How do you write positive affirmations for success? When do you write them and where do you post them? With all these questions ringing in our head, it's no wonder most people haven't started anything at all yet.
Now that you're here though, it's time you learn how to come up with positive affirmations for success! Here are some important guidelines to follow:
1) Keep Affirmations Short And Direct To The Point.
Long, winding passages might have served some of your favorite authors well; but when it comes to writing positive affirmations for success, it's vital that you keep them short and direct to the point.
Shorter affirmations are more effective because they're easier to remember than long and complex ones. Think of the shortest possible affirmations for your purpose without sacrificing their meaning to you.
2) Avoid Anything Negative.
It sounds almost redundant to say this, but you have to be conscious about what you're writing. Sometimes, people don't think much of how they phrase their positive affirmations.
For example, "I don't want to get sick" is negative. Although it sounds like you're defending yourself against illnesses, the opposite effect might occur! That's because your subconscious could ignore the word "don't."
A powerful alternative would be to say something like, "I am perfectly healthy in mind, body and spirit."
3) Write When You're In A Positive Mood.
When writing positive affirmations for success, it is advisable that you do so when you're happy, thrilled or excited. Calm and peaceful works as well.
If you're feeling frustrated, sad or defeated, your words will carry a hint of negativity in them. You won't be able to look at your words without remembering that time when you were at your worst.
Write only when you're in a good state of mind. That way, the emotions attached to your affirmation won't be spoiled.
4) Keep Them In Present Tense.
Keeping your positive affirmations for success in present tense helps you attract your goals faster. It's as if you're living your life the way you want to, right at this very moment. It's as if all your dreams and ambitions are now moving from your future to your present.
When you think about it, doesn't "I am the youngest CEO of this company" sound better than "I will be the youngest CEO of this company?"
There are times, however, when you don't "feel" it. In the example above, if you're still having doubts inside when you say, "I am the youngest CEO," you can instead say, "I choose to be the youngest CEO of this company."
5) Post Them Where You Can See Them.
These affirmations are of no use if you don't follow them up after writing or reciting them. You have to really commit yourself to change.
By seeing your affirmations every day, you are reminded of a promise to yourself - that you will, from now on, take care of you! So post them on your laptop if you're always using it or write them down on your notebook several times each day.
Positive affirmations for success keep people going, even though others would have quit. If you're not one to stop even before a job's done, then keep these tips in mind.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
3 STRATEGIES FOR PUTTING BALANCE BACK INTO YOUR WORK LIFE.
Has the pendulum swung too far in increasing productivity at the expense of employee work-life balance? In an article titled, Americans of All Stripes Are Sicker Than They Need to Be, Paul Krugman indicated that full-time American workers work, on average, about 46 weeks per year compared with 41 weeks for full-time British, French and German workers. One indication that this is taking a toll on American workers is that it appears that more employees are taking mental health days. According to a May 8th article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, more than one-third of U.S. workers say they played hooky from work over the past 12 months. Were you one of them?
One HR executive with an S&P 500 company that I spoke with said, "The gains in productivity of the past few years have been on the backs of our employees who are maxed out. As for myself, during the week I go to work and come home. If I'm lucky I have time to eat dinner, work out, shower and go to bed. I don't know where we're going to get the next round of productivity."
Need further proof? According to syndicated columnist and best-selling business author, Chuck Martin, less than 15 percent of more than 2,000 senior executives and managers thought that their lives were in balance. When asked why, many pointed to technology which has made it easier to stay connected to work.
To make matters worse, in a recent study by Randstad USA, 38% of employed U.S. adults indicated that they do not usually take lunch, 33% work overtime without additional compensation, and 31% say they work on Sundays.
What does all of this mean to you? In effect, you are now on call 24/7 including weekends, holidays, and vacations.
If moving abroad to work in Britain, France or Germany is not an option for you, then read on for some tips on how to stop this work-life balance madness.
1. Establish and communicate boundaries for where, when and how you will work.
Put it in writing, share it with your boss and staff, and more importantly, adhere to it. Make sure it is something you feel comfortable with. For example, one executive I know works from 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. She is available via cell phone during her commute (7:00 - 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 - 6:30 p.m.) She checks email remotely once during the evening after going home and her kids are in bed. Saturday is her family day and she doesn't do any work. She checks emails again on Sunday evening and takes time to plan and prepare for her work week while watching Grey's Anatomy. The key: figure out what will work for you!
2. Control technology rather than let it control you.
Blackberry, PDAs, cell phones, laptops, and remote access are tools to help you be successful, not control you. Most executives that I speak to reluctantly admit that no one has mandated that they be linked to the office 24 hours a day. Stop being a super-hero and limit your use/ abuse of technology. Try turning off your Blackberry or cell phone after leaving work or at least when you get home. Stop text messaging and checking emails during meetings - not only is it rude, but if you can't be fully present, then perhaps you don't belong in the meeting after all.
3. Use technology to help you execute your business goals.
Block time for projects, planning, and strategic activities or your day will be filled with the urgent and not the important. Block time on your calendar for coffee, lunch and other types of networking meetings as it is important to "see and be seen." Schedule specific times (preferably only two times per day) when you will review/respond to email so that you aren't constantly interrupting your work flow every time a new email arrives. Use the task list and reminder features in your email or database management tool to schedule tasks to be completed on specific days. If you find that you are frequently interrupted during time you scheduled to work on projects, planning, and strategic activities, forward your phone to voicemail or even better, book a conference room or go some other place where you can work without interruption.
One HR executive with an S&P 500 company that I spoke with said, "The gains in productivity of the past few years have been on the backs of our employees who are maxed out. As for myself, during the week I go to work and come home. If I'm lucky I have time to eat dinner, work out, shower and go to bed. I don't know where we're going to get the next round of productivity."
Need further proof? According to syndicated columnist and best-selling business author, Chuck Martin, less than 15 percent of more than 2,000 senior executives and managers thought that their lives were in balance. When asked why, many pointed to technology which has made it easier to stay connected to work.
To make matters worse, in a recent study by Randstad USA, 38% of employed U.S. adults indicated that they do not usually take lunch, 33% work overtime without additional compensation, and 31% say they work on Sundays.
What does all of this mean to you? In effect, you are now on call 24/7 including weekends, holidays, and vacations.
If moving abroad to work in Britain, France or Germany is not an option for you, then read on for some tips on how to stop this work-life balance madness.
1. Establish and communicate boundaries for where, when and how you will work.
Put it in writing, share it with your boss and staff, and more importantly, adhere to it. Make sure it is something you feel comfortable with. For example, one executive I know works from 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. She is available via cell phone during her commute (7:00 - 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 - 6:30 p.m.) She checks email remotely once during the evening after going home and her kids are in bed. Saturday is her family day and she doesn't do any work. She checks emails again on Sunday evening and takes time to plan and prepare for her work week while watching Grey's Anatomy. The key: figure out what will work for you!
2. Control technology rather than let it control you.
Blackberry, PDAs, cell phones, laptops, and remote access are tools to help you be successful, not control you. Most executives that I speak to reluctantly admit that no one has mandated that they be linked to the office 24 hours a day. Stop being a super-hero and limit your use/ abuse of technology. Try turning off your Blackberry or cell phone after leaving work or at least when you get home. Stop text messaging and checking emails during meetings - not only is it rude, but if you can't be fully present, then perhaps you don't belong in the meeting after all.
3. Use technology to help you execute your business goals.
Block time for projects, planning, and strategic activities or your day will be filled with the urgent and not the important. Block time on your calendar for coffee, lunch and other types of networking meetings as it is important to "see and be seen." Schedule specific times (preferably only two times per day) when you will review/respond to email so that you aren't constantly interrupting your work flow every time a new email arrives. Use the task list and reminder features in your email or database management tool to schedule tasks to be completed on specific days. If you find that you are frequently interrupted during time you scheduled to work on projects, planning, and strategic activities, forward your phone to voicemail or even better, book a conference room or go some other place where you can work without interruption.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
21 WAYS TO INCREASE SALES THIS YEAR
1. Prepare Yourself To Excel.
Use a checklist to prepare your attitude, appearance, customer information, company and product information and the selling environment, so you can be at your best on every call.
2. Notice What Is Working.
Study yourself, your product or service and your company to know what is working now. Reinforce the actions and tools, which are generating results. Learn from your successes as well as your failures.
3. Know Your Competitive Advantage.
Study your company and your products and services in relation to what your competitors offer. Know where and how you stand out, and where you don't. Be prepared to discuss these comparisons at any moment.
4. Improve Your Sales Skill, Not Just Your Product Knowledge.
Don't rely on product knowledge to make you more persuasive. Sharpen your skills in reading people, describing your offer in compelling ways and in asking for the order at the right time.
5. Target The People Who Are Your Best Prospects.
Best customers have patterns. Most will fit the same pattern, so prospect among those who fit the pattern. Calling on people with similar needs, circumstances, and interests makes you more likely to create another best customer.
6. Know What To Be Curious About.
Know in advance what questions to ask by knowing what answers you need. Cultivate a strategic curiosity. Learn to be curious about the things that will advance your chance of making a sale.
7. Realize Who Is In Your Market.
Create a profile of the ideal market for what you offer. Define who they are, where they can be reached, what they care about, what they fear, what they read, whom they admire and more. Know them well.
8. Understand The Person And Their Situation.
Create an awareness of the psychological needs of your prospect as well as knowing what their technical needs are. Sometimes the way someone wants to feel has more influence on their decision to buy than what they actually need.
9. Find The Diamonds In Your Own Backyard.
More business exists around you than you know. Look among your friends, neighbors, existing customers, past customers, colleagues, competitors and coworkers for the opportunities that others overlook.
10. Ask For Specific Referrals.
Tell people what your ideal customer or prospect looks like. Ask them who they know who fits this description. Then ask them to take a specific action to help you meet the prospect; a telephone introduction, a testimonial letter, arrange a luncheon or coffee shop meeting, etc.
11. Manage Your Sales Reputation.
Determine today how you want to be thought of tomorrow. Specify the reputation you want within each group of which you are a part, and then work a plan to earn it piece by piece.
12. Grow Your Brand Identity.
Get yourself and your company known within your market area. Write articles, letters to editors, offer expert input for reporters and publishers, conduct surveys, provide free services to key people, donate your time to worthy causes, put your photo on your business card, share valuable ideas via email. Create a broad awareness of yourself as an authority on what you do.
13. Build A Fortress Of Great Relationships.
It is not only who you know that determines the value of your relationships; it is whether they know you as a valuable business resource. Define who you need to know today and five years from today. Start now to cultivate the relationships and the reputation, which will expand your possibilities.
14. Learn To Manage Points Of View.
Half your job is keeping yourself and others in the right frame of mind. Cultivate your ability to keep the focus on the things that matter most. Become a person who can put everything in perspective for others.
15. Manage Tension Throughout The Sales Process.
As tension rises, trust falls. Be aware of the ebb and flow of tension as the sale unfolds. Learn to reduce it when it gets in the way and to momentarily increase it to add urgency to the decision process.
16. Look Like Good News To Your Customer.
The way you are perceived by your customer determines how much resistance you will encounter as you sell. Learn to project a positive feeling among those you communicate with. Become a partner in problem solving, not a sales persuader.
17. Cultivate A Selling Style That Uses Your Sales Strengths.
Use the combination of online communication, in person calls, telephone contacts, trade show attendance, and public speaking, which allows you to shine. Build a mix of activities to diminish your sales weaknesses and amplify your strengths.
18. Give Samples Of The Experience You Represent.
A movie ticket doesn't just buy you a seat in the theater; it buys you the experience of enjoying the movie. What experience does your product or service bring to people? Give them a way to sample that experience through your presentation.
19. Stay Conscious Of The Meaning In What You Do.
When a person doesn't find much meaning in what they do, they don't bring much value to what they do. Write down specifically how your product or service makes life better for those who buy it. Read this description every day briefly, to keep in mind the reason behind the purchase. It's not about buying; it's about benefiting from buying.
20. Know When And How To Ask For The Order.
Learn to recognize buying signals, how to ask differently with different people, when to let the customer sell himself, how to negotiate details and when to walk away. If you don't ask you don't get. But how you ask often determines success or failure.
21. Deserve To Have Loyal Customers.
Know how to cultivate dedicated clients. Become competition-proof by delivering more than people expect. Overfill your client's needs and be their business friend, even when they are not buying from you.
Be the kind of person people rave about.
Use a checklist to prepare your attitude, appearance, customer information, company and product information and the selling environment, so you can be at your best on every call.
2. Notice What Is Working.
Study yourself, your product or service and your company to know what is working now. Reinforce the actions and tools, which are generating results. Learn from your successes as well as your failures.
3. Know Your Competitive Advantage.
Study your company and your products and services in relation to what your competitors offer. Know where and how you stand out, and where you don't. Be prepared to discuss these comparisons at any moment.
4. Improve Your Sales Skill, Not Just Your Product Knowledge.
Don't rely on product knowledge to make you more persuasive. Sharpen your skills in reading people, describing your offer in compelling ways and in asking for the order at the right time.
5. Target The People Who Are Your Best Prospects.
Best customers have patterns. Most will fit the same pattern, so prospect among those who fit the pattern. Calling on people with similar needs, circumstances, and interests makes you more likely to create another best customer.
6. Know What To Be Curious About.
Know in advance what questions to ask by knowing what answers you need. Cultivate a strategic curiosity. Learn to be curious about the things that will advance your chance of making a sale.
7. Realize Who Is In Your Market.
Create a profile of the ideal market for what you offer. Define who they are, where they can be reached, what they care about, what they fear, what they read, whom they admire and more. Know them well.
8. Understand The Person And Their Situation.
Create an awareness of the psychological needs of your prospect as well as knowing what their technical needs are. Sometimes the way someone wants to feel has more influence on their decision to buy than what they actually need.
9. Find The Diamonds In Your Own Backyard.
More business exists around you than you know. Look among your friends, neighbors, existing customers, past customers, colleagues, competitors and coworkers for the opportunities that others overlook.
10. Ask For Specific Referrals.
Tell people what your ideal customer or prospect looks like. Ask them who they know who fits this description. Then ask them to take a specific action to help you meet the prospect; a telephone introduction, a testimonial letter, arrange a luncheon or coffee shop meeting, etc.
11. Manage Your Sales Reputation.
Determine today how you want to be thought of tomorrow. Specify the reputation you want within each group of which you are a part, and then work a plan to earn it piece by piece.
12. Grow Your Brand Identity.
Get yourself and your company known within your market area. Write articles, letters to editors, offer expert input for reporters and publishers, conduct surveys, provide free services to key people, donate your time to worthy causes, put your photo on your business card, share valuable ideas via email. Create a broad awareness of yourself as an authority on what you do.
13. Build A Fortress Of Great Relationships.
It is not only who you know that determines the value of your relationships; it is whether they know you as a valuable business resource. Define who you need to know today and five years from today. Start now to cultivate the relationships and the reputation, which will expand your possibilities.
14. Learn To Manage Points Of View.
Half your job is keeping yourself and others in the right frame of mind. Cultivate your ability to keep the focus on the things that matter most. Become a person who can put everything in perspective for others.
15. Manage Tension Throughout The Sales Process.
As tension rises, trust falls. Be aware of the ebb and flow of tension as the sale unfolds. Learn to reduce it when it gets in the way and to momentarily increase it to add urgency to the decision process.
16. Look Like Good News To Your Customer.
The way you are perceived by your customer determines how much resistance you will encounter as you sell. Learn to project a positive feeling among those you communicate with. Become a partner in problem solving, not a sales persuader.
17. Cultivate A Selling Style That Uses Your Sales Strengths.
Use the combination of online communication, in person calls, telephone contacts, trade show attendance, and public speaking, which allows you to shine. Build a mix of activities to diminish your sales weaknesses and amplify your strengths.
18. Give Samples Of The Experience You Represent.
A movie ticket doesn't just buy you a seat in the theater; it buys you the experience of enjoying the movie. What experience does your product or service bring to people? Give them a way to sample that experience through your presentation.
19. Stay Conscious Of The Meaning In What You Do.
When a person doesn't find much meaning in what they do, they don't bring much value to what they do. Write down specifically how your product or service makes life better for those who buy it. Read this description every day briefly, to keep in mind the reason behind the purchase. It's not about buying; it's about benefiting from buying.
20. Know When And How To Ask For The Order.
Learn to recognize buying signals, how to ask differently with different people, when to let the customer sell himself, how to negotiate details and when to walk away. If you don't ask you don't get. But how you ask often determines success or failure.
21. Deserve To Have Loyal Customers.
Know how to cultivate dedicated clients. Become competition-proof by delivering more than people expect. Overfill your client's needs and be their business friend, even when they are not buying from you.
Be the kind of person people rave about.
Monday, February 20, 2012
SUCCESS IS NO ACCIDENT!
Remember the saying that those who fail to plan are planning
to fail? We have all heard it at one time or another, and we
know it's true, even though most of us act as if it doesn't
apply to us. Well, it does apply!
This week I spoke with a group of unusually successful young
entrepreneurs and the thing I noted was their attention to
detail. This particular group is part of a network
marketing, or "MLM" organization, and they know exactly
where they are going. Specifically, they have written goals
and strategies related to:
1. Identifying their key niche so they know WHO to contact.
2. The number of prospects to contact each week.
3. A strategy and budget for reaching those prospects.
4. A detailed, documented sales presentation.
5. A follow-up strategy and a system to track it.
6. A training and mentoring program to nurture new members.
7. Written goals that are measured in revenues, profits,
investments, number of "associates" and productivity.
No wonder this organization is growing and making money even
during this recession! They have a plan that guides their
daily activity and gives them feedback about their
performance.
Every business needs a plan, and this especially applies to
self-employed professionals. It simplifies your activities,
automates your priorities, and lets you know what's working
and what isn't.
to fail? We have all heard it at one time or another, and we
know it's true, even though most of us act as if it doesn't
apply to us. Well, it does apply!
This week I spoke with a group of unusually successful young
entrepreneurs and the thing I noted was their attention to
detail. This particular group is part of a network
marketing, or "MLM" organization, and they know exactly
where they are going. Specifically, they have written goals
and strategies related to:
1. Identifying their key niche so they know WHO to contact.
2. The number of prospects to contact each week.
3. A strategy and budget for reaching those prospects.
4. A detailed, documented sales presentation.
5. A follow-up strategy and a system to track it.
6. A training and mentoring program to nurture new members.
7. Written goals that are measured in revenues, profits,
investments, number of "associates" and productivity.
No wonder this organization is growing and making money even
during this recession! They have a plan that guides their
daily activity and gives them feedback about their
performance.
Every business needs a plan, and this especially applies to
self-employed professionals. It simplifies your activities,
automates your priorities, and lets you know what's working
and what isn't.
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