I have to admit that lately I have been consuming a lot of self-motivation, self-help, success books.  I have read stuff from Tony Robbins, Darren Hardy, and many more in that arena.  As I read, I have noticed that although the title is different, the wording inside is almost always the same.

Do this.  Don't do that.  A,B,C and X,Y,Z.  The plans are laid out for you in the manuals. 

But, is it that easy?  Is it as simple as picking up a book on success, reading through it, studying it, and then implementing the practices?  Is it really that easy?

I am not sure. 

So, I started thinking about the 20% rule.  Of the one million people that have purchased books from the above authors, the rule of 20% would basically state the following:

- 1,000,000 people actually bought the book
- 200,000 people actually read the book
- 40,000 people actually took the time to implement a few things in the book.
- 8,000 people will actually implement everything in the book.
- 1,600 people will actually be successful

Now, this is not an exact science, but I believe that various studies have shown that this is typically what happens.

So, the question is, if success is measured in numbers, just like above, does that mean that if you go and buy the manual, and really implement the ideas, that you will become successful?

I have created a poll question for you to weigh your opinion.  Please leave a comment as to why you made the decision that you made!

Until next time,

T

Take the poll here!!!

As I was watching, no, enjoying the first preseason games last week, I began to think about football in detail.  Ever notice how obsessed teams, owners, and fans are about stats of players?  We have fantasy football, we have websites dedicated to stats, and we have video games that make players better than others..............all based on football stats.

I then began to think about how football relates to my business.  I am also in the business of stats, well, numbers.  I want to look at a companies telecom bills and see the numbers.  How are you spending, what are you spending, where is the waste, how can we spend less. 

The same can be said about a football team.  How are they using the clock?  How often are they scoring in the redzone?  How many dropped passes?  The list goes on and on.

As a head football coach, stats are analyzed and then re-analyzed.  Players are placed in order in which they play, and those that are not up to par are sent to other teams or given their release.

As a business owner, or a head coach (you are the same), you should be doing the same thing.  How are we doing?  How can we get better?  How can we spend less?

The tough part is the round of cuts.  But, to get better, cuts have to happen.  Does that include people?  Maybe.  Does it include spending cuts? Sure.

Whatever it is, crunching numbers and looking over stats may not be your thing.  If it is not, hire someone like me to help you collect, organize, and review the numbers.  The cuts you make will, in the end, make you a better team.

Until next time,

T

If you are a small business owner like I am, please read below. I recently hired an admin assistant. Someone to help with day to day activities, paperwork, account management, etc. I was scared to death, didn't think that I could afford her, and battled with the decision for months before deciding to pull the trigger.

What I have found though is that it was probably the best decision that I have ever made.

Why? Well, let's say that my talents are not well suited in the answering phones, managing accounts, and pushing paperwork. Nope. My talents are to go out and meet people and SELL THINGS!!

The problem that I had was spending too much time in the office and not enough time outside the office. Not riding around and doing nothing, but finding new customers, visiting existing customers, and meeting new people. Now, I have not realized a return on my investment as of yet, but I know that I will. I now have free time to do these things because I am no longer a prisoner in the office.

So, the moral of the story is this. If you are considering making a move to free yourself up for more time to concentrate on what you do best, don't hesitate any longer. Spend the money on that person who can help. Actually, you can look at it as a cost savings. Let's say that your time is worth $100 per hour. Well, an admin person does not cost that much, so you would be saving money. And, you have less stress, more time, and will be back to doing what you love.

I hate that I waited so long to make my decision. Don't regret it, do it!!

Until next time, T

Yeah, this post is not my "normal" stuff......I know.

But, I felt like I should share this with people that read the blog, as well as those who will see this on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. 

I was on my way to Baltimore yesterday morning for a client meeting and decided to bring along with me a copy of a CD that was given to me by a good friend of mine named Glenn Boothe.  We had been to lunch earlier that week, and he handed me this CD and said, "Listen to this, it's some really good stuff."  After he told me it was Tony Robbins, well, I rolled my eyes.  What does Tony Robbins know about anything was the thought going through my head.

Well, I was wrong about Tony Robbins.  I know you didn't see that one coming.......

So, I pop the CD into my Mac at 29,000 feet, and I hear his voice.  Deep, kind of scratchy.  Makes you want to listen more actually.  Anyway, Tony begins to talk about how negative thoughts and a negative perception in life will absolutely ruin you if you don't change it. 

Tony took the old adage that "You are what you eat", and turned it into "You are what you think."  Think positive thoughts, and you will have positive results.  Think negative thoughts, and you will typically have negative results. 

I posted this because this really struck me.  I am guilty of this.  I have fallen into this trap of negative thinking.  I have become unproductive at times as thoughts of failure and despair controlled my mind.  

I decided to post my quest for positive results, and I wanted you guys to know my plan.  Part of succeeding at goals is to make sure that other people know about them, right?

Here they are:

1. I will stop talking about anything negative.  Doesn't matter what it is.  If it is not something positive, I will stop the conversation.
2. I will take everyday minute by minute, making sure that I am thinking positive thoughts throughout those times. 
3. I will no longer worry about things that I cannot control.
4. I will spin anything that I am faced with into something positive.  I will not dwell on bad news, but find the good in that bad news. 

There they are.  You now have seen my plan for success. 

Now, will I stumble a few times.  Those of you who know me are probably laughing right about now.  But, I have to start somewhere. 

If you are having these same problems, let me know.  I would love to have others join me on the journey to positive thinking.

I remember a sales trainer, or probably the best one that I know, tell me that head trash will kill a sales person.  He's right.  And I will no longer stand in line waiting to be killed. 

Want to join me?

Until next time,

T

Man it's been a long time since I last updated the blog.  I mean a really long time. 

Sorry.

Okay, so I have another great story that I wanted to share with you.

May 26th, 2010 was a crazy day.  I was laying in bed and heard my phone ringing.......it was early.  So, I rolled out of bed to see who was calling.  What I found was a voicemail from Janice Smith with US Lawns Myrtle Beach.  I could tell by the way the voicemail started that something was wrong.

I immediately picked up my phone and called her back. 

Janice picks up and tells me that 2 of their maintenance trucks were stolen overnight.  And, since she is not normally the one looking at GPS tracking information, she could not operate the website. 

I fired up the laptop with her on the phone and walked her through how to find her trucks.  After a few seconds of tracking, we found them.

So, Janice called the local authorities and gave them the address.

A few hours passed, she called back.  They found the trucks, but all the equipment was gone.  All of it.........$250,000 worth of it...........gone.

We got back on the tracking site.  I pinpointed an address that the vehicles made a brief stop at before leaving the trucks at their final resting place.  She sent the police to that address.

Guess what?

Found ALL of the equipment........ALL OF IT.......$250,000 of it.

Do you have the peace of mind knowing that if your equipment and trucks are stolen in the middle of the night that you can find it?

If you do not, I suggest you call me right now.  Don't wait until your trucks are stolen to call me, do it right now.

For $299 and $30 a month, you can have this same system.

So, I decided to join my install team on a little road trip.  I enjoy visiting customers, and I really enjoy being on the road............well, every once in a while.

Anyway, the itinerary was set on Monday, and we were heading out on Tuesday afternoon for Birmingham, AL.  After a quick stop in Spartanburg to visit a customer, off we go.  Through Anderson, through Atlanta.

Probably 15 minutes outside of Atlanta, we hear this noise.  Sort of distinct, one that we have not heard or were familiar with.  Almost as if a door had opened in the truck.  We look around, but nothing really sticks out as being wrong.

Continuing on..........

About an hour after this noise was heard, I notice a road noise, a very loud road noise.  Again we think that one of the doors was not completely closed, so we look...............nothing.

Immediately after looking around for the opened door, I turn around to look at something in the backseat.  When I do that, I notice that the back window has this weird glare on it.  All of a sudden, the bottom of the ENTIRE back glass flips up into the air.........like an overhead compartment on an airplane.  So, the top remains attached, and the bottom is swinging freely in the 80 mile an hour breeze that we are creating.

Well, desperate times call for duct tape measures right?  I always thought that the saying of "duct tape fixes anything" was just a joke.  Well, now I know that it is not.  I remember in the Marine Corps learning how to adapt and overcome.........so here it is:

All of us at OneBridge Communications would like to welcome US Lawns of Memphis to our customer base.

US Lawns of Memphis is a full service commercial landscape company specializing in making sure that your commercial property is always beautifully maintained. 

GPS asset tracking helps US Lawns manage employee timesheets, as well as monitor what properties are being visited and for how long. 

This creates efficiency and accountability within their organization, allowing them to keep profits up and wasted expenses down.

Want to know more about it?  Call us: 877-212-4828

Talk soon,

T

So, what better way to update the blog than to tell you a great story that I heard.

Okay, here's the scenario:

2 companies involved in the story.  1 company is a current GPS client of ours, 1 is a prospect (someone considering purchasing GPS).

I am in the process of working with the current customer to help them streamline some dispatch processes, which will help them become more efficient through GPS.  During that process, we realize that something does not add up.  After looking over various reports, we notice that company technicians are basically stealing 1 hour per day from the company. 

BINGO!! BAM!! GOT 'EM!!

Whatever you call it, something that I sell has just identified an unjustifiable expense so I am happy.

Here's the math behind it:

1 hour per day x $21 per hour (average technician hourly wage) x 5 working days x 17 technicians = ALOT OF DANG MONEY RECOVERED

Okay, enough math........

Later that day, I am in a meeting with my prospect, and I ask him what would happen if he had a system that would allow him to verify the accuracy of the time sheets that his employees turn in.  Then I said, "What if I could install a system on your company trucks that would give you the ability to potentially recover one hour per day, per employee?"

His response, "That is just the cost of doing business."

I was like.........Wha???..............Huh???

Now, I am not one to tell someone how to run their business, nor is it my place to laugh at someone for making a decision about their business, but "the cost of doing business?"

Let me ask you this..........what is your "cost of doing business?"

Is it taking customers to lunch? Buying season tickets to your local pro sports team to entertain clients? Is it buying new office equipment to make your office more efficient? Or, is it allowing employees to steal from your company by fudging numbers on timesheets?

If it's the latter, I recommend you do something about that.

You can, but you have to make that decision.

Decide to manage your company, not let it manage you.

It's easier than you think.  And, I guarantee a return on your investment!!  How's that?

Call me............1-877-212-4828.

Until then,

T

I am sitting here tonight enjoying the rumbling of thunder and the sharp flash of lightning.  Ah...........spring is finally here.

I thought tonight would be a good time to discuss Google Voice and the many features that come with it.  If you do not know what Google Voice is, well, let me tell you about it.

Google Voice is a service provided by Google that basically allows you to organize ALL of your telephone numbers in one place.  Waiting on that important call?  No problem.  List your numbers with Google Voice, and allow Google to transfer that important call to whatever phone you may be sitting beside at that time.

Here is how it works.  Once you have an account with Google voice, you can simply log in to your account and choose a Google Voice telephone number.  Once you have done that, you can list all of the telephone numbers that you currently have.  After passing out your Google Voice number, people are able to call that number and get in touch with you at any of the numbers that you have listed!!  Want that business call to ring at home?  It can happen?  Want to transfer a call from your office phone to your mobile?  That can happen.

The only drawback......you have to use a Google Voice telephone number.  It's really not that bad, and you can easily find numbers that are local to your area. Also included with Google Voice is voicemail to text, for free.  Hate checking voicemail?  Me too.  You can setup Google Voice to accept your voicemail calls.  Google will then translate those calls from voice to text, and deliver them straight to your email address........pretty slick.

Last drawback of Google Voice?  Well, you have to be invited to join.  You can logon to Google Voice and ask them to invite you.  It took me roughly 4 days to get my invitation......but, I think I was lucky. 

I have 3 invites that I can hand out.  Tell me in the comments why you think you deserve one, and I will decide who gets them!!

Until next time,

T

OneBridge Communications, LLC announced today a new program to help companies save more money. 

The promotion runs from now through the end of July, and allows companies to rent GPS units without signing any long term agreements. Upfront costs are minimal with only a $100 per truck installation fee.  Everything else is covered in your monthly rental fee.

All tracking is in real time, with 5 minute updates while the vehicle is moving.  Accessible from any computer that has an internet connection, users are able to find locations of vehicles from anywhere.

Can't get to a computer?  That's fine.  You can also use any PDA device to find your vehicles as well?  Don't have a PDA?  That's fine too!!  This system provides you with a toll free number that can be called where you are able to here the last location of your vehicle through a voice activated system.

Return on investment is guaranteed!!

If you are interested in this system and promotion, please send an email to info@onebridgewireless.com.