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A thriving business depends to a great extent on the efficient management of employees. You can succeed in learning these techniques. It can be a plus to have a intuitive affinity for managing with people, nevertheless you can do many things that will make this procedure simpler. Build relationships: Remembering staff by name will be a great start. Speak to employees; look co-workers in the eye during a conversation. Have a respectful attitude, also pay attention to what the other individual has to say, even if you don’t agree or have another point of view. Acquiring listening skills is among the most important things you may do to better your talent management skills. Show interest in what everyone can give to the business organization. Exhibit integrity: Do not make promises you won’t fulfill. If you can’t keep your word, the fragile bond of trust is damaged, and if they do not trust you your staff will not perform at their best. Everytime you make a statement or make a promise, ensure you can keep your promises or don’t bother giving your word at all. To be frank, when your people can’t count on you, you can be sure they will act in the same manner. Be open to any comments: It’s a two way street. Maintaining an open mind with regard to other people’s ideas is an important skill in managing individuals. If you can prove accessibility and openness, you establish that you appreciate other’s ideas, your ideas will be respected in the same fashion. Frank discourse in addition furthers fresh ways of thinking, new ways of achieving the goals of the team, and develops the company dynamic. If team members are given a voice, each team member takes ownership of the results of the project. Promote communication: Communication is fundamental to managing people with skill. Keeping an open door policy, utilize good listening techniques, be open-minded, and permit all your team members to express their views. Staff should be encouraged to talk to one another not only with you. The sharing of thoughts is critical in the creative process, and in communicating with one another, you can recognize problems at an early stage, allowing corrective measures to be put in place to prevent further problems. This can take time, yet the payoff is worthwhile. By promoting a good team dynamic and by taking heed of what your team has to offer, a successful business will be yours.

Fork lift trucks are today ever-present in any contemporary factory, warehouse or warehousing installation. The labour preservation abilities of the fork lift are without equivalence. However, such large force and flexibility comes with a downside, they can be really life-threatening if utilised by reckless and inexperienced operators. Therefore it’s all-important, in fact even a statutory prerequisite, that every last one your employees who may utilise one are afforded complete forklift safety training. A training course with forklifts will encompass all fields of forklift operation including issues such as risk awareness, accurate payload techniques, speed, stableness, proper positioning, everyday safety checks and outside risks like other employees. Even operators who see themselves to be knowledgeable may want to take refresher coaching to allow them to be covered by the modern safety statute law. Sustaining a healthy operating environment is the obligation of every last business organisation owner and director, without very advanced operating routines this can be inconceivable to reach. We have each got wind of calamity stories where an ill used fork lift has resulted in a trail of carnage and harm (including fatalities), make a point that your place of work does not contribute to this list by ensuring all your fork lift users are properly coached. Constantly watch that your safety schooling is offered by approved private instructors who are by municipal standards (with the proper insurance policy and qualifications) and that all courses of instruction are likewise licensed by the appropriate domestic body.

Employment Verification is one of the most important and fundamental parts of the hiring process. Most companies currently outsource their Employment Verification. It is unlikely to expect the human resources department or even the prospective employees themselves to make dozens of phone calls for the sake of Employment Verification. Not only is this extremely time consuming and potentially frustrating, but can cut into time and productivity which can inadvertently cut into costs. In order to maintain quality assurance and keep productivity to a maximum, it only makes sense to outsource this procedure.

Acquiring the proper authority to perform a background check is required before you start any employment verification. This will allow you to perform a variety of searches that may be necessary. This includes a credit check, criminal background history, any pertinent searches required for the job. Other valuable ideas to save time and money for your human resources department are available online at the employment verification service website of your choice. Your company could allow for employment applications to be downloaded online from within your company’s website to be filled out and submitted by potential hires. Allowing the resume to be attached to these online appliations would save time for the applicant and the human resources staff. This step also saves money for your company as well.

As you can see,there are only a few of minor steps that would need to be taken before using this system. The current employment application would need to be modified so that it allows for a section where the applicant gives their background check and employment verification authorization. The hiring company would also need to create an account with VeraTrack to begin the employment verification process. A company that conducts under 100 verifications a month can expect to spend nine dollars per use. This means that VeraTrack pricing is highly competitive and is significantly lower than the price of having the employee track everything manually.

A successful business depends to a great extent on good people management skills. People management may be improved and learned. Having a innate skill for dealing with people can be an advantage, but you can do many things that will simplify the process. Relationship Building: Begin by remembering a person’s name. Talk to staff; get eye contact during a conversation. Develop a respectful attitude, in addition be attentive to the other person’s point of view, irrespective of whether you agree with them. The development of listening skills is one of the most effective things you can do to improve your people management skills. Encourage any input from your co-workers.

Keep your promises: Don’t give promises you won’t fulfill. If a promise is not kept, it can destroy trust, and people will not give you their best without trusting you. Everytime you make a commitment or give your word on something, you are wasting your time and effort unless you follow through. To be frank, when you can’t be counted upon, they will not be there when you truly need them.

Be open to feedback: It’s a two-way street. Keeping an open mind regarding other’s ideas is an important skill in managing people. If you are prepared to demonstrate that you are approachable and open, you prove that other people’s thoughts matter to you, and they will value your thoughts. Welcoming discourse in addition furthers growth of fresh ways of thinking, ways of fulfilling the goals of the team, and strengthens the team dynamic. By allowing the team a voice, the project and the outcome becomes important to every employee. Communication is important: Good communication is central to managing staff skilfully. Be approachable, apply listening skills, encourage all sorts of feedback, and give team members an equal voice. Inspire team members not only to speak with you, but with each other. The creative process depends heavily on the open exchange of ideas, and when the team communicate openly, you can root out problems at an early stage, and corrective measures can be applied before things get out of hand.

A little time will be necessary, but the rewards far outweigh the effort. By inspiring a good team dynamic and by taking on board your team’s ideas, a thriving business will be yours.

A well run tanning salon can be quite a money maker, and it is no reason so many are attracted to running such a great business.

Tanning salons offer many opportunities for profit and growth, from carrying a variety of beauty products (and collecting a commission on each one sold), to selling a line of tanning lotions and other supplies.

==Your Tanning Salon Business Plan Can Help You Obtain Financing For Your Business==

Before you can begin to profit from running a successful tanning salon, however, you will need to create a professional and polished tanning salon business plan.

It is virtually impossible to obtain startup funding for any type of business, including a tanning salon, without a solid and professional business plan for potential investors to review.

==Understanding What The Potential Investors And Lender Are Looking For==

It is important, therefore, to understand what the potential investors and lenders will be looking for in a tanning salon business plan, and to give them what they are looking for.

There are a number of excellent web sites that focus on all aspects of planning and running a business. These web sites can be great sources of information for creating a tanning salon business plan that will get you noticed.

==Minimizing Your Taxes And Maximize Your Profits==

In addition to attracting both startup funds and ongoing financing, a good business plan has a number of other important benefits as well. One of the major benefits of a good solid business plan is that it can be quite valuable in proper tax planning.

Planning tax strategy from the start is important to reducing your overall tax liability, so it is important that your business plan be structured to minimize your taxes and maximize your profits.

==Reducing Legal Liability ==

A good business plan is also important to planning your legal defense strategy.

These days every business, no matter how small, needs to have a solid strategy for reducing legal liability, and a tanning salon business plan will help you keep your liability to a minimum and help you properly structure your business.

Shaunta Pleasant is a professional web writer and editor on business plan topics. Visit my site to learn more about writing a business plan at http://www.business-plan-made-easy.com/tanning-salon-business-plan.htm

Cutting out the managed care middleman and contracting directly with medical providers may seem like a drastic solution for reducing health plan costs. Yet for employers who’ve been whipsawed by relentless cost increases, it may be the only solution that actually works. The profit-bloated managed care industry, with much to lose, has propagated many myths about why this sensible approach won’t work. But their solutions haven’t worked. Costs continue to surge and employers are desperately seeking relief. It’s time to debunk the myths about direct provider contracting and shed some light on this highly effective, innovative cost-containment strategy.

Myth 1: Employers cannot negotiate as good a deal with medical providers as can managed care companies. The truth is employers can often negotiate just as good a deal, or better. Providers welcome direct agreements for the very reason that they are not like conventional managed care contracts. Physicians have complained for years about adversarial agreements and poor reimbursements forced upon them by HMOs and PPOs. This negative perception has created a strong willingness among medical providers to do business directly with employers. These “win-win” agreements ultimately save employers money without shortchanging the providers. Unlike managed care companies, direct agreements disclose all contractual details so both employer and provider know the deal they’re getting and nothing can be hidden by a middleman’s “cut.”

Myth 2: You need large numbers of employees to negotiate direct provider contracts. The truth is physicians and hospitals will often contract with employers for limited numbers of employees. When a direct agreement is fair and reimbursement terms are reasonable, providers quickly realize it’s a smart business decision to work with employers in their own community. A local employer, regardless of size, represents an established group of existing lives as prospective patients, ready to use the direct network providers. Direct networks have been successfully developed in areas where the employer had as few as 30 employees.

Myth 3: Direct contracting won’t work in areas where other PPO networks are available. The truth is doctors are sick of disadvantageous agreements and miserable reimbursements forced upon them by managed care companies. They actually welcome the opportunity to contract directly with employers. For many doctors, the very fact it’s an agreement with the employer, and not a managed care company, is reason enough to participate in a direct network. A direct agreement establishes a true business relationship between provider and employer, one that promises the provider quicker reimbursements, better benefit payment levels, and easier access to the ultimate payer (the employer). It’s also a gesture of good community relations for any physician, medical group, or hospital to demonstrate.

Myth 4: Direct networks create more administrative burdens and higher costs. The truth is once direct networks are developed, the advantages of “owning” a network quickly outweigh “leasing” one from a managed care company. There are no recurring network access fees; less physician attrition; fewer employee complaints; simpler self-renewing contracts; better provider relationships; straightforward plan design features; and the ability to choose the best contractors for utilization review, case management, claims processing, and other administrative tasks. Managed care companies have failed to contain employer medical cost increases, despite all their so-called network management efforts. Ironically, and coincidentally, managed care industry profits are at an all-time high while employers continue to suffer.

Myth 5: Direct contracting exposes employers to greater liability. The truth is direct contracting poses no greater risk of litigation than any other benefit program component and may actually offer greater protection against it. Direct contracting is intended only for self-insured employers whose plans are governed by ERISA, which offers built-in protection against liability. ERISA preempts state tort laws and limits the employee’s ability to hold an ERISA plan liable for malpractice under state laws, which govern malpractice, not ERISA. Because direct provider agreements state the employer is not providing/directing medical care and has no role whatsoever in any medical decision, the protection offered by ERISA’s preemption is safely maintained.

Myth 6: Managed care companies can’t (or won’t) process claims for direct networks.
The truth is that processing claims and administering benefits for employer-owned provider networks are well within the technical capabilities of managed care companies. Their feigned inability to process direct network claims is one of many ways that managed care companies hold their employer-clients hostage in networks that are owned, leased, or arranged by the managed care companies themselves. If an existing managed care company cannot or will not administer direct network claims, there are plenty of third party administrators (TPAs) than can handle it, usually at a lower cost per employee. For employers that want direct networks in select locations (but want to keep commercial networks elsewhere), using a TPA is a convenient and cost-effective way to get the job done.

Myth 7: Managed care companies do a better job containing costs and saving employers money. If that was true, employer medical plan costs would be falling instead of rising. The truth is employers who have implemented direct provider contracting are experiencing lower costs and higher savings. One national employer with 20,000 employees has used direct networks to keep their health plan cost trend flat for the past five years. Another major employer reduced its health plan costs by more than 20% without reducing benefits or shifting costs to employees.

Bottom Line: Cutting out the managed care middleman and contracting directly with medical providers can help savvy employers reduce benefit costs and regain control over their corporate health care plans.

Howard “A.J.” Lester is president of A.J. Lester & Associates, Inc, a leading employee benefits consulting firm based in Houston, TX that helps major employers reduce health plan costs by developing directly contracted medical provider networks as an alternative to commercial PPOs. Since 1994, A.J. Lester has developed direct provider networks for well-known national employers across 35 states, negotiating agreements with nearly 80,000 physicians and over 800 hospitals on behalf of clients. A.J. Lester & Associates has helped its clients save tens of millions of dollars on their health benefit programs.

Read the Case Studies of employers who have reduced costs through direct provider contracting.

To help employers understand direct contracting as a cost-reducing strategy, A.J. Lester & Associates publishes a White Paper Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Direct Provider Contracting

To ensure triumphant communication within a group, it is essential to enhance your communication skills. Speaking in front of an audience can be fun only if you are well prepared. Here are some techniques that can help you improve your public speaking skills.

• Make eye contact. It signifies your interest and desire to be honest and credible.

• Posture and gesture are also effective ways to communicate your message.

• Dress Appropriately. How you look is also important. Your appearance should convey a message for dignity and respect.

• Be conscious of other people’s space.

• Keep your message understandable and straightforward. Remember, “Less is more.” Clarity is important because it affects all areas of your message. Avoid using jargons. Use words that your audience can understand.

Why “Less is more”? First and obvious, is to avoid information overload. Speaking involves great concentration. If you provide too much information, chances are your audience will not listen to you anymore.
Second, clarity and pausing allows your audience to understand and acknowledge what you are saying.

• Be prepared. Remember the 6 W’s:
Who? - Determining your audience’s age, gender and interest are among the ways you can classify them.

What? - What topic would you like to discuss? Usually, when you get an invitation to speak in public, follow their theme and purpose.

How? - How can you communicate your message? Language and non-verbal cues are important. Proper choice of words helps your audiences understand you better.

When? - Obtain a logical timing of your discussion. Learn how to pause when necessary.

Where? - If you have time, visit the area where you will conduct your speech. Determine the best seating arrangement according to the type of your audience. You also need to consider the temperature, space and lighting conditions of the area. Visiting the area also helps you determine where to place your visual aid.

Why? - Convey the advantage and purpose the will gain if they will listen to you. Preparing a list objectives can help you narrow down the key points you need to emphasize.

• Do not overwhelm your audience with numbers and statistics. You can put this information in handouts for easy reference in the future.

• Use visual aids to support your message.

• Establish dialogue and rapport. Allow your audience to participate in the discussion. You can also create rapport by call your audience by their names.

James Masterson is Stand out, Be Recognized and Be Remembered keynote speaker. Click Here To read his latest advice free-online-course.com/masterson

Any man would be justly proud to claim even a portion of what Teddy Roosevelt accomplished in just one of his fields, whether politics, hunting, writing, military, or family. He was an extraordinarily accomplished man with an enormous appetite for life. But he is more than that. For us today, he remains a hero, a patriot, an authentic, masculine role model of success, self-improvement, perseverance and courage.

In my opinion, he was the greatest man ever to become President of the United States - and I write that knowing full well that men such as Washington, Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and Lincoln cannot be easily cast aside into second tier status. I doubt if any President of the United States in the future will ever be able to threaten TR’s status in that regard. I don’t think there will ever be another man like him.

One of the things that makes Roosevelt so remarkable is that he pushed himself incredibly hard to overcome obstacles. And lest we think somehow that he had it easy, we should not forget that he encountered more obstacles than most people. Yes, he was born into a family with enough money to do things like take yearlong European trips. And he had an incredible father who was a great role model for his son.

But Roosevelt’s father died when he was only a sophomore at Harvard - that is, just about the time when Roosevelt was becoming an adult, a man in his own right. The magnitude of that loss can hardly be appreciated from our point of view. Roosevelt’s near silence about the loss is the best indicator, seeing as he was otherwise never at a loss for words.

Furthermore, shortly after entering the legislature, Roosevelt started his family only to lose his beloved young wife Alice after the birth of their daughter. This tragedy was followed by the death of his mother within a few hours. Later in life, one of Roosevelt’s sons would tragically die in World War I. Throughout his life, Roosevelt had more than his fair share of tragedy. Yet, he pressed on, every time.

In addition, Roosevelt’s famously poor health as a young boy can hardly be overlooked. Anyone who has ever struggled with a serious childhood illness can attest to the difficulty and suffering it brings, not just physically but also mentally. Can we really appreciate the fortitude and determination it took for him to defy doctors and to basically exercise his asthma out of his system? Extraordinary, indeed. The perseverance and iron-willed determination which Roosevelt would show in building his physical strength would be replicated throughout his life, in his voluminous writing, in his rigorous hunting trips, in his all-night sessions with police on the streets of New York, in his maniacal campaigning, in his play with his children, in giving a campaign speech after he had been shot in the chest, in his charge up San Juan Hill.

As a friend once remarked to me, American boys (and men for that matter) do not need to read about pretend superheroes with imaginary powers. All they need to do is read about the true life of Theodore Roosevelt.

Batman? Superman? Give me a break. These guys would lose a fight every time to TR, a real - life hero.

Many schoolchildren in America no doubt learn today that Roosevelt was a great conservationist and that as President he set aside countless acres for national parks and forests. That is absolutely true.

But an important element of TR’s conservationist philosophy is largely ignored in contemporary education. Specifically, his reasons for his advocacy of conservation were profoundly different from many in the environmentalist cause today. Many greens today seem to put “nature” into a moral category superior to human civilization. For them, conservation is a moral cause which is premised on the idea that man should simply keep his grubby hands off of pristine nature. The more extreme environmentalist even speak in terms which suggest that the earth has “rights.”

Roosevelt would have nothing to do with this bizarre philosophy. For TR, men are clearly called to conserve the environment, but not because it has “rights”. Rather, we conserve nature because that is where men go to test themselves, to do battle as it were against the elements. And above all, men must go outdoors into nature to hunt and to kill. The importance of hunting as both a means of conservation and one of the chief ends of conservation can hardly be overstated. Though this legacy is ignored in textbooks today, it is alive and well among those who do much of the heavy lifting of conservation. Today, the true environmental legacy of TR is carried on by the Boone and Crockett Club (which TR founded and which today is the definitive arbiter of uncompromising ethics in hunting), the International Safari Club and the National Rifle Association.

For Theodore Roosevelt, conservation, battle, patriotism, masculinity and the strenuous life are inextricably bound. Nature is where boys become men. They learn to survive. They learn to conquer and exercise dominion. In short, TR’s conservation philosophy would drive many a squeamish environmentalist today to abandon the cause.

One of the greatest tributes to Roosevelt is to let him speak for himself on the virtue of perseverance:

Perhaps there is no more important component of character than steadfast resolution. The boy who is going to make a great man, or is going to count in any way in after life, must make up his mind not merely to overcome a thousand obstacles, but to win in spite of a thousand repulses or defeats. He may be able to wrest success along the lines on which he originally started. He may have to try something entirely new. On the one hand, he must not be volatile and irresolute, and, on the other hand, he must not fear to try a new line because he has failed in another. Grant did well as a boy and well as a young man; then came a period of trouble and failure, and then the Civil War and his opportunity; and he grasped it, and rose until his name is among the greatest in our history. Young Lincoln, struggling against incalculable odds, worked his way up, trying one thing and another until he, too, struck out boldly into the turbulent torrent of our national life, at a time when only the boldest and wisest could so carry themselves as to win success and honor; and from the struggle he won both death and honor, and stands forevermore among the greatest of mankind.

From The Strenuous Life, Chapter VI, Character and Success

That quote from Roosevelt also reveals that his fundamental reference point for instruction and inspiration was history, and more particularly, biography. Roosevelt was a deep and consistent reader. Countless stories are told of TR reading history and biography in the burning sun as he waited for a perfect shot in Africa, or as he sought some shelter from rain in the Amazon jungle.

From the histories and biographies that he read, Roosevelt extracted vital wisdom and motivation. He learned from the great men who have gone before. Then, he wrote down his thoughts about them. In his astonishingly productive life, he wrote (in addition to scores of other books) biographies of Oliver Cromwell, Thomas Hart Benton, Gouverneur Morris. He also co-authored a collection of short biographies titled Hero Tales from American History, a volume dedicated to young men of his day with hopes that they would be inspired by the heroic men of American history.

Roosevelt recognized the power of biography to impart heroic characteristics from the great men of the past to aspiring great men of today. As he constructed his life - his biography - he was constantly measuring himself against the great men of the past. If reading biography was important for someone as great as Roosevelt, would we not do well to follow his example?

The defining value for the life of Theodore Roosevelt was really love for and service to his country. His perseverance and ambition were not merely masculine virties which he exercised for the sake of Theodore Roosevelt. Rather, his character and his mental and physical toughness were consciously developed for the service of his country. Roosevelt continually stressed that learning and physical exertion - even the hunting he loved so much - were really about preparing a man to contribute something to his country. For Roosevelt, that obviously meant service to America.

It was in the defense of his country that Roosevelt coined the famous phrase, “speak softly, and carry a big stick.” And in the pursuit of American interests, in each of the offices that he held, Roosevelt was utterly uncompromising.

In a day when roughly half of America’s political leaders are eager to let other countries through the mechanisms of international institutions control America’s destiny, Roosevelt is an anomaly. Perhaps American political leaders would be wise to revisit Roosevelt’s philosophy of American strength and yes, diplomacy, but diplomacy coupled with strength. Diplomacy without strength is cowardice looking for an excuse to display itself. Diplomacy with American strength will get results. Those results will be in the interest of the United States of America, to be sure. But Roosevelt was always unafraid to proclaim that when America is strong, the whole world is better off.

It may have been Ronald Reagan who in 1987 asked Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” But standing just behind Reagan was the memory of Theodore Roosevelt, with his big stick.

And that wall did come down - much sooner than anyone anticipated.

In an age of uncertainty and moral relativism, returning to the spirit of Roosevelt is like a breathe of fresh air. He saw situations clearly and acted boldly, always in the interest of America. If he helped other people and other nations along the way, so be it. But that was not his intent. He always put America first.

It is thus appropriate and probably inevitable that such an amazing man would become not only President of the U.S. - but also that he would eventually grace Mt. Rushmore alongside Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln.

What, then, do men like us take from a giant and a real-life hero like Theodore Roosevelt? I think a few things.

First, struggling for self-improvement is a continual goal; but rest, comfort and ease are not worthwhile goals on their own. Yes, we must rest in order to recuperate. But we must recuperate only to come back stronger. We should find our weaknesses, root them out and pound them until they become our strengths. That is the way of the true man.

Second, the protection of those within our sphere of influence is one of our highest callings. For Roosevelt, his sphere of influence was (appropriately for a man of his energy level and capacity) the United States.

For us, our spheres of influence are smaller, but no less important. We are called to nurture, protect and promote our families, our businesses and vocations, and our churches and other voluntary associations. We should without reservation boldly promote these interests, protect them from harm and work hard to advance them. That doesn’t mean that we should be brutal or unethical or take short cuts. History shows that those methods are the way of the coward and any short term, ill-gotten gains are not in fact in the interest of those we are called to protect. Our call is to be guided by ethics, morality and fair play and within those guidelines to defend, nurture, promote and cherish those in our sphere of influence. Nothing more, nothing less.

We need not save the world; indeed, if more of us would just take care of our spheres of influences with half the energy of Roosevelt, then the world would largely be taken care of. That is an agenda which TR would agree that every man should pursue, and pursue it with might, vigor and desire. Men like that will undoubtedly wear out, not rust out, but TR would have it no other way.

My hope is that the life of Theodore Roosevelt will do for you what he has done for me; that his life will inspire you and bless you as you fulfill your God-given potential. If you are inspired by Roosevelt and his life, then please visit my web site: http://www.ConversationsFromthePast.com.

Copyright 2005 Mark Cole

Mark Cole, an attorney, has degrees from Baylor, Yale, Notre Dame & University of Houston. To learn more about how the Great Men can inspire and motivate you, visit http://www.ConversationsFromthePast.com

No two persons agree on all things. When people come together to work out a deal, they try to maximize their benefits and minimize their costs. Each person places a different value on individual elements of the deal.An effective negotiation is not just about making people see things from your point of view, but it is also about converging two different views to a point that is perceived by both parties as mutually beneficial. The art of negotiating is the backbone of a successful sales campaign.

Focus On The Customer - Show Him The Money:

The customer is not bothered about how badly you need to make the sale to meet your monthly target. He is more bothered about fulfillment of his needs and getting value for his money.

Talk about the customer’s benefit. Don’t tell your customer about the latest technology in the car’s engine - tell him how this new engine saves him fuel and time.

Know Your Competition:

Knowing your product is not enough. You must know what your competition is offering. You don’t want to end up staring at the customer, when he says your competitors are 20% cheaper. Have your answers ready. Give him valid reasons for your higher price.

Don’t Waste Your Time With People Who Don’t Matter:

When dealing with an organization, learn to prioritize. Don’t waste your time explaining the secretary why your power tools are good. Save your time and energy for the decision maker. Try to get an appointment with “the boss”. If you can’t get one immediately, try for a later one, else move on. The secretary is not going to buy your tools.

Exploit The Copycat Mentality:

Humans have a mentality to copy what others are doing successfully. If a person’s competitor or acquaintance is using a product, he may be tempted to use the product too. Keep your references ready and tell him how others have greatly benefited from your product or service.

Get Them To Agree:

When a person agrees to something you are saying, he subconsciously creates a positive frame of mind towards your offer.
Getting the other person to say “Yes” on various occasions brings both of you on the same side - with the same goal.

Your Negotiating Strength Lies In Your Uniqueness:

If it is easy to find someone providing the same service or product that you provide, your negotiating potential is reduced. The more unique your offer, the greater negotiating powers you have. Always make a list of points which differentiate you from your rivals. Sometimes people buy things just because they are different from what most other people are using.

Use Time To Your Advantage:

Every one of us has been to a stock clearance sale. When the merchant runs out of time to sell his stock, his loses his pricing power.

Customers use this tactic on sellers and give a deadline to make a decision on price and terms. The person who is short of time is always at a disadvantage. Never allow yourself to be trapped in a “time limit” trap. Even when you are short of time, don’t let it be known to the other person.

On the other hand, a person’s urgency to get something done can work in your favor. If the other person is in a hurry to get things done, you can be assured that he will be more willing to bend than he would in a normal situation.

A word of caution - never exploit the other person’s urgency to such an extent that it makes the deal grossly one sided. You may get what you want one time, but such deals have a negative impact on your reputation and future business. A win-win situation is always desired.

Price Is Not Everything - Terms Matter Too:

Terms of service are as important as the price itself. An example could be the loans and mortgage industry. Companies are able to charge higher interests rates than competitors by allowing flexible repayment options. Companies offering freebies with their products are compensating a higher price with friendlier terms. Create a balance between the price and the terms - when price is your weak point, offset it with better terms.

“The Policy” Tactic:

Since childhood, people are taught that rules are not to be broken. At subconscious level most of the people carry a perception that it is their duty to follow all rules. You will be surprised how easily people give in when they are told that the terms which they expecting are against the company policy. Salespersons always keep a printed price list with themselves. Those few black words printed on a white paper add authority to the salesperson’s arguments and send the message that it is not within their power to alter the terms.

Keep Your Last Price For The Last:

Most buyers have a tendency to ask for a lower price than offered. If asked for “the last price”, quote something more than the actual “last price” which you are willing to give. It doesn’t matter if initially you offer a price 2% lower or 20% lower - buyers will ask for a further lower price in both cases.

The Final Gambit - Say “No”:

Risk taking is an essential ingredient of success.

Agreeing to customers’ terms all the time weakens your image in the market. Walk out of the deal if it doesn’t seem profitable. If the customer gives in to your terms, you win a profitable deal. If you lose the customer, why repent? He wasn’t a profitable customer anyway.

Sachin A. is a freelance article writer and specializes in articles that require extensive research. Check out his work at http://www.rightarticle.com

“Experience only teaches the teachable.” -Aldous Huxley

Aldous Huxley is best known today as the author of Brave New World (1931). In that work, Huxley provides a vision of a dystopian future in which science and technology play dominant roles. It’s a one-world government in which Soviet communism and American capitalism have blended to produce an oppressive society noteworthy for the contentment of its citizens. Unlike the societies soon to be spawned by Stalin, Hitler, and Mao (as well as scores of other less prolific tyrants) that were built on fear and brutality, Huxley’s World State suppressed individuals by conditioning them to be satisfied. It’s a world in which the highs and lows of daily living have been leveled and in which state sponsored pleasure is provided to take care of all human desires. The capstone of it all is the drug soma which has the mellowing impact of alcohol but none of the nasty side effects. In short, the population is so satisfied that they don’t realize they should be dissatisfied. They are so comfortable, that experience has ceased to be their teacher.

And that’s how it is with a lot of us. After surviving years of school and serving apprenticeships at work and home, we believe we’ve arrived. We believe that by dint of our experience and attendant seniority we’ve figured out how things should be done. We’ve learned that the right way is usually our way. The neon sign above our door reads, “Don’t rock the boat.” (The more adamant among might add, “…or else!”) We’re comfortable, and just as the characters in Brave New World, we’ve let ourselves become unteachable.

Not surprisingly, this is a leading source of tension in the workplace. When those who haven’t arrived bump into those of us who have, it’s seldom a pleasant encounter. The innovators tend to disparage seniority. They believe that folks with decades on the job visit paleontologists when they get sick. They look at old timers and see dinosaurs that resist change out of spite. And it’s no better in the other direction. Seasoned workers often figure that if a new idea is so good, they would have thought of it themselves. They’re dismissive of theory and book learning. They don’t believe in changing what’s working and find innovators naiveat best.

Strangely enough, this isn’t necessarily age related. There are some recent graduates who are more rigid in their thinkingand more unteachablethan an octogenarian. And there are some septuagenarians who promote new ideas with the zeal of an evangelist. The key is taking a hard look at yourself and asking if you’ve lost the capacity to learn from your experience. Have you gotten so comfortable with life that you can’t see that there might be a better way of doing thingsboth professionally and personally? Has your world become a soma-like state in which you function by habit rather than desire? Are you still teachable?

It’s a new dayperhaps a new worldso try something new. Let experience be your teacher.

About the Author:

George Ebert is the President of Trinity River Seminars and Consulting, a firm specializing in the custom design and delivery of team building, personal growth and ethical development programs. Mr. Ebert is a highly sought after speaker, educator, and consultant with over thirty years experience in both the public and private sectors. He has presented widely throughout the Unites States. George is the author of the management cult classic, “Climbing From the Fifth Station: A guide to building teams that work!”