Interview Do's & Don'ts

So, you have finally nailed an interview or like most good candidates, you are doing your research on how to perform at an interview. Well done!

For many of us, we are on our own as soon as the interview door is closed behind us and the interviewer directs you to take a seat.

People who have prepared and researched before-hand will now reap the benefits of their work behind the scenes and if you are reading this and the many other interview tip blog posts on http://petrocheminfo.blogspot.com/    then you may be on the way to winning the job you are going for.

Do's

• Arrive on time or earlier if possible
• Introduce yourself courteously
• Shake hands firmly but not too hard
• Express yourself clearly
• Smile in the interview
• Demonstrate how your skills and attributes can be of benefit to the company
• Try and match the interviewer's style
• Ask questions about the business and how it operates
• Take with you any research or notes (in a folder) to call upon when needed
• Construct your answers carefully and allow yourself to pause & don't rush
• Write down any new or relevant information the interviewer provides
• Show willingness to learn and progress
• Make eye contact
• Be assertive without being aggressive
• Talk openly about your goals and where you see yourself in the future
• Prepare 10 questions beforehand - you may use 5
• Turn your mobile off before your interview
• Accept the job if it is offered and you want it!

Don'ts

• Don't be late for the interview
• Don't just answer questions with a "yes" or a "no", expand where possible
• Don't be unprepared for the interview
• Don't deceive; answer every question honestly and if you don't know, just say so
• Don't talk about salary at this stage, get the job first and negotiate later
• Don't say negative things about past employers (the experience got you here)
• Don't show your lack of career planning - demonstrate where you see yourself in the future
• Don't tell the employer that this job is just a stepping stone to something else
• Don't blame your past employers or colleagues for your reasons for leaving past employment
• Don't rush through your interview
• Don't give the employer a time-line of when you need to have a decision by
• Don't drink alcohol 24 hrs before your meeting or smoke a cigarette 30 mins before your meeting

For every key responsibility or requirement posted on the job description or ad, make sure you have at least one example or transferable skill that covers all the requirements noted in the job ad or position description.

Note: some interviews are short and others long. This really depends on the interviewer’s schedule or the job at hand may not be that complex, therefore no need to go into too much detail. One (1) hour is normally sufficient but sometimes 15 mins or 30 mins is enough for an interviewer to make a decision.

The 25 most difficult questions you'll be asked on a job interview

Being prepared is half the battle.

If you are unhappy at your present post and embarking on a New Year's resolution to find a new one, here's a helping hand. The job interview is considered to be the most critical aspect of every expedition that brings you face-to- face with the future boss. One must prepare for it with the same tenacity and quickness as one does for a fencing tournament or a chess match.

This article has been excerpted from "PARTING COMPANY: How to Survive the Loss of a Job and Find Another Successfully" by William J. Morin and James C. Cabrera.Copyright by Drake Beam Morin, inc. Publised by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Morin is chairman and Cabrera is president of New York-based Drake Beam Morin, nation's major outplacement firm, which has opened offices in Philadelphia.

1. Tell me about yourself.

Since this is often the opening question in an interview, be extracareful that you don't run off at the mouth. Keep your answer to a minute or two at most. Cover four topics: early years, education, work history, and recent career experience. Emphasize this last subject. Remember that this is likely to be a warm-up question. Don't waste your best points on it.

2. What do you know about our organization?

You should be able to discuss products or services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, problems, management style, people, history and philosophy. But don't act as if you know everything about the place. Let your answer show that you have taken the time to do some research, but don't overwhelm the interviewer, and make it clear that you wish to learn more.

You might start your answer in this manner: "In my job search, I've investigated a number of companies.

Yours is one of the few that interests me, for these reasons..."

Give your answer a positive tone. Don't say, "Well, everyone tells me that you're in all sorts of trouble, and that's why I'm here", even if that is why you're there.

3. Why do you want to work for us?

The deadliest answer you can give is "Because I like people." What else would you like-animals?

Here, and throughout the interview, a good answer comes from having done your homework so that you can speak in terms of the company's needs. You might say that your research has shown that the company is doing things you would like to be involved with, and that it's doing them in ways that greatly interest you. For example, if the organization is known for strong management, your answer should mention that fact and show that you would like to be a part of that team. If the company places a great deal of emphasis on research and development, emphasize the fact that you want to create new things and that you know this is a place in which such activity is encouraged. If the organization stresses financial controls, your answer should mention a reverence for numbers.

If you feel that you have to concoct an answer to this question - if, for example, the company stresses research, and you feel that you should mention it even though it really doesn't interest you- then you probably should not be taking that interview, because you probably shouldn't be considering a job with that organization.

Your homework should include learning enough about the company to avoid approaching places where you wouldn't be able -or wouldn't want- to function. Since most of us are poor liars, it's difficult to con anyone in an interview. But even if you should succeed at it, your prize is a job you don't really want.

4. What can you do for us that someone else can't?

Here you have every right, and perhaps an obligation, to toot your own horn and be a bit egotistical. Talk about your record of getting things done, and mention specifics from your resume or list of career accomplishments. Say that your skills and interests, combined with this history of getting results, make you valuable. Mention your ability to set priorities, identify problems, and use your experience and energy to solve them.
5. What do you find most attractive about this position? What seems least attractive about it?

List three or four attractive factors of the job, and mention a single, minor, unattractive item.

6. Why should we hire you?

Create your answer by thinking in terms of your ability, your experience, and your energy. (See question 4.)

7. What do you look for in a job?

Keep your answer oriented to opportunities at this organization. Talk about your desire to perform and be recognized for your contributions. Make your answer oriented toward opportunity rather than personal security.

8. Please give me your defintion of [the position for which you are being interviewed].

Keep your answer brief and taskoriented. Think in in terms of responsibilities and accountability. Make sure that you really do understand what the position involves before you attempt an answer. If you are not certain. ask the interviewer; he or she may answer the question for you.

9. How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?

Be realistic. Say that, while you would expect to meet pressing demands and pull your own weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expect to know the organization and its needs well enough to make a major contribution.

10. How long would you stay with us?

Say that you are interested in a career with the organization, but admit that you would have to continue to feel challenged to remain with any organization. Think in terms of, "As long as we both feel achievement-oriented."

11. Your resume suggests that you may be over-qualified or too experienced for this position. What's Your opinion?

Emphasize your interest in establishing a long-term association with the organization, and say that you assume that if you perform well in his job, new opportunities will open up for you. Mention that a strong company needs a strong staff. Observe that experienced executives are always at a premium. Suggest that since you are so well qualified, the employer will get a fast return on his investment. Say that a growing, energetic company can never have too much talent.

12. What is your management style?

You should know enough about the company's style to know that your management style will complement it. Possible styles include: task oriented (I'll enjoy problem-solving identifying what's wrong, choosing a solution and implementing it"), results-oriented ("Every management decision I make is determined by how it will affect the bottom line"), or even paternalistic ("I'm committed to taking care of my subordinates and pointing them in the right direction").

A participative style is currently quite popular: an open-door method of managing in which you get things done by motivating people and delegating responsibility.

As you consider this question, think about whether your style will let you work hatppily and effectively within the organization.

13. Are you a good manager? Can you give me some examples? Do you feel that you have top managerial potential?

Keep your answer achievement and ask-oriented. Rely on examples from your career to buttress your argument. Stress your experience and your energy.

14. What do you look for when You hire people?

Think in terms of skills. initiative, and the adaptability to be able to work comfortably and effectively with others. Mention that you like to hire people who appear capable of moving up in the organization.

15. Have you ever had to fire people? What were the reasons, and how did you handle the situation?

Admit that the situation was not easy, but say that it worked out well, both for the company and, you think, for the individual. Show that, like anyone else, you don't enjoy unpleasant tasks but that you can resolve them efficiently and -in the case of firing someone- humanely.

16. What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a manager or executive?
Mention planning, execution, and cost-control. The most difficult task is to motivate and manage employess to get something planned and completed on time and within the budget.

17. What important trends do you see in our industry?

Be prepared with two or three trends that illustrate how well you understand your industry. You might consider technological challenges or opportunities, economic conditions, or even regulatory demands as you collect your thoughts about the direction in which your business is heading.

18. Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job?

Be brief, to the point, and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. Refer back to the planning phase of your job search. where you considered this topic as you set your reference statements. If you were laid off in an across-the-board cutback, say so; otherwise, indicate that the move was your decision, the result of your action. Do not mention personality conflicts.

The interviewer may spend some time probing you on this issue, particularly if it is clear that you were terminated. The "We agreed to disagree" approach may be useful. Remember hat your references are likely to be checked, so don't concoct a story for an interview.

19. How do you feel about leaving all your benefits to find a new job?
Mention that you are concerned, naturally, but not panicked. You are willing to accept some risk to find the right job for yourself. Don't suggest that security might interest you more than getting the job done successfully.

20. In your current (last) position, what features do (did) you like the most? The least?

Be careful and be positive. Describe more features that you liked than disliked. Don't cite personality problems. If you make your last job sound terrible, an interviewer may wonder why you remained there until now.
21. What do you think of your boss?

Be as positive as you can. A potential boss is likely to wonder if you might talk about him in similar terms at some point in the future.

22. Why aren't you earning more at your age?

Say that this is one reason that you are conducting this job search. Don't be defensive.

23. What do you feel this position should pay?

Salary is a delicate topic. We suggest that you defer tying yourself to a precise figure for as long as you can do so politely. You might say, "I understand that the range for this job is between $______ and $______. That seems appropriate for the job as I understand it." You might answer the question with a question: "Perhaps you can help me on this one. Can you tell me if there is a range for similar jobs in the organization?"

If you are asked the question during an initial screening interview, you might say that you feel you need to know more about the position's responsibilities before you could give a meaningful answer to that question. Here, too, either by asking the interviewer or search executive (if one is involved), or in research done as part of your homework, you can try to find out whether there is a salary grade attached to the job. If there is, and if you can live with it, say that the range seems right to you.

If the interviewer continues to probe, you might say, "You know that I'm making $______ now. Like everyone else, I'd like to improve on that figure, but my major interest is with the job itself." Remember that the act of taking a new job does not, in and of itself, make you worth more money.

If a search firm is involved, your contact there may be able to help with the salary question. He or she may even be able to run interference for you. If, for instance, he tells you what the position pays, and you tell him that you are earning that amount now and would Like to do a bit better, he might go back to the employer and propose that you be offered an additional 10%.

If no price range is attached to the job, and the interviewer continues to press the subject, then you will have to restpond with a number. You cannot leave the impression that it does not really matter, that you'll accept whatever is offered. If you've been making $80,000 a year, you can't say that a $35,000 figure would be fine without sounding as if you've given up on yourself. (If you are making a radical career change, however, this kind of disparity may be more reasonable and understandable.)

Don't sell yourself short, but continue to stress the fact that the job itself is the most important thing in your mind. The interviewer may be trying to determine just how much you want the job. Don't leave the impression that money is the only thing that is important to you. Link questions of salary to the work itself.

But whenever possible, say as little as you can about salary until you reach the "final" stage of the interview process. At that point, you know that the company is genuinely interested in you and that it is likely to be flexible in salary negotiations.

24. What are your long-range goals?

Refer back to the planning phase of your job search. Don't answer, "I want the job you've advertised." Relate your goals to the company you are interviewing: 'in a firm like yours, I would like to..."

25. How successful do you you've been so far?

Say that, all-in-all, you're happy with the way your career has progressed so far. Given the normal ups and downs of life, you feel that you've done quite well and have no complaints.

Present a positive and confident picture of yourself, but don't overstate your case. An answer like, "Everything's wonderful! I can't think of a time when things were going better! I'm overjoyed!" is likely to make an interviewer wonder whether you're trying to fool him . . . or yourself. The most convincing confidence is usually quiet confidence.

Thanks - Searchtoemploy

Top 20 Small Business Tips For Success

These are just some general tips to keep in mind as you design/operate your small business:

1. Take the time out to explore and understand whether or not you are compatible with running our own business. Some people are just plain happier and better off financially on the other end of the paycheck.

2.Get your personal finances in order. Before you jump into the entrepreneurship world, get your own money matters squared away.

3. Pick your niche. Many small business owners succeed in businesses that are hardly unique or innovative. Take stock of your skills, interests, and employment history to select the business that is best suited for you.

4. Benefit from your business plan. The exercise of creating a business plan is what pays the dividends. Answer the tough questions now before the meter starts running.

5. Do not think you need bankers and investors at the outset of your business. The vast majority of small businesses are bootstrapped.

6. Acquire the proper background. In the early months and years of your business, you will have to acquire many skills. Gain the background you need to oversee all facets of your business well, but determine what tasks you should outsource or hire employees.

7. Remember that nothing happens until a sale is made ?How many good products go nowhere because they do not reach the shelves? Sales drive your business. You will need a good marketing plan to sell your product or service.

8. You have to see a customer to know one. N o matter how busy you are, spend at least 25% of your time with customers. You cannot make the proper business decision without understanding their viewpoint.

9. Solve your customers?problems. The best way to satisfy your customers is not by selling them products but by giving solutions to their problems. There is a big difference.

10.Quality takes minutes to lose but years to regain. Quality is not a destination, it is a never ending journey. After you have strayed from quality ‘s  path, your journey maybe sidetracked forever.

11. Put profitability first, rewards seconds. In small businesses, profitability must come first. Find out how to measure your cash flow and understand key financial ratios.

12. Hire supporters. If you intend to create a growing business, your number one duty is to assemble a great team of employees.

13. Do not do it alone. Find such help from small business peers, a mentor, even trade associations. They can help take some of the trial and error of beginning your business.
14. Vendors are partners too! Treat your vendors like customers and watch your partnership grow.

15. Make use of benefits. Understand how to provide insurance and other benefits for your employees and cut your tax bill at the same time.

16. Ignore regulatory issues at your peril. Federal, state, and local governments require licenses, registrations, and permits. Obey them or face losing your business.

17. Know the tax laws. Invest in understanding tax issues that affect your small business.

18. It is  the people! Whatever happens to a small business happens at the hands of the people who work for it. The evolution of the business is a result of their efforts.

19. Fast, good, cheap. Pick any two. Serious trouble awaits those who attempt to be all three in the market place. Stick with what you do best.

20. Develop a passion for learning. As your business grows, you need to change and grow along with it. One common denominator can be found in all successful business owners and that is a passion for learning.

Thanks- Bonny Andrew

Why Most B2B Web Sites Don't Work

How to Use Direct Marketing Principles to Fix Your Web Site and 

Get More Qualified Leads — Immediately

The problem with so many web sites today is that they are built around an advertising model – but the wrong kind. As a result, business owners are throwing away money hand over fist when they could be pulling in tons of qualified, interested prospects and customers.

If you want your web site to capture more quality leads, this article is for you. You see, there are two types of advertising, but only one kind of web site. Unfortunately, most web site designers don’t seem to know this.

Branding vs. Direct Response

In the traditional advertising world, branding advertising is the kind you normally see on TV and in magazines. The company shows a picture (hopefully something cute that gets attention) and tells something about the product. Then, the next time you are in the store, you are supposed to remember this product among all its competitors because of the more favorable impression in your mind about this particular brand.

This is the kind of advertising for big companies with big advertising budgets and money to burn. Ad agencies love this kind of advertising for three reasons. First, there is zero accountability for the ad creators. Usually, there is no way of knowing if the advertising ‘worked.”

Second, these ads are great (for the ad agency, not the business owner) because if they don’t work, the answer is usually to “run more ads.” After all, they say, a person needs to be exposed to your ad seven times in order to create an impression. Since agencies get paid based on the amount of media bought, this works out well for them.

Finally, these are the kinds of ads that win awards. Ad agencies don’t win their industry awards based on how well the ad works, but how creative and original it is. Unfortunately, ad agency awards don’t bring in new customers or pay your bills.

Direct Response

The other type of advertising is direct response advertising. Direct response ads are completely different. First, they are 100% measurable. The ad always asks the prospect to take a specific direct action, either to buy or to request more information (and therefore become a lead). In all cases, the results of each individual ad are tracked and you know with certainty how well the ads are working.

Second, direct response ads are designed to create action on the part of the prospect. Whether the intended action is to make a purchase, request more information, buy an entry-level product, or otherwise become a lead, the only thing that matters is how many ad viewers respond.

This is exactly the same thing with a web site. In other words, the purpose of a web site is one thing and one thing only: To capture as many leads as possible as a percentage of all site visitors.

Web sites should work like direct response ads

Unfortunately, too many web sites look like they are competing for a design award – at the expense of making sales. The rest of this article will help you improve the successful response rate of your web site by looking at it from the perspective of a direct response marketer. As a result, you can start capturing more leads and making more sales – without spending another dime.

In fact, more than half the battle is in understanding the right questions to ask. “How can I make my web site better?” is not the right question. Neither is “How can I improve my design?”

On the contrary, once you start asking the right questions, you’re halfway there. We could spend a week on the fine points of headlines and calls to action and the placement of the offer on the web page. But all that is secondary to the basic philosophy of what you are trying to accomplish. Once you know what you’re trying to do, you’ll spend more time thinking about howto do it – and measuring everything you try. And your results will keep getting better and better.

So, given the fact that you want to capture more leads on your web site, what direct response techniques can you quickly implement to make that happen? Now you may think there are 14 million different things you can do on a web site that could make a difference (and you’re right). So what do you focus on to make the most difference as quickly as possible?

Simple. Focus on the characteristics of all direct response ads. As we go through each one, be thinking of what changes you can make on your web site to improve each one of these areas. And remember, one of the keys to direct response marketing is to test. You don’t have to guess perfectly every time. But as you continually test one improvement against another, you’remeasured results will continually get better and better.

Step One: Focus on getting a response

With far too many web sites, you can just look at them and know they are not capturing as many leads as possible. How? Because the web site does not even invite a response – at all. In other words, many web site owners seem to want to limit themselves to only talking to people who absolutely, positively want to buy from them right then.

"Are you ready to buy now? If not, forget it; I'm busy."

On the contrary, the web site should invite the prospect to take a small step to get more information and begin a new relationship.

The good news is that many people are using the web to research products and services. But they may be very early in their buying cycle. The problem is that if they make it to your web site and they are “just researching,” there’s no guarantee they will ever be back. Indeed, most of them won’t remember your web site at all a few days later.

Sure, some web site visitors will pick up the phone and call right then, or fill in a form, or send an email. But many of them are not ready for that step just yet. They need more information first – don’t make them leave your web site to go get it!

So your challenge is to capture their contact information (especially their email address) while they are on your web site the first time, and get permission to send them more information. Then you can (automatically) follow-up with them by email (for free), providing more information and building a relationship over time – until they are ready to buy.

This seems obvious when you think about it, so why do so many web sites blow it and not eventry to capture email addresses? Probably because they are used to traditional “branding advertising,” and they build their web site to match this model.

It’s probably worth noting that many web designers are from graphic design and traditional ad agency backgrounds. So this kind of design is what the web designers are generally used to making – a nice looking ad with a cute picture to capture attention, and a phone number at the bottom. If they’re interested, they’ll call.

You on the other hand, should work with your web designer to create a direct response model web site that focuses solely on capturing leads. If yours is an e-commerce site, some will buy right then. But in either case, more will buy after they visit the site – if you capture their information while you have the chance.

Step Two: Write a Killer Headline

In direct response marketing, the headline is always the most important part of the ad. It’s called “the ad for the ad,” because this is what gets more or fewer people to actually read your offer. In most direct response ads, 80 percent of all the people who see the headline will not even read the ad. So the headline has to be as strong as possible – and it makes all the difference. Even with tiny Google AdWords, changing the title can affect the click-thru rate by 100% or more.

Like any direct response ad (an ad that wants someone to do something), the headline on your web page is key. You want the site visitor to stop surfing, stay on your site, read about your company and take action by giving you their email address.

When you start testing things to improve response rates, the headline is a great place to start because the headline can make the biggest difference in the success of the sales letter or ad. Experienced headline writers know that merely changing the headline can affect the conversion rate of the exact same ad by several thousand percent. On an average sales letter, the best copywriters may spend fully half their time just writing and thinking about different headlines. It’s that important.

That being said, how does this relate to, say, your B2B software company’s high-tech-oriented web site. Simple; have a great headline on the home page to make people want to learn more about your product.

Once you realize how this works, you will be amazed at how many company’s web sites don’t even tell you what they do for a living on the home page, much less make you want to learn more about what they can do for you. When a prospect lands on your home page, the pretty design isn’t what captures their attention. It’s the headline. All the web sites that don’t even have one are simply wrong. Don’t make this mistake.

And don’t make the mistake of using a label instead of a headline. A headline isn’t just a “heading” that tells the name of your company, or describes your product, or (worse) says “Welcome to our web site.”

A headline is an overt benefit statement that tells your visitor what’s in it for them. And please, no platititudes, generalities or mere features. Your headline should be a statement of the unique benefits that only your company can say – your unique selling proposition.

Step Three: Write killer copy that tells your story – conveniently

Without getting into an entire book on copywriting, here are a few points to keep in mind to convert more site visitors into leads on their first visit. First, think of your web site copy as a 24/7 sales person sitting right in front of your prospect whenever they want to listen.

Like any good sales presentation, you need to talk about the prospect and the benefits of your product for her. Not about yourself, your company, or your features. They only care about their needs and how you can help them. Use the word “you” a lot, not “we.”

Take about benefits, not features.

And make it easy and convenient for them to listen to (read) your presentation. This means don’t make them click all over the place to read your sales message. It’s amazing how many web sites get the prospects right where they want them, and then make them go somewhere else after just a couple of points. And then go somewhere else. And then go somewhere else.

Stop that!

If you had a 30 minute sales presentation with a decision maker, would you stop every five minutes and say, “Well Bob, that’s a little about how we can lower your production costs twenty percent. Now let’s move into the conference room right across the hall and we’ll talk about our excellent warranty.”

After making him get up and move every five minutes, I think the prospect is likely to say, “No, I think I’ve got the picture. Thank you very much for the excellent presentation. We’ll be in touch.”

Silly, right? Then why do so many web site stop every few paragraphs and make you click somewhere else to continue?

Just like the example above, this is crazy. If the prospect is going along reading your sales message, he either likes it or he doesn’t. If he doesn’t, he’ll stop and go do something else anyway. You’re not any better by hiding the stuff he might like on another page.

And if he’s liking it, why in the world would you want to stop every couple minutes and say, “Are you still interested? Really? Ok, then are you interested enough to click over here and wait for another page to load, find the place to start reading, skim through the fluff at the beginning and start reading again? You are? Great, just click here.”

Every single time you make him stop and think about whether he really needs to hear any more your’re going to lose a certain percentage of readers. So try to do this as few times as possible.

Just so you know, there is no rule that a page can’t scroll down. In fact, it’s a lot easier on the reader to scroll down than to continually load other pages, figure out where to start reading, and jump in again.

Again, we’re not talking about using the web site to do everything for everyone. We’re talking about how to capture more leads as a percentage of all site visitors. One way to do that is to refrain from continually interrupting them in the middle of your sales presentation.

And don’t be afraid to put your message on the home page – for two reasons. One, most links to your site will point to the home page, so why make someone have to go somewhere to get your sales message? They’re already there; take advantage of that. Two, it will help with your search engine optimization. As other sites link to your home page, the more copy (and keyword search phrases) that you have on that page, the better.

Finally, if you are using pay-per-click campaign to drive traffic to your web site, then you definitely want your sales message to be on the exact page that you are driving them to. You’re paying to get them there, so have a great headline to make them start reading, a very strong first paragraph, and enough information to get your message (and become a lead) without having to click somewhere else.

Step Four: Use plenty of testimonials, and then use some more

One thing that direct response copywriters understand is the power of testimonials. When people don’t know you, and you’re trying to get them to do something, there’s nothing better than third-party endorsements to do your selling for you, increase your credibility, and make the prospect feel like they’ll be in good company by doing business with you.

So include a “Testimonials” page on your web site. But don’t make the same mistake I saw on a large software company’s web site last week. Where they were talking about the features and benefits of their product, they had a link that said “Testimonials.” It’s good that they had them, but remember Step Three, above. Don’t make them click around to see them. Put at least some of them right there on the same page so the prospect can read them and get the full effect without having to jump through another hoop.

And put some on the home page. For getting strangers to take action, showing testimonials from other customers just like them is one of the most important things you can do. Don’t hide them! At least show one or two on the home page, and then have a link to see more.

Step Five: Don’t rely on your prospects to figure out anything – use a strong call to action for everything on your site.

One of the most important things in getting a prospect to take action, whether it's to sign a contract or subscribe to an email list, is also the most important. You have to ask. Every sales person learns this in Sales 101 and it applies just as much to web site sales copy.

Likewise, people that write direct response copy for a living know the importance of the “Call to Action.” For example, you’ll never see a direct response ad that just lists the phone number at the bottom. I mean, if they’re interested, they’ll see the number and know to call right?

Wrong.

Copywriters who want their prospects to take action always, always, always tell them exactly what to do every step of the way. Listing your phone number (or your email address) is not enough.

Call us right now at 555-1234.

Call us 24 hours a day at 555-1234 – operators are waiting for your call right now.

The first 50 callers get a free ____. Call us right now at 555-1234.

For more information, fill out this card completely, and drop it in any mailbox.

You get the idea. But for something that’s as proven as the concept of the importance of strong calls to action, apparently few web site owners believe it. On most web sites, the best you have is a tab that says “Contact.” And you’re lucky if you don’t have to search too hard for it.

Here’s three simple rules for almost any web site:

1. Display your contact information on every page. The top right, or the left or right-hand column is a good place. You never know when a prospect is going to get mildly interested enough to want more information. Make it easy.
2. Make all of your contact information mini calls to action. Don’t just show your email address and think they’ll figure out what to do with it. Say, “For free information about lowering your costs twenty percent, just email us here.” Don’t even think they’ll know what to do with your phone number. Say “Call us 8-5 Pacific Time at 555-1234. After hours? Submit this form and we’ll get right back to you as soon as possible.”
3. Always give them at least three ways to contact you – however they are most comfortable. They can call, or email, or fill out a convenient form.

Step Six: Consider your quid pro quo. If you want a lead, give something of value. Want more leads? Give more value.

A certain percentage of people that come to your site may be desperate for what you sell right now. They’ll pick up the phone and call.

That’s great, but if that’s all you get you’re missing out big time. Many people are using the Internet to research products and vendors, often in the very early stages. One of the secrets to capturing more leads online is to consider the prospects that are not red hot right now.

The whole idea is to capture their email address now, and follow-up with all of them over an extended period of time until they become hot down the road. Then, you’ll be right there to help them. But only if you captured their contact information way back when they were only mildly interested.

In order to get them to give you their email address, you have to give them something – a quid pro quo. And it’s important to think about who we’re talking about. Often, it’s prospects in the early stages of research, so what do they want? Information. Research. Knowledge. Examples include:

• White papers
• Free reports
• Critical check lists
• Quick start guides
• Product demonstrations
• Free trials
• Industry surveys

Of course, you can give away other things as well. “Download our free trial and automatically enter to win:

• An HD television
• Free installation
• Two free plane tickets
• A new laptop

It could be anything. Just keep in mind that it’s better to give something if you want to get something.

Conclusion: Think like an infomercial, not a beer ad

If you work for a company that has plenty of money to burn on cute and funny ads, I’m not knocking it. The world can always use better beer commercials.

But if you need to get a return on every marketing dollar invested, there’s no better place to start than the Web. Through search engines, you can find prospects who are not only in your target market, but are actively researching what you sell.

But the key word is “researching.” They’re not always ready to buy right now. However, if you can get their contact information now, and follow-up, you will be right there when they become a hot prospect down the road. And unlike your competitors, you’ll already have developed a relationship.

In order to get in the door first, be there early and think like a direct response marketer. You’re spending a certain amount on each ad. Is it paying for itself or not?

Track everything. Test everything. And use proven direct response principles to convert as many web site visitors as possible into qualified, interested, red hot prospects.

Thanks - Brad Fallon

10 Things you must do before or as you change careers

In today’s world, individuals will change careers on average 7 times more in their lifetime, compared to only a couple of decades ago – and this rate is rising. There is more choice available to us - especially for those with talent, drive and ambition.

Currently the support that we tend to find is really limited. It’s also pretty generic – Likely sources of careers advice may be from your school, uni, recruiter, colleague, or MBA school. Otherwise there is not much support until you are really senior in an organisation – and even then, whether it is effective or not is debatable!

What results is a combination of lack of control and a cycle of movement from one unfulfilling job to another, or getting stuck at a ‘dead end’. However – do not fear – you do not need to stay in this ‘rut’. New horizons could be just around the corner..

So – you want to look for a new and the right role? This can be challenging, difficult, lonely, and sometimes stressful. You might want to consider getting someone to ‘walk the path’ with you by finding a "mentor" who is deemed to be a success in the role you are trying to end up in and help you get clear about what your options are, what you want to do and how to get there. This advice from someone who has walked the path can be hugely valuable in many ways.

Be prepared to take the first step by inviting a well respected industry professional out for a coffee. I suggest sending them an e-mail if you dont have their number or calling them personally if you do and introducing yourself and the reason for your call. Tell them that you are looking to change careers and you wanted some advice on what you may need to do. Don't be deterred if someone says they can't really help....There will be plenty more who can....

Why can a mentor work to your advantage you mat ask?

1) You will save yourself potentially years of making mistakes.

2) You may find that the person helping you, may be in a position to offer you employment

3) They may be networked with other professionals in their field who are on the lookout for new talent

4) They will give you clear guidelines about what you need to do to start being considered

5) They will give you industry "inside information" that can make you more valuable to an employer

It is even more helpful when you know that the person accompanying you has been involved in this process before on many occasions and is a real expert. So if you work with someone to help with your career change look at their work and life experience to make sure they know what they are on about!

Right – so you are ready to change careers and want to find that right role. In order to succeed bare in mind the following tips:

1. Invest in yourself

This journey is important – so give yourself time to work it all out. Make sure you have invested enough time to get your Resume up to date. Be prepared to make changes and step outside your comfort zone. Making changes means making changes :-) You will need a significant amount of thought, consideration, time and investment in order to make this change smoothly and to make it the right career change. There are many key stages and turning points to consider so take the time to do it & be prepared to act immediately on advice.

2. Get Clear

Without real clarity about what you want to do or how to get it, achieving any sense of fulfilment or being in control of your future will be very difficult. Therefore it is really important to work on getting clear about what your central goal is and how to achieve it. Make sure your vision is realistic, or you will loose interest in progressing.

3. Make an action plan

Simply knowing what you want will not ensure that you get it. You need to be clear about your plan of action and how to carry out what you have specifically designed for yourself. Get clear achievable steps in place. Outline it so that it is broken down into steps that you can work through towards that bigger goal. It like putting directions into your car GPS! How will you know that you are lost, if you don't know where you are going in the first place. Reward yourself and be proud of yourself as you get through each stage of your plan.

4. Keep your energy focused on the task

Making a change and finding the right role is not always an easy task. It can be tough, tiresome and long. You need to stay really focused and be efficient around where you put your energy and effort to get the outcome you want. Make sure that you are in control of the key elements in your world and are able to drive forward with the career and life of your choosing. You will need perseverance and determination to help. Being smart about how you spend your time is crucial. Spending all your time on Social Networks is not the answer.

5. Understand your strengths

Get to know yourself better. Identify what your key strengths are. What are you really good at? What do you enjoy that you are also good at? What skills have you learnt? What are you naturally inclined to do and be better at? Make sure that you get right to the core of it. If you aren't sure how to do this, we suggest taking a personallity profile. You can find some good ones on the internet. The more you know about yourself the more confident you will become and the better you will be at identify the right role for you and projecting yourself in order to get it.

6. Get Passionate

Without real passion for a role – it will be difficult to get. Even if you do get it – you will find it difficult to maintain and grow within and beyond it. What you want here is the right role. This means something that you are truly passionate about. It might take a bit of experimenting to find what ‘floats your boat’ – but it will be worth it when you have found it.

7. Get clear about your boundaries

Being clear about what works and what doesn’t work for you in order to be happy can be groundbreaking. It sounds simple but so many of us do not actually take the time to work it out. In each different work situation – we may have different boundaries. By being clear about what they are and then communicating this clearly to others and staying true to what is important – will make a huge difference. This impacts work and your personal settings.

8. Learn to manage relationships better

This is important from all aspects. If you learn to manage your relationships effectively you will be able to control the process and transition. You will be able to manage your exit smoothly from your current or old role. Understanding where your old boss is coming from and the impact you have on him/her – and how you interact could really influence how you leave a job. How you get your next job and keep it may also rely heavily on your ability to manage relationships well.

9. Harness your connections

Learn how to network and harness your connections effectively. This does not mean bombarding people you do not know with emails or adding everyone you can find to LinkedIn. Neither is this picking up as many business cards you can at a networking event and calling that person part of your ‘network’. Real networking is about getting to know people. You need to work on identifying and getting to know those who can help you along your way.

10. Get free from your blocks, fears and insecurities

All of us have them at one stage or another. Many of us keep them for years. However, do not let them stop you! If you are afraid – that is ok – just do not let it take over and control what you do or do not do. If something is blocking you from moving forward – take the time and action. You need to confront it, deal with it and resolve it. This does not have to be done alone. Find support from those around you. Get support from a professional if it is a deep personal issue that is troubling you. If you do not deal with it now – it will keep blocking you in different ways throughout your career and life. Once you have worked through the blocks – you will be so much more energised, comfortable, confident and free.

Those are the 10 pieces of the pie that you must do before or as you start your journey and change careers. Each step requires some work, time and thought – but they are important if you really want to make it work. There might be a lot to do – but you are not alone and you CAN do it.

Interview Tips - Behavioural Interviews

Behavioural Interviews

Prepare and take notes to the interview!

This type of interviewing technique is based on the theory that past performance is usually a strong indicator of future behaviour. 

The interviewer will ask you to describe how you handled various situations in your previous role. The emphasis is on your experience and its relevance to the position for which you are being considered.

You are painting a story board picture for the interviewers, outlining exactly how you have performed in situations. You need give them examples of your performance in a story format. If you have never been to an interview before and you are going for your first job, you can lean on experience from School or sporting teams.

Prepare yourself by identifying four or five examples that show how you faced challenges and achieved positive outcomes in your previous jobs. In each case describe a specific task that is relevant to the role in question. Rehearse your descriptions, keep them concise and expect further questioning.

It is not a bad idea to write down some examples and take them to your interview. Employers look favourably on applicants that are prepared. This is a good behavioural indicator and they can see, in a practical sense, your preparation skill working in front of them. 

Don't be afraid to read off your notes. Notice on TV when the Prime Minister or the Queen is giving a speech, he or she is usually reading off notes prepared earlier! Prepared notes also provide a guide for you to turn to if you start feeling that the interview is going a bit slack. Written examples will give you some points to cover with your interviewer. 

Some interviewers my not be as experienced as you would expect and being prepared will ensure you give the interviewer enough information to make a decision or to pass on information about you to their manager. In most cases, the initial interviewer may not be the decision maker and you want to give that person adequate information about your past behaviour so they can describe with confidence your abilities and behaviours to the decision making person in the business. 

This may set you up for a second interview with the decision maker. Remember; treat all interviewers as decision makers, including recruiters! This way you will not make any mistakes on who is calling the shots. 

Recruiters will not want to put you in front of their decision making clients if you perform poorly in front of them. It's their reputation on the line and they need you to perform at your best. Your behaviour in front of them will indicate directly your behaviour in front of their clients.

Top Five Marketing Strategies to Get Life Coaching Clients

 I will share with you the top five online marketing strategies to bring more life coaching clients to your coaching business.

Here are the online marketing strategies to help you attract more life coaching clients:

- Article Marketing. Write articles on subjects that people in your target market are interested in reading about and submit them to article directories. Doing this will help you get more traffic from article directories to your coaching business. In addition, every time someone reprints your articles in their newsletter or on their web site or blog, you will get additional traffic to your life coaching web site as well.

- Business Blogging. Create a blog for your coaching business and start blogging. Having a blog will help you attract more traffic to your life coaching web site. In addition, you can use your blog to get more traffic from search engines and social networking web sites.

- Search Engine Optimization. People are using search engines to find life coaches. This means that as you are reading this article, your potential clients are using search engines to research a perfect life coach for them. Optimize your web pages for search engines. That way you will be able to get traffic from search engines to your coaching website.

- Social Networking Web Sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Lots of people are using social media. This means that people who have never been a part of social networking web sites in the past, are using social networking web sites now. This means that if you want to be seen by your life coaching clients, you need to become active on social networking web sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The best way to use social media is by jumping in and participating. Jump in and start connecting with people in your target market!

- List Building. The best way to get results from online marketing is to start building the list for your coaching business. Make sure to invite people to join your list – that way you can connect, build relationships with them and let them know about your offerings!

Top 3 Successful Habits You Must Adopt

Do you want to be a winner in your life? If you do, this will be the perfect article that you must continue to read on. You are about to find out the top 3 winner attitude that are adopted by every successful person out there. And if you adopt the same habit, you will produce the same amazing results in your life. You can achieve any target, goal and dream that you desire.

You have to understand that success is something that you repeatedly do in your life. It is not something that will happen in an instant. You are not going to become a millionaire overnight. Thus, success is determined by the actions that you take in your life. And your actions will be determined by your habits. Therefore, if you adopt the winning habit, you will produce winner’s results…

1. The first winner habit that you must adopt is this, you must have a clear vision. Always think and focus on your vision. You have to have a clear target of what you want. If you do not have a target, how can you actually hit it? It is just like driving a car, if you do not have a destination, you will end up nowhere. Thus, find out what you want to accomplish in your life right now. Set clear and specific targets and goals in every area of your life.

2. The second winner habit is to be proactive. Think about it, money will not grow on tree and it will not fall from the sky. You have to be the one who is proactive to take action and make things happen. If you are not doing anything, you will produce nothing. So make sure you do something each day so that you will move toward your goals and your dreams everyday. Action produces results. Stop putting things off. Watching television and chatting online are not going to change your life. Do what is necessary right now.

3. The final winner habit that you must adopt here is never give up. This is a common sense, but unfortunately, most people do not have this habit. How many rejection and failure can you take before you quit? If you quit, you will waste all the effort that you have poured in before. So do not quit no matter what. Treat failure and rejection as feedback that can improve your knowledge and skill. This is how Thomas Edison became one of the best inventors in the century. He treats all failures as feedback to improve and move toward his target. You have to be the same.

10 Tips To Boost Your Creativity

Creativity is a lot like any muscle or skill. It has to be stretched and exercised in order to grow. Here are a few simple ways of exercising your creativity and that of your kids.

Ideas for exercising your creativity:

* Keep looking for new ideas – you never know where you will find them or where they might lead.

* Keep an open mind. Don’t say “It can’t be done,” “Silly,” or “Impossible.”

* Keep your goals in mind, write them down!

* Keep your mind alert and active – Pay attention to your surroundings and look for inspiration everywhere.

* Don’t always go it alone. Sharing a problem with someone else may reveal an unexpected solution.

* When your mind says “enough”, take a break and get some fresh air. A walk or other outside physical activity is a great way to take a creative break.

* When you reach a dead end, back up and try a new approach. – don’t just give up!

* Break a problem down to smaller, logical parts. How do you eat an elephant? Bite by bite.

* Write any useful ideas down when inspired and before you forget.

* In the early stages, don’t commit yourself to a single idea – brainstorm as many different solutions as you can. It doesn’t matter how unlikely or far-fetched they are.

Exercising your creativity allows you to build skills that will help throughout your entire life. Kids will find school easier and more enjoyable if they can take a creative approach to problem solving.