You’ve heard marketing and advertising gurus quip, “Sell the sizzle, not the steak.” Advertising initiatives best reach their target audience with benefits and the “wow” effect, not the value or features of their product or service. This may work well to get customers in the door. But once they’re in, you better have some substance. How can you ensure you uphold the integrity of your business and still maintain the “Wow Effect”? It just takes well executed strategic steps for business AND personal development:

1. It’s Already Done

Act like the goals you are working so diligently to achieve have already been reached. Walk with that confidence. Treat your leads like customers, your customers like guests in your home, and your staff like family. When you approach goals like a “done deal”, you open up creativity reserves to think outside the box, access resources you didn’t know you had and create opportunities for success previously unforeseen.

2. Get There From Here

It is not enough to act like you have arrived; you also get to devise a strategy map to get you there. Ask for your customers input through surveys, polls, feedback forms. Have your sales force pay customers a visit, just to see how things are going. Send a birthday card, send flowers, and send an article clip that can prove useful to a client. Never miss an opportunity to create relationship. The best way to ensure you dont miss opportunities is to create a plan.

3. Who Cares?

Make it fun and fulfilling to work in your company. Engage your human resources department to implement career development initiatives and placement programs that allow employees to choose their career tracks. Keep them in alignment with their skills and experience, as well as your staffing needs. Develop opportunities for your employees to volunteer in the community. Build a house for Habitat for Humanity. Run a marathon, or half-marathon. Sponsor a scholarship with your local high school and choose employees to be part of the selection committee. It increases your visibility, their corporate involvement, and your company gets to be a good corporate citizen. All for a good cause. Invest in your employees and in your community. Show you care.

4. Say What You Mean, and Mean What You Say

Address issues as they come up or as soon as appropriately possible. Sometimes we let things slide or leave things unsaid. This devalues whats important to you and insults the intelligence of the other person. Be open in your communication.

5. Create Win-Win Solutions

The belief of looking out for number one is so embedded in our collective consciousness that we have forgotten we are ALL #1 because we are all one. When you create win-win solutions, you not only generate good will among peers and supervisors, but you develop a reputation for fairness and professionalism. Everyone collaborates with a collaborator.

6. Acknowledge the Feedback

When customers take the time to write a scathing letter or make an irate phone call about horrific customer service or product quality, they are providing you with a valuable opportunity: Free feedback that you didnt ask for, didnt pay for, didnt market for or followed up on. It just fell on your lap. So thank your customer for being committed enough to your company to give you feedback on how you can improve your service. Give something away or at a steep discount. You have a choice: Swallow your pride, or dwindle your profits.

7. Invest in Your Employees

Celebrate birthdays. Give your Employee of the Month the coveted parking spot for the whole month. Offer direct deposit. Reimburse tuition 100r courses in which they received an A grade. Publish accomplishments in the company newsletter. Have a company picnic. Offer discounts with common vendors (cell phone company, local bookstore, banks, dry cleaners, etc.). Host a company-wide, week long brainstorm session on how each department can increase its productivity and profitability by 30 % within a certain timeframe.

8. Go Back to Kindergarten

When you take lunch, take a walk to a park, eat leisurely, and come back to the privacy of your office for a quick 20 minute power nap. Youll feel refreshed and replenished. Dont have an office? Build a nap center for all employees. Make it fun and, most importantly, nourishing.

9. Tie Up Loose Ends

Pay the parking ticket. Write that letter. Clean out your files. Make up with that client. Enroll in school. Back up your computer systems. Run the Clean Sweep Program on yourself, then your department, then the company (for more information, email us at cleansweep@ogandoassociates.com).

10. Give Yourself a Makeover

Lose the 15 pounds. Get that haircut. Buy fresh makeup. Reinvent your wardrobe. Give your car a paint job. Rearrange the furniture in your office or lobby. Give away old clothes. When you get in the habit of installing new practices and letting go of old ones that no longer serve you, you generate and circulate fresh energy.

11. Keep Your Commitments

When you say you are going to do something, do it, or else renegotiate another arrangement. Very few things are as difficult to earn back as your credibility and the trust of those who deal with you.

12. Play a Big Game

When setting your goals, ask yourself if you are stretching. Set your goals high enough to have to stretch for them. Make your growth systematic and strategic. If your goal is to call 20 leads this week, to close one sale, what would you have to do and believe about yourself to make it possible to call 50 and close three sales? If your goal is to go to dinner with your brother, just to reconnect, how about stepping it up and actually saying I love you? You know you are playing a big game when your first reaction is a big whine I cant do that! Yes, you can. Surprise yourself.

13. Be a Contribution

How can you make your customers life more livable, your employees work more enjoyable, and your community more cohesive? Everyone wants to know, whats in it for me? When you focus out, you immediately speak their language and enroll them in playing yours. No one plays with you if they think you are not on their team. So join them. And they will join you.

Til next time,

Coach Mo

Its a bird! Its a plane! Itsyou. You?

Are you a superhero in disguise? (Do you even know that you are a superhero?) Most heroes dont realize the full extent of their powers at first. They may spend years being confused, overwhelmed and unfulfilled. Even Spiderman resisted his superhero powers before he donned his spider-suit! Deep down dont you know that you can accomplish much more? When you keep your special talents hidden, you lose time, energy and money. Heres a quick test to see if you are a closet superhero:

• Are you a doormat for other peoples success (i.e. you give and give, only to find that your boss, company or friend is the one receiving all of the good stuff?)
• Are you exhausted from overextending yourself with commitments, projects and plans none of which could possibly ever get done in this lifetime?
• Are you confused by that inner voice that calls to you to do more, to make a difference, but you have absolutely no idea how?

It doesnt have to be this way. You can get amazing results and accomplish more with greater clarity simply by implementing the five superhero secrets into your life. It all begins by realizing that a hero is no more than an ordinary person making extraordinary decisions. Gandhi is a perfect example:

It was in South Africa that Gandhi, a shy, timid twenty-four year old lawyer, made an extraordinary decision. When he arrived by train in South Africa to work on a case, he was traveling first class. A white passenger objected to the presence of a colored man and ordered him to the third class seats. Gandhi refused. He and his luggage were then pushed into a cold waiting room. Gandhi sat and shivered there the whole night thinking, Should I fight for my rights or go back to India? He decided it would be cowardice to run away. Raising his standards, he decided to change the way things were done.

Gandhi went on to achieve amazing results; a real life superhero. His results really didnt come from his doing things; it came from who he was being. Thats the secret. Its a mindset of being unstoppable; of playing a bigger game than they think they can. Who you are being on the inside will allow you to accomplish more than all the things you are doing on the outside. Its a strange paradox, but true.

Who are your heroes and why?

Your heroes may have accomplished a lot, but so did Hitler. What are the qualities of your heroes that make them so special to you? Who were they being that made such an impression on you? You too can awaken the superhero within you by focusing on these qualities. I see five key qualities that are true with all superheroes (and some of them may surprise you.) These qualities are the foundation for you to stand on to accomplish more and be a true superhero

Secret #1 Be Authentic

Remember when Lois Lane was interviewing Superman on her terrace? He said something she thought was funny and she said casually, Youre kidding! He replied seriously, Lois, I never tell a lie. Thats one of his standards, but more importantly, he never tells a lie to himself.

To be authentic is to be real; to stop the charade and pretense. To love and accept who you are and who you arent. That means stop comparing yourself to others. Be authentic to your greatness; know that you have unique gifts that only you can express in your particular way. And be authentic to your weakness; grant yourself grace for not being perfect.

You all know when someone is being inauthentic faking it. Its slimy. And you all know when someone is honestly coming from their heart. We love people for their candor and vulnerability not for trying to be something they are not.

Secret #2 Have Courage

It takes courage to change. A hero moves out of his or her comfort zone (often unwillingly but still, they move.) When you are on your death bed and look back on your life, what are you going to regret more the things you did do or the things you didnt do? From that perspective you realize that your comfort zone is an invisible wall made of illusionary bricks. You have to be willing to play a bigger game. When you take on bigger problems, your current, smaller problems will be insignificant. Life becomes thrilling. Heroes have the attitude of W.I.T (Whatever It Takes). They see the bigger picture and dont let the little things stop them. It took Gandhi courage to refuse to move his seat. Yes, he underwent hardship for a short time, but ultimately he changed a nation.

Secret #3 Take Responsibility

Every superhero knows that the buck stops with them. When they want life to be different, they take action to change it. If you want superhero results, pay attention to where you are complaining. Stop playing a victim and blaming others for the current results you have in your life. Superheroes never blame they are proactive. They take ownership of their life and get things done. They dont wait for others to give them permission or direction. Gandhi never waited for anyone to give him permission to change a nation he became the man who others look up to.

Secret #4 Be Selfish (Extreme Self Care)

How do superheroes take such great care of others? Because they take such great care of themselves! Think about it. In an airplane the stewardess tells you that in case of an emergency, place the oxygen mask on yourself first and then the children? How can you care for others when you are suffering and damaged?

Being selfish used to be a bad word, but consider it as taking extremely good care of yourself, you are your first priority. When you are stable and healthy, you can impact and help so many others.

Pamper yourself. Take time for yourself. Practice self-care; it is the path to having more energy and more results. When your inner batteries are fully charged, you have more to give others.

Secret #5 Set Higher Standards

By setting higher standards you create a direction for your life. You know where you stand and how to manage your circumstances. Every superhero lives by a code, a barometer by which they choose to live by. Superman said, Im someone who never lies.

Standards are a combination of your values, priorities and the boundaries you set to ensure your life aligns with what you want. Think of it as your North Star. When you are clear about your standards, you never have to think twice about a decision it is either on the path, or not. When you set high standards, your entire quality of life is up-leveled. Every superhero knows that living a life of high standards positions them to be able to accomplish more with less effort.

Accomplish More with Less Effort

Ordinary people can live extraordinary lives. We see it every day in our clients. When you integrate these five secrets into your life, you will feel an increased confidence to do whatever it takes! When you have confidence you can create the life you have always dreamed of your ideal relationships, dream job, supportive environment, and a fulfilling lifestyle.

Why? Because you are

• Strong.
• Confident.
• Committed to a greater purpose.
• Committed to your convictions.
• Making a difference in the lives of others.

If you have been so busy that you overlooked your super powers, take some time right now to make a list of the top three things you wish were different in your life. Now, go through the list of the Five Secrets of Superheroes and notice if you are doing these things yet. If not, how could you take action on one of them in the next 21 days to get closer to your goal?

Im willing to bet that if you elicit superhero qualities you too can accomplish more with less effort. Imagine being a superhero for a moment. There you are in your costume unstoppable! Need to get a lot done? Easy! Need to stand up for yourself? No Problem! Want to truly help others? A given! So go be an extraordinary human being find your inner superhero and be unstoppable!

I was talking with my coach earlier this morning (YES, coaches have coaches too… And if you ever come across a coach that doesn’t have a coach themselves, save yourself the money and go to someone who walks their talk!) And my coach brought up a good point about what all the greats have in common.

For example, I’ve followed Tiger Woods career ever since he first came on the scene, for several reasons. He is biracial. I’m biracial. He’s 30. I’m 30. He is passionate about what he does and has been doing it for as long as he can remember. So have I (albeit by different names like “a good listener”, a resourceful friend, etc.).

What makes people great?

Whether you’re born with ‘talent’ or not is another question, but here’s what’s interesting.

My coach talked about enjoying what you do and loving it as critical to success, and here’s why.

Being great at ‘something’ takes time. Work. Effort. Persistence. Commitment.

Dedication. Passion. Consistency.

You can have all the ‘talent’ in the world, but if you don’t LOVE what
you’re doing, you’ll never put the time, effort, and dedication into it.

What ‘activity’ do you enjoy?

DJ’ing.

Acting.

Sports.

Cooking.

Travel.

What interest, expertise, or hobby would you love to spend more time doing?

Would you also like to discover how to make money from it?

Are you ready to persevere and persist to make it happen?

For 4 years after graduating college, I ‘wandered’, I was lost, frustrated, living paycheck to paycheck and doing jobs I hated.

Then I found my FOCUS.

I found something I truly loved doing.

Then, I took ONE STEP at a time.

I failed. Hundreds of times.

But I never gave up. And the journey is just beginning.

Now at 30 years old, I have a six-figure business.

I want you to step back and really think about what you love.

There’s a goldmine in turning what you love into a part time or full time income stream. Especially in using the internet.

Don’t worry about how you’ll do it, just think about your interests.

Relax, have fun doing it.

Til next time,

Coach Mo