Home and Small Business Owners

Whining Only Works With Babies

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:07:20 GMT

If you have children, you know that when they whine we sometimes try and tune them out. But eventually if you're a softy like my wife and I were, they eventually get our attention. We are long past the stage of small children. In fact our son is 22 years old (not a whiner, thank God).

In the sales profession I have come across people who profess to be professionals but they are really whiners. Don't you just love a whining adult. It doesn't matter how much an adult whines in the professional world, most often they don't get what they want. We're into this thing called work. Those who work hard and smart generally get what they are after. Those who whine because they have chosen not to work hard and smart most often find something else to whine about.

Babies get what they want because they can't get it for themselves. But as soon as they learn how to get what they want for themselves they are expected to get it and not whine to others until they get it. It is hard to imagine grown adults whining but it's true. They really haven't grown up yet and they haven't figured out that nobody is going to make things different for them but them.

In this tough season we all have to choose to work hard and smart or choose to whine.

What will you do?

Ced Reynolds

Career Recruiter

The Danger of Your Sense of Urgency

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:11:47 GMT

For years sales trainers have been telling us "you gotta have a sense of urgency or your prospects won't buy." And what did most of us do? We mustered up the greatest sense of urgency we could. Believe me I was in the front of the line.

Let me tell you what I discovered about having a sense of urgency in sales. I found that the more my prospects felt my urgency the less I would sell. For months I would express the urgency for my prospects to get on board before it was too late. I would tell them that they would lose out if they didn't act now. I would share with them that the price is expected to go up and they would definitely have to pay the higher price if they didn't act now. You name it I tried it. The only thing was it was all to no avail. When it did work, I found my clients canceling after they cooled down after the sale.

Urgency is an interesting thing when it comes to customers. I'll use myself as an example. About 18 months ago I got the new care fever. I've been wanting a Mercedes Benz for about 10 years but I felt the time just wasn't right. Every time I went to the dealer to look at a Mercedes, the salespeople would all express a sense of urgency that really turned me off. Consequently I never bought the Mercedes. In two distinct shopping experiences in the last 10 years I went to my old dealership and bought another Dodge.

Just about 16 months ago I went to another Mercedes Benz dealership "on a mission" to get my Mercedes. This time things were different. I had the sense of urgency this time. All the salesperson had to do was show me what I wanted to see and follow my lead. What I discovered was that it was my urgency that made the sale.

Here's my point. When we work with prospects, it is not our responsibility to push them to a place of having a sense of urgency but rather discern how urgent they are and flow with them. When a prospect shows up with a sense of urgency, we will never be accused of manipulating them to do something they didn't intend on doing. While our own sense of urgency can get us in trouble at times, just remember that the urgency of a prospect is much better than our own in the sales process. They key for us as salespeople is recognizing the level of urgency our prospects have.

Until next time,

Ced Reynolds

Career Recruiter

Stumble Your Way to Yes In Sales

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:11:22 GMT

You have no doubt heard that all you have to do is be persistent. "Just stay in it to win it. Just stay in the game and you'll win. Success is inevitable to those who persist. Winners never quit and quitters never win." There are tons of quotes like these that inspire us to continue in tough times.

Have you ever thought that though you stumble in your prospecting and your presentation that you could actually stumble your way all the way to yes? Well you absolutely can. Let me give you an example. Several months ago I wrote an article and somehow a person not even part of this network got a hold of it and called me to ask me a few questions. You talk about stumbling, I really stumbled with this one. While I was doing my due diligence to find out which network they saw my article in, I totally turned the person off because of my seemingly (at least to them) pointless questions.

The act of stumbling for me in the case of this prospect (who did become a client by the way) was asking too many questions and not listening enough. Finally when I did get the clue that this person really had no idea where they found my article. They just came across it and they were impressed to call me based on the content.

If my first act of stumbling wasnt' enough, wait to you hear this. I lost the person's contact info so I couldn't call back as I promised I would with the answer to their question. I was thankful that this prospect overlooked my fist stumble but I was certain that they would just write me off when I didn't call them back as I had promised. That's what I would have done if it happened to me.

You won't believe this but after about three days I got an email from the prospect which included their phone number. Here's the funny part, they were emailing me to apologize saying how much of a flake I must have thought they were because they gave me the wrong phone number. I would love to tell you that I fessed up and said I lost the phone number they gave me but I didn't...lol.

Stumbling into your way to yes may not happen like this for me all the time. But what this experience taught me was to keep the faith until I get an answer. Yes might very well be that answer. I assumed "no" because of my stumbling and bumbling.

We never know how things will turn out so we should always keep moving forward even if we are stumbling. At least we will be moving toward yes.

Ced Reynolds

Career Recruiter

The Importance of Your Marketing Message

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:13:11 GMT

We have all thought at one point, "what's the use...nobody sees my marketing content or my ads anyway." Have you ever thought these thoughts or something similar? If you have this article might be for you. Those who are serious about sales of any product or service know that sales just don't come by mere luck. It's about preparation and hard work. It's about being in front of the right people with our message. The moment we stop putting our message in front of the people who need and/or want our products and/or services we have just hung ourselves.

Marketing is keeping current and prospective clients aware that we are well able and available to assist them when they are ready. The moment we ease up on our marketing message, people begin to wonder just how serious we are. The moment we back off on what we have declared to be of great importance to our clients and prospective clients, they begin to wonder if we are still around.

Marketing is one of the key cornerstones in thriving market and an absolute cornerstone in an declining market. In a thriving market we have to distinguish ourselves from the mass marketers so we can stay ahead of the game. In a declining market we have to distinguish ourselves from other seasoned pros who are doing their best get our share of the market.

If you have a marketing message do everything you can to remind yourself to stay on point. The seasons may change and your message may change slightly but the reality is that you want your clients and prospective clients to know you are there saying the same thing you've always been saying and providing the same quality you've always provided.

Your marketing message is in essence your calling card. People remember you because of what you have said and what others have said about you. When the two match up consistently you know you have a message that will penetrate the hearts of people in good times and tough times.

In closing, we are in a season when we have to know that we will be on point and get the job done no matter what. We are in business to help our prospective clients with their needs, wants and desires. One of the best ways to do that is to remain consistent with our marketing message. It's up to us to get our others to boost our reputation in the marketplace and we do that with a consistent marketing message.

It's never to late to start if you've been off track. And if you are on track, God bless you for making it a point to stay consistent. In either case make your marketing message something that is apart of your daily conversation.

Stay in the game,

Ced Reynolds

Career Recruiter

Recruit, Recruit, Recruit - Leverage Your Income in Business

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:50:42 GMT

Why do brokers and small business owners recruit, recruit, recruit?

Have you ever thought about why some brokers and small business owners recruit so much and others don't?

There is something to recruiting that you need to know. Here's the word, "leverage." Most brokers and small business owners recruit to expand their business without having to do all the work themselves. I am sure you would agree that having more people working for you is smart provided you can train them to be the best they can be. There is one challenge though. Once some salespeople become good, they get this strange idea that it's time for them to take advantage of leveraging their income. The concept is awesome but there is a big difference between being a salesperson and being a broker or business owner. I mean a big difference! Not all salespeople should be brokers just like not all brokers should revert back to being salespeople.

The reality is that as long as brokers have salespeople they will have a need to recruit because salespeople come and go no matter what. Some go on to different companies. Some go on to start their own companies. And some go on to do entirely different things.

Recruiting is important for various reasons:

1. To build your sales team

2. To find sales managers

3. To discover who you will spend time with

4. To identify your potential competition

5. To stay ahead of your competition

6. To leverage your income

7. To sort out the best candidates

8. To increase your knowledge base

9. To keep current salespeople on their toes

10. To build your data base

When we stop recruiting we fall into a false sense of reality. Things are subject to change. Recruiting keeps us in the flow so that when things do change we are able to flow with the change without having to play the "starting over game."

OK, Ced but what about the economy? Somebody is going to sell Real Estate. Will it be you or someone else. It's a recruiters market. The more we have on our team, the more we can offer what is available.

Recruit, recruit, recruit and you can do it in any order you choose to.

Ced Reynolds

p.s. The great thing about my business is that those I recruit are recruiters also. When they choose to leverage their income it benefits me also.

Career Recruiter

I am Sold on Social Networking - It is like Social Equity

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:37:57 GMT

Being sold yourself is of great importance when we utilize social networking in business. There is an acronym that says, "iasm stands for I am sold myself" In fact I think this is true about anything we hope to share with others.

If you can ever get excited about something, getting excited about helping people attain their goals should be high on the list. Our enthusiasm just spills onto people and is very contagious. Can you imagine an unenthusiastic person trying to offer help to somebody? The person with enthusiasm has a tremendous advantage.

One thing I must tell you is we ought not be fooled about enthusiasm. Everybody shows it in a different way but no matter how it is shown it is contagious. I have come across people who were not so overt but they expressed a degree of enthusiasm that just captivated my attention. Then I have come across people who are were extremely bubbly but they really didn't convey they were genuinely enthusiastic. Enthusiasm comes from the core of our being. It is not something we can fake for long. For me I have to be able to say "I am sold myself."

I want to encourage you in your business endeavors to be sold on social networking. Believe me it is not a waste of time. We are in the people business and people need each other in various ways. Find yourself getting sincerely involved with your business associates and clients. You will not be disappointed. The relationships we develop over time are assets in our business and our personal life. It is like having "social equity".

Remember this. Being purposeful about social networking will cause us to reach out beyond our comfort zone. Take a moment and call a client to give them an update and let them know your plans. Take a moment to contact a business associate to give them a lead. Take a moment and reach out today on purpose and develop your social equity.

Are you ready to reach out beyond your comfort zone?

Ced Reynolds
Career Recruiter

As a thank you for reading my blog, please accept this free gift of knowledge which will help you take your business to the next level. Click here

The New Word of Mouth - Online Social Networking and Media

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:32:14 GMT

Things are getting faster, better and more profitable because of the new word of mouth. Are you in the online social networking game? Did you know that using Active Rain and other social network media can get people following you and eventually calling you? Well it most certainly can.The key is being in the game. What I mean is writing content that gets people to want to investigate what you are saying. It amazes me that all over the internet in the various social networks I belong to that the the same people follow me from place to place. I noticed this when I caught myself following certain people from network to network.

Social networking is more than just a fad. It is a way of connecting and finding out about people who you might consider connecting with for whatever reason. This is not just a youth thing. This is a way of life thing. We just witnessed the greatest social network campaign in the history of the United States in our recent elections. Do you think that our President Elect's campaign team was just guessing things might just work out. These folks knew exactly what they were doing and who they were targeting.

I want to tell you one thing. Get good at social networking before it's too late. As much as many of us here on Active Rain are happy with our ranking among ourselves, we have to realize there is a world who is just waiting to read what you have to say. The key is knowing how to make your Active Rain content rain in the rest of the world you want to reach.

Just watch how social media is growing at warp speed. If you can write, write a lot. If you can talk, talk create an internet talk show. If you like the camera, start adding video to your blog. This stuff is changing the marketing game in a big way. You might be saying, I do things the way I do it and that's it. That's perfectly OK. My point here is if you want to see word of mouth work well for you, take it to the next level. Get people talking about you the way you want them to talk about you.

We are in an era of major change. I mean major change!!! Can you sense it?

Get in the game,

Ced Reynolds

p.s. Hey listen, if you're looking to do something different to give your life to take this survey. Just click here.

Why Great Career Plans Don't Always Pay Off

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:00:33 GMT

Let's face it. Not all people were meant to be in sales. A great career plan can will go haywire if it's not meant to be. I know it is very alluring and the pay off seems to be well worth the effort. The reality is if sales was an easy career to be involved with everybody would be doing it. It's really not true that all a person has to do is learn everything about a product or service and you can sell it.

A sales career needs to be treated like a business. Of course we learn as much as we can about our product or service. But one of the keys that is often underlooked is our philosophy. Our way of thinking about "why we do, what we do, with who we serve makes a world of difference."

How many well intentioned nice people have you seen who just can't seem to sell anything? They do all the right stuff and still find themselves struggling. I'm not talking for a few months, I'm talking about for years. Oh yeah, there is that person who breaks out of the pack from time to time. But for the most part many of these well intentioned nice people never get past below average. They try and try and try. They get trained. They work hard. They work long. They do everything they are supposed to do with limited results.

It might sound like I'm being pretty negative here. I think you would agree with me that it is much better for every person to "fit in where they fit." If we keep trying to fit a "round peg in a square hole" we will have the same problems all the time.

Those who breakthough the "I can't sell anything syndrome," have a philosophy that says "if it's to be it's up to me." They have more than a positive mental attitude. They have a philosophy of life that is deep to the core of their being and they don't receive anything else that is contrary to their philosophy.

Here's the question for you. Where is your great career plan taken you?

Ced Reynolds

Career Recruiter

If you would like to take a survey to find out if you're still in the game take this survey. Just click here.

Forbes tells it like it is regarding Prepaid Legal Services

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:04:54 GMT

How would you like it if your company was among the top 200 in all of the United States. Hopefully you would be as excited as I am. This isn't our first time being among the top 200 in the country.

Take a look at what Forbes.com has to say about Prepaid Legal Services.

The 200 Best Small Companies

#130 Pre-Paid Legal Services

10.08.08, 6:00 PM ET

CONSECUTIVE YEARS ON 200 BEST 2
2007 RANK 120

Pre-Paid Legal Services ( PPD ) provides members access to legal services through expense plans

Sales Latest 12 months		$460 mil
Net income latest 12-mos		$54 mil
Net margin		12%

BOARD OF DIRECTORS SCORE ¹
REL. TO INDEX		20
REL. TO INDUSTRY		48

Growth
EPS	5-Yr Avg	15%
	Last 12 Mos	10%
Sales	5-Yr Avg	6%
	Last 12 Mos	3%

PROFITABILITY
return on equity	5-Yr Avg	97%
	Last 12 Mos	100+%

RANKING
5-YR AVG ROE (Return on Equity)		#1
12-MOS SALES GROWTH		172
12-MOS EPS GROWTH		123
5-YR SALES GROWTH		193
5-YR EPS GROWTH		145
Stock performance relative to industry		150

Market Data
MARKET VALUE		$469 mil
RECENT PRICE		$39.65
12-mos total return		-29%
2008 P/E estimate		NA

< Previous: ESCO Technologies

Next: Stratasys >

We are always looking for associates to help us help consumers get equal access to the justice system. Contact Ced Reynolds @ (909) 597-3502 or visit GreatCareerPlan.com

Admitting What You Don't Know

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:10:53 GMT

Certainly we all do our best to be the best we can be. But let's face it, we don't know everything. At least I know I don't know everything. For years as a younger sales person I used to think I had to know it all. I believed this so much that I would fake like I knew what I was talking about with my prospects and fellow sales associates.

The interesting thing about faking it is that the people who know more than we do will know right off that bat that we're faking it. Oh, they may not say anything but believe me they know. I used to hear the saying "fake it til you make it" as I was getting started in sales. To this day I wish I never heard this statement. Thank God a seasoned veteran in sales got a hold of me and helped me understand that it is OK to say, "I don't know but can I find out and get back with you" These words were so liberating. I had finally reached a point of not having to put so much pressure on myself to be the end all be all sales guy.

Admitting what we don't know has some great advantages:

1. We relieve ourselves from unnecessary pressure of having to have all the answers

2. We put our clients at ease because they don't think we're a know it all

3. We get the opportunity to learn from our colleagues

4. We experience a more natural maturation process

5. We will eventually become a mentor to others because we've been there and done that

Talk about being a free man! I'm a free man today because I don't hesitate to ask others for assistance on my behalf and on behalf of my clients.

Ced Reynolds

Career Recruiter

Do yourself a favor and take advantage of a risk assessment tool I make available to my business clients. Don't worry, it's free. Just click here and you'll be directed to a page that explains the benefits of the tool.

A Good Reputation is Hard to Keep

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:38:15 GMT

What are people saying about you. I mean what are the people in your industry, your, clients, your prospects, your family, I mean everybody. What people say about you is how you build your reputation.

We can have the best product or service in the world but if our reputation is tarnished, people will pass on buying our product or using our service. Believe me a bad reputation is easy to get but a good one is hard to keep.

What we do to keep our good reputation depends on:

1. How much we beleive in ourselves

2. How much we believe in our industry

3. How much we believe in our company

4. How much we believe in our co-workers

5. How much we believe in our clients

When our belief is high in the areas I mentioned, our accompanying actions will lead to providing the best service to our clients. One of the key things about people who know they have a good reputation is they don't rely on themselves to bolster their reputation. They rely on others to do it for them.

But how do you get others to speak own your behalf?

Here's how I do it.

*I give people an opportunity to say it through blogs (mine and others).

*I give people an opportunity to say it through email.

*I give people an opportunity to say it through voicemail.

*I offer people the opportunity to say it in my referral process.

I basically look for every possible way to give people a platform to say good things about me so others can see it or hear it.

Look back over your blog responses, email and voicemail and I can almost gurantee you that people have said good things about you. In fact you might just find something good I have said about you.

Keep your good reputation,

Ced Reynolds

Career Recruiter

As a way of saying thank you for taking the time to read my blog, I have a valuable free gift for you. Just click here to receive it.

Sometimes testimonies say it best

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:22:59 GMT

Although we are in business to let people know how we can help them, sometimes the testimonies of others say it best. Take a moment to share a few of your testimonies on my blog.

This letter is being written to you as a big THANK YOU for the great service you provided me.

To reiterate, I phoned you last January about a problem that I had with a lemon car that I had purchased from (an auto dealership). Last May, I had written them a letter requesting a replacement for this lemon vehicle. Both (the dealership) and (the auto maker) had ignored the letter.

Within 16 days of your writing your letter, (the auto maker) responded with a letter stating that they were anxious to exchange this vehicle for another of my choice. My wife selected a brand new Expedition with custom paint, custom wheels and a custom grill plus a lot of other goodies.

Thanks again for a wonderful job.
Member

California

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I am very please of being a member of your legal services. I did ask you several times to guide me regarding many legal matters. You did your best in answering my questions. The last time I did save several thousands of dollars in a real estate deal which was solved through you instead of going through a costly foreclosure.

Thanks again and keep up the good work.

Esau Awabdy
California

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Thank you for connecting us with Pre-Paid Legal. We chose the Business Owners Legal Solution Plan and have been thrilled with the response and service that we have received. The friendly folks at (my provider firm) always returned our calls within several hours and were knowledgeable and courteous with their assistance.

We have used them to review a number of our contracts; both to our clients as well as from our vendors. When we call for help we are able to speak with a staff attorney or referred out to one of the many local attorneys right here in San Diego.

The GoSmallBiz.com website is a wealth of resources. There are lots of documents online that can be used as a starting point. They can be reviewed by the PPL staff and edited to more closely match our purposes.

Thank you again for your assistance with this great service.

Jesse Johnson
California

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I purchased a laptop from a national chain store that proved to be defective, but the store would not take it back and instead accused me of damaging the laptop. I wrote letters and made many phone calls and visits to the store all to no avail. Then I called (my provider firm) who contacted the store.

That got the ball rolling and three days ago I finally received an E-mail from the store�s attorney that I would be receiving a check by UPS for $1,547- which is the entire sum I paid for the laptop.

Thank you, thank you, thank you�

Mark Ramirez
California

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It would be so easy to tell people about how we help people. But it is so much better to let others tell our story. Get your clients to tell your story for you and your credibility will soar through the roof.

Ced Reynolds

Career Recruiter

5 Reasons Why You Should Keep Social Networking

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:26:15 GMT

Perhaps you have heard the statement, "people make the world go round." People are the essence of social networking. But just what does a person do when they are doing their best and things just do not seem to be working out?

It is amazing how huge a challenge seems when we are living through it. It seems as though it will never come to can end. We must remember that seasons come and go and so do challenges. What might seem like an extended season of "dumpsville" it is just a season. It came and it will go. Nothing lasts forever as much as it seems like it will.

So here you are in the season of your life where you are doing all you can do and your best efforts keep you coming up on the short end of the stick. You are doing all the right activity. You are spending tons of money. You are connecting with all the right people. Yet there just does not seem to be that breakthrough you have been anticipating. What do you do? Keep social networking.

Here is why you should keep social networking:

1. To stay connected with people

2. To keep your offering in front of the eyes and ears of others

3. To establish a sense of reliability in your mind and in the mind and others

4. To increase your favor in working large numbers

5. To prepare yourself for the new season that is coming

One of the most genuine activities we can ever be involved in is social networking. We have to remember that if we are not connecting with people we limit our chances of getting through the season of "dumpsville." This is when we have to breakthrough in our philosophy of life. We have to decide to keep the decision we made when we first stated to pursue success. Even when things look glim, we have to stick to our guns. The decision we made when we had a great attitude and tremendous hope is a major factor in concluding the season we are in and moving to the next one.

Stay in the game,

Ced Reynolds
Career Recruiter

As a way of saying thank you for reading my blog article please accept my free gift. To find out more about it click here.

Better to be Good than Lucky at Social Networking in Business

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:59:33 GMT

OK, every once in a while it is a good thing to be lucky. But it is a much better thing to be good at social networking than rely on luck. An approach that is consistent and genuinely beneficial for the parties involved is a much better way to network.

Networking does come fairly easy to some. But to most it is a learned skill. I must say it a skill that takes continual learning. It is not that the game is changing so much. The key is we have to continue to learn to keep reminded and further sharpen our networking skills.

1. Learning helps us gain knowledge we do not have about social networking.

2. Learning helps us regain knowledge we have forgotten about social networking.

3. Learning helps us stay sharp in areas we need to be the best social networkers we can be.

4. Learning increases our confidence regarding social networking.

5. Learning keeps us humble regarding our social networking skills.

Get good at social networking. Being lucky is just not reliable...lol

By becoming a good social networker you can assure yourself that the relationships you build will be genuine. The more genuine relationships we develop, the more opportunity we will have to get ourmessage out.

Special Note: When relationships are developed properly, the people in your network will become your best referral sources.

Stay in the game,

Ced Reynolds

As a way of saying thank you for reading my article please accept my free gift. Just click here to receive it.

Make Social Networking Effective in your Business by Understanding Keywords

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:29:17 GMT

Yesterday I was on the phone, I was on-line and I made connections with people offline. You would have to say my day was filled with social networking. Although some of my conversations seemed to be just chit chat, believe me they weren't. My purpose for connecting with anybody is to listen for keywords in their conversation to find out how I might be able to help them. This doesn't mean I disregard everything else they say. It's just a normal conversation but I have trained my ears to pick up keywords.

Let me share with you about how I train my ears to pick up keywords:

1. I profusely saturate myself with product knowledge which makes my ears sensitive to keywords about the benefits our products offer.

2. I constantly connect with other professionals in my business to pick up new keywords.

3. I make it a point to pay attention to testimonials. They are always filled with keywords.

Understanding the keywords associated with your business makes it a lot easier to recognize when you have a good prospect or not. It is especially good to know keywords so you can influence the conversation with the words spoken by your prospects and/or clients.

When we are speaking the same language (keywords) as our prospects and/or clients they tend to relate with us more. After all all we're doing is communicating with them in a way that is favorable to them.

Make Social Networking Effective in your Business by Understanding Keywords.

Ced Reynolds

Tips to Make Social Networking More Effective

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:17:50 GMT

Social networking is a term that is being thrown around all over the internet. The reality is that social networking didn't start on the internet. It has been around for years. It is what what most of us have done all of our lives. The big deal is that for the most part we have not thought of our social connecting as social networking.

*When we go to a party we are socially networking.

*When we go to church we are socially networking.

*When we go shopping we are socaially networking.

*When we visit a friend we are socially newtorking.

*When we go to a class reunion we are socially networking.

*When we go to school we are socially networking.

*When we go to a seminar we are socially networking.

*When we connect with people on the internet we are socially networking.

I think you get picture. To network socially is to be involved with other people no matter where we are. The key is to social networking is being on purpose while we are networking. I am not saying to be so overbearing that you turn people off. What I am saying is to be a good listener, take good mental notes and prepare to respond.

Believe it or not once we finish being with a person or a group the conversation is not always over. If you took good mental notes you will have a reason to pick up on a previous conversation with a person or group. This is what separates the professional networker from the ones that stumble into networking situations.

People are amazed when we remember details of a previous conversation. It shows them that we cared enough to actually listen. Listening goes a long way. So the key to social networking no matter where we do it is "listening."

Another key while we are socially networking is "responding." I need to be real clear here. Responding at the appropriate time is extremely important. A response that seems like we are on the attack is a big turnoff but a response at the appropriate time can win the favor of the listener.

While listening and responding work hand in hand, it does not mean that the sequence will be one right after the other. Because the best thing to do is wait to respond at appropriate time after listening, the response may be days or even weeks later. The key is being so attentive that when we do respond the listener will be astounded that our response fits their specific situation.

It is really simple to become a better social networker. A reality that must not be over looked is that it is also simple not to be a better social networker.

Happy Networking,

Ced Reynolds, Social Networker

Using audio in your marketing campaign

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:56:43 GMT

Using audio in your marketing campaign can mean the difference between night and day. Working on the internet is a wonderful tool but it has limited emotional connection unless you're a wonderful writer. The best of writers can do well without audio but us who just write OK can use all the help we can get.

I know many people talk about video being better than audio. In my opinion video is a little bit more complicated because you have to prepare to be seen and heard vs. just preparing to be heard on audio. I've done both and actually do both. But the media I prefer which is much faster to prepare for and also get others to participate with me is audio.

Let's get back to the benefits of using audio.

1. Audio can bring an emotional connection with your audience that gives them a sense of who you are.

2. Audio allows you to tell your story in your own words to those who prefer hearing a voice rather than reading.

3. Audio gives your clients another option to better understand what you are communicating.

4. Audio along with the written word reinforces what you intend to communicate.

5. Audio adds a little flare to your presentation.

6. Audio sets you apart from your competitors.

7. Audio gives you a professional advantage.

8. Audio says to your clients that you care enough to go the extra mile.

9. Audio intrigues your client because it's different.

10. Audio helps you learn your craft because you want to impress those who listen.

There are lots of fun things you can do with audio. I use it because it's quick to set up and it gives me an upfront advantage when I'm trying to connect with first time readers of my blog. Hope you received something of value here.

Stay after it,

Ced Reynolds

The power of your schedule

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:33:31 GMT

No matter how things get, it is so important to stick to your schedule. In fact if you don't have a schedule you're subject to get off track and stay off track for a long time and not notice that you re drifting from your intended assignment. For years I had intentions of doing things during the course of a day but I would find myself floating all over the map. It's not that I wasn't busy. I was just busy doing things that weren't IPA (Income Producing Activity).

IPA is any a activity that has the potential to lead you to a transaction. For example, making phone calls to prospective clients is IMA if the phone call has the potential to lead to an appointment for a meeting. A meeting is IPA if it has the potential of leading to a listing or attaining a prospective buyer. There are a host of IPA's that we should do daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually.

Here's what my ideal daily and weekly IPA is: I say ideal because I haven't perfected it yet. It's the human part of me that keeps blowing it. lol...

Blogging - I blog at least three times a week in various social networks. When time permits I blog more. Blogging is my way of staying connected with people I know and a great opportunity to meet new people. (90 minutes weekly)

Phone Calls - I make at least 3 phone calls a day to give away free business directory listings and free business risk assessment tools to Realtors, Insurance Agents, Financial Planners and other business owners. The directory listings are valuable to the professionals I speak with because they give additional exposure among other B2B professionals. The risk assessment tool is valuable because it helps the professionals understand the functionality of their business in 5 different categories. It can also be used by the professional to help their own business clients. (90 minutes weekly)

Email - I send an email campaign to my list of prospects weekly. These are people who have double opted in to my receive my newsletter. The email campaign varies. It will most often be something generic that is non-salsey. Sometimes I give away a valuable free internet tool or offer marketing tips.(20 minutes weekly)

Talkcast - I do a talkcast (podcast) weekly to provide inspiration and encouragement to business associates. Often the talkcast is related to one of my blogs. There is always a tag at the end of my talkcast letting people know how to contact me. (30 minutes weekly)

Networking - I network once a week with a group of Realtors where we exchange marketing ideas and share leads. (60 minutes weekly)

SEO - Search engine optimization is big part of my weekly activity. At least 3 times a week I am submitting my syndicated blogs to the search engines. I use what's called a daisy change approach to get traffic to my blogs and talkcasts which attracts new readers and listeners. (120 minutes weekly)

The key for me is sticking to my schedule. Of course there are times when I get off track. What I do to help myself stay on track is post it on my white board in my office. Another key is planning the night before so I get up understanding that my day is already mapped out. This is absolute key for me. Even this particular blog was planned out the night before.

Off to give away my free business directory listings and business risk assessment tools.

Make today the best day of your life,

Ced

p.s. check out my talkcast at

Community Legal Services and Middle Income Families

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:18:45 GMT

Once in a while I come across a person who wants to know about community legal services. For the most part they have reached the lowest limits of their financial situation. One of the most unfortunate things is to need legal help and not know where to get it or be able to afford it.

One thing that most middle income folks who fall on hard times don't know is that when they fall below the middle income level, there are a host of free services provided for them. Of course because they have never had to access them before they have no idea of these services. One of these services is community legal services. The good thing about the internet today is all a person has to do is Google what they are looking for and they can find it. Unfortunately one of the last things that is on the mind of a person in a stressful life event is Google.

Although community legal services offer help to lower income families, what does a middle income family do when they need legal services? After all even the middle class in today's economy would have a tough time securing legal help if it was needed. The equity in our homes used to be our safety net. Today it's sort of a toss up. It will depend on where the economy is on the given day you were in need of legal assistance.

With community legal services only being available to lower income families and the middle income families not qualifying there has to be a better way. There is. It's called Prepaid Legal Services.

Did you know that 80% of Europeans have a Prepaid Legal Plan? Did you know that less than 3% of Americans even know about Prepaid Legal Services. Those in the Real Estate and financial services field for the most part have heard of it. But only a fraction of the Realtors and Financial Services professionals I know own a Prepaid Legal Plan.

If you are looking for a way to better serve your clients before they fall into hard times, consider learning the benefits of owning a Prepaid Legal Plan.

Observations of Justice

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:51:31 GMT

This blog will be a little different than my normal blogs but it will certainly be worth your while.

Over the years I have noticed many people in the church I pastor experience things I could virtually do nothing about. They come to me for prayer and counsel expecting to get an answer to their challenge only to go away having been prayed for and hoping that their challenge would some how miraculously be dealt with. Do'nt get me wrong, I believe in miracles and have seen a few in my lifetime.

The point I'm making isn't really about prayer or my faith or the faith of those who come to me. It's about how being practical when it comes to practical things. In this case I'm talking about legal challenges. Believe it or not I have seen more people troubled with legal challenges that had no clue what to do in the last several years than I would have ever imagined.

Here are a few examples:

1. A business owner in our church has major debts that need to be collected and he had to get an attorney to get his customer to finally get off the dime.

2. An elderly couple had their identity stolen and had to get an attorney only to find out that at the end of 6 months there was nothing the courts could do. By the way they spent a bunch of money.

3. Another elderly lady had a dispute with her insurance company so she had to get an attorney to get the insurance company to act right.

4. A father and son investment team in our church had to get an attorney to go to court against a contractor who refused to do the job he promised he would do.

5. A couple in our church had to get an attorney because their Vet failed to disclose a health condition their cat had that led to the death of their cat.

6. Another business owner in our church had to retain an attorney because his former partner embezzled money.

7. A young couple had their tenant move out unannounced and didn't know what to do. They should have gotten an attorney.

These are real examples that have happened in the last year in a small church. There are numbers of other situations that have occurred that would require the counsel of an attorney. All of these people ended up paying lots of unnecessary money to get in most cases less than stellar results.

Justice shouldn't just be for the well to do. It should be for all people. For the most part when it comes to seeking justice because of the events of life we tend to not look to call an attorney until it's almost to late. The reason in most cases is because we know it's not going to be cheap.

That's not the case anymore. There is a solution. Talking with an attorney regarding life events has been made more painless than any of the 4 major insurances you own. In fact when your insurance company fails to perform what you expect, you can have your own legal counsel on standby.

Justice is for All

Psalm 25:9
The humble He guides in justice,And the humble He teaches His way.

Psalm 37:28
For the LORD loves justice,And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.

Psalm 103:6
The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.

Second Look ideas from people who practice it

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 22:18:42 GMT

Recently I posted a blog on Getting your clients to take a second look. This stuff works for more people than just me.

Take a look at the comments.

Great points Ced! We always like to stress a different time of day to take a second look at a property. Sometimes afternoon light and morning light will give a house completely differing personalities.

10/19/2008 10:07 AM

by Rob & Jeannie Steward (Weichert, Realtors)

People have moods and happenings that can make a second look 180 degrees off. It's funny.

10/19/2008 10:13 AM

by Randall ~ @ ~ Access e Mortgage

You have the gift! I beleive in no pressure. You wont like what you get if pressure is how you think you will earn business. Earn is the key word, and you seem to understand that.Thank you for the blog!-Dinah

10/19/2008 11:05 AM

by Dinah Lee Griffey (Windermere Peninsula Properties)

Sometimes those second looks excite the client or they start ripping the home apart. I like to take notes, then when we get through the whole place try to really look at what the fear and complaints are with the property, deal with those issues, then foucs on the positive.

I have to admit that it can always improved and I am willing to learn from experts like yourself.

10/19/2008 11:19 AM

by Timothy Butterworth (Oregon Realty company)

Cedric,

I tried this same approach yesterday with a potential buyer. I was cleaning up one of our rental properties yesterday and this woman simply stopped by to see if this house was available...she loved the neighborhood...and was "selling herself" on the house...sometimes it's important to have that "laid back-nonpushy" attitude and let THEM talk themselves into purchasing or renting...I expect her to call me back today! Wish me luck...

10/19/2008 11:28 AM

by Rebecca @ Schrader Inc. - Mobile Home Financing Specialists

Ins and Outs of Social Networking

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:12:50 GMT

If you've been struggling to get social networking to pay off, you're not alone. There are some very practical ways to join the social networking arena and succeed. In reality social networking has a few ins and outs that aren't really that different from socially connecting with people offline.

Just a few days ago I put together a short Blogtalkradio.com audio training program where I share some of the ins and outs that have given me success in social networking. I think you will like it. Either way, let me know.

Stay in the game,

Time to talk about the Elephant in the Room

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:03:34 GMT

When it comes to talking about the obvious, sometimes we do everything we can not to be the one who brings it up. Why is that? In business it's customary that professionals disclose everything necessary that pertains to a transaction. That should be a given. But sometimes we overlook stating the obvious for two reasons.

Fear is a big factor why we fail to talk about the elephant in the room. When we at the close of a tough transaction that has had a lot of complications who wants to bring up a potential deal breaking detail. Fear will cause us to do the wrong thing that leads to a more trouble than we can ever imagine. Talk about the elephant.

Inexperience just comes with the territory. When we are inexperienced we tend to hope others take the lead. Well inexperience only lasts for so long. Take the initiative and talk about the elephant.

A small elephant has become a big elephant in the last several years. It is identity theft coverage. We have clients who have just made the biggest purchase of their lives and their personal non-public information has been exposed to more people than they could imagine. This is a big elephant that needs to be talked about.

One last thing. What do you do when you don't know what to say about the elephant in the room? Point to the person who has been trained to speak specifically about the elephant. Move past the fear and don't let inexperience stop you from exposing that elephant. Your clients see the same elephant and they don't know what to do, but you do...

Ced Reynolds

Beware of the Sue Happy People

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 07:32:54 GMT

The US is already sue happy. I just wonder if there will be more lawsuits since the economy is putting the pinch on people in every imaginable situation. As money is getting tighter will people be forced to utilize legal recourse to keep what they believe if rightfully theirs?

If there are more lawsuits will the people getting sued include Realtors and mortgage brokers? This could be a big deal since there are so many frivolous law suits. You may be a Realtor or mortgage broker who has been upright and forthcoming in your dealings. You may be a Realtor or mortgage broker who has covered all the things that would prevent an E&O claim. But what would you do if a former client who is in a quandry with their mortgage and is in a home whos value has declined dramatically all of a sudden decided to sue you for what ever reason?

One of the things to think about is even the defendants who win law suits lose because of the enormous amount of money that is put out to protect their interest. In the climate of our economy it wouldn't surprise me that there are people in such weird states of mind that they won't settle on going down by themselves.

On a closing note, we need to remember that we don't have to do anything wrong to be sued. But if we want to keep what we've worked hard for we have to defend ourselves even against frivolous law suits. People do strange stuff in strange times. Desperation causes the most sane and seemingly rational people do things that they normally wouldn't do. Lastly, hurt people hurt people.

Beware Realtors and mortgage brokers. Do what you can to protect yourself from the fear filled people who are grabbing for straws (your money).

Ced Reynolds

If you would consider selling something different than you are selling right now, click here. Then call Ced Reynolds @ (909) 597-3502

Getting a Business Education Online is Like a Game

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:22:34 GMT

There are so many of us who had no clue about working online. If you're like me, I initially got online just to have fun and connect with friends and meet new folks with similar interests. When I finally looked around I was being educated at the most unexpected moments. Boy has it been fun.

During the fun process I have learned so many things about working online. One of the greatest things is that I will never know it all. Working online will be an ongoing process. Believe me, it settles my nerves in a big way because I'm a perfectionist and I want to know things yesterday. The good thing about working online is that you can always log on and find out pretty much anything you want to know. Another joy is most of it's for free if you know where to look. Learning to find the free education is a learning process in itself.

Lastly as I finish up here, the best thing I have learned is how to actually find people who are looking for me. What I mean is that are tons of people interested in what I offer through my business and I have learned various methods of helping them find me. It's a lot faster than off line because there are so many people who congregate online in the same places expressing the same concerns. All I do is use the tools I've picked up online which help people realize they have been looking for me when our paths cross. It's not that much different than a person who goes into a retail store looking for a specific item.

The great thing about the internet is the people who finally find you are already convinced they want to connect with you because they have had a chance to do their own due diligence. Here's a hint. The more we help them do their due diligence, the easier it will be to finally connect us. It's not necessary to be known all over the internet. But it is important to be known in the places where the people looking for you can find out about you. Believe me, people talk and when you get them talking about you in a good way, you've done your job.

Stay in the internet game and you'll get used to winning.

Ced Reynolds
www.greatcareerplan.com

This guy says we have less than 15 years left

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:49:31 GMT

This guy says we have less than 15 years left

Either this guy is crazy or he's a genius. Several years ago I came across the teaching of Mark Yarnell. At first I thought he was quite ecentric. The more I've listened to him over the years and especially during financial melt down we've been recently faced with, I think he may be on to something.

Take a listen for yourself. Click here

Love to get your thoughts on his 10 minute audio on why he believes our economy as we know it has less than 15 years left. By the way he doesn't just talk about the problem. He talks about what he and others have been doing for over 20 years that has given them financial security in the years to come.

Happy listening,

Ced
(909) 597-3502

New Ministry Addition of Small Biz Prayer Network

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:33:12 GMT

New ministry addition of Small Biz Prayer Network

During the time I've been involved with the Small Biz Prayer Network there has always been this tug to go directly to business owners and pray with them. Don't get me wrong, I have done just that but it's been more hit and miss.

Today I want to let you business owners who are in the Inland Empire know that I will be coming to you to pray with you for your business. For those of you who are part of the network just call and I'll put you on my schedule to pray with you.

The days that we are living in is certainly a time for business owners to continue to offer the services and products your offer. More than that it is a time to minister in the marketplace like never before. Your clients, your employees, your vendors need peace. You already know I'm not talking about the peace that the world gives. The peace of God has to rule in the hearts of the believer more today than ever before.

In closing, I need your help. If you can begin to pray for your fellow business associates, that would do a world of wonders to soften their hearts to hear God regarding being more bold for Jesus during these tough economic times.

My prayer for you today is that the Lord would use you to do the work of an evangelist to make full proof of your ministry. Believe it or not, you have been placed in a position of being a marketplace evangelist. I believe God has great plans for Christian business owners who will not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.

Signing off for now...

Stay blessed,
Pastor Cedric
(909) 263-4569

Part 8 Workplace Identity Theft Nationwide

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:46:09 GMT

We all probably know by know that there really isn't a company that can totally prevent identity theft. It's just like we can't stop injuries that cause us to go to the hospital or having an accident in our motor vehicle. All we can do is do what we can to prevent identity theft, injuries and accidents.

Perhaps you are doing all you know to do to protect your clients identity. You do all the right things to store their information in password protected computers. You lock information in the best file cabinets. You make sure only the people who need to view your clients identity are the only people who see it.

Did you know that nearly 50% of identity theft happens in the workplace? It's absolutely amazing what pressure will cause a person to do. To use the information of a client can be an almost untraceable event. Of course those clients who have a credit monitoring service will be alerted. But what if the thief uses the identity for something else other than credit. A credit monitoring service does the client no good.

The fact that identity theft comes in mainly five different areas is something most people are not aware of. When a persons Character/criminal, drivers license, medical and/or social security identity is breached it takes an expertise the majority of us don't have. Having a lawyer in the family could be a good think if that's their specialty. But if not it's going to be 500 plus hours to get a persons identity restored.

Really, who has the time to invest 500 hours over and above our already busy lives? Here's a clue, help your clients, your office staff and your vendors get an identity theft plan that offers credit and identity monitoring, and a comprehensive restoration service. This way you'll be doing more than anybody else regarding workplace identity theft nationwide.

Nationwide Identity Theft -What people don't know

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:31:28 GMT

I have to admit I don't know a lot of things and I am always willing to learn. How about you?

Did you know...

More than half of all households have a legal situation right now. �Legal Needs and Civil Justice Survey, published by the American Bar Association

Even law abiding Americans will encounter a legal situation an average of four to six times per year. �National Resource Center for Consumers of Legal Services

You are nearly three times more likely to be in court than you are to be hospitalized. �National Center for State Courts/American Hospital Association

Ced Reynolds
Great legal help

Why your business needs a legal plan

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:47:53 GMT

Often business owners believe they are safe from law suits because they incorporate. They do have some good protection but what about those frivilous law suits. A good legal plan designed specifically for their size business will do a world of wonders.

Can you imagine having an attorney on retainer only to find out when you call him/her that they don't specialize in the area of law that you are calling about? So you uncle Bob gives you a great deal on legal advice. The tough deal is that he practices family law and you need business legal advice.

Legal plans for home based businesses, the self employed and businesses with up to 99 employees offer way more than most people even know. First of all the majority of people 97% don't even know legal plans for families or businesses even exist. Interestingly enough, 80% of the families in Europe own a legal plan.

So why should you as an independent contractor or business owner have a legal plan? I'll put it to you this way, what do you do when...

You need to consult a lawyer?
You need legal letters written on your behalf?
You have debts you can't collect?
You need contracts reviewed before you sign them?
You have to go to court to represent your business?
You need business advice?
You have your identity compromised?

These are just a few reasons every business owner should have some sort of access. I'm not talking about just an attorney but a bank of attorneys who specialize in your specific challenge no matter where you may happen to have a legal challenge in the United States.

Are you a Realtor, Mortgage Broker, Financial Planner or Insurance Agent with and LLC? How are you protecting your number one income producing asset? Sure you have E & O insurance, business insurance, health insurance, long term care insurance and even life insurance. All of these protection elements have a form of legal counsel but how far will they go to protect your personal and business interest? That's why even the highest level executives have their own personal legal counsel even though their companies have legal counsel.

In my business I have legal cousel in various areas pertaining to the work I do. But if someone were to sue me personally I'm on my own to defend the suit. That's why I have a legal plan beyond what my orgqanization offers.

Stay tuned I have some additional information coming real soon.

CedReynolds.com
(909) 597-3502

OK, my little secret is out

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:36:25 GMT

OK, you're probably wondering where I get all these free gifts. The reality is that I have just accumulated them over the years. Some I use more than others. But at some point they all have served to be of value to me in my business. The one I use the most, in fact everyday is the free directory listing. I give away a free business directory listing to at least two business owners everyday. It puts people into my data base who I want to get to know better.

If you're not sure you have received a free business directory listing from me, go to GoSmallBiz.com and search the directory section. All you have to do is type in your city and your state and you'll see the list of busineeses in your area and your business if I've listed you.

This particular tool is so non-threatening that no one has ever turned me down, at least not yet :) I give this listing away because the business owners who get listed on GoSmallBiz.com often go there and discover all the free services that are provided for business owners and they call me wanting to know more information. OK, my little secret is out. I'm not just giving away free business listings because I'm a nice guy. I do have business reasons as well.

Have you ever wondered why I give away so many free tools? "I give to receive to give again." In the end I always end up on the giving end which is a good thing. Providing my service to people is nothing more than giving people an opportunity to hear my story. Once they hear my story they decide if the story is something they want to be included in or not. It's really that simple. Even if people say no to my story, we part as friends because I find a way to give to them again somehow.

Can you imagine the number of people I've given business directory listings to? Literally hundreds of business owners all over America have received a business directory listing from me and welcome my phone calls, email, mail and personal visits. I've actually developed friends in almost every state. I don't want you to think that they are all my clients but I do want you to understand that I have distinguished myself from every other Prepaid Legal Associate they know in a huge way.

Somebody might be reading this blog saying, "why is he sharing his marketing secrets?" The truth is they aren't really secrets. The other truth is that most people won't do what I do anyway. Another truth is when you hear from me you'll know what to expect. Don't you do much better when you receive a call from somebody when you have an idea what they're going to say? Sure you do. Your guard is down because of the trust factor that's been built up. The trust factor is built up because of the like-ability of the person making the call. The like-ability of the person is built up because you've gotten a chance to get to know the person. It's the old adage, "people do business with people they know, like and trust."

Let's get to know each other. That's where it all starts.

Stay in it to win it,

Ced

Principaless Interest - is it real?

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:27:59 GMT

So many things are topsy turvy in the world today that people all over the world are looking for new ways to do old things. Gasoline is at an all time high, the housing market is falling through the basement, the world's economic system is crumbling, the status of marriage as it use to be is being threatened big time and the list goes on.

How has it challenged your thinking and your life. I ask about your thinking is because "as we think so are we." Today the person thinking on their feet will not have to fret during these tough times in our nation. What plan do you have to succeed in these days? Have you thought about how these tragic things will challenge your life if they hit home? It's time to start thinking about it and not just that but doing something.

I have done something that has secured my present and my future. It has been a passive thing but it is proving to be a steadfast way of providing the income I will need for my future should the markets of this world collapse. I call it principaless interest. If you would like to find out more about principaless interest go to Mark Yarnell's website at15 Years Left. He brings some very interesting things to mind that may strike you to be crazy at first but as you listen again and again I think you might see he's pretty close to being on track. One way or another you will say this guy is a genius or this guy is a nut case. Certainly you are entitled to your opinion. You owe it to yourself to at least check it out.

I would love to hear from you once you listen to what Mark has to say. I may have something for you that can provide you with a stream of income that stems from principaless interest.

Give me a ring today,
Ced Reynolds
(909) 597-3502
My Website

What the freebie kings don't want you to know

Fri, 23 May 2008 12:23:56 GMT

So what's the big deal about giving away freebies? There are so many places where you can find freebies on the internet. The big challenge is that who do you trust to receive these freebies from. Chances are you'll be bombarded by spam in a very short time with no way of turning it off...

Here's something you might want to consider. Instead of being the one on the receiving end, become the one on the giving end. Just imagine people calling you to thank you for the freebies you gave them. Just imagine people emailing you back saying thank you. Just imagine people responding to your blog. Just imagine people who don't even respond to your blog but click through to receive the freebies. Who knows how many people do that.

Here's the big secret. The truth is professional marketers who give away freebies are not doing it just because they like giving away free stuff. They are actually developing a data base of highly targeted people who are potential prospects for their products and services.

There is a major factor that you need to be aware of about these professional marketers is that when you respond to their free offer, you are among literraly thousands of prospects. The marketers actually never see your information. It's loaded into an autoresponder that starts a email campaign that shows up in your inbox periodically until you stop it. Chances are you'll never here from these marketers because they are only focused on numbers. I'm talking about mass numbers. The goal is to accumulate a mass amount of targeted leads to be part of their data base.

Here's the other side of how people like me use freebies.

First of all I find freebies that are really valuable and I give them away to people who I can truly help with those freebies.

Second - I actually look to develop long term relationships with people so they will welcome my call or email.

Third - I am always looking for ways to help promote the businesses I network with via resources and referrals.

Fourth - I purpose to stay in contact either by email, blogging, phone calls and in person visits

Fifth - I receive personal referrals to give away freebies from people who use my freebies with success which ends up leading to legitimate business referrals for my business.

In nearly 100% of the time this system makes for a warm call instead of a cold call. People are open to receive my calls because they know the legitimacy of the free offers they have received from me. They also are more apt to ask me about my business as well as look to refer people my direction.

Old ways of relationship marketing are still very useful. They just take longer because the first contact by phone or in person is hit and miss. Using the internet appropriately makes for a faster way of connecting with people of like interest. Once the initial connection is made it's all about developing relationship.

Hope you found this helpful.

Ced

p.s. Be sure to see the valuable freebies in my previous blog: Freebie #8 - free software + bonus freebie

A Crusade or just Hype

Fri, 02 May 2008 10:44:37 GMT

Many of you don't know that my wife has been disabled for the last 18 years. She is on dialysis and wheel chair bound because of two strokes. I bring this to your attention to tie in a point of how I never thought of how important a person's data based identity is until she was unable to talk.

If you've ever tried to get concise answers to a question from someone who can't talk, you'll understand where I'm headed. There was a point when I had no clue who all the people she did business with. All these businesses had her non public information. What was so astonishing was how easy it was for me to access her information at hospitals, doctor's offices and most any business. Now I know I'm her husband but anybody can pose as a person's husband over the phone.

As I have been watching the news the last couple of years all I've heard is how older people are being taken advantage of because their identity was breached. Someone would call on the phone to their doctor, the hospital or some business that had their non public information and just give away their information.

I don't have to tell you but people are being taken advantage of everyday and their lives are being wrecked because someone else is using their identity. Getting back to my wife's situation. Thank God she has never had her identity stolen. But people in the same hospital and doctor's offices have had their identity stolen and seen their lives become a living hell.

I've been involved helping people protect their identity since 2005. For a fair amount of time it was just an opportunity to help other people and earn a living. As I continued in the business, it has really hit home that my wife's and my non public information is just as important to protect. Having coverage is great but making sure the people I do business with have a plan in place to protect my identity has become a crusade.

Ironically this crusade has caused me to become a magnet attracting people from all over the nation who are curious about how they can protect their identity and put a plan in place in their business. Many of these same people have joined the crusade by making sure the businesses they do business with have a plan in place that satisfies the Federal Trade Commission's Safeguard Rules.

Sources:
Federal Trade Commission

Identity Theft Webinar

Employer Protection of Your Non Public Information?

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:43:49 GMT

If you were to get involved with a company today you might want to make sure they have a good plan to protect your non-public information. What I mean is the company you consider working for should have an Security Information Officer who has constructed and oversees a written policy.

Data breach is becoming more prevalent not just in big companies like what we've heard on the news. It's happening in small companies as well. The problem is that most small companies don't have a clue that they are targets. Just think about it for a moment. Does your company have your drivers license information? What about your social security number? If you have insurance, do they have access to your medical identification? If you had a background check, do they have a copy of your criminal identification or your credit information?

Most people only think of identity in terms of their credit history. There are actually 5 areas of identity as I just mentioned above. Most companies have various forms of our identity on file. Did you know it's there responsibility to make sure it's protected? Even if you did, do you know if it is being protected?

Have you heard of an Affirmative Defense Response System? Does your company have one in place? "The Federal Trade Commission published a booklet "Protecting Personal Information: A Guide For Your Business" providing the steps to protect your business. These steps may be costly to your business to add protection but it will be financially devastating if you are caught without having a plan in place. Fines range from $1000 to $1,000,000 and jail time for corporate executives."

Something is definitely up and businesses have to do something about it. If your employer has put a plan in place to protect your personal information, you are in good shape. If they haven't, you might want to ask them what they plan on doing to protect your non public information. If they don't do anything, you can still protect yourself by subscribing to an identity theft plan.

Be happy to help you,

Ced Reynolds
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(909) 597-3502

Moving from an employee to an entrepreneur (audio blog)

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:22:04 GMT

Learning how to move from an employee to an entrepreneur is quite a challenge but it can be accomplished. Listen to this audio and hear my story. Hopefully it will inspire you.

Stay blessed,

Ced Reynolds

Volunteer Employee Benefits

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:21:54 GMT

Volunteer employee benefits are a big thing in businesses all over the country. Business owners are trying their best to offer benefits that their employees need and want. The great thing about volunteer employee benefits is that the employer doesn't have to pay for the benefits.

Employees are now looking to work with companies where they get options. It's options that make a difference. If you're an employer you might want to consider taking a look at our benefits plan. Click here

For more info:<
contact
Ced Reynolds
(909) 597-3502

Don't you just hate getting traffic tickets?

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:26:04 GMT

On Sunday I was driving home and as customary I entered the left hand turn lane to make a left turn to enter my driveway. The difference on Sunday was there was an orange cone about 18 inches inside the left hand turn lane. A police officer was directing traffic as a clean up crew was just finishing up sweeping.

I don't know what I was thinking (I probably wasn't thinking) but I chose to enter between the cones (bad move Cedric) and wait in the left hand turn lane for the officer to give me the OK when to turn left. But nooooooo. There was another officer sitting in his vehicle that flashed his lights and hit his siren. I really didn't have a clue what he was doing. He got out of the car and was headed my direction. I still didn't have a clue. When he got to my window and motioned for me to roll down my window something told me I must have done something wrong (go figure).

I found out right away that I did something wrong. He asked me what I was doing. I politely said I was waiting to make a left hand turn. I can't tell you the additional terminology he used but entering the cones was a traffic violation when I finally understood what he was saying. What could I say? I did enter the cones.

What would you have done? Here's what I did. I asked the officer if I could call my attorney because I wanted to make sure he didn't violate my rights. He said go ahead. I did and actually it was good for me (to get calmed down) because by this time I was a little bit frustrated with this somewhat snotty officer. As I was talking with my attorney, his attitude did begin to change quite a bit. I thank God for my Legal Shield service. It allows me access to an attorney 24 hours a day if I'm ever detained by a law enforcement officer.

Here's the deal. I got a ticket. I didn't know if I could really beat it or not so I called my attorney Monday morning and received consultation. He let me know that it would be pretty hard. The advice he gave me since I have a good driving record was to just pay the ticket and opt to go to traffic school. Even though I will pay the ticket, I again am thankful for my Prepaid Legal membership. It allows me to get legal consultation about legal matters I'm not sure about.

To be on the phone with an attorney can cost quite a bit. I didn't have to worry about the cost because my membership takes care of times when I'm detained and in need of consultation. The moral of the story is it's better not to get traffic tickets but if you do be sure to have a Prepaid Legal membership. I didn't have any intention of doing something stupid on Sunday but I did.

Ced Reynolds

Click here for Great Legal Help Presentation

Christian Conferences

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:55:45 GMT

Christian conferences like the Kingdom Realities conference are spreading across the land. Why? Because of the tremendous hunger men and women have to know the will of God for their lives. It's time to take our lives to another level.

For those seeking a better way of living as a Christian, it's a must to attend this year's Kingdom Realities Conference. CentrePoint Christian Fellowship will be hosting it's very first conference Saturday May 31 - Monday June 2, 2008. Pastor Cedric Reynolds has made a commitment to help men, women, boys and girls live an overcoming life as they learn what it truly means to "seek first the Kingdom of God."

Contact info:

CentrePoint Christian Fellowship
6251 Schaefer Avenue
Chino, CA 91710
(909) 591-7555

Legal Blog on Active Rain

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:29:01 GMT

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Help I Need Legal Solutions for my Business

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:13:05 GMT

Get it done or get it done do you. It's time to get the legal help you need. Either you will get it or you'll continue to complain. I talk with business owners everyday who just complain about their circumstances. They complain and complain and still do nothing. Even while we're talking, the temptation to shove the Prepaid Legal Business Solution down their throat just eats at me. Of course I don't because I'm a professional.

One would think that every business owner would do everything within their power to take protect their business. Unfortunately that's not so. If you're a business owner take a moment to click on any link in this blog to discover how you can be free from worry.

In the mean time do your homework and find out what it will cost you to handle your legal challenges when they come up. Believe me, it's better to have a Prepaid Legal Business Solutions Plan than a Postpaid Plan. It's like the commercial, "pay me now or pay me later." The choice is yours.

Ced Reynolds

California Legal Help -a Plan for Business Owners

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:50:50 GMT

What a time for small business owners. There has never been a time when they haven't needed to be protected like today. Oh I'm not just talking about being protected from thieves. I'm talking about legally. How many people do you know who think business owners have deep pockets?

Legal Help is extremely important "before" you actually need it. Many of us just play the "hope nothing happens" game. That day is over. It's more about when that if. It's more about when something will happen that could potentially be a challenge to our personal life and business. A business legal plan is imperative today because of the uncertainties we as business owners are faced with today.

Now if you happen to be one of the fortunate ones, you haven't had any legal challenges. That's awesome. But think of it this way. Would you be without medical insurance or automobile insurance? Absolutely not. We have insurances mainly for the uncertainties of life. We know that an automobile accident without automobile insurance is financial suicide. We know that a hospital stay for any reason can lead to major financial disaster. Think about this. What would happen if your business got sued? Could it lead to a big business challenge? I am convinced it could. That's why legal plans, espeically in California are so vital.

I don't want to hold you up here but do take some time to click on the links in this blog to find out more how you can protect your business.

On a closing note, we are currently looking for associates who have a heart for business owners to market our business legal plans. Please click here to find out about what we offer.

Ced Reynolds

Legal Help and the Red Flag Rule

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:31:40 GMT

Here's an important article that will help small business owners navigate their way through the Red Flag Rules and Regulations.

Keywords Business Plans Prepaid Legal Legal Help

Red Flag Regs Alert:
It's Time to Start Planning
John S. Burnett, BOL Guru

New rules mandated by the FACT Act* requiring identity theft prevention programs and setting forth guidelines and requirements are about to be published. They implement Section 114 of the law and set forth certain "red flags" that may be indicative of identity theft. This article provides an overview of the final regs.

Effective and Mandatory Compliance Dates
The effective date for the regulations will depend on when they are finally published in the Federal Register. Once they are published, the regulations will be effective on the first day of the calendar quarter that is at least 30 days after publication. So, if they're published on or before November 30, 2007, they'll be effective January 1. If they appear in the Federal Register in December, they won't be effective until April 1, 2008.

Compliance will be mandatory beginning November 1, 2008, but don't let that make you complacent. Each day that your institution doesn't have an effective Identity Theft Prevention Program increases the odds that you'll be damaged by the theft and misuse of a customer's identity.

Program Content
Your Identity Theft Prevention Program must include policies and procedures to:
identify relevant Red Flags for your institution's covered accounts, and incorporate them into the Program. Your institution must start with the Guidelines in Appendix J of the regulation, and the list of Red Flags in its Supplement. You don't have to include all of the Red Flags in the Supplement, but you should have a valid reason for excluding any of them. Add to your list any other Red Flags based on your institution's experience with identity theft, regulatory guidance or from other sources. detect Red Flag events that have been included in your Program respond appropriately to detected Red Flag events, to prevent ID theft and mitigate its effects ensure that the Program is updated periodically, to reflect changes in ID theft risks to customers and your institution.

What is a Red Flag?
A Red Flag is a pattern, practice, or specific activity that indicates the possible existence of identity theft. There is a list of suggested Red Flags included in Supplement A to Appendix J of the regulations.

Who is Covered?
The Red Flag regulations and guidelines affect all financial institutions and creditors with covered accounts. "Creditor" includes anyone who arranges for the extension, renewal, or continuation of credit (following the definition in the Equal Credit Opportunity Act), which includes third-party debt collectors.

Who is Protected?
The group of customers whose identity is protected by the regulations and guidelines includes all customers with covered accounts. While the largest group of protected customers is consumers or individuals, the regulations are risk-based, and coverage is extended based on the type of account involved more than on the class of customer.

What Accounts Are Covered?
The regulations cover continuing deposit or credit relationships established by a person with a financial institution or creditor involving a product or service for personal, family, or household purposes, if the product or service is designed to permit multiple payments or transactions. Examples include credit card accounts, mortgage loans, installment credit, margin accounts, cell phone and other utility accounts (extensions of credit), checking and savings accounts. They also cover any other account (including those established for business purposes) where there is a reasonably foreseeable risk to a customer or the financial institution from identity theft. Financial institution risks include financial, operational, compliance, reputation, or litigation risks. The regulation covers both existing accounts and those in the process of being opened.

Part of the preliminary and ongoing responsibilities of a financial institution under the regulations will be to, on a risk basis, determine which types of accounts fall into the "other account" group for which there is foreseeable risk of ID theft.

Board Involvement
Your board of directors or an appropriate board committee must approve your initial Identity Theft Prevention Program. The board, a board committee, or an employee at a senior management level must be involved in the oversight, development, implementation and administration of the Program. The board is responsible for ensuring that your staff has appropriate training to implement the Program, and that the Program includes appropriate oversight of service provider arrangements.

Address Changes (Card Issuers)
The regulations include a requirement that you have policies and procedures to verify address changes for credit card or debit card holders if the address change is followed within 30 days (or a longer period established in your procedures) by a request for an additional card or replacement card for the same account. You can't issue the additional or replacement card until you've checked out the change of address with your cardholder, and provided your cardholder a reasonable means for promptly reporting an incorrect address change.

Your policies and procedures can provide for the verification of all address change requests. If you've already verified such a request before receiving a request for an added or replacement card, you need not verify the address a second time before issuing the card.

It's Time to Get Moving!
With the compliance deadline a short 12 months away, and evidence that examiners have already been asking financial institutions about their Red Flag programs, you should waste no time ramping up your planning for implementation. When planning backward from the November 1, 2008, deadline, make sure you allow time to present your proposed Program to your board of directors and make any needed adjustments before obtaining their final approval. Assemble your team to decide which accounts you will include in your initial plan for coverage, by assessing the risk of ID theft for each type of account you offer. Don't forget business accounts, particularly those of sole proprietorships and other small businesses.

Watch for guidance from regulators on any additional Red Flags that you should consider including in your Program. Also watch industry news reports, including BOL's weekly Tech Talk briefing, for ID theft developments that might suggest added ID theft risk for any of your customers or account types.

Don't forget time to identify steps that you will include in your Program as responses to any detected Red Flag events.

Each of the federal financial institution regulatory agencies (the Agencies) and the Federal Trade Commission will issue its own regulation in a joint announcement once all of the final approvals are received. Although some of the wording in the agency versions regulations will differ, the substantive provisions will be the same.

The agencies introduced proposed regulations on July 18, 2006, and received 128 comments. The regulations and guidelines are mandated by section 114 of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACT Act or FACTA) which requires financial institutions and creditors to develop and maintain a written Identity Theft Prevention Program. The Agencies are also issuing joint regulations under Section 315 of FACTA to provide guidance on action when a consumer reporting agency sends a notice of address discrepancy (see our Address Discrepancy article).

* FACT Act - Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003

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First published on BankersOnline.com 10/19/2007