Entrepreneur of the Week - David Ogilvy
"Don't bunt. Aim out of the ball park. Aim for the company of
immortals... I believe in the Scottish proverb: 'Hard work
never killed a man.' Men die of boredom, psychological
conflict and disease. They do not die of hard work." - David Ogilvy
Learn more about David Ogilvy at: http://www.evancarmichael.
Want More Advice From Top Entrepreneurs?
* Check out my latest Modeling the Masters video
and blog post at: http://evancarmichael.com/
Interview with Sylvia Lafair
Business Building - How to Write a Pre Approach Sales Letter that Delivers More Conversions by Leanne Hoagland-Smith
With email marketing campaigns to Internet landing pages now
comprising a significant amount of the marketing budgets,
some people have abandon the traditional, word processed
pre-approach sales letter. Yet, taking this marketing and
sales strategy may be somewhat short sighted.
Before anyone engages in writing any business letter, the
first question needs to be answered is "What is the purpose
of the communication?" Upon successfully answering this
question, then and only then can a well written letter be
constructed.
So what is the purpose of a pre-approach sales letter? Years
ago, the answer might have been to secure that first time
appointment to just a friendly introduction to just a means
to increase sales. Today, I believe the purpose is two-fold:
1. First attempt to showcase what makes you different or how
you stand out away from everyone else
2. First demonstration of your core values
To stand out in the crowd or to be that Red Jacket as I like
to say means that you have hone and executed these sales
skills when crafting that pre-approach sales letter:
1. Fact finding specific to the market place
2.Research about the qualified prospect
3. Ability to speak and write a compelling story using the
A.I.D.A. model
4. Relationship selling
Sales Coaching Tip: Many pre-approach letters fail because
they are not sent to qualified prospects who have a need; a
dedicated budget; are the decision maker and there is urgency
to take action. ... (continued)
Read the complete article here: http://www.
Evan's Recommended Resource:
* Free 7 Day eCourse on How to Write a Business Plan
including the the worst executive summary I've ever read:
http://www.evancarmichael.com/
Work-Life - Saying Goodbye to Defensiveness by Jeannie Campanelli, Ed.D., CPCC
One way we intrude into someone else's business is by
defending ourselves. As soon as we start to defend
ourselves, we step out of our own life and into someone
else's. We are living 'over there' as we try to prove that
we're 'right,' 'good,' 'okay,' 'of value' and 'worthy of
love' to someone else.
Not only can our need to defend our words and actions be
exhausting, our defensiveness removes our sense of well-being
and real power. What I have seen is that defensiveness can be
a form of self-betrayal because it is rooted in self-judgment.
Our underlying belief may be we're not okay or enough just as
we are. We believe that something's wrong with us or that we
have to be perfect. So we defend...and defend....and defend, and
our partners or friends may not feel heard or as close to us
as we truly want.
What can defensiveness look, sound and feel like? You may...
Feel hurt and hear yourself say such words as "How could
they say this about me? I try so hard!", "I don't feel
understood or accepted," or "I did it wrong again."
Be feeling fear and hear yourself say these words: "They
don't like me/love me and will leave me" and/or "I have to be
perfect in order to be loved."
Use anger to express your hurt or fear by saying: "How dare
they say this about me! They aren't being fair! What about
them?!"
Be frustrated. Words that may accompany this feeling may
be: "Here we go again," "I can't get this right," "There's
something wrong with us, and no matter how hard I try, I
can't fix it."
Analyze the other person and look for reasons that make
whatever they're saying all about them and not about you.
Notice that you're trying hard to convince them to think
like you. That entails a lot of repetition and a voice that
starts to escalate in its intensity.
Become aware that your body is feeling tense with the
tightness showing up in your jaw, shoulders or stomach. ... (continued)
Read the complete article here: http://www.
Sales & Marketing - 8 Simple Rules for Leaving Compelling Voice Mail Messages by Paul Cherry
Asking questions by leaving messages in people's voice mail is
tough, but not impossible. Sure, we've all had days spent
almost entirely on the phone, leaving voice mails for
prospective and current customers but getting no responses.
If you use it effectively, however, voice mail is a great way
to leave a brief but useful message for a prospective
customer, or use a question as a teaser that leaves your
prospect eager to learn more about what you can offer.
EIGHT TIPS FOR LEAVING POWERFUL VOICE MAIL MESSAGES
1. Develop a script. Like many salespeople, you might fear
that scripts will stop you from thinking creatively and
speaking in a conversational tone. Think of scripts as road
maps to guide you and help you stay focused. Writing a voice
mail script crystallizes your thinking to clarify the key
points you want to convey. Professional actors use scripts
so they can put more energy into their voices and body
language. Advertising pros emphasize key words to spark
prospects' emotions and make them respond. So why not
scripts for salespeople?
2. Keep voice mail messages short and simple. A good voice
mail should be about 30 seconds and not more than 45 seconds.
The average person speaks 150 words per minute. A 30-second
voice mail message is about 75 words. You can pack key
points of information into that time frame. Don't try to
squeeze in too much. Hit home one point you want to make and
see if it jolts your prospect into action. If not, change
your message for your next callback.
3. Don't leave your prospects thinking they have all the time
in the world to call you back. Create a sense of urgency and
give them explicit time frames when you are available. For
important prospect callbacks, let them know the windows of
time you are available. After all, you're a busy
professional in high demand, so your voice must communicate
those qualities. ... (continued)
Read the complete article here: http://www.
Leadership - It's What's Inside That Counts by Raymond Perras
Socrates once said: "Know thyself".
In my l article, I emphasized focus as the technique to
create motivation. If you want to generate the drive
toward a goal or preferred vision, you will want to direct
your focus in such a way that you get excited about attaining
the desired place.
Today, I draw your attention to the fact that focusing
will be made much easier if you remember that "you can't give
what you don't got." Let me explain. In order to
direct your focus, your mind should be free of any doubt or
misperception of who you are, your self-image. In his
study of the mind, Dr. Maxwell Maltz who made
psycho-cybernetics famous, produced an understanding that
smashed the B.F. Skinner concept that we are the product of
our environment - Skinner postulated that we have no choice
on who we will be, what we will do, or what may happen to us
as we go through life.
Dr. Maltz's discovery was based on the premise that we
have a "self-image" held in our subconscious mind that
supports our every effort. That self-image is the
product of our thinking developed over many years of personal
study, our experiences, life's accidents and education.
Since it is within, then it can be modified as you
wish. According to Dr. Maltz, the internal self-image
controls:
Read the complete article here: http://www.
Entrepreneur Blog of the Week - Recruitment Blog
Project Resource provide bespoke recruitment solutions for
employers and job seekers within the construction, civil
engineering and infrastructure industries.
Visit the blog here: http://www.project-
What Do You Think???
Do you have 5 minutes to answer 3 questions? I would love you
know what you think about my newsletter and what we could add
/ remove to make it more useful for you. Please let me know
and answer my 3 question survey at: http://
If I get enough responses then a change will be made!
As always, if you know someone who could benefit from the
thoughts in this newsletter feel free to forward it
to them.
Ps. If you want to keep in touch, follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/
or Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/
Evan Carmichael
http://www.EvanCarmichael.com
"Over 14 million entrepreneurs helped and counting!"
275 Macpherson Avenue, Suite 103
Toronto, Ontario
M4V 1A4
"Don't bunt. Aim out of the ball park. Aim for the company of
immortals... I believe in the Scottish proverb: 'Hard work
never killed a man.' Men die of boredom, psychological
conflict and disease. They do not die of hard work." - David Ogilvy
Learn more about David Ogilvy at: http://www.evancarmichael.
Want More Advice From Top Entrepreneurs?
* Check out my latest Modeling the Masters video
and blog post at: http://evancarmichael.com/
Interview with Sylvia Lafair
Sylvia Lafair is a clinicalpsychologist and author of "Don't Bring
It to Work". She specializes in developing leaders and transforming
teams. Sylvia has been a top author for my site and I decided to ask
her a few questions to learn more about her and how she helps
entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
Why did you start your business?
I started my present business by accident. I ran a very successful
personal growth center and had no plans of working in the business
world. At one seminar I was leading about positive family relationships
a man approached me to work with his leadership team. Eloquently I
said "Huh? Why?" he responded "they're fighting" to which I said
"So, people fight". He was persistent and stated, "Look Sylvia, you
work with families who have to get along, and my team has to get
along."
I thought about it and saw there is shared interest through genetics
(family) and shared interest through economics (workplace). That
sealed the deal and the rest, as they say is history. I saw the power
in understanding relationships and how to handle conflict effectively,
and its impact at work has become a driving passion for me for the
past 20 years.
What was the hardest challenge you had to overcome with your
business?
The hardest challenge has been to find the right language to make
the complexities of working together simpler to understand. This
so called "soft stuff" is just the opposite. It is core to who we are
and we have been living with a myth that we should be different
at work than we are at home. Not so! That is part of what has
caused so much extra stress both at work and on personal
relationships. The issues that entrepreneurs deal with at a core
level include understanding who pushes your buttons and what to
do about it. Then the complexities and conflicts that are bound to
occur can be dealt with smarter and faster.
How did you find your first customer?
As I said my first customer in my new "business of business" found
me. My second customer was also someone who had gone through
one of my personal development programs. He claimed that what he
learned there has garnered him a great promotion in his company.
He asked me to come do some team building at his organization.
"Like what?" I asked "Do anything you want, experiment. I know
you are on to something important." And, he quickly added, "This
is a paying gig so send us an invoice." An offer not to be refused!
I eventually started a program for the entire company called
"Connections: Results Thru Relationships" that was hugely successful.
We still go into companies with a more up-to-date version of this and
it has proven to heighten productivity and lower staff tensions. Then
we added "Total Leadership Connections", now starting its 10th year
for entrepreneurs, family firms, executives in organizations large and
small. It is an amazing open-enrollment program that gives individuals
from a vast array of industries a networking arena and a place to gain
clarity about the people part of business.
What is the best leadership advice you can provide for entrepreneurs?
Read the complete article here: http://www.
Business Building - How to Write a Pre Approach Sales Letter that Delivers More Conversions by Leanne Hoagland-Smith
With email marketing campaigns to Internet landing pages now
comprising a significant amount of the marketing budgets,
some people have abandon the traditional, word processed
pre-approach sales letter. Yet, taking this marketing and
sales strategy may be somewhat short sighted.
Before anyone engages in writing any business letter, the
first question needs to be answered is "What is the purpose
of the communication?" Upon successfully answering this
question, then and only then can a well written letter be
constructed.
So what is the purpose of a pre-approach sales letter? Years
ago, the answer might have been to secure that first time
appointment to just a friendly introduction to just a means
to increase sales. Today, I believe the purpose is two-fold:
1. First attempt to showcase what makes you different or how
you stand out away from everyone else
2. First demonstration of your core values
To stand out in the crowd or to be that Red Jacket as I like
to say means that you have hone and executed these sales
skills when crafting that pre-approach sales letter:
1. Fact finding specific to the market place
2.Research about the qualified prospect
3. Ability to speak and write a compelling story using the
A.I.D.A. model
4. Relationship selling
Sales Coaching Tip: Many pre-approach letters fail because
they are not sent to qualified prospects who have a need; a
dedicated budget; are the decision maker and there is urgency
to take action. ... (continued)
Read the complete article here: http://www.
Evan's Recommended Resource:
* Free 7 Day eCourse on How to Write a Business Plan
including the the worst executive summary I've ever read:
http://www.evancarmichael.com/
Work-Life - Saying Goodbye to Defensiveness by Jeannie Campanelli, Ed.D., CPCC
One way we intrude into someone else's business is by
defending ourselves. As soon as we start to defend
ourselves, we step out of our own life and into someone
else's. We are living 'over there' as we try to prove that
we're 'right,' 'good,' 'okay,' 'of value' and 'worthy of
love' to someone else.
Not only can our need to defend our words and actions be
exhausting, our defensiveness removes our sense of well-being
and real power. What I have seen is that defensiveness can be
a form of self-betrayal because it is rooted in self-judgment.
Our underlying belief may be we're not okay or enough just as
we are. We believe that something's wrong with us or that we
have to be perfect. So we defend...and defend....and defend, and
our partners or friends may not feel heard or as close to us
as we truly want.
What can defensiveness look, sound and feel like? You may...
they say this about me? I try so hard!", "I don't feel
understood or accepted," or "I did it wrong again."
don't like me/love me and will leave me" and/or "I have to be
perfect in order to be loved."
they say this about me! They aren't being fair! What about
them?!"
be: "Here we go again," "I can't get this right," "There's
something wrong with us, and no matter how hard I try, I
can't fix it."
whatever they're saying all about them and not about you.
like you. That entails a lot of repetition and a voice that
starts to escalate in its intensity.
tightness showing up in your jaw, shoulders or stomach. ... (continued)
Read the complete article here: http://www.
Sales & Marketing - 8 Simple Rules for Leaving Compelling Voice Mail Messages by Paul Cherry
Asking questions by leaving messages in people's voice mail is
tough, but not impossible. Sure, we've all had days spent
almost entirely on the phone, leaving voice mails for
prospective and current customers but getting no responses.
If you use it effectively, however, voice mail is a great way
to leave a brief but useful message for a prospective
customer, or use a question as a teaser that leaves your
prospect eager to learn more about what you can offer.
EIGHT TIPS FOR LEAVING POWERFUL VOICE MAIL MESSAGES
1. Develop a script. Like many salespeople, you might fear
that scripts will stop you from thinking creatively and
speaking in a conversational tone. Think of scripts as road
maps to guide you and help you stay focused. Writing a voice
mail script crystallizes your thinking to clarify the key
points you want to convey. Professional actors use scripts
so they can put more energy into their voices and body
language. Advertising pros emphasize key words to spark
prospects' emotions and make them respond. So why not
scripts for salespeople?
2. Keep voice mail messages short and simple. A good voice
mail should be about 30 seconds and not more than 45 seconds.
The average person speaks 150 words per minute. A 30-second
voice mail message is about 75 words. You can pack key
points of information into that time frame. Don't try to
squeeze in too much. Hit home one point you want to make and
see if it jolts your prospect into action. If not, change
your message for your next callback.
3. Don't leave your prospects thinking they have all the time
in the world to call you back. Create a sense of urgency and
give them explicit time frames when you are available. For
important prospect callbacks, let them know the windows of
time you are available. After all, you're a busy
professional in high demand, so your voice must communicate
those qualities. ... (continued)
Read the complete article here: http://www.
Leadership - It's What's Inside That Counts by Raymond Perras
Socrates once said: "Know thyself".
In my l article, I emphasized focus as the technique to
create motivation. If you want to generate the drive
toward a goal or preferred vision, you will want to direct
your focus in such a way that you get excited about attaining
the desired place.
Today, I draw your attention to the fact that focusing
will be made much easier if you remember that "you can't give
what you don't got." Let me explain. In order to
direct your focus, your mind should be free of any doubt or
misperception of who you are, your self-image. In his
study of the mind, Dr. Maxwell Maltz who made
psycho-cybernetics famous, produced an understanding that
smashed the B.F. Skinner concept that we are the product of
our environment - Skinner postulated that we have no choice
on who we will be, what we will do, or what may happen to us
as we go through life.
Dr. Maltz's discovery was based on the premise that we
have a "self-image" held in our subconscious mind that
supports our every effort. That self-image is the
product of our thinking developed over many years of personal
study, our experiences, life's accidents and education.
Since it is within, then it can be modified as you
wish. According to Dr. Maltz, the internal self-image
controls:
- What we do and what we don't do.
- Where we go.
- Where we live.
- Who we end up with in relationships, and how these
go. - What we do for a living.
- How far we move up the business ladder.
- How much we weigh, and what kind of physical shape we are
in. - How well we perform at school.
- The state of our health.
- How we dress; what our personal appearance looks like.
Etc., etc.
Read the complete article here: http://www.
Entrepreneur Blog of the Week - Recruitment Blog
Project Resource provide bespoke recruitment solutions for
employers and job seekers within the construction, civil
engineering and infrastructure industries.
Visit the blog here: http://www.project-
What Do You Think???
Do you have 5 minutes to answer 3 questions? I would love you
know what you think about my newsletter and what we could add
/ remove to make it more useful for you. Please let me know
and answer my 3 question survey at: http://
If I get enough responses then a change will be made!
As always, if you know someone who could benefit from the
thoughts in this newsletter feel free to forward it
to them.
Ps. If you want to keep in touch, follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/
or Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/
Evan Carmichael
http://www.EvanCarmichael.com
"Over 14 million entrepreneurs helped and counting!"
275 Macpherson Avenue, Suite 103
Toronto, Ontario
M4V 1A4
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