Thursday 29 January 2009

Let’s Keep Things in Proportion

According to the media, it's going to be a less than fantastic 2009. They tell us that businesses will close, unemployment will rise and that customers and sales will be harder to come by.

Sad to say, many businesses have already closed and staff been made redundant. I trust that your job and your business are secure in 2009. However, I'm getting a bit fed up with all this negativity, doom and gloom. As I write this blog, the headline news is that Marks and Spencer sales are down by 7% over the Christmas period. What is buried in the news is that, Department Store chain, John Lewis, is up 2.4% in sales over the Christmas period.

I'm aware of two other organisations in the service industry, both working in the same market, selling the same service, to the same customers. One of them, in late 2008, closed branches and made staff redundant. The other opened new branches, employed new staff and expanded into new markets. I'm glad to say, I'll be working with the second organisation in 2009.

I believe; that it's always been a challenge to motivate staff, find new customers, develop existing ones and generate more sales. My business is about helping individuals and organisations do just that. So if you want to know what happens after a Motivation Doctor Seminar, email askalan@themotivationdoctor.com

"Look up, laugh loud, talk big, keep the color in your cheek and the fire in your eye, adorn your person, maintain your health, your beauty and your animal spirits." - William Hazlitt

Tuesday 27 January 2009

6 New Seminars and Workshops to: Ensure Your Success in 2009

You can either sit back and face the results of the worldwide downturn in business in 2009 or you can do something about it.
I have designed 6 new seminars to bring you tangible sales results for your organisation.

Click this link for more details

Monday 12 January 2009

2 Sure-Fire Tips to Shine in 2009

Let me tell you a quick story. When I left school and started looking for a job as an apprentice engineer. I was repeatedly told, “It’s a bad time to find a job.” It was, and it took time and effort.
When I decided to leave engineering and find a job in sales; I was repeatedly told, “It’s a bad time to find a job in sales.” It was, and it took time and effort.
When I decided to give up my job and start my own business in 1993; I was told by lots of well meaning people, “It’s a bad time to start a new business.” It was and it took time and lots of effort.
I don’t know about your job or your business, but when has it ever been a good time to find a job, or get promoted, or start a business, or find new customers, or sell more of your product or service?
Admittedly, 2009 will be a challenge for many people and for more than a few businesses.
If you want to shine in 2009, then what you need is lots of BRAIN ENERGY and lots of BODY ENERGY!
Sure-fire tip number 1 is – Build your Brain Energy.
Imagine that you’ve just been rejected for a bank loan, or you’ve just been turned down for promotion or a potential customer has rejected your proposal. Perhaps a publishing company has rejected the book that you’ve slaved over for the past couple of years.
If you react with – “Oh no, not again, I’m really fed up with this. These people are a real pain. They’re making a big mistake. What am I going to do now?”
This sort of reaction drains your brain of energy; it adds to your stress levels and destroys your self motivation.
Reacting drains the brain – thinking less so.
Get the thinking part of your brain working and say to yourself – “I’ll make an appointment today with a better bank! I’ll show my employer how good I really am or I’ll find a new job. I’ll phone the next potential customer on my list right now! And the next publishing company will see the potential in my book!”

There are also many minor situations that happen every day that’ll drain the energy from your brain. Let’s say you receive a parking ticket; pay the fine right away; get rid of it, forget it and move on. Moaning and complaining about it drains your brain and the fine still has to be paid.
Do not, and I repeat, do not say – “Oh no, what am I going to do now!?” Every time you say – “Oh no” your brain has a huge drain of energy.

Build up your brain energy by using lots positive self-talk.
Your level of success in terms of your happiness, emotional wellbeing and anything else you desire is a direct result of how you talk to yourself. The most important relationship you’ll ever have is the one you have with yourself.
Listen to the self-talk that goes on in your head and ask yourself – “Is what I’m saying allowing me to be confident, on top and going for it?” If so – great!
“Or is it holding me back and stopping me achieve my goals?” If this is the case – STOP IT, change the program!
Think about the things you say to yourself and make every statement in the present tense.
Don’t say, for example – “I’m going to make a success of this business” or “I’m going to get organised,” or "I’m going to lose weight and get fitter" or “I’m going to be much more confident.”
Say – “I am totally in control of my life. I am totally confident and positive. I’m achieving my goals. I have determination and drive.”
What you’re actually doing here is re-programming your subconscious. If you talk to yourself in a positive way, that’s what your subconscious will focus on and you’ll have lots of brain energy

Sure-fire tip number 2 is - Build your Body Energy

The body and the brain are linked together so when the brain drains of energy so does the body. However, the body also does a lot of running about, up and down off the seat and often takes a bit of a beating.
For it to work well, it needs to be in good condition in the first place. We all know by now that if we eat too much or eat the wrong things, smoke too much or drink too much alcohol, then our body is in danger of breaking down.
If you want more body energy, then you’re going to have to do some exercise. (Do I hear you saying - “I need the body energy before I can do the exercise!?”) You know as well as I, that if you take more exercise, you will have more energy.
Now I know you think you don’t have the time. You may also be the type that doesn’t want to go to the gym and lift heavy things or leap about in an aerobics class; however, I am totally convinced that you need to take some exercise that makes you sweat a little.
I’m sorry, but walking the dog or a round of golf doesn’t count, it isn’t the kind of exercise I’m talking about. Golf is great and it’s good for the stress, but it doesn’t make you sweat.

If you’re going to walk then walk fast for a distance, enough to push up the heart rate and increase the breathing.
Again, get your internal program right and start to think how you can make your exercise enjoyable. I see some people at the health club making the whole business a real chore. They get on a bike or a rowing machine and try to kill themselves for twenty minutes. If that’s your thing then fine, but please don’t make it a chore, plug into the sound system and catch up with what’s on TV.

If you’re really not into exercise then please make sure you have other activities outside of your workplace and make them fun. Too many people are going home and slumping in front of the TV - successful people don’t do that.

A laugh and a sweat a day – keeps the stress away!

Make no mistake about it; if you look after the Body and the Brain:
You’ll shine in 2009