Actual for You - Business

Tittle's Top Ten: Ways To Get Fired
Face it. At least for a while, it's a buyer's market when it comes to hiring and firing. Here are some sure-fire ways to stand out from the crowd when management decides who will stay and who will go: Use the office phones and Internet access for lots of personal use; after all, you have a life too. And when you talk with your friends, use the speakerphone so you'll have your hands free to shop online. Take public credit for your co-workers ideas. And regularly question your boss's ideas -- publicly. Complain loudly and often to co-workers about the company instead of suggesting improvements. It's very therapeutic. Tell customers what you really think about the company. And don't forget online chat rooms for spreading the word. Summ

tration.

Consider moving these processes online and off your desktop computer.

Benefit: Easier software interfaces. Faster learning curve. Sometimes your software cost will be higher, but your total cost of operation (since you'll save hours in set up and maintenance) will be lower.

Example: Take a look at Citysoft, an ASP targeted to nonprofits, associations, educational institutions and other socially-responsible organizations. Citysoft offers a menu of tech tools from email marketing to web content development software, and donor and event management.

Depending on the modules you select, your organization can send email newsletters to members and constituents and track the results, create online communities for audience use, provide event registration and much more.

For more information, go to: http://www.citysoft.com/

5. Develop a web search optimization agenda to improve search engine positioning.

Tip: The best way to impr

Boost Your Credibility As A Leader
No leadership skill is more important than the ability to be convincing and persuasive - to speak with confidence and competence. The same statement could be made for all professionals, but it is especially true for managers. You must be able to be persuasive and credible if you are to convince others to use your ideas.Managers can increase their credibility with staff, senior executives, clients and the public by strengthening their speaking and leadership communication skills. Fortunately, everyone can learn to be more dynamic and persuasive.Simply by using the power of body language, you quickly increase your credibility and improve your ability to influence others with your ideas.First impressions are crucial to credibility. In his excellent

There's a disconnect in the nonprofit world. I read countless articles about technology and its powerful applications for the nonprofit sector, but seldom is there coverage of the critical interface between technology and communications strategies. That's a serious gap.

What's happened, in my opinion, is that many of us shy away from technology. By leaving tech decisions to the IT department rather than schooling ourselves on these opportunities, we limit the impact of our communications strategies.

My advice to you is to learn what tech tools can strengthen your nonprofit's communications strategies, and what choices you have. If you have an IT team or consultant, ask them to dig into the details. But get to know the basics yourself. That way you'll make sure you get the right tool, and you'll get the most out of it.

I interviewed nonprofit technology expert and author Michael Stein for his take on tech tips to strengthen your web and email communications impact. Michael, who has worked with Children Now, Groundspring and now as an Internet strategist with the eOrganization.com, had some great ideas:

1. Improve the ways in which you gather personal information and email addresses from stakeholders.

Tip: Don't just ask for email addresses when you ask your audiences to subscribe to your e-news. Gather name, street address, zip code, how they heard about you. Take it one step further to do some quick surveying on issues.

Tip: Think more like a business in terms of figuring out the sources of these leads. You want more of them.

Tip: Ask for an email address when your web users request a PDF download.

Benefit: You'll learn more about how various outreach techniques are working to validate (or not) marketing expenses and impact.

2. Publish plain text as well as HTML format email newsletters.

Insight: Many of your readers are likely to prefer HTML e-newsletters, so publish in both HTML and plain text versions. The format makes it much easier for readers to act. Studies show that HTML format performs much better in terms of click-throughs, forward to friend, etc. (NOTE: Readers, there is conflicting data on this last point.)

Benefit: Better engagement with audiences, by giving them a choice of format and the opportunity to take action with a click.

Caution: Don't forego your text version. Many readers still prefer text.

3. Dive into blog publishing.

Definition: A blog (an abbreviation of weblog) is a website that serves as an online journal, updated very frequently with commentary on one or more topics. Blog authors -- called bloggers --- commonly provide links to related information, with commentary. Because of their low barrier to entry (blogs are easy and cheap to implement), blogs are proliferating in the nonprofit sector.

Insight: The "blogsphere" is becoming huge, with content feeds (RSS readers deliver blog content to interested audiences) growing at a rapid pace. Blogs are a great way to disseminate content in a timely way.

Benefit: Some high-impact ways to put your blog to use for your nonprofit include:

Serializing content, such as daily reports from an oceanographer on an expedition or an advocacy campaign hard at work.
Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others).
Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur.
Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online.
Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences.

4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations.

Insight: There are now automated systems, that you don't have to maintain (they live in a server, which you access via the web) for operations from website content management and online donation processing to email messaging and online event registration.

Consider moving these processes online and off your desktop computer.

For more information, go to: http://www.citysoft.com/

5. Develop a web search optimization agenda to improve search engine positioning.

Tip: The best way to impr

Customer Service - The Most Valuable Service You Sell
Business marketing is more complex than ever. Giant retail chain stores, online shopping and rampant franchising make it tough for individual businesses to stand out in the crowd. So, how can you woo and win today’s over-stimulated consumer? It’s easier than you think.Winning word-of-mouth advertising and repeat businessCustomers talk. Whether they have a great experience or a bad experience with your company, they’ll share it with everyone they know. Remember the last time you tried a new restaurant? How many people did you tell about the food? What was their reaction? When you provide a positive experience for one of your customers, you’ve just put up a very convincing, traveling billboard, and it doesn’t cost a penny.Happy customers won

ion.com, had some great ideas:

1. Improve the ways in which you gather personal information and email addresses from stakeholders.

Tip: Think more like a business in terms of figuring out the sources of these leads. You want more of them.

Tip: Ask for an email address when your web users request a PDF download.

Benefit: You'll learn more about how various outreach techniques are working to validate (or not) marketing expenses and impact.

2. Publish plain text as well as HTML format email newsletters.

Benefit: Better engagement with audiences, by giving them a choice of format and the opportunity to take action with a click.

Caution: Don't forego your text version. Many readers still prefer text.

3. Dive into blog publishing.

Benefit: Some high-impact ways to put your blog to use for your nonprofit include:

Serializing content, such as daily reports from an oceanographer on an expedition or an advocacy campaign hard at work.
Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others).
Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur.
Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online.
Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences.

4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations.

Consider moving these processes online and off your desktop computer.

For more information, go to: http://www.citysoft.com/

5. Develop a web search optimization agenda to improve search engine positioning.

Tip: The best way to impr

Know the Source of Business
One of the first questions we ask a prospect or new client is, “How did you get the business you have so far?” Some can answer exactly. Others aren’t as certain.When we begin our first discussions with a new client, our preferred modus operandi is to set up a program that allows us to talk to their customers who will give us a comprehensive view of our client’s business. If we can’t talk to customers right away and find out why they selected our client and what the experience has been, we must rely on the information our client provides us.Business executives who are responsible for business planning should know the source of all their business. Knowing the incoming traffic patterns for new business is critical to knowing how to increase

s much better in terms of click-throughs, forward to friend, etc. (NOTE: Readers, there is conflicting data on this last point.)

Benefit: Better engagement with audiences, by giving them a choice of format and the opportunity to take action with a click.

Caution: Don't forego your text version. Many readers still prefer text.

3. Dive into blog publishing.

Benefit: Some high-impact ways to put your blog to use for your nonprofit include:

Serializing content, such as daily reports from an oceanographer on an expedition or an advocacy campaign hard at work.
Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others).
Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur.
Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online.
Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences.

4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations.

Consider moving these processes online and off your desktop computer.

For more information, go to: http://www.citysoft.com/

5. Develop a web search optimization agenda to improve search engine positioning.

Tip: The best way to impr

Conflicts With Your Boss Are Inevitable, But Can Be Healthy
If you are a pro-active, get-things-done type, sooner or later you will come in conflict with your boss. The same sort of assertiveness and confidence that leads you to have a mind of your own has helped him to earn his position.Another reality is that if you do not have some periodic disagreements with your supervisors you are probably not being as assertive as you should be in moving your career ahead.These conflicts can prove to be hazardous to the health of your career if they are not handled with common sense, says Ramon Greenwood, senior career counselor, www.CommonSenseAtWork.com>No one enjoys conflict, especially with the boss. But when you have an honest difference of opinion, it is better to pay the price of discomfort

me high-impact ways to put your blog to use for your nonprofit include:

Serializing content, such as daily reports from an oceanographer on an expedition or an advocacy campaign hard at work.
Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others).
Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur.
Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online.
Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences.

4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations.

Consider moving these processes online and off your desktop computer.

For more information, go to: http://www.citysoft.com/

5. Develop a web search optimization agenda to improve search engine positioning.

Tip: The best way to impr

Employee Rewards Reap Results
The way you reward people forms an essential foundation for effective people management. Money is by no means the only motivator of people, but too little money demotivates powerfully. Studies have shown that material reward is far more powerful than monetary.1. How To Determine Levels Of RewardTo determine how much reward is appropriate, consider the question what level of employee reward will attract, retain, and motivate people of the calibre that you require. If an employee does something that results in a one-time boost for the company, a one-time incentive is most appropriate.2. Why Give Employees Added Rewards In Addition To Wages?Keep in mind that the main reason why you are giving an employee reward is because you want exceptional

tration.

Consider moving these processes online and off your desktop computer.

For more information, go to: http://www.citysoft.com/

5. Develop a web search optimization agenda to improve search engine positioning.

Tip: The best way to improve search engine positioning is to get links to your site placed at other web sites where your audiences already are.

Tip: Once you've identified key sites you'd like to be linked from (start with a list of the top 20), start calling or e-mailing. A great way to do this is to find an intern or volunteer to beat the bushes. Link placement isn't skilled work (after you identify the key sites) but it is extremely labor intensive.

Benefit: Improved positioning in search engine results.

Michael, thanks for your clear and practical ideas on how nonprofit marketers can put tech tools to work to strengthen their communications impact.

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