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Just finished What Men Don't Tell Women About Business – Opening Up The Heavily Guarded Alpha Male Playbook by Christopher V. Flett on the weekend. I got this book for Christmas and was thinking to save it for my summer off (as a reward for getting through this never ending contract).

Then I made a beta male cry (the guy made me look like a jack a$$ and I, in a moment of weakness, squashed him). Forget waiting for summer. I needed to feel better immediately (I'm trying to reduce my chocolate intake).

This is the only book I've read where the author actually understands alphas (it is about the alpha male but the goal focused thinking is the same for the alpha female). It tells the good, the bad, and the nasty. That bit about not caring about excuses? Sing it, mister. I don't give a beep what the excuses are. And please don't waste my time giving me that laundry list. Just get the job done.

I love how Flett insists that women don't have to act like one of the guys to gain power. I don't golf. I've joined one football pool in my entire career (that was because I was playing with odds, not out of interest in the actual sport, surprisingly I did okay). It hasn't hurt me (it helps that eating is universal where I do my best bonding).

He talks about not mixing business with pleasure. Too true. Co-workers are not friends. In a downsizing or even a promotion situation, it is every man or woman for him/herself. Like Flett, I don't have work people over to my house for entertaining. I learned that lesson early on in my career. Work is work. Personal is personal. Mixing the two opens yourself up to gossip and criticism.

If you are an alpha (and I suspect that many of my readers are), this book will reassure you that you're not alone in your thinking. If you know (and perhaps love) an alpha, this book will help you understand them better.

Yikes, there's so much left in Ryan Allis' book Zero To One Million to talk about (his section on product vs service based companies, for one) but since I only have this last post left to allocate to the book (so I don't turn this site into a Ryan Allis love-athon), I think I'll go with Partner Programs.

Why?

Because this is one of those rare books that actually discuss them with some numbers associated.

15% of iContact's sales come from partner programs (these include affiliates, marquee resellers and global resellers). Affiliates receive a 25% commission, marquee resellers receive a 30% commission (but have to sign a contract) and global resellers (those with more than 10,000 small business customers) receive a 35% commission.

(Yeah, the entire book is as detailed with solid numbers.)

Allis states that a good affiliate program (with tracking software) costs from $1,000 to $5,000 to launch but more than pays for itself over time. He estimates that within the first few months, entrepreneurs should be able to build at least 200 to 300 affiliates. Once this base of smaller affiliates is built, then it is time to go after the larger resellers.

How to build it?

By contacting the sites/blogs in your same space via personalized email.

I haven't really done justice to Zero To One Million. Allis crams too much information in this 284 page book for me to do so. You'll have to check it out for yourself.

One of my favorite sections in Ryan Allis' book Zero To One Million is Building A Lifetime Value Of A Customer. Why? Because he offers strategies that any size of company, any type of company (service, product, any industry) can use.

He lists 3 Objectives. They are;
Personalize the relationship and build rapport
Make yourself available and answer questions
And
Follow up with your customers

Wait a minute, you say, if I follow up with customers, they might tell me there's something wrong. They might even return my product. And wouldn't that be time consuming?

It would be time consuming without a customer database. You do have a customer database, don't you? With the database, a follow up email is as simple as a mail merge. (BTW… Allis reco's that the President of the company sign his name to the emails, regardless of who actually sends the email).

As for returns, again, Allis gives us a hard number. He says that this follow up will prompt one return per 400 emails but he feels that the added lifetime value of the strengthened relationships will far outweigh the returns.

I know that it impresses me to no end to receive one of these follow up emails (I might not reply to them but I do note them).

As promised last weekend, today I’m reviewing Dale Carnegie’s 1944 book How To Stop Worrying And Start Living.

Pretty darn timely. Especially the chapter on Ingratitude.

Next weekend, there’ll be Mothers out there in the blogosphere (and elsewhere) receiving nothing for Mother’s day. There’ll also be kids receiving no thanks for what they did give their Mom. One of us will have sent her dear Mom the heavily hinted at yellow roses and hear that they were delivered at the “wrong” time, right in the middle of her weekly girls gab (which her loving daughter knows is really the exact RIGHT time).

Maybe there’ll be disappointment because gratitude was expected but, as Carnegie points out, “It is natural for people to forget to be grateful; so, if we go around expecting gratitude, we are headed straight for a lot of heartaches.”

He reminds us of the story of Jesus and the ten lepers (only one of the ten was thankful). He tells us of Samuel Leibowitz, a famous criminal lawyer, who saved 78 men from going to the electric chair and didn’t receive a single thank you. Me, I once spent a board meeting begging for a project team member’s desperately needed job and then listened to the same team member complain about working overtime that evening (if he only knew…). Gratitude is a rare thing, an exception, and while it should be celebrated when expressed, it should never be expected.

This book, as our girl Rich Minx stated, is a bit dated (the helpful housewife hints). I saved it for when I was in a fruitie tootie, nothing can get me down, mood. I also wouldn’t recommend giving it to your hubby to read especially if he’s like mine, singing the new Aaron Lines song “Its Cheaper To Keep Her” (Living with a crazy wife beats an empty bank account) at the top of his lungs, pausing only to dedicate it to you. Nopers, better to give him a heavily edited summary.

If you ever want a good laugh, read this classic 1936 business book on the public bus during the school rush hour. That’s what I did on Thursday, not realizing that the title is…ummm…quite embarrassing. The looks I received were almost an even split between pity and scorn (the teenagers were most expressive and vocal as only teenagers are).

There’s a reason why this book has survived 70 years and it isn’t because its full of fluff.

Sure the examples may be dated. Like…Did you know that in his early days, Lincoln had quite a mouth on him? So much so that he was challenged to a duel. Supposedly that experience was such a shocker that “Never again did he write an insulting letter. Never again did he ridicule anyone. And from that time on, he almost never criticized anybody for anything.” Almost dying would do that for a person.

While the examples are history lessons, the “rules” hold true today (if not more). You still can’t win an argument (the other side usually ends up more convinced than ever that they are right. Arguing merely embarrasses them.). People still like to talk about themselves (be a good listener and you’ll be welcomed everywhere). They still want to feel important (that’s why using a person’s name is so important). They definitely respond better to praise than criticism.

For those moms out there, Dale Carnegie gives example after example of methods to deal with teenagers. Funny how we hear of the good ol’ days when teenagers were respectful and behaved. Well, those good ol’ days weren’t the 30’s while Carnegie was writing this book, that’s for certain. And considering the story about a mouthy young Abraham Lincoln, I doubt those good ol’ days ever existed.

I’m a big fan of Harry Beckwith’s writing. Loved Selling The Invisible and What Clients Love. You, Inc. is no exception. It has short, little chapters jam packed with good ideas.

Ideas like…

“Try to reduce your average sentences to eleven words. If you must write a large block of copy, try to place a short one in front of it and behind it.

While speaking, practice your pauses. If making an important point, precede it with a pregnant pause, which alerts you listener: “This is important.””

Why?

So “your point has time to take root.”

Also…

Audiences “have been conditioned by television. Every twelve minutes a commercial allows them to take a break. This has conditioned them to twelve-minute bites.”

Or…

“We feel we know people who are similar to us because we know something of ourselves. We feel we can predict their behavior and reactions because we can predict our own.

That makes us comfortable.

Because first impressions deeply influence everything that follows – more than most of us realize – you must find common ground quickly. Try to find it before you actually meet.”

I use the last point to great success. The hubby and I love to travel so that is usually one common ground we can find with others. I’ve also worked in many, many different industries. But I try not to talk much about myself (after all, I know all about me), I use our common ground to ask semi-intelligent questions of the other person.

Writers call it writer’s block. However, most creative fields have the equivalent and believe me, being an entrepreneur or an investor is a creative field. Use that big brain long and hard enough and you’re going to hit a wall, drained of all possible ideas and solutions.

When my brain gets zapped, I pull something out of my bag of tricks. My fave has to be breaking into a brand new book, especially one designed for exactly that purpose.

Like It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be by Paul Arden.

This book is small, short, has pictures, white space out the kazoo, not a lot of words and some of those words are upside down or in red or in monster large font.

Which is exactly why it works.

Sure, there are some valuable insights like “Do Not Covet Your Ideas.”
“If you give away everything you have, you are left with nothing. This forces you to look, to be aware, to replenish.”

But the real value is the mental stimulation of merely reading the book. I was thrown out of my comfort zone. My brain had to use muscles it hadn’t exercised in a while. Those muscles, once warmed up, started pumping out fresh, new solutions. Solutions that could make me money.

And I was back.

Now I may not be the sharpest pencil in the box but I’m lucky enough to surround myself with some brilliant people. A friend of mine has to be one of the smartest people around. The man’s solutions could revolutionize the world.

If he could communicate them.

Which he can’t. Which means that either other people scoop up his ideas (which I’ve done with his blessing) or they go undiscovered.

Communication, either verbal or written, is critical for success in life. Recently I read 10 Simple Secrets Of The World’s Greatest Business Communicators by Carmine Gallo. If you can get past the incredibly long title (which ironically flies in the face of Simple Secret #6 Brevity or “Keep It Short. Period.”), the antidotes and examples from communicators like the Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger or Starbucks’ Howard Shultz or Apple’s Steve Jobs are well worth the price of admission (a valid library card).

The 10 Secrets (Passion, Inspiration, Preparation, Start Strong, Clarity, Brevity, Say It With Style, Command Presence, Wear It Well, and Reinvent Yourself) may seem simple but if that was true then why are there so few great communicators? However, Gallo gives colorful examples to punctuate each point.

Examples like…

“Barbara Corcoran turned a $1,000 loan into a New York City real estate empire. Her book, Use What You’ve Got, became a New York Times business best seller. During my interview with Corcoran, I asked her what she considers the one communications technique which sets her apart in her industry. She answered, “I always use stories. That’s what people remember. They remember stories. Also, put yourself in the shoes of your audience. They’re asking themselves, “So what?” The only information they find of value is information they can personally use. Ask yourself what is the practical information of your point. How can they use this information? Help the audience answer the questions “So what?””

I was reading Harvey Mackay’s business classic Beware The Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt and was pleasantly surprised to read, as Mackay talked about how knowledge of self is essential to success, a bit on investing.

“Successful traders and successful investors both will tell you that their single most important asset is self-knowledge, not stock knowledge. They know themselves well enough to understand the level of risk they can live with.

Traders let the market tell them whether they’re right or wrong. They have the self-discipline to turn on a dime with the market goes against them.

Investors have a different test of character: to stay with a commitment regardless of what the market does on a short-term basis. They have the self-discipline not to turn on a dime when the market surprises them.

The surest way to lose money is not to know which breed you belong to: holding on to a loser when you’re really a short-term trader looking for a quick turn or selling too soon, whether it’s up or down, when temperamentally you’re really a long-term investor. Before you make any major commitment, of time, of money, of yourself, you have to be honest enough with yourself to understand how you will react if things happen that you don’t expect.”

The timing couldn’t have been better as I’ve been re-evaluating my position in a company. Right now, the stock price is tanking big time but my thinking still is that a year from now, after the company has absorbed the smaller company it just devoured, the stock price not only will pop up nicely but offer a healthier dividend as it does.

I’m an investor, not a trader and so I’m holding onto it.

When I read Talk Your Way To The Top by Tina Santi Flaherty, I got so ticked off at what the first female vice-president at Colgate-Palmolive was saying that I threw the book more than once across the room (never say that I’m all sunshine and roses). However, each time I picked the book up and continued reading. And when I was done, I gave the book to one of my best friends to read.

The message of how to get ahead as a woman in corporate America wasn’t pleasant, it certainly wasn’t “fair”, but unfortunately it was right.

Her ideas on reading body language was alone worth the cost of the book but my favorite part is her discussion on meetings. She says “It always amazes me that people don’t realize all meetings have a hidden agenda – and that’s really to decide who’s got “it” and who doesn’t.”

Her 10 tips to being a good meeting participant are;

1) Look good (a no-brainer, this is “show time”)
2) Be on time or early (getting there early is a good networking opp)
3) Review the material and notes from the previous meeting (so you can look like a superstar)
4) Pick a seat near the action (again, it’s show time so you want to be on stage).
5) Take the meeting as seriously as you would your paycheck (no goofing around).
6) Speak at the beginning of the meeting so you get noticed (I always do this)
7) Having done #3, bring a prop or visual (like a graph, etc) that makes your point.
8) Take notes (shows interest and that you are a take action type of gal).
9) Make a comment on an area other than your own. Leaders need to straddle multiple departments.
10) When the meeting ends, don’t just leave, make a comment or two to the chairperson.

Her best hint on hosting a meeting is to always, always, always send out notes afterwards. A meeting without notes (showing decisions made, actions to be taken) is a waste of time. I often volunteer to take and distribute the notes (since I’m doing #8 anyway). That puts my name in front of a number of people.

Okay, I’ll admit that I’m no fan of Martha, the show, or Martha, the magazine (not handy at all…I can’t even tie a half decent bow) but I am a big fan of Martha, the businesswoman. Any woman that can go to jail (with grace and style) and still not only have a business to come back to but grow it, has my respect.

And The Martha Rules is a darn good book for budding entrepreneurs.

My favorite chapter is the one titled Take Risks, Not Chances. The difference between the two, risks and chances, is a difficult one to determine but it is possible. I make that distinction every day (I do take chances but I’m fully aware that I’m taking them).

As Martha writes “In business, there’s a difference between a risk and a chance. A well-calculated risk may very well end up as an investment in your business. A careless chance can cause it to crumble. And when an opportunity presents itself, never assume it will be your last.”

It’s all about doing our research and trying to minimize the downside. About not relying on dumb luck (that’s gambling, folks).

Recently, I was presented with an impossible one month placement. Day one, I ensured that all parties involved realized it was highly unlikely that the departing manager would be seamlessly replaced. With lowered expectations and carving the position back to maintenance mode, the downside was minimized.

I also thought through this placement carefully before taking it on. The upside, experience in a different position in a different industry using different software, combined with training (and of course, getting paid), I felt, more than offset the humiliation of failing. Could I fail (not meet even the lowered expectations)? Of course. It is a risk, yes, but a calculated risk.

In life, in business, in investing, take risks, not chances.

What is a sales book doing on an investing site (besides the obvious business building connection)? It's here because sales is a life skill like reading or breathing or…

Everyone sells constantly. Some people sell well. Some people sell poorly. If I do something, I prefer to try to do it well.

A solid base in sales has helped me in every aspect of my life, from selling the concept of “me” to my now hubby (what is a first date but a cold call), to raising more donations for my favorite charity, to getting promotion after promotion on the job.

And Jeffrey J. Fox is the master salesguy. I am a big fan, I’ve read every book he’s written, so when I picked up this latest book, I didn’t expect any lightning strike moments.

Boy, was I wrong.

45 mini chapters (his writing is designed for the busy businesswoman, short chapters that can be read during commercial breaks) crammed full of real life based, call to action, advice.

Gems like…

Calling on the marketing department within an organization. Convincing these not often sold to (and therefore less jaded) people that by using your product, they, in turn, will sell more product. Your product is moved from just another expense to a revenue stream.

Always getting your customer to do something. “Customer participation leads to customer persuasion.” Get them involved. The more involved they are, the more likely they are to buy from you. (Now, that doesn’t mean work them to death but get them to hold the product, to take notes, etc).

Silence is golden. Talk less to sell more. I use this trick in job interviews all the time. The less I talk (even if I’m the one being interviewed), the happier the other person is about the interview. People like to talk about themselves. It makes them feel good. One interview, I said about ten words the entire time. I got offered the job.