Testimonial:
“After spending a few hours consulting with Terri Levine, I made an extra $15,000 2 hours later! $15,000 from the ideas she gave me…”
~ Jemila Williams, Jemstone International

Of course, we’re not suggesting you are going to leave this 2-day seminar and make $15,000 immediately – but it is possible. You will leave with so many ideas to put into action, any one of them can make you money.

If your business is at the point of needing to know new and effective ways to stimulate sales, then this is a seminar you can’t afford to miss.

• Maybe your business is already doing well, but you want to do better and all the marketing guru advice you have tried so far just isn’t getting you there. Maybe you just need help wading through all the expertise available to make it work for your business?
• Maybe you have the time, money and energy to work on your business and you just need help putting together a strategy?
• Maybe you have the strategy but don’t know how to find new customers?
• Maybe you work too hard and have no work/life balance and need to learn strategies that will enable your biz to run on autopilot so you can take time out to enjoy your newfound profits?
• Maybe you spend far too much time ‘plate-spinning’ – the urgent gets in the way of important – and you’re not always sure which is which.
• Maybe you don’t have anyone to discuss ideas with. You can’t ask your staff, suppliers or customers and the phrase ‘it’s lonely at the top’ is familiar.
• Maybe you just want some unbiased advice on how to grow your company and take it to the next level? At this seminar, you’ll meet and exchange ideas with people just like you – all keen to grow their businesses, all frustrated that things just don’t happen fast enough.

There’s no question about it – bad marketing kills your profits and costs you clients. Your ‘loyal’ customers defect. And they never come back. Bad marketing lets even inferior competitors steal the business you’ve fought so hard to get.

My 2-day business-building seminar could put thousands on your bottom line over the next 12 months.

You don’t have to take my word for it – here are more testimonials from people who have taken my advice and knowledge and really run with it for amazing results: http://www.terrilevine.com/testimonials-3

My charge for such a comprehensive 2-day seminar is usually around $1000 and the only reason I am doing it for free is to show my appreciation to those who take part in a special “Sell Without Selling” book promotion I am doing at BN.com on June 30th ONLY – not before or after, but ON June 30.

Book Review: Extraordinary! Quick read with a powerful new perspective on sales!

Posted May 18, 2010, 5:37 PM EST: Terri Levine is a brilliant marketing expert who teaches only proven strategies that she uses in her own outrageously successful business. She has written a wonderful parable in which she shares her most powerful selling secrets. Her methods are easy to learn and easy to implement. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the ideas; they are more powerful than you can imagine! This book is a must read!
~ Amber Dupois

This is where you’ll go on June 30:  http://tinyurl.com/28ykazd

So what do you have to do to gain access to this 2-day business building seminar and admission for 2 friends or biz associates?

On June 30, through BN.com only, (NOT Amazon!), buy 35 or more copies of my book Sell Without Selling – each must be purchased individually, separately, one at a time. Please make sure you understand that important caveat!!!!!!  Then you must email those 35 individual book receipts as per below…

What will you do with 35 copies?

• Give to clients
• Gift to friends
• Use as holiday gifts for biz associates and customers
• Include in your own special “packages” you sell
• Donate to local charities to help teach people how to get work and gain valuable recognition for yourself
• Use as special giveaway prizes to your mailing list

And check with your accountant – it could well be this is a tax-deductible business expense for you!

The 2-day business-building seminar will be held July 15-16 in the Philadelphia area at a venue to be advised.

Information will be sent to you regarding the seminar once you send your 35 BN.com receipts to admin@terrilevine.com.

Remember – you must buy 35 or more copies – individually (one by one, NOT 35 bulk in one order)( of Sell Without Selling from BN.com ON June 30th – not before or after, but ON that date only.

This could well be one of the best investments you ever make in your business success. If you are in business, why wouldn’t you?

Go ahead, grab your copies right here on June 30th: http://tinyurl.com/28ykazd 

Then you email your 35 receipts to admin@terrilevine.com and you and 2 friends whose names you will need to advise will be registered.  Considering what you will gain, the little extra time it takes to order individual copies and email the individual receipts will be well worth your time!

Terri ]]> http://www.terrilevine.com/how-you-2-friends-can-earn-free-tickets-to-a-special-2-day-seminar-with-terri.html/feed 1 http://www.terrilevine.com/10-quick-tips-to-make-money.html http://www.terrilevine.com/10-quick-tips-to-make-money.html#comments Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:40:07 +0000 admin http://www.terrilevine.com/?p=820 1. Build a mailing list of customers and potential customers. Do you ask for contact information on your website when people sign up for a newsletter or free product? Do you ask for contact info from people who contact you for information? Do you ask for contact info from people who attend your seminars or teleclasses? Do you encourage referrals from existing clients?

You don’t have to manage your list yourself, manually, although that is possible via email programs and online forums such as Yahoo Groups (free). You can use online services such as http://www.1shoppingcart.com and http://www.shoppingcartforcoaches.com, and http://www.constantcontact.com – all services that help you manage your client databases and also provide other services.

It is cheaper, easier and quicker to sell to an existing database of interested customers than have to continually seek out new customers.

2. Establish a newsletter – this can be an online ezine or a paper newsletter mailed. Of course, the online ezine is much cheaper to employ. A newsletter provides valuable information for your existing and potential clients, and establishes you as the expert. It also makes it easier to sell your valuable products and services. You can send a newsletter from your own email program until your database grows and as with any other database, you can find free as well as paid for services. You can send a newsletter via Yahoo Groups, www.1shoppingcart.com, www.topica.com, www.constantcontact.com and various other professional newsletter service providers.

3. Promote yourself! A press release that promotes you, your service or product is worth its weight in paid advertising, whether it be on line, in print, on radio or TV. It gives you and your product instant credibility, and with that comes new customers willing to trust you and give you a try. You can use a paid service, such as www.prweb.com or you can list your press releases on various free sites yourself. Another way to promote yourself is by writing articles, which can be distributed on many free sites providing another source of credibility. Make sure you also upload some of your articles on www.ideamarketers.com which will enable others to use your articles in their own newsletters – you won’t get paid, but you will get a load of free publicity!

4. Another way to earn extra income is to hold seminars and teleclasses. Record them so you can sell the recording. If you have valuable information, people will pay for it. You don’t have to use expensive paid for services – services such as www.nocostconference.com will provide you with a teleclass number and record it for free. You can take registrations manually but it is easier to use a service such as http://www.shoppingcart.com which will handle payments, etc. (Yes, this is the same service that handles your database, your newsletter, autoresponders, etc.)

5. Make sure your website is user friendly and access to your products and services and ways to pay are user friendly. Promote your products and the direct URL to your shopping page to your newsletter, in press releases, articles and social networks.

6. Leverage your time and resources – find ways to make one thing go further. An e-book can become several articles and press releases, special reports and bonus giveaway docs, and a seminar or teleclass, for example.

7. Upgrade your skills and widen your service/product base. The more you have to offer, the more clients you can attract. Maybe you can partner up with somebody who offers complimentary services and products and offer each other’s lists your services. That way you don’t have to know everything, but being able to offer the extra services is attractive to customers and a win-win for you.

8. Do joint ventures – for the same reason as above. Joint ventures are designed to be a win-win for both partners. Which businesses could you do a joint venture with?

9. Can you automate some of your regular tasks thus saving you time and money? Are you doing something manually or paying somebody to do something manually that can be done in half the time by a new program?

10. If you are a coach or consultant, consider offering group coaching programs whereby you coach several clients at the same time in a group format rather than individually. You will still earn the same money, but you will save a lot of time which will enable you to explore other money making ventures. If you are in some other line of business, what can you do in your business that will enable you to achieve the same in less time while enjoying the same or higher income?

“Are You Taking Advantage of Our Marketing Advice Clinic that Offers FREE Information and Consultations on these Topics…”

1. Low cost referral management systems
2. Advertising and copy critiques
3. Website strategy reviews
4. Publicity ideas and press release critiques
5. Direct mail and marketing collateral reviews

As a public service to my readers and followers in the business community Levine Business Coaching offers a “Marketing Advice Clinic” that qualified business owners, entrepreneurs, and marketing directors may take advantage of on a limited basis. The following are responses to questions we’ve received lately concerning this free business service.

1. Why do you offer this advice clinic for FREE if you’re in the consulting business?

The Marketing Advice Clinic is offered free of charge simply because we understand that you, as a business owner, want to know what your strategy and options are before you invest in any marketing services.

Because there is no cost or obligation, you will receive unbiased, objective advice and reviews in a non-threatening environment. It allows you to understand the costs and expenses associated in advance of moving forward with your marketing strategy.

Also, giving free advice and reviews helps us demonstrate our expertise and experience to business owners who are not familiar with us, which often gives them trust and confidence to utilize our services in the future.

2. Can I use the Marketing Advice Clinic multiple times?

You may use the Marketing Advice Clinic as many times as necessary to receive advice and consultations on most marketing, advertising, and promotional issues.

3. Do I need to make an appointment?

Yes, our Marketing Advice Sessions are 15 minutes long and require an appointment. To schedule your Marketing Advice Session simply email Debbie@TerriLevine.com and she will schedule you on a first come-first served basis. If you miss an appointment two times you will not be eligible for additional Marketing Advice Sessions.

4. Can anyone participate in your Marketing Advice Clinic?

The Marketing Advice Clinic is available ONLY to my readers and followers who are businesses or people who are referred by my readers and followers.

5. Do I need to come to your office to use the Marketing Advice Clinic?

No, we do the Marketing Advice Session over the telephone. If you have any marketing materials such as brochures, ads, sales letters and direct mail pieces that you want reviewed, email those prior to your session to Debbie@TerriLevine.com.

Hopefully this has answered any questions you may have about the Marketing Advice Clinic. Hundreds of business owners, entrepreneurs, and marketing directors have received expert help over the years using the clinic. In fact, the following are remarks from a business owner who used the Marketing Advice Clinic recently:

“I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all your help. You provided me with several excellent ideas. After implementing just one of your ideas by business increased by 20% and I made $15,000 two hours after I spoke to you, thanks to your valuable advice. Thank you for providing this outstanding service for business owners.”

Jemila Williams, JemStone International

If you need advice please don’t hesitate to call our FREE clinic. And please pass around the email to other business associates that might need a helping hand.

Terri Levine

P.S. If for some reason you can’t call the FREE Marketing Advice Clinic during normal hours simply call us and we can arrange a free meeting that will meet your time restrictions.

It’s not all bad news, however, because there are businesses that flourish and rake in high profits regardless of the economy.  Some of these entrepreneur owners didn’t know what to do either, but they learned. It doesn’t matter what you do in life, if you want success, you do have to put in some effort. It isn’t handed to you on a plate.

You can be successful too, if you avoid these 5 mistakes:

Mistake #1: Failure to have a Marketing Plan with a Marketing System to accomplish the marketing plan. Not having a marketing system that consistently, predictably, and profitably brings in new customers/clients who are eager to purchase what the business has to sell is the ultimate downfall of a small business. If you want to survive, you must have a marketing system. You can’t expect your business to grow if you don’t create an effective marketing system.

Mistake #2: Not knowing who your target market is and offering services and products to any audience who might buy. You must target your market. If you aren’t clear and focused you will not attract the clients you want. Without leads your business is dead. Leads are your potential customers. Some potential customers turn into money spending customers. That is the sequence for making money in any business. If your business doesn’t solve a specific problem for a specific highly targeted audience, you won’t make much money.

Mistake #3: Not using “leverage”. Successful biz owners leverage everything. Don’t spin your wheels creating a document, having conversations, and going to a workshop or anything else that doesn’t allow you to leverage all your resources. Think about how you can leverage your time, money, relationships and learning. Develop a system that helps you accomplish more in less time and make more money from applying the system. Many Entrepreneurs suffer from the “The Lone Ranger Syndrome” and try to handle everything themselves. This sets them up to fail because they eventually run out of time, money, health… and suffer from burnout. No one that is successful does it alone. Consider connecting with other Business owners and join a Mastermind group.

Mistake #4: Getting discouraged and not sticking with your business in full force. When the going gets tough and there are setbacks, getting stuck dwelling on what is lacking and what is going wrong is your downfall. Successful business owners know that persistence and determination are the keys to success. Look at the beliefs, behaviors and patterns in your business that are keeping you stuck and start on a plan, step by step, to make changes. Another way to increase your personal determination is to increase your knowledge. When you have more knowledge you can have the confidence to try out of the box ideas.

Mistake #5: Believing you don’t have to sell. Successful business owners know they are in the business of selling their products and services. They have dealt with any issues they have about selling and sales reluctance. They are clear on what exactly they sell including the features and benefits and how to language what they sell to others. They take selling actions every day and create business and opportunity as their main function.  Many people HATE to sell. They feel like they are manipulating others or being pushy.  If you’ve got an idea, be proud to sell it. If we have an attitude that people who sell are bad people, we’re not looking at the needs of people. Pretty much everything you have was bought. There is no manipulation, and you’re not forced to buy anything. Likewise, those who are interested in what you offer will be willing buyers. You are meeting a need.

It’s only if you hold a gun to their head, or threaten them or lie to them that you need to be ashamed of making a sale!  If you are coming from a place of honesty and integrity and wanting to serve others, you are doing people a real service!

So was the Jemila Williams, an Internet marketing coach. That’s why she retained me to help capture a greater share of her market.

I can report very good things to you about the results we’re producing.

Working with Jemilla Williams, CEO of JemStone International, an objective was set to expand her customer base and significantly raise her prices at the same time.

A very bold move, but one that both Jemila and I believed was well within reach.

In order to accomplish this, three major components were developed:

1. A new strategic position for her coaching including roll-out of a new coaching service, a position that would justify a price increase from $700 to $5,000 for one of her advanced programs.
2. A new copy platform to support this strategic change.
3. A major rewrite of the copy based on the new platform.

In a few hours after this strategy was implemented, the project already exceeded Jemila’s original goal. She was very pleased to report a quick $15,000 from enrollments for this program.

Even more beneficial is the fact that this campaign can be re-used to promote the coaching program we created four times a year for many years to come.

So the overall increase in both revenue and profit will continue to grow and grow. Aren’t these the kind of results – continued increase of sales and profits – that you’d like to achieve as well?

As it happens, there are now two client vacancies on my list, and I’m writing today to ask whether you could benefit from a substantial increase to your bottom line? If so, I would very much like to hear from you and see about setting up a no fee, no obligation telephone consultation.

I welcome the opportunity to review your objectives and see how we can work together to increase your sales and profits.

As you may already know, I only work with a given number of clients at any one time. So if you’re interested in growing your business soon, I’d appreciate it if you’d call now.

And while I can’t promise you that your results will be the same as JemStone International’s have been, I can also say that the companies I’ve worked with have substantially profited from the experience.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. And to helping you continue to prosper in today’s demanding market place.
Email me: T@Coachinstitute.com

1.    Business is more than the bottom line and a balance sheet.

People make business happen.  To achieve extraordinary business results cultivate deep and agile relationships with your colleagues, clients, customers, suppliers and competitors, and provide 100% customer service.

 2.    Always check your bags at the curb.

Ditch the beliefs standing in your way.  Nothing kills an extraordinary business result quicker than a misplaced belief or a hidden agenda.  Be open to thinking in new ways and you’ll discover new possibilities.  You will become lighter, move faster, be more spontaneous and cover more ground with less effort. 

 3.    Surrender the Outcome.

Being focused on the outcome limits your perspective, hinders your ability to seize opportunities along the way, and makes you less willing to take risks.  It’s like running a race with blinders on.   Focus on making each day extraordinary. It is too easy to reject an idea or opportunity because you are prejudging or attached to the outcome – unless you have a crystal ball, you DON’T know the future.

 4.    Waste some time every day.

Create space in your life to invest in yourself and in others.  All work and no play makes everyone dull.  You will avoid burnout and stress by making time for yourself… frivolous time!  The results are extraordinary.

 5.    Heart + Head + Soul = WOW

Achieving extraordinary results doesn’t have to be a struggle. To reach for effortless and extraordinary results get your heart, head and soul in sync.  Create a place of integrity, momentum, harmony and no regrets.  Doing what you love makes work feel like play

6.    Don’t be Afraid to Look Under the bed.

We’ve all got a place where we seldom think to look for solutions. There may be treasure in the junk and monsters aren’t so bad when you look them in the eye.  Plus, small ignored monsters tend to grow into huge monsters that get in your face – better to deal with them when they are small and manageable!

 7.    Use your Accelerator to Slow Down.

Ease up on the accelerator to slow down.  You don’t have to stomp the brake.  The smoothest stops are gradual and gentle.  And your car will last longer and use less gas.  Anticipate and plan. You can make mistakes when you rush things.

 8.    Make it Bigger than You.

And it will pull you and everyone else along.  Realize it’s not about your success or failure. When you start a business you are impacting on your clients, customers and your staff as well as your family.  You must see the bigger picture and realize it is no longer just about you.

 9.    Don’t Forget to Signal Before You Turn.

If you want people to follow your lead, don’t make them guess where you’re headed. Avoid a lot of crashes, fender benders and missed turns by telling folks which direction you are going before you take off.  This is important for your customers as well as business associates and those who work for you.

 10.  Wear Comfortable Shoes.

Be yourself.  You’ll get more done, have more fun and build more powerful relationships.

 Bonus tip:

 Find the “extra” in the ordinary.

Sometimes the answer is right in front of you. Don’t become so blinded by shiny new gizmos that you can’t see the obvious. Sometimes it is better to leave things as they are, in that, if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.  Sometimes it is better to upgrade and modify our procedures. Think carefully and ask for opinions from your customers and staff before making any major changes.

Now, as businesses in the major western countries get back on their feet, one of the key factors to their success is not going to be in the number of new products they can invent or manufacture for less than their competition, but from the people who work for them… the employees who drive their business. If a company is to rebuild itself and continue to grow, it must have enthusiastic, productive and committed people and motivating the workforce must become a key strategy in business growth plans. 

Studies show that money alone does not provide long term motivation, because employees have to know the difference between being paid for the job they do as opposed to being rewarded for doing a good job, so with many companies still facing the necessity to watch their spending, here are some examples of motivational programs and options they can consider.

Health Care Programs.  While many large companies are still investing in programs aimed at improving and maintaining the health of their employees, recent studies have shown that an increasing number of U.S. businesses are buckling under the financial pressure and either reducing the options they provide or considering withdrawing from it altogether.

Some businesses are considering sharing the cost of their health plans with their employees, others are taking a look at their plans and reducing the number of options, and others are looking more toward health and wellness type programs, for example, gym memberships, massage, yoga and tai chi classes.

If your organization decides to stick to providing a health care plan, you can save money by renegotiating terms with your health care plan providers, who also in a competitive environment and if they want your business they will negotiate.  You can lower costs by asking for discounts and special deals if your company uses certain pharmacies or gyms. Now is also the time to expect better service and more for your company dollar.  Why not ask your provider to include cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes tests for your workforce, free of charge? 

Communicate and Stay Engaged with Your Workforce.   The days of keeping the workforce in the dark are long gone as are producing paper newsletters and notices.  We’re not only considering the environment by not wasting paper, we’re saving money.  Savvy employers are keeping in touch by using “social media” and the trend will grow in 2010.  No longer the domain of those with too much time on their hands, social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) are becoming part of business culture with more and more businesses using it as a form of network marketing as well as keeping in touch.

It’s important, especially during challenging times when employees feel the most vulnerable and insecure, to maintain regular contact, to give them encouragement, boost their spirits and their motivation.

An increasing number of businesses are turning to social medial to engage with their workforce, moreso than using email.  Other tools used are company blogs and online forums and discussion boards to stay in touch and encourage communication.  Another benefit of using social media for communications is the ability to interact with individuals and encourage communication between all levels of a company and between teams situated in other parts of the country or even the around the world.

Match the Reward to the Employee.  Another challenge for companies to face in the future are the number of different generations within the workforce and it is predicted that by 2020, there will be five generations working, each with their own needs and wants and they will all need to be handled differently.  In leadership, one size definitely will not fit all. For the immediate future, the main issue will be retaining your top end performers and increased competition for jobs from those whose retirement funds were destroyed and now seek to return to paid work.  Within this segment you will find very experienced performers who may well be happy to stay in the one job, but this needs to be balanced with an experienced or potentially talented younger workforce who you also need to be motivated and retained for the long term future. Clearly, the motivational needs of both these generations is going to be vastly different.

Non-financial rewards. These days, two strong motivators are related to career advancement and job security. For future long term benefits, motivate your high performers with diverse career development plans, so they don’t have to leave your company to find advancement elsewhere.  If you cannot promote from within your own company, consider transfers within your own branch to different departments or to other branches of your division or even sister companies. An employee whose ideal career future can be nurtured and provided, is an employee you will keep.

Other ways businesses can motivate employees include share schemes.  Some countries offer tax savings to employers and employees for approved share schemes and it would be prudent to check if this applies to you, so you can take advantage of it.  Share schemes are a low cost incentive for companies to introduce yet provides long term motivation. Employees have the incentive to be productive on a long term basis because the better the company’s shares perform, the more they get to share in the success.

You can also offer more social activities for employees to boost morale and help them relax.  Consider a company sausage sizzle in the park, or maybe start the day with a 5-10 minute relaxation program such as Tai Chi.  You can offer a day off to the employee who finishes their important tasks and has met all their deadlines. 

It doesn’t make sense for businesses to not consider benefits that they deem will cost the company in some way, such as giving an employee the day off, when you consider the cost to businesses from employees taking too many “sickies” and wasting time at work.  A happy, motivated employee can do the work of two and assist to accelerate your business.  Achieving that type of employee just makes good business sense.

Team Spirit:  Developing teams will continue to be high on the agenda and working within a fun and uplifting team environment is a very cheap way to motivate and encourage employees.  Nobody enjoys going to work with people with whom they have little in common and they have difficulty getting along with.  People who feel ostracized by age or cultural differences are not going to fit in or be easily accepted by the majority – like broken links in a chain, the team will be adversely affected because not everyone is cooperating and working smoothly together.

People working together, communicating and cooperating, regardless of individual differences, is the key to long term success. But it isn’t just developing team spirit within individual departments that is important, the new mission is to make your entire organization’s workforce be one huge team who can work together.  In this way, all employees would contribute their ideas and communicate with other departments to find ways to make great ideas work. Not only is this hugely beneficial to the company, but it makes the employees feel like they have a vested interest and an important role to play. Such individuals are highly motivated and geared for success.

Positive Feedback. One motivational tool that will continue to be successful is providing positive feedback.  It costs nothing and provides huge results.  Employees need to know they are doing something right and worthwhile.  While it is important to point out areas that need improvement, counter this with acknowledgement of areas where they are doing well.  Don’t just hand out random compliments, tie the positive feedback to real results and actions and encourage the employee to continue their excellent work.  Let them know their efforts do not go unnoticed by the ‘top brass’ – and this is also a subtle way of informing them that any lack of effort would therefore also not go unnoticed.

Motivation is tied to morale.  When morale is low, productivity drops and employees leave.  Business suffers.  During difficult financial times when it is not possible to consider financial rewards and incentives, companies must be creative and flexible. 

Many of today’s younger workforce are motivated not only by high paying careers but also work that appeals to their personal interests and that also offers opportunities for personal and career growth.  They want to do work that gives them pride and a sense of accomplishment. Many have learned from previous generations that it is important to do work that makes you happy, that gives you a reason to bounce out of bed in the morning with anticipation as opposed to dread, and they are looking for employers who can provide that stimulation PLUS time enough to enjoy a private life.

It is imperative for organizations to link their corporate missions to work motivation because machinery, office equipment, buildings and great products or services alone do not grow a business… people do.

Answer each question quickly and instinctively – they are not presented in any special order because we don’t want your brain forming patterns and thinking of answers before we’ve asked the question!

1) How do you usually greet the end of the working week? Are you often a little disappointed that the weekend is here already, perhaps because you are so engrossed in an exciting work project or some work-related activity that you’d have preferred to continue/finish? YES NO

2) When the weekend is over, do you usually look forward to Mondays and bounce out of bed with enthusiasm to go to work? YES NO

3) Are you interested in and do you willingly participate in your Company’s special projects and employee schemes, perhaps even the social club? YES NO

4) Do you skip over or ignore the job vacancy sections in newspapers because you’re not interested in other jobs or because you’re not looking to see if a better job exists? YES NO

5) Do you have a career plan in place for your current position? Would you be interested if the company offered it? YES NO

6) Does your current position lend itself to interesting possibilities down the track in the form of promotions within the company, or transfers to other destinations or even to a sister company? Any possibilities at all that do or would interest you? YES NO

7) Do you enjoy the specific tasks and responsibilities of your current career? YES NO

Does your present job utilize your special talents and abilities, for example: if you are creative and are good at writing but you work as a clerical officer inputting data on a computer, then you are not utilizing your special talents and abilities. YES NO

9) Are you familiar with and do you care about your company’s Policies and Procedures? Do you know the background of your CEO and President and key people within the company? (Showing an interest in these things is an indicator.) YES NO

10) Do you meet new company initiatives with applause and enthusiasm? Do you believe those in charge are wise and know what they are doing? Do you trust your leaders? YES NO

11) Does any aspect of your current job resemble, in any way, the career you dreamed of when you were in high school? YES NO

12) Are you in your present job because it satisfies your personal aspirations, rather than fulfilling your parent’s “dreams” for you, or because it was expected of you? And did you apply for your present job because you were particularly interested in either the job itself, it’s potential, or the company? YES NO

13) Did you willingly go into this career/job/company without any pressure or influence from parents, family or government agencies who wanted to see you “financially self-supporting”? Was getting the job super important to you for reasons other than simply being employed and earning an income? YES NO

14) Do you tackle your work earnestly, happily working overtime if necessary? Do you approach work projects with gusto and enjoy completing them successfully, maybe even looking for ways to improve the job? YES NO

15) Do you interact positively with your fellow employees? (You see them as friends and not just faces you run into from Monday to Friday). Maybe you socialize with them after business hours? YES NO

16) Are you a willing helper/volunteer if someone is burdened with a heavy workload? Do you feel like part of the team? Is cooperating with your work colleagues easy and enjoyable? YES NO

17) Can you or do you see yourself still in this position or within the same company in say, 5 years time? Do you want to be? YES NO

18) Would you describe yourself now as mostly happy with your life? Are you feeling enthusiastic, eager, and cheerful? Is your health good? Do you sleep well? Do you feel positive? Are you generally satisfied with your lot in life? YES NO

19) If you have a family, do you find it easy to spend quality time (and weekends) with them away from work without stress or arguments at home or at the office? YES NO

20) Are you so content with your current position that you are mostly unaffected by undue stress or frustrations? Are you happy with the way things are and appear to be headed with your career and/or within your company? YES NO

21) When you talk about your job to friends and family, is it more often upbeat and positive commentary? Do you find you usually only have great things to say about it? Are you proud of your job and/or company? YES NO

22) Are you so enthusiastic about your job that you’d be prepared to do whatever it takes to succeed at it? Would you take on part-time study? Travel? Join Associations? Do you dream big dreams about it? Does it feature in your future “goals”? YES NO

23) Would you be sad/reluctant to leave your present position if you were put off or needed to leave for any reason? YES NO

24) Do you feel that what you do is appreciated, that you are appreciated, and that what you do is important – that you are contributing to a worthwhile goal? YES NO

25) Are your suggestions and feedback about your role welcomed by the Company? Does your Company encourage personal growth and offer training schemes to aid advancement, and do you eagerly snap up training opportunities? YES NO

How did you do?

If you answered mostly or all NO’s, you don’t have a job, you have a ‘sentence’. You are in a job that really doesn’t suit you, or working for a company that doesn’t suit you – or it may even be the line of business doesn’t suit you. You may be in this job to please somebody else. You should look for a job that honors who you are and your unique talents and abilities. It is your right to have a job that complements your life, that not only provides an income but also provides joy and satisfaction and fulfills your goals and aspirations. You deserve to work in an environment that provides mutual respect and support. No dream job is too ridiculous to consider… We know a lawyer who’s become a florist, a lower level office clerk who’s become a H.R. Manager, a secretary who’s become a nurse, an engineer who’s become a self-employed landscape gardener, a factory machine worker who’s become an IT specialist, and a Police Officer who now runs his own Boat Charter business. You may not be qualified for one of your dream jobs yet – but you’d be surprised what is possible if you know where to look and what to look for. And you should start looking!

If you answered about half and half Yes and No answers, you should spend some time thinking about where you’re headed. Either the job or the company may not be right for you. Can you find the same position in another company? Or can you transfer to a different position or different department and take a position that will honor who you are and your special talents and abilities and that will see you bouncing out of bed in the morning, happy to go to work in the same company you are with now? Is it possible to redefine your present position, modify it somehow to better suit you? If not, you’d best take more notice of those job columns in the paper! Life is too short to settle for second best. Our careers take up the best of our days – don’t waste your days. When we are merely existing in a job or tolerating a job, we generally lose enthusiasm and interest for many things around us and we are not giving 100% – this is neither fair to ourselves or the company employing us. Don’t feel guilty about looking at other options, inside and outside the company. You may be able to tolerate a lot now, but down the track you are going to feel it more and wish you had done something sooner about the way in which you earn your living. You could even consider opening your own business – here’s a chance to really do something that appeals to you and utilize your special skills and talents!

If you answered mostly or All Yeses – congratulations! You’re one of those lucky ones who has found their niche. Make sure management knows you are keen. Be noticed for all the right reasons! Only two words of warning for you – don’t become so engrossed in your job that it becomes your life. There is more to life than work – make sure you balance your work life with outside interests, activities and friends, and most important, make time for your family! Keep your priorities straight. Second word of warning: don’t become complacent. You never know when downsizing will strike, or financial disaster may hit your company. You may be 100% happy doing what you do where you are now, and that’s wonderful, but keep up a network of useful contacts just in case that “rainy day” arrives. Keep your eyes open on what is available and what the trends are in the market place. You may never voluntarily look for another job, but circumstances may change this for you.