Make Your Business Work Like Magic
I've been fascinated by magic and magicians since I was little. A successful magician can reach behind my ear, say "abracadabra" and - voila - pull out a quarter. Or with focused concentration, and two taps of a wand, a rabbit comes out of a top hat that was previously proven empty. On a bigger scale, a successful magician can drape a silk cape over a caged tiger and with a grand gesture and the flip of a wrist - poof - the cape falls to the ground and the caged tiger has disappeared. I love that stuff.
It's amazing. It's magic.But it wasn't until I tried to learn a few magic tricks myself that I discovered the key to such effortless success. It didn't come from the words being uttered, or the brand of top hat being used, or the type of cape being flung ... those are just the props and tools of the trade. The success of the magic comes from something we don't see on stage ...
the endless hours of repetitive practice. Even simple slight of hand isn't really simple ... it is practiced and perfected before it is ever performed. The resulting trick performed to an audience must become seemingly effortless and automatic. It can be re-choreographed.
It can be reinvented. Yet, the success is in being able to do it over and over again; not in being able to do it once every third or fourth try. Can you guess where I'm going with this in how it relates to your business?You are the magician of your business, and your customers are your audience. They are the ones who pay to receive whatever you promise to deliver. Whether it is a magic show, a product, or a service, your job is to give your audience (customers) an experience they'll want to have over and over again.The goal of making it simple and easy for your customers and clients to do business with you begins with focused, rehearsed, and perfected behind-the-scenes work to achieve consistency.Give your customers consistency, and you'll solidify loyalty.
If you embellish with a few magic words and a prop or two, that's great - but if you aren't consistent, your audience (customers) won't be loyal enough to keep paying the entry fee to see your show, or buy your products and services. Many of us focus on the props - promotions, signage, advertising - yes, these things are extremely important to attract people to your services and products. But if you are not delivering consistency to your customers and clients who are attracted to your props, they will not come back for more. Roughly 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your customers. That's right, long-term success is in repeat business, not in pulling in new customers with gags and gimmicks only to have them leave after the first show.Build consistency into your business by remembering the magician.
An audience may be dazzled by the words, hats, and capes, but if the tiger doesn't disappear every single time, that audience won't likely come back to see a second show..
Susan Carter is a consultant and author of business-building publications for micro business owners and solo professionals. Free book chapters and ezine at: http://www.successideas.comiTravel iShop Team Completes “Shop Around the World in 80 Days Trip”
London, UK (ContentDesk) March 10, 2006 -- Nine countries, 16 cities, 22 hotels and 32,500 thousand miles later, the iTravel iShop team has successfully completed their Shop Around the World in 80 Days trip. The team, iTravel iShop founders Christina Valhouli and John Vipond, set off in late November 2005 to discover the worlds best shops, restaurants and hotels, inspired by Phileas Foggs journey in the Jules Verne novel. Like Fogg, they departed from London, landed in Mumbai and headed east, visiting Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, LA and New York, among other cities. The team chronicled their shopping adventures in their blog: www.itravelishop.com/blogDespite Viponds best attempts to keep the shopping at a reporting level, a few purchases managed to sneak their way into the teams luggage, including jewellery and hand-blocked prints from Jaipur; custom-made clothes in Shanghai; and silk cushion covers in Beijing.Some of the highlights, lowlights and best discoveries...
iTravel iShop Team Completes “Shop Around the World in 80 Days Trip”
Silk > iTravel iShop Team Completes “Shop Around the World in 80 Days Trip”
The Lowly Vinyl Banner is happy to take your abuse
In the hierarchy of advertising and promotional media, the lowly Vinyl Banner has to be one of the most under-rated of them all. Often viewed as a temporary substitute for a real sign, or a cheap backdrop when you can't afford something better, vinyl banners rarely gets their due.As with most things, changes in technology have had a big impact on the vinyl banner. Just four or five years ago if you wanted a durable and weather-resistant banner, the production guy had two choices. He could either print them one color at a time using a silk screen process, or he could generate self-adhesive letters and manually stick them down on the vinyl backing. The limitations of both these processes are pretty obvious.
They are both time-consuming, amateurish, and usually too expensive. Including company logos, photographs, or special typefaces could only be done with much work and considerable expense.Until recently graphic designers and advertising people ? the creative types who like pretty...
The Lowly Vinyl Banner is happy to take your abuse
Silk > The Lowly Vinyl Banner is happy to take your abuse
iTravel iShop Team Completes “Shop Around the World in 80 Days Trip”
London, UK (ContentDesk) March 10, 2006 -- Nine countries, 16 cities, 22 hotels and 32,500 thousand miles later, the iTravel iShop team has successfully completed their Shop Around the World in 80 Days trip. The team, iTravel iShop founders Christina Valhouli and John Vipond, set off in late November 2005 to discover the worlds best shops, restaurants and hotels, inspired by Phileas Foggs journey in the Jules Verne novel. Like Fogg, they departed from London, landed in Mumbai and headed east, visiting Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, LA and New York, among other cities. The team chronicled their shopping adventures in their blog: www.itravelishop.com/blogDespite Viponds best attempts to keep the shopping at a reporting level, a few purchases managed to sneak their way into the teams luggage, including jewellery and hand-blocked prints from Jaipur; custom-made clothes in Shanghai; and silk cushion covers in Beijing.Some of the highlights, lowlights and best discoveries...
iTravel iShop Team Completes “Shop Around the World in 80 Days Trip”
Silk > iTravel iShop Team Completes “Shop Around the World in 80 Days Trip”
Jazz Up Your Bedroom With A Bed Skirt
A bed skirt can add a decorative touch to your bedroom and give your bedding that complete look.
While bed skirts can go with many decorating themes, you do need to consider how your bedroom is decorated and think about whether a bed skirt will fit in or not.
Bed skirts are only good if they enhance your d?cor and not detract from it.
Some bedroom decorating themes that might benefit from the addition of a bed skirt include a Victorian theme, romantic bedroom theme, Shabby Chic bedroom theme, French or Paris apartment bedroom theme or any feminine theme.
On the other hand if you have a zen bedroom, a minimalist bedroom or a modern or contemporary bedroom then a bed skirt probably will not look good.
Bed skirts which are mainly designed to hide the box spring of the bed are placed under the mattress and then hang down to the floor.
They also do a great job of hiding "stuff" you might have stored under the bed.
Bed...
Jazz Up Your Bedroom With A Bed Skirt
Silk > Jazz Up Your Bedroom With A Bed Skirt
Shoppers Require Pure and Organic Gifts with Style this Holiday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESANTA FE, N.M.(ContentDesk) ? September 15, 2003 ? "Much of what will drive this holiday's gift purchasing will be consumers buying for friends what they really want for themselves; a healthier lifestyle and time alone to relax and pamper themselves," said Cherilyn G. Swenson, founder of Spabox, an online organic spa apothecary. http://www.spabox.comMore than 40 million households, or approximately 39% of the U.S. population, regularly choose organic products, according to the Natural Marketing Institute's 2002 Organic Consumer Trends Report. With organic becoming more mainstream, organic health and spa products are expected to be top-sellers for the holidays.
"It won't be enough to simply provide natural and organic gifts," said Swenson. "Of course the purity of the products is most important; however, consumers put just as much significance on the packaging and style of the product. We spend as much time...
Shoppers Require Pure and Organic Gifts with Style this Holiday
Silk > Shoppers Require Pure and Organic Gifts with Style this Holiday
Refinancing Your House - How To Know Whether To Refinance Or Get A Second Mortgage
Refinancing your house's mortgage is not the same thing as getting a second mortgage. While both allow you to cash out your home's equity, terms and rates differ between the two types of loans. To know which financing option is best for you, learn each loan's features and pick the one that best meets your needs.Refinancing Your MortgageTraditional refinancing is basically replacing one mortgage loan with another. Typically, refinancing lowers mortgage payments through lower interest rates or longer...
Refinancing Your House - How To Know Whether To Refinance Or Get A Second Mortgage Silk Make Your Business Work Like Magic refinance
Silk > Refinancing Your House - How To Know Whether To Refinance Or Get A Second Mortgage
An Introduction to RV Insurance
Insurance coverage for recreational vehicles (RVs) can be a complicated issue. RVs combine many aspects of regular traveling vehicles with aspects of a home. There are several issues that need to be considered when purchasing RV insurance. First, all conventional car insurance issues must be covered. Second, it is a good idea to insure items inside the RV as well.
Other issues arise for people who live predominantly in their RV and do not have a permanent residence anywhere else. The definition...
appliances
Silk > An Introduction to RV Insurance