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Issue 65 - December, 2007
The M Powerer comes to you each month from M Power.
Its 'fast four' format makes The M Powerer a
purposefully quick read with a mix of quotes, tips, reviews, news and views on
areas we work in, including
- communication
- public relations
- empowerment
- individual effectiveness
- organisational productivity
- life balance
- customer service.
Karen Morath
Managing Director
M Power
karen@mpowercct.com
The fast four for December are
Generating word of mouth
Good products and services aren't enough. Companies have to do things that start conversations. Word of mouth only happens when happy customers feel they have stories they have to share.
Voodoo Doughnuts (US) sells caffeinated doughnuts, voodoo doll shaped doughnuts and caters for weddings.
Doubletree Hotels (US) is mid range but guests are talking about the freshly-baked cookies they are presented with at check in. "We were expecting you. We baked you cookies."
Juice and smoothie retailer Innocent Drinks (UK) got people talking last year by getting a small army of grannies to knit hats for 230,000 bottles of juice 'so they didn't get cold'.
Conversations about products and services need to be built in to the offering and that takes some planning.
Source - 'Give'em something to talk about' by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, www.fastcompany.com June 2007
A quote we like
“I do not believe in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.”
Thomas Carlyle
Gratuitous plug
By popular demand, M Power has formalised the executive coaching service it has provided for many years. Coaching is available as a one-on-one service only, can be conducted in person (Melbourne and Sydney only) or over the phone and as a one-off or part of an ongoing program.
As well as executive coaching, a service can be tailored to suit entrepreneurs and students.
M Power coaching clients benefit from sessions on setting and reaching goals, work/life balance, motivation and individual effectiveness.
Click here for more details or to book a coaching session or program.
This month's book review
Instead of a book review, here’s my all time list of favourite (mostly business) books - everyone has a top 10 list of something. Here’s mine. Click here to order them from Amazon if you like.
1. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Read it once, read it often. True genius.
2. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Read it every January. These are the habits of a lifetime and they need to be practised over and over again.
3. Leap of Faith - Memoirs of an Unexpected Life by Queen Noor (of Jordan). Spectacular! The story of King Hussein and his American wife. The world could use more people living their lives like that.
4. The Fountainhead (a novel) by Ayn Rand. More lessons about professionalism, pragmatism and integrity here than in any other book, especially as it’s a piece of fiction.
5. and 6. You inc - how to attract amazing success into your life and business by John McGrath. Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins. Of the motivational books (people call them ‘self help’ - as if that’s a bad thing!), these are the most motivational - McGrath is Australian, Robbins is American so there’s something for everyone there.
7. The Seven Day Weekend by Ricardo Semler. There’s more than one way to see the role of work in your life. I like Ricardo’s.
8. Equal eighth – anything by Aussie Hugh Mackay or Englishman Charles Handy when your moral compass needs callibrating.
9. True Professionalism or The Trusted Advisor, both by David Maister. The titles say it all.
10. Who’s counting? Family First by Dr Phil McGraw. Can reading a book be made compulsory?
Last month M Power -
- worked with the publisher of Karen Morath's first book Palm Trees and Margaritas - finding your oasis in a busy world, out in a few days. Visit www.palmtreesandmargaritas.com to get your copy. A great holiday read or stocking filler!
- blogged and wrote articles and newsletters for a variety of clients
- coached people toward meeting their business and life goals
- devised and implemented public relations programs for various clients.
Contact us to see how we could work to empower you or your organisation.
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