...see you in october........

and by this i mean .... the blogger is doing what most people do in their minds even when they are in the office....taking the summer off....
and then some.......

AND....in october, this blog will take a slightly different turn....you might say a turn with a twist....
different state....different state of projects....different state of mind.....AND a different way to STATE those differences....the gloves are off.....

....stay tuned....october will be here before you know it....

....plan....

....everyone says this but I am not seeing any evidence of it being done in the business spheres i travel in…this is especially true in sales -- you hear in EVERY company-- plan the work and work the plan….the plan is usually driven by CRM  software which is so screen intensive that the sales force in general puts in an effort albeit a minimal effort (since it is quite common that CRM is a condition of employment) but considers it a waste of time that keeps them from what they do best -- selling....

do you know that it takes only 15 minutes, if done daily, to use CRM software to your advantage; i.e., plan your next day, week, month.…(yeah…all by itself…with minimal effort on your part....)

what did you do today....enter it and a follow up date & activity and viola -- this one entry schedules that activity and future follow ups on your calendar….you saw 4 customers – do 4 entries and off you go…..ain't technology grand....

....more branding....

....keep it simple --  in a complicated world there is no greater force in business; it is both a guideline to work faster and smarter and a competitive advantage....pick up the phone and call someone....if someone asks you a question, answer it….easy, huh....

• be concise --  brand yourself as one product offering....you are an image -- an iconic one....
• brevity is brilliance....
• go minimal -- small groups, smart people, you are the leader and you are involved in ALL aspects of the project ala steve jobs….
• wear black....
• say what you mean -- this is a killer but it works....in cases where it does not, you did not need that person (group / company / client) anyway....
• focus -- in an ADD world, the new ''F" word is the "M word -- multitasking -- guess what....you can start a lot of things by multitasking but you cannot finish one of them....focus on one thing at a time and do it well....why not....you come off as an expert....

....take the initiative

....break out of your routine and meet people...talk to people in at the coffee shop in the morning....tell people what you do and be interested in what they do...maybe they can do something for YOU....

• plan your moves....imagine your ideal work situation then work backward from it....you can SEE it....take steps, however small, to get there....
• luck involves strategy and comtemplation you need to visualize what lucky looks like....lucky looks like ME...
• optimize quality connections - not just anyone....it's not about having a large follower count online, it's about finding people you can connect with who can turn a great idea into reality.....cultivate a smaller garden....you get higher quality fruit....
• spread the word....the clearer you are about what you are after, the likelier you will get it…..get it out on twitter, get it out on your facebook business page, get it out on linkedin......NOW....
• commit to what you are doing....patience ....keep your branding to a simple offering and keep your goal constant.....only expand your outward sphere when you can give it the time it deserves....quality time....quality work....quality you....

about.me.....under construction but getting there.....

Check'>http://about.me/pamryan2">Check out my about.me page!

....the GOAL....yours....really...

one small thing.....
every day....
write it down...
one small thing that you have accomplished toward your goal....

this would be the goal that you have written down in rather large letters posted perhaps on your bulletin board or in your agenda or on your computer desktop....

sometimes you get discouraged because it is too "big".... you may think it is unattainable
BUT....

• break it down, day by day....
• do ONE thing each day to propel yourself towards that goal....

AND
you will get there.....

....what you can say and how you can say it "GOOD"...

….personal branding, yet again....

• think of what you say about yourself and your talents and how you can put an original spin on it to make YOURSELF more engaging….the cost of doing so is $0.00….
• your goal when personal branding is to make people say WOW….make them laugh or, at the very least, smile….
• “just hire me. really.  you know you need me.  you know you want to do this and yes, I am worth the money….” – this works….
• answer to question “what can you do?” = (your reply to the question) “anything you want….” – this works….
• biz cards = boring....list your unique strengths on the back of the card OR your grandmother's biscuit recipe OR a picture of yourself with your animal(s) - really - all of a sudden you are a three dimensional human being....

....personal staying power....

how you stay centered to reach your goal(s)....

• to continue to work toward your personal goal, build out from what was already working….
• embrace the wheel.…why you exist is your core...the personal branding of your specific talents, when presented to your target audience, must save more money than it costs… adopt a wide approach to culling personal feedback which helps spot opportunities….
• radical overhaul convolutes personal branding…k.i.s.s…..complexity/overthinking becomes the silent killer of personal growth….
• your identity is your “cause” (the benefit you offer others/your business) and your attitude about that cause....when you don’t have an identity, any reinvention of your personal brand looks good(?)….FOCUS….
• keep checking your position...examine how you are aligned within your market, your industry or your company....if you are going off course from your personal goal(s) the clue will generally come out of one of a combination of all three....

...the only thing constant is change...

http://www.sellingtozebras.com/


i received a book today "selling to zebras" by a friend of mine on linkedin...we had an interesting conversation regarding this common sense and very viable approach to selling...check it out....

YOUR market value...boost it #10 of 10...

do not rise to the level of your own mediocrity.....
(when you want to make a call on a problem or issue)...

• start close to home: hold brainstorming challenges among your staff; include staff members who do not usually have input into the innovation process...new brains = new ideas...
• support your local team:  include other departments in the brainstorm sessions and encourage all departmental teams to work together...no idea is "wrong"...it may need to be refined...
• sharpen your targeting skills:  be specific when you present problems open for innovation...a problem presented better is a problem solved better (pardon the grammer)...
• get back on the horse:  top open innovation veterans know how to sense failure fast and recover even faster...

YOUR market value...boost it #9 of 10...

map out outstanding decisions...

• use your tools:  (shared) knowledge is power...outdated leadership concepts are ineffective and counterproductive in the knowledge economy -- the intuition of a single heroic leader is dead...
• use technology:  leverage social media as a key communication vehicle - to LISTEN...so your customers will see you are in step with them...
• use your advisors:  when setting objectives, motivate your team to brainstorm solutions to problems...it is not about giving up authority, but USING authority to encourage debate to solve those problems...
• use your ears - hear all views:  have your decision making processes flourish in an environment where debate and dissent are encouraged, keeping the idea pipeline open at all times...
• use analysis:  those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it...keep in mind your great and not-really-great decisions and learn from them...
• use your eyes - keep focused:  important decisions are not a one time moment for a single individual...hold tight to the broad analytical tools for better solutions over time...

YOUR market value...boost it #8 of 10...

get a  handle on videoconferencing....really....

• dress - yes, this STILL has to be addressed.  conservative, comfortable, skip the stripes and big jewelry, dress like a tv broadcaster - solid colors...at least from the waist up...
• sit up - this impacts your message through your body language...what did your mother tell you...
• locate - what's behind you?..distractions?...try to arrange for a quiet spot and a plain backdrop...
• ban glitches - practice using webcam or teleconferencing gadgets before meeting time so you are not fumbling with video and sound setup...
• go into the light (in a good way) - good lighting makes all the difference.  practice ahead of time and adjust the lighting to your advantage...
• look - make eye contact by looking into the camera...this takes some practice, particularly if the camera is not situated on the monitor where you are viewing the other participants....
• slow down - v-conferences move at a bit slower pace than typical meetings due to a 2 - 3 second delay for systems communication...make sure there are sufficient pauses after asking a question...
• stay jazzed (at the same time) - keep your enthusiasm level UP...confidence counts but on video it counts MORE...

YOUR market value...boost it #7 of 10...

spend less / do more -

• be a fixer - solve the complex problems OR just handle the small stuff people do not want to deal with and you can make serious $$$...
• time/knowledge/money = 3 main resources available.  how can you solve a problem/issue without money = many problems cannot be solved without an investment of $$$ but, through a brainstorming process, many other resources become unveiled...
• work backward - figure out what your customer wants and THEN sync it with production; i.e., how much will people pay for a widget, then decide how much you will spend making it...
• cultivate loyalty -  don't ask everyone to do more with less while you fly around in a lear jet...
• look back (in a good way) - read "small is beautiful: economics as if people mattered" by e.f. schumacher (1973)...

YOUR market value...boost it #6 of 10...

sandbox etiquette...march to your principled drummer...

• assist others - short and sweet - do unto others, etc...make friendship a fine art...your rep is your most important asset...
• use your time wisely - each day, you have only 86,400 seconds to achieve and, guess what, you do not get a do-over...
• never let anyone play any harder than you - cannot expand on that.
• play together - do everything possible not to let your team and customers down...be the cog of the well functioning team - selflessness, high morale, peak performance and fear of failure...
• play smart - the only way to have a smart team is to have one that is fundamentally sound...make your responsibilities become habits...
• and for god's sake don't lie - never promise what you cannot guarantee...

YOUR market value...boost it #5 of 10...

cover your website bases (WEB-butt)...

• create top content - substantive, free information helps your customers learn something NEW...build a relationship with whom you do business...
• prioritize - great looking, user friendly websites are pretty to look at but do not substitute for high quality content...DO YOUR HOMEWORK, WRITE WELL...
• produce volume - sharp, short pages -- more of them -- optimized for web searches...do not re-post other's content unless necessary to make a point; you will come off as lazy...
• mobilize - more people acess web from smartphones than on a PC...get your website mobile-friendly AND product mobile content...
• integrate - add to search engine optimization; employ social media optimization...reduce marketing costs, create quality customer relationships and benefit from online presence...

YOUR market value...boost it #4 of 10...

got skills?....

• be fearless...easy to say but gird your loins and LOOK the part....
• face the fire..."yes i know how to do that"....ask alot of questions, use the internet and LEARN how to "do that"....and then DO IT.....
• get the facts....ask more than one person the same question and see what you come up with...
• ditch the ego....your title won't carry you....YOU have to do that yourself...you have to prove yourself every day...what have you done for me lately...
• undervalue harmony....dynamic tension works much better....keeps everyone on their toes...
• remember....90% of the job is showing up.....

YOUR market value...boost it #3 of 10...

sharpen up...if you have been laid off, try a new way of approaching this change in your live...if your job is no longer in demand, you may need to re-tool your career path, you may have to relocate, you may have to adjust the amount you are asking for your services.....

sharpen up...get better...
make yourself indispensable.....

YOUR market value...boost it #2 of 10...

put your goals in writing:   again, you are a company of one...mission statements are fine to look at...GOALS are where that mission leads you...

• who can help you reach these goals
• what can you do to reach these goals
• when .... you need a timeline or there is no sense of urgency
• where you will go in the tiered levels of accomplishment towards those goals
• how will you accomplish what is needed for each level towards your goals

THAT is why you put your goals in writing...

YOUR market value...10 ways to boost it....

..and this is number one..

take charge:  you are a company of one...
write a goal for the $$$ you want to earn...

get paid:  increase number of ways you can get $$$ coming in...value-add to your full time work...part time, consulting, social media opportunities...make it easier for the $$$ to come to YOU...

stay tuned for the other 10.....

follow me......

twitter --
https://twitter.com/#!/@pamryan2

"makeover offering" for experienced talent....

http://silverprofessionals.com/?page_id=229

...if you are an experienced professional who is considering moving your career to another level....you may want to check this out on the silver professional website....anyone who wants to shine would do well to inquire about this offering....counseling done by talent acquisition professional with over 20 years of experience....this is a one-on-one dedicated service which will prepare you for the NEW arena of competition for the best positions....the rules have been changed.....contact me....

....time management.....

....managing two clients in a growing consulting business....this takes a great deal of organization which means top notch time management skills....break your day into quadrants, schedule quadrant tasks, complete the tasks, move on.....
whatever is not resolved that day is apportioned throughout the work week....this does not end....BUT remember....you homework gets done on friday and flexibility is key.....

....contact me regarding time management skill improvement....

....welcome silver professionals....

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Very-excited-welcome-Pam-Ryan-3570149.S.96989529?qid=e2360d6c-05db-4788-8ec4-f325c54abd86&goback=%2Egmp_3570149

i would like to welcome a new business partner, silver professionals, to the pamryan2 arena of business relationships. 

the principal of silver professionals, LLC, ron goldstein, has over  22 years of  professional marketing and selling in the real estate, pharmaceutical, human resource, energy, green, finance, banking, legal, tax and corporate environments throughout the chicago metropolitan area. utilizing the latest in marketing strategies, information technologies and business acumen, he is a thought leader and trusted advisor throughout your  business transaction.

ask me more about silver professionals and check out the website....www.silverprofessionals.com

...brand....ryan2....

...in a world about the "mission statement", i am about the GOAL.......

branding pam ryan...ryan2

....ryan2 is a consultative business development and account management firm who specializes in salesforce optimization and strategic planning.....
....we are interested in and involved in many projects related to increased revenues and profitability in a consulting capacity for small to medium sized companies who (a) are at an impass regarding a future path, or (b) are starting up and need the expertise they cannot afford through direct hiring.....
strategic sales solutions --your company needs to get strategic sales solutions to grab the biggest portion of your marketplace…we can get your sales talent much closer to your business objectives in a short period of time...
here we are........
subscribe to this blog and contact us for details....
geographical area = united states and canada