Archive for the 'Happiness' Category

Oct 15 2014

STOP THE NEWS! I want to get off!

STOP THE NEWS!

                                    
I want to get off!

NEWS

You deserve a break today, and not because

of some hamburger company! You just do.

CONSIDER:

If it isn’t bad enough dealing with your boss, your in-laws, your whining friend, your outta-control kids (or dog!), your popped button, indigestion, and scraping what you stepped in today—off your shoes, in front of smirking passerby, with your (never-used-anymore-for-writing anyway) ballpoint pen . . . If all that’s not bad enough, you got news media!

So now all you masochists seeking pleasure from having your butts dragged through global gutters, can add yet another layer of daily upsets and aggravations to your personal shoulders —the whole damn rest of the world! Go ahead: BE ATLAS! See if anybody cares.

You think it doesn’t matter how much news you see or hear every day? (That was a short question.) Now you no doubt think I’m going to beat up on your psyche for all the reasons you fidget at work and don’t sleep at night. But, no. There’s just another question coming.

This one’s a long, take-a-breath-in-the-middle question: Does a minute (a second even) ever pass without seeing or hearing some modelesque-looking or vocabularied-up (no ers, ahs, ums, or duhs) nudnick with an earpiece who’s being told what to say, how fast to say it and where to stand . . . you know, someone who’s somberly rattling out (or yelling, as in the case of higher-paid, more famous nudnicks) every minutia of detail about world and neighborhood threats to life, limb, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Whew! That was long, wasn’t it?

You better believe this: If it’s not terrorism glaring through ski-masks, or paying the price for cavalier attitudes about the seriousness of Ebola, or the ineptness of the VA , the CDC, the WH and Congress, or war zone updates on bombings and surprise WMD cache findings, it’s body counts, student demonstrations, racially-charged bullet exchanges, the stock market, Shark Tank, some athlete run-a muck, or insufferable Hollywood-type feigning make-believe insults.

If it’s not any of those things, it’s fictitious global-warming and severe weather (the great standby for upsetting news), the neighbor’s trash blowing across your yard, or your empty wallet, refrigerator, or gas tank.

Don’t let it be your empty HEAD!

Feel like you’re juggling seagulls?

Want to lighten yourself up?

Do the following for one week

(if you dare!)

I absolutely guarantee it will change your life for the better. But you have to be willing to take the risk. What’s to lose, stress?

1. JUST BREATHE Take some nice deep ones—as often as you can remember to each day.

2. TURN OFF THE WACKO (TV, RADIO, AND ONLINE) NEWS REPORTS – If something major happens that will engulf your life, you’ll know it; someone will come running to pound on your door and give you the scoop!

3. THROW AWAY ALL THOSE NUT-CASE NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES YOU READ— Toss ‘em under the bus! Better yet, let them pile up somewhere (not at your door!) for the week and when you get back to them, you’ll be startled to see that nothing has changed . . . just names, places, amounts, severity, intentions.

4. TURN OFF YOUR TEXT AND EMAIL BOMBARDMENT— “Smokeless tobacco,” “Death-by-milk class action lawsuits,” and “37 ways to paint your garage floor” will all still be clogging up your in-boxes a week from now anyway. Besides it’s rejuvenating to delete hundreds at a time!

5. TAKE A HOT SHOWER. SIT. TALK TO YOURSELF. READ A BOOK— Comedy or love stories beat news-related drama.

6. PICK OR BUY YOURSELF FLOWERS. PAY MORE ATTENTION TO NATURE.

7. TAKE MORE WALKS. SMILE MORE. CURSE LESS. SPEND MORE “FAMILY TIME.”

8. BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE. AND MAYBE EVEN TRY CHURCH AGAIN.

And no, it’s not irresponsible,

or global withdrawal, or pretending all’s well.

It’s a break. You need one. It’s a choice.

Do something about it.

You won’t believe the difference in just one week!

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 Hal@BusinessWorks.US or 931.854.0474 or comment below

OPEN  MINDS  OPEN  DOORS

Thanks for visiting. Go for your goals! God Bless You!

Make today a GREAT Day for someone!

One response so far

Sep 24 2014

BUSINESS SETBACKS

Is Your Star Falling?

 

Falling Star

Even once you accept and get past the awareness of every behavior being a choice, self-doubt doesn’t simply float away off into the ozone. And similarly, pats on the back, “Go get ‘em, Tiger!” coaching, and double booze drinks can feel like gasoline drips flaring up out of your emotional bed of glowing embers.

Even when you know that every circumstance—regardless of intent or time period involved—is the result of a conscious or unconscious choice, you will not necessarily feel reassured about your own sense of stability. You’re more likely to hibernate, or beat yourself up, or do or say something stupid.

Your concept of yourself as a leader or as a mover and shaker, or as The Wizard of Oz, is bound to crumble to some degree at some point (or points) in your life. You are, after all, human. And emotions, after all, are not logical.

So, did this post’s four-word question headline catch you in time, or have people around you already been suggesting vacation destinations and urging you to “chill,” “get out more,” or “get out of Dodge”?

How can you turn this around?

First, stop whining, bitching, complaining, blaming, punching walls, and—if you’re a thrower—you may want to consider a temporary switch from glassware and your fine china, to Styrofoam.

Second, question your intents and motives. Ask yourself what’s at stake? Your survival? Your health? Your ego? Your relationship? Your business? Your career? Your family? All the money you have in the world? (Hint: If any of these were probable, you wouldn’t be reading this now.) How about “HAPPINESS”?

Third, accept the fact that, considering the odds, it’s not likely your upsets are permanent, never-ending, all-inclusive, irreversible, or literally Earth-shattering. It’s probably just that your brains are scrambled eggs and your musculoskeletal system is JELLO. So, think substance!

Pretend your flight is overbooked and over-cargo’d and you need to toss your baggage off the plane in order to get where you’re going. Go ahead. Toss it! If it’s not life or death, just let go. You’ll be surprised at how liberating that can feel.

Next, decide the three most important things to you in your life and list them in order of importance. Then add the next seven items. There you have it . . . your “TOP 10.” This list alone warrants a brief time-out celebration (Uh, sorry, no shots or drugs — just a few whoop-de-do’s will be fine!)

Now, unless you’re on the edge of a cliff, racetrack, or a quicksand pit, take a step back! Look at where you’ve been these past two minutes. Think about where you need to go and what three different ways there are to get there. Take one. GO! If it doesn’t work, you still have two shots left! And one will work!

Congratulations on catching your falling star and for coming a long way (Baby!) from this blog post headline. You may want to consider one last thought:

“A word to the wise is sufficient.”

(Origin unknown . . . but if you are, it is!)

# # #

Hal@BusinessWorks.US or 931.854.0474 or comment below

OPEN  MINDS  OPEN  DOORS

Thanks for visiting. Go for your goals! God Bless You!

Make today a GREAT Day for someone!

No responses yet

Aug 29 2014

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU!

Greetings Business Owners,

 

Entrepreneurs and CEO’s!

 

Here’s “what’s in it” for YOU!

 

” What’s in it for you?”

 

First, if you’re not answering this question for every one of your customers and investors and supporters –every day, in everything you decide, do and say– you’re either not serious enough about your business interests to continue reading this (Thank you and goodbye!), or you’ve lost touch with reality (Hang in here for a few paragraphs and restore your awareness!). Hopefully, you practice rewarding those who keep you in business with more than they ever bargained for.

Reality Check: You only came here because you thought there was some benefit for you, right? There is. Read on.

Just in case you think I’m being too smartass, realize that none of us are open to new ways of thinking without being jostled. Some require more of a jolt than others depending on one’s state of mind at any given moment. A blog post doesn’t leave a lot of room for niceties when the subject matter revolves around boosting business results and the dynamics of attitude adjustment (and, no, I’m not talking about it being 5 o’clock somewhere!).

That leaves us with a choice between mollycoddling or being in your face. Pampering gets us nowhere. Spirited confrontation without physical or verbal abuse consequences, though, is not always bad. If we respect one another, we can disagree and still respect and learn from one another.

Okay, let’s get to the part about what you get for reading this far. Here–for you to chew on and digest– is some new revelation food for your business brain that I guarantee you will make a positive difference in moving you rapidly closer to your deepest personal goals in life . . . the tasks you want to achieve to make a difference on Earth:

1) There is no such thing as time management.

2) There is no such thing as stress management.

 

You can manage what you do, but if you’ve learned how to manage time, call me; we can make a fortune together! You can manage how you respond to stressful situations, but if you can manage stress sources, call me; again, we can make a fortune together. Oh, and on either of these pursuits, yes, you may need me. Yes, if you want to call me on that point (my number is below), I’ll be happy to explain.

Here’s the bottom line: You cannot manage time or stress, but you can manage how you choose to deal with time and stress restraints. When you choose to consciously control the ways you behave so that you respond to stress instead of react to it, you will be be happier and healthier and be far better at growing your business. You will be getting more done in less time.You will be choosing to make the most of the time you have left on Earth.

Personal productivity comes from being constantly aware that all behavior is a choice and that you can just as easily choose to make your self more in control of internal and external stressful sources an easy thing to do as you can choose (or continue to choose) to make it a hard thing to do. Be aware that consistently choosing these key ingredients of self-control and self-confidence cannot solve all problems because we are all sometime-victims of bad choices/decisions we intentionally or inadvertently chose in the past. When that happens, don’t compound your struggles by throwing CHOICE out the window. Buckle down instead and restart your meter!

SUCCESS is what’s in it for you, and you will get there by choosing to be in control of how you respond to stress and by choosing how you can best use the time you have available . . . remembering, of course, that SUCCESS is the journey not the destination, and that all of life is an interruption!

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I

Hal@BusinessWorks.US or 931.854.0474 or comment below

OPEN  MINDS  OPEN  DOORS

Thanks for visiting. Go for your goals! God Bless You!

Make today a GREAT Day for someone!

No responses yet

Aug 06 2014

SPONTANEITY – Hal’s Post #1200

When  Are  You

                                               

  SPONTANEOUS?

 

Entrepreneurial instincts require a range of attributes we’ve discussed here many times (Try the Search window. under the book cover on right) — passion, determination, innovativeness, reasonable risk-taking, etc. Rarely, though, do small and startup business venture gurus address one of entrepreneurship’s most basic anchor needs: spontaneity. . . being able to “turn on a dime.” Or, in 2015, “turn on a text message.”

By its very definition, being an entrepreneur is all about being a person of action. That translates to taking steps on one’s own behalf as well as taking steps, observing what happens, making adjustments, taking more steps, observing what’s happening, making adjustments, taking more steps, observing what’s happening, making adjustments — for as long as it takes to make an idea work!

Okay, so you know you need to incorporate more of this kind of thought process and practice but you’re not sure where or how to start? While there really is no better way to initiate more action in your day-to-day pursuits than to simply do it, it sometimes helps to have a prompt of some sort. Here are a couple of thoughts in that direction:

For just a few days– let’s say a week– put 10-20 sticky notes around in the places you most often look: car dashboard, cell phone, bathroom mirror, refrigerator door, coffee pot, wristwatch, pillow, computer screen, light switch, socks and underwear drawers, soap dish, add a few more of your own here. Each note needs to ask the 6-word question:

CAN YOU DO SOMETHING

DIFFERENTLY TODAY?   

So, that’s something tangible you can do that will help trigger or unearth from it’s hiding place, your sense of spontaneity. Those reminders should prompt you — for example– to think about and try: driving a different route to work or, starting your shower by scrubbing under your left arm instead of the usual right arm or, consciously smiling every time you step into and out of your workspace or, taping yellow caution tape around your bedroom doorway as a reminder to not talk business once you cross that line or, you got the idea.

Here’s something INtangible to keep in mind and prompt yourself with (same locations as above), but THESE sticky notes will (instead of a question) simply show the number “86400” and to get the complete picture of what 86400 means to you, try clicking on this:

86400

# # #

 

Hal@BusinessWorks.US

OPEN  MINDS  OPEN  DOORS

Thanks for visiting. Go for your goals!

Make today a GREAT Day for someone!

4 responses so far

Jul 19 2014

IF YOUR IDEA IS GOOD, YOU NEED TO KNOW. . .

  THE FIVE PROVEN STEPS TO

 

  ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS

 

  THAT MAKE IT HARD TO FAIL

 

1.

BE passionate about your ideas and make them work with the help of others. This means, of course, being emotionally committed to what you’re doing 24/7. By doing that, odds are you’ll never have to solicit and recruit others to your crusade. They will see a place for themselves and gravitate there on their own.

When that happens, others’ commitments will be more solid and grounded than if you had gone out hunting for them and then had to talk them into joining forces. It’s a proven fact: When people make their own decisions about what they want to do, they are happier, more dedicated to achieving results, and they do a better job!

 

2.

Often ACT first and plan second. This does NOT mean rashly jumping from the frying pan into the fire. It instead suggests that over- indulgence in evaluating, assessing, diagnosing, and long-term planning (I call it “analysis paralysis”) wastes time, money, energy, and opportunities.

Entrepreneurial leaders take action, make adjustments, act again, make adjustments, and act again. Except for formal loan and investor-required formal business plans, they limit their planning to the short term — hour, day, week, month. And even those plans are temporary and flexible. Not unlike being too focused on one’s goals instead of the path that leads there, watching the finish line causes stumbling and falls.

 

3.

Always RESPOND instead of react. A key ingredient in the success of this pursuit is stress management. Bottom line: If you always respond instead of react, you can never over-react. If you never over-react, you will be faithfully followed. Built snugly into this thinking is this important awareness:

HOW you respond to someone who

(or something that) is out of control

. . . IS WITHIN YOUR CONTROL.

And we know this because? Because every behavior — yours, your employees’, your customers and prospects — is a CHOICE. It’s just as easy to choose to make a situation easy as it is to choose to make it hard. It may require some conscious stress management effort but, in the end, leadership is measured by ability to gain results through control and responsiveness!

 

4.

LEARN as much as you can about yourself –your SELF– may be the single most important determinant of entrepreneurial leadership because it is the foundation, the cornerstone, of each of the above criteria, and of any others you might add to the list. Without knowing what makes you tick, you cannot pretend to understand others enough to be a true leader. TALK TO YOUR SELF. Oh, and remember to listen!

 

5.

USE hands-on specifics. Keep a journal. Date every entry every day. Separate facing pages into “What Happened” on the left and “How I felt” on the right. This discipline helps sharpen your skills to separate fact and observation from opinion and feelings. Write, draw, diagram, paste photos, spit, whatever floats your boat. It’s YOUR journal.

Attend group and individual “personal and professional growth and development”-type discussion and counseling sessions. Take advantage of local adult education programs that focus on self-expression — from giving speeches and stand-up presentations to writing or painting or photography or music or handicraft courses. DISCOVER YOUR SELF!

 # # #

Hal@TheWriterWorks.com or 931.854.0474 or comment below.

OPEN  MINDS  OPEN  DOORS

Thanks for visiting. Go for your goals! God Bless You!

Make today a GREAT Day for someone!

2 responses so far

May 10 2014

Healthcare Leadership Can Mean Only One Thing…

Healthcare Leadership Can Mean

                                                                        

Only One Thing… and it’s NOT

                                                                                                                                     

Obamacare or “Lean” Management

 

Thirty years of healthcare and medical practice-development have led me to conclude that some doctors, many therapists and most nurses get it! They understand that healthcare and healthcare leadership is personal, professional and passionate.

Sadly, a great many healthcare business executives and a good number of providers have sidetracked themselves into thinking that HEALTHCARE is all about slogans, smiling doctor billboards, malpractice insurance fees and reimbursement battles.

Reckless opinionated media “reporting” has drawn healthcare providers and business managers into a tangle of confusion. Talking heads thrive on using every opportunity to convolute issues, stir up doubt, be confrontational, and aggrandize politicians who support their network bosses and stockholders. It’s all a game, and we the people are losing.

Increasingly, government political (and more quietly, insurance company) empty suits are playing God. They are continually trying to convince the world that they are answering the call for qualified healthcare leadership. They, after all, proclaim to know more than we do about what diagnostic, treatment, and doctor choice decisions are best for each of us and our families.

They can live in Nevada and pretend to understand what healthcare is about in New Jersey or Tennessee or Maine. I don’t think so! They’re just protecting their own political profiles, pursuits and plans. And many top healthcare executives simply add fuel to the fire by talking and acting like healthcare is simply a maze of administrative or operational management techniques, methods, or styles that they alone have the answers to.

Well, guess what? Reality Check:

HEALTHCARE IS ABOUT PEOPLE!

You’re healthy, you want to stay healthy. You’re sick, you want to get healthy. That’s it! What part of “get and stay healthy” is so hard to understand?

What are all these other hocus-pocus theories, political scams, new tech apps, insurance deals, Congressional posturing, and media “findings” but diversionary tactics? Is it or is it not “dancing around the issues” in an attempt to look good, or to make money, or to win votes . . . instead of just sitting down and solving the damn problem?

Healthcare professionals justifiably rely heavily on emerging technology and associated improvements in methodologies like the Lean” management fad. But (and this is a big but) . . . BUT these are only tools. In the wrong hands, even a hammer can miss driving nails.

The bottom line is that leadership in healthcare

means stepping up to more than a diagnostic or

treatment provider role. It means having an

Advocacy Attitude . . . being on the patient’s side!

Imagine if every encounter a patient or patient family had with a healthcare provider could be –as was recently noted here in exemplary fashion by Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute provider and provider support staffers– a remarkable, high-five, bend-over-backwards experience . . . professional providers and caregivers acting like advocates on behalf of each patient and family!

Imagine if every patient and patient family could be trained in advance of every provider diagnostic or treatment exam to better manage anxiety. My best guess is that 3-4 minutes of every doctor exam are consumed with getting the patient to relax. With a 12-minute per patient insurance company limit imposed on the doctor in order to be reimbursed, that leaves 8-9 minutes to diagnose or treat . . . none of which ordinarily go well when distress is present. This is not rocket science. It is not a Madison Avenue branding campaign. It is not politics. It is reality.

Done correctly, these solutions cost nothing but initial investments in time and energy and perhaps some coaching. What’s the expected result? More accurate diagnostic readings and better receptivity to treatments. Happier patients and patient families (whose testimonials to others increase volume and referrals), improved staff teamwork, happier provider and staff and their families (who benefit from “take home” method values). Even happier insurance providers.

So, if skills, training and experience are all present, the “tipping point” factor comes full circle back to, yes, bedside manners!

 

It’s the “CARE” in HEALTHCARE!

 

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Hal@Businessworks.US    931.854.0474

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Make today a GREAT day for someone!

2 responses so far

Mar 20 2014

MOVING – ONWARD AND UPWARD!

“Got here safe & sound, Y’all!”

 

AND STILL UNPACKING AND SETTING UP NEW OFFICES . . .

GUESS WHERE?????  Email your guess: Hal@Businessworks.US  (“New Office” in Subject Line) Winning guesses entered in drawing for a FREE first edition signed copy of HIGH TIDE fictionalized account of America’s biggest drug deal! See www.HighTideNow.com

Thank you for your visit.

If you’re new to this blog, please mark your calendar to return on April 16th for the beginning of Tax Return Recovery, and to help kickoff an exciting new series of posts you won’t find anywhere else!

If you’ve been visiting here regularly since the birth of my blog in April, 2008 (and now closing in on 1500 posts), thank you even extra!

You, especially, will want to return April 16th to see what’s in store for innovative, spirited business and healthcare professionals. You’ll get  proven new ways of thinking to boost your sales and make the most of your leadership skills — for profit and nonprofit businesses and professions alike. You’ll get coaching that works in the office and meeting room, on the phone and on paper, on the smartphone and the computer. You will get specific how-tos for building and enhancing your leadership posture in your industry, your marketplace, and your community.

When you return here April 16th, you will get the beginning of an input stream that no one else dares to share . . . on ways to feel better about your SELF (no product or service sales pitches, no lectures, no gimmicks). You’ll get ways to be encouraged, ways to make a difference with your career and family pursuits, ways to rise above the clutter.

You’ll get solid substance based on more years of experience than you probably are old. Not just passive observations, you’ll get frontline/hands-on experience with over 2,000 business consulting and return engagements AND with more than 20,000 students and management training participants. PLUS –as incredible as it’s always been–it will be free on this blog. Try it. You’ll like it. Send your friends.

In the meantime, to better serve our Entrepreneurial Clients (Including Business Startups, SalesPropreneurs©, Doctorpreneurs© and Corporate Entrepreneurs©), BUSINESSWORKS.US and TheWriterWorks.com, LLC will be in the process of relocating to another State. You’ll get the details as soon as we’re settled. In the meantime, Happy Spring!

See you the day after taxes!!!

 # # #

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Hal@Businessworks.US

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Make today a GREAT day for someone!

No responses yet

Dec 18 2013

Christmastime Business

Watch where you’re going,

 

but think about

 

where you are.

                                                                                                                                                                          

I watched a blind man’s yellow Lab thread his master through the parking lot and into the giant retail outlet, through electronic doors and deftly around an oblivious woman who appeared cast in stone, at one with her shopping cart … surely not about to move.

The man and his companion worked their way around obstacles, displays, counters, other shoppers. They passed so briskly and so seemingly self-assured that only a few passerby even noticed just one pair of color-blind canine eyes leading three pair of legs.

But we did. And in a mere matter of seconds after the man’s best friend and the man were devoured by store traffic, my mind snapped to attention from its visual tracking trance and realized we had been witness to a man with no eyes. Mine began to fill with tears. Maybe it was being sad for him, or grateful for me, or simply the season, but …

All my weaknesses, complaints and woes went quickly off into space as I closed my eyes and considered for just a moment what my life would be like without ever or ever again seeing a crepe myrtle in full bloom, the ocean, a blue heron following with its body its spindly silent legs as it creeps along the shore, a laughing toddler, deep woods, a frolicking litter of puppies, snow-topped mountains, my family, a book, works of art, lightening, swooping seagulls, my toothbrush, a roaring fireplace, faces, a Christmas tree…

Who could possibly want a Christmas present who has full use of vision after seeing someone who does not?

So, I am left to conclude

that Christmas is truly not

about either giving or receiving.

                                                                              

Christmas is instead about consciousness-raising, celebration, self-renewal, and setting out once again on our annual trek to make the most of what we do already have, to better ourselves and the lives of those around us.

Christmas is a gentle wake-up call to remember we are here to make a difference on this planet, one day at a time, to focus on making what’s possible happen. Christmas is a time for melancholy, yes, but also for introspection. We remember that we have within each of us the ability to choose the pathways that make existence on Earth as worthy as what lives in the riches of our souls.

Here’s what I’ve learned (often the hard way, mind you) so here’s what I have to share: In both business and in life, watch where you’re going, but always think about where you are. Be grateful for all that is yours, and continue your work to grow your business so you can help others from a position of strength … because the greatest gift of all is love wrapped up in charity.

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God Bless You One And All

And Merry Christmas To You!

 

# # #

Hal@Businessworks.US   931-854-0474

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Make today a GREAT day for someone!

No responses yet

Dec 09 2013

Build Your Referral Base NOW!

“Huh? Now? But it’s the holidays!”

                                                                              

“Well, Merry Christmas to you! But

                                                                         

after quality family time, remember

                                                                            

1st quarter 2014 is just hours away.”

 

Why “NOW!”? Just click here: take a quick look at this to see what’s happening this very split second —as you read this— and you’ll realize that delaying this task is simply not in your best interest.

Getting others to refer you/your business is more than a survival tactic, it’s the key to 2014 success. No sales are more important right now than those to the friends, families, associates and online connections of your existing customers, clients, and patients. Because 2014 is bringing increased competitive activity to the surface. And it cannot be sidestepped.

The harder the times, the fiercer the battle! And the easiest, most economical path to increased sales and customer/ client/ patient repeat-sales-and-visits loyalty is a strengthened referral base. Economical? You decide. It costs nothing to delight those who purchase from you.

Cease and desist all marketing? No. But don’t expand it. Instead, consider shifting gears from reliance on expensive media, to fine-tuning attitudes and cultivating a much more pronounced reputation for integrity than you probably imagined being necessary. 

THIS post will get you started with

a business or practice volume boost

agenda that you will never get from

a business or medicine world insider

~~~~~~~

“Referral Marketing” is NOT (Note: car dealerships!) flooding rented mailing lists with dumb direct mail solicitations (like “Bring this key to our car store to see if you win” while our salespeople swarm all over you . . .). Oh, and DOCTORS: Bringing popcorn, candy and subs to referring physician offices is equally dumb. It may get some Ooohs and Ahhhs from other doctors’ staffs, but effective FREE marketing, done professionally, is what will bring increased patient referrals to your door!   

Here’s what it’s really all about: marketing is both external (websites, signage, traditional and social media, direct mail and email, promotions, advertising, merchandising items, PR events and news releases), and internal.

Internal (which is free) combined with news releases and most PR events (which are free) is the most effective marketing. I refer to it as “Quiet” marketing. It includes such things as the appearance of your and your staff’s personal selves –neat, clean clothes, scrubbed look– as well as your office, vehicles, and waiting areas . . . plus the manner in which communications are conducted . . . on paper, online, in person, and on the phone.

This means active listening 80% of the time — backed by clear simple speech, using examples and diagrams, soliciting questions and feedback, and applying this attentiveness to not just patients and customers, patient and customer families, your own staff, and associates — but to others as well.

Internal Marketing includes your entire inner ring of contacts. For doctors, it includes other doctors, nurses, your professional advisors (lawyers, accountants, consultants), as well as pharmacists, insurance providers, suppliers, detail reps, and –guess what?– your office cleaning and delivery people too!

BUSINESS OWNERS need to apply this thinking to every person and organization your business does business with, from paper and cleaning supply providers to snowplow and landscaping services, and every single delivery person!

WHY? Because they are ALL prospective customers and referrers

Quiet marketing also includes paying careful attention to the frequency and quality of communications with those in your networking resource and referral systems, and to your SELF. Why? Because Quiet marketing success at any level has most of all to do with how you conduct and represent yourself to others!

This translates to how you walk, talk, sit, stand, listen, touch, gesture, and treat everyone around you every day. These actions add up to the statement you make about who you really are, and why you are trustworthy of the confidences and care of others.

Remember: It’s all about every blink you blink!

Someone is watching your every move and noting

your every word, and . . . Perceptions are facts!

# # #

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Hal@Businessworks.US

Open Minds Open Doors

   Make today a GREAT day for someone!

  God Bless You and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

No responses yet

Nov 19 2013

In the Sprit of Thanking . . .

THANK YOU, “BREEZY”! [Hal’s 3 year-old Cavachon]

Hal & Breezy IMAG6266-1

THANK YOU Friends, Family,

Readers, Followers, Connections, 

. . . and Kathy, I’ll miss you forever.

 

SPECIAL THANK YOUs to Jonena,

Valerie & Pegi for all the positives

each of you have brought to my life!

And Thank You, Dear Readers, For These

WONDERFUL Book Reviews:

This is blog post number 1,181 and many of you have been with me since day one (April 24, 2008). I am so grateful to each of you! The AMAZON book reviews that follow (for my just-released first novel) are awesome, and I thank each of you as well. Please urge others to read and review, to join you on this list! There cannot be too many favorable reviews on the best-seller path!

I am staggered by the kind and exciting comments about my book, and by the generosity of your time and effort. I consider myself blessed. In the spirit of this season of giving thanks, I am truly appreciative.

For those who haven’t seen the reviews, here are a few:

 

AMAZON High Tide Reader Reviews

 

*****

By Dan Duffy (Massachusetts)

“An engaging mystery story set at the Jersey Shore. Enjoyed everything about High Tide…The Jersey Shore setting was quite realistic and engaged me throughout the story. I also enjoyed how Hal incorporated the story within a college environment. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like it.”

*****

By Patrat

“VERY Exciting! Great read! Kept me in suspense the whole time. Sorry to see the story end. I am anxiously awaiting Mr. Alpiar’s next book.”

****

By Marie A Drayer (Maryland)

“YOU’LL BE HOOKED! As soon as you begin to read HIGH TIDE, you’ll be hooked! The characters really come to life as the fast-paced mystery unfolds. This is a great read!” 

*****

By Beverly Marsh (New Jersey)

“Jersey Shore Whodunit! Couldn’t ask for a better plot and humor (always a key). ! Can’t wait for the sequel with the Professor, Hal!”

*****

By Kelly Trombino (California)

Loved High Tide! Brought me right back to the early 80s. Professor Rick was a hoot. Loved the romance and the intrigue with the drug dealers. Wasn’t sure how he was going to get out of this mess with those Jersey bad guys.”

*****

By Suresh Kodlikar(Delaware)

“Just finished reading High Tide. The book is absolutely amazing! It deserves to go on New York’s Best Seller list! You have done a terrific job of researching the topics, maintaining suspense and presenting it in an enviable style of writing. We are proud to have such an accomplished writer in our midst! I am already looking forward to the sequel!”

****

By Jo (California)

“High Tide is a riveting story that took me back to my college days where professors looked more like their students and engaged their students like Professor Rick Maddigan, the main character. I was pulled into the story from page one and couldn’t put the book down. With just his first novel, Alpiar showed us his successful transition from writing non-fiction to fiction.” 

*****

By Jim Hall (Delaware)

“Hal’s ability to sketch characters and scenes is outstanding. The book grabbed me from the start and wouldn’t let go until I finished it. Great writing job! And Windy’s Mom thanks you for the exciting diversion into the professor’s life while she was recuperating from her knee surgery. It was wonderful (:”

****

By Sara G. Kraft (Delaware)

“Just finished High Tide and enjoyed it. I had a slow start but plowed through the ending with all kinds of excitement on the edge of my seat – Loved it!”

*****

By Jim Jordan (New Jersey)

“HIGH TIDE appeals to me for a number of reasons. It is about the area where I live, and it was fascinating to see the story unfolding in the NJ marshes of Little Egg Harbor. The Author raises the level of suspense with each drug deal and manages to discreetly work in some tasteful and amusing sexual fun. He skillfully outlines Professor Maddigan’s relationships and the “smoking faze” of that era. I enjoyed the plot and writing style. Both are outstanding. Hal is a wonderful storyteller and an excellent researcher. I wish him continued success with his future adventures.”

*****

By Susan (Delaware)

“Love the Shore, Loved the book! If you like exciting stories and have memories of your favorite beach town, this book is for you. The characters are colorful and stay with you long after the last page is turned. You’ll be asking for the next installment to come soon…as I did.” 

*****

By M Slosberg (New York City)

“THE HIGHEST OF TIDES. Mr. Alpiar has the ability to pull his reader much as a rip-tide drags a swimmer. I may have lost a night of sleep finishing HIGH TIDE, but I gained HIGH REGARD for a powerful new novelist.”

*****

By Bob Wainwright (New Jersey)

“High Tide is spirited adventure and a real page-turner. This story is a throwback to the Jersey Shore –in the easy living 80’s– when life was experienced by doing things, not just keyboarding them.  A brilliant, blackmailed, pot-smoking professor, soulless gangsters, and an adoring student lover make for an exciting mix in this high seas adventure.  Definitely a must-read book!”

*****

By Bo and Lois Wood (Delaware)

“We are both from the Jersey Shore & this book took us back to our roots. We love the action & story line. Great Book!”

*****

By King of La De Dah (Maryland)

“HIGH TIDE is a fast-paced action-filled adventure with interesting characters, unique plot twists, and tongue-in-cheek humor, all wrapped around a “down the shore” love story. With unique turns of phrase and word play liberally sprinkled throughout, Mr. Alpiar has provided his readers with a rollicking journey that is not only fun and stimulating…it is also a book that is virtually impossible to put down. I just had to see what happened next! Mr. Alpiar is a true talent, and I am eager to get my hands on his next effort. I HIGHly recommend the TIDE.”

*****

By Tennant Barron (New Hampshire/Pennsylvania)

“If you’re looking for an intriguing, fast-paced, fact-based novel you’ll want to tell your friends about, HIGH TIDE is the book for you! It’s as gruesome as it is funny, as thought-provoking as it is flighty, and as romantic as it is mysterious. I’m definitely anxious for the sequel!”

*****

By Donna M. Powell (Maryland)

“Great read! There is suspense, humor, love, and wit in this book. I found it hard to put down. I can’t wait for the next book or even a sequel to see what Madigan will be up to next.”

****

By Kathy Mcnulty “Kathy M” (Delaware)

“Mr. Alpiar turned the fascinating events of his real life experience into an intriguing story that is sure to keep you wanting more. The attention to detail provides a clear image of life in the 80’s on the Jersey shore.”

*****

By Robin Standlee (Florida)

“I rarely read novels because a good one will keep me from doing anything else. High Tide did that. It’s based on a true story which makes it even more intriguing.”

*****

By Linda Fleetwood (Delaware)

        “I HATE the author! This book kept me up until three in the morning. I couldn’t put it down. A great read!”

*****

By Ken Peach (Florida)

“High praise for HIGH TIDE! What a fun story, and I also got a lot out of Professor Maddigan’s classroom lessons. In fact, I have a bunch of pages turned down for reference . . . now, that doesn’t happen often when reading fiction! I eagerly await the sequel.”

 

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