Actual for You - Business

Employee Benefit Surveys
Employee benefits are an integral part of overall employee satisfaction. Pay and benefits greatly influence an employee’s productivity, loyalty, turnover, and morale. Most companies pay competitive salaries but fail to understand what motivates employees in the form of benefits. Benefits can be optional, and differ largely from one company to another, depending on the size of the organization, the type of industry, and the profit/non-profit categorization. Common benefits include health insurance, retirement benefits, child-care services, stock options, disability, paid leave, and fringe benefits.Employee benefit surveys are meant to understand the employees’ feelings towards the benefits offered by the company. Such surveys would help the employers to understand the exact components in the benefit programs that are more appreciated and sought by employees. This would enable employers to provide enhancements to the benefits program, and also design newer programs on similar considerations. The surveys also enable effective communication of the benefits programs, determine employee involvement in designing the programs, and also help employees to use the programs better. Companies can also remove some least preferred

Key lesson: The more senses you trigger and associate with your products/services, the more you will appeal to your customers’ emotions and influence their buying behavior.

2. The old brain “decides” on the basis of the gain vs. pain tradeoff.

The two basic drivers of all behavior and decisions are: to seek pleasure and avoid pain. According to Kevin Hogan, author, The Science of Influence, “most people react to the fear of loss and the threat of pain in a much more profound way than they do for gain.”

Consumers focus more on not getting hurt over the need to feel great when making decisions. “They overemphasize the importance of pain by about 2.5:1 in decision making.” How to overcome your customer’s “distorted” gain vs. pain trade-off?

Key lesson: Marketing guru, Seth Godin illustrates through his Joy/Cash Curve that high value purchases often trigger increasing amounts of buying pain. His solution: add more joy and pleasure to the buying process, such as he did in his work with Lexus. According to Godin, when you make buying

Entirely Free MBA of Customer Relationship Management CRM
The non-profit Business Technology Open University - http://business-technology.us - offer a completely free MBA of Customer Relationship Management CRM. Its operations are supported by ads - content oriented - of companies, inside the texts of the lessons. However, Business Technology is totally independent and without any connection with any manufacturer or consultant.This course MBA of Customer Relationship Management CRM teaches the foundations of the administration of companies on the relationship with its external world, with the use of the modern information technology CRM, and its goal is to give you a general vision on what is now the CRM level.More and more in the next 5 years the companies will need a CRM Customer Relationship Management, that uses the new technologies (computers, Internet, communications, etc) in all types of relationships with the external world of the company.The Course presents a general vision of each one of the angles of a CRM, the computer system that actuate in reciprocity directly with the customers through voice by phone (and recognition of the voice, if necessary) without human actions, for marketing, sales, several types of supports, accounts, etc. To be abbrevia

Have you ever wondered ….

* Why even the highest priced or lowest quality products sometimes outsell their competitors’?

* Why and how your prospects buy the products or services they do, even if their choices seem irrational or impractical?

* Why some brands have a devoted cult-like following while others have zero loyalty?

A new field called NeuroMarketing – combining neuroscience, marketing and technology – has generated a buzz across every industry and every business sector. Let’s look at how the latest findings can help you convert more prospects to customers and create life-long loyalty and raving fans.

NeuroMarketing: Is It The Key To Unlocking Your Customer’s Brain?

In traditional marketing, we are told … “follow the proven formula of compelling headlines, benefits, satisfaction guarantee and a call to action, and your sales will skyrocket.” Yet, even top marketers can attest that successful campaigns are a “hit or miss” proposition to find those that generate big sales.

Until now …

Neuroscience and behavioral sciences – such as NLP (NeuroLinguistic Programming) – are all saying the same thing:

“Our unconscious mind – not our conscious mind -- drives how we respond to ads, brands and products and, ultimately, drives all our buying decisions. Customers don’t really know why they buy what they buy, which is why traditional market research fall short.”

Let’s take a look at the underlying reason why … the architecture of our brain.

Will The Real Decision Maker (In Your Brain) Please Stand Up?

According to neuroscientists, there are 3 main parts to the brain, each functioning as a brain unto itself. These “three brains” - nestled inside one another – are as follows.

* The “Human” (“New,” or outer-most) Brain: Most evolved part of the brain known as the cortex. Responsible for logic, learning, language, conscious thoughts and our personalities.

* The “Mammalian” (Middle) Brain: Also known as the limbic system. Deals with our emotions, moods, memory and hormones.

* The “Reptilian” (Old) Brain: Also known as the R Complex controls our basic survival functions, such as hunger, breathing, flight-or-fight reactions and staying out of harm’s way.

While neuromarketing is still a young field with many unanswered questions, one finding is clear.

The reptilian, or “old,” brain drives your customers’ buying decisions.

According to Erik du Plessis in The Advertising Mind, the “old” brain rules all rapid decision-making. Market researcher and Chairman, Archetype Discoveries Worldwide, Clotaire Rapaille said in a PBS interview -- “The Persuaders” – that …

“The reptilian always wins. I don’t care what you tell me intellectually. Why? Because the reptilian always wins.”

To strengthen your brand, loyalty and sales, you must understand your customers’ “reptilian hot buttons.” A “cortex” message – such as “Buy my product because it is 20% cheaper” – doesn’t buy customer loyalty. It all comes down to who triggers the first reptilian reaction. That’s why Coke, after all these years, continues to dominate the market.

The “Reptilian Brain” and Profits: 7 Critical Insights You Must Know About How and Why Your Customer Buys

Our “old” brain often overrides our voice of logic and drives all buying decisions for reasons beyond our conscious awareness. To influence your customer’s buying decisions, you must learn how the “old” brain operates and speak its “language.” Below are 7 key insights about the old brain that can add to your bottomline.

1. The old brain is driven by emotions.

Our old brain operates on autopilot – ie., a stimulus response mechanism. Emotions are automatic responses to sensory stimuli. The smell of coffee, the sound of the ocean, the view of a setting sun … all trigger an unconscious emotional response.

Emotions play a similar critical role in our buying decisions. Business Pundit (www.businesspundit.com) reminds us that “in an oversupplied economy, customer feelings drive purchase decisions and profitability. Your new imperative is to assess and appeal to your customer’s feelings. Welcome to The Feelings Economy.”

Key lesson: The more senses you trigger and associate with your products/services, the more you will appeal to your customers’ emotions and influence their buying behavior.

2. The old brain “decides” on the basis of the gain vs. pain tradeoff.

Marketing Options For Cleaning Companies - Part Two
Part one looked at telesales, yellow pages and other directories, using mailing lists and advertising in local papers and journals. In this article I will be considering direct selling techniques, leaflet drops and internet advertising.1. Direct ApproachYou could simply cold call on a company and hope you can get to talk to somebody. My experience of this is that it is quite a daunting task and by and large relatively unsuccessful in gaining new business. A lot of time, effort and fuel can be wasted as well as damage to ones morale which could take quite a severe battering as you experience one knockback after another. Not a technique to be recommended. However with regard to builders cleans it can be successful. What this entails is visiting any building site and passing your details, normally in the form of a business card on to the site manager. You may not be successful on that site but invariably companies will hang on to your details and may contact you at some time in the future.2. Leaflet dropsIf you are targeting domestic customers then these can be quite successful at increasing your client base. They are not to be recommended for commercial companies for reasons discussed in the first

es – such as NLP (NeuroLinguistic Programming) – are all saying the same thing:

Let’s take a look at the underlying reason why … the architecture of our brain.

Will The Real Decision Maker (In Your Brain) Please Stand Up?

According to neuroscientists, there are 3 main parts to the brain, each functioning as a brain unto itself. These “three brains” - nestled inside one another – are as follows.

* The “Human” (“New,” or outer-most) Brain: Most evolved part of the brain known as the cortex. Responsible for logic, learning, language, conscious thoughts and our personalities.

* The “Mammalian” (Middle) Brain: Also known as the limbic system. Deals with our emotions, moods, memory and hormones.

* The “Reptilian” (Old) Brain: Also known as the R Complex controls our basic survival functions, such as hunger, breathing, flight-or-fight reactions and staying out of harm’s way.

While neuromarketing is still a young field with many unanswered questions, one finding is clear.

The reptilian, or “old,” brain drives your customers’ buying decisions.

“The reptilian always wins. I don’t care what you tell me intellectually. Why? Because the reptilian always wins.”

The “Reptilian Brain” and Profits: 7 Critical Insights You Must Know About How and Why Your Customer Buys

1. The old brain is driven by emotions.

Key lesson: The more senses you trigger and associate with your products/services, the more you will appeal to your customers’ emotions and influence their buying behavior.

2. The old brain “decides” on the basis of the gain vs. pain tradeoff.

Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is; Why Dental Office Management is Such a Hot Career
There are many different career paths in the dental field today. Choices include a wide range of positions, such as: hygienist, assisting, and lab technician.Yet perhaps no other career in the dental profession is more accessible and exciting than that of the office manager. The dental office manager works much like the conductor of a large orchestra -- his/her job is to organize the many different aspects of a dental practice into one cohesive unit. This person serves both the patient and the dentist, and is able to juggle both responsibilities equally well.The dental office manager is usually the first and last person to meet and greet the patient. He/she registers patients, arranges laboratory and hospital services, schedules appointments, verifies payment information, protects patient privacy, and even processes insurance claims. Serving as the face of the practice and being actively involved in the healthcare of others is one of the most enjoyable facets of this line of work.A dental office manager also enjoys the opportunity to assist the dentist(s) in maintaining a well-organized, cost-effective practice by handling the day-to-day operation of running an office. He/she may oversee personne

ontrols our basic survival functions, such as hunger, breathing, flight-or-fight reactions and staying out of harm’s way.

While neuromarketing is still a young field with many unanswered questions, one finding is clear.

The reptilian, or “old,” brain drives your customers’ buying decisions.

“The reptilian always wins. I don’t care what you tell me intellectually. Why? Because the reptilian always wins.”

The “Reptilian Brain” and Profits: 7 Critical Insights You Must Know About How and Why Your Customer Buys

1. The old brain is driven by emotions.

Key lesson: The more senses you trigger and associate with your products/services, the more you will appeal to your customers’ emotions and influence their buying behavior.

2. The old brain “decides” on the basis of the gain vs. pain tradeoff.

Let's Have a Short Meeting
How many hours of your week are consumed by meetings? From full staff meetings to departmental meetings, to committees and project-specific meetings, these gatherings can cut out a chunk of everyone’s schedule, wreaking havoc with the best time management plans. Rather than the number of meetings decreasing with the advances in technology, the amount actually seems to be increasing. Some reasons for this rise stand out:With computers taking over the much of the mundane work, more workers are involved in project-oriented activities, needing frequent updates and collaborationOutsourcing and joint ventures lead to more external meetings.Online scheduling software lets others go in and block times on your schedule.With the growth in the number of meetings, other tasks accumulate, leading to frustration at not being able to get it all done. The meeting gets blamed for the lack of time to accomplish everything else. Thus it becomes even more imperative that when a meeting is held, it is done as efficiently as possible. If the session is to be productive, you need to determine guidelines. Start by asking yourself:Why are we holdi

>The “Reptilian Brain” and Profits: 7 Critical Insights You Must Know About How and Why Your Customer Buys

1. The old brain is driven by emotions.

Key lesson: The more senses you trigger and associate with your products/services, the more you will appeal to your customers’ emotions and influence their buying behavior.

2. The old brain “decides” on the basis of the gain vs. pain tradeoff.

Free Small Business Accounting Software
Free small business accounting software primarily focuses on assets. Assets may be described as valuable resources owned by a business, which were acquired at a measurable money cost. As an economic resource, they satisfy three requirements. In the first place, the resource must be valuable. A resource is valuable if it is cash/ convertible into cash; or it can provide future benefits to the operations of the firm. Secondly, the resource must be owned. Mere possession or control of a resource would not constitute an asset; it must be owned in the legal sense of the term. Finally, the resource must be acquired at a measurable money cost. In cases in which an asset is not acquired for cash or a promise to pay cash, the question is what it would have cost had cash been paid for it.The assets in the balance sheet are listed either in order of liquidity- promptness with which they are expected to be converted into cash- or in reverse order, that is, fixity or listing of the least liquid (fixed) first followed by others. All assets are grouped into categories; that is, assets with similar characteristics are put in one category. The assets included in one category are different from those in other categories. The standard

Key lesson: The more senses you trigger and associate with your products/services, the more you will appeal to your customers’ emotions and influence their buying behavior.

2. The old brain “decides” on the basis of the gain vs. pain tradeoff.

3. The old brain is highly influenced by beginnings and endings.

Research confirms that the beginning and ending of an event or experience alters our perception of the entire experience. Our initial impression becomes the “filter” for how we perceive what is to follow. The most recent experience leaves a final impression with greater weight.

Key lesson: In marketing, for your message to be accepted, it is critical to leave a strong first impression – like a compelling story, a big smile, etc. Also, if a customer has a pleasant or unpleasant experience with your product or company, that most recent experience will influence future purchases more than all other experiences combined. What impression are you leaving with your prospects in the first few seconds or words? How has your last customer contact enhanced or jeopardized repeat sales?

4. The old brain is visually oriented and responds rapidly to images.

From the moment we are born, we are able to see shadows and associate meaning to them. In communications, we are told that 65% of our how our message is received is through our physiology (or visual cues). Study after study has shown that someone’s first impression of you is based on your physical appearance.

In each instance, it is our old brain rapidly responding to visual cues, not words. Words are the realm of the “new” brain and are secondary in the buying process.

Key learning: Enhance and deliver your core marketing message visually – eg., the design of your product, images in an ad, external packaging, etc. Where can you visually strengthen your brand and emotional connection with customers?

5. The old brain perceives the “pain of buying” in relative, not absolute, terms.

Neuroscience tells us that the “pain” in the old brain is most activated with price. Not in absolute terms but rather in relative terms – such as fairness vs. unfairness, or alternative uses of dollars. Therefore, how you present or frame your prices could be driving customers away. How can you minimize activating the pain trigger with your price?

Key lesson: From various posts by Roger Dooley (Neurosciencemarketing.com), key strategies include:

* Emphasize “sales” prices (which does not activate pain in the old brain)

* Utilize “package” pricing over pricing of individual components (the latter shows greater “pain activity in the old brain)

* Series of small “bite-size’ investments in place of one large investment (Netflix)

6. The old brain understands only what is tangible, physical and concrete.

According to Patrick Renvoise, author, Neuromarketing: Is There A “Buy Button” In The Brain?, the old brain is constantly scanning for what is familiar and tangible. It does not understand numbers or abstract terms, like “integrated approach” or “comprehensive solution.”

Key lesson: To speak to the old brain, you must use tangible “benefits” -- ie., what a customer will see, feel, hear, taste or smell as a result. Eg., a promise of“greater happiness” is gibberish to the old brain. Instead, tell your prospect how he/she will wake up every morning with a smile. Or use metaphors (such as referring to your service as the “Cadillac” offering) to make your benefits more tangible.

7. The old brain’s control over buying decisions varies from culture to culture.

According to market researcher, Clotaire Rapaille, some cultures are very reptilian, such as the American culture. Americans want instant gratification. They have a bias for action. Other cultures – such as the French and German -- are more cortex, control-oriented. Their bias is thinking over doing.

Key lesson: Adapt your marketing communications to each culture and what part of their brain drives buying decisions. Use emotional appeal with Americans; use logic with European cultures.

While neuromarketing is still in its infancy, it has the potential to revolutionize the way we market our products/services. The most important point is to use it for the right reasons. That is, as a way to better understand your customers and ultimately to better s

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I often recommend that my clients consider offering free consultations. They provide a great opportunity to get a “foot in the door” while, at the same time, allowing a relationship (i.e., rapport and trust) to begin to form. To the extent you decide to offer free consultations, I recommend the following guidelines:

An advertising consultant can be your best friend or worst enemy, with your business caught in the middle. Finding a good one should be a priority.

Let's be clear from the outset. The road to brand success is not easy. It's true that some people seem to fall upon it by chance and readily make their way from one end to the other. For most of us though, it's a route taken with difficulty and marked by mis-steps and wrong turnings.

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Actual for You - NeuroMarketing - 7 Secrets To Unlocking Your Customer's Brain That Ignites Profits And Sales

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