1. No category

3. Small business idea?
There are several grants and
other assistance available for
small businesses.
VOLUME 08 / ISSUE 08 / OCTOBER 2013
HAMILTON
/////////
PLEASE FORWARD TO:
OWNER
SALES MANAGER
6. Women You Need
to Know
An interview with Jayde
Liebersbach of Carrothers
& Associates.
MARKETING DEPARTMENT
14. Avoid common
mismanagement steps
Once your business becomes
operational it becomes very
hard to change fundamentals.
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
How to kick
start your
productivity
at work
“Imagine your life as it will be if
you never confront your fears…”
BY MARK WARDELL
E
very once in a while, we hit a productivity roadblock. Why does this happen?
Because we’re human. We simply don’t feel
the same level of motivation every single day.
If you’re the boss (i.e. the one setting the rules) there’s nobody there to push you forward. So, for those days (or weeks)
when you need a kickstart, try this approach to boosting
your productivity.
1
Give yourself a deadline. For most of us, a deadline is a
driver. So, give yourself a deadline and make it an exact
deadline. Don’t allow yourself to go over it, not even by one
second. It may sound overly simplistic, but sometimes this
little internal push is all you need to get the job done.
2
Face your fears. If fear is holding you back, I find the
best way to face the task you’re avoiding is to imagine…
Continued on page 2
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PURCHASING DEPARTMENT
CONTENTS
10.13
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Online
6. Managing cottage capital gains
8. Ask the Expert
12. The throne has been replaced
13. Managing technology
14.Common mismanagement steps
15. Sales Moves
CO - P U B L IS HE RS
Jim Shields, Adam Shields
D IR ECTO R OF ADVE RTISING
Julie Shields
CO N T R IB U T IN G WRITE RS
M. Wardell, N. Vickers, J. Stitt, S. Leslie
B. McElroy, P. Riopelle, J. Burton, M. Wallace
J. Jones, J. Gitomer
CIRCU L AT I ON
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Continued from page 1
…the worst case scenario. What is the worst
thing that can happen if you tackle whatever
it is you’re avoiding. Often you’ll find out that
your worse case scenario is not too bad and
that you have been internally exaggerating the
reason for avoiding the task. Helping yourself
develop a more realistic perspective can often
reduce your fears to a manageable level.
3
Involve others: You can increase the pressure you put on yourself to confront your
fear by involving other people. Tell your plans
to people who will hold you accountable for
your actions.
4
Put it in writing: When you put something in writing, it feels more like a commitment. To increase the power of this weapon, you can give it to someone else to hold
on to. Make sure that you date it and sign it.
5
Eliminating negative self-talk: “Negative self-talk” is the internal dialogue
that goes on inside your head, telling you that
you can’t do something and showing you pictures of your imminent failure. In order to
help yourself to eliminate negative self-talk,
it’s important to understand that your mind
can only think in “positive” terms.
In my previous life as a gymnastics coach, I
would often use the following illustration when
explaining this to my athletes. First I told them,
“I don’t want you to think about pink elephants
for the next 20 seconds. Whatever you do, do not
think about pink elephants.” Then, when the 20
seconds were up, I’d ask them what they were
thinking about. Their answer was always the
same. “Pink elephants.” Why? Because the mind
can’t focus on a negative, it can only focus on
a positive. The results would have been exactly
the same if I had told them to think about pink
elephants for 20 seconds. The only way to eliminate the thought of the pink elephants would
have been to replace it with another thought.
For example, green elephants. So, the way to
eliminate negative self-talk is to replace it with
positive self-talk. Tell yourself that you can do
it. Fill your mind with your strategies and your
plans. Focus your mind on your task, and you
will take your mind off your fears.
6
Long term, positive reinforcement.
Imagine and mentally enjoy the achievements you will accomplish once you push
through to that next project. Allow the inspiration of your goals to take your mind off your
fears and to motivate you into action.
7
8
Long term negative reinforcement:
Imagine your life as it will be if you never confront your fears; if you allow your fears
to stop you every time they get in the way. If
this paints a more unpleasant picture than
your immediate fears, you will be motivated
into action.
9
Immediate negative reinforcement: Give
yourself a more unpleasant alternative
to not confronting your fears. (i.e. “If I don’t
meet with Joe by 1:00 p.m. today, I’ll have to
work through the whole weekend and I’ll still
have to meet with him on Monday.”) Keep in
mind that this will only work if you are fully
prepared to follow through. If you don’t meet
with Joe then you had better work through
the weekend. If you decide to give yourself
a break then there was no point making the
deal with yourself in the first place. You can’t
fool yourself, so don’t even try.
10
Combine your strategies: Once you’ve
started using these different strategies,
try combining them together. For example,
write down your goal along with deadline for
action and give it to someone you respect who
will hold you accountable. Then reward yourself if you get the job done. BL10
Mark is president and founder of Wardell Professional
Immediate, positive reinforcement: Offer yourself a small reward for confronting your fears. A walk in the park, an extended
lunch break, a small gift…anything that will
make you feel good. Just make sure that you
don’t give it to yourself until you complete
your task.
Development (www.wardell.biz), an advisory group
that helps business owners plan and execute the
growth of their companies. The author of seven
business books, Mark also writes regularly for several
national business publications including Profit Magazine,
The Globe & Mail, and CGA Magazine.
Email him at [email protected].
www.BusinessLinkMedia.com |
@thebusinesslink
OCTOBER 2013
Small business idea? Help is available!
There are several
grants and other
assistance available
for small businesses.
PROVIDED BY SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CENTRE
L
ooking to initiate or relocate a business?
One of your first stops should be your local
Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC). An
SBEC provides entrepreneurs with all the tools
they need to start and grow their businesses
and is generally a partnership between the
province of Ontario and a host municipality.
(There are 57 SBECs across Ontario).
The City of Hamilton boasts one of the busiest SBECs in the province. In the last few
years alone, Hamilton’s SBEC has handled
over 150,000 inquiries, held over 10,000 consultation sessions with entrepreneurs, and
most importantly, facilitated the creation of
nearly 2,000 small business jobs. This activity
has contributed greatly to the revitalization
of the city’s economy.
One of the more popular questions asked
of Hamilton SBEC staff (not to mention those
at the Halton and Niagara regions) is: “What
government grants and incentives are there
to help me start a business?”
This is a simple question, that requires a
multi-pronged answer. To start, a grant implies “free money” to many. However, small
business grants from any level of government
are very few and far between. Although some
money exists, it has been our experience that
working with a major lending institution can
be just as beneficial—and a little faster—to
acquire financing.
That said, one of the top grant programs
is for those aged 15 to 29 through the province of Ontario’s Summer Company program
(summercompany.ca).
Summer Company is a great opportunity
for enterprising young people who want to
start and run their own summer businesses
and obtain a $3,000 grant in the process. The
program provides hands-on business coaching and mentoring from local business lead-
OCTOBER 2013
ers who will work with you to make your
summer company a reality. This is something you need to plan for well in advance.
Just as important as funding sources, firsttime entrepreneurs need to understand all
the resources available to ensure the business
can survive and thrive including:
1
Ontario Business Program Guide: The Ontario Business Program guide is a comprehensive online directory of information on
the Ontario government’s support programs
for business. The information for this can be
found at ontario.ca/businessprograms.
2
Canadian Youth Business Foundation
(CYBF): The CYBF continues to be the
go-to place for youth entrepreneurship. As
a non-profit organization, it’s dedicated to
growing Canada’s economy one young entrepreneur at a time by offering lending and
mentorship. Check out cybf.ca for further
information pertaining to lending.
3
Canadian Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP): Providing financing up to
$500,000 to help start or grow your business,
this program is a collaboration between government and financial institutions to create
winning opportunities for business in Ontario.
Visit ic.gc.ca/csbfp for more information.
@thebusinesslink | www.BusinessLinkMedia.com
4
Hamilton Economic Development Incentive Program: Hamilton has one
of the richest suites of financial incentive
programs in the country. Whether you’re rehabilitating a brownfield site, want to build
a LEED-certified building, or are thinking of
fixing up a heritage building in the downtown core, there’s public money available to
assist. Go to investinhamilton.ca/incentives
to learn more.
5
Self-Employment Benefit Program:
This program provides individuals who
are eligible for EI benefits with resources
and support. Please visit tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/
employees/selfemployment.html for more
information. BL10
If you would like to speak with a staff person
from the Hamilton SBEC, call 905.540.6400,
email [email protected] or visit
investinhamilton.ca/small-business.
To find your local SEBC, visit:
http://www.ontario.ca/business-and-economy/smallbusiness-enterprise-centre-locations
THE BUSINESS LINK NEWSPAPER
3
A man who can’t bear to share his habits is a man who needs to quit them.” – Stephen King
Breaking old habits
Creating a smooth transition to a new and comfortable workplace.
BY NATALIE VICKERS
T
he workplace can be a daunting
and overwhelming place to enter
for any university graduate. It is the
first step into the professional world.
Making the transition as smooth and
effective as possible is important for
success. The corporate world, especially
sales driven companies, are challenging and fast paced.
Like a lot of university students, I
developed all the wrong habits when
it came to studying. I would try and
fit everything in at the last minute,
creating stress and start projects with
no clear goal in mind. Also, my preferred method of communication was
through text message. These combined
habits worked against me in the corporate world.
Being open to change and breaking
old habits is a must. In my experience
true success came with taking the time
to truly understand the processes and
culture of Brand Blvd. Companies put
a lot of time and effort into not only
4
THE BUSINESS LINK NEWSPAPER
perfecting the work process but also defining their mission statement; picking
apart what brings them together as a
whole, what makes their industry tick,
and what is most important to them.
Once you can truly appreciate this as
an employee, you will be well on your
way to success.
Communication and customer service are two significant aspects of
Brand Blvd’s culture. Needless to say,
my old habits are long gone. Through
understanding the business, I now
manage my time efficiently. Through
the time, tested and true method of
pre-planning and organizing my day,
I am able to give my clients the customer service they deserve. Developing this
new routine has also helped to significantly reduce my stress level and I find
I actually get through things quicker
and more effectively. Gone are the days
of hiding behind emails and text messages as the main form of communication. Face to face meetings and regular
phone conversations with my clientele
keeps them informed and up-to-date.
This method builds a relationship, and
one of trust which is one of the most
important aspects of sales.
It is important to take the time to
understand the business you are in.
Change is difficult and habits can be
hard to break. However, jumping on
board with your corporate culture and
the willingness to entrench yourself
into it will create a smooth transition to
a new and comfortable workplace. BL10
Brand Blvd is a leading edge promotional firm
in southern Ontario. They are located at 261
Martindale Road in St. Catharines. They work
hard to help create brand name recognition for
companies and organizations. Value is a core
principle at Brand Blvd. Their team strives to
create positive and lasting relationships with
both customer and community. Their company
motto speaks for itself: “BUILD YOUR BRAND.”
Natalie can be reached at 905.682.0001 ext.
208 or by email at [email protected].
www.facebook.com/brandblvd
www.BusinessLinkMedia.com |
@thebusinesslink
OCTOBER 2013
OCTOBER 2013
@thebusinesslink | www.BusinessLinkMedia.com
THE BUSINESS LINK NEWSPAPER
5
WOMEN YOU
NEED TO KNOW
~ Sponsored By Melissa Heffernan B.A. ~
Sutton Group–Innovative Realty Inc. | Brokerage – Independently Owned and Operated
BY SCOTT LESLIE The Business Link
FEATURED
SL: Tell me a little bit about Carrothers
& Associates.
JL: We’re a small boutique architectural firm located
in the heart of Westdale Village in Hamilton. Our projects range from residential additions, renovations and
custom homes to small commercial and institutional
buildings. We’ll take you step by step from concept to
design to completion. I came on board in 2012 as the
first permanent staff and we’ve grown considerably
since then. It has been great to be a part of that growth
in the City of Hamilton and the surrounding area.
SL: You’ve studied abroad and done quite a bit of
Jayde Liebersbach
travelling. How have you incorporated those expeArchitectural Designer
riences into your work in architecture?
JL: The more I see of the world, the more I appreciate
Carrothers & Associates, Architecture
what it’s given us. Every place I’ve been has their own
vernacular style of architecture that is suited to their
environments. I’ve tried to use those observations to design in a way that has minimal impact
on the site in question and is responsive to the environment it exists in.
SL: When it comes right down to it, what do you love most about working in your field?
JL: Architecture can make such an impact on your life whether you realize it or not—from
creating healthy homes through sustainable design practices to creating efficient work spaces
through space planning. I personally believe we can achieve a symbiosis between the built and
natural environments through comprehensive design strategies that incorporate aesthetics,
usability, life cycle costing, and eco-friendly and carbon neutral alternatives. Figuring out the
nuances of this process is what I love most about architectural design.
SL: What are a few of the interests that keep you busy outside of work?
JL: I’m a founding member of the Hamilton Sustainable Professionals Network. I also love hosting
dinner parties and being crafty. I help coach McMaster’s cheerleading team I tumble, play baseball
and am on two cheerleading teams. BL10
Jayde can be reached at 289.439.7085, [email protected],
www.carrothersandassocaites.com or http://www.twitter.com/jldesignarch.
Smart strategies
for managing
cottage capital
gains
BY BILL MCELROY B.A., C.F.P., CIM
T
he vacation home your
family loves has grown
in value over the years. Now,
as you consider transferring
its ownership, you wonder about the capital
gains taxes. Here are some smart strategies to
help reduce taxes when leaving your family
cottage to loved ones.
While you can transfer assets such as the
cottage to your spouse tax free (either during
your life or on death), transferring an asset to
any other individual may trigger a tax liability
that must be paid when the tax return for that
year is due. If the family cottage qualifies as
a principal residence, you may be able to use
the principal residence exemption to reduce
or eliminate any capital gain realized when
you transfer the property to a family member.
A tax professional can help you determine if
your cottage qualifies as a principal residence
and calculate the potential capital gains tax.
A taxable transfer
If the transfer of your cottage is not completely
sheltered by the principal residence exemption,
a capital gain will be realized. The gain is calculated as the difference between the original
price paid and the current value, minus any
capital improvements such as additions, boathouses and decks. One half (50%) of the gain
on the property is included in your income and
taxed at your marginal tax rate. For example,
let’s assume you purchased your cottage in 1970
for $60,000. Over the years, you made capital
improvements amounting to $100,000 and today it is worth $500,000. Assuming the cottage
is not a principal residence, transferring it results in a capital gain of $340,000, of which
$170,000 is taxable at your marginal tax rate.
Gifting your cottage to your children
Gifting or transferring your cottage at a nominal price to your children may seem attractive
as you can avoid probate fees down the road
and may reduce or eliminate land transfer
taxes. However, gifting your cottage is a taxable transaction. Even if you do not receive
any cash, you are deemed to have sold the
property at its fair market value, so this strategy won’t reduce the capital gains tax.
Smart strategies for managing cottage
capital gains
Any tax you owe is due when you file your
current year’s tax return. In addition, when
your children eventually sell or pass on the
cottage, they will be required to report the reduced price (zero dollars, if the cottage was a
gift) as their cost base, creating a larger capital
gain for them.
up a trust for your children during your life
or on death. Make sure you work with tax and
legal professionals to ensure the transfer is
done properly. Moving the cottage into a trust
is a taxable transaction subject to the capital
gains tax. The transfer results in a deemed
disposition of the cottage at fair market value with tax payable when you file your tax
return for the year. The trust may be able to
claim the principal residence exemption as
long as at least one adult child beneficiary of
the trust ordinarily inhabits the cottage. Since
the capital gains tax will be paid in the year
of transfer, the children will not have a large
tax liability on your death. However, a trust
is deemed to dispose of its capital property
every 21 years, which can trigger the capital
gains tax. There may be additional strategies
available to deal with any gain in the trust.
Selling the cottage to your children
It may seem like a good strategy to sell your
cottage for a nominal fee to your children to
reduce your capital gain and make the transaction affordable for them. However, the Canada Revenue Agency calculates the capital gain
based on the property’s fair market value and
not necessarily on the price you set for your
children. Plus, when your children eventually
sell or pass on the cottage, they will be required
to report the reduced price they paid to you as
their cost base, creating a larger capital gain
for them. If you decide to sell the cottage to
your children, consider taking back a demand
mortgage with deferred payments. You cannot
defer paying taxes forever, but you may be able
to spread the payment of the capital gains tax
over five years. On death, you can forgive the
mortgage in your will and your children will
acquire the cottage with no debt or taxes payable (assuming you have already paid them).
Leaving the cottage to your children through
your will
Transferring the cottage through your will
should involve planning with you, your children and your professional advisor. If there is
more than one child, you may want to set out
guidelines for usage, maintenance costs, decision-making and required capital improvements. If you leave the cottage to your children
in your will, your estate is liable for the capital
gains tax on the disposition of the property.
In some cases, if the value of your cottage has
greatly increased, there may not be enough
assets in your estate to pay the taxes.
Ease the way with life insurance
Consider purchasing a life insurance policy
that pays out when both you and your spouse
die. Life insurance can be a cost-effective way
to help pay the capital gains tax and avoid
the possibility that your children will need
to either pay the tax themselves or sell the
property. You can even ask your children to
pay a share of the premiums to reduce the
cost of the policy. BL10
Bill McElroy B.A., C.F.P., CIM is the president and
principal of The William Douglas Group Inc. and the
senior investment advisor for his Manulife Securities
Incorporated associate office located at 101-1005
Trust in trusts
Rather than transferring ownership of the
property directly, you may consider setting
6
THE BUSINESS LINK NEWSPAPER
Skyview Drive in Burlington. For more information
call 1.888.522.9494, email [email protected] or visit
www.wdg.ca.
www.BusinessLinkMedia.com |
@thebusinesslink
OCTOBER 2013
Hiring the Best
Part II
“A couple of months ago we focused on how business owners and managers can prepare
for a job interview, but that’s only one step of many.”
BY PADDI RIOPELLE CHRP
H
iring the right person can
be somewhat of a journey,
from the moment when your
valued employee tentatively
enters your office with a sheepish look that
you know means bad news to the moment
when their replacement walks in with hope
and optimism in their eyes.
A couple of months ago we focused on how
business owners and managers can prepare
for a job interview, but that’s only one step of
many. The interview content can make the
difference between a superficial review and a
meaningful exploration of a candidate’s suitability for the job in your company at this time.
By now you’ve chatted with the candidate
on the phone, set up the interview and met
them for the first time. You will have established their technical competence and have
a pretty good idea of whether or not this person will be able to work in your environment,
and with you and your team. You are either
wowed, disappointed or somewhere in the
middle. But what you are not is finished. The
first interview is much like a first date, sometimes they lead to wedded bliss, at times to
disinterest and other times to painful breakups. So what happens after the first interview?
Ideally a second interview will be scheduled
shortly after the first, attended by at least one
other person who can offer an honest and insightful perspective. This may be a colleague,
consultant or other trusted person. With two
or more interviewers you can better focus on
probing for detail, while the others can focus
on taking notice of behaviour, language choices,
patterns of behaviour, red flags and note taking. The interview questions should build on
the first one, with questions that elicit expanded responses and more in-depth analysis. Many
times interviewers are excited by a candidate’s
first interview and leap to the offer without really
assessing if the candidate has depth. Often times,
second interviews are flat or the candidate can’t
remember what they said the first time. Both
these situations are red flags that warrant either
a resounding “no” or more in-depth exploration.
After a successful second interview, ask the
candidates for business-related references
with current phone numbers, job titles, and
the nature of their relationship that you can
confirm during the reference check. Or you can
outsource the reference checks to a third party
firm who specializes in background checks.
This is an important step which can validate
the information you’ve gathered so far, or provide enlightening information that results in
a second look at your early decision making. If
you take this task on yourself, be sure to have
the resume and interview notes on hand.
to spend a few minutes discussing the candidate’s work history.
■ Ask for confirmation of tasks performed and
confirm employment dates and job title.
■ Ask open ended questions that probe for comments on specific skills, such as communication or interpersonal skills, collaboration,
strengths, and areas for development.
■ Ask for specific examples when the reference offers an opinion or impression. Ask
“Can you think of an example that would
demonstrate that skill/behaviour?“ or “Why
is that?”
■ Talk about the circumstances under which
individual left the company—does it match
up with what the candidate said?
■ Ask if they would personally rehire the person if they had an opportunity to do so.
■ Ask if there is any information that will
help you make an informed decision.
■ Take thorough notes and finally, thank the
reference for their time.
Next time we’ll explore how assessments help
business owners and managers predict how a
candidate will fit in. BL10
Paddi Riopelle, CHRP is president of HR Off-Site
(www.hroffsite.ca), which specializes in practical, insightful
and professional human resources solutions for small and
medium-sized businesses. Email her at [email protected].
This article is provided for informational purposes only.
Use these eight steps to ensure your reference
checking is thorough:
■ Validate who you are speaking to, and ask
OCTOBER 2013
@thebusinesslink | www.BusinessLinkMedia.com
THE BUSINESS LINK NEWSPAPER
7
ASK THE EXPERT
JASON STITT
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXPERT
Why do we need mobile device
management?
ANSWER
T
he challenges facing business resulting
from the staggering increase in mobile
devices are twofold. First, users are bringing
them into the corporate environment
straight out of the box. There are so many
different models that supporting all of them
is next to impossible. What this means, is
that the users will actively sync their devices
with their company computers, and data
will therefore transfer automatically (unless
there is a policy in place to prevent it).
Allowing this to happen will inevitably lead
to increased risk of exposure to corporate data.
If companies handle sensitive information
such as credit card and social insurance
numbers, there needs to be clear steps in place
to prevent that data from leaking out.
Threats are also increasing, as more
attacks are geared toward these devices.
Whatever security related actions and
policies organizations have in place for their
desktops and laptops also need to transfer
over to smartphones and tablets.
Data loss prevention is perhaps even
more important than just protecting mobile
devices from malicious software. Just like if
a laptop or lost or stolen, users need to notify
their IT administrators so that their phones
can be cleared of all sensitive data.
Users generally want to use those devices for
both work and personal activities. Remember,
just because an application resides on one of
the “app stores” doesn’t make it safe.
Enabling employees is important for
productivity. Educating end users in best
practices must not be neglected.
JIM ALBANESE / President
JUDY MARSALES / Broker of Record
BRANDING AND MARKETING EXPERT
How can I create an effective
SEO and Social Media Strategy
in order to attract new
business opportunities?
ANSWER
Here are six key tips:
1. Define your objectives, the role of SEO
in a Social Media effort is to influence
ranking results.
2.Develop a combined SEO and Social Media
strategy that provides focused content
and encourages interaction.
3.Optimize content for keywords and phrases that are used by your customers and
are unique to your brand.
4.Make sure your website is “search engine
friendly.” Start with a good structure and
site map, proper use of HTML, code, site
design and remove or repair broken links.
5.Develop a Social Media Policy. Share it
with staff and inspect content regularly.
6.Manage your SEO and Social Media on
an ongoing basis to stay current.
When executed correctly a combined SEO
and Social Media Plan will improve your
online performance, while increasing the
visibility of your brand across the web.
Give us a call. At Albanese Branding our team
of experts can help! BL10
Feel free to contact us about this and other
computer related issues. BL10
tel: 1.877.FAST.TEC
3-23 Nihan Dr., St. Catharines, L2N 1L2
155 Hachborn Rd., Brantford, N3S 7W7
www.iovision.ca
The Business Link’s industry experts can help answer your questions and if you
need further guidance, please call or email them today.
BILL MCELROY B.A., C.F.P., CIM
REAL ESTATE EXPERT
FINANCIAL EXPERT
ANSWER
his title may seem odd as it applies to
purchasing real estate but it is a fair
question. As in most major financial decisions, buying property is often a delicate
balance of both sides of the brain. After all,
buying a home is more than the basics of
bricks and mortar—this is your family connection, your personal refuge and your private space in a busy world. Consideration
should be given to how the home is designed
for entertaining, relaxation, connection to
your social and recreational interests, and
how it reflects on you. Items such as colours
and décor can easily be changed to match
your personality and comfort…addressing
the soft side of the equation.
Now—what about the science? There are a
myriad of statistics to inform your decision
from a macro perspective to a micro perspective— i.e: What the house next door sold for?
Understanding all of the relevant information may make you feel more comfortable in
your purchase. In the alternative, if you are
selling your property, background data can
support and inform a decision ensuring that
you are obtaining the highest and best return
on your sale. Another part of the science is
the economic indicators locally or nationally which impact the housing market such
as changing mortgage rules, interest rates,
or neighbourhood changes. Be comfortable
asking questions. We are here to enable you
to make the best decision by addressing the
comfort level of the art of housing or the science of housing. Whichever you prefer, we
are here to be helpful. Happy homeowners
are our best referral. BL10
W
Buying a home—art
or science?
T
tel: 905.526.0067 ext:14
435 York Blvd., Hamilton
[email protected]
www.albanesebranding.com
Westdale: 905.522.3300
Ancaster: 905.648.6800
Locke Street South: 905.529.3300
www.judymarsales.com
I don’t want my children
blowing their inheritance!
e were all young once and probably
agree that we have all made some
bad financial decisions in the past. But can
you imagine being 20 years old and having
a large sum of money dropped in your lap
or having an adult child with chronic money management issues inherit this money?
I’m sure that once the grieving is over,
the party will begin and that money could
be gone in no time either through frivolous
spending or bad investments. Wherever it
goes, it probably does not end up being used
for what it was intended for.
Most would think they can’t control their
kids spending beyond the grave, but you can.
A common concern for people with adolescent and sometimes mature children
is that they will not be able to handle the
inheritance. A simple solution is what is
known as a spendthrift provision to leave
the inheritance to an insurance trust or direct the funds be used to purchase an annuity for your child. This will ensure the
longevity of the inheritance and in the case
of a trust it can also control what the money
is used for.
If you have concerns about whether your
beneficiaries can handle their inheritance
consult your lawyer and financial advisor for
advice on how to set up these safeguards. It’s
still a gift, just with strings attached. BL10
toll free: 1.888.522.9494
101-1005 Skyview Dr., Burlington
[email protected]
www.wdg.ca
ADVERTORIAL
8
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OCTOBER 2013
OCTOBER 2013
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THE BUSINESS LINK NEWSPAPER
9
Seven best practices successful
event planners use
BY JANET BURTON
D
o you plan events for the corporate world
like product launches, conferences, seminars, etc.? If so, check out these seven practices
of successful event planners.
It’s easy to dismiss these points thinking
they’re trivial. I thought so too, once. I learnt
better when I had events come apart because I
chose to ignore these simple guidelines.
1
Ensure that information flows freely across
your team
You rarely do event planning in isolation. You’ll
almost always have a team of people to whom
you’ve delegated various responsibilities.
It’s very easy to make assumptions that everyone knows what the event is all about and
how what they’re doing ties in with what everyone else is doing. Both assumptions can be
totally incorrect.
At the very beginning of the event planning effort, take the time to share your event’s objective
and your overall plan for executing it with every
single one of your team members. It’s best to get
them all together to do this explaining.
On an ongoing basis have regular meetings to
assess the progress so that everyone is aware of
all aspects of the event.
2
Double check on speakers and all other
performers
Sometimes you come across events where the
main speaker delivers his message wonderfully
well, except that what he said had nothing to do
with the purpose of the event!
Network with other event planners and find
out who would be a good speaker for the event
you’re planning. Someone might be an excellent speaker for one event, but not necessarily
for another.
Ask the speaker for references. Find out as
much as you can from those references. Ask
them how many times they’ve heard him speak.
What did they like about his performance? What
did they not like? Do they have any particular relationship with the speaker (which might colour
their opinion)?
3
Do detailed planning with a timeline
To attempt to organize a big event in a haphazard manner is to flirt with disaster. You must
have a written schedule of all pre-event tasks,
with specific dates for completion and specific
persons responsible for completing them.
That may sound very basic, but this is one of
the things that cause events to fail.
4
Read the fine print, know all details
As an event planner, you may be exposing
yourself to serious financial issues and other
risks if you are not entirely familiar with all aspects of the event.
That includes all contracts you sign, all written
instructions, orders and more. Since you are the
event planner, you’re expected to be the expert
on all these areas.
5
Have a crystal clear purpose for the event
Have you attended a seminar where the topic was too broad and the speakers seemed to talk
all around the topic in a disconnected fashion?
That’s what happens when you lack clarity of
purpose about the event.
Is the event meant to be a strategic planning
retreat for top management? Is it a seminar to
bring medical professionals up-to-date on developments in a specialized field?
If it is a product launch, exactly what outcome
is the event expected to achieve?
Only when you and your team know the core
objectives can you organize a focused event that
meets those goals.
6
Purchase event insurance
Think through what could disrupt your event
and what your liabilities would be in such a case.
Disruptions can include strikes, natural calamities, speakers not showing up, drastically
reduced attendance and more. Figure out the
monetary and legal consequences. And get insurance to cover it.
7
Triple check everything
This is one of the most useful planning mottos you can think of.
Someone may have promised you three
months ago that they’ll serve exotic Japanese
snacks at high tea. Closer to event date but sufficiently in advance, check again to make sure
they remember the commitment.
They have many other things to do and
may have completely forgotten what they said
months ago!
That’s why you need to triple check everything
as you go along.
These straightforward guidelines can save you
endless trouble if you’re planning and organizing events. Make them a part of your way
of working. BL10
Janet Burton is an experienced events planner. She
also writes extensively and her articles cover planning
tips, ideas for business events, and useful checklists
for event planning.
Courtesy of EzineArticles.com.
10
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www.BusinessLinkMedia.com |
@thebusinesslink
OCTOBER 2013
Cheques,
rogues and
mobile banking
BY MOIRA WALLACE
Y
esterday I received an
email telling me to destroy the cheques I deposited
to my business bank account
90 days ago by simply taking a photo of them
with my iPhone. Technology and mobility has
its benefits, saving me the time of physically
going to my financial institution, confirming
my deposit by email and providing some security with respect to preventing my cheques
from being redirected by a rogue or forged
endorsement. Whether the system is foolproof is yet to be determined, especially when
it comes to the banks’ ability to confirm the
authenticity of the cheque and its depositor.
Some businesses have had cheques intercepted by a rogue, who will change the
payee and/or cheque amount or forge the endorsement for deposit into his own account.
The money gets withdrawn from the issuing
business account and the actual payee never
sees the funds. When the payee complains
of non-payment months later, the issuing
business realizes it has been duped out of
money it believed it had paid. Recovery of
the funds is possible based on rules set out
in the Bills of Exchange Act and procedures
of cheque clearing under the Canadian Payments Association.
Once the issuing company provides written notice to its bank of the forgery, its bank
should issue credit for the amount to the
company account and seek reimbursement
of the funds from the bank that processed the
forged cheque. The processing bank then has
the ability to freeze the account into which
the funds were illegally deposited, assuming
they haven’t already been spent or redirected,
and seek recourse from the rogue if he can
be found. What seems like a simple process
has resulted in many court cases between
banks and the issuing company on determining which innocent party gets stuck with
the loss of funds relating to the altered or
forged cheque.
OCTOBER 2013
Generally banks require its business clients
to enter into a banking agreement setting out
the terms governing funds in the accounts including the requirement for clients to review
and confirm the accuracy of statements within 30 days of issuance. Banks are also expected to know their customers, their signatures
and their banking processes, which is harder
to do in the case of larger companies. Where
the issuing company failed to comply with the
banking agreement or ought to have discovered
or prevented the forgery, it will bear the loss. If
the company’s bank failed to comply with its
processes, like confirming the processing of
large amounts or dual signatures on a company cheque, the company’s bank will be out of
funds. Where the processing bank didn’t follow
its policies, like placing a five day hold on large
funds before releasing, it will bear the loss.
Mobile banking takes away some of the
checks and balances generally available to
the banks. For example, they no longer obtain
possession of the cheque, which normally
goes through a clearinghouse process, as the
payee retains it until the 90 day period has
lapsed. I’m not sure whether technology has
advanced enough that a photo can depict the
authenticity of a watermarked cheque or if
the cheque has been altered. Once the cheque
is destroyed as required by my bank, there is
no way of confirming its authenticity. Other
than physically opening a bank account, customers may not even step foot in a bank, limiting the bank’s ability to know its customer.
I believe in CYA and advise my clients accordingly. Should you choose to use mobile
banking, keep the original cheque in case you
need to produce it at a later date. If your customers use mobile banking to deposit their
cheques, ask them to return them to you after
the 90 day period or to retain them for at least
a few years. While fraud and forgery may
happen overnight, it may take years before
it is discovered and much longer to figure
out who will be out of pocket. Liability may
be even harder to determine after the physical evidence has been destroyed. Should you
need assistance in dealing with fraudulent
activities, contact Wallace Law. BL10
For more information please contact Moira Wallace
BA, MA, LLB, Chief Loophole Advisor and Notary Public
at 905.575.0732, email [email protected] or visit
Moira’s website at www.wallacelaw.ca.
Follow Moira on twitter @loopholeadvisor.
@thebusinesslink | www.BusinessLinkMedia.com
THE BUSINESS LINK NEWSPAPER
11
I think the iPhone was as significant an invention as the Gutenburg press, in terms of the future of humanity.” – James Wood
The throne has been replaced
plate on one of the biggest apps that we all
now take for granted—the email app. Whether
it be Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail, do we realize
that we are always available working as royal
servants 24/7 to keep our ruler happy? Without
email apps on our smartphones, it would be
impossible to respond to emails within five
minutes of them entering our inbox. Before
society understood that the working day
started at 9 a.m. and ended at 5 p.m. Now,
the expectation is that there is no end to the
workday. In today’s business or personal life,
no one is ever off the grid anymore (which
has its ups and downs).
Apps and technological advances have become an addiction and obstruction of privacy that we have come to accept. Our beloved
crowned smartphones rule our lives. This is
why it is an effective use of resources to create
an app for your company. Become a member
of the royal family and create an app. This investment will be well worth it and provide you
with a broader audience and improved sales.
Stay connected with your customers and provide them with the immediate services that
they expect. BL10
“The technology heir is in
town. Apps seem to be
over ruling our world. Think
this is a bold statement?”
BY JOE JONES
W
atch out baby George,
there is a new royal
family taking over the throne.
It may be hard to imagine but
our time has become increasingly consumed
by a higher power than the arrival of a new
baby for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The technology heir is in town. Apps seem
to be over ruling our world. Think this is a
bold statement? Take a second to reflect on
how much you rely on apps in your daily life—
work and personal.
Remember when this internet dynasty was
introduced to us? Facebook, Twitter, and Google Maps, just to name a few, seemed like such
intrusive tools. Being able to view an individual’s personal thoughts and images created a
large amount of initial shock and controversy with the feeling of public exposure. When
these websites were first introduced you could
12
THE BUSINESS LINK NEWSPAPER
Joe Jones is the owner of Symetric located at 196 King
only use them with a desktop. Now we can
access them on-the-go through apps using our
smartphones and other tech tools.
Think how lost we would be without frequently relying on Google Maps to get us safely and most efficiently to a new location or
without Facebook to creep on your “friends”
newest picture uploads or Twitter to get real
time updates on traffic conditions for your
morning commute to work. What a simpler
and slower time we used to live in.
Let’s take it one step further and contem-
Street in St. Catharines. For more information, please
call 905.933.4910 ext. 222, email [email protected] or
visit www.symetricproductions.com.
www.BusinessLinkMedia.com |
Follow Joe on twitter @spcan.
www.facebook.com/symetricproductions
@thebusinesslink
OCTOBER 2013
Managing your company’s technology
Once an organization fully appreciates how they can use data effectively, professional information
gathering efforts will increase tremendously for small and medium-sized businesses.
BY JASON STITT
E
mployee retention and corporate image are some of
the most pertinent issues facing companies, as they consider how to manage technology.
Not only will companies have to consider
how technology affects other corporate departments, but also how to handle traditional
IT management functions, especially those
affecting mobile devices.
Consumer mobile devices have entered the
enterprise in a large way. The support for these
devices, and the security risks these devices
bring with them, have moved to the front of IT
issues as organizations ponder the challenges
facing the future of technology uses. If companies don’t understand or appreciate what it
really means to increasingly use employees’
mobile devices, the consequences can be dire.
Companies that practice responsible mobile
security will adopt a plan that focuses on mitigating breach risks without locking down devices or blocking employee data access. Mobile
security decisions though impact more than
how a company protects its assets.
Every decision made will impact how people view and interact with your company, and
your employees’ productivity. The image presented by a company’s technology and web-
OCTOBER 2013
site are become increasingly important when
recruiting and retaining workers.
Companies involved with college recruiting
find more and more that candidates are asking
about the technology the company is using.
In this regard, branding becomes extremely
important and technology really helps to set
the tone for how a new hire starts to form an
opinion of the company.
After all, it’s all about putting the data in the
hands of people in the most efficient way possible. New employees may bring with them experiences in data processing that exceeds what’s
current within the company.
This can sometimes mean allowing younger employees to use mobile devices and at the
same time, teaching more senior workers how
they can make better use of their smartphones.
Management needs to realize that data is
increasingly vital within the organization.
With the multitudes of possible marketing
and sales channels available, enterprises
want to be more productive and drive traffic
from whichever direction it can. Increasingly, data is used to make real-time marketing
decisions. This ability to analyze internal and
external data together will allow a company
to get ahead of the curve as opposed to continually playing catch-up.
In addition to identifying trends, the ability to make effective use of marketing data
@thebusinesslink | www.BusinessLinkMedia.com
will inevitably lead to more acceptance
of business intelligence and information
gathering efforts.
Once an organization fully appreciates how
they can use data effectively, professional
information gathering efforts will increase
tremendously for small and medium-sized
businesses. They will begin to act more like
their larger counterparts.
Upper management needs to get a firmer
grasp of how every level of their organization functions and contributes to the bottomline. They must become more like a “business
technologist” and learn the whole business.
Only by being able to grasp the challenges
associated with all levels of the organization,
can they fully appreciate how even lower
level customer service directly affects corporate revenue. The need to understand what
the lowest level of the organization is faced
with is important because that is the way
the company is ultimately going to go about
generating sales. BL10
Jason Stitt is a partner and senior technology
advisor of I/OVision located at 23 Nihan Drive, Unit 3
in St. Catharines. For more information, please
call 905.937.7658 or 1.800.FAST.TECH,
email [email protected] or visit www.iovision.ca.
www.facebook.com/iovision.ca
THE BUSINESS LINK NEWSPAPER
13
Avoid common mismanagement steps
when launching a new a business
“Once your business becomes operational, you can make
modifications to your business strategy, but it is very difficult to
change the underlying fundamentals.”
PROVIDED BY THE CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL
ACCOUNTANTS OF ONTARIO
T
hinking about starting your own business? If so, the good news is that almost
all small businesses survive their first year
of operation, and 70% of them will still be
in business after five years, according to Industry Canada.
Those that fail, however, usually flounder
due to mismanagement, typically weaknesses
in general management, financial management or marketing capabilities. Often these
management flaws could have been identified
and addressed when the new business was
still in the planning stages.
“Take the time to rigorously plan and test
your business assumptions and strategies,”
advises Chartered Professional Accountant
Deborah Rosati, who has both founded her
own businesses and invested venture capital in others. “Once your business becomes
operational, you can make modifications to
your business strategy, but it is very difficult
to change the underlying fundamentals.”
Here are some key management issues potential
business owners should consider.
Be sure you are cut out to be an entrepreneur. Everyone likes the idea of being their
own boss, but not everyone has the skills or
temperament for it. “It takes more than good
carpentry skills to run a successful carpentry business,” says Mike Redden, a Chartered
Professional Accountant with Good Redden
Klosler in Simcoe, Ontario. “As the business
owner, you also have to raise capital, market
the business, deal with customers and suppliers, collect receivables, hire employees and
make sure they show up at the job site, and
more. Those are all critical management tasks
and they can be very difficult. If you don’t like
dealing with things like that, you probably
shouldn’t try to manage your own business.”
1
2
Build a team of professional advisers you can rely on. There are a lot of
legal, tax, financial and other issues to be
addressed when founding a business. “Lawyers, chartered professional accountants and
other professional advisers are part of an entrepreneur’s extended management team,”
Rosati says. “Entrepreneurs need advisers
they can rely on who are committed to the
entrepreneur and his or her business.” Rosati recommends interviewing several candidates to discuss their capabilities, experience,
costs and the entrepreneur’s expectations for
them. “When choosing an adviser,” she says,
“consider everything from their knowledge
of your industry and experience with similar business start-ups to the basic personal chemistry and how comfortable you feel
working with them. And above all, check
their references.”
3
Develop a comprehensive business plan.
Trying to launch a business without a
comprehensive business plan is like starting a
journey with no clear idea of where you want
to go. A good business plan will address all of
the key fundamentals of the business including its market, key competitors and suppliers,
the products or services it will sell, and how it
will market itself. The plan will also identify
when and where the business will generate
cash, and how it will put those funds to use.
“A good business plan will identify the critical
milestones that the business must achieve if
it is to be a success,” says Jim Whetstone, a
Chartered Professional Accountant with KPMG
Enterprise in Waterloo. “It’s also an important
selling document that the entrepreneur will
need to attract lenders and other key stakeholders such as employees. When doing so, if
a potential lender sees something in the business plan they don’t like, that should be a red
flag to the entrepreneur indicating a weakness
that needs to be addressed.”
14
THE BUSINESS LINK NEWSPAPER
4
Understand the business’s cash needs.
Most entrepreneurial businesses are undercapitalized, which is why many of them
run into financial management problems,
according to Redden. “Entrepreneurs tend to
be optimists, which unfortunately means they
often underestimate the amount of funding
needed to start up a business and the length of
time it will take the business to start generating a profit,” he says. “As a result, many entrepreneurial businesses fail simply because they
run out of cash.” Redden says a good business
plan will include a detailed balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement that
will clearly identify the business’s ongoing
cash needs.
5
Shop around to obtain the funding the
business needs. With a business plan
that shows how much money is needed to
launch a business and operate it until it begins
to generate its own cash flow, entrepreneurs
can approach potential lenders including
chartered banks, the Business Development
Bank, government incentive programs, venture capitalists, and others. Whetstone advises
entrepreneurs to be prepared to shop around
and to be proactive in asking about lending
alternatives, since most lenders have incentives to promote only the funding programs
that offer them the greatest rewards. He also
advises lenders to understand the personal
guarantees they’ll need to make to obtain
their business funding. “Starting up a business isn’t cheap and the risks of failure are
high so lenders will want to be assured that
the entrepreneur is fully committed to making the business a success,” Whetstone says.
“They want the entrepreneur to have skin in
the game, which often means the business
owner will have to put up their homes or other
property as collateral.”
6
Get a shareholders’ agreement if you’re
in business with partners. When people
are starting an incorporated business in partnership with others including relatives, the
last thing on their minds is the thought of
leaving the business. Nevertheless, that day
will eventually come, perhaps sooner than
expected if an owner’s health fails, interests
change or the owners have a serious falling
out. A shareholders’ agreement specifies the
terms under which one owner may buy-out
another so that both are fairly compensated
without causing undue risk to the business
itself. “Shareholders’ agreements are best
negotiated in advance, when all the owners
can discuss the terms coolly and rationally,”
Whetstone says. “It is a lot harder to negotiate equitable terms at a time when the partnership is breaking down and emotions take
over.” If the business is structured as a partnership rather than an incorporated business,
the same issues can be covered in a partnership agreement. BL10
Brought to you by the Chartered Professional
Accountants of Ontario.
www.BusinessLinkMedia.com |
@thebusinesslink
OCTOBER 2013
BUSINESS PROFILE
SALES MOVES WITH JEFFREY GITOMER
Are you passive,
aggressive or assertive?
Only one way wins.
BY JEFFREY GITOMER
T
he answer is “assertive.” It’s
the best strategy for engaging,
establishing control, proving value, creating a buying atmosphere,
and forging a relationship.
I define assertiveness as a state of mind and
a state of preparation prior to implementation
in a sales call.
The two remaining parts of assertiveness are:
1. The sales presentation itself.
2. The follow-up to the sales call.
Interesting that the sales call, the actual presentation, does not require the same amount of assertiveness as the sales follow-up. It’s way more
difficult to re-engage a prospect and chase down a
decision. However, if you’re a great salesperson, an
assertive salesperson, follow-up may not be necessary because you have asserted your way to the sale
during the presentation.
The presentation: When you get in front of a
prospective customer, it is imperative that you
look impressive and sound impressive. You
know the old saying, “You never have a second
chance to make a first impression.?” You must
start in a positive position in order to create a
positive outcome.
Carolann Bosett
Hamilton District Manager, Creative Outdoor Advertising
PROVIDED BY CREATIVE OUTDOOR ADVERTISING
C
arolann has been the Hamilton contact for more than 10 years for the bench signs at bus
stops. When she started there were only 89 bench signs. Today, over 500 bench signs are
in place. With a renewal rate of 85%, most clients stay at the same location for more than
five years. She was raised in Hamilton and has been a longtime member of the Hamilton
Chamber of Commerce and supports many local charities.
As a business owner, you know it is important to maintain your newspaper, social media,
flyers and TV/radio campaign. The bench signs become your constant public reminder. Why
not put your message on a bench sign and tell everyone who passes a given intersection
your message. These signs would be your personal sales team out there working for you—24
hours a day, seven days a week—no sick days, vacations or overtime. We give you the chance
to place your messages on signs in many areas of Hamilton where your potential customers
live, work and play!
Carolann will assist you in choosing a bench sign that connects you with your target
market. She travels the area of Hamilton from Stoney Creek to Ancaster checking the benches
regularly. Try taking your morning coffee break near a bench sign location of your choice and
watch the traffic. That’s when you really notice the potential of a bench sign location!
Your investment includes: Sign artwork design, printing, installation, maintenance and
insurance. All sign rentals are on a 12-month term with monthly payments starting at $129
per month plus HST and paid by credit card or auto debit. A discount is offered for multiple
sign rentals secured! There are no hidden fees. Carolann prides herself on working with customers, and finding them locations that will work
for their business. She has a team of co-workers that look after site approvals, artwork production,
sign printing and maintenance as part of your sign agreement and customer service.
“A business without a sign…is a sign of no business!” BL10
Call Carolann at 905.296.1344 or email [email protected] to secure your bench sign
locations today!
OCTOBER 2013
Assertiveness begins with your eye contact,
smile, and handshake. These actions establish
you in the mind of the prospect as a person who
is both self-assured and happy.
You take a relaxed seat. You accept anything
that is offered to you in the way of water or
coffee. You put yourself in the lean-forward
position. Any tools or equipment you need to
make your presentation are in front of you and
ready to go. And you immediately begin by discussing anything other than your business and
their business.
You begin the business of making friends. You
begin the business of creating mutual smiles.
You begin talking about them in a way that lets
them know you’ve done your preparation and
your homework. At any moment you can begin
to discuss their needs. However, you prefer to discuss their family or their personal interests first.
The segue from rapport building to business
discussion requires an assertive thought process. There’s no formula, but there is a feeling.
The salesperson’s responsibility is to feel when
it’s right to move forward, and then have the
assertive courage to do it.
Assertive presentations start with questions,
offer unchallengeable proof in the middle, and
end with a customer commitment that you
have earned.
Beware and be aware: Whoever you’re calling on
wants to know what’s new and what the trends
are in their business. If you are able to deliver those during your presentation, I guarantee
you’ll develop a value-based relationship, and
have the full attention of the buyer.
Harnessing the power of “assertive” in a sales
presentation: The assertive presentation challenges you, the salesperson, to bring forth a
combination of your knowledge as it relates to
their needs as well as a durability to connect
both verbally and nonverbally with the person
or the group you’re addressing.
when the customer or the prospective customer begins asking questions to get a deeper understanding about your product or service. This
changes monologue to dialogue but also creates
the power of engagement, or should I say “assertive engagement.”
At some point you have to complete the transaction. This means either asking for the sale
(an okay part of the assertive process), or using
some secondary means to confirm the sale (like
scheduling delivery or installation).
Commitment to the order is where the rubber
meets the road. If you get the order, it means
you’ve done an assertively great job. If you don’t
get it, it means you have to lapse into assertive
follow-up mode. Here’s how…
The follow up: Assertive follow-up will become permissible if asked for, and agreed upon, in advance.
Here’s how: “Mr. Jones, what’s the best way for me
to stay in touch with you?” “What’s your preferred
method of communication?” “Is there anyone else
I should ‘cc’ in our communications?” “May I send
you an occasional text?”
These are permission-based questions that tell
you where you are in the relationship. If you
get a cell phone number and you’re permitted
to send an occasional text, it means your relationship has reached a solid position.
Where’s the value? If I ask for a “follow-up”
appointment, I’ll no doubt get some vague runaround. BUT if I offer to come back with some
valuable information about his or her business
or job function, I’m certain to be granted that
appointment.
The dialogue might go something like this:
“Mr. Jones, I visit 30 or 40 businesses a month.
During those visits I don’t just sell, I observe. Each
month I list two or three ‘best practices.’ In my
follow-up with you, I’ll need five minutes to share
those practices each month. Is that fair enough?”
Heck, yes! That’s fair enough. Your offer to
help the customer with his or her business, and
his or her job function, will not just endear you,
it will also create the basis of a solid relationship. A value-based relationship. One where assertiveness is actually acceptable.
The ultimate goal beyond a sale is a trusted
relationship with your customer. The path to
secure that relationship begins with mastering
the principles of assertiveness and then putting
them into practice.
The by-product is more sales. BL10
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling
books including The Sales Bible and The Little
Red Book of Selling. His forthcoming book, 21.5
Unbreakable Laws of Selling, is now available, and
will feature a national public seminar tour. Get the
details at www.gitomer.com. It will lead you to more
information about training and seminars, or email him
personally at [email protected].
© 2013 All Rights Reserved—Don’t even think about
reproducing this document without written permission
from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer, Inc. •
704.333.1112
Follow Jeffrey on twitter @gitomer.
www.facebook.com/jeffreygitomer
You’ll know your assertive strategy is working
@thebusinesslink | www.BusinessLinkMedia.com
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