Monthly Archives: July 2013

My DN Travel News, Self-Development

Proven Strategy for Succeeding by Winning People’s Trust

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Sometimes a person can be competent, qualified, even certified in his/her chosen field…and still have problems succeeding e.g. in getting jobs…or if s/he’s in business, clients. There will be exceptions, but my experiences and observations suggest people who suffer that way, do so because they fail to inspire trust.

Something about them just does not convince those they seek to connect with, that they can be trusted to deliver.

Do The Signals You Give Out, Make You Credible?

Employers and clients seek people who can add value to them, by helping to achieve their important goals faster, if possible with less effort and at less cost.

As a results focused person, you will also naturally desire to get the very best returns on your investment of time, effort and money.

When someone you know tells you “I can do it. Trust me.”…what thoughts immediately pop up in your mind?

Are they positively reassuring…mixed…or even negative?

Your feelings will be based on a combination of factors – mainly what you see, and what you hear/read about him/her.

And that’s also how YOUR “reliability” will also be assessed by others, when you tell them what you can do i.e. what they see when relating with you, and what they hear/read about you.

What You Do, Matters Much More Than What You Say!

I once came across the following quote, and it really “spoke” to me:

“What you do speaks so loudly, I cannot hear what you say”

It’s less of what you say, and more of what you do (or have done) that people will use to determine whether or not to trust you.

That’s why recruiters/employers ask for resumes, and prospective clients want to see your profile, your website and past projects you’ve handled or details of experiences you’ve had.

Some of the most successful people in the world have rivals (and even critics) who admit having (sometimes grudging) respect or admiration for them.

That’s something that rarely happens by accident.

Such successful persons will have proved themselves to be reliably competent, many times over, to achieve that level of acknowledgement from others.

Goodwill of this kind is what some individuals who choose to contest for public office (or other valued positions) often leverage to get elected.

A track record of private business success will enhance the credibility of a candidate promising to improve the economy by encouraging entrepreneurship.

Final Words: Go Out and Become MORE…and You’ll Win People’ Trust Over and Over Again

You can significantly improve your success rate in winning people over within short periods of time.

And I mean to the extent that they readily give YOU what you want (e.g. payment to do what you offer to do for them) within 24 hours of meeting you!

How can you do this?

One proven way is by constantly adding to yourself in terms of the useful knowledge and skills you possess.

When people discover you often have something useful – based on real life experiences – to tell them, with respect to achieving the goals they consider important, they will readily trust you.

That’s why you need to get out and do things that will give you true stories you can tell. Make it a goal of yours – everyday – to explore and discover newer and better ways to do what you do.

Challenge yourself to think up new ideas to share – freely – with people you meet and hope to connect with.

Consistently do this every single day, and watch “magic” happen in your relationships with those you approach.

Everything I say here is based on personal experiences I have had, and continue to have.

It is because of this “knowledge” that I am NEVER afraid of what the future holds for me.

You can live that way too, if you adopt a similar strategy.

Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News

Is It Smart to Partner With a New Acquaintance?

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Without trust, little progress will be achieved in activities requiring cooperation or collaboration with others. But how do you know who to trust – in business or life in general – especially online? This article suggests steps you can take, at least at the preliminary stage, to decide whether or not to accept a partnership offer from a new acquaintance.

A Partnership Offer or Proposal for Collaboration Should Normally Be a Good Thing

The only problem is that not everyone who comes to us will be good for us.

That’s why even if such an individual fits your idea of a dream partner (e.g. rich, successful, well connected etc) my personal experiences suggest it will often be wise to proceed with caution.

Doing so will minimise your chances of hooking up with the wrong kinds of people.

We must however accept that sometimes we may make mistakes in choosing those we team up with, and get hurt. Generally, such lessons will equip us to make smarter decisions in future.

Suggestions: Two Steps You Can Take

1. “Google” him or her

Anyone can get “written” about or mentioned on a web page somewhere. Even if s/he hardly uses the Internet. That’s why today, it can be useful to Google people – and even yourself.

I Google new people I meet a lot. And it has often armed me with very useful details about the new contact, to guide my relations and decision making.

The following experience I had years ago made me form this habit:

In 2000, I ran into a Google results listing in which my name was mentioned. It was a Yahoo groups post by some individual in the Public Relations field.

S/he posted a “Press Release”-like report about certain promotions announced in Guinness Nigeria back then. At the time, I had just been elevated from Shift Brewer, to Training and Technical Development Manager in Benin Brewery.

When I absent-mindedly Googled my name on that day, I never expected anything interesting to come up in the results page. You can therefore imagine my surprise when I saw the preview with my name in it. Naturally, I clicked to read the full page!

In the same way, you never know what you’ll find when you Google the name of that new contact you’ve made, that you’re planning to team up with.

It could be something good. On the other hand, it could something that raises cause for concern!

The above works both ways too. What will that person see when s/he Googles YOU?

The bad experience I had some months ago, in which LinkedIn.com locked up my profile on their website is a case in point. I eventually decided to do a post on my blog about it. “My story” may not appease everyone who wonders why I’m not (or no longer) on Linked In, but it’s the best I can do.

If anyone chooses to let that stop him/her from doing business with me, that would be his/her loss.

That’s why we must each regularly review how we “look” on Google and other search engines online.

2. Get Website Addresses, Online Profile URLs – and Explore In Depth

In certain societies, where trust is reasonably well established as a basis for doing business, it could be safe to assume some things.

However, in other environments, failing to carefully evaluate the person you’ve met to get a more accurate impression of what s/he is about can prove costly to you later on.

Social Media today offer can prove quite useful in this regard – though it depends on whether or not the person you’re curious about uses them.

Search the more popular platforms to see if you can find her. If you do, take a look at the kinds of posts that appear on her page or profile. You can get a decent feel for the kind of thinking s/he subscribes to from the “conversations” s/he initiates or contributes to. Also, review his/her profile friends.

During your conversations, casually ask where she’s been, what she’s done, who she’s worked with etc. Use intelligent but non-intrusive questions to get the answers you need. Listen for the pauses as s/he responds and interacts with you.

Then listen to your “feelings” based on all the above.

The steps outlined above can help you determine whether or not to continue relating with a new contact who proposes a partnership.

It’s not a fool proof strategy, but it is quite likely to help you make fewer errors in choosing people to partner or collaborate with online.

My DN Travel News, Public Speaking

No. 100: Nothing Can Stop YOU…Except Greed

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This issue of my speaking IDEAS newsletter includes a true story of how, last weekend, a young man tried to “hire” me to “insert” an image of himself, into the photo of a giant aquarium he downloaded from the web! His purpose? To send the “Photo-shopped” version, with a quote, to a prospective client he’d told he could build giant aquariums!

In the rest of this piece, I highlight the fact that our true beliefs manifest when difficulties confront us, or when we want something badly. And I emphasize the need to NOT  let difficulties we face, or needs we have, “push” us to do the opposite of what we profess to believe!

SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE FULL ISSUE

Click now to view the latest issue of Tayo Solagbade's Public Speaking IDEAS page

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Publication: Tayo Solagbade’s Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Page (PSIP) Newsletter

Date: Monday 29th July 2013

No:100

Title: Nothing Can Stop YOU…Except Greed

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [234-803-302-1263]

Blog URL: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/blog

Archive (For E-mail only version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (For Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here

Hi,

Please find below the latest issue of my Speaking IDEAS newsletter.

10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind (FREE PDF DOWNLOAD)

E-mail your name, country, mobile number, occupation, & facebook/twitter URLs (if any) to tayo at tksola dot com, and I’ll send you a FREE copy of my detailed PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind.”

Screenshot of PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind."

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LEARN…

How to Make Drinks You CAN SELL, from Peels of Pineapples & Nine (9) Other Fruits!

 

No. 100: Nothing Can Stop YOU…Except Greed

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NB: If you ever find yourself wondering what else I’ve written, some days after you’ve read THIS Speaking Ideas newsletter I send out on a Monday, here’s what you can do to find out: Point your browser to www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule :-)

**********

This issue of my speaking IDEAS newsletter includes a true story of how, last weekend, a young man tried to “hire” me to “insert” an image of himself, into the photo of a giant aquarium he downloaded from the web! His purpose? To send the “Photo-shopped” version, with a quote, to a prospective client he’d told he could build giant aquariums!

In the rest of this piece, I highlight the fact that our true beliefs manifest when difficulties confront us, or when we want something badly. And I emphasize the need to NOT let difficulties we face, or needs we have, “push” us to do the opposite of what we profess to believe!

If You’re Diligent, Honest, and Consistent, You’ll Always Get The Results You Want – ALWAYS!

I’m writing this from my home in Lagos, Nigeria. This is the first time since I left the country, on Fool’s Day – April 1st, 2013, that I’m working from here.

One of the main reasons I moved was the need for access to steadier power supply. And that has really paid off. My productivity has quadrupled as a result of that singular move. I exaggerate not.

But another reason was the annoyance of scam artists who operate a lot from here. The stigma still affects me even in my new base, in Benin Republic. But at least I run into those guys less often.

Having said the above, I have never let that problem bother me. My reasoning has always been that sooner than later, my target audience will realize it’s safe to do business with me.

And I’m NOT going anywhere. So when (not if) they do come round, they’ll find me right where they left me, doing what I do – ready to put my unique expertise and insight to work for them.

Rather Than Worry or Go Crooked, I Did Two Things, Repeatedly & Consistently

In essence, I’ve NEVER stopped believing that nothing can stop me. And that’s why today I’m achieving the amazing results people now recognise me for, within and outside Nigeria. And I continue doing them even today…now in fact…regardless of the recognition and accolades I’m getting.

1. I Took Regular Action to Make Tangible Progress Towards My Ultimate Goal

In case you do not know it, my ultimate purpose – through my Self-Development Academy Online platform – is to become the foremost provider of products and services (especially information and education) relevant to Self-Development, Workplace Performance Enhancement, Custom IT Solutions and Business Best Practice Systems Development in Africa – and one of the best in the world.

It has not changed since 2005, when I put it up on the About page on my website (click).

That is not an easy goal to accomplish. When I started www.spontaneousdevelopment.com in June 2005, very few (if at all any) who knew me, believed I could achieve anything worthwhile with it.

But my attitude has since won most of them over. Most have now become trusted sources of support!  In other words, I did not get here all by myself.

But, I had to FIRST of all show others that I believed in myself, to make them believe in me.

2. I Rejected Any Attempts to Lead Me Off My Preferred Moral Track

In simple English, I refuse to let greed, and desire for quick success, make me submit to the influence of dishonest others.

Here’s a brief but true story of a recent experience I had within 6 hours of arriving here in Lagos:

My 2 daughters insisted on accompanying me to a neighbourhood café, where I needed to finish work on a Joomla! project for a new client.

The 60 year old gentleman is a diplomat serving in Benin Republic. I was introduced to him for the first time in his office, less than a week ago. Twenty four hours after we met, he’d written me a cheque to move his farm business website into Joomla!, the dynamic and database driven Content Management System.

Interestingly, my purpose for visiting the embassy was actually to introduce samples of my Pineapple peel based drink, and request their support for my plan to give lectures to interested persons!

Can you see how taking real action in the above manner, opened doors of opportunities for ME in a totally unexpected way? I tell people this all the time: Just take action to do something!

But that’s not the “true story” I actually wanted to share with you…

You see, while at the café with my daughters, a heavily built young man walked in. I looked up, our eyes met, and we recognised one another. But I could not recall where we’d met.

As we shook hands, he told me “Hello Sir, I used to be an attendant at the Cyber café you frequented in Allen Avenue, Ikeja”. Then I remembered. It had been at least 3 years ago.

He said he needed a job done in Photoshop. I asked him to see the attendant. He returned to ask my help as the Cyber Café did not offer the service.

He told me it was urgent, and that he needed to send it to a client before midnight. In a bid to help him, I asked for details. He began showing me pictures – on his smartphone, of walled aquariums, obviously downloaded from some website. Then he came to a picture of himself standing next to a wall.

He then explained that he wanted that photo of himself to be “cropped”, and placed next to a beautiful walled aquarium in the other picture!

Oh oh…red lights began jumping around in my head :-)

I found myself wondering how stupid this guy thought I was. For one thing, if he truly built such aquariums, there would no need for this “doctoring” of photos.

He’d simply go to a past client and request permission to stand (possibly with the client), next to his handiwork, and take a picture to send to his prospective client.

I did not need a “seer” to tell me this guy was trying to win a contract for a job he could NOT do!

His likely plan was to get the advance payment and disappear. We hear these stories all the time.

To save my limited time, I simply told him I lacked the skills to do such “complex” work, and advised that he go down the street to the next café. He thanked me, and left.

People like that young man are driven by greed. And 9 times out of 10, those who get duped by them are often controlled by greed (e.g. the desire to pay what they know is a grossly LOW price, for something they know is worth much more).

Like they say, it takes two to tango.

Nothing Can Stop You From Achieving Lasting and Authentic Success – Except Greed

Greed blinds people to legitimate channels they can explore to achieve lasting success.

The desire to get something by cheating, or taking advantage of others is greed.  In other words, you want to get more than your fair share. Or to get what you are not entitled to.

I learned very early on in life that greed offers only a few “benefits” – all of which are short term. But it results in countless long term regrets!

So I trained myself to ignore it…a long time ago.

Greediness is a learned habit. Therefore anyone who wants to do so can unlearn it.

Check yourself.

Do you have any area of your life in which greed controls you?

Does it make you do what you know you should NOT?

If yes, take the firm decision today, to GET RID of IT from your life…permanently!

Need More Details of How to Make The Above Ideas Work for YOU?

If you need more specific details of how to make use of the ideas I’ve shared in this newsletter, send me a message using this request form – with “Re: Nothing Can Stop YOU…Except Greed.” in the subject line.

SD Nuggets Blog™

 New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking[Monday]:
No. 99: Smart Experts Avoid Lazy People

Entrepreneurship [Tuesday]:
Property Buyers Don’t Use Facebook (?)
Self-Development [Wednesday]:

Don’t Apologize for Being Yourself

Career Development [Thursday]:
Can I Generate Payslips At One Go, for 3,500 Staff – Using MS Excel-Visual Basic? (Real-Life Conversation with a Payroll Manager)

Parenting [Friday]:

How to Achieve Parenting Success
Writing/Blogging [Saturday]:
Passion Will Not Save You, If You Lack Mastery!
Want me to write for you? Click here…

Click now

Have a lovely week!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade – works as a multipreneurial freelance writer providing  zero risk article and report writing support for website owners, while travelling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Entrepreneur.

He’s presently based in Benin Republic, where he’s preparing an English-French Language Guide, City Travel Guides, and a Commercial Rabbit Farming Guide.

In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer, to Training & Technical Development Manager, then later acted in senior management roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Self-Development Nuggets™ blog, and Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

For a limited time, Tayo is available to speak to your group or organization for a moderate fee. Send e-mail to tayo at tksola dot com. You can also visit www.tksola.com to learn more.

Connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.

==================

Have you been undecided about whether or not to become a paid speaker? Or have you been trying to get your speaking career off the ground with little success?

Here’s a tip: Burt Dubin works with people who want to be speakers, and with speakers who want to be masters. Click here to visit his website NOW and submit a contact form message telling him what challenges you’re facing, and how you’d like him to help you. Tell him I sent you, and you’ll get a pleasant surprise offer from him.

Comments?

What do you think of the above message? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Please share your thoughts!

Share this issue!

Do you know anyone who might benefit from reading this newsletter issue? Why not hit the forward button now, and send it to him/her with a short recommendation. You can also use share it via your social media channels. Thanks in advance.

View Tayos video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsConnect with Tayo on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google Plus

What fears or doubts are keeping you from (a) taking up Burt Dubin’s monthly speaker mentoring, or (b) buying his products?

You can choose to purchase Burt’s mentoring at any of the three (3) levels listed below:

1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Burt’s three mentoring packages can be likened to the seating options offered by airlines: Budget Delight (Economy); Mid Range (Business); and Top Shelf (First Class).

At least that’s how I like to think of them!

All three will get you to your desired destination of “speaking success-ville” – so long as you meet the requirements/play your part well (your fare, abide by the set guidelines etc). During the “flight”, the seat you have will determine how much personal service attention and preference the provider will accord you. It’s that simple :-)

So, make your choice:1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Send me an e-mail with your questions via tayo at tksola dot com. In the meantime, why not get started by subscribing here to get his 7-Part Course (How To Succeed And Get Paid As A Professional Speaker) .  . . and receive his monthly newsletter (Speaking Biz Strategies Letter) at no cost.

Get mentored by Burt Dubin - coach of some of the world's highest paid public speakersFor over 25 years, Burt Dubin has provided a variety of speaker mentoring products and services to clients worldwide.
Download this flyer as PDF: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/uploads/burt_new_flyer.pdf

Burt Dubin now offers his speaker mentoring service to experts based in Africa. Click now to download this flyer as PDF
Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News, Writing/Blogging

Passion Will Not Save You, If You Lack Mastery!

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“Reading without thinking gives a disorderly mind, and thinking without reading makes one unbalanced” – Confucius

All the obsession and exercise in the world will not make you write better if you do not know enough about your chosen topic or subject.

It may appear like I’m stating the obvious, but I’ve read some blog posts and articles that make a mockery of writing on certain topics. Honestly!

This is why Google’s efforts to clean up the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) people get served with when they do online searches can be appreciated.

The bar has been raised, especially if you’re writing online for marketing exposure.

You therefore need to produce good quality content. And that requires knowing your subject well.

If there is something you’re good at, writing about it tends to be easy. You may however need to do some additional research to add more depth and variety. Quite often, the effort you make to investigate your topic to give readers value for their time will pay off via positive feedback and other ways.

One Question: Is it possible you’re trying to write on topics you do not know enough about?

If yes, I suggest you either switch to writing on topics you are more comfortable with, or devote some quality time to research the unfamiliar topic(s).

Then you can study until you feel better prepared to write.

If you do this right, you’ll easily write volumes on virtually any subject you choose.

I once wrote sixteen “750 word” web marketing articles on “hearing and speech improvement”, for an audiologist client within 5 working days by doing the above.

The Internet makes writing related research quite easy and convenient. And it often offers more up to date material as well. So, with access to the web, a “lack of adequate knowledge” should not be a difficult limitation for you to overcome – if you set your mind to it.

“The illiterate of the 21st Century will not be those who cannot read or write. They will be those who cannot learn, un-learn and re-learn” – Alan Toffer

 

My DN Travel News, Parenting

How to Achieve Parenting Success

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Are you driven by a need to make your kids successful in life? Does helping them learn how to make a headway in life deeply interest you?

Any parent that says yes to these questions can be said to be living for his/her kids.

Diligently doing so will make you a successful parent in the long run.

Living for your kids is the key to giving them the support they need to succeed in llfe.

It means actively going out of your way to acquire useful information, education and experiences, that you can return to share with them, so they can get better.

If you’ve been reading my writing a while, you’ll know that I often mention the fact that I live for my kids.

Everything I’m doing today derives from my strong desire to coach my kids to do a better job of living as Independent adults.

Most of us know that the world we encountered after leaving school turned out to be different from what we expected.

And it was not just academically, but also in terms of how people in the world outside school (the real world) behave.

This cycle of “culture shock” needlessly experienced by young people inadequately prepared to succeed in larger society has persisted for years.

I’ve experienced the “culture shock” myself, and felt the pain – and humiliation – resulting from being unable to deal with it.

That’s why I resolved to always do my best to help others learn to intelligently adapt to unexpected situations they encounter in the real world.

The sight of my kids often boosts my determination to find solutions to such societal challenges.

Such efforts will help them learn how to handle themselves under such situations.

And that is very important to me as a parent.

If any of my kids demonstrates ineptitude in his/her attitude or interpersonal interactions, I would take it as a challenge to do more to help him/her improve.

That’s why I say I live for my kids. Their welfare – physical, emotional and psychological – matters greatly to me.

I want them to succeed in better ways than I am doing, or have done.

What about YOU?

Do you live for your kids?

If no, consider doing so from today, so you can succeed better as a parent.

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News

Can I Generate Payslips At One Go, for 3,500 Staff – Using MS Excel-Visual Basic? (Real-Life Conversation with a Payroll Manager)

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This article is based on a real-life Facebook chat session I recently had with a prospect. It will benefit YOU:

(a). If your work involves managing salaries/payroll – because it answers questions about using Excel automation to make your work easier and less time consuming.

(b) If as a website owner you want an insider understanding of how you can handle enquiries that result from use of a Web Marketing System. I’ve written in the past about how having a Web Marketing System can help you generate pre-qualified sales leads (i.e. people looking for solutions you offer come looking for you) – even while you sleep.

The enquirer apparently came across write-ups I’d done on the subject (like this PDF). Then he sent me a Facebook friend request, and initiated an impromptu chat within a few hours after I accepted his request. In essence, the WMS enables you present yourself in a way that boosts your credibility. In the long run, that will lead to sales.

SAVE MONEY By Preparing Your Company’s Pay slips In Microsoft Excel - Click now to download

The Chat Begins

<Initial greetings deleted>

Prospect: Got some good stuff about you through the internet and am happy that I can chat with you now

Tayo Solagbade (Me): That’s good to know. Please to be able to chat with you as well

Prospect: but I have some questions. Your post about how to use excel to generate payslip fascinates me

Tayo Solagbade (Me): It’s a post that’s based on real life applications I built that have been used by my clients since 2007 – including 2 hospitals that have over 100 staff

Prospect: I maintain payroll of about three thousand five hundred staff, can I generate payslip for these at a go?

Tayo Solagbade (Me): I offer customization of my applications to suit their unique needs

Prospect: I maintain payroll of about three thousand five hundred staff, can I generate payslip for these at a go?

Tayo Solagbade: You seem to have repeated your question. But I’ll rephrase mine. I use VBA code to make the preparation of pay slips dynamic. So, in the advanced version of my apps, it would not matter what number of people you have. As long as they are in the app’s records table, it will pick them one after the other and feed them to the print0ready payslip interface. Indeed, if you wish, the application can be further extended to generate PDF files stored in a predetermined location where you can go late to print selectively.

Prospect: Ok. But can data from excel be uploaded into your apps records table?

Tayo Solagbade (Me):Yes.

Prospect: Pls, how long will you take to teach me how to

Tayo Solagbade (Me): How to do do what?

Prospect: How to use VBA code to generate pay slips for the three thousand, five hundred staff

Tayo Solagbade (Me): You have to buy my app – and order a customization. Except you want me to teach you how to build YOUR own app using Excel-VB. The latter will take more time, depending on your current level of expertise in the use of Excel. I have a method for establishing that.

As a rule, I prefer working with people who have an advanced knowledge of MS Excel, and have at least done a little Macro recording based automation. It;s not easy – but those who apply themselves can learn.

If you want a quick solution, with minimal trial and error, I suggest you order a customized version of my existing app.

Prospect: Pls, how much will it cost me to buy your application and order a customization or what will it cost me to learn how to build my own app using excel VBA?

Tayo Solagbade (Me): One moment. Just trying to find a generic email I normally send to enquirers

Prospect: Okay

Tayo Solagbade (Me): Decided to do short note at the start – the email comes AFTER it. I’m late for an appointment at the Nigerian embassy. Will have to log off the laptop. But I’ll still be able to respond to you via my Blackberry. It may take longer though.

Just ignore the name in the message.

Regarding the fees:

Option 1: You asked “how much will it cost me to buy your application and order a customization”

The advanced Excel-VB driven Payslip Generator sells for N50K as is (I just add your company name, logo, and help you transfer your records from your Excel file into the app – at NO CHARGE).

Depending on what you want application to do, the fee for customization starts from N50k It can go as far as N250K – based on past projects I’ve had to work on for clients – including a National Primary Health Care Database (NPHCDA) project that lasted from 2008 till 2012.

It handles over 50,000 records of medical facilities/personnel – including picture displays.

Option 2: Or what will it cost me to learn how to build my own app using excel VBA?

Coaching on Excel-VB solutions development starts from N100k – depending on what you will be taught.

I go about it by offering 2 aspects:

a. Theoretical coaching – on the basics and language. It comes with plenty of reading and practical exercises, designed to help you get a firm grasp of the important concepts – especially worksheet design logic and use of VBA to eliminate routine and repetitive tasks

b. Field Project – you will tell me a specific application you want to build from scratch that will be useful to you. I will then guide YOU to build it over time. You will let me see stages of your work progress, and I will give you feedback and pointers.

Until the final app is born. If need be, I’ll help you tweak it to function better or look “prettier”. Whatever I do, I’ll explain why, and how you can do it yourself.

After the training ends, I become available to you for an additional 6 months – via email, phone/Skype – at no extra charge, to help you hone your skills.

Duration will depend on you. But standard duration is 2 months – and you set the pace. We meet for 48 hours over those 2 months – be it online or in person. In between meetings, you’ll be doing LOTs of small exercises to help you master aspects of Excel-VB programming. It WILL be challenging. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll enjoy it and you’ll learn.

Got to go. Will respond by smart phone if you have more questions

Below is the generic email with some links…(it gives details of what you also get when you pay)

=============

Hi Prakash,

<text deleted>

In your message, you mentioned being a Training Manager and you requested to download the tutorials offered on my website – which were delivered to you via autoresponse.

I’ve recently decided to offer on demand one-on-one coaching in Excel VB driven software development to interested persons online.

How It Works

You tell me what you want to learn or be able to do with MS Excel. I’ll give you my insights and opinion to complement your expressed needs.

Then if we agree to go forward, I’ll produce easy to follow custom PDF guides and video tutorials for you, that you’ll be able to use repeatedly. And I’ll also be available via email and Skype phone/ chat to provide any support you need as you carry out practical exercises I’ll give you.

Everything I teach you will be based on the real life experience and knowledge I’ve gained from developing custom Excel software for users and clients for well over 15 years.

##Testimonial from a buyer of my Excel software##

Here’s a testimonial from a recent buyer after I sent him the new free upgrade version of my popular Ration Formulator:

=Starts=

“Hi Tayo,

Thanks for the updates. I have used it with satisfaction and transferred all my data to this 2013 version.

We are getting more and more familiar with it.

Its flexibility allows to adapt the results to our needs and possibilities. I am amazed.”

Read the full testimonial at:

http://tinyurl.com/ffapptest

##

If this Excel Software Development Coaching Offer is something that interests you, and you’d like to take it further, just reply to this email stating your specific interests or needs, and any questions you have.

(NB: I’ve included below, links to videos and detail pages showing examples of the kind of applications I can teach you to build.)

I look forward to working with you.

With kindest regards,

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Performance Improvement Specialist & Multipreneur

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service (www.speakingsuccess.com) In Africa

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

Email: tayo at spontaneousdevelopment dot com

Web: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/

====================­====

###PS: The following might interest you..Two Examples Of Excel Software Types You Can Learn To Build###

1. Automated Ration Formulator

Visit the page below to watch a demonstration video for a new free upgrade version of my popular Excel VB driven Feed Formulation Software :

http://spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets/video-free-upgrade-excel-vb-ration-formulator-stores-exports­derived-formulas/

I’ve been selling it online since 2007. It’s one of my simpler, less sophisticated applications. I can teach you how to build something similar.

You can get about it from

http://iff.spontaneousdevelopment.com/wp/feed-formulation/

Download the PDF guide from:

http://www.tinyurl.com/rfpdf2013

2. Custom Automated Hospital Financial Records Manager

You can also learn to build a highly sophisticated application with automated charting and advanced modeless data entry forms like the one in this application I built for a large hospital here in Lagos.

Click the link below to watch the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUl4_RAja-g

3. Advanced Payslip Generator Tutorial

My custom payslip generators have been purchased by companies with up to 120 employees to cater for since 2007.

Visit the tutorial offer page for my advanced payslip generator software development coaching at:

http://www.tinyurl.com/PayslipTutor

There are 2 detailed videos on that page that show features and functions you can learn to incorporate into your own Excel software.

The Facebook Chat Then Ends…

Tayo Solagbade (Me):Am off

Prospect: Thanks sir, I’ll get back to you in due time.

Final Words

Like I said at the start of this piece, you may not close every sales opportunity the WMS brings to you. But over time, if you diligently work to “converse effectively” with such prospects, you WILL close more sales.

If you need help setting up a Web Marketing System (which comes with a FREE website) for your company, or with building a Payslip Generator to handle your payroll preparation, click here to contact me.

My DN Travel News, Self-Development

Don’t Apologize for Being Yourself

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Read this article with an open mind, if you wish to get useful value from it. I’m not asking anyone to be rude or inconsiderate to others. Instead, it’s a call to every person of vision and ambition to stop playing small in a bid to avoid criticism or scrutiny.

The Best Way to Live Life Is To Fulfill Your God-given Potential

Our creator has endowed each person with a unique talent or ability that sets him/her apart from everyone else. And he expects each of us to put our strengths to use to make others better off.

Doing so however will periodically attract unpleasantness from negative minded persons.

It is my considered opinion that a higher (probably increasing) number of adults today feel insecure and threatened by anyone who confidently puts his strengths to use.

Rather than seek ways to emulate such persons, they often readily attack him/her for being “showy” or “arrogant”. They hide behind such criticisms because they actually feel intimated by the other person’s demonstrated self-confidence.

Never Let Anyone Make You Play Small

YOU have every right to work to develop yourself to your full potential. And it will not matter who feels offended by your willingness to do so.

I make this comment because I’ve come across too many people who keep holding themselves back because they’re scared of exceeding others. They don’t want to call attention to themselves that could lead others to mock and give those names.

But that’s always a big mistake. The world needs you to be your full and true self. And you need to do so without apology- to anyone. Not even your parents.

There’s no crime in trying to be in people’s good books. But you must know when to stop. For instance, when avoiding getting on the wrong side of people means you have to avoid being your true self, there’s a big problem.

As human beings, we are driven by our passions. Whenever we have to subdue our passions, we usually feel miserable. The human spirit can never accept being restricted, limited or caged. This is why when a person is subjected to repeatedly undue criticism for acting true to his/her nature to increase, s/he is rarely happy and fulfilled.

And what is life without fulfillment and happiness? Nothing. It’s nothing.

You Owe Nobody Any Apology for Being Yourself

It goes without saying that you must be your “good” self.

For instance, you must be fair and considerate in your dealings with anyone. If your true self does not enable you be emotionally intelligent in relating with others, you need to make adjustments. That would be nothing to be proud of.

One example: I know a young undergraduate who is in the habit of constantly putting others down. Nothing gets past him. If a colleague says he has little airtime credit on his phone, this guy quickly announces he has some comparatively large amount on his. Then he proceeds to mock the other for being “poor”.

That’s not all. For him, no opportunity to ridicule a colleague or roommate based on some subject he believes he knows, ever escapes. As a result, he often instigates blind arguments with others.

To make matters worse, when told what he’s doing wrong, he boldly asserts that he will never change, saying there’s nothing wrong with his behaviour.

Now that’s wrong. And his colleagues tell him so. Yet he continues doing the same thing.

That kind of “self” is not desirable – for civilized interaction. A person guilty of such habits will often need to call him/herself to order, and possibly apologize.

Don’t be that kind of person.

You will always be better off moulding your character into one that delivers useful benefits to those you relate with.

You must get to a point where what you do cannot be correctly seen as bad, or unfair. Once there, you will no longer have to worry about offending anyone – because being yourself will be “good” for everyone you meet!

Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News

Property Buyers Don’t Use Facebook (?)

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NB: This article is based on a true story. A 25 year veteran real estate expert actually made the above statement to me few years back. Details below.

What do you sell? Is it physical or digital…or a mix of both? Is it a product, or a service? The answers to those questions determine how you go about selling.

Know this however: No matter how you choose to sell, a Web Marketing System (WMS) will always be a useful addition to your marketing and sales arsenal.

The global downslide in economic fortunes makes it even more imperative to adopt a WMS. It is the key to staying profitable for the long term, in these trying times.

Even in Africa, where development is said to occur at a lesser pace, more people are awakening to using the web for business in this manner..

However, some still resist it…

A Real Estate Client Once Claimed Property Buyers Did Have Time for Facebook (True Story)

I recall a real estate client whose company has branches round the country, telling me that using Facebook for business marketing was a waste of time.

He said “Look Tayo, I’ve been in this business for 25 years!“. This happened about 3 years ago.

According to him, property buyers did not have time for social media. He claimed they usually preferred to read print publications focussed on their areas of interest, and of course watch TV and Radio. He actually went as far as saying young scam artists were the ones who spent time on Facebook etc!

This was in response to my suggestion that he let me setup a facebook page for his company, as a part of the Web Marketing System I was developing for him.

I replied that those he referred to were the old and rich persons investing in real estate. I noted that a new generation of young millionaires was emerging e.g. via the entertainment industry. And many of them were/are keen on investing in real estate.

Despite my explanation, he refused to have a Facebook page setup. So, I suggested creating at least an Article Marketing account at www.ezinearticles.com. He agreed – and I published some of his articles that had been featured in national newspapers.

Using the Ezinearticles widget, I displayed previews to the articles on his website. Then I submitted the website pages to Google, and other search engines. Before leaving, I used the PDF user guide I wrote, to coach the secretary (who functioned as webmaster), on how to use the Joomla! based website I built for them.

When A South African Company Contacted Him Via The Article Marketing, He Changed His Tune!

About 2 months later, I got a call from this CEO. He told me a South African company had called him saying they had read one of his Ezinearticles.com articles found via Google. They apparently found it to be an authoritative piece on the properties market in Nigeria.

As a result, they wanted to get his insights with regard to investment opportunities. The call lasted for about an hour. After that, they sent him a $100 Amazon.com gift voucher as a way of saying thank you.

He was excited…and surprised. But I was not. When I’d read his articles, I’d told him publishing them online would win him credibility as an authority on Nigeria’s real estate.

What he said next was also not surprising to me: He asked when a Facebook page for the company could be setup! I firmly resisted the urge to say “I told you so”…but I certainly thought it!

Those Who Say the Internet – or Social Media – Is Not Useful for Them, Often Need Proper “Education” on the Subject

The point of this story is that many business owners who say social media, or the Internet, is not for them, often lack a clear understanding to base their conclusions on. Most would therefore benefit from guidance provided by a knowledgeable – and practically competent – expert in the field.

This article offers basic insights for such persons. If you need more help to discover how YOU can make the web work for you, click here to contact me

There’s no point in saying the Internet is not for you. I’ve heard many people say that. Quite often it’s because they are reluctant to change (or are afraid) – and not that they really know it’s useless.

This resistance to change is a big problem facing many people. To find more buyers at less cost, and with less effort, dispense with such negative thinking…or you’ll be left behind!

Be honest with yourself, and take a good look around the web. You’ll find that there is hardly any kind of business that – today – cannot be found represented formally on the web.

Smart business people are daily using their creativity to adapt the web to suit their needs. And the web enables them do it on a shoe string budget!

YOU can also do the same thing from today, and it will enable you spend less time and effort to make more money!

My DN Travel News, Public Speaking

No. 99: Smart Experts Avoid Lazy People

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People who display an attitude of rarely wanting to exert themselves to get what they want, are often basically lazy. I’ve come across persons with a history of having “aid” or “support” given to them for virtually every major area of their existence.

As a result they’ve gotten used to always “getting”, even when they make no productive use of what they “get”. They are rarely required to be accountable for (or to show evidence of progress using) support or solutions given them e.g. learning opportunities, grants, zero interest loans etc.

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Publication: Tayo Solagbade’s Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Page (PSIP) Newsletter

Date: Monday 22nd July 2013

No:99

Title: Smart Experts Avoid Lazy People

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [234-803-302-1263]

Blog URL: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/blog

Archive (For E-mail only version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (For Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here

Hi,

Please find below the latest issue of my Speaking IDEAS newsletter.

10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind (FREE PDF DOWNLOAD)

E-mail your name, country, mobile number, occupation, & facebook/twitter URLs (if any) to tayo at tksola dot com, and I’ll send you a FREE copy of my detailed PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind.”

Screenshot of PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind."

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LEARN…

How to Make Drinks You CAN SELL, from Peels of Pineapples & Nine (9) Other Fruits!

 

No. 99: Smart Experts Avoid Lazy People

**** **********

NB: If you ever find yourself wondering what else I’ve written, some days after you’ve read THIS Speaking Ideas newsletter I send out on a Monday, here’s what you can do to find out: Point your browser to www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule :-)

**********

People who display an attitude of rarely wanting to exert themselves to get what they want, are often basically lazy. I’ve come across persons with a history of having “aid” or “support” given to them for virtually every major area of their existence.

As a result they’ve gotten used to always “getting”, even when they make no productive use of what they “get”. They are rarely required to be accountable for (or to show evidence of progress using) support or solutions given them e.g. learning opportunities, grants, zero interest loans, etc.

This situation makes such people believe there is no justifiable need to exert themselves. As such, asking them to set goals, and aim higher can actually offend them.

Believe me, I’ve experienced this!

Now, imagine such people coming together as a group to invite an expert on “Personal Productivity Improvement” to speak to, and coach them for instance?

How successful do you think s/he will be in firing them up with renewed focus and determination?

Not very. Except a miracle happens.

Such lazy people can be found virtually anywhere – in societies at large, and within groups/organisations.

If You Choose Lazy People, You’ll Have No Success Stories to Tell!

As an expert, your credibility and reputation will depend mainly on the results you get – be it from giving talks, or delivering your products/services.

When you serve your target audiences, your expectations would stem from the achievements you have recorded with past audiences.

But if you choose the lazy kind, you may find that long after you leave, you rarely have any success stories to prove that you made a worthwhile impact on them!

I’ve seen/heard about some great teachers getting blamed for the failure of certain students, when most times the students were the ones who failed to put in the needed time and effort to succeed.

This sometimes happens with kids of rich and indulgent parents, brought up to put fun and pleasure ahead of almost all else. The parents assume they only need to pay for the “best” teacher.

That of course does not always work. The teacher may give his best. But if the students choose to fool around – instead of studying – till the exams are around the corner, they are unlikely to do well!

Choose People Ready to Do What It Takes

Everything I’m saying here is based on deep reflection on personal experiences I’ve had in the past 10 years – both in my country, Nigeria, and here in Benin Republic.

I’ve interacted quite closely, and for extended periods, with working adults, as well as students (at  secondary and university levels), job seekers and even newly employed persons in organisations.

Take a competent expert and expose different kinds of people to him/her. They will each emerge with widely varying levels of performance.

Quite often, being the professional s/he is, the expert will be consistent in delivering required solutions to all of them. But people will vary in their individual degrees of interest, diligence and commitment.

An expert must therefore carefully select those s/he works with, if s/he desires long term success.

The Most Successful Experts Don’t Work With Lazy People!

One example is Burt Dubin – veteran mentor of some of the world’s higher paid speakers. He does not work with lazy people. He describes them as those who let “sloth and indifference” get in the way of their ambitions.

Burt’s “policy” accounts for his amazing ability to turn virtually every expert he mentors into a highly paid international speaker. He has a series of “hurdles” you must scale to “qualify” for his mentoring. That ensures he ends up with the right kind of clients as “students”!

It’s just like in cooking or manufacturing: the best raw materials always yield superior quality output in the hands of a competent Chef or Process Manager.

Final Words: Don’t Waste Your Expert Time, Energy and Effort, By Fetching Water in a Basket!

YOU, are a competent EXPERT “provider” of solutions/services in your area(s) of focus and interest.

To succeed more often, invest quality time and effort in painstaking pre-selection of the right kind of people to receive your solutions.

If you don’t, you may end up “fetching water in a basket”(which of course will never get full!)

That expression (i.e. “fetching water in a basket”) is one that people from my part of the world (the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria) use to indicate something they believe amounts to a waste of time and effort.

Don’t do that to yourself!

Need More Details of How to Make The Above Ideas Work for YOU?

If you need more specific details of how to make use of the ideas I’ve shared in this newsletter, send me a message using this request form – with “Re: Smart Experts Avoid Lazy People” in the subject line.

SD Nuggets Blog™

 New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking

[Monday]:
No. 98: Boost Your Credibility by Writing

Entrepreneurship [Tuesday]:
4 Essential Factors Affecting Feed Formulation
Self-Development [Wednesday]:

You May Not Need New Ideas

Career Development [Thursday]:
To Move Up, Treat Your Subordinates With Respect

Parenting [Friday]:

To Be Truly Happy, Never Submit to Abuse
Writing/Blogging [Saturday]:
FYI: If You Experienced Difficulties Accessing This Blog’s Content between Monday 15th July 2013 to Saturday 20th July 2013, This Could Be Why…
Writing/Blogging [Sunday]:
Use Smart Time Management to Write More Successfully (3 Tips)
Want me to write for you? Click here…

Click now

Have a lovely week!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade – works as a multipreneurial freelance writer providing  zero risk article and report writing support for website owners, while travelling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Entrepreneur.

He’s presently based in Benin Republic, where he’s preparing an English-French Language Guide, City Travel Guides, and a Commercial Rabbit Farming Guide.

In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer, to Training & Technical Development Manager, then later acted in senior management roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Self-Development Nuggets™ blog, and Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

For a limited time, Tayo is available to speak to your group or organization for a moderate fee. Send e-mail to tayo at tksola dot com. You can also visit www.tksola.com to learn more.

Connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.

==================

Have you been undecided about whether or not to become a paid speaker? Or have you been trying to get your speaking career off the ground with little success?

Here’s a tip: Burt Dubin works with people who want to be speakers, and with speakers who want to be masters. Click here to visit his website NOW and submit a contact form message telling him what challenges you’re facing, and how you’d like him to help you. Tell him I sent you, and you’ll get a pleasant surprise offer from him.

Comments?

What do you think of the above message? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Please share your thoughts!

Share this issue!

Do you know anyone who might benefit from reading this newsletter issue? Why not hit the forward button now, and send it to him/her with a short recommendation. You can also use share it via your social media channels. Thanks in advance.

View Tayos video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsConnect with Tayo on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google Plus

What fears or doubts are keeping you from (a) taking up Burt Dubin’s monthly speaker mentoring, or (b) buying his products?

You can choose to purchase Burt’s mentoring at any of the three (3) levels listed below:

1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Burt’s three mentoring packages can be likened to the seating options offered by airlines: Budget Delight (Economy); Mid Range (Business); and Top Shelf (First Class).

At least that’s how I like to think of them!

All three will get you to your desired destination of “speaking success-ville” – so long as you meet the requirements/play your part well (your fare, abide by the set guidelines etc). During the “flight”, the seat you have will determine how much personal service attention and preference the provider will accord you. It’s that simple :-)

So, make your choice:1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Send me an e-mail with your questions via tayo at tksola dot com. In the meantime, why not get started by subscribing here to get his 7-Part Course (How To Succeed And Get Paid As A Professional Speaker) .  . . and receive his monthly newsletter (Speaking Biz Strategies Letter) at no cost.

Get mentored by Burt Dubin - coach of some of the world's highest paid public speakers

For over 25 years, Burt Dubin has provided a variety of speaker mentoring products and services to clients worldwide.
Download this flyer as PDF:

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/uploads/burt_new_flyer.pdf

Burt Dubin now offers his speaker mentoring service to experts based in Africa. Click now to download this flyer as PDF

 

 

My DN Travel News, Writing/Blogging

Use Smart Time Management to Write More Successfully (3 Tips)

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“Every morning in Africa, an antelope wakes up and starts running as fast as it can, so that the fastest lion does not catch up with it and eat it. At the same time a lion also wakes up and starts running as fast as it can so that it can catch and eat the slowest antelope.” – African Parable

Wild animals can be so diligent in making use of the time available to them each day. Their survival requires them to be that way. If they can do it, why can’t we…or indeed you – especially when your writing success is at stake?

How do you spend your 24 hours? How much of that time do you spend honing your writing skills every day you live through? How committed are you to the process of improving yourself? Does it show in your use of time? These are questions you need to answer honestly!

1. Adopt a Writing Schedule – It WILL Make You More Productive

Some people can write based on strict schedules. Others cannot. Less than a year ago, I used to think I could not write based on a schedule. But since November 2013, I’ve successfully published – on my new SD Nuggets blog, one post daily – on six different categories – in line with a writing schedule.

This is to ensure at least one new blog post is added to each of the six categories every week i.e. Public Speaking [Mondays], Entrepreneurship [Tuesdays], Self-Development [Wednesdays], Career Development [Thursdays], Parenting [Fridays], and Writing/Blogging [Saturdays])

Adopting the schedule has turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made about how to update my blog. And judging from the repeat visits I’m getting, it appears my readers feel the quality is not bad. Committing to a writing schedule in which a topic theme or category is pre-defined can cut the time and effort needed to do the work in half – literally. You’re forced to develop ruthless focus to get the post out before the day ends. Great stuff!

I’ve written on so many different subjects for different client industries. Based on hindsight, I now realize that working for those clients was similar to writing according to a defined schedule. No wonder I always felt more productive when working on a client project.

2. Capture Your Writing Ideas As Soon As They Arrive – Or You May Lose Valuable Ones

Before I started using the schedule, my own writing tended to be done in fits and starts. But for clients, I was often really focused on churning out the new set of articles for their web marketing to meet the agreed project deadlines.

I began using my daily writing schedule on 1st November 2013. Today I can easily turn out a ready-to-publish piece in under an hour if I set my mind to it. Note however, that most times the thinking up of content may sometimes happen as I go about my daily activities. And that’s where the use of time comes in. The truth is you may not always find the right time to write. So, I suggest you learn to make it happen on the move if possible.

Sometimes I stop driving to make an entry into my Blackberry memo pad, when another useful point for one of my posts-in-progress pops into my head. I STOP and record it so I don’t forget it, as can happen when one chooses to burden the brain with storing it.

Above: Screen shot from my Blackberry memo pad interface, showing titles of some posts-in-progress I’m working on for my SD Nuggets blog (www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets).

Sometimes I simply create the new entry with the title or theme that occurs to me.

Over the days or weeks that follow, I’ll add new notes or points to discuss. Then one day, when I need to get a post out, I’ll pick from here to my laptop, and finish it off.

3. Be Flexible – Adapt Writing Strategies to Suit Your Unique Circumstances

You may have noticed that I did not say that I have a specific time of the day when I lock myself in to do my writing.

I have a schedule which tells me I need to get a new post done within today’s 24 hours. So, I send my brain to work, as I move around. Sometimes I take advantage of free time from the day before, to finish one or more posts-in-progress (see screen shot below) to use for a few days…

Screenshot from my Blackberry memo pad interface, showing titles of some posts-in-progress Im working on for my SD Nuggets blog

The nature of work I do, and my personal responsibilities and obligations make it difficult for me to stick to a particular routine. In my part of the world, erratic power supply and limitations in available infrastructure make it necessary to adopt a flexible routine, and to be prepared to adapt to sometimes long periods of normal availability of net access.

I’ve learnt to do that, without letting it show in the quality – and volume – of work I do. I take advantage of every window of free time I can find, even when I visit socially, to move a writing task closer to completion, even if it’s by adding one extra paragraph into the copy of a post-in-progress on my phone!

In other words, I simply identify what I need to do to achieve my goal, and then actively challenge myself to create the time to make it happen. Until I achieve that goal, I ensure that any free time I have away from other priority tasks, is dedicated to making progress towards it, until I succeed.

Some successful people withdraw into isolation, in order to maintain the focus they need to achieve their goals. If you are not sure you can ignore distractions, do the same thing.

It will not matter if you only make tiny progress. As long as you commit diligent effort to moving beyond where you were the last time, you will be that much closer to your goal.

If you live alone, it should be easier. When you live with others – a spouse and kids for instance – it can be more difficult. But it can be done. I’ve been doing it – as a husband and father – for over 10 years.

Adopt a strategy that gets you the privacy you need: As I type these words, it’s 11.41pm and my wife and kids are all in bed. I’ve learnt to aim for periods like this, to get more work done on important tasks.

Spend a little time thinking up a strategy you can adopt for your unique situation. It’ll come to you.

“…Be a Columbus to whole new continents and worlds within you, opening new channels, not of trade but of thought.” – Henry David Thoreau