Soon, almost everything will come to us when we want it, in digital form.

Following electronic readers from Sony, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon, we’re likely to have a new tablet-style computer from Apple by the end of the first quarter of next year that is likely to be a game-changer among those kinds of devices. And the Motion Picture Association of America has just announced that it recommends that studios be allowed to bypass theaters entirely and transmit their movies directly to people’s homes.

This is likely to present the consumer with a raft of options for books and movies (on top of the existing ones for music), but it’s also a sign that new ways of distribution are likely to shake up the entertainment industry even further.

First there was music, when record companies expected to make money off the sale of records. Now, of course, records are what artists put out between tours and record companies are, to a certain extent, distributors and marketers. Musicians had to adapt to the changing landscape and, instead of being recording artists, became performers again.

It is perhaps too early to tell what will become of movie theaters, which are already under pressure financially. Blockbuster movies come and go. Flops are common. The average release lasts only a few weeks in theaters. And theaters make the bulk of their cash from the sale of snacks. Increasingly, people would rather have entertainment when they want it, even if the experience of seeing a movie on the big screen is something that is hard to replicate at home. The release this holiday season of James Cameron’s long-awaited “Avatar,” with its apparently stunning 3D effects, is likely either to strengthen a new technology’s hold on fickle moviegoers, or to be the last hurrah of a dying way of experiencing movies.

What does this mean for the hard-pressed publishing industry? More of same, I think: the continuing growth of the digital landscape and the falling off of the physical, printed book.

Recently, I was speaking with acquaintances who work in publishing, one an editor at a publisher that provides books for schools, the other an editor at a large consumer publishing house.

The publisher that distributes to schools conducted research that indicated that, while young people are comfortable with electronic devices for reading novels, they still prefer the old-fashioned textbook, because it enables them to look back and study earlier pages, which the current clunky crop of e-readers makes difficult.

But don’t you think that will change sooner than later? Coming new technological advances, such as fold-out screens on electronic devices, and the possible simplicity of scrolling back and forth or looking at spreads of pages as in a physical book, along with the probable high-definition color interface of a coming Apple reader, might erase that difficulty and pave the way for a future generation of college kids who’ll learn quickly to rely on e-texts rather than bulky physical books.

The other publishing acquaintance, an editor at that large consumer publishing house, says that the editors there who acquire books are almost paralyzed by uncertainty when deciding what to buy, because every single book has to be a home run. It now takes forever to sell a book, or for a publisher to decide whether to buy it (something I as an author with a book out for sale know firsthand).

Imagine thinking that your job depended on the success of every single manuscript you acquire. That is the kind of thinking that comes from relying on an old-fashioned sales model, where blockbusters support the smaller titles.

The trouble is, there are fewer and fewer smaller titles to support, fewer options for new material the old-fashioned way for readers, fewer bookstores to hand-sell, fewer ways of getting new product out there from big publishers.

Authors have to take matters into their own hands. The old-fashioned publishing market will remain geared toward existing big names and big advances, with the occasional left-field hit, while the newer breed of writers will have to nurture and build their own audiences, relying on digital distribution, digital marketing, and the potential for digital growth.

I wonder if the conventional thinking among certain publishers—a fear of failure that leads to an inability to take risks when the world is changing around them—will lead to failure anyway. In the end, publishing to a certain extent remains a field where no one knows anything — since who can predict the tastes of the public when the decision to publish a book is, to some extent, based on an editor’s personal preference?

In any event, the power is soon likely to reside with the author who can harness the power of the digital world to service the growing power of the digital consumer.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov. 5, 2009—As part of Borders Group’s ongoing strategy to right-size its Waldenbooks Specialty Retail segment and emerge with a smaller, more profitable mall chain in fiscal 2010, the retailer will close approximately 200 mall stores in January, leaving approximately 130 mall-based locations open. A list of mall stores expected to close is included in this news release and has been posted at www.borders.com/waldenstorelist. The list is not final and is subject to change pending finalization of agreements over the coming weeks. Importantly, today’s announcement regarding the mall business does not include Borders superstores or the company’s seasonal mall kiosk business, which includes over 500 Day by Day Calendar Co. units, among other mall-based retail concepts.

“America has a number of malls that continue to do well and draw customer traffic even in the current economy,” said Borders Group Chief Executive Officer Ron Marshall. “We believe there remains an opportunity to profitably operate a much smaller Waldenbooks segment that complements our core Borders superstore business and continues to serve readers in their communities. Through this right-sizing, we will reduce the number of stores with operating losses, reduce our overall rent expense and lease-adjusted leverage and generate cash flow through sales and working capital reductions.”

As long as the stores remain open, all will honor previously purchased gift cards, and gift cards can continue to be used in any Borders or Waldenbooks location or online at Borders.com. There will be no change in member status for customers who joined the Borders Rewards customer loyalty program at locations slated to close.

Stores that remain open will be integrated into the Borders superstore computer system, an investment Borders Group is making to merge all stores to a single platform. This is expected to produce operating efficiencies as well as benefits for mall shoppers, including enhanced store staff capabilities to search for and fulfill customer requests.With the store closings in January, approximately 1,500 positions—the majority of which are part-time jobs—will be eliminated. Employees have been informed of the right-sizing plan and efforts will be made to place qualified individuals in other positions within Borders Group. Displaced employees will receive severance.

The mall-based right-sizing initiative has been ongoing at Borders Group for a number of years as the retailer has closed underperforming Waldenbooks Specialty Retail stores annually as part of its overall turnaround strategy. The company shuttered 112 stores in the segment in fiscal 2008 and from fiscal 2001 through 2007, closed an average of 66 stores per year within the Waldenbooks Specialty Retail segment.

About Borders Group, Inc.
Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) is a leading specialty retailer of books as well as other educational and entertainment items. The company employs approximately 25,000 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders® and Waldenbooks® stores. Online shopping is offered through borders.com. Find author interviews and vibrant discussions of the products we and our customers are passionate about online at facebook.com/borders, twitter.com/bordersmedia and youtube.com/bordersmedia. For more information about the company, visit borders.com/media.

Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. One can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “expect,” “planning,” “possibility,” “opportunity,” “goal,” “will,” “may,” “intend,” “anticipates” and other words of similar meaning. One can also identify them by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements are likely to address matters such as the company’s future financial condition and performance (including earnings per share, the profitability of Waldenbooks, liquidity, sales, inventory levels and capital expenditures), its cost reduction initiatives and plans for store closings and the expansion of product categories. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and plans to differ materially from those included in the company’s forward-looking statements.

Epstein’s career is illustrious within the publishing world, boasting an impressive breadth and impact. Unlike many of the famous writers with whom he’s worked, including Auden and Nabakov, Epstein is still around to enjoy his accolades.

While his touch can be seen on bookstore shelves in the form of the “quality paperback” and within the foundation of publishing, his professional memoir is encapsulated, appropriately, within a binding in Book Business: Publishing Past, Present and Future (W.W. Norton, 2002). While slanted toward the niche group of people interested in book publishing, this is also a wonderful tale of history and the way relationships with books have evolved throughout the 1900s.

This iconic career began when Epstein stumbled across an editorial position with Doubleday in his early 20s and stayed a decade. Within that time period, he was the man responsible for the invention of Anchor Books, which made literature more affordable for the masses as opposed to the superior quality, expensive hardcover novels.

After that success, Epstein moved over to Random House. At this time, Random House was a family-style business located within the wing of one New York mansion, which is a much different position than the company currently holds as the world’s largest trade publisher. At this point, the memoir is peppered with allusions to illicit affairs and famous authors delivering manuscripts in slippers and spending the night on couches (and not always alone).

Epstein is a big-picture businessman that is able to look at book publishing from the editorial and quality-of-literature angle, as well as having envisioned new venues for sales and marketing. Responsible for numerous advances in the publishing industry throughout his career, Epstein was among the first to embrace the online retail giant in its struggling years, Amazon.com (ironically, he found fault with Amazon’s business model, which has boomed since the publication of this memoir in 2001).

This enlightening book, surprisingly small in stature considering the wealth of information contained within, cited book publishing to be on the edge of a vast transformation. Originally published in 2000, it may seem as if Epstein had a glimpse of the current challenges.

Since publication of his book, Epstein has capitalized on some of his own visions mentioned, most notably having launched On Demand Books in 2004. With yet another invention on his repertoire, the “Espresso Book Machine” is available at limited locations throughout the United States, Canada, and England for on-demand, affordable printing of books. Though I don’t see this invention having quite the impact Epstein may have once predicted, he was on target with his assumptions that more and more people would be reading from a digital device.

I suggest this title to anyone interested in learning more of the behind-the-scenes tale from a publishing great. The time invested to read it is well worth the decades of information condensed within. Jason Epstein has shared a memoir of an accomplished career, and his entrepreneurial spirit just leaps from the pages.

And, most humorously, as defined by my 16-year-old daughter, Kelsey, “A diversion is, when I tell myself stuff that’s complete balogne, like I can’t do my physiology homework because I have to chill first. Then, eight episodes of Scrubs later . . . .”

As writers, what diverts us? It’s important to our success to give this question some careful thought.

In the interest of self-awareness and in my belief in the necessity of living life with a commitment to education, last weekend I was in Capistrano Beach, California, at a Productive Learning & Leisure seminar called “Diversions.” Expertly led by Executive Coach and trainer Susan Mayginnes, sixteen of us spent two full days exploring why we have goals, yet may often end up someplace else, wondering, What happened?!!!

A diversion is any distraction from our goal or purpose. You may not be able to totally stop your diversions, but recognizing your patterns and being aware of what’s lacking and why we may be operating unconsciously is 99 percent of the battle.

Here are some dangerous potholes in the road to success for book industry writers and tips to stay on track so we end up exactly where we intended to go:

1. Yes, I WILL write 1000 words today and I WILL—–oooh, look at that pretty yellow bird!

You know who you are—you’re on track until something prettier/shinier/newer/more exciting comes along!

You need to have an accountability partner or a system of self-checks to keep you focused. The best system of accountability? Whatever you will consistently do!

2. I’m feeling too upset/tired/frustrated/worked up to write right now!

Feelings don’t live in your mind, they live in your body. It’s important to drop out of the story and pay attention to the sensations in your body.

I made a commitment to doing a body check a few times a day. Just 30 seconds of quietly checking to see if I’m clutching the steering wheel as if my hands were talons, breathing shallow rather fully filling and emptying my lungs, slouching over my laptop rather than sitting up tall with my shoulders back. This exercise is giving me amazing insights into my “feelings.”

3. You’ve started a book (or two or three) but keep hitting the wall, unable to finish or even make much progress.

Are you clear to yourself about your expectations? According to Susan Mayginnis, “You’re either telling the truth and are willing to face the positive and negative consequences of that, or you are withholding and manipulating.” Susan insists that 99% of your life will change if you commit to three things:

• Tell the truth to yourself and others
• Feel your feelings
• Keep your agreements

So be clear about your goals and expectations of others and yourself as a writer. Feel what you feel and own it, but don’t be diverted by it, and keep the agreements you make with yourself, your editor, your publisher, and others.

4. You have a passion for period romance novels—–but find yourself writing technical journals.

This diversion could be the seduction of money or the fear of failure or a reflection of what was missing in the life of your younger self, any of which prevents you from following your true passion.

If you’re rationalizing, you’re not telling the truth to yourself.

The bad news is that the reason for many of these issues is most likely not on the surface. The good news is that PL & L’s amazing trainers will take an issue that is initially clear as mud and turn it into Waterford crystal in one short class!

(DISCLOSURE:  PL & L is not my company, so there are no ulterior motives or referral fees involved, here—–just some honest words from an excited learner who encourages writers everywhere to never give in to diversions and to never, ever, ever quit learning !)

Presidency, economy, Wall Street, banks, jobs.

What will happen?

I take a breath and close my eyes and remember the words of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus published 1800 years ago, “Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”

Anthony Hopkins shared a similar thought with James Lipton during a recent interview on Inside the Actor’s Studio, “Today is the tomorrow I was so worried about yesterday.”

A client recently shared with me one of those amazing “weapons of reason” Marcus Aurelius spoke about:

I asked, “How is traffic trending? Are we ahead of last year?”

“Roy, I don’t measure traffic.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Last week one of my salespeople made 63 sales presentations and closed only 24 of them. That tells me 39 people bought somewhere else. And right now they’re telling all their friends why they bought where they did. They’re showing off their purchases and explaining why they didn’t buy from us.”

“Good point.”

“That salesperson is no longer with us.”

“You’re really serious about this.”

“Today’s close rate is the most reliable indicator of tomorrow’s traffic. When close rate is high, traffic increases. When close rate begins to slide, traffic soon begins to slide as well.”

Does it surprise you that this client keeps better records than any we’ve ever served and that he’s currently our fastest growing client in North America? Thankfully, he knows what information can be correlated and what cannot. He doesn’t let his statistics lead him to ridiculous conclusions.

But the part of our conversation that jerked my eyebrows upward was that he was aware of the weekly close rate of each of his nearly 100 salespeople.

Wow.

You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
What are you measuring?

“When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to the state of Science, whatever the matter may be.”
– Sir William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, Electrical Units of Measurement, 1883

There are lots of things business owners are secretly trying to achieve. And usually these goals are secret, even to themselves.

In a couple of weeks I’ll begin 3 intensive days of planning for 11 different companies. We’ll all sit in a circle on the first morning and I’ll ask each of them separately, “How will we measure success? What do you want me to help you make happen?”

I’ve been asking that question of business owners for nearly 30 years. It’s never easy to get an answer.

But it’s a whole lot easier to win the game when you’re clear on how points are scored.

Are you playing to win in 2009?

Your goals are your own business.

Helping you reach them is mine.

• Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has long been a history buff. It’s paying off. His newest novel, To Try Men’s Souls: A Novel of George Washington and the Fight for American Freedom, written with historian William Forstchen, enters USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list at No. 27. The novel focuses on three men involved in the founding of America and follows best-selling series on the Civil War and WWII.

• Readers can’t get enough of the Tudors. Wolf Hall, the Man Booker-prize winning novel by Hilary Mantel published Oct. 13 in the USA, enters the list at No. 49, impressive for a serious novel by a little-known writer. But then the topic of Henry VIII’s love life is near and dear to American hearts, thanks to Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl and the TV series The Tudors.

For all the news from this week’s Best-Selling Books list, see Thursday’s editions of USA TODAY for the top 50 books or log onto www.top150.usatoday.com for the complete list of 150 best-selling books from last week.

Rankings for USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books List are based on retail sales data collected each week that include more than 2.5 million books from about 7,000 independent, chain, discount and online stores. USA TODAY’s list ranks titles regardless of genre or format, providing one of the best assessments of which books are most popular among readers and consumers each week. USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list has been published each Thursday in the newspaper’s Life section since October 28, 1993.

USA TODAY was founded in 1982 with a mission to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Through its flagship newspaper and popular Web site, USA TODAY engages the national conversation and connects readers online through social media applications. USA TODAY, the nation’s number one newspaper in print circulation with a total average daily print circulation of nearly 1.9 million, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper Web site which launched in 1995, reach a combined 5.8 million readers daily. The USA TODAY news and information brand also includes: USA TODAY Education, USA TODAY LIVE, USA TODAY Mobile, and USA TODAY Sports Weekly. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

“Well, if you don’t want to care about the score, why don’t you put yourself out there and go for it?” Justin asked as we walked into the first quarterfinal slam-off for this year. “Say it like you mean it.”

His encouragement smacked the prideful posturing out of my mouth. It was exactly the type of thing that I tell other people—–so often the things that work aren’t new and clever. They’re things we know are true but don’t have the courage to do.

Take, for example, Greenleaf Book Group. In an industry where sales of adult hardcover, paperback, and mass market books are down 15.5%, 11.2%, and 5.3% so far this year, they’ve seen their profits almost double since 2006. After referencing an article by him a month ago, I interviewed Clint Greenleaf, author of the Attention to Detail business books and CEO of Greenleaf, hoping to find out his innovative and daring publishing secrets.

PETER: “You say you focus on the success of your authors and employees. How do you prove that to them?”

CLINT: “By focusing on their needs. Many of the author-centric terms that drive our business came from feedback from frustrated authors and publishers looking for a new way to make publishing work. I keep an open-door policy and encourage an open dialog with my authors and my staff, and I defer to their opinions on many important decisions. If you hire the right people, they’re usually better equipped than you are to make good decisions.”

PETER: Tell me about the two Attention to Detail books. Why did you write them and how excited were you about the content? Did you ever think, “Oh, crap! Now I actually have to know something about business etiquette?”

CLINT: Training with the Marines taught me the basics of personal appearance, and that gave me an edge over my peers in job interviews. At the time I wrote the books, I did so to fill a need expressed by my friends and fellow job-seekers. Etiquette is not rocket science; it’s all about respect and doing the right things in different situations.

PETER: What mistakes did you make when you tried to get them published?

CLINT: I consider myself lucky that I was published as a young, unknown author. I made a ton of mistakes, but publishing is a relatively forgiving industry. If I can do it, anyone can.

PETER: Can you name any of those mistakes specifically that would keep someone from getting their work published?

CLINT: A couple of areas where authors make critical errors are in overpricing their books while not understanding the competition and shotgun publishing . . . do it with the proper research and lead time.

PETER: Why Greenleaf Book Group? Why not be comfortable as a published author, a business etiquette expert, or do something else?

CLINT: So many people came to me after my books were published and asked me how I did it – I recognized a need in the industry. They were in the same spot that I was – unknown and no distribution. I started Greenleaf Book Group to help independent authors compete with the big guys…and the same holds true today.

PETER: What do you do differently than other publishers?

CLINT: We are more collaborative than most publishers. Greenleaf’s authors retain all of their publication rights. We keep a smaller published list so we can devote more time to each title, and our authors are not bound to us for any length of time. We can bring a book to market much faster than a traditional publisher; it takes us six to twelve months on average as opposed to their eighteen months to three years.

PETER: In 2006, your sales hit $4.4 million, and you’d published 700 titles. What’s your growth been like during the recession?

CLINT: It’s been solid. We’re at over $8 million in sales now and we’ve worked with over 1000 titles.

PETER: What advice do you have to send to already-published authors? Authors just starting out? Book publishers?

CLINT: For all three, it’s critical to dig deep and really understand your goals. There are different business models and companies to suit different needs, so take the time to educate yourself on the industry and stay up to date as it changes.

PETER: Rank, in order of importance, what an author needs to have to get published with you and explain why. Money? Fans? Writing quality? A marketing plan? Other?

CLINT: 1)Writing Quality 2) Fans 3) A Marketing Plan 4) Money 5) Passion. Content is king, as they say. We can push a lot of books out there, but they won’t sell through to consumers unless the writing is top-rate and the marketing support is appealing to readers’ need for the content. A platform (fans) is also critical, as there has to be demand for the book.

PETER: Where do you see the book industry heading into the future?

CLINT: More emphasis on content versus ink on paper. Consumers have more choices, so quality will be imperative for publishers to stay competitive.

Greenleaf’s business model isn’t successful because it’s revolutionary or because Clint Greenleaf has some shiny, slick vision of a brave new publishing world. It’s successful because they simply address all the simple details better than other publishing companies do.

1. They empower authors to produce their own content and challenge them to make that content as good and as thoroughly researched as possible.

2. They only market books that will fill a need in the industry and then bring them to market faster than other people could.

I asked Clint if he felt like an expert with the success he’s experienced…

CLINT: “No - I’m not convinced that’s an appropriate term for me. I’ve been called an expert, but there’s a lot I don’t know, and a lot we in the publishing industry don’t know. If the publishing industry was truly full of experts, we’d be better able to predict the bestsellers. Every day, I learn more about the practice of bookselling and the industry in general.”

That’s a good attitude for the entire publishing industry—and me—to remember. My roommate’s simple, effective words changed my attitude last week as I walked into that poetry slam. They propelled me to lay my heart on the line, to perform like I meant every word that I had written. Not only did it thrill me and the audience, I ended up winning.

Most of the time the secrets to success are things we already know, but just haven’t made a commitment to doing well. If you’re constantly searching for revolutionary ideas and never-before-found concepts, it may not be a quest for knowledge but your fear or pride that’s keeping you from accepting the uncomplicated truth.

Here are five great tips on how to strengthen your relationships:

1. Show Your Commitment.

Under promise and over deliver. Meet or beat deadlines. Send kleen, opps, I mean clean copy. (Hey, I was a newspaper proofreader, you have no idea what gets sent in!) Know your market. Be on time for appointments and interviews and always display professionalism in word and deed.

2. Have a Positive Attitude.

“How’s it going?” asks the editor.

“Well, to be honest, not so well. Sorry I’m late on this, life has been crazy for me and I’m really backed up…” responds the writer.

“Great!” replies the editor, “Let me give you another assignment!”

As if!

Seeing this conversation in print may sound downright silly, but the fact is this type of negativity is all too common. The bottom line is, no matter what your circumstances are, you need to absolutely ooze a positive attitude from every pore! Complain about work to your oh-so-patient spouse, your best friend from high school, or your pet goldfish, but never, ever to someone who is in the position of giving you work.

The only type of answer to that editor’s query is something along the lines of, “It’s great! Looks like I have a possible book deal based on that series of articles I did. I’m loving life!” Give me some of what he’s having, right?

3. Help Others Succeed.

Mentor a new writer. We were all there once and mentoring a newbie will remind you of the enthusiasm you had, but perhaps lost a bit of along the way.

Introduce two people who may benefit by knowing one another. I love being a connector of people and doing this strengthens your relationship with both parties.

When you meet another person in the book industry, say, “I’d like to get to know you and your business better so I can be better able to help you.” Then, most importantly, follow up and set an appointment for coffee or lunch. Listen to a need and fill it. The single best way for you to succeed is to help others succeed.

4. Be Proactive.

Don’t be a cave dweller! Get involved in the industry by attending trade shows, book signings, conferences, and workshops.

Have a culture of education as it pertains to your business and your life. Don’t stop learning, don’t stop living!

5. Follow the Platinum Rule.

Many of us were raised by our mother’s admonishing us to follow the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you wish to be treated. However, in business I am going to encourage you to follow the Platinum Rule:

Treat others the way they wish to be treated.

A personal example: People love to give a nice bottle of wine as a thank you. I have received many fine bottles of wine over the years. However, if you know me, you know I’m not exactly a wine connoisseur. I seldom drink it and wouldn’t know a Domaine Romanee-Conti from a bottle of Two Buck Chuck! (Here’s a secret – to anyone who gave me a bottle of wine in the past seven years, my former mother-in-law thanks you, because every bottle ended up at her house!)

If you do get to know me, you’ll soon learn that I’m a frustrated farmer living in Southern California, where postage-stamp-sized yards are the norm. I had a client to whom I had given a referral. When the business successfully closed, he stopped by my office and left a 4” pot of basil (which retails at the local Target store for $1.79), with a thank you note attached. I loved it! And now the basil is about three feet tall and I think of him every time I pluck a few leaves to toss in a caprese salad.

Find out what is important to those you do business with. Not in a manipulative way, but as a way to strengthen your relationship with them.

None of these tips is difficult, but I promise if you initiate them, you will see results. Strengthening relationships is about farming, not hunting, and it takes patience and persistence. But the reward is a healthy tree which will bear fruit for years and years to come.

Givers Gain.

Law of Reciprocity.

Good karma.

Whatever you call it—–it’s good for business!

Have you ever felt a disconnection between what a company promised you in their ads and what they actually delivered?

I carry a list of companies in my head called the “Never Again As Long As I Live” list. I’ll bet you have one, too.

Was it the advertising of these companies that put them on our lists? Of course not. It was their actions.

One dumb decision can undo years of good advertising.

What decisions have you made that send signals to your customers?

“Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

1. What are you saying in your ads?
2. Who are you being in your store?
3. Is there a disconnect?

A dog doesn’t have to growl to let me know it’s dangerous. Just bare you teeth, doggie. I’ll understand. This small, direct signal from the dog overrides all the assurances of its owner:

“He won’t bite, he’s a friendly dog. I’ve had him for 10 years. His breed never bites. It’s been proven. Here, watch this. See, he didn’t bite me and he won’t bite you either. What are you afraid of? Here are some testimonials from other people who have petted him. Did you know this dog was voted Most Pettable Dog of 2009? He won’t bite you, he likes you. Trust me. We care about our customers.”

What is advertising but the assurances of a dog owner?

Talk, when it costs you nothing, is cheap.

“Here are ten, hundred-dollar bills. Put them in your pocket. If this dog so much as snaps at you, they’re yours. He wasn’t baring his teeth to scare you. He was smiling at you.”

Wow. A smiling dog. I think I’ll pet him.

Actions are powerful signals when they agree with your words.

These action-signals gain credibility to the degree they cost you one or more of the following:

1. Material Wealth
2. Time & Energy
3. Opportunity
4. Power & Control
5. Reputation & Prestige
6. Safety & Well Being

What do your signals cost you? What are you risking?

Words that cost you little have little meaning.

Word-of-mouth marketing is a sure-fire way to generate new business. A single referral can bring in a chain reaction of business, as one satisfied customer tells others, who in turn tell still others. It’s no wonder that networking groups pay off handsomely in terms of referral business and a membership in a good networking group can be worth a considerable amount of money, especially if you calculate the time you spend each month and the business value of your time.

Make your time and efforts worthwhile. Don’t squander your opportunity by doing the wrong things in those meetings!

Success in a networking group comes when the rest of the group members trust you enough to open up their best referrals to you. Until they’ve seen your work, you have to earn that trust by demonstrating your professionalism to them. Since I founded BNI almost 25 years ago, I’ve seen how people have truly succeeded in networks and I’ve seen how people have totally wasted their time in them.

Here are the top ten ways to waste your time in a networking group (avoid all of them):

# 10. Go ahead, air your grievances among your fellow networkers and guests—after all, they really want to hear about your complaints.

#9. Wing it in your regular presentations to fellow members—you’ve got plenty more chances anyway.

#8. Use 1 to 1 meetings to talk about your networking groups’ issues—instead of learning a lot more about each other.

#7. Focus your efforts on selling your services primarily to the members of the group.

#6. Don’t rush to follow up on a referral when someone gives you one—Hey, they know where to find you if they really need you, right?

#5. While other people are doing their introductions, that’s the perfect time to think about what referrals you can give that week.

#4. Why invite your own guests? Just focus on those who show up.

#3. Don’t worry—if you get to the meeting late, no one will notice.

#2. Be absent, it’s no big deal—you can just call in your referrals, right?

And the #1 way to waste your time in networking groups—–

#1. It’s OK, take that phone call or text message during a meeting—it won’t bother anyone, and it’s a real sign of professionalism that everyone admires.

So there it is - The Top 10 Ways to Waste Your Time in a Networking Group! Imagine how you might respond to someone in your networking group who continually exhibited the behaviors above. Would you be anxious to pass them referrals? Of course not! You would be hesitant to pass them any referrals at all because you would be pretty well convinced that they would be just as unprofessional and irresponsible with your valued connections.

We all need to beware of these ten pitfalls and take great care to avoid them. They are great reminders that doing business through word-of-mouth marketing requires a special ingredient that only you can supply: your commitment. You have to commit to the process from the beginning. You have to be an active, responsible, professional, accountable participant and show your fellow networkers the respect, attention, and support that you want them to give you.

You see, the key concept in referral marketing is relationships—and referral relationships don’t just spring up full grown: they must be nurtured. Avoid the ten mistakes on this list because they are detrimental to growing your referral relationships, and they will cause the time you spend in your networking meetings to be nothing more than a waste of time.

Focus on growing your referral relationships by acting in ways that are exactly opposite of what’s described above and concentrate on building relationships based on mutual trust and shared benefits. You’ll get a lot more out of your group and so will your fellow members. So, print out this list, memorize it, and share it with your fellow networking members.

Remember, your network is not something you can start putting together when the need arises. When you need it, you need it now. You need to begin developing relationships now with the people whose help you will need in the future, and your networking group meetings offer the perfect opportunity and the perfect place to do this. Make the most of this opportunity because there’s no room for wasted time in the life of a true networking professional.
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Called “The Father of Modern Networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI (www.bni.com), the world’s largest business networking organization. His latest #1 bestseller, The 29% Solution can be viewed at www.29PercentSolution.com. Dr. Misner is also the Sr. Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company (www.referralinstitute.com).