The Optimist Creed is a 10 point guide to self confidence,  success and becoming more optimistic.   By following these “common sense” rules, your personal and business success will boost and continue to grow.  I will go over a couple points that I have learned to apply to my  life and have made me a more successful person.

The first is “Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.” This is one of those “easier said than done” statements but you can make it possible with the right attitude. When I was in college,  I worked in a portrait studio taking pictures of families and kids.  During the Christmas season, we had photo sessions every 10 minutes – literally impossible to do. Before I got to work, I already knew I was going to have a bad day because no matter how hard I tried or how good our photographers were, customers were going to be angry because of their long wait. I was already convincing myself of the bad day I had ahead of me before I stepped foot in the studio. I decided it was time to change my way of thinking and not let things I couldn’t control affect my attitude. While the customers waited, I gave them books to browse so they could have an idea of what they wanted before their session time. This way the customer did not feel neglected and it got them in and out of the studio faster so other families wouldn’t have such long waiting periods. I took control of the situation and by choosing to be strong, it helped the flow of the studio and I kept my peace of mind.

Another point in the Optimist Creed that I can relate to is “Promise yourself to forget the mistakes of your past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.” Set backs and failures are an inevitable part of life.  Self confident people are not intimidated by their failures. They embrace it and move forward towards their goal. A good example of this would be an athlete. The goal in any sport is to win or be number one. What does a boxer do when he looses a fight? The boxer and his trainer will sit together and review a tape of the fight and see what he did wrong and what he can improve on. Even though he lost, he gained  knowledge for next time.

These are just two of the ten points on the Optimist Creed that I relate to. For a free copy of Optimist Creed click here. What the author suggests is hanging a copy near your desk to continually remind yourself of these self confident rules to become a more success peron in your career and personal life.

I have heard this conversation many times recently, in the office, with friends and at the Customer Service Excellence Award ceremony I attended. This is a program developed by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce to recognize people for their outstanding customer service. At the ceremony all of the nominees accepted their awards, had a picture taken with the mayor, picked up their snazzy pin to show off to everyone!

Before distributing the pins, the host of the ceremony thanked everyone for a job well done and reminded everyone of the importance and the impact great customer service has during a slow economy. It can make or break your business. The concept seems like a no-brainer but to my surprise, I still hear stories from friends and colleagues about their awful experiences.  Keep in mind, when dealing with your customers that they are the key to your success.  Great customer service is essential all the time and especially during this rough economic time. We want to impress them and we want them to return. Customers are less likely to return to your business if they do not get the type of customer service they expect, or better. Make sure that you always follow through. Word of mouth is an effective, low-cost method of marketing. Remember, every customer who has a good experience will share it with 1 or 2 people. Customers who have experienced negative service will share that with 8 to10 people.

Check out customerservicezone.com for great ideas for almost every situation.

1. Collect all of the items on your ‘to-do’ list in one place. Clear your mind and then prioritize. Start with the most important items and watch the impact you make. Taking care of your highest priorities first will help the other pieces fall into place.
2. Set up your plans and record your progress. Write an outline and mark items off as you complete them. Checking a box or marking an item done can be a great motivator.
3. Set achievable goals and realistic rewards for yourself. Then treat yourself when you do reach your goal. Even if it’s something small like a banana split, you will remember the impact.
4. Don’t underestimate the value of role models. Read about successful people that you admire and learn how they think and behave. You should even talk to your friends or invite a colleague to lunch to hear how they stay motivated.
5. Keep a success diary. Record your successes and how you felt when you achieved the success. It will make a great read later when you might feel you need another boost.
6. Listen to your body. It’s easy to become sluggish if you are not getting the proper rest and not eating properly. An adjustment to your sleeping patterns or diet might be just what you need.
7. Make it a habit. It takes 28 days for a habit to start forming. The more consistent you are, the easier your daily tasks will become. Take advantage of the momentum you create for yourself.
8. Make working towards your goals fun. For example, each time you make a sale, have customers ring a bell. It will also serve as a reminder of what a good job your team is doing.
9. Enthusiasm is infectious. Attend networking events, read and list to others that are enthusiastic about their business and your industry.
10. Work hard and play hard. You will enjoy work and leisure time more if you keep a good balance between.

Summer time means more vacations and leisure time. It’s easy to get side tracked, but remember these tips and make it a priority to stay focused!

• Analyze your list of leads. It is important to get the the right information to the right people.
• Offer something soft like a white paper, newsletter, free trial, or webcast.
• Create an offer with a high perceived value and a low- cost fulfillment that is unique to your company. Your offer should have specific benefits and a sense of urgency like limited quantities.
• The offer must relate to the main benefit of your service or product.
• Follow the rule of 3 by mentioning your offer three times. It will help the idea stick.
• It is wise to include a guarantee with your offer.
• Keep in mind, the most powerful word in marketing is free.

Now is the time to develop new ideas to promote your products and services. Let us know what changes you have made to your marketing plans by commenting below.

“I like the smaller class size and the ability to get answers specific to your situation.”

“It was easy to understand and follow as we went.”

“It was easy to understand, and not dreadfully boring.”

These are just a few direct quotes from students after attending our Learning QuickBooks class. Our ProAdvisors give each person the attention they deserve. We limit our classroom size to no more than 8 students so everyone has a chance to ask questions and no one falls behind. Most QuickBooks seminars you might read about are strictly lectures with no hands-on training and are directed at very large audiences so individual questions aren’t often addressed directly. We have designed our class to include hands-on exercises and cover all 15 Chapters of Learning QuickBooks so learners leave with a complete understanding and practical experience. Classes are being offered every month. For a copy of the curriculum or to have your questions answered, give me a call at 702-966-2000 ext 5413 or send me a note.

By Jolee Hamman

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