How to eliminate event invite apathy once and for all.

An epidemic disease is rotting special events on social media.  I need to address this immediately.

Since the influx of social media and broadcast email, we now receive notices on all measure of events for work, career, and community that may have never been known previously about. These invites are waiting for us when we log into our various social media platforms and email accounts.  Yet, people want to attend and don’t. Here are the real reasons why and what needs to be done about it.  

I call this behavior “the indifferent use of the Facebook Maybe/Interested.” I define this action as follows: “When given three choices with an invite to an event, so many people will just mechanically click the ‘maybe’ or ‘interested’ response as the safe course of action. “ 

I’m sure it started innocently as a way to indicate, “If I can attend your event – I will. I’m just not sure I can.” Over time, it has degraded down into, “I truly haven’t got the guts to tell you no, since I kind of like you. If I have an event or need something from you anytime soon I want for you to come, and while you may have costs of staging the event if I do get my butt in gear and show up, I want for there to be something for me to eat and drink … so I will just say maybe. This way you may hold out hope and will take care of me, but I secretly can’t tell you don’t hold your breath.”

Pathetic. 

For the past two hundred years, event invites have asked for a response with the term "Répondez s'il vous plait." It is French for Respond If You Please. This was considered the customary way to ensure a proper headcount. Yet, the proper and polite nature of such a request is totally lost in our advanced uses of interactive technology.
Someone has to do something about the Facebook Maybe/Interested. That someone is me!  I feel this should be eradicated with more might and muscle than the Centers for Disease Control can manifest. (Before I go further, I do want full and total credit for this idea. We can discuss the details of that later when you thank me for this.)

I propose the following solution.  I propose when any invite goes out using a social media site, an email or even one of those archaic paper printed invitations that sneak in the mailbox; you, as the event planner,  give your guests only one of two choices. Say I need either a Hard Yes or a Hard No response. The invite will also state if I don’t hear from you a set time before the event, I will just simply assume it is a Hard No.

The intent is simple: either you as a guest are making plans to show or you are not.  99 and 44/100ths percent of the time, you will know in advance if you plan to go or not. Come out and say a Hard No if you either have or even perceive a conflict, are on the wrong side of payday, don’t want to participate or just don’t want to deal with the invitee or someone else who might be in attendance. Honesty is the best policy and if some guy wants you to come to his networking lunch and learn or seminar, it’s really okay to tell him no. I really don’t mind you telling me that either.

A Hard Yes means you are 100%  in. By this, you are communicating to your host, “Make sure you save me a place. I want to be there, am looking forward to this and will have a good time if you do.”  It helps the host to know all these things and more. Nothing is more stressful then adding chairs, needing more food or supplies, wondering if someone is really going to show or dealing with someone who may have said it only in their own mind then shows up at the last minute in person. I’ve been on that side of hosting the event many times in my career.  

And to not say anything at all … Well, that should be grounds for the death penalty or at least social media ex-communication. That’s why the request is for a Hard Yes orHard No. Because this your word and you stand by it with both confidence and certainty.

We all know that “things happen.” A flat tire, a deadline at work, or a sick kid transpires when you least expect it. Most hosts understand that. But, to treat people poorly when they thought of you with little more than a milk toast “I wuz gonna …” – You are telling them with your wimpy politeness that you really don’t want for them to invite you to anything ever again.  Respond with Facebook Maybe’s and Interested’s to them enough times and it really happens. You could miss out on something that could be significant for you, just because you are acting passively polite. 

If we start with simple social media invites, this could lead to less wishy-washy behaviors, people actually getting their needs met and clear concise communication between people.  “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one,” to quote John Lennon. 

If you agree, give me a Hard Yes. 

Terms are a Deal Maker or Deal Breaker

When it comes to cash flow, payments and terms are either a deal maker or a deal breaker.

Some industries get this.  One of my kids is in the process of closing on their first house. Paying $700 a month until 2045 sounds almost like forever, but asking them to coin out in full for the new place would have never made the purchase possible.

Some business owners I know are abhorrent of terms. One solopreneur constantly rants at me “If they don’t have the money, they don’t have the need.” I respectfully disagree with their rant, and I also have learned to keep my mouth closed around them. Experience has taught me businesses and families all have budgets and cash flow concerns. It's up to you as a vendor or supplier what you will do about this.

Terms as a Closing Tool

I believe in terms as a closing tool.  It is not necessarily fly now/pay later as that critic likes to portray this, but it works with the budget scenarios for numerous small to medium businesses.   Cash flow may always be king, but the ability to have it flow towards you is how you judge your sales and marketing success. 

Here are some cash flow and payment strategies with which I have had success:  

• Accept Credit/Debit Cards - The lack of ready cash in people's wallet or purse should make this option quite obvious. I have an app for Intuit QuickBooks Payments on my cell phone.  This allows me to inexpensively accept credit and debit cards with no monthly maintenance fees and significantly lower redemption rates. Other popular services include Square, PayPal and CASH. I find that Intuit pays faster than the others.  If your volume dictates, work with a reputable credit card processor who can help you manage your transaction loads. They are tasked to find you the best processing rates. Gone are the days when your commercial banker made 8% or more on the redemption of a credit card transaction, plus sky-high monthly service and merchant fees. 
• Auto Pay – If someone I know retains me for a project and needs to space out equal payments of a set amount for a sustained period, I tell them the only way for this is equal payments via debit or credit card or  Electronic Fund Transfers set to pull before the 28th of the preceding month. (I explain that every month as a 28th.)  I have also accepted recurring check payments set up with proof of this submitted to me. 
• Offer A Discount for Cash -  I learned this tip from a commercial contractor I know. He takes every one of his bids and multiplies his final cost by 1.2. When presenting his proposals, he will then offer customers a 15% to 20% discount for cash if received in full at the start of the job. Therefore, he has protected his margins and still has negotiating room should the client be looking for a discount. 
• Sell The Payment – If your clients are constantly looking for you to offer payment options, but the idea of juggling all these has you concerned, sell the servicing of your debt off to a third party firm.  Finance companies, commercial leasing brokers, and consumer leasing companies are available to buy this debt from you, pay you at close and will then serve as the intermediary. I worked for a commercial leasing broker for three years and was able to help many companies close deals which they might  not have received otherwise.  One key: you need to disclose fully your customers that these payments are serviced by a third party company. 

One non-negotiable rule of all sales and marketing: There should never be any guesswork on either side on how the buyer is paying the seller. Both sides should totally agree at the time of signatures on an order.

Let me know what other option you offer to take the sting out of purchasing your products or services. 

When will you have the talk?

It’s just 80 days away, and I’m wondering when you will have the talk?

When will you talk with your customers, prospects, vendors and staff about 2016? When will you have a talk with yourself about the coming year?

Some people already have budgets to submit. They need to have to have proposals and objectives submitted to be reviewed and approved.  Others won’t think even about 2016 until January 4th, the first business day of the new year. 

 Which business model do you work from? Which do you want to work from?

Long vs. Short Run Planning

Do you feel comfortable with long range planning or do you prefer to be Red Adair.  Paul ‘Red’ Adair was best known in the 1960’s and 70’s for putting out the huge, dangerous and exciting fires which occurred when an oil well erupted. If you think your job is tough, imagine what you would have to do to put out a fire on an exploding oil rig. Yet, many business owners and managers can act just like Ol' Red. They wait until something explodes, and only then will they do something about it.

That’s why we’re having this talk right now.  Your future is NOW!

In 2016, I want you to resolve to stop going from crisis to crisis.  Leave the flame retardant suit back in the hall closet.  Don’t just set goals, but put in place systems to handle those goals. Here’s the difference. A goal is a state or place at which you want to arrive.  A system is a conscious process to achieve a goal or several goals multiple times.

If your goal was to lose 15 pounds, once you’ve lost it  … you’re done. If your goal is to maintain a certain weight, you have a bigger picture. You have to adopt a system that when you stray at the buffet, puts you back into the process of maintaining that goal.

The same is true with your operations. If you want to do something once, it’s a goal. If you want to do it a repeated number of times, it is a system.  Marketing and sales need to have systems to ensure twelve good months of prospects, opportunities, and cash flow.

Incidents will occur. You may even have a genuine explosion or two with which you have to deal. But, your vendors, talent, clients and customers would appreciate not having an on-going case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to deal with.

Action Steps

Here’s what I want to encourage you to do:

1. Brainstorm your goals for 2016 out on paper. Don’t be realistic. Write down everything you want to accomplish, do, be, have and become.  Start with an initial session and then keep the list handy for additional times when great ideas come to you. 
2.  Look at the list and ask yourself questions about what you’ve listed.  HERE’S AN EXAMPLE: If you have travel goals, is it that you want to get to these destinations … or that you’re so fed up with the workload, stress or space you are in … anywhere else seems a whole lot better than the place where you’re at?
3. Look at your professional goals and start to make a 2016 Business Plan.  Look at your personal goals and make a life plan.  Take the time to capture them on paper. If not, you will forget them before you walk across the room. 
4. Determine each of these which are one-off goals and which will require you to implement systems. Also, give yourself permission to delete things which are mere flights of fancy and don’t lead anywhere significant. 
5. Give yourself permission to do the things which are uniquely yours to do. Expect that change will require you to be uncomfortable. Seek support, coaching and assistance as necessary. Give up doing it all by yourself in 2016. 
6. Regularly check to see where you are with your goals and systems.  If you haven’t gotten something done which is important, ask yourself what stands in your way.  Own the parts of it which are yours. You can’t succeed in cleaning off your desk if you won’t take the papers over to the file cabinet. 

Let me know how you are doing, both now, on January 4th and in a couple of months.  If you would like some coaching and assistance on this, I’m just an email or phone call away: 248-383-5793 or dladouceur08@gmail.com

Keeping Your Sale SOLD

A PROFESSIONAL WRITER TELLS YOU HOW TO REWRITE YOUR RESUME IN FOUR QUICK STEPS

1) Look for 4 to 5 similar job openings in your field. Print them out.
2) Read them completely. Then take a highlighter and find all the common areas of expertise and experience they seek. If at least two of them want it, it is a qualification you want to mention.
3) Re-write your resume to highlight how you can bring them these experiences and skills. If you are doing a chronological resume, make sure that you highlight at least three to four of these per past position where you've worked.
4) Flat Out Brag. Go back and rephrase as many of your experiences as achievements and successful outcomes that directly benefited your employer, not just a listing of what skills and openings you did. No one wants to hire a list of tasks - EVERYONE WANTS TO HIRE ACHIEVERS!

If you are looking in multiple areas of opportunity, repeat so that you can have a specialist resume, a general resume or other types of documents that show what you can do. Send out a minimum of two a day.

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Grants are noble business plans

Grants are noble business plans to achieve goals and objectives.

According to a report from the Foundation Center, private trusts and foundations in the US remit in excess of 88,000 grant requests annually and disperse in excess of $40 billion in grant funding every year. Add to that total grants from government entities and educational institutions, and it’s easy to see that grant funding contributes to the common good both in terms of money and opportunity.

I was reflecting on my upon my experiences writing grants working as both a contract writer and a non-profit administrator, inspired by a recent email from my college professor Earl Robinson.

Here are my insights on what to know when looking for outside grant funding:

• As with any business plan, a grant should clearly define the reason why and explain the process in definite, achievable steps. If one was writing a business plan for a commercial/for profit business, it would include all aspects of the operation – administration, manufacturing, marketing and sales, distribution. Your noble business plan must include how similar elements are covered – administration, program services, public outreach and metrics on how to measure the program’s effectiveness. One grant I once read was more of an editorial on why the idea was so noble, but offered scant few details about how the funding would support the group’s work, how the organization was going to deliver on the promises or how this program would make a difference.  I was not surprised to hear that several funding sources all took a pass on the idea, despite the author’s hard work and best intent. 

• A single solitary grant funder cannot and should not be the only source for funding for your idea.  Most grant funders I’ve spoken with like to see a coalition of resources come together to achieve the project or goal. The idea is best summed up in the old adage about putting all one’s eggs in one basket. Because budgets can change in the midst of a fiscal year, the diversification of revenue streams will insure that a program can survive should something happen to one source.

• Don’t ever waste anyone’s time without doing proper due diligence on what the donor looks for from their grant requester. If there are specific criteria, always use it as the template to write the document and the check list before submitting your grant. Some grant funders like to fund programs directly, but prefer to avoid paying administrative costs. Some grant funders have geographic boundaries or mandates to target specific groups or areas of interests. Learn how a grant funding source works by reading an organization’s annual reports.

• Grand funding resources and the people who with for them are often a community on to themselves. Heads of different foundations, alliances, organizations and institutions are often colleagues, peers and friends. Don’t ever condemn, criticize or complain around a failed grant attempt, because you don’t know who knows who. Look at the grant submission process as a learning experience on how to apply, not a judgment on the merits of your idea. 

• If using the services of a professional from outside of the organization to write the grant, never tie payment to the grant writer to funding the project. Paying the grant writer is an administrative and business development expense of the operation, similar to paying electricity, copy paper or program materials. A professional deserves to be paid for their expertise, time and services. Budget the expense to pay at market place rates and have the money in place willing to invest before you ask someone. 

Grants provide needed funding for worthwhile projects and organizations. The key to writing a successful grant is to have the match of right idea, right grant funder, and providing a quality explanation which empowers both the donor and the recipients to achieve their noble business goals.

Stop thinking outside the box - Stuff that box as full as you can.

Stop using the worn out cliché ‘thinking outside the box.’  When dealing in business with clients, co-workers, and prospects, commit to stuffing their box as full as you can. Show them you can totally handle their needs and problems better than anyone else can.

Focus your attention on creating and demonstrating an effective personal solution that leaves no room whatsoever for questions, doubt, debate or uncertainty.  Don’t come up with some ultra-creative solution that clouds their judgment, casts doubt or distracts them from their goal.  Feel free to bring to their problems your solutions using use new ideas and innovation. Build on the success and good feeling from past performance.  Ultimately, you need to take their box that surrounds their needs and stuff it as full of your solutions as effectively as you possibly can.

As you would fill their box for shipping, make your solution seem air tight without any gaps, waste or excess room. Don’t let the possibility for uncertainty, doubt, or differences in personality take the place of presenting an effective answer that delivers precisely what your decision maker ultimately wants based upon your competence, effectiveness and ability to execute. Deliver a better idea by giving your audience the peace of mind solutions for which they asked.

Leave no room for doubt, by stuffing their box as full as you can.

Four ways YOU are killing LinkedIn

LinkedIn has always been the social media platform of choice for business professionals. This platform's users are often those who wouldn't ever consider composing a tweet or making a like. Yet, there are an over-abundance of short sighted users who are accelerating the death nail for this platform. How? Here are the four ways you (or too many others) are killing LinkedIn:


In order for me to be a LION; let’s connect. – More connections aren't better connections. While I consider myself a LinkedIn Open Networker, I don't consider myself another just number. Read my profile and have a reason you want to connect. Any reason is better than none whatsoever.

I’ll just connect and hope you figure out a reason why this matters. Of the almost 5,000 people with whom I’m connected, the overwhelming of them have just asked me to add them and stopped there. If you want to add me in a professional context, have a professional reason to do so. Do you want to use my service, have me as a mentor, get a quote or bid, or looking for something I have or do? If so, let's connect. If not, let's not.

You don’t have a clue what I do, but I want for you to rate me. – The ultimate LinkedIn Spam. People who have connected with you want for you to rate them, and you know their name and picture … and that’s about it. Stop signing up for this junk generating spam source. Tell your ego that it needs to ask people who can say real things versus bland, self-serving praise.

I do this for a living, and you should switch to me. This request is all features and little to no benefits. I usually get it as requests for using offshore talent, IT services, app development and other emerging technologies. It’s usually a short and succinct note that has all the pizazz of a classified ad. It is usually devoid of any reasons to do business, short of 'here I am.'

LinkedIn is a tool that can expand relationships beyond markets, industries and buying patterns. Done right, it opens doors. Done wrong, it generates annoyance, suspicion and apathy.  Don't kill the platform because you think it’s like other platforms  – Use a professional site in a professional way. 

News that's not outrageous, but mock-rageous.

Rupert Murdoch is reported to have said that "News is Free, But Journalism Costs Money."  If press releases and tabloid reports of the comings and goings and flashings and showings of twenty-somethings is what now constitutes news, we have definitely gone broke.

I am publically calling out celebu-tants, reality TV personalities, high image recording artists of various degrees of talent, shock jocks, bloggers and all nature of people who believe that being totally outrageous and self serving is the key to your success. I will not fill space here with their names. You know the people about whom I'm writing. Talking about their sexual escapades, party habits, anti-social behavior and poor fills all manor of websites, TV shows, tabloids and any other communications methods.

You are not outrageous. I deem you as mock-rageous. We live in a time where we have to stop pretending that we can fill our minds with all this mock-ragious behavior, and we need to put our thoughts about solving problems that can aid us all.
Outrageous is when gas prices go up 30 cents in a week because we can't build a secure networks of pipelines that don't rupture and leak every six months. Outrageous is making our food with less and less nutritional ingredients and more and more chemicals because we think that this will make it last on the shelf an extra few months. Outrageous is forgetting how far we have come with research, technology and invention in just the last 100 years, and then not challenging ourselves that we have so much further to go.

We need to focus our thoughts and actions towards solving real problems. I challenge you to invent something, write or draw something, re-engineer a process you use or dare to do something  absolutely different.

My Words of Advice for Jim Caldwell, New Detroit Lions Coach

The Detroit Lions have hired Jim Caldwell as their next head coach.
MY WORDS OF ADVICE:
1) Your best friend Tony Dungy used the term "Same Old Lions." Use this at the fulcrum for cultural change that your bosses want.
2) Teach QB Matt Stafford how to grow up from being a cap backwards wearing "I don't want to work with a QB guru" young man in to a mature leader of men.
3) Acknowledge the Curse of Bobby Layne and all the pent up anger against your team's owner. We don't need a carpetbagger for another five years.

Catch me on DaddyBlogger this Mon Jan 6th.

I am honored and delighted to be the guest on the Google Hangout for Daddy Blogger site. Looking forward to talking with Ricky Shetty about my takes on being a dad and the hard earned wisdom I can pay forward. For more information on this: http://daddyblogger.com/

The sentence I most dread: Can you leave me a professional rating?

The sentence I most dread in business social media: "Can you leave me a professional rating?"

As I write this, I am connected to 7,272 connections across several platforms. Yet, too people who ask me to talk about them are people who have blindly connected to me and then ask me what I think of them.

Face it: If I don't know you, then how can I review you?

For those of you will persist and clog my in box with requests, here's a blanket endorsement:  "I like you. I stand here and behold the inner goodness with in you. I support you in having powerful and prosperous professional relationships." If you give me a mailing address, I will send you a certificate that explains this for all to see and a gold star for your forehead.

But I can't say anything specific and won't rate you on a one to ten scale because frankly, I am not aware of your work, work ethic or your output. I can't offer a fair assessment, and I'm not comfortable with you paying someone's make a million dollar web scheme for me to tell you this.

If you want a fair assessment, get to know me and let me know you by your deeds.

I'm glad you don't have all the answers.

I am sincerely glad that everyone who reads this doesn't have all the answers. Those who don't will continue to try new attempts, set new goals and reach beyond where they are. They will react to change and look at things in different ways.

I once worked on the island of Jamaica. It is a lovely and lush tropical place to visit, but a tough
place to conduct business. One key reason is that the national model is "No Problem," which is supposed to mean it will be handled with a casual ease. Yet, many Jamaicans take this to mean that there is always tomorrow, and if we can't solve it now ... we can try to solve it then. As a result of working withthat mindset,  I have always quipped, "With no problems, come no solutions." Think about that ... how many processes, inventions and solutions in our lives came about as a solution to a problem.

Right now, there are people who would look upon the problems and issues which you face as answers to a prayer. Be glad you don't have all the answers, but keep working towards finding many of them.

Stop Telling Me The Problem Is With THEM!

I recently dropped someone from my social media accounts.  I did so because I was tired of hearing about "THEM."

To read these posts, this person believed that the problem is totally and completely with them. They are so wrong. They have no sense about them. They can't do anything right. They should be subjected to any of a number of punishments, retributions and consequences. If we didn't have them to contend with, the world would be a much better place.

I gave this contact more than enough time to talk about what they were doing right, how to possibly chance for the better and what the rewards would be from such actions.

I finally concluded that after several hundred posts over the past several months, I was better off with out them.

Social media is as disposable as a paper plate.

Social media is as disposable as a paper plate.

I know many professionals who craft great blogs, tweet insightful thoughts and post outstanding images. Yet, they get ignored in the tsunami of information that is auto-posted. Texts, emails and posts are easily deleted.

While cleaning out our storage unit last night, I came across five letters which my father sent me in 1979, my freshman year of college.  These are worth more than gold to me. If I had counted on them being in an In Box, I doubt they would be there. I am grateful I found them.

Take a moment this week and put a pen in your hand. Write one person a sincere note, card or letter.

ON THE DEAN'S LIST

I am launching a new solo podcast called “On The Dean’s List.”  This is a celebration of the art of conversation.  Our podcasts will air LIVE on Wednesday’s at 11 am Eastern Time. You can even call in to the show and join in the fun. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onthedeanslist On The Dean's List I am so excited about a new project I want to share it with you. Let me share our upcoming line-up … We launch on Wednesday June 5th with former WDIV Channel 4 Sportscaster Katrina Hancock.  She will share what happened at the station, what’s she’s been doing since she left, and sharing her thoughts about media and communications with us: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onthedeanslist/2013/06/05/katrina-hancock On June 12th, author Ellen Meister will join us to talk about her current book release, the novel FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER, channels the great Dorothy Parker, through her heroine movie critic Violet Epps.   We’ll also talk about Dorothy Parker, the writing and publishing processes and much more: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onthedeanslist/2013/06/12/ellen-meister June 19th, Our guest is Sharon O'Dell, our technology contributor, talking about gamification. Gamification is using game elements to help engage, inform and motivate employees, customers and other publics - Join us and learn how to use the process of gamification the right way: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onthedeanslist/2013/06/19/sharon-odell Other upcoming guests include friends Danielle Workman and Rosh Sillars. You can listen live every Wednesday morning and call in, catch us on iTunes and download the show onto your mp3 player, or listen to a recording on our social media sites.  On The Dean’s List is sponsored and produced by Dean’s List Publishers.  Make plans to check in every week --  You never know who may wind up “On The Dean’s List …”  Join me~! Dean La Douceur Celebrating the art of conversation ...  Click Here!

In Praise of Collaboration

While Phil Jackson may be regarded as the most successful professional basketball coach, his collaboration with Tex Winter produced the Triangle Offense, which powered these championships.  While Duke Ellington is considered a 20th Century Icon of jazz music, his collaboration with Billy Strayhorn produced the Ellington Band sound, and those memorable arrangements. Hum the first few bars of Take The A Train, if you ever doubt me.

Going it alone is a rocky, lonely and uncertain route. In my upcoming series of blogs, I will be introducing to a series of articles on this, In Praise of Collaboration. 

Working with a professional collaborator will bring out the best in you. Collaboration brings in resources greater than your own.  Collaboration allows others to bring both their expertise, experiences and and contacts.

Here are four quick benefits from working in collaboration:

1. Collaboration ends isolationism. -  While one should never be the town crier of a great concept and tell everyone around town, the idea of having someone else who is a part of the process gives this a third party accountability. It also adds energy to the process.

2. Collaboration forces you to hear different opinions. – People with ideas for which they are passionate love to say phrases such as “Everyone needs …”  “You’d thing that …”  “My experience is that …” Often, this is little more than conjecture.  Different opinions can help shape your idea profoundly.

3. Collaboration lets you give and get support and feedback. – In our minds, all ideas sound proud, tall and majestic.  Yet, experience teaches us that not everyone has the same ideas we do. In collaborating, we work together to explain something, analyse something and listen as others express their perspectives.

4. Collaboration teaches you what you’re ‘willing to fight for …’ – A certain degree of challenging someone is important. If it doesn't happen in the creation stage, it will certainly happen in the marketplace.

Literature from the New Testament and Think to Grow Rich all champion the ability to work in concert.  Entrepreneurs need to be open to the idea of having collaborators to achieve the outcomes which they seek.

All these messages ...

Between ad's selling us things trying to make us more complete, social media posts trying to justify why someone thinks what they do, news broadcasts capturing our inhumanity to each other and the cold slap in the face of all life's data and details, do you really think you or I need another dose of the so called truth? How about spreading a little bit more hope and inspiration?