The Road Map

Special V.I.P. Session with LES BROWN

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:34:00 +0000

Les Brown in action!

Has Success Eluded You Because You Eluded Failure?

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:51:00 +0000

Has success eluded you because you eluded failure? The Great Leadership blog posted an interesting article on the topic of failure. Read it. Let me know what your thoughts are on the list

7 tips for speaking up in meetings

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:41:00 +0000

Speak Schmeak: 7 tips for speaking up in meetings: "Meetings. We hate them, yet we have to go to them. There are too many, yet not enough. We even call them ourselves from time to time. And th..."

How Can I Fill Seats in My Seminars & Workshops

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:02:00 +0000

I thought you might enjoy this clip. You've put the work into planning a seminar (and the dollars). Now, make sure you have a plan to get people into the room. Give people a reason to show up!

Connect with the audience

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:15:00 +0000

Delivering a seminar program is a great way to promote your business. Before presenting you may want to do a little homework. My coach emailed me a list of questions that he felt would be useful when planning a strategy to connect with the audience. Plus this information will help you fill those seats.

Great list of questions:
1. Why are you interested in having me speak to your group?

2. What are the main interest areas of the audience? What is their pain?

3. Do they prefer lectures, discussions or group presentations?

4. What other programs have the organization sponsored over the past year?

5. What program received the most positive response? Why?

6. What was the least successful program? Why?

7. What is the audience expecting?

8. What does the audience already know about (your topic)?

9. Do they have opinions about (your topic), pro and con?

10. Will there be people in the audience who have international experience? If so, what kinds of experience?

11. How will my product or service benefit the group?

Oh yeah, here is a must ask question: What type of organization is it and what activities does it normally sponsor?

The Seminar Marketing Formula: How To Get The Butts In The Seats Of Your Next Workshop Or Seminar

All the best!

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Mon, 30 May 2011 14:56:00 +0000

Task manager or people manager? Is there room for both in the organization?

Always the one looking for interesting article, I came across the article on the subject of management. The author brings up several good points that owners should think about.

Here's an excerpt from the article:

Many organizations fail to differentiate these subtle points. A shepherd cannot be given the responsibility of running a sheep farm. Running a sheep farm is a different ball game altogether when compared to taking the sheep for just grazing and brining them back to the shed.

Read "Who is the ideal manager..."

10 Ways to Get More Candid Feedback (and 5 ways if you really can’t handle the truth)

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Mon, 30 May 2011 02:09:00 +0000

Looking to get more candid feedback? Dan McCarthy has posted 10 ways to get the feedback you need. The list includes:
#1 Ask a recruiter
#2 Take an assessment test

Jump over to Dan's blog to read the entire list. If you are brave and really want that honest feedback you crave, check out #10 on his list.
Let me know what you think.

Got Drama?

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Sun, 29 May 2011 21:21:00 +0000

Got drama? If you do, or know someone else that has drama in their life....check out this article.
Leading Blog: A Leadership Blog: Got Drama?

Finding new customers

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Sun, 29 May 2011 02:03:00 +0000

85% of small business owners say their top method for finding customers is - a website (eMarketer). Read the report to see the ranking list of tools used by small business owners.

For Small-Business Marketers, Are Fewer Channels Better? - eMarketer

Need a "Culture" tune-up?

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Sun, 29 May 2011 01:39:00 +0000

A few years ago, I read a book that I cannot get out of my mind. (Read my review of "Delivering Happiness"). Even while delivering a number of presentations discussing company culture, the topic turns to "Delivering Happiness”, written by Tony Hsieh. The book serves as an inspiration to those who would like to create a great work environment.

I have one question for you--would you enjoy working in this environment?

Zappos Family Music Video

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Sun, 29 May 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Well, would you ENJOY working in this environment?

p.s. Did you have a copy of Zappos' free culture book?

CEOs can learn from Lady Gaga?

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Fri, 27 May 2011 06:55:00 +0000

Martin Kupp, a professor at the European School of Management and Technology, believes Lady Gaga has tapped into the power of social media. Kupp says Lady Gaga understands the old traditional ways of marketing are not enough.

Lady Gaga uses social media to interact, connect and bond with her "little monsters" (Lady Gaga tagged her fans with this name). Read the article here - Lady Gaga News - Yahoo! Music

Enjoy the power

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:04:00 +0000

God gave us the tools to achieve our dreams. Mired in disbelief, we have trouble embracing the power of His gift. Years ago, I had co-worker who bought a brand new Toyota. A couple of days later his car wouldn’t accelerate. He’d press the gas pedal but the "thing" would only move at a turtle pace.

After a day of frustrations with his new car, he finally drove the “thing” back to the dealer. After explaining his situation, a service member hopped in the car to take a test drive. The car was barely moving as he drove off. Suddenly, the car was cruising normally. What happened? My friend had been driving around with the emergency brake engaged.

Sounds a little like life? Let's all release the "emergency brake" and enjoy the power we were given.

The impact of Technology on Society - Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Sun, 22 May 2011 07:02:00 +0000

Social Media has made a huge impact on business and society. Can business owners responsibly ignore social media and its power factor? One study reports 1 in 5 online users read comments posted on social media (web 2.0) sites.

That means anything we post online will most likely be read by others. So it's to our advantage to play by the social media rules. Check out the video discussing how social media is impacting businesses.

Be sure to check out these additional resources: Social Media Slide Show, The Impact of Social Media in the Workplace,

What are your customers saying behind your back?

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:56:00 +0000

What company do you admire? I admire Progressive (and my insurance agent Ken McKinley) because of their customer focused attitude. I get the feeling that I’m more than a “number” to the organization. Plus, I just love Progressive's wacky commercials.

Take a look at Progressive's vision:

We seek to be an excellent, innovative, growing, and enduring business by cost-effectively and profitably reducing the human trauma and economic costs of auto accidents and other mishaps, and by building a recognized, trusted, admired, business-generating brand. We seek to maximize shareholder value and to provide a positive environment that attracts quality people who develop and achieve ambitious growth plans.

It's easy to write about the people you do business with -- when they provide great customer service. Are your customer's writing good things about you?

The No. 1 Reason Why Good Managers Fail to Become Great | BNET

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 09:04:00 +0000

Don't let a good thing get in the way of a great thing. This article was on-target.

The No. 1 Reason Why Good Managers Fail to Become Great BNET

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 12:51:00 +0000

I just finished reading a copy of Tony Hsieh's new book Delivering Happiness. Let me tell you, once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. It took me two evenings to devour Hsieh's book.

The book was great for me because it was written in a conversational tone with easy to digest chapters. And those chapters were busting at the seams with Tony's lessons learned and roller coaster experiences. For example, chapter four talks about Tony's (Zappos) struggle to raise funding and the "out-of-the-box" actions he took to save his company.

Another plus for the book. Today, customer value is more important than ever. Consumers are limiting their spending so companies must find ways to add value. This is the true nugget in the book for me.

Customer service is often dismissed as a value building strategy. But Tony (Zappos) highlights how having passion and a purpose to serve the customer leads to profits--and happiness.

I also enjoyed the fact that Tony included copies of actual emails he sent to his team. I'm a show me guy so the emails help me envision what was happening.

The book is a must read.

Book Template

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:42:00 +0000

Dan Poynter, author and publisher, has a site loaded with information on writing a book. Looking to write one yourself? I found this book template at his Parapublishing.com site.

25 Simple Ways To Earn Trust

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:57:00 +0000

I've been preparing for an upcoming seminar geared towards new managers. So while searching a few key sites, I came across this article- 25 Simple Ways To Earn Trust. What's striking about this article is the simplicity of the list.

Sometimes managers look for magic formulas and complex equations. But it's the little things that help us earn trust. Like saying "please", "thank you", and "excuse me." What are thoughts on the simple ways?

Earning Trust is a Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 06:31:00 +0000

While talking with my best friend the topic of how to earn trust came up. More specifically how long does it take to earn trust. We didn't come to a final answer but we did agree you'd know when you had it.

A few weeks ago my wife and I visited our favorite lunch spot-Cheddars-for a quick meal. The stars must have aligned perfectly because there no wait. However, the stars began falling out of place when were seated.

Our table was sticky, wet and just down right dirty. Because we liked the seats we just asked for a clean up. The server cleaned our table with passion, got our drinks and took our meal order. What does this have to do with trust?

Five years ago when we first visited the restaurant, we received exceptional service. The server was friendly, the tables were sparkling and the restrooms were clean. Of course the food was great. That night the restaurant earned our trust. We returned to Cheddars at least twice a month after that night. And each time we returned our trust level grew.

Cheddars earned our trust because they delivered on their promises. They promised great service, a friendly waitstaff and good food at a value.

So despite the one occasion my wife and I experienced a not so clean table at Cheddars, they still had our trust. We knew that some days can be "off" days.

This applies to us with our customers and clients. If we build trust and continue to work at it, our customers are willing to work with us when we make mistakes. I believe earning trust is a journey-yeah, you may have it but keep building on what you have.

What are You Revealing on Facebook?

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 08:30:00 +0000

There has been an explosion of leaders and presenters using Facebook to promote themselves. Today over 250 Million people use the site. You may even be one of them. If not, you surely must be active with some other social media site? Right?

Social media is a great tool to promote YOU. Plus--many of your clients are active on these trendy social media sites.

If you are on FB or another social media site, check out this CBS Money Watch article on 6 things you should never reveal on Facebook..

Must-Try Marketing Maneuvers - Forbes.com

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:51:00 +0000

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Getting the message out to the public about the benefits our products and services is paramount. The big question is -- how do we do this and not spend a bundle. Must-Try Marketing Maneuvers - Forbes.com lists low-cost tips to help you market your product or service.

Here are a few of my favorite points with my own commentary:

1. Stick to a Shtick
Focus.Focus.Focus. Years back when I launched my first venture, I started out with the focus to build one brand, but eventually my focus branched out. I went from a premium, high quality boutique strategy to a low coast, "everyone is in my target market strategy." It didn't work.

2. Turn customer into stars.
When I experience a great product or service, I like to tell folks about it. When FedEx Office helps me to present star quality material, I tell my entire network about FedEx Office.

3. Work the press
We have to help others see the value in what we offer.

To read the entire list, see marketing.

Motivational Speaker Stereotypes

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 04:09:00 +0000

Are you an TMI speaker, OTT speaker, or HTLP speaker?

Read Copyguy100's article to find out more.

Value and the Member

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:56:00 +0000

In the competitive landscape today, it's important to know what value your member organization is delivering. As my mentor says, if you don't know what value you are delivering, how can you relay this to the member.

I read a great post on the topic at the Membership Marketing Blog. Check out the discussion.

The Growing Concern over Membership Value: "“Are we delivering the value members want?” It is a common question that I hear from clients these days. Value seems to be the top issue on ..."

Who Says You Have to Deliver Boring Presentations?

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Bland) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:32:00 +0000

It’s 9:00 am Tuesday morning. In a half hour you have a big meeting with the executive team to discuss your project. But you’re not really looking forward to delivering the presentation before the group.

You reflect on how terrible you performed at the last review meeting--boring your audience to death. You can still see the images of everyone constantly checking their watches. Let's not bring up the sighs and whispers.

You take one last opportunity to review your notes and handouts from the How to Deliver Winning Presentations workshop. You see the letters WIIFM scribbled on your notepad, recalling the heavy emphasis the trainer placed on these letters. You gain some confidence.

WIIFM (What's In It For Me) simply means tuning into the audience's needs and wants.

The clock hits 9: 45am, and you’re feeling invincible and charged up because the coaching you received at that presentation skills seminar gave you the tools you needed to keep your audience engaged and informed.

Next, you gather your presentation package and bolt out the door, down the hall to the meeting room with the big leather chairs. You step inside, greeting the meeting participants with a big handshake and a smile.

You acknowledge a small personal victory--remembering past times when you’d take a quick seat and blend in with the furniture. This time is different though. You are tuned into WIIFM.

Charged up and ready to go, you even make small talk with the new VP Engineering. You are focused on your audience instead of trying to remember your lines.

Fifteen minutes into the meeting you are called up for your presentation. During your opening introduction, the participants move to the edges of their seat.

They also laugh at your intended humourous line. You’re rolling. They are engaged. Why? Because your confidence is magnetic and you are tuned into WIIFM.

You think to yourself, “If only every presentation could be like this…Why, I just might get promoted."

86% of business professionals believe they are effective presenters…Only 17% of their audiences agreed (Leader's Voice). What is your audience saying about you?

Sizzle during your next presentation. Don't settle. Get a coach! Take action!