Andy Masters: Kiss Your Customer - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Speaker and award winning author of the idea filled and very engaging book Kiss Your Customer: 77 Reasons Why Sales & Service Are Just Like Dating & Relationships, Andy Masters, describes how sales and service are just like dating and relationships. Andy Masters shares his insights into how attracting customers is like asking for dates, and how a business like a suitor, must be an attractive choice. Andy points out that not only are their similarities that business can learn from dating, but also has people can learn more about dating from their business experiences. Andy Masters offers his ideas on the use of humor in all areas of business, including sales and customer service. He also provides advice for networking, asking for referrals, and learning how to accept rejection. Learn how to build lasting and trusting relationships, in both business and in life, through the analogy of dating.

Andy Masters is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, May 29, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Speaker and award winning author of the idea filled and very engaging book Kiss Your Customer: 77 Reasons Why Sales & Service Are Just Like Dating & Relationships, Andy Masters, describes how sales and service are just like dating and relationships. You will learn:

* Why sales and service are like dating and relationships

* How to attract and retain customers effectively

* How to put forth your best self to achieve success

* Why humor, if used correctly, can enhance your business and personal success



Andy Masters (photo left) is an Author and international speaker who presents entertaining programs on a sales, service, and career development topics. Andy gained experience in a variety of sales, marketing, and management positions across several industries, before escaping the corporate world just in time to preserve his sanity.

Andy has written three previous books, including Life After College: What to Expect and How to Succeed in Your Career, which helps young professionals in areas such as networking, time management, and how to avoid being arrested at the company holiday party.

Andy has also earned four degrees, including an M.A. - Marketing and an M.A. - Human Resources Development from Webster University, as well as a B.A. - Communications and a B.A. - Political Science from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He s done. Andy is a proud member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), Florida Speakers Association (FSA), and Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH).

My book review of Kiss Your Customer: 77 Reasons Why Sales & Service Are Just Like Dating & Relationships by Andy Masters.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with speaker and award winning author of the idea filled and very engaging book Kiss Your Customer: 77 Reasons Why Sales & Service Are Just Like Dating & Relationships, Andy Masters, as he describes how sales and service are just like dating and relationships. Andy Masters shares his insights into how attracting customers is like asking for dates, and how a business like a suitor, must be an attractive choice. Andy points out that not only are their similarities that business can learn from dating, but also has people can learn more about dating from their business experiences.

Andy Masters offers his ideas on the use of humor in all areas of business, including sales and customer service. He also provides advice for networking, asking for referrals, and learning how to accept rejection. Learn how to build lasting and trusting relationships, in both business and in life, through the analogy of dating on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Kiss Your Customer: 77 Reasons Why Sales & Service Are Just Like Dating & Relationships, Andy Masters, sales and service, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

More Creepy Crawlies

by Jennifer Coates, DVM

In my last post I talked about venomous snake bites. Today, something a little less scary (for most folks, at least)… spider bites.

I should start out by saying that after the great majority of spider bites, owners won’t have the slightest idea that anything is amiss. 

Your dog might be a little itchy around the bite site, but rather quickly that subsides and life returns to normal. What I’m going to talk about are those thankfully relatively rare occasions in North America when spider bites present a serious risk to health.

Black Widow Spider. Image: National Geographic

The Black Widow

When I practiced in southern Virginia, I saw a few dogs that I suspected had been bitten by black widow spiders. They exhibited the typical symptoms of this spider’s venom, which is a neurotoxin.

The dogs all had muscle rigidity, tremors, and were in pain. I treated them symptomatically (e.g., fluids, pain relievers, muscle relaxers, and the like) and they all recovered. This is the most common scenario when the individual that is bitten is fairly large. When petite dogs, cats, or other small animals are bitten by a black widow, the muscles necessary for breathing are more likely to be affected, which can lead to death. In these cases, a human black widow antivenin is available, but it may be prohibitively expensive for some veterinary patients.

Black widows reside primarily in warm areas with mild winters, but they have been found as far north as Canada.

Brown Recluse Spider. Image: The Inquisitr

The Brown Recluse

The brown recluse spider lives in the midwestern and south central regions of the United States. Its bite contains a toxin that destroys tissue, leading to pain and sometimes large wounds that develop days after the bite occurred. Treatment depends on the severity of damage but may include antibiotics, pain relievers, and surgery to remove devitalized tissues and deal with open wounds. Affected dogs may also require symptomatic treatment for nausea and a fever.

Secondary Infections and “Hot Spots”

Any injury to the skin, including bites from benign species of spiders, can become infected and/or irritated, particularly if a dog licks, chews, or scratches at the area. Relatively mild itchiness may respond to an oral antihistamine and/or topical anti-inflammatories. More severe symptoms respond best to a short course of a corticosteroid. An antibiotic ointment or spray may be all that is necessary to resolve a superficial skin infection, but oral antibiotics are often required in more advanced cases (particularly if your dog tends to lick topical preparations off before they can be effective!). If an abscess develops, surgery to drain it and deal with devitalized tissue may also be necessary.

If you suspect that your dog has been bitten by a spider, keep an eye on him. 

Just as is the case for people, most canine spider bites don’t require medical attention. But if your dog acts sick or develops a lesion at the bite site, it’s time to call your veterinarian.

***

Jennifer Coates, DVM graduated with honors from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999.  In the years since, she has practiced veterinary medicine in Virginia, Wyoming, and Colorado.  She is the author of several books about veterinary medicine and animal care, including the Dictionary of Veterinary Terms: Vet-speak Deciphered for the Non-veterinarian. 

Dr. Coates has recently joined the PetMD team and she is now writing for the Fully Vetted column; great blog, do check it out.

Jennifer also writes short stories that focus on the strength and importance of the human-animal bond and freelance articles relating to a variety of animal care and veterinary topics.  Dr. Coates lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and pets.


Articles by Dr. Coates:
Kidney Disease – Say What? 
What Happens In The Dog's Body When The Kidneys Fail To Function Properly? 
The Perplexities of Pancreatitis
The Other Side Of The Coin: The Cost Of Defensive Medicine
To Neuter Or Not To Neuter… That Is The Question
Don’t Forget the Physical Therapy
Common Misdiagnoses (Part 1)
Common Misdiagnoses (Part 2)
Picking the Right Dog to Breed
When Is It An Emergency?
Dog Allergies: Common, Commonly Misdiagnosed, or Both? 
Why Does The Spleen Get No Respect?
Protect Your Dog From Snake Bites 

Related articles:
Spider Bites Dog 

Kiss Your Customer by Andy Masters - Book review

Kiss Your Customer

77 Reasons Why Sales & Service Are Just Like Dating & Relationships

By: Andy Masters

Published: January 12, 2012
Format: Paperback, 225 pages
ISBN-10: 0975461095
ISBN-13: 978-0975461099
Publisher: Hawthorn Publishing











"There are principles from our relationships which can help us in sales and service, and principles from sales and service which can help us in our relationships", writes speaker and award winning author Andy Masters, in his idea filled and very engaging book Kiss Your Customer: 77 Reasons Why Sales & Service Are Just Like Dating & Relationships. The author describes why understanding the crucial analogy between sales and service on the one hand, and dating and relationships on the other, will enhance your success in business and in your personal life.

Andy Masters understands the critical connection between attracting and keeping a customer is the same dynamic as attracting and keeping a significant other. The author provides seventy-seven ideas for achieving success in sales and service, and not coincidently, in ones romantic life as well. With a heaping helping of humor, mixed with some often painful real world experience, Andy Masters offers wisdom and insights that serve double duty at home and at work. He likes to throw in a few laughs, as well, to help ease the misfortunes of fate, and to establish the mood for a fresh start on pursuing both dates and customers. Andy Masters shares some ideas for both retaining the person being pursued if they are compatible, and for breaking up with them should they prove to be not the ideal choice.



Andy Masters (photo left) recognizes that there are many factors involved in both finding customers and getting dates,. There are also many interrelated elements in keeping the customer for the long term. Utilizing the dating analogy effectively, Andy Masters presents a series of real world tested and proven techniques for success in business. Finding a happy romantic life is a bonus part of the book.

The author includes useful and readily applicable (with a few wisely judicious edits) advice including the following:

* The value of honesty and trust
* Accepting rejection from prospects
* Networking and referrals
* Using humor effectively
* Being creative in your approach
* Understanding apologies for mistakes
* having the proper attitude
* Managing expectations and exceeding them
* Celebrating success

For me, the power of the book is how Andy Masters successfully integrates humor into his real world wisdom on sales and service; as well as on dating and relationships. The author presents his seventy-seven slices of advice with a good natured, and self effacing wit, that causes the many concepts to be both memorable and effective. Each of the chapters is only one or two pages in length, with the key takeaway principles bolded for emphasis.

The concepts move logically through the entire attraction and retention time frame; as well as a possible just in case breakup scenario. Overall, Andy Masters presents his ideas in a memorable format that will transform both one's business life, and their dating presence.

I highly recommend the effective and enjoyable book Kiss Your Customer: 77 Reasons Why Sales & Service Are Just Like Dating & Relationships by Andy Masters, to anyone seeking an affable and entertaining guide to achieving greater business and romantic success. This book will change the mood of your approach to business from pain to gain.

Tags: Kiss Your Customer: 77 Reasons Why Sales & Service Are Just Like Dating & Relationships, Andy Masters, sales and service, business book reviews

Veterinary Highlights: Maggot Debridement Therapy

This article on petMD generated many sounds of disgust and lead to a number of nightmares. However, this topic is very interesting to me. I am equally fascinated by debridement therapy as I am by the idea of helminthic therapy (which, sadly, presently doesn't seem available in veterinary medicine).

Everybody keeps calling for natural treatments, right? LOL

The use of maggots in medicine is neither a medieval torture or a new invention. Maggots are actually regulated by the FDA as medical devices. Maggots feed on dead tissue, effectively cleaning away tissue that is not healing and may be harboring harmful bacteria.

This is a process that is referred to as debridement.

Maggot debridement therapy is often used where other therapies have failed.

Image Wound Research

Is it a step backward for medicine? I actually find it quite enlightening. I think that accepting that it doesn't always have to be fancy shiny medical instruments that get the job done best is actually a step forward. (Not that I have anything against fancy shiny medical instruments.)

If you read the comments to the original article, you'll actually find some testimonials of people who have seen this work.

Never send a man to do a maggot's job.

Would I agree to use of this therapy for my dogs? No question. Would you?

Source article: Maggots: Thumbs Up or Down?

The Strategist by Cynthia A. Montgomery - Book review

The Strategist

Be the Leader Your Business Needs

By: Cynthia A. Montgomery

Published: may 8, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
ISBN-10: 0062071017
ISBN-13: 978-0062071019
Publisher: HarperBusiness












"While countless books have been written about strategy in the last thirty years, virtually nothing has been written about the strategist and what this vital role requires of the person who shoulders it", writes Timken Professor of Business Administration and immediate past head of the Strategy Unit at Harvard Business School, Cynthia A. Montgomery, in her revolutionary and thought provoking book The Strategist: Be the Leader Your Business Needs. The author describes how standard approaches to strategy are incomplete without considering the crucial role played by the leader in creating and executing the overall plan.

Cynthia Montgomery recognizes that considerable amounts of new research and empirical data, based on real world results, have emerged from the field of strategy. Through the author's own experience from working with executives and managers, however, she has concluded that the role of leadership has been downplayed in strategy studies. Cynthia Montgomery uncovered, through interviews and observation of leaders, the powerful impact that great leadership can have on the company's strategy and its results. The author provides a compelling case for strengthening the role of leadership, and the need to equip and inspire strategists to assume and establish a stronger level of leadership within their organizations.



Cynthia A. Montgomery (photo left) understands that leaders must change the way they view their roles within an organization to thinking of themselves as strategists. This change in focus and attitude creates a fresh perspective and direction for leaders within their firms.

Cynthia Montgomery challenges leaders to ask what she considers the most essential question for every business leader: Does this company truly matter? This crucial and organizational soul searching question changes the entire vision and fabric of the company. With this clarity of thinking in place, the leader moves beyond simply seeing the company as in competition with other firms for the market. Instead, the result will be a complete reshaping and transformation of the company itself.

The author offers the following series of concepts to create what she calls her revisionist approach to strategy:

* Are you a strategist
* The myth of the super-manager
* Begin with purpose
* Turn purpose into reality
* Own your strategy
* Keep it vibrant

For me, the power of the book is how Cynthia Montgomery reappraises the entire concept and field of strategy. This reassessment of strategy focuses the leader on the importance of strategy, and of thinking of themselves as a strategist. This change in the dynamic to thinking as a strategist changes the entire vision and shape of the company. The author not only provides the framework and theoretical basis for becoming a strategist but offers the tools for building the strategist skill set as well.

Cynthia Montgomery illustrates her concepts with case studies of the principles in action in the real world. An added feature of the book is a frequently asked questions section that provides additional insights into the strategist concept. There is also a very useful resource section that provides additional information sources for going more deeply into the various facets of the book

I highly recommend the groundbreaking and leadership transforming book The Strategist: Be the Leader Your Business Needs by Cynthia A. Montgomery, to anyone seeking a clear and concise introduction to a radically different view of leadership and strategy. This book will change the way leaders and managers think of their roles, as they reinvent themselves into strategists.

Tags: The Strategist: Be the Leader Your Business Needs, Cynthia A. Montgomery, strategy in leadership, business book reviews

Canine Anemia and Your Pet's Nutritional Needs

by Matt Milstead

Anemia is a deficiency of red blood cells. Because the red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, symptoms of anemia stem from insufficient oxygen in organs and muscles.

A dog can become anemic as a result of blood loss (e.g. from trauma, bleeding ulcers, parasites), destruction of red blood cells (e.g. immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, some infectious diseases) or inadequate red blood cell production (e.g. due to a chronic illness, cancer or dietary deficiencies).

Dogs with anemia require special care to address nutritional needs and to help maintain a healthy energy level.

Important Foods for Anemic Dogs

Foods high in iron, protein and B vitamins (particularly vitamin B12) are essential in helping the production of red blood cells. I would avoid commercial dog food, especially generic brands, with the exception of high-quality pet food such as Royal Canin , Science Diet, Iams, and those that are high in iron. I recommend supplementing a good dog food with the following healthy, natural foods:

• beef liver; contains iron, protein as well as B vitamins, particularly B12
• brewer's yeast along with vitamin B 12 offers similar benefits as the liver
• kelp powder; contains iodine and other trace minerals
• green vegetables like string beans and leafy produce like spinach which contain iron as well as other minerals and chlorophyll
• carrots, whole wheat and rye breads, pumpkin and egg yolks which are high in vitamin B9
• nuts, fish, and vegetables
• lean meats such as ground beef and lamb

By combining both a high-quality, iron-rich dog food with these natural foods, your dog's nutritional needs will be better maintained.

Supplements that I Recommend for Canine Anemia

A diet rich in protein and vitamin B12 is critical for your dog's anemia treatment. Supplements and minerals added to your dog's diet can also enhance overall health.

Consider adding one of the following supplements to your dog's diet according to special needs and other conditions:

• Milk Thistle which boosts hemoglobin levels
• crushed vitamin C tablets in your dog's food to help with iron absorption, approximately 500 mg a day, more for a larger dog
• geritol tablets to give the blood a bigger boost of iron and B vitamins
• phosphorus pellets which helps treat bleeding in anemic dogs
• sulphur tablets which help dogs with worms, fleas, skin disorders, and a poor immune system.

The Importance of Iron in the Anemic Dog's Diet

Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, an oxygen-transporting protein. Hemoglobin requires iron to be able to perform its oxygen-transporting function. Dogs need approximately 35 mg of iron a day for each pound of dry food consumed.

Herbs, such as burdock, red clover and nettle are also often used in treatment of canine anemia. Adding these to an overall dietary plan can greatly benefit an anemic dog.

Tom Endersbe: Three Commitments Of Leadership - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



CEO of Endersbe, Herron & Associates, and co-author of the empowering and leadership development book Three Commitments of Leadership: How Clarity, Stability, and Rhythm Create Great Leaders, Tom Endersbe describes the three fundamental commitments that leaders must make to become great leaders. Tom Endersbe shares the importance of clarity, stability, and rhythm as the framework to build an efficient and effective workplace. With these three principles in place, employees are more engaged in their work, and become more successful. Tom points out that the result is a positive impact, trust, and an enhanced bottom line. Tom describes how to develop the three commitments within every leader, and why each one is part of the whole. Tom Endersbe explains each of the three commitments, and why each one is so critical for leaders, and why if any of the three is missing, the leader will not be as effective, and the results will be less than optimal.

Tom Endersbe is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, May 24, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

CEO of Endersbe, Herron & Associates, and co-author of the empowering and leadership development book Three Commitments of Leadership: How Clarity, Stability, and Rhythm Create Great Leaders, Tom Endersbe describes the three fundamental commitments that leaders must make to become great leaders. You will learn:

* How leaders can empower their employees for greater engagement

* What are the three commitments of leadership

* How to incorporate the three commitments into your leadership

* How an engaged workplace is more productive and profitable



Tom Endersbe (photo left) is the former Head of Field Implementation and Training at Ameriprise and CEO of Endersbe, Herron & Associates.

Tom is also the co-author of Three Commitments of Leadership: How Clarity, Stability, and Rhythm Create Great Leaders,

Professional Experience

•CEO of Endersbe, Herron and Associates
•26 years of industry leading financial planning experience
•Former business executive, recognized speaker, and trainer for Ameriprise Financial
•Area Sales Manager for the Maytag company

Professional Designations and Licenses

•CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERä, CFP Board of Standards, Washington, D.C.
•Series 7, 24, and 63
•Life, Accident, Health and Variable insurance licenses
•Investment Advisor Representative of SagePoint Financial, Inc.
•Licensed and registered to conduct business in over 30 states

Education

•Bachelor of Science with Honors, Business Administration, Management and Marketing, Minnesota State, Mankato

Personal

•Family lives in Eagan, Minnesota
•Enjoys spending time with family and friends at lake place in Northern Wisconsin
•Married 29 years to Lisa
•Proud father of three children: Tori, Erik and Sean

Civic Activities

•Two-time Chair of the Eagan Foundation
•Board Member and Y-Partners Chair for the Southwest YMCA
•Youth basketball coach for over 17 years

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with CEO of Endersbe, Herron & Associates, and co-author of the empowering and leadership development book Three Commitments of Leadership: How Clarity, Stability, and Rhythm Create Great Leaders, Tom Endersbe, as he describes the three fundamental commitments that leaders must make to become great leaders. Tom Endersbe shares the importance of clarity, stability, and rhythm as the framework to build an efficient and effective workplace. With these three principles in place, employees are more engaged in their work, and become more successful. Tom points out that the result is a positive impact, trust, and an enhanced bottom line. Tom describes how to develop the three commitments within every leader, and why each one is part of the whole. Tom Endersbe explains each of the three commitments, and why each one is so critical for leaders, and why if any of the three is missing, the leader will not be as effective, and the results will be less than optimal on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Three Commitments of Leadership: How Clarity, Stability, and Rhythm Create Great Leaders, Tom Endersbe, leadership and employee empowerment, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.