I was asked a very intriguing question this afternoon which has caused me to ponder. The most interesting part of it was not how easy it was for me to answer, but how in depth the thought process became. The question was what is more important; to be physically free or mentally free?
To me it really was a no brainer, I think the most important one is for us to be mentally free. I think often times as sad as it is; people who are no longer physically free (such as those in prisons) are only there because they did not have the mental freedom to begin with.
I am a firm believer that we get what we think about most of the time. We as human beings have an incredible power buried deep in our minds, which most of us fail to tap into. However, for those who have learned to harness this power, there really is no physical barrier that can hold you back.
When you set your mind to something completely you will always find a way to get to your goal. Every time I have been mentally determined to achieve something I have done it. To me the only thing required to achieve complete freedom is the determination to have it. Set your mind towards you goals and never look back.
Cheers,
Chuck
chuck@chuckbrady.ca
Monday, March 27, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
Creativity vs. Conformity
I was reading this study recently and it really made me appreciate something I have long seen to be true from my own experiences.
In one series of I.Q. tests given to children ages 2 - 4 years, 95% of the children were found to be highly creative with curious, questioning minds and an ability for abstract thinking. When the same children were tested again at age 7, only 5% still demonstrated high levels of creativity. In the ensuing years, they had learned to conform. They had learned to color between the lines, to sit in neat little rows, to do and say what the other kids did and said, and to do as they were told.
I noticed early in life that often times success in school had little or nothing to do with intelligence or how well I grasped the material. I noticed success in school (when I say success I mean good grades on our current grading system) had much more to do with how compliant I was in regards to the wishes of the teacher.
I was very fortunate that may parents put a much larger emphasis on results and creativity than following the accepted norms. So many children go through life being told to pay attention in school, get a good job and do the “normal” things. I don’t know about you but having seen the quality of life these “normal” people are living these days it is not a path I would want to follow.
Most of us have years of conditioning to overcome in order to regain the creativity and forward thinking we had as young children. But knowing the change is needed is your first step on the road to success.
Cheers,
Chuck
chuck@chuckbrady.ca
In one series of I.Q. tests given to children ages 2 - 4 years, 95% of the children were found to be highly creative with curious, questioning minds and an ability for abstract thinking. When the same children were tested again at age 7, only 5% still demonstrated high levels of creativity. In the ensuing years, they had learned to conform. They had learned to color between the lines, to sit in neat little rows, to do and say what the other kids did and said, and to do as they were told.
I noticed early in life that often times success in school had little or nothing to do with intelligence or how well I grasped the material. I noticed success in school (when I say success I mean good grades on our current grading system) had much more to do with how compliant I was in regards to the wishes of the teacher.
I was very fortunate that may parents put a much larger emphasis on results and creativity than following the accepted norms. So many children go through life being told to pay attention in school, get a good job and do the “normal” things. I don’t know about you but having seen the quality of life these “normal” people are living these days it is not a path I would want to follow.
Most of us have years of conditioning to overcome in order to regain the creativity and forward thinking we had as young children. But knowing the change is needed is your first step on the road to success.
Cheers,
Chuck
chuck@chuckbrady.ca
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Unpaid Consulting- Stop doing it
I was having a very good meeting today with a client and friend from my BNI group. This particular fellow is a sales trainer for the Sandler Sales Institute. I shared with him how valuable I have found one of the lessons he is consistently talking about. This lesson is the topic of unpaid consulting.
I like to think of unpaid consulting as when we are going through the sales process; we do a fine job of education the potential customer on our product or service. Invest our time and energy giving the customer the information they need, only to have them go buy from a competitor with their new found body of knowledge.
One of the most important lessons I have learned in sales and business is that it is perfectly acceptable to tell a client, “that is a great question, and that is exactly the type of information I will provide you with once we have secured this deal”.
In my daily routine I am always peppered with questions about blogs, and I am happy to answer the basic ones. However, when it comes to the questions about strategy and how a customer goes about achieving results, those I do not answer until they have cut a cheque.
Don’t be afraid to stand firm, your knowledge is worth paying for. Once you convince yourself of this you will be spending much more time working with clients, and much less time working with prospects. Trust me when I say, clients are much more lucrative than prospects.
These are my two cents on the day,
Chuck
chuck@chuckbrady.ca
I like to think of unpaid consulting as when we are going through the sales process; we do a fine job of education the potential customer on our product or service. Invest our time and energy giving the customer the information they need, only to have them go buy from a competitor with their new found body of knowledge.
One of the most important lessons I have learned in sales and business is that it is perfectly acceptable to tell a client, “that is a great question, and that is exactly the type of information I will provide you with once we have secured this deal”.
In my daily routine I am always peppered with questions about blogs, and I am happy to answer the basic ones. However, when it comes to the questions about strategy and how a customer goes about achieving results, those I do not answer until they have cut a cheque.
Don’t be afraid to stand firm, your knowledge is worth paying for. Once you convince yourself of this you will be spending much more time working with clients, and much less time working with prospects. Trust me when I say, clients are much more lucrative than prospects.
These are my two cents on the day,
Chuck
chuck@chuckbrady.ca
Entertainment book for business
Over the past few weeks I have had the pleasure of working on the beta testing for this great new program being put together by Bitron Global. Now officially since it has not launched yet I really shouldn’t be putting this out in writing, but the odds of someone reading this who shouldn't know is slim to none so I am going to do it anyway.
One of the biggest challenges that businesses face is finding customers. The other issue we face is that of reducing our costs. Every day in business we spend money on things anywhere from advertising, stationary, postage to web design. With this in mind a group of us came together looking for a better way, and I do believe we have found it.
A buying group is nothing new to the world; we see examples of group buying power all over the place such as your local chamber of commerce. One of the biggest reasons a small business owner will join something like a chamber is they can get better rates on their benefits packages due to the group buying power. We have just taken this concept and put it on steroids.
Though my last post seemed completely random it is just one of the great deals I have been able to put together with this program. Basically we have accumulated a whole whack of great deals in one place and created a buying and selling frenzy. You may be thinking this a simple or crazy idea, but I tell you it is working and working well. You can’t say I didn’t warn you….
Cheers,
Chuck
chuck@chuckbrady.ca
One of the biggest challenges that businesses face is finding customers. The other issue we face is that of reducing our costs. Every day in business we spend money on things anywhere from advertising, stationary, postage to web design. With this in mind a group of us came together looking for a better way, and I do believe we have found it.
A buying group is nothing new to the world; we see examples of group buying power all over the place such as your local chamber of commerce. One of the biggest reasons a small business owner will join something like a chamber is they can get better rates on their benefits packages due to the group buying power. We have just taken this concept and put it on steroids.
Though my last post seemed completely random it is just one of the great deals I have been able to put together with this program. Basically we have accumulated a whole whack of great deals in one place and created a buying and selling frenzy. You may be thinking this a simple or crazy idea, but I tell you it is working and working well. You can’t say I didn’t warn you….
Cheers,
Chuck
chuck@chuckbrady.ca
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Bitron Rewards - Hot deal for the week
Today’s Bi-Tron Rewards Hot Sheet---Info Canada Sign’s Deal With Bi-Tron Global
Bi-Tron Rewards Offer: “Find Your Next 100 Customers: Info Canada is providing
100 Free Leads
For Sales and Marketing Your Business
Value: $190.00
Contact: Troy Lalonde
Phone: 604-253-1111
E. Mail: troy.lalonde@infocanada.ca
We are spreading the word: Bi-Tron Rewards Card $ 39.95 per year above offer “priceless”
What are new customers worth to any business? Q: Could you use some more leads??????
If this sounds interesting to you please let me know.
Cheers,
Chuck
chuck@chuckbrady.ca
604-720-7563
Bi-Tron Rewards Offer: “Find Your Next 100 Customers: Info Canada is providing
100 Free Leads
For Sales and Marketing Your Business
Value: $190.00
Contact: Troy Lalonde
Phone: 604-253-1111
E. Mail: troy.lalonde@infocanada.ca
We are spreading the word: Bi-Tron Rewards Card $ 39.95 per year above offer “priceless”
What are new customers worth to any business? Q: Could you use some more leads??????
If this sounds interesting to you please let me know.
Cheers,
Chuck
chuck@chuckbrady.ca
604-720-7563
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Blogs- Laughter is the best medicine
The more times I speak to groups about blogs and the more clients I consult on the subject the more I get asked the same questions time and time again. There is no secret these days that blogs are here, we hear about them all the time. It seems however that Joe Public is still having a tough time wrapping his mind around the concept; moreover, business people always ask me “what use to me is an online chat thingy”. To answer your question yes most people call it the “online chat thingy” this is not me using technical jargon.
I think what is most overlooked in our current economic model is the burning desire for customers to feel engaged in the sales process. The deepest human desire we have is the need to feel important. The number one reason a person leaves a job is not the money, it is because they do not feel appreciated. Blogs allow a company to reach out to their customers and treat them like an individual and provide them with that level of importance they are craving.
I have been heard many times saying that when monumental changes take place such as the emergence of blogs, the companies who act upon the changes are the ones laughing all the way to the bank. Conversely, those companies who are forced to react to the changes are often left standing in line at the food back. I have seen too many fledgling companies who are so scared to open themselves up to the scary outside world they put up a protective wall of privacy. While this may keep the company safe, it is anything but secure. My broker Patrick Britton has a great tag line on all his emails, it says “The rich invest to win; the poor invest not to lose.”
If you find your company in business not to lose money, perhaps it is time to pack up shop and find a new line of work. However if you want to grow and flourish in our new digital world get blogging, you will be glad you did. Remember folks, you heard it hear first. I look forward to seeing the laughter on your face.
Cheers,
Chuck
I think what is most overlooked in our current economic model is the burning desire for customers to feel engaged in the sales process. The deepest human desire we have is the need to feel important. The number one reason a person leaves a job is not the money, it is because they do not feel appreciated. Blogs allow a company to reach out to their customers and treat them like an individual and provide them with that level of importance they are craving.
I have been heard many times saying that when monumental changes take place such as the emergence of blogs, the companies who act upon the changes are the ones laughing all the way to the bank. Conversely, those companies who are forced to react to the changes are often left standing in line at the food back. I have seen too many fledgling companies who are so scared to open themselves up to the scary outside world they put up a protective wall of privacy. While this may keep the company safe, it is anything but secure. My broker Patrick Britton has a great tag line on all his emails, it says “The rich invest to win; the poor invest not to lose.”
If you find your company in business not to lose money, perhaps it is time to pack up shop and find a new line of work. However if you want to grow and flourish in our new digital world get blogging, you will be glad you did. Remember folks, you heard it hear first. I look forward to seeing the laughter on your face.
Cheers,
Chuck
Monday, March 06, 2006
Stop talking and listen
I had an enlightening experience this afternoon that I thought was worth sharing as I feel it illustrates one of the fundamental problems many sales people face. I received a phone call from a gentleman I met at a trade show last week. I had stopped by his booth to find out what his company did. We had a brief conversation at the show and exchanged business cards.
This gentleman called me today to follow up on our conversation and give me his sales pitch. However he got off on the wrong foot and never succeeded in getting me interested, even though he has a service I think could be invaluable. The reason I say this poor fellow got off on the wrong foot is that he immediately started telling me all the wonderful things his program can do for me, except that he didn’t ask me any questions about my current situation.
I would have been quite willing to give him any information he asked for had he taken the time to ask me some questions. HOWEVER, he did not choose to ask me he instead decided to tell me what I should find useful.
I think too many sales people fall into this trap of talking when they should be listening. This man was very nice and polite (though this was really the only reason I stayed on the phone as long as I did) but he did nothing to grab my attention, or more importantly nothing to give me a reason to part with my hard earned money.
To me the best approach to take is not one of selling but one of educating and providing solutions for expressed problems or challenges. It is amazing the things you can learn if you just take the time to ask some questions remember everyone is tuned into the same radio station WIIFM (what’s in it for me), if you can relate your pitch to what is important to your customer your results will increase dramatically.
Cheers,
Chuck
This gentleman called me today to follow up on our conversation and give me his sales pitch. However he got off on the wrong foot and never succeeded in getting me interested, even though he has a service I think could be invaluable. The reason I say this poor fellow got off on the wrong foot is that he immediately started telling me all the wonderful things his program can do for me, except that he didn’t ask me any questions about my current situation.
I would have been quite willing to give him any information he asked for had he taken the time to ask me some questions. HOWEVER, he did not choose to ask me he instead decided to tell me what I should find useful.
I think too many sales people fall into this trap of talking when they should be listening. This man was very nice and polite (though this was really the only reason I stayed on the phone as long as I did) but he did nothing to grab my attention, or more importantly nothing to give me a reason to part with my hard earned money.
To me the best approach to take is not one of selling but one of educating and providing solutions for expressed problems or challenges. It is amazing the things you can learn if you just take the time to ask some questions remember everyone is tuned into the same radio station WIIFM (what’s in it for me), if you can relate your pitch to what is important to your customer your results will increase dramatically.
Cheers,
Chuck
Creating a dynamic personal profile
The first and foremost thing to remember about blogs is that they are a way for a person to express themselves. So with this in mind the first and most important thing to create is a personal profile.
Your profile is a way for people to get to know you a little better as a person. Your profile should include a picture that makes you look human, not a corporate robot. As well as a little bit of information about you personally and professionally. Ultimately your blog profile is a way for people to relate to you. People like to do business with those they know and trust and this is a way to create that trust.
One of the biggest mistakes new bloggers make is they think of a blog as just another website and use the regular company mantra in place of a profile. While it may keep your lawyers and accountants happy, company mantra does build intimate customer relationships.
When posting to a blog you should write as if you were writing a letter to a close friend. Tell personal stories; if you are referring to a product or service say what it has done for you. If you are talking about someone in our group you have done business with, say how they made you feel. The reason blogs are becoming so popular is that unlike the mainstream media they allow people to feel personally involved with the information they are receiving.
Blogs are meant to add the human element to business. Human means that people see it as being real and something or someone they can relate to. Be personal, be creative and most of all be yourself and you will like the results you get.
Your profile is a way for people to get to know you a little better as a person. Your profile should include a picture that makes you look human, not a corporate robot. As well as a little bit of information about you personally and professionally. Ultimately your blog profile is a way for people to relate to you. People like to do business with those they know and trust and this is a way to create that trust.
One of the biggest mistakes new bloggers make is they think of a blog as just another website and use the regular company mantra in place of a profile. While it may keep your lawyers and accountants happy, company mantra does build intimate customer relationships.
When posting to a blog you should write as if you were writing a letter to a close friend. Tell personal stories; if you are referring to a product or service say what it has done for you. If you are talking about someone in our group you have done business with, say how they made you feel. The reason blogs are becoming so popular is that unlike the mainstream media they allow people to feel personally involved with the information they are receiving.
Blogs are meant to add the human element to business. Human means that people see it as being real and something or someone they can relate to. Be personal, be creative and most of all be yourself and you will like the results you get.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Personal Reflection
A number of weeks ago I wrote about solitude and the power it can have on our thoughts and our mind. I was very amazed at the response it generated and the stories people have told me about their experiences with it. It was off topic a little from what I normally write about but something that is quite important to me. With this in mind I wanted to share some thoughts on a similar topic, that of personal reflection.
I think in life sometimes we have a lot of difficulty asking ourselves the tough questions that would elicit change in our behaviors. It is usually easier for us to travel along a path of least resistance, than it is for us to face the music and make a powerful change for the better. We all have said those magic words that someday things will change for the better.
I for one think that waiting for someday is not an acceptable route to take. I have been fortunate in my life to have friends and mentors help me by being a catalyst for positive growth and change. I can think of numerous epiphanies in my life that have come from a single word or phrase uttered by someone I care about.
What I have discovered to be the key ingredient is my own burning desire to succeed. It has often been said that you can not say the wrong thing to the right person. I think that by allowing myself to be ready for change it has helped me in invaluable ways I could not even begin to describe.
Brian Tracy always asks the question “is what I am doing right now moving me closer to my goals?” I find that by asking myself this question both personally and professionally I am able to determine what the right thing for me to do is. The most important thing to remember is that the right thing is probably not the easy thing. To me true courage is doing the right thing in every situation. Take the time to determine what is right for you and don’t let anyone get you sidetracked and success will be your oyster.
Bon Appetite,
Chuck
I think in life sometimes we have a lot of difficulty asking ourselves the tough questions that would elicit change in our behaviors. It is usually easier for us to travel along a path of least resistance, than it is for us to face the music and make a powerful change for the better. We all have said those magic words that someday things will change for the better.
I for one think that waiting for someday is not an acceptable route to take. I have been fortunate in my life to have friends and mentors help me by being a catalyst for positive growth and change. I can think of numerous epiphanies in my life that have come from a single word or phrase uttered by someone I care about.
What I have discovered to be the key ingredient is my own burning desire to succeed. It has often been said that you can not say the wrong thing to the right person. I think that by allowing myself to be ready for change it has helped me in invaluable ways I could not even begin to describe.
Brian Tracy always asks the question “is what I am doing right now moving me closer to my goals?” I find that by asking myself this question both personally and professionally I am able to determine what the right thing for me to do is. The most important thing to remember is that the right thing is probably not the easy thing. To me true courage is doing the right thing in every situation. Take the time to determine what is right for you and don’t let anyone get you sidetracked and success will be your oyster.
Bon Appetite,
Chuck
Inner Focus
I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about a wonderful course I am taking and the effects it is having on me. I am taking a personal development course called Achieving Excellence through a local organization called Focused on You.
One of the exercises did was doing a complete who am I, I must say it was probably the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life. Though it was quite tough it was also the most rewarding thing I have done as well. It caused me to take a long deep look inside of myself and look at every aspect of my life both personally and professionally and identify what is truly important to me and where I want to be moving forward.
It also really showed me just how important to me my values are, in particular how strongly I feel about keeping my personal life and professional life in harmony. I must say that thanks to the wonderful help of Donna Willon I am achieving this wonderfully.
I have seen it written many times over how important it is to have a coach in life and this is me saying I completely agree and echo those sentiments. Even if you think you know where you are going, the smallest tweaks can make a huge difference in your long term results. Take the time to know yourself and who you become will amaze even yourself.
Cheers,
Chuck
One of the exercises did was doing a complete who am I, I must say it was probably the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life. Though it was quite tough it was also the most rewarding thing I have done as well. It caused me to take a long deep look inside of myself and look at every aspect of my life both personally and professionally and identify what is truly important to me and where I want to be moving forward.
It also really showed me just how important to me my values are, in particular how strongly I feel about keeping my personal life and professional life in harmony. I must say that thanks to the wonderful help of Donna Willon I am achieving this wonderfully.
I have seen it written many times over how important it is to have a coach in life and this is me saying I completely agree and echo those sentiments. Even if you think you know where you are going, the smallest tweaks can make a huge difference in your long term results. Take the time to know yourself and who you become will amaze even yourself.
Cheers,
Chuck
Giving back
I find that sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own lives we sometimes forget how lucky and blessed we really are. I sometimes find myself in awe of this wonderful city and country I live in. I know I am biased but I say Vancouver is the best city in the world to be in.
Though most people who live here know this, I think so few appreciate it as much as they could. To me one of the most valuable things we can do as successful business people and all round humanitarians is to give back to those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
Randy Gage writes a lot about prosperity and what it means to be truly prosperous in life. He talks in depth about how it is not enough to make a lot of money, or have nice things but we have to live a balanced life that includes giving. The more we give both of ourselves and our money the more we will have in life.
I for one really believe in this theory and that those who give are the one who gain the most out of life both financial and spiritually. To be successful in life requires we be happy with ourselves and our surroundings, so why not do what you can to make the world a better place.
These are my two cents on the day,
Cheers,
Chuck
Though most people who live here know this, I think so few appreciate it as much as they could. To me one of the most valuable things we can do as successful business people and all round humanitarians is to give back to those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
Randy Gage writes a lot about prosperity and what it means to be truly prosperous in life. He talks in depth about how it is not enough to make a lot of money, or have nice things but we have to live a balanced life that includes giving. The more we give both of ourselves and our money the more we will have in life.
I for one really believe in this theory and that those who give are the one who gain the most out of life both financial and spiritually. To be successful in life requires we be happy with ourselves and our surroundings, so why not do what you can to make the world a better place.
These are my two cents on the day,
Cheers,
Chuck
Friday, February 17, 2006
Blogs-Plagiarism is not a bad thing!
One of the areas that make blogs really unique and revolutionary is that plagiarism is actually encouraged. It is not necessary that a company creates all its blog material from scratch. Doing your research and collecting useful data from other sources is highly encouraged.
One point of etiquette is to make sure you reference and link back to your source. If you do this, it is flattering to the original author and a source of pride for many bloggers. This is another change from the tradition business mindset of what’s mine is mine.
A good business person today is one who is seen as a body of knowledge who can help many people. We live in a world where solution selling is King and whoever has the most solutions to offer sits atop the throne. So in the world of blogs, don’t be shy to share what you have learned. Pass along the wisdom of other and you just may get yourself a seat in the palace.
Cheers,
Chuck
One point of etiquette is to make sure you reference and link back to your source. If you do this, it is flattering to the original author and a source of pride for many bloggers. This is another change from the tradition business mindset of what’s mine is mine.
A good business person today is one who is seen as a body of knowledge who can help many people. We live in a world where solution selling is King and whoever has the most solutions to offer sits atop the throne. So in the world of blogs, don’t be shy to share what you have learned. Pass along the wisdom of other and you just may get yourself a seat in the palace.
Cheers,
Chuck
Washington Post Intergrates Blogs
I found this article written by Marshall Kirkpatrick to be very interesting. It is just another example of how blogs are working their way into all the things we think of as our traditional media.
The Washington Post is now using a two pronged approach to get full coverage of its news stories. For those of you who are still wondering just what a blog is or if it is something meaningful, this is just another example of the power of Blogs.
Cheers,
Chuck
Blogs-The revolution is here
One of the things about blogs that I don’t think too many people realize is just how prevalent they have become in a very short period of time. Blogs now account for over 40% of the sites and traffic on the net and they are still in their infancy.
I am of the belief that by the end of 2006 they could be up to 70% of our internet usage. For anyone in business who thinks blogs are not significant it is time to think again, AND QUICKLY.
In this high paced world that we live in, ignorance is not bliss. There are numerous examples in the past of once hugely successful companies who didn’t adapt with the marketplace and suffered tremendously because of this. Today we don’t have to look any farther than GM.
If your company does not want to suffer the same fate as GM, make sure you are aware of what is going on in the market place. In the market if your customer’s change their buying habits and you are not proactively changing along with them you will be left out in the cold. Blogs are here to stay so the time to embrace them is NOW.
Remember, you heard it here first folks,
Cheers,
Chuck
I am of the belief that by the end of 2006 they could be up to 70% of our internet usage. For anyone in business who thinks blogs are not significant it is time to think again, AND QUICKLY.
In this high paced world that we live in, ignorance is not bliss. There are numerous examples in the past of once hugely successful companies who didn’t adapt with the marketplace and suffered tremendously because of this. Today we don’t have to look any farther than GM.
If your company does not want to suffer the same fate as GM, make sure you are aware of what is going on in the market place. In the market if your customer’s change their buying habits and you are not proactively changing along with them you will be left out in the cold. Blogs are here to stay so the time to embrace them is NOW.
Remember, you heard it here first folks,
Cheers,
Chuck
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Olympic Lessons
With the winter Olympics starting in Turin, the eyes of the world are on our wonderful athletes. Having spent a good portion of my life in competitive sports I have a deep appreciation for the type of commitment it takes to achieve such a high honor. I think one of the most impressive elements of the Olympic experience is that the athletes are competing for national pride, not money.
I think there is much that can be learned from this mindset of excellence. If an average person could harness just a small portion of the energy and ambition our Olympic athletes have, just think of the positive changes that could be made in the world we live in.
I think the underlying commonality between our elite athletes and the elite members of society is the focus of a goal. Think of aspects of your life as the medal podium and find ways in which you can strive to be at the top of that podium.
Like in the Olympics your motivation can not be money. If you aim for a higher purpose and strive for it selflessly you can’t help but be a success at whatever you choose to do.
Cheers,
Chuck
I think there is much that can be learned from this mindset of excellence. If an average person could harness just a small portion of the energy and ambition our Olympic athletes have, just think of the positive changes that could be made in the world we live in.
I think the underlying commonality between our elite athletes and the elite members of society is the focus of a goal. Think of aspects of your life as the medal podium and find ways in which you can strive to be at the top of that podium.
Like in the Olympics your motivation can not be money. If you aim for a higher purpose and strive for it selflessly you can’t help but be a success at whatever you choose to do.
Cheers,
Chuck
Internet Marketing-The next generation
One of the features of the blog world that most people seem to gravitate to is the search feature, which allows someone to run a 24/7 search and have new results instantly delivered to them. For instance, I have a search running on my name, Chuck Brady. Anytime anyone uses my name on the net I am instantly notified and see what they wrote and in what context.
This is a very powerful tool for business owners for a number of reasons. The first of which is market research. How would you like to track every move your competitors make without having to do anything? The RSS or Atom feeds attached to blogs allow you to achieve this.
The second reason why this is such a great feature is because it allows you to get information to your target market all the time. Many companies use internet marketing techniques like email newsletters to spread their information. The problem with this approach is that the content is only delivered to people in your data base, and you have no idea of knowing whether or not this is content they are interested in reading. With a blog entry your content is instantly delivered to your target market, and what is more IT IS NOT SPAM because it is information they have requested. Your information actually goes looking for your audience on your behalf.
I realize this is a lot of information to take in, this is not meant to be a how to manual, just an eye opener of the possibilities.
Happy Blogging,
CB
This is a very powerful tool for business owners for a number of reasons. The first of which is market research. How would you like to track every move your competitors make without having to do anything? The RSS or Atom feeds attached to blogs allow you to achieve this.
The second reason why this is such a great feature is because it allows you to get information to your target market all the time. Many companies use internet marketing techniques like email newsletters to spread their information. The problem with this approach is that the content is only delivered to people in your data base, and you have no idea of knowing whether or not this is content they are interested in reading. With a blog entry your content is instantly delivered to your target market, and what is more IT IS NOT SPAM because it is information they have requested. Your information actually goes looking for your audience on your behalf.
I realize this is a lot of information to take in, this is not meant to be a how to manual, just an eye opener of the possibilities.
Happy Blogging,
CB
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Heros of Today
Yesterday I had one of the most remarkable conversations in my life with a friend of mine. She said something to me that has been resonating with me all day. We were talking about some of the remarkable people in the world who find happiness and success despite all the obstacles and tribulations that are throw their way. She told me about her sister who suffers from cystic fibrosis; and yet never complains, nor asks "why me?” She then said to me, isn’t it interesting how often time the people who get these challenges in life are often the ones who are able to cope and handle such severe adversity?
This really got me thinking to many of the other admirable people in this world. Our recently elected mayor of Vancouver is a wheelchair bound quadriplegic. Here is a man who could come up with so many excuses, but he doesn’t. He is the mayor of one of the premier cities in the world because he made a choice to be successful regardless of what circumstances were thrown at him.
I really believe these people are a blessing to the rest of us and we should heed their achievements. So often we come up with excuses for not achieving our success, but others around us receive more adversity than I can fathom and still come out on top.
My hat goes off to these heroes, and I hope I am not the only one learning from the experiences of others. As a healthy citizen of the best country in the world, I can not be thankful enough for the opportunities in front of me. I truly feel lucky and blessed and motivated to make a difference. I hope you will join me in making this world a better place.
These are my thoughts on the day,
Cheers,
Chuck
This really got me thinking to many of the other admirable people in this world. Our recently elected mayor of Vancouver is a wheelchair bound quadriplegic. Here is a man who could come up with so many excuses, but he doesn’t. He is the mayor of one of the premier cities in the world because he made a choice to be successful regardless of what circumstances were thrown at him.
I really believe these people are a blessing to the rest of us and we should heed their achievements. So often we come up with excuses for not achieving our success, but others around us receive more adversity than I can fathom and still come out on top.
My hat goes off to these heroes, and I hope I am not the only one learning from the experiences of others. As a healthy citizen of the best country in the world, I can not be thankful enough for the opportunities in front of me. I truly feel lucky and blessed and motivated to make a difference. I hope you will join me in making this world a better place.
These are my thoughts on the day,
Cheers,
Chuck
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Blogs-Problematic or beneficial?
One of the things that often scares people about blogs is the vulnerability that is felt. There seems to be a common misconception that because blogs are uncensored, having a blog would make a company susceptible to an attack. The truth of the matter is actually quite alarming and the opposite of what most people seem to perceive.
I find myself explaining many times per week that a company not following blogs makes them MUCH more vulnerable because it will leave them unaware if an attack were to take place.
I like to use the analogy of a fire. Think of the difference between a small campfire and a burgeoning forest fire. The camp fire is contained in a small area and can be put out quite quickly and easily. The forest fire however, burns out of control and can take weeks or months to put out. Often nothing can be done to save things in its path.
The same thing is true in the blogsphere. If something derogatory is said about you or your company and you spot it right away you are easily able to set the record straight and provide information to the contrary while only a few people are aware of it. However, if bad information about you is allowed to spread with no retort from you, how is the general public supposed to know the information they are reading is incorrect.
The underlying lesson I am trying to stress is that when it comes to blogs, ignorance is not bliss. Get the real information and you will protect yourself from future problems.
Cheers,
Chuck
I find myself explaining many times per week that a company not following blogs makes them MUCH more vulnerable because it will leave them unaware if an attack were to take place.
I like to use the analogy of a fire. Think of the difference between a small campfire and a burgeoning forest fire. The camp fire is contained in a small area and can be put out quite quickly and easily. The forest fire however, burns out of control and can take weeks or months to put out. Often nothing can be done to save things in its path.
The same thing is true in the blogsphere. If something derogatory is said about you or your company and you spot it right away you are easily able to set the record straight and provide information to the contrary while only a few people are aware of it. However, if bad information about you is allowed to spread with no retort from you, how is the general public supposed to know the information they are reading is incorrect.
The underlying lesson I am trying to stress is that when it comes to blogs, ignorance is not bliss. Get the real information and you will protect yourself from future problems.
Cheers,
Chuck
Friday, January 27, 2006
Take Time Out For Mental Digestion by Brian Tracy
"Many years ago a retiring executive gave me an old pamphlet he had carried throughout his career. It was entitled, "Take Time Out for Mental Digestion." He told me that this little pamphlet had been one of the most helpful things he had ever read in his business life. At the time I spoke to him he was the president of a corporation with more than 10,000 employees.
The message of this pamphlet was simple. It said that people always resist new ideas and new courses of action, even if the ideas are good for them. However, if they have an opportunity to think about them for a few days, very often they will come around to the new way of thinking with both agreement and enthusiasm.
The pamphlet said that an individual needs about 72 hours to absorb a new idea. Effective executives are those who present their ideas in very casual way, rather than as a decision or a fact engraved in stone. They present their thoughts as ideas for consideration. Effective executives encourage the other person to take the new idea or new way of doing things and think about it for a few days. They say that "we can discuss this later" and they just leave the idea with the other person."
I just wanted to share this, I found it to be very insightful,
Cheers,
CB
The message of this pamphlet was simple. It said that people always resist new ideas and new courses of action, even if the ideas are good for them. However, if they have an opportunity to think about them for a few days, very often they will come around to the new way of thinking with both agreement and enthusiasm.
The pamphlet said that an individual needs about 72 hours to absorb a new idea. Effective executives are those who present their ideas in very casual way, rather than as a decision or a fact engraved in stone. They present their thoughts as ideas for consideration. Effective executives encourage the other person to take the new idea or new way of doing things and think about it for a few days. They say that "we can discuss this later" and they just leave the idea with the other person."
I just wanted to share this, I found it to be very insightful,
Cheers,
CB
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Positive phone attitude-It goes a long way!
Tonight I was reading one of the many business relationship books I have and I came across a very interesting technique for answering the phone. As I read about it I realized that many times in the past I have used it with great success, I was just unaware I was doing it so I thought I would share my epiphany.
The approach is very simple; you answer the phone in a very neutral professional manner. Then when you discover who is calling and what they are calling about you express sincere appreciation of this. For instance if a good friend were on the phone I would answer “Hello Patrick, it is so wonderful to hear from you, I am very glad you called”.
The same approach can be used if it is a stranger calling about a less than pleasant matter such as a missed bill payment. In this situation you could say, “I am so glad you called, I really appreciate you bringing that to my attention”.
By putting a positive spin on every situation you will always lighten the spirits of the person you are speaking with and will get much better results from those often dreaded phone calls.
My thoughts on the day,
Cheers,
Chuck
The approach is very simple; you answer the phone in a very neutral professional manner. Then when you discover who is calling and what they are calling about you express sincere appreciation of this. For instance if a good friend were on the phone I would answer “Hello Patrick, it is so wonderful to hear from you, I am very glad you called”.
The same approach can be used if it is a stranger calling about a less than pleasant matter such as a missed bill payment. In this situation you could say, “I am so glad you called, I really appreciate you bringing that to my attention”.
By putting a positive spin on every situation you will always lighten the spirits of the person you are speaking with and will get much better results from those often dreaded phone calls.
My thoughts on the day,
Cheers,
Chuck
Friday, January 20, 2006
Know what you want
I am very often reminded of just how powerful the human mind can be, and how the forces of nature lead you to what you really want when you do the right things. This was made ever more clear to me this afternoon with an amazing series of events.
About a month ago I had met a fellow at a networking christmas party, we had exchanged cards and spoke for about 10 minutes talking about what we each did and just having some small talk about the holiday season and the usual christmas banter. This fellow had expressed interest in having me setup a blog strategy for his company and wanted to talk about things further in the month of January. I made note of this on his card and had scheduled myself to call him to follow up.
As this month is rapidly passing me by I was making every attempt to free time in my schedule to meet with this fellow and make sure I could give his project the time and energy it deserves. Since time was passing I was a little worried he would not remember our conversation from that day. (during the event I had probably met and exchanged cards with 200 people so keeping track of everyone is often a challenge).
Well less than 10 minutes before I was scheduled to call him this afternoon I received an email from him. He did not know who I was but was refered to me because he wanted to join the BNI chapter of which I am the President of. In his email he stated how he was eager to meet me because he had heard many good things about my reputation and skills.
By focusing my mind on him, he had been drawn back as if to remind me not to let him slip through the cracks. The most amazing part was that his communication took place less than 10 minutes before I was about to call him. I never consider these situations to be luck, only the incredible power of focus and belief. Make up your mind as to what you want in your life and the people you want in your life and great things will happen, you have my word.
My two cents on the day,
Chuck
About a month ago I had met a fellow at a networking christmas party, we had exchanged cards and spoke for about 10 minutes talking about what we each did and just having some small talk about the holiday season and the usual christmas banter. This fellow had expressed interest in having me setup a blog strategy for his company and wanted to talk about things further in the month of January. I made note of this on his card and had scheduled myself to call him to follow up.
As this month is rapidly passing me by I was making every attempt to free time in my schedule to meet with this fellow and make sure I could give his project the time and energy it deserves. Since time was passing I was a little worried he would not remember our conversation from that day. (during the event I had probably met and exchanged cards with 200 people so keeping track of everyone is often a challenge).
Well less than 10 minutes before I was scheduled to call him this afternoon I received an email from him. He did not know who I was but was refered to me because he wanted to join the BNI chapter of which I am the President of. In his email he stated how he was eager to meet me because he had heard many good things about my reputation and skills.
By focusing my mind on him, he had been drawn back as if to remind me not to let him slip through the cracks. The most amazing part was that his communication took place less than 10 minutes before I was about to call him. I never consider these situations to be luck, only the incredible power of focus and belief. Make up your mind as to what you want in your life and the people you want in your life and great things will happen, you have my word.
My two cents on the day,
Chuck
The Magic of Solitude
Your feelings and emotions, are the access point to your inner powers of mind. Solitude is the most powerful activity in which you can engage. Men and women who practice it correctly and on a regular basis never fail to be amazed at the difference it makes in their lives.
Most people are so busy being busy, doing something—even watching television—that it’s highly unusual for them to simply sit, deliberately, and do nothing. But as Catherine Ponder points out, “Men and women begin to become great when they begin to take time quietly by themselves, when they begin to practice solitude.” And here’s the method you can use.
To get the full benefit of your periods of solitude, you must sit quietly for at least 30 to 60 minutes at a time. If you haven’t done it before, it will take the first 25 minutes or so for you to stop fidgeting and moving around. You’ll almost have to hold yourself physically in your seat. You’ll have an almost irresistible desire to get up and do something. But you must persist.
Solitude requires that you sit quietly, perfectly still, back and head erect, eyes open, without cigarettes, candy, writing materials, music or any interruptions whatsoever for at least 30 minutes. An hour is better.Become completely relaxed, and breathe deeply. Just let your mind flow. Don’t deliberately try to think about anything. The harder you “don’t try,” the more powerfully it works. After 20 or 25 minutes, you’ll begin to feel deeply relaxed. You’ll begin to experience a flow of energy coming into your mind and body. You’ll have a tremendous sense of well-being. At this point, you’ll be ready to get the full benefit of these moments of contemplation.
Hope you get as much from this as I do,
Cheers,
CB
Most people are so busy being busy, doing something—even watching television—that it’s highly unusual for them to simply sit, deliberately, and do nothing. But as Catherine Ponder points out, “Men and women begin to become great when they begin to take time quietly by themselves, when they begin to practice solitude.” And here’s the method you can use.
To get the full benefit of your periods of solitude, you must sit quietly for at least 30 to 60 minutes at a time. If you haven’t done it before, it will take the first 25 minutes or so for you to stop fidgeting and moving around. You’ll almost have to hold yourself physically in your seat. You’ll have an almost irresistible desire to get up and do something. But you must persist.
Solitude requires that you sit quietly, perfectly still, back and head erect, eyes open, without cigarettes, candy, writing materials, music or any interruptions whatsoever for at least 30 minutes. An hour is better.Become completely relaxed, and breathe deeply. Just let your mind flow. Don’t deliberately try to think about anything. The harder you “don’t try,” the more powerfully it works. After 20 or 25 minutes, you’ll begin to feel deeply relaxed. You’ll begin to experience a flow of energy coming into your mind and body. You’ll have a tremendous sense of well-being. At this point, you’ll be ready to get the full benefit of these moments of contemplation.
Hope you get as much from this as I do,
Cheers,
CB
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Benefit Statements
We all know that networking is one of the most powerful ways in which to grow a business. One of the ways to make your networking opportunities much more powerful is through the development of benefits statements. I believe that everyone should have at least 6 unique benefit statements prepared for whenever someone asks you “so what do you do”.
This sounds very simple but I meet so few people who have mastered the concept. Very simply, a benefit statement gives your listener a reason to care about your product or service and shows them why they would get value out of it. The most common mistake is using features rather than benefits. The difference is often subtle but, in business the subtle differences can be the difference between a sale and a non sale.
One of the product lines I distribute is a series of oil and gas additives for cars and trucks. One of the many features of the product line is that it reduces fuel consumption in a car. Creating a benefit statement for this product line I would use statements like:
“I help people go to the gas pump less often”
“I provide a fuel savings of 20 cents per litre”
“I show people how to get every 5th tank of gas for free”
You will notice that each of these allow my listener to receive a tangible benefit to using my product. I would recommend everyone come up with a number of one line benefit statements around your product or service offering, so when someone asks you “so what do you do” you have an answer that will pique their curiosity.
Happy Selling,
Chuck
This sounds very simple but I meet so few people who have mastered the concept. Very simply, a benefit statement gives your listener a reason to care about your product or service and shows them why they would get value out of it. The most common mistake is using features rather than benefits. The difference is often subtle but, in business the subtle differences can be the difference between a sale and a non sale.
One of the product lines I distribute is a series of oil and gas additives for cars and trucks. One of the many features of the product line is that it reduces fuel consumption in a car. Creating a benefit statement for this product line I would use statements like:
“I help people go to the gas pump less often”
“I provide a fuel savings of 20 cents per litre”
“I show people how to get every 5th tank of gas for free”
You will notice that each of these allow my listener to receive a tangible benefit to using my product. I would recommend everyone come up with a number of one line benefit statements around your product or service offering, so when someone asks you “so what do you do” you have an answer that will pique their curiosity.
Happy Selling,
Chuck
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Goal Setting
To me the single most important thing to do is decide what you want and why you want it. Whether you want to make $100,000 a year or simply buy a new lawn mower the process begins with making a decision to want it and a solid concrete reason WHY?
The WHY becomes really important because it is the motivation to get you going when times are tough. If you want to make $100,000 a year because it would be nice, I am here to tell you that is not a powerful WHY. Until you can put yourself in the position of having it, and believing you can achieve it you will never get the things you want. If you want the $100,000 because you have always dreamed of having a cabin on the lake and the nice leather seats of a luxury car then you are on your way to achieving your goals.
To put myself in the right state of mind, I always always always write my goals down. If you can't write it down then you DONT KNOW IT. Always write as if you have already achieved the goal. For example I would write "I EARN $100,000 A YEAR". You are telling your mind you have already achieved it.
The next step is to decide what changes you need to make in your life to make this a reality and write those down. Again writing them down as activities you have already accomplished. For example:
I EARN $100,000 A YEAR
I MAKE 50 COLD CALLS A WEEK
I ARRIVE AT WORK EARLY
I PRIORITIZE MY TIME
What you are doing is programming your subconscious mind with positive affirmations. If you do this on a consistent basis, at least once a week; you will begin to notice great things happening for you. If you tell yourself all the time you are early for work, you will all of a sudden become early for work. One little note about the wording on these. You will note I did NOT say "I will make 50 calls a week." The purpose of this is not to create a wish list of things you would LIKE to do. You are telling your mind what you are GOING to do.
By making this simple shift in your thinking, great things will happen. I have examples too numerous to mention of this working wonderfully for me. Try it and I know you will like the results.
Cheers,
CB
The WHY becomes really important because it is the motivation to get you going when times are tough. If you want to make $100,000 a year because it would be nice, I am here to tell you that is not a powerful WHY. Until you can put yourself in the position of having it, and believing you can achieve it you will never get the things you want. If you want the $100,000 because you have always dreamed of having a cabin on the lake and the nice leather seats of a luxury car then you are on your way to achieving your goals.
To put myself in the right state of mind, I always always always write my goals down. If you can't write it down then you DONT KNOW IT. Always write as if you have already achieved the goal. For example I would write "I EARN $100,000 A YEAR". You are telling your mind you have already achieved it.
The next step is to decide what changes you need to make in your life to make this a reality and write those down. Again writing them down as activities you have already accomplished. For example:
I EARN $100,000 A YEAR
I MAKE 50 COLD CALLS A WEEK
I ARRIVE AT WORK EARLY
I PRIORITIZE MY TIME
What you are doing is programming your subconscious mind with positive affirmations. If you do this on a consistent basis, at least once a week; you will begin to notice great things happening for you. If you tell yourself all the time you are early for work, you will all of a sudden become early for work. One little note about the wording on these. You will note I did NOT say "I will make 50 calls a week." The purpose of this is not to create a wish list of things you would LIKE to do. You are telling your mind what you are GOING to do.
By making this simple shift in your thinking, great things will happen. I have examples too numerous to mention of this working wonderfully for me. Try it and I know you will like the results.
Cheers,
CB
Why blog?
There are a few key reasons why a business needs to have a blog. The first reason is for increased exposure and how quickly and powerfully a blog can spread information. Currently less than 5% of businesses have a blog but over 40% of the web traffic in Google is accounted for by blogs. This means that 5% of businesses are going after 40% of the web traffic and 95% of business are going after 60% of web traffic. Maintaining a blog greatly increases your exposure in the search engines.
The second thing this new technology allows you to do is track everything that is said in the internet. For instance, I can track any key word or phrase that is used on the internet. If I wanted to know every time the name "Chuck Brady" is used, I could get an instant update with the context in which it was used, delivered right to your inbox without having to do a thing and WITHOUT ANY SPAM. This is a fantastic way to keep track of your competition, keep abreast of your market or to ensure there is never any bad press spreading about your company.
In addition to being able to track key words, you can use this feature of blogging to your advantage to get your content read by a huge audience. The American political parties realized the power of this in the last federal election and blogging became the most critical part of their campaign. Microsoft realized the power of it and they currently have over 2000 employees whose only job is to maintain blogs.
Since blogs create a lot of traffic on the internet that are also very appealing to advertisers. There are lots of opportunities to create ad revenue with no effort on your part. Google knows that 40% of their traffic, and thus 40% of their revenue comes through blogging, so they reward bloggers accordingly. Google currently pays out over 75% of its revenue to its users; you can gain your share of this.
The final and one of the most appealing aspects of blogging is that you do not need a web programmer to do it. Once you have your strategy and blog in place; writing content is as easy as typing an email. This means that it becomes a very affordable marketing vehicle with no long term financial repercussions. As everyone in business knows, if it is not affordable, it does not matter how great it is.
Cheers,
CB
The second thing this new technology allows you to do is track everything that is said in the internet. For instance, I can track any key word or phrase that is used on the internet. If I wanted to know every time the name "Chuck Brady" is used, I could get an instant update with the context in which it was used, delivered right to your inbox without having to do a thing and WITHOUT ANY SPAM. This is a fantastic way to keep track of your competition, keep abreast of your market or to ensure there is never any bad press spreading about your company.
In addition to being able to track key words, you can use this feature of blogging to your advantage to get your content read by a huge audience. The American political parties realized the power of this in the last federal election and blogging became the most critical part of their campaign. Microsoft realized the power of it and they currently have over 2000 employees whose only job is to maintain blogs.
Since blogs create a lot of traffic on the internet that are also very appealing to advertisers. There are lots of opportunities to create ad revenue with no effort on your part. Google knows that 40% of their traffic, and thus 40% of their revenue comes through blogging, so they reward bloggers accordingly. Google currently pays out over 75% of its revenue to its users; you can gain your share of this.
The final and one of the most appealing aspects of blogging is that you do not need a web programmer to do it. Once you have your strategy and blog in place; writing content is as easy as typing an email. This means that it becomes a very affordable marketing vehicle with no long term financial repercussions. As everyone in business knows, if it is not affordable, it does not matter how great it is.
Cheers,
CB
What is a blog?
I find myself being asked almost on a daily basis just what is a blog. The interesting thing is that each time I am asked I answer the question a little bit differently. It has however got me wondering the best way to explain to someone exactly what this new phenomenon is.
A blog is a combination of web page and email newsletter all rolled into one. It is a webpage in that it has a unique, searchable URL. It is a newsletter in that every time you add something to a blog it is distributed around the world instantly much the same way email is sent. There are countless examples of how quickly information on blogs is spread around the world instantly as messages spread like wild fire.
By now most people have heard about blogs, either through the media or through the grapevine but there are all sorts of misconceptions about blogs and their purpose. I view a blog as nothing more than a communication channel used to spread information. Much in the same way a newspaper spreads news or our roads allow us to travel. A blog is merely a method of distribution.
Like any means of distribution, a blog is only as powerful or as useful as the information it contains. A blog with no content is as good as the Autobahn with no cars. It is the most power method of distributing information yet, but it is up the the blog owner to create useful info.
Happy Blogging,
CB
A blog is a combination of web page and email newsletter all rolled into one. It is a webpage in that it has a unique, searchable URL. It is a newsletter in that every time you add something to a blog it is distributed around the world instantly much the same way email is sent. There are countless examples of how quickly information on blogs is spread around the world instantly as messages spread like wild fire.
By now most people have heard about blogs, either through the media or through the grapevine but there are all sorts of misconceptions about blogs and their purpose. I view a blog as nothing more than a communication channel used to spread information. Much in the same way a newspaper spreads news or our roads allow us to travel. A blog is merely a method of distribution.
Like any means of distribution, a blog is only as powerful or as useful as the information it contains. A blog with no content is as good as the Autobahn with no cars. It is the most power method of distributing information yet, but it is up the the blog owner to create useful info.
Happy Blogging,
CB
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