Understanding The Art Of Building Communities: What Really Matters In Fostering Unity Among Your Social Groups

In the previous mid-week was another insightful training where I was training the government leaders on “Building Communities”. This allowed the leaders-managers to better implement policies, steps and strategies to bring about unity to the citizens, the public as well as their own workplace departments.

Men, being social creatures, do not operate alone. So long as they have to interact, communities and network will be formed. The evolvement of groups towards something useful and purposeful will thus always remain a major exercise for the leadership at hand.

Being a Sociology major, I was extremely pleased that my education and knowledge can be put to good use. We explored the key concepts in how human beings interact and the dynamics where social groupings are formed. My other major, Economics, contributed strongly to our analysis of the coming trends in Singapore and its living standards. Topping it off with a Psychological spin, we are off to a more positive direction in shaping our societies and lifestyles.

To make building your communities more relevant and accomplishable, consider the following essentials:

1. Decipher the local culture and its underlying meanings.

2. Predict the future trends for this community of yours.

3. Analyze the changes needed and the steps that must be taken.

4. Make sure these changes move in continuum with the receptivity of the social groups and trends evolvement.

5. Gauge the unity and happiness levels of its citizens.

*** Related article: How You Can Build Better Communities? 8 Steps For Effective Policy Implementation To The Masses

(Source: wekie.com)

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5 Relevant Reframes To Help You Reframe Your Problems

One of the most common encounters I have in my trainings is that I get asked with regard to how to solve problems. And these problems placed before me range from work-place issues, career conflicts, personal motivation blockages, social and romantic relationship queries, marital concerns, life threatening obstacles and the likes. It’s always refreshing and an useful brain exercise in quick thinking to guide them in reframing these problems.

Yesterday’s training “Reframing Problems Into Opportunities” dealt specifically with resolving problems itself. The participants opened up to share and we take another look into how problems can be perceived differently. Lots of interesting cases were thrown up, examined, diagnosed and possible future were presented to them. It was most mentally stimulating indeed.

Hence, here are some of the relevant reframes we discussed. When employed, they will enable you to better reframe your problems.

1. Everything you read, encounter and experience is an attempt at reframing the problems in your life.

2. See them as issues and situations, rather than as problems.

3. Understand that for every issue, there are at least 2 sides of the coins.

4. You can choose, if you choose to. Therefore, choose to choose first.

5. The key lies in the solutions you have, not the problems you are having.

(Just a quick point to add: If the problems in your life get too overwhelming or unbearable, please get a coach or mentor now. Talk to him or her immediately. Time is of the essence.)

(Source: wekie.com)

How You Can Build Better Communities? 8 Steps For Effective Policy Implementation To The Masses

It was an extremely busy time for me yesterday. As a trainer, I was concluding Day 2 of the “Building Communities” training and was rushing afterwards to another venue to begin the private evening seminar on “What Men Want”. That made for a fast-paced day, fully enriching and exciting.

As discussed in my training, policies are there to ensure things get on to whatever goals the management wants to achieve. They are critical to how the future can progress. Be it in managing a club, a community, a town, a nation-country, global region or even for worldwide use, policies are there to keep things running in the intended direction. Challenging as it might be at times, they are essential. Hence the training for the past 2 days on “Building Communities” was designed to address this issue, ease the transitions and handle other situations that might arise.

Whenever you want to implement a certain policy to a large group of people, you can further make use of the following 8 steps:

Step #1: Study the ground’s feeling first by setting up the survey systems.

Step #2: Derive an understanding of the cultures and the people who will be affected by your policies.

Step #3: Decide on two levels of perspectives: The short term and the long term. (You may find that sometimes one contradicts another.) You have to make the call on which position to take.

Step #4: Establish bridges and connections with the communities that will be affected. Inform everybody about these bridges.

Step #5: Keep the communication channels flowing back and forth as events and policies evolve.

Step #6: Craft the proper promotion strategy and branding process.

Step #7: Monitor the situation for minor fine-tuning yet ensuring the main plan is being adhere to.

Step #8: Remain vigilant in responding to any changes and be the listening ear for the communities.

Whenever usefully policies are effective implemented, the benefits to the communities are tremendous. Hence, the artful application of the above steps will make your management impressive and the outcome Excel Beyond Excellence!

3 Keys To Sell Successfully And Recruit More Members

In any society there are always plenty of companies, institutions, organizations and clubs; each existing to function and further its purpose of existence. Some intend to draw people together for certain common interests, others seek to raise fund, while the rest would like to improve its social cause. What’s yours?

In all cases, your memberships are hence crucial, vital and will prove to be the primary reason for every organization’s continuing existence. Whenever I work with these companies and organizations to train the existing staff on their recruitment and implement sales strategies, I will train them on the keys points to easily and effectively draw members to join them. Within these tactics are multiples of sociological and psychological keys to be opened. Once implemented, the organizations will begin to visibly notice the positive rate of recruiting success with lesser efforts put in.

If your company and you aim to result in recruiting more members, some of the inner dynamics to selling memberships successfully means that your recruiters must:

1. Know when to supply which information and know the types of brochures to give your customers.

2. Watch for what triggers interests in your customers and turn that into your recruitment advantage.

3. Direct your customers on what to do next.

It is by cleverly and artfully integrating these keys that your companies and organizations can experience a rise in new memberships.

This will then lead your organizations to Excel Beyond Excellence!

How To Improve Your Sales Recruitment Rates? 5 Ways To Take Your Results Higher Than Ever.

A special sales and recruitment workshop entitled, “How to ‘Sell’ Toastmasters and Recruit New Members?” was conducted for the NUS Toastmasters Club tonight. I trained the participants on how to sell the concept of Toastmasters, public speaking as well as improve the recruitment level of members. I’ve been running this training for the past few years for this Club and other companies or organizations.

As usual, it was extremely interactive and jam-packed with simple yet potent information to take their sales results better than ever. Recruitment of new members is a essential part of every Club’s growth and objective. Our Club pays specific attention to this aspect because we understand the need for continuously renewal of members and injection of new blood.

How then can you improve your sales recruitment rates? Here are some of the ways:

1. Create sales cycles that match the psychology of your customers.

2. Your openers must trigger enough interest to make them want to listen more.

3. Learn to use more directive language instead of permissive language.

4. Approach them at a comfortable pace and angle, let their peripheral vision sense that you are moving close to them.

5. Use visual props to help you in your sales presentation instead of merely verbal words.

It’s always a privilege to be sharing important aspects of your products and services to customers. In Toastmasters, it becomes a life-changing experience. Let’s treasure the chance to reach out to the public, be it commercially or socially.

It’s always another opportunity to Excel Beyond Excellence!

7 Steps To Creating A Sales Plan That Will Powerfully Boost Your Results

Many salespeople have been working on better plans to increase their sales results. Being able to plan is a crucial part of executing an effective sales design. It is when a sales plan is well thought out that can you maximize the chances of closing the sales. In my consultations with the various companies, I’ve emphasize that such an effective plan will exponentially increase their revenues. And it’s not that difficult or challenging to implement too.

Furthermore, two days ago, at the conclusion of the 2-day “Dynamic Selling That Shows Results” seminar, I highlighted again the importance of having a sales plan and the ability to manage it well. I was glad that the participants took to considering better ways to improve their sales and meet the quotas. This had also made the training most productive and results orientated.

In a nutshell, here are the steps to the plan:

1. Decide if your plan is to be management centric, product centric or customer centric.

2. Focus on developing your selling points that cater to customers.

3. Package your products and selling points in favor of the customers’ preferred design.

4. Publicize and market to raise awareness of products and entice customers.

5. Know that your timing of the sales execution matters immensely.

6. Craft out opportunities in your plan for up-selling and cross-selling.

7. Always remember to fine-tune the loose ends in your overall plans.

When you can take time to design your intricate sales plan, you can use it to smoothly allow your product and services to move into the hands of your customers. Take time to consider the intricate effects of each step of your plan.

When delicately and effectively designed, your sales will Excel Beyond Excellence! Best wishes.

Up Your Impression, Up Your Chances

Whenever people look at you, they form an initial impression of you. While it may not be the real you, that’s how people tend to first judge you. Hence, if you are looking for a job by meeting with your prospective employer, impression becomes a critical element. It plays a vital role in determining if you land yourself a job or not. Nothing to be taken lightly, I must say.

When I conducted the training, “Up Your Image with Power Dressing” two days ago, I was determined to make it customizable and workable for the participants, who were the jobseekers. The suggestions for their attires were also meant to be low-cost yet high quality. I was glad they found the advice to be practical and applicable to aid their job seeking efforts.

In addition, the training also extended to involve ‘The Art of Impression Management’. After all, the attire, the mannerisms and the personal traits of yourself do create certain impression in people. These will immensely impact on your overall chances of getting a job or closing deals.

Here are the overall tips to add your impression appeal:

1. Determine beforehand what impression you intend to create. Understand your intention.

2. Study and know which impression works best for that job.

3. Understand how to be flexible to adjust your attire and behavior.

4. Seek real improvement in your personality, character quality and attire display.

5. Communicate your true values and benefits via your impression management skills.

It’s always an exciting process in crafting that suitable impression to up your chances.

Keep up improvement and you’ll definitely Excel Beyond Excellence!

5 Important Marketing Principles For Building Your Customer Relationships

There are always new concepts and principles one can discover in marketing and relationship management. Whenever I conduct consultation for the different companies, I will help these companies to better integrate and apply these essential principles. The end result is always an increase in profits, sales and customer base.

Over the past 2 days in “Winning Customers with Relationship Marketing”, I had been sharing these important pointers with my participants from different companies. As prime drivers in the sales and marketing of their organizations, they are tasked with creating a stronger level of customer relationships and ultimately, improving sales results.

Hence, it will always pay dividends to take account of these principles:

1. Your customers ultimately judge you by how they feel about you and your products.

2. Trust and Likeability is the key factor in relationship marketing.

3. Regular contact allows your customers to remember you better.

4. It’s always an advantage to understand your customers first and relate to them differently, instead of a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

5. Your customers do want to have a relationship with you. Show them how they have it with everything to gain for themselves.

It is with conscious application and reviewing of your marketing strategy that you can increase your customer base. Seek to integrate them into your current business structure and focus.

May your organization and you Excel Beyond Excellence!