In the Villa of the Sick Cat--A Lesson in Customer Care

Author: Caroline Jordan MBA

If you're a pet owner, you know the stress of having a sick pet and you know that having a great veterinarian is a wonderful thing. My cat, Zoe, came down with a nasty infection that had me racing off to the vet's office last week with an unhappy, howling kitty in tow. (She's doing much better now.)

This was my first visit to this vet's office, having just moved here last year. When I arrived, the building was under construction. Lots of hammering, sawing, and loud noises--not exactly the controlled, calm atmosphere preferred by a sick pet. But fortunately, Zoe lives in the House of Perpetual Construction Projects, so she did okay.

But, what really struck me was the construction project itself. The waiting room has been transformed into an Italian Villa with high ceilings, a graceful figure-eight-shaped pool in the center of the room, a decorative fountain, and ""faux"" plants. It is gorgeous and would make a great setting for a romantic Italian meal complete with fine wine and a strolling violinist.

My first reaction on walking in was ""This is beautiful, I wonder how high my vet bill will be."" As Zoe and I sat waiting (and waiting and waiting and waiting), I watched all the other customers coming through the door. Each one looked around at the beautiful setting and said ""I wonder how much this is going to cost me.""

The newly designed waiting rooms and exam rooms were not designed for the customers--dogs and cats. They weren't designed for the humans bringing in their pets for medical care. It's a total ego design. Impressive. Elegant. Grand.

And instead of all the customers (animal and human) being wowed by the design, they reacted negatively. You see, sick cats and dogs want quiet, dark spaces and they want their visit to the vet's office to be over quickly. Instead, the new design with its concrete floor (fashionably treated to look like a sun kissed rock patio) and its soaring ceilings means that every time the phone rings, the noise reverberates throughout the waiting area. The poor scheduling means that a sick pet has to stay in that waiting room for what must seem an eternity. And of course, the humans immediately understand that the money to pay for this project has to come from somewhere...namely their wallets.

Fortunately, our new vet turned out to be competent and caring and Zoe is recovering nicely. But, the business lesson remains. Focus on what your customers care about and you'll never go wrong.

About the author: Caroline Jordan, MBA helps self employed professionals build satisfying businesses, enhance their reputations, improve cash flow, and develop additional sources of revenue. For more tips and strategies visit http://www.TheJordanResult.com

Yeah, It IS Lonely At the Top

Author: Caroline Jordan MBA

Sometimes when you run a business you feel as lonely as the Maytag repairman. Loneliness and isolation are very common problems for business owners. You sit at your desk wondering if you are steering your business in the right direction. When faced with a decision, you worry that you may be making a mistake or missing an opportunity. You get frustrated because you have no one to talk to about all the problems and decisions you have to make everyday. When you have a confidential matter you can't discuss with employees, family members, or friends you suffer in silence because you don't have an advisor to turn to. And unless your spouse is an MBA, he or she probably doesn't have the answers you need either.

Finding people you can trust to help you with your business is tough. You need someone knowledgeable. You want someone you feel comfortable with. Someone you can really take into your confidence. Often business owners turn to their bankers or accountants for business advice. But, do you really want to tell your banker that you need guidance running your company? Does your accountant encourage you to sit down and chat about your business over a cup of coffee? Absolutely not. First of all, you don't want to look like a dope in front of other professionals. You want to be seen as the competent professional that you are.

In my early days of running my business, I felt very lonely and isolated. Who could I talk to about my business? Not my customers certainly. They were looking to me for business advice. Not my family. They weren't really sure what I do, and I deal with a lot of technical stuff that they've never even heard of. So, I spent an awful lot of time struggling. Struggling to learn. Struggling to make the right decisions. Struggling to choose directions for my business. And all the while, feeling like I needed someone to advise me but I just didn't know WHO!

But over the years, I have found the resources I need to help me move my business forward. I know who I can trust. I know who has the answers to my questions. Now it's a matter of picking up the phone or sending an email to the right professional. And almost magically my questions are answered and my business moves forward. Sometimes just getting a second opinion or a new perspective clears the fog and the confusion.

The moral of the story is that no one (even business consultants with MBA's) has all the information and knowledge needed to build a successful business. We all do better when we can ""get by with a little help from our friends.""

About the author: Caroline Jordan, MBA helps self employed professionals build successful businesses, attract clients they enjoy working with, improve cash flow, and develop additional sources of revenue. To find out how visit: http://www.TheJordanResult.com

Article Writing Made Simple

Author: Caroline Jordan MBA

A great way for self employed professionals to enhance their reputations is to write articles. But for many, the thought of writing an article calls to mind your school days of struggling to write a composition, trapped indoors while your friends played baseball without you.

Article writing doesn't have to be difficult and the rewards are great. Since I started writing articles, my website traffic increased, signups for my newsletters increased, the media has sought me out, and I've become what Stephen Van Yoder calls ""slightly famous"".

Here is the formula I use to write articles:

First of all, I do not see myself as a writer. You will not find me starving in a garret, suffering for my art. I see myself as a communicator. I have important and useful information to impart that can help people build successful businesses. When you look at it that way, it really takes a lot of pressure off you.

Secondly, your articles do not have to be Pulitzer Prize quality. They need to communicate information in a way your customer can relate to. If your customer is put off by high-falutin' language, don't use it. Speak in language that resonates with your customer. Remember, your intent is to communicate, not to win prizes or bludgeon others with your knowledge of polysyllabic words.

Next, start out by writing out a sentence or two (no more) that explains what you want to accomplish with your article. Your purpose is two fold: you want to establish your expertise in the eyes of your potential customers and you want those customers to do something. Here is an example for an article I am writing about how self employed professionals can enhance their reputations:

""I will write an article to give self employed professionals ideas on how to enhance their reputations which will result in more traffic to my website.""

That statement causes me to focus on achieving a specific result--more traffic...by providing specific information--reputation enhancing ideas. It really is the most important part of writing an article. Without that focus I am likely to head off on a tangent.

From there, develop a main thought and support it with three or four points. Add a brief story, a website to visit for more information, or a quote from an expert (that expert can be you) and you've got your article.

Sometimes when I get writer's---I mean communicator's block, I grab my microphone and ""talk"" my article. This also ensures that my articles have a conversational tone instead of a boring professor monologue.

Give it a try and you'll soon be turning out articles with ease and enhancing your professional reputation.

About the author: Caroline Jordan, MBA helps self employed professionals build successful businesses, attract clients they enjoy working with, improve cash flow, and develop additional sources of revenue. To find out how visit: http://www.TheJordanResult.com

You've Got Personality, Use It!

Author: Caroline Jordan MBA

For the self employed professional, nothing is more important than the image you project to your clients and potential clients. Napoleon Hill put it best when he said, ""People buy your personality and ideas long before they buy your products and services.""

Your image may be projected by the clothes you wear, the car you drive, and your posture. But, your image is also projected by the marketing contact points you make. What does your website say about you? What do your brochures or office sign say about you? Are you communicating the image you want to communicate?

I worked with one self employed professional whose target market was other small business owners. Yet his website had a very corporate feel about it. It wasn't designed to attract the kinds of customers he was interested in attracting. The language he used on the website was formal and stripped of all ""person-ality"". But in talking to him, I really ""got"" how much he loved working with small business owners and helping them become more successful.

Statistics overwhelmingly support that when people are shopping for a professional they buy the person first, the company second, the product or service third, and the price last. Your personality is a major competitive advantage. It's what sets you apart from all the other people who do the same work you do.

Think about you favorite professionals. Why do you like working with them? My dentist is always jovial, laughing and telling stories during my visits. His personality carries throughout his practice and makes going to the dentist actually enjoyable. If he stripped away the personality, he would be just another dentist.

Let's say you're a real estate agent who loves golf and you communicate that to potential customers. You'll find that you attract customers who also enjoy golf. It establishes a point of connection between the two of you. Your potential client starts out feeling like they know something about you. You're not a stranger. You're a fellow golfer. That builds rapport and trust.

Don't be shy about letting people know who you are and what you stand for. If you're an eye doctor who travels to Guatemala once a year to provide eye care for children, post a picture on your website or in your office. Send a press release to the local paper about your trip. Not only does it encourage others to support worthy causes, it establishes you as a caring person and a dedicated professional.

Give clients and potential clients multiple opportunities to get to know you by carrying your image and personality throughout your business.

About the author: Caroline Jordan, MBA helps self employed professionals build successful businesses, attract clients they enjoy working with, improve cash flow, and develop additional sources of revenue. To find out how visit: http://www.TheJordanResult.com

It's Not About Me... Or You, Either!

Author: Paul D. McDonald, MBA

In his book The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren tells us clearly that life here is not about ""us"" but about God.

Have you ever heard people ask, ""Why does God allow suffering?"" or ""I can't believe that if there is a God that He'd be so cruel."" My personal favorite is ""Why did God do this to me? I deserve better!""

Hey, make no mistake about it--Mother Teresa was considered by many to be a very good person. She cared for the poor, totally changed her life, lived in poverty--you name it. In fact, we could all pretty much agree that Mother Teresa was ""better than all of us"" on the ""good"" scale.

Yet Mother Teresa knew that she needed grace.

Y'see, if Mother Teresa is better than you or me, and Mother Teresa needed grace, what does that say about you and me?

God doesn't ""have it out for you"" and He's not trying to make our lives hard. The ""why"" may not be answered until we get to heaven! But I know this much... God did not create us so that He could serve us.

About the author: Paul D. McDonald, MBA, has consulted with churches on growth and management of the ""business aspects"" of running a church. Visit http://wreach.blogspot.com/ to learn more.

Bird Flu: Who Is at Greatest Risk of Dying?

Author: Bradford Frank M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A.

Avian influenza or ""bird flu"" has now caused more than 60 deaths worldwide, with the most recent epidemic in Indonesia, where four people have died. On a global basis, 60 deaths are not very many. So why are health experts becoming alarmed about the H5N1 (""bird flu"") virus? People are concerned because the virus has demonstrated the ability to kill a high percentage of the humans it infects. In addition, it has spread from birds to many other species, which is very uncharacteristic of viruses. The spread of infection in birds increases the opportunities for direct infection of humans. If more humans become infected over time, the likelihood also increases that humans, if concurrently infected with human and avian-influenza strains, could serve as the ""mixing vessel"" for the emergence of a novel subtype--with sufficient human genes to be easily transmitted from person to person.

Once the virus acquires the capability to ""go human,"" an influenza pandemic (that is, a worldwide epidemic) would likely ensue in a matter of weeks. To date, the vast majority of infections of bird flu in humans have been acquired by close contact with domestic poultry. However, there is one documented case of human-to-human transmission in Thailand. It remains a curious fact that most people who have worked with poultry infected with the bird-flu virus, culling infected birds for example, have not become infected--a fact that no one seems able to adequately explain.

The antigenic changes (that is, changes in the exterior proteins--Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase) in bird and human influenza viruses go on year after year. Annual influenza outbreaks typically do not cause severe illness and death, because people have built up natural immunity to the viruses over a period of years. Rapid spread of H5N1 viruses between humans, on the other hand, will led to explosive global expansion in which everyone is at risk for infection, illness, and death because of a complete lack of natural immunity to the virus.

Because avian influenza or ""bird flu"" is much more deadly than the regular annual flu in humans, coupled with the high infectiousness of influenza viruses in general, a bird-flu pandemic is potentially very deadly, causing many tens--or even hundreds--of millions of deaths across the globe. In September 2005, Dr. David Nabarro of the World Health Organization (WHO) stated, ""A new pandemic would claim between 5 million and 150 million people.""

Once a flu pandemic starts, everyone will be at risk of getting pandemic flu, because no one has natural immunity to the virus. However, certain groups may be at greater risk of dying than others. There are strong indications that the coming bird-flu pandemic may be similar to the influenza pandemic of 1918 and, if so, healthy adults would be most at risk of dying, along with pregnant women and the elderly.

Why are healthy adults at greatest risk? It appears that the H5N1 bird-flu virus causes a massive immunological response against the virus in those with the strongest immune systems. Unfortunately, this causes the release of human enzymes called ""cytokines,"" which destroy lung cells along with viral particles. This, in turn, causes a deadly outpouring of fluids into the lung, which interferes with the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This reaction is frequently fatal. There are few effective treatments--one of the only treatments available is to place the patient on a ventilator, a mechanical respirator. Even with this treatment, patients often die from complications.

Bradford Frank, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. The Frank Group P.O. Box 138 Lakewood, NY 14750 www.AvoidBirdFlu.com

About the author: Bradford Frank, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. The Frank Group P.O. Box 138 Lakewood, NY 14750 www.AvoidBirdFlu.com

7 Stress Saving Strategies for Beating the Small Business Cash Flow Blues

Author: Caroline Jordan MBA

Small business owners can relieve a lot of their own cash flow problems, according to Caroline Jordan, small business advisor and author. ""Small business owners have more control over their cash flow than they realize."" says Jordan.

To help you get a jumpstart on solving your own cash flow woes, Jordan offers a free, ""Cash Flow Master checklist"" that you can get by sending a blank email to TheJordanResult-110571@autocontactor.com. Jordan also suggests the following tips to help you understand why cash flow problems plague 66% of small businesses.

1. Avoid the dreaded ""Fly by the Seat of Your Pants"" accounting method.--Businesses need to systematically track income, expenses, accounts receivable, and accounts payable. If you only know how your business is doing once a year at tax time, you're bound to end up deeply mired in the Cash Flow Swamp.

2. Developing ""Strength in Numbers""--Once you have your accounting system in place you need to learn what the numbers are telling you and how to use those numbers to manage and grow your business.

3. Keep tight control of credit--Business owners can get themselves in credit trouble two different ways; poor credit granting practices and shortsighted use of credit from banks, credit cards, and vendors.

4. Be sure your Receivables and Payables ""play nice"" together--The money owed to you by your customers should arrive in time for you to pay your vendors and your employees. When your customers take 60 days to pay and your vendors want to be paid in 30 days, you can quickly end up with a Cash Flow Crunch.

5. Make decisions based on Cash Flow not Profit--Many businesses that fail are profitable when the doors close. What those businesses don't have is CASH. When you pursue that big, juicy contract or think about hiring another employee, always ask yourself ""What will this do to my cash flow?""

6. Don't forget your debt to society-- Some bills are easy to forget. Bills like sales tax, payroll taxes, and estimated taxes. Ignoring them doesn't make them go away. Planning ahead makes the bite easier to take and keeps your from suffering Tax Day sticker shock. Scrambling to find money for taxes causes major cash flow problems.

7. Don't spend your company's future on a speed boat--Everybody loves toys. Don't make the mistake of thinking all the profits of your business are ""fun money"". You've heard it many times from personal financial planners that you should have enough cash put aside for six months of expenses. This is true for your business, too. Sales ebb and flow. Expenses rise. Customers leave. Vehicles break down. Computers fry. The number one rule of small business is ""Stuff Happens"". Having a reserve of cash keeps your cash flow from tanking every time a new challenge appears.

About the author: Caroline Jordan, MBA helps self employed professionals build successful businesses, attract clients they enjoy working with, improve cash flow, and develop additional sources of revenue. To find out how visit: http://www.TheJordanResult.com