January 11, 2007

Words and Phrases to Help You Get What You Want from Anyone... Make a Trade and Get What You Want... Take Your Piece of the Pie... Your Opinions Can Earn You Cash... and More.

** Words and Phrases to Help You Get What You Want from Anyone
By Adrian Newman, Founder of e-Wealth Daily

To continue with yesterday's theme of adapting to different characters and learning how to adjust the way you talk to people, I thought it would be appropriate to put together some effective words and phrases that you can use to help you get the results you're looking for.

Practice using these words and phrases with the corresponding personality types, and see what kinds of results you get:

Achievers:
Some people are just problem solvers and want to move toward goals and objectives. Use uplifting words such as "possible," "definite," "probable," "potential," "toward," "direction,""absolutely," "can-do," "achieve," and "accomplish."

Some phrases that sell with achievers:

Problem Solvers:
This type of person responds to "move away from" language.

They evaluate strategies that will help move them away from possible pain or discomfort. They respond to words such as "instead of," "rather than," "avoid," "first/then," "won't,"
"too," and specific actions that suggest avoidance, prevention, or evasion.

Some phrases that sell with problem solvers:

Internalizers:
This type of person likes to be a leader, gathers information, and uses his/her intuition to make decisions. They respond reactively (sometimes oppositely) to whatever anyone is telling them. Phrases such as "don't think," "don't expect," "help me out," "I'm not sure," or "you might consider" cause them to internalize their own emotions about situations. Painting mental pictures for them helps as well.

Phrases that work with internalizers include:

Externalizers:
This type of thinker follows and is easily influenced by the things that others tell him/her. "Experts say," "recommend," "counsel," "advise," "authority," "professional," and "qualified" are the types of phrases that work for this personality type.

Phrases that work with externalizers include:

Having a few effective words and phrases will arm you with an arsenal of vocabulary that can help you impress people. Doing so will help you to achieve the goals that you have been hoping for. Make a point to improve your vocabulary and to become a real expert in human nature and personality. Knowing a bit about the type of people you're dealing with can prove to be highly valuable in all aspects of your personal and professional life.

Back in the day, blacksmiths used to trade their handmade horseshoes for a quart of milk from local farmers. These days, cash is king, and it seems like it's the only thing that you can barter with.

However, I believe that you can get the things you need for your business with something other than cash. All you need is to be savvy in order to find the no-cash opportunities that are indeed out there.

Though it may seem like an antiquated idea, trade could make a big difference to your business. Anything that you can do to save money is a good thing. So I encourage you to build your business relationships and look into trade as a means of getting what you want.

There are probably dozens of small business owners in your town who are just like you and are looking for a way to lower their expenses. Everyone is trying to succeed and it can be difficult to optimize the potential of your business when you don't have the finances to afford the things you need.

For instance, you might have a great plan for a web site, but you might not have the know-how to do it yourself — or the money to hire a graphic designer to do it for you. Well, what about approaching a local designer and offering them a trade in services instead?

Perhaps you have or do something that another entrepreneur can take advantage of in exchange for his/her assistance. By exchanging services, you're both helping out each other's businesses as well as the local economy.

Not to mention that you are also doing something I believe to be extremely important, which is building relationships.

There's no question about it — you need solid relationships in order to survive in business. Whether your relationships are with customers, suppliers, or other proprietors, having someone who is willing to help you out is vital to your success.

Believe me, you are going to need some help from time to time. So, by building a relationship that is based on helping someone with your service — and them doing the same for you — you are solidifying a working relationship that doesn't involve money.

Of course, the most significant benefit of trade is the money you will save. You might think that by providing someone with a service for free, it's actually costing you money. But in reality, it isn't. What you are doing is offering your talents to someone in exchange for theirs.

Determine what you need and what you can't afford. Or, better yet, what would be helpful to save on that you could potentially get for free. Then start scouting your town for small businesses that might be able to help you out. Check your local phone book, as many businesses might be home-based or not as easy to spot.

When you first make contact, be sure to do so in an honest manner and not as a salesperson. Remember: You are asking for a favor and you are providing something in return for that favor.

Keep in mind that the entrepreneur you contact could very well say no to your request. Don't be upset about this, as cash is the only thing some people will work for. The key is to offer a product or service in exchange for theirs that they will find useful. If you don't offer up something of value in the trade, then you probably aren't going to get much in return.

Consider joining your local chamber of commerce. At commerce meetings, you can interact with other business owners and get to know them on a personal level. If you form a relationship with them beforehand, it will make bartering for services that much easier in the future.

If you operate your own business, you need to know that you have more to offer others than just cash. You have talents and strengths — if you didn't your business would never work. Use your other assets in order to help out your business.

Trading will save you money. But most of all, you will build business relationships, which, in the long run, can have a value much greater than cash.

** Take Your Piece of the Pie
By Michael Newman, the "Money Finder"

Sometimes with a business — particularly if you have a retail establishment — you will find that it is difficult to compete with the bigger companies. Big-ticket department stores are popping up all over the place these days and you probably feel like a very small fish in a very big pond thanks to this fact.

However, the good news for small retailers is that the pond is big enough for everyone. The secret is to focus on just one part of it.

You will find that it's almost impossible to compete with certain companies' product selections and stock quantities, and perhaps even with their prices as well. It can seem bleak, but the best advice I can give you is to be happy and focus on one particular market segment. Own your piece of the pie. You don't need to have the biggest piece right away, but always remember that you do have a piece that's all your own.

If you find that the competition's product selection is far greater than yours — and you feel that there is no competing — then you need to find another way to attack this challenge.
Instead of trying to offer the same product selection, create a market niche for yourself.

Focus on one item that you sell well and create a buzz about it.

Make people feel as though this is the only place that they can get this one product. People respond well to the concept of exclusivity. They want to feel as though they are in on a little secret.

If you're a small fish in a big pond, then you have to find a way to better serve your customers. Remember that people react better to customer service more than anything else that a business has to offer them. If customers can take advantage of a service that is convenient and efficient, then they will do business with the company that offers it over and over again.

If you can't compete on the same level as the big-box stores, then create a level of service that is all your own. If you offer people services and products that are unique and exclusive, then they will come back to your business time and time again.

You need to be able to find that small window of opportunity that allows you to take a specific segment of the market away from the competition. You might not have the largest segment, by any stretch, but you can take a piece of the pie regardless of what the competition is doing.

For instance, Wal-Mart sells everything from frying pans to TVs to towels to decorative items. So there's a very slim chance that you could afford to offer the variety that they do.
So concentrate on unique and hard-to-get items instead.

If you want to sell decorative items, look for a variety that isn't sold by the big-ticket stores and concentrate on those unique items instead. Sell only a certain type of product, which is handmade or ceramic, etc.

All you need is to capture one segment of the market in order to become successful. Also, if you create a buzz around your products, then eventually you will be able to compete. Create a specialty business that focuses on customer service and satisfaction.

Once you're able to create a customer base, then you can start taking on bigger segments.

Remember, even though you might be a small fish, you can become successful by swimming around in several different ponds.

**Your Opinions Can Earn You Cash
By "Miracle" Max McCarri

I've said it before and I will certainly say it again: With age comes valuable life experience that can boost your earning potential.

And if you're anything like me, I'll bet you have opinions on everything from who sells the freshest foods to where to go for the cheapest everyday essentials. What I want to tell you about today is that you could be making some easy money by simply providing others with your opinions.

It works like this:

Before any major company releases a new product, it usually contacts research teams to help it get the opinions of everyday people who could possibly be customers once the product is released. The company then organizes focus groups, often all across the country if it is a national operation, to help them collect feedback for improving its products.

You don't have to know anything about marketing and you won't have to worry if you've never heard of the product before. In fact, oftentimes they would prefer that you didn't know anything about the product because all they want is your straightforward opinions about what it is that you like and don't like.

With years of experience buying items you need, and probably trying out numerous different brands, you've got a wealth of consumer information that these companies are looking for.

And the best part is that they pay you simply for showing up, maybe watching a commercial, or tasting a few food samples and then providing your input. These sessions rarely last longer than an hour or two, and you could be paid hundreds of dollars for your time.

A friend of mine recently signed up for a group that had him looking at a new car model, which no one had seen before. He got to talk to some interesting people and had the chance to poke around inside the new car. He then shared his opinions about the car's features and walked away with $100.

That's what I call easy money!

Groups just like these are going on all the time in cities all across the country. Companies are always looking for people of every age, background, gender, and occupation to participate.
You probably won't qualify for them all, but with the amount of focus groups out there, you're bound to find something for you.

And when you're in need of some quick cash, a focus group is certainly something to consider.

You can find groups close to you by going to http://www.findfocusgroups.com or by checking in the local classifieds section of the newspaper.

You should use your opinions and experience to your advantage every chance you get. Don't be afraid to offer the advice you've accumulated over the years to those who are in need of a few helpful suggestions.

The way I figure it, you've got a lifetime of knowledge at your disposal -- why not get paid to share it?