Home Based Businesses, do they work?

To answer the headline’s question, yes and no. What kind of answer is that? There are several factors that go into a successful home based business. Understand that you are fighting the odds, over 90% of businesses fail in their first year. So how can your business be part of that less than 10% success rate? Four things:

1. Hard Work
2. Training, mentoring
3. Great marketing and selling systems
4. Capitol

Hard work. There is nothing that replaces doing the job. Most business opportunities talk about a life style next to none, work just a few hours a week, when you want, in your pajamas and you will be driving an expensive sports, or luxury car and live in a 4,000 + square foot home. Remember that is a dream they are selling, not the real deal.

True you can set your own hours. But you must discipline yourself to work during those work hours. You should also dress up to go to work and have a place set aside in your home to work from, and not from the sofa or easy chair, but up to the table or at a desk. That would put your mind in the right mind set, you are working.

Training and mentoring – someone who has been there before can make a good guide. A mentor answers questions and helps to get through all the pitfalls that can defeat your business before it begins. Training is also important. Training on anything that helps make you better at what you are doing can help. Internet, word processing, web building, blogging, etc.

Marketing and selling systems. Your product or service will do no one any good if you can not get the word out to the people who need it.

Capitol. Starting with little or no capital is tough, but it can be done. Review and research any business opportunity and make sure the claims are true.

I’ve started with a program that does all the above, trains and mentors, has a great marketing and selling system, and you can start with little to no capital, however if you invest more the better your chance of succeeding will be.

Visit http://deansturnkey.cjb.net/for my turnkey business opportunities. It provides everything discussed. Check it out today.

Buyers buy from people they like.

Dr. Zimmerman’s TUESDAY TIP

February 3, 2009
Issue #451

Tip: Buyers buy from people they like.



What Dr. Alan Zimmerman Has To Say:

Now that might sound unfair. It may sound like the "good old boy" system at work.

I disagree. I believe it's everyone's right to do business with whomever they choose. It's their money, and they can spend it wherever and with whomever they wish.

And as master sales trainer Bill Lee notes, "If 99.9% of buyers do business with people they like, then your skill level at getting your prospects to like you better than they like your competitor is certainly as important ... if not more important ... than all of the other skills a top producing salesperson must possess."

He's right. And I think Bill's point could be applied to all your relationships ... with prospects, customers, colleagues, and even your family members. The more they like you, the more profitable the relationship.

Unfortunately, not all men and women are very likeable. Mrs. Willencott felt that way about her husband. But she was also very frugal. When her husband died, she asked the newspaper how much it would cost for a death notice.

"Two dollars for five words." she was told.

"Can I pay for just two words?" she asked, "Willencott dead."

"No, five words is the minimum."

Mrs. Willencott thought for a moment. "Okay then. How about this? 'Willencott dead. Cadillac for sale'."

Of course, to be fair, some men have felt the same way about their wives. Socrates commented on that thousands of years ago. He said, "By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher." Or as Groucho Marx quipped, "I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury."

With likability such a critical factor in all relationships, here are several things you can do to increase your likability.

1. BE TRUSTWORTHY.

Without trust, there can be no relationship. And the absolute bottom line on trust building is do what's right. If you ever mess that up, say you're sorry. And make amends.

2. COMMIT TO EXCELLENCE.

People like those who do their best and give their best ... not those who do just enough to get by. Don't cut corners. Go the extra mile.

3. GIVE WITHOUT ANY EXPECTATION OF A RETURN.

Everyone ... in every part of your life ... is asking the same question. "Do you care about me?"

And the best way they have of gauging their answer is to see what you do for them ... without expecting anything in return. You see ... there's so little unconditional giving in today's world ... that if you do that ... you immediately stand out from the crowd. They're bound to like you.

4. GIVE GENUINE COMPLIMENTS.

One of the most universal traits of mankind ... a trait so strong that it makes people do the things they do ... is the desire to feel important and be recognized. As a good salesperson knows, the more important he/she makes people feel, the more they'll respond to your goods and services. So applaud and compliment others when they deserve it.

The rule is ... the compliment must be sincere. Study your customer's business, for example, to find something they are doing better than similar companies you know about. You'll come across as a genuine, astute observer at the same time you make him feel ten feet tall.

I did that a while ago. I was thinking about the people who had the biggest, most positive impact on my life, and Dale Krammes came to mind. He was my radio and television teacher in high school many decades ago, but he was more than my teacher. He was an encourager who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. So I wrote him a note to compliment him for going above and beyond the role of teacher and coach.

A few days later, I received a handwritten letter from Mr. Krammes ... a rare thing in today's world of e-mail. But he wrote, "It was a special treat to receive your note. Your kind words of appreciation were a delightful lift for a teacher who has become an old man of 87. I will treasure what you have written always."

5. USE THE 4-TO-1 RATIO.

Dr. Ken Blanchard, the author of "The One-Minute Manager," says it's not good enough to balance your praise and criticism. In one corporate study where criticizing and praising were actually tabulated and the reactions measured ... where there was one criticism for each praising ... people felt as though they had a totally negative relationship with the boss. When the ratio was changed to two praisings for each reprimand, people still thought their boss was all over them. It wasn't until they got to four praisings for each criticism that people began to feel as though they had good relationship with their boss.

As Blanchard concluded, "It's clear that if you don't start giving a lot of praise, the people you work around will begin to think of you as negative and unfair." In other words, they won't like you. So take a moment to be consciously aware of your ratio. Are you giving 4 times as many positive comments as negative ones?

6. USE THE SMILE FACTOR.

Smile when you talk ... even when you're on the phone. It changes the whole vocal tone of your voice as well as the look of your face. And most people just plain feel better when you're smiling at them.

Perhaps even more powerful than smiling at someone is to put a smile on his/her face. It increases your likability factor BIG time.

Shane Murphy talks about that in his book, "The Achievement Zone." He said a colleague was travelling back to Colorado Springs on an evening when a snowstorm delayed flights everywhere. He was seated in the Denver airport at 11:00 p.m., waiting until midnight for the connecting flight to Colorado Springs.

He and his fellow passengers were tired, grumpy, and frustrated. Everyone was late; luggage was lost; plans were in shambles.

A man approached passengers asking for a favor. "Good evening, I'm Carl, and I'm flying to the Springs to meet my fiancee, Marlene. I wonder if you would help me wish her a happy birthday?"

"She turns 50 today, and I have 50 red roses here. Would you please give her this rose and say 'Happy Birthday' as you leave the plane? It will be a big surprise for her."

People smiled and took a rose. They watched Carl repeat his request 50 times. By the time everyone had trooped aboard the plane, the atmosphere of fatigue and irritation had disappeared.

People were aware and interested. Before they had avoided eye contact, but now they spoke to each other and laughed about Carl's surprise. Everyone looked forward to meeting Marlene.

The plane touched down. The passengers let Carl get off first, and as they came out each one gave Marlene a rose and offered her heartfelt birthday greetings. Many gave Carl and Marlene a hug.

She was amazed, laughing, and repeating, "I don't believe this is happening!" The passengers left the airport with a warm glow, touched by Carl's gesture.

What did Carl do to restore everyone's energy and good mood? He gave them no energy pill, no money, no rousing speech.

Instead he gave them an inspiring and unifying reason to break out of their pattern of detachment and self-pity; he changed their mental focus from being disappointed to making someone happy.

Whether you're in a business ... or in a relationship ... all things being equal, the big prizes go to the ones who are liked the most.

So how likeable are you? Do you even like the way you talk and act and treat others? Just remember, the more likeable you are, the better you'll do in all parts of your life.

ACTION:

Pick 2 of 6 likability action to focus on this week.

Make it a great week!
Dr. Alan Zimmerman


©Dr. Alan R. Zimmerman, 20550 Lake Ridge Drive, Prior Lake, MN 55372. Reprinted with permission from Dr. Zimmerman's "Tuesday Tip," a weekly Internet newsletter. For your own personal subscription, go to http://www.drzimmerman.com/
Contact: Alan@DrZimmerman.com
Telephone: (800) 621-7881
web site: www.DrZimmerman.com

Dr. Zimmerman's TUESDAY TIP: "No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave." Calvin Coolidge, 30th U

January 27, 2009
Issue #450


What Dr. Alan Zimmerman Has To Say:

I've noticed that people fall into one of two categories: givers and takers.

I've also noticed that the takers are the unhappiest people on Earth. And it's no wonder. When their entire focus is on "What's In It For Me," they're bound to offend their coworkers, customers, friends, and family members and have problems with them.

By contrast, those who experience the most success in their businesses, their teams, and their families are givers.

So I ask you ... "Are you a giver or a taker?" Abigail Van Buren, the syndicated columnist, gives a great way to answer that question. She said, "The best index to a person's character is: a) how he treats people who can't do him any good, and b) how he treats people who can't fight back." A taker ONLY treats people well when he's out to get something from them. A giver treats people well ALL the time.

To be a bit more specific ...

1. TAKERS SELDOM THINK ABOUT OTHERS.

They're self-absorbed ... with their interests, their desires, their wants, and their needs.

They're kind of like the father who was asked by a young man if he could marry his daughter. The father asked, "Can you support a family?"

The young man said,"Yes."

"Good," replied the father. "There's six of us."

The father was a taker ... fixated on his needs. He didn't give a thought to the needs of his future son-in-law.

Do you know people like that? From their perspective, "It's All About ME."

Besides being selfish, they're non-listeners. When others talk, they daydream, think about their response, or simply wait for a pause in the conversation so they can change the subject to something they want to talk about.

Another man fell into that category of being a non-listener. He would get so busy with his work that he would forget everything else. So his wife got in the habit of writing him notes. One morning she wrote, "We're moving today."

When the man returned home from work, no one was there. He looked in the windows. Everything was gone, and then he remembered ... oh yeah, we've moved. But he had no idea where.

He sat on the curb and wondered what he should do. It was then that he saw a little girl passing by, and he called out, "Little girl, do you know the people who used to live here? Do you know where they moved to?"

The little girl said, "Come on, Daddy. Mamma said you wouldn't remember."

Of course we can laugh at these silly stories. But the sad truth is you may know some people like that ... who are takers ... who seldom think beyond themselves.

You may have a leader who seldom thinks about how the corporate changes will affect the staff or seldom asks for staff input. You may have coworkers who act like customers are an interruption of their work ... instead of being the main reason they do work. And you may have a family member who is so preoccupied with his TV programs that he fails to connect with the other family members. They're all takers.

By contrast, givers think ... they really think ... about others, and their thoughtfulness shows up in their behavior. One of my esteemed customers, Deb Wittenberg, the Manager of Learning & Development for the Digi-Key Corporation, is like that. When I asked her for her definition of success, she said, "It's all about 'paying it forward.' I feel successful when ... the way I behaved ...the way I spoke ... and the way I listened to someone's concerns ... affected another person's life in such a way that he or she made better, more positive decisions." Now that's a great definition of a giver.

The other thing that characterizes takers is the fact that ...

2. TAKERS ARE SELDOM SATISFIED WITH OTHERS.

They always want more ... even though they give very little in return.

Robert Orben joked about that. Said one parent, "I'm really concerned. Our kids are getting into so much trouble. I don't think the day-care center, nursery school, after-school program and babysitters are raising them right."

Takers are seldom satisfied. I see it in organizations all the time. I see it when a manager gives a performance review and says, "Overall, you've done a good job, BUT ..." I see it when a leader tells her organization, "We accomplished our goals this year, and that's great. But that's nothing compared to what you'll have to do this year." I see it when a father reviews his child's report card showing 4 A's and 1 B ... and then asks, "How come you got a B?"

All this taking behavior is demoralizing and demotivating. And if it goes on long enough, the recipient thinks, "What's the use of ever trying?" Maybe that's how God felt about one grandmother.

As the grandmother and her grandson walked on the beach, enjoying the seagulls and the view, a big wave suddenly came in and took the boy out to sea. She prayed to God, "Please bring him back. I'll do anything you ask. I'll buy him things, send him to college, discipline him more. Just send him back. Whatever you want, God, just send him back."

Instantly another wave delivered the boy back to the shoreline. She looked down at the boy, looked up to heaven, and said, "Hey, he had a hat."

If you're going to have a team that works, it's got to be filled with givers, not takers. If you're going to have loyal customers, you've got to have employees who care more about giving the customer what he needs than taking his money. And if you're going to have a personal relationship that works, both parties need to be givers.

The great actress Katherine Hepburn talked about that. She said, "Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get -- only what you are expecting to give -- which is everything."

I challenge you to be a giver ... to avoid the all too easy trap of being a taker. And then in my next "Tuesday Tip," I'll talk about what it takes to become a giver.

ACTION:

Do other people ever say you don't think enough about them and their needs? Do other people ever accuse you of never being satisfied with anything they do? If so, it's time for a behavior change.

Make it a great week!
Dr. Alan Zimmerman


©Dr. Alan R. Zimmerman, 20550 Lake Ridge Drive, Prior Lake, MN 55372. Reprinted with permission from Dr. Zimmerman's "Tuesday Tip," a weekly Internet newsletter. For your own personal subscription, go to http://www.drzimmerman.com/
Contact: Alan@DrZimmerman.com
Telephone: (800) 621-7881
web site: www.DrZimmerman.com

Dr. Zimmerman's TUESDAY TIP: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" -- Donald Trump

January 20, 2009
Issue #449

What Dr. Alan Zimmerman Has To Say:

He came from nowhere and ended up ... according to many ... being the "man of the century." He was born in a small Polish town, living a hard life in Nazi occupied Poland. His father was a retired army officer, but his mother died early, dying of kidney and heart failure, while his older brother died from scarlet fever. And yet he became Pope John Paul II, the 264th Pope in the history of the world ... and first non-Italian Pope in 456 years.

He was a most unlikely candidate for the head of the Roman Catholic Church. So you have to wonder, how did he rise to such prominence? And what leadership lessons can we learn from this global leader who moved the world?

In the book, "Psychology of the Hero Soul," Sharif Khan points to several lessons that we would all be wise to heed.

1. LEADERS ARE READERS.

By 1958, Karol Josef Wojtyla (later known as Pope John Paul II) was a professor of ethics and had two doctorate degrees. But he also studied philosophy and literature ... and was well recognized as a playwright and poet.

Interestingly enough, once he earned those degrees, he didn't stop reading. As a chaplain for university students in Krakow, Poland, he used to go on camping and kayaking trips with the students so he could counsel and mentor them. But even then, he would take an hour or more every day to get by himself, to read and reflect. Khan said, "These moments of solitude gave him a strong internal compass and the knowledge of self that is required of all great leaders."

So how do you stack up against this reading-and-reflection criterion? When I'm out speaking, training, and consulting, I notice that most people spend too much time ON THEIR WORK and too little time ON THEMSELVES.

A year from now, you'll be the same as today except for four things ... the books you read, the classes you take, the speeches you hear, and the people you meet. At the very least, I encourage you to read an hour a day. If you were to take an hour a day ... reading up on your field ... or any field you choose ... within a five-year period you would become an expert in your field. And people are hungering and thirsting for a leader with that kind of knowledge.

2. LEADERS ARE HUMBLE.

When Wojtyla was elected Pope in 1978, he refused the formal papal coronation in favor of a simple inauguration ceremony. And instead of speaking like the other popes prior to him, instead of using the royal "WE" term ... in other words referring to himself and God as one ... he spoke from his own simple "I" perspective. He wanted to be known as a servant leader and even chose the title of "Servus Servorum Dei" or "Servant of the Servants of God" rather than some CEO, Chairman of the Board, Commander in Chief, or Supreme Papal title.

If you are a leader or aspire to be one, you can learn from Wojtyla. Don't isolate yourself in the corner office or the ivory tower. Don't become more and more removed from your coworkers and customers with each new promotion, title, diploma, award, certificate or news clipping. Open your doors; let down your guard, and seek dialogue. As Khan pointed out, "Leadership by walking around ... and talking to people and listening to their needs ... earns respect and trust."

3. LEADERS HAVE HEART.

When Wojtyla returned to Poland in 1979 as the Pope, he risked his life against the totalitarian Communist regime. Instead of speaking in the vague generalities and political niceties that the Communists would accept, he spoke from the heart. He urged his people to stop crawling like animals. He encouraged them to walk tall and "be not afraid." The crowds went wild and a flame of rebellion and counter-revolution was lit in the collective consciousness of the Polish people. Wojtyla sparked the Solidarity movement for independence and freedom that eventually toppled the Communist regime.

Despite Wojtyla's enormous intellect, he knew intellect was not enough. He knew if he wanted to win over people, he had to let down his guard, push aside his formal clerical role, and speak from the heart.

Could the same be said about you? That you lead from the heart as well as the head? If you lead from the head alone, you'll be seen as a cold fish. And if you lead from the heart alone, you'll be seen as a ditz without any common sense. Neither extreme works.

For a more extensive look at how you can lead from both the head and the heart, get a copy of my e-book on "Leading Others" by going to http://www.drzimmerman.com/tools/productinfo/ebooks.htm#Lea

4. LEADERS ARE WILLING TO FORGIVE.

In 1983, Pope John Paul II met with Ali Agca in prison, the very man who tried to assassinate him just two years earlier. Despite several months of painful recovery, the Pope visited Agca in prison and offered forgiveness. And later, through his request, the Italian government granted clemency to Agca.

You see ... highly effective leaders know we are all fallible human beings, and we all make mistakes. And one mark of a true leader is his or her willingness to forgive. As Khan so clearly says, "While there's no excuse to keep someone who consistently fails to learn from their mistakes, the boss that fires an employee for making a big mistake is often mistaken for doing so. After all, there's always the risk that the next person hired could potentially make the same disastrous mistake."

By contrast, when you as a leader offer forgiveness to the employee who fouls up, that employee is unlikely to repeat the same mistake. And chances are, that employee will remain fiercely loyal to you.

5. LEADERS TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ORGANIZATION.

Now this is a biggie ... and it's mighty rare. We live in an age where people seem to blame everyone for everything that happens in their lives. Executives take HUGE obscene bonus checks as they drive their companies into the ground, all the time saying it wasn't their fault. And employees say, "I just work here ... or ... That's not my responsibility."

But REAL leaders take responsibility. The day former U.S. President John F. Kennedy took full responsibility for the Bay of Pigs fiasco was the day he became a leader. The day in 2000 when Pope John Paul II apologized and took responsibility for the sins of the Catholic Church committed over the centuries was the day he became a truly respected global leader. And when he apologized and took responsibly for the sins of anti-Semitism committed by Christians, his stature went even higher.

You see ... blaming is the mark of the loser. As Khan says so well, "We can make excuses or we can make progress -- but we certainly can't do both." To be an uncommon leader, you must take full responsibility for your actions, your team, and ultimately the whole organization or cause you lead.

6. LEADERS STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE.

Pope John Paul II met with PLO leader Arafat, Soviet premier Gorbachev, and Cuban premier Castro. He met with the famous and the infamous, moving in circles and addressing issues that made him unpopular with some people.

But he was never one to back down. He stood up for what he believed. He had the courage of his convictions. And yet in some strange way, his inner toughness and steely resolve helped him break down walls and foster reconciliation.

Leadership is not about winning a popularity contest. It's about being strong, firm, resolute, and taking a stand. Khan concludes, "A divided mind is weak; a united mind, clear and singular in purpose, is powerful beyond measure."

One time John Paul II was asked if he feared retaliation from government officials. He replied, "I'm not afraid of them. They are afraid of me."

Indeed, he relayed a message that all leaders need to echo, perhaps more today than ever before, and that is "Be not afraid!"

ACTION:

Put the 6 characteristics of a leader on a piece of paper, and then ask all the people on your team to rate you on those 6 characteristics.

Make it a great week!
Dr. Alan Zimmerman


©Dr. Alan R. Zimmerman, 20550 Lake Ridge Drive, Prior Lake, MN 55372. Reprinted with permission from Dr. Zimmerman's "Tuesday Tip," a weekly Internet newsletter. For your own personal subscription, go to http://www.drzimmerman.com/
Contact: Alan@DrZimmerman.com
Telephone: (800) 621-7881
web site: www.DrZimmerman.com