Monday, January 31, 2005

Negotiating confidence

Negotiating can be a challenge. Sometimes we watch successful negotiators at work and wonder if it is an ability they were born with. But with a little time, information and preparation you can head for the negotiating table with confidence.

Ten Steps to Win-Win Negotiating.

1. Be prepared. Define your objectives and use lateral thinking to brainstorm possible ways they can be achieved.

2. Research the other party’s objectives and brainstorm the methods they may use. “Find the edge” – any pressure points or hidden agendas. “Information is power.”

3. Prepare yourself and the way you use the venue. Choose your seating for power, your clothes and your attitude.

4. Establish a cordial relationship on opening the meeting. Specify the aims of the meeting.

5. Raise less contentious issues first.

6. Promote harmony, minimise the negatives and articulate areas of commonality.

7. “Win-win” means compromises on both sides, so be prepared to bargain. Start with two lists – your must-haves and your might-haves, and start with a higher level than you expect to obtain. Highlight the contribution of your concession to the other person’s objectives.

8. Be prepared to release information at times beneficial to your cause. Use silence.

9. Listen for surprises.

10. Articulate the agreed outcomes and any timelines, or they may collapse.

Use detailed preparation and the win-win method and you have the tools to approach negotiation with confidence.

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Friday, January 28, 2005

Be heard, be understood

Speech Making Success Tip:

If you want to get a message across, people need to be able to hear it, to be able to hear each word. That means articulating every word very clearly. So pay particular attention to beginnings and especially endings. Then there can be no confusion between similar words such as taken and taking, or pass and past.

Read more Public Speaking Tips at our other blog:

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

A New Publicity Pitch

Taking advantage of local or timely events is a great way to get cheap publicity for your organisation.

Joan Stewart writes:

When it comes to celebrity status, the TV weather people are at the bottom
of the totem pole. While the news anchor is invited to host a glitzy
charity ball, the weather guy is asked to cut the ribbon at the opening of
the local ice rink.

So imagine how surprised forecasters are when they receive cookie bouquets
on February 5, "TV Weatherperson's Day," courtesy of Cookies by Design.
The bouquets are even personalized with each TV station's logo.

"Some stations announced it on every newscast from morning to midnight,"
said Michael Burns, president of Michael A. Burns & Associates, the Dallas
PR firm that came up with the idea several years ago and suggested it to
all franchise owners. The promotion was so successful that it has become a
tradition. One year, Cookies by Design was mentioned on more than 80 TV
stations nationwide. As a result, orders for cookie bouquets skyrocketed
during the first week of February when sales are typically flat.

What can you deliver to your local TV weather person on the morning of
February 5? For national exposure, you can even try schmoozing Al Roker,
or your favorite forecaster over at The Weather Channel.

> Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine
> featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe
> at http://www.PublicityHound.com and receive free by email the handy list
> "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

For more useful cheap publicity ideas and tips, book a workshop for your workplace or conference. Visit


Saturday, January 22, 2005

Email marketing for your organisation

Do you use email marketing to publicise your organisation? It has so many benefits. And with so many people using the internet and email to source their leisure and learning needs, it is a shame to waste this powerful avenue of publicity for your organisation. For some excellent information on using email to its best potential

Download two Email Best Practices Guides courtesy of EmailLabs (gratis)
www.emaillabs.com/resources_bestpractices.html

Visit the page above for download links to two PDF guides: one a Quick Tips and the other an Articles Collection.

For further training and tips on publicising your organisation, book a workshop, visit

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Leadership Success Tip

"Remember the difference between a boss and a leader: a boss says 'Go!'- a leader says 'Let's go!'"
.....E.M. Kelly

For articles on Leadership, visit

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Meeting success: Simple steps to presenting a motion

Using motions in a meeting keeps the meeting on target and ensures the will of the meeting is recorded. These simple steps ensure that motions are dealt with efficiently and effectively.
1. Rise and attempt to get the Chairman's attention. Wait to be recognised.
2. Chairman recognises speaker by name.
These two steps are called "Obtaining the floor."
3. Having obtained the floor, state the motion "I move that ..." Explain the motion.
4. Another member seconds the motion showing that more than one member wants the matter considered.
5. The chair states the motion.
6. The chair asks for discussion if the motion is debateable.
7. The Chair puts the question. (asks for a vote)
8. The Chair announces the result of the vote.

Learn more skills for make your meetings efficient and effective. Visit

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Extending your Publicity Range

If your community is like mine, it is full of small and large groups – non-profit groups, self-improvement groups, business support groups, school associations and service clubs, and many, many more. Many could have members who are interested in what you offer and may welcome guest speakers. This is a great chance to publicize your club or organisation. (It is also a chance to gain extra training as a speaker, if that is one of your goals! - for a different audience.) Start by making a list of five organizations that could be approached. Then make a list of speakers who could take on this assignment. This list will then be available when you are approached to provide guest speakers in the future. Make sure they are equipped with brochures, business cards and other printed publicity to take to their presentations.
It is also possible that the organizations might want to send a guest speaker to your club. This is another chance to impress, with the wonderful product or service that you offer.

For more publicity tips and tricks, book a workshop for your next conference or meeting. Visit

Monday, January 03, 2005

ePublicity

Using the internet for publicity and e-marketing has been around for some time. You are reading this because of ITC's decision to enter this field. But it is only recently that many businesses have seen the potential for the success of this tactic. One is the business of car sales. Growth in eMarketing for car dealers has developed rapidly, since about the time this article was written for Marketing Vox. The potential is there for you to explore ideas to estable recognition for your organisation.

Study: Email Beats Pants Off of Other Media in Auto Category
Internet Retailer: What car dealers lose by ignoring e-mail marketing
While a self-serving survey, a study did find that email marketing boosts auto dealer marketing return on investment in several interesting ways. The 365 Marketing study showed that email marketing to local car customers garners about five times the response rates of traditional DM efforts. The study found that few are taking advantage of the opportunity, though. 365 Marketing founder Deanie Gregory said it was largely due to "technology and cultural barriers."

Here is the link to cut and past into your browser:
http://www.internetretailer.com/dailyNews.asp?id=13189

If you would like to learn low-cost marketing tips for your organisation, or how to establish an e-marketing package, visit