A proper measurement methodology is how to gauge success. How can you know where you are going and if you have arrived, when you don't even know where you are? Want increased sales? Determine an accurate way to measure sales today. Using sound business principals calculate what sales need to be … [Read more...]
Business Must Sharpen The Saw Continuously
As I checked into a brand new Hampton Inn earlier today, it struck me that this is not the same hotel chain I started staying at over 20 years ago. Hampton Inn has done a great job applying Stephen Covey's seventh habit, Sharpen the saw. While Mr. Covey's focus is on personal self-renewal, Hampton … [Read more...]
Trust Circles Influence Communication Types
The concept of social media circles of trust has caused me to revisit my Three Types of Communication post from last June. I was dealing with trust issues in my life when I wrote Three Types of Communication. In the previous six months I had made many bad choices inconsistent with my long-term life … [Read more...]
Commitment Sets Priorities
Commitment is turning my choice to deliver 31 blog posts in the month of March into reality. Delivering 31 blog posts in the month of March has required a commitment to new priorities. I made a commitment to myself that writing every day is a priority for me. Reality set in and I realized there … [Read more...]
Social Media Has Changed My Business
Social media is not my business. Over the past six months, however, social media has radically changed how I do business. I've become a solid practitioner of this craft. No I don't have 10,000 followers on Twitter but if that's what I wanted, I could accomplish it within a month or less. Instead I … [Read more...]
Goals Define Choices
Everything you do in life takes you closer to your goals, or further from them. Without clearly defined goals you have no standard by which to judge your choices. Yesterday I shared four of the key choices I have made in my life over the past year. Each of those choices has brought me closer to my … [Read more...]
Choices Define You – Your Choices
In the past year, just like you I have made hundreds if not thousands of choices. Four of my choices stand out and helped define who I am today. The payoff has been huge. I have a clear vision of where I, my family and my business are going. I'm taking the steps everyday to stay on the path defined … [Read more...]
Trust as Currency
Today I experienced first hand what if feels like to hold the currency that is the trust of another human being. Early in the day I learned that a new customer has chosen to go with my proposal based upon the recommendation of "Fred," a customer I wrote about in my Regaining Trust post. Later in the … [Read more...]
Life Needs a Compelling Why – What's Yours?
My "why" is making JimRaffel.com the best blog I can. Writing for this blog everyday is following my passion. That passion is what drives my desire to find ways to make ColorMetrix more successful with less and less of my time. I've managed to reduce my ColorMetrix work week to about 50 hours (down … [Read more...]
Ignite Speaking Engagement for MKELive
Here is the video from my speaking engagement at the MKELive Ignite event. I'm in and out of the picture a little at the beginning but do me a favor and hang in there for a few minutes. I was the first speaker and Katie Felten and her team recovered quickly. I enjoyed the format of the event, … [Read more...]