What could happen if you made a commitment to reconnecting with just a few of your former prospects or customers every day?

If your experience is anything like mine, you will get luckier, smarter, and happier.

I’ve recently been building a daily habit of reaching out to at least 3 prospects or customers – all randomly chosen.

What I’m discovering is simple.

When you start connecting (or reconnecting) the dots of your relationships, the past, present, and future magically merge together into one productive ecosystem. 

And it is one that readily gets everything in your business (and life) working for the better. Here’s how it works.

Actions Make You Luckier

It is commonly assumed that luck is a matter of coincidence.

So, to improve your luck you only need to increase your chances for connecting with those coincidental opportunities by more frequently being in the right place at the right time.

Since nobody knows where luck will strike, the solution is to be in more places, with the hope of intersecting with the right the opportunities.

This is one of the benefits of having an extensive social network.

Unfortunately, networks only provide the potential for opportunities. They need to be activated, and that requires intention and action. Many have the right intentions but fall short of their objectives by not taking the necessary actions.

The truth is any action is better than none. If you are trying to connect with a lost customer, any effort brings you closer to a result – even if it is a rejection. If that happens, you know to redirect your efforts elsewhere.

Do you know how many times I was rejected this week?  None.

More than likely you will discover your actions will build bridges that get your network working for you – one connection leads to another or to a new idea.

For example, this week I landed a new speaking engagement. Since I had previous experience with the organization, it was easy for me to slide into what happened to be the last remaining slot.

Did I luck out or simply find myself in the right place at the right time because I was actively connecting the dots?

Connectivity Makes You Smarter

Last week a speaker bureau called to recommend me for a new opportunity. I was appreciative and sent a thank you note after returning home.

A few days later I received an email from them about another opportunity. Coincidence? Not likely.

Every action is a seed – and you never know when or where they will sprout, but you can increase your odds by planting lots of them.

Here’s what’s interesting. I did not have a presentation that was right for this particular audience. So, I repositioned one of my most popular programs to adapt it to their limitations with respect to technology.

After sending it along, it occurred to me it would be a good fit for another organization I was currently working with. And that was the program chosen by the aforementioned organization that had only one speaking slot to fill before finalizing their convention line-up.

That was a coincidence, but more importantly it was one that made me smarter. It awakened me to refreshing my educational programs to better align with the changing needs of my clients.

When you start connecting more of the dots in your life you get smarter about responding to feedback you receive  - regardless of whether that feedback is positive or negative. 

Connecting the dots is realizing that one connection leads to another. One inquiry unfolds to open another door. One action makes you smarter for the next opportunity, and all of it makes you one lucky guy or gal.

To put this into perspective, here is a graphic from my LinkedIn profile that gives you a sense of how hundreds of connections lead to thousands upon thousands.

Productivity Makes You Happier

My little project is taking on a life of its own, and that is breathing new life into my work.

I don’t know about you but I accomplish more when my head is in the right place. Getting excited about one success brings the right kind of energy to the next opportunity.  And if that one happens to be a failure, its nevertheless that much easier to keep a positive focus if you have a practice in place to build on the successes.

The key is to all of this seems to be tracking your progress, which is a form of actively connecting the dots.

Productive habits are tough to build, but the happiness that is derived from them makes the effort worthwhile.

Are you familiar with the expression “go with the flow?” It’s a habit, although not necessarily a productive one because you are subject to any number of random circumstances that will arise along the course of that metaphorical river.

If you really want to improve your luck and run a smarter business, you have to change its course by connecting all of the dots that got you here.

They are the ones that will productively lead you to the new opportunities that will make for a happier existence.

I’d really like to hear from you, either in a comment below or on your favorite social network.  You can reach the most popular ones with one of the share buttons below. 

Until next time, Jeff

Photo Credit: krishnan

Having studied several different dialects of the Spanish language as a green industry professional, I can attest that SayHi does an excellent job of translating Spanish into traditional Castilian (textbook) Spanish.

In other words, for the majority of Spanish speakers the translations with SayHi are spot on.

I shared this app with my colleague in Quebec, who in turn shared it with her friends. The response from their French speaking community was a resounding thumbs up.

The easiest way to decide for yourself if SayHi is right for you is to invest a dollar and give it a try. You’ll need an iOS device – iPhone, iPod, or iPad to put this translation app into practice.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

And please share this with your friends via your favorite social networks. 

When you celebrate any occasion you feed it, giving it your full attention - and thereby capturing its most essential value.

This weekend I attended the commencement ceremony for the 2012 Class of Indiana University, of which my daughter is a proud member.

The commencement speaker, IU alumnus, and honorary doctorate recipient was Booker T. Jones, a four time Grammy winner and founder of the soul band Booker T and the MG’s, which recorded a hit while Booker T was still in high school. Despite his commercially successful track record as a young musician, Booker T made the decision to pursue a formal music degree.

Mr. Jones commented in his speech that his father was known to announce from time-to-time that this was an auspicious occasion. Graduation from college is an auspicious occasion, so is recording a hit record, and practically anything else you can imagine.

You only have to be aware to recognize any occasion as auspicious.

It’s all about focus and awareness.

Awareness Captures Attention

When you are engaged with your accomplishments you see the future potential.

Graduating from or completing any endeavor is a celebration that can end right there. You did it. Congratulations. End of story.

This is precisely why we need commencement ceremonies to remind us to take the next steps for building on our accomplishments.

When you take a positive look back on your accomplishments and ask yourself what comes next, you focus your attention on using your talents to achieve everything you have imagined.

It’s a very basic formula – recognize the auspicious occasion by celebrating it and then consider what can be accomplished as a result by dreaming of something even bigger.

Education Calls for Implementation

Formal education gets a bad rap because it often never meets with the expected practical applications. Within all of us is the desire to achieve something that is meaningful – and often personal.

Supporting yourself or your family is personal. It gives you a sense of accomplishment. When you apply that mindset to the needs of your customers, the feeling is the same.

How can I use this to take it further? That’s the question we all should be asking when we achieve a new level of understanding.

One of my customers, who was also a mentor, was fond of asking me a simple question – “What’s’ next?”

By challenging me to better serve his needs, he helped me to think about how I could be a better business for all of my customers.

Every Day is Auspicious

I’m convinced that Booker T Jones developed a mindset of appreciation at an early age – one that helped him to take full advantage of every single opportunity, large or small.

Recording a hit record and graduating from college are accomplishment that create opportunities, and so is making a new friend or helping out a complete stranger.

Accomplishments, activities, and personal interactions matter only to the extent that something of value is derived from them.

The key is being aware that every day is full of auspicious occasions – opportunities for transcending the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Will today be an auspicious day?

It’s up to you.

Leave a comment below and share this with your community using any of the share buttons below – or on the little red bar at the bottom of this page.

Until next time, Jeff

 Photo Credit: Robert Loerzal

The crowded bar test is a simple method for determining the best words or phrasing to communicate an essential message – especially in distracting environments or circumstances where attention spans are short, which of course is most of the time in our fast-paced business environment.

Memorable is More Important Than Meaning

Whether you are launching a new venture or repositioning your business for changing market conditions, you may be wondering how to choose the right domain name for your new website. Believe it or not, the meaning attributed to your domain is less relevant than it was in the early days of the web – now its all about being memorable.

This week I had a strategy meeting to restructure my primary website (this one) to accommodate changes in my business model, as well as optimizing for a world that is increasingly mobile. I work with John Hawkins at 9Seeds for my website development. When we started working together a couple of years ago, I asked John about the meaning behind 9seeds.com.

It turns out there is no meaning at all. 9seeds happened to be a name that passes the crowded bar test. It is short and uniquely curious, which makes it memorable.

Can you say that about your web address?

Opportunities Only Matter If you Are Prepared

Imagine scoring a high profile radio interview, one in which you are asked during the closing seconds how the thousands (or millions) of listeners can learn more about your business.

Are you prepared for opportunities like this?

One way to do so is to apply the crowded bar test to those most frequently asked questions – the ones that if answered well will propel your business forward, and maybe launch it into the stratosphere.

A few questions you should be ready to capably respond to may include the following:

• What’s the best way for our audience to reach you? - Do you have a site that is fresh and readily referred via a memorable domain?
• How can our audience learn more? - Do you have an offer for engaging and monetizing the interest of new prospects if they come your way?
• Can you give a typical example of a company that has benefitted from your (research, work, product or service)? - Have you prepared a success story and obtained the necessary permissions for sharing it with an extended audience?

What are some other questions?

As you know, there are many. It all depends upon your industry, business, and clientele.

It comes down to this.

You have to anticipate so you are prepared to participate when opportunities present themselves.

That opportunity may present itself in any number of business environments – or in a crowded bar.

It doesn’t matter if you get a big break if you aren’t ready for it, does it? Not many of us will have a chance to appear on Oprah. Nevertheless, there are foreseeable opportunities that could make a big difference for all of us.

What are they, and what should you be doing to prepare for them?

I’ve got a few I am working on.  How about you?

Leave a comment below and share this with your community using any of the share buttons below – or on the little red bar at the bottom of this page.

Until next time, Jeff

Photo Credit: glennharper

Has your company lost business to one whose solutions are inferior to yours?

We have all experienced this frustration, and the truth is it is our own fault.

The only reason anyone settles for a lesser solution is because they are not aware of what is better. When this happens, the problem is usually the result of your failed marketing efforts.

Everyone wants the best, or at least better.

Your job is to ensure your success by clearly and consistently communicating those qualities that differentiate your offerings from those that appear to be similar.

And that means focusing on specifics that cut through the general market chatter.

Specific Solutions are Better

If you are interested in a book on sales and you go to Amazon you will undoubtedly discover abundant choices that leave you with a decision – which one is the right one?

Now imagine that you find one that is specifically targeted to your industry, or better yet, to a specific problem that you and others in your industry are commonly faced with? That’s the one to choose, isn’t it?

When solutions are general they favor the provider – one size fits all. When they are specific they favor the user – just right for you.

What does your ideal customer really need?  What they want is often general, but what they need is you.

So, they have to find you, and they will if you are specific about how you can help them. To do that you have to have the guts to reflect that in your marketing.

It takes courage to be specific with your marketing because that means eliminating a huge chunk of potential buyers.

However, when you do that you tell the right ones that you are a glove fit for them.

Local Solutions are Better

One of the best ways for small businesses to be specific is to be local – and better yet, hyperlocal.

When I operated my landscape contracting business the majority of our work was in specific neighborhoods. In social media parlance, we had a tribe of loyal customers that served as trusted friends that would back up our promises.

It is indeed possible to be a member of multiple tribes, but only if you consistently engage with them.

You can do this with your online marketing if you care to take make the effort of organizing your respective communities. This focus keeps you in touch. It keeps you in the know, and most importantly, it keeps you relevant.

You can accomplish this on LinkedIn with tags, on Facebook with smart lists, and on Twitter with lists.

Personal Solutions are Better

Nothing speaks louder than proof. Unfortunately, marketers have always been tempted with stretching the truth. Some would even say that is what marketers do!

The best way to validate your proven successes is with visual proof,  live and unstaged videos, photos, and testimonials that capture the subtle human qualities that are undeniable and believable.

Imperfections are believable, but who cares if they amplify the true qualities of your business? Imperfections communicate humanity and a willingness to work through everything to deliver an exceptional customer experience.

Traditional marketing was all about the medium – if they can say it, it must be true. Marketing today is all about proof – show me what it is like to work with your company.

Get specific, get real, and be honest.

That’s a simple solution to being the specific solution that your prospects are likely to choose.

Leave a comment below and share this with your community using any of the share buttons below – or on the little red bar at the bottom of this page.

Until next time, Jeff

Photo Credit: thanunkorn

Pivoting is a term that is well known within the circles of technology start-ups. It is one with which every small business should become more familiar.

Pivoting is shifting your business strategy on short notice as a result of any number of expected or unforeseen circumstances.

Today Google announced Google Drive – a free cloud computing service that will compete directly with market leader Dropbox – and many others.

Given Google’s deep pockets, this is sure to change the game of cloud computing. A similar move by PayPal promises to give mobile credit card processing market leader Square a run for their survival.

Are they ready to pivot?  Is your business ready to pivot?

Your Plan B is Not Enough

Smart businesses are always ready to respond to changing market conditions. Unfortunately, markets today can literally change overnight.

Most businesses do not have a plan B.  They make the assumption that they will have time to develop one over a period of years.

No more. How many homeowners expected their property values to be cut in half overnight – and possibly forever? Not many. Combine that with a reduction of income or job loss and the results are devastating.

It’s the same with business. I work with companies that plow snow, and many of them just experienced a winter where revenues were 10-20% of normal. Could your business survive a similar reduction?

All of the leading cloud computing services offer 5 gigabytes of free space and charge for additional space thereafter. That is presumably how they expect to pay their bills.

If Google wanted to, they could easily up that free space to 50 or 100 gigabytes. Why would they do that?  In addition to the fact that they can, because keeping users within the Google ecosystem is advantageous. They can easily make up the difference elsewhere from the hundreds of other Google services.

These are changing times where we all should be considering what could be next, and even what if our plan B proves to not be a viable solution.

Then what?

What’s Next and What’s the Solution?

During the heady days of the dot.com boom, a friend of mine who worked in the financial services industry suggested that all stocks could go to zero. As ludicrous as this seemed, it pretty much proved to be true for many.

What could go to zero in your business or industry?

Is it possible that someone would be willing to do what you do for free?  Yes, it is.  As a professional speaker, I realize there are many aspiring speakers who would gladly accept an opportunity to speak for an audience just for the exposure.

While they may not be able to deliver the goods, there will undoubtedly be some meeting planners who will roll the dice. It happens – and it could happen to you if you are not ready to pivot.

It has been said that desperate times require desperate measures. Isn’t it better to prepare for whatever may be possible?

Pivoting should become part of your business planning – and not just during your annual strategic planning.  

My suggestion is to consider how digital can be part of either the problem or the solution. Accidents are unpredictable. Digital trends are not.

Stay tuned and I will do my best to lead you to the solutions that promise to keep your business relevant, viable, and profitable.

Get ready to pivot.

You may never have to, but I have a feeling you probably will. Look for a follow-up article here on best practices for preparing to do so. You may also wish to become a subscriber.

In the meantime, these recent articles offer an analysis of recent trends and some pragmatic ideas to consider:

Innovate or Die – The Race to the Top

Presentation Skills for Marketers

Social and Mobile are Universally Global

Leave a comment below and share this with your community using any of the share buttons below – or on the little red bar at the bottom of this page.

Until next time, Jeff

In your real life you are a stand up guy or gal who would never consider misleading anyone.

If that is true, then why are so many marketers still using the SEO manipulation tactics of old to trick Google into ranking their site more highly?

The word on the street is this is becoming increasingly risky because Google is going to be coming down hard on sites that are still gaming the system.

Let’s take a look at some of these tactics and why you will want to change your online marketing behaviors to stay in the good graces of Google – now and moving forward.

Inflated Keyword Density

Many local businesses serve not only their community, but an extended community of communities within a piece of geography that expands as they grow. Obviously, they want to single out those communities by naming them on their site to be sure they and Google both make the connection that they are ready and willing to serve them.

The spammy tactic that I’ve observed on many occasions is to list every single community, while associating it with a specific keyword phrase.

For example, instead of naming the communities served, there is a long list that looks something like this: Springfield Realtor, Centerville Realtor, etc. So, that page is stuffed with dozens of mentions of the targeted keyword phrase – realtor in this example.

This is exactly what Google is going to stamp out – for the simple reason that it looks spammy and is clearly manipulative.

Don’t do this.

Manipulative Internal Links

We have all experienced manipulative internal links. This is when the anchor text (text attached to the link) suggests a particular type of destination and the link leads to something completely different – such as a sales page or the home page of the site.

This type of manipulation is unnerving!  As a result, Google is sure to punish this type of behavior. Remember that the number one objective for Google is serving the user, someone that happens to be a human being.

If you are using SEO tactics to deceive your audience, you will not only irritate and lose them, you will encourage Google to minimize your site in search engine rankings.

Again, don’t do this.

Trading Links

It’s easy to succumb to the practice of trading links when you do not realize the larger ramifications.

A link is a vote of confidence, but when it is reciprocated that dilutes the recommendation. We see this everyday in politics. You contribute to my campaign fund and I’ll laud your business whenever possible. Unfortunately, the general public sees right through this.

And so does Google.

In fact, it is much easier for Google to recognize link trading because links are everything in the world of search. It’s nearly impossible for Google to miss this subtle practice – one that doesn’t make you a bad guy, but that nevertheless suggests a subtle attempt to manipulate the system.

In this case, manipulation may be too strong of a word.

Nevertheless, don’t do this.

A better approach is to play the game the way it was meant to be played. The following articles will help.

How to Prepare Your Business for Social Search

SEO for the Common Man 

How Google is Like a Third Grader

Leave a comment below and share this with your community using any of the share buttons below – or on the little red bar at the bottom of this page.

And if you are advanced with your SEO skills, head on over to SEOMoz and watch the ten minute video on this topic to learn more.

Until next time, Jeff

The positive focus practice is a simple exercise of rehearsing the successes of the previous week, acknowledging what worked (or didn’t), and then taking specific actions to enhance the positive and eliminating the negative – both for you, your team, and your customer.

Focus on What Matters

A traditional checklist typically associates the same priority to each and every item. Picking up your dry cleaning is given equal weight to returning a phone call to follow up on a potentially lucrative business lead.

Does that make any sense?

When you mentally rehearse the week and write down every positive accomplishment, you breathe new life into them – making it possible to progress to the next level.

It’s a powerful exercise.

When you get intensely focused on what matters in a positive way, it builds confidence that encourages future progress.

This is something a simple checklist cannot do for you. In fact, as your to-do list grows, it can actually become a demotivator. We all need checklists to keep our promises and manage the little things in life, but we also need something more to achieve those big goals that build the confidence that sustains our efforts.

A positive focus practice is not only a tool for motivation, it is one for organizing and focusing your talents where they are most likely to produce higher value results.

Build Productive Habits

Checklists tend to emphasize and reward busyness, whereas a positive focus practice emphasizes practical business results. There is a big difference between the two.

Everyone gets caught up in the activities of the moment. This is in fact a very good thing when your present moment awareness is focused on high value activities.

To enhance productivity, you need to build the habit of focusing on what matters, as well as the next steps for progressively accomplishing the desired goal or objective.

A weekly positive focus is going to keep you aligned with the right activities. The net result is you will stay on track with what matters most. If you happen to occasionally lose your focus, as we all do, you will be much more aware of what is necessary to get back on track.

The best time to do your positive focus will depend upon you and your business. It’s personal.

It is common to take some time on Friday afternoon to recap the week, which is why I am publishing this article at this time. However, I personally prefer to naturally find the right time on the weekend when I am refreshed, relaxed, and mentally ready to build my plans for upcoming next.

Find what works best for you.

Transform Negative Experiences

In addition to helping you focus on the important things that matter, the positive focus practice helps you to transform and move on from negative experiences.

Negative experiences can actually be highly productive. These are opportunities for learning that effectively help you make the progress you know is within your capabilities. It’s easy to view unfavorable results as mistakes, however, that is what they are only if you do not learn from them.

Last week I took specific actions to amend an unfavorable result. What I learned not only helped me to move on from it, but also to better prepare future clients for what they can expect from my business.

This is a lesson for all of us. Businesses only succeed when the respective responsibilities of the business or enterprise and the customer or client are absolutely clear.

Regardless of what you may call it, business is a collaborative partnership – one that benefits from mutual accountability and a positive focus on what matters most for the respective parties.

How about you? Will a weekly positive focus enhance your business results?

Leave a comment below and share this with your community using any of the share buttons below – or on the little red bar at the bottom of this page.

Until next time, Jeff

 Photo Credit: Master Isolated Images

Whether you are looking for a job, more customers, or business alliances, LinkedIn can prove to be an invaluable resource – provided you take advantage of its full capabilities.

While many simply use LinkedIn as their digital business card, it offers capabilities that can transform that business card into a multi-media website for accomplishing business objectives.

The following video walks you through 7 secrets for getting more from LinkedIn.  It is just over 4 minutes and moves pretty fast, so the checklist below with additional information will also prove to be helpful in implementing these specific techniques.

#1 – Use Appropriate Keywords – In your heading and title.

When it comes to searching LinkedIn, most people consider their heading to be synonymous with their title. However, you can creatively use keywords in your heading to be more findable for multiple skills, areas of expertise, and audiences.

#2 – Be Diligent About Updating Your LinkedIn Connections

To maximize your benefit from all of the social networking sites you have to accurately describe who you are to create an accurate social graph. This means effectively mirroring your offline and online networks.

#3 – Link to Your Websites with Anchor Text Keywords

LinkedIn gives you a link to up to three websites or pages, and most people easily comply by filling in the blanks with their company websites, personal website, or blog. However, those links can be modified with keywords that make them much more valuable. The trick is using the “other” category to enable that option.

#4 – Add Video to Your Profile to Make it Come Alive

There are two applications for adding video to your LinkedIn profile.  In 3 Powerful LinkedIn Profile Tips I show how this is done with Google Presentations.  This worked very well for a period of time, but then issues developed.  For that reason, I switched to using the Slideshare App.  The only problem is Slideshare shows your most recent presentation, so you may have to reload to keep the one you want on your LinkedIn profile.

#5 – Tag Your Skills and Expertise

While tagging your skills and expertise does not seem to make a significant difference with LinkedIn search, it certainly can’t hurt to keep them current. It may be the deciding factor for someone who has already found you on LinkedIn.

#6 – Tag and Filter Connections to Build Relationships

Asking for a favor when you just meet someone is not smart networking.  Thus, tagging connections so that you can share useful information when it presents itself is a great way to build mutually beneficial relationships over time.

#7 – Make Notes to Remember Important Details and Opportunities

In The Start-Up of You, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman makes an important point: “It’s better to be the best connected than the most connected.”

Virtually everyone has more than 500 LinkedIn connections, but how well are you using them to advance your career or business? Take action – make notes of those relevant opportunities and follow up.

As a bonus, I also describe in 3 Invaluable LinkedIn Tips how I acknowledge ever new connection.  It takes a few extra seconds, but its one more way to differentiate yourself from others who are just collecting more connections.

Which one of these 7 secrets will you use to get more from LinkedIn?

Leave a comment below and share this with your community using any of the share buttons below – or on the little red bar at the bottom of this page.

Until next time, Jeff

Buyers are always seeking easy solutions – it’s human nature. And businesses often succeed by offering solutions that are simple.

It’s not uncommon to consider easy and simple to be one in the same.

However, when it comes to producing results for your customers, there can be a world of difference between the two.

Easy Works Only if You Are Honest

The classic example of being an easy choice for your prospects is to offer a lower price. Unfortunately, this is a tactic that is easily matched, and one that leads to a downward spiral, one in which the quality or breadth of service has to be compromised. Otherwise, you are out of business.

It’s easy to give your customers what they want, but you cannot compromise your integrity by not giving them what they truly need. 

It’s also easy to tell your customers what they want to hear, but doing so is to devalue your expertise. How many times in your business have you achieved something remarkable with little effort?  Exactly, and that holds true for your customers or clients.

You can be easy to work with, but that requires more work on your part – more research, planning, and better execution.

You can build a better business model by being easy to work with – but you also have to be honest with yourself and your customer about what cannot and should not be compromised to accomplish their objectives.

Simplicity is What Your Customers Want

Steve Jobs was fond of using an expression to describe Apple’s products – “It just works!”

Apple became the most profitable company in the world by sweating the details of function and design to create technology products that simply work. 

Is that possible in your business? Maybe, but only after establishing practices that are the result of trial and error – work that is necessary to find the best methods and practices that are right for your business.

If your business is like mine, you have to deal with competitors that promise the easy solution to just set it and forget it and everything will work out fine. Educated consumers know that is fantasy.

Your job and mine is to help them understand.

If you are a content creator you are probably familiar with the following statement by Blaise Pascal (often attributed to Mark Twain): I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.

It takes time and effort to create a concise and complete message. And it’s the same with virtually every other business endeavor.

Work at seeking simplicity and you will build a successful business or practice.

It’s easy if you are prepared to do the work. As others have said, “It has taken me 25 years to become an overnight success.”

Go easy, but do the work.

It’s a simple process.

Leave a comment below and share this with your community using any of the share buttons below – or on the little red bar at the bottom of this page.

Until next time, Jeff

Photo Credit:  Saad.Akhtar