Working Harder
February 25, 2010
Are you working harder just to get the same results that you used to get with less work? Are you working harder just to get any results at all? Are you working harder trying to find work so that you can earn money?
I continue to meet many people that are struggling with the current economic situation. Most of them are working harder for fewer results. Some other people seem to have given up or run into burnout.
Another business person recently said to me – “yes, you have to get out there and hustle right now.” I’ve talked to people say that they like to work smarter rather than harder. I think that working as smart as we can is a good idea. But for most of us we still have to work hard also.
Don’t get discouraged in difficult times. You are not the only one with struggles. Be confident that you overcome your current challenges”
Copyright Kevin Drum 2010
Permission is granted to reprint this article provided it is reprinted in its entirety including this copyright information and it is attributed to
Kevin Drum
Titan Solutions, LLC
My Name
February 22, 2010
Hello. My name is Kevin Drum. It’s nice to meet you.
When you are out networking, do you tell people your name and confidently let them know who you are? What if you call a new prospect on the phone? Do you let them know who you are right away?
When you let others know your name, it can be a great way to open a conversation and break down communication barriers.
Of course, it is important to find out other’s names also and show genuine interest in them.
Copyright Kevin Drum 2010
Permission is granted to reprint this article provided it is reprinted in its entirety including this copyright information and it is attributed to
Kevin Drum
Titan Solutions, LLC
Free Seminars
February 18, 2010
Free seminars can be a great way for some small businesses to market themselves.
I’ve seen a lot of businesses use free seminars quite effectively. Some simply wanted to generate prospects or schedule free consultations. Examples include lawyers, chiropractors, physicians, real estate agents, coaches, consultants, direct response marketing companies, and even banks.
Other businesses may use free seminars as a way to introduce more extensive seminars and workshops for a fee to those who are interested. They may also make money on the back end by promoting books and other items such as audio products.
This can be part of an effective marketing strategy. If people come for a free seminar, it is important to provide valuable content rather than a total sales pitch.
I’ve been to many free seminars. The ones that were nothing more than a way of getting me to a sales pitch did not make a good impression. The ones that provided information that I could use better positioned themselves to make me more likely to buy from them in the future. They provided some genuine helpful content. They also let me know that they had more expertise if I needed more help in the future.
Are free seminars a potential marketing strategy for your small business? They can be an important part of an overall balanced strategy. If you do this, provide the participants with good content and help them to see your expertise and how your business can help them even more in the future.
Copyright Kevin Drum 2010
Permission is granted to reprint this article provided it is reprinted in its entirety including this copyright information and it is attributed to
Kevin Drum
Titan Solutions, LLC
Security Today
February 15, 2010
Do you believe that there is security any job today? Do you believe that there is security in any industry today? Do you believe that there is security in a strong economy?
I believe that the answer to all of the above questions is no. I also talk with a lot of people that also believe that the answer is no.
A seemingly secure job can change in an instant. It can change for many reasons. This could be because of a change in management, because of a company losing its competitive edge, or for many other reasons.
We also see that entire industries can change. It happened in the recent economic downturn and it is still going on.
The world is changing at an incredible rate. Innovation and technology changes come very fast. It takes a lot of effort to keep up.
What about security in a good economy? Things can be easier and better for many. But it is still challenging. And history shows us that economic downturns do happen. We can expect them to happen again in the future.
Does security come from living in the USA? I believe that the answer is no. This is a great country to live in. There are lots of opportunities. But we still have to be willing to go out and find them and work for them.
Life doesn’t give us a lot of absolute guarantees when it comes to economic security. Most of us have to go out and work at it and keep moving forward.
When things change we need to recognize that we may have to go out and find other opportunities. I believe that it helps to be aware of what is going on around us. It also helps to keep learning and improving our skills.
Life brings challenges. We need to be ready to take the right action. Are there areas in your life where you need to take action today?
Copyright Kevin Drum 2010
Permission is granted to reprint this article provided it is reprinted in its entirety including this copyright information and it is attributed to
Kevin Drum
Titan Solutions, LLC
Are You An Optimist
February 11, 2010
“The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity.” – Winston Churchill
How do you see the world? How do you see life? Do you expect good things to happen? Do you go through life waiting to see what is going to go wrong next?
We all have struggles and challenges to overcome. We need to be careful when we deal with difficulties. It’s important that we don’t become pessimistic.
Do you prefer to be around positive and optimistic people or do you like to find people to have a “pity party” with?
Life is short. Don’t waste time dwelling on negative things. Don’t give in to needless worry.
Approach every day optimistically. It is a great way to have more energy and to have more fun with life.
Copyright Kevin Drum 2010
Permission is granted to reprint this article provided it is reprinted in its entirety including this copyright information and it is attributed to
Kevin Drum
Titan Solutions, LLC
Mercy Napoleon
February 8, 2010
Question – What is mercy?
Answer? Not getting what you deserve.
In a previous Sunday school lesson, our instructor shared a story about mercy.
The story went as follows.
A mother went to see Napoleon regarding her son. He was in trouble for having done something wrong. He was scheduled to be executed. The mother pleaded her case with Napoleon as to why her son should be spared. When she finished, Napoleon replied to her that her son did not deserve mercy and that he would be executed. The mother replied back to Napoleon that if he deserved it then it would not be mercy…
We all encounter people that do wrong things to us. It could be through their words or actions. It happens in business, relationships, and life in general.
None of us live perfect lives either. We all make mistakes. Sometimes these cause hurt to us and others.
Are you carrying around any grudges or bitterness because someone said or did something that hurt you? Do you need to show mercy to anyone today?
Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. KJV
Copyright Kevin Drum 2010
Permission is granted to reprint this article provided it is reprinted in its entirety including this copyright information and it is attributed to
Kevin Drum
Titan Solutions, LLC
Consistency
February 4, 2010
There are times when we really have to “turn it on” and work extraordinarily hard and focus to get something done. This often occurs when we are facing a deadline or crisis. Sometimes this is absolutely essential for success.
Maybe you received a project and there wasn’t enough time to get it done in the normal course of events. This could happen in work or in school.
Maybe you “cram” for a test or use the same effort to get a work project done. Maybe you have a book to read or maybe you are writing a book and are running up against a deadline.
Whatever the case, there are times when we all have to work in this mode. However, it’s hard to do this and sustain this effort forever without burning out.
It’s just like running a distance race. We can only sprint at our maximum effort for so long. In a distance race we have to pace ourselves at a level that we can maintain over time to get our best results.
Work and school and life are the same way. We can “turn it on” to maximum effort for a time period to get something finished. But we can’t sprint all out forever.
Consistent effort over time gives us our best results. Consistent effort still involves hard work.
If you have a 100 page book to read to get ready for a test or to write a paper, why not make it a habit to read 10 pages for 10 days rather than 100 pages on the last day?
Strong consistent effort helps us to accomplish more!
Copyright Kevin Drum 2010
Permission is granted to reprint this article provided it is reprinted in its entirety including this copyright information and it is attributed to
Kevin Drum
Titan Solutions, LLC
More Job Cuts
February 1, 2010
We only have to look as far as the daily news to hear more reports about job losses. Even in good economic times, we still see volatility in the job market in our global economy. Are you ready if your job situation changes?
- Do you have money set aside in an emergency fund to cover 3 – 6 months of expenses if needed?
- If you encountered a job loss, do you know what you would do about health insurance for your particular needs?
- Is your resume updated and current?
- Are you keeping your skills current to ensure that you are marketable in today’s economy?
- Have you thought about what your next step would be if you needed to make a job change?
- Do you want another traditional job or do you want to go into business on your own?
Are you prepared for your next step if your job situation changes?
Copyright Kevin Drum 2010
Permission is granted to reprint this article provided it is reprinted in its entirety including this copyright information and it is attributed to
Kevin Drum
Titan Solutions, LLC