David Sanders asked:


 

To attract potential clients, smart small business owners make their personal image work for them. They are aware of how they look to other people. It is good to ask yourself, “Do I look like someone my potential clients would want to do business with?

 

A well known plumbing company actually promotes their services by marketing the image of their plumbers. Their ads tell potential customers that their plumbers never show up greasy or dirty. Just that promise tells the customer they won’t have to contend with grease spots on carpets, black marks on walls or residue on doorknobs. It also means the plumber that enters their home will not be wearing dirty overalls. By association, people feel that a non-messy worker is going to do a more professional job. This is an example of turning mage to advantage.

 

Most people judge us by how we look and especially by what we wear. When I started as a business consultant back in the 1970’s, I didn’t have a clue about this, and what I wore was not appropriate for a business consultant. In fact, I was wearing clothes that my dear ol’ Texas mom had chosen for me, and she didn’t have particularly good taste. I was wearing a chocolate brown double-knit suit with a cowboy cut. I had bright peach-color polyester shirts and polyester ties with a knot the size of a fist.

 

I could tell I was getting no respect, so I grew a beard. Still no improvement. So my girlfriend took me down to the garment district in Los Angeles and picked out a maroon suit to make me really stylish. I was sure something to look at, but it made it really hard to gain acceptance as a business consulting expert.

 

For example, one Friday afternoon I got my (small) paycheck and ran down to Crocker bank on Western Avenue in Los Angeles to deposit it. The bank had just closed so I knocked at the glass door. The guard inside took one glance at me and turned his back on me without opening the door. Maybe this kind of thing has happened to you, too.

 

During the following week Tom, a fellow consultant, showed me a newly published book by John T. Malloy called Dress for Success. I avidly read Malloy’s carefully surveyed data on what your clothes communicate to others. I started to apply it on my extremely limited budget. I went to the Salvation Army Thrift store and bought 2 silk ties and pieced together the best business look I could.

 

The following Friday, same time, I rushed to the same bank with the same small paycheck. This time the same guard took one look at the new, improved me, unlocked the door and invited me in after the bank had closed, like I was a big shot! The only thing that had changed was how I looked. (I was thankful that the gray color of the bank door glass made my maroon suit look gray.)

 

Years later I suggested to a friend who sold supplies to beauty shops that he get some good suits like I had. He discovered that conservative business suits are the wrong look to sell glamour. You have to look at the successful people in your field and get whatever survey data you can find about their image. Suits are not always the right image.

 

What you wear in social situations can make the same kind of difference and help you get ahead in other ways. Pick a look that communicates who you are. How much money do you want to make? You need to look the part. Really, it makes a difference. Try it.

 

Copyright© 2009 Creative Business Strategies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Rebecca

David Sanders asked:


Over the past three years, my firm has done considerable research on the opinions held, and the strategies employed, by financial advisors. Our research covers a full range of RIAs and CFP® professionals. Most recently, to understand the effects of this watershed recession on financial advisors, I had my staff conduct a comprehensive survey during and following the NAPFA Practice Management and Technology Management Conference in Las Vegas in late October, 2008.

Survey Backdrop

Just as I was preparing to walk onstage at the St. Regis in Aspen, CO on Sept. 15, 2008 to present the practice management keynote address for CapWest Securities’ annual Sales and Compliance Conference, the attendees were rocked by giants falling. Every newspaper provided to the attendees by the luxurious resort boldly announced that Lehman, Merrill Lynch, and AIG, three of the biggest names in the financial world, were crashing.

While I had been expecting such events for over a year, the stunned looks on the faces and the befuddled comments whispered among the crowd were reminiscent of the Day of Infamy, December 7, 1941, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Disaster had befallen us, and the offices of America’s financial planners were right on battleship row at the center of the action.

It matters little whether this is the result of markets innocently gone wrong, massive political, corporate and bureaucratic bungling, or a nefarious conspiracy by financial titans to centralize the entire world’s banking power in their hands. Financial bombshells are continuing to fall, doing injury to our clients, our peers, and even to some of us personally.

Against this backdrop, I wanted to discover what effect our current crisis is having on financial advisors. What are they doing in the face of battle? How does this compare to the classic strategies they should be employing? Have the current tumultuous market conditions confirmed the validity of classic strategies, or have they turned conventional wisdom on its head?

Importantly, how many planners are using today’s highly visible investor dissatisfaction as their marketing opportunity of the decade? How are their clients reacting to current market gyrations? What would have happened if more investors had searched out skilled financial advisors? This was a completely anonymous survey done so that there would be no way to trace any answers to any particular industry professional to make sure that the answers were as candid as possible.

Summary survey results are provided and analyzed below.

Q1. What effects have the recent tumultuous market conditions had on you?

Analysis: A full 71 percent of the advisors surveyed say they are working twice as hard as they used to do because of the current market scene, and of those, at least half are feeling strained by it. These advisors are reaching out to their clientele because they want to stabilize them and to keep them from doing anything rash. Some of those surveyed were personally very affected by the emotional turmoil expressed by their clients and the pressures accompanying investment losses. A much smaller percentage had their attention on their own reduced revenue. A minority claimed that the situation had no effect.

Q2. How have your clients reacted to recent market gyrations?

Analysis: Advisors reported nearly a 50/50 split of clients panicking vs. those who aren’t. It is questionable if this is due to differences in how different advisors are handling their clients, but it appears that many advisors have bolstered their image with clients as a result of how they have handled the crisis. In almost every case, it is clear that advisors realize that it is important to be visible and to show they are there to help. Most advisors said they carried out a rigorous client-services campaign as the market was falling, but many advisors admitted that they were less than skilled in dealing with it.

Q3. How have these adverse market conditions affected your firm?

Analysis: The strain of the chaos is showing up as inefficiencies in the day-to-day activities of some firms. Generally, advisors saw this as a time to put the brakes on expansion. A small number of advisors gravitated toward increased marketing to dig themselves out and continue to expand their firms.

Q4. What decisions have you made about your financial planning practice as a result of recent events?

Analysis: Of all the questions, this got the most varied answers, with different financial planners focusing on very different areas, or no area at all. As evidence of their overall conservative tone, more than half see no cause for decisions of any kind and are not noticeably shaken—but they are watchful and cautious. Smaller numbers (fairly evenly divided) have reaffirmed their purpose, resolved to increase service and efficiency, are embarking on marketing plans, or are pulling back to ride out the rough times ahead. There is no consensus on the best way to proceed.

Q5. Do you see any opportunities for yourself from the current problems in the markets and their effects on financial planners?

a. If so, what?

b. If not, why not?

Analysis: To a high degree, NAPFA members reported that they feel like this is their time, and they need to get the word out that they are the “go to” guys and gals. However, their actions were passive—except for a couple of firms that are looking at what has occurred as a really big opportunity. For some advisors, additional business is simply showing up, apparently without much effort on anyone’s part. It looks like some firms would like to be more aggressive, but they are too conservative to venture out. A small percentage of respondents saw no opportunities.

Q6. What do you feel could be done to improve your income now?

Analysis: More than half of those surveyed agree that marketing actions are needed to bolster their income, even those firms that feel they are too encumbered to take steps in that direction. Some have the viewpoint that nothing could or should be done, and it is just a matter of time until things sort out. A smaller number feel their best option is to bolster profits by improving internal operations or expanding services to existing clientele.

Q7. If more investors had consulted CFP® professionals, would it have affected what happened in the markets?

a. If so, how?

b. If not, why not?

Analysis: About a third of the advisors interviewed felt that getting more people into the hands of professionals with proper training (for the sake of our question, we used the phrase CFP® professionals as the example) would have had an effect on what happened in the markets. Two-thirds did not. Of the two-thirds who did not, more than half named poor regulation or institutional investors as the responsible parties. A smaller percentage of advisors felt it was just the way the market is. A very small group said that the key is having the right people working with individual investors.

Summary Analysis.

The majority of respondents to the survey view themselves as proactive. But, from an exterior perspective, they are just reacting to what happens in the market and with their clients, rather than exerting control where they could. The advisors who are the most in control of their practices—both in operations and especially in communications and marketing—are doing the best. More and more advisors see the need right now to strengthen their practices in order to stay competitive.

Unfortunately for the majority of firms, their marketing is woefully inadequate to take advantage of the opportunities presented by our current crisis. These firms have the technical foundation, but they are not taking the actions needed to move themselves onto center stage. This does not match the passion they obviously feel about their profession, nor does it create the additional demand from investors that these firms are seeking.

In a period of stress, clients are increasingly likely to change investment advisors. About 50 percent of the time, clients leave because they are upset with the planner’s handling of them, and about 50 percent of the time they leave due to what they consider is unacceptable investment performance. While very few markets have been kind to investors, we hope it is helpful to know what your peers are experiencing. It is likely to also be helpful to get some expert advice on how to weather the storm.

Practice management and marketing strategies are “sciences” -specific actions will produce specific results. When approached this way Marketing, Productivity and Time Management, Long-term Strategies with Real Time Planning and Efficient Utilization of Personnel—all can be directed to the benefit of advisors who are willing to take advantage of the current economy and move their firms toward more “Face Time,” more qualified prospects and growth despite everything.

Copyright© 2009 Creative Business Strategies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Duane

Magnum Opus asked:


The little holes that are in the middle of the sandpaper bit of an orbital sander - what are the for, and does it matter if they are covered up by sandpaper which has no hoesl?

Allen

James Philips asked:


Though considered as the Queen of German Fashion, Jil Sander is one popular designer who caters to international fashion designs. The products she sells all carry an international touch, and although her company is nestled beautifully in the northern part of the German city, Hamburg, the clothes and fragrances she markets are all manufactured in Milan, Italy.

Jil Sander was born in Wesselburen, Germany on November 27, 1943. She entered the fashion industry when she started working as a fashion journalist at McCall’s in Los Angeles, as well as for two other magazines in the city, Constanze and Petra. She became a fashion designer in 1968 when she opened her own boutique, then selling a collection of women’s wear.

During the early years of her being a clothing designer, Jil Sander was favored much for her delicate fabrics. Her design was compared to the 1920’s Bauhaus architecture, but she also crafted lines of simple cuttings. She was able to enrich her collection though when she started adding some coordinates to her own pieces. This is where the collection of delicate colors, shapes, and fabrics, all designed for women, came in.

In 1978, Jil Sander opened her first ever perfume boutique under the name Jil Sander GmbH. Fragrances and cosmetics of high quality were introduced to the market through this trademark, and it is worth knowing that since the year of its inception, all products were able to hit the market with positive reviews and testimonials from all sides.

True to what Sander guarantees, all her fragrances and cosmetics carry a delicate quality that most people consider as unmatched. She marketed her own lines of perfume by showing an advertising campaign with her face featured prominently on the products’ cover.

The clothing, cosmetic, and later, the eyeglasses and lenses collection of Jil Sander were finally brought to Milan when she decided to expand her coverage to attract the international market. She brought her name to North America, as well as to Asia using her own capital.

It was in 1993 when she opened her own store in Paris, showing her collections of delicate items on the building’s four floors. She joined with Puma, and the two successfully launched their sneakers collection.

Jil Sander handles her own business by herself. She took care of the designing process down to the selection of fabrics. The quality control of her own garments is even handled with her own approval, and to further make sure that everything is done perfectly, she involves herself in the surveillance of her own marketing products and accessories.

Unlike other international fashion designers, the Jil Sander house of fashion is known for its strict behavioral rules that each of her personnel has been maintaining. The sales persons of each of Sander’s branches are positioned in the boutique meticulously.

With all the interests and efforts exerted into her own business, Jil Sander was able to manage her own company until the 21st century. Her success continues until today, but unlike before, Prada is now part of their success.

It was in 1999 that the Prada Group bought a reported 75 percent of the company’s share. She resigned though in 2004 as the head designer and partner of the Prada Group after having conflicts with Prada’s very own Mr. Patrizio Bertelli.



Shane

David Sanders asked:


Economic indicators should be heeded. But a weakening economy should not give you a reason for your sinking bottom line. If it does, then you may have just found the real cause for your bottom line: blaming it on the economy.

Factually, periods of economic distress are viewed as opportunities by leading businesspeople. A falling tide lowers all ships. You can make big changes in your market share if you can find a way to out-maneuver the competition while they are blaming the economy, cutting their marketing budget and sticking their head in the sand or being complacent.

Studies have shown that major corporations often made their largest gains in market share by effectively promoting during hard times, while their competition was slashing marketing budgets and laying off marketing departments. The first step which any firm should take once a downturn is detected is PROMOTE!

Too often people believe the “reason” they are having a particular problem is due to something that is happening elsewhere (and usually outside of their control). This is especially true in the business world.

Here is an example: Store A is doing very well until Store B opens up across the street selling the same kind of products. Revenues decline at Store A as Store B gets up and going. But – and this is a very important but – to the degree that the owner (and staff) at Store A attribute their decline in revenue to the existence of Store B, TO THAT DEGREE they will be unable to deal with it.Store A simply needs to step back and realize they have new competition and take concrete steps to retain their current customers and create new ones. Perhaps the owners or management of Store A need to:

Hire a marketing firm to survey to find out what the buying public really needs and wants, so they can improve their appeal to the public and customer retention. Find ways to make their marketing and advertising efforts more effective. Develop a positioning in the marketplace that sets them above the competition. Create a smart PR campaign that attracts a lot of attention at low cost. Generate an effective Internet marketing campaign to tap new resources. Or maybe they actually need to do some marketing for the first time!

 

The reason sales are down at Store A is NOT Store B. Sales are down because Store A did not effectively shift their own gears to keep their business afloat and prosperous.

That may sound simplistic, but when an executive or business owner places the blame elsewhere, this very act of “placing blame elsewhere” reduces his ability to devise effective solutions. It actually reduces his ability to think straight, because s/he is so embroiled in what is happening somewhere else.

If you were racing a sports car on a mountain road, you would certainly know you had to change gears to give you the maximum speed possible whether you were going uphill or downhill. You would easily defeat a driver who never changed gears regardless of the changes in the road. You would laugh at a driver who pulled over to the side of the road or puttered along when the grade steepened. Those drivers would never win. When the grade got steep driving up the mountain, you would downshift and give it lots of gas if you wanted to win.

The same is true in your business. This is one key element that sets a businessperson apart from the crowd – one’s ability to detect changes in their operating environment and make his or her business effectively compete in that recession, inflation or changed competitive environment.

Let’s look at one more example of this. A business considers it has “slow periods of the year.” One such period is the end of the year. Numerous professionals and businesspeople believe the end of the year simply is not as productive as other parts of the year. And of course they have statistics to back up this belief. Every year, December is just very slow.

Then there is the professional who decided he wasn’t going to have a slow December again. So, back in October and November, he figured out a few things to do for December. He reminded patients that most insurance companies do not allow you to carry over unused insurance from year to year. He offered his patients incentives to come in during the holiday season. He just plain worked on it so that his December was not a “slow period.” The result? He now no longer believes in “slow periods” and of course he has the statistics to back up this new belief.

You can always find data to match a belief. If you believe you are going to have slow periods, you’ll have them. Why would you generate the insight, focus and hard work to fix something that you “know” is not fixable? So just don’t fall for that one.

The same is true on a broader scale with “the economy”. If you believe “the economy” is the basis for your declining revenues, you are in more trouble than you need to be. Anything that is outside of your immediate control is just that: outside of your immediate control. Let your competition use “elsewhere” as an excuse to explain being broke.

Put your total focus on your internal scene, service your customers better, boost your marketing and get yourself busy improving things you can and should control. If you do that well enough, “the economy” will take care of itself.

Copyright© 2009 Creative Business Strategies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Dolores

LS asked:


cabinets are stained old and dark stain… what kind of sander to use? I have an orbital round one, but I think that is for finishing. Please help. Thanks

Dolores

*BabyHopes’09* asked:


I have heard that you sand with the grain - however, seeing that i have Parquet Squares and they go in different directions that will be impossible. I was told I can rent a sander at Home Depot but I don’t know which one will be correct with the floors that I have. Can anyone help?

Delores

Cory Sanders asked:


If you are interested in the idea of making a windmill at home, this article will definitely interest you. I have done countless hours of research regarding this area of renewable energy, and every day still surprises me. What I mean by this is that the benefits that come with making your own electricity at home are incredibly abundant. In this short article, I want to explain a few of these benefits to you.

The first major benefit that I want to mention is that you can save a lot of money! It is not hard to tell that most people in today’s economy have a desire to save some extra cash every month. Home wind power is an easy way to accomplish this. It costs a very small amount of money to get started, and the savings can last for a long time.

But how long will these savings last? These savings that you will experience will continue for many years. Sure, you might need to fix a few parts every once in a while on your home windmill, but for the most part maintenance is rare and you can sit back and enjoy your new found savings.

The second major benefit is that you will be helping the environment. If you have not started making at least small changes in your lifestyle to better the environment, you are certainly not in the majority. People all over the world are starting to realize the negative effects that we all have on our beautiful planet each and every day. There are small changes you can make that will have a huge impact.

One of these changes you can make is to switch to home wind power. Making a windmill at home is an awesome way to do your part. You will be helping to eliminate tons of greenhouse gasses that are emitted from power plants all over the world. You will be using clean and renewable energy that will never run out. This is another big reason why literally millions of people are turning to the option of making a windmill at home.

Yet another reason why you should change over to making your own wind power is because the energy is always going to be available. Sure, there may be a day or two where there is no wind, but that does not mean you can’t use the energy you have already made. Windmills store energy in batteries that can be used at any time. It’s not like you just make the power as you use it. This is why wind energy is such a smart choice, it can be stored!

I hope that this article has helped you to better understand some of the principles behind making your own windmill at home and its benefits. This is a movement that is growing very quickly. People have long used solar energy, but wind is finally starting to take the lead I think. It would be a smart choice for you to get in on it now.



Jo

Jayden Adams asked:


Ashton Sanders answers some questions about his website company and his beliefs.

Q: What caused you to end up working on the Internet?

Ashton Sanders: Computers have always been my forte, and I greatly enjoy working and creating on the Internet. There is no other industry like it, and it will be one that I know I will always be learning new things about. There is no ceiling to how much I can learn and do.

Q: Why did you buy www.AshtonSanders.com?

Ashton Sanders: Ha! I bought www.AshtonSanders.com because I thought it would be a lot of fun to have and create with. I am the only Ashton Sanders who works on the Internet, (from what I could tell from the Google search) and I knew I would never forgive myself if some other Ashton Sanders bought it… or even worse, someone bought it just to spite me.

Q: What do you feel is your greatest strength in regards to Website Design and Development on the Internet?

Ashton Sanders: There are many aspects of the Internet that I am very proficient at: Website Design, PHP programming, ActionScript, Flash Animation, CSS, HTML, XHTML, etc. If I must choose one part of the Internet that I am the most proficient at, I would have to say it is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). For the last couple years, I have been under the tutelage of Jere Matlock of www.WordsinaRow.com. He is the greatest SEO resource anyone could ask for, and the things that he has accomplished with his client’s websites is truly amazing. With his help, I have begun to create some equally amazing products in the field of Search Engine Optimization. I look forward to all the SEO accomplishments that I will achieve in the near future.

Q: What is your favorite aspect of Website Design and Development?

Ashton Sanders: I love it all! I love taking a blank page, and creating a place that is pleasing to look at, and entertaining to use. I love using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to simplify a website’s infrastructure and HTML Coding. I love the accomplishment of programming an elaborate PHP website that does all sorts of fun things. I love putting together an extensive Flash Movie that is entertaining, but most of all I love having fun, and giving my visitors something they can enjoy.

Q: Do you have any company policies that are different from other Website Design Companies?

Ashton Sanders: Yes, definitely! First and foremost, I always answer my cell phone. I am probably the easiest-to-reach web master on the planet. Even if I am behind on a project (not likely), I am not afraid to tell my client. I will never avoid a client for any reason. That brings up another company policy: “If you ever do anything, do it ‘In a Flash!’”

Q: Any Closing Thoughts?

Ashton Sanders: The mind can never be full. No matter how much you learn, there will always be space for more. It my personal policy to never stop learning. It doesn’t matter if I’ve never heard about the subject before, I know what everyone has to start somewhere. Why not here and now? I love expand my information on any subject!

-”Never Stop Learning… Ever!”

-Ashton Sanders



Thelma

David Sanders asked:


Who is your competition? Is it just the guy down the street offering the same products and services as you do? Think again.

Your message of “Do business with me” is competing for the attention and the mind of the consumer with Coca Cola, Apple, GM and the biggest advertisers out there.

How many advertising messages have you been exposed to this week? The average American is subjected to over 3,000 – a day! Radio, TV, spam, Google, magazines, newspapers, fliers, billboards, signs lining both sides of the streets, and soon your cell phone will be offering you deals from the businesses you walk by. That’s 21,000 messages a week, 90,000 a month, over a million advertising messages a year.

How can you get your message through all that noise?

That’s the subject of this article. There are three barriers you must overcome to reach your customers and potential customers. Overcome those three, and you will find your marketing taking off.

Since you’re also a consumer, let’s look at it from that viewpoint to start. How do you handle all the ads clamoring for your attention? You put up spam blockers. You use TiVo or stop watching as soon as the TV ads come on. You flick through websites. You change radio stations when the ads start. You go through your mail standing over the round file – trying to make sure you don’t toss any checks by accident.

So how long does a marketer have to get a message through the defensive barriers erected by almost all consumers? You have a quarter of a second to attract their attention, or your ad, flier, web site, brochure – that you spent all that time and money on – will be physically or mentally trashed. Probably the trash can by your desk fills up every week with marketing materials, the combined cost of which is hundreds or even thousands of dollars which companies spent to produce and deliver to your address.

Barrier #1. Your marketing must grab attention. NOW. Instantly. This is usually done with graphics, photos, colors, “eye candy.” A picture is worth a thousand words, but it can be grasped a lot faster than you can read all those words, so it’s useful here. GM and beer ads have been using sexy women to attract attention to Corvettes and foamy brew for decades.

Take a moment to do a drill that I’ve done with hundreds of professionals and business owners. Grab a large yellow pages book and look in a section that has lots of ads, like dentists or auto repair (you can view the listings where you appear later).

How many of those ads ATTRACT> your eye as you flip through the pages? How many don’t get a second glance? How many repulse you? Based on your answers, you are looking at ads that have either conquered or failed to conquer barrier #1.

Barrier #2.: Let’s say that you’ve overcome barrier #1 – you’ve gotten someone’s attention. How long do you keep it? About 2 seconds. What must you do in those 2 seconds?

You’ve got to interest them. If you don’t get their interest in that brief instant, all the effort and money put into your promotion gets wasted because they’ll discard it and move on.

Let’s look at those yellow pages ads again, just the ones that attracted your attention (because most people won’t look at the ones that don’t catch their eye).

Which ones of those ads that grabbed your attention actually INTEREST you? Now look at just those ads a little closer.

What is it about them that interested you? In most cases there is a headline or bulleted item that piques your interest. On the other hand, there are probably many headlines that don’t do anything for you at all, like “Joe’s Garage” or “Joesph Langenfoder, DDS.”

How do you know what will interest prospective clients?

You ask them.

That’s what surveys and market research are for. These get the “buttons” which you can “push” and get a response from potential clients. Ideally you want to use BIG buttons in your headlines, words that will interest 30 to 70% of the people reading the ad.

Those who don’t do their homework and use buttons that interest 10% or 2% of their readers have to spend much more on their marketing for a lot lower return, and there go your profits.

Barrier #3.: OK, now you’re all set. You know how to catch the eye so people will at least give you a couple of seconds to interest them. And you’ve successfully gotten their interest. Now what are you supposed to do? This is where many ads die.

You’ve got to DELIVER YOUR MESSAGE. How do you figure out what message you want to deliver? Here’s a simple way – what do you tell people you meet or who call in that gets them to want to become your clients? Tell them that in your ad! Don’t forget to have your web address and phone number easy to find and tell them to call.

There are not many ads that pass the test this far because they don’t know that their job is to make you STAND OUT. The 3 tips above will help your marketing stand out from the competition. Some ads and marketing actions are head and shoulders above the crowd and get heard through all the noise. Yours can be among them.

Copyright© 2009 Creative Business Strategies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Justin