Morning Motivator – Get PAID!

"If you are good at something, never do it for free."
- Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight

In the book "What got you're here,wont get you there" by Marshall Goldsmith, the author discusses PROVIDING TOO MUCH VALUE. This is the idea of giving too much to a situation.

From a MANAGEMENT standpoint, this can mean that you "chime in" too often and never give your people a chance to really speak their mind. From a BUSINESS standpoint, this often means that you are GIVING AWAY your value for free! Think about this… how many times have you seen a sales person GIVE AWAY the strategy or secrets to getting something done? Why would they offer that information WITHOUT getting paid?

Commonly, people GIVE too much when they don't PERCIEVE their own value to be high. REPEAT – they do not BELIEVE what they do offers enough VALUE to charge for it. So… the GIVE it away – FOR FREE!

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Remember that your KNOWLEDGE and EXPERTISE is INVALUABLE. If it was "common" then people wouldn't ask for your help. As nice as you are, they WOULDN'T call you.

YOUR VALUE IS IN YOUR OFFERING!

Don't be afraid to tell a client, "Id love to help you… our rate is (insert fee)." Good business people will RESPECT your position and UNDERSTAND that your are offering tremendous value. Additionally, remember that the ALLURE of what you can deliver creates an EMOTIONAL bond with the client when you DO deliver… and it is EXCELLENT!!

Bottom line: Don't give it away… GET PAID!!

Cheers,
Zach

*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com


The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.

Morning Motivator - Making an Extra Effort

"Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning."  
-Denis Waitley

Today's quote comes with GREAT pride and happiness for my loving sister in Chicago, Ashley Barker! CONGRATS on the new job!!

Last night, I received an email from my sister with the following within: "I got a NEW JOB! 10 months and 6 interviews later...I am now an employee of Lifetouch, Inc. I am a firm believer that great things come to those who aren't afraid to go the extra mile. As a recruiter and staffing manager (for two more days) I can say first hand-I work with the candidates who follow up regularly (it is hard to forget when they call you 3 times a week...ha ha) and always find a way to add value!"

WOW... impressive! How many other young PROFESSIONALS have learned that in their mid-20's? How many people in GENERAL recognize that your dedication and commitment to a goal is what ENSURES your success? What are you doing to GUARANTEE that your dreams, goals and desires are ACHIEVED this year??

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
How many clients do you have that you called on for YEARS? How many people are MARRIED to the person that they chased after for months and months? What "things" do you have that you TREASURE the most? The stuff that you worked your tail off for or the stuff that came EASY?

Realize that your PERSISTENCE and DRIVE are what people RESPECT. No one is IMPRESSED by the kid whose daddy gave him an AWESOME car. No one respects the person that FLAUNTS their success when you know it is their family ties that got them there.

People RESPECT hard work and INGENUITY! People are INSPIRED by others that drive to make themselves MORE. Set your GOALS and make them happen... if you are GENUINE, people WILL help you get you there!

Cheers,
Zach

*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com


The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.

Morning Motivator - Are You Over Prepared?

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."
- Seneca

In a MEETING yesterday (and today), I was thinking about how PREPARED people are for the "right moment." I'm not talking about having your papers in order or being ON TIME. I'm speaking about being OVER PREPARED.

OVER PREPARED means having the documents to CLOSE the deal... Yes, the deal you HOPE to close. How about having your DEMO KIT in the car... Just in case the CEO is in and willing to chat! You never know when OPPORTUNITY will arise!

Quick example, this morning, I met with a long time friend and future client. She had asked me to pop by for a CASUAL discussion about what we do and how we might help her team. I arrive, sit down and am "prepared" to discuss our business, then... BOOM!!! In walks the CEO to interview me and my partner on what we CAN do to help their business... SPECIFICALLY!

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Good news is I was ALMOST over prepared! I had brought my TECH EXPERT to tackle the specific tech questions I thought MIGHT arise. However, they asked about rates, bulk purchasing and contracts...

DAMN IT! I didn't bring them. SHAME ON ME! Had I been OVER PREPARED, they would have the information they need today and possibly be able to EXPEDITE their decision process. LESSON LEARNED!

To be SUCCESSFUL, you must be prepared. To DEFINE success, you must be OVER PREPARED!

Cheers,
Zach

*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com


The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.

Morning Motivator – The Key to Happines

"There is no key to happiness. The door is always open."
-unknown

Special thanks to one of my best supporters, Ms. Andréa McCarther of VHA, down in the great state of Texas! You are one of the best AMac!

You can always ENJOY a good discussion about what would "make you happy." People are quick to suggest that MONEY, POWER or a BETTER job would get them to "happy." And yet, many get there, to find that happiness is still ELUSIVE.

Why is it that we all SEEK happiness with no idea of what it looks like? How will you KNOW when you are "happy?" Will someone tell you? Will you "just FEEL it?" Do you think it is even POSSIBLE to be happy?

Many people will go throughout their lives SEEKING the MAGIC of "happy" and will continue to be sadly disappointed along the way. You may have FELT that if you just got that car… you would be happy! Were you? If you were able to BUY that house, then, yes them you would be happy… well? There is a much SIMPLER way to ensure you are happy!

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
The key to happiness is simple – KNOW what makes you happy… then repeat! If you love talking to people, do it. If you enjoy reading, do it. If you like eating cheeseburgers while listening to bluegrass then do it! It doesn't matter WHAT it is that makes you happy… rather, it matters if you do it OFTEN enough!

HAPPINESS is a state of being, not something you can achieve. It is not an END GOAL. You may have goals that you CAN achieve that contribute to the state of happiness, however, over the many, many years people have been looking to be happy… it has been proven true – you CANNOT find it.

And that's because it's been within you the whole time… you just have to let it out!

Cheers,
Zach

*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com


The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.

Morning Motivator - I Can't Say It Better...

... So I won't! Enjoy this EXCELLENT "Morning Motivator" from Seth Godin.

Who spreads your word?

In order for an idea to spread, someone has to do the spreading.

In the dark ages (ten years ago), the only way to spread your idea on a large scale was to do it yourself. Lots and lots of ads.

Today, marketers get all sweaty thinking about how this happens magically, virally, for free. If it were only that easy.

What's interesting to me is that different products and ideas are spread by different groups of people. There isn't just one professional association of idea spreaders, with everyone else being passive.

If your authentic little Welsh restaurant gets hot, it's going to be because the chowhounds, the folks who love to talk about the next great place, are buzzing about it. On the other hand, if your blog gets a lot of traffic, it might just be because a few of the digerati are going on about it, spreading the idea.

This is obvious, of course.

But what you are you doing about it? Have you figured out which portion of your user base are the talkers? Is it possible to focus your development efforts on actually making something that they like? Or, are you confusing the people who talk about your competition or about other industries with the people you need to reach? Might not be the same tribe...

The #1 cause of an idea that's not spreading or a business that's not growing is that they don't have a committed group of people spreading the word about them. If you treat everyone the same, you're not increasing the odds that some people will step up on your behalf.

"2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:"
This is the first question to ask someone who is frustrated at the rate their idea is spreading. "Who are you hoping will talk about you?" If you don't know, it's unlikely to happen all by itself. On the other hand, if a marketer is smart about finding, courting and delighting the group most likely to spread the idea, it's time well spent.

If you are interested in learning more about Seth Godin, email me and I will send you some GREAT info.

Cheers,
Zach

*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com


The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.

:: past morning motivators ::