This book is part of two series and their titles tell you how useful this book is going to be. The two series are “Read Less-Learn More” and “Top 100 Simplified Tips and Tricks.” The information presented in these series are more pictorial than textual, so they make excellent quick reference guides or detailed introductions for those just getting started with many computer issues be it software or hardware in configuration. Many titles are available covering everything from Windows to Excel to eBay to Windows XP.
Sample screens are shown with the major features emphasized and a detailed description of how this function can be used to the best advantage. The major focus of the book is providing understanding of using the functions and providing tips and shortcuts to maximize the potential use with the least frustration on your part. Each of the top 100 tips and tricks in this book covers two pages and addresses every function and capability of Photoshop CS2. To become an expert in using this software and become more productive in accomplishing your needs you only need to read this and apply the knowledge gained. Each section has a tips box which includes many tips under the headings of: try this, customize it, desktop trick, did you know?, more options, caution, important, extra help, save two ways, attention, change it, test it, add it automatically, remove it and apply it.
Each of these headings has a paragraph that explains in more detail or gives examples of how to most effectively utilize this function.
Using these shortcuts and knowledge you can get more creative in your presentations and brochures using Photoshop CS2.
There are many new products and ideas everyday. This book addresses why some of them stick and succeed and why many don’t. The more you can make your product or idea stand out from others the more you have a chance to be the one on top at the end of the day. The book starts with a modern folktale. It immediately gets the attention and because of the details it also has staying power so we remember it to tell it to others.
This entertaining and educational book covers six concepts that will make your idea stick:
simplicity
unexpectedness
concreteness
credibility
emotions
stories
Many examples of good and bad promotions are given, some for the same product. These show why one campaign failed and what made the other stand out and succeed.
We are all limited on time so the more memorable, but simple we make our campaigns the better. Simplicity helps explain the key points without getting lost in all of the possibilities. If the product is used in an unexpected format it stands out in our memory.
Making something concrete gives us an image, which is easier to remember than a word. Credibility can come from experts, celebrities or stories of actual people or situations we can relate to. If we play on people’s emotions or tell them stories we have a better chance of affecting their actions every time they see our product.
The authors use examples of folklore and actual stories that have happened to help us develop requested responses to their campaigns. Who wants to have a kidney harvested when they meet someone new and then wake up alone the next day? Or who doesn’t want to lose the excess weight they have by using the Subway diet portrayed in the Subway ads that tell the tale of the overweight Jarod and his very successful weight loss by eating his meals at Subway.
Appealing to people’s emotions and common experiences by using stories with just the right amount of detail can have a lasting impact on our products and companies.
Also available as an audiobook.
There are many ways to achieve communication and commitments to new procedures and processes in the corporate world. Sometimes the only way is to have someone at the top of the organization send down the new way and have those below implement it.
However, if your organization wants to obtain better buy-in by the people implementing and using the new procedures and processes one way to go is consensus through conversation. Using this way allows all those affected by the outcome to have a say about the necessary changes, but because they have agreed to the desired outcome or have said they can live with it the changes can be accomplished with less angst on the people making the changes.
Larry Dressler walks us through the steps to obtain consensus and how to make sure we have involved all of the right people. He details what needs to be done at each step to make sure you get consensus and what to do if you do not obtain it. He covers preparation, basic steps, and dealing with disagreement. He also presents the six traps that undermine consensus and ten tips for better consensus meetings.
A list of resources is provided for those that want to delve into building consensus decisions and learn how to better apply them to their businesses.
If you are looking for a blueprint to help you increase your negotiation skills and achieve more of what you want then this book is for you. Many examples of negotiation situations are given with the outcomes and strategies used by both parties. The book has a natural flow into the next skill level to improve your capabilities and is easily understandable with the examples given to highlight each new skill. One of the main skills given is listening. You should follow the 30/70 rule in all negotiations to get the best outcome for yourself every time. This rule says you should talk 30 percent of the time and listen 70 percent of the time. The person who speaks first or offers concessions is often not the person in the best seat to negotiate.
Ed Brodow shows us how to stop avoiding conflict and how to obtain the goals we have and in doing so make sure those around us get what they need at the same time. This basic primer covers preparing to negotiate, traditional strategies, concessions to use to get what you need, how to strengthen your negotiation position, three rules of win-win negotiating, and workplace negotiations.
Many checklists are included including twenty tactics to die for and ten things people don’t realize they can negotiate for. Negotiation Boot Camp will help you to become a better negotiator in all aspects of your life.
This book details what business concepts and processes Enterprise has used to grow from a small start-up to a $9 billion global business. Enterprise founder Jack Taylor believes if you “take care of your customers and employees first, the profits will follow.” He discusses how this is done at Enterprise on a daily basis and how it has allowed them to grow and prosper. All employees at Enterprise start at the bottom and work their way up through the ranks. Employees are promoted from within not hired from outside the company when openings occur. This allows employees to create a career path for themselves that allows for continuous growth and larger paychecks. When employees start they get a salary like any other job, however as they rise within the company their pay is part salary and part profit participation.
Employees are taught to wow the customers and how to bring them back as repeat customers. Their well-known slogan came from one of the employees trying to respond to a requested need. When Jack Taylor heard that one of his associates was providing service by picking up customers the slogan “Enterprise, We’ll pick you up” was designed for one of their first commercials. Many people know this slogan even if they have never personally used Enterprise.
Stories are told to illustrate what works for the company and it would be easy to apply many of these concepts to your own business to improve your customer service.
Enterprise truly believes that employees who are happy and having fun at work are going to be able to provide the best possible customer service. Employees are empowered to do what is right for the customer at the time and it is not necessary to always get approval from those above you before you provide the service. It is the little things that will often bring customers back. All employees from the top down emulate the customer service goals and processes. All work together to grow the company and prosper from its success.
