Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro

Upcoming Speech to the American Marketing Association

Niche marketing is all the buzz. Companies want to know how to reach niche markets to increase their profits. Small businesses have been far more successful at niche marketing than larger companies. It's much easier to reach one niche market than it is to reach many. Large companies by nature need to sell more products and services to earn a profit and therefore they end up serving the mass market.

I am delivering a speech on May 14th to the American Marketing Association on Niche Marketing: Stake your Claim to Profitable Market Segments. This is a great topic and I have some timely tips I'll be sharing with AMA members.

To find out more information about how to book Rick for an upcoming conference or event, visit the Speaking section of our website.

Launched a New Blog Called Attracting Ideal Clients

Want to grow your business? I have launched a new blog called Attracting Ideal Clients. This blog is for small business owners, especially service professionals, who want to grow their business by attracting their ideal clients. More on this in a moment.

If you've read The PDA Pro Blog for awhile, you know that I cover a wide range of topics. I post on productivity, technology, sales and personal development topics. I'm passionate about helping people live productive and effective lives. I just love seeing people in their element, working smarter not harder. That's fun. What's not fun is feeling disorganized and overwhelmed. That's leads to procrastination and avoiding what you need to do.

In my business, I spend much of my time working with home-based service professionals. That includes coaches, consultants, virtual assistants and professional organizers. I love the entrepreneurial spirit. It's fun to launch a business and see it take off. Of course, owning a business is risky. And it can lead to a lot of additional stress.

My value system reflects my philosophy on building long-term relationships. And I've found the best relationships in business come from working with your ideal clients. This is the basis for building a successful referral based business.

Attract your Ideal Clients
and They Will Seek You Out!

And so it's with that concept that I've launched a new blog, Attracting Ideal Clients. There's a push/pull nature to marketing. Marketers often push their messages onto people. And that's effective to a certain extent. But, it's more effective when you can pull or attract your ideal clients to you. They will SEEK you out. That's really powerful!

And it's easier than ever to do this today using the internet. But, it takes a lot of work and you need to know what you're doing. I'm still refining my own approach. But, I have always jumped on top of any opportunity to get my message out there and attract people to what I'm doing.

So, Attracting Ideal Clients, is focused on teaching you how to identify who your ideal clients are, learning where to find them, what to say to them, and how to begin building a relationship with them that ultimately leads them to ask to be a client. But, it's not just about how to use the internet. I'll discuss mainstream topics like writing articles, teaching workshops and teleseminars, making phone calls, sending cards and networking more effectively. It's all of the things you can do to communicate your message and attract your ideal clients.

Yes, you still need to be able to sell. But, focusing on attracting your ideal clients will create an endless stream of leads and referrals. So, check it out and post a comment. The site is pretty slim at the moment, but I will add to it over time. Thanks!

Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro
http://www.ThePDApro.com

Productivity Shortcuts Winter 2007 Teleseminar Series

2007 is almost over. It's time to wind down and ramp up for next year. Will 2008 be a good year for you? Why not make a resolution NOW to increase your productivity?

If you would like to learn shortcuts to get more done in less time, then join us for The Twelve Days of Productivity! We're hosting a series of 12 half hour teleseminars. They're focused and quick. You'll get a few great ideas every day to increse your productivity.

 

FREE Teleseminar Series:
Productivity Shortcuts (The Twelve Days of Productivity)

Daily through January 9th

 

What you'll learn:

• Tips to get focused
• Techniques to get organized
• Strategies to combat spam and manage your email inbox
• Lessons on prioritizing your most important tasks
• Tips to shop for productivity gadgets
• How to balance work and family during the holidays

Click here to learn more:
http://www.thepdapro.com/ProductivityShortcuts.asp

2008 can be your best year yet! Start by working smarter, not harder!

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.

The PDA Pro Blog Nears 3 Year Anniversary

It's hard to believe it's been almost three years since I started blogging and launched The PDA Pro Blog. Of course, that's about 50 in blog years. ;) Check out my first post on 10-27-04 which includes a quote from Seth Godin. There are so many bloggers these days and so many blogs are just an excuse to promote something.

I made a commitment then to provide useful information on my blog, and as much as possible. I have kept promotion to a minimum on my blog. As I visit other blogs today, so many that I see are a complete mess. They're hard to look at, they're covered with ads, music, and just about anything to say, "Hey, look at me!"

I've always been a big believer in "less is more". Steve Topper, one of my marketing mentors, told me that people are looking for simplicity. I think to share your message effectively, you need to be brief and impactful.

My message has changed over the years. My original intention was to write about PDAs and smartphones. I am passionate about technology and love to share my insights on how to work more productively. I gradually shifted my focus toward business and sales, but have kept on posting about technology. Now, my message has shifted again to focus on achieving results. In particular, I specialize in helping entrepreneurs achieve outstanding results. I love working with people who don't see limits for themselves and are on a mission of personal development. I enjoy helping entrepreneurs focus their efforts. It's far too easy to get distracted from your core mission. I will continue to address all of these topics going forward, although my message will be most relevant for entrepreneurs and sales professionals.

I will always write with an authentic voice because that reflects who I am. It's been a journey over the last three years, and even before that when I launched my company in May 2003. So, I'll be celebrating my fifth year in business in 2008. That is a significant milestone.

So, needless to say, I have much to celebrate and will plan some activities to herald those achievements I have so many people to thank for my success and I will take time on this blog to acknowledge them. Robert Kiyosaki said, "build your team" and I have done that. And without my team, I would not have made it this far. But, it's not mission accomplished yet. We have more work to do.

Thank you for being a loyal reader of The PDA Pro Blog. Please take a moment and post a comment, send me a message or give me a call.

Thank you!

Rick S. Cooper, MBA
Author, Speaker, Coach
The PDA Pro

Announcement: University of Masters Interviews The PDA Pro

Archived Call will be available soon - Request the call here

I'm excited to announce my new role of Master Teacher with the University of Masters (UOM). It fits well with the services I provide through The PDA Pro. My new class, Sales Strategies for Entrepreneurs, is designed for the busy small business owner who is responsible for generating sales, but often gets overwhelmed from too many responsibilities.

This continues my commitment toward supporting the business community through services aimed at improving sales effectiveness. My role as a Partner with Conselleo for the past three years has given me an opportunity to serve corporate sales clients through sales training and sales management consulting. Now, I have an opportunity to reach small business entrepreneurs with my own brand of common sense sales productivity through the University of Masters.

One of the unique aspects of my sales philosophy is my emphasis on sales productivity. I specialize in helping people leverage technology tools in their business. I take people step by step through the process of making better use of their email, contact management system, social networking sites, PDAs and smartphones. But, I begin with a focus on learning sales fundamentals. Entrepreneurs have special needs and the University of Masters has gathered over 30 Master Teachers to cover all aspects of personal development.

You're Invited!

You're invited to join us for a call on Tuesday, August 28th, 2007 at 6pm PST. I will be interviewed by UOM Founder Pamela Harper. I'm excited about the opportunity to connect with students/members and offer insights that will help them take their sales game to the next level. Guests are welcome to join us to learn more.

Learn the shortcuts to sales success! Learn how to improve your sales results and increase your sales productivity.

UOM Founder Pamela Harper Interviews The PDA Pro
(F'REE Call)

Tuesday, August 28th, 2007
6-7pm PST

What you'll learn:

• How Rick is helping entrepreneurs achieve outstanding results
• How you can leverage technology in your business
• How you can attend Rick's upcoming classes

Who should attend?

• Entrepreneurs
• Small business owners
• Consultants
• Coaches
• Network marketers
• Professional services firms

Join us for an entertaining phone interview between Pamela Harper, with Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro. Rick specializes in helping entrepreneurs achieve outstanding results. He helps people leverage technology, resources and habits to improve their sales productivity and increase their sales results. This call is guaranteed to be informational as well as entertaining. Learn how Rick is building his company and leveraging technology to reach a larger audience.

Pamela Harper earned the title Master Teacher because of her tireless efforts at educating and empowering groups and individuals on the correlation between Visualization and Manifesting Health, Wealth and Happiness. She is a Registered Nurse, Counselor and Hypnotherapist with 24 years experience as a Motivational Speaker.  Her life-changing audio programs accomplish in weeks what takes years of traditional therapy.  She is especially gifted at conducting interactive groups and hosting celebrated guests. Pamela is a best selling author and media personality.

Pamela and Rick will be joined on the call by Dr. Christina Winsey-Rudd. Both Pamela and Christina host periodic interviews with Masters.

Get notified when the archived call is available

Learn more about Sales Strategies for Entrepreneurs

The PDA Pro Blog Featured on Qwest Website

The PDA Pro Blog, written by Rick Cooper, was featured in the August 2007 Small Business eNewsletter, Keeping You in the Loop, from  Qwest® Business Solutions. I must say I'm pretty pleased and proud to be featured there along with the likes of Guy Kawasaki and Merlin Mann, legends in technology and the internet.

Qwest® is a leading provider of voice, video and data services across America and the world. They offer a variety of wireless devices including the Moto Q, Mogul™ by HTC and Qwest Fusion™ HTC 5800.

Mobile email productivity is a slippery slope. At a certain point, checking email on a mobile device becomes counter-productive. It can also be dangerous in certain situations. Always think safety first, especially when driving.

I recommend setting some guidelines for checking email on your mobile device. Limit yourself to a few times a day. Don't be a robot that checks your email anytime you hear a chime. Instead, schedule several times, i.e. 10am, 2pm, and 5pm. You will be able to read email more efficiently. You also don't want people to expect an immediate response from you, unless that's a requirement of your job.

Reading and responding to email is far more efficient on your computer or laptop, but accessing mobile email is not only convenient, it may be the only way you can check email, especially when travelling.

For more information, visit http://www.thepdapro.com/PDA.asp. Or contact Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro, at 800-677-6708.

The Secrets to Selecting a PDA

The price of PDAs and smartphones is going down. That's a good thing. But price is not the only factor in selecting a PDA. There are many considerations including how you will actually use the mobile device on a day to day basis. But, how do you select from the wide array of models available?

I'm hosting an upcoming call on this topic. It's a great opportunity to learn more and ask any burning questions you have. Please read more details on the Secrets to Selecting a PDA on ThePDApro.com website.

In fact, if you have any quick questions you would like me to address on the call, post a comment here or submit your question on my website.

The PDA Pro Wants Your Comments

Hello. Yes, you. I'm talking to you. You're reading this, right? A blog is intended to create a dialogue between the blogger and readers of the blog. I want to hear from you. Please post your comments on this blog.

Post a Comment on The PDA Pro Blog

How? It's simple. First, read the blog. You can find it at:

http://rickcooper.typepad.com/thepdapro

When you find a post that interests you, then click on the Comments link at the end of the post, below the date and time.

Next, type your name, email address, url and your comment and click Post. That's it. It's not rocket science. Comments are reviewed before they are posted to prevent comment spam. That usually takes no longer than a day.

Why do I Want to Hear From You?

So, why do I want to hear from you? Well, I run a company called The PDA Pro. I need customers to survive and thrive. And building customer relationships starts with building relationships with people who visit my website and blog. I want to know what you're interested in reading about, what topics are hot and what services you may be interested in.

What products and services I create, what articles I write, and what I blog about should be based on customer need. I want to provide information and tools that will help you. So, I need to hear from you. That starts with posting a comment to this blog. Then, I know you exist and I can do something to help you out. Otherwise, it's just me out there scrambling to take a wild guess at what you want. And, please come back and post again in the future. Whether you post a quick hello to touch base or a dissertation on your favorite PDA topic, that's fine. Just keep it clean. This is a family site after all.

As a small business owner, I don't have a huge marketing department and sales staff. I have me, myself and I. So, I need you to give me some feedback. If you like what you see, great, let me know. If you're not satisfied with what you see, that's fine too. But, let me know what you would like me to write about or what services would be helpful. Consider me your coach. I'm here to help.

I'm not always as responsive as I'd like to be. I have 24 hours in a day and there's only so much I can humanly do. And I'm usually running on too little sleep and too much caffeine. So, I would like to prioritize my actions to have the greatest impact. Makes sense, right?

Visit The PDA Pro Website

After you post a comment, please visit my main website. And while you're there, feel free to buy something (if you want to). Gotta pay the bills and keep the lights on, you know.

http://www.thepdapro.com

Then, come back and post another comment on this blog to give me some feedback on my website.

I know I'm being demanding, but I need your help. It can get lonely out here on the blogosphere sometimes. I want my work to be meaningful and beneficial.

Receive the Tips from The PDA Pro Ezine

If you would like the convenience of getting messages from me by email, you can request my ezine at:

http://www.thepdapro.com/NewsletterSignup.asp

Receive Blog Posts in your Email

You can also receive the blog posts in your email. How convenient is that? Visit the website and sign up now.

http://www.thepdapro.com/ReceiveBlogPostsByEmail.asp

Send a Trackback

And, if you're a blogger, feel free to send a Trackback when appropriate. I don't mind creating a little traffic back to you if you have something valuable to contribute to my readers.

Many Thanks!

Thanks. I do appreciate your support.  I would love to receive some great feedback and get to work on making a few changes to better meet your needs.

Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro

Author, Speaker, Sales Productivity Coach

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.