Ivan R. Misner's Blog, page 142

Using a Blog to Build Your Brand?–Top Tips for a Better Blog

In this video, my good friend Jarret Gucci, who is also the web expert credited with building this BusinessNetworking.com blog site and helping me to "make it work," explains the two most powerful ways to make your blog better. If you're one of the many businesspeople around the world who utilizes blogging to build your brand, don't be shy . . . after you watch the video, leave a comment letting the rest of us know what you've done to make your blog work. I get really inspired when I hear creative new ways of improving things to get better ...

Talk 'To' Each Other, Not 'About' Each Other

An important and invaluable lesson I've learned over the years is that clear, open, honest, direct communication with people solves most problems. So often I have seen relationships deteriorate to the point where people are talking "about" each other instead of talking "to" each other. This can happen more easily than you might think.  For most people, when things don't go the way they expect in a relationship, the tendency is to talk to EVERYONE they know EXCEPT the person they have the problem with.  Someone once told me that when you point your finger at someone, you have three ...

How's Business For You in 2011?

BNIBusinessIndex.com has had a facelift.  Check out the new site. This is a website that gauges the pulse of entrepreneurs from all around the world through a very simple quarterly survey.  If you have a few minutes, look at the site and take the current survey.  It only takes a couple minutes (really)! To take the current survey, CLICK HERE.  Note – you can get a FREE copy of one of my books (some rules apply) by taking the survey. When you check out the site, please leave a comment here about what you think of the results from last quarter and how you ...

Michael Gerber's Key to Business Growth: "Working on It"

In this video, my friend, The E-Myth author Michael Gerber, talks about his new website — www.WorkingOnIt.com — which is devoted to helping entrepreneurs grow business and achieve success. I wanted to spread the news about this great educational resource because I am a firm believer in Michael's strategies and philosophies for business growth.  I built my networking organization around some of the key philosophies that Michael wrote about in The E-Myth and I know that is a large part of why my business has grown globally into what it is today. So, after you watch this short video clip, ...

Winning or Losing, Trying or Quitting

I met with my good friend Dr. Mark Goulston for dinner recently.  Casually, over our meal he said something that made me reach into my pocket and scribble it down on the back of one of my business cards.  He said: We have much less control over winning or losing at something than we do over trying or quitting at something. If you always try, you can eventually win.  If you always quit, you can never win. I loved this statement and it completely resonated with me and what I've seen in relation to people being successful at networking or at ...

Recognizing 'Innovativity'

This is the final guest blog in the three-part series featuring Frank DeRaffele's article, "Creativity vs. 'Innovativity.'" To read the beginning and the middle of the article, please CLICK HERE for Part 1 and CLICK HERE for Part 2. "Creativity vs. 'Innovativity'" by Frank J. DeRaffele Jr. ( . . . Continued) Recognizing 'Innovativity' Innovation in our businesses is extremely important. New ideas help us to run our businesses more efficiently, market more effectively, sell with greater success, satisfy customers at higher levels and lead us to greater overall results–if we have a method to put them in place and ...

The 'Profitability Ninja' & The 'Samurai of Innovation'

Last week I posted the first part of a series of guest blogs sharing the article "Creativity vs. 'Innovativity'" by Frank DeRaffele.  Below is the continuation of where the article left off last week. "Creativity vs. 'Innovativity'" by Frank J. DeRaffele Jr. ( . . . Continued — CLICK here to read Part 1) So how do we save ourselves from this Ninja?  Enter the Samurai of Innovation. This Innovative Samurai (dressed in white, by the way) cuts through the creativity and reveals Innovative Thought, Innovative Ideas, Innovative Profitability.  Innovation is the good twin of creativity.  Innovation is creativity with ...

The Referral Process–Step 8

Today is the day big day that those of you who've been following my blog series on the referral process have been waiting for . . . the day I'm going to talk about the final step–the step we all anticipate most:  Step 8–Closing the Deal. By the way, feel free to catch up on the previous steps in the easy, eight-step referral process at any time by reading my blog entries about steps 1 & 2; step 3; step 4; and steps 5, 6, & 7. Step 8.  Close the Deal Now that you have your proposal done and ...

Creativity vs. 'Innovativity'

My friend Frank DeRaffele Jr., whom is also one of the co-authors of my upcoming book Business Networking and Sex, shared with me a great article he recently wrote called "Creativity vs. 'Innovativity'" and I'd like to share it with all of you who read this blog. Frank makes some very interesting points about the importance of balancing creativity and innovation in regard to small business and I think small business owners and entrepreneurs everywhere will benefit from reading this article.  Since the article is quite lengthy, I'm going to divide it into a few different guest blogs so, if ...

The Referral Process–Steps 5, 6, and 7

In my last blog, I discussed step 4 of the eight-step referral process and in the weeks prior to that, I went over steps 1, 2, and 3.  Today I'm going to cover steps 5, 6, and 7. Step 5.  Report Back to Your Source Report back to your referral source and let her know the outcome of your meeting (unless, of course, she went along with you).  Ask her to follow up with the prospect to find out about his impression of you.  Let her know how important it is for you to make her look good to the ...