Do It! Marketing Blog: Marketing for Smart People™

Avish Parashar has just released a new book titled, "Say Yes, And!" and he has a great special offer for people who buy the book by midnight tonight, Feb. 28.  

The book takes a fundamental principle from improv comedy - saying "yes, and" instead of "yes, but" - and shows you how that one simple idea can help you improve your career, your business, your relationships, and your life.  

As a special promotion, if you buy the book today, February 28th, you'll get access to over $200 in free gifts, including PDF versions of two of Avish's other books and over 8 hours of MP3 recordings of some of Avish's most popular audio programs. That's over $200 in gifts in return for buying a $12.95 book.  

To get the book and the free gifts, visit http://www.SayYesAnd.com

p.s. Here's my review from amazon.com:

First I have to tell you - I'm a business book junkie. I read 'em all. Big ones, little ones, famous ones, and hidden gems. All topics including sales, marketing, leadership, strategy, the how-to, the what-to, and the why-to kind.

And this books stands out.

Plain and simple, Avish Parashar packages essential wisdom, insights, and practical advice into a small concentrated form factor.

But don't be fooled - this is life-changing stuff.

One small turn in what you think and what you say CAN and WILL make a huge impact. Example after example pours out of this book and will soon spark ideas and memories in your own mind of times you took charge and created success - and other times when you chose the "Yes but" path and created your own obstacles, limits, and barriers.

Whether you are a business owner, corporate executive, sales professional, association executive, or non-profit leader, this book is for YOU. Filled with immediately actionable insights and concrete take-aways, this little book may trigger the biggest and best changes your team, your organization, and your results will ever experience.

Tell you what - STOP reading Amazon reviews of this great little book, say "YES AND I'll buy it right now." In fact, you may want to buy three - one for yourself, one for your boss, and one for the significant other in your life. Yes (and) the ideas in this book work as powerfully at home as they do at work!!

A few years back, J.M. Smucker topped the list of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" compiled by the Great Place to Work Institute and published annually in Fortune magazine.

Their extremely simple code of conduct (and the foundation of their strong corporate culture) is as follows:

• Listen with your full attention
• Look for the good in others
• Have a sense of humor
• Say thank you for a job well done

See, it's simple! No big words.

No "mission/vision/gobbledygook."

And what is most interesting to me is that the "corporate code" above is not corporate at all -- it's PERSONAL. It addresses the way each individual person is expected to BEHAVE (not think - but ACT).

What's the corporate code where you work?
Is there a difference between the written code (on the wall in the lobby, perhaps?) and the way people really treat each other? Click in the COMMENTS section below and let's discuss...

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David Newman is a marketing speaker and marketing coach who works with professionals who want to do a better job of marketing so they get more leads, better prospects, and bigger sales.

If Stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?
-- Will Rogers

To forget one's purpose is the commonest form of stupidity.
-- Friedrich Nietzsche

Trying to solve problems or find answers with the same set of information that got us "into this mess" in the first place indicates one of several things:

1. We are dangerously insane.
2. We are incredibly irresponsible.
3. We are sadly unaware of our own trailblazing and "off the charts" navigation capabilities.

What only a handful of very successful individuals realize is that, in fact, the current landscape, as perceived by others, is irrelevant as far as you're concerned.

One of the most powerful tools you have is self-knowledge. In the simplest terms, this comes down to answering these basic questions:
* Who am I?
* What am I all about?
* What do I love to do?
* Who do I want to be?
* What's the best way for me to get there?
* Where would I like the journey to take me?

Spend a few moments completing the following. Yes, you! Yes, right now.

Find a pencil. I'll wait...

Good. Here we go...

Exercise: List 10 things you LOVE to do. Any context is fine. Use your personal life, professional life, with your family, friends, civic and church groups, anything:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Now review your list and summarize each of these ten items
into a 1-word VERB, such as "communicate" or "connect" or
"share."

These are ten of your core action words that define you at
your best.

How can you bring more opportunities to use these actions
into your life? In answering this question, please remember
that even a small change can have a huge impact.

You don't need to quit your job in an office in New York
and move to a kibbutz in Israel if one of your key words
turned out to be "share."

Why don't you share some of what you know with your
colleagues? Teach a class, write an article, start a
discussion group, create a lunchtime seminar series, or
start an interactive message board on your corporate
intranet?

So many people are unhappy because the opportunities to use these core actions have evaporated from their lives or have become blocked by schedules filled with "too much to do" and "never enough time."

But stop and ask yourself, "How effective is my mind if my heart and soul are starving?" And if you don't take care of them, who will?

THIS is your real work for 2010 - enjoy the ride!

"If Stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?"
-- Will Rogers

"To forget one's purpose is the commonest form of stupidity."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche

Trying to solve problems or find answers with the same set of information that got us "into this mess" in the first place indicates one of several things:

1. We are dangerously insane.
2. We are incredibly irresponsible.
3. We are sadly unaware of our own trailblazing and "off the charts" navigation capabilities.

What only a handful of very successful individuals realize is that, in fact, the current landscape, as perceived by others, is irrelevant as far as you're concerned.

One of the most powerful tools you have is self-knowledge. In the simplest terms, this comes down to answering these basic questions:

• Who am I?
• What am I all about?
• What do I love to do?
• Who do I want to be?
• What's the best way for me to get there?
• Where would I like the journey to take me?

Spend a few moments completing the following. Yes, you! Yes, right now. Find a pencil. I'll wait...

Good. Here we go...

Exercise: List 10 things you LOVE to do. Any context is fine. Use your personal life, professional life, with your family, friends, civic and church groups, anything:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Now review your list and summarize each of these ten items into a 1-word VERB, such as "teach" or "analyze" or "cultivate"

These are ten of your core action words that define you at your best.

How can you bring more opportunities to use these actions into your life? In answering this question, please remember that even a small change can have a huge impact.

You don't need to quit your job in an office in New York and move to a kibbutz in Israel if one of your key words turned out to be "share."

Why don't you share some of what you know with your colleagues? Teach a class, write an article, start a discussion group, create a lunchtime seminar series, or start an interactive message board on your corporate intranet?

So many small business owners are unhappy because the opportunities to use these core actions have evaporated from their lives or have become blocked by schedules filled with "too much to do" and "never enough time."

But stop and ask yourself, "How effective is my mind if my heart and soul are starving?"

And if you don't take care of them, who will?

What have your experiences been in this arena? Please leave a comment below and let's keep the discussion going...