Other Added - Business

16 Ways to Make Your Business Cards Unforgettable
Every time you hear someone say “May I have one of your business cards?" you should get excited. I know I do. That’s because I LOVE my cards. I spent thousands of dollars on printing, several hours on designing and went through 10 different layouts until I got them right.And it was all worth it.A business card is an entrepreneur’s best friend, his most valuable marketing tool and an essential element to becoming UNFORGETTABLE. Unfortunately, too many people have business cards that simply blend into the multitude of cookie cutter crap. And that’s a shame, because a busin

u got the precise meaning of a statement, use the paraphrasing technique; that is, repeat back to the person what you believe you heard him or her say. If you heard correctly, you’ll receive confirmation, but if you heard incorrectly, the other person can set your straight.

4. Ask people to repeat to repeat themselves. Let’s say that you accidentally do allow your mind to wander; we’re all guilty of this communication sin from time to time. Don’t try to fake it, but rather, ask politely: “I’m sorry, I missed your last point. Would you please repeat it?”

5. Resist interrupting. Especially if you are short on patience, you may have developed the bad habit of interrupting before others finish making their point. Get into the good habit of waiting until the other person finishes what they are saying before jumping in with your own two cents wo

The Perfect Position - Killer Cover Letters
You wouldn’t just waltz into an office building and start schmoozing with the first person you see in the HR department and expect it to lead to a job, would you? Probably not. But when you send your resume off all alone, that’s essentially what you’re doing. The resume is your key to a job interview, but your cover letter is the key to getting your resume read — and here’s why.A letter of introductionIf nothing else, your cover letter is a way to say, “Here I am, here’s what I want, and here’s my resume.” It’s a quick and easy course in You 101. The cover le

When I was in college, the curriculum offered several courses on speaking, but I can’t recall a single course on listening. Yet a minimum of 50% of communication is attributed to a person’s ability to effectively listen. So if you are looking for a way to improve your communications skills with customers, suppliers, coworkers, friends and family members, consider the following six techniques designed to enhance effective listening:

1. Ask well-designed open-ended questions. If you want to be more in control of your sales calls, talk less and ask more well-prepared questions. When you’re talking, you’re learning nothing, but when you are asking good questions, you’re getting inside your customers’ and prospects’ heads. You’re learning more about how they think and how they make decisions.

Here are several of my favorites:

Question: What criteria do you use when _____________? The reason for the blank is because this question is so flexible. You can fill in the blank with different words. For example:

Question: What criteria do you use when making a decision to change brands?

Question: What criteria do you use when selecting a supplier?

Question: What criteria so you use when making a buying decision?

Since I am a big believer in consultative selling, it is critical for me to understand what objectives my clients are trying to achieve. If you can help a customer make more money, be more successful (however it is that they measure success) or solve their most pressing business problems, you will never again have to worry about meeting your sales goals.

Here is one of my old standbys that should not be used until you have developed a good enough relationship with the customer or prospect to have earned the right to ask it.

Question: When the end of the year rolls around, what sort of evidence do you look for to determine if you’ve been successful or not?

Key: Ask the question and stop talking long enough for the customer to answer. Too often, salespeople can stand periods of silence for too short a period of time. So be patient! The answer to this question tells you where the buyer’s top priority lies.

When you ask a customer for an order and the customer tells you that your price is too high, try asking this question:

Question: Are you telling me that if my prices were line for line, item for item identical to the competition, that you and I would be doing business?

This question enables the salesperson to determine the “real reason” for a “NO” answer. Here’s another:

Question: If it were not for __________, are you telling me that we could do business together?

Fill in the blank with words like PRICE or whatever reason (or excuse) the customer offers for not buying.

The best conversationalists have mastered the art of asking probing open-ended questions. Just remember that people don’t care how much you know until they know you much you care.

2. Lip read. When listening, focus on the person’s lips. Because you are able to think so much faster than another person can speak, it’s natural for your mind to wander as you listen. Avoid actually moving your lips as the person speaks, but silently repeat each word that comes out of his or her mouth. This technique greatly enhances retention and reduces the tendency to allow your mind to wander.

3. Paraphase. When you are not quite sure that you got the precise meaning of a statement, use the paraphrasing technique; that is, repeat back to the person what you believe you heard him or her say. If you heard correctly, you’ll receive confirmation, but if you heard incorrectly, the other person can set your straight.

The Great Freelance Boom
Before the turn of the new millennia, freelancing in any field was thought of as being for those who absolutely do not want to deal with a boss, but who do not get paid squat. To an extent, that belief is still apparent today even though the whole concept of freelancing has changed completely.These days, there are an abundance of freelancers in virtually any field, but the surprise is that there are even more jobs available to these freelancers than ever before. Plus, the demand for freelancers is increasing at a steady rate. This is also despite a rather sluggish economy and incr

at criteria do you use when _____________? The reason for the blank is because this question is so flexible. You can fill in the blank with different words. For example: