The Mindset of a Manager
When I first became a manager, I felt a little lost and unprepared as I entered my office on the first day. A few weeks prior, I had been a lower-level employee in a small business. Suddenly, I found myself managing a team of eight individuals in a large corporate office. Although I had experience working with peers within an office environment, the movement from peer to manager brought many unforeseen difficulties.I quickly learned that managers have to learn to take a certain level of criticism from employees, typically pertaining to my own decisions and as well the company’s choices. These complaints were simply part of the job. Many of my employees felt the need to vent and disagree about managements’ decisions, yet they often failed to take the initiative to address the concerns themselves. They were content critiquing upper-level administrators but failed to provide any proactive solutions for addressing their criticism. As a manager, I had to realize that this type of behavior was common and my willingness to work longer hours and address tough problems is what positioned my job apart from the average employee. It was not an employee’s job to solve the tough problems; it was mine as member of the company’s leadership.Although it was easy to address that a problem existed, it became clear to me that solving the problem through critical thinking was a more challenging and crucial aspect of my job as a manager. When a staffing problem arose or a project had a setback, it was my job to make sure the situation was resolved. This meant often engaging in reflective thought and deep, critical thinking-skills every manager must possess. I realized that it was not enough to merely employ the easiest option; instead, I had to think about the advantages, risks and unforeseen possibilities when addressing the situation.I also realized that managers prioritize their responsibilities to ensure they can provide enough time to critically address a problem. Knowing when to delegate menial administrative tasks to ensure time to address more important issues was key to my development as a manager. If a setback arose that demanded my immediate attention, I had no qualms putting aside my current task to tackle the more significant problem. My role as a manager required me to designate what responsibilities were critical to the mission of the business-a task I was not asked to complete as an employee.During the first week at my new position, I sent out more emails than I would have in a whole month at my prior job. Communication between staff, clients and customers became a central component of my work as a manager. I quickly reduced the number of emails I sent weekly by synthesizing information into larger messages. However, communicating effectively meant much more than simply being efficient and responsive to emails. I had to invest in my employees to ensure they were not only motivated but also developing as a professional. Weekly meetings with my employees became a time where I could challenge my staff to improve, provide motivation and ensure any inter-office conflict was resolved. Moreover, I soon found out that managers were the “face” of any business. Clients often wanted to hear from me and expected that I communicate in a professional manner. Being able to efficiently answer client questions and concerns while establishing a sales relationship was a vital aspect of my position as a manager.More important than communication, critical thinking or attitude, I realized managers must display an unmatched work ethic in the office place. I had to ensure tasks were being completed-no matter the difficulty of the assignment. Yet, I soon realized that trying to fit every item into an eight-hour workday would prove to be quite difficult. As a manager more was demanded of me, and I had to prioritize my time to ensure everything was complete. Time management became one of the most vital aspects of my job. I had to ensure I set aside time for certain responsibilities, developed a system to keep track of assignments and delegated tasks to my employees based on their skillsets. Suddenly, an extra fifteen minutes in a day made a significant difference in my work output.My transition from an employee to a manager helped me realize that the mindset and expectations of a manager are far different than an employee. Managers have to stay positive, motivate employees, communicate effectively with clients, and manage time in a way employees simply do not. The effectiveness of a department rests on the shoulders of management, and, ultimately they are the ones that have to answer for results.Luckily, the transition is not as daunting as it appears. Most companies provide an ample amount of time for a new manager to adapt and form the necessary mindset for the position. Yet, there remains a significant learning curve involved in moving to a management position and a constant drive to become better is crucial to success. I certainly did not enter into my first manager position with a fully formed skillset; rather, I developed those skills through experience. Comprehending the difference between my role as an employee and manager was crucial to my development, and I only obtained that understanding through a series of both successes and failures.
Buying Qualified E-mail Lists Plus Few Tips
This sub-topic is extremely important for you to read, especially if you are a beginner!Buying qualified e-mails can be very profitable and can mean lots of sales to you. At first I must tell you that before you step into and take action you must optimize your site for the best conversion rates. Read the Landing Page article and test some ideas!A qualified visitor is someone who is interested in your topic or maybe in your products. Before buying an e-mail list consider how qualified are these people on the list. For example if they subscribed because they would like to teach their dog and you have a Dog Training Course for sale is not the same thing as if they were subscribed only because they would like to receive tips about how to keep their dog healthy. The qualification is much more different! Be selective and buy only those list which is highly qualified to your product or service like the dog Training Course.There are lots of scammers and poor services in this area however if you just started in e-mail marketing then it would be a very good option for you to start your e-mail marketing campaign and build up your OWN list.Before buying a list from a list provider always contact them and ask how did they got that list because most of these so called provider’s lists are1. Too old2. The addresses doesn’t even exist anymore3. They got the e-mail illegally4. The e-mail address didn’t allow them to send messages and blocked them out through spam blockers.Do not fall for the numbers like “E-Mail 3 million people!” If you see something like that leave immediately! Do not fall for flashy testemonials! A list of 1000 to 15000 people is reasonable. If your conversion is only 5% it will be still a very good money!One of the great sources where you can find good lists is DM news . I highly recommend to visit them regularly to read and learn. Keep yourself up to date!When you buy the list contact the list provider and ask as much as you can about the subscribed people. Where did they subscribe, what offers did they take, how long are they on the list etc. The more you know about the PEOPLE behind the list the more successful you will be!Be sure to pay great attention when you e-mail the list first! Design your e-mail professionally. Do not make it long! Introduce yourself and be kind! Throw them few very useful tips about your topic, and tell them how their life can be much better and easier when they visit your site!Yes you heard it right! Do not try to sell anything in that e-mail! Just tell them in a few almost unvisible sentences that you have a product too. There are meny people who want to sell them everything. Be different! This is a key fact! The sales are the objective of your landing page and website. Just be sure to attract them there!Your site should be interactive. Where the visitors can do free things. You should make the the time enjoyable to keep them coming back. A good idea would be if you own a website about dog training to setup a chat or forum there where people can discuss their oppinions and experiences. Did you know how much time a person averagely come to a site until he or she buy anything? That number is 4-5 so pay great attention to keep everyone coming back!I have great tip for the end of this article. What if you wouldn’t have to deal with spam blockers because you would e-mail the client directly? This is exactly what you can do with Desktop Marketer. This is a program from Marketingtips.com which is a brilliant idea. When you use this program people just download a small e-mail software and you will be able to send messages to this software directly. This is not a cheap software but worth its price! You can even make the subscription to a list like that more valuable by giving it a small monthly price. Like $10 or $15 especially if you give away very useful and unique info or a course. This way you can even create more qualified lists!This the end of the e-mail marketing article series. I hope you learned useful things. Of course there are much more in E-mail marketing then in this article series so do not be shy to learn and develop yourself every time! Visit DMnews regularly and read their E-Mail marketing section.
Patenting Your Invention – Ten Common Mistakes to Avoid
So, you think you’re ready to patent your invention, kick back and watch your millions roll in, right? Who knows, you could become a success, but I’ve seen a lot of mistakes clog up the process costing inventors valuable time and valuable dollars. At my company we strive to ensure our ideas go as far as we can take them and over the years we’ve seen several mistakes appear over and over.Here are ten mistakes to avoid that could prove fatal for new inventors.1. Patenting too earlyIf all you have is a loose idea of what you want, then it’s probably too early to dish out up to $12,000 in attorney and patent filing fees, not to mention the long term patent upkeep costs that’ll weigh you down. So, when is the right time to patent? Well, when you’re prepared. I’ll tackle that in a minute.2. Taking your invention to a patent attorney when you’re unpreparedThis is the biggest one. The key to saving money is preparation. The fewer questions a patent attorney has to ask, the less time you’ll be on his clock, shoveling away money you don’t have. Always answer their questions before they even ask them. Prevent this up front with detailed engineering drawings, a product sample and an executive summary.This saves valuable time. A patent draftsman will quickly be able to do his work; as well, the attorney will know what your idea is and how it works. With detailed engineering drawings, showing your work in an exploded view, you’ll also be able to show the inner workings of your invention to the patent attorney. Perhaps there is a certain element involved that makes your patent even more specific. This could force competitors wishing to knock off your product to make an inferior product, because they can’t get those details (that may have otherwise never been seen if it wasn’t for real engineering).3. Patenting something that can’t be madeI know, this one should be obvious, but is it? You may have the best invention in the world, but what’s the point if it can’t be made. A manufacturer might end up re-engineering the whole project just to put it all together right. Then you’ll be left with refiling a new patent to reflect the new product, which brings more money and pain you could have avoided.4. Patenting something that’s not marketable at a price point anyone would payAgain, knowing how your invention will be manufactured will determine its patentability and its cost for the consumer. If it costs too much to make, then you’ll have a tough time finding someone to license and sell it at a profit. This all comes back to real detailed drawings for real manufacturing.5. Patenting too late”First you say, ‘don’t patent too early,’ now you’re telling me not to patent too late. When am I supposed to get a patent?”Patenting too late leaves your invention open to becoming public domain. This can happen one year after making a public disclosure. Now, no one wants this. When you invent something, it’s your baby. You don’t want it ripped off or stolen and you wouldn’t mind getting credit and maybe even making a few dollars. Once it’s in the public domain, anyone can use it without your permission.So, get your ducks in a row. Know what the product is, how it will be made, etc. Once all of that is in line, it’ll be much easier to commit to patenting.6. Patenting without a working prototypeDid you know there was a time in our great country’s history when inventors had to take a working prototype to the patent office before they could even consider filing for a patent? Well, today you don’t need one, but it’ll make your life easier and the process go quicker.If the patent attorney has any questions left over from the executive summary and the engineering drawings, using the product sample should shut him up and get him to work for you (if the product’s design communicates well). Remember, you’re on the clock with an attorney and time and money is precious. Get past the early mistakes and get down to the business, so your attorney can help you protect your invention.7. I have to have a patent”Wait, so I’ve read this far and suddenly you’re going to tell me I don’t need a patent?”Not exactly. I think it’s a good time to remind you that you don’t have to have a patent. Well, maybe not right now. Big corporations like Westinghouse and Sony patent just about everything they come up with, because they can. But that doesn’t mean you have to. I wonder if there is another device you could use to get some protection at an affordable price… well, what’s this at number eight?8. Ignoring the power of the provisional patentFiling the provisional patent application may be all you need while you try to license your invention, or attempt to take it to market independently. A common misconception inventors continue to kick around is that corporations looking to license won’t license without a patent already in place. Welcome to the era of open innovation.In the past, many companies wanted to ensure an inventor had a patent for several reasons. First, they want to protect themselves. What if you bring in an idea their R&D division is already working on in secret. Then they turn you down and release their own product on the market. A legal battle may ensue. Second, the corporation just wants to place another barrier between an inventor and their doors.However, today, more and more companies want innovative products to secure markets and ring in additional profits. They’re more likely to look at a creation with a provisional patent.There are some cautions you should heed with provisional patents. They last only one year unless you file a non-provisional patent within that year. Secondly, your non-provisional patent will only rebate back to the same properties disclosed in the provisional patent. So, if you change the invention too much, the protection won’t necessarily rebate back for the year.9. Filing countless addendums, when you could have had it right the first timeYou patented your product. You present it to a corporation. They’re interested, but they won’t look any further unless you (insert dramatic pause) change your design. Hey, it happens once, twice, or until it’s right for them to commit. So, what do you need to do, you need to file addendums or even new patents as you move along. Nip it in the bud before it starts.Target your market and work hard through the development and building phase to perceive any design or marketability problems. Try as hard as you can to get it right before you patent.10. “I got a patent, now I’ll just wait for my millions”A patent doesn’t guarantee you anything. Someone can protest your patent. Someone can wait until your product sells on shelves and take you to court for a patent conflict. Inventing is a tough world and it takes more than just a patent. It takes a great invention, design and the work to get it licensed and put it on shelves. It takes spirit, heart and confidence.I hope this list helps you out. At my organization, we believe strongly in a process armed with the value of good design, engineering drawings, clear executive summaries, packaging and, most important, working product samples. These elements speak volumes and make patenting simpler.