3 Reasons to NOT Pay for Facebook “Likes”

August 20, 2013 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

I’m intrigued by people – some big name bloggers too – who recommend “seeding” comments on blogs. That is getting friends etc to routinely post comments, using aliases, on your posts to entice visitors to comment. What value is there in doing that? Would it not be better to challenge yourself to write better, so as to naturally stimulate readers’ to comment?

But it’s not just the guys “manufacturing” blog comments. I’m also often amused by people who send me emails offering thousands of LIKES for sale. To me, indulging in any of the foregoing would amount to a needless waste of time.

I’m not passing judgement on anyone here – just stating my considered opinion.

Below are Three (3) Ways I Believe Buying Facebook Likes Can Hurt You

1. You Invite the Wrong People to Receive Your Marketing Messages

If you seek patronage from a serious minded and discerning target audience, buying LIKES is not for you.

To me, buying Facebook LIKES or “seeding comments” amounts to deception. Except the person who does it is willing to announce the fact publicly (which would defeat the purpose, of course!). If not, that’s deception, and in my candid opinion, a very unnecessary deception.

Do those who do it get LIKES based on their target audience profile? My checks suggest no reliable way of doing that exists.

Most times it’s just about getting numbers. The thinking is a large number of LIKES will make more people willing to LIKE your page.

Yes, that may be true, but I personally do NOT want people who need to see a crowd FIRST, before deciding what I offer is good for them! Instead, I seek to connect on Facebook with people who KNOW what they want, and when they see it, would not mind being the first to click LIKE.

I guess it depends on what each person is selling.

The solutions I offer via my pages are meant for the attention of a discerning target audience.

2. You’re Likely to Connect Less Effectively With Your Target Audience

Case study: My Excel-Visual Basic Driven Spreadsheet Automation Service Facebook Page

I prefer 39 quality LIKES to 10,000 purchased LIKES.

Yes, that’s all I have now – just a measly 39 LIKES on that page (as at the last count yesterday). But none of them was purchased. It’s taken about 18 months to get that small number!

But it’s less than numbers, and more about how quickly the LIKES came, that got my attention.

If truth be told, I only really began promoting the page with purpose, in the last quarter of 2012 (same applies to my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas Facebook page). This was just after I began using a blog on my website.

I use article marketing, video marketing, report writing, newsletter marketing etc integrated via a Web Marketing System to attract attention online.

Subscriptions to my Youtube channel, and LIKES on my page, began trickling in as I continued.

By paying close attention, I discovered that over 80% of those who clicked LIKE on my Excel Heaven page were from Asia – most from India. Many sent email enquiries too. A few are from America, South Africa, UK and Europe. If I recall correctly, only TWO are from my part of the world (Africa).

Insights I’ve gained from this very slow building of followers for my page, has helped greatly. I now better understand where to focus my efforts towards winning clients from that page.

3. You End Up Not Being Sure What Works

Having a page that people LIKED on their own makes discovering what they’ll buy easier. It may not happen overnight – and I’m not in a hurry. My purpose is to understand what works, and then use it repeatedly to increase the rate at which I get what I want = MORE LIKES…and eventually sales leads.

So what changed to cause this recent increase in my Facebook LIKES, and Youtube subscriptions?

I asked myself that question when I began noticing the trend.

Here’s what I came up with:

I’ve been doing a lot more writing since 1st November 2012, when I adopted my Daily Writing Schedule. And in as many posts as possible, I take pains to mention and link to relevant web based resources that talk about my services and products. E.g. videos, websites, facebook pages, PDF reports etc.

Over time, subscriptions from my blog to my newsletter mailing list increased. That indicated my work was getting noticed, and attracting interest. That eventually led to the facebook and Youtube visits.

I did not pay for any artificial stimulation of interest in what I do. This means what I’m getting is a good indication of what my TRUE audience wants. Little wonder I’ve been generating quality sales leads – like this one…

Isn’t that what we’re all after? Results?

My adopted approach takes longer…and more work. But I prefer it to one that could make me “look/feel” like I’m getting results (because of the large number of LIKES), when in fact I’m spinning my wheels!

Final Words: Web User Behaviour Varies from Culture to Culture

Those who preach use of web marketing strategies often ignore (or forget to consider) the influence of culture.

Yet the fact remains that Internet user behaviour varies greatly from society to society. And that affects the results one gets from implementing any particular online marketing tactic.

For instance, Nigerians – indeed Africans – often use the web VERY differently from Americans. The things that excite the latter on Facebook/elsewhere would often not get any useful response from the former.

I know this because I sell to both groups, and others. A sound understanding of the mental attitude of your online target audience is imperative, if you want to succeed.

This makes me very wary of adopting strategies indiscriminately. Especially doing something like…buying Facebook LIKES

My DN Travel News, Public Speaking

No. 103: On Being a Master (A PDF Gift from Burt Dubin!)

August 19, 2013 Tayo Solagbade

Download Chapter 1 of Burt Dubin’s Forthcoming Book – FREE…below!

On Monday 12th August 2013 at 16.32, Burt Dubin emailed me the PDF version of the first chapter of his forthcoming book – titled “On Being a Master” – with permission to re-publish it with attribution if I so wished.

After reading it, I decided it would be of great value to many who seek self-discovery/mastery. That’s why I’ve now made it available as a download (packaged as a 1.1MB PDF “trailer” of sorts) in this week’s issue of my Speaking IDEAS Newsletter.

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

Date: Monday 19th August 2013

No:103

Title: On Being a Master (A PDF Gift from Burt Dubin!)

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade

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.

No. 103: On Being a Master (A PDF Gift from Burt Dubin!)

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

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

**********

Download Chapter 1 of Burt Dubin‘s Forthcoming Book – FREE…below!

On Monday 12th August 2013 at 16.32, Burt Dubin emailed me the PDF version of the first chapter of his forthcoming book – titled “On Being a Master” – with permission to re-publish it with attribution if I so wished.

After reading it, I decided it would be of great value to many who seek self-discovery/mastery. That’s why I’ve now made it available as a download (packaged as a 1.1MB PDF “trailer” of sorts) in this week’s issue of my Speaking IDEAS Newsletter.

I have one other format planned for presentation of this same material, and once it’s ready, I’ll send out the link. If you’d like to be informed when this happens, email me via tayo at tksola dot com so I can add you to my mailing list.

Learn to be a Master…from The Master!

As an expert-who-speaks, you share what you know with your target audience. To do this effectively, you need mastery – not only of your subject, but also (and probably more importantly) of yourself.

Without mastery, it would be difficult for you to deliver consistent performances when you meet different audiences.

To achieve self-mastery, you must discover yourself…then get to know, and be comfortable being that person.

It requires diligent effort, and sincere commitment.

And it also requires a readiness to be honest with yourself. Otherwise, even when you eventually come face to face with the “self” you seek, you could (unconsciously) reject it – making the mastery that you seek, elude you.

No two persons are exactly alike, especially in terms of their individual personalities. Not even identical twins. It therefore follows that the road to self-discovery will necessarily be different for each of us.

But there are basic guidelines that we can all follow to find our paths in life. Burt Dubin is a master. And he has helped hundreds achieve mastery.

This makes him uniquely qualified to tell you the “basic guidelines” to follow – via this verbatim reproduction (on pages 3 to 6) of his new book’s “Chapter 1: Principles and Practices”.

Click here to start reading now!

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: On Being a Master (PDF)…A Gift from Burt Dubin!” in the subject line.

SD Nuggets Blog™	New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking [Monday]:	No. 102: Succeed by Showing You’re Special
Entrepreneurship [Tuesday]:	I Have NO FARM (Yet), BUT Farm Biz Owners BADLY NEED My Help – Here’s Why!
Self-Development [Wednesday]:	Problem Solving Makes You Smarter & More Confident
Career Development [Thursday]:	Smart Companies Rarely Neglect Older, Experienced Employees (3 Tips to Get More from Your Older Hands)
Parenting [Friday]:	How United Is Your Family?
Writing/Blogging [Saturday]:	Error-Free People Rarely Achieve Authentic Success
Want me to write for you? Click here…

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.

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.

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Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

Error-Free People Rarely Achieve Authentic Success

August 17, 2013 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

“Success tends not to go to the person who is error-free, because he also tends to be risk averse. Rather, it goes to the person who recognizes that life is pretty much a percentage business. It isn’t making mistakes that’s critical; it’s correcting them and getting on with the principal tasks.” – Donald Rumsfeld

I meet them every now and then. People who take pride in saying nothing ever goes wrong with their plans. They always get it right. You never find them looking vulnerable. They are always cool, calm and collected – ever so sure of the outcome of whatever they are engaged in doing.

People who act as described above often want to be seen as – and some claim to be – perfect.

In Reality Being Without Fault – or Being Perfect – Would Be Too Boring to Bear on Earth!

In my opinion, a person whose activities have such predictable outcomes (i.e. who always gets everything right and never makes mistakes) will eventually bore not just others, but him/herself as well.

But the truth is that no human can really be perfect.

I’ve written elsewhere that once a person can achieve real perfection in life, s/he no longer belongs here on earth. It would be time for him/her to move over to heaven…or anywhere perfect beings live.

Not everyone is a soccer lover. But most people who are conscious adults living on earth today will have heard of Lionel Messi. He’s the small man who makes big things happen for Barcelona FC in Spain.

Back in April this year (2013) his team got beaten by a massive 0 – 4 margin. I refused to believe Messi was on the pitch that day. And not just him. That team has some of the world’s best players on it.

That they got beaten that badly was baffling. But guess what? Messi himself admitted that his fitness was not the cause of the club’s 0-4 loss to Bayern Munich.

It is this demonstrated ability to admit he can make errors that’s helped him become a great achiever.

Acknowledging Our Faults Creates Opportunities for Self-Renewal & Growth

We can all learn from that. Messi knew – from his champion mentality – that the loss, though bad, would not end the world…or his career.

Indeed, we students of success know that such big time failures often serve as inspiration for us to move to the next level of achievement.

As a Writer, Aim for Perfection, but Understand That You Cannot Achieve It

“Perfectionists rarely get anything done, because they often want to get everything right.” – Tayo K. Solagbade

A person can achieve exceptionally high levels of competence in the process of aiming for perfection. In writing (like any other field) therefore, one must set a goal that challenges him/her to pursue perfection.

You will continually identify areas where you fall short, then make needed adjustments, and try again.

Sometimes You May Have to Review Your Set Goal

If after repeatedly making needed adjustments, you still struggle to achieve your goal, you may need to re-visit the goal you set for yourself.

Ask yourself some serious questions…like the following…

How did you settle on your chosen writing goal?

Let’s say you’ve set a goal to write 2 blog posts per day:

a. Did you consider how many words each post would be for example?

b. Was the time needed to research each topic for useful information/ideas factored in?

c. What about the time to be spent editing and proof reading?

d. How many days in week would you be able to write at that rate?

And so on…

When you give honest answers to the above questions, does the goal you set still look realistic for YOU, at YOUR current level of competence?

Hint: If yes, keep persisting, and you’ll eventually breakthrough. If “NO”, sit down and re-do your goal setting, this time based on the insights gained from the above question and answer session.

Final Words: Perfectionists Rarely Finish Writing (On Time)

Whatever you do, never delude yourself into believing you must make your writing “perfect” – because pursuit of perfection is a never ending journey for use here on earth.

What you will find is that by chasing perfection, your work will eventually get so good that others will hail your accomplishment as a writer.

But in order for them to see it, you’ll have to know when you’ve done enough to let it go out and be READ as your published work, by others.

Sadly, perfectionists rarely get to that point when they can let go.

Rather, they tell themselves it can still be made better, and keep trying to do so, without considering other factors e.g. total number to be written, and delivery deadline.

In the process they end up never finishing – at least not on time. That bad habit eventually leads to disappointed clients – and fewer referrals or opportunities for new business.

Don’t let that be your story!

My DN Travel News, Parenting

How United Is Your Family?

August 16, 2013 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

What is the current state of YOUR marriage union – and family? This can be a very tough question to answer, for many people today. I say this from personal – and very painful – experience, as one who has been married for over 14 years, with kids.

In my part of the world (Africa), the global economic crisis has hit just as hard as elsewhere. We have less “cushion” systems in place (e.g. by way of unemployment checks for instance).

As a result, African societies are recording increasing numbers of family “break-ups” than before, our strong culture notwithstanding.

What Is the Major Cause of Wall Cracks in Many Families Today?

I hinted at it above already…I believe it’s MONEY. Directly or indirectly, it is OFTEN MONEY.

Some people will disagree. But if truth be told, very many homes would remain intact if the challenge of a LACK OF MONEY did not get added to any problems they face (Natural exceptions include cases of violence or abuse etc).

I say this with particular reference to Africa.

But even in developed societies, money (or a lack of it in enough amounts) often plays a powerful role in determining the shelf-life of marriage/family relationships.

Here’s one example:

About 2 months ago, I received an email broadcast starting with the story of a chap who recently recorded financial success online. Before this breakthrough, he had been struggling – badly – to make things work. Things got so bad that his wife said:

“Look, you can’t even pay the rent for heaven’s sake. If I don’t see any change by the end of this month, I’m moving out with the kids to my mother’s!”

Luckily for the guy, his breakthrough came just in time to prevent his wife from carrying out her threat.

Is It Right To Give Up On Someone You Love, When S/he Has Yet to Give Up on Him/Herself?

Something struck me as odd about the above story.

You see, I just could not understand how a wife could make that kind of threat; to a man she took marital vows with, in his darkest moments.

This man was apparently not lazy, and was trying to do better. It was a period any human being could have done with some morale boosting words of encouragement. Especially from his better half…like the wife of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa did for him when he felt like giving up – leading him to make a great comeback to the ring!

I would have expected a spouse, to keep believing in her man. She could have asked her mother and anyone else in the larger family for their prayers, their suggestions etc. She could even have asked them to help find a cheaper place they could move to till things improved!

I mean, she could have gotten involved – instead of giving him an ultimatum. As if he applied to be her husband/father of her kids, and he had yet to meet the requirements!

It Seems Marital Vows No Longer Mean Much to Some People

The wordings of marriage vows people take at weddings have always intrigued me. They are of such a serious nature, that I honestly believe only people who know they can fulfil them should take them.

Yet, day in day out, people go through the ritual of saying those words to one another in front of a priest, and other witnesses. Then they turn around later and say “I’ve had enough”.

When a married couple have a disagreement, they can say nasty things to one another. I mean REEAALLYY nasty things.

I should know…I’ve said quite a number to my “madam”. But guess what, if you let yourself simmer down (sometimes your creator will intervene through the right people or circumstances), you’ll often find that you’re still able to give it another go.

The Words in Marriage Vows Can Provide Powerful Incentive for Preserving a Marriage/Family Union

The family serves as the “production” unit for society’s members. Regardless of the shape or form it takes (e.g. single male or female parent with one or more kids, living in rich or poor neighbourhoods etc), virtually every family ultimately turns out its members to participate in larger society.

Excepting possibly hermits and the like

In other words, families generally play a key role in determining the quality of people that make up society.

I believe spouses should form the habit of regularly reviewing the wording of Marriage Vows. They will be more frequently reminded of the need to stay united and committed to one another – and to the well being of the products of their union i.e. kids.

I did not have a “church wedding” with my wife (and mother of my five kids). But I have found reading the words in marriage vows VERY useful during tough times we’ve had in our 14 years together.

Any couple will benefit from reading and re-reading them. There are variants, but the basic message remains the same (See an example below).

“I, ____, take you, ____, to be my (husband/wife). I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life.” Source: Wikipedia

A husband and wife are a team. Along with their kids, they make up a bigger team. If they are able to establish and nurture a self-sustaining relationship of sharing and mutual understanding, it will be very hard for ANYTHING to break them apart. Reading/re-reading marriage vows can help that process.

Children in a marriage are likely to LEARN how to stay united from watching their parents do the above. The society they live in will be better off as a result.

Career Development, My DN Travel News

Smart Companies Rarely Neglect Older, Experienced Employees (3 Tips to Get More from Your Older Hands)

August 15, 2013 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Does your company have an arrangement in place to “mould” your new intakes into the kinds of employees you need them to be? If YES, what about your older and more experienced hands already in the system? What arrangement do you have in place for them?

How does your company treat older hands (especially those with lower qualifications), compared to new, often younger intakes?

Decision makers in companies can sometimes get carried away. As some employees age out, if they do not become “high-flyers” or super-achievers, they tend to get forgotten by those who run the company.

1. Neglecting Older Hands Can Often Backfire On Your Company!

That’s the truth – and it can happen quite subtly, until the damage has gone far, before you notice.

I say this as one who had to relate, as a bright-eyed new intake in a large corporation, with many much older hands. They felt they’d been sidelined, career-wise, and did not hide their frustration, or resentment. In the end, it affected their commitment to their jobs, and to coaching new intakes.

See how it can backfire…? And that’s just one example. I highlight others further down.

This is why I believe experienced managers – the older hands who’ve been on the job a while – need to be given incentives to stay committed to their jobs. Recognition, coupled with well planned training and development opportunities can often go a long way in this regard.

We must remember that – unlike the new entrants – older hands would have achieved some successes, but possibly reached a point where no foreseeable opportunities exist for further upward advancement.

This could naturally cause them to simply stop pushing themselves to perform optimally.

If they get passed over by way of attention, for new and bright eyed intakes to the company, the chances of the above happening greatly increase.

Your company needs a team – a well oiled team, to perform well. You therefore want ALL members to continually pitch in with their best efforts. Be they new, old; experienced or inexperienced.

To achieve the above, you must promote the “growth and nourishment” of your older and more experienced employees, alongside you fresh recruits arriving gleaming credentials, and youthful energy.

2. Older & Experienced Managers When Unhappy, May Choose Not to Share ALL They Know

Some decision makers forget this: Your young, smart recruits will often need to understudy the older hands they meet on the job. If the latter are not happy, that relationship may not go as well as you’d like.

Experienced managers offer a rich pool of talent, creativity and contribution, which if properly harnessed could be used to win the company’s battle for survival and success.

The older employees could conveniently “forget” to share powerful experience based wisdom they’ve acquired over the years. Your new “stars” would thus be faced with the need to re-invent the wheel!

3. They Could Even Make Your New/Younger Employer Unhappy…and Ineffective!

It could be worse: Older and experienced employees can often heavily influence the climate of opinion in an organisation. They are the ones who have seen it all, been there while it all happened, and will usually have a lot to tell the newer managers about what works and what does not.

In fact, by virtue of their relative age and experience advantage, even when they occupy low formal positions in the company, they can often end up playing informal leadership roles.

By implication therefore, an organisation unfortunate enough to have disgruntled older employees in her ranks, could find it rather difficult to effectively implement a new strategy or initiative.

The dangers could in fact be more, if you fail to create conditions enabling for your experienced employees to improve themselves, and become more open minded to better methods.

For instance, they could isolate (perhaps even “emotionally crush”) your newer/younger employees!

What You Can Do

Fortunately, with good leadership and guidance, coupled with the regular implementation of training and development initiatives, you can keep the loyalty of your older hands.

Simply create a culture in which they constantly feel valued and respected. Actively recognise and acknowledge them for all they have done in the past, and for roles they still play.

Involve them in areas you know they can make useful contributions, and support initiatives and ideas they originate. No sentiments of course. What you accept must be those that truly add tangible value.

As often as practical, organise well structured training and development sessions for them, to enhance their ability to function as workplace coaches, towards sharing what they know with others.

Do the above, and more where possible.

Then watch them motivate, develop and control themselves to cooperate with new people you bring in, towards achieving the company’s valued goals.

My DN Travel News, Self-Development

Problem Solving Makes You Smarter & More Confident

August 14, 2013 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Do you really want to gain full mastery of any area of your personal or work life? If YES, then GET INVOLVED IN PROBLEM-SOLVING. Even if others avoid it, do it – and do it without holding back. Do it every day, and as often as the opportunity presents itself within each day.

Problem Solving Is a Shortcut to Useful Learning

Troubleshooting or Problem-Solving offers the quickest and easiest way to gain very useful knowledge about anything.

And I mean ANYTHING!!

Why? Well it’s because in the process of trying to solve a problem, one tends to become focused and critical – unwilling to accept irrelevancies or "convenient explanations" etc.

You find that so long as the problem remains, you feel pressured to keep challenging everything you are told. This of course will only happen if you choose to be an active player in the problem-solving process.

For instance, I once had the unfortunate experience in which my car packed up midway along Lagos-Benin expressway one evening due to a problem with the engine.

The mechanics that worked on the car that evening till late into the night would, I’m sure, not forget me too quickly. And that’s because I stayed with them all through asking questions at every step, demanding to know what they were doing and why.

I came away that day knowing much more about my car engine and how it functions. Incidentally, many people I know would actually have gone off to take a rest with instructions for the mechanic to call them when done.

After all, they would argue, "it’s not my area".

Problem Solving Challenges You to Apply Your Theoretical Learning to Real-Life Situations

So, when you engage in problem solving, you actually combine the learning of certain essential theoretical aspects with the practical application of acquired knowledge.

That’s a very efficient learning process!

Subsequently, you would be able to talk about that particular problem you were involved in rectifying, with more confidence than if you had not experienced it.

This is why it has been said that we should be grateful when things go wrong, because those are disguised opportunities to pick up valuable learning.

Final Words: Accelerate your learning – get involved in Problem-Solving!

Most people let fear of work – and of failure – blind them to potential benefits to be had from engaging in problem solving.

Through active participation in investigation of the cause of a problem, you’re likely to learn – by elimination – what is NOT responsible for it (over time).

And as you stay involved, the more likely causes, and contributing factors will become apparent to you.

That increased familiarity with the problem will boost your ability to intelligently continue exploring possible solutions to the problem.

This is the reason why we always want to find people who have had “experience” in a certain field or vocation. We expect such persons to bring with them some amount o know-how that will facilitate getting the job done – unlike someone who is new on the job, who may still be learning the ropes.

The implication of the above is that if you form the habit of engaging in problem solving, you’ll transform yourself over time into a useful resource person that others will love to have around. That applies to friends, associates, employers and even clients.

In other words it will make you better off in life!

This article was written based on excerpts from my Self-Development Bible™ titled “Ten Ways You Can Use Self-Development to Create the Future You Want”.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

I Have NO FARM (Yet), BUT Farm Biz Owners BADLY NEED My Help – Here’s Why!

August 13, 2013 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Preview: This write-up was first published – on April 21, 2012 – as a NOTE on my Facebook profile at https://www.facebook.com/notes/tayo-solagbade/i-have-no-farm-yet-but-farm-biz-owners-badly-need-my-help-heres-why/369364946438303. I’ve now moved it here, on my SD Nuggets blog, but it also auto-publishes via RSS Feed to my Cost-Saving Best Practice Farm Business Ideas website.

Any smart Farm Biz owner who does NOT allow misguided zealots to lead him/her ASTRAY, WILL discover from studying my offerings, that I can actually help Farm Business become more efficient and ultimately MORE productive.

I have remained VERY amused by the attempts being made by certain individuals to INTERPRETE the fact that I do not own a Farm Business of my own, to mean that I cannot possibly offer useful value to those who do.

I believe the RIGHT question to ask is this: What exactly am I offering Farm Biz owners?

My Answer: Today, virtually anyone can be taught to inject, spawn, and rear fish for instance. I DO NOT offer to teach anyone to do that. Neither do I offer pond construction services. Instead I offer SOLUTIONS that farm business owners NEED to setup their farm businesses for long term success.

These solutions ultimately determine how long the business lasts, and how profitable it will be. In effect I offer a unique kind of Extension Service. Get details of my approach on the website.

Going by the above, it is my opinion, that a MORE relevant question would be: Do I have verifiable competence in the provision of Agricultural Extension Services?

I ask you to consider: Have I not demonstrated through my insightful analysis of what MANY farm business owners are doing, that I have a BETTER grasp of the practical requirements for making a success of the farm business?

As I explained on my Farm Business Support Service website, I have apprenticed on farms here in Lagos, and also deliberately purchased manuals, videos, and also attended training events organised by certain well known practitioners here in Lagos. That is in addition to visiting farm businesses to see how they operate Details abound on my farm business ideas website.

SIMPLY PUT: I am a trained and experienced manager of production processes, with graduate level professional training in Agricultural Extension Services provision.

I DO NOT need to own a farm, to help ANY FARM BUSINESS OWNER. There are things I know, that most farm business owners do NOT. When I get to their farms, I SEE things they see, and gain insights they NEVER do, except I tell them. This is FACT.

Now, isn’t it odd that when I engage MANY farm business owners on the practical aspects of running their operations in line with best practice principles, they often fail to meet up?

Does the fact that I have been able to come up with workable ideas, concepts, strategies and TOOLS (e.g. my popular Feed Formulation Handbook, and Software), to achieve BETTER farm business performance NOT indicate that I know something that MANY farm business owners do NOT?

Answers can be found by visiting my cost-saving farm ideas website – I’ve said enough there to address the above concerns and more.

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THANK GOD: At least ONE person who has contacted me AFTER visiting my website seems to have been patient enough to do the thinking needed to appreciate what I offer: See the reproduced comments sent to me by Chairman/Multi-Tech Ventures Nig Ltd – Olumuyiwa, F.A. – at the bottom of this page.

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Today, In Nigeria/Africa, Almost ANYONE Can Own A Farm Business

Let’s stop and think about this for a moment.

Is it not a well known fact TODAY, that ANYONE, regardless of academic or professional background, can easily learn the basics of injecting, hatching, and rearing catfish or raising poultry?

Countless learning resources abound e.g. VCDs, seminars and workshops of all kinds.

Virtually anyone can learn most of the hands on technical stuff today. It’s been simplified. Just like learning to use most aspects of mobile and PC technology today is no longer a big deal.

The REAL CHALLENGE is knowing how to achieve the required level of productivity and efficiency that will enable you make a long term profitable success of your farm business venture.

It is this challenge that continues to make so many farm businesses either struggle or collapse! They do NOT have the required grasp of how to manage the batch production processes which their farm businesses are based on.

The so called experts simply teach them the technical stuff. But the more subtle skills of process and production management are neglected. Most farm business owners lack the know-how to organise their production operations. They do not know the most efficient manner to ensure optimal use of manpower and raw materials as well as physical resources like vats, ponds, water and feed.

The crash courses they attend (not surprisingly) do not show them how to use worksheets to plan for stocking and emptying of multiple ponds. As a result they fail to appreciate the need to MEASURE turn around times, so as to achieve maximum possible cycles of fish production. They also are not aware of the need to compute Key Performance Indices to enable them turn out CONSISTENT volume and quality of fish flesh. Same logic applies to poultry farming.

I don’t care where you learn from. Or how much money you throw at your farm business. If you do not have a well thought out system for managing your farm business, you are very likely to struggle.

Look around here in Lagos, and you will see so many farm businesses operating with manpower that do not have a standard operating procedure. Today, they take fish from this pond and sell. Tomorrow they take from the same pond for breeding. When they breed the fish, the process is often trial and error. Caring for fingerlings is a process fraught with avoidable setbacks e.g. infection, and mortalities.

On the sales front, as I have said elsewhere in a seperate article, little thought goes into preparing for removal of market ready stocks so as to create space for new fingerlings.

Are we to believe that a haphazard approach is inevitable in farm business management? How many farm business owners can provide easily retrievable and RELIABLE/ACCURATE data of production, waste, expenses and sales for daily, weekly or monthly intervals?

I can supply those kinds of details, and analysis done based on them, for ALL the business and personal activities I have been engaged in since 2002. I document them and regularly analyze them. That’s why I am able to decide when what a client wishes to pay to have me provide a service is too low. While apprenticing on a catfish and ornamental fish farm at Abesan Estate in Ipaja, I did the same thing.

Running a batch production process (which all farm businesses entail) is routine and repititive.

Once you know what needs to be done, and the right way to do it, it stops being a BIG deal. Nigerian Farm Business Owners need to stop wasting time focussing on who can inject a fish. Even illiterates are being taught to do that at today’s workshops!

Instead, LOOK for experts who can help you develop sustainable systems for operating your farms PRODUCTIVELY for REAL profit.

The bank official who makes recommendations about whether his/her bank should give you a loan, or EXTEND you existing credit line, quite often will NOT have any farm business of his/her own. But if the bank is a good one, the individual they assign go do that job is likely to have a background on Agricultural Economics/Extension Services.

Just as it with other professional fields, the training provided that individual is what s/he will draw upon, combined with any experience gained post-graduation, to assess your business – or make recommendations on areas you need to improve upon.

My training as an Agricultural Extension Services professional, and my exposure to world class process management systems in a large multinational corporation (See my PDF resume), have enabled me add value to Farm Businesses I have come in contact with.

My advice to ANYONE who owns a farm business, is to NEVER fall prey to the delusion that OWNING a farm business makes you SMARTER about running it, than someone like me. The FACT is there are likely to be MANY things I know, that YOU will need to LEARN.

I’m not saying I know more than everyone else.

But going by what I have seen many business owners do out here (both farm and non-farm related), I am 95% certain that MANY of them need help with the stuff I have written about in this piece.

The smart ones will know better than to climb on their high horses, when it comes to exploring the offers I’m making. Waiting till when my Integrated Fish Farm starts up will be VERY unwise – because by then, I am likely to be VERY unaffordable for most farm business owners.

This article has been written as a wake up call to any farm business owners trying to make up their minds about where to go for help.

Once again, I challenge you to THINK: With all the stuff the so called experts have taught you, do you honestly believe your farm business is running as efficiently, productively and profitably as it should/can?

You may be making money. But how much are you making compared to how much you are spending in terms of effort, time, labour/manpower, feed, maintenance of farm structures, sales, marketing, power supply, diesel, petrol etc? Can you spend LESS? Can you get MORE done in less time and at less cost?

I say YOU CAN. I challenge you to invite me to your farm for 30 minutes, and I will ask you questions that PROVE that this is so. The choice is yours.

I Am NOT Interested In Competing With Anyone – But I Want To Help Farm Biz Owners Operate More Productively!

It’s time to stop fooling ourselves. Physical movement does not equate to progress. A lot of people spend years spinning their wheels – remaining in the same place. Your farm business CAN become a MODEL for others to learn from.

All I see around are people preoccupied with doing the same things that others are doing, even when they are not getting IMPROVED results.

Read the articles on my farm business ideas website (and my Farm Business Ideas Guest Posts published on other website) to appreciate the point I’m making.

Like I said, INVITE me to your farm, for 30 minutes and I’ll prove that I’m right.

PLEASE NOTE: I will come with a video camera man to record the event. I’m sure every sincere person will be OK with that. After all, I’m the one who’s going to have to PROVE that I’m not a QUACK!

Now, let me acknowledge at least ONE individual who, it appears, took enough time to evaluate all that I said on my Farm Biz IDEAS mini-site, to arrive at a reasonably accurate understanding of what I offer.

Read the message he sent to me via my website contact form – below. What he said, is in effect, what I offer to do for interested persons. It of course goes without saying, that I DO GENUINELY DO all that is stated on my Best Operating Farm Process Management website !

May 2009:

“I need a program for a new investor interested in small scale catfish farming for a start, expandable in future however. Or alternatively a link to who can assist in construction of a good catfish pond along the interest indicated above. I can’t see you rendering this service in your website that I went through, as it look like you provide other vital support services which we will need on take off. Am I right? Give me a feedback soonest. I wish to end this note by honestly commending your effort if you genuinely do all you have highlighted on your website. Thanks” – Chairman/Multi-Tech Ventures Nig Ltd – olumuyiwa, F.A.” (Ifo, Ogun State)****

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NB: It is instructive to note that anyone who submits the contact from on the farm business support service website gets an autoresponder with instructions on the next steps to take if s/he wishes to have me send a response. I took this measure after discovering many mischievious persons sending in phony request, and wasting my time (Some wanted items I offered for a fee, for FREE etc).

Why I STOPPED Updating www.iff.spontaneousdevelopment.com

There’s ONE MORE THING I need to mention: Some people may have noticed that I stopped publishing most of the new content I have planned for my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas mini site.

This was because I could NOT find a way to automate requests for paid access to the new stuff, without giving out my bank account details.

Another reason, was that I also discovered that some people had been visiting my site with a view to taking my stuff (including getting my publications at special offers) and plagiarising it. These are the same kind of people who run seminars on funny zero managed farms, selling printed versions of PDF materials downloaded from websites run by Agriculutural Extension Services departments of Universities based in the USA.

I do NOT exaggerate. Let me tell you a true story, to illustrate:

On one occasion few years ago, I visited the farm office of a well known Catfish Farm Workshop specialist. During our conversation, his assistant presented me with spiral bound copies of certain reports, on Super Intensive Catfish Farming operations – and told me they were for sale.

Unfortunately for him, I recognised the documents as being printouts of PDFs from a USA university (North Carolina, I think) website I had also visited (even though the cover suggested that his boss had published them!).

So I told him I could give him ALL the PDF versions of the reports if he wanted. You can imagine how the rest of that conversation went! There IS a lot of that going on out here, I must say. People LOVE shortcuts – and that applies to both the SELLER, and those who choose to be their students.

A lot of the new stuff I intend to publish on my website is relatively new. ButI have tested them out here, and know they work.

Here are some examples.

a. Low cost Earthworm farming as a means of feeding fish and other livestock higher protein levels to achieve better growth rates, at LOWER costs.

b. Daphia rearing for fingerling feeding at MUCH LOWER costs.

c. Rabbit rearing integrated with poultry and fish farming – I have reared and bred rabbits for sale, and KNOW they are perfect for this. My extensive research has also led me to discover a community in Africa that received international funding to DO exactly this kind of self-sustaining Integrated Livestock farming.

When I finish setting up automated monetization systems on my website, I WILL resume putting up the new stuff. But this time, some of it will be premium content that needs to be paid for.

Click http://spontaneousdevelopment.com/premium/special_report.htm to see an example of my NEW paid subscription system that will be in use across my website

FINAL WORDS: As a Farm Business Owner, you MUST think like an entrepreneur.

Doing things DIFFERENTLY if it will help you make MORE profits, is something you should NEVER be afraid of. Don’t waste time seeking approval from arm chair theorists, who ONLY know how to criticise those who are DOING something with themselves.

Those who belong to the “critics” group, and who ALWAYS exist in LARGER numbers, do NOT like me for being able to offer what works.

They KNOW I will open the eyes of MANY people, and make them smarter and MORE independent.

Should you let them deny YOU of the benefits I can bring to your farm business operations?

The choice is yours!

My DN Travel News, Public Speaking

No. 102: Succeed by Showing You’re Special

August 12, 2013 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

YOU are special. Do YOU know that? Many do not. Yet, as an expert in your field, convincing people you can help them requires showing you are different, unique…one of a kind. That you are SPECIAL!

People are attracted by that.

But many experts do not know (or they forget) that they are “special” (every human being IS). As a result, they frequently fail to show that side of themselves. This makes them get lost in the sea of formless “experts” clients choose from!

This issue of my speaking IDEAS newsletter discusses why/how letting the world see that you are different – and therefore special – can lead you to greater success.

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

Date: Monday 12th August 2013

No:102

Title: Succeed by Showing You’re Special

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade

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.

Today, he enjoys growing recognition as a competent business coach, from clients in different parts of the world. But he had to overcome poverty and repeat failures to get where he is today…

From the age of 13 to 21, he sold groceries on the streets to help his parents make ends meet. The tough times were however so unrelenting, that at a point, his father fell ill and passed on. Then things got even worse, to the point that the girl he was dating, and dreaming of marrying left him saying:

“…This is not going to work. I don’t know what you’re up to in life. You don’t have a future. You don’t have money, nothing is working for you. Your background is very poor.“

He was devastated, but eventually clawed his way back to sanity, and moved on, till he succeeded.

This guy’s story is as amazing, as it is gripping. Email tayo at tksola dot com to get the FREE PDF transcript I created, of the TV interview in which he tells it all.

Click HERE to download a FREE PDF copy of the 21 minute TV Interview verbatim transcript I created!

No. 102: Succeed by Showing You’re Special

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YOU are special. Do YOU know that? Many do not. Yet, as an expert in your field, convincing people you can help them requires showing you are different, unique…one of a kind. That you are SPECIAL!

People are attracted by that.

But many experts do not know (or they forget) that they are “special” (every human being IS). As a result, they frequently fail to show that side of themselves. This makes them get lost in the sea of formless “experts” clients choose from!

This issue of my speaking IDEAS newsletter discusses why/how letting the world see that you are different – and therefore special – can lead you to greater success.

1. The Creator is Never Afraid. You Never Should Be.

There are experts who play down their abilities for fear of criticism. They let others tell them that boldly showing what they can do amounts to being proud, or over ambitious.

But nothing could be further from the truth!

God wants every one of his creations to make the most of him or herself. When you can fly and you settle for hopping from tree to tree, you do the creator a major disservice.

He has given you the gift or talent to be much more. Are you making the best use of it?

Keep this in mind: Most times our unique abilities given us by the creator are not meant for us to use ourselves alone. Quite often we are required to develop them for use in serving others (e.g. our clients) and helping them make the most of themselves too!

As an expert-who-speaks, strive to discover and develop that which makes you special. And when you do, boldly show the world – via your learning events – how you can help them with it like your creator intended you to.

2. The Creator Always Acts True to Type. You Should Do The Same.

Acting true to type basically means walking our talk in every area of our lives.

The Christian bible asks a rhetorical question: “For what has darkness got to do with light”?

I like that question, because it clarifies one’s choices in life very easily. And you don’t even need to be a Christian to use it.

There is no midway when it comes to integrity. In relation to this, Burt Dubin once said “There is no partial virgin”. And he was right.

When presented with a choice between right and wrong, honesty and dishonesty, good and bad, any sincere person will know the correct decision to take.

Here’s a true story that illustrates the above point…

A fairly wealthy client once told me that if one is due to be paid say $1 million by a company, and the person to write the cheque demands for $100,000, it would be better to let him have it, rather than risk making him block the entire payment using his connections.

According to him, where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise.

But I knew I would never accept such treatment. For over 2 decades I’ve felt this way. It however occurred to me that if I said nothing, he would assume I agreed with him.

I therefore felt compelled to let him know where I stood. So, in a respectful tone, and without sounding judgmental, I said:

“Ehm, Sir. I understand what you mean, and I really appreciate the point you make about one standing a risk of suffering major delays in getting paid (or even losing it all), especially in our kind of society. But I must be honest with you, and say that if anyone ever gives me the condition that I must give him/her a cut from payment due to me, I would not accept it.”

Taking the above stand, has in the past cost me friendships with well paying clients who engaged in that practice, and argued that there was no other way.

Yet I chose to act true to type – with faith – and tell this man the very same thing.

Know this: Never compromise on your values and morals. Doing so will cost you more than you can ever hope to gain. Your creator will open new doors of opportunities for you as needed, every time you act true to type with faith. Therefore in negotiating the terms of a proposed speaking gig with any decision maker, ALWAYS act true to type.

Over time, only people willing to deal with you on your preferred terms will be attracted to you. Take it from me – I live this stuff, and it works!

3. The Creator Increases Others. Emulate Him.

Never ever seek to diminish others – not even those who hurt you. If you do, what would make you different from them?

Only when you do the opposite will they stop and wonder: “What? He’s still willing to play fair, despite the nasty stuff I did last time? This guy is something else!”

And that will make it obvious you are definitely one of a kind i.e. SPECIAL.

Final Words: Emulating the Creator Will Make You Special…and Ultimately More Successful

I often tell people I meet that each day of my life is a miracle. Time and time again, strange – but positive – coincidences occur in my life.

They continually reassure me that one who stays consistent in acting true to type will be rewarded with whatever s/he seeks.

All that is required is faith, patience and a willingness to persist.

None of these three requires money to be had…meaning they are available to everyone…including YOU!

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: Succeed by Showing You’re Special” in the subject line.

SD Nuggets Blog™	New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking[Monday]:	No. 101: Speaking Can Make You a “Meaningful Specific”
Entrepreneurship [Tuesday]:	Can You Market and Advertise When You Lack Money?
Self-Development [Wednesday]:	Breakthrough to Purpose – Andy Brine Interviews Efe Ohwofasa (Verbatim Text Transcript Created by Tayo K. Solagbade)
Career Development [Thursday]:	No Company Will Pay Anyone to Be Idle!
Parenting [Friday]:	Acknowledge Others, and You Will Be Acknowledged
Writing/Blogging [Saturday]:	Your Writing Competence Matters Greatly
Want me to write for you? Click here…

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

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.

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.

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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?

Comments?

Share this issue!

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!

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

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

My DN Travel News, Writing/Blogging

Your Writing Competence Matters Greatly

August 10, 2013 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Be less concerned about how many “years of service” you’ve given, and more about how much you’ve improved over that period – Tayo K. Solagbade

Your competence as a writer will often determine how well you do in any field you choose to write in.

We don’t often realise this, but it is quite possible for a person to have the so called “years of experience” and still not be competent.

In other words, a writer may have been “around”, writing for a while, and yet not write well enough to consistently get the rewards s/he seeks e.g. responses of potential buyers (i.e. sales leads) to sales copy on his website; positive comments on his/herblog posts etc.

How Well Do You Write?

Is your command of your chosen language good enough?
Also, how fast – and accurately – do you write…or (better still) type?

What amount of editing and proof reading do your write-ups usually need, before you consider them good enough to publish?

How well you write, against the background of your target audience’s preferences, will ultimately determine how well you perform.

This is not a call for anyone to be perfect. I certainly can not make any claims to perfection.

You need not be a genius in English language for instance, before you can write something that readers interested in your subject appreciate.

Therefore when I ask how well you write, what I refer to is your ability to put together an easy to understand body of useful information within a reasonable period of time.

Question: Do you doubt that you can meet the standards required by your target audience?

There are people who experience this fear as a psychological obstacle. If you harbour such a fear, understand that writing – just like any other aspect of life – is a learning process.

If you’re not a native English speaker, and have to write in English, know that you are not alone. Tthere are many like you (e.g. this writer), who are also not native English speakers!

What you need to do is LEARN all you can to improve your writing. Then summon courage to put what you learn to use.

You will need to do this repeatedly, and consistently.

The more you write with a passionate focus on improving yourself, the better you’re likely to become over time.

Get Help If You Struggle Too Much…or For Too Long

You’re interested in results, not staying in school or “learning mode” endlessly. Therefore if it feels like you’re taking too long, you may need help.

Most of the writing ideas I offer on this website are meant primarily for website and business owners who desire to use writing for business promotion.

I realise that such persons may not always have free time to do as much writing as they may need – even though they may wish to apply what I’ve written here. This is because other aspects of running their businesses will periodically demand their serious attention and time.

If the foregoing describes you, consider getting support to keep your writing going, if/when inevitable “interruptions” occur.

For instance, if it takes you much effort or time to write, edit and proof read, get help from someone who shares your vision, and has reliable competence. S/he could do the editing and proof reading for instance.

If you need more elaborate and/or committed support, hire an assistant that you can count on.

Alternatively, invest in the services of a Contract Resource Person to ghost-write articles/reports, on your preferred theme/topics. If you’d like me to help click here to let me know.

My DN Travel News, Parenting

Acknowledge Others, and You Will Be Acknowledged

August 9, 2013 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

[Quick tip: I recommend YOU adopt the habit described in this article as a way of life – AND coach your kids to do the same.] Some of the most successful people in the world habitually acknowledge one another – even rivals! This happens in sports, entertainment, academics, business and other fields. In certain cases, competing parties go as far as cooperating to evolve better ways of doing what they do – a strategy called co-opetition (from cooperative competition).

The above means that even when you compete, you can still work together to achieve mutually beneficial progress in your areas of focus and interest.

Many of Us Forget How Important It Is to Recognise/Acknowledge Others

It takes little or nothing to tell someone “Well done…or that was great”. Yet many who should don’t.

We sometimes feel we cannot spare the time. In addition, a few of us let our egos get in the way. They fear that acknowledging others could make then appear less important or inferior.

That is why getting a facebook page “LIKED” by people, can take major doing. And it is what makes buying “facebook” page “LIKES” a “quietly important” past time for many

Exceptions Usually Occur Only In Relation to Celebrities, Close Friends and Loved Ones

When your favourite singer, best friend, or pouse wife puts up a facebook page, it’s likely you’ll instantly click LIKE.

Many other people will however be deserving of your acknowledgement. They could include professional colleagues, contemporaries…and even rivals.

I believe it takes a fully evolved and liberated mind, to formally recognise good work done by such persons, without worrying that we’ll look smaller as a result.

What Should You Do When You “See” Total Strangers Doing Great Things Worthy of Praise?

It’s easy to acknowledge people we already know. However, with the Internet bringing people – and their works – closer to us each day, we will inevitably come across “strangers” doing great things too.

When that happens, I argue that nothing should stop us from acknowledging such persons – once we ascertain that they are who they say they are.

It is for this reason that I frequently Google new people I come across online doing things I find noteworthy. Once I get enough information to confirm their authenticity, I rarely hold back from letting them – and others in my social circle – know that I appreciate them.

Doing so costs me nothing more than some seconds to a few minutes. And yet I know – from being on the receiving end of such “feedback” – that it can boost his/her drive to continue adding value that way.

Unfortunately, many of us have become too conditioned by society, to do this. Instead, we are so focused on ourselves, and the things that matter to us.

Yet we keep expecting others to show interest in what we are doing! How ironic…and selfish.

Should they pay us attention, if we rarely pay them any? Not all. There’s no reason for them to!

Final Words; You Have to Give, In Order to Get

We have been repeatedly told that the favourite subject of people is themselves. That’s why to win them over, it’s best to get people talking about themselves while we do more listening.

In the same vein, If you want people to develop a liking for you, a smart way will be to offer them honest compliments when they do something you truly consider noteworthy.

Note that flattery has no place in what I propose here.

I refer instead to a situation in which you formally recognize useful works and contributions of others. In my case, I often give direct feedback to persons who impress me, in addition to announcing it to others in my social circle. I do this both online, and in my daily interpersonal interactions.

A trip through my Facebook timeline and Twitter feeds will provide useful indication of what I mean.

For instance, over the past 12 months, I’ve actively shared news about Nigeria’s teenage blogging genius Bamidele Onibalusi, Patrick Meninga (the man who found fame by selling his blog for $200K) and others, whose achievements greatly impressed me.

Guess what? Even though I asked nothing in return, I’ve already been rewarded in many ways – by way of feedback, from them, and from others who came across what I wrote about them.

And that’s really how the world works. You have to give, if you want to get from others.

I did (and continue to do) that, without wanting any thing in return.

I did (and continue to do) that, to inspire others to achieve authentic success, by overcoming any challenges they encounter.

If you want to reap rewards similar to mine: Go and do likewise.

Below are Three (3) Ways I Believe Buying Facebook Likes Can Hurt You

2. You’re Likely to Connect Less Effectively With Your Target Audience

3. You End Up Not Being Sure What Works

Final Words: Web User Behaviour Varies from Culture to Culture

Download Chapter 1 of Burt Dubin’s Forthcoming Book – FREE…below!

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No. 103: On Being a Master (A PDF Gift from Burt Dubin!)

Download Chapter 1 of Burt Dubin‘s Forthcoming Book – FREE…below!

Learn to be a Master…from The Master!

It requires diligent effort, and sincere commitment.

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

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?

Comments?

Share this issue!

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]

In Reality Being Without Fault – or Being Perfect – Would Be Too Boring to Bear on Earth!

Acknowledging Our Faults Creates Opportunities for Self-Renewal & Growth

As a Writer, Aim for Perfection, but Understand That You Cannot Achieve It

Sometimes You May Have to Review Your Set Goal

Final Words: Perfectionists Rarely Finish Writing (On Time)

What Is the Major Cause of Wall Cracks in Many Families Today?

But even in developed societies, money (or a lack of it in enough amounts) often plays a powerful role in determining the shelf-life of marriage/family relationships.

Is It Right To Give Up On Someone You Love, When S/he Has Yet to Give Up on Him/Herself?

It Seems Marital Vows No Longer Mean Much to Some People

The Words in Marriage Vows Can Provide Powerful Incentive for Preserving a Marriage/Family Union

I did not have a “church wedding” with my wife (and mother of my five kids). But I have found reading the words in marriage vows VERY useful during tough times we’ve had in our 14 years together.

Problem Solving Is a Shortcut to Useful Learning

You find that so long as the problem remains, you feel pressured to keep challenging everything you are told. This of course will only happen if you choose to be an active player in the problem-solving process.

Problem Solving Challenges You to Apply Your Theoretical Learning to Real-Life Situations

Final Words: Accelerate your learning – get involved in Problem-Solving!

I believe the RIGHT question to ask is this: What exactly am I offering Farm Biz owners?

SIMPLY PUT: I am a trained and experienced manager of production processes, with graduate level professional training in Agricultural Extension Services provision.

Today, In Nigeria/Africa, Almost ANYONE Can Own A Farm Business

The REAL CHALLENGE is knowing how to achieve the required level of productivity and efficiency that will enable you make a long term profitable success of your farm business venture.

I don’t care where you learn from. Or how much money you throw at your farm business. If you do not have a well thought out system for managing your farm business, you are very likely to struggle.

Running a batch production process (which all farm businesses entail) is routine and repititive.

My training as an Agricultural Extension Services professional, and my exposure to world class process management systems in a large multinational corporation (See my PDF resume), have enabled me add value to Farm Businesses I have come in contact with.

This article has been written as a wake up call to any farm business owners trying to make up their minds about where to go for help.

I Am NOT Interested In Competing With Anyone – But I Want To Help Farm Biz Owners Operate More Productively!

Now, let me acknowledge at least ONE individual who, it appears, took enough time to evaluate all that I said on my Farm Biz IDEAS mini-site, to arrive at a reasonably accurate understanding of what I offer.

Why I STOPPED Updating www.iff.spontaneousdevelopment.com

I do NOT exaggerate. Let me tell you a true story, to illustrate:

A lot of the new stuff I intend to publish on my website is relatively new. ButI have tested them out here, and know they work.

When I finish setting up automated monetization systems on my website, I WILL resume putting up the new stuff. But this time, some of it will be premium content that needs to be paid for.

FINAL WORDS: As a Farm Business Owner, you MUST think like an entrepreneur.

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Today, he enjoys growing recognition as a competent business coach, from clients in different parts of the world. But he had to overcome poverty and repeat failures to get where he is today…

No. 102: Succeed by Showing You’re Special

1. The Creator is Never Afraid. You Never Should Be.

2. The Creator Always Acts True to Type. You Should Do The Same.

Here’s a true story that illustrates the above point…

3. The Creator Increases Others. Emulate Him.

Final Words: Emulating the Creator Will Make You Special…and Ultimately More Successful

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

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?

Comments?

Share this issue!

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]

How Well Do You Write?

Question: Do you doubt that you can meet the standards required by your target audience?

Get Help If You Struggle Too Much…or For Too Long

Many of Us Forget How Important It Is to Recognise/Acknowledge Others

Exceptions Usually Occur Only In Relation to Celebrities, Close Friends and Loved Ones

What Should You Do When You “See” Total Strangers Doing Great Things Worthy of Praise?

Final Words; You Have to Give, In Order to Get

Note that flattery has no place in what I propose here.

And that’s really how the world works. You have to give, if you want to get from others.

…a multi-disciplinary blog for people passionate about reaching their goals!