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As Dr. John said: "I was in the right place, but it must have been the wrong time". Well, believe it or not, there is a right place and a wrong time to answer your mobile phone.

It turns out, the photo she used were over 12 years old. After she calmed down, I asked if her clients' and prospective clients held her 'in a position of trust'? She answered, 'yes, of course'. I asked when she began to experience a decline in sales, clients and income? After thinking about it, she admitted it was after she started her ad campaign, using an out of date photo.

In essence, the use of the out of date photo resulted in her unintentionally breaching a trust. What you saw, wasn't what you were going to get. Upon meeting her, almost every potential client saw her as deceitful. For most of us, the purchase of a home is our single largest investment, and we want to work with someone with whom we can relate and trust.

Are you putting yourself in a position where the wrong photo could potentially sabotage your career?

In today's world, almost everything requires a proper photo. You may not have control of your Drivers License photo, but you can assume control of almost every other photo used for business, personal, public relations purposes, your business card and even your passport. It's not an expensive proposition, and in some cases it may be tax deductible. It could even make you money!

Everyone could benefit by virtue of having at least one good head-shot, taken on a yearly basis. You should have them in a file on your computer or on disc, in color and in Black and White, in '.jpg' format. Our lives change more rapidly and regularly than ever, and a yearly record, or snapshot in time can be beneficial.

I spoke at length with top Fine Art Photographer, John Ermer http://www.photoprophotographymiami.com

Since their inception, John's 'Shoot Yourself' videos have become required viewing for amateur photographers everywhere. When discussing the value of having a proper photo available, John put it very well. He said: 'Your photo is the first contact with everyone. It should be flattering and truly represent who you are. The value of having a head-shot done annually, is like currency, you are always prepared. Your style and look will be up to date. You will also feel comfortable having it published, no matter the medium. It's a first impression. You should always be smiling."

For a moment, indulge me, and imagine a worst case scenario. You've just been arrested, and the police are releasing your 'mug shot' to the media. No sleep, hair matted, eyes bulging. Yikes, anyone seeing it on TV or in the press says "GUILTY!"

Now imagine, you have a family member or friend or Attorney with access to a great head-shot. you're well groomed, smiling, happy, and present a image that says, "THEY COULDN'T BE GUILTY!"

The above is a deliberately extreme example to illustrate the point. In today's society, people change jobs frequently. A great head-shot can help you or a recruiter, sell you to a potential employer. The photo should convey the impression that you are open, happy, content, a team player, go-getter, cooperative, and possess many other qualities an employer may be looking for.

Suppose you've been chosen to give a speech or lecture. The local newspaper or your firm's web site may want to publish your photo. Do you want to rely on them sending someone with a digital camera and no skills or desire, to take a proper photo that will depict you in the best possible light? What is it worth not to have a column in the building or a plant appearing to come out of the back of your head? What if you've had a bad day? What if the photographer has had a bad day or doesn't care what you look like?

Think, in advance, about the impression you want to convey. You may get a larger turn out based on publishing a good photo. You may even succeed in being booked for other lectures, based in part on the photo and image you've chosen to present.

I had the pleasure to speak with one of the next generation of Paparazzi, Simone Corrado

http://flickr.com/photos/alonewitheveryone. Her shot of model Kate Moss has recently been published in several European gossip magazines and tabloids. Our conversation touched on 'Candid Photography". Simone made a very interesting point. While most of us think the Paparazzi are interested only in debasing a celebrity, she told me that part of her goal is to catch them 'au natural', before the make-up and pampering begin. She wants to capture them looking like everyone else. With one exception. Her goal is to capture their unique and natural beauty. She wants to capture a celebrity in a relaxed state. She tries to find 'the magic moment', just like a song. That one split second where they are truly themselves and off guard.

In today's world, more and more people are hiring their own Paparazzi for private functions, like Bar Mitzvah's, Sweet Sixteens, or to commemorate a birthday or special event or moment. This adds a lot of credibility to Simone's perspective and input for this newsletter.

Both John and Simone agree on few simple things you may want to think about and discuss (in advance) of retaining a photographer for a private shoot:

Explain what you are looking to accomplish
Discuss hair, make-up, wardrobe. A word of advice, don't wear sunglasses or hats for a head-shot.
Familiarize yourself with your surroundings for the shoot. Get comfortable in advance.
Make sure the background is an asset to the purpose of the shoot, and your eventual use of the photos.
Discuss lighting. Make sure the Photographer has a portable lighting kit in case it's needed or relevant. Also discuss the use of shadows. Shadows can augment of distract. Be clear with your Photographer about the intent and use of the photos. Tell them what you like. After all, they want a happy satisfied client.
When hiring a Photographer, discuss how many corrected photos you will be entitled to, and set a schedule to receive them on disc. Make sure you have ultimate approval in terms of quality.
Be realistic. If you're 60, you're not going to look 40.
Have fun!

Remember, if you are single and on one of the many dating sites, or have a page on a social networking site, you want to project a certain image. The photos you display are actually a representation of you as "You, Inc.". You will never truly know who looks at them or for what purpose, or when you may actually meet someone in a business environment who has seen them. If you post outdated, outlandish, or untruthful photos, they may very well come back to haunt you. Employers regularly look through all of the sites to find information on every prospective and even current employees.

A proper photo can make you money. Improper photos, that are ill lit, don't show you at your best, or convey the wrong message, can cost you dearly. So can arrays of multiple photos that look like they are from different eras, with different hair lengths, colors, clothing and facial features.

Be who you are, and have fun doing it.

If you would like to learn more about how to achieve the best possible photo, and speak with one of our guest Photographers, please go to our site to see our premier live webcast and participate in the discussion via chat. We will drop an Email a few days before the broadcast to remind you.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. For more Strategies for Success, visit us at www.JohnLieberman.com

Until then, we're wishing you every success.

All my best,
John Lieberman
John Lieberman Strategies for Success

Monthly Newsletter Top of Page July 2008

What could it be costing you, when you answer your mobile phone?
John Lieberman's Strategies for Success

John Lieberman
Your Business Strategist

Photo by JTErmer Photography

Success Strategy Videos

See my strategy videos. Just click the link above.

Answering or speaking on the phone in the wrong place or at the wrong time may be costing you more than you know. Even having a 'sexy' caller specific ring tone, could cost you something you may want to hold near and dear.

Imagine, you're on a date with a relatively new boyfriend or girlfriend. You are beginning to see the person on a somewhat regular basis, and you are both laying the foundation for a future long term relationship. You are in the middle of a great date and your phone rings. The ring tone is "Do you wanna get funky with me?" Oops, it's an ex with whom you still maintain a cordial relationship. You've now un-necessarily created issues of trust and fidelity., and you may have a lot of explaining to do. At the very least, you have also succeeded in making your date very uncomfortable. What did that faux pas cost you?

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Now imagine the same ring tone and incoming call, during a business meeting or business meal? In all probability, your corporate counterpart will not see the humor in it. They may also find it offensive, in poor taste, and it may cost you the deal or contract you've been working so hard to obtain.

Perhaps this would be a good time to re-think your phone etiquette and habits. It may prove helpful to think of time spent in the company of others or in public venues, as if you were in a movie theater. Your phone should be on vibrate or turned off, and you may find it beneficial to let the call go to voicemail.

You may want to consider, when possible and appropriate, a variation of a strategy promulgated by author, Timothy Ferris, in 'The 4-Hour Workweek', and that is to direct (via your outgoing message) callers to communicate with you via email. This would serve several purposes. The first of which is that it tends to force callers to focus on exactly what they wish to say and get accomplished. It also creates a written record of their request, and point of reference for you, and it would give you time to consider the request and do the necessary homework before responding. You may also want to consider letting calls from 'unknown or blocked' numbers go to voicemail.

With very few exceptions, I am truly at a loss to understand why anyone blocks their number. After all, you are calling someone you wish to speak with. Don't you want them to see who is calling?
When you call someone, it may prove productive to get into the habit of always leaving a message. Otherwise, how is the person you are calling supposed to prioritize when returning calls?

For many years, I have held my most important business meetings in the finest eateries as well as hotel restaurants. People always ask, why I do this?   There are several very good reasons:

- My counterpart is on my turf. I know the restaurant staff and environment, and know what to expect and what needs to be done for my guest. I have also created a relaxed atmosphere, permitting my guest to enjoy the meal as well as the ability to speak in a more private environment. If possible, I've taken the time to pre-arrange the meal with the Chef or owner. (Barring any dietary restrictions of course). All of which give me a competitive edge.

- The result being: I've reduced the amount of daily distractions. If we were in a conference room, we might well be interrupted by a secretary, phone calls, and other business matters. I've also given my guest something special to look forward to, a great meal.

- The third reason is that a lot of fine restaurants and hotels block mobile signals. Thus, I will have the full attention of my guest, and we are able to spend time creating a better level of comfort between us.

Sometimes,being a bit less available on the mobile can reap benefits. If you are not a Doctor and are always 'on call', you may be giving the impression that your time has no value, or you are disorganized, or , worst of all, your guest may feel insignificant.   If you are constantly interrupting a meal to gaze at or answer the phone, you are not only losing your focus, but the focus , attention and possibly the respect of your guest as well.    Even in our phone and technology obsessed world, most businesses still operate a certain number of hours per day.   If you are in a noisy place having drinks with friends, or using public transportation, then you may wish to think twice before answering the phone.

First and foremost, you are probably not prepared to take a business call and react in a proper manner. You don't have paperwork and data right in front of you. Secondly, you don't know exactly what the caller wants, so you can only lose by answering the call without being adequately prepared. Third, the noise and fact that you've had a few drinks may well come through to the caller, and you will have to raise your voice to be heard. You may also be putting yourself in a position to unwittingly give away important trade or personal information to people you don't know, who may be within earshot. All of which can be very costly.

All to often while in a public space, I've become privy to things I should not have, by virtue of someone speaking on their mobile. Remember the old World War II motto: "Loose lips sink ships". They can easily sink your best business efforts as well.

If you must take a call, then either keep it short, and do not mention names, corporations, clients, or specific information.   One pragmatic solution is to ask the caller if you may ring them back, take your leave of the surroundings, and then place the call and have the necessary conversation.

On a slightly different note, I'm still shocked that people answer and speak on the phone while using the facilities. Yuck! The listener can easily discern from the echo of your voice and other audio cues, that you are, or should be, indisposed. Not exactly a fine time to showcase your ability to multitask, don't you think?

Several years ago I was invited along with my friend and colleague, Dr. Dan Schaefer, to give the opening lecture to the new interns for IRTS (International Radio Television Society). One of the first things I communicated to them, was that the days of idle chit chat on their mobile phones were over. Each was about to become a public figure, and they had to learn that the world is not just watching, it's listening to every word. The damage they could cause themselves, family and co-workers was about to become extreme.

In summary, remember, business is in great part about strategy. You may want to think about and create a workable strategy for using your mobile phone in a public place. If you are not prepared to speak with someone and can let the call go to voice mail, do it. As much as possible, you want to research and rehearse important conversations, just like meetings and presentations. You want to create a plan and let it work for you. Keeping your eyes on the prize of a successful deal. You wouldn't want to place yourself in a position to fail or sabotage your best efforts, would you?

Next time you are in a public place and your mobile phone rings, before answering, ask yourself:
What good can come from the potential conversation, and what could it cost?

Top of Page

Monthly Newsletter Top of Page July 2008

John Lieberman's Strategies for Success

John Lieberman
Your Business Strategist

Success Strategy Videos

See my strategy videos. Just click the link above.

As most of you know, from time to time we review restaurants to help you make the most of your business and personal dining experiences. We are also keenly aware that everyone is searching for the best service providers. In today's economy, we are all looking to maximize our spending dollars and receive the highest value ratio of quality to price. The below referenced service providers have not paid to be mentioned. We provide this information as a service to our clients and potential clients.

You may ask why a Business Strategist/Coach would suggest merchants, service professionals, and experts in different fields? We believe a business strategist should be involved with the community and have the necessary resources at their disposal in order to make a client's life easier and to facilitate an expert response to difficult life and business issues. A strategist, is in actuality your personal business consultant. Just think how much more productive, confident and comfortable you can be when you elect to utilize the services of someone you can truly rely upon. After all, it's just good strategy to use people and firms in whom you have complete confidence.

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See my strategy videos. Just click the link above.

We are selective in terms of recommendations and carefully screen those we include. If you mention this column when contacting these professionals, they will gladly provide you with an extra benefit or discount should you choose to use them.

Almost every small to medium sized business owner and entrepreneur has had their share of bad experiences with web sites. For the most part, the original operational approach has been with an "If I build it they will come" mentality.   In many cases the results have been disastrous.   Sometimes the web designer isn't up to the task. Sometimes, they leave in the middle of the job and take the code with them, or try to hold you hostage for more money. In other instances, they make the site too complicated or gawky.

However, in today's world, the biggest issue is that they don't know your business, and that nobody seems to be able to find your site on the internet. Problem solved!

Meet Mark Johnson, owner of www.SoBeinfo.tv . In all my years of business I have never met anyone with the same dedication to 'getting it right'. Mark has been in the business of designing web sites, shooting video for the web, and most importantly Internet Search Engine Rankings and Optimization, for over ten years. If you want to reach your goals faster, better, and with an optimal chance to be successful, you'll want to retain him.

Mark actually studies and learns your business and its needs. I have never ever had the pleasure of working with someone who anticipated my questions and was prepared with the answers before I had the chance to ask.

Mark has built internet businesses and has helped grow them to the $10 Million a year level. He does an enormous amount of research in order to build 'just the right site to suit your needs. Mark can tell you who will look at your site, when they'll look, and what attracts them to the site.

Mark's firm is thorough and they continue to up-grade the effectiveness of your site, even after completion. Search Engine Optimization is the internet version of Neurolinguistics.   He fully understands and researches and updates every word that can have both a positive or negative impact on your site and how it affects the rankings in the search process.

Mark may be reached via email at webmaster@sobeInfo.tv, or by phone at 786-275-6435. His firm has the capacity to work anywhere in America and abroad.

Everyone needs a great florist, right? We've all had occasion to send flowers. whether we are planning a gala and need a floral designer, or need to send a plant for a housewarming gift, or to celebrate a friend of colleague's promotion, or to provide solace to someone who is ill or just lost a loved one, to celebrate a Birthday, or simply to remind someone how much you care.

Absolut Flowers by Manny is one of Miami's premier florists. They are located at 9461 Harding Avenue, Surfside, Fl, and their number is 800-709-5288 or 305-866-5288, and their web site is: www.absolutflowers.net .

Manny's store windows are always a work of art and he changes them frequently. Locals stop to look and marvel at their beauty and to admire the creativity that goes into every display. Manny and his staff go out of their way to ensure that you leave with a big smile and that all your needs are met.

Manny's firm is very well respected and highly regarded, and provides the floral arrangements you see at many of the local restaurants and retail businesses in Surfside and beyond.

Manny maintains a warehouse and is fully staffed and capable to handle any sized event. Absolut Flowers delivers, and is absolutely one of the top florists in the Miami area.

A picture is definitely worth a thousand words, but you'll hear at least a thousand words of praise from everyone that sees your photo if you use Fine Art Photographer, John T. Ermer. Just look at the body and range of work displayed on John's web site: www.jtErmerFineArtPhotography.com and you're bound to be impressed.

John is one of the few Fine Art Photographers who understands and conducts a shoot with a business mind set. John is a professional and a Gentleman in every sense of the word. Your session will begin on time and your test shots and final product delivered on time and in the right format. His work is outstanding.

John has a full team at his disposal. So, if you need a hair and/or make-up professional, or a wardrobe consultant, John has them at the ready. His shoots take place either in a fully lit studio or on location in and around Miami.

Everyone can benefit by having a great photo or photos taken periodically. At some time in every business persons career, they will need to provide a photo for a web site or publication. Inevitably, it inures to your benefit to have recent photos at the ready.

You may want to have an affair photographed, a calendar created for a charity, a family portrait taken, or memorialize a special relationship or time in your life. When you look back at that photo, you will look at it with pride and joy, and it will always bring forth a happy memory.

If you want to give a great gift to a single friend , who is on one of the dating web sites, give them a gift of a session with John Ermer. It will pay dividends for them and for your friendship.

John may be contacted through his web site, or via email at: JTErmerSr@gmail.com or by phone at 786-295-4889.

We're certain you will receive added value when using any of our service providers. Please don't forget to mention that you read about them in this column.

If you want to learn more about our 'Strategies For Success' or need the services of a Personal or Business Strategist and Coach, please visit our web site at: www.JohnLieberman.com or contact us at
info@JohnLieberman.com .

Until our next communication, we're wishing you every success.

All my best,

John

Monthly Newsletter Top of Page June 2008

Everyone Needs A Little More R & R

(You only think you know the meaning)

John Lieberman's Strategies for Success

John Lieberman
Your Business Strategist

Success Strategy Videos

Recently a friend approached me for help regarding their yearly salary negotiation and compensation package.

Unfortunately, they had already accepted what was offered, and were in no position to change the outcome. Over the next few weeks we had occasion to discuss what went on, how the negotiation was handled, the outcome, and my friend's future negotiations. As always, my first question to my friend was: "How much research did you do and how much time did you spend rehearsing? Did you do any homework or research in advance of the review and negotiation, and did you rehearse the eventual conversation with your boss? The answer, I'm sad to say, was a resounding "no'".

Those conversations and the concept of preparation or the lack thereof, prompted me to dedicate this month's newsletter to "Preparation". The strategies and advice contained in this months' column are generic in nature, but can be applied to almost any business or life situation requiring fore-thought. They are not meant to be taken literally, but rather to be used as food for thought.

Continued below...

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