Unlikely Marriages = Strength, Uniqueness, Integrity

A big thank you! to Andrea J. Lee, author of Multiple Streams of Coaching Income for her excellent blog post on the origins of "Loving Day", the anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling which legalized interracial marriage in the United States. Not only does she educate us about that recent event (June 12th was the 40th anniversary) but she goes on to advocate mixing together unlikely pairings in business as well. Read the full post here and do the fun exercise about how a frog can help you break free of conventional thinking and help you rise head and shoulders above the pack.

This Month's Final Winner

The fifth and final winner of this month's drawing to win a copy of The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss is Lynda Lockhart, independent distributor for EcoQuest International. Way to go, Lynda! To claim your prize all you have to do is send an email to kim@readytoevolve.com and let me know your shipping information.

To the more than 400 entrants, keep checking back because you are automatically entered in the next drawing, coming soon. And while you're here, tap into and share the new concepts, how-tos and tips that are posted here nearly every day.

To read more about Timothy Ferriss and his book, visit his official web site.

Mastery vs. Mediocrity

I've been blogging about Seth Godin and his book The Dip lately. Intriguing stuff. One of the points that Godin makes is that we all have a responsibility to be the best at what we do or move on to something else. What do you think about that? Post your comments below.

You can read my take on it in this week's issue of my publication, The Success Hot Sheet. Here's a sample:

"Let's face it. People want to hire the best. That's why companies pay big bucks to have their web sites optimized because we rarely hire the person known for being the 10th best at what they do or whose web site is hiding on the third or fourth page of an Internet search.

"Every potential client gets to define what the 'best' means to them and then they conduct their search based on whatever criteria they have decided is most important. Your job is to decide how you can be the best, have the ability to clearly and convincingly state your case, and then get yourself in front of the folks who truly value what you do."

Click here to read the entire featured article.

Revive Your Elevator Speech

I posted yesterday about a great article in the July 2007 issue of Inc. Magazine about perfecting that little but oh-so-important 30-second speech about your business. The link went up today. Check it out for yourself.

Winner #4 Is...

Big congratulations to today's winner, Peggy Bradley of Flowers by Peggy in West Covina, California! Peggy, to claim your free copy of The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss, send an email to kim@readytoevolve.com with your shipping information.

I'm giving away one more copy this week, so check back.

Dialing 411 Is So Old School!

I love saving my clients both time and money, so this new, experimental service from the brilliant folks at Google Labs is a no-brainer. It's called Google Voice Local Search and it's pretty much the same as dialing 411 on your phone to get directory assistance.

Dial 1-800-GOOG-411 from any phone and get connected to an automated system that will look up numbers for you and even connect you free of charge. Because it's still in the experimental stages, it's not 100% reliable. Plus I'm sure at some point, once they work out the kinks, they might start charging for the service. But use it for free while you can and stop paying those charges to your wireless or land line phone service provider.

Live Interview w/Timothy Ferriss

Wow, this guy is getting some serious mileage from his book, The 4-Hour Workweek! I have seen him and his book mentioned on blogs, interviews, and articles every time I turn around. I have personally already given away 3 free copies and have 2 more to award this week. This all makes me wonder who is doing the PR for his book tour.

I want to let you know that one of my favorite internet marketers, Alex Mandossian, (that's him on the left) is interviewing Ferriss this Thursday, June 28th at 9pm Eastern/6pm Pacific. You can either listen in free via telephone or watch it via webcast from your computer.

Visit this site to get the full details.

Deer in the Headlights

I just read an excellent and entertaining article in the July issue of Inc. Magazine titled, You Know What Your Company Does. Can you Explain It in 30 Seconds? The article describes a meeting between the executives of a home security start-up called uControl and the owners of Elevator Speech, a consulting firm that specializes in...well you get the picture. They take the CEO's pitch from highly technical and extremely boring to one that's more engaging and fun.

Face it...we've all had that "deer in the headlights" moment when someone says, "What do you do?" Wouldn't it be great to have a prepared answer that is clear, concise, and intriguing enough to make the listener respond, "Wow, tell me more!"

I wish I could give you the link to the article, but it's not posted yet. I recommend clicking over to the web site for Elevator Speech and watching their video with footage from 60 Minutes of an executive doing it the wrong way. Check back here for the article as well as templates and tips for perfecting your own speech. You'll have them hanging on your every word in no time.

One Step Closer to a 4-Hour Workweek

I just returned from an energizing weekend at Big Bear. Let me tell you, taking time out to explore new places really got me hungry for what Timothy Ferriss promotes in his book, aptly named, The 4-Hour Workweek.

Today's winner of a third free copy of this book is Erik Velastegui, president of Liquid Capital of Orange County. Congratulations! Erik, to claim your prize, send an email to kim@readytoevolve.com with your shipping address and it will be delivered to you via Amazon.com in a few days.

Don't forget...it's still not too late the enter the contest. I'm giving away 2 more copies this week. Simply send an email to me with you name and company and the words "4-Hour Workweek" in the subject line and you're in!

One More Chance to Catch Seth Godin

Did you catch the live interview of Seth Godin that I announced last week? I couldn't make it during the actual call but I downloaded and burned the interview onto a CD so I can listen to it while driving. And I have to say, it was an amazing interview.

First of all, the interviewer was Andy Wibbles, whom many consider the king of blogging. Not only is he smart as a whip, he's got a biting sense of humor, and an insatiable curiosity. He refuses to take things at face value, so he is just the man to do the interview right and not simply kiss Godin's butt.

Godin talk about his new book, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (And When to Stick). Don't let me spoil it for you...there's one more interview with Godin Tuesday. Use the link below to register:

Tuesday, June 26, 2007, 1pm Eastern

Winner #2 Is...

I would say, "Thank God it's Friday" but when you're the boss, every day can be a Friday or a Monday, depending on your point of view. Onwards...

The winner of the second free copy of The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss is Irma Casteñeda, Branch Manager of PFF Bank & Trust in Tustin, California. Congratulations! To claim your prize, send an email to kim@readytoevolve.com with your shipping address and it will be delivered to you via Amazon.com.

To all the other entrants, check back here to see if you're the next winner. There are still 3 more copies left. Have a fantastic weekend!

Q: When Is a Straw Not Just a Straw?

A: When it's a straw at Disneyland.

However you feel about the mega-empire that is Disney, you gotta give them credit for some fantastic ideas, especially in the field of marketing. I had the pleasure of visiting Disneyland a couple of weeks ago and I noticed that virtually everywhere I looked, Disney had found a way to turn the ordinary into something, well, unordinary and in some cases, quite extraordinary.

Case in point was the straw that came with my nephew's kids meal. It wasn't just your standard straw...when you drank through it, the temperature of the liquid changed the color of the plastic from blue to purple, kind of like a mood ring, if you were around in the 70s. Colton, my nephew, was so impressed that he insisted on saving it and taking it back home. 2nd example: there is a fountain in a courtyard at Downtown Disney that has lights underneath the water. And, like the straw, the lights change color but this time based on the sounds around it. So when a violinist performs nearby, the color of the water changes in perfect synchronicity with the music.

Is this important? Do either of the these examples make Disney more money directly? Probably not. What they do is enhance the experience of their customers. The "imagineers" at Disney find a way to set themselves apart so that even something as mundane as a straw is unique.

How do you enhance the experience for your customers? How can you make their interaction unique and utterly unforgettable?

Become an Expert Tracker

Do you track your actions and your results? I ask this because it's been a recurring theme in the conversations I have had lately with clients, folks at the gym, and even my own coach. Many people seem dissatisfied with their results but when pressed, have a difficult time describing measurable processes and producing specific numbers.

Exactly how much time do you spend working in or on your business? What's your closing ratio on referrals or how many referrals need to walk through the door to bag you a new client? If you have a mailing list, what's the percentage of people who respond? How many phone calls on average does it take to reach a member on your team? So if you want to speak to every member, how many calls is that total and how long does each call typically last?

Once you track your activities and results, then you can measure whether your estimates are correct. If you have a 50% closing ratio and your goal is to get 10 new clients this month, then you need to get in front of 20 prospects. Where are these prospects coming from? How many letters, phone calls, emails, referral partners, networking groups, etc does that equal? And while you're at it, how can you raise your closing ratio to 90%? (Wouldn't that be nice and save a lot more time?)

You get the picture. Set up ways to measure what you do and keep track of the results. Create a spreadsheet of daily, weekly, and monthly activity targets and refer to it daily. Would you like a sample? Post your request as a comment.

And Today's Winner Is...

The winner of the first free copy of The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss is Kitty Mikesell of Hippo Custom Imprinting in Chino, California. Congratulations! To claim your prize, send an email to kim@readytoevolve.com with your shipping address and it will be delivered to you via Amazon.com.

To all the other entrants, check back here to see if you're the next winner. There are still 4 more copies left. Good luck!

Seth Godin LIVE!

It's hard to describe Seth Godin because he defies conventional labels. On his web site he calls himself a "bestselling author, entrepreneur, and agent of change." You can read all about him here. On an off-day, he is still thought provoking and wildly entertaining.

I want to share that there are 2 free opportunities to hear him interviewed live in June. Seth will discuss his latest book, The Dip: A Little Book that Teaches You When to Quit (And When to Stick).

Use these links below to register for the tele-conference. And if you can't be there live, register anyway because they will send you a link to the recording.

1. Thursday, June 21, 2007, 2pm Eastern
2. Tuesday, June 26, 2007, 1pm Eastern

You Could Be a Winner

To celebrate the unveiling of my new web site, I am sponsoring a drawing to give away 5 free copies of Timothy Ferriss' bestselling book, The 4-Hour Workweek.

All business owners who gave me their card in the last 12 months are automatically entered.

But it's not too late to throw your hat into the ring. Simply send an email to kim@readytoevolve.com with the words "4-hour workweek" in the subject line and your name and business name in the body of the email. But hurry, because winners will be drawn every other business day, starting Wednesday, June 20th.

Don't forget to check back to see if you're a winner. Good luck!

Catch That Vibe

Seth Godin posted this very interesting commentary yesterday about the importance of vibe. What sort of vibe does your business transmit? How about you? How's your vibe? How is it tied into your attitude, expectations, personality, energy, or actions?

We've all been to events that rocked with a vibrant frequency as well as to those that literally felt flat and 2-dimensional. What made the difference? The people or the environment? Maybe both?

How do you create a vibe around your business?

Grab the Competitive Edge

Why should I do business with you? What makes you and your business any better or different than any number of professionals offering a similar service or product?

Hopefully you know the answers to those questions in intimate detail. If you're a little rusty, download the "Competitive Advantage" worksheet courtesy of Nancy Moeller of Power Sales Teams in Tustin, California.

Free Your Mind

Are you a visual person who organizes ideas best with flow charts, org charts, or collages? If so, hopefully you know about the concept of mind-mapping. This is an invaluable way to capture creative ideas in a structured way.

There are various mind-mapping tools available, but check out this free, open source software called FreeMind.

Complete details about how and why to use it are on the site. At last, get those stray thoughts on paper and free up space in your brain for other, more important issues.

It's Your Choice

I like to challenge clients who feel stuck to check in with themselves about what experience they currently choose for themselves.

For instance, one client is going through a big transition with a move that involves finding a new place to live and a new job while starting over in a city where he has no contacts and few prospects.

I asked him to sum up the attitude he chooses as he launches into this journey in one word.

A bit stumped by the condition that he could only use one word, he paused for a few moments and then said, "Enjoyment."

Ah.

I asked him to say it out loud.

"I choose enjoyment."

That means he chooses to enjoy the complete experience from going on job interviews, carrying boxes of stuff up and down stairs, and finding something to eat, to dealing with unfamiliar people, getting lost, and setting up a new bank account.

Much better than choosing frustration or irritation, don't you agree?

You are at choice at all times.

You may not be in control of all variables, but you can always choose how you respond to any given situation.

What do you choose today?

Clip Your Best, Leave the Rest

Check out this very cool tool that allows you to "clip" whatever portion of a website you would like to save or send. This can include text, photos, videos, and audio and you can send your clips directly to your blog or to an email.

http://www.clipmarks.com

Let me know what you think of it and how you're using it to innovate, save time, or money.

Need to send an email while on the go?

Check out this nifty (and free) service:

www.jot.com

All you need to do is set up your account and enter your contact information. Then you can call a toll free number from your cell phone to leave a message that will be transcribed and emailed or text messaged to yourself or the contact of your choice.

It's not fool proof...you can get some funny typos. But it's great for sending messages to your team or getting something on paper that you can edit when you get back to the office.

I love sending emails to myself while driving so I don't have to waste time typing later.

Great Expectations

I recently heard an extremely successful business owner, Christopher Howard, say this: "We don't get in life what we want. We get what we expect."

What do you expect for yourself and your business?

How do those expectations narrow or broaden your vision?

Something to think about on your drive home tonight.