Archives for September 16, 2013

More Tech Tools You NEED to Use to Grow Your Company

 

OK – you asked for them, here are some more tech tools that the CEOs I’m mentoring are using to grow their companies…

1) Dragon Dictation

Highlights:

  • Use your voice to create and edit documents or emails, launch applications, open files, control your mouse, and more
  • Digital voice recorder helps mobile employees capture notes in the field and create reports faster than ever before
  • Great for busy, on the go, individual

2) DropBox

Highlights:

  • Dropbox syncs your important work across all your devices.
  • Your files are backed up and you can even return to older versions or restore deleted files.
  • Safe, secure and easy to access from any computer

3) DropSend

Highlights:

  • Great for sending large files of up to 2GB
  • Fast, simple and secure to use with 256bit AES Security
  • Back up all your files online
  • Store and share your files from anywhere

4) Docusign

Highlights:

  • Create and send documents for signature
  • Allows you to securely sign documents electronically, even from your mobile device
  • meets or exceeds national and international security standards, including strict security policies and practices that set the standard for world-class information security.
  • legally binding

5) Google Drive

Highlights:

  • Upload photos, videos, documents, and other files that are important to you
  • up to 15GB of storage. Free.
  • easily create spreadsheets, word documents, presentations, forms or drawings
  • saved in the Cloud and accessible from any internet connected device

6) One Password

Highlights:

  • create strong, unique passwords for you, remember them, and restore them, all directly in your web browser
  • Selecting one of your saved logins, you can securely fills your username and password, and logs you in, all with a single click or a few keystrokes.
  • Strong encryption keeps your data safe from keyloggers and phishing criminals

7) Roboform

Highlights:

  • one click login automatically saves and then enters your usernames and passwords with a simple click and login-similar to a browser bookmark.
  • single master password with strong encryption: securely store your name, address, email, credit cards, and all other personal information. Just click on your RoboForm Identity to fill entire web forms automatically.
  • access your RoboForm Logins and Identities on all your computers and devices.

8) Asana

Highlights:

  • shared task list for your team; allows you to communicate, organize, and track a group’s work.
  • Asana Inbox and notifications make it easy to stay on top of the details, even from your mobile
  • Saves and organizes tasks and communication in one place
  • Easy to organize projects and assign tasks to other group members and then track their progress

9) Smart Sheet

Highlights:

  • Assign tasks, attach files, share sheets, view timelines and set alerts
  • Whatever projects, process or workflows you manage, you’ll know who’s doing what
  • connects with other cloud-based apps
  • easy to create Gantt-charts

10) The Resumator

Highlights:

  • create fully-customizable job applications to capture the information you need to make great hiring decisions.
  • nearly 30 common questions that you can add to any job with just a single click or create custom questions with a multiple choice, selection, textfield or textbox answer
  • Links easily with job boards and social networks
  • launch company-wide referral programs, where employees spread the word and get credit for their success.
  •  tools to communicate with applicants throughout the hiring process.
  • Centralize all applicants, communications and evaluations in one secure location, using workflows to keep applicants moving through your process.

11) TinyPulse

Highlights:

  • anonymous captures feedback from your team to reveal insights, trends, and opportunities to improve retention, culture, and results
  • way to involve the team in dialogue to review the responses and to identify opportunities and solutions
  • predetermined time tested questions

12) 15 Five

Highlights:

  • Each week, employees complete a report that takes no more than 15 minutes to write, and no more than 5 minutes for their manager to read.
  • Reports include updates on successes, challenges, ideas and morale
  • You are presented with reports from management which include all the most important highlights rolled up from throughout the company
  • Employees feel heard and managers stay informed

12) CardMunch

Highlights:

  • Take a picture with the app and a business card is converted to a contact automatically.
  • Will also show you LinkedIn profile information and connections you have in common.

13) Audacity

Highlights:

  • free, open source, cross-platform software for recording and editing sounds
  • Record live audio.
  • Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs.
  • Edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files.
  • Cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together.
  • Change the speed or pitch of a recording.

14) Elance

Highlights:

  • Post jobs for free
  • Review job proposals, Browse each finalist’s profile to see their portfolio, work history, tests passed, job feedback/rating, work history
  • Track job progress in your shared Workroom
  • deposit funds in a licensed escrow and your freelancer will be paid when milestones are met

15) Guru.com (Guru.com)

Highlights:

  • allows you to Hire Freelancers & manage projects online
  • large pool of qualified people to choose from
  • Manage teams from your desktop and collaborate with ease using our seamless project management tools.

16) Outsourcing Things Done

Highlights:

  • provides virtual assistants, bookkeepers, legal assistants, computer programmers, web designers, customer service personnel, sales professionals and more on demand
  • Only pay for hours worked as opposed to a leased employee (down time, breaks, benefits)
  • team members are pre-screened and skills tested

17) If This Then That

Highlights:

  • creates powerful connections with a simple if/then statement
  • connected to over 60 channels including: RSS, Blogger, LinkedIn, Evernote, your email, and more
  • automatically files and saves information for you

19) 99 Designs

Highlights:

  • designers submit competing designs in response to a customer’s design brief
  • also sell ready-to-use logos through our Readymade logo store
  • access to thousands of designers around the world

20) Crowd spring

Highlights:

  • name your price, and then choose from an average of 110+ custom designs
  • custom design and writing services
  • if you’re not completely happy with your design or writing project, or if your naming project doesn’t receive at least 100 entries, we’ll promptly refund all your money.
book-4

Meetings Suck: Turning One Of The Most Loathed Elements Of Business Into One Of The Most Valuable

We all know that meetings suck, right?

You hear it all the time. It’s the one thing that almost everyone in business can agree on.

Except it’s not actually true… 

Meetings don’t suck.

We just suck at running meetings.   

When done right, meetings not only work, they make people and companies better.

In Meetings Suck, world renowned business expert and growth guru Cameron Herold teaches you how to use focused, time effective meetings to help you and your company soar.

This book shows you immediately actionable, step-by-step systems that ensure that you and everyone in your organization improves your meetings, right away.

In the process, you’ll turn meetings that suck into meetings that work. 

In life, we always hear about people who’ve made huge decisions from their gut – without data.Today, I want you to make a decision, not only from your gut, but also from some data.  A decision that is only $12 per employee but will be priceless for your business.

Right now, your gut is telling you something is wrong with your company’s meetings.  You KNOW everyone complains about meetings.

People HATE going to them, they HATE running them, and they really have NO idea which meetings are truly necessary but they hold meetings simply because they think that is what they SHOULD do.

Even some of the smartest CEOs in the world complain about meetings – Elon Musk publicly told employees at Tesla & SpaceX to walk out of meetings if they weren’t being run properly.

I sent Elon a message saying that wasn’t going to fix anything – the key is to fix the root of the problem – NOT continue to ignore why meetings suck.

A Meeting is – Any phone call, video call or occasion where 2 or more people meet to discuss or work-through office topics.

Most employees on average spend 1-2 hours per day in meetings.

And likely, none of those employees – front-line staff or leaders – have had any training on how to attend meetings or participate in them, LET ALONE How to RUN THEM.

Consider this…

If the Average employee spends just 1 Hour per day in meetings – that’s 1/8th of their time.

If the Average employee earns $50,000 per year.

And they’re spending 1/8th of their time in meetings, that means you’re paying $6,250 dollars per year for just ONE employee to attend meetings.

The reality is, employees spend 1/8th of their time – and 1/8th of your company’s payroll – doing something they have literally NO idea how to do.

The Reality is…

95% of employees are booking & leading meetings – and they have NEVER been trained on how to run them.

95% of employees have had NO training on how to show up and participate in the meetings they attend daily.

And 95% of employees and companies have no idea what meetings are even necessary to hold.

Meetings CAN be hugely effective – IF you know how to run them

Meetings don’t SUCK, we just SUCK at running meetings. 

Investing $15 per employee – to help ensure the $50,000 a year you spend on them is an obvious and easy choice.

This could be the most impactful $15 you’ll ever spend and will save the company’s money, time and resources instantly.

Buying a copy of Meetings Suck for 100% of your employees and having them read it this month will have a huge impact on your company’s success.

book-5

Free PR: How To Get Chased By The Press Without Hiring A PR Firm

Public relations has always been an essential part of doing business which is probably why you’re shelling out big money to an outside PR firm. But the truth is that you don’t need them. You already have all the necessary tools in-house to do as good a job as the so-called experts. 

Cameron Herold and Adrian Salamunovic have taught thousands of company execs how to exploit free media coverage and ditch these expensive, often ineffective outsiders. 

Cameron & Adrian have also built in-house PR teams, spent decades learning how to generate Free PR and how to leverage public relations to complement their sales and marketing strategy. 

In Free PR, you’ll learn how the media world operates while you gain invaluable insider knowledge and actionable advice on how to: 

  • Build your own in-house PR team
  • Provide effective interviews
  • Score great media coverage for free with just a few easy steps 

Landing public relations coverage for yourself and your company is a powerful tool to help elevate your personal brand. PR is easier to generate than marketing, PR is easier to leverage than marketing and PR is more cost effective than marketing. In other words, Public Relations is more critical than ever in growing your brand and your business. 

You’ve got more passion, commitment, a larger stake, and a deeper understanding of your business than any outside PR firm could ever have. So stop wasting money and take the reins yourself.  Learn the secrets to landing TONS of Free PR for your company.

What they’re saying:

“I think PR is the core for promoting any business. Public relations acquires customers! That’s what’s cool about this book.”

– Kevin O’Leary,  Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank

“The ultimate guidebook for those looking to get press, grow their brand, and get in front of the masses. Free PR is the roadmap you’ve been looking for.”

– Peter Shankman, Founder, Help a Reporter Out (HARO)

“Adrian and Cameron will show you the secrets of getting massive exposure for your business. This book is packed with actionable insights from two guys that actually know how to to do it.”

– Dan Martell,  Serial Entrepreneur & Investor (Intercom.io, Unbounce)

“I told Cameron to write the book on generating free PR. I’m excited to see that he’s finally sharing his secrets with the world. This is a must read for any entrepreneurial company and marketing team.”

– Verne Harnish, Founder of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and author of Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0)

book-3-1

Vivid Vision: A Remarkable Tool For Aligning Your Business Around a Shared Vision of the Future

Many corporations have slick, flashy mission statements that ultimately do little to motivate employees and less to impress customers, investors, and partners. 

But there is a way to share your excitement for the future of your company in a clear, compelling, and powerful way and entrepreneur and business growth expert Cameron Herold can show you how. 

Vivid Vision is a revolutionary tool that will help owners, CEOs, and senior managers create inspirational, detailed, and actionable three-year mission statements for their companies. In this easy-to-follow guide, Herold walks organization leaders through the simple steps to creating their own Vivid Vision, from brainstorming to sharing the ideas to using the document to drive progress in the years to come. 

By focusing on mapping out how you see your company looking and feeling in every category of business, without getting bogged down by data and numbers or how it will happen, Vivid Vision creates a holistic road map to success that will get all of your teammates passionate about the big picture. 

Your company is your dream, one that you want to share with your staff, clients, and stakeholders. Vivid Vision is the tool you need to make that dream a reality.

miracle-morning

The Miracle Morning for
Entrepreneurs: Elevate Your SELF to
Elevate Your BUSINESS

READY FOR EXPLOSIVE GROWTH AS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND ACCELERATED SUCCESS IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

A step-by-step guide to enjoying the roller-coaster ride of growth — while getting the most out of life as an entrepreneur. A growth-focused approach: The book is divided into three sections, which cover planning for fast growth, building a company for fast growth, and leading for fast growth. Each topic the author covers — from creating a vision for the company’s future to learning how to generate free PR for a developing company — is squarely focused on the end goal: doubling the size of the entrepreneur’s company in three years or less. A down-to-earth action plan: Herold’s experienced-based advice never gets bogged down in generalities or theory. Instead, he offers a wealth of practical tips, including: How to design meetings for maximum efficiency; How to hire top-quality talent; How to grow in particularly tough markets; How to put together a board of advisors — even for a smaller company; How even the busy entrepreneur can achieve a work/life balance.

READY FOR EXPLOSIVE GROWTH AS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND ACCELERATED SUCCESS IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

Hal Elrod’sThe Miracle Morning has helped redefine the mornings and the lives of millions of readers since 2012. Since then, careers have been launched, goals have been met, and dreams have been realized, all through the power of the Miracle Morning’s six Life S.A.V.E.R.S.

THESE SIX DAILY PRACTICES WILL FUEL YOUR EFFORTS TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE.

Now The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs brings you these principles in a whole new light—alongside the Entrepreneurial Elevation Principles and the Entrepreneur’s Elevation Skills. These are essential skills that you need to create a successful business and personal life. Cameron Herold— Bestselling Author and a widely-respected expert on entrepreneurial mindset—brings his wisdom and insight to you using Hal Elrod’s powerful Miracle Morning framework.

DEVELOP A VISION FOR YOUR BUSINESS, AND BECOME THE INFLUENTIAL AND INSPIRING LEADER YOU WERE ALWAYS MEANT TO BE.

The principles and skills you’ll find in this book will help you to channel your passion and achieve balance in a remarkable new way. – Learn why mornings matter more than you think – Learn how to master your own self-leadership and accelerate your personal development – Learn how to manage your energy—physical, mental, and emotional – Learn how to implement Hal Elrod’s invaluable Life S.A.V.E.R.S. in your daily routine – And much more… You’re already an entrepreneur. Now discover how to take your success to the next level by first taking yourself to the next level. The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs is your roadmap to masterfully building an empire with a powerful vision, utilizing your areas of personal genius, with the right team at your side.

Start giving your business and your life the very best opportunities for success, right now.

A step-by-step guide to enjoying the roller-coaster ride of growth — while getting the most out of life as an entrepreneur. A growth-focused approach: The book is divided into three sections, which cover planning for fast growth, building a company for fast growth, and leading for fast growth. Each topic the author covers — from creating a vision for the company’s future to learning how to generate free PR for a developing company — is squarely focused on the end goal: doubling the size of the entrepreneur’s company in three years or less. A down-to-earth action plan: Herold’s experienced-based advice never gets bogged down in generalities or theory. Instead, he offers a wealth of practical tips, including: How to design meetings for maximum efficiency; How to hire top-quality talent; How to grow in particularly tough markets; How to put together a board of advisors — even for a smaller company; How even the busy entrepreneur can achieve a work/life balance.