Communicate for Success

Golf Pro Improved My Game Immediately

2008-04-26T15:00:00.007-05:00

Yesterday I had an exciting golf experience. My teaching pro--Mark Bowen, pictured above giving a lesson to Lauren Bell--gave me a 90 minute lesson. I went to him because I was having a big problem with my short shots into the green, those of 100 yards or less. This was especially frustrating because my tee shots have been long and straight, yet I couldn't score well because my wedge shots were unreliable.

Mark watched me hit a few shots, so he could identify the problem. Then in less than 15 minutes, he showed me the right grip, stance, and swing motion that would almost guarantee success when I followed his directions.

Next, we practiced hitting shots to the green from different distances, from as close as 10 yards up to 83 yards away. Mark demonstrated the changes I would need to make to adjust to the varied distances.

To my delight, the last 7 shots I hit to a green from 83 yards away were incredible. The were right at the target. Two of them almost went in the hole.

Notice two big points here. One is that I have played golf avidly since age thirteen. I have taken many lessons. Yet there is always more to learn. I slip into bad habits that I can't see myself. Only my golf coach can spot the problem and provide a solution.

The second point is that under the watchful eye of a skilled coach, I improved dramatically, hitting difficult shots with an ease and confidence I had never felt before. Today I practiced for another hour, to make sure I remembered Mark's tips. Fortunately, I did, and I hit many shots I was incapable of hitting just three days ago.

If you're a golfer, I recommend that you contact Mark, Director of Golf and Head Professional, Chattahoochee Golf Course, Gainesville, Georgia. His phone: 770-532-0066. His instruction will become one of your finest golf investments.

As Columbo used to say on TV, "Oh, and there's just one more thing. . . ." A few minutes ago, it dawned on me that this is why I provide communication coaching for individual clients. Like Mark Bowen, I get tremendous satisfaction from helping others strengthen their skills. One of my clients learns how to rely less on notes while giving a speech. Another one learns to control stage fright. Another client uses Power Point more effectively. I love to watch their progress.

To find out more about my speech coaching, visit my Web site's coaching page:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/coaching.htm

"But Bill," you're thinking, "I live too far away to take advantage of your on site coaching." Well, I have an accessible, cost effective solution. Sign up for my Online Coaching Program. Use this link to read the description:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/online_coaching.htm

Also, if you live in the United States, I encourage you to order my audio CD, "How to Become a Dynamic Speaker!" Read the description on my site:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/store/index.htm

Remember my motto: "Learn more. . .Earn More!"

What My Readers Say About First Impressions

2008-04-01T09:39:00.008-05:00

Recently Business KnowHow published my article, "Everything Counts in First Impressions." Here's the link:
http://tinyurl.com/33scd4

Concluding the article, I invited readers to add to my list of
offensive behaviors that ruin first impressions. Here are some
of the many responses, printed with permission.

"My personal 'favorite' of behaviors that mar first impressions: the
handshake without eye contact, like politicians do who are
focusing on their next greeting, not the current one."
Nancy Krug, Owner
Arcana Tileworks LLC
Windermere, FL

"A low cut blouse, constantly flipping the hair back."
Maudie Abraham
Moments Like This, LLC
Ypsilanti, MI

"Cologne or perfume too strong, that bothers me. Especially if
you can smell it in a large office area."
Sally Westhause, Results Program Manager
Avnet, Inc.
Phoenix, AZ

"Weak handshakes. Insincere responses, i.e. laughing weakly at
a joke or saying something like 'I understand' when you really don't."
Karen L. Graves
The Mom's Coach
White Plains, NY

"Overusing key phrases or words. 'Certainly' seems to be an
adverb that is constantly used whether it's appropriate or not."
Also, "jingling coins in your pocket" and "slouching in your
chair during a meeting, presentation or lecture."
Peg Barto, AIS
AMICA Mutual Insurance Company
Fairport, NY

Among one reader's 47 suggestions: cheap ties, bragging, put on
accents,playing with things on the table, too many rings, negative attitude
Bagalopal
Merchant Banking, Investment Banking, Stock Brokering
Mumbai, India

How to Talk With People in Desperate Situations

2008-03-26T16:57:00.009-05:00

You know the feeling--you steer away from dramatic situations your co-workers, prospects, clients, and friends face. You "just wouldn't know what to say" to someone going through:

Divorce
Loss of a loved one
Serious Illness
Job loss
Bankruptcy
Home Foreclosure
Recovery from a car crash
Children who break the law and bring disgrace

Watch this video, and in 6 minutes 25 seconds you will know how to talk with people and help them when their circumstances seem practically disastrous. In other words, you'll know what to say. . .in situations where you used to be speechless.

Anita Bruzzese Interviews Bill Lampton About Communication Strategies

2008-03-20T05:21:00.007-05:00

SMASH YOUR OLD LADDER TO SUCCESS--AND GET A NEW ONE

Are you still using the old ladder you thought would help you climb to the top of your profession?

Old ladder examples for job applicants:

"I can type and take shorthand really well."
"I'll need full secretarial assistance, as I don't
answer my work phone directly."
"To make a sale, I talk for thirty minutes nonstop, so nobody can
interrupt me with questions."
"No, I haven't gotten into computers at all. I'm just not technical."
"My leisure suit makes me look my best."

ANITA BRUZZESE HELPS YOU BUILD A BETTER LADDER
Obviously, those obsolete approaches won't get you climbing
toward success. That's why Anita Bruzzese--syndicated columnist
for Gannett News Service and USA.com, book author, and business career expert for more than twenty years--has launched a new
podcast titled "Smash the Ladder with Anita and Diane." Diane
is Anita's alternating hostess, Diane Danielson. This weekly audio
resource appears on blogtalkradio. It's lively, informative, and
highly relevant.

ANITA INTERVIEWS ME ABOUT COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
This week Anita hosted me for a thirty minute interview, focusing
on the communication strategies that will help us reshape our
ladder to success, after smashing the old one. You'll find the
audio version of the interview using this link:

http://tinyurl.com/2m8hs2

WHAT ANITA ASKED ME
The key questions Anita asked me:

*What are the greatest communication challenges in the
workplace today?

*What role does technology play in organizations? Are we
using it in the right way, or is it just making things worse?"

*How do you politely handle the co-worker who drops by
and interrupts you with a longwinded conversation?"

"How can we become better listeners?"

"What's a good way to make a favorable first impression
on someone?"

LINK TO THE INTERVIEW
To hear my responses and Anita's constructive comments,
set aside 30 minutes and click on this link:

http://tinyurl.com/2m8hs2

The interview will begin after a thirty-second audio
commercial.

FOUR ACTION STEPS TO TAKE AFTER YOU LISTEN
After you hear our discussion about the communication
strategies you need for a new ladder to career success,
I recommend you take these four steps:

(1) Share the interview link with your colleagues, and encourage
them to listen. Assure them it's worth 30 minutes of their
time.

(2) Discuss the interview at your next staff meeting, after
your associates have listened.

(3) Register for blogtalkradio, so you can sign in and make
comments on "Smash the Ladder" programs (including
this one) and other programs.

(4)Visit Anita Bruzzese's Web site to order her two
books, Take This Job and Thrive and 45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy--And How to Avoid Them. The link:
http://www.45things.com/books.htm

The New York Post placed 45 Things You Do That Drive Your
Boss Crazy among the top ten most notable business books
of 2007.

ADDITIONAL LEARNING RESOURCES
U.S. residents can order Bill's book, e-book, and audio CDs from
his online store:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

International residents can order his e-book from the above
link and his book from http://www.Amazon.com

TO SUBSCRIBE
To subscribe to Bill Lampton's newsletter, visit his Web site and enter your name and e-mail address in the slots provided:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Quarterback Eagle Day Won Big in Sports and Life

2008-02-25T11:41:00.012-05:00

Eagle Day and I grew up less than a mile apart in the tiny town of Columbia, Mississipi. In high school, he became one of my early heroes, because of his remarkable athletic skills. Consider these achievements:
--Earned 16 letters at Columbia High School: football, baseball, basketball, track
--All-SEC Quarterback at Ole Miss, leading the team to consecutive SEC crowns
--Most valuable back in Cotton Bowl, where he spearheaded a victory over TCU
--Cotton Bowl, Missisippi, and Ole Miss Halls of Fame
--Played fourteen years of professional football, most valuable player in 1962 in the Canadian Football League

Thrilling as it was to watch my boyhood friend and idol go that far, Eagle Day turned into a different kind of hero for me after his playing days. He became a solid family man, civic and church leader, and supporter of his alma mater. He spoke at youth camps and churches, and volunteered for numerous charities. He helped young athletes hone their skills. Professionally, he established a successful insurance business, then became Executive Director of the Mississippi Motor Vehicle Commission.

On February 22,2008, this grand champion of athletics and life died from cancer. I have lost a lifelong friend. Let me share with you, though, Eagle Day's ten lessons from winning at life, as I understand them from our many discussions across several decades.

LESSON ONE: Keep an upbeat attitude. Across many years, whenever I would call Eagle and ask, "How are you doing?" he offered a one-word answer: "Fantastic." Life to him was fantastic. He endured setbacks like everybody else, but he considered them nothing more than temporary challenges.

LESSON TWO: Have a goal. I asked Eagle once, "How did you have the discipline to keep going--practicing, eating right, training, and avoiding the bad habits most of us had as teenagers? What made you stick with athletics so faithfully?" He answered: "I wanted to catch the bus out of town." He loved that little town,yet he knew that his talent and dedication could take him many more places.

LESSON THREE: Never envy anyone else. Eagle grew up in very moderate economic circumstances. He could have become bitter about his school mates who enjoyed many more privileges. But he never complained. In fact, he told me once, "The other man's grass might look greener. . .but did you ever try to mow it?"

LESSON FOUR: Don't let others intimidate you. "Bill," he told me, "I never think of myself as better than anybody else. At the same time, I never think of anybody else as better than me. We're all on equal footing."

LESSON FIVE: Prepare thoroughly. "At Calgary, I was the first player on the practice field, and the last to leave," he explained. At Ole Miss, he had 150 plays to remember, plus their various formations. "Before a big game, I might not sleep more than three hours, as I pictured every possibility, and how I would react." In his words, "Win before you ever hit the field."

LESSON SIX: Call on your teammates. As head of the Motor Vehicle Division, he spent many hours preparing his board chairman for a leadership role in the meetings.

LESSON SEVEN: Always be available to those who need you. In 1975, my mother suffered a severe stroke, and was hospitalized in Jackson. I called Eagle, and told him how much it would mean if he visited my distraught, aged father. Eagle came to the hospital that afternoon. Immediately, I could see my father's spirits lifted.

LESSON EIGHT: Take a risk when you have the ability. Ole Miss was losing that 1956 Cotton Bowl in the closing minutes. Ole Miss had the ball, but it was fourth down. Eagle knew that Coach Johnny Vaught wanted Eagle to punt. Eagle had confidence he could complete a pass. He did, to get the first down. Shortly afterward, Eagle ran 25 yards to the five yard line. The score on the next play, plus the extra point, assured the 14-13 victory over TCU. Sports writers dubbed Eagle "The Mississippi Gambler." He disagreed, saying he knew all along he could make the fourth down pass play work.

LESSON NINE: Take pride in your appearance. Coach Vaught instilled that in his players--"Look good, and you'll feel like a champion." While others welcomed "business casual" and carried it to sloppy extremes, Eagle invariably looked like a man out of Esquire.

LESSON TEN: Look beyond human help. For many years, Eagle was active in Jackson's First Baptist Church. He ushered and attended Tuesday Bible study lunch meetings. In a speech to a men's group at the church, he concluded with: "Don't remember me as number 19 (his football jersey number). Instead, remember me as a man of integrity."

Shortly after Eagle's untimely death, I remembered what Vince Lombardi said about the Green Bay Packers: "We never lost a game. Sometimes the clock just ran out." I can assure you, Eagle Day was a winner in every phase of life. The clock ran out, but the score is in his favor nevertheless.

NOTE: Eagle Day's inspiring story plays a prominent role in my audio CD, "Maintaining Maximum Motivation: Strategies for Staying in High Gear!" To order your CD today and hear more about "The Mississippi Gambler"use this link to my online store (for orders within the U.S. only):
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Become a Champion Communicator Through Online Coaching

2008-01-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

BILL LAMPTON’S ONLINE COACHING PROGRAM—

“CHAMPION COMMUNICATORS”

Daniel Webster, one of America’s greatest statesmen and speakers, said:

“If I were to lose all of my possessions except one, I would save the power of communication, for by it I soon would regain all of the rest.”

Do you agree? Is "the power of communication" that powerful?

YOUR COMMUNICATION FANTASIES
To answer. . .think for a minute of what you have dreamed of accomplishing professionally. Examples of your optimistic daydreams:

Your interviewing aptitude gets you that prestigious job you want, though you are one of 200 applicants, with only five candidates reaching the interview stage.

Your sales savvy helps you outsell the rest of the sales team for an entire year. You ask the best questions, give convincing answers, and support your message with appropriate nonverbal communication.

Your writing talent enables your proposal to win the biggest contract ever for your company.

Your forceful speaking takes you to prominent civic leadership posts in your community, resulting in publicity, friendships, and meeting new prospects. You speak with poise and persuasive ability.

Your keen listening keeps morale high among your employees. They trust you enough to share their problems and candid recommendations, without fear of reprisals.

Your negotiating ability allows you to resolve conflicts before they damage your organization severely.

Yes, the ability to communicate could very well be that one asset you’d want to keep, as Webster suggested, if you had to face a choice of which possession to hold tight to.

Now let me ask. . .since communication is the springboard for your success, what are you doing to keep on developing your communication skills?

Anything regular, disciplined, systematic, part of a structured plan, sure-to-happen?

Probably not. Most likely, your improvement is haphazard, do-it-when-you-can. Some months you make progress, but most other months you put your energy elsewhere.

Well, this is where I come in. I want to enrich your communication talent!

Not now and then, not just once a quarter—but averaging once every week. That's right--I'll e-mail you 52 or more valuable training messages annually.

How does that happen? Simple: You select me as your Online Communication Coach.

“Won’t work,” you’re thinking. “I live in Idaho” or “My office is in Toronto.” Or even: “Check with me, Bill, next time you’re going to be in London, and we’ll arrange a coaching session.” Or “Forget it—there’s little chance you’ll travel to Glasgow or Quito.”

So you decide, “Good as the idea sounds, the distance between us makes your coaching impractical.”

Yet who said anything about a coach having to be present with you? Remember, around 1996 this electronic marvel called the Internet appeared. With it, e-mail emerged. And we’ve become pretty accustomed to online learning.

In fact, through a variety of technologies—including Skype,the internationally popular online phone/video system—I can communicate personally with you wherever you are.

That’s why I am offering you a slot in my new online coaching program, which is titled:

Champion Communicators

Your big advantage: Even though we may never sit down together for a face-to-face coaching session, I will coach you through “distance learning.” Regardless of your location, you will enjoy the same potential results my in-person coaching clients receive.

HOW YOU WILL BENEFIT
Once you sign up for the coaching plan, I will e-mail you—on a consistent basis, spaced so you will have time to read, listen to,and apply my tips and strategies—information that hasn’t been released to my regular newsletter subscribers.

Examples:•
. Brief, information-packed instructional videos/audios
• Concise video interviews I conduct with top professionals
• Short reviews of the best books relating to communication
• My comments about major news-making communication events
• Answers to questions you e-mail me
• Links to Web sites that will strengthen your communication
• Descriptions of my own communication strategies that have worked well

YOUR INVESTMENT
To enter the Champion Communicators regular online coaching program, you will agree to a one-year plan. Through Visa, MasterCard, or American Express, you will commit $24.97 monthly for a year, for an annual total of a modest $299.64.

NOTE: $300 is a fairly standard rate for one hour of on-site coaching from a well qualified professional at my level .

YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Twelve months into Champion Communicators you will be eager to sign up for another year. Why?

Because you will:
• Speak more persuasively
• Control stage fright every time you speak
• Write more clearly
• Relate more effectively with those whose styles differ from yours
• Listen with greater empathy and build a stronger team
• Maintain maximum motivation, because of your acquired skills
• Improve your marketing
• Boost sales
• Reduce embarrassing e-mail mistakes
• Strengthen interpersonal relations, including family dynamics
• Deal with the media effectively

. . .and so much more.

HERE’S HOW TO ENROLL
To participate in this
• dynamic. . .
• information-centered. . .
• value-saturated. . .
coaching program, start by e-mailing me, titling your e-mail:

CHAMPION COMMUNICATORS

My e-mail address:
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

Then I will reply, asking you to send the credit card information required to enroll you. You may send that data by e-mail or fax, whichever you prefer.Or possibly you’d like to give me your credit card data over the phone. That’s fine. Call me at
678-316-4300

YOUR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES. . .

TWO POTENTIAL SIGNUP BONUSES

FIRST BONUS—FOR CHARTER MEMBERSHIP PLAN
Sign up for the Charter Membership Plan, and you will invest $24.97 monthly in my company,Championship Communication, through your credit card. Remember, you are committing for 12 months,with the option to renew in 2009. A special signup bonus awaits only those who enroll now,during 2008, as Charter Members. This bonus will not be offered next year.

What you’ll get:
Once you have provided your credit card information, I will e-mail you my recently produced e-book,“E-mailing Excellence: 55 Tips for Cyberspace Success”

Your “netiquette,” or e-mail etiquette, creates an image of you as a professional. So this bonus will help you build your reputation as a highly competent communicator.

In snappy, to-the-point language, “E-mailing Excellence” shows you how to avoid those pesky e-mail mistakes that shatter your credibility. You'll bolster your reputation among colleagues, prospects, and clients.

The e-book appears on my Web site for purchase now, but
you get this signup bonus on a complimentary basis.

SECOND BONUS—FOR ADVANCED MEMBERSHIP PLAN:
The Advanced Membership Plan gives you the opportunity to make your full investment, $299.64,now, when you start the program. Again, this will be through your credit card.

Your Exclusive Bonus, not available to others in the online coaching plan: Anytime during 2008, you can schedule a one-time hour-long telephone call with me. We’ll discuss any communication issue you’re facing. Your only expenditure will be your charge for the call you place to me.

NOTE FOR U.S RESIDENTS:
U.S. residents have the option to commit to the Advanced Membership Plan with a check to Championship Communication for the full amount.

Mail that check to:
Bill Lampton, Ph.D.
Championship Communication
P.O. Box 908267
Gainesville, GA 30501-0920

PLEASE NOTE: Those in the Advance Membership Plan will also receive the e-book that goes to those in the Charter Membership Plan.

ACT NOW—REQUEST THE SIGNUP FORM
Make 2008 the year you will become a Champion Communicator. Accept my invitation to join this twelve-month partnership that will elevate your communication expertise--dramatically.

You'll know the difference "the power of communication" makes, as Webster said. And everyone you interact with will notice the new skill plateau you reach.

YOUR NEXT STEP
Send me an e-mail titled CHAMPION COMMUNICATOR. Then I will e-mail you the registration form.

Once you make your investment, I’ll start sending you fresh, vital communication tips, strategies, and guidelines.

My e-mail address:
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

A CLOSING TESTIMONIAL
When she was an executive with Trust in Business in Munich,Germany, Amy Hart wrote:

"I believe people are given unique gifts in their life, and you Bill have the gift of teaching and sharing with others the magic that communication can bring to every aspect of individuals' lives."

Bill Lampton, Ph.D., President
Championship Communication
“Helping You Finish in First Place!”
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com
678-316-4300
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

Bob Burg Tells Why He Wrote The Go-Giver

2008-01-17T09:56:00.000-05:00

INTERVIEW WITH BOB BURG

Shortly after reading Bob Burg's new book--The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea, co-authored by John David Mann--I enjoyed the privilege of interviewing Bob. Many of you know Bob through his other books, such as the bestselling Endless Referrals and Winning Without Intimidation. Reading this interview will help you grasp the book's purpose.

Q: Why did you write The Go-Giver? Was there a special message you wanted to get across to ambitious people, one they weren't getting so compellingly elsewhere?

BURG: The purpose of the book was to shift a "consciousness premise" which says there is some kind of exclusivity between benefiting others and benefiting oneself. There isn't. And, the premise of this book is that shifting one's focus from getting to giving (meaning constantly and consistently adding value to people's lives) is not only a nice way to live life. . .but a very profitable way as well.

Q: You have established an enviable reputation in the nonfiction arena, so why did you select a fiction format this time around?

BURG: Thank you for your kind compliment. The reason we decided to make this a short "parable/fable" instead of the usual "how-to" is because it seemed as though his message was made to be communicated in the form of a really fun to read story. The cool part--I think--is the surprise ending. And I totally credit the great storytelling to John David Mann. He not only is a hugely successful entrepreneur but a genius as a writer. The fact that it's such a fun read means that people will be more likely to absorb the message and read the book a second and third time.

Q: In your work with many corporate leaders, do you find real life examples of the characters you portray in The Go-Giver?

BURG: All the time. And, it was such a great feeling when, as we were sending the unpublished manuscript out to some of the top authors and business leaders around for their feedback and critique, they continually commented with words such as, "Yes, this is how it's done" and "Thank you, Bob and John, for finally sharing what the successful people already know and others don't want to believe." It really served as a terrific form of validation. And, of course, John and I, in comparing our own experiences, have both witnessed these traits in the many successful people we've had the pleasure to know and work with.

Q. Do you expect The Go-Giver to have any impact on what business schools teach during the next decade?

BURG: Great question. Difficult to say. I believe that--to the degree this book is embraced, first by individuals and then small groups and organizations and then, hopefully, larger and larger organizations and business--this can cause a definite shift, first in understanding and then in action. Remember, though, the message in this book is not particularly new; the very successful people are already operating as Go-Givers; what we're looking to do is to bring this way of doing business to the masses. Will the business schools begin teaching this? I don't know; personally, I'd love to see it as required reading in business schools. Then again, I'd like to date Cindy Crawford and that hasn't happened yet.

Q: What would be the most desirable result you could achieve among readers of The Go-Giver?

BURG: Perhaps the most desirable for me in the short term is simply to know that it made a significant difference in someone's life. We're already hearing from people who say that immediately after reading it their attitude changed and that soon after, their success level began to change. I love that. I absolutely love that. Long term; hey, I've always been a big thinker, so doing my part to perhaps cause a shift in Universal Consciousness with regards to this aspect works for me.

To order the book, go to the Amazon page featuring The Go-Giver:
http://tinyurl.com/25lc29

And for monthly tips that will "help you finish in first place" through powerful communication, subscribe to Bill Lampton's newsletter, Winning Words and Ways, by putting your name and e-mail address in the slots provided on the home page of his Web site:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Solve Your E-mail Problems--Now!

2008-01-03T18:52:00.000-05:00

ARE YOU READY TO SOLVE THOSE PESKY,
CREDIBILITY-SMASHING E-MAIL PROBLEMS?

You know the problems I’m referring to. . . .

--Joe from the sales department e-mails you and refers to his
“attached weekly report.” Oops. . .there’s no attachment.

--Elizabeth e-mails you, including a link to “an
important, relevant article you’ll want to read.” Alas, the
link is no longer active.

--Darlene sends you an e-mail she intended to send to
Audrey, her supervisor. Even worse, the e-mail talks
unfavorably about you.

--Art sends an e-mail that shares the latest joke he has picked
up on the Internet. You notice that he includes your e-mail
address in the TO section, along with those of twenty of his friends,
who now have your e-mail address without your consent.

Until now, you didn’t have a solution.

Sure, you told employees they were making e-mail mistakes. Yet you had nothing in writing to explain the problem, and to remind them what to do next time.

The result? The same problems mentioned above kept
happening. And others, too.

--Dorena sent Bill an e-mail, summarizing his performance appraisal the previous day. Bill became angrier than he was during the appraisal. Reprimands in writing carry far more impact than when issued face-to-face.

--Juan created an office stir by sending romantic messages to Consuela, two or three times daily. “I put in so much time here,” he reasoned, “that I can use the computer for my personal needs for just a few minutes. I still get my work done, just like always.”

Now, you do have a solution to these and dozens of other e-mail problems.

Really? That’s terrific. What is it? Where do I get it?

The answers:

What: Dr. Bill Lampton’s new e-book, “Excellent E-mailing: 55 Tips
for Cyberspace Success”

Where: Available as an e-book on Bill’s Web site shopping cart:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/store/index.htm

Well, I’d like to hear what other professional people say
about this e-book before I place my order.

That’s understandable. So let’s check on comments from experts.

Addresses and solves every major e-mail problem
I've looked over your e-mail tips and thought they were all really good! I can't think of anything you left out and you had many that I had never really considered, but made so much sense.
Anita Bruzzese, Syndicated Newspaper Columnist and author of 45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy. . .And How to Avoid Them.
www.45things.com

Advice is clear and practical
“A great compilation of common sense guidance on effective emailing and communication in general; Bill has a knack for offering very clear and practical advice for people and companies trying to improve the effectiveness of their internal and external communication”
Steven Freund, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/ReynoldsPlantation/Default.htm

Helps even veteran e-mail users, valuable for Information Age
Your E-book on Email pointers was outstanding. You provide solid, usable tips and practical steps that we can all use when working with email. Since you are helping people become “Champion Communicators” this E-Book is a great resource.

Any successful business person today must know how to deal with email. From keeping it short and pithy (on the sending side) to learning how to read the right stuff and eliminate the junk (on the receiving side) you do an excellent job with it, Bill. Even veteran email users can learn from this E-Book.

This book is a must-read work and must-implement tool for those of us in the Information Age. Thank you for packing so many useful ideas into it!
Terry L. Brock, Marketing Coach, Syndicated Columnist
http://www.terrybrock.com

NOTE: Watch Terry's one-minute video testimonial:
http://tinyurl.com/2lxggm

Emphasizes the courtesy that’s essential for business success
"It's unfortunate that ever-metastasizing email has now become the technology without manners. Respected business-types who hew faithfully to Emily Post's dictates at the dining table will think nothing of behaving like boors when it's time to sit down at the keyboard. Thankfully, Bill Lampton has packaged this nifty set of 55 email commandments to remind us that the accepted rules of civilized social intercourse translate with equal force to online correspondence."
Alf Nucifora, Nucifora Consulting Group
http://www.nucifora.com
Gives you the “winner’s edge” when you e-mail someone
"When you are face-to-face with someone, you can instantly see if you've made a mistake, ask what's wrong, and make amends. Send a horrible e-mail, and you may never realize the harm you've done to your career or your company. By applying Bill Lampton's 55 Tips for Cyberspace Success, you'll have the winner's edge instead by avoiding mistakes when you e-mail."
Donald Mitchell, management consultant, author of The Ultimate Competitive Advantage and other leading business books.
http://www.mitchellandco.com

Shows us how to make sure the message has the right “tone”
“This is a very comprehensive list. My biggest comment was addressed already which is read the email fully after writing and make sure the “tone” is what you intend. The worse thing about email is that sometimes tone is difficult to grasp. An email you meant to come across one way could come across different from what was intended.”
Jeff A. Lawson, MAI,SRA Carr, Lawson, Cantrell & Associates, Inc.
http://www.carratlanta.com

Everyone who reads the e-book will benefit
I found your e-book Excellent E-mailing to be a valuable collection of e-mail tips. Anyone who uses e-mail for personal or business correspondence would benefit from reading this e-book.
Joe Escobar, Editor in Chief, Aircraft Maintenance Technology
http://www.amtonline.com

Now. . .time to place your order.
All of these highly respected professionals have let you know the value of “Excellent E-mailing.” Clearly, Bill Lampton’s power-packed e-book will help you cut down on the mistakes that have frustrated you and your colleagues, angered customers, and confused everybody.

Your investment
Your investment is so reasonable that you will want to order copies for many of your colleagues in the workplace.

Imagine. . .you’ll get this outstanding guidebook for
merely $12.97 per e-book!

NOTE: Because “Excellent E-mailing” is copyrighted material, purchasers will understand that it’s not legal to buy only one copy and then circulate it among staff and employees. Once again, the $12.97 per copy investment makes it possible for you to order multiple copies without depleting your training budget.

Priced at just $12.97 each!

REMINDER . .HOW TO ORDER
The process is so easy. Have your MasterCard or Visa card handy,and go to Bill’s Web site shopping cart:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Then. . .as the e-book’s subtitle says. . .you will
enjoy “cyberspace success,” as never before.

PURCHASE TODAY. . .COMMUNICATE LIKE
CHAMPIONS TOMORROW!

Here’s that link again:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

"Paying the Correct Price"--A Personal Trainer's Advice

2007-12-18T05:51:00.000-05:00

Joe London gives his personal training clients top-caliber guidance at The Fitness Forum in Gainesville, Georgia. During the fifteen years I have known Joe, we have exchanged our ideas about life and success, quite frequently. Recently Joe sent me this article, which I'm delighted to publish. For all of us who are interested in succeeding, his words provide a sure-fire formula.

Here's the article:

"Nature cannot be tricked or cheated. She will give up to you the object of your struggles only after you have paid her price.” Napoleon Hill

I use this quote several times each week. It helps me get clients or potential clients to evaluate their current situation. This is how the conversation typically goes, “I’m not losing any weight”....my response “Nature cannot be tricked or cheated.” “I don’t feel like I’m getting stronger”....my response “Nature cannot be tricked or cheated.” My reply is perfect every time. The next common statement I often hear from people is, “I’m watching what I eat or I’m lifting weights or I’m doing my running..” The list goes on and on and on... ad nauseum. Well, Nature cannot be tricked or cheated.

"Red” Blaik was the football coach of Army in the 1940s and 1950s. He won two national championships and wrote a book titled, YOU HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE. This was his life mantra: if you want to win championships, you have to pay the price. Incidentally, he had a young offensive coach who learned about paying the price by sacrificing health and family in order to win ball games. His name was Vince Lombardi, and he led the Green Bay Packers to two Super Bowl victories.

I have learned about paying the price with an outfit called ebay.com. I have learned that I am only willing to bid a certain amount of money for some items. If I win the item, good; if I don’t win the item, no big deal. If it is an item that I want very badly, I tend to pay the correct price and win the item.

Basically, I am doing the same thing that a client or potential client would do. Either I am willing to pay a price or I’m willing to pay the Correct Price. It is pretty much black and white at this point, no middle ground.

I call this the ebay effect. People go through the motions of paying a price, and they hope they reach their goals with a low bid. What they are doing is paying a price, but they are not paying the Correct Price.

You want to lose weight? You need professional help such as a dietician or Weight Watchers. Most people balk at this idea and try to do it on their own, never paying the Correct Price.

You want to get stronger or faster? You need a professional when it comes to technique and program design. Most people (in my estimation 95%) would never think that their technique or faulty program design is the problem. They are paying a price, but not the Correct Price.

How will you know if you’re paying the Correct Price? Nature cannot be tricked or cheated--if you’re reaching your goals, you will know....and so will everyone else.

_______________________________________________________
For more guidelines about motivation, order Bill Lampton's audio CD--titled "Maintaining Maximum Motivation: Strategies for Staying in High Gear!"--by visiting his Web site's shopping cart:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/store/index.htm

Communicate Across Cultures--Terry Brock Tells Us How

2007-11-26T14:40:00.000-05:00

When internationally respected marketing expert Terry Brock
visited my Gainesville, Georgia office recently, I interviewed him.
Terry explained how he customized his communication when
he spoke in Dubai, Ireland,and Australia during his third
worldwide tour.

Among the guidelines Brock gives for communicating globally:
*Do your research. Analyze your audience thoroughly
*Learn the cultural differences, and respect them
*Use the local lingo, such as "G'day" in Australia
*Wherever you are, become a problem-solver
*Don't just rely on the latest gadget--give valuable information
*Recognize that people around the world might know technology
as well as you do

Join me as I interview Terry in this brief video:
http://tinyurl.com/2kppbz

Then visit Terry Brock's Web site to sign up for his monthly newsletter:
http://www.terrybrock.com/

A More Productive Way to Talk With Unhappy Customers

2007-10-15T06:03:00.000-05:00

BRIAN DELANEY

Want to learn a new--and better--way to talk with unhappy customers? Then read on, to see what a company executive told me recently.

To prepare for my presentations for the Virginia Pest Management Association's State Technical Meeting, I scheduled phone conversations with several of the association's most prominent members. One of them was Brian Delaney, President of the Association. Brian's company is ProTech Pest Control of Virginia.

Brian explained his strategy for dealing with upset customers. He called his approach "noncommittal agreement." Our habit, he said, is to "make a decision before the customer gets to give the whole story." We "jump to a conclusion" too quickly.

Through experience, Brian has discovered a more productive approach. He listens, without making judgmental comments like "that's where you're wrong" or "our agreement doesn't include that service." In a quiet voice, he just agrees: "I see. . .Hmmmm. . .Tell me more."

Brian reports that the results are often amazing. Because he does not challenge the customer, the customer becomes friendlier as the story unfolds. In fact, Brian says that "sometimes the customer even apologizes for taking up so much of my time, and for getting upset over something so trivial." Certainly that doesn't happen in every case, yet the "noncommittal agreement" nearly always defuses a tense situation.

Throughout the customer conversation, Brian prompts the customer with questions. This underscores Brian's willingness to hear what the customer feels and thinks.

When I gave my speech on customer care, I called on Brian to share his noncommittal agreement concept. After he spoke, I linked his statement with Stephen Covey's five levels of listening--and noted that empathic listening, Covey's highest level, mirrored Brian's noncommittal agreement.

Next time you face a dissatisfied customer, try Brian's method. Both you and the customer will experience an unusual calmness. Instead of escalating into a verbal brawl, your dialogue will resolve the issue faster. As Stephen Covey advised, "Seek first to understand, and then to be understood."

Speaking of Stephen Covey, use this link to access my four minute video--"What's Your Listening Level?"--that discusses Covey's five levels of listening:
http://tinyurl.com/2ran6d

Also, to order my book--The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life-- and read the chapter on listening, go to my Web site's shopping cart, which accepts Visa and Mastercard:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/store/index.htm

Smiley Face Turns 25--But Isn't Always Appropriate

2007-09-19T05:05:00.000-05:00

News flash!The wire services tell us that today, September 19, 2007, marks the 25th anniversary of the origin of the "Smiley Face." You know what I'm referring to. It is :-)

Seems that a Carnegie Mellon University Professor, Scott E. Fahlman, believes he is the first person to have used that symbol, now recognized universally. Soon his new way of indicating a smile spread around campus, then went way beyond the Carnegie Mellon boundaries.

It's easy to understand why the idea spread. Indeed, bright smiles enliven our days and lives. However, in the "Business Writing That Works" seminar that I have presented for leading organizations, I give some news about the Smiley Face that shocks participants: The Smiley Face is not a good idea in business e-mailing.

Why? Because e-mail readers are likely to misinterpret humor in writing. To illustrate, I tell seminar participants that I could see a good friend at the office coffee break, pat him on the back, grin widely, and say, "Joe, you're some kind of an S.O.B." Face to face, Joe would return my grin, and then chuckle good naturedly. However, suppose Joe opened his e-mail and found that same message. Chances are strong that he would react quite differently. . .with rage instead of laughter.

From experience, I can tell you that even with your close friends, :-) carries some risk. They might detect sarcasm, which you didn't intend at all.

Yes, I wish Smiley Face a Happy 25th. At the same time, I'll continue to teach and write about the pitfalls of e-mail humor.

Want more of my E-mail tips? Then read my article, "A Dozen Guidelines for Using E-Mail." Here is the link:

http://www.businessknowhow.com/internet/e-mail-guidelines.htm

If you think the article will benefit your colleagues, you may reprint with my permission, as long as you include the author ID.

And there's more e-mail advice on the way. Within a few weeks, I will release my new E-book, "E-Mailing Excellence." If you want me to notify you when it is available for purchase online, please send me an e-mail titled, "Excellence," and I'll be sure to let you know. My e-mail address:
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

Keep on smiling. . .but not in your e-mails.

For more advice about communication expertise, visit my Web site:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

You'll find more than twenty free articles there. Also,in the site's "shopping cart" you can order my popular book, The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication,Change Your Life!

Use the Communication Style That Works Best

2007-09-03T17:36:00.000-05:00

Frequently we think we have a personality conflict with someone. Yet the problem may be less complicated than that.

Watch this brief video, in which I describe the four major communication styles, and explain how important it is to adjust your style to communicate more effectively with those who prefer a style that suits them, not you.

Then if you're interested in completing the DISC Survey Form online--at moderate cost--and getting a 23 page report immediately that identifies your style, then E-mail me, titling your E-mail DISC Survey. My E-mail address:
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

Learn Your Communication Style--Now!

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Owen Wilson Needed a Motivational Strategy

2007-08-31T06:39:00.000-05:00

Owen Wilson seemed to have it all. He gained international fame through his roles in hit movies, including Zoolander, Shanghai Noon, Wedding Crashers, and You, Me, and Dupree, with the latter one paying him a $20 million salary.

Owen was athletic, playing high school and college football--which gave him his twisted nose, after thirteen breaks.

Wealth, health, fame, dating famous women like Demi Moore, Sheryl Crow, and Kate Hudson--a great life, don't you think?

Looks like Owen Wilson didn't think so. On August 26, he attempted suicide. The news leaked out, and police confirmed the incident.

What went wrong? Some said his breakup with Kate Hudson caused his plunge into despair, depression, and disgust with life.

Yet I offer another explanation. Although Owen Wilson had the things that most of the world envies, he lacked something essential. He did not have a strategy for staying motivated when life brings unexpected and undesirable challenges.

Ernest Hemingway, for all his success as a novelist, didn't have that strategy either, and shot himself.

More positively, Christopher Reeve had a strategy for living triumphantly for nine years after his riding accident that paralyzed his body. . .but not his spirit. Amazingly, the second book he wrote carried the title Nothing is Impossible.

When I talk about motivation in my speeches and seminars, I help listeners establish their personal strategies for "staying in high gear" when life becomes tough.

First, I tell them about what other people do to remain upbeat. Example: An audience member told me she keeps a file labeled "I like me." In it, she puts nice notes or E-mails people have sent her. And when her life or career hit a stumbling block, she turns to that file and reads those compliments. Every time, she concludes, "Well, if all these people like me, I might as well like myself."

Second, I share my own favorite method for keeping my chin up. It's this: Every morning when I step out of bed, I imagine that I am stepping into an elevator. I have a choice. There are two buttons there, one marked Up, the other marked Down. Experience has shown me that if I punch the Down button, my day will--invariably--be lousy. On the other hand, when I push the Up button, and eat breakfast with a smile on my face, magical things happen. People return my phone calls, I find cheer surrounding me, and I accomplish plenty.

Third, I have audience members share their ways of getting through tough times. Often the discussion becomes highly inspirational. One person said, "When you wake up, notice that you have just experienced the greatest miracle of all. You have had a full day given to you. What you do with it us up to you. Just be grateful for the opportunity."

So, Owen Wilson, I wish you had been able to establish a system to help you through those times when you get bad reviews, romance fails, friendships shatter, health deteriorates, or someone else gets the award you think you deserved.

What about you? Can you be sure you will get where you want to be, in spite of big-time detours along the way?

Personally, I value life immensely, even though plenty has gone wrong for me:
*Almost died at age eight from a freakish infection that made medical history
*Fifteen surgeries as an adult
*Lost a prestigious job without any warning--one I thought I had for life
*Watched my mother suffer three years as an immobile stroke victim, until her death
*Almost didn't graduate from high school on time because of my chemistry course
*Became grossly overweight and lazy during my thirties

Erma Bombeck was right. The other man's grass might look greener, but it could be that's because it's over the septic tank. All of us have bad times, even horrendous times.

That's why I love to share my thoughts about pushing the Up button daily. I'm so eager to help you establish your personal agenda for "optimizing your optimism" that I have put my best advice, and the advice of those I admire, in an audio CD. The title: "Maintaining Maximum Motivation: Strategies for Staying in High Gear!" Please go to to my Web site and read what others say about this CD, then order your copy:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Listening to this CD--repeatedly--could be the best investment of time and resources you will ever make. Soon you will be able to say with Christopher Reeve, "I have my down days, but I haven't been incapacitated by them."

Terry Brock--World Renowned Technology/Marketing Expert

2007-08-06T18:33:00.001-05:00

Terry Brock, based in Orlando, Florida with his company--Achievement Systems-- has appeared in my blog previously. Yet he is worth spotlighting again--because Terry has helped many hundreds of people upgrade their technology skills and jet propel their marketing campaigns. I'm fortunate to be one of those entrepreneurs who benefit from his service.

A few days ago, Terry visited my office. In just a few minutes, he showed me how to improve my video production. As always, his instruction was clear, simple, and easy to remember. Most importantly, he was patient, knowing that technology isn't my inborn strong suit.

At lunch afterward, where the restaurant owner took the photo displayed above, we talked about Terry's third global trip, which he had just completed. As a keynote speaker, seminar director, and marketing coach, he has worked in seventeen countries, and in many states within the U.S. His worldwide impact is expanding rapidly.

Amazingly, though, Terry is never too busy to help an individual. He talks about E-Commerce (technology) and R-Commerce (relationships), and he excels in both.

There's a super lesson there for all of us. It's true that we have to keep up with the latest technology developments. However, our relationships with our colleagues, clients, potential clients, family members, and friends should never suffer while we are getting used to the latest gadgets and gizmos.

I have attended Terry's presentations. I guarantee that his sessions are information-packed, fun, high energy, and inspiring.

I recommend that you visit his Web site:
http://www.terrybrock.com

Sign up for his monthly free newsletter, Achievement Update. Consider his Online Coaching Program and his Individual Coaching Program. There's nowhere you could get more value for your investment. I am proud to call him my coach. You will be, too.

Veteran Journalist Writes Her First Book

2007-08-04T12:54:00.002-05:00

When writers get together for lunch, they enjoy talking about their latest writing projects. That's one reason I had looked forward to lunch with Alma Bowen, former editor of The Times, our newspaper here in Gainesville, Georgia.

Even before we placed our order, Alma said, "I have written a book." Having been through that process myself--writing The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life!--I congratulated Alma on her accomplishment, then asked her to describe her book. Here's how she summarized the plot, both then and in a follow up E-mail:

Title: The Cement Duck

Short Summary: "It is 1971, and a slick-talking stranger with a northern accent walks into a north Georgia bank to set up large checking accounts. He cashes checks, asking for the money in small bills. The bank president knows that a new Interstate is coming and he believes the stranger is buying property just outside the town to build a major shopping center, a project that depends on total secrecy.

"A total of $1.1 million disappears, a swindle so large and so sly that the nation's financial newspaper reports it, saying the swindle took place at 'a back-country bank.'

"The FBI agents arrive with federal bank auditors to investigate. They believe the swindle was orchestrated out of Philadelphia, but why had the north Georgia bank been selected? People became afraid and suspicious of old friends.

"The story is based on an actual crime in northeast Georgia in 1971 with all names of people and significant places changed."

I'll let you know when The Cement Duck (quite an intriguing title, don't you agree?) appears in print.

Meanwhile, you may order The Complete Communicator from my Web site's "shopping cart," which you will find at:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

When you order, please E-mail me to let me know how to sign your copy. That is, give me the name or names you want me to mention when I sign your copy or copies. My E-mail address:

drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

No Speaker is Perfect--Laugh at Your Mistakes

2007-07-06T10:39:00.000-05:00

Recently when I directed a 90-minute seminar about stage fright for the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC), a strong Atlanta area organization, I said that we can reduce our stage fright by accepting that we are not going to be perfect. We're all going to make mistakes. Admitting that to ourselves upfront relieves our tension. In fact, I advised, we should even learn to laugh at our bloopers. That's far more constructive than fretting about them.

Then I told the group about an embarrassing goof I committed while I was emceeing an annual alumni event for the college where I was vice president. In front of 400 banquet guests, I intended to say that one of the women honorees, who was present, had written a play about the college in 1950. Unfortunately, I said she had written it in 1850. The crowd laughed uproariously, and I learned why when someone explained my inaccuracy after the event.

Having described my own inglorious moment at the podium, I asked the GNFCC seminar participants to tell us about their most embarrassing experiences while speaking to a group. Alan Urech, pictured above, responded with a smile.

Alan recalled an occasion when he was presiding, and needed to introduce a man to the group. The man's name: Johnny Walker. Alan told his audience, "And now I want you to give a good welcome to. . .Jack Daniels."

As you can guess, our GNFCC seminar participants laughed for a long time. Alan's example was especially meaningful because he is unusually gifted as a speaker--articulate, poised, and polished. So if even he could get his thoughts twisted that much, the rest of us should accept our imperfections, and even chuckle about them, as Alan did about his.

To learn more about Alan Urech, an amazing business leader, please visit his Web site: http://www.stoneyrivercapital.com/

And for additional guidelines for becoming the speaker that audiences want to hear, order my audio CD--"How to Become a Dynamic Speaker!"--using this link:

http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Meet a Generous Expert--Doug Smart

2007-06-29T13:33:00.000-05:00

Not all experts are generous toward others. You and I have met highly successful people who are not approachable, except by those they consider their peers.

That's why it is so refreshing to meet leaders who have achieved plenty, yet have maintained their warmth, interest in others, and willingness to help people who need their friendship and mentoring.

Doug Smart, CSP, based in Roswell, Georgia, stands out as an expert who is glad to offer friendship and assistance. In many instances, he has served as my mentor ever since I became a professional speaker.

For example, I still remember my early attempts to become computer literate. During my twenty-three years in management, I had shied away from technology. Once I started my company, Championship Communication, there was no one to delegate to, so I had to get on a fast learning track to establish my Web site, distribute an E-mail newsletter, and eventually start this blog.

A phone conversation with Doug remains with me indelibly. I had no idea how to add blue text to my newsletter. With inexhaustible patience, Doug spent a half-hour with me on the phone, walking me through the process. The result: For several years my newsletter, "Winning Words and Ways," has contained color that provides variety and emphasis.

On more than one occasion, Doug has referred me as a speaker to prestigious groups. One was the Hospitality, Sales and Marketing Association International. Going on Doug's recommendation, HSMAI had me speak twice in Washington, DC. Also, Doug sponsored me to speak at the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) in Alpharetta, Georgia, where I presented a 90-minute seminar.

Without charging a penny for his services, Doug interviewed me as we produced two of the audio CDs you'll find on my Web site: "How to Become a Dynamic Speaker!" and "How to Succeed in Sales!" Purchase them, and you'll applaud Doug's interviewing skills--not a surprise to those who know about his extensive radio experience. Order these CDs from: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Doug's humanitarianism became quite public after hurricane Katrina. A New Orleans native, he wanted to stimulate support and relief for the storm's victims. Working with GNFCC, he spearheaded a fundraising effort that generated $16,000 for the struggling survivors.

Whatever your profession, I encourage you to affiliate with a mentor like Doug. For a decade, he has encouraged me, educated me, and befriended me.

Be sure to visit his Web site: http://www.dougsmart.com/ Your organization will benefit from his talents as a speaker, seminar leader, consultant, and author.

Doug calls his company Smart Business. That's more than just a connection with his last name. The company name reflects his ability to energize corporations in a variety of industries. Yours could be next.

"Every Customer Becomes a Friend"--More Than a Slogan

2007-05-15T18:07:00.000-05:00

Officially, he is J. Reid Moore, CFO of Republic Bank of Georgia, launched just six months ago in Suwanee, Georgia, near Atlanta. After 27 years in banking--including international stints in Brazil, Buenos Aires, Dominican Republic, Brussels, and Belgium--his credentials are impeccable. Predictably, he dresses conservatively and speaks quietly. Yet once Reid Moore starts talking about his bank's commitment to customer service, his eyes light up and you can feel his energy building.

The bank's slogan: "Every customer becomes a friend, and returns with a friend." Sounds interesting. You wonder if it came from a PR firm.

"Not at all," Moore clarifies. We didn't even choose our mission statement until we had brought our ten employees on board--five days before our opening. We spent one full day deciding what we wanted to be and accomplish. There was total agreement that we wanted to meet the needs of customers, not 'just sell them the flavor of the week.'"

Hiring procedures, not surprisingly, were unorthodox. A candidate for any position faced interviews with every employee, from the CEO to the entry level data specialist. In two cases, not everyone felt the candidates would match the desired "chemistry and compatability." The bank didn't hire them.

When completed, Republic Bank's building will have a homespun look--"lots of soft wood and rock, like a lodge." You won't notice people lined up to see a teller. Instead, bank personnel will welcome customers to individual tables, where high tech equipment will, quite quickly, perform all the transactions a teller would enact.

Having worked extensively with small banks as a consultant, Reid Moore knows the impact one disgruntled employee has on the work force: "When you have ten employees and one comes in with a sour expression, that means ten percent of your work force has bad morale that day."

Being a family means being flexible enough to help your colleagues. You cannot say, "That's not my job." You cross boundaries, and help your fellow employees serve customers well.

Another key word with Reid Moore: communication. "All employees have a right to know what we are doing. There are no secrets." For a half-hour before every Friday's opening, the employees meet, tell what is happening with them, and express their needs. No one feels reluctant to say, "Hey, I need help with this." Moore said it well: "We complement each other, we're not just bookends."

Some employees are surprised at the empowerment they experience. "You approve that bill for cleaning," Moore told one staff person, "your signature will be as good as mine."

Shareholders, too, stay well informed, with a monthly E-mail memo to every shareholder--far different from the typically stilted, and often dull, bank quarterly statements.

Moore smiled widely when he added: "We want every employee to have fun. At our quarterly
celebration (we avoided the word 'meeting') everybody got involved in a paintball fight."

Republic Bank extends recognition to employees with exemplary performance. Examples:

"Best Deal of the Quarter Award" went to Valerie, who closed a new loan application within two hours, while the CEO enjoyed lunch.

The MVP award honored Nicole, who "went out of her way to help others in her area."

The Customer Service Award went to all employees, who stayed long after closing time to count by hand the cash and coin savings of a new customer--$3,000 in dollar bills and $900 in change.

So far, new customers have come mainly by referral. "Nobody knows where our temporary building is," Moore observed, "yet they hear about us from very happy customers."

Republic Bank uses simple, inexpensive amenities to demonstrate genuine friendliness. The customer who got a car loan gets a thank you note with a $10 car wash coupon. The bank orders a $10 pizza for the family with a home loan, delivered at noon on moving day. "These gestures of good will generate far more powerful publicity than thousands of dollars of advertising would spark," Moore said.

Using a marketing firm from nearby Athens, GA, Republic Bank solicits customer feedback through focus group meetings.

Summing up our conversation over a delightful lunch, Reid Moore capsuled his bank's central purpose: "The people part and the ability to be creative separate us from every other bank."

For more information, visit the bank's Web site: http://www.republicbankofgeorgia.com

To read my comments about how our attitudes impact customers, read this article:
http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/attitude.htm

To order my audio CD about how to give magnificent customer care:

http://www.commlampton.com/store/index.htm

South American Colleague Crosses Many Boundaries

2007-05-08T04:44:00.001-05:00

Several weeks ago, my E-mail Inbox contained a message from Monica Yaneth Loeb Willes of Cali, Colombia, South America. She requested my permission to translate more than a dozen of my published articles into Spanish and post them on her Web site. As you can guess, I welcomed her interest in introducing me to a new audience. So my first impression was: Here is an adventurous professional who crosses boundaries.

Soon, Monica directed me to her site--and I could see several of my articles posted in Spanish. Check her site: http://www.empresariovirtual.com

As our correspondence developed, I realized that Monica knew plenty about me from my articles, Web site, and blog. I needed to learn more about her life and work. I expressed this to her in an E-mail. Her reply let me know that she has spent her life crossing boundaries--and will continue to do that, with remarkable success. Check these examples:

TECHNOLOGY: How well versed were you with computers in 1980? Well, that's when Monica started mastering technology--"selftaught," as she puts it. She wrote her first commercial quality software at age 12, got a contract with Xerox Colombia when she was 15, and soon built an impressive list of corporate and government clients.

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Not content with mastering the technical side of communication, she moved into graphic design. She exports "overseas" her expertise in slides creation

BUSINESS: "I felt the need to understand what I did from IT side from the managers side as well. That prompted me to study the career of business management studies at the Universidad del Valle, one of the best in my country." Monica studied also the complete human resources and marketing management emphasis.

HEALTH CARE: Recognized as an expert in medical informatics, for more than fifteen years Monica has served as an external IT consultant in hospitals such as Centro Medico Imbanaco, Hospital Unversitario del Valle, and other leading medical organizations in Cali, Colombia. Currently Monica contributes her services to physicians of all specialties. Worldwide, she assists physicians in doing medical presentations and also in establishing their Web sites.

RELIGION: Ten years ago, Monica felt compelled to pursue religion more deeply. Living in a country that did not recognize ordination of women, she became connected with a Christian chat room, dialoguing with other programmers. By 2000, she founded Christian Hope Ministry and Network. Since 2003 Monica has co-directed that organization with Pastor Matt Smith (NC) and Mrs. Pat Goshorn (PA). Monica helps poor churches by improving their ministry through websites and knowledge based resources. Pioneering even further, she became an ordained pastor--the only one in Latin America from her denomination.

LANGUAGE: Self-taught in English, Italian, and Portuguese, and speaks "German and Spanish because of my family roots." Two years ago she started studying the Hebrew version of the Bible--"really complex, but amazing."

PUBLICATION: Monica has written sixteen books--the first one at age 17. Soon she will produce them as E-books, making them available worldwide.

PATRIOTISM: Her confidence in Colombia convinced her to "start a business now in times where others are leaving." Her commitment: "I have decided to help to raise this country and not only dream but also work hard for a better future for other Colombians who stay here too."

That's part of the motivation for her Web site, where she not only features my articles but will feature my instructional videos and my book, along with other authors, speakers, and trainers. Monica intends to "tell the entrepreneurs here and in all Latin America that there is more ahead than just the conventional ways of doing marketing."

Looking ahead, she foresees "Colombia in peace that I have never seen." She continued: "I don't want that the children of the future live in a violent Colombia where I have lived, but in a place where they can develop as human beings and live a reasonably happy life."

Her goal? "My dream is to position my company as a world quality class organization and I am sure with time I will achieve it."

My prediction: Monica, as many boundaries as you have crossed already, so early in life, I have full assurance that you will achieve whatever you want.

My appreciation: Thanks to Monica, for showing us that we can communicate to the fullest extent of our potential--if we use boundaries as bridges we step across.

Tour Guide Made Our Italy Trip Unforgettable

2007-04-04T10:02:00.000-05:00

When twenty-two people from the Gainesville, Georgia area signed up for a ten-day tour of Italy, coordinated by our bank, we knew very little about our destination. One thing we did know and agree on--the person Collette Tours would send as our guide would "make or break" the trip.

Landing in Rome, we met our vivacious guide, Jovanka Mrdja. Immediately, she energized us. She gained our confidence with her knowledge, poise, upbeat style, and tasteful humor.

In the photo above, Jovanka shows us a map of Florence, Italy, suggests places we can see on our own, and tells us what time to meet back in the city square, so we can walk as a group to the tour bus. And yes--it was raining, and quite chilly, as you can tell from the garb and umbrellas. Yet we didn't grumble about the weather. Jovanka was providing so much fun that we hardly noticed the elements.

As we traveled across Italy by tour bus, Jovanka shared what she had learned during two decades as a tour guide. In every locale, she talked about the major people and historical events that had shaped the city or site. Her English is impeccable, and she has mastered several other languages.

When I coach people on improving their speaking skills, I urge them to follow this advice from actors: give "The Illusion of the First Time." The meaning: No matter how familiar you are with your material, state it as though you had just thought of it that moment. Give it the same vitality you felt during your first encounter. Well, Jovanka did exactly that. We almost felt that she was rediscovering the Pantheon, the Vatican, the Roman Forum, and everything else she showed us and described. Her enthusiasm never waned. Neither did her energy, despite early alarms and late-night dinners.

Jovanka's home base is Vancouver, B.C. In a sense, though, the entire world is her home, as she fits in anywhere--splendidly.

For more information about how to "communicate like champions," as Jovanka does every day, visit my Web site: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

"Please Tell Me a Story"

2007-03-05T12:43:00.000-05:00

During our childhood, we enjoyed hearing a relative say, "Once upon a time." We knew they were going to read us a story or tell us one.

When we reach adulthood, we don't lose our love of stories. As a professional speaker, I sprinkle my speeches and seminars with relevant stories to illustrate my main points. Not only are stories great as teaching devices, they create interest and maintain attention.

Are you are aware that some people become professional story tellers? Recently I became acquainted with one, Karen Chace of East Freetown, MA, when she wrote me about one of my published articles. In the E-mail exchange that followed, Karen said: "Children love stories but I find that adults need happily ever after as well, more than ever. Some of my most successful venues have been for adults."

As for her role with children: "I teach children how to story tell, which is a wonderful way to instill oral presentation skills at a young age, something that will help them throughout their lives."

I encourage you to visit Karen's Web site: http:www.storybug.net You may want to bring Karen to your organization for an unusual type of program that will appeal to everyone in your group.