Add You - Business

Why Work For Yourself?
The question of whether to work for a company or run your own business is a difficult one to answer. It's a dilemma that many people face in the course of their lives. Sometimes it happens right at the start, as soon as they leave school. Sometimes the question crops up after years of working for a company. For so many people the time will come when such a decision has to be made. We take a look at some of the factors that create this dilemma and some of the solutions that can be found.Working for yourself in your own business can be hugely rewarding if you manage that

Have a colleague who has a rose garden? Send them the article about roses that you read last week. Have a co-worker who graduated from a certain college? Congratulate them when his team wins the big game. Have a Customer who loves tennis? Send them a link to the website you heard about that helps people improve their game. You get the idea. Follow-up by giving people information or comments that they know is just for them.

7. Have a plan. I have a process to call and track my conversations with my key contacts regularly. We have a process to connect with our most valued colleagues and Clients monthly. Our plan continues to be tweaked, but we have a plan because we know how important follow-up is. What is your plan?

Within my seven suggestions I

7 Signs That It's Time to Fire a Client
It's an issue faced by business owners worldwide -- having to let go of, or "fire" a client. When I started my business, it's not a situation I ever thought I would face, as I was happy to take on almost anyone that wanted to hire me. However, over time, my client scrutinizing skills became more acute, and I began to realize that not every client is a perfect client for me. In fact, more than 50% of the people I speak with are not a good fit for one reason or another. Just like Donald Trump in "The Apprentice", sometimes you just have to say, "You're fired!"What hap

What follows is a bold statement, but sometimes it takes a bold statement to get people’s attention.

One of the most important and yet overlooked skills in business today is follow-up.

This applies to many parts of our business: Customer service and care, marketing, leadership, networking, branding, and more. It is a habit and a discipline that, when used effectively and regularly, will change your results and your life.

Here are seven ways to incorporate more follow-up into your practices – and therefore seven ways to increase your results.

1. Say thank you. First and foremost, the must-do follow-up habit is to say thank you. Send an email, make a call, or best of all, send a hand written note. Tell the Customer thanks for the new order. Tell the employee how much you appreciate their extra effort (or their normal effort over the long haul). Thank a person for a referral. Thank a colleague for the book or website recommendation. We all sent thank you cards after receiving graduation and wedding gifts. And while you may have done it because it was expected, it was really good practice for the rest of your life. I have a recurring task on my task list. It reads “Who do I need to thank today?” Who do you need to thank today?

2. Ask for feedback. After completing a project, meeting, training session, consulting engagement, or whatever, ask for some feedback. Preface your request by saying that you want to not only make sure that you have met their needs, but that you want to know how to continue to improve. Be open to what will be shared and show your gratitude, by referring to item 1 above.

3. Keep track. You’ve given an employee some coaching or help on a specific issue, so follow-up to see how it is going and how you can help now. You completed a project for a Client six months ago – so follow-up to see how it is going now and if the results match what had been expected. Follow-up isn’t just a one time deal – it is an on-going commitment. You likely are interested in the progress others are making. Let them know by staying in touch and seeing how things are going and how you might be able to help.

4. Remain interested. This is one step beyond keeping track. It is remaining interested in the other person or group’s progress over the long term. Continue to check back on progress. Remaining interested shows that you care and have made the effort to remember about events and goals important to the other person.

5. Remember important events. Holly on my team calls friends and colleagues on their birthdays and sings them Happy Birthday – live or on their voice mail. I have done this occasionally in the past – but have made it a more normal part of my routine as well. Why? Because it makes people smile. Your kids and parents expect a happy birthday wish, but do your Customers? Your employees? Your vendors? Maybe you don’t sing, but you can still wish people happy anniversary, happy birthday or happy St. Patrick’s Day – especially if they are Irish!

6. Share information you know matters to them. Have a colleague who has a rose garden? Send them the article about roses that you read last week. Have a co-worker who graduated from a certain college? Congratulate them when his team wins the big game. Have a Customer who loves tennis? Send them a link to the website you heard about that helps people improve their game. You get the idea. Follow-up by giving people information or comments that they know is just for them.

Within my seven suggestions I

How To Best Select An Affiliate Program
Marketing products and services through the Internet is unquestionably easier and more rewarding compared to traditional marketing methods. With the millions of people worldwide getting online each day, there’s an enormous possibility for a merchant to sell his products and generate huge income.However, merchandisers are not the only ones who can benefit from online marketing. A booming industry nowadays, provides great opportunity as well to individuals as affiliate marketers. In affiliate marketing, an affiliate marketer doesn’t need to have his own products and servi

the employee how much you appreciate their extra effort (or their normal effort over the long haul). Thank a person for a referral. Thank a colleague for the book or website recommendation. We all sent thank you cards after receiving graduation and wedding gifts. And while you may have done it because it was expected, it was really good practice for the rest of your life. I have a recurring task on my task list. It reads “Who do I need to thank today?” Who do you need to thank today?

Within my seven suggestions I

Direct Mail - For Small Businesses
We hear a lot of talk about junk mail nowadays. Many people will tell you that they dump it straight in the trash. But why do you think so many organisations send out so called junk mail - because it works!I dump most of my junk mail just like everyone else, but every so often I'm attracted and respond to something that comes through the mail. Whatever it is, grabs my interest just at the right time. Sometimes it's a mailing I've seen several times and I've been slightly interested; however, there comes a time when I decide to do something about it.Rese

prove. Be open to what will be shared and show your gratitude, by referring to item 1 above.

Within my seven suggestions I

The Hells Angels Are Doing It - Maybe You Can Too?
Last night I was watching the local news, and amidst all the typical doom and gloom stories the media loves to share, there was a fascinating interview that took place.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP – the way-over-made-fun-of guys in red with funny looking cowboy hats) blatantly egged on the Hells Angels. The RCMP officer being interviewed actually blamed the Hells Angels on pretty well all of the crime in Canada… you name it… they are to blame.Now, I don't condone what the Angels do, but I will say the RCMP are absolute morons to believe crime would di

. Continue to check back on progress. Remaining interested shows that you care and have made the effort to remember about events and goals important to the other person.

Within my seven suggestions I

Negotiating Ethically Is Not For Sissies
Negotiating isn't easy, no matter what your style. Negotiating to get what you want takes brains and backbone, regardless of whether you're gunning for your negotiating counterparts, or focusing on designing equitable solutions. You have to think through what you want and the most effective way to get it. And you have to have the moxie to follow through with your plans. Sometimes just asking for something takes nerve. After all, some of us were taught as children not to ask for anything; instead, we were to wait until it was offered. That courtesy may have won you points with

Within my seven suggestions I have shared examples from all phases of business in order to show how pervasive and how valuable follow-up can be.

There is little about it that is hard. Being exceptionally good at follow-up requires focus, dedication, discipline, and a decision to do it. If you will make the decision you will become a more effective leader or supervisor. You will become a better networker. You will have greater sales. You will retain your relationships longer.

Any of these are reasons enough to make this decision. All of them put together prove my initial bold statement:

“One of the most important and yet overlooked skills in business today is follow-up.”

Where are you going to start?

HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.addyou.info/article/46419/addyou-Seven-Ways-to-Improve-Your-Results-with-Followup.html">Seven Ways to Improve Your Results with Follow-up</a>

BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.addyou.info/article/46419/addyou-Seven-Ways-to-Improve-Your-Results-with-Followup.html]Seven Ways to Improve Your Results with Follow-up[/url]

Trying to find the right job can be a daunting task. This article gives you the skills and steps that you need to do it successfully!

To be successful against competitors and to gain a sustainable competitive advantage, you must understand the competitors in your industry. You must also understand where your business fits into the industry and how it stacks up against its competitors. Never make the mistake of saying, “I have no competitors.”

Asking relevant questions before finalizing the BPO provider is vital for the client company in order to check its credibility. The article looks at the two most common mistakes made by the companies in selecting the suitable service provider - asking for references and insisting on communication with agents. These common mistakes can be rectified by directly interacting with the top brass of the call center to get the feel of their business.

Tags

Links

Add You - Seven Ways to Improve Your Results with Follow-up

Related Articles: