John Jantsch is the found of Duct Tape Marketing and he recently shared some great ideas on ways to make your business stand apart from the rest.  This article really focuses on capturing the local market.  Below is his article.  It contains some really great ideas that I recommend as your business coach. 

When people want to find a business, they go online and search. Whether you sell a product or a complex, high dollar service, that’s just how it’s done these days. 

For marketers, this means they must be very, very focused on winning searches that are done with the intent of finding something local – this includes showing up in mobile browsers and on maps. 

Below are fives areas that you should address to increase your chances of winning the local search game. 

Do it now, before your competitors do. 

If you work through each section and apply a few action steps each day, you’ll gradually accomplish the entire list and put your business on its way to building a strong local search presence. 

1. Make your web pages scream local 

There are many ways to make your website pages localized. This is one of the underlying elements that tell the search engines that yours is indeed a local business. 

Here are a few steps to consider: 

    * Add your physical address to every page

    * Add city names in navigation: i.e. Omaha Kitchen remodeling showcase

    * Add suburb and neighborhood names into your content in natural ways

    * Add a local event blog and list festivals and non-profit events

    * Find relevant local bloggers using a tool like placeblogger to exchange links with

    * Do keyword research with local terms to find the best phrases to add to your pages (Google Keyword Tool or Wordtracker are good resources)

2. Claim and enhance your local search profiles 

The local search directories at Google, Yahoo and Bing want you to claim and build rich information for local profiles. This makes their job easier when people search for local businesses. 

If you haven’t done it yet, go here now: 

    * Google Places (data drawn from Google Maps)
    * Yahoo Local Business Center
    * Bing Local Listing Center

Another local search directory to pay attention to is Google Mobile Search. This is a separate directory with a great deal of cross over, but is the tool that mobile users access when they type coffee into Google Maps on a smart phone – yet another reason to make sure your listing is complete and up-to-date in Google Maps. 

In each case, you will need to claim your profile by various means. After you complete this step you will be given the opportunity to enhance your profile with the appropriate business category, hours or operation, forms of payment, area served and brands carried.
 

Want more on search? Check these out:

    * 7 Deadly Assumptions of Online Marketing Success
    * 4 Ways to Use Social Media to Kick Up Your SEO
    * Search Marketing as Core Local Business Strategy

3. Participate in the ratings and review game 

Lots of local business directories exist with the added feature of user ratings and reviews. If you’re not paying attention to the major sites and monitoring what’s being said, you may be losing business because of one poor review. 

Your action step here is to claim and enhance your profiles in each of these directories and start engaging your customers in ways that actively stimulate reviews.

 Here are the primary review sites to check out, although many industries also feature rating and review sites: 

    * Yelp
    * Insiderpages
    * Citysearch
    * Local
    * MerchantCircle

4. Update your listings and citations 

Citations are mentions of your business and address that appear on other websites. These are a key component of the ranking algorithms because they help assure your business is truly local. 

The listings you completed in the previous steps help in this category, but now it’s time to go even deeper. 

The following companies pull data from print versions of white and yellow pages and provide a great deal of core data to local directories. While it is likely that your business is listed in these directories it is a good idea to check for accuracy and add details that may not be listed. 

    * infoUSA 
    * Localeze

Getting listed consistently across the following Internet Yellow Page providers will also help with your local listing. 

    * Internet Yellow Pages
    * SuperPagesS
    * SwitchBoard
    * Yellow Pages

Two good sources of information for this topic are GetListed.org and Universal Business Listing (this site offers a service that will get you listed in numerous online directories and portals that are used by many applications and tools). It might be the best $30 a year you spend. 

5. Own a social network topic group

One powerful local play, and perhaps a good strategy to get some extra local links, is to start a local niche group and build a community of users around the local theme on social media sites such as Flickr, Facebook, LinkedIn, MeetUp or Biznik.

If you can find an area of interest to others, you might be able to build a useful and vibrant local tool while greatly enhancing your own local presence. 

Here’s a good example: The Boston Networking Club on LinkedIn was founded by Jeff Popkin, owner of BostonEventGuide.com. With over 5,000 members, there’s a pretty good bet this group serves as a conduit for Popin’s main business locally. 

Every little bit counts in this very important and increasingly competitive world of local search.

Thoughout the day, I coach business owners, such as yourself, on ways to improve their business and the executive performance.  By applying these ideas, I think you can really set your business apart from the competition while still managing your goals as a business owner or executive. 

Sign up for a FREE White Paper that will tell you how local businesses are getting 39-640% bottom line increases!

Yeah, ActionCOACH knew this already but it is great to see someone else recongize it.  According to American Express Forums, salespeople can benefit greatly from coaching.  Linda Richardson, a Wharton faculty member, talked with AE and suggested that they way sales people are trained need to change if they want to be successful. 

 “Salespeople are not needed for product knowledge anymore, so they need to be more prepared for strategic discussion,” says Richardson, who is also founder and executive chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales performance firm, and author of The New York Times bestseller, Perfect Selling (McGraw-Hill, 2008). “Salespeople are facing a sales environment that none of us ever faced before. And it’s taking a toll on morale.”

Below is an excerpt from the original article:

At one major tech company, she says, “We trained 400 front-line managers to be coaches.” The six-month training began with a one-week intensive course. “Then our trainers worked with each sales manager once a month on a 40-minute phone call to help them carry out coaching plans and to embed coaching into the culture.” The results were impressive: Job satisfaction improved as well as the retention rate of salespeople and managers. The company saw a 17 percent increase in sales year over year, and a 29 percent increase in earnings per share.
 
Richardson recently worked with a professional services firm where, she says, there are fewer deals than there were before the recession, and longer times to close. After training sales managers how to coach their sales teams, she says, “opportunities within the pipeline grew 195 percent. Targeted sales approach accounts have added $140 million in the pipeline in one year. They spent $1.4 million on the training and were able to attribute $23.7 million in new business to it.”

If you feel like the market has changed on you and you don't know if you can keep up, give us a call, 727-786-2900.  Let us show YOU how you can improve your overall perfomance, be a better boss or manager, and get the direction you need.  Visit us on the web at www..actioncoachpinellas.com. 
 

Brad Sugars knows a thing or two about priorities, he built ActionCOACH up from nothing.  Below he shares some tips he uses when he coaches executives. 

There are two things that business people find very challenging: thinking ahead and doing things in order of importance.

Doing these two things makes the difference between success in business and just surviving. And the same is true for all areas of our lives.

Leadership trainer and author John Maxwell says, “thinking ahead and prioritizing responsibilities marks the major differences between a leader and a follower.”

Most people have heard of the Pareto Principle, more commonly known as the 80/20 Principle. Roughly stated this says that in most businesses 80% of your business comes from 20 % of your customers.

Other examples of the Pareto Principle are:

Reading: 20 percent of the book contains 80 percent of the content.

Job: 20 percent of our work gives us 80 percent of our satisfaction.

Products: 20 percent of the products bring in 80 percent of the profits.

Picnic: 20 percent of the people will eat 80 percent of the food!

So… when it comes to your priorities, 20 percent of your priorities will give you 80 percent of your production IF you spend your time, energy, money and personnel on the top 20 percent of your priorities.

When you do this you are getting a 400% or fourfold return in productivity. Think what this would mean in your business!

Every business person needs to understand the Pareto Principle as it applies to the areas of customers, team and leadership.

In the area of customers, it is vital to identify the 20 percent who account for 80 percent of your business. These are your “raving fans” and strategies must be put in place to care for them appropriately.

For your team, you must identify the top 20 percent producers. Spend 80 percent of your people time with these people to develop them to their full potential.

In leadership, take an honest look at the question “What do I have to do that no one else can do?” Remember a leader can give up everything except final responsibility. You can decide whether you will be reactive or proactive when it comes to the use of your time. The question is not, “Will I be busy?” but “How will I invest my time?” It’s not “Will my calendar be full?,” but “Who will fill my calendar?,” It’s not “Will I see people?,” but “Who will I see?”

Do this and watch your productivity and personal satisfaction rise to new heights!

As business coaches, ActionCOACH recommends this strategy when it comes to getting your priorities in order.  For more information on how an executive coach can help you succeed, visit us at www.actioncoachpinellas.com.  Brad Sugars started the world's number 1 business coaching firm, so he must be doing something right! 

Question: What Is IMPORTANT That Will Never Remind You By Text, Email, IM Chat, Or RING…

...Answer: EVERYTHING that will GROW YOUR BUSINESS.

THE TOP TIP OF Crucially IMPORTANT and Never URGENT…PLANNING!

When I say planning I do not mean the plan you write to get a loan from the bank, I am referring to the critical time that allows you to think about priorities & best strategic next moves. This includes budget, plans for marketing, operations, sales, time management and personal goals.

When you do not have to THINK and just take ACTION - you have a great PLAN.

Having a business coach on your side will not only help you plan but take action.  ActionCOACH can help you navigate through business plans and marketing goals.  If you want to succeed at your business, having an executive coach can only help you. 

Juliet Kyes is the Director of Sales and Marketing for ActionCOACH Pinellas.  She also serves as a management consultant.  She has several good tips that will help any executive or entrepreneur succeed at business. 

Find out how you can change the way you do business to achieve the results your deserve!  Contact ActionCOACH today. 

The Tampa Association of Health Underwriters is meeting in November.  There will be a panel of prestigious hospital and physician leadership that will focus on Healthcare Reform.  Ford Kyes will be the moderator for the event.  Ford is the CEO of ActionCOACH Pinellas and former CEO of St. Anthony's Hospital.  

Below is the press release the details the event.   

TAMPA, Fla. – (Nov. 2010) – Several of the Tampa Bay region’s top hospital and physician leaders will take part in a panel discussion focused on the impact healthcare legislation will have on the local healthcare industry during the November meeting of the Tampa Bay Association of Health Underwriters (TBAHU).

“It is with continued support of the local healthcare industry that TBAHU has been able to again bring together a panel such prestigious industry leaders,” Kelly Davis, TBAHU president and senior benefits consultant for Lakeland, Fla.-based OMS Group. “The caliber of participants and the enthusiasm of attendees at past panels is testament to the focus both TBAHU and the medical community have placed on advancing improvements in the delivery of healthcare in these changing times.”

Moderating the Nov. 11 panel, sponsored by First Service Administrators, Inc. (FSAI) and Allstate Worksite Division, is Ford Kyes, CEO of ActionCOACH Pinellas and former CEO of St. Anthony’s Hospital. Panel participants are:
• Carl Tremonti, CFO, Morton Plant Mease Health Care
• Madelyn Butler, M.D., president, Florida Medical Association
• Brad Bjornstad, M.D., vice president and chief medical officer (CMO), University Community Hospital
• Braulio Vicente, Jr., senior vice president, Hospital and Physician Group Operations, Moffitt Cancer Center
• Revonda L. Cornell, RN, BSN, MS, Ed. D., FACHE, president, Executive & Clinical Consulting (former CEO/COO, Lakewood Hospital and St. Anthony’s Hospital)

“TBAHU is dedicated to bridging the information gap between providers and the insurance industry during these days of volatile healthcare legislation to promote a unified industry working toward a positive outcome,” said Kathleen Sullivan R.D., immediate past president of TBAHU and executive vice president of Lakeland, Fla.-based FSAI. “By facilitating open discussions of the impact of reform on physicians, hospitals and the Tampa Bay community as a whole, TBAHU fosters continued education of industry leaders and promotes unified industries working together to take proactive and positive steps towards the delivery of better healthcare.”

The panel takes place Thursday, Nov. 11 at the Tampa Marriott Westshore, 1001 N. Westshore Blvd., Tampa. Meeting registration and networking begins at 10:45 a.m. with the panel convening promptly at 11:30 a.m. Lunch will be served. The cost for the lunch meeting is $15 for members and $30 for non-members.

Immediately preceding the general meeting will be a one-hour Continued Education (CE) class on the importance of an employee assistance program, presented by Mary Liz Schwartz of The Holman Group. CE registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and the course begins at 10 a.m. The CE course is free to TBAHU members and $10 for non-members.

Space is limited, and advanced registration is required. For more information or to register, email info@tampabayhealthunderwriters.org.

About TBAHU
Established in 1985 and chartered by the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), TBAHU (www.tampabayhealthunderwriters.org) is a professional association whose membership is comprised primarily of employee benefits professionals, including insurance agents and brokers, insurance company representatives and third party administrative representatives. Members are located throughout Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties. As a local chapter of NAHU (www.nahu.org), TBAHU members participate in local, state, and federal legislative and public policy development that is of mutual interest to clients, the consuming public, membership and industry. The association also offers programs conducive to the professional and educational development of its membership.

Find out how you can change the way you do business to achieve the results you deserve! Contact us now.

Networking is a big part of business.  Establishing your company with pertinent networking groups is a vital part of your business plan.  Both in person and on-line networking groups can build up your business.  ActionCOACH is a firm believer in partnerships and relationships. 

Why join a local chamber or other similar group:

• Increase leads
• Make more money
• NETWORKING
• Important in overall marketing plan

Leaders are:

• Reading relevant business material
• Attending seminars
•  Following the actions of successful business leaders

First Stage of Networking is Pre-Networking:

• Be clear on ideal customers
• Be clear on USP - You’re unfair advantage or point of difference-What your value proposition?
• Identify best networking functions (ask group facilitator based on your ideal customer)
• Set goals on # of new prospects you’d like to meet at event (plan on 3-5 minimum) 
• Arrive early to greet guests and find ways to add value

By following these five steps during the pre-networking phase, you will ensure yourself a good amount of success when attempting to build relevant business relationships.  A business consultant at ActionCOACH can help you expand on these ideas. 

Find out how you can change the way you do business to achieve the results you deserve! Contact us now.

So many of my clients and prospective clients are tremendously challenged with managing their time.  In fact, including myself, I've never met anyone who didn't think they could be better at managing this most important investment.  For those of you that are my clients receiving this little Harvard Business Review article, you'll recognize the consistency between this article's suggestions and many of our ActionCOACH systems (planning, the importance of rituals, default calendars, focus and mindset).  For all of you, I hope you'll invest the time to read this article and the business coach at ActionCoach encourage you to seriously consider implement its suggestions. 

In Abundance....FORD

An 18-Minute Plan for Managing Your Day

Yesterday started with the best of intentions. I walked into my office in the morning with a vague sense of what I wanted to accomplish. Then I sat down, turned on my computer, and checked my email.  Two hours later, after fighting several fires, solving other people's problems, and dealing with whatever happened to be thrown at me through my computer and phone, I could hardly remember what I had set out to accomplish when I first turned on my computer.  I'd been ambushed.  And I know better.

When I teach time management I always start with the same question: How many of you have too much time and not enough to do in it? In ten years, no one has ever raised a hand.  That means we start every day knowing we're not going to get it all done. So how we spend our time is a key strategic decision. That's why it's a good idea to create a to-do list and an ignore list. The hardest attention to focus is our own.

But even with those lists, the challenge, as always, is execution. How can you stick to a plan when so many things threaten to derail it? How can you focus on a few important things when so many things require your attention?

We need a trick.

Jack LaLanne, the fitness guru, knows all about tricks; he's famous for handcuffing himself and then swimming a mile or more while towing large boats filled with people. But he's more than just a showman. He invented several exercise machines including the ones with pulleys and weight selectors in health clubs throughout the world. And his show, The Jack LaLanne Show, was the longest running television fitness program, on the air for 34 years.

But none of that is what impresses me. He has one trick that I believe is his real secret power.

Ritual.

At the age of 94, he still spends the first two hours of his day exercising. Ninety minutes lifting weights and 30 minutes swimming or walking -  Every morning.  He needs to do so to achieve his goals: on his 95th birthday he plans to swim from the coast of California to Santa Catalina Island, a distance of 20 miles. Also, as he is fond of saying, "I cannot afford to die. It will ruin my image."

So he works, consistently and deliberately, toward his goals. He does the same things day in and day out.  He cares about his fitness and he's built it into his schedule.

Managing our time needs to become a ritual too. Not simply a list or a vague sense of our priorities. That's not consistent or deliberate. It needs to be an ongoing process we follow no matter what to keep us focused on our priorities throughout the day.

I think we can do it in three steps that take less than 18 minutes over an eight-hour workday:

STEP 1 (5 Minutes) Set your Plan for the Day. Before turning on your computer, sit down with a blank piece of paper and decide what will make this day highly successful. What can you realistically accomplish that will further your goals and allow you to leave at the end of the day feeling like you've been productive and successful?  Write those things down.

Now, most importantly, take your calendar and schedule those things into time slots, placing the hardest and most important items at the beginning of the day. And by the beginning of the day, I mean, if possible, before even checking your email. If your entire list does not fit into your calendar, reprioritize your list. There is tremendous power in deciding when and where you are going to do something.

In their book The Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz describe a study in which a group of women agreed to do a breast self-exam during a period of 30 days. 100% of those who said where and when they were going to do it completed the exam while only 53% of the others did.

In another study, drug addicts in withdrawal (can you find a more stressed-out population?) agreed to write an essay before 5 p.m. on a certain day.  8O% of those who said when and where they would write the essay completed it.  None of the others did.  If you want to get something done, decide when and where you're going to do it.  Otherwise, take it off your list

STEP 2 (1 minute every hour) Refocus. Set your watch, phone, or computer to ring every hour. When it rings, take a deep breath, look at your list and ask yourself if you spent your last hour productively. Then look at your calendar and deliberately recommit to how you are going to use the next hour. Manage your day hour by hour. Don't let the hours manage you.

STEP 3 (6 minutes) Review. Shut off your computer and review your day. What worked? Where did you focus? Where did you get distracted? What did you learn that will help you be more productive tomorrow?

The power of rituals is their predictability. You do the same thing in the same way over and over again. And so the outcome of a ritual is predictable too. If you choose your focus deliberately and wisely and consistently remind yourself of that focus, you will stay focused. It's simple.

This particular ritual may not help you swim the English Channel while towing a cruise ship with your hands tied together. But it may just help you leave the office feeling productive and successful.

And, at the end of the day, isn't that a higher priority?

If you are interested in more tips on how to make your business function more successfully, click here.

-Source:  Harvard Business Review - written by Peter Bregman