“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

-Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German physicist

Paraphrasing matters in conversation too-especially when learning a new language!

Experienced English teachers know that students must learn paraphrasing skills to complete academic writing assignments. Likewise paraphrasing remains a vital skill for English language learners to participate in college classrooms, everyday conversations, social situations and commercial transactions.

The ability to re-phrase and re-state, usually called paraphrasing, allows English students to confirm information, accurately convey that information and avoid plagiarism problems when writing papers. As a result, paraphrasing is usually emphasized in English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing classes. Classes and teachers focusing on oral skills from academic presentations to simple conversations should also devote some attention to paraphrasing too.

English language students, whether university or adult and young or old, must learn to confirm information by asking clarification questions. This critical skill, crucial to effective paraphrasing, will increase their ability to collect information, avoid costly mistakes and reduce their everyday stress level. It’s also impossible to accurately paraphrase a conversation if one is confused about the meaning. Some useful phrases for a listener to ask include:

Are you saying…?

Do you mean?

What are you getting at?

If I understand you correctly, you are saying…

So you are saying… Right?

Did I get that right?

Speakers can also check to see if their group members and classmates understand their directions.

Are you with me?

Can you understand me?

Was I going too fast?

Should I rephrase that?

Do you follow?

Is that clear?

Should I repeat the directions?

Do you want me to repeat that?

Would it be better for me to repeat that?

Can I answer any questions?

Is anybody lost?

Asking advanced English students to repeat directions, in different words, can also be an effective group activity. The directions can be to a physical location (home, campus building, museum) or how to do something simple like finding a definition or sending an email. You can also extend the assignment by requesting detailed directions on a complicated procedure such as getting a driver’s license, applying for a visa or choosing a new laptop.

Furthermore, you can ask students to share an autobiographical story. Student A tells a story, and Student B retells that story with different words to Student C. This paraphrasing exercise also helps build a larger, more practical vocabulary.

Another teaching technique that I have found useful is asking students to paraphrase proverbs and quotations. This exercise, done in groups of two, often finishes with asking if students agree or disagree with the specific proverb or quotation. Of course, students have to give a reason and/or an example to support their answers. ESL tutors and English teachers lucky to have small classes can elaborate on this technique to match student interests.

If English students can accurately paraphrase a reading, a radio segment, or a verbal statement, they can actively participate in common conversations and classroom discussions. Many English teachers underestimate the importance of this skill, and assume students understand it more than they might. Verbal paraphrasing activities allow both students and teachers to assess listening comprehension skills in a natural, authentic manner.

Therefore, verbal paraphrasing deserves more attention in speaking activities – especially in high intermediate and advanced levels! Don’t you agree?

What techniques or exercises do you use to improve paraphrasing skills?

Ask more. Know more. Share more.

Create Compelling Conversations.

Because of Ohio’s punitive stance on OVI offenses, it can be easy to think that all such offenses are felonies with serious consequences, However, this is not true. Though the penalties can still be severe, most OVI offenses are misdemeanors of varying degrees – especially if it is your first or second offense and no bodily harm or other significant damages were caused.

Felony OVI convictions are reserved for repeat offenders and those offenders whose OVI violations caused other criminal damage. If your OVI is related to any of the following offenses, you are facing a misdemeanor charge, not a felony:

• First OVI

• Second OVI

• First OVI with high BAC

• Second OVI with high BAC

• Physical control OVI

• Reckless driving

• Underage OVI or OVUAC

• OVI hit and run with minor damage

You can verify this information in chapter 4511 of the Ohio Revised Code, though some felony charges are addressed in other sections. If you are unable to locate your particular offense or case circumstances, you could be facing a felony. An experienced Columbus OVI attorney will be able to sort through the details of your case, explain your charges, and show you your defense options.

The most common scenario for a felony OVI charge in Ohio is when a repeat DUI offender is arrested for a subsequent OVI offense. If you are convicted of three or more DUIs within six years, it is a fourth-degree felony. This charge comes with serious penalties, including:

• A fine up to $5,000

• Up to 18 months in prison

• 30 days of mandatory jail time

• Three years of administrative license suspension

• Yellow OVI plates

• Ignition interlock device

The other felony OVI offenses in Ohio involve damage, serious bodily injury, or death to another party. The degree of these felonies depends largely on if the defendant has any priors, especially OVI priors, and how severe the damages are. A defendant in these felony cases will probably also have a civil case to consider. The following are definitions of other Ohio felony DUI offenses.

Hit and Run – Also known as hit and skip, an OVI offender can be charged with this offense if he or she failed to stop and give their name, address, vehicle registration number, and/or the name and address of the vehicle owner if he or she is not an owner. This offense is a felony if the individual caused serious bodily harm or death before leaving the scene.

Aggravated Vehicular Assault – This offense is defined in ORC 2903.08 and occurs when an OVI offender causes serious bodily injury to another person or unborn baby.

Aggravated Vehicular Homicide – This offense is covered under ORC 2903.06 and happens when a DUI offender causes the death of another person or the unlawful termination of another’s pregnancy.

The most punitive of these offenses is a first-degree felony, with up to 10 years in prison, a $20,000 fine, and a for-life driver’s license suspension. A felony OVI offense is indeed something one should not trifle with; however, it is likely that your OVI charge is a misdemeanor. If you are unsure, consult an Ohio criminal defense lawyer.

A healthy anal and genital area is of great importance both for the general well-being and for the sexual abilities. The same is thrue about a healthy respiratory tract and breathing apparatus. Here are presented three poses and three breathing exercises that have the following effects when done together in a series:

-They stimulate the physiological functions of the genital and anal area.

-They correct muscle weakness and anatomical problems of the anal and genital region.

-They increase the sexual drive and abilities.

-They produce a stimulating response that spreads upwords along the spine and revitalizes the whole body.

-They stimulate the physiological functions of the respiratory tract and help against infections in the airways.

-The exercises are very good to start each day with, or to do before going to bed in the night.

POSE 1

Stand on your hands and knees upon the floor.

Kneel backword so that your buttocks go backword and down towards your feet and stretch your arms foreword.

Breath out and then take a deep breath in, filling your lungs totally with air. Hold your breath with the air inside.

Squeeze your anal muscles and pull your anal opening as deeply inword as you can. However do not strain when squeezing. This exercise shall not be exhausting.

Relax your anal muscles compleetely again.

Repeat the sqeesing and relaxing 3-5 times, but not so long that you go out of oxygen in your body.

Empty your lungs.

Rize up on your hands and knees again. Relax a while in this position and then you can repeat the exercise if you wish.

POSE 2

Lie on your back upon a carpet on the floor with your arms along your sides and relax.

Breath out.

Then breath inn deeply while relaxing all the muscles you do not need for the breathing.

Then breath out. When breathing out, squeeze your anal muscles and pull your anal opening as deeply inword as you can. However do not strain when squeezing. This exercise shall not be exhausting.

After having breathed out, relax your anal muscles again.

Repeat the breathing in and breathing out whiile squeezing 3-8 times, but not som much that you get exhausted.

Then relax again.

POSE 3

Lie on your back upon a carpet on the floor.

Breath out completely.

Swing your armes in an arch over your head and down to the floor over your head so that your whole body is stretched from top to toe. When swinging your arms, take a deep breath filling your lungs totally with air.

Hold your breath with the air inside.

Squeeze your anal muscles and pull your anal opening as deeply inword as you can. However do not strain when squeezing. This exercise shall not be exhausting. Relax your anal muscles compleetely again.

Repeat the sqeezing and relaxing 3-5 times.

Swing your arms back at the same time as you empty your lungs.

Relax some while and then you can repeat the exercise if you wish.

BREATHING EXERCISE 1

Sit upon a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed and the back streight.

Empty your lungs completely.

Breath in counting to 4.

When breathing in, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other: Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves out. Then fill further by using your chest muscles. And then complete the filling by using the muscles around your shoulders.

Hold your breath counting to 16.

Then breath out counting to 8.

When breathing out, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other: Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves in.Then empty further by using your chest muscles. And then complete emptying by using the muscles around your shoulders.

BREATHING EXERCISE 2

Sit upon a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed and your back streight.

Take 10 rapid deep breathes in and out after another, but not so rapid that you get strained or breath uncompleetely.

When breathing in, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other: Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves out.Then fill further by using your chest muscles.And then complete the filling by using the muscles around your shoulders.

When breathing out, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other: Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves in. Then empty further by using your chest muscles. And then complete emptying by using the muscles around your shoulders.

After the last in-breath , hold your breath with your lungs filled counting to 10.

Then breath out.

BREATHING EXERCISE 3

Sit upon a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed and your back streight.

Empty your lungs completely.

Close your left nostril with the fingers of one of your hands.

Breath in through your right nostril counting to 4.

When breathing in, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other: Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves out. Then fill further by using your chest muscles, and then compleete the filling by using the muscles around your shoulders.

Hold your breath counting to 16.

Then close your right nostril with your fingers. Then breath out through your left nostril counting to 8.

When breathing out, try to do it in three stages that proceed smoothely into each other: Use first your diafragm so that your stomack moves in. Then empty further by using your chest muscles. And then complete emptying by using the muscles around your shoulders.

When you have breathed out, repeat the exercise, but this time begin by closing your right nostril first.

RELAXING AT THE END OF THE SERIES:

When the series is done, then lie down upon a carpet on the floor andrelax for 2-5 minutes. This relaxation will increase the effects of the exercises and make you recover if the exercises have made you tired.

Concetrate upon relaxing your legs first, then your lover body, then your upper body, then your arms and shoulders, and at last your head and face. When the whole body is relaxed, try not to think about anything, and relax your whole body even furter.

Then lie some time in this relaxed state without thinking about anything.

By Knut Holt

When you are presenting your coaching services as a teleclass or as group coaching, there are several ways to “deliver the goods” to your clients.

The “traditional” way is through a series of emails with class materials attached. This way would look something like this:

• Email 1: Welcome to class and include dates for all calls as well as manual or “homework” for the first class.
• Email 2: The day before live class send a reminder. Attachment will include written materials for the class (manual/homework etc)
• Email 3: Day after class. Attachments include recording of class and repeat of written materials sent previously.
• Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for each class in your series.

The advantages of the “traditional delivery method” are:

• Initial costs are low. You probably already have (or should have!) an email delivery system in place.

The dis-advantages of this method are:

• It’s not “evergreen.” Repurposing of your coaching materials is paramount to your services being effective and efficient. “Reinventing the wheel” for each new class or group is not. Each class will require the same energy and time commitment as the first.
• Emails get lost or (gasp!) sent to the dreaded spam folder. Then each client has to email you to get the course materials and downloads. This often happens at the last minute when YOU are preparing for your live class.
• Problems with email attachments/downloads. With so many different email delivery programs, there will always be issues with an attachment or download not going through to someone. In the case of your call recordings, the files are too large for most email programs. So they have to be stored on line somewhere for download. While it may seem “old hat” to you and me to download files, some of your clients may not have a clue.

The NEW Trend in coaching delivery services is Membership Portals. You may think of these portals as websites committed specifically to your coaching program. They are membership sites so only your students can access the valuable information and tools you provide.

The Membership Portal delivery method looks something like this:

• Set up your Membership Site. This site has your branding. You can load all your materials – manuals, homework etc. in to your site set up much like the chapters in a book. Each “chapter” or “module” can be time released so information is dripped to students as needed.
• Enroll you students and they have immediate access to read the course materials on line or download to their computer. You can also give them access to any “bonus” material.
• You can also include a forum where students can interact or ask YOU questions.
• You will still send reminder emails but they will refer to the site for all downloads.

The advantages of the Membership Portal method are:

• It is “evergreen.” Starting a new class every 3 months? No problem. Make a few quick edits to your portal and you start enrolling the new class!
• Repurpose. After your first class, you have the recordings from each of your awesome live presentations. Maybe you want residual income without having to repeat the class live? With everything in the membership portal, you can now sell access to the portal as a “self-guided” coaching program.
• Convenience for your students. All class dates, materials and recordings are in one convenient place. You students don’t have to be searching for that email you sent them last week. They just log on to the portal and read or download at their convenience!
• No Email issues. Since all materials and recordings are in the portal, there are no worries about attachments to emails and recordings to large to send.
• Easy FAQ. Students will have questions and, of course, some may not know how to download. Instead of your inbox being flooded with these questions, you have a convenient FAQ forum where they can get specific directions.
• Students feel valued and part of something special. We all love the exclusivity of “membership.”

The dis-advantages of this method are:

• Initial Cost. Unless you are a “technical” person and some extra time to set up your own portal, you will have to hire someone to set your portal up for you.
• Ongoing Cost. We recommend Kajabi for the coaches we work with. This program has a monthly subscription cost starting at $99.

I hope this has answered your questions about the delivery methods available for your coaching program. It is a very important decision that will have lasting impact for your business. If you would like assistance, we would love to help. Please visit our web page.

Pushups are the best exercise for women to define their muscles. Why? adding pushups to your workout not only hardens your chest but it will give you great muscle definition in your shoulders, triceps, deltoids, as well as traps. You will get that sexy definition you’ve always wanted, looking better and feeling great. Trust me women, men love your arms, you need to get muscle definition to gain more attraction toward yourself.

Pushups are the best and safest way to build your upper body and back. You need to do pushups reason being you can do this every single day without injury. From handicap pushups to incline, the advancement in pushups is up to how in shape you are and can handle. Excess pushups won’t give you bulky, ugly male muscle in-fact, you’re going to look way better than you ever though you could by increasing the reps with your pushup routine.

You will shred off calories and even give yourself an extra boost. When you do pushups in the gym, men are attracted to the hardness of your workout routine and you will see more men starring in awe when you do pushups and you have a nice physique.

Beginner pushups are for anyone starting out, you simply make your arms squared to your shoulders and your feet together. Start by going down and pause for 1 second than you want to go back up and repeat 12 times.

Handicapped pushups are usually for out of shape, obese women and you simply use your knees instead of your feet, keep your hands squared to your shoulders and you go down, pause for 1 second, go back up and repeat.

Decline pushups are more advanced pushups, for women who are in decent shape and want a tougher course of a workout routine. You find a chair or bench chair, put your feet up together and you slowly go down, hold your position for 1 second and come back up repeating this 12 times in 5 sets.

Incline pushups are the opposite, you simply find a chair or bench chair and you put your hands on top of it and your feet on the ground. You go down slowly and back up, make sure you hold your down position for 1 second.

Advanced stability pushups is where you use a medicine ball, put your hands down on top of it as the ball will support your weight, keeping your feet on the ground. When you are 2 inches from the ground hold your position for 1 second and raise back up slowly repeating this 12 times.

You should pick which type you are most comfortable with, after you do this everyday and you start gaining resistance to the workout, you can increase your reps or difficulty. Your getting stronger if you can’t feel pain after the workout, it’s time for you to upgrade your pushup routine and go for a more advance workout.

Stick to pushups everyday you will start to see the desired results you’ve always wanted. Your going to look great and feel go when you are dedicated to doing pushups.

Work-related stress most often is cited as the most negative stress that we experience on a regular basis, followed closely by the stress associated with unfamiliar experiences and locations. The latter commonly is confused with fear, the former with former with job dissatisfaction. Both have in common the element of control, or, more specifically, a lack of control.

Job dissatisfaction occurs, however, when we our abilities are not exercised, or where the work environment itself is “toxic.” Stress becomes involved when we are faced with challenges for which we are not prepared, or situations that have proven to be problematic in the past. Indeed, anticipation of a stressful situation or experience creates its own stress. Job dissatisfaction feeds that stress, but often is not stressful in itself.

The stress of unfamiliar experiences can be both positive and negative. Equate, if you will, excitement with unfamiliar stress, and imagine those athletes that participate in extreme sports (such as helicopter skiing). These extremely athletic individuals savour the excitement and the stress of the moment. However, what we fail to factor into these experiences is that each of the participants have spent a great deal of time preparing for the sport, and manage their risks well. Certainly, there are those that do leap in, unprepared, but they are the exception, and often mask or submerge their stress by mentally blocking the risk factors.

What separates the good stress of athletic competition from the bad stress of the job, or facing the unknown? The simple answer is “preparation.” Soldiers are trained and disciplined for many weeks before being thrust into unknown, challenging environments. They repeat and repeat and repeat drills. They simulate the confrontations and challenges that they will face, until they almost instinctively react to the unknown, by categorizing it with familiar rituals that they have practised.

Exam stress is a prime example of the benefit of practice and preparation. Psychological studies have shown that learning the material thoroughly is the best remedy to avert exam stress. Yet, that is nothing more than preparation and practice! A second dimension of exam stress reduction, though, is the principle of state-dependent learning. As a parent, I used to simulate the exam room at home by setting up desks for my children, at which they studied, and insisted that they do homework in this setting, regularly. However, I would also provide practical applications for the topics that they were learning, so that they could relate the learned material to a “real-life” experience. This extra element provided a level of intimate understanding of the material, while the desk environment helped them to recall materials in the test environment as if they were at their desks at home. They were prepared.

One of my great stressors was the doctor’s office, and, specifically, needles. Such was my panic at medical exam time that I actually passed out while having my blood pressure taken, and, three times, while having a blood test. Yet, I have had twenty-seven broken bones and severe injuries requiring medical intervention, have been involved in more than 1,600 fights, and have even eschewed having a broken wrist set and cast, because I had too much work to do! Clearly, pain was not my problem. It was a fear of the unknown: specifically, what might be in the needle, and what control was I relinquishing in the situation. Ultimately, I chose to donate blood, reasoning that I had no right to be selfish, when a simple blood donation was needed by others with medical emergencies. In other words, I shamed myself into overcoming my fear of needles. It was my version of preparation. Having donated blood multiple times, I not longer fear the process (but still don’t particularly care for it).

By preparing for and understanding circumstances and events, we can reduce or eliminate stress. Lowered stress does not mean lower enjoyment, but it does allow you to more smoothly engage with situations that may otherwise prove too chaotic or disturbing. In short, organize your chaos, and you will eliminate many of your potentially stressful experiences,.

You’re walking down the street, and meet someone whose name you should remember. You don’t. You try to get by with a warm greeting. It almost works. Then, another friend joins both of you and waits to be introduced. You’re embarrassed. The other person remembers your name; you’ve forgotten his. You’re not sure whether you’ve simply got a poor memory or if you’re showing early signs of senility.

If you’d like to possess a memory for names, try these simple strategies – they’ll make a world of difference in your ability to remember names.

LOOK AT THE PERSON WHEN YOU HEAR THE NAME

When you’re meeting a person, you’re often looking elsewhere. If a third person is introducing you, you’re normally looking at the person who is doing the introductions or is speaking. If a customer comes up to the counter you’re working at, you’re generally looking at the paperwork you’ve just assembled. If you’ve just come into a room full of people at a party, and are being introduced to others, your attention is often “inside” your own head, focused on how you look.

Since memory is highly associative (one thing links with another), looking at a person when you’re first meeting him or her helps you link the sound of the new name with the face. Then, when you later look at the face, you’ll be more likely to remember the name.

MAKE SURE YOU HEAR THE NAME CLEARLY

Often, introductions are rushed and names are mumbled or slurred. If this happens, ask the person to repeat his or her name. If you hear only a mumble, that’s what you’ll remember. And, if you realize several minutes into a conversation you were too distracted to hear the name initially, ask for it again. You can’t memorize what you haven’t heard.

WHEN YOU HEAR THE NAME, REPEAT IT AT ONCE INSIDE YOUR OWN HEAD

Your memory isn’t failing you, you’re failing your memory.

Repeating a name increases your chances of remembering a name by 30 percent. If you remember repeating poems in grade school until they were memorized, you realize that repetition works. While something repeated once a day for eight days is generally remembered for months, something heard only once is at least two-thirds forgotten by the end of the first day. If you want to remember a name, at least repeat the name in your head when you first hear it.

IF THE NAME IS UNUSUAL OR HARD TO REMEMBER, ASK THE PERSON TO SPELL IT OR SPELL IT SILENTLY YOURSELF

Because it is easier to remember visual than auditory information, we often take a mental snapshot of a person’s name without realizing it. When you meet a person named Joe or Mary, your mind quickly “sees” “Joe” or “Mary.” However, when you meet a person with an unusual name such as “Tanzeem,” your mind hears that the sound is difficult and takes no snapshot. What you later remember is not the name, but instead that the name was “different.”

Because you already tend to remember names visually, assist yourself by spelling difficult names either out loud or silently. Once you’ve seen Mr. Tanzeem or Ms. Ahnangatoguk’s name in letters, it becomes easier to remember. While the sound of the name may vanish into the reaches of memory, the spelling will remain.

SAY THE PERSON’S NAME OUT LOUD EARLY IN THE CONVERSATION

When you meet someone, you probably say “hello,” and then give your own name. If instead you say, “Hello, Joe Banks, I’m Lynne Curry,” you’ll increase your chances of remembering the person’s name by 50 percent. Out loud repetition is even more effective than silent repetition because you’re more actively working your memory.

USE THE NAME IN CONVERSATION

Using a person’s name in the first three minutes after meeting a person increases your chance of remembering the name when you next meet him or her. The repetition reinforces the linkage between the person’s face and his name.

Once you’ve practiced repeating new acquaintances’ names, you’ll notice that there are many opportunities to use anyone’s name in conversation without it sounding strange. You’ll also notice that most people like hearing their own name.

USE THE NAME WHEN EXITING THE CONVERSATION

If you’ll use the person’s name one last time as you end a conversation with them, for example, “It was good to meet you, Joe,” you’ll likely capture the name in memory for weeks.

TURN YOUR MEMORY ON BY MOTIVATION

If you’ve raised teenagers, you know many of them forget to do things you ask, but can remember the names of everyone in a music group or the batting average of every player on their favorite team. We remember what we want to.

Thus, if you want to increase your chances of remembering something, start by considering why it’s important for you to remember it. The more attention you focus on what’s happening around you, the more you’ll notice and remember.

WRITE THE NAME

Visual memory is stronger than auditory or verbal memory. If you’ve ever made a list of items to buy at the store and left the list at home, you probably noticed you could recall all or most of the items on the list. Simply writing a name and looking at it will increase your chances of remembering the name.

GIVE MEMORY A CHANCE

When you meet a person weeks after the first meeting, give your memory a chance. We expect our memory to be instant. When we first see a person, we expect the name to immediately flash across our mind.

Since memory holds a huge quantity of information, it takes several seconds for our minds to process many associations and come up with the right name. If you expect an instant remembrance, your memory can appear to shut down as anxiety forms a sure-fire barrier that blocks memory. So, give your memory a chance.

Relax and think back to anything you can remember about the person. Associated events and information help your sorting process, and by remaining calm you give your mental searching process a chance to work. If you need to, you can buy yourself time by clearing your throat, adjusting your glasses or taking a deep breath.

REMEMBER

Would you like to be able to remember the names of the people you meet? If so, look at people when you first meet them so you’ll be able to later link the sound of their name to their faces. Make sure you hear new names clearly – you can’t memorize what you can’t clearly hear. Say the name out loud in greeting and in conversation if you can. If not, mentally repeat the name to yourself. If the name is unusual, try to spell it. And finally – give your memory a chance to work and exercise it daily.

This is a variable split workout. Translated…this just means that you train a muscle group hard and fast, but the volume (amount of sets you perform) is low enough that the body-part.

being trained will recover fast enough to train again in 48 hours.

Example Variable Split: Train arms 3 times a week.

Mondays: 4 super-sets (A superset is two or more exercises in a row, then a rest break.) of dumbbell curls and triceps cable push-downs.

Here’s what it looks like:

Repeat this cycle 3 more times for a total of 4 sets for each exercise.

Wednesdays: 3 drop-sets (A drop-set is where an exercise is done until failure and then immediately switching to lower weight until failure is achieved.) each of lying triceps extensions and standing straight bar curls.

Here’s what this one looks like:

Repeat this cycle 1 more time rest 90 seconds and go immediately to:

Repeat the above cycle twice.

Fridays: 5 straight sets of lower reps and heavier weight.

Here’s what the last one looks like:

Note: Make sure to take a day off between these workouts so your arms can recover.

Remember, exercise is the stimuli for the results that occur while you rest and nourish.

When you’re done strength training with the proper intensity levels, your metabolism will be elevated for 12 to 17 hours afterwards!

Intense cardio doesn’t get you ripped…Intense strength training doesn’t get you ripped…and sound nutrition doesn’t get you ripped.

It’s the synergy of ALL 3 strategies above that gets you ripped.

Strive for consistency, NOT perfection.

You really can get a flat stomach and ripped abs by using 12 minute workouts…but “Abs ARE made in the kitchen.” 🙂

You can do crunches and sit-ups all day long and still never have a flat stomach or see your abs unless you learn how to apply synergy.

Exceptional salespeople are great closers. Most sales people aren’t effective negotiators because they are too willing to do whatever it takes to make the sale. They are so attuned to serving the customer that they let professional negotiators walk all over them. Sales superstars realize that negotiating is a game that they must win for their customer to succeed. So they play hard and fast. And they win.

Do your sales people have to discount to close deals?

The most likely negotiating tactic your customer will try is to ask you to discount your price. During the close they will often develop their “value amnesia” they have forgotten why they selected you after an exhaustive search. Don’t give in to this negotiating ploy. The second you give in on price during negotiations you negate the value you have built during the sales process.

Can your salespeople ‘think on their feet’ when negotiating?

Negotiating is counterintuitive to selling. Most salespeople aren’t effective negotiators because they’re too willing to do whatever it takes to make the sale. Your unconscious, natural reaction in negotiations is often the opposite of the best negotiating behavior. Learning how to negotiate effectively can vastly increase the odds of a success for both your and your customer.

Is account profitability eroding?

Repeat business is much more profitable than new business. Customers only become repeat customers when they are satisfied and they trust you. Learn how to negotiate for success to ensure customer satisfaction and repeat business.

Closing a deal is all about power. Sales superstars know how to use power – their own, their coach’s, their decision maker’s – to negotiate a win-win relationship. They don’t discount their price. They don’t let the customer cut corners in a way that will jeopardize the successful implementation of the solution. They know when to escalate issues to get them resolved. And they know when to walk away from an unprofitable deal.

Exceptional sales people take the initiative to plan and lead the negotiating process. Their intimate knowledge of the customer’s needs and how the technology works, enables them to scale the solution on the fly. They know what they can give up and what they can’t. And they have a back-up plan. The exceptional sales person’s deals are always successfully implemented. The customer is always satisfied, so they become loyal, repeat customers.

WHY CLOSE FAST?

The contract is signed.

There is an excitement about the close. All your hard work is about to pay off. The decision maker is convinced that your solution is the best. Everyone who counts is on board. The moment has arrived. Then all of sudden everything changes. New players, purchasing agents who understand neither the business strategy nor your value proposition, enter the picture. Your gatekeeper has an attack of “value amnesia” and completely forgets why your solution is the best choice. The losing competitor plays dirty tricks in desperation, like cutting their price by 70%. Before you lose control, learn how close the deal. Fast.

The customer commits to a successful implementation.

Closing negotiations are a precarious time. New people who don’t understand the issues or value of the solution become involved in the decision. Mistakes are easily made. Carefully thought out plans can be sacrificed in pursuit of the best deal. It is time for you to champion the success of the project. Learn how careful planning and skillful negotiations can help your customer succeed, in spite of themselves.

You increase the profitability of the deal.

During a complex negotiation you will have many opportunities to significantly “sweeten the pot.” If you have a thorough knowledge of your customer’s needs and the business model of your offer, you will be able to negotiate with flexibility and style. Learn how to plan your negotiation so you end up with a profitable deal.

You negotiate with confidence.

Most sales people lack confidence when it is time to sit down at the negotiating table. This is because negotiating tactics are counter-intuitive to good sales behavior. In this chapter you will learn techniques for negotiating effectively and closing fast, so you can overcome your fears.

Many people talk about recidivism in sex offenders and to be completely honest – it drives me crazy. I’ll admit it probably has everything to do with me being a sex offender – otherwise I likely wouldn’t care.

I think what drives me crazy are the individuals that jump on the bandwagon and repeat hearsay versus fact. It’s the neighborhood activists that proclaim neighbors are unsafe with offenders in them. These are people that are simply creating a false hysteria. There’s no ‘safety’ in this thought process. If I ever ask someone to cite sources and open a discussion with me about the topic, I’m met with statements like ‘it’s common sense’ or a hostile attitude.

But seriously, think about it. If I wanted to re-offend (… which I don’t) what good is it that my picture is posted on a website? I’ve asked numerous ‘stay at home’ parents to describe any sex offender’s appearance that lives within 5 miles. None of them have been able to give me just one description.

Not only that, but if I was going to re-offend, is the public ignorant enough to think that I would re-offend at my house or my place of employment? (… because these are the only two places that I’m required to register where I am located.) I’m not required to share when I go to the grocery store, when I go to the park, when I go to a soccer game, etc. It seems to me that hysteria has grossly trumped ‘common sense’ in this department.

Recidivism isn’t good with any crime. People are flawed. Without diving into the religious side of that statement, let’s all just agree that individuals all do dumb things… and some of those individuals repeat those dumb things. Those are just the facts.

But, when it comes to comparing risks and percentages of repeating – the facts speak loudly. I just don’t think many people are listening. Ironically, it was my state required therapist that told me the public is misinformed. Here’s a woman that spends 40+ hours a week talking and counseling numerous convicted sexual offenders – and she was the one that told me sexual offenders have the lowest recidivism rates outside of murder. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2006)

She shared with me that one study (… based on sex offenders released from prison in 1994) from the Department of Justice suggests:

Within 3 years following their 1994 state prison release, 5.3 percent of sex offenders (… men who had committed rape or sexual assault) were rearrested for another sex crime. Not only that, sex offenders were less likely than non-sex offenders to be rearrested for ANY criminal offense – 43 percent of sexual offenders versus 68 percent of non-sex offenders.

Again, these are facts and not hearsay. Once the public starts to accept these facts, perhaps sex offenders can move toward being encouraged to rehabilitate versus being shamed and avoided.