Money Talks... But People Don't

Doesn't it seem like the majority of clients who contact you want to know how much it's going to cost for them to work with you FIRST rather than wanting to find out how working with you is going to help them achieve their goal?

Here's a quick quiz about one of the major issues most individuals struggle with these days.

1. What do you think are the two most frequent points of conflict that recur in relationship after relationship?
2. Name the biggest fear people have about their future.
3. Guess the secret we hold dearest, beyond even our most intimate relations.

If you said... [read more!]

Creating Systems for Success

The holiday parties and gatherings are over and it's time to get back to business. Ringing in the "New Year" means thousands and thousands of people are ready and willing to make changes for a happier and healthier new year.

People will be trying to make the most of 2010 by either finding or making more time to spend with their family and friends, looking for ways to make their lives less stressful, and enjoying what they do for a living. And when it comes to their job or career, you are part of the solution.

Everyone deserves to be successful to enjoy ALL that life has to offer. In my article today, discover how creating systems can contribute to your success.

Most of us run our lives on a handful of systems. Between our cell phones, electronic planners, and email inboxes, we have organized ourselves, and our time. If you ever doubt the importance of these systems, recall your panic the last time you lost your planner or BlackBerry!

Yet, as important as these systems are, most of us don't take advantage of what systems can do to improve our businesses. [Read more...]

Time Out !!

Christmas is just three days away and if you're like me, you can't wait to get a few days off to rest and enjoy some well-deserved time with family and friends.

Make it a point to enjoy yourself and take a "time out" from work knowing that you're actually setting yourself up for success at the same time.

Rest to Success

Come January, it will be the beginning of a new year and thousands of people will once again strive to lead healthier lives, spend more quality time with their family, or find higher paying jobs.

As career professionals, this is music to our ears because these people are potential clients! But, let's not over do it.

As the pace of business as well as modern life accelerates, the need for rest sometimes gets pushed to the bottom of our to-do list—when rest is exactly what we need to perform at our peak. [Read more...]

Adaptability: How to Survive in Today's Business Climate

As small business owners, you and I both know our time can get away from us quickly if we're not careful. Family is very important to me and keeping up with my three girls as well as being there for my oldest daughter (who just became a first-time mommy) time is even MORE precious to me than ever before.

I love being my own boss and owning my own business because it allows me to be home for my family AND I get to call all the shots at work. After all, isn't this why we went into business for ourselves?

However, being in business for ourselves means that we face the same challenges when it comes to attracting clients/customers, marketing our business, and surviving when times get tough just like larger companies do.

Adaptability: How to Survive in Today's Business Climate

It's tough for everyone these days in one way or another. There's no getting around the news--foreclosures, bailouts and breathtaking stock market swings. It's real. It's upon us. It can be scary.

Though we can't control the economy, we can control our perception (and reaction) to it. Every crisis creates a positive by-product--opportunity. It's more important than ever to think creatively and adapt "on-the-fly" to seize those opportunities. Companies that do so will thrive, even during the most challenging times. Here are some survival strategies for tough times:

Don't Panic. Be a Leader. Fear plays a role in the ups and downs of the stock market. Don't let it create the same anxiety in your business. Plan ahead based on facts, not fear.

Think of yourself as captain of the ship. With stormy seas, the passengers (your clients) look for leadership. Define flexibility with your actions. Don't sugar coat any problems. Use clear, consistent, and confident communication when having discussions with clients as well as potential clients. Demonstrating your leadership and confidence establishes a positive mindset.

Make "Recession" Your Call to Action - Hard times breed efficiency. Take the time to fix the inefficiencies you've been putting off. Also, re-evaluate your direction. Be realistic about the situation as it is now, not what you projected months ago that it would be. [Read more]

Finding Opportunity in Difficult Times (How Do You Do That?)

Dear friends and colleagues,

It's great to be back! A lot has happened over the past several months, both personal and business wise, making for a very BUSY summer and exciting fall. In October, my husband and I became first-time grandparents! Our grandson, Jace, was born on October 4th and what a joy he is to all of us - we just love him to pieces!

Business wise, this has never been a busier time for career professionals. There are countless people facing career change and they are desperate for qualified help. To make sure those people can find the expert career professionals they need, we've been working tirelessly to improve our search engine rankings for career coaches and resume writers with excellent results.

CertifiedCareerCoaches (CCC) and CertifiedResumeWriters (CRW) ranks #1 with Google, Yahoo, BING, Ask, and AOL for key search terms such as certified career coaches, career coaches, certified resume writers) and ranks in the Top 10 for other key career related search terms with the same major search engines.

So... what else is new? I re-launched my CareerExpertsOnline eZine--yea! Also, last month, I updated the Get Found Online special report which includes a bonus section on social networking and how to add that to your online marketing mix. With the upcoming holiday, I'd like to wish you and your family a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving. ~ Maria

Here's today's article...

Finding Opportunity in Difficult Times (How Do You Do That?)

Remember the Chicken Little story when you were a kid? Chicken Little was in the woods one day, an acorn fell on her head, and she cried out "Help, help, the sky is falling! I must go tell the king."

When a person jumps to an irrational conclusion and works everyone they meet into a panic, the expression "the sky is falling" comes to mind.

It can be argued that this is happening with the current economic situation--the public is being whipped into mass hysteria.

Whether or not you believe the economic "sky" is falling (or that it's already crashed around you), tough times have always provided great (and lucrative) opportunities. The trick is to know what to look for. So, how do you find opportunity during these tough times? [Read more]