Why Gratitude?

“Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.”

                                                                                  --John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

 

Today, your customers are distracted more than ever by cell phones, social media, emails, and on and on.  So how do you, as a business owner, stand out among all of the noise?

 

Let’s say you already have a fantastic group of customers in your business.  The secret is to keep them from going elsewhere.  And, the most effective way that you can do that is by developing and working with an attitude of gratitude. 

 

Ask yourself repeatedly:

 

What are some various ways that I can serve my customers?

What other options or services can I offer them?

 

The goal here is to create an experience around your business for your customers to actively participate in and get excited about. Practicing an attitude of gratitude with your customers will create a connection on a deeper level with them and at the same time build bridges to the next generation, your customer’s children.

 

Here are some reasons why practicing gratitude in your business WILL work: 

1. When customers experience kindness and generosity from your business, it makes them want to give that support back to you through referrals, positive “word of mouth” to their friends, etc.
2. Giving to others is the greatest gift you can give yourself (and your business).   We get what we give.
3. The cost of developing new customers is high.  It’s cheaper to retain customers than it is to gain new ones.  When you nurture these relationships with gratitude, you’re more likely to keep them.
4. The number one asset your business holds is your customer relationships.  You are in the relationship building business and when you add consistent care in developing those relationships, you create customers for life and generations to come.
5. A customer relationship can become more valuable if you commit to systems and processes that are reliable and meaningful.
6. Any business owner who applies gratitude to their marketing strategy will have a higher retention of assets and create a more stable practice in the long run.

Building relationships through gratitude is really what it’s all about.  A lot of business owners think that they are in the retail or service business, but they are not.  You are in the relationship business.  Keep this in mind.  It’s not about a single transaction.  Practicing gratitude is centered on that relationship.  So, leave your customers feeling good.  If it matters to them, it’s important to you too!

 

To Your Success,

- Uncle "D" 

Five Common Insurance Mistakes Can Sink Boats’ Finances

As action on the water heats up, here’s some advice we offer clients.

As boating season starts to heat up once again, we see clients who are re-evaluating their boat insurance needs, and looking to us for advice.

There are five common mistakes boat owners make with their insurance coverage. Whether they believe they do not need insurance because they own their boat, or because the boat isn’t physically in the water during the off-season, there are widespread misconceptions about when boat insurance coverage is necessary. Any boater should have some type of coverage to protect themselves financially for the long term.

Helping customers avoid the most frequent mistakes will help our boaters on a course towards getting the best value and protection. They are:

1. Dropping Coverage – Clients sometimes drop coverage when their boat is paid off. But boat insurance covers more than just the vessel – it covers personal injuries, environmental cleanup and liability issues that could occur out on the water. And boating without any insurance coverage creates a large financial exposure that could ruin any family’s finances.
2. Picking on Price – As wallets tighten, insurance clients are more tempted than ever to shop for coverage based on price alone. But paying a little more for a policy could bring significant added value to customers. For example, paying less for insurance could mean a lower policy limit and less coverage. It is also important to fit customers with a boat insurance policy from a carrier that has strong financial ratings.
3. Reducing Liability – Clients sometimes opt to lower their liability or other limits to save on monthly premium costs. We help boaters identify the amount of coverage they need to protect other personal assets. It doesn’t make sense for them to have too much coverage and by helping them avoid having too little, we are looking out for their best interests.
4. Unaffordable Deductibles – As with any insurance product, it’s a mistake for clients to choose deductibles they can’t afford. Choosing a higher deductible may be a good way for customers to save on monthly premium costs. However, we help make sure they choose a deductible they can afford in the event of a claim.
5. Off-Season Cancelations – Many boat owners will intentionally cancel their coverage during the off-season. This over-looks many risks that could damage the boat when it’s not in the water. Dropping coverage could leave the boat owner exposed if the boat is damaged in a fire at the storage facility or if a tree crushes the boat parked in the driveway thanks to a winter ice storm.

Many boat owners may not realize their boat insurance coverage protects them from a lot more than just damage to their own boat.

- Uncle "D"

Creating Your Professional Headline That Gets People's Attention

Don't Make These LinkedIn Mistakes

 

 

Your LinkedIn profile represents your professional image on the internet and can be found through searches on LinkedIn or search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. When people search the internet for your name, your LinkedIn profile will most likely be one of the top search results so you want to make a great first impression.

Think of LinkedIn as your online resume and your profile as the introductory paragraph of your resume. As people scan your profile, they should be able to understand exactly what you do as they read your headline.

Your LinkedIn profile provides people with a comprehensive summary of you, your education, work experience, and your achievements. Your LinkedIn profile also links people to other social media properties and websites where you can showcase your expertise.

Your LinkedIn profile consists of:

    Your headline
    Your photo
    Status updates
    Vanity URL
    Summary
    Applications
    Experience
    Education
    Recommendations
    Additional information
    Personal information
    Contact information

PROFESSIONAL HEADLINE

Your profile headline is the single most important part of your profile. Your profile
headline will appear next to your name in the search results. As your name appears
in the search results, your headline must be compelling enough to make people want to click on your profile to learn more about you. You should never put just your name and company name in your headline.

Some people like to add symbols to their profile headline to attract attention. Some of the symbols I've seen include ♥ ♦ # * ◊ and many other unprofessional symbols. I searched Google to see how people added the symbols to their profile and they just copy and paste them from other people's profiles. You can also add the symbols from a Word document by using Insert, Symbols or Insert, Shapes.

Personally, I don't think it's professional to add symbols to your profile, and it diminishes your credibility. If you are really good at what you do you shouldn't have to trick people into reading your profile. When I see symbols in someone's profile, I think of those cheap restaurants with the flashing signs out front advertising their specials and cheap prices. You know the restaurant is a dive and the food is horrible, but they catch your attention with the flashing lights and cheap prices. You always regret eating there because you always leave with a stomachache, but you were seduced by the bright, flashing lights.

I usually feel the same way after wasting my time reading a LinkedIn profile that contains flashy symbols. If the symbols do catch my attention, I take a moment to read the profile and it's usually very unprofessional. The person typically overuses keywords, overstates his experience, and uses tricks to rank well in the LinkedIn and Google searches. Eventually, LinkedIn and Google catch up with profiles like this and lower their rankings, although they do get their 15 minutes of fame and maybe even a few clients.

Take a few minutes now to update your LinkedIn profile now. I guarantee you will see more activity on LinkedIn as soon as you update your profile.

Connect with me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/dougmyrick so I can take a look at your profile and give you feedback.

To your online success,

- Uncle "D"

Top 10 most costly U.S. workplace injuries

10. Repetitive motions involving micro-tasks

This category represents 2.9 percent of the total and amounts to $1.82 billion.

Some of these tasks may include a word processor who looks from the computer monitor to a document and back several times a day or the cashier at the local grocery store who is scanning and bagging groceries for several hours at a time.

9. Struck against object or equipment

This category of workplace injury applies to workers who are hurt by forcible contact or impact, for example, an office worker who bumps into a filing cabinet or an assembly line worker who stubs a toe on stacked parts.

These injuries account for 3 percent of the total and $1.85 billion.

8. Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects

Amounting to 3.2 percent, or $1.97 billion, these workplace injuries result from workers being caught in equipment or machinery that’s still running as well as in rolling, shifting or sliding objects.

Picture the scene in a movie in which wine barrels topple over, catching the bad guy beneath them, only in this case, it’s the employee whose job it may be to stack the barrels. Perhaps it’s the experienced worker who removes a machine guard to dislodge material that’s stuck and gets a finger caught when the machine starts moving again.

7. Slip or trip without fall

Occasionally, workers do slip or trip without hitting the ground. Think of the employee entering the workplace who slips on icy stairs but is able to grab the handrail to prevent hitting the ground. But the action of grabbing the handrail may cause the employee to injure his shoulder or wrench her knee.

Injuries in this category are 3.8 percent of the total and cost $2.35 billion.

6. Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle

Accounting for 4.8 percent of injuries at a cost of $2.96 billion are motor vehicle accidents.

The worker may be the driver, a passenger or a pedestrian, but the cause of the injury is an automobile, truck or motorcycle.

5. Other exertions or bodily reactions

These motions include bending, crawling, reaching, twisting, climbing or stepping, according to the BLS.

Consider, for example, a roofing contractor’s employees who are continually climbing up and down ladders.
These injuries are 6.7 percent of the total, amounting to $4.15 billion.

4. Struck by object or equipment

This category covers a range of possible injuries, from being struck by an object dropped by a fellow worker to being caught in a swinging door or gate. Picture the construction worker on a scaffold dropping a hammer on the worker below.

These injuries account for $5.31 billion in costs, 8.6 percent of the total.

3. Falls to lower level

The roofer could fall to the ground from the roof or ladder, or an office worker standing on a stepstool, reaching for a heavy file box, could fall to the floor.

These injuries are 8.7 percent of the total, costing employers $5.40 billion.

2. Falls on same level

The second most costly workplace injury, surprisingly, is a fall on the same level. Picture the employee who is walking through the office and falls over an uneven floor surface or someone leaning too far back in an office chair and toppling over.

These injuries, costing $10.17 billion, are 16.4 percent of the total.

1. Overexertion involving an outside source

According to the data, this category ranked at the top of the leading causes of disabling injury, with costs reaching $15.08 billion, and almost a quarter of the total (24.4 percent).

The BLS explains that overexertion occurs when the physical effort of a worker who lifts, pulls, pushes, holds, carries, wields or throws an object results in an injury.

The object being handled is often heavier than the weight that a worker should be handling or the object is handled improperly. For example, lifting from a shelf that’s too high, or in a space that’s cramped.

Within the broad category of sprains, strains, and tears caused by overexertion, most incidents resulted specifically from overexertion in lifting.

Risk managers should work with their carriers and workplace safety specialists to minimize injuries, lost work days and workers’ compensation costs.

With a little effort, employers can understand more about the causes of accidents and injuries in their organizations, identify the appropriate actions to reduce the number of injuries and minimize employee disabilities from workplace accidents.

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Got Trust?

Over the years, I've met hundreds of Business Owners and helped to teach them how to implement ideas that I've learned in order to run a successful business. They've been able to obtain fast and proven results, and one of the ways that they've done that is by making it personal.

 

Trust is earned through openness, integrity, and the consistency of your actions. One of the key points to consider here is the most important foundation that needs to be in place before your customers even make a buying decision is TRUST.

 

So, how can you build trust with your customers?

• Walk the Walk - Do what you say you're going to do. Don't make promises you never intend to fulfill. You'll set yourself apart by simply doing this one.

• Put the Customer First - Always, always, ALWAYS. Do what is right, not what is ONLY profitable. The rest will take care of itself.

• Be Available - Your customers need to be able to reach you when they need you.

• Keep It Simple - Your customers will appreciate simplicity in understandable terms. Make it fun and easy to follow, but hard to forget.

I know one thing for sure. Trust is built over time through a consistent effort on your part. Trust is your competitive advantage because people do business with people they like and trust. When your customers give you their trust, a partnership is formed that is personal, relatable, and special.

 

Make it personal.

 

To Your Success,

- Uncle "D" 

 

Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda

Today, I want to talk about how you can create the most memorable experience with your customers. 

 

Ready for it?

 

Turn your “should’s” into “musts”.

 

That’s right.  As I have heard before, stop “shoulding” on yourself by substituting the word “must” for “should”.

 

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard Business Owners say to me “I should put on a seminar. I should call three to five customers a day. I should mail out more personal thank you notes.  I should see about doing something different this year.”

 

Now, let’s try that again.  If you want to receive results in your business, say this instead, “I must put on a seminar.  I must call three to five customers a day.  I must mail out more personal thank you notes.  I must DO something different this year.”

 

When you do this, you are opening yourself and your business up to the OPPORTUNITIES to show your customers your utmost appreciation. 

 

Most good ideas are simple.  This is one of those simple ideas. 

 

So many of my mentors as well as myself have simply modeled their most effective actions after other successful business owners. 

When you discover these concepts that are used by other successors,

 you are creating the direct effects of compiling lifelong learning into days.

 

This is how you work smarter instead of harder.  This is how you can achieve half the time it would take you if you were to go it alone. 

 

Tell yourself you must commit to lifelong learning and your results will reflect success that was not at all difficult to come by.

 

As Thomas Edison stated:

 

“If we did all the things in life we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.”

 

To Your Success,

- Uncle "D" 

Considering voluntary benefits in 2016?

Benefit managers, benefit brokers, carriers and providers all realize that voluntary benefits have gone mainstream in the last few years. With benefit plans being a key tool in an employer’s recruitment and retention strategy, voluntary benefits have become popular because employees can choose products that complement their company-sponsored core benefits and round out a benefit portfolio that suits their individual needs. Voluntary benefits – both traditional and nontraditional ones – are standard inclusions in employee benefits packages today.

Even though employees are paying for voluntary benefits, they consider them valuable offerings because they are able to select what they want. Benefit managers are realizing that tailoring voluntary benefits to the diverse needs of their employees is paramount. And many employees have said they are more likely to stay with their current employer primarily due to the voluntary benefits package offered. More thought will be given to which benefits to offer as well as how many to offer.

Customize, customize, customize

Building a benefits package that offers plenty of choice for employees can be challenging. Today’s diverse workforce – spanning three generations from millennials to baby boomers – looks at work, life, money and finances in totally different ways. Matching voluntary benefits to the three generations in the workforce is one way to customize. Looking at nontraditional voluntary benefits by purpose helps employers prioritize. They can be classified as buying and banking options; lifestyle and convenience options; personal care and improvement options; and financial safety nets:

1. Buying and banking benefits give employees alternative ways to save, spend or borrow. They help employees who are underserved by traditional financing options or who want access to services that aren’t generally available to them otherwise. These options include paycards, short-term loans, employee purchase programs, employee discount programs, credit union and flexible spending accounts.

2. Lifestyle and convenience benefits allow the employee to take advantage of cost savings that they wouldn’t get otherwise because they are getting these benefits from their employer. Plus, by paying for these through payroll deduction, they have the convenience of one less bill to worry about. Among the lifestyle and convenience benefits are childcare, eldercare, pet insurance, auto insurance, adoption assistance, auto insurance, cyber security insurance and legal assistance.       

3. When employers offer personal care and improvement benefits, they show that they care about the whole employee while also encouraging them to be proactive about their physical, mental and financial health. Among the personal care and improvement benefits are financial counseling services, wellness programs, employee assistance programs and tuition assistance programs.

4. Financial safety nets offer protection from financial crises that can be potentially devastating for employees. Included in this category are home warranty insurance, homeowner’s insurance, identity theft protection and long-term care insurance.

While some of these benefits by purpose would appeal to all three generations, others can be more generation-specific. So based on their employee demographics, employers can decide on offerings.

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- Uncle "D"

What's In Your Bank Account?

Right now, I want you to pretend that there is a bank account that automatically deposits $86,400 into your checking account every morning.  No questions asked.  The catch is, is that you can’t roll over any of the money that you don’t spend TODAY.

 

That’s right, every night the bank clears out of your account any remaining balance that you didn’t use. 

 

So, I ask you, What would you do?  You would withdraw every cent, every day, right?

 

Well, guess what?  We each have a bank.  It’s called TIME.

 

Each day, it gives you 86,400 seconds to do with as you please.

 

Every night, you lose whatever time you wasted, and you can’t get it back.

 

But, the good news is that you have a brand new account opened for you with each new day with a brand new 86,400 seconds. 

 

So, what will you do with your time?  Will you use those seconds wisely? Or, will you allow it to be lost by investing it in things, people, or activities with no purpose or meaning?

 

The choice is completely yours.  Invest your time in things that benefit you mentally, emotionally, spiritually, professionally, and personally.  This will lead to a life of success and happiness in ways that you may not even realize. 

 

Make today count!

 

To Your Success,

- Uncle "D" 

The 5 Steps to Take When an Employee Dies

Beyond its obvious emotional impact, an employee's death almost always leaves unfinished business for HR and payroll.

Follow these steps to help smooth the process when you're notified of an employee's death:

1. Ask the family for a death certificate (usually available about one to two weeks after the death) and whether a federal tax ID number exists for the estate. That may seem intrusive, but you should receive valid proof of death before cutting any final paycheck to a family member. Also, the tax ID number will be necessary if the final paycheck goes to the deceased person's estate, rather than to a relative.

2. Begin COBRA notification process. An employee's death counts as a COBRA qualifying event for spouses and dependent children. If your organization must comply with COBRA, begin the paperwork necessary to notify your insurance carrier and survivors. Let survivors know how to file any life insurance claims as well.

3. Determine who should receive the employee's final wages. In some cases, the final paycheck will be paid directly to the estate administrator. In others, the check may go to the employee's spouse, children or other party. Check with your state's wage and labor department for your state's rules about paying final wages.

4. Record and report before and after death payments carefully, if final wages are paid in the same year. Withhold FICA if the final paycheck is cut in the same year as the employee's death.

Use IRS Form 1099-MISC to report any payments made after the employee dies. If the final paycheck is sent to an individual (a spouse, for example), include that person's Social Security information on that form. If the final paycheck goes to the estate, list the estate's tax ID number.

At year-end, use IRS Form W-2 to report total compensation before death as well as any Medicare and Social Security deductions.

5. Don't withhold employment taxes if final wages are paid the following year. Any outstanding wages that aren't paid until the next calendar year aren't subject to federal income, Social Security or Medicare taxes. Report the total amount paid after death in box 5, Other Income, on Form 1099-MISC.

You won't need to file a W-2 at year-end if the final paycheck is issued in the next year. Check with your state's wage and labor department about state reporting and withholding procedures.

Beyond logistics: How to help employees when a co-worker dies

It would be futile for managers to expect the colleagues of a deceased employee to go about business as usual. Here's how HR should respond:

• Inform employees about the death as quickly as possible. Get to those who worked most closely with the deceased first—and privately—before making a general announcement.

• Allow employees to talk with each other about the death or to go home if they want to.

• Encourage employees to attend the funeral or memorial service—even if you have to hire temps to fill in while they're out.

• Notify your employee assistance program about the death and remind employees that EAP counselors are trained and ready to talk them through the stress and grief they might experience. Counseling within three days after a death is most effective in helping people who are grieving.

• Engage the employee's closest colleagues in planning a memorial function to honor their friend. Allow them to coordinate other commemorations, like a photo board, an article in the employee newsletter or a charity fundraiser in memory of the departed.

• Form a support group for co-workers to attend as they recover from the loss.

Beyond the communication challenges you face, there are nuts-and-bolts issues – payroll, tax, benefits – that you're also responsible for. Each requires tact, precision, and a touch of compassion for family members and co-workers. 

- Uncle "D"

Stop Making Resolutions ... Start Getting Results

2016 is here, and many new opportunities are on the horizon. It’s been my experience that each year keeps getting better and better, and I’m looking forward to seeing ALL that 2016 has to offer. Bring it on!

 

A few days ago, I decided that in this brand new year, instead of focusing on making resolutions that I will never keep, I am making it a priority to set personal goals to not only work toward but to ACHIEVE throughout 2016.

 

How about you?

 

Where will your head and heart be in the next year?

 

Will you continue to operate the same way that you always have?

 

OR

 

Will you set goals and take action to propel you through your greatest year yet?

 

Here are some tips for living the best YOU possible throughout the coming year:

 

1. Set Goals-Set specific, measurable goals and even “milestone” mini-goals along the way. Doing this will make your goals easier to reach.

 

2. Stay Positive! Focus on the good in things and remember that you are in control of your own success. Ignore criticism, rejections, and pressure when they affect you in a negative way.

 

3. Manage Your Influences. Avoid gossip and things that don’t serve you, educate you, or make you a better person. Avoid people who bring out the worst in you and surround yourself with people who are positive influences. You are influenced primarily by the 5 people you spend the most time with…choose those 5 carefully.

 

4. Don’t Stress Over Perfection. Don’t worry about small details. Sure, little hinges swing big doors, and the small details are important, but perfection isn’t always achievable – and that’s OK! Do your best to improve upon past performance and you WILL be successful.

 

Join me in celebrating dreams and recommitting to your goals in 2016…. Let’s make this year the best one yet!

 

To Your Success,

Uncle "D"