March '03

Monthly Buzz #14
Transform Your Business
March 2003

FEATURE: The Value of Discovering Customers' Key Frustrations

TAX BRACKET: Coverdell Education Savings Accounts

Brain Teaser

Business Development Corner:

What You Can Measure You Can Manage
Are You Keeping It Simple or Slow?
5 Tools for Handling Criticism

Memorable Quotes

Feature:

The Value of Discovering Customers' Key Frustrations

Some refer to this as the "grand-daddy" of all great marketing ideas and it certainly is one that, when you understand it and implement what it means, will reap you significant rewards.

The Tax Bracket:

Coverdell Education Savings Accounts
- Andrew McMillan

The Coverdell Education Savings Account is an incentive to help parents and students save for education.

Brain Teaser:

Answer the following question instantly. You can't take your time. You have to answer immediately. Let's find out just how clever you really are.

First Question:

You are participating in a race. You overtake the second. What position do you finish?

Answer: Nope, not first. You overtake the second and you take his place so you arrived second!!!

Second Question:

Very tricky math!

Note: This must be done in your head only. Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator. Try it.

Take 1000 and add 40 to it.
Now add another 1000.
Now add 30.
Add another 1000.
Now add 20.
Now add another 1000.
Now add 10.
What is the total?

Answer: Did you get 5000?

The correct answer is actually 4100. Don't believe it? Check with your calculator!

Business Development Corner:

What You Can Measure You Can Manage

With each business development initiative you implement be sure to always measure and compare results. Always test one idea against another.

Are You Keeping It Simple or Slow?

Use this list to consider areas of your business that could be simplified to better serve your customers and employees.

5 Tools for Handling Criticism

Criticism doesn't have to hurt or elicit anger. Here are five ways to lessen its impact.

Memorable Quotes:	All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. - Lawrence of Arabia
	Achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is within you. Success is being praised by others. That is nice but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success. - Helen Hayes
	To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act. - Anatole France

DISCLAIMER
Information provided in this publication is intended as general information only and should be considered carefully for your own business situation before use. This firm and any associated companies accept no responsibility or any form of liability from reliance upon or use of its contents.