Dodo Loves Marketing

During the first fifteen years of life, the carving of these synaptic connections is where the drama unfolds.

From the day she was born, the child’s mind begins to reach out, aggressively, exuberantly. Beginning at the center of the brain, every neuron sends out thousands and thousands of signals. They are trying to talk to one another, to communicate, to make a connection. Imagine every one alive today simultaneously trying to get in touch with 150,000 other people and you will get some idea of the wonderful scale, complexity, and vitality of the young mind. ..more

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“I am ultimately responsible for the quality of all teaching in my district. Yet every day, in every classroom, there is a teacher and there are students . . . and the door is shut.”

Gerry C., a superintendent for a large public school district, captures the manager’s challenge perfectly: How can you get people to do what _you want them to do when you are not there to tell them to do it? Gerry knows what all great managers know: As a manager, you might think that you have more control, but you don’t. You actually have less control than the people who report to you. Each individual employee can decide what to do and what not to do. He can decide the hows, the whens, and the with whoms. For good or for ill, he can make things happen. ..more

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Everyone has talents—recurring patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior that can be applied productively. Simply put, everyone can probably do at least one thing better than ten thousand other people. However, each person is not necessarily in a position to use her talents. Even though she might initially have been selected for her talents, after a couple of reshuffles and lateral moves, she may now be miscast.

If you want to turn talent into performance, you have to position each person so that you are paying her to do what she is naturally wired to do. You have to cast her in the right role. ..more

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The language of “average” is pervasive. Reservation centers calculate the “average” number of calls a customer service representative can handle in an hour. Restaurant chains project staffing needs by estimating how many servers are needed to staff the “average” restaurant. In sales organizations, territories are divided up based on how many prospects the “average” salesperson can handle. “Average” is everywhere. ..more

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According to one famous futurist, “Someday in the near future I’ll be watching Ally McBeal. I like the outfit she’s wearing. So I put my hand on the TV screen and she‘ll interrupt the program and say, ‘Faith, do you like what I’m wearing?”Yeah,’ I’ll say. ‘I like your suit.’ And she‘ll say, ‘Here are the colors it comes in.’ I’ll tell Ally that I’ll take just navy or black, maybe both. And she‘ll say, ‘No you won’t, Faith. You’ve already got too many navy and black outfits in your closet right now. I think you should try red this time.’ And I’ll say okay, and the next day the red suit is delivered, in my size, to my home.” ..more

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These levels of achievement will certainly help redirect an employee’s focus toward becoming world class. However, the manager’s efforts at career redirection will be forever hindered if all of the pay signals are telling the employee to look upward.

Although each of us is motivated by money in different ways, the fact of the matter is that few of us are repelled by money. All of us may not hunger for it, but only a tiny minority of us find money positively distasteful. Therefore the simple truth is that it will be much easier for managers to redirect employees toward alternative career paths if some of those paths involve a raise in pay. ..more

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Here are two, of the infinite number of possible answers:

“I think it is very important to be persistent, particularly if you really believe in your ideas. We really encourage that kind of candor here. With my team, if I have a suggestion that others disagree with, I know they will expect me to keep supporting my idea until somebody comes up with a better one. In fact, it happens all the time.” ..more

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However skilled you are at the work you plan to do from home, your primary consideration in setting up your new business, must be to establish your market. Quite simply, that means finding your customers. In any business, whether you are a plumber, consultant or counsellor, you need customers to succeed. Tracking customers down — and holding on to them — is one of the most difficult challenges for any new business. If it is remotely possible, it is best not to leave your current job, if you have one, before you have at least one or two leads. ..more

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Most people cringe at the thought of giving a speech or chairing a meeting. The limelight is on you and everyone is watching and listening. Who wouldn’t feel at least a bit on edge under these circumstances? While many can muster their courage to get through these events, there are some who find their limbs shaking and their foreheads perspiring at the very thought of the next public speaking occasion. ..more

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Practical confrontation skills

Being able to stand up to people and speak firmly and constructively to them, is a valuable skill in handling problem people. If you tend to fume and walk away from a confrontation muttering to yourself, ‘I wish I had said . . . !! to that*O#!’, then you need confrontation skills.

Constructively confronting people is a communication strategy which allows you to speak your mind and represent your feelings in a direct way. It is not a strategy of name calling or aggressive outbursts. ..more

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What do women want from work anyway? The same advantages that men seek — opportunity, responsibility and respect.

But sexist attitudes assume that a woman’s expectations in the workplace differ from those of the average man. Natasha Josefowitz, author of Paths to power, gives us a tongue-in-cheek tabulation of common His/Her attitudes. Recognize them?

‘His’ and ‘Her’ attitudes are rooted in the values that we subscribe to. They often manifest quite spontaneously in things we say and do as the above comments suggest. The casual statement, the gesture or look and the opinion we offer all betray sexist attitudes. ..more

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Dress

Wear what you’d wear on the job if you were hired. If you’re unsure, it’s better to overdress than underdress. But make sure you feel comfortable—if you feel strange,you look strange.

Grooming

It’s not just for dogs and cats and horses anymore. It’s important for humans too:

• Fix your hair so it stays out of your eyes. Compulsive adults will be thinking of how to shove it out of the way for you.
• Don’t wear a lot of cologne, perfume, or aftershave. (Hint: If they smell you before they see you, it’s too much.)
• Try not to smell like tobacco, gasoline, or a wet dog.
• Get the cat hair off your sweater.
• Remove the Milk Duds debris from your teeth.
• Avoid makeup that looks like it was applied while you were riding on a motorcycle. This is especially important for girls.
• Use a breath mint. ..more
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After an interview, send a thank-you letter to the person who interviewed you. If there was more than one interviewer, write the note to the one who has the power to hire you. Mail the letter that day so the person doesn’t have an opportunity to forget you. Now continue your job search, meeting managers and lining up interviews— keep working at it. Your goal is to have at least two or three offers to choose from.

When you get a job offer, generally by phone, thank the person sincerely. Write down the details; starting date, wage, hours, and so on. Tell the employer that you’d like to accept but you need a day to discuss it with your family. Now talk it over with your parents and some close friends. Compare the job offer to your original goals. Sometimes in the excitement of landing a job you can lose sight of your own best interests. ..more

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I’m about to tell you some stuff that a lot of people don’t want you to know. You see, youth marketers are growing filthy rich off your hard-earned cash, and what I’m going to tell you will foil their schemes. That’s because the three investment tricks you’re about to learn will show you how to invest more of your money into your future, not theirs. If you follow my advice, you won’t be putting any of them out of business. But if a bunch of readers like you try these tricks, a few of them might have to drive BMWs instead of Lambourghinis. What a shame.

Here’s another shame. These tricks are so simple, you’d think that more people would try them. But most people don’t. Instead, they squander all their cash on stupid purchases, then complain that the rich keep getting richer, while they just keep getting poorer. It doesn’t take an economics degree to figure out that those marketers keep getting richer off their money— money that they practically throw at them. ..more

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How many people really succeed?

There are no precise answers to this question and certainly not everyone becomes successful. Some drop-out must be expected from any downline. It would be a miracle if everyone who joined stayed. This would defy human nature!

Anyone starting in network marketing should realise that a large percentage of their downline will do little or nothing. Many will become inactive distributors (product users only). Many active distributors do not make much of an attempt at making a profit or making their business grow, and some drop out altogether.

However, by understanding what causes new distributors to drop out, you can minimise it in your network and ensure that your network becomes a success. Remember that not everyone in your network needs to become a superstar to make you successful. Even if most members of your network merely buy products for themselves and a few friends, you can have a hugely successful business. ..more

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Step 2: Follow up the initial contact

Within a couple of days, once the prospect has had an opportunity to see the video, telephone her. Don’t leave it too long. You want to catch her while she is still keen to find out more about network marketing. If she is interested, set up an appointment immediately to discuss the opportunity further. You’ll need about an hour.

Exactly where you hold this meeting is a matter of choice. It could be at the prospect’s home or at your home office, or you could invite the prospect to a presentation meeting where she will meet a group of enthusiastic networkers. Circumstance will dictate which is the best option. ..more

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Step 1: The introductory meeting

Make the appointment and arrive on time; not early and not late. Try to meet both husband and wife if you meet with a married couple. Throughout the meeting talk in a relaxed and conversational way. If the meeting is in the prospect’s home, make some opening pleasantries. You might comment about an attractive painting on the wall or the lovely roses in the garden, anything to break the ice.

But this is a business meeting, so don’t labour the social side. Start your presentation properly by saying that:

• you have joined a company and you are excited about it, and that the business offers a significant moneymaking opportunity
• your organisation is a growing one and there is room for everyone to make money
• you are going to present an idea for her consideration but that there will be no pressure on her to make a decision. If she decides not to participate, you will not bug her. ..more
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