Rotendaokab Articles

You can multiply your ability to persuade by 400%, whether your audience is 1 or 100. Web-based presentations add a visual element to teleconferences. Instead of just talking to prospects, you can simultaneously show them and tell them. According to a Wharton Business School study, this dual mode communication makes your message up to four times more effective than using just your voice.

Present from your office:

Web-based presentations can be as effective as in-the-same-room presentations, but are free from the costs and frustrations involved in traveling.

Talk to your prospects using your current telephone orfor large groups a rented bridge line. You and your audience view your visuals using a standard web browser and Internet connection.

You control whats displayed on your audiences computer screen! Your screen contains a menu listing available visuals. You control presentation content, pace, and sequence. You can spend as much or as little time as desired on each visual. You can show all of your visuals, or just those needed to respond to attendee concerns or questions.

No limits on audience size:

No audience is too large or too small for a web-based presentation! You can easily and cost-effectively show and tell 1-to-1 as you speak to individual prospects, or you can present to hundreds at a time.

No advance scheduling:

Your visuals are available 24/7. No reservations are required to present. Convert any telephone call into a presentation by inviting your caller to immediately access your online visuals while talking.

More than one set of visuals can be prepared and ready for instant use.

Preparing your visuals:

Use Microsoft PowerPoint to create your presentation. Presentations can be as simple or complex as desired.

In addition to creating visuals for your core presentation, consider creating contingency visuals available for showing as needed. This permits you to customize your presentation on the basis of questions from the audience or callers.

You can easily add and edit visuals. This permits you to customize the title or specific visuals with your clients name or client-specific contents and prices.

After completing your presentation, upload it to the server where your visuals will be available online to you and your clients, prospects, or employees.

Access:

Only those who know the specific location of your presentation on the web will be able to access your visuals. You can communicate the URL during the phone conversation or you can send it to a group via e-mail before an event.

Unless you are also online, visitors will not be able to navigate through your presentation.

Applications:

Any presentation task you would normally accomplish in-person can now be done on the phone and online:

Demonstrations. Do a better job of describing the benefits of your product or service by showing as well as telling. Interactively walk prospects through the steps youll use to help them solve a pressing problem or achieve a desired goal.

Previews. Increase attendance at teleseminars and live events by previewing the contents and benefits of attending.

Proposals. Deliver client presentations in an interactive environment. Use your voice to build enthusiasm and address concerns or questions as they arise.

Continuous contact. Keep in close touch with clients and prospects while helping them make informed purchase decisions and best use of their purchase.

Training. Keep employees and your sales staff motivated and up to date on your latest products and services.

Its all about relationships. Web-based presentations are just another way you can put todays low-cost technology to work building and maintaining close ties with customers and prospects. At low cost, you can communicate with added impact from your office.

Let Roger C. Parker show you how to attract qualified prospects and retaining clients by creating the right messages and choosing the right tools. Visit http://www.onepagenewsletters.com or call Roger at 603-742-9673 for information

I have been in the ad game for a long, long time. I have trained hundreds of writers, and Ive been responsible for moving of millions & $ in product worldwide. Here are just a few tips that I hope will help you do a better job, and make a bigger name for yourself.

One.

Whatever copy job you are working on brochure, mailer, sales letter, press ad, website always include a headline. A pertinent headline. A selling headline.

This headline will be, or should be, powerful enough or intriguing enough to draw your target into the compass of the body copy. If it can do that, you are on a winner.

To put it simply, your headline should be a snapshot of your sales message a prcis of your offer or promise. In other words, a headline that says: Buy this product and get this benefit.

Two.

Always remember, people dont buy products, they buy the benefits of owning those products. A man doesnt buy a sportscar because it is precision engineered or aesthetically designed. He buys it because of the ego-boost it gives him. It shows the world that he has made it.

Likewise, a woman doesnt by a cocktail dress by Camille of Paris simply because of the cut or the exquisite stitching. She buys it for the cachet that is attached to the label. She would probably look as good in a dress from a High Street department store, but she wouldnt feel as good. And thats the benefit.

Three.

Around 30% of all copy headlines are both useless and irrelevant. The worst of them often take the form of puns or are re-workings of current film titles or song titles. Puns are fine if they are appropriate, which they seldom are. And the writer who tries to demonstrate how cool he is by working his product message into a film or song title is usually doing a lot for the sales of movie tickets and CDs, but very little for his client.

The moral is this. State your sales proposition cleverly, wittily, stridently or emotively, but never ever employ a device simply because its the easy thing to do. If you cant be original, at least be positive.

Four.

If it doesnt quack, it aint a duck. And if your copy doesnt make some kind of selling proposition, it isnt advertising its an announcement. So many writers these days fail to understand that copy is nothing more than salesmanship in print. They play with words for the sake of playing with words. They lose sight of the fact that they should be trying to sell something. Thus, copy must use the psychology of the salesman; and it must say, right up front: Heres whats in it for you.

Five.

Always be a little circumspect about experts who try to tell you how to write better copy. And that includes me.

Patrick Quinn is a copywriter, with 40 years’ experience of the advertising business in London, Miami, Dublin and Edinburgh.

Over the years, he has helped win for his clients just about every advertising award worth winning.

His published books include:

The Secrets of Successful Copywriting The Secrets of Successful Low Budget Advertising The Secrets of Successful Exhibitions Word Power 1-2 & 3 He also publishes AdBriefing, a free on-line newsletter. http://www.adbriefing.com

Its no secret that writing and publishing helpful articles is one of the best ways to promote your business. Writing articles can:

• Establish you as an expert in your field.
• Get your name and your company name in front of potential clients who you may never have been able to contact otherwise.
• Create valuable content for you to share with potential clients or convert into speeches and other marketing strategies.

Writing articles for local business publications, trade magazines, newsletters, and Web sites that reach your target audience can be a powerful piece of your marketing plan. But following through can be more difficult than it sounds, as many people hate writing or have a hard time just figuring out where to begin. Plenty of business owners and marketers hire outside firms or freelance writers (like The WriteShop, www.writeshoponline.com) to write articles for them, which can be a time-saving solution. But if you want to write your own articles, it can be tough to know where to begin. These five tips may help you stay focused and get the job done.

1. Narrow your topic. In each article, be sure to address only one main idea maybe you focus on one problem your readers have, or one solution that may work for them. Trying to cover too many topics in one article just causes confusion. Whenever you find yourself going off on an unrelated tangent, turn that tangent into another, separate article for future use.

2. Write in conversational style. Keep your audience in mind and try to write for them the way youd speak to them. For most business writing, an informal, conversational style is preferable, especially if your article will be published on the Web. Remember that you want your article to be accessible and understandable for your target audience. Shorter sentences and language that is easy to grasp quickly will have better results than long diatribes full of words that require a dictionary.

3. Offer genuine, helpful information. While your articles are tools to help market your business, they are not advertisements. Dont fill your articles with promotional material about your company, or your readers will quickly lose interest. Instead, offer them real insight, tips, or advice that shows them you know what youre talking about. Their interest in your company and what you can do for them will come; but for the sake of your article, focus on providing information they can use.

4. Be brief. Especially when writing for the Web, brevity is crucial. Before sending any article for publication, read through it several times and cut out any unnecessary words. For instance, the word that can be eliminated in most cases. Make sure every word counts, and every sentence is meaningful and helpful for communicating your main idea.

5. Distribute, distribute, distribute. Finally, writing an article doesnt do any good unless you get it in front of your target audience. In addition to publishing your articles on your own Web site or in your newsletter, consider sending them to publishers of print and electronic newsletters, and submit them to Web sites that publish articles on your topic. See the Resource Box below for ideas of specific Web sites where you may want to submit your articles. And remember to always include your contact information so that readers will know how to reach you.

Hopefully, these tips will get you on your way to publishing plenty of articles that will get noticed and yield results. But if youd like even more direction to get you started, contact The WriteShop for information about our inexpensive special report, Article Starter: A Resource Guide to Writing Business Articles That Get Results. E-mail us today at info@writeshoponline.com.

Nancy Jackson, owner of The WriteShop, helps companies better market their products and services with powerful written communications including Web content, newsletters, brochures and publications. Subscribe to her free monthly newsletter at http://www.writeshoponline.com.

What a lack of research could do to you.

When creating an ebook how well do you research the topic before hand?

Its absolutely crucial that you research what problems your target market is having and

what theyre spending money on.

The time to pay attention to detail is here.

If you dont research how will you know what problems exist in your target market, what

their recommending for products to try, pay even closer attention to the dollars involved.

Hope fully theyre purchasing pattern will lead into 3 digit numbers.

This is why probing for the information you need youll be in a better position to analyze

the information to see if its a worthwhile project to start, if not junk it.

Case in point, I recently had a young lad email me and explain he was a first time author

of a 30 pg ebook targeted at teenagers.

He realized that because his target market is teenagers and teenagers do not purchase as

frequently online as adults do that he was in a bit of a bind.

What was he to do?

Hed put a bit of work into his project and knowing what he does now, he has to decide

whether to sell or give it away. He needed some positive feedback, nothing to

devastating. Instead of targeting students he could alter the ebook towards another target

market, a market with money to spend and a hunger for his type of info product. Just a

little copying, pasting, and editing.

Praise those accomplishments:

The first thing I did was congratulate him for being a first time author.

Good topic, wrong market for low income earners:

The topic he was covering was actually a good topic, but he realized after the fact that he

had probably created a dud for an ebook because of the restrictions imposed on his target

market…lack of access to purchasing power.

What would you do in his position?

His question to me was what he should do with the ebook. He had considered giving it

away to people as an incentive for them to sign up for his newsletter, or selling the ebook

at $5.00 a copy.

Indication of his problems:

I assumed that because he only put a price tag of $5.00 on the book that he was either not

comfortable with the content he placed in the ebook OR that he was selling himself short.

I would assume the latter.

Summary:

The collection of data, decision time.

Once youve collected what you think is all the info required via surveys, it is now time

for the decision making process

Why researching the right way the first time will save you hair loss and disappointment:

This is why doing a thorough job in the researching part of your work is so important. If

he would have put a little more thought into who his target market was he wouldnt have

created a dud for an info product.

Lack of researching is the number one mistake that most new authors make, take your

time researching…whats the rush?

Copyright 2004 August

This article may be re-published

as long as the source box remains.

Notification of use would be appreciated.

Brian is a freelance writer and publisher of The Ebook King Chronicles. Brians goal is to give you more ideas for your next project, step by step. http://www.theebookking.com

Have you ever watched a speaker and said, “Wow, I wish I could speak like that”? or “That person was just so wonderful. I could never do that.” Well, I’ve got some good news for you. You too can be a public speaker. Public speaking is a learned skill, so anyone can do it. You just need to follow some simple steps and practice, practice, practice. If you know how to talk, you can become a public speaker.

Becoming really good at public speaking requires some risk, but you have been taking risks all your life. When you were a toddler, you risked falling down when you took your first steps. You risk scraping your knees or falling when you start roller blading. You risk falling off when you start bike riding. You risk being rejected when you ask someone out on a date, and you risk getting into an accident every time you drive your car.

If you gave up after your first fall, you’d still be crawling. If you were afraid to fall off your bike, you’d still be riding with training wheels. If you were afraid of getting into an accident, you’d never get behind the wheel of a car. And guess what, you’re still here – you’ve survived all of that. You’re risk takers!! You’ve proved that by coming to Toastmasters. The greatest fear is that of public speaking and here you are – wanting to learn how to do it.

How many of you enjoy watching figure skating? Now, you wouldn’t expect to be a world class figure skater the minute you put on a pair of skates, would you? No, you’d expect to have to practice for years before becoming that good. Nor would you expect to make the NHL without years and years of winter and summer hockey.

How many of you enjoy watching racing? Would you expect to be another Mario Andretti the minute you get behind the wheel? Now, I will admit that there seem to be a few drivers out there who think they are Mario, but most people would expect to have to practice for years before reaching his status.

Now, I think everyone here knows how to walk. When you think of walking 25 miles, it seems like a long distance, but it is actually only putting one foot in front of the other a number of times and you know how to do that. It just takes practice to go the distance. It’s the same thing with public speaking. It just takes putting one word after another.

The key to getting up in front of an audience is believing that you have something to share with them that may make a difference in their lives – by entertaining them, warning them, encouraging them, or giving them direction or information.

The great thing is – you all do have something to say that people would be interested in hearing. Each of you has come through life in a different way. You may have encountered difficult circumstances and survived. Your experience could help someone else in the same situation.

If you remember jokes or enjoy telling stories to your friends, practice a little more and soon you can be telling your jokes and stories to large audiences. If you are really good at something, consider sharing the steps of how you got there.

By following the steps outlined in the Toastmasters’ manuals, and with the encouragement of fellow Toastmasters, you can learn how to craft a speech and how to deliver it. You can learn how to use props, how to modulate your voice, and how to use words that your audience will understand.

You will often hear the words “stage time” used by Toastmasters. That is the only way to get better. In order to be good at anything, you have to practice. Winston Churchill overcame a speech impediment to become a master orator. He had to practice for hours to deliver a speech.

You can get very discouraged if you expect to be as good as Zig Ziglar right away. But if you listen to his story, you will find that it took a very long time before he was able to do what he does so well.

The thing to remember is that the only person you need to compare yourself to is you. You are working for your personal best, so when you are preparing your speech and practicing, all you need to ask yourself is – is your second speech better in some way than your first? Did you learn something new as you prepared for your speech? Did you learn something from the evaluative comments of others after you gave your speech? Then, that’s all you need to do. You can use what you’ve learned to make the next speech your best to date and then use the same process for each speech you give. Just take one step at a time.

Remember, public speaking is a skill, so anyone can learn to do it. You just need to be taught how and then practice, practice, practice. Then one day someone may watch you and say, “Wow, I wish I could speak like that.”

Fran Watson is a Career Counsellor and a Toastmaster (ATM-S). For more information on Toastmasters you can go to her webpage http://www.franwatson.ca.

Toastmasters…. Toastmasters….What is Toastmasters?

Is it a bunch of guys in stuffed shirts & suits standing around and pontificating about people. Is it a secret society where everyone looks furtively from side to side before giving the secret handshake? Is it a cooking class where everyone brings in their breadmaker and makes the latest recipe and then toasts it to see how it tastes? Or is it a bunch of guys drinking in a bar?. – “Here’s to Joe, what a schmoe, so grab your beer, let’s give a cheer — to Joe”.

Toastmasters is an international, not-for-profit organization designed to help people become more confident in public speaking.

Why would anyone want to go to Toastmasters? What do you do there? What kind of things do you learn? Do you have to talk all the time? Why would I go? I’m afraid to go there – what if someone asks me to get up and speak? I can’t do that – what would I say?

The most common reason given for joining Toastmasters is to conquer shyness, stage fright or fear of public speaking. Some members have said they couldn’t enter a room without worrying about talking to people.

There are many courses designed to help people develop their speaking skills. Most of which cost hundreds or thousands of dollars and may require you to travel long distances to the training location. Toastmasters cost is less than $100. per year and training takes place in a supportive atmosphere at local club meetings.

People progress at their own pace through a professionally prepared program. There are manuals which offer a step-by-step approach to speech organization and presentation, covering topics such as: Speaking With Sincerity, Organizing Your Speech, Vocal Variety, Working With Words and Using Props to Add Impact.

Did you know that success in your occupation is directly related to how well you can speak? Research shows that people who can express themselves effectively advance further and faster in their careers than those who have difficulty speaking. Toastmasters provides the tools you can use to improve your performance in a variety of situations.

Club meetings include opportunities to practice spontaneous thinking and speaking with an activity known as Table Topics. It is fun and participants are often very creative in their responses to their topic. But Toastmasters is not just about speaking. It is also about listening.

At the end of each meeting the person who is appointed Quiz Master quizzes the group about things that have been said during the meeting. As the “Ah” counter, you will listen for filler words such as um, and, er, or lengthy pauses during a speech. The Evaluator listens carefully for strengths and weaknesses of the speeches or the meeting. Listening is a large part of Toastmasters.

Observing also plays a part in Toastmasters. If you are not the person speaking, you have the opportunity to observe how a speech is given, how props might be used, or the effective use of gestures. You can observe the audience reaction to the speaker and the connection between them. All these observations will help you when it is time for you to give your first speech.

Toastmasters membership offers:

* Unlimited opportunities for personal and occupational advancement based on improved abilities and expanded experience.

* Experience in leadership development through training and club involvement.

* Increased confidence, the ability to organize thoughts logically and present self-assuredly,

* The opportunity to develop a better understanding of human relations.

* Opportunity to assist others to develop their communication and leadership abilities as you develop your own

* The chance to share your Toastmasters experience by telling others about the program and inviting them to join.

Over the past few years I heard a lot about Toastmasters. I went to the website to check it out and contacted the local club. I decided that it was something I needed to do. Recognizing that to learn is to risk, I joined and started right away on my first speech -my Icebreaker. My goal was to achieve my CTM – Competent Toastmaster within the year and I did my final speech in June 2003. Although I had experience presenting in workshops, giving a speech was a frightening task for me.

I was able to make it through with the support and encouragement of my mentor and the other members of the Pembroke Club. They listened as I spoke and made suggestions on how to improve, not only what I was saying, but how I was saying it. I gained confidence with each speech. Recognizing how much I have benefited over the past year, I can only wonder what my life would have been like if I had started sooner.

I would like to leave you with this thought…”If you wish to grow and achieve…to feel confident in public communication or leadership roles…to interact with other individuals who have the same objectives – Toastmasters is your answer.

Fran Watson is a Career Counsellor and a Toastmaster (ATM-B). For more information on Toastmasters you can go to her webpage http://www.franwatson.ca

I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date. No time to say “hello”, “goodbye”, I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!

Have you ever felt like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland? Rushing from one thing to the next with no time to rest or relax? If so, perhaps what you need is some time management.

The problem is, you can’t really manage “time”. You can’t take a few hours from the morning and put them in the evening, or take a few extra hours from the middle of the day and put them into the night. There are the same number of hours in the day for everyone, and the follow exactly the same pattern every day.

Each day you have 24 hours to utilize. This breaks down into 1440 minutes or 86,400 seconds. Each person gets the same amount. You can’t save them like vacation days. When they are over, the time is gone. Whether you spent your time wisely or foolishly, it doesn’t matter, you can’t get it back.

So, if you can’t manage “time”, what can you manage? You can manage yourself and how you spend your day by setting priorities for what you want to accomplish and then scheduling the activities into a day planner, a calendar, or just a “to do” list.

Have you ever seen someone who seems to be able to accomplish 25 different things while you have difficulty completing 4 or 5? That person has learned the secret of priority management – how to make good use of their time.

They may spend their Sundays preparing meals for the week so that they can have time for other activities during the week. They may give up television in order to take courses. They may make their children’s activities a priority, but take knitting or reading with them for the “down” times at the rink, i.e. practices, dressing and undressing time. They may keep magazines or books with them to catch up on reading while waiting in the doctor’s offices or for other appointments. They may listen to tapes in their car while driving, either to learn something new, or to keep their mind on something while they drive so they won’t speed.

Once you have set some priorities, it will be easier to decide how to spend your time. For example, if your priority is getting your bike on the road, spending 1 1/2 hours on a Sunday afternoon working on the bike is a good use of your time. However, if your priority is keeping your spouse happy and she is waiting for you to help her in the garden, spending 1 1/2 hours on your bike is not a good use of your time!

The first thing you need to do is decide what is important to you and then schedule it into your day. If you use a calendar, you may want to colour code it with red for very important. You can schedule other events – work, leisure – in different colours so that it is easy to see what you want to do at any point in time. You can take some time at the beginning of each week to plan your activities for the week. Often you will have to plan your activities around other family members. It may help to colour code each of your family members as well. Then you can decide if spending time attending their activities is a priority for you or not.

One of the best questions to ask yourself on a regular basis is, “Is this the best use of my time at this moment?”. If the answer is yes, keep on doing it. If the answer is no, then it’s time for a change.

This doesn’t mean that there is no time for unscheduled activities such as friends dropping over – it may mean a slight change in priorities for the day, or giving up some other free time during the week to accomplish your tasks, or simply moving them back a few days if necessary. The important thing is to set your priorities so that you will allow time for them. That way you will use your time more efficiently and you won’t have to be like the White Rabbit running around saying, “No time, No time”.

Fran Watson is a Career Counsellor and a Toastmaster (ATM-B). For more information on Toastmasters you can go to her webpage http://www.franwatson.ca

… — … SOS This is the traditional seafaring emergency call to “Save Our Ship!” – to rush first aid to a sinking vessel. On land – and in daily life – it stands, simply, for “HELP!” Until I read this recently, I never really knew exactly what it stood for. Did you know the correct meaning? My sister thought it stood for Save Our Souls.

Do you ever feel the need to send out an SOS? To holler “help” because you just have too much to do and your life is just too confusing to manage? Do you ever feel as though you’re paddling upstream in a leaky canoe? Well, maybe tonight I can offer some words of wisdom that will help you patch that canoe so you can make your journey safely.

Recently I read about another meaning for the acronym SOS. It was in a book entitled “Go For It, Get Organized”, and it stood for Simple, Orderly, Step-by-Step. Now you may say, sure, it sounds easy, but my life is too crazy. I have too many things to accomplish; it will never work for me. My life is anything but simple. Well, before you reject this idea, let’s take a look at how it works.

The first simple step is to take a look at your life or situation. Try to see the whole picture and set a goal. Now a goal is simply defined as “the end toward which effort is directed.” So you can pick anything can be your goal. The second step is to take a look at your goal and determine what needs to be done first. Once you can establish an end point, it is much easier to see how to get there.

Think about doing a jig-saw puzzle. It is broken down into many tiny pieces. Each piece has to be fit into place. You have a picture of what it should look like when it is finished – your goal. When you can look at the picture on the box, it is much easier to envision where each of the pieces go. You keep checking with the picture to make sure you are heading in the right direction. Without the picture, it is much more difficult and takes a lot longer to complete.

Most people have a system for putting together a puzzle. Some people like to find all the pieces with straight edges and put together the outside first. Others will choose the largest object and put it together. Still others will sort all the puzzle pieces into piles of each of the colours before beginning. However you do a puzzle, you have to have a vision, an idea of the end result, before you can complete it.

When you were a child learning to walk, you had a goal. Usually one of your parents was holding out their arms and saying, “Come here”. Your goal was to reach their arms and get a big hug. So you took a step or two and then fell down and maybe crawled the rest of the way. The next time you took two or three steps and then four and five until you eventually walked all the way just to hear them say, “Good boy, or Good girl” and give you a big hug. After days or months of practicing, you learned to walk all over the place, and then you learned to run. Now you were no longer restricted to a small corner of the world, you had a great big world to explore. But it all started with a vision.

We may all wish to be superhuman, to accomplish a lot of things, but the fact is, we can only really focus on one thing at a time. Most of us have computers and we are impressed with their speed and all the things we can do with them, but no matter how mindboggling a computer’s operations seem, the computer is in fact performing only one operation at a time. And if the computer does not have an end in mind, if someone forgot a command, it can’t accomplish its task. The same applies to us. If we don’t have a goal, we may become scattered in too many directions to accomplish our tasks.

Have you ever noticed how much more you accomplish at work just before you go on holidays, or how quickly you can clean your house when you know that company is coming over in a little while? It’s because you are more focused. There are certain things that must be accomplished and so you start working on completing one thing at a time and you don’t allow little interruptions to take you away from your goal.

What are some of your goals? What do you dream of? Where would you like to be in four years? What do you want to do next week? What must be done today?

When looking at all the things you have to do in your life, ask yourself the following simple questions:

Must it be done?

Must it be done now?

Must it be done by me?

The answers to these questions can help you simplify, to take away what’s not really necessary. Many times we complicate our lives when we are distracted by past, future, or side issues – by “what if”, “if only”.

The next thing to do after deciding that the task must be done now, and by you, is to break it down into smaller, simpler steps and to tackle those steps in an orderly manner, one at a time, just as you would the puzzle pieces. By focusing on one area of your life and getting it in order by completing it, you become energized to focus on another area and then you can complete that next. I recently read that completing tasks releases endorphins into our body making us want to complete even more tasks. Think about how you felt the last time you completed a project.

When working on a puzzle we usually take short breaks to rest our eyes, to look away from the problem and come back with a fresh perspective. It’s amazing how often you immediately see where some pieces go when you come back from getting a snack or just taking a break. It’s important to take breaks, to relax and put your mind and body on hold for a few minutes.

At Flylady.com, the site author suggest doing things in 15 minute intervals, e.g. if you have to clean your house in a hurry because company is coming over, set a timer for 15 minutes and tackle 1 room, perhaps the kitchen. When the timer goes off, you reset it and tackle the next room. At the end of that 15 minutes you tackle another room and at the end of the 45 minutes you set it for 15 minutes again and take a break. Then you start all over again. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in 15 minutes when you are focused.

Getting into the habit of getting organized with the S O S principles takes what every new skill takes: practice.

Studies have shown that it takes about 21 days or 3 weeks to make or break a habit. So try it for the next 3 weeks.

Pick one goal or vision to focus on and put the acronym SOS on your bathroom mirror so that you’ll see it every morning. See how energized you become around completing that task and think up a great way to reward yourself when you are finished.

Fran Watson is a Career Counsellor and a Toastmaster (ATM-B). For more information on Toastmasters you can go to her webpage http://www.franwatson.ca

Fear

Of what am I afraid, you ask.

Of myself, I answer.

The self I have hidden deep down inside,

the one I’m afraid you won’t like,

the one I sometimes don’t like either.

I’m afraid that parts of this self

will rise to the surface

and I won’t be able to push them back down.

I will no longer be able to hide them

and maybe I’ll lose some of what I have

my friends,

my loves,

my present lifestyle.

I feel like so many parts of me are fighting

for control of my being.

I feel torn apart, confused,

v wondering what I can safely let out,

and what will escape.

I wonder how I’ll put myself back together,

which pieces will stay, and

which will be gone.

I don’t know what will happen

and I’m afraid of the unknown.

It’s so much safer just existing as I am,

but I know I must face myself, my fears,

if I’m to have any peace,

and I want peace.

Fear — that queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach. The feeling that makes the sweat start to flow. The feeling that constricts the blood vessels so that you can’t catch your breath. The feeling that makes you think you are losing your voice. The feeling that keeps us from accomplishing many things, that keeps us from trying something new.

Fear is, and always has been, one of the greatest enemies of humankind. Fear of public speaking ranks higher than fear of death. When Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” he was saying that the emotion of fear, rather than the reality of what we fear, is what causes us anxiety, stress, and unhappiness. When we develop the habit of courage and unshakable self-confidence, a whole new world of possibilities opens up for us.

When we have limited information, we tend to be tense and insecure about the outcome of our actions. Ignorance causes us to fear change, to fear the unknown and to avoid trying anything new or different. But the reverse is also true. The very act of gathering more and more information about a particular subject causes us to have more courage and confidence in that area. Imagine how free we would feel and what we could accomplish if we could live without fear.

The only way to effectively deal with fear is to confront it; to ask ourselves, what is the worst that can happen? Usually what we imagine is much worse than the actual result. It’s ironic that some people are more fearful of public speaking than of driving in traffic. Yet, vastly more casualties and fatalities result from traffic accidents than from public speaking. The courageous person is simply one who goes forward in spite of the fear. It is a funny fact, but when you confront your fears and move toward what you are afraid of, your fears diminish and your self-esteem and self-confidence increase.

You may remember Anna in the King and I. She was afraid of the King and so she sang a song about her fears and how she noticed that when she pretended she wasn’t afraid and fooled others, she also felt less fearful.

As Brian Tracy says, “the habit of courage can be learned just as any other success skill is learned. To do so, we need to go to work systematically to diminish and eradicate our fears, while simultaneously building up the kind of courage that will enable us to deal with the inevitable ups and downs of life unafraid.”

Fear is a natural survival mechanism. It can motivate us, or stop us in our tracks. In situations that pose a threat to life and limb, fear motivates us to be careful. However, fear is a problem when it interferes with our goals and achievements.

At Toastmasters fear is what prevents our participating in Table Topics, or making a speech. We may be afraid of making a fool of ourselves in front of others. We may have been teased or taunted as children. Whatever the reason for our fear, one of the reasons we come to Toastmasters is to learn to overcome some of these fears about public speaking and the only way to do this is to actually participate in the activities of the evening meeting. For those who are just starting, the job of “Ah counter” or “Timer” may be an appropriate job. The job description can easily be read from the back of the agenda if necessary, sparing the participant the trouble of actually having to remember the duties, thus easing a little of the tension. For those who are a little more adventurous, participating in the Table Topics, giving the word of the week, or telling a joke or story may be the next step.

I decided to join to help me get over my fear of giving a speech to a large group of people. I’ve been giving training workshops for a number of years, but workshops are much different than speeches. In a workshop you have a lot more time to do things, you are in a discussion with others, and you can back track if necessary. With a speech, you have to have it all in the right order right from the beginning. Working through the 10 speeches for your Competent Toastmaster certification can give you the direction and confidence you need to move ahead.

Once you become more comfortable with the people around you, you realize that they are only there to help you, to edify you. Then it is time to take the next step and confront your fears by giving your first speech – your Ice Breaker. This will help you gain confidence to move on through the rest of your speeches. Remember, the more you learn, the easier it is to face your fears.

Do not be afraid to shine.

This world needs what you have to give.

Open up the areas of your being;

Expose them to yourself – to others.

you are valuable.

You are unique.

You have much to give.

Do not be afraid to give it.

As we risk ourselves, we grow.

Each new experience is a risk.

We can try, and maybe fail,

And, as a result, grow–

Or hold back and stagnate.

You have the potential

To be anything you want.

You are free to choose.

You are limited only by your fears.

Let your dreams take over.

Fly with the eagles.

Soar into life.

The world is waiting for you.

Copyright March 1987

Fran Watson

Fran Watson is a Career Counsellor and a Toastmaster (ATM-B). For more information on Toastmasters you can go to her webpage http://www.franwatson.ca

Whether youre selling a product or service, the 10 tips below are your keys to writing great copy that communicates and persuades … to get results! These guidelines can apply to most any form of consumer marketing communications: sales letters, brochures, web copy, or direct mail. As long as your goal is to elicit a reaction from your reader, youve come to the right place.

1. Be reader-centered, not writer-centered.

   Many ads, brochures, and Web sites we see talk endlessly on and on about how great their products and companies are. Hello? Customer, anyone? Think of your reader thinking, Whats in it for me? If you can, talk with some of your current customers and ask them 1) why they chose you, and 2) what they get out of your product or service. TIP: To instantly make your copy more reader-focused, insert the word you often.

2. Focus on the benefits not just the features.

   The fact that your product or service offers a lot of neat features is great, but what do they DO for your customer? Do they save her time or money? Give her peace of mind? Raise her image to a certain status? Heres an example: If you go buy a pair of Gucci sunglasses, youre not just looking for good UV protection. Youre buying the sleek, stylish Gucci look. So thats what Gucci sells. You dont see their ads talk about how well made their sunglasses are. Think end results. Now, what does an insurance broker sell? Policies? No peace of mind. (See? Youve got it.)

3. Draw them in with a killer headline.

   The first thing your reader sees can mean the difference between success and failure. Todays ads are chock full of clever headlines that play on words. Theyre cute, but most of them arent effective. There are many ways to get attention in a headline, but its safest to appeal to your readers interests and concerns. And again, remember to make it reader centered no one gives a hoot about your company.

   Bad: SuccessCorp Creates Amazing New Financial Program
   Better: Turn Your Finances Around in 30 Days!

4. Use engaging subheads.

   Like mini-headlines, subheads help readers quickly understand your main points by making the copy skimmable. Because subheads catch readers eyes, you should use them to your benefit! Read through your copy for your main promotional points, then summarize the ideas as subheads. To make your subheads engaging, its important to include action or selling elements. Bad: Our Departments Successes. Better: Meet Five Clients Who Saved $10K With Us.

5. Be conversational.

   Write to your customers like youd talk to them. Dont be afraid of using conversational phrases such as So whats next? or Heres how do we do this. Avoid formality and use short, easy words. Why? Even if you think it cant possibly be misunderstood, a few people still wont get it.

6. Nix the jargon.

   Avoid industry jargon and buzzwords stick to the facts and the benefits. An easy way to weed out jargon is to think of dear old Mom reading your copy. Would she get it? If not, clarify and simplify. (This rule, of course, varies, depending on who your target audience is. For a business audience, you should upscale your words to what theyre used to. In these cases buzzwords are often crucial. Just make sure your points dont get muddled in them!)

7. Keep it brief and digestible.

   No one has time to weed through lengthy prose these days. The faster you convey your product or services benefits to the reader, the more likely youll keep her reading. Fire your biggest gun first by beginning with your biggest benefit if you put it toward the end of your copy, you risk losing the reader before she gets to it. Aim for sentence lengths of less than 20 words. When possible, break up copy with subheads (see no. 4), bullets, numbers, or em dashes (like the one following this phrase) these make your points easy to digest.

8. Use testimonials when possible.

   Let your prospects know they wont be the first to try you. Give results-oriented testimonials from customers who have benefited immensely from your product or service. Oh, and never give peoples initials only it reminds me of those ads in the back of magazines with headlines like Lose 50 Pounds in Three Days! Give peoples full names with their titles and companies (or towns and states of residence) and be sure to get their permission first.

9. Ask for the order!

   Tell your reader what you want her to do dont leave her hanging. Do you want her to call you or e-mail you for more information? Order now? Call to schedule a free consultation? Complete a brief survey? Think about what youd most like her to do, and then ask her. Its amazing how many marketing materials I come across every day that dont make it clear what the reader should do. If you wrote interesting copy, your reader may forget youre trying to sell something. Tell her what to do, and shell be more likely to do it.

10. Have your copy proofread!

    Good. Now have it proofread again. Dont risk printing any typos, misspellings, or grammatical mistakes that will represent your company as amateurish. Hire a professional editor/proofreader to clean up your work and double-check your grammar. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impession! Oops *impression*.

(c) 2002 Alexandria K. Brown

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” is author of the award-winning manual, “Boost Business With Your Own E-zine.” To learn more about her book and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://EzineQueenTutorial.com/