We presented the first Blogging for Business seminar in Calgary on February 19^th and received excellent feedback from the attendees. In fact one of the participants was so pleased by the value and quality of the training that she insisted on sponsoring another session for her networking group.

So, on March 19^th, 2009, we are re-running our Blogging for Business seminar and are proud be be presented by Ronda Bertram and Carman LeFrance, both Publishers of WOMANITION in Alberta.

Here is what Ronda Bertram wrote;

“Do you know what google alerts, keywords and adwords are? I attended Dave’s course on February 18, 2009. It was hands down the best business course I have attended on the most up-to-date information available about blogging. This one course alone can increase your business ten fold if you follow the easy steps that Dave gives you to create your own blogs, and how to cross market yourself on the internet, search engine optimization for the lay person and how to increase your ranking on google….”

If you are not blogging for business, you really should consider joining me and the group from Womanition on March 19^th at 10:30 am.

To learn more about me and the seminar, please visit the “Blogging for Business” seminar page.

If the worker bees don’t get honey, the Queen bee will perish. Worker bees are responsible for everything that happens in the hive. They make the comb where the honey is stored and eggs are laid. Why am I thinking about bees again? Bees make a great metaphoric lead into interesting topics like employee and employer relationships. Plus, the last time I wrote about Bees in my blog, It brought a lot of visitors… who would have thought there was so much interest in bees.

Take Two…with a few word changes;

If the employees don’t get things done, the Company will perish. Workers are responsible for everything that gets done in an organization. They deliver the products or services and add the creative flash that makes your business what it is. Workers that regret or resent their employment do not contribute… your clients will feel their dissatisfaction.

As our business evolves we add resources to ensure that we can deliver the services that we sell. In our business of web design and development, our number one resource is people. I have been a people manager for most of my adult life. At one point in my career I had a dozen direct reports who helped me coordinate and manage a team of nearly 400 personnel on 24 hour shifts.

I can’t imagine managing people without these thoughts;

• recognize and appreciate each individual persons strengths
• forgive their weakness (if it doesn’t impact your business negatively)
• be flexible, not everyone has a good day every day
• value the things your people have learned and recognize that starting over with a replacement is more difficult than coaching the employee you already have
• the time we put into growing skills in our people is priceless
• give regular feedback, be honest, honesty should not be hurtful
• feedback has to include positive remarks

Back to Bees… the bees all work together to fill up the comb. Each individual has to contribute.

How do you work with people. Have I missed any important points in my list above? I am sure I have… share your thoughts.

Have you seen the Part Machine buses running around?

Tell me your thoughts on this… I would love to see your comment added below.

Cheers -
David A. West

I wonder how many sales people beat up their competition by injecting rumour, innuendo and sorted negative remarks into discussions with potential clients?  I know at least one web company in Calgary that makes it their practice to undermine the competition with negative remarks. All I have to say is… shame on you.

Our client actually came to us and told us that this sales agent, who also happens to be one of the owners of the other company, was really very negative regarding the fact that this client chose to work with us.  At the time that we were competing for the work all I said to the client about the other company is that I thought that they were a good choice.  I told her that I believed them to be a sound and reputable service provider.

I don’t believe that it is to our advantage to talk poorly of our competition. The fact is that I don’t know very much about them or their business practices.  One thing that I do know, for sure, is that when a relationship between a customer and a service provider “breaks down”… it’s not always the service providers fault. So, the loss of a client is not always a true measure of the service providers performance.  On the other hand, if a service provider loses a lot of clients… then I’d say the writing is on the wall.  When the writing is on the wall, surely I don’t have to say anything.

What’s really interesting about the competitor that tried unsuccessfully to woo our client away with rumours and innuendo is that their efforts would have been better spent trying to preserve their own clients.   You see, my newest client, is this exact same company’s most recent lost client.  He switch to our service because of what he described to be a lack of service and poor billing practices. In fact the client described their practices as falling just short of fraudulent.

Be positive & care about your clients, their business and your own business. Good things will come from small actions that don’t include being negative about people you don’t even know.  If being negative is a part of your sales practice… be sure to clean up your own house first or your clients may leave you too.

Is there room in your sales process for beating the competition up?  Should an Owner who also sells be held to a higher standard?

Tell me your thoughts on this… I would love to see your comment added below.

Cheers -
David A. West