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10 Landing Page Usability Mistakes That Are Costing You Money

2012-01-31T12:31:00.000-08:00

Landing pages have one job: compel a visitor to take a desired action. Whether it’s making a purchase through a website, registering for a webinar, downloading an eBook, or signing-up for a newsletter, landing pages are all about conversion.

There are just as many things a landing page should do as it should not do to increase conversions. Ignoring the many nuances of the user experience can send a visitor away from the page almost immediately and cost you business.

Avoid these 10 landing page usability mistakes to build pages that convert:

A long form process: Make your forms easy-to-use and as short as possible. Give as much as you can, and ask for as little as possible in return. The general rule is to ask for information that is absolutely necessary to complete the current transaction. Nothing makes a visitor want to leave your landing page more than having to fill out a lengthy contact form that captures information that seems unnecessary. While this information may be invaluable to you, asking for too much personal information in your first encounter can cause a visitor to click-away to a competitor.

Pop-ups: Landing page usability testing has proven that people do not like pop-ups (or unwelcome surprises) of any kind. Even if it’s not an advertising pop-up, the majority of visitors have a knee-jerk reaction to close a pop-up as quickly as possible. This immediate annoyance and the perception of your site as spammy and cheesy can cause visitors to have a negative reaction to your offer, even if it’s a product or service they want to buy.

Flash: Flash intros are often visually compelling, but they keep visitors from immediately viewing your offer. They grab all of the visitor’s attention and waste their time. If given the chance, most visitors will choose the “skip intro” button. Although not as annoying as pop-ups, flash intros force visitors to take another step before accessing what may be a product or service that they can’t live without. Don’t lose them with flash when you’ve already succeeded at driving them to your landing page.

Ineffective headlines: Considering the fact that prospects will spend only two to three seconds on a landing page, benefit-driven headlines are critical to make them want to read on to learn more about the offer. Lose them on the headline, and you may just lose their business forever.

Content that competes for visitors’ attention: Another landing page usability mistake is placing multiple offers on one page. This essentially makes you compete with yourself and it disorients visitors. Be clear about your business priorities and have a single dominant conversion goal (all others should be clearly secondary in terms of their visibility and prominence). Short attention spans will compel prospects to click-away from a page that seems too complicated.

The same design as your main website: Your main site has navigation links that could distract a visitor from the specific offer on your landing page. If visitors can click on your “About Us” page, they may get lost in the rest of your site and then be gone forever. Create a landing page that includes your branding but also focuses visitors on the task at hand. A micro-site is often a good compromise if you must include deeper supporting information, but at least keep the navigation limited to a single level.

Ignoring basic aesthetics: Gaudy landing pages that misuse colors, fonts, clip art, and even highlighted copy are immediate turn-offs. Regardless of the content, a clean design will at least keep a visitor wanting to learn more about your offer. Don’t be tacky.

Text content that is difficult to scan: Visitors have short attention spans so your landing page usability strategy should include subheads and bullets to break up the copy and highlight the benefits of your offer. Important information should go first since the rest will probably not be read anyway.

Bad stock photography: Although industry-specific stock photographs can be visually appealing, overused or poor stock photography can turn off visitors if they perceive your business to be just like everybody else’s. It’s fine to use high-quality images that are specific to your business, but don’t just decorate your page with generic images.

Not having a strong call-to-action: In addition to the headline, the call to action is one of the most important pieces of copy that impacts landing page usability. It’s what ultimately makes a visitor click-through to your offer, so it should always include a benefit statement. If there is more than one call-to-action, the first one must be prominent and above the fold to help visitors prioritize.

Avoid these common mistakes and start making your cash register ring more often.

Learn more about improving your landing page usability by contacting the conversation rate optimization experts at 619.223.8020 or by visiting www.SiteTuners.com.

Why Is Article Marketing So Important for Businesses?

2012-01-24T16:39:00.001-08:00

Article marketing is a proven way for business owners to grow their business by achieving some key objectives online. Article marketing:

Attracts Website visitors: Distributing articles to directories, blogs, and other websites can produce a constant flow of qualified visitors. If your website is compelling and has a strong call to action, you can boost traffic and increase conversions.
Increases links and search engine rankings: Search engines place importance on the number of links that point to your site from other sites—such as directories, blogs, and social media sites. Posting content on other sites that link back to your site improves search engine rankings.
Helps build your reputation: If people find your articles contain valuable information, they will trust your opinion as an expert in your industry.
Grows your customer base: You create more opportunities for potential clients to find a path to your products and services. Once they get to your site you can incentivize them to sign-up for your newsletter so you can stay on their radar and continue to provide information they want and are searching for online.

These are just a few of the many reasons article marketing works to improve your business. From attracting more qualified leads to increasing your website's authority in the search engines and beyond, an effective article marketing strategy should be a key part of every business plan.

How Improving Employee Behavior Impacts Performance

2012-01-18T12:15:00.000-08:00

Being a successful manager requires more than leadership. Managers are also responsible for the performance of the employees who report to them. Poor employee behavior and performance must be addressed quickly and skillfully to ensure that departmental and organizational goals are achieved. Although confronting employee behavior and performance problems is one of the most difficult aspects of a manager’s job, avoiding this critical aspect of management has a direct impact on the productivity, profitability, and overall success of the organization.

An effective manager must be able to tell the difference between employee job performance and work habits. Although they are obviously closely related, an employee’s performance refers to his output or results while his work habits refer to the way he does his job to achieve those results. Since poor work habits impact performance just as much as good work habits, managers need to set aside time to ensure employees realize the correlation between behavior and performance. For example, a customer service representative who is rude to customers can lead to complaints which can then lead to lost revenues when customers take their business elsewhere.

Addressing unacceptable employee behavior and work habits early, before they become a serious problem and require disciplinary action, is also important. Managers should clearly describe to employees the exact nature of their poor work habits and how they impact both personal and organizational performance. But rather than focus on their attitude or personality, discussions with employees about unsatisfactory work habits should specifically concentrate on their behavior. This approach values them as individuals but stresses the ways in which changing work habits and behaviors will result in better outcomes. This is also a good time to discuss performance incentives, such as a pay raise or a bonus for improving the work habits that result in higher sales (or other performance objectives defined by the company).

Involving employees in an interactive process of enhancing unsatisfactory behavior is important for maintaining self-esteem and promoting a positive attitude. Developing and implementing an action plan with employee input increases accountability, and ongoing reviews with written progress reports ensures the steady improvement of employee behavior.

Managers can get the support they need to properly and effectively address employee behavior issues by hiring an executive leadership coach. A coach can help managers develop the communication skills to confront employee behavioral problems without negatively impacting morale, which ultimately boosts the performance and success of the employee, the manager, the department, and the entire organization.

Learn more about improving employee behavior and work habits by visiting www.ThinkBlueThinking.com or calling 619.550.8052.

How Can a Small Business Consultant Get Ready for 2012?

2011-12-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, 2012 is just around the corner. The new year sneaks up on most of us, leaving us to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the next one. As a small business consultant, the month of December is a perfect opportunity to reconnect with your clients to clarify mutual expectations for the new year, identify short- and long-term goals, and negotiate a new yearly fee.

As a small business consultant you are often the person a company turns to when it wants help growing its business. But to be equipped to help a small business achieve its goals it is important for you to take the time to revisit and reconnect with your own aspirations and intentions.

Be careful to distinguish between your expectations and your intentions. Expectations create stress, fear, conflict, and disappointment. They imply attachment to a specific outcome. If the outcome is not what was expected there are bound to be feelings of negativity and defeat. But when you focus on your intentions rather than your expectations, you gain clarity of purpose and feel empowered by the attitude that the outcome will be just as it should be. The root of the intention will be realized even if it doesn’t happen exactly as you imagined. Intention removes the struggle and disappointment inherent with expectations and produces a more positive and fulfilling life experience.

Ask yourself what it is you want, what makes you feel most alive and connected, what you want to experience in your life, and what being a successful small business consultant means to you. What makes you spring out of bed each morning? What are your desires? What do you want to achieve? What energizes you? The answers to these questions will reveal your true intentions and energize everything you do. Positive energy is infectious and it naturally resonates with your small business clients. Your intentions for your clients can inspire them to do great things.

As you get ready for 2012, make a list of ten goals and the actions you need to take to accomplish those goals. Write down the benefits you will derive from achieving each goal, and give yourself a deadline for reaching each one. Take time to reflect on your intentions. Why is each goal important to you? How do you expect to achieve it? How will your life improve? How will your personal development help you be a better small business consultant for your clients?

Finally, as you prepare for the new year, let go of any limited beliefs. Believe in yourself, your intentions, and all of the work you will do to improve both your personal and professional life. Your small business clients will undoubtedly benefit from the time you take to refocus your intentions and define the actions that will help you grow. Whether they say it or not, your clients will thank you for it next year.

Visit www.ThinkBlueThinking.com or call 619.550.8052 to get more advice to become a better small business consultant next year.

Business Coaching Helps Reduce Employee Burnout

2011-12-11T14:12:00.000-08:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE

Employee burnout is a huge problem in our society and it has many roots, especially considering the current economic environment where many employees are working longer hours for the same pay due to a reduction in the workforce. A lack of appreciation often further compounds the problem.

Employee burnout is essentially a result of prolonged workplace stress and anxiety. Herbert Freudenberger coined the term “burnout” in 1974, and established twelve phases of the burnout process that are not necessarily experienced sequentially:

Having a compulsion to prove oneself
Working harder and harder with no end in sight
Neglecting personal needs
Displacing conflicts
Revising values (dismissing friends or hobbies)
Denying emerging problems (aggression and cynicism begin to become apparent)
Withdrawing socially
Changing behaviors that become obvious to others
Experiencing an inner emptiness
Having depression
Experiencing burnout syndrome

These phases force us to think about the many specific causes of employee burnout. Employees may not have any control over decisions that affect their job, feel like job expectations are unclear, have a lack of recognition or rewards for good work, experience the workplace as dysfunctional due to having a boss who micromanages their work, have personal values that are not aligned with the organization, feel like their job doesn’t fit their skills, or see their job as either too monotonous or too chaotic. The list goes on and on.

To avoid occupational burnout it’s crucial that employees reduce and manage stress. Of course, this is easier said than done—especially when employees feel alone. A business coach is an excellent resource to help employees address the twelve phases of burnout and decrease levels of stress and depression. Business coaching provides strategies and tips for employees to cope with feelings of having no control, managing rigorous work schedules, and clearly understanding their specific roles and responsibilities.

Another way business coaches assess employee burnout is to apply the “Three R Approach,” which is comprised of:

Recognizing: Watching for the warning signs of burnout
Reversing: Undoing the damage by managing stress and seeking support
Resilience: Building resilience to stress by managing physical and emotional health

Business coaches can help employees address these phases and levels of burnout in emotionally healthy ways. They can work with employees to provide the techniques, tools, and resources they need to regulate stress and align their personal goals with their professional aspirations. An effective business coach will assist employees who are near burnout by helping them realize the stressful situations in which they find themselves and create action plans that reduce anxiety and avoid burnout.

Ultimately, emotional management is the key to preventing employee burnout. When management recognizes a high level of stress permeating the workplace it may be time to involve a business coach who has the expertise to assist employees on the verge of burnout. Employee burnout coaching is a specialized area of business coaching. It takes a coach who is used to working with disillusioned employees that are overwhelmed by the mental, emotional, and physical stress that leads to burnout and turnover.

Of course, every organization wants to reduce turnover and have a more content workforce. Although stress is a natural part of life, when it becomes too much there is always help available. Learn more about reducing employee burnout by calling the business coaching experts at 619.550.8052 or by visiting www.ThinkBlueThinking.com.

How to Manage Latino Employees More Effectively

2011-12-11T14:08:00.000-08:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE

Just as we all learn in different ways, such as visually versus auditory, cultures experience and respond to management styles in different ways as well. What motivates a person from one culture may discourage someone from another culture.

This article focuses on the most effective (and ineffective) ways for managers to interact with their Latino employees. Foreign-born Latino employees are typically not accustomed to the ways in which U.S. managers communicate and, on the flip-side, U.S. managers often are not familiar with the nuances of managing an ethnically diverse workforce. Managers can create a more inclusive, productive, and satisfying workplace by understanding common Latino cultural traits. It’s important to note, of course, that we’re speaking in accepted generalities and that individuals behave differently within cultures.

Family plays a very important role in the Latino culture, so showing Latino employees they care not just for them but for their families goes a long way to establishing a strong and trusting relationship. Respect is also a crucial part of Latino culture, especially for elders, women, and people in leadership positions. It is common in Latino culture to expect those in authority to be the decision-makers and to follow their lead without much hesitation. Whereas it is common for employees in the Anglo-American workplace culture to express their opinions in large group settings without emotion, Latinos tend to use a more indirect approach, preferring a one-on-one interaction. In fact, Latinos tend to be particularly offended by perceived disrespect, which will naturally affect performance and morale.

The degree of intimacy in the workplace tends to be more important in the Latino culture as well. Latino employees innately want to establish a personal connection, which extends to management and coworkers. They want to get to know people on a personal level rather than just a professional level that only focuses on the job. They are also interested in the life others have after work, believing that knowing the complete person creates a bond and camaraderie.

Managers should also realize that personal contact is important for Latino employees. Unlike the often cold mannerisms of the Anglo-American workplace culture, Latinos find physical contact with others very normal (and necessary). Handshakes, pats on the back, hugs, and kisses on the cheek are all a part of common daily interaction.

To sum up, creating an optimal work environment for Latino employees includes understanding that Latinos are:

Used to interacting with others with more of a human touch—both inside and outside the workplace
Interested in more than just the personality of their managers and coworkers at work
Expecting leaders to lead through vision and inspiration rather than fear and intimidation
Most receptive to a management approach that shows their families are cared for as well as themselves, and also appreciate time-off for important Latino holidays

Managing an ethnically diverse workforce can be a challenge for any employer. The most important thing to keep in mind is that different cultures respond to different management styles. Recognizing the traits of different cultures will not only create a happier and more retainable workforce. It will also improve productivity, performance, and profitability, which are goals of any organization.

Learn more about the ways Latino employees impact your business by calling 619.550.8052 or visiting www.ThinkBlueThinking.com.

The Latino Workforce’s Impact on American Business

2011-12-11T14:03:00.000-08:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE BY BRUNO RAYNAL

Thousands of United States businesses depend on our strong Latino workforce each and every day. Latinos comprise the largest ethnic minority in the country. In 2010, the estimated Latino population in the U.S. was 50.5 million, constituting 16 percent of our total population and making Latinos the largest ethnic minority in the country.

The Latino population has grown much faster than the U.S. population as a whole since 2000, a trend that is projected to continue in the coming years. The Latino population grew by 43 percent between 2000 and 2010, compared to a nationwide growth rate of 9.7 percent. By 2050, the Latino population is projected to comprise approximately 30 percent of the total population, or nearly 133 million people.

The Latino workforce is represented in a wide variety of industries. According to the 2010 census there were:

284,000 fire fighters
202,000 middle school teachers
74,000 chief executives of businesses
57,000 physicians and surgeons
30,000 lawyers

This is obviously only a small cross-section of Latino industries and professions, but it provides a snapshot into the current Latino workforce. Only about 19 percent of Latinos work in management and professional occupations. More than 26 percent work in service occupations; 21 percent work in sales and office jobs; 16 percent work in natural resources, construction, and maintenance jobs; and 17 percent work in production, transportation, and material-moving occupations.

There are a lot of statistics to digest here, and all point to the tremendous impact the Latino workforce has on U.S. commerce. These statistics are often surprising to many U.S. business owners who do not fully understand the many ways in which the Latino workforce impacts their businesses. A simple evaluation of their workforce will show how much their Latino workforce increases their bottom line.

The steady increase in the population and the number of skilled Latino workers means that the number of Latino-owned businesses is increasing as well. Latino-owned firms grew by 44 percent from 2002 to 2007 (data is still being generated from 2007 to 2011, but this huge increase is impressive in any era). Approximately 2.3 million businesses are owned by Latinos, and the revenue generated by these businesses was $345.2 billion in 2007, up 55.5 percent from 2002.

Considering the fact that the population during the 1990 census was 22.4 million for Latinos who were working or actively searching for a job, the growth of Latinos in the workforce by 2010 is impressive.

Latino employment has grown at a rate of 16 percent since 2000, whereas the general population has seen an average of 2 percent employment growth over the same period. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Latinos represent:

13 percent of the professional workforce in the U.S.
19.4 percent of the agricultural workforce in the U.S.
25.1 percent of the construction workforce in the US.
25.1 percent of the hospitality workforce in the US.

Learn more about the ways Latinos are changing the landscape of the American workforce by calling 619.550.8052 or visiting www.ThinkBlueThinking.com.

Is Your Website Enough . . .

2011-11-23T10:58:00.000-08:00

. . . To grow your business?

Unfortunately, probably not.

This makes many entrepreneurs and small businesses cringe, and for good reason. After all, they spent thousands of dollars creating a killer website. Then they sat back and waited for customers to come knocking on their online door.

And they waited. And they waited some more. And the visitors never came.

Sound familiar? Your industry is incredibly competitive. Every company has a website. So, how do you differentiate yourself?

Content marketing. Content marketing is simply a marketing strategy of developing and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience with the objective of driving profitable customer action.

It’s what your company needs to be doing right now to boost your website traffic so you can build your reputation, increase leads, and put more money in your pocket each and every month.

See what a customized content marketing strategy could mean for your business by reading a case study or by contacting us directly at 714.335.5677 or info@novowriting.com.

Maximizing the Impact of Business Training Programs for Corporations

2011-11-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Bruno Raynal, Blue Thinking

Executive coaching can make a huge difference in individual performance and the overall success of an organization. The popularity and common usage of the term “executive coaching” has led many companies to assume that coaching is reserved for high-level executives.

Not true. Every employee benefits from coaching and, in fact, statistics show that companies who hire a coaching company improve productivity at every level. Instead of focusing only on executives, these corporations implement business training programs for all employees who can impact the success of the organization.

Business training programs are, of course, not new. Donald Kirkpatrick is famous for defining his four levels of evaluating the effectiveness of training and development programs:

Reaction: How eager are employees to learn and adapt to new things? Are they satisfied with their participation in the learning process? Their reactions are monitored as well.
Learning: This is a measurement of the degree of knowledge and skills that are gained during the learning process. Attitude also plays a key role here.
Performance: An employee should be able to apply whatever he has learned while he is on the job. This point helps to measure the capability of a person to implement the knowledge he has gained in real-life situations.
Impact: The overall result of the process including moral, monetary, efficiency, and other aspects.

Jack Phillips later added a fourth level for return on investment (ROI) of the business training program which compares the monetary benefits of the program to the overall program cost. It provides a step-by-step process for collecting data, summarizing and processing data, isolating the effects of programs, converting data to monetary value, and capturing the actual ROI.

The best executive coaching companies know this proven model for employee success in business training programs. They can train the executives running the company and all other employees down to the executive assistants.

One of the most important aspects of business training programs is understanding that every employee has the ability to either help or hinder the growth of a company, and that his or her impact can transform the organization. Kirkpatrick’s evaluation program is still relevant and the best executive coaching companies focus on the quantification and maximization of an organization’s business training programs.

Many big corporations don’t know where to start but know their executives and employees can benefit from the expertise of an executive coach. Now you can begin improving the performance of employees with business training programs in every area of your company by calling 619.550.8052 or by visiting www.ThinkBlueThinking.com.

Bruno Raynal is the president and CEO of Blue Thinking, a corporation based in San Diego, California. Bruno works with top level senior management to enhance their awareness of modern business practices and patterns so they can make informed choices, take the right action, and achieve their vision and goals. Learn more about Blue Thinking by visiting www.ThinkBlueThinking.com or calling 619.550.8052.

Executive Leadership Coaching Consultants Help Develop Talent

2011-11-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Bruno Raynal, Blue Thinking

When we talk about talent we’re referring to a person’s natural ability. Athletes make easy examples. A basketball player may have a huge vertical leap and a gymnast may have amazing balance. Talented business leaders are sometimes born as well and, just as with athletes, this innate talent can be developed and perfected with the help of a coach.

If you want to train talent as an executive leadership coaching consultant, it’s important to remember that success starts with you taking a genuine interest in the people you are coaching. Get a clear understanding of what makes them tick, and then help them identify professional goals that are aligned with their personal priorities and the needs of the organization. Honing leadership qualities doesn’t happen overnight, so make sure to forge a long-term partnership with a defined plan of action.

Effective executive leadership coaching also requires the ability to develop and sharpen skills that optimize their natural talent, so you can help put them on the right path to achieving their personal, professional, and organizational objectives. Take advantage of coachable moments by emphasizing the positive results of a negative event. Above all, a constant focus on talent promotes confidence and creates momentum.

As you progress along the path with an executive leadership coaching client, encourage a personal inventory:

Track record: The ability to execute, the time it took for them to execute, and the final result.
Broader vision: What is the range of viewpoints that they consider while making the decision? Do they put equal stress on all of the dimensions?
Communication skills: What is the impression that they create to motivate others? How well can they influence their peers?
Passion: Do they want to learn and try out new things? How willing are they to continuously learn and add to their knowledge?
Empathy: How fast can they build relationships? Are they active listeners?
Change management: Can they adapt to large-scale organizational change? How will they react if they need to perform tasks that are not familiar to them?
Ability to tackle new situations: How well can they handle obstacles and challenges? Are they willing to accept challenges that are difficult to manage because their people disagree about the direction of the department?

Getting honest with leaders’ assessments of their natural abilities is critical. But to be able to train exceptional leaders, you also have to convince them that they possess the ability to be great in the first place. Why are they successful now and how can they get better?

As an executive leadership coach, it’s your job to not only develop a leader’s natural talent but, by extension, to elevate the success of the organization. If you want to learn more about becoming a coach with one of the top executive leadership coaching firms in the country, visit www.ThinkBlueThinking.com or call 619.550.8052.

Should You Hire a Copywriter for Your Business?

2011-09-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

I’ve been curious about objections some business owners have to hiring copywriters. So, I recently asked the following questions on LinkedIn: “Does your company use a copywriter to write articles, blog posts, newsletters, Web sites, etc.? If not, why not? If so, how come?”

There were nearly 20 responses. Here are a few of them:

“No, we do not. But likely because we are comfortable doing that ourselves and know our business better than anyone else!”
“We absolutely do. We use them for our clients too . . . We’re pretty good writers, but every minute we spend on copywriting, ourselves, is a minute we can’t spend doing the things we’re best at, that leverage us.”
“No. Authenticity is key.”
“Absolutely! These tasks must be delegated out so that you can focus on high level, revenue generating activities.”
“No, because communicating with our audience is the most important work we do.”
“Everyone can write, not everyone can write well, not everyone who writes well can write appropriately; but at the end of this line is differentiation and that, ultimately, is the value of a copywriter.”

It’s clear that business owners have strong feelings on whether or not to hire a copywriter for their business.

Here are some additional questions to consider:

What is the quality of your communication with prospects and customers? Even if it’s authentic, poor communication can do more harm than good. A professional SEO copywriter will understand your brand and be able to write in your “voice.”
Do you know how to write for the search engines as well as your target audience? If prospects can’t find your Web site, articles, blog, etc. because your copy isn’t properly optimized, your online marketing efforts may go unnoticed.
Do you know how to perform keyword research? Targeting the wrong keywords can make you rank well for search terms that are meaningless for promoting your products and services.
Do you have the time it takes to implement a successful online marketing strategy? Your company may be better served if you focus on your core business and rely on a SEO copywriter to create compelling content that resonates with your target audience.
Do you regularly write and post optimized articles, blogs, etc. online? Consistently producing and promoting relevant content is essential for creating a steady stream of qualified visitors to your Web site.
Are you writing about your business rather than for your customers? It’s crucial to focus on the benefits your product or service provides. Remember: Your prospects are asking, “What’s in it for me?”

A professional SEO copywriter can be indispensable for building your brand, increasing exposure in all of the right places, and boosting Web site traffic. If you don’t have the time or expertise required to write powerful content that converts, hiring a copywriter may be the right move to help grow your business.

How to Choose an ID Theft Prevention Service

2011-09-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Linda Vincent, The Identity Advocate

Most of us know the prevalence, dangers, and consequences of identity theft. It is the fastest growing white-collar crime. To proactively combat identity theft, more and more people are turning to ID theft prevention services to regularly monitor fraudulent activity.

Unfortunately, not all identity theft prevention services are the same, and selecting the best one for you can be confusing and frustrating. There are dozens to choose from and each offers varying levels of protection for a monthly fee.

Before you even start shopping for an ID theft prevention service, it’s important to know that there are many things you can do to proactively defend against identity theft at no cost. For example, you can monitor your credit for free once per year with each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, and can implement a credit freeze to prevent any new accounts from being opened in your name.

One form of identity theft you can’t directly guard against is a data breach, which occurs when an identity thief hacks into the database of an organization that has your personal information on file (such as a bank or a doctor’s office). There were 662 data breaches in 2010 according to the Identity Theft Resource Center, up from 498 in 2009, proving that no one is immune to identity theft.

Considering the growing threats, subscribing to an ID theft prevention service is definitely a good idea. But before you decide to pay for one, do your research and ask whether the service:

Offers monthly, weekly, daily, or even real-time credit monitoring. Time is not on your side when your identity is stolen, so real-time or at least daily credit monitoring is recommended.
Provides ID theft prevention services, such as setting-up fraud alerts, obtaining credit bureau reports, and monitoring credit card activity. Although you could complete these services yourself for free, it’s a time-saver to have them performed by the ID theft prevention service.
Monitors all three credit reporting bureaus. Some services only monitor one of the three agencies, which isn’t enough protection when you consider that a potential creditor usually only checks with one of them.
Provides unlimited access to your credit scores. Keep in mind that many ID theft prevention services do not provide access to your FICO score.
Has customer support. Live representatives should be available 24/7 if you suspect a problem.
Provides identity theft insurance. Although it does not cover damages resulting from identity theft, ID theft insurance reimburses the costs involved in restoring your identity.
Offers recovery assistance. Services vary greatly, and you want to know how much help you can expect in the event of identity theft. Some services only provide you with fraud affidavits to complete, while others actually contact creditors, law enforcement agencies, and other entities on your behalf.

You will also want to compare costs of the various ID theft prevention services, remembering that the price doesn’t necessarily reflect the level and effectiveness of the service.

With all of the ID theft prevention services available, choosing the best option can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be. Professional practices and individuals alike turn to The Identity Advocate to rest easier. Get tips to start protecting your identity by visiting www.TheIdentityAdvocate.com or calling 310.831.4400.

Linda Vincent, R.N., P.I., is an identity theft and healthcare fraud prevention expert specializing in medical consulting and investigations. She teaches corporations, professional practices, and consumers how to stop identity theft and healthcare fraud. Call The Identity Advocate at 310.831.4400 or email info@theidentityadvocate.com. Visit www.TheIdentityAdvocate.com.

Coaching in Business With Impact and Creativity

2011-09-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Bruno Raynal, Blue Thinking

Coaching in business can be immensely rewarding. You have the opportunity to make a huge impact on a company, its people, its vision, its goals, and its values. You can transform a dysfunctional business into an industry leader.

But coaching in business isn’t easy. You have to be bold, tough, and straightforward. You have to be able to tell a business owner the truth, no matter how much it hurts. In fact, coaching in business sometimes has a destabilizing effect in the beginning, which can actually be the best thing to happen to a company. It is the coach’s job to shake things up, to make an impact, and to put the situation into perspective.

One of the many important aspects of coaching in business is to point out strengths as well as weaknesses. Build on the strengths and create a plan of attack to improve the weaknesses. A struggling business owner often focuses solely on the weaknesses, forgetting that his strengths are what put him in business in the first place. It’s the coach’s role to impact the business owner’s way of thinking about the business and to provoke change.

To truly make a difference you must have a coach’s mindset. An effective business coach:

Has a clear vision: He believes in himself and in what he’s working to achieve
Is creative: He approaches problems in new ways and challenges businesses to take the leap forward with him
Is optimistic: He always sees the glass as half full and his positivity is infectious
Has guts: He has the courage of his convictions to tell it like it is, whether or not the business owner wants to hear it
Is tenacious: He never quits and convinces the business to believe in itself
Is focused: He is doggedly determined to make a positive impact on the business
Is always thinking: He’s constantly dreaming up new ways to push the business forward, even if his ideas may seem unconventional at first

If you have the right mindset and are determined to make a huge impact, you will almost always be a driving force for change that helps the business grow. Be creative. Be bold. Be an artist. Be a coach!

If you want to learn more about coaching in business or you’re thinking about becoming a business coach, contact the coaches that train other coaches to be exceptional. Call 619.550.8052 or visit www.ThinkBlueThinking.com to get started today.

The Definition of Leadership and the Anatomy of a Great Leader

2011-08-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Bruno Raynal, Blue Thinking

There isn’t one absolute definition of leadership. It takes many forms, but leadership can generally be defined by the actions a person takes to influence others to achieve a shared objective.

It’s important to understand that leaders are not born. Leadership is learned and can (and often must) be coached. Good leaders have strong characters, values, beliefs, and ethics. Great leaders learn the skills they need to capitalize on these traits and be a positive force for change. The definition of leadership encompasses the ability to define a clear vision, instill trust, create realistic goals, provide direction, overcome adversity, and motivate employees to follow them forward.

Leadership coaching teaches leaders that different people in their organization require different styles of leadership. In addition to supporting the goals of the company, employees have individual goals as well. For example, a salesperson will have different motivations than the organization’s Web developer. A new hire will require a different style of leadership than a seasoned employee.

So, another definition of leadership is knowing when and how to adapt to different positions and personalities. People are as diverse and complicated as situations. The right course of action in one situation may be the wrong way to lead in another situation.

The dynamics are constantly changing, so great leaders must know their employees and what makes them tick. Leaders must show that they believe in their people if they want their people to believe in their vision and goals. This requires trust and confidence, which is critical to promoting employee satisfaction in any organization.

The definition of leadership includes the following fundamentals:

Knowing themselves: Leaders must have a clear understanding of who they are, what they know, and what they can do with their knowledge to guide employees.
Pursuing self-improvement: Great leaders know they can’t lead alone. Leadership coaching improves the skills and attributes of a leader to make him or her stronger and more effective.
Making decisions: An obvious aspect of the definition of leadership includes making the right decisions in tough times. Confidence and a clear vision are integral to success.
Communicating with employees: An effective leader is nothing if not a great communicator. Of course, welcoming feedback and genuinely listening to employees is always needed to keep everyone on task.
Setting an example: Being a good role model and leading by example cannot be overlooked. Hearing a leader talk about his vision is one thing. Seeing the actions he takes to carry out that vision speaks volumes.

Enabling employees to be proactive and giving them the tools and responsibility to make decisions is another important part of the definition of leadership. A leader is only as good as the people he motivates to accomplish their shared objectives.

Leadership coaching teaches leaders how to identify their innate traits, improve their strengths, and confidently communicate and implement the strategies that are crucial for success.

Want to learn more about the definition of leadership? Want to join the elite group of successful executives who have turned to Blue Thinking to make them the indispensable leaders they are today? Contact 619.550.8052 or visit www.ThinkBlueThinking.com for more information.

8 Strategies to Attract New Customers

2011-08-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

Are you doing what it takes to market your business online and attract new customers? These strategies will get you started:

Articles: Do you know what your target audience interested in? Write informative articles on topics your prospects are searching for, and don’t forget to include links so they can click-through to your Web site.

Press Releases: Make your own news. You don’t have to release a new product or acquire a large new customer to have a reason to publish press releases about your company online. You just need an angle. Stay informed of new trends in your industry and tie them to your product.

Web Site: Nearly every business has a Web site. So what? If it isn’t engaging, visitors are gone in a few seconds. Make sure the content is compelling and includes a clear call to action. Offer a free special report, how-to guide, or other valuable information to entice prospects to sign-up for your newsletter.

Newsletters: Speaking of newsletters, what are you doing to stay in touch with customers and prospects? Newsletters keep your business on their radar screens. It’s a friendly reminder that provides information on topics of interest to them. You’re reading this, aren’t you?

Videos: Don’t forget about video marketing. Videos are easy to create and they personalize your business. It’s one of the most immediate ways to connect with a prospect. If you can make a video that shows your product at work, even better. Tag the video with your keywords and post it on video sites. You may be surprised by the response.

Case Studies: Tell a story. You can talk about the features and benefits of your product until you’re blue in the face. Your prospect may be impressed but not convinced. A true story about how you solved a problem for a customer can go a long way.

Social Media: Make sure you’re offering value and not just another sales pitch to the people in your social networks (keep the “salesy” post to one out of every five posts).

Blogs: A blog makes your business personal. It also builds your reputation. Know your target audience and write blog posts that appeal to their interests.

Doing all of this at once can be overwhelming. But don’t worry. You don’t have to do it all at once. You just need a proactive strategy. The question to ask yourself is, “What is my competition doing and how can I do it better?”

Answer that, and then write great content that attracts qualified prospects to your Web site.

10 Web Site Copywriting Tips

2011-08-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

The anatomy of a Web site from a copywriting perspective can be confusing. Many business owners think they just need to "write something." They see their Web site as something that is just one of those costs and necessities of doing business.

Not true! A carefully crafted Web site is essential to not only build your brand, but also to attract prospects and make them "fall for you." Here are 10 Web site copywriting tips:

1. Keyword Research

After gaining a clear understanding of the products, services, goals, mission, features, benefits, differentiators, and other characteristics of the company, it’s time to perform keyword research. Performing keyword research is essential for optimizing a Web site. Without it, you’re missing the primary building block for creating a Web site that attracts both the search engines and the consumers searching for your products and services online.

2. Headlines

Once you’ve identified the keywords for the Web pages, turn your attention to headlines. The keyword should appear in the headline of the Web page. It not only identifies what the page is about, which is important in and of itself. But it is also what appears as the link in search engine results.

So, a headline needs to include the keyword and also must be compelling enough for the visitor to want to learn more. Headlines that are in the form of questions work very well, as do statements that speak to the visitors’ pain points or, in other words, their reasons to be searching the keyword in the first place.

3. Keyword Placement

In addition to the headline, the search engines want to see the primary keyword in the first or second sentence. This further identifies the page as being relevant to the topic. The keyword should also be sprinkled throughout the copy as much as possible without seeming forced or stuffed, and also needs to be in the last one or two sentences. The right keyword placement cannot be overstated. It’s one of the things that separates spammers from legitimate content.

4. Homepage Copy

The homepage can be a tricky page as far as SEO copywriting goes. You should include 200-300 words so you can include a keyword that will have a sufficient amount of weight.

Some people like to use flash as the primary content on the homepage or otherwise make the homepage navigable without much copy. This is a fine strategy because, if it’s done well, it can compel a potential customer to click-through to other pages.

However, unless the flash on the homepage does a great job of convincing the visitor to click through the site, they’re gone. But it also can be very detrimental for search engine placement. The homepage is very important in search results, so without an optimized homepage, you may be risking lots of exposure and clients.

5. Persuasive Copy

This next step sounds kind of general, but we all kind of intuitively know it when we see it. It’s having a site with compelling and persuasive content. We’re not talking about keywords here. We’re talking about copy that addresses the prospect’s pain points and makes them want to contact you because of the way you position yourself and, specifically, how you communicate the benefits of your offering.

6. Bullets

Bulleted lists break-up the copy. Many people have short attention spans when they’re browsing the Internet. If someone finds your Web page because you’ve done a great job of optimizing it and wrote a great headline, the next thing they will do is scan the copy.

Some people want to read everything on the page to learn as much as possible. But a significantly higher percentage of people will quickly scan the copy and focus their attention on bullets because they stand out. So having bullets describing the benefits of your product or service within the copy can make a huge difference.

7. Customer-Focused Copy

Your Web site copy needs to be customer-focused. You want to concentrate on the benefits of your product or service—keeping in mind the fact that your prospect is either consciously or unconsciously thinking, “What’s in it for me?” How can you solve their challenge or need right now? If you don’t make it clear, they may click-away to a competitor in a few seconds.

8. Subheads

This one is easily missed. Subheads, like bullets, break-up the copy and make people want to read more about your business. Subheads should always be benefit-driven and include your keyword, when possible, to attract both search engines and the human readers for whom you’re writing in the first place.

9. Call to Action

Your Web page isn’t complete without a strong call to action. What do you want them to do right now? Call for more information? Fill-out your contact form? Purchase a product on your e-commerce site? Whatever it is, your call to action must give a prospect a compelling reason to take whatever action you want them to take.

10. Meta data
Meta data is the content you don’t actually see when you’re reading a Web page. For SEO copywriting purposes, meta data is comprised of the meta title, meta description, and meta keywords. The meta title is the link you see when you perform a keyword search, and the meta description is the content directly below this link that describes the content of the page. Including meta data is important because the search engines have an easier time finding your site when someone performs a search on your business or keyword.

How is your Web site working?

Communication in Business: How to Build Groups That Thrive

2011-08-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Bruno Raynal, Blue Thinking

You can’t talk about communication in business without first addressing group dynamics. Many groups suffer from a lack of rules. They have no leadership, no direction, and no accountability. Goals and roles aren’t clearly defined. Interpersonal strategies are underdeveloped or simply non-existent.

Effective communication in business often requires the framing or reframing of a group with valuable rules all members understand and accept. These rules allow the group members to avoid personal confrontation and conflict because everyone knows the expectations of the group as well as their personal roles.

Simply put, framing is the process of describing and interpreting an event. Since each person brings his or her own unique experience to the group, and since there are so many factors that influence how a conflict is framed, it is not surprising that where one group member sees success another member sees failure.

In these instances where differing views clash and create confrontation, cooperation among group members can be a difficult goal to realize when productive communication in business is paramount to the company’s larger vision and benchmarks for success.

So, what are groups in business settings supposed to do? It does not serve the company’s larger purpose for individual members to compete over petty issues, pursue personal goals, and avoid collaboration whenever possible. Meaningful communication in business groups means that each member is: open to experiencing new roles, responsible for carrying out individual tasks, respectful of other group members, and ultimately committed to the group’s agreed-upon rules.

Although rules and roles are flexible and ever-evolving, it is important that each group member fulfills the specific role necessary for the group to accomplish the task at hand. In addition, by making each group member accountable for his or her own responsibilities, strong groups avoid social stagnation whereby some group members stop participating out of a lack of believing in the task at hand.

Effective communication in business requires committed team members who are focused on contributing and making a positive impact by:

Effectively collaborating with other team members
Making team objectives more important than personal goals
Confronting important group issues in a positive and constructive way
Sharing ideas, information, and feedback with other group members
Being dedicated to completing team tasks
Helping other team members when they need or ask for assistance
Providing leadership in a way that supports and advances the team’s success
Using critical thinking skills when facing challenges
Constructively responding to other group members’ feedback

These attributes make a group member indispensable and, by extension, assist with the development of a group that is poised to achieve the defined goals and expectations of the organization. Learn more about what powerful communication in business groups can do for your company’s success by visiting the business consulting experts at www.ThinkBlueThinking.com or by calling 619.550.8052.

Differences Between Forming LLCs and S Corporations in Delaware

2011-07-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Jodi Kukla, The Delaware Company

Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) and S corporations in Delaware share some important advantages over setting up sole proprietorships. One of the biggest advantages is that both LLCs and S corporations protect owners from the debts and liabilities of the business. If the company is successfully sued or goes bankrupt, creditors cannot go after the owners’ personal assets. In addition, the company’s income is passed-through and reported on the owners’ personal income tax returns in both business structures.

But LLCs and S corporations in Delaware have significant differences as well. S corporations cannot have more than 100 shareholders, and each shareholder must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien. LLCs offer more flexibility. They do not have shareholders and the number of members is unlimited. LLCs can be owned by U.S. citizens, non-citizens, and other business entities as well.

Another major distinction between LLCs and S corporations in Delaware involves the division of profits. Whereas shareholders in S corporations can only earn a percentage of the profits corresponding to the percentage of overall shares they own, LLC owners are free to setup their own rules of profit distribution. This flexibility is especially attractive in situations where one owner invests the bulk of the startup money but does not oversee day-to-day operations. He or she may have more power than a partner who contributed less capital but essentially runs the company. They can share the wealth however they see fit, as long as they agree on the terms.

LLCs and S corporations in Delaware also differ in terms of self-employment tax. An S corporation’s dividend distributions are not subject to self-employment tax, but most LLCs must pay a self-employment tax on their entire net income. The self-employment tax for the 2011 calendar year is 13.3%, down from 15.3% in 2010. This tax can be a key factor when business owners are deciding whether to form LLCs or S corporations in Delaware.

Let’s look at how the employment tax can affect a company:

Let’s say you started a homecare company as an S corporation. The business nets annual earnings of $75,000, and you pay yourself a salary of $50,000. You take the remaining $25,000 as a distribution. Based on the 13.3% employment tax that is only applied to your salary, you would owe $6,650.
If you started your homecare company as an LLC, you would have to pay employment tax on the entire earnings of $75,000, not just your salary, which would equal $9,975.

In this example you would save $3,325 by incorporating as an S corporation. However, this lower tax may be offset by the additional formalities of running S corporations in Delaware, which include maintaining corporate bylaws, minutes, annual meetings, issuance of stock, and other requirements. An LLC does not require these formalities.

There are many things to consider when starting a business. If you want to learn more about the differences between forming LLCs and S corporations in Delaware, The Delaware Company can help. Visit www.TheDelawareCompany.com or call 1-888-338-2677 to see which option is best suited for your unique business needs.

Jodi Kukla is the Director of Marketing for The Delaware Company, a full-service, online incorporation service provider, offering small-business owners a fast, easy, and economical way to form a corporation, limited liability company (LLC), or other business structure online or by phone. Visit www.TheDelawareCompany.com to incorporate online today. Call The Delaware Company at 1-888.338.2677 or email customerservice@theusacompany.com.

Do You Know Your Strengths?

2011-07-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Bruno Raynal, Blue Thinking

To know your strengths is to truly know yourself, and vice versa. Your strengths are your natural talents that you can hone to achieve great things. Whether it’s in your personal or professional life, in a romantic relationship or at work, your strengths are what define the best part of you.

You can unlock a lot of doors when you know your strengths and put them to work for you. If you’re competing with a coworker for a promotion, for instance, you can make yourself the obvious choice if you embrace and unleash your strengths. A little hard work never hurt either, of course, but you may be doing yourself a huge disservice if you don’t know your strengths and consciously apply them to get what you want.

Still, too many people seem to refuse to acknowledge their strengths. They attribute their success to good luck and their failures to bad luck. In doing so they negate the fact that their innate talents—their pure strengths—were the key factors in their success.

All too often we get caught up in trying to be all things to all people. In trying to do so we tend to focus on our weaknesses and try to fix those instead of promoting our strengths. A large part of accepting your true self means rejecting the idea that you need to focus on your weaknesses to improve your performance at work.

Not true. You need to focus on and know your strengths! While it’s true we can all improve weaker areas, there’s nothing more powerful than developing the strengths we already know we have. Much like our natural strengths, our weaknesses are, to a large extent, innate as well. So why do we spend so much time working on our weaknesses instead of developing our strengths, especially when we’re trying to excel at our jobs?

In business, great leadership can be defined as being clear about what you stand for, what you expect from employees, and charting a path for them to achieve those expectations. Then you must have the courage of your convictions to stand by your beliefs no matter what the cost. Employees respond well to leaders who know their strengths and are confident in their assertions.

If you don’t quite know your strengths and want to get a better idea of exactly what they are, ask yourself these questions:

If you were asked to list your top five personality traits, how long would it take to answer?
Would you consider these traits to be strengths or weaknesses?
Do you know why you do what you do?
What are your key values that guide your life both personally and professionally?
What do people who know you expect from you?
How do you make decisions?
What is your natural leadership style?
What motivates you to perform at your very best?

Do you think of yourself as a leader? Do you know your strengths and do you point-out the strengths of others so they can be better employees? When you focus on strengths, you raise expectations. You motivate. You make a powerful impact. You transform yourself and your organization.

When you know your strengths and put them to work you can be more productive, deliver more value, stand out as a leader and be compensated for it, realize better results, truly enjoy your work, and achieve greater fulfillment in everything you do.

At Blue Thinking, we coach leaders to know their strengths, grow as people, and become better leaders. Those are some of our strengths. What are yours? Call 619.550.8052 or visit www.ThinkBlueThinking.com to let us know and see how we can help reinvigorate your business.

LinkedIn Profile Service (LIPS)

2011-07-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

Over 100 million (and rising) professionals worldwide have LinkedIn profiles, and more and more of these professionals are using LinkedIn like they use Google to search for services. Novo Writing’s LinkedIn Profile Service (LIPS) helps you literally capitalize on the growing number of prospects searching for your business’ services on LinkedIn.

LIPS works by supercharging the Experience section of your profile in a very specific way to take advantage of the connections between your keywords and your clients. You show up in many more LinkedIn search results every day, so the number of prospects checking-out your profile increases as well. If they like what they see, these potential customers will visit your Web site or contact you directly from your LinkedIn page.

Since keywords are the fuel for search engines, you want to have as many related keywords in your profile as possible. For instance, if you’re a virtual assistant, you want to rank on page 1 for “virtual assistant,” “virtual office,” “executive assistant,” “administrative assistant,” “bookkeeping,” etc.—and even narrow it down by industry, such as “real estate virtual assistant.”

If you want your profile to skyrocket to the top positions of page 1 of a LinkedIn keyword search for your services, call 714.335.5677 or email info@novowriting.com. LIPS is guaranteed* to succeed if you can supply the names of 10-15 clients and up to 7 related keywords.

*If you don’t rank in the first 5 positions on page 1 of a LinkedIn search for at least 3 of your keywords, you don’t pay a dime.

Tips on How to Name a Business

2011-07-06T16:22:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Jodi Kukla, The Delaware Company

Deciding how to name a business may seem like a daunting task. After all, it’s the first thing someone learns about your business and it’s a key factor in defining your brand identity. A good company name is memorable and instantly identifies who you are and what you do. Unfortunately, since company names rarely materialize out of thin air, naming a new company takes time, creativity, and research.

The first step in choosing how to name a business is defining what you want to convey to a potential customer. This starts with a brainstorming session to get a better understanding of:

The message you want to communicate: Do you want the name to be directly related to your products/services? Do you want it to be unique by “inventing” a name or by using a hybrid of two names? Do you want your own name to be included in the company name?
Perception: What do you want potential customers to think and feel when they see your business name?
Your industry: You will need to do research to see if there are competitors with exact or similar business names. How do your competitors’ names make you think and feel about them?

Once you’ve completed your brainstorming session and have a better idea of what your business name needs to “do,” it’s time to take a closer look at what your company name says about your business. Deciding how to name a business means exploring the core of your business:

Who are you? Your business name is your identity. What do you want anyone who comes into contact with your business to think about it? This can have a lot to do with your industry. For example, if you are starting a medical practice you want your business name and identity to evoke a sense of professionalism. If you are starting a retail business for baby clothes, you probably want your business name to be fun and playful.
What do you do? Large corporations like Pepsi can have vague company names. It’s a brand known all over the world. If you’re in the process of determining how to name a business, you don’t have the luxury of being that famous (at least not yet!). But you can create an effective company name by incorporating your industry in your name. For example, if you’re a plumber you might name your new company, “First-Class Plumbing Service.”
What makes you different? Your products/services may be superior to your competitors. You may provide faster and better service. But your first impression to show how you’re different is your company name. What kinds of words appeal to your target audience? What piques their interest? What makes you easily approachable?

When choosing how to name a business, remember that you only have a few words to describe who you are, what you do, and why a potential customer should choose you. You can provide the best products/services and be the best salesperson on the planet, but few people may notice if you don’t take the time to create a great company name.

Once you’ve decided on your business name, The Delaware Company can assist you with our free Delaware name check service to see if it’s available. We can also provide assistance with the formation of your limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. Get immediate service by calling 1-888-338-2677 or visiting www.TheDelawareCompany.com.

How to Set Employee Expectations

2011-07-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Bruno Raynal, Blue Thinking

Expectations. They’re the fundamentals of building a successful business. Whether you have five employees or five thousand, setting clear employee expectations is essential to build and grow a thriving business.

Expectations are goals in small, edible bites for employees. They set standards for excellence. As an executive, you must communicate what you expect from your employees today, tomorrow, next month, next year. Today’s expectations should be tomorrow’s results.

But before you can set expectations for your employees, you need to understand your own objectives and exactly why you want what you want. Your expectations have a powerful impact on your feelings, thoughts, attitude, and behaviors. If you don’t clearly define your own expectations, how can you communicate them to your employees? How can you set and raise employee expectations if you don’t have a clear intention and direction?

Here are some tips for setting employee expectations:

Start with a vision of what you want the end result to be. Sell yourself on the outcome and then communicate that vision to your employees.
Give employees a concrete reason to work towards achieving the expectations. Whether it’s a financial bonus, a trip to the Bahamas, or simply recognition amongst their peers that they met the boss’ expectations, almost everyone responds to competition.
Provide regular feedback. Don’t wait for the annual performance review. Let your employees know how they’re performing. Good or bad, they want to know. And, chances are, they will work harder to meet your expectations if you provide more direction.

Employees should know exactly what role they play and how their performance affects the goals of the organization. Setting employee expectations means making your big goals known and making your employee expectations even bigger. Take time to meet with each employee individually so you know what makes them tick. After all, how can you expect something from someone who doesn’t have the skills to do the job? You wouldn’t ask a graphic designer to repair an IT system.

You also wouldn’t ask an employee to judge your performance; or, if you would, your job wouldn’t be in question. But don’t make it a one-way street. Make the relationship easy. There’s no communication unless you can express your role, their role, your expectations of you, your expectations of them, and how together you can be the best team. As an executive, you expect something different from each and every employee. Do they know why? What? How? When?

Your employee expectations must also be encouraging. Expectations should motivate employees and improve their self-esteem and confidence. They must share a commitment to the company’s success as much as you invest in developing their skills.

Your expectations must be obvious and permeate your organization. If they don’t, you are miscommunicating who you are, what you believe in, and what you can do. Believe it or not, you can convince your employees to be the people you want. If they aren’t, you aren’t paying attention to your shared expectations. What about their day-to-day? What about their quality of life? What about their expectations?

Setting employee expectations is ultimately all about understanding your own goals, your employees’ strengths and weaknesses, and communicating what you expect from each and every one of them. Learn how you can improve communication with your employees by calling 619.550.8052 or visiting www.ThinkBlueThinking.com.

The Importance of Executives Creating Shared Context

2011-06-24T16:43:00.000-07:00

NEW CLIENT ARTICLE:

By Bruno Raynal, Blue Thinking

Executive coaching has become more and more popular in recent years. Many business owners believe coaching executives is about addressing problem areas, improving skill sets, and achieving personal goals. That’s all true, but executive coaching is so much more than that. In fact, that definition completely disregards the importance of creating shared context, which has a huge effect on the success of an organization.

Context is a mental framework. It’s how an individual approaches situations and responds to challenges. It’s how executives project their inner worlds into their external environment to create a vision, to spark change, to motivate employees, to make something new.

This mental framework is the setting for an idea, a statement, or an event. Since all of us interpret these things differently based on our own mental frameworks, it’s critical for executives to create shared context if they want employees to get on board with the company’s vision.

Executive coaches help frame changes and give executives the ability to turn crises into positive transformations. They also coach leaders on ways to create shared context by changing the place and space. A vision isn’t simply accepted because it’s proclaimed in a memo. If they’re serious about setting a new course for the company, executives need to change the scenery—go outside, take a field trip, or have an impromptu company-wide meeting. By creating shared context they change the interaction, reframe the vision, and define expectations.

Successful executives have the ability to convince employees to embrace their vision. They put feelings in context by framing ideas in first person. They say, “I feel,” “I need,” “I want,” and “I expect.” Failing to put feelings in a shared context is a sure-fire way to make their vision fail as well.

This first person approach can be difficult for executives at first. Many are used to speaking as if they’re just a mouthpiece for the company. But employees don’t respond to mouthpieces. They respond to a real person expressing a real emotion about a real problem. They need someone and something they can get behind. If the new vision is to expand into a new market, they want to know the how, the why, and the when. They want to believe, but they need the executive to lead the way and make each of them accountable to the executive’s vision and goals.

It’s been said that “a boss is only as successful as his employees.” That’s true, of course, but employees are also only as successful as the boss. Executives need to do more than just assign job functions and evaluate employee performance each quarter. They need to empower employees to take on new challenges, accept more responsibility, and continue to grow by creating shared context.

Executive coaching teaches executives how to think about the vision of the company and how and why it affects their employees. It shows them how creating shared context can be the difference between a vision being fulfilled or being forgotten.

Visit www.ThinkBlueThinking.com or call 619.550.8052 to learn more about how creating shared context can unify your employees with your vision to grow your business.

Special Offer If You Act By 5:00 p.m. Sunday

2011-06-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

Over 100 million professionals have LinkedIn profiles, and more and more of them are using LinkedIn like they use Google to search. How have you optimized your LinkedIn profile to attract prospects?

Special article marketing and LinkedIn offer if you act by 5:00 p.m. Sunday http://bit.ly/jo3792

Are You Giving Your Customers Quality SEO Content?

2011-03-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

Most business owners know their target audience is searching for their products and services online. They know they need to consistently produce relevant search engine optimized (SEO) content to attract those potential customers. This content includes SEO articles, press releases, case studies, blogs, social media posts, and more.

But many business owners overlook the importance of the quality of the SEO content they publish for the world to see. SEO content that doesn't attract the search engines and their target audience doesn't just waste time and money. Poor quality SEO content can actually damage their brand and reputation. Potential customers may see their company as inferior, even if their products and services are superior to their competition.

The solution is publishing high-quality SEO content their customers want on a regular basis.

An online quality SEO content strategy does just that. Article marketing programs are some of the most incredibly effective strategies for generating great SEO content that attracts prospects to Web sites. A superior article marketing program includes:

Keyword research (know what your potential customers are searching for)
Two SEO articles on topics of interest to your target audience (give them the information they want and get them to click-through to your Web site)
Online SEO article submission (articles are published on high-quality sites where customers can find them)
Two newsletters you can send to your mailing list (save time and money without having to create another marketing piece)
Analyzing SEO results to ensure and improve performance
An SEO content writer to do all of the work for you

Start giving your customers the high-quality SEO content they want. Be a thought-leader, build your brand, and grow your business.

Why and How to Write a Case Study for Your Business

2011-02-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

Do you write case studies to advertise your business and attract more prospects?

Case studies should be a part of your marketing tool bag. They can increase your exposure, impress clients with your expertise, and help you sell more products and services.

Why Write a Case Study for Your Business?

Case studies are extremely powerful. If you had to choose only one marketing piece to showcase your business, writing a case study would be the most effective choice. Case studies:

Tell the story of how you solve problems for your clients
Build your brand and credibility
Demonstrate measurable results
Show clients your commitment to their success
Serve as client endorsements

Case Studies Are Persuasive Online and Offline

Case studies are perfect for both online and offline marketing. Use keyword-rich case studies online to reach your target audience and demonstrate your expertise. Print the case study and include it in your press kit or other "leave-behind" marketing materials when you meet with your clients.

How to Write a Case Study for Your Business

Write a case study for your business in three steps:

The Challenge: In a paragraph or two describe the specific challenge your client was facing.
The Solution: In two to three paragraphs discuss how you delivered a specific solution that solved the client's challenge.
The Results: Report the measurable results of your solution. This is the most important part of the case study. You'll have to get some of this information from your client but, believe me, your client will be happy to provide you with these stats when they see the value you've delivered. For maximum effectiveness, include a quote from the client touting the success of your solution.

Make Your Case With Case Studies

Case study marketing is not as well known (or employed as much) as article marketing, press release marketing, email marketing, and social media marketing. Although these other marketing efforts are more popular, writing case studies for your business is an incredibly successful way to position yourself as an expert in your field.

Want to impress your prospects? Want to convince your clients to buy your business' products and services with confidence? Consider writing case studies to literally make your case.