June, 2014

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How to Write Stuff People Want to Read

David A Fields

'Malcolm Gladwell has five books on Amazon.com’s top-sellers chart (which seems to update by the minute), each of which has been there for at least three years (I guess the minute-by-minute updating doesn’t matter). Obviously, a lot of people like to read his books. What about your writing? Is anyone reading it? Would you like […]. The post How to Write Stuff People Want to Read appeared first on David A.

How To 207
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5 Core Case Study Principles Every Interviewee MUST Know

Management Consulted

'The case study question is a fundamental portion of any consulting interview. Perhaps you’re a natural at networking, possess a wunderkind resume, and exemplify expert-level interpersonal communication skills. When it comes to evaluating case studies, none of your other skills really matter. The bad news is that case study questions require a very particular way of thinking.

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Gorillas in our Midst

Tom Spencer

'Why you’ll often miss the best opportunities – and biggest upcoming problems – when they are right in your face. (Source: Freaking News ). Suppose for a moment that I were to walk into your office, right at this minute, dressed as a gorilla. Yes, a gorilla – stay with me here. Now imagine I start making a scene, beating my fists on my chest, grunting, upturning desks and throwing papers.

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TCIP #002 – Strategizing Social Media for Crisis Communications with Isaac Griberg

Melissa Agnes

'Welcome to episode #002 of The Crisis Intelligence Podcast with Melissa Agnes and Isaac Griberg of the ICRC. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is doing ground-breaking things when it comes to leveraging social media for crisis communications and emergency management. In this episode of The Crisis Intelligence Podcast, I chat with Isaac Griberg of the ICRC about how they’re utilizing social media as a key component of their communications strategy, both internally and ext

Media 104
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PowerPoint Best Practices for Creating Stellar Presentations

Mastering data visualization in PowerPoint will help accelerate your career because it positions you as someone who can present data that drives business decisions forward. think-cell's PowerPoint Best Practices eBook was created specifically for professionals aiming to master the art and science of data-driven storytelling. What’s inside: Practical Insights: Uncover valuable tips for crafting engaging and persuasive presentations.

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5 Things That Will Increase Income and Profits

Women in Consulting

'By: Renee Daggett. Why are we in business? For most of us, it is to provide a solution to our customers/clients. For others it is to make a difference in the lives of our customer/clients. Whatever your reason is, we need to do this and have enough money cover our business expenses and pay our personal bills. So how can we run a profitable business?

More Trending

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Barter….A Bad Idea or a Best Practice?

David A Fields

'A question I was asked…. A prospect that wants to work with me has a service that I could really use. Should I discuss a potential barter deal? Is that a good way to secure them as a client?… see my Response in the Solo Consultant’s Network. The post Barter….A Bad Idea or a Best Practice? appeared first on David A. Fields. Agreements Consultants Context Discussion Creating Value Fees Positioning Proposals Relationships adding value benefits Connections Consultative selling consultin

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Networking 101 Video Overview

Management Consulted

'In 9 out of 10 cases, especially if you are an experienced hire or come from a non-target school, having a contact inside a consulting firm will make the difference between getting an interview or not. Because of that, effective networking is critical. In the following videos, we give a basic overview on networking basics – specific to consulting.

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Forgiveness

Tom Spencer

'An act of personal empowerment that gives you freedom from the past and allows you to retain the initiative. (Source: Flickr ). FORGIVENESS is a noble sentiment, but shouldn’t our tormentors be punished? What about truth? What about justice? What about revenge ? Breathe, breathe, everything will be okay. The deceptions and betrayals of those around us can sometimes infect and overwhelm the mind.

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Introducing The Crisis Intelligence Podcast

Melissa Agnes

'Crisis and issues management is an increasingly important topic for organizations today and there are so many interesting people and organizations out there doing it right. That said, we thought why not have a recorded conversation with these fascinating people to benefit others? For those of you who have been following our blog for a while – and for all you newbies out there – we’ve decided to add a new and even more personal layer to the free content we publish on a regular basis.

Media 97
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How to Stay Competitive in the Evolving State of Martech

Marketing technology is essential for B2B marketers to stay competitive in a rapidly changing digital landscape — and with 53% of marketers experiencing legacy technology issues and limitations, they’re researching innovations to expand and refine their technology stacks. To help practitioners keep up with the rapidly evolving martech landscape, this special report will discuss: How practitioners are integrating technologies and systems to encourage information-sharing between departments and pr

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Take Care of Your Top Business Asset

Women in Consulting

'By: Mary Beth Deans. A lot of the posts in this blog talk about the very practical, nuts-and-bolts of business: contracts, PR, technology issues, dealing with customers, and so on. They’re all great posts—my fellow WIC members are nothing if not bright, practical, experienced and generous in their willingness to share their expertise with the community.

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Spanish 10-Year Bond Yield Lowest Since at Least 1789; Reflections on Absurd Risk Assumptions

MishTalk

'Those searching for absurdity in government bonds can find it in a multitude of places. For example, and via translation from Libre Mercado (courtesy of my friend Bran who lives in Spain) please note Spanish 10-Year Bond Yield is Lowest Since at Least 1789. The interest rate offered on the secondary market for Spanish bonds maturing in ten years is at historic lows, below equivalent yield in U.S. treasuries, which has not happened since April 2010.

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Should I Give a Salary Expectation to a Client?

David A Fields

'A question I was asked… My client asked if I might consider being a full time employee for a project they assume will take 2 years. They are asking me for an hourly rate, how do I calculate a salary from this?…See my response in the Solo Consultant’s Network. The post Should I Give a Salary Expectation to a Client? appeared first on David A.

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10 Principles of Leading Change Management

Strategy+Business

'The tools and techniques for helping companies transform quickly can make all the difference. This guide to organizational change management best practices has been updated for the current business environment.

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Savings Consultants Are Needed in Today's Market More Than Ever

Savings Consultants are needed in today’s market more than ever. With an increase in expenses, businesses are looking for opportunities to save. Often unknown to businesses are savings in expense reduction, specialized tax savings, specialized savings including medical underpayments, health benefits cost reduction, zero cost processing, and more. Blue Coast Savings, with over 20 years in business, assists Savings Consultants in helping these companies move toward more profitable businesses.

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Loyalty Games

Tom Spencer

'If you are there for them, they will be there for you. WHEN it comes to marketing, you have a choice. Chase new customers, or care for the ones you already have. Buy a million dollar Superbowl ad, or do the hard work of creating remarkable products for the people who care. Pursue the glittering promise of untold wealth by trying to please everyone, or focus on delighting the loyal few.

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Crisis Avoidance Strategy: Neighbour of Choice

Melissa Agnes

'By Garth Rowan, Communications Consultant and member of the Agnes + Day Crisis Intelligence Team. When you can’t change who you are or what you do; when your business is the type that no one wants; what are your options to build up credit in the trust bank should a crisis strike? Let’s face it, a crisis is when you’ll need the benefit of the doubt and the community’s conviction that something bad just happened to generally good people (you being the “good people” hopefully).

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Still Recovering From Tax Season? Next Year Can Be Better!

Women in Consulting

'By: Melissa Stacey. Tax season is over and if you’re like most, it’s a glaring reminder that we need to be better organized as we scramble to make sense of our expenses and earnings. And each year we promise ourselves that next year we will be more organized! I have three magic words for you that will make next tax season easier: File It Now! Pretty simple, right?

System 69
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Bitcoins to Become Legal Currency in California; Bill Awaits Signing by Gov. Brown; Commodities vs. Currencies

MishTalk

'California Bill AB-129 Lawful Money passed the California Senate on June 19, and the Assembly on June 23. The bill now awaits signing by Governor Jerry Brown. Existing law prohibits a corporation, flexible purpose corporation, association, or individual from issuing or putting in circulation, as money, anything but the lawful money of the United States.

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TOOLS and METHODOLOGIES for developing DECISION SUPPORT PACKAGES

This White Paper targets opportunities for Management to develop proficiency in the Decision Framing and Analyses element of input to Decision, & Risk Analyses for Major Project Funding Decisions.

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Following Up vs. Being a Nag

David A Fields

'A question I was asked… I have one client that is resistant to follow-up and it always seems as though I am bothering him. How do I follow-up with a client without it seeming that I am bothering them?… See my response in the Solo Consultant’s Network. The post Following Up vs. Being a Nag appeared first on David A. Fields. Consultants Context Discussion Creating Value Positioning Relationships adding value agreements benefits closing Connections Context Document positioning.

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What's the Future of the Workplace?

Strategy+Business

'MIT professor Thomas Malone predicts that new technologies will enable more decentralized decision making and ultimately more freedom in business. For more related insights, read " Thomas Malone on Building Smarter Teams.

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Capacity versus Leverage

Tom Spencer

'IN the quest for market dominance, companies often engage in a war for talent. They seek out new recruits with outstanding capacity, the chosen few who are able to demonstrate a track record of success, and an ability to solve new problems quickly and easily. Management consulting firms are the flag bearers in this war. In a clear and methodical way, they invite the strongest applicants to come and joust in a competitive case interview tournament, which emulates the complexity and ambiguity of

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Newborn Abducted from Hospital and Social Media Saves the Day

Melissa Agnes

'On Monday, May 26th, just before 7pm, a lady dressed as a nurse walked into Mélissa McMahon’s hospital room in Trois-Rivières, Quebec (a town just outside of Montreal), where she was resting with her one-day old daughter, Victoria. The lady dressed as a nurse took baby Victoria from her mother, walked out of the room, into her car and drove away.

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Why You Need to Use Case Studies in Sales and Marketing (and How to Start Now)

Case studies are proof of successful client relations and a verifiable product or service. They persuade buyers by highlighting your customers' experiences with your company and its solution. In sales, case studies are crucial pieces of content that can be tailored to prospects' pain points and used throughout the buyer's journey. In marketing, case studies are versatile assets for generating business, providing reusable elements for ad and social media content, website material, and marketing c

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When Updating Technology Doesn’t Mean Upgrading Technology

Women in Consulting

'By: Mary Beth Deans. I just wrapped up a great project for a non-profit professional organization. I was asked to assess their technology and that included everything from the website, to the social media tools they use, to the document repository, membership management tool, and email list serves. Members felt all the technology was outdated, difficult to use and frustrating; they tended to develop their own work-arounds.

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Another Ghost Town in China, This Time a Replica of Manhattan

MishTalk

'Malinvestment in China proceeds at a staggering pace. Technically, this growth adds to GDP, but eventually it will be written off. Ghost cities, ghost malls, and empty train stations in China have been in the news for years. The world''s largest mall is unoccupied and entire cities sit vacant. We can now add another ghost city to the list, a big one.

Hotels 78
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How to Change from Gloom to Boom

David A Fields

'A question I was asked: Sometimes I get into a slump and my productivity just drops. Any suggestions? What would your suggestion be to this consultant? What has worked for you? Post your suggestion by using the ‘Leave a Comment’ box below. Here is the answer I gave: First of all, be gentle with yourself. Beating yourself up for having low productivity won’t be terribly helpful.

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Cynthia McCauley's Manual for Leadership Development

Strategy+Business

'Many organizations still have a decidedly ad hoc approach to cultivating their most promising executive talent. They need to treat that task like any other business objective--by being systematic and measuring results.

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The Art of Remote Collaboration: How to Successfully Whiteboard with Remote Teams

Just because we're working with a distributed team doesn't mean we have to abandon time-tested tools and methods like whiteboarding. Digital look-alikes often cramp creativity and all but eliminate the humanity of shared interactions. Hardware solutions are also limiting and, of course, expensive and immobile. In an increasingly digital and remote-first world, it’s important for us to select tools and processes that allow us to mitigate if not eliminate the above problems.