Career Coaching Finds Your Motivation When You Can't

Sure, we've all had those days. You head for work in a foul mood, dreading another eight hours of monotony and tedium. There's nowhere to go within the company and your boss is no help, so you fight the urge to tell off your manager and quit on the spot, just like in that old Johnny Paycheck song.

Ever wonder, however, if it's not the job, but your perspective?

For many people, getting stuck in a rut on their career path is a common occurrence. Lacking goals, motivation, or an ability to shake loose the ties that bind them, many workers simply play out the same routine day in and day out, living a life that includes a career that leaves them unfulfilled and wanting for more.

Whether you're one of those people, or just know someone like that, it may help to know that "stuck-in-a-rut" behavior is so common that an entire career field has grown by leaps and bounds in response to a perceived need to help people find the motivation to move on to bigger and better things. Building on the popularity of life coaching, career coaching is an increasingly popular way to help people dig themselves out of a career hole.

Setting the bar


Career coaching isn't therapy, nor is it hiring a professional referee to navigate you through the trials and tribulations of your daily workplace. Career coaches are professional motivators, people who help you to identify your strengths, skills, and values, and to define your career goals and professional aspirations.

Many of us recognize how important goal setting is to our personal and professional growth, but it is a deceptively hard thing for many people to pull off. Career coaches are skilled at helping you identify what you want to achieve, and then, most importantly, assist you in devising a plan for achieving those goals. They go beyond pumping you up and making you feel good - they provide the support and motivation that many people need to get jump started on making a change.

Finding your true calling


It's much easier to define what we don't like than to know what it is we really want to do. Many people work at jobs simply because it is "what they do" and it pays the bills, but for most, their jobs are not something they're particularly passionate about. You may know what you like to do, but finding a career direction that fits in with what you like to do may seem down-right impossible. A job coach won't be able to meld your engineering strengths with a love for fly-fishing, but they may be able to help you find a job that enables you to balance your life better and give you more time for those long weekends with nature.

Getting it together


A common problem for many people is just simply staying organized between the demands of their jobs and their personal lives. For some, particularly working moms and single parents, it's easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. A career coach can teach you more effective work habits, show you how to stay organized, and coach you on how to be more efficient in both realms of your life. By staying in control of your life, rather than letting it control you, your job may seem less like a burden and more like something you can look forward to.

Moving on up


With your efficiency on the job improved, your motivation jump-started, and your goals at the forefront, you're much more likely to be an efficient, productive, and competitive worker. Such a positive state will more likely result in a better chance of success at scoring promotions or better yet, a job that you really want, doing something that really interests you.

Career coaching is all about helping you reach your potential, rather than staying trapped by your own thoughts, fears, or insecurities about change. Career coaching isn't designed to drudge up your past, but it is about planning for your future. If you're feeling trapped, overwhelmed, or just in need of a change, it may be the right thing for you.

Interview Questions, Rehearse Your Job Interview

The job interviews are the twisting point in a job search where job seekers can do well in winning confidence of potential employers, make them believe that you are the model candidate for the position you are looking for. Most likely job seekers stagger through interviews as if the recruiter asks jumpy questions. But generally interview questions are to be expected. Prepare your interview answers and rehearse your role before the show, so you'll be ready to face employers/recruiters with self belief.

To answer interview questions precisely that takes ability, exercise and strength of mind. Some of the most likely interview questions for you to practice before appearing!

1. Introduce yourself?


2. What are your career preferences?


3. How much salary you are expecting?


4. What is your plan regarding continuing your education?


5. Tell us about your hobbies?


6. What are your strengths & weaknesses?


7. Are you ready to work in a team?


8. Can you work in stress?


9. What good things you liked in your ex boss?


10. How do you feel working on weekend?


11. Define success?


12. How good your communication is?


13. Where do you see yourself in next 2 years?


14. You like trying new things or stay with old ones?


15. Why you have applied for this position?


16. Tell us about your family?


17. Areas where you can revamp your skills?


18. What if you are not selected for this position?


19. What makes you feel that you are the best candidate for this position?


20. What you preferred, money or work?


21. Tell us about your subjects?

Candidates can raise their chances of success if they get ready for them in advance. Find the balanced answers to the most common interview questions. Hiring people (recruiters) hope that you are the matched candidate for the job. They are desperate to wrap up interviewing and want to fill up the position. Focus on what you have to say in regards to your skills & experience instead of sensing fear.

Job seekers can practice and perfect their answers ahead of interview date.

How To Develop The Leadership Mindset In Network Marketing

Developing the leadership mindset is one of the most crucial things you can do to have success in network marketing. When you have developed the leadership mindset…you will literally have prospects lining up outside your house to work with you.

The leadership mindset makes you incredibly attractive to work with. So what does this leadership mindset consist of?

The leadership mindset means you KNOW that you have value to give to other people. It means you KNOW that you are worth listening to.

A leader is comfortable with who they are, confident with their abilities, and truly loves themselves. A leader does not let their insecurities get the best of them…they charge through difficulties regardless of whether or not the outcome is always going to be positive. They perform difficult tasks for the sakes of challenging themselves to become better people.

You can develop the leadership mindset in a variety of ways.

1. Never stop educating yourself. The more you can educate yourself, the more value you will be filled up with. All the books, courses, audio's, seminars, tapes, dvd's, yoga classes, gym workouts, nature walks, and whatever else is BUILDING your value. It's making you a more well rounded and developed person who has more to offer others.

2. Challenge yourself constantly. A leader loves to overcome challenges. Each challenge makes you stronger, and as you overcome one…overcoming other challenges becomes easier. A leader will purposefully put themselves in challenging situations just to get better at what they do.

3. Give freely to others. A true leader is selfless. A true leader loves to give to other people. They love to bring to joy to other people lives. A true leader is well respected by other people because of these qualities. They are admired because other people see how genuine they are, and see how they really care about the people they are leading.

If you work on these simple things every day…over time your mind will blossom into the leadership mindset. The more it blossoms, the easier it will become for you to build a massive network marketing organization.

How Promotional Merchandise Can Drive Your Business

Promotional merchandise is available in many formats, from badges, pens and keyrings to clothing, mugs and umbrellas, all of which are usually imprinted with a company's name, logo or message. When used imaginatively to develop solutions to marketing challenges, promotional merchandise can help drive your business by increasing brand awareness, generating trade show traffic, improving employee retention and more.

The impact on your brand image can be significant with recipients of well-targeted promotional merchandise gaining a more positive overall image of your business. As a result, they are more likely to recommend your business to others and give you their custom. Promotional merchandise can also have a significant effect on increasing trade show traffic. A US survey* found that 71.6% of trade show attendees who had received an item of merchandise could remember the name of the company that gave it to them, and that 76.3% had a favorable attitude towards the company as a result.

By including a promotional product with a pre-show mailing, you can therefore greatly increase the number of visitors coming to your stand. This in turn will produce more leads and ultimately more sales. Regardless of the actual or perceived value of the item, most promotional merchandise is appreciated by the recipient for its practicality. Because it is often kept and used on a regular basis, your advertising message will therefore gain repeated exposure without any additional cost.

Promotional merchandise can be a great way of making a positive impression on your customers, prospective customers and employees, which can only be beneficial to your business.

* Source: 2004 study titled The Effectiveness of Promotional Products in Trade show Settings conducted by Georgia Southern University

Packaging As A Marketing Tool

Thousands of new products are introduced every year, more than 15,000 to be exact. How can your product compete, not only with established brands but with the plethora of new products that are being introduced? The answer of course is THE PACKAGING. The right packaging with the right message will rise above the competitive landscape. But how many companies understand the value behind packaging as a marketing tool? Most just look at as a way to convey the product or recycle tired images and product packaging that doesn't work.

Understanding the complexities of how a package reaches out to a consumer is one of the most important things to understand. Communicating that message on product packaging is a time consuming and difficult challenge. The answer derives from understanding what the consumer wants from their product packaging. A good way to assess this problem is to look at yourself and how and where you shop?

What compels you to look at a new product? What drew you to pick it up and take a closer look? Your answer may be different from that of another member of your family or a significant other but the message is the same. You were intrigued enough by whatever ever that made you pick up the product and take a closer look. That's half the battle won because your product will never sell if someone doesn't pick it up in the first place.

I know it's a trite saying by now but seriously "think outside the box." That is what makes your product unique from its competitors. Here are a few questions to ask yourself about your package. Remember think from the consumers' perspective not from the manufacturers.

Rank these attributes for your product and then the nearest competitive product or a product that you recently purchased that was outside your normal buying pattern.

Is it new and innovative?

Is it fulfilling a need?

Is it easy to use and convenient?

Is it a good value?

Does it make the consumer happy?

Does it inspire consumer trust and loyalty?

Is it safe and secure?

Does it compel you to want to know more?

So how does your product stack up in solving a consumer want or need?

Would your package make someone desire to take a closer look?

Remember it's the package talking here. It's the one doing the work marketing what's inside to the customer. That's what you need to drill in your brain about your package - why buy me??

Evaluating or developing product packaging with the consumer in mind is your first step in creating a package that markets all the products attributes to the ultimate decision maker the customer.

Don't get concerned it your package doesn't do all of the above. It only takes one unique attribute that will intrigue a consumer to take a closer look. Of course the more needs you can fulfill the better "connection" to the consumer. The "consumer connection" is what you are trying to create. So think outside the typical behavior and solve the hidden need that will make a consumer buy your product and not a competitors.

Want more of the latest packaging insights and packaging trends that drive consumer purchasing? Be sure and visit the Packaging Diva's newest website http://doityourselfpackaging.com/ where you will find, packaging tips, technology and the latest news.

How to Tell your Boss That You Need a Raise

Your boss wants to have you work for them at the cheapest price that they can because they are obviously going to be able to keep more of the profits for themselves. You have to realize that getting a raise from your boss requires him to trust that his investment is going to be making himself more money.

Before you ask your boss to give you a raise, you have to ask yourself if you deserve it. What have you done to deserve more of a pay raise? Do you impress your boss enough? You have to be able to perform on your job before you ask for a pay raise. You should ask your boss monthly if your work performance is pleasing them and if you can do anything to make your boss happier. This may sound like you are just trying to kiss up to the boss, but in reality, you are allowing yourself to get a faster pay raise. Bosses love to hear you ask them about your work performance because they are often to shy to tell you what they really think. You usually find out from your boss that they are dissatisfied with your work performance when they tell you that you are fired. You don't want it to come to that. Anytime that you work for a boss, you must understand that they are only interested in their own interests. They don't care about your personal money problems. You have to convince your boss that you are willing to do whatever it is that they are asking you to do and at a price that you can both agree to.

If you have done everything that your boss has asked you to do and you believe that you have mastered your craft, then its time to ask your boss for a pay raise. If he tells you that he cannot give you a raise at that time because he cannot afford to for whatever reason, and then ask him again for a pay raise in around two months. If he still says no, then its time to move on to another company. Don't be afraid to move on for a higher paying position because in today's work force, companies are more willing to cut you for a cheaper employee or because they simply don't like you. There are no guarantees with any job in today's society. If your boss really wants to keep you, then they will give you something that will make you happy. Some bosses agree to pay for your transportation to and from work as a way to say that they want to keep you or they may simply give you a one lump sum bonus during the holiday. You have to way the odds and see if the job is actually worth it to you to say. However, don't get stuck in the rut of believing that you have job security because you don't. Today's companies will shut down on you and lay you off without any kind of notice to you. You have to understand that we are living in troubled times in which money has become the love for many. You have to protect yourself and allow yourself to see where all of the money is at. Don't be afraid to ask your boss for a raise and make sure that you understand where your finances are headed for the upcoming future.

Career Satisfaction - What Does It Mean To You? What Do You Need To Be Happy At Work?

You want to love your job, you want to have career satisfaction, but have you ever taken the time to think about what career satisfaction means to you? This article outlines the main reasons why people feel satisfied with their job. So read through each of these 8 areas, and decide if they are being met in your job (or not).

Do you need mentally challenging work? Some people like to daydream on the job and not be bothered with mental challenge - they work to pay the bills while their out of work life gives them the satisfaction they need. Glen is a postman and also plays in a couple of folk bands. He can't make enough money to survive through music, he's tried it, so the delivery work pays the bills and gives him the time to practice and compose. Most people, however, crave some intellectual stimulation during their working day. They seek challenge but it should be just enough so that they can meet it successfully, too much challenge can be stressful.

Does your work need to be personally interesting? Our interests differ - what do you prefer? Being outside and working on practical tasks? Problem solving? Being part of a team? If someone is interested in the arts, do they want to work for an arts organisation or do they want to keep work separate? Lisa loved embroidery, and spends most evenings on this, but a job in an embroidery shop was not as fulfilling as she had hoped, and resulted in her not wanting to do more of the same in the evenings.

What sort of physical demands is right for you? Vicki is so interested in health and fitness that a job as a personal trainer and running aerobic exercise classes was perfect for her. Dan loves working on a farm, being outside and doing heavy work keeps him fit and he would hate to be in an office job. However, Derek, whose work involved a lot of international travel, found that flying across continents, dealing with the time difference and waiting at airports was too stressful and he wanted to be able to concentrate on the job, rather than to have to deal with the stress of travel.

Do you want your work to be seen as valuable? Do you need to feel that you are doing a worthwhile job and making a difference? Is it important what other people think of your job and the organisation you work for? Denise recognised that certain consulting assignments did not give her a feeling of making a difference so she decided to concentrate on working with individuals where she got immediate feedback from her clients on the value of her work.

How important are colleagues to you? Do you need to work with people that you get on with and who are team players, willing to help out and give you recognition and support? Or does working with 'difficult' people give you some sort of challenge? Ben hadn't realised the importance of this till be started working with moaners and gripers. A change of job led to a real team spirit and a joy in going to work each day.

Does your work need to be consistent with your values? Our values are the guiding principles that drive our behaviour. If we have a life in line with our values we are likely to experience greater satisfaction. When our values are incongruent with our career it can lead to stress and discomfort. Values include Challenge, Friendship, Working with others, Recognition, Communication, Being expert, Independence, Making decisions and Excitement. To what extent does your job allow you to meet your top values?

Will money motivate you? I've spoken with many people who think that a high salary is the most important element of job satisfaction, as long as they are getting highly paid, they think they can put up with anything. However, after a few years, many decide that money isn't everything, and, like Fi, are willing to take a substantial pay cut if other aspects of career satisfaction are met. Is money the main motivator for you? Linked to this is feeling that you are paid fairly for the work you do. If a similar sort of work is paid at a higher rate elsewhere you may decide to move on as you feel undervalued.

Do you need the company to meet your career plans? Are you seeking to gain greater technical expertise, the opportunity to work flexible hours or an opportunity for promotion into management? Some people hope that the company will manage their career and give them the opportunities they seek? Other people want to take personal responsibility. Do you want to manage your own career through a number of different companies or to develop within your current organisation? Get it wrong and you could be frustrated.

So how about you, what do you need to have career satisfaction? How does your job measure up?

Affiliate Marketing Program Tip's

Website owners are often the favorite target for Internet scammers. Odds are
you are paying a small fee to keep your site running. Do you not wish you could
make some additional money with the website you work so hard to maintain?
To a webmaster, affiliate marketing is almost always the answer to this dilemma.
By displaying adds from reputable companies you can send interested people to
there sites and perhaps purchase a product. When this happens you will earn a
percentage of the sale as a finder's fee.

This being said there is a dark side to affiliate marketing that can jeopardize your
good name as a webmaster. For example, have you ever been surfing the web
and come across a website that touts an amazing nutritional supplement that does
it all? Weight loss for the overweight, hair growth for the bald, an increased sexual stamina for those lacking it and a host of other items are cured or corrected with
a pill after breakfast, lunch and dinner. These miracle cures are touted on the
website via a long list of testimonials, and you can almost always recognize
the feel of these sites simply by the long list of text they sport, the varying fonts employed, and also the different colors these words are written in. You may simply
shrug your shoulders at such a site until you see a copy of a commission check the webmaster has posted and suddenly he or she has your undivided attention.
The check is small enough to be realistic yet big enough to consider what you
could to with the extra money.

Once they have your attention, the spiel usually involves a site owner who is so
successful that he or she has decided to take on two or three qualified
novices and train them to do the business as well. This involves selling the
miracle product to your friends and neighbors and then just sitting back and
waiting for the money to roll in. Additionally, you will need to post
banners on your website. What has just happened, in a nutshell, is an
affiliate scam that ties your success directly into a multi-level marketing
scheme. While your links will attract more interested parties to the
originator's website, you are meanwhile alienating your friends and families
by the legal drugs you are peddling. This is not what affiliate marketing is
all about, and it is important that you understand the implications of your
putting links or banners of any business on your website.

Online Job Finder Services- Should You Use Them?

Thanks to the internet, people are now able to shop, communicate and even find jobs right at the comforts of their own home. You have to face the fact that with hundreds or even thousands of people looking for a decent job, you too will find it hard to find a job. You have to wait in a long line of equally qualified people competing to get the job and you have to work hard in order to impress the employer in order to get the position you want.

However, if you want an easier way to find the best job for you, then you have to use the internet to find it. With numerous online job finder services, you will be able to find the right job, set up an interview and get employed in no time at all.

Even large companies are using the services of online job finders to advertise their needs for personnel. There is a great chance that you will be able to find the job in your field of expertise.

So, just what is an online job finder? First of all, an online job finder is like a resume distribution services. Through the website, you will submit your resume and the website will be the one who will match your skills, and your qualification to different kinds of jobs. The job results will be emailed to you on almost a daily basis. All you need to do is choose the kind of job that you like.

Usually, the different kinds of jobs submitted to your email will contain a brief description of the company, and also a description of the job being offered. It will also include why you were matched for this job.

The next question you will ask is if it is worth your time to use online job finders. The answer to this question is yes. If you can't seem to find the right job in your area, then you may want to try online job finders. Through the services of this website, you will be able to find the job you have always wanted and one that will complement your skills and your qualifications.

For example, if you took IT related courses in college, then you will want to apply for an IT related job. With online job finders, it will definitely be easier for you to find the right kind of job in the field you studied when you were in college. You can also include your special skills to aid in your search.

The great thing about online job finder services is that there will be a great chance of finding the right kind of job for you in no time at all. You will also do it right at the comforts of your own home. All you need is obviously a desktop computer with an active internet connection, an email account and you also need to register with a reputable online job finder website.

Once you register, you need to fill out an online resume or you can also submit your own resume. After you are registered and after you submitted your resume, you will now receive emails on a daily basis with job searches that is compatible with your qualifications and skills.

Just remember that online job finders will not necessarily land you the job. They will merely help you find a job and from there, it is up to you to clinch the job by doing well in the interview that the company you chose will set up.

How Come So Many Sensible, Hard-Working People Join Network Marketing Companies? Here's A Clue

If you work for a boss, picture this:

It's 2 p.m. Your morning evaporated in a flurry of phone calls and interruptions. You worked through lunch on plastic coffee to get an urgent job finished. Now you breathe a sigh of relief, grab another coffee, and reflect on your life as it is at this moment.

On the whole, it's fine on the surface, but… a few things are nagging at you.

Four years into this job, and despite doing everything they asked, and more — something just doesn't feel right. For one thing, you're not as enthusiastic as you were when you started. You're in a rut, the bills are piling up, and you don't feel that you're being paid what you're worth.

"Hey," you think, "this isn't what I signed up for. How come Riley got that promotion — I should have MY name on that door. Just because he's been here longer! I get in early, I stay late, I'm loyal, I do good work, but nobody notices."

"What's wrong with these people?" you ask yourself. "Unless you serve your time, and toe the company line, there's no way forward. Creative solutions don't seem to count. Being a little bit entrepreneurial just seems to make the higher-ups feel threatened."

You think about your home life, and your career goals. About how much you've had to compromise over the last ten years. (Or twenty years. Or thirty.) What happened to the comfortable income, the snazzy sports car, the exotic vacations, the ideal relationship you used to imagine?

Your look at your boss, and his boss, and hers…

Is that who you want to be, after you've got to their age? (Or have you passed their age already? In which case, I hate to tell you… if it hasn't happened by now, it's almost certainly not going to.)

You frown, shake your head and head back to your desk.

You can't see tomorrow being any different…

Or picture this, if you own your own business:

It's 8 p.m. Your day's almost over. You rock back in your office chair, breathe a tired sigh, and reflect on your life as it is at this moment.

On the whole, things are looking pretty good.

It's been tough going, but four years in, you're starting to show a modest profit. Of course, you're still in hock for your setup investment and some of your running costs. And the staff… sufferin' cats! You sometimes feel that you're running a day-care center for adults.

The public can be a pain in the rear end, too — but that's life, and it's all been worth it to be your own boss.

What's more, you can see that in a few more years, you'll be able to cut back to just five or six days per week, and maybe spend some daylight hours with your family. Right now, you can't afford to take time off, and as for chasing that little ball around the fairways (or the court) — well, for now the memories will have to suffice.

You drop a Rolaids to quell your heartburn. Naturally, you're a bit stressed-out.

It's still a big job to manage the cash flow… pay the bills… keep the customers happy… put out the fires… plan ahead… deal with suppliers, the bank, and the regulators… bring in new business… keep your spouse onside… stay abreast of the latest developments… keep one jump ahead of the competition — phew, who wouldn't be stressed?

You notice the time, and turn back to the pile of bills on your desk…

Now picture this…

It's 11 a.m. You lean back on your poolside lounge, breathe a contented sigh, and reflect on your life as it is at this moment.

On the whole, things are looking very good indeed.

Whatever your past, you now own your own marketing business. An international network marketing business, distributing great products to happy users in numerous countries.

It's been a fair bit of work, and a big learning curve — but four years in, you're closing in on a six-figure income. Moreover, your costs are low, so it's 80 to 90 percent profit. You've finally fired your boss (or sold your other business).

Of course, your cash hasn't been idle. You've made some extra inroads into your mortgage, and paid down that burdensome credit card debt. But it hasn't all been catch-up — you've traded in that old clunker on an immaculate, late-model sedan. Plus you beautified the house, landscaped the garden, and put in a pool.

Not to mention those all-expenses-paid trips you and your spouse have enjoyed, along with other high achievers and executives in your company. Plenty of time to play and shop, great memories, and lots more to come!

You think back to when your traditional business (or job) consumed your every waking hour. And even robbed you of sleep, at times. "How did I do it?" you ask yourself silently. You shake your head; a smile creases the corners of your mouth.

Now you have neither a boss, nor employees… you only work with principals. Your sprinkling of customers mostly service themselves. You're not tied to a fixed location — instead, you work rent-free at home. (Or wherever you happen to be in your travels.) You don't have to worry about paperwork, stock, debtors or creditors; you just check your volume reports online to see how your sales organization is doing, and where you can inject some assistance.

Your business is not in hock to the bank — in fact, you're well and truly cash-flow positive. Every week or month, like clockwork, your bank account is credited with commissions and bonuses, or your check arrives in the mail.

And best of all… you have a brand new set of clubs that you actually get to USE regularly! (Or mountain bike, or boat, or fill in the blank.)

You notice the time, and call to your spouse, "Honey, did you reserve us a table for lunch? Don't forget, we'll be taking Fred and Jan to congratulate them on reaching ruby exec…"

Now I'm not saying any of these scenarios is best for you — but excuse me if I love the network marketing business! You see, it's not the MLM concept that's wrong: it's the pre-modern world of traditional business and jobs.

My only comment to you is this: if YOU feel that scenario three is more appealing than one or two — or whatever your own situation is right now — then you owe it to yourself to investigate ways where you could put yourself in that picture.

Pick and Choose Your Dream IT Job in Chennai

The employment trends in Chennai are driven by IT Jobs. The recruiters have been vigorously hiring from Chennai market during the last couple of years, credited to the presence of educational institutions contributing approximately 65, 000 engineers every year.

If you are looking to work on, UNIX/C/ C++, JAVA, MAINFRAME, SIEBEL, ORACLE, SAP, PEOPLESOFT, WEB TECHNOLOGY etc… are the right destination for you! There are more than 45,000 IT jobs in Chennai thanks to major players recruiting enthusiastically!

Infosys, TCS, Dell, Wipro Technologies, Intel, Satyam computer Services are the zenith companies on their hiring spree. Along with them there are other top notch companies hiring for software/networking jobs in Chennai. IT companies like Accenture known for their commitment in delivering innovative solutions that helps its clients gain high performance levels. With over 1, 15,000 people and offices in 48 countries around the world, India is Accenture's second largest country of operations.

IBM has established itself as one of the leaders in the Indian Information Technology (IT) Industry. IBM India has over 38,500 employees as of January 1, 2006 and is India's largest MNC employer. Verizon Information Technology division has recognised the vast potential of Indian software professionals. They boast world-class IT support structure to unleash the expertise and the indomitable innovative spirit of its employees. Xansa is an IT company with its top priority to continue hiring the sort of people who can use their business knowledge and creativity to go further and add more value than clients would traditionally expect.

Placement firms support the candidates find the right job. Top in business have been; Kelly Services. They have a network of offices in 30 countries and territories. Kelly provides employment to more than 700,000 employees annually. 95% of Fortune 500 companies and leading technology companies around the world recognize Kelly as the leader in Staffing services. Kelly is the world's largest scientific staffing provider and it ranks among the leaders in IT and engineering recruitments. Mancer Consulting Services Pvt Ltd is another recruitment firm. It has a strong team that has build a strong reputation for itself by providing timely and quality recruitment solutions to the IT / Telecom Sectors.

Industry players believe Chennai may soon be in a position to offer an alternative to Bangalore in terms of human resources available! With IT career opportunities flooding Chennai, it's surely a hot destination for techno's!!

Know Your Customers - How Well Do You Really Know Them?

Who are your customers? It is a question I often ask new clients. Can you categorize each of your customers into one of the following categories?

Most Valuable Customers (MVC)

MVCs are customers who generally give you most of their business now. "You want to retain their business, reward them for their loyalty, and make certain they receive the highest level of service. Train your people to recognize them, understand their value to the company, and anticipate their needs."

Most Growable Customers (MGC)

These are the people that do business with you from time to time and are the most likely to become MVCs. They are more difficult to recognize but have huge potential for growth. With some targeted effort you can convert them into MVCs.

Below Zero Customers (BZ)

This group of customers you know well. They demand the most attention and product the least amount of profits. Some only come in when you have a large sale and then go to the sale table. Develop strategies to recognize them and automate your interactions with them. Free up your time for your MVCs.

Internal Customers

Your internal customers are those who work for you and/or with you. It is important to have an open positive working relationship with each of these customers. They determine the effectiveness of the work you do. And they largely determine you overall success by their effectiveness and dedication to your business. Cater to your customers needs whenever you can.

External Customers

Your external customers are your potential customer, those that serve your business (deliver person, service person) as well as your current customers. Know that each contact they have with your business is an opportunity for marketing your products and services. Make sure each contact these customers have with your business is positive. You never know who's watching and talking about you.

Do you have a separate plan to market to each of these customer groups? If not, you are leaving a fortune on the table for your competition to come a take! It's no different than leaving something expensive and desirable in your car and not locking the door or rolling up the windows. And it is easy for your competition to come in and gather up those customers that you are neglecting.

Consider this: the need for customer oriented pricing is growing.

How are you treating different customers differently?

"On average, you have a 60 percent to 70 percent chance of doing business again with a current customer, a 20 percent to 40 percent chance with a former customer, but only a 5 percent to 10 percent chance of ever doing business with a non-customer."
—Steven Yanovsky

Where do you spend most of your marketing dollars? Is it on getting new customers? Or former customers? Or non-customers? Yes, you need to spend some in each of these categories but you need to spend the bulk of your marketing dollars on your current customers or most valuable customers!

The most important marketing question to ask yourself, it turns out, is: "How am I treating my different customers differently?" If you want to grow your business consider how you treat your customers.

Five Tips for Writing a Great CV

The trends for writing a good CV change all the time. Should you write a CV with all your work history? Do you bullet point this or that? Just what sort of information should you put in a CV?

Plenty of websites will tell you what the current trends for writing a CV are. But you want your CV to look good and leave a fine impression with potential employers, so here are five tips to help you write a better CV than everyone else.

Keep it short

When a job opening comes up, potential employers are flooded with applications. Many CVs don't even get read and are tossed without a thought. CVs that are too long to read are amongst the first to be passed up, so keep your CV short and concise.

Structure it properly and make sure your CV is easy and fast to read. Choose to put things that are memorable on your resume, such as accomplishments or experience that makes you stand out. Be wise with your words and use text that's catchy but stay with relevant terms appropriate for the position you're applying for.

Work Backwards

The first thing that should be on the list of your work experience and job history is the most recent position you held. Potential employers don't care what you did twenty years ago – they want fresh blood and new energy in their company. Pertinent and recent is what they'll watch for, to determine if you're suitable for the job.

Tell the Truth

We all want to present ourselves in the best light and impress potential employers. Lying or glossing over black spots on your CV isn't the way to go about doing so. If you try to cover up areas in your work history, most likely they'll be discovered later on down the line, costing you a potential job.

Look at the positive sides of less-than-desirable work history. If you were unemployed for a period, what did you do in that time? What did you learn? What did you occupy your time with? Put a spin on things and present your history in its best light.

Just The Facts

A CV isn't the place to wax poetic or to gush on about an achievement. A CV is basically a list of facts about why you're qualified for an open position in a business or company. You want to be creative about the power words you choose to describe yourself, not about the type of fiction you can come up with to boost your appeal.

A Cover Letter?

Yes! Include a cover letter with your CV. A cover letter tells your employer your motivation for the job and presents the rationale behind your application. A cover letter is the first thing your potential employer will see, and it introduces you more formally to the business you'd like to work for. Consider it your first "meeting" and have your cover letter include a strong statement of your accomplishments towards the end.

Five simple steps. Yet are they? for if it were that easy, would most applicants not make sure they were all followed. You'd think so, wouldn't you? So often this is not the case. And now you can!

Forgivable Wickedness - How Can You Not Marketing Your Business

We've all had those moments when we forget to say something about our business. Ooops! We missed a grand opportunity to invite a new customer, or remind an old customer of some wonderful new delicacy we wanted to share with them.

You now have an opportunity to make a difference and do something about those oversights we'll refer to as forgivable wickedness. Provided you promise to dip your fingers in the chocolate forgiveness and lick the delicious decadence off, while you exercise your marketing expertise in the future.

1) Gorge Yourself on Marketing Delicacies

Know your company. What do you do? Write it down. Edit your information until you develop a savory tidbit of RICH Chocolate Decadence you MUST share about your company. Most Marketers refer to this Delightful Morsel as an Elevator Speech. Must we?

2) Never Hide the Evidence of your Indulgences

Do NOT lick that mustache! While others may accuse you of Blatant Advertizing, and NOT so sweetly, at Chocolate Marketing Concepts your self indulgent behavior is rewarded with more Rich Dark Chocolate. Display the results of your effort proudly. Advertize!

3) Identify the Aroma

Before it even loses the wrapper, the sweet aroma of rich dark chocolate has be licking my lips and drooling in anticipation. The best chocolates always have elegant gold wrapping. Brand your business with elegance and repose in the luxury of success. There's nothing wrong with glitter and glimmer! Elegance and grace go hand in hand with the Rich delicate flavor of darkest chocolate. Compare and Brand your Market with luxury.

4) Use Temptation

You've been there, standing at the counter, about to check out, and that gold wrapped dark chocolate coin is calling your name, tempting you to buy "just one". Dazzle your customers with temptation. Just a morsel of indulgence wrapped in glitter, waiting for them at the check out counter. Don't let them leave without just one more item. Some call it up selling.

5) Bring them back for more.

Make your product irresistible so they'll come back for more. Remember the seven layer chocolate cheese cake that you could only eat four bites of, because it was so rich and sweet, but you desire another piece. You dream of Seven Layer Chocolate Cheese Cake. You want it. You know you can't resist. Do you go back and get another piece, and take a friend to share it? Of course you do. Make your products and service irresistible! Give them more than they expected, and bring them back for more - with friends.

I'm Laid Off?!

"Laid off, terminated, fired, downsized, let-go"; no matter what the guise, many of us have heard those words spoken. If you have not, consider yourself fortunate because it is common in today's cyclical business environment. We've all seen the headlines, "Local Company Lays Off Workers".

It doesn't matter if you've been with the company two weeks or twenty years, the budget was cut, the position was eliminated, the department moved and your career focus has been altered.

How, if at all, can you adjust to this sudden change? The answer, as any good Scout Leader will tell you, is to be prepared. In today's marketplace, "I'll do this later" is now not an option. There are three areas of preparedness I'd like to stress: mental, physical, and financial. They are in that order intentionally, as one begets another.

Now more than ever, you can put your professional skills to work. Just as a new assignment may be given to us, we must challenge ourselves to be ready for career changes or adjustments at any given time. This is your new assignment, approach it as such.

Mental Preparedness:

• Don't become too complacent in your work environment. Continue to challenge yourself; continue to survey your surroundings. What is happening in other departments? What is happening in other companies? Where does your profession seem to be going in today's market? Are there areas you can accentuate?


• Attend at least one educational class a year. This includes seminars, networking groups and the local community college. The goal is to be infused with new ideas and energy. Remember when you first began your job and you witnessed archaic methodologies that no one seemed to notice? This is the fresh set of eyes you want to bring back to your workplace.


• Those clients and vendors who are challenging? Patience, please. They may just be your next employer or referral!


• Prepare yourself that you may be challenged with a different assignment at any given time.

Physical Preparedness:

• Is your resume updated? Now - today? Your resume should be reviewed every six months and updated at least once a year. Even if it involves adding only one line of text describing a new responsibility or adjusting adjectives for a stronger delivery. Revise and have it ready. You will have many more credentials to discuss in your performance reviews as well.


• Engage in a physical activity at least once a week. This can be as simple as walking the dog (which is also a perfect time to meditate and pray) or as regimented as a health club (another place to network). The benefits of physical activity cannot be discounted; you look healthy, you exert energy, and you tend to be less likely to overindulge.

Financial Preparedness:

• Remember when your financial consultant asked you to have a separate "emergency" savings account equal to your household net income of 3 months? Do it! If you never have to dip into it during your professional working career – reward yourself with a luxurious vacation later!

But now it has happened – the unexpected.
Mentally, you've just suffered an emotional shock and a kick in the self-esteem. It's hard not to take this personally. There are tens of thousands of people in this position right now as we speak. How we react will make the difference as to whether we are waiting weeks, months or years to obtain our next assignment. If you need to take a week to reflect and recover – even be irritated, allow yourself that. But do not take it further. Let's turn the corner.

• Lay out your game plan, time lines, and goals. And remember, these are subject to change! Be kind to yourself.


• Network, Network, Network. If you didn't previously partake in a networking group, find one now. Even meeting once a week will benefit you by keeping you in a professional environment, requiring your professional attire, and feeling professional. Check your local paper for group listings, call the Chamber of Commerce, the local Job & Family Service Agency, ask a friend or surf the web. Near Columbus, Ohio there's a job networking group. You may have one in your area. It's an avenue to get advice and network with others seeking a different assignment. It's a way of getting your name and skills passed out to even more!


• Seek professional career counseling. If you feel less than confident about your abilities at this time, get the advice of a professional. They can be wonderful motivators and will find skill sets you overlooked! Additionally, most of them have a HUGE network! Be sure to check with your previous employer, as they may have contracted a firm already to assist their displaced workers through this process.


• Find a reputable staffing agency to work with. If you don't know how to do that, ask a Human Resources Professional. Most HR Professionals have one or two favorites. Staffing agencies can assist in finding you not only permanent placement, but temporary assignments in the interim. They can guide on you on interviewing techniques and some offer free training on computer programs.


• Take some educational classes. These classes do not have to be in your professional area. They can be a second language, classes on traveling Europe, or abstract art. The focus is learning something new, exercising another part of your brain, and making more contacts. Renew yourself. It's the perfect opportunity.


• Pray. Ironically, for some it's difficult to pray when we need to the most. We may feel depressed, resentful, and unworthy. But try and remember how healing it is to talk to a good friend. God won't spill any secrets and He will even give direction. If you can't pray ask others that will. When I say others I'm including spouse, children and close friends. Their prayers will guide you into positive thoughts, ideas and faith. It will also promote healthy communication and more love than you ever thought possible.


• Physically, you won't feel like doing anything. The best game plan seems like going to the couch from the kitchen with a bag of chips; timeline – now. Again, allow yourself this for one week. But get back in the groove. You will want to feel and look your best when you are called into your next interview!


• Now is the time to work on things you've not had time for before and that includes reducing expenses. When was the last time you obtained competitive quotes on insurance, long distance, home and credit card loans, internet/cable connections, medications, or personal care items? Something as simple as cutting coupons and watching for sales could make a great difference. Make it a family endeavor!


• Health insurance. COBRA rates are extremely expensive. With the time you are given to decide whether or not to commit to COBRA, check with a local insurance agent and get recommendations on the possibilities of a private health plan.

Anaheim Employment Agency

Employment agencies play a great role in providing job seekers a challenging new career, or a company looking for experienced staffing professional with talented candidates. The agencies are capable enough to provide a combination of specialized practices with ideal staffing specialists and innovative recruiting techniques.

The employment agencies of the city of Anaheim provide temporary services for Project Staffing, Seasonal Staffing, Short/Long Term Needs, or Emergency Staffing. Some of the agencies directly hire professionals on Full-Time, Career Placement or Permanent Placement basis. The employers are served with only the best candidates after certain procedures of pre-screening and reference checking. The recruiters in Anaheim work in the organization to gather information regarding the industry and corporate culture in order to prepare a detailed report of the position and candidate matching to this position. This practice of the recruiters helps the employers access the right candidate willing to work for competitors. The recruiting agency ensures the satisfaction of both parties and monitors the progress of new employees.

The employment agencies offer Contract-to-Hire programs to the organizations seeking the ultimate in control and cost-effectiveness. This program integrates the swiftness and flexibility of Temporary Staffing services with the power of our Direct Hire recruitment services. Some recruiting agencies offer Payroll Services to assess candidate prior to making a hiring commitment; to determine the salary that meets the specific requirements of a candidate and to staff special projects. The agencies in Anaheim have already started the Managed Staffing Program in order to yield fruitful results in cost control, quality and productivity.

The agencies work in a team to discover the talents and start negotiating with the candidate. The agencies post the information regarding various jobs on their website so that job seekers can get the very best opportunity with much ease. A candidate can apply to various jobs by referring to those portals. The recruiter on the other end studies the applications and sends those to the original employer for further process. The employer then shortlists selected candidates and gives a response regarding the interview.

KoreOne is providing online information to the job seekers and job hunters. Being an experienced job provider and having a wide range of client relations they provide jobs for candidates all over Anaheim. KoreOne has designed the best human resource services for all the hiring companies up to their requirements. KoreOne has been providing a wide ranges of IT jobs, technical as well as non technical jobs for the Anaheim residents. Discovering the best talents for employers and best employer for the best candidates are the key focus of the KoreOne recruiting strategy.

Wholesale Directory Benefits Over Drop Shippers

If you are starting you own business, you will most likely want to look into a wholesale directory. A wholesale directory will give you the most updated and comprehensive list of products and wholesale suppliers from around the world. This will allow you to get the most bang for your buck as wholesalers can give you more product for your money rather then drop shipping. With this type of list, you will have all the needed info right at your fingertips. These types of directories are there for you when you need it, right on the internet.

When you think of a directory, you think of a list of numbers that you can go to for all of your personal or business needs. But sometimes it may not be feasible to store such items in your home. If that is the case, then the wholesale directories are the ones you will want to get. You will be able to choose from a virtually unlimited numbers of wholesalers that can take care of all of your needs without having to worry about the hassle of drop shippers.

You can make great relationships easily with wholesalers as you will have them ready at your disposal. You can use the directory to pick and choose the best wholesaler that has exactly what you need and will give you the prices that are right for you. When you choose to drop ship, you have no control over what products your clients will actually get or when they will get them. You also can not have the hands-on experience that will give the extra edge that can put you above your competitors.

Chances are, your competitors drop ship all of their items and never really know what they are selling or what their merchandise looks like. When you go with a wholesaler, you take on some of your own responsibilities, such as shipping, which will allow you to touch and see all of your products first hand. This will give you a better hands-on experience of selling the products as you can put your heart into telling your clients about your products as you have seen them and touched them first hand.

Drop shippers offer a great number of benefits as well as the wholesalers. You need to decide which options will work best for you and your company. Set your goals as to where you want to be and then weigh the options you have when it comes to delivering your product. Chances are that you will choose the wholesaler option with the wholesaler directory as this will help you get ahead and succeed in your business.

A Job Is A Necessary Evil For A Period Of Development But, Is Rarely A Place Of Fulfillment or Liber

So, you hate your job and you think you cant afford to stay home?

Join the club! I used to think that way myself until I did it.

This is Iman, I am a 30 year old female Doctor living in Canada. Recently,I decided to quit my J.O.B. after becoming the ultimate and most miserable person I have ever known. I was unhappy with my life and it was simply too late to change it after 14 years of hard medical training.

I was STUCK in a career that payed exceptionally well and had a title most people would kill for. Yet, I felt depressed and passionately hated going into work everyday. The above resulted in an early midlife crisis so, I decided to go on an open-ended leave of absence from work.

The funny part is, the more time that had passed with me staying home and doing nil, the happier I became.

Why?

Was it because I'm a slacker? Because we are all Lazy people by nature? Because I hated my job? Because I was unhappy with my career decision, or unhappy with my self?

To be honest with you, I really do not know. But, I do know that I have made the right decision to not keep pursuing a career that crippled me.

I sympathize with all of you who work endless hours and spend unreal amounts of time away from your family and loved ones in yet just another job to reach the American Dream.

We have been CONDITIONED and taught from our early years to strive, study hard and work even harder to land that amazing JOB title that pays INSANE money. We all go through school and college and then more school and more training and more and more hours of hard work and sweat away from where we eventually and actually want to be...

HOME

Why? And for what?

For MONEY is the answer most of you will give. The all-mighty DOLLAR!

Well then, why is more than half of the earths population still unhappy with where they are in life and how much they make? Why do most of us feel like underachievers?

The better question is why do we continue on a path that we know deep inside of us is leading to no where?

Why do we keep ourselves so busy that we are unable to sit back, take a breath and examine ourselves and our lives? Why is everyone always in a MAD RUSH to get somewhere? Where is everyone going and why? More over, why are we stepping on people to get there?
Why do you wake up every morning and consider calling in sick?

Since I had become a stay home "person" and found myself enjoying it so much. I thought ... well, I might as well make money being a stay home person!

In my prolonged and analytically thorough search for a VALID way to MAKE MONEY FROM HOME and to be healthy, happy and absolutely free of worry, I found what I am doing right now. Which includes...

1) Setting my own hours to work that are CONVENIENT FOR ME

2) 100% of my effort gets me 100% of the PROFITS

3) Driving for PLEASURE, not myself mad trying to get to work.

4) Never worrying about being getting fired

5)Finally and this is the kicker ...I passionately believe in and enjoy what I do

I'm working for ME and not to line someone else's pocket. I have regained control of my life which has improved from every aspect a life can improve by. While my many years of medical training have helped Solidify my new career, it was definitely not a requirement.

My aim here is to educate people, not to mislead them! The true aim of my words is to offer those of you who find themselves lost in search for that missing piece of the puzzle an actual solution to that puzzle.

Challenge me as I invite you to see what really is around that corner...
Give me 30 minutes of your busy day and I will Give you true Liberty and success in a home business that is as solid as a pillar of steel.

Ride On Success With BPO Jobs In Bangalore

Newer companies eying Bangalore as a prospective place to begin business and the already established ones flourishing is the key reason for thousands of BPO Jobs in Bangalore every year.

According to the NASSCOM, the figure of Call centre jobs in Bangalore is going to increase, as more and more companies are gaining interest in offshore outsourcing to India.

CRM/ Call Centers/ BPO/ ITES/ Med.Trans is a right career decision, if one is interested in providing technical support and building customer relations through inbound calls. Handling technical queries & objections is the chief task of the job and customer retention along with up sales is the basis for performance judgment.

Wipro BPO is uniquely positioned to service customer requirements by leveraging its tenets of quality and innovation, the best people talent, self sustaining process framework and domain knowledge. Accenture is a fine option if you can communicate well with people at all levels and enjoys working as part of a team. IBM India has over 38,500 employees and is India's largest MNC employer. At KPIT Cummins BPO, the urge to collectively make a difference and yet be recognized as an individual makes it an absolutely wonderful work place. Nipuna has developed one of the widest suites of BPO service offerings. They offer the complete spectrum of Outsourcing consulting, solutions and services to multiple industry verticals.

There are numerous Human Resource Consultancy companies specializing in the recruitment, training and consulting areas and is the manpower provider to ITES industry. Kelly Services is recognized by leading technology companies around the world as the leader in Staffing services. Personnel Search Service Pvt. Ltd., established in 1981, is India's premier HR solutions provider serving the various requirements of reputed organizations. Fact Personnel Pvt. Ltd. is another leading HR consulting organization catering to global majors.

The HR experts feel, the well organized infrastructure, huge pool of talented professional workers and the reputation of Indian IT industry have contributed to this immense growth of the BPO sector.
The existing scenario suggests that there is a lot more the BPO industry in Bangalore has to witness… Experts affirm Bangalore is the heart of global BPO fraternity!

How To Market And Sell Your Self Published Books Fast

It's one thing to write a book, but an entirely different thing to write one that you know how to sell. With careful planning you can market, promote, and get (free) publicity (publicity is always free) on a limited budget; you can take the cheap and easy way. You may have the greatest book in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it; publicity, promotion, marketing and a focus on selling more books should now be a big part of your daily life.

Send out the same press release to the editor of your local daily newspaper every week until you are called for an interview or are written up. Invest in press release submitting software and set aside time every week to send out a press release online to the press release directories. Press releases can generate thousands of dollars in sales when picked up by national trade or print media.

Mail a press release to all the trade journals in your field over and over again; you can use the same release. Make sure you have at least one good press release, written in AP style that you can send out for the lifetime of your book. Learning to write and use powerful search engine optimized press releases can often drive tons of traffic to your website while providing multiple back links that can lead to increased page rank and numerous top ten search engine rankings for your targeted keywords.

Using press releases can be a very effective marketing tool if used properly. Don't underestimate the value of a good press release for making book sales.

Make sure to promote and market your book each and every day, both online and offline. Women buy more books then men; see how you can fit your book into the women's market. Local radio shows and television appearances are good but are often forgotten within hours of the broadcast; make sure to make or get a copy of any television broadcast for future promotions.

Offer to trade writing a monthly column in a trade publication in your books' genre, in trade for display ads on the same page. Print and online publications provide longevity to your marketing campaign in terms of having something tangible for people to reference ongoing. Find a non-exclusive distributor with a good reputation to carry your book for the book store trade, as well as for other retailers.

Contact any companies, corporations or organizations that might use your book for promotions; offer significant discounts for volume orders or for thousands of copies offer a specified amount above book production costs. Remember to make sure your book is listed in Books-in-Print; don't assume it's already listed. When you get a nice write up or feature about you and/or your book, have it laminated and set it up on an easel at trade shows.

Make sure your sales letter or flier is first class; this is your formal presentation of your title to the prospective buyer. Make sure not to overlook the Internet; get yourself interviewed or profiled for sites both about writing, publishing and about the topics covered in your book. Make five telephone calls a day that relate to marketing your book.

I've not found that book signings sell many books for publishers and are often a waste of time; better to spend it elsewhere. Your sales letter or flier should include an eye-grabbing headline, the benefits to the buyer, the book features, book sales information and testimonials.

If your book fits a specialty market, find a store that fits the genre and offer to leave books on consignment; many publishers have sold thousands of books this way. I've seen publishers lose a lot of money paying for expensive display ads, so beware if you do this; I don't advise it in the beginning - get your feet wet first so you know what you're doing.

You can market and promote your book on a shoestring budget. In any event, be careful about your marketing dollars. Promote, promote, and promote your book some more! Make sure do some serious marketing and promotion every single day, no excuses.

Customer Psychology Tips - Getting Your Customers To Commit To The Sale

So, earlier this week, I watched the movie "An Inconvenient Truth".

That's the one where Al Gore travels the world giving his presentation on global warming.

Now, politics aside, the movie gave me a hands-on lesson about the power of commitment, and in this article, I'm going to show you how you can use this power to get your customers to commit to the sale...

You've probably heard of the commitment and consistency principle. Dr. Robert Cialdini explores it in his classic book, "Influence". Simply put, the principle says that when we take a stand on something, we're under tremendous psychological pressure to behave in a manner consistent with that stand.

So what does that have to do with Al Gore, you ask?

Well, I've never been very environmentally conscious. I mean, I used to watch that "Captain Planet" cartoon back when I was a kid, but I digress...

After seeing the movie though, I found myself thinking "Wow, I wonder what I can do to help solve the problem."

More importantly, my roomate provided everyone in the house with re-usable shopping bags so that we didn't have to use plastic ones all the time. Not much, but hey, it was a start.

So fast-forward to a few days later. I check my e-mail and my friend's sent me a message with a link to a petition from Al Gore to Congress to reduce greenhouse gases.

Now, normally something like that would end up in the "oh, that's really nice, maybe later" folder in my e-mail, never to be seen again.

BUT, because I'd taken an action earlier in the week, even a SMALL one like cutting down on plastic bags, I was psychologically compelled to stay consistent. So I clicked on the link and signed the petition (even though the deadline to sign had already passed).

So what does this have to do with getting customers to buy, you ask?

A lot, actually.

Because of the commitment and consistency principle, when you get customers to commit or take a stand, they're psychologically COMPELLED to stay consistent with that action (by buying your product, for example).

And here are two things you can do right away to get your customers to commit to the sale.

1. Ask more open-ended questions. You've probably heard that the best salespeople ask great questions. But did you know that the more you get your customer to talk about their needs, the more they commit to having a need to be filled (by your product, maybe)?

2. Get them writing. Getting someone to write something down can be a powerful way of getting someone to take a stand. This is why some companies hold contests asking their customers to submit "10 Reasons Why I Like X-Product" essays. The contest winner gets a neat prize, and the company gets a bunch of customers who've committed to liking their product!

So, there you have it – the power of commitment. If you're not taking advantage of this powerful principle in your marketing efforts, start today! You'll be glad you did.

The Fantastic, Amzaing, Eye-Opening, Shocking Truth About Adjectives And Sales Copy

Here's an actual headline from a squeeze page supporting a tool that promises "hypnotic sales copy that writes itself":

"Master Copywriter Mr 'F' Reveals The Revolutionary Push-Button Technology He Uses To Create Killer Sales Copy That Makes Millions of $$$ For His Clients..."

MASTER copywriter

REVOLUTIONARY technology

PUSH-BUTTON technology

KILLER sales copy

Whoever assembled that page was following the old maxim that adjectives produce results. That's a common attitude.

Al Martinovic would certainly agree with that strategy. He wrote:

"Even single words can invoke a reaction in some people that can be used to add "punch" to your sales material. I call these power words. Some power words to use in your marketing include:Free, Powerful, Incredible, Easy, Shocking, Cheap, Revealed, Best, Uncovered, Hidden, Proven, Results, Revolutionary, Profits, Fantastic, Inside, Learn, Enhance, Hottest, New, Improved, Unbelievable, Ultimate, Offer, Master, Scientific, Private, Breakthrough, Save, Guaranteed, Tricks, You, Love, Limited, Special, Secrets

You can use power words to add punch to a headline, sentence, a short ad, or whatever fancies you."

The bulk (though not all) of Al's "power words" are adjectives.

Neither the squeeze page author or Martinovic are making this stuff up, either. They've come about the belief honestly. For years, copywriting gurus and English teachers have been encouraging the use of adjectives as a way to add pep to writing. Adjectives make things interesting and powerful, they say.

Daphne Gray-Grant sees it differently. Her article (discovered via The Copywriting Maven) "How Adjectives Can Kill Your Conversion Rate" argues that over-reliance on those so-called "power words" can backfire.

Gray-Grant maintains that the adjective use we see in many sales letters suffers from imprecision and creates a "hard sell" feel that trims sales instead of encouraging them. She advocates choosing verbs that will do the job and provides recommendations for doing just that.

My opinion? Gray-Grant is on to something. We tend to latch on to adjectives as writers because it is easier than choosing the best possible verbs. I maintain that kind of laziness can lead to an over-reliance on adverbs, too. Too often, writers heap on the adjectives in hopes of dressing up an otherwise dull sentence. We're better off making the right decisions and using language to our advantage in the first place.

However, there is a role for adjectives. Adjectives exist for a reason and there are times when mentioning a "big house" makes more sense than using "mansion." There are times when a headline will benefit from the use of the right "power adjective" instead of an alternate version with better verb selection.

As with so many things, moderation is the key. If I write your sales letter, you might get a headline with a few adjectives. You might not. It will depend on the circumstances. There are times when adjectives enhance precision and there are contexts in which a more "hype-y" approach will be more effective than the alternative.

And that's all I have to say about this fascinating, thought-provoking, one-of-a-kind, intriguing, red hot topic that sheds massive, undiluted, clarifying light on the essential, critical, crucial art of copywriting.