Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro

The PDA Pro Records a New Audio Program

I'm excited to be able to share a few details about a current project I'm working on. I'm developing an audio program which will be launching in October. I assembled a team to help support me in this project and we have been working diligently all summer long.

The topic is on Follow Up. This is an extremely critical area in sales and can really benefit from the clever use of technology. I was  surprised to find very little material on the topic. It's almost always covered as an afterthought.

I just returned from the recording studio today where I cut the final audio tracks for the program. I have the good fortune of being able to work with Barbara Beal Lopez from Brightfarm Productions. You can't imagine the amount of work that's required to produce a product. It takes an enormous amount of work. I'll be glad when this is done. Of course, then comes marketing and sales. It's all good.

Check back soon for more details. As The PDA Pro, I will continue to provide tips, strategies and advice on sales as well as PDAs and smartphones. My official definition for PDA is Productivity, Discipline and Action. You can increase your Productivity if you exercise Discipline and take Action. And this audio program will give you tips and strategies to develop the discipline to follow up.

How Did You Become an Entrepreneur?

I have a question for you, especially if you are an entrepreneur. But, even if you aren't, I would like you to consider the question. And then, please take a moment and post a comment to tell readers about your story. Please be sure to include a url where people can reach you.

The question is, "How did you become an entrepreneur?" I think it's a marvelous question. You see, the journey an entrepreneur takes is both exciting and nerve wracking. It can be fulfilling as well as boring. There are times when you want to give up, but anyone who achieves lasting success knows that success and failure go hand in hand.

Given the economic climate we live in today, I think entrepreneurship is the only way you can truly control your own destiny. It's too easy to get stuck in a job and be afraid to move on. As an entrepreneur, that's a luxury you can't afford.

So, please post a comment and share your story. Please limit your story to about 100 words. Don't write a novel, but give us a sense of how you got started, what prompted you to set out on your own, and what motivated you to finally start the journey. And for others, what's holding you back from starting a business? What are you afraid of?

Priscilla Palmer posted an interesting commentary on whether entrepreneurs are born or made. She writes:

"They make the decision to start their own business.  Many things may contribute to this decision, some examples include; a feeling that it’s the most secure way to make money, a dream they want to pursue, they may feel they would be a letdown to their family if they took a regular job, they might want to work from home, or maybe they just hate working for other people."

You have until October 31st to post your comments and then I will close the comments. So, please take a moment now to take action!

Biznik - Yet Another Social Networking Site

Have you had enough of Social Networks? Apparently not! Because they keep sprouting up like weeds. Lori Richardson, the Sales Process Diva,  posted about a new site, Biznik, which bills itself as a "Business Networking that Doesn't Suck". Maybe that's a nod to the fact that there are way too many sites out there already and many people are having a challenge navigating them. Lori posts:

"What is great, though, is that this untapped resource will allow you to set up face-to-face meetings with other entrepreneurs (indie biz owners is the preferred term at Biznik) and you can host a meeting on any topic, charge a fee if you'd like, or host it for free to get critical mass.  Biznik even includes video on the site to show you how to use many of the features. I love this community and recently became a paying member, after lurking for free for quite a few months. Check it out, and see how it can help you meet other local business owners to support local business, business referrals, and even new friendships."

For my part, I haven't had a whole lot of time lately to network through the sites I'm currently on: LinkedIn, Ryze, Xing, Ecademy, MySpace, NowLive, HelloWorld, etc. I think you have to be careful about how much time you spend networking online. There is a balance between activity and results. You need to expect a return on your time invested. Also, don't forget blogging itself is a social networking activity.

Will Biznik live up to its billing? Who knows! But, I think the more the merrier. I think sites that clearly define their purpose and their target market and then strive to meet their needs will serve their audience well.

By the way, is Biznik kind of like Beatnik? Hmm.

Personal Development List

I have to give a big kudos to Life Coach Priscilla Palmer for starting her Personal Development List and a thanks for recognizing The PDA Pro Blog. I have decided to publish the list on my site as well for my readers to see and have added my own recommendations to the list (and will update this periodically). I think this a great example of organic social networking in the spirit of sharing resources.

Priscilla says that personal development is a large topic that includes but is not limited to (law of attraction, goals, time management, physical fitness, education, motivation, inspiration, and social skills). Some of my additions to the list feature technology bloggers who have a strong commitment toward personal development and cover at least one topic among the ones listed above.

If I have sent a trackback to your site, just know I'll be back to post a relevant comment at some point to add value to the discussions on your site. Feel free to do the same here. (Thank you.)

Personal Development List:

Aaron Potts at Today is That Day

Adam Kayce at Monk at Work

Alan Torres at Made to Be Great

Albert Foong at urbanmonk.net

Andrea J Lee at Money, Meaning and Beyond (Added by Rick Cooper)

Andy Wibbels at AndyWibbels.com (Added by Rick Cooper)

Ask Lucid at Ask Lucid Spiritual Development

Anita Pathik at Law at Power of four Way

Belle Wong at Abundance Journal

Brian Clark at Copyblogger

Brian Kim at briankim.net

Bob at everyeveryminute

Christine Kane at ChristineKane.com

Craig Harper at Motivational Speaker

Curt Rosengren at Occupational Adventure

Dave Schoof at Engaging the Disquiet

David Rogers at How to Have Great Self Confidence

Dawud Miracle at dmiracle.com

Dean Lacono at Law of Attraction for Beginners

Debbie Call at Spirit In Gear

Des Walsh at Thinking Home Business (Added by Rick Cooper)

Dick Richards at Come Gather Round

Donald Latumahina at Life Optimizer

Donna Karlin at Perspectives (Added by Rick Cooper)

Dr. Hal at Northstar Mental fitness blog

Edward Mills at Evolving Times

Frank Kanu at Frank Uncovers Excellence in Leadership (Added by Rick Cooper)

Guy Kawasaki at How to Change the World

Gleb Reys at Personal Development Ideas

Gretchen Rubin at Happiness Project

Gustav at Success-is-in-you.com

Henrik Edberg at The Positivity Blog

Itzy Sabo at Email Overloaded (Added by Rick Cooper)

Jacklyn Ker at Inspiring and Empowing Lives

Jason Ivers at A Miracle a Day

Jay White at dumb little man tips for life

Jean Browman at Transforming Stress Into Power and Cheerful Monk

Jeffrey Phillips at Think Faster

Jennifer at Goodness Graciousness

Jeremiah Owyang at Web Strategy by Jeremiah (Added by Rick Cooper)

Jerry Hart at Blueprint to eMarketing  (Added by Rick Cooper)

Jerry Lopper at Personal Growth

Joanna Young at Coaching Wizardry

John Place at John Place Online

John Wesley at Pick The Brain

Josh Bickford at Reach For Magnificence and Reach for Magnificence

Julia Rogers Hamrick at Julia’s Blog: Journal of the Journey Home to Eden

Kammie Kobyleski at Passion Meets Purpose

Karen at Journey with Water Learner

Karen Lynch at Live The Power

Kim George at Doing What You Can Do

Kirsten Harrell at Ipopin

K.L. Masina at Be Conscious Now

Leah Maclean at Working Solo (Added by Rick Cooper)

Lee Nutter at bmindful

Leo Baruta at Zen Habits

Life Reflection at Universe in a Single Atom

Lisa Gates at Design Your Writing Life

Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Lola Fayemi at Real World Spiritual and Personal Development

Lorraine Cohen at Powerfull Living

Lyman Reed at Creating a Better Life

Maria Palma at The Good Life

Mark at The Naked Soul

Mark Forster at Get Everything Done

Mark McManus at Build Your Life To Order

Mark W. Shead at Productivity 501 (Added by Rick Cooper)

Martin Avis at Kickstart Daily

Matthew Cornell at Matt’s Idea Blog

Merlin Mann at 43 Folders

Michelle Moore at Happiness Blog

Michael Port at The Think Big Revolution (Added by Rick Cooper)

My Everyday Planner at My Everyday Planner

Nancy Tierney at Unconditional Confidence

Neil Patel at Quick Sprout

Nneka at Balanced Life Center

Organize-It at Organize-It

Pamm Larry at My Spiritual Dance

Patricia Singleton at Spiritual Journey of a Lightworker

Paul at Paul’s Tips

Peter at I Will Change Your Life

Peter Aldin at Great Circle

Phil Gerbyshak at Make It Great

Priscilla Palmer at Personal Development Demands Success

Raymond Salas at Zenchill Powertools

Reg Adkins at ElementalTruths

Rick Cockrum at Shards of Consciousness

Rick Cooper at The PDA Pro

Robert at Compassionate Council

S.J. Yee at Personal Development for the Book Smart

Sam at Aquire Wisdom and Live with Passion

Scott Adams at The Dilbert Blog

Scott Bernadot at Keeping The Secret

Scott Ginsberg at Hello, My Name is Blog (Added by Rick Cooper)

Scott H Young at Scott H Young

Self Pursuit at Self Pursuit

Shauna Arthurs at Breathing Prosperity and Follow Your Path

Sleeping Dude at How to Wake Up Early

Steve Olson at Steve-Olson.com

Steve Pavlina at stevepavlina.com

Susan Sabo at Productivity Cafe

Ted Demopoulos at Blogging For Business

Thom Quinn at Qlog

Tim Ferris at 4-Hour Workweek and Lifestyle Design Blog

Tony D Clark at Success From The Nest

Torlink at You Create Reality

Trevor Gay at Simplicity is the Key

Troy Worman at Orbit Now!

Vickie at Contemplate This

WildBill at PassionateBlogger

and these collaborated sites:

Life Coaches Blog Strategies for a Greater Life

Last Updated by Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro on: 8-24-07

Rick Cooper Acknowledged in The National Networker

The January 12-20th Issue of The National Networker quoted me, Rick Cooper, as an expert in Networking. It's always nice to be able to share my insights with a larger audience. Back in December, Bette Daoust, Ph.D.  interviewed me on the subject of networking in Sacramento. Much of my experience in business networking came from my involvement as an Ambassador with the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce and then as President of the Arden Lunch Chapter of TNI, a west coast business referral group similar to LeTip. During 2006, we grew the chapter from 24 to 40 members, which is substantial for a group that meets weekly and holds members accountable for attendance.

Much of the information in the article is focused on events available through the Metro Chamber and information on networking groups like TNI. I also provide strategies on networking.

Sacramento is the capital of California, and has traditionally been a big government town. It has also grown to be a nexus for call centers, although the market has somewhat contracted due to offshoring of call center functions to India and other countries. The technology industry in Sacramento has grown and diversified, providing many opportunities. Sacramento also has a diverse population and offers a wide range of cultural and recreational activities locally or nearby.

So, Sacramento is a good place to do business. It has big city opportunities, but a small town appeal. I often hear the phrase, “everybody knows everybody.” I think a better description is the movers and shakers know the other movers and shakers. Once you start actively networking, you begin seeing the same people over and over. Of course, these tend to be more small businesses owners rather than executives of large companies. So, your networking strategy will depend on your target market.

My expertise in networking also comes from my role as The PDA Pro. I am both a PDA Coach and more broadly a Sales Productivity Coach. I work primarily with sales professionals to help them build their sales, networking, contact management and relationship management skills. And I help them leverage technology tools to accomplish their sales goals.

You can read more details in the article Networking in Sacramento, written by Dr. Bette Daoust. You can also read her Blueprints for Success blog.

Blueprint for Networking Success

Bette Daoust, business networking expert and Founder of Blueprint Books, interviewed me today for The National Networker.  She is the Southwest Bureau Chief for the National Networker, founded by Adam Kovitz. Bette is also a friend and a mentor and I greatly respect her. The topic for the interview was on business networking in Sacramento, California.  The article will appear in next month's issue. I offered suggestions for people interested in networking in Sacramento. I'll post a link when the article is published next month. In the meantime, you can sign up for The National Networker.

We also discussed strategies to remember information about the people you meet. Bette suggests that you remember three keywords for each person you meet. It's simple and effective.  So, the next time you meet someone at a party or mixer, remember three keywords about them. Then, when you have a moment, enter the keywords in your PDA. It's a great tip!

In her blog, Blueprints for Success, Bette addressed the topic of brands in relation to relationships. She writes:

"If you represent a brand, people will generally flock to you. But first, you must take the time to create the brand. A brand is often equated with the product or service provided and it is not that difficult to start in a small way. Because a brand is quite often only a symbol or name, you will need to have one that is easily remembered. Besides being remembered, you will need to find a way to have your name or logo equated with the product or service. "

Great advice Bette. She goes on to give 5 tips to evaluate your brand and its impact.

Active Listening Skills

Sri Hari, the Communication Guy, defines Active Listening as follows:

"Active listening is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding. It is made up of three components: Hearing, Interpreting and Assigning a contextual meaning."

He also makes a point that listening is different from hearing. That's absolutely true. You start with hearing, then really listen and finally feel and connect with the other person you're talking with. That helps to establish and build rapport.

And be careful not to allow your PDA, notepad or other device from interfering with your communication.

Build Lasting Relationships

To be successful in sales, you need to build lasting relationships. It doesn’t get any more basic than that. It begins from the moment you meet someone and continues throughout the life of the relationship. You must genuinely care about people and be interested in them individually. Sure, you can make a sale in the short run and not look back. But, being a professional sales representative requires a higher level of conduct. You are a resource for other business professionals. They will look to you for advice. I think being a sales professional is a respectable role in our society. Commerce benefits all people. Good sales pros are problem solvers. They help organizations by providing tools, resources and ultimately their products or services.

Everyone in an organization should be selling. That is especially true for small businesses. If an employee doesn’t stand behind the products or services their company offers, why are they working there? They are benefiting without contributing toward further growth. But, that’s just my opinion. Some people feel negatively toward the role of sales. I think that’s primarily because people don’t like being sold. In fact, the best sales pros don’t sell. They help people buy. It’s as simple as that.

And by the way, a PDA is a tremendous tool to help you build relationships because it allows you to store contact information, schedule appointments and meetings, and keep track of tasks and commitments.

Resolution #4: Remember to Recognize Birthdays

What is the most special day of the year for most people? Their birthday, of course. So why not remember and acknowledge them on that day. Enter their birthday in your PDA’s calendar and you’ll be on the way to making an impression.

Your contact database should have a birthdate field. If not, create one. But, to really make sure you remember, you can add the date as a recurring event in your calendar. But, you’ll have to make it a regular practice to check your calendar a week in advance to know who to send a card. This technique can be as simple or as elaborate as you want.

A personal note can be highly memorable instead of the standard birthday card. If you forget to send a card, pick up the phone and call them on their birthday. Leave a message if you receive voicemail. It’s the thought that counts.

Remember to recognize birthdays and you’ll stand out from the crowd and show people you care.

NOTE: This is #4 in a series of ten New Year’s Resolutions.

Prior Resolution: Resolution #5: Call 10 New Contacts to Change Your Life

Resolution #5: Call 10 New Contacts to Change Your Life

Most people will meet an average of 300 new people this year. Business owners and sales professionals can easily make the acquaintance of over 1,000 people. But, how many of those acquaintances are intended rather than coincidental. The vast majority of people you meet will be from random encounters.

Increase the odds of establishing a mutually beneficial relationship by identifying 10 people you would like to meet this year. These are people who you can help and who would benefit from working with you. Do your research. Learn more about them and determine how you can meet them. This will help establish rapport once you do meet them. High profile people are generally active in associations and are usually very approachable.

Your PDA can help. Start a list on your PDA and enter people’s names as you hear about them. Then, simply enter each of those people as contacts before you meet them. Enter their contact information as well as a short biography. For business owners and executives, most of this information can be found on their company website. You may also find details through an association. LinkedIn is another great resource and can help in getting introduced. Just be prepared to make your case by email. To view an example of a LinkedIn profile, click here to see mine.

Be respectful of people’s privacy. As long as your intentions are good and you are attempting to help others, this can be a successful strategy. If you intend to get rather than give, people can tell. Rather than picking up the phone, create an opportunity to meet them in person. If that doesn’t work, send them a letter along with something that may benefit them. For instance, send them a book you think may interest them. Demonstrate that you have taken the time to learn about them.

Research can take time. If ten contacts are too many, start with five. Try to make that first contact. It can be a life changing event. And, well worth your time. The key is picking the right people. Another great way to get started is to ask people you know who they think you should meet. Then, they can make an introduction for you. Start locally and after you have mastered this technique, choose people around the nation. That’s when it really gets interesting.

Call 10 new contacts this year to change your life. Take the bull by the horns and make your own destiny.

NOTE: This is #5 in a series of ten New Year’s Resolutions.

Prior Resolution: Resolution #6: Stay Informed with AvantGo