Archive for June, 2010

Teaching at a rock and roll music camp for 7-14 year olds this week taught me (or reminded me) of some valuable lessons that can help us to running successful businesses. In this, the first article in a two part series, I'll share 3 lessons you can learn from rock camp and how you can start applying them to your business.

Lesson #1: Life is short. Have fun!

While this lesson may seem cliche, it became so clear for me just after the first few moments of being with my eager young students. Laughing, giggling, joking is innate in kids and isn't something they need to plan for, schedule in, or "make time for." Imagine how challenges, obstacles, or decisions would be easier to manage and handle if we just injected a little bit more fun into our businesses. Here are some ideas on how to have more fun at work, whether you work alone, with others, at home, or in an office.

• Write a joke on a post-it and tell it to those who call you or you call during the day
• Before making a difficult call or one you've been putting off, start laughing for no reason for at least 10 seconds, no matter how forced it may feel, then stop and dial
• Dress up one day in a silly outfit. Be a clown, pirate, hobo, or punk rocker. Look at yourself in the mirror often and remember what it felt like to be a kid
• Color in a coloring book, finger paint, make music on a kazoo, or do a dance when you are feeling stressed. You'll release creativity and energy will flow in a more positive direction

Lesson #2: Practice Makes Progress

Each day at camp, each band (there were four) not only practiced their instruments but, also got together for band rehearsal. In 5 days each band will play 3 new songs, and sing on 2 new ones too. Plus, they'll write one collectively as a group. Whether it's playing music, having sales conversations, or introducing yourself at a networking event, practice is KEY to having a great performance. Repetition is the mother of all learning. The more we do anything, if we practice noticing what worked and what didn't, we will improve.

• Read your 10 second introduction or elevator speech out loud every day in front of the mirror
• Call a friend and ask them to practice being a prospect. Walk through your qualifying questions or "free consultation" process with them
• Get dressed in your networking clothes and go to a new networking event. Set a goal to meet 3 new people and try to connect them with one person within your network that would be a good referral partner for them
• Meet with a colleague to practice overcoming sales objections that you might hear from a prospect. Be realistic and offer each other feedback after each role play.

Lesson #3: Classics Never Go Out of Style

This week the bands are playing some of my favorite rock and roll tunes: Twist and Shout, Joy to the World (Three Dog Night, not the carol,) Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, and Hey Jude. These songs are expertly written and well loved by hundreds of thousands of music lovers. They were chosen for the show because they are songs that would be entertaining and enjoyed by the audience and the bands playing and singing them. How does this apply to your business? 2 things, actually. Give your audience what they want. Here are some thoughts how...

• Ask your favorite clients what they'd like to see from you in terms of new products or services. Survey them as a group, call and ask them three short questions to get their feedback, find trends in their answers, create what they want or find someone to offer it to them
• Don't waste time creating a new product, service, or package and then marketing it if you aren't absolutely sure your target market wants it. (It doesn't count if you think they need it, if they haven't told you they want it too.)
• Remind your target market, current clients, and your past clients of all the services you provide. Send them a note every once in awhile to remind them and make an offer to work with you again. Don't let repeat business fall through the cracks because you've become invisible to them.
• Review the services you provide and find new ways to offer them. Usually work in person, consider working by phone to reach more people. Usually work one on one, consider doing a group program or a one day workshop. See ways to offer the same or similar results and leverage your time by using a different delivery model and you could start reaping the rewards of working smarter in no time.

With these three rock camp lessons, you'll start to feel a new creativity, flow, and rhythm in your business and move closer to being the business rock star you were born to be.

Deanna Maio, Business Trainer & Coach, teaches business owners simple, powerful processes to stop wasting time, start making more money, and create a business that acts as a vehicle for living the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to increase your income and use your valuable time more wisely, visit http://www.savvygals.com/

Searching for an intern is more difficult than one might imagine. Finding the right one for your business is just as important as selecting your employees. If you're hiring your intern for a short-term project, it's especially important to find someone who can jump in and get the job done.  The following are some qualities to look for in your interns:

1. Enthusiasm - Interns who are enthusiastic about working with your company are more likely to produce good results than those who are just trying to fulfill their college requirements, or gain experience any way they can. Including questions in your interview that pertain to why the candidate wants an internship with your company is a good way to reveal her level of enthusiasm.

2. Willingness to learn - An intern who already thinks he knows it all probably won't be much of an asset to your business. Although he should have some training that relates to the position, he must be willing to learn the skills he needs to complete his project successfully.

3. Commitment - This one is important for obvious reasons. Hiring an intern, only to have her leave with the job half done, can put a major strain on your business. You need someone who is committed to seeing her internship through.

4. Good communication skills - Interns need to be able to communicate well with others in order to facilitate teamwork. They too should be able to effectively let you know when they run into problems. You can get a good feel for a candidate's communication skills through open-ended interview questions.

5. Receptiveness to constructive criticism - An intern will not get everything right on the first try, nor should you expect him to. But he should be able to take constructive criticism, and use it to improve his performance.

6. Trustworthiness - This is a very important one, especially if the intern will be dealing with sensitive information or company assets. For these types of positions, it might be worthwhile to utilize personality tests that can reveal potential problems.

7. Ability to prioritize - Whether your intern is working on a specific project or just helping out around the office, prioritizing tasks is important. You can provide some structure, but it's ultimately up to the intern herself to use her time wisely.

8. Problem solving skills - While it's important to be there when your interns need you, there's just not enough time in the day to solve every little problem for them. They should be able to handle minor problems on their own with little guidance once they've been taught the proper procedures.

9. Adaptability - Your intern may or may not be doing exactly what he had hoped to do in an internship, but he should be able to adapt to a variety of tasks. The idea is to gain work experience and skills, not to set himself in one certain position for life. Having an intern who is open to doing various things in your business will make the internship more pleasant and successful for all involved.

10. An appropriate energy level - High-energy candidates are often the most attractive for business owners seeking interns, but they're not always the best choice. High energy works for intense positions, but if your internship opportunity consists of answering phones or making copies all day, high-energy types may become bored quickly. So it's very important to find a candidate that has the right type of energy for the job you need done.

Choosing the right intern varies based on the type of business you own. Knowing these 10 qualities that an intern should have, will help you successfully choose the proper intern for your team.

Deanna Maio, Business Trainer & Coach, teaches business owners simple, powerful processes to stop wasting time and start making more money, and create a business that acts as a vehicle for living the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to increase your income and use your valuable time more wisely, visit http://www.savvygals.com/