KolBaKol

Two Questions most commonly asked to a Social Media Marketer.

2010-07-16T12:14:00.004-04:00

Many new people I am meeting these days, are talking to me about social media and wondering "Truly how big is this industry?" And - "Yeah, but what exactly is it that you do?"

These are the two questions I will discuss with you in this article - and these are the basis of the book that I am currently writing - titled "6 Steps to a successful social media campaign"

A) "How big is this industry?" - Huge! let me tell you - HUGE!!! This is something like the next "big bang" for the internet world.

I have just finished compiling some data on the history of the internet and how it came about. Comparing the information on the history of the internet and the birth and growth of social media - you see some major similarities. Not to mention the kind of money this industry is currently making - considering the fact that the social media industry is very much in its infancy stage and still has some major room for growth (which we'll discuss in a little bit - but back to the current state...).

If we are to look at Facebook alone, we'll see that it is earning over $11.5 Billion in revenue, it has already attracted over 700 million users (that would mean that if it were a country it would be 3-4 largest!!!) and has an average of 6.25 minutes per person signing on on average 19 times a month! So what is so special about Facebook that attracts all this kind of attention? Getting people to spend so much time on this website? And earning this kind of revenue? What is Facebook's business model and why is it so successful?

This is all answered in a simple phrase - people have the need to socialize, they feel more open and free to talk to people they enjoy talking to and share common interests. Everyone loves to share information - sharing mean giving and getting in return. If someone is interacting with you on Facebook and you don't interact back - eventually that person will delete you, or even worse - block you!

Now here is why social media has so much room to grow. Since the need for people to socialize, interact and feel a part of something is becoming more and more evident. Businesses and entertainers are starting to realize what they need to do in order to attract new clientele or to retain the current ones. The more people get use to socializing, the less people are going to be interested in those "cold calls" or "sales pitches."

These days - in our day and age - people are more likely to do business with people they can trust and/or conduct business with people they or their friends know or recommend.

This is the growth of social media - it's the growth of Word of Mouth/Mouse (WOM), it is the growth of friendship, and it's the growth of much greater, longer lasting, and loyal business relationship.

Businesses are starting to realize that it is important to interact with their clientele and offer these clientele something they really want and need. These clientele only need things that have value to them. These values are created by the client's preferences of what is deemed interesting or important to him/her.

B) Now what is it that I do all day? - I build relationships with people. I talk to them, and listen to what they have to say. I am interested in finding out, what interests them the most, what do they enjoy talking about? and what do they do for fun? as well as try to figure out how to make their jobs less boring and more interesting. Finally this enables me to talk to businesses and share with them my findings on what people are enjoying and doing for fun, what these potential clientele are spending money on, and what they perceive is important or of value to them.

With sharing this kind of information (for free) with these businesses or entertainers - it allows me to come up with interactive and creative ideas on how to create some kind of interesting experience for targeted audiences and try to attract them to become potential clients.

This is becoming more and more common in the marketing industry. Gone are the days of outbound marketing and cold calling (to a certain degree). Coming are the days of more inbound and organic marketing - and when I say organic, I mean that business is becoming more personal, marketers are trying to get more personal with targeted audiences and clientele.

On the audiences' side - they are seeking for more interaction, something new, something cool, something they can get a kick out of... This will attract them to come to the website or location of this attraction, this will encourage them to spend some kind of money on what they perceive is of worth and value. People's tendencies are to get bored of the same old suff, they look for innovation. If it were up to me - I would base currency on levels of innovation (but that would have to be a whole article of its own.)

This is why KolBaKol has developed a very innovative and interesting platform that is personalized to businesses and entertainers in order to help them interact with their clientele one on one - on their own websites with their own branding image - causing them to have some inbound marketing and SEO benefits (since more people are spending more time on their website and are converting to become clientele). If you would like to have more information about this platform and opportunity, or would like to request a brochure feel free to visit KolBaKol's website at www.kolbakol.com.

You can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or follow this blog to find out more about our projects and how we can take your business or services to a whole new level.

Looking forward to interacting with you!

Please leave a comment on what you think of social media? What can businesses or entertainers do to interact with you on a more personal level? What might attract you to spend money and have fun doing so?

Getting back into things...

2010-07-16T11:23:00.002-04:00

Hey, just a little personal article for today.

It's been a while since I wrote any articles - I know... Hope you didn't miss me much!

Have been doing quite a lot these past couple of months.

I have been working on developing our brochures and product plan for our Personalized Web 2.0 Platform - which will be going on sale soon.
We have been looking and segmenting potential clientele - who we believe will or might be interested in this platform.
I was in Los Angeles for my best friends' wedding (obviously got to meet some new people there and hoping to cultivate some kind of relationship with them.)
Hoping to attract some Angel Investors and offer them a really good deal and buy back option.
Looking to hire sales reps (or as we call them Account Executives).
We have successfully launched our website - which is still being updated every so often.
And finally - we are growing our network, meeting new people, giving seminars and workshops on social media, and much much more.

Don't Be Good - Be Excellent!!! (Ingredients to success)

2010-06-02T11:02:00.014-04:00

Why are so many people excited over social media? Who uses social media? Are there any social media "etiquette" rules?

These are very common questions in the social media world. None of the answers to these questions are set in stone, however one thing is for sure - Social Media is supposed to be fun!

Fun is the key ingredient to any successful venture, because in the end of the day - people are the ones who are going to buy or interact with you, and they will only get hyped up over you and keep coming back if they feel that you are something else, or some really good experience.

This is precisely the reason why more and more companies are turning to social media, and the smart companies that are using social media correctly are realizing why people are on these networks and what are they looking for?

Businesses that seek a competitive advantage must realize that the only way to beat the competition is buying the clients' loyalty - and that is by providing them with experiences that will encourage them to keep coming back to you and have them crave for more exciting experiences.

People in general are satisfied with a good product, and they are shopping for that good product or service. The moment they find a good brand they stick to it and will only buy that product. That is true until the socializing aspect kicks in... When their friends tell them or introduce them to a competing brand which is perceived as better - what ever factor may have been the cause to this perception, whether it be a better quality, a better service, a better experience, etc. That is when the "loyal" customer is in jeopardy... will they stay loyal to the original brand or will they succumb to the newer "better" brand?

That is an unpredicted answer - however a company must be aware to this possibility - heck that is competition! The only question is - what are you doing to stay on top of your game? how are you going to keep your customers loyal?

The trick is not only through loyalty programs such as point systems, raffles etc. - Those tactics are old school in today's day and age (although you may still use them) But what sets you more apart? more unique? different? better?

It would be easier to predict answers to the above questions if you knew what customers consider "good" but you'll need a sidekick for that! The simple answer is - don't be good, be excellent! you'd need a critic like Simon Cowell to get you really on top of your game, you'll need to develop some real thick skin, accept criticism wether you feel it is constructive or not, good or bad. Learn from your competition, keep an eye on them and think to yourself what can I do to perfect that? What do I have that no one else has? and when they copy me, what else can I pull out of my sleeve?

It is very important to remember that competition is not a bad thing - in fact it is what will make your company better!

We all have talents, which is a God given gift, this gift belongs to us and only we know best how to utilize it in the best way meant for you! Yes, it's true there are many talented artists, singers, comedians, etc. The one aspect that sets them all apart is - how do they utilize and personalize their talents to fit best with them? and when they offer something that no one has seen before - they become popular and successful!

In conclusion:

In order to be successful in what ever you do, you have to set yourself apart from the rest. That is a challenging task, but a crucial one! Find yourself someone that can criticize your work, develop thick skin and perfect it. Aim for the stars, don't be satisfied with only good, because someone else will come up with something better - only settle for the best of the best.

There is no better time than now, and with today's technology it is so much easier - Social Media is a place where people come to have fun! All you have to do is tap into that resource and provide the audience what they are looking for. Give them an experience they will not forget and at the same time educate them on how excellent (not good - excellent) is your product or service!

What kind of experience do you provide your audience? How good is this experience? Please share your thoughts and comments...

Yermi Kurkus is the Co-founder of KolBaKol and runs their Social media squad department which advises businesses, job seekers and entrepeneurs on how to use social media to maximize its usage to their individualized benefit. KolBaKol builds privatized social platforms for businesses that seek to catch on to this competitive advantage and seeks to interact with their audiences. Social Media Squad offers services for this platform which creates a unique and innovative experience for the company's audience. For more information feel free to contact via email or Twitter.

Social Media and the "6 Step Process"

2010-05-31T10:45:00.019-04:00

It never gets old hearing how social media is the "new" way to go, and how it's on such a rise, that it is the "answer" to all our prayers and that it may be what we should focus all our time and energy on. Yet as to every argument there is the second side that says; "no way, Social Media is a waste of time" "Facebook is only for fun" "social media is a stalkers paradise" etc. etc. etc.

To every coin there are two sides - you have to choose the winning one! Yes, both sides of the social media argument are somewhat correct in their own respective ways, however everything in life has its pros and cons.

To the social media enthusiasts - no, Social media is not the answer to all your prayers - it is a lot of work and time/energy consuming. You are right however, that one should not miss out on this great opportunity.

To the social media critics - You are right, social media can have a very negative affect on your image and yes, social media is for fun => it's for socializing = hence the name! However it is precisely because of the transparency of content on these networks that may benefit you quite a great deal!

Therefore the "6 step process" has been developed in order to answer all these questions and concerns in order to hopefully provide some kind of solution on how one can be successful using social media to its greatest potential.

Developed by KolBaKol Marketing & Solutions through an intensive 2 year research on how did social media help successful individuals and organizations achieve greater or large results. What did these individuals or organizations do or did not do that yielded the results that they produced.

KolBaKol looked at a few individuals in particular and others in general - some people that were studied were;

1. Justin Bieber - a 16 year old singer from Ontario, Canada, discovered through YouTube by Usher's team.

2. Cindy Gordon ex-VP of Marketing for Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. Marketing and creating a buzz for the new "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" theme park.

3. Troye Sivan - a 14 year old singer/actor from Perth, Austrailia - discovered via YouTube and acted as "Little Logan" in "X-Men Origins - Wolverine"

4. Susan Boyle - from "Britain's Got Talent" and,

5. Lisa Genova - author of NY Times bestseller "Still Alice"

Other individuals and organizations were also part of the research.

Click image to enlarge

1. Research your network - understand social media

This is where you research who are your surroundings, why are your potential audiences on these networks, which networks are they on? which network or platform is good for what? etc.

2. Branding and Branding Campaign

Deciding what image you would like to create for your audience and how you plan on "selling" them your image.

3. Communication and Blogging

The most important part of the 6 step process and the last one that focuses on you - this section is where you talk one on one to your audience and discuss with them what you are all about and what are your motives.

4. Monitoring and ROI

This is the first step where you will put your customers in the front! - how are they relating with your content? with your branding? and are you getting a return on your investment? are these audiences converting into clients?

5. Commenting and SEO

In order to get your brand more recognized and considerable, you need to share, comment on other people's content, make them feel special - if you have something of value, they will most likely follow up. This in turn will have them link to you - and potentially give you some Search Engine Optimization benefits!

6. Going Viral

Let everyone talk, relate, share, and interact with your content and branding - this will create a buzz and interest ultimately leading to many people linking to you and coming to you on their own.

This 6 step process is a lengthly and time consuming process - however if done correctly it is not complicated and may yield some very interesting results.

One of our test candidates Shirjoy - started her MySpace account about a month ago and has only done 2 or 3 of the above steps, view the image below to see her results. Now imagine if she was doing all 6 of the steps!

Click image to enlarge

If you are in the position or if you are a company it may be advisable to outsource to an agency or freelancer to take care of your social media project. The simple reason being, what good would your branding be if your organization cannot provide the products or services people believe is worth quite a bit, based on what they have been led to believe? And who else would be better at developing and maintaining your products or services other than yourself?

The reason why to outsource - would be because it would be quite expensive to build a whole new department or train the existing marketing department - this may cause a waste of time and/or personnel (unless your company can afford it!) On the other hand if you outsource, you may be able to invest more money on creating campaigns that will offer experiences to your audience.

Today online shoppers are looking for interesting and interactive "relationships" - this whole thing with social media - got us to realize how consumer would like to be treated. Give them a reason why to enjoy themselves on your website or platform and see if they won't come back. (check out Social Gaming if you are skeptical!)

In Conclusion:

The 6 step process was developed to simplify social media usage to any type of persons' usage, whether you'd be an individual job searching, promoting a talent that you may have, or be it a company that is promoting its products/services. These steps are good and important to anyone. They will allow you to have a competitive advantage and will allow you to compete with larger more successful businesses on a level playing field. It will teach you how to use social media in an effective way, and not allow social media to backfire on you in any negative way.

Finally it will allow you to budget correctly and plan effectively how to maintain your audience, convert them into clients and provide them with a unique and interactive experience that will only have them craving for more!

Cultivating Relationships with FarmVille

2010-05-06T16:17:00.012-04:00

Many view Facebook as a social platform to play games and stay in touch with friends. Where as others view these games a waste of time and perceive that those people playing these games have nothing better to do with their time.

It would be quite difficult to explain to the latter group, why and how FarmVille has 80 Million users! FarmVille is the popular farming game developed by Zynga which is now worth just over $4 Billion.

The question really is - why are so many people attracted to that game? and why are more people joining?

There are many reasons why FarmVille in particular and Zynga in general are so successful. Zynga is an extremely clever group of people that have amazing marketing skills and a very strong understanding of Social Gaming. Some concepts they put into their game are; Challenging tasks, points, levels, badges/ribbons, rewards and best of all interactivity. Interactivity is probably their key to success - "Share with Friends" or "Help your Neighbor" techniques were used excessively with FarmVille.

They marketed themselves by having the players share and post updates to their walls and by gifting their friends. This didn't only benefit Zynga, but it also benefited the people sharing and gifting.

You see, Social Media is all about sharing, building and "cultivating" relationships - whether new or existing. People that would like to have discussions seek a common interest with the second party, once that connection is made, a conversation is born! Zynga provided just that! A reason for people to talk, something to have in common, and ultimately a reason to be on FaceBook!

Personally, as a non-traditional marketer, who uses social media in order to market products/services, or to compile research data. I found it challenging to enter into conversation or to get the satisfied results I was after. This is a general challenge that most people face in life, it is not easy to stay in touch with everyone and it is quite difficult to start a conversation when you have a targeted agenda.

That is where Social Media comes in! On these platforms we are more likely to find a common interest that will ultimately lead us to conversation. FarmVille may be one of these examples amongst many other similar applications and status updates.

Here's an example of a conversation:

1. On my wall I see: "Jonny - needs 1 more nail to complete his barn"

2. I then see him online and I choose to chat with him.

3. Chat goes something like this...

Me > Jonny - "Hey, how's your farm doing? I need a nail and a brick to finish my barn"

Jonny > Me - "Hey, great, I'm almost done my barn, only need one more nail... can you gift it to me?"

Me > Jonny - "Sure, one sec..."

Me > Jonny - "Done..."

Jonny > Me - "Thanks"

Me > Jonny - "So other than FarmVille, how are you doing?"

Jonny > Me - "All is normal, how about you?"

Me > Jonny - "Great, I'm working on this marketing project - which you actually might be able to help me out with"

Jonny > Me - "Sure, how can I help?"

What happened in this example was, the common interest was used to get to a predetermined agenda by using social means. The marketer was able to give something to his friend and get something in return. When people are playing a game, their "guards" are lowered, they are now in a more social attitude. Right now their concern is to get as many friends to join their co-op or send them materials for the barn they are building. Once a friend does this "favor" for them - the latter has just scored some "brownie points" and now has the opportunity to ask a favor in return, whilst the first friend does not see it as a threat or a bother.

This is one of the many benefits of social media and what many businesses and individuals are catching on to now. No wonder why Social Media is growing at such a successful rate. Games are being used as powerful marketing tools and Ice-Breakers. Businesses can now offer fun experiences and individuals have a common interest to start a conversation.

So, will you ever play FarmVille the same way again?

Please share your experiences and your take on Social Gaming or the like.

Join KolBaKol and Social Media Squad to find out more about The benefits of Social Media and what opportunities can be found - find out how you can catch on and milk this cash cow today!

Yermi Kurkus is the Co-founder of KolBaKol and runs their Social media squad department which advises businesses, job seekers and entrepeneurs on how to use social media to maximize its usage to their individualized benefit. KolBaKol builds privatized social platforms for businesses that seek to catch on to this competitive advantage and seeks to interact with their audiences. Social Media Squad offers services for this platform which creates a unique and innovative experience for the company's audience. For more information Yermi can be contacted via email or Twitter.

The 4 Social Media Questions

2010-05-04T23:13:00.012-04:00

How is the Internet different in 2010 than all the other years?

1. How many times do you hear about the benefits of social media?
2. How many of your friends have Facebook or have profiles on similar platforms?
3. How many of your friends are urging you to join one or more of these networks?
4. Why should you join?

These are the questions we will attempt to answer in this article.

1. Benefits of social media:
Social media (or also known by its' technical term Web 2.0) is a special way to interact among individuals, where a platform gives you the opportunity to share, interact and personalize your "Internet" - hence the "social" aspect comes in.
98% of Americans spend a reasonable amount of time socializing, whether it be at work, school, home, store or street. It is an innate need that every one of us humans has to have.

80% of jobs, referrals and/or friendships are formed through networking. This is simply because it builds a trust and networking is a social activity that everyone seems to enjoy. Therefore it is a hassle free environtment, where you can discuss different topics on a social level.

2. Facebook population:
Facebook is currently the largest social networking platform out there. It currently holds aproximatly 52% of the market share - which means that there is aproximatly 1.8 billion Internet users and 2/3 of them are using social media = 1.2 billion users x .52 (facebook market share) = 620 million users! That is a population of two countries!!! Aproximatly 116 million of those come from US alone!

3. Facebook usage:
As of Feb 2010 according to Nielsen Company's research the global average time spent per person on social networks is around 5.5 hours per month. Facebook accounting for the majority of that time!
In the US alone it is estimated at 6.02 hours.
Facebook is the number one network In the world accounting for aproximatly 6 hours per person with an average of users logging in more than 19 times per month!

4. Why should you join?
My favorite line from MCHammer when he was interviewed in one of the Hubspot TV podcast was talking about how should Twitter monitize their platform (episode #28 - 27:25) - he said "give me a hundred million people doing anything and I will tell you how some make money somehow... 'anyone wants water? Water is Ten cents..."
This is a nail hit directly on the head, and could not be more to the point! When you have such a large audience concetrated in one area for a long period of time and these same audiences are frequently returning - don't you think there may be some kind of opportunity just waiting to be grabbed?

Join KolBaKol and Social Media Squad to find out more about The benefits of Social Media and what opportunities can be found - find out how you can catch on and milk this cash cow today!

Yermi Kurkus is the Co-founder of KolBaKol and runs their Social media squad department which advises businesses, job seekers and entrepeneurs on how to use social media to maximize its usage to their individualized benefit. KolBaKol builds privatized social platforms for businesses that seek to catch on to this competitive advantage and seeks to interact with their audiences. Social Media Squad offers services for this platform which creates a unique and innovative experience for the company's audience. For more information Yermi can be contacted via email or Twitter.

Leadership - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Part 2

2010-04-16T11:59:00.014-04:00

This is the last of our Leadership and Management segment of the blog and is in response to the very interesting discussion on Facebook with my freind Levik Dubov who is the chief editor of "Sentiment of Success" which led to his article "What is Leadership?"

In the conversation there was a discussion on what makes a good leader effective? (which was also the question we left off with in part one.)

The response was actually what formulated a presentation titled "Communication in Leadership" I gave at Mcgill University with two colleagues of mine Simon Garceau and Jacquie Snelling. You can view the slideshow below. (you can right click on the communication in leadership link and open it in a new window - easier to follow the slides and read at the same time)

Communication In Leadership

View more presentations from Yermi.

Slide 1: Communication in Leadership - The effective way!

The title - subject explained in slide 3.

Slide 2: Intro - Who we are?

The three presenters. Yermi Kurkus, Simon Garceau, and Jacquie Snelling.

Slide 3: Intro - Our Subject

This is a presentation that will focus mainly on the way a leader communicates with his subordinates, it also talks about the different types of leaderships in a similar situation. This presentation follows a "role-playing" style, where a scenario is played in 3 various types of leaderships. Note: there are more types of leadership - but this presentation covers the 3 main and general types.

Slide 4: Intro - Discussion

Have you ever experienced when your supervisor, director, manager or boss call you in to an unexpected meeting? Or when that leader tells you that "we need to talk"? What is the feeling that you are experiencing? What is going through your head at that time? How fast are all those butterflies in your stomach flying? What did you do wrong?

Slide 5: Intro - Our Presentation

In this presentation we will talk about:

A) The leadership styles and some theories that connect to them.

B) Different possible outcomes from different methods of communication.

C) We will try to identify the ideal situation.

Note: this is from is personal (group) point of view and we encourage your different opinions, please let us know of them by using the comments below (don't worry we'll remind you again in the end).

Slide 6: Scene #1 Directive Leader (DL)

The situation or the scenario is: There is one employee that seems to be slacking on the job, he is always coming late, and is not meeting the expectations of the company. (This scenario will play along the three following scenes).

The Directive Leader or DL is the type of personality that says "shape up or shape out"

Slide 7: Scene #1 - Directive Leader

The DL is the type of leader that gives out the jobs that need to be done, or he enforces them, by either setting deadlines or enforcing the deadlines with negative consequences that are threatened if these deadlines are not met.

Slide 8: Scene #1 - Directive Leader

The DL does not seem to consider the people or subordinates that are involved with the specific tasks, he does not seem to consider their expectations, needs or inputs. and finally he does not consider any external or internal situational factors that may be effecting the employee performances. Sometimes it seems as though there is no one to talk to and that he is hiding behind a locked door.

Slide 9: Scene #1 - Directive Leader

The DL has his focuses mainly on the task at hand. He may also have his selfish reasons such as the focus on their personal success, meeting their ambitions, hunger for power, level of seniority, and/or want of control. The DL may also perceive that he is the best for the job and no one else can do a better job than himself.

Slide 10: Scene #2 - Charismatic Leader (CL)

The type of leadership that encourages and befriends his subordinates - "Yes, we can!"

Using the same scenario as before, this type of leadership seeks not to confront the employee or make him uncomfortable. The leader believes that if he can somehow encourage or satisfy the employee in some way - the job will get done and the employee will keep his job with everyone still in a good atmosphere.

Slide 11: Scene #2 - Charismatic Leader

The CL is the type of leader that is more diplomatic, he tends to motivate employees by offering them more incentives and always has that cute smile and pats the employee on the back.

Slide 12: Scene #2 - Charismatic Leader

CL considers mostly the employees' happiness and comfort. He assumes that they expect the nice smile, encouragement and tries to involve them as much as he can in different aspects of a job. The CL perceives that if there is a good "climate" there is a good atmosphere, which in other words means that if he sets the mood right and always encourages and motivates his subordinates, they in turn will do the job correctly and evidently create a good atmosphere.

Slide 13: Scene #2 - Charismatic Leader

The CL's focus is mostly on the employees, trying to make sure that he can keep a positive working environment and tries to avoid conflict as much as possible. He hopes to get approval from his subordinates and hopes they like him at all times.

Slide 14: Analysis - DL vs. CL

If you are to compare the two types of leaderships we have just presented you can see that the DL is strict, tough and ego centered, while the CL is more of the nicer character, motivating and sort of soft - which means that he is more likely going to let something wrong go in order to get approval from the subordinates and avoid conflict.

Slide 15: Analysis - Employee Expectations

When analyzing we must look at all the subjects involved, this includes the subordinates or the employees. We must consider their expectations, what are they looking for in a leader? what factors develop their perception of a leader? This all depends on their culture, background and character. For example: People with military background have a perception that leaders are tough and demanding. Where as some american teenagers have the perception of "freedom of speech and freedom of expression"

This will suggest the connection to the "Equity Theory" which will be explained and presented in a few slides.

Slide 16: Analysis - Types of Situations

There are two types of situational factors in every setting, the Macroenvironment which are external factors. For example: The employee is experiencing different problems in his personal life or fright of political issues in the country he resides or in the country where he has loved ones living there.

The second situational factor is the Microenvironment which are internal factors. For example: Where the employee feels there is an imbalance in the Equity and LMX theories which are explained in the next few slides.

Slide 17: Analysis - Theories

We will not go in depth on the theories but simply - skim the surface and explain the connection of the theory to our presentation.

Equity theory - is where the employee compares and sort of "calculates" their inputs (situation, the process they got to the situation) and their outcomes (payment, satisfaction etc.) vs. their peers' inputs and outcomes. Further explained in the next slide.

Slide 18: Adam' Equity Theory Diagram - job motivation

Diagram Credit: Alan Chapman 2001-4. More free online learning materials are at www.businessballs.com

The subordinate in question will look into all the effort he put into getting his job and maintaining it - for example: the amounts of years of education, years of experience, efforts etc. He'll compare it to the payment or benefits he receives for all his inputs. The subordinate takes that whole equation and compares it to his peers (their inputs and outputs).

If the subordinate feels that there is an imbalance that favours himself - he considers that to be "equitable" which means acceptable, where as if it favours his peer - then it is considered "inequitable" and may cause him to preform at a lesser extent or not at all, until there will be some kind of balance.

Slide 19: Analysis - Theories

LMX Theory - also known as the Leader-Member Exchange theory, is another type of "equation" the subordinate calculates - this time however instead of putting his peer as the variable, this time it's the leader.

The subordinate will conceive a perception of the type of leadership he seeks or considers acceptable, and sees if the leader in question acts according to his perception - if the exchange exists (is the leader is what the subordinate expects) then the subordinate becomes a follower. This is explained better with a diagram in the next slide.

Slide 20: Leader-Member Exchange theory

The subordinate perceives that a certain type of leadership is acceptable, if this leadership style is exercised, the subordinate will respect this type of leadership and perform based on his perception. This is better explained if we understand the "Expectancy Theory"

Slide 21: Analysis - Theories

The Expectancy theory basically says, that the employee based on his upbringing, culture and background will deem a certain type of leadership as acceptable and conceive a perception based on that. Based on this perception will be the outcome of their performance. They will build their "performance chain" which means that they will put in their personal effort, and performance, they will the perform better depending on the rewards they are offered, and they will be more attracted if this whole chain meets their personal goals. In the next slide we will explain how this links together with the LMX theory.

Slide 22: Vroom's Expectancy Theory

Diagram credit: www.12manage.com

If we remember in the first LMX diagram we had the middle part which basically says how the follower will react if his expectancy is met. This diagram basically explains how we reach that middle part. This is how the subordinate builds his expectancy. Firstly he will consider how much effort will am I willing to put into my job? this will build his initial expectancy. Next, how will I perform? (do I give 100% or only 50%). this will be decided upon the outcome or reward that is waiting later on in the chain. "If I give my 100% I will get a nice big reward." Because the subordinate has worked so hard and was rewarded properly for it he is now able to afford the car he always fancied (personal goal).

Therefore - in order to satisfy this chain, the subordinate will conceive his expectancy. He will then consider what type of leadership style will work best for him, that means, if the leader will be too harsh, the subordinate will get discouraged and will lose confidence in himself - therefore crushing his expectancy. Or on the other hand, if the leader is too soft, the subordinate will become lazy and start slacking on his job, hence not performing at the proper effort level, subsequently not reaching his expected goal.

Slide 23: Analysis - Theories

This brings us to the final theory called the "Path-Goal Theory" - this is where the leader is the focus. The leader must identify the LMX and Expectancy of each employee, he has to consider all the different types of situations (external and internal), he must study the character traits of the individuals that are under him, he must take into account all the possible barriers or "noise" that are between him and his subordinates, which means that he has to consider how long will this memo reach the person it's intended for? will this message be read in the right or wrong way? should this message be better of addressed face-to-face in a meeting?

The Leader focuses at the tasks at hand and with all the above considerations he acts accordingly. In the next slide there is a chart that explains how the leader does this.

Slide 24: Path-Goal Theory

The chart basically summarizes all the different types of leaderships, the expectancies of the subordinates, and the situational factors that may surround them.

In short the table suggests that the "Situational Leader" takes everything and everyone into consideration. This will be better explained in the conclusion.

Slide 25: Conclusion -Situational Leader (SL)

As explained in the previous slide the SL looks to "make it work" which means, "we have a task at hand, how and what needs to be done and expected in order to get this task complete on time?"

Using the same scenario as in scene one and two - we will move onto scene #3 which we consider to be the "ideal situation."

Slide 26: Conclusion -Situational Leader

The SL is the mixture of the two types of general leadership styles mentioned earlier. In addition he identifies the strength and interests of his subordinates, which in turn empowers the right employee for the right task (for example, the employee with the best financial skills and knowledge will be in charge of the budget of that specific project.) The leader then monitors the subordinates and considers all their situational and motivational factors. If the leaders identifies an issue, he takes care of it immediately. (examples in a few more slides).

Slide 27: Conclusion -Situational Leader

SL considers everything - but mainly the employees' expectations and any types of barriers or situational factors.

Slide 28: Conclusion -Situational Leader

SL focuses on the task, as well as the employees. As mentioned he will consider all factors and react to create a smooth working atmosphere. The leader considers this to be a circular process, and considers everything to be connect. He believes that nothing is allowed to be forgotten. There is a task, there are people involved and people are people therefore they have their needs and they have their situations around them.

Slide 29: Conclusion -Situational Leader

Therefore the leader constantly asks himself the three questions: What, How and Why? by asking himself these three questions he will remind himself what needs to be done to what situation. wether training is needed (what), development (how) and assignments (why) all these will show his ability to perform as a leader. in other words - the leader is considering all possible ways to interact with the differed situations and employees he leads. This is shown in the next slide's diagram.

Slide 30: Conclusion -Situational Leader

In this diagram you can see how the leader is acting accordingly in different situations to different expectations (blue represents the leader's activity or emphasis) this same diagram is put into a chart in the next slide and may be clearer to understand.

Slide 31: Conclusion -Situational Leader

In this chart we can see that the leadership is built of four types of leadership styles or behaviors. The leader will slide horizontally or vertically depending on the different situations and expectations.

To clarify all this - the leader will have to basically act according to every individuals' needs and situations. That means, if he has the military background type of employee who is used to the delegating or directing type of leaderships - the leader will have to behave and direct accordingly. If one day that same subordinate is having a low day - the leader will call him in and ask him what is wrong? The leader might find out that maybe it was a memorial day for veterans of war and therefore this ex-military man is on the low side. Likewise, the american teenager, who needs more coaching and supporting. The leader will have to lead this subordinate differently than that of the ex-military person. Here he will support and coach this teenager. On the low day of that teenager - once again the leader will call her in and may find out that she wasn't getting along with her parents.

In conclusion - the situational leader may be the most effective type of leadership, he might be able to actually get a lot more done, because he is on top of everything. Don't get me wrong - this is no easy task. But that brings us back to the original question - "Are leaders born or made?"

Slide 32: Q&A

you can use the comments box to discuss the next few questions - I encourage you to be critical and have your own opinion I would be more than happy to hear what you have to say.

1. which leadership style do you consider the most effective?

2. In your own opinion - which leader do you think will use what type of communication method? (which means -who will scream and yell, or would would smile at everything? who will be more serious and who will be all joking? - you can identify any type of method).

3. From your experience can you identify different leaders that match different leadership styles? (i.e. people of political power, old or current bosses, etc.)

Thank you for reading, please share (Facebook or Twitter via the links on the side bar) and/or digg this article, please discuss it and please comment.

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Montreal Bell Center Plane "Crash"

2010-03-25T14:08:00.004-04:00

Photo credit: Marcos Townsend, The Gazette

Montreal downtown residents woke up to a little scare. As reported by the Montreal Gazzette, an ultra-light plane appeared to have crashed into a SUV outside the Bell Center, home of the Montreal Canadian's hockey team. The "crash" was a fake, it was a publicity stunt by French Canal D promoting their new TV series "J'ai frôlé la mort!" (I cheated death) which airs March 29.

This publicity stunt was intended to create a buzz, get people and media talking about it. What better way to publicize their stunt that actually brands their show, which dramatically recreates actual accidents that people have survived.

Wether or not their feedback and comments were negative or positive, they have achieved free publicity for their show. Now more people would be curious to watch how people have cheated death since they had something quite real to relate to.

As an outsider and marketer, I personally think this was slightly extreme but definitely got the results it was looking for. (just wished the show were in English).

Marketing Take-Away:

Don't be to concerned about what feedback or comments you will generate with your publicity stunts. Creating a buzz within your own branding is the primary focus! Let the media and audience do the rest, as the old British proverb goes - "curiosity, killed the cat!"

Good job Canal D and the producers of "J'ai frôlé la mort!" I am positive your show will be great and successful!

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Leadership - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Part 1

2010-03-21T09:10:00.018-04:00

Are leaders born or made?

Let us consider a situation.

The CEO of a company is about to retire, tension is now growing as to who will be the next leader of this company? Will it be the reliable assistant who all ways gets his work done on time, is charismatic and everyone loves him? Or will it be the CEO’s son or relative, who doesn’t really have the best communication or leadership skills, may not have as much experience as the assistant and not everyone likes this relative too much for various reasons.

This may depend on the type of ownership, or decision-making process the company takes. But would it be a good thing or a bad thing if either gets the job? What are the pros and cons and what are the considerations a successful company should take into consideration?

Some people might like to argue, give the job to the assistant since he has more experience and everyone already likes him. But what happens if this is a family owned business? Or can the assistant handle this type of position, whereas, if the relative gets the job, people will perceive it to be protectionism. On the other hand, if the relative gets the position and empowers the assistant to continue in the position he has, who guarantees that the relative will do a good job like his predecessor?

Now with all that in mind let's reconsider the opening question - are leaders born or made?

If the son was born into a leadership position - does that make him the right candidate for the job?

Just because the reliable assistant performs well on his current tasks, does that mean he will perform well as a leader in such a high position?

On the other hand, Let's consider if the relative is put in such a position would he have the chance or would he learn and adapt into becoming an effective leader?

The point:

There is no definite answer to any of the above questions. There is however considerations that must be taken into account.

A leader can be made, some are born - the only real question is - what kind of leader is he? And is he maintaining a successful and meaningful leadership?

There are four main types of leadership styles. The directional leader, the charismatic leader, the situational leader, and the leader that just hands over the job and lets his subordinates do the job with minimal involvement of his own.

Directional leader, is the leader that dictates the tasks, imposes deadlines and threatens that they better be met or else negative consequences will be faced. This type of leadership does not consider the parties involved, the situation, nor the possible inputs the subordinates involved may have. This type focuses mainly on the task at hand and may focus on the leader himself, providing him with seniority, power and control.

The charismatic leader, is sort of the opposite to the directional leader, where he reasons with his subordinates, encourages them, and tries all sorts of motivational and encouragement methods to get the parties involved and meet a desired deadline. This style focuses mainly on the subordinates believing that as long as they are happy and feel good they will in turn work properly. The leader is perceived to be a nice positive individual that would do anything to motivate his employees, to avoid conflict and to make the environment as friendly as possible.

The loose leadership style, is one where the leader hands over a task to his subordinates, devises the tasks amongst the group members, gives them a deadline and lets the birds loose. Closer to the deadline the loose leader reminds everyone that there is one or two weeks left and that they should start handing in their parts. This type of leadership focuses only on the task and its deadline. The leader shows very minimal involvement, offers minimal support and assistance. The subordinates are simply expected to perform on their own initiative and motivation. They are simply expected to have their parts of their tasks ready on time for the deadline.

Finally the situational leader, who hands over a task, identifies the strength and interests of each individual in the group, and according to the results of his findings, he hands over specific tasks to individuals that would best fit the job. Along the project, the leader every so often would touch base with every individual and would inquire about his personal life as well as the progress of his part of the task, reminding the group that his door is always open to their needs, questions, concerns and any other need that requires support. This leadership style focuses on many different aspects; the group as a whole, the task, the individuals in the group, the situations surrounding the subordinates including their personal and work lives - offering them support, assistance (when possible) and reassurance.

Which style do you think is the most effective? Please leave your comments and your thesis on this subject. Based on the discussion below a part 2 will be posted shortly containing the benefits and negatives of each leadership, the best ways to go about choosing the right type of leadership and answers or comments to any of your questions or pointers.

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We Are The World 25 For Haiti Please download and donate!

2010-02-13T20:05:00.001-05:00

Widget « Official Site of We Are The World 25 For Haiti

“Eat Here and Get Gas!” - The Effects of Proper Communication in Leadership

2010-02-11T16:34:00.023-05:00

A personal review and critique on Leadership in Action Papers – Communication (Lusthaus, C. Class Notes: Communication 2004)

About the Author: Dr. Charles Lusthaus; was an associate professor in the Department of Administration and Policy Studies in McGill University, and a partner in Universalia Management Group which is a Montreal-based management consulting firm. Dr Lusthaus is also faculty advisor to the Centre for Educational Leadership, McGill University.

Main Idea: The leader’s job is, to use all the tools needed in communicating well to his subordinates. If the leader fails to properly manage these tools and use them to their maximum capabilities, maybe the answer to the poor performance shown by the subordinates.

Points of the article: A leader is a person who monitors, makes decisions and distributes information. The leader spends 80% of his time communicating.

“Leadership, in a word, is impossible without communication” (Page 231)

Communication has some key elements. A) Sender; one who encodes a message. B) Channel; the means used to send the message, C) Receiver; the one who then decodes the message (not always decoded the way the sender has hoped), and finally D) Feedback: what the receiver has understood from the sender, which frequently differ.

“Eat here and get gas!” (Page 232)

There are three major sources to “noise:”
1. Improper choice of words or their usage: i.e. politically incorrect, racial sensitive.
2. No Feedback: One-way feedback, (which is done by memos, written reports etc.)
3. Communication Channels: The leader must choose them properly in order for them to be affective and advantageous.

There are differences between oral and written communication. Written communication is effective in many different ways especially when it is paired with oral communication.
Non-verbal communication includes; body language and gestures, voice intonation and physical appearance. Non-verbal communication is a very powerful mean in the transmission of a message. A good leader knows how to observe and pick up quickly on these little signs. These cues are done unconsciously and quite rapidly; it is just a matter of picking them up! It is very important to be aware of cultural differences. For they cause a communication breakdown.

There is a difference between formal and informal communication. According to the best selling book in Search of Excellence. “The excellent companies are a vast network of informal, open communications. The patterns and intensity cultivate the right people’s getting into contact with each other.” (Robert H Waterman Jr. (Author), Thomas J Peters (Author), later printing edition (August 15, 1988), In search of Excellence, Publisher: Grand Central Publishing;)

In order to become an effective communicator one must be an “active listener.” Which is a term used by Carl Rogers and other counselors and therapists.

To be an active listener there are five guidelines.
1. Listen for content. Hear exactly what is said.
2. Pay attention to feelings. Try to identify how the sender feels in terms of the message content.
3. Respond to that feeling. Let the sender know that you recognize their feelings
4. Note all the cues. Be sensitive to them.
5. Restate in your own words what you understood from the sender.

This will also provide feedback to the sender confirming that his message is getting across, or at least the receiver is trying to understand the message properly.
An organization with a high consensus will have fewer quarrels. This is when the information is flowing in a form of upward and downward, inward and outward. This is elaborated more in Chester Barnard’s book called, The Functions of the Executive. (Chester I. Barnard (Author), (January 1, 1971), The Functions of the Executive - Publisher: Harvard University Press; 30 Anv edition)

It is very important for the leader to know, that in order to avoid mistakes and errors in the future. He must consult the people who will carry out the objective. This ties in very well with “repairing interrupted communication.” When the leader will ask for the subordinates’ advice, he will find any crossovers or breakdowns in the communication and jobs done. This will encourage the subordinate to work properly because they are feeling more useful and part of the job, as well as not “knocking their heads together.” (Page 238)

Effective communication is a two-way process where there is a sender and receiver. The leader will play either one of these roles, it requires good interpersonal skills where he will have to understand the situation and where the other is coming from, and he has to recognize where personal biases may interfere with what is taking place.
The American Management Association published “The Ten Commandments of Good Communication.” Which is meant to give the reader a good foundation for building and maintaining a good set of interpersonal communication skills. (American Management Association (1955). The Ten Commandments of good communication. New York: American Management Association.)

Conflict is very upsetting and disturbing to some people in an organization. There are several ways how to manage these conflicts. A) Lose-Lose conflict, B) Avoidance (not such a good option), C) Win-Lose conflict, and D) Win-Win conflict (which is the ideal and most effective way.)

A personal Evaluation and Critique
The article is a very well written and informative. Many of these theories and advice have been found and proven to work. They are constantly used in many case studies our company conducts, where the feedback from our clientele is positive.

There are, however, some minor details that the author left out in his article.
Matters like; Leadership styles, the expectancy and perception of the subordinates from their leader, as well as some matters on diversity. These are some important factors to consider.

In the portion of the article where the author is talking about, the effective leader choosing the proper channels for communicating in a given situation. Some information was missing. It needs to be understood that sometimes the subordinates expect a certain type of leadership from their superiors, whereas others expect a different kind of leadership. This a great challenge a lot of leaders face.
This is where Robert House’s Path-Goal Theory kicks in. The theory says; that the leader must cater his behaviour according to the situation and in various leadership styles/behaviours that are expected from him by his subordinates.
This little detail may have played a large role in this article and may have given a little more of insight as to a true effective leader.

In regards to Diversity, this is now a growing concern with the population growth in Canada mainly dependent on immigration. More and more diverse people from different backgrounds, cultures and upbringings, are finding their way into the workforce. Therefore the Leader must accustom himself, to their needs, expectancies, and form of communication. Women may also be a factor in this diversity; the birth rate is decreasing due to women in the workforce. Therefore one must pay attention to these important factors to communication barriers and methods.

Summery
In order to be an effective leader today, in our society, it is important to remember that communications is both ways. The effective leader must consider who is the second or third party involved. He must recognize the situation, the other party’s position and expectancies, and he must recognize where he stands with his biases and perceptions. Once the leader has identified these three criterions, the outcome of the communication will be better understood, effectively executed and beneficial to all parties involved.

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6 Reasons to vote for Friendship Circle

2010-01-11T14:29:00.019-05:00

vote for friendship circle

1. Selfless non-for-profit organization:

Friendship Circle, is a non-profit organization that specializes in providing children with special needs and their families with individualized support - all free of charge!
Friendship Circle believes that every child and person is special and unique in their own way, and that regardless of background or faith, deserves the gift of true friendship. Friendship has a ripple effect on the community, impacting the lives of all involved, raising the consciousness of society at large.

2. Over 70 Friendship Circle Organizations Worldwide!

Friendship circle is a large network of individualized organizations around the world that look to give that kind of quality of life to these children. They play with them pretend, they go on outings, do arts and crafts and different programs.

3. Changes peoples lives. Volunteers/Buddies, children and their families With great programs:

"He's helped me so much, I can't thank him a million times, that still won't be enough" - Max Granitz (Child in Friendship Circle - talking about his "buddy")

Hockey tournament
Walk for friendship
Golf Tournement
LifeTown
and much much more!!!

4. Got a new Campaign Manager:

Jacob would like to go to Times Square to get people to Vote for Friendship Circle, can you make his dream come true?

5. Celebraties love Friendship Circle:

Celebrity Actor Bob Saget spent a day with Friendship Circle perfectly matching his character as a caring, compassionate person and father as his role in the hit TV show Full House (which is personally one of my favorite TV shows ever).

Other Celebs include Paige Hemmis, Marlee Matlin, Max Weinberg and Jon Voight

6. Other Forms of Fundraising Techniques:

Friendship circle has found a unique a creative way to fundraise. Not only do they ask for donations but they apply for these competitions, such as Chase Community Giving.
It goes with out saying that the development and the raising of such a child is a very large expense. The fact that Friendship Circle volunteers for free, is an extraordinary gesture and is greatly appreciated by every parent and family member that is associated with this program.

Friendship circle also has programs targeted to the parents and family members to help ease the burden and to show support.

Now, in these difficult financial times, where raising funds is quite a challenge. There are organizations that are offering money to other nonprofits based on votes and competition. Friendship circle has entered into such a competition and is now turning to you for support, it only takes a few moments - vote for friendship circle for a chance to win $1 000 000!!

Can you imagine how far those million dollars can go to help a great cause? How many more children will be helped? More parents will be supported? More programs created?

Please post on your facebook status, your twitter status and any other way to get this word out- let's support these special people.

MyDream = (your dream) #Votefc #MyDream http://votefc.com/

(copy and paste the above line to your status and tweets)

Please pass it in to your friends... Thanks in advance!

Using Voice Memo for projects.

2009-12-31T16:52:00.012-05:00

Some people are just not writers, as you can obviously see from my blog that is hardly updated or written properly. Some blogs are so popular based on the content they have, the way they are written and the "poetic" vocabulary that their authors use. Unfortunatly not every one has the privilage of that talent, me included! But that doesn't and shouldn't stop you from blogging or writing.

Trying and experience never hurts, it can only improve! Some people may face what I call "faze-out" - it is when you feel that you have so much to say and potentially write but when you actually come down to writing it - you faze-out and forget what you were going to say. This is the main problem I personaly face.
It was therefore decided to come up with a solution to this problem, since that is my job as the owner of a marketing and solutions agency where writing is a very large requirement, with all our case studies and ideas that we would like to propose.

While exploring my new iPhone I realized that it has quite a cool app called Voice Memo - which basically records your voice, making a memo. This app can be used for meetings, reminders or the like - sort of like a recording device on your phone! As I was exloring and testing this app I realized that you can record and save multiple such recordings and that you can label them what ever you like. That is when it dawned on me that - I speak way better than the way I write, I am good at giving presentations and so therefore I have decided to record what I had to say, save it, then transfer it to my computer and finally type up what I was hearing! I tried this method with one proposal and it worked beautifully. I did it with this article as well! And I feel that this is my best article so far and hopefully the start of many more good articles.

Here's how it works:

1. Write down in number form 1-10 on a piece of paper all the topics and pointers you would like to touch upon during your recording. Add some subsections to help you rember some key factors that cannot be missed.

2. Press the red recording button, and start talking stating the title of the subject in the begining.

3. Stop the recording when you have finished discussing the first pointer. (#1 on your list with its' subsections).

4. Press the "lines" button found on the bottom right side of your screen. (where the stop button was found).

5. The recording will then start playing and you can listen to your recording, and take notes of the information that you may have left out.

6. You will then need to press on the little blue arrow, which will take you to a screen, where you can then trim your recording - in case you want to, which you don't have to since you will be compiling this info later on. Same holds true for the sharing.

7. Once you have done reviewing and editing your recording - you would like to label it. This is done by pressing on the large box or where the time is being shown right now, this will bring you to a list of different lables. I suggest to always use custom, this way you can name the clip whatever you'd like.

8. Press done, go back to the begining and start on your second pointer. The same procedure should be followed until you are done.
Suggestion: When you are naming your clip - number them. Even though the latest clip recorded will be at the top, it is still easier to see the numbers and remember what clip is what.

9. You can then sync your phone with your computer, you can then play and playback your clip and type it up.

10. Finally, once all is typed you can then edit and compile all the info into one file. (if you want to get fancy you can even import these clips into GarageBand and make them into one track or album or whatever - I will let your imagination take you from there.)

Now, even though this article makes it sound that you must have an iPhone or a Mac for this advice - but you really don't. You can use an average regular or standard recording device, or any other app. This article is simply advising you to do what most secretaries do with recorded meetings. I am simply promoting this practice and saying that it is a good one to get accustomed to. I am also trying to encourage you that if you feel that you are challenged with writing an article - don't feel bad there is an alternative! Hey, you never know maybe soon these sites and blogs like blogger will start offering the voice option - I know that there are some people that use podcasting and video blogging - this is just another alternative!

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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Adverting Experience

2009-11-06T13:38:00.005-05:00

Please share an experience where you saw a company advertising a product, good or service where you either;

A) Did not fully understand what the ad was offering

B) Saw one price advertised and when you called or gone to the store you were then faced with other charges (including taxes)

C) Responded to an ad only to find out that they were "sold out" but offered you something else for another price and other conditions.

You can use one of the three options above, all three or any experience that you felt was unfair and you would have not responded to the ad if you knew better.

Please use the comments section to post your experience. If you would like to read more about Advertising in Canada you can read the post here.

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Advertising in Canada (especially in Quebec)

2009-11-06T12:42:00.010-05:00

Advertising plays a major role in every business or organizations' daily operational activities, in fact 60% of their budgets is advised to be allocated to marketing. It is therefore very common that businesses and organizations work very hard and send a lot of money coming up with different ideas and campaigns on how to attract consumers to their doors. It is obvious then that regulations must be put into place to legislate this behavior, to ensure consumer protection and trust, and to control business to business competition. That is the role of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and the Competition Act.

There are two associations in Canada that regulate and make sure the CPA is properly enforced by creating Advertising Standards. The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) that published "The Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice." And The Advertising Standards Canada (ASC) who enforce the 14 Standards and allow consumers to complain to them if they encounter any issues with businesses (to read more about these two agencies and their operations just follow their links to their sites).

Recently more and more complaints have been taken to court regarding two main issues found here in Quebec. 1) Advertising geared toward children under the age of 13 (CPA Sections 248 and 249), and 2) Price Fixing (CPA sections 219 - 231).

The CPA offices are currently mostly after those that are advertising geared to children as a recent case of Saputo Inc. that got fined for up to $44 000. Others that are on the target list are companies like Mcdonalds, Burger King, and others.

The trend seems to be moving closely to the Price Fixing yet it is still undetermined how fast The CPA offices will record any victories in that field since the law is quite satisfied as long as the sections mentioned above are respected by using symbols such as asterix (*) crosses (†) footnotes (¹) and others. These fine prints as long as they are legible and meet all criteria is very hard to fight. Although those companies that omit information in their fine print footnotes or totally omit the footnote all together are in for a big one - as it was just recently proposed to raise the fines to $10 million for corporations and $750 000 for individuals including other such reforms that can be found here (part 12 section 74.1).

To see and read recent complaints of price fixing you can visit ASC's website where they publish an annual report and a quarterly complaints report that summarizes all the complaints they receive and in which category each of these complaints fall under.

Tip #8: Advertise in public places with frequent traffic.

2009-08-03T19:44:00.005-04:00

Advertising #3: Advertise in public places with frequent traffic.

This tip might sound like a costly one! But let me tell you these are very effective and besides, there are some tricks to avoid some of the higher costs.

There are many benefits with this type of advertising and there are several tricks that are good to consider. Here are some:

Benefits:

The more people will see you, the more they remember you!

It shows that you are still around!

It goes into their sub-consciousness. Whenever they think of the product or service your company offers, they will think of you (or picture your ad)

It animates you in many different ways.

Tricks:
There are several options of how you can advertise: Advertisement in back of purchase receipts, grocery buggies or carts, over-head screens, billboards and more…

If you are already selling to a grocery your products and services, you can offer it for cheaper if they allow you to advertise on their buggies, receipts, screens etc. (Other deals can be arranged).

Certain billboards are priced on a per season basis. It is a good idea to catch the low season. Any time your ad is outdoors or in a public place, you have a chance to be seen and a chance that people will photograph the scenery and your ad will be in it. The best thing for a company image or advertisement is to be in a scenery photo. This photo is a memory that the people will keep forever (most likely) and your company is in it! This is the best type of advertising money can buy! (So whatever you paid for that advertising is potentially worth many times more!) Every time those people will look at that photo they will put your image into their sub-consciousness with out realizing it! (Work similar to subliminal messages)

Screens work similarly as billboards, however they work on time elapsed and time displayed. It is more worth it to purchase the shorter time more often in rush hour. That is the time you will get most visibility! The reason why shorter and more often is better – is because people at this time are in a rush and no one likes to stand in line – they are very likely to socialize with someone in the line.

Tip is: “Why do the Yankees always win? Because everyone is focused on the stripes” – Frank W. Abagnale
By doing all these kinds of advertising you are causing people to subconsciously think about your product and service. You are creating an image they can relate the product or service to. The more you are seen the more they can relate!

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Tip #7 - You fall down in order to pick your self back up!

2009-07-31T13:47:00.002-04:00

Looking at my toddler picking herself up and falling down, crying a bit and then trying again this time paying more attention to her previous mistakes, teaches us a special lesson in life!

How are we meant to know how to conduct a proper business deal? What are the right words to say? How do you get it right? What is the definition of right or wrong?

Well, the only way to find out is by doing what Nike’s old slogan was; “Just do it!”
Just do it means to try, if you don’t succeed and you fall down, get up and try again, keep on trying until you get it right, you will end up succeeding one day.

Perseverance and patience are the part of the main ingredients to success, happiness, and prosperity.

Tip is: If something is not going the way you think it should, in life or in business, look at it in a positive way, learn from its flaws, study and pin-point where the error might be found. Don’t give up, keep trying different methods, don’t take it to heart, and stay focused on the goal and pay attention to the details. Keep on trying until you get it right - believe you will succeed!

Second Tip: Don’t be afraid to start new things, the biggest mistake one can make is giving up before starting. Don’t worry about falling, worry about how to get back up.

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Advertise in Local Phone Directory or Listing

2009-07-29T17:01:00.003-04:00

Here is the second tip from our Advertising Tips Section: This tip is a simple one – yet must be done right as well.
Most businesses only list themselves in the yellow pages or in the listings section of their local phone directory. But it is those who invest in an advertisement that get read the most!

Here are some common types of listings and advertising:

• Simple word listing: not so advisable to use this type as your primary listing option. You should consider having it as a secondary option. (Most directories offer a free word listing with an advertisement.)

• Boxed word listing: These are read – but not as much or as often as ads. This is the preferred directory listing accompanying an ad! (If the budget allows – but other wise it is not that needed).

• Ad Box – in the yellow pages or listings section: This is the most effective and well worth their investment. These ads are most commonly seen (because of the KISS Theory – click here to read how).

• Ad Box – in the white pages or residential listing section: These ads are quite effective but not really worth their prices. These ads do well as extras they remind people to go check out the yellow pages. These ads are mainly for businesses with big budgets. (If you have a large budget – this is very effective when combined with the two options above).

The tip is: Don’t worry too much about a color ad; color is not important in a directory especially if it is yellow pages. The most important trick in a phone directory or listing is to be seen, quick and effective. People are more likely to flip through the yellow pages when looking for a service and/or product. The first thing that will catch their eyes is the bigger ads (because it has pictures, nicer wording, concept and the box around it) the secondary listing they will see is the box ads. Once a person sees you twice he will more likely put you on the list of whom he’ll contact!

Second tip: Make sure that the directory or listing is reputable and going to your preferred audience. You don’t want unwanted phone calls that will waste your time. You want good clients that will BUY!

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Advertise in local newsprint (Newspapers, Advertisers and/or Magazines)

2009-07-28T17:09:00.003-04:00

This might sound like a no-brainer to you. However to be done effectively does in fact take brains! It comes with identifying your clientele and the image you are trying to portray.
There are several types of advertising in a community publication;

• Classified section of a newspaper
• Ad in a newspaper (there are different sizes such as; 1/8 page, ¼ page, ½ page and Full pages – all vary in prices.)
• Ad in local community advertiser (a booklet with no text - only ads)
• Ad in a local community magazine.

There are several pros and cons to each of these types of advertisements.

1. Classifieds section in Newspaper: Pros: Cheap. Can go on for weeks. Specified. Cons: Not much visibility and exposure (not many people have the time to go through every single classified listing). May portray your company as cheap. Has short lived visibility span (gets thrown out and is not kept for long)

2. Ad in Newspaper: Pros: is good because it has a larger reading and visibility rate, it has the possibility of being cut out and kept. Cons: Low quality imaging, less text area (to explain your product), higher cost compared to what you are getting.

3. Ad in Local Community Advertiser: Very beneficial! Pros: Mid level pricing, higher visibility (especially if you purchase in color), mid level image quality. Cons: Short lived visibility rate, if not continuous you will be forgotten, very competitive (since there may be several others who do the same as you).

4. Ad in Magazine: Pros: Best Quality image, High visibility rate, Long lasting readership value, chance to explain or educate on your product, more professional. Cons: (normally) higher costs, not as often, and is very targeted to your image, clientele and branding.

Note some of these pros can also be cons and vice-versa. The tip is: do some research before you advertise! It may be very beneficial if done right and may be catastrophic if done wrong! It might be clever to advertise in one of these or in all of these. You decide!

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KISS Theory! Keep It Straight and Simple…

2009-07-23T19:33:00.004-04:00

The KISS Theory is widely known as one of the most effective and most accepted theory in the world. It’s simple however not always easy to follow. Unlike its’ abbreviation – it is easier said than done!

In another article I’ve been mentioning how trends are leading to Social Media for marketing and business exposure. Many are using Blogs as a tool, a very powerful one I may add. But many people forget one crucial point! Keep it Short! For heaven sakes, no one really has time or patience to sit and read long ‘text books.’ People want a taste, a thought, and a lesson and move on! This is today’s society with Internet, email etc.

So the tip is… Want your blog to be read, effective and get the point across? KISS! Keep it straight to the point and very simple! (You might even get a kiss (figuratively speaking = business relationship) out of this!)

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What ever happened could not have happened better. What ever didn’t happen – Thank G-d!

2009-07-23T15:52:00.002-04:00

The nature of the human psychology is to be afraid of uncertainty; a human mind has difficulties accepting something it cannot predict. When a person is encountered with uncertainty he tends to panic and plan for the worse. This may cause pessimistic, negative and offensive behaviors, which are not healthy character traits and can affect his business in the wrong way. It may also lead to anger and edginess. However if you hold on to this belief it will help you stay calm and have a positive approach on things. If your business proposal did not go through, it may be for the best, for you never know if it was going to succeed or not. It may be worth the current disappointment than the futuristic one. On the other hand, whatever did happen until now could not have happened better. For if you think “ah I could have done it better” you never know, because it might have failed. These thoughts can cause depression, which is another prerequisite to negative behaviors. If you erase all negative thoughts, regrets and “predictions” you will be able to focus properly on good positive and happy behaviors!

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A Smile ALL Day – Keeps the Evil Away!

2009-07-20T13:20:00.005-04:00

Happiness, optimism, and a good general outlook are one of the many keys to success. It is these people that tend to hold on to longer lasting and more fruitful business and personal relationships. Every one likes to be around the happy and cheerful person! A smile can uplift ones’ mood; a good word or compliment can make someone’s day! These are one of the biggest tips given to networkers. No one likes the pessimist or complainer – everyone has his or her own problems. It is important to see the good in the bad – after all, the cup is half full!
So go on – smile, say a good word, turn that frown upside down and see how the cup is really half full!

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Competition is not what makes you - it defines you!!

2009-07-17T14:36:00.004-04:00

Competition defines the character of the people involved; it doesn’t make them the people who they are. There could be two very diverse reactions toward competition, which can show the true colors of the person dealing with the competition.

Some create and start businesses mainly focusing on the earnings it may produce rather than focusing on the clientele and image they portray. Whereas by contrast others mainly focus on the clientele, service and product quality, this in turn naturally produces higher margins of potential income and volume of clientele.

It is quite easily detectable who is in for what part of the pie. Through competition the true faces of the businesses involved surface. Those that are in for the earnings, will naturally be very defensive and take an offensive approach this may lead to lessening the quality of the product in-order to offer lower price brackets, or may lead to legal or threatening procedures between the two competitors. Obviously there are legislations in place that legislate the level of competition in place, however the tip is to be from the second group – those that focus on their clientele. These people realize and use the competition to their benefit! They higher the quality of their products, and focus on educating the public in the benefits of doing business with them. This is the best time to show creativity, superb customer service and relationship. Competition was “created” mainly for the client to benefit and co-evidently the most creative provider. It is not intended to hurt anyone in anyway. As we see in sports which is intended to entertain the audience. Those that win the match are awarded for doing a good job entertaining!

Here are a few tips on how to beat your competition:

Focus on your clientele mainly! Join a network group – you are more likely to do better healthier business through referrals and relationships. This type of business is healthier simply because they demand a lot of work, effort and patience! The growing trend of today’s marketing environments is online social networking such as Facebook and Twitter just to name a couple. These trends are growing because people are more likely to do business with someone they trust or are trusted by a friend. Another reason why social networking is the most effective form of marketing is because it is in a non-pressure environment, it is a time to just chat about life, family and common interests somewhere in the conversation you will be asked “what is it you do again?” and the person is most likely going to remember you as the “nice marketing guy” (for example) and when sometime that evening he’ll talk to someone who is having trouble with his business he’ll say “oh hold on, you see that guy right there – he’s really nice – he does marketing!”

Other methods of online social networking and marketing may include blogging, and YouTube videos that are growing trends as well. There are many more methods that are possible, and I will let you research them! So go on and explore – and remember! Competition defines who you are as a character – not as a business!
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Self Employed Vs. Employed

2009-07-13T15:14:00.005-04:00

Recently I spoke to a friend, and the conversation led us to a topic in which we have completely different opinions. Employment.

Some people see a future in Self-Employment, which enables one to have flexibility in ones work hours, and can have a very large income potential. Whereas others feel that self-employment is a dream, and that being employed for a firm, corporation, or any stabilized job is more secure. They feel that by earning a set wage, they are guaranteed their monthly expenses are paid for.

Both schools of thought have pro’s and cons, after all, that is how the world exists – based on balance, as well as the fact that all people are different.

However, the main question is, what are you looking for in life? How do you see your future being? Forget for one second about dreams versus reality, what do you really want out of life?

The only way to come to a solid answer is by asking oneself a series of questions.

- How hard am I willing to work to get to where I want to get?
- What are my boundaries? What will I do or not do?
- Does my vision for the future compromise my family in any way? Are they going to be happy?
- Do I have the necessary support?
- What is my potential?
- Do I have entrepreneur or boss qualities?

These are just a few questions one needs to ask.

Remember: there is a big difference between dreaming for something, and setting your goals to get them. The difference is whether you are talking or doing, are you on your feet or not? Dreaming can be done in bed, whereas goals, big or small, need hard work and perseverance.

They may even be the same thing, for example, a person could have a dream to live in a 10 million dollar home, and then uses his dream to set his goal to achieve it. He would need to write up an action plan, of how he will achieve his goal.
On the other hand some people feel that you need to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth to achieve dreams like that.

Well, let me break the ice for you;
a) The fact is that many people achieved their multi-million dollar home (ever heard of rags to riches?).
b) The fact that the object of the dream exists means there is a possibility to achieve it.

If your answer is… “Well that’s just luck, not everyone has that ability in life”
The luck, is to have the belief and ambition, “where there is a will, there is a way” is the most appropriate phrase.

There was a study done that shows that 98% of the worlds economy is earned by 1% of the worlds population. One of the reasons is because only a very little amount of people believes in these ambitions, and so called ‘dreams’, and was willing to do whatever it takes to get there.

Yet… don’t get me wrong, I still respect the opinion of working in a stable job. However I would like to remind you that the word ‘stable’ means stable for as many years as the company you are working for exists, or keeps running. However it will only continue through the perseverance of the bosses, and leaders. It’s also possible that the boss could see you as a threat and will kick you out for no practical reason. It has been seen many times before, it is one way that some businesses maintain a steady distance from their employees. They cap the employee to reach a certain hight or level in the business and if they see that this employee is still ambitious to reach higher, it would seem to them as a threat and they eliminate that threat by firing him. This sometimes is beneficial (and worth the risk) for the company to fire this one employee and hire another one like him, this allows them to restart on the salary and bonuses levels.

Based on this, I would suggest that you should always have a backup, something small on the side, it could be a hobby, but it should be something that makes money like a small home-based business. Or, some businesses offer a referral program, which enables you to receive residual income just by referring a friend to their company. (KolBaKol is one such company)

For the entrepreneur to be, it is important to keep into account that before you start you must two kinds of support, Internal and External Support. Internal Support is an example of your wife (if you are married) may have to work (and should be in the position to) for a year so that you can focus on starting up the business properly. Or, you will need to have some other sort of social support (such as parents, friends, community or other) since times are hard, and being an entrepreneur, having the will power to continue when times are rough, will be all the more easier if you have someone telling you ‘you can do it’ as well as helping you out financially. External support – this might be a consideration of hiring a marketing agency, consultants or something with in your budget. The best way to save money is by finding an agency or company that is multi-faceted which means that they offer several services in one.

There are many websites, blogs and other resources out there that can give you more advice on having a side business or starting your own business as an entrepreneur when searching you can use some of these helpful key words.

Key to success
Home based business
Entrepreneur
Starting your own business
Residual Income
Dreams
Belief
Will Power
Hard Work
Faith
Trust
Honesty