Monday Insights

January 30, 2012 - How trusting are you in others to help accomplish what you are trying to achieve? Do you have a network of support and inspiration you can turn to for valued perspective, reinforcing insight or re-directive guidance when needed? People who succeed know that they cannot do it solo. They understand the momentum that can be built and the empowerment that comes from having Circles of Influence, Trust, and Support, especially when roadblocks or challenges come into play.

Take an MM&I Moment to confirm you list of those you would consider a part of your inner Circles of Trust, Influence and Support. Do you have work or business colleagues you can call upon who could provide insight due to having gone through similar situations? Are friends sources of feedback and encouragement because they know what you are trying to achieve personally and professionally? Do you have advisers who can offer perspective and guidance? Who have you come to know who could make introductions for you or connect you in some way to help? Who can you count on to support you in tasks at home and at work when you start to feel overloaded or overwhelmed? Not only will identifying these people give you a clear idea of all who are there for you who can assist, it will also confirm just how much more rewarding it is once you have succeeded because you have so many to share in the celebration.

Synergized Quote of the Week

"Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean." - Ryunosuke Satora

Savvy Secret Tip of the Week

Are you planning to succeed in business or are you hoping to succeed? Growth companies understand that without a plan, goals and accountability measures to guide them through, their chances of success are in the hopeful lane versus the probability lane. The key to effective planning is having a strategy that clearly defines what makes your company the better choice to markets that you are the best to serve. The greatest value of a strategic plan, is when opportunity knocks, not only do you know exactly the right moves to make, but which doors to open and welcome in. Learn more about how to put Strategy into the Plan and turn hope into probability in Secret #7 in 50 Marketing Secrets of Growth Companies in Down Economic Times. Get the book today! To order, CLICK HERE!

January 23, 2012 - Is a current commitment you have made weighing heavy on you right now? Are you feeling the weight of its obligation more than the call to its purpose and meaning? Is it no longer something that excites you or inspires you and yet you don't want to let others down? If a commitment or obligation feels more like a burden than a blessing, then understanding why it feels this way is the first step to dealing with it in order to move on.

Take an MM&I Moment to list why the commitment feels burdensome or ungratifying. Did it evolve into something more than you originally thought it would entail? Are you feeling unappreciated for what you have done so far and so it has lost its luster? The bottom line is that if you feel burdened, it is because you are allowing yourself to feel this way. You need to take charge and leadership of your situation. Who do you know who still believes this commitment has value and merit? Could they be someone who would share in the responsibility or entirely hand off the commitment to? How can you renegotiate the commitment to be more appealing to you? What is one thing that could be done to make the obligation rewarding again? Taking action in some way will help you shift from thinking that weighs you down to thinking that lifts you up - transforming frustration into newfound freedom.

Synergized Quote of the Week

"Whether a man is burdened by power or enjoys power; whether he is trapped by responsibility or made free by it; whether he is moved by other people and outer forces or moves them - this is the essence of leadership." - Theodore H. White

Savvy Secret Tip of the Week

Do you only market when you feel that you need to because of the effort it takes? When business is flowing in, does marketing go on the back burner? Chances are that this stop-and-start approach to marketing now has you scrambling to get more business flowing in your door. Companies that grow regardless of a recession know that making marketing activity a part of their daily operations keeps business flowing and becomes effortless. The key is in turning as many of your activities into systems and processes, making it easy to respond, implement, progress and deliver by everyone in your company. Learn more about how to do this in Secret #12, Systemized Marketing, in 50 Marketing Secrets of Growth Companies in Down Economic Times. Get the book today! To order, CLICK HERE!

January 16, 2012 - Do you have personal or professional goals that you have put on the back burner because you believe they must wait until other things get done? If there is something you really want to achieve, it should be embraced and not put on hold. Even if your plate seems full beyond comprehension, there are still little things you can do to move whatever it is you truly want forward.

Take an MM&I Moment to think about those goals you want to achieve "someday." Then list anyone you know who could be a support or a resource in helping move this goal forward. List small actions that could be taken by them or even by you to bring it back to life in the here and now. Is there information you need? Is there a connection you need? Is there a resource you need? Whatever it is, the little steps you take will eventually add up to monumental progress.

Synergized Quote of the Week

"We must use time creatively -- and forever realize that the time spent always represents hope to do great things." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Savvy Secret Tip of the Week

Kudos to client, Reinaldo Panico Peres of No Borders Consulting, who co-hosted a welcome reception for internationally renowned Brazilian tenor, Fernando Portari, this past week. Portari will be performing in Opera Carolina's Madama Butterfly January 21st through the 29th. The performance is nearly sold out, which speaks to the exceptional work of many to continually elevate cultural arts and world-class entertainment in the Carolinas. A thriving business environment must include cultural arts, especially when attracting global businesses and their employees. Strategic involvements such as these are what growth companies understand and embrace. What are you doing to make a difference in the economic landscape through good works on the charitable, cultural and professional front? Learn more about the ways you can make a difference for long-lasting, bottom line impact in Secrets #31 -#37 in 50 Marketing Secrets of Growth Companies in Down Economic Times. Get the book today! To order, CLICK HERE!

January 9, 2012 - Is there something you have attempted that now that you have experienced it, you would have approached in a different way? Because of failing the first time, are you hesitant to attempt again even though you are newly enlightened? Never allow something that didn't go exactly as planned deter you from realizing your dreams and continuing to pursue opportunities that could make your dreams a reality. Part of the glory of achievement is embracing the journey along the way.

Take an MM&I Moment to write down how you would now approach it differently based on what you have learned. Then write down what you expect the outcome to be. Then take the first step, then the next, and the next to make it become your reality, learning every step of the way.

Synergized Quote of the Week

"The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way." - Robert Kiyosaki

Savvy Secret Tip of the Week

When someone calls into your company inquiring about your services, is there a formal way to capture information about the prospect before they are handed off to a salesperson or you? Sometimes an inquiry can be effectively qualified by the receptionist or whoever answers the phone, also giving you or your sales team valuable information to respond impressively. What are key questions anyone can ask that are important to know in order to qualify the opportunity to serve? What information is critical to determine if this is a good prospect? These questions can also help your referral network outside of your customer base. Determine them and then share them with anyone who may connect with a prospect interested in your business. Learn more about initiatives such as this in Secret #12, Systemized Marketing, in 50 Marketing Secrets of Growth Companies in Down Economic Times. Get the book today! To order, CLICK HERE!