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Should You Hire a Personal Assistant?

Why You Should Consider a Personal Assistant

Should You Hire a Personal Assistant?

Most people who run their own small businesses don’t believe they can afford a personal assistant. In my opinion, you can’t afford not to have a personal assistant! There is only one you—and that means you shoulder the primary responsibly for turning your business into more than just a one-man or one-woman show. Hiring an assistant to do the more routine daily tasks frees you to work ON the things that are the highest leverage items for your business. I have a list of over fifty items that my personal assistant does every month. She doesn’t always get to every task each month because we’ve worked to prioritize the list from highest to lowest, but she always gets it done—and done remarkably well.

Personal assistants give you the most important thing you can have when trying to grow your business: Freedom. Hiring a personal assistant means you have allowed yourself the freedom to live life on your own terms, the freedom to be an entrepreneur, the freedom to work in the areas where you shine the brightest, and the freedom to manage your own time.

Contact Mike Stromsoe’s Unstoppable Profit Producer Program for a premier wealth creation program that will help you work less, earn more, and enjoy life!

Is It Worth Awarding Surprise Bonuses?

Make it a habit to reward a good job well done. Most people are motivated by money. People are perhaps even more motivated by unexpected money. You know that feeling of finding a $20 bill in the pocket of an old pair of jeans? There’s a way to give that feeling to your team—it’s called surprise bonuses. When you spontaneously give bonuses to people when they least expect it, the results can be tremendous. We like to identify team members who have done something extraordinary and reward them with something extra. Here is a list of some of the things I give surprise bonuses for in my office: • Staying late to finish a project because they want it to be just right. • Helping another co-worker with paperwork voluntarily. • Going above and beyond in our referral program. • After a customer calls the office to tell me how wonderful a team member has treated him or her. • Writing the most policies in the office for the month. There is no limit to what you can reward. Just be sure that when you give the bonus to the team member, you tell that person exactly what the unexpected gift is for. The surprise doesn’t have to be elaborate—the fact that it is an unexpected token of extreme gratitude says it all. It will also ensure that whatever activity that individual did to get the bonus will be repeated again and again… and again. Giving someone a gift or even a simple thank you works so well because of the idea that “big doors swing on little hinges.” People appreciate a ‘thank you’, gift cards, cash, and other tangible tokens. When you recognize people in even the smallest way, it lights their fire and gives them the motivation to push even harder, write more business, and help more people, all to keep that flow of recognition coming. Recognition makes all the difference in the workplace, so never stop looking for ways to show your team how much you appreciate their attitude, work ethic, and spirit. Surprise people with small tokens of your gratitude, and over time, you’ll hear fewer complaints about late work nights; you’ll see more people willing to take a little paperwork home over the weekend; you’ll find more people participating in the referral programs and other programs. Human nature causes us to take actions that will enable us to avoid pain. No one wants to feel the absence of a once-flowing stream of gratitude, so people will take whatever action is necessary to avoid the pain of that loss and keep the gratitude coming. To learn more about how to be successful, contact Mike Stromsoe’s Unstoppable Profit Producer Program. We can offer guidance, helping you perfect your professional posture. We also offer a premier wealth creation program that can help you work less, earn more, and enjoy life.

Make it a habit to reward a job well done.

Most people are motivated by money. People are perhaps even more motivated by unexpected money. You know that feeling of finding a $20 bill in the pocket of an old pair of jeans? There’s a way to give that feeling to your team—it’s called surprise bonuses. When you spontaneously give bonuses to people when they least expect it, the results can be tremendous.

We like to identify team members who have done something extraordinary and reward them with something extra. Here is a list of some of the things I give surprise bonuses for in my office:

  • Staying late to finish a project because they want it to be just right.
  • Helping another co-worker with paperwork voluntarily.
  • Going above and beyond in our referral program.
  • After a customer calls the office to tell me how wonderful a team member has treated him or her.
  • Writing the most policies in the office for the month.

There is no limit to what you can reward. Just be sure that when you give the bonus to the team member, you tell that person exactly what the unexpected gift is for. The surprise doesn’t have to be elaborate—the fact that it is an unexpected token of extreme gratitude says it all. It will also ensure that whatever activity that individual did to get the bonus will be repeated again and again… and again.

Giving someone a gift or even a simple thank you works so well because of the idea that “big doors swing on little hinges.” People appreciate a ‘thank you,’ gift cards, cash, and other tangible tokens. When you recognize people in even the smallest way, it lights their fire and gives them the motivation to push even harder, write more business, and help more people, all to keep that flow of recognition coming. Recognition makes all the difference in the workplace, so never stop looking for ways to show your team how much you appreciate their attitude, work ethic, and spirit.

Surprise people with small tokens of your gratitude, and over time, you’ll hear fewer complaints about late work nights; you’ll see more people willing to take a little paperwork home over the weekend; you’ll find more people participating in the referral programs and other programs. Human nature causes us to take actions that will enable us to avoid pain. No one wants to feel the absence of a once-flowing stream of gratitude, so people will take whatever action is necessary to avoid the pain of that loss and keep the gratitude coming.

To learn more about how to be successful, contact Mike Stromsoe’s Unstoppable Profit Producer Program. We can offer guidance, helping you perfect your professional posture. We also offer a premier wealth creation program that can help you work less, earn more, and enjoy life.

March 3, 2017 is National Employee Appreciation Day

March 3, 2017 is National Employee Appreciation DayAs an employer, it is your job to make sure that the morale of your employees stay as high as possible in order to get the most out of them.

National Employee Day is a day in which employers should really consider taking time to show their appreciation to their employees. It’s a good idea because without employees and their hard work, our business cannot go anywhere nor be successful. The only problem with National Employee Appreciation Day is that many employers are unsure how to celebrate it. Here are some commonly asked questions regarding National Employee Appreciation Day.

  1. How can I appreciate my employees in just one day?
    You’re not supposed to fit all appreciation in one day. It’s simply a reminder of the impact that appreciation can have every day! (You don’t only tell your spouse you love them on Valentine’s Day, do you?)
  2. What do employees expect?
    The holiday is so new that employees are unsure as to what to expect. They may expect, at the very least, a complimentary lunch. The important thing to do is ensure that you are sincere in the way you celebrate it.
  3. Is it necessary to celebrate?
    Is it necessary to celebrate your child’s birthday? Is it necessary to tell your spouse you love them? Intrinsically, those things hold no value. The value we place on them gives them meaning and because we care about them, we do those things. Likewise, you should care about your employees if you want them to care about you and your business.
  4. What should I do to celebrate?
    – Throw a party at the end of the day.
    – Give them the day off or allow them to work from home.
    – Everyone loves free food, so buying lunch for them would be a welcomed treat! Just remember that through personal or religious reasons, not everyone eats meat. Make sure there are plenty of vegetarian options for these employees.

Contact Mike Stromsoe’s Unstoppable Profit Producer Program for tips and help on how you can generate new income for your business.

5 Tips To Encourage a Healthy Work Environment

One of the most important characteristics to maintain in your business is a healthy and happy work environment. When your workforce is happy, your company flourishes. Therefore, it is imperative that you follow these 5 tips to encourage a healthy work environment:

  1. It is important that you encourage interaction between team members. Workplace morale and productivity will increase as your team feels a sense of community.
  2. Invite your employees in your world. Share the company’s overall goals with them and encourage input and feedback.
  3. Motivate your employees by providing a career path. Knowing that there is always the opportunity to move up in a company will keep your employees on their best behavior and always working to achieve new goals.
  4. Encourage workplace physical activity. Consider hiring a yoga instructor to come to the office twice a week.
  5. Most importantly, be responsive to your team’s needs and show your appreciation for their hard work on a regular basis.

If you are a small business owner, and are interested in utilizing a wealth creation program, please contact Mike Stromsoe’s Unstoppable Profit Producer Program! We can provide you with tools that will lead you directly to success. Give us a call today!

Freedom ROCKS and How to Get More of it!

One of the most frequent questions I get from other agents and entrepreneurs is how do you get so much freedom and don’t you worry about leaving the office for extended periods of time, whenever you want?  I used to, but not anymore.  You see, the agency that supports the life of my dreams has been carefully built and, consequently, I’ve taught the people that have earned the right to be part of our team to also create their individual opportunities daily to support the life of their dreams too.

I’m talking about the slowly hired team members that work in the Living Agency Laboratory. Yes marketing, operations and the rest is of paramount importance, but having the right team members strategically positioned in each facet of your money machine is the NUMBER ONE priority. One of the keys to maintaining our team is something that we just completed, which I affectionately call “Team Member Vision and Check-Up Day”.  For me, these days are some of the most important days of the year and before the day comes I plan, plan, plan and visualize in my mind exactly how it’s going to go.  This is what it looks like:  Every team member gets approximately one hour in my office, behind my closed door, to have a conversation with me and me only about their current situation, their future situation, and how they can contribute to our business going forward.

Additionally, we allow them some time to talk about personal things, if need be.  Before I go into this day, I always prepare a one-page script of very pointed questions, designed to elicit information, thoughts, visualizations and other matters of importance that need to be discussed.  Through these conversations, we are able to help the team members solidify their current goals, personally and professionally, start planning for their next set of goals for the coming year, and overall discuss how they can be a better team member, contributor to our agency and to the goals of our agency heading into the future.  Every time these meetings happen, it gets better and better.  This not only gives the team members a lift and gives them clarity in what they’re doing, it also helps me be a better leader and helps all of us collectively plan for the future and to set goals for the coming year.

After going through the process this year, I’ve now decided that I’m going to perform this twice a year at a minimum.  The nuggets have become so valuable and have helped create great clearness in where we’re going into the future.  In addition to that, it positions me as a team leader and agency owner to make changes in our personnel and the way we do things, our scripting, our operations, and much, much more.  By designing these conversations with specific questions, we are able to help the team members see exactly where they’re at.  If there are things that need to be fixed, it’s the perfect opportunity.  In the sessions that just ended, I planned one of the chairs in our agency, a very key chair, for many years to come(as long as she holds up her end of the bargain).  That lifts a potential burden off of my mind, allows me complete focus on the things that I need to continue to do so that our agency continues to churn money week after week, month after month, year after year.

Thought it would be helpful to list a few of the key scripted, pinpointing questions that I asked my team t behind closed doors:

1.            What thoughts do you have about your progress and our progress in 2012 so far?

2.            Why do you show up daily?

3.            Are team meetings of value to you? Why or why not? What can be done, in your opinion, to improve them?

4.            What are your expectations of this business to support your growth and advancement in the insurance agency business in the future?

5.            Discuss your expectations for yourself for 2013

Note: the most important part of facilitating these conversations is to STOP TALKING after you ask the questions. The answers and information you are looking for will come if you just listen for it.

Make a Difference, Be Unstoppable, Leave NO Regrets

Mike Stromsoe

 

Good News

Hundreds of people that are cared about deeply, respected and are considered lifelong friends have encouraged me many times over to provide this information to as many people as possible. Take a look at the good news below. I hope you can make it. It is going to be the beginning of something GREAT!

Good news

 

Wishing you continued massive success!

“You can have everything you want if you’ll simply give enough other people what they need”
Zig Ziglar

Hiring the Gifted Team-Part 3

Please accept my apology, this is long over due. Our total protection team continues to explode our agency.

Here is a real world sample of the exact autoresponder sent to prospective applicants who get past the first two steps. I am continually amazed at the number of qualified people who cannot follow directions!!

*******************************************
Hello $ToFirstName$,

Thank you for requesting more information about a position on our team. In this email, I want to accomplish several things all designed to save both of us time and effort:

1. Provide a list of requirements and expectations.
2. Provide more detail on the job description.
3. Provide some information about us.
4. Explain how to apply if you decide to pursue this opportunity.

If you can meet all of the following requirements and expectations, I hope you will continue with the next step of our hiring process.

* We are located in anytown, TX. You must be able to get to work reliably.

*Work hours are 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday. Lunch is 30 minutes and all team members are on flexible lunch breaks.

*You must get to work on time, period. You know yourself, so be honest right now. If you can’t get to work on time, please don’t bother applying.

*You must have excellent computer skills and be open to increased automation of all tasks. We file and fax electronically. We strive to eliminate paper wherever practical. While you do not need prior experience with electronic filing, you won’t be happy here if you are addicted to paper or afraid of computers or automation.

* A high level of proficiency in MS word, MS Excel, MS Publisher and MS Power Point is required

* You must be able to change job tasks on a dime

* You must be able to spell, do basic math functions, and have solid written communication skills

*You must have a positive, upbeat attitude.

*You must be honest and ethical too.

*You must be committed to work when at work. We do have a friendly, fun environment but it is work which is why we pay you. If it was all fun, we’d have to call it an amusement park and charge you to be here.

*Similarly, excessive contact with non-business persons during the work day isn’t tolerated. Everyone has a life. Some personal business must be conducted during work hours. Car’s in the shop, kids checking in after school. Understood. However, such contacts must be kept to necessary contact only – that includes emails too.

*You must be committed to learning. Change is constant and fast in our office. Streamlining and automating systems and procedures, new tools and software, and the ever-changing insurance world. If this scares you, you probably won’t be happy here.

*You must be able to work independently and be organized.

*You must be willing to follow procedures. Some things need to be done a certain way. Other things may require creativity and personal choice. When there are procedures, you must be able to follow them.

*You will work with several account managers. You must be willing to work as part of a team.

If you’re still reading at this point, here’s some information about the job itself. You do not need experience in all the areas, but the more the better of course. Responsibilities include:

*Processing support for licensed agents including data entry, electronic filing, and correspondance.

*Light bookkeeping in support of policy transactions.

*Preparing various insurance documents.

*Additional interface with customers including outbound phone calls to customers to gather data.

* Every day is different. Always a busy and changing environment. Marketing every single day is a must.

*Any other clerical or support tasks as requested. In other words, whatever we need done related to the business.

If you think you qualify and would enjoy this job, then here is some information about us and our benefits:

We are an independent retail insurance agency. We represent many insurance carriers.

We’ve been in business since 1977 and been family owned since 1982.

We presently have a staff of ?? full time persons and ?? part time people

Our benefits program is excellent. Currently it includes:

*Health

*Life

*Retirement Plan

*Paid time off which includes

* ?? paid holidays per year.

*Bonus and incentive plans after a specified period of employment.

If you are interested in applying for this job, please send me your resume and your salary requirements:

1. By email to [email protected]. DO NOT reply to this email.

2. The subject line of your email must state two things:

a. Your first and last name
b. winner

Thanks for your interest

Super Team Leader
President and Team Leader
Future Mega Agency
******************************************

Once a qualified person responds to this, you should have a resume. Personally, I am looking for:

1. ability to write well.
2. not too many jobs in the past 5 years (loyalty to team)
3. intagibles

At this point, if you want to go to the next step, 1-2 aptitude tests are in order. This will be the next blog in our “Hiring the Gifted Team” series. Stay tuned.

How about you? Share your experiences, good and bad, to help others.

Implement, Execute and Take Action

The above title is one of my very favorite for I have learned over the last 22+ years in business that ideas are a dime a dozen, but those that are implemented turn into dollars, sometimes hundreds, thousands or millions of dollars. Singles versus home runs will be a future blog topic. My question for you today is – what is your strategy to make sure your important and/or critical business goals get implemented/executed versus becoming part of the pile on your desk or the desk of someone else? How is your delegation plan working daily? Good luck luck on forward progress. Make a difference every day and Be Unstoppable

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