Good day, sir! A great Monday to you as well ol’ chap.

I like Key & Peele and I like workplace competition.

But most of all, I’d say I like exotic facial grooming styles, specifically how they can be applied in the corporate world for wheeling and dealing, thrills and spills.

You know you have a guy in your office like this, and if you don’t – share the video, and soon you will.

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Give Out Promotional Items

One of the best ways to stimulate interest in your brand is to give away some promotional items. For every new client, customer, or employee that comes through your door, give something out with your logo on it. T-shirts, pens, coffee mugs, hats, and note pads are all great ways to give your logo a tangible existence, and having something that can be physically touched and carried away increases your chances of spreading the word. When that person wears the t-shirt with your name on it, especially if you have an eye-catching logo, there’s no telling how many people are going to take notice and become curious about the meaning behind it. Promotional items really do work for getting people to ask what your logo means, and opening up communication about your company is a vital first step.

Print It

Believe it or not, people still read print publications, and you could really be selling yourself short by limiting yourself to solely advertising online. Having your logo in the newspaper is going to increase awareness about your services or products, and the good news is that print advertising is cheap, and for some alternative or community newspapers, even free. It’s well worth the minimal effort required, and remember, any exposure is good exposure.

Utilize Bulletin Boards and Business Cards

The lack of attention span from people really can come in handy; human minds race a million miles a second and they’re constantly looking for something to pay attention to. For this reason, bulletin boards still have some leverage for marketing yourself, and while you’re not going to want to spend your whole budget using this approach, it can be useful for grabbing the attention of impatient folks waiting in line at the grocery store or sitting in a waiting room. It’s a cheap and fast marketing strategy, and it’s one of the few businesses decisions that can only help and never hurt. Hang up a few of your business cards with all of your contact information in a few public places, and you might be a surprised that it actually gets some calls coming in.

Host a Fundraiser

Community involvement is a great idea for any small business, and showing that you’re a compassionate and caring company can really help you create a positive public image. Pick a cause you feel is important (renewable energy, animal rights, domestic violence awareness, etc.), and advertise your fundraiser by handing out fliers and advertising in the newspaper and local radio (and yes, online). Having your logo on a flier next to an important cause is a great association for the subconscious mind to make (plus it makes for a great blog update to put on your website).

Try Your Hand at Ambient Advertising

Sometimes to really make something stand out, it has to be placed in the location you’d least expect, and that’s exactly what ambient advertising does. Hiring a graffiti artist to (legally) tag a building, creating 3D chalk art on the sidewalk, and building a creative sculpture are all effective ways other businesses have marketed their logos and companies. This type of advertising is not as subtle as the other approaches; in fact, it only works because it’s a complete in-your-face method that demands attention. See what your company can come up with, and get as creative as you can. This doesn’t have to be a regular tactic for you, but it’s a good opportunity to try something new and maybe even bring in a new wave of customers.

It’s reasonable to want to put the weight of your marketing efforts online, but at the same time, it’s important to avoid putting all of your eggs in one basket. The physical world still has its redeeming qualities in terms of getting your company recognized, and a key factor in generating interest in what your company is offering is to diversify the sources of where it’s being discovered.

Written by Julie Hartwell

Julie Hartwell is a freelance writer who loves anything to do with the arts, design, and fashion. When she’s not embarking on her own creative adventures, she writes about custom t-shirt printing for Blue Cotton.

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Could probably do without the mounted horse head, though.

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Motivation can be the most difficult thing to do as a manager.  You can always tell a person to “have a good attitude and work hard” but telling people to do something does not ensure that they will actually do it.  Motivation comes from more than just a mission statement.  The secret is not in motivating a person; it is in encouraging them to motivate themselves.

Communication

People thrive on communication in the workplace.  One of the most common complaints when something goes wrong is “Nobody told me.”  In an age where text messaging or intra-office chat programs are commonplace we are overlooking the importance of direct person to person communication.

It is very easy to disconnect from the humanity of office work when we’re surrounded by technology that separates us from each other.  The problem with this disconnect is that it can create distance and work as a de-motivator in employee morale.  People may begin to feel ignored and if they feel that they are forgotten about their performance will begin to reflect this.

Don’t take this as a call to immediately ban any form on impersonal communication.  Instead take it as a call to make sure that you take the time to engage in personal communication.  This helps employees realize that they are not forgotten about which will improve their performance and their professional esteem.

Feedback

Proper feedback is very important as well for keeping a person motivated.  It would be nice if the only thing you had to say about a team member were uplifting and positive statements, but the truth is sometimes even a good team member performs poorly.  Proper constructive feedback and criticisms are important for maintaining employee morale.

There is a method sometimes referred to as the “feedback sandwich” where you lead with a positive comment, state your negative, and end with a positive comment.  This can be a very effective method for making sure that people leave a conversation without feeling like complete failures.

When you offer a negative critique of a person do not do so without a suggestion for improvement.  It is easier for an employee to accept criticism if they know that their leadership is there willing to help them improve.  If a worker receives only negative criticism without the help or offer of ways to improve they will feel criticized and abandoned.  At best it negatively affects their performance, at worst they will look for another job, and then you have lost an employee that may have had the potential to become better if you had offered help.

Lead By Example

An old army buddy of mine once told me that the platoon leaders they respected the most were the ones who served in the enlisted ranks before they became officers, and less respect for college graduates who earned their officer status simply because they had a degree.  They respected them because the soldiers who climbed the ranks to become officers were not afraid of getting back into the thick of work with the men that served under them.

These feelings of respect are often shared by people that work in office environments as well.  A leader that came from the ranks or a leader that isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty and work doing the same tasks they are asking their team members to do is one that is going to earn the loyalty and respect of their members.

Never ask your team to do something that you are not prepared to do yourself.  A manager that tells his employees they have to come in on a Saturday when he has no plans to be there himself is going to come in on a Monday to find out that nothing got done and that everyone is angry at him.

You don’t always have to be right there with your team.  A separation of management and team members is important, but always be ready to jump in and help someone that needs it.  Being ready to help your team will result in them appreciating your leadership style more, and it will also help you understand how your team is working and help you identify strengths and weaknesses.

The best leaders work with their team and lead with their team.  By doing this you have a closer control on the attitudes and motivations of your team and are taking the right approach to being a better, stronger, and more motivational leader.

Written by Dennis Aimes

Dennis Aimes is a writer and insurance advisor with AAMI income protection insurance for Australians.

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The short answer is “absolutely”, and the long answer is described in the chart below.

I’m just happy dark chocolate made it to the list of brain-loving foods.

[Source: Compliance and Safety]

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Lower Costs

A virtual office works by providing you with a business address in a building that you share with other company owners. None of your staff actually work there; rather it is used for taking calls and sending mail so your company looks like it has a presence in a region when it actually doesn’t. By utilising one of these locales, you can lower or completely eliminate:

• Rental fees for a physical office

• Paying for maintenance and cleaning

• Buying furniture and equipment

You can also save on tax since you mostly hire independent contractors who have to deal with their own taxation rates. One drawback of these virtual offices is that your communication costs may be higher as you talk to people via phone and email instead of in person. The savings you make elsewhere will more than make up for these added fees however.

More Flexibility

Since you won’t be renting a physical setting, your employees can now operate from home, doing their daily tasks in a more comfortable, less rigid environment. Rather than paying people for the time they spend in the workplace, you’ll now be rewarding them for what they achieve. By renting a regus office room that’s virtual, you’ll then switch your focus from quantity to quality, giving your employees more incentive to do an excellent job while letting them conduct it at their own pace. This will also save your staff time and money as they don’t have to commute to work each day. By giving yourself and your employees some added flexibility through one of these distance offices, you’ll enhance productivity and morale as well. This will then translate into extra profits as you receive higher quality work that takes far less effort to actually provide.

Access to Greater Talent

One main issue with working from a brick-and-mortar office is that you are limited in those you can hire. Basically, you’re stuck with applicants in the local area and having to pick and choose from this limited pool may result in a substandard team. By working through a virtual office, you eliminate this issue as everyone operates via the internet anyway. The amount of telecommuting job vacancies reflects this trend as more and more people choose to work online instead of in a physical workplace. For example, your accountant could be in London, your graphics designer in Sydney and your web developer in Los Angeles. All of these individuals can then work together through their high speed internet connection, giving a superior product despite the long distances. Your virtual office will still remind people of your business presence while all of the above is going on as well.

Written by Sarah Miah

Sarah Miah is a writer for Regus, a top service provider of regus office room in over 600 cities around the globe. They cater to about a million customers each day, working and flexing their products and services to suit every single client.

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Then I found out I needed a job.

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“I should have prepared more.”

We all know the first day on a new job can be intimidating. And if that job includes getting on live television, we imagine the pressure must be intense.

Well, imagine might be the wrong word now that we have some documented proof of what kind of pressure you face. We’re talking about former Bismarck, North Dakota KFYR anchor A.J. Clemente.

A.J. stumbled out of the gate with a “f**k this s**t” bomb as the telecast was starting. It only got slightly better after that. And by slightly, we mean his next sequence of words did not include profanities (notice we didn’t use the word sentence).

Watch for yourself:

A.J. was fired after his debut. Hopefully he’s not locked into a crazy lease in Bismarck. At least he seems to be taking it in stride:

Find #teamAJ a job

— A.J. Clemente (@ClementeAJ) April 22, 2013

If we may offer one tidbit of advice: the next time you have a first day, ask your co-anchor what they plan to ask you out of the gate — and prepare an answer.

Good luck, A.J.

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April 24 is Administrative Professionals Day, and in honor of the event Staples ran a survey contest last week (hopefully you had a chance to participate). They asked admins to chime in about their work, corporate life, and relationship with their companies, with a $50 gift card prize going to one lucky participant.

#CelebrateAdmins Survey Results

The Staples Survey results are in, and you might be surprised at some of the findings:

• Admins are nearly twice as better than the boss at boosting employee morale
• Two-thirds of non-admin respondents report the admin is the biggest team player in the office (66% vs. 49.6% for the boss)
• Admins are the most trusted office employee, ahead of the boss (32.3%) and human resources (11.1%)
• Admin loyalty is far reaching, with one-third saying they have “covered up” for their boss, and 1 out of 5 reporting this happens on a weekly basis or more
• 70 percent of admins say the number of people they support has increased over 212.
• More than half of all respondents report the office administrator is under-compensated.

#CelebrateAdmins Twitter Party Details

Staples is also hosting a #CelebrateAdmins Twitter party on 4/24, from 1-2pm EST. The party will be co-hosted by blogger Melinda Emerson of Small Biz Lady and Vera Sweeney of Lady and the Blog, with contribution from Lindsey Holder of The Savvy Assistant.

So mark those calendars and get your hashtags ready – should be a great time to laugh, learn, and vent.

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Laughing Way Too Hard at Your Boss’s Jokes

Who doesn’t love it when their boss cracks a joke in the middle of a long work day? It immediately lightens the mood and gets some positive momentum going through the office, and when your boss is in a good mood, it allows everyone to feel a little more at ease. It’s alright to smile and chuckle along with the crowd, but if you’re howling with laughter that echoes over everyone else’s, tone it down. That kind of behavior is obvious, and employers will see right through it.

Analyzing and Commenting on Other Employees’ Work

It’s your boss’s job to analyze and critique the work and behavior of employees, not yours. Employers won’t be impressed if you come to them after work with a list of who showed up late, took an extra-long lunch, or is falling behind on a deadline. That kind of attitude should be reserved for an elementary school, and if anything, having to pick flaws in other workers can signal to your employer that you’re insecure and unsatisfied with your own accomplishments; making other people look bad won’t make your efforts look any more impressive.

Boasting About Your Own Efforts

If you’re doing a good job, trust that your employer will recognize that, and stay away from boasting or elaborating about your achievements. Your boss doesn’t need to be told how great your work is; your efforts should speak for themselves. Keep in mind that quiet confidence often stretches much further than arrogance does.

Giving Too Many Compliments

Complimenting your boss on a new haircut or a snazzy tie is alright in moderation, but avoid making it an everyday event. Compliments are nice to receive, but they can be borderline unprofessional if it’s too habitual. While it’s true that it does depend largely on your boss’s personality type, compliments are meant to be genuine, and a forced one always comes across as contrived.

Agreeing with Everything Your Boss Says

Being cooperative and easy to work with is a great trait for an employee, but being a robotic brownnoser is not. Employees are often more impressed with a worker who challenges the way things are done (in a polite and professional way of course) rather than someone who blindly follows the herd. A forward thinker who is constantly suggesting more efficient ways to get things done is much more likely to leave a positive imprint and advance to future leadership roles.

Building a satisfying relationship with your employer isn’t a difficult task to handle, and instead of trying to force it, allow things to unfold naturally. The only real way you’re going to impress your employer is if you’re confident in yourself and your abilities; as long as you’re reliable, good at what you do, and have a positive attitude coming into work, you’ll have a solid foundation to work off. There is nothing complicated about it.

Written by Arlene Chandler

Arlene Chandler is a freelance writer who loves helping people prepare for life’s unexpected turns. She currently writes about finance tips, career advice, and income protection insurance (Suncorp).

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