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Business Planning

A Foolproof Way to Hold People Accountable

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If we consider a simple definition of accountability as, “the ability to account for your own actions,” it seems surprisingly straightforward.  But, accountability also involves having clearly communicated objectives, being granted authority over those objectives and having predetermined outcomes for either success or failure. Any ambiguity over outcomes, objectives, and timeframes will affect your ability to be accountable.  If someone …

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What the Bleep is Operation Green Turtle?

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Several years ago, when I was managing an insurance office, I was interviewing a prospective sales rep who I felt had great potential as an agent. Throughout the interviewing process, she was articulate, impeccably dressed, and demonstrated excellent people skills. I was convinced that I had found a real superstar. Shortly after she was hired, my new agent invited me …

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To Procrastinate or Not to Procrastinate: The Entrepreneur’s Dilemma

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There comes a time when you just don’t feel like working anymore. It happens to everyone. You are certainly not an exception. Rather, it would be surprising if you haven’t felt that way about any of your past tasks or projects.. As an entrepreneur, you would have worked hard to get your business to a level where it is successful …

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How Professionals Break Through the Menacing “Middle Mile”

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If you’ve been in business any length of time, chances are you’ve “bonked”—a phenomenon that happens to marathoners around mile 20 otherwise known as “hitting the wall.” Succeeding in business is much like running a marathon: The start is exciting, with the thrill of anticipation swelling as you toe the starting line. You know where you want to go, and …

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Are We Getting What We Want From Our Marketing?: A Question Every Company Should Ask

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The only way for a company to find out if its marketing is performing is to doubt everything it’s doing. Instead of guessing, jumping from one initiative to another, hoping for the best, or taking advice without knowing how to evaluate it, start at the beginning by questioning your assumptions, your expectations, your personal preferences, and, particularly, your perceptions of …

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Actions Speak Louder than Words: Business Ideas That Drive the Right Results

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Americans spend more than $12 billion per year on the nation’s most pervasive addiction—self-help and the seemingly insatiable desire to be more successful. Like other compulsions, we can’t get enough to satisfy our longing. Every couple of weeks, there’s a new self-help book, video or seminar. Malcolm Gladwell’s latest addition to his shelf of self-help books is totally enticing. It’s …

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Targeting Niche Markets

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Targeting an industry niche is a very effective, yet underused marketing strategy in the financial services industry. It can be hard to create a reputation for yourself when your marketing approach is “shotgun.” On the other hand, when you target a very specific industry niche, it’s fairly easy to elevate yourself to “celebrity status.” Let’s start out with a definition. …

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Storytelling: A Must-Have Tool for Financial Advisors

Storytelling: A Must-Have Tool for Financial Advisors

Our modern day methods of communication value fast, short, and information-rich conversations. With the rise of social media and texting as key ways to communicate information, conversations seem to be abbreviated. But, it hasn’t always been this way. For thousands of years, long before we had mobile devices or even the printed page, communicators have relied on one key tool …

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