Selling @ CEO's

It always boils down to positioning value when selling at C Level anywhere, more so in services sales. Its all about articulation and clear communication of scope that wins you more deals from same customer and also helps you add more customers to your existing portfolio of offerings.It is good to have a one-off great impression sale, the bigger challenge is to foster relationship based selling, which ensures multiple-sells in future.

Positioning yourself as a solutions-provider rather than a product/service vendor certainly helps. Follow an 80:20 rule while interacting with "C" level individuals - 80% listening and 20% talking. It certainly works if you LISTEN to your prospect's problems and then give him the specific information he needs.

Do your research!! Ensure that you have all the facts straight about their current situation, incumbent suppliers, costs, contract renewal dates, satisfaction level of existing services, internal sponsors, etc, etc. Only then will you be able to confidently pitch your services knowing what the C level contact is going to want to hear. If you can tell him/her what he/she needs, rather than asking them to tell you, they'll always be impressed and at least give you some of their time.

The first question you need to answer is, "who really owns the problem you're going to solve, and who owns the decision you want made?". If it is indeed the CFO or CEO, then the feedback others gave regarding forget the tricks and techniques and just call them, and talk to them about something they care about. The first thing you’ll need to figure out, is why would the CEO or CFO care about your product or service. I can guarantee you, the fastest way to ensure a C-level call goes badly, is to start talking about your product or service. What most senior executives care about is solving problems or achieving specific goals.

So the first thing you need to figure out is, what does your product or service do that will help the CEO solve a problem or achieve a goal that they are personally responsible for. For the CEO some examples might be issues that impact Business Continuity, Overall Revenue goals, (especially for public firms), Company Image or Reputation, etc and for the CFO goals or problems around Profitability, Cost Reduction goals, or Cash Flow. Google the CEO or CFO or look on the company web site under Press Releases, see if they've publicly stated any goals in this regard, then align what your solution does with how it would fundamentally impact those goals. This will also give you some context about how they talk about these goals or problems from their perspective.

The most important part of a C-level call, is to first get them to confirm if they have problems or objectives around the issues you want to talk to them about. That can only be accomplished with intelligent questions, not with a “product pitch”.

The interesting thing about C-levels, is that if you really you can help them achieve their goals or solve their problems, initially they won’t really care if you do that by Training, Software or Gerbils in a wheel. They just care about the problem or the goal. That’s why you talk about the Problem or Goal first, and how you help second.

Last piece of advice, keep it short and to the point. Don't build rapport, don't ask them how their day is going, instead, just tell them why you're calling, why you thought that would be important to them, and then ask them if that's important to them and then shut-up and let them answer. If you can indeed align yourself with their C-level goals or problems, you'll be surprised how many will be open to a brief and to the point conversation.

And yes, never forget the golden rule "you need him more than he needs you"

Tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Sahib

Yeh Jo Halka Halka Saroor Hai Complete 1 hour 7 mins with lyrics


Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPeVvsIyDdE&feature=related

Saqi Ki Har Nigah Pay Bal Kha K P Gaya
Lehroon Say Khailta Hoa Lehra K P Gaya

Ey Rehmat-E-Tamaam Meri Har Khata Muaf
Mein Intiha-E-Shouq Mein Ghabra K P Gaya

Peta Baghair Izm Yeh Kab Thi Meri Majaal
Dar Pardah Chashm-E-Yaar Ki Shay Pa K P Gaya

zaahid..ya meri shooki ha zinda na dekh na..
rahmat ko baatoon batoon main beh laka pee gaya..

oodi oddi ghatayana aati hai...mutriboon ki navaanay aati hai..
kis ka gahsson goona hain sawan main..mehke mehke hawayan aati..

aavo sah la chaman main raks kara..saaz laka ghatayana aati hai..
dekh kar un ki aankhaddiyoon ko wadan..meh-kaddon ko haya aati hai...

Paas Rehta Hai Duur Rehta Hai
Koi Dil Mein Zaroor Rehta Hai

Jab Say Dekha Hai Un Ki Aankhon Ko
Halka Halka Suroor Rehta Hai

Aisay Rehtay Hein woh Mere Dil Mein
Jaisay Zulmat Mein Noor Rehta Hai

Ub Adam Ka Yeh Haal Hai Har Waqt
Mast Rehta Hai Chuur Rehta Hai

Yeh Joh Halka Halka Saroor Hai
Yeh Teri Nazar Ka Qasoor Hai
K Sharab Peena Sikha Diya

Tairay Pyar Nai, Teri Chaah Nai
Teri Behki Behki Nigaah Nai
Mujhay Ik Sharabi Bana Diya…
............................................................................


Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfF5Z2JYvHY&feature=related

Teri Behki Behki Nigaah Nai
Mujhay Ik Sharabi Bana Diya…

Sharab Kaisi, Khumaar Kaisa
Yeh Sub Tumhari Nawazishein Hein

Pilai Hai Kiss Nazar Say Tu Nai
K Mujhko Apni Khabar Nahi Hai

Teri Behki Behki Nigah Nai
Mujhe Ik Sharabi Bana Dia

Sara Jahan Must, Jahan Ka Nizam Must
Din Must, Raat Must, Saher Must, Shaam Must

Dil Must, Sheesha Must, Sabu Must, Jaam Must
Hai Teri Chashm-E-Must Say Her Khaas-O-Aam Must

Yoon To Saqi Her Tarah Ki Tere MaiKhane Mein Hai
Woh Bhi Thori Si Jo In Aankhon K Paimane Mein Hai

Sub Samajhta Hoon Teri Ishwa-Kari Ay Saqi
Kaam Karti Hai Nazar Naam Hai Paimane Ka.. Bus!

Teri Behki Behki Nigah Nai
Mujhe Ik Sharabi Bana Diya

lahra ka jhoom..jhoom ka la..muskara ka la..
phoolo ka ras main chand ki kirana mila ka la..

tuu ja rahI hai rooth ka rangee liya bahar..
jaa ek martaba ess bar gala ka la..

sagar shikanj hai sheek balanoosh ki nazar..
sheesha ko zaIr samna rangeen chupa ka la..

kah ta amoora a rafta kabhi loot ti nahi..
ja makada sa meri jaani utha ka la..
...........................................................................

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3rcmaAwO18&feature=related

mera saaki saaki mera saaki...

main na maana jinab peeta hoon..
ab khuda ba hisab peeta hoon..
log loggon ka khoon peta hai..
main tou phor bhi sharab peeta hoon....
zindagi ka azab peeta hoon..
ban ka khana kharab peeta hoon...
rooza ma mahshar hisab hona sa ka..
es liya ba hisab peeta hoon...

mera saaki saaki mera saaki..

jaam hai..mahataab hai saaki...
saara moosam sharab hai saaki...

baaz lamhaat aaisa hota..jin main peena sawab hai saaki..
mera saaki saaki mera saaki...

aachi peeli kharab pheeli...
thi aag misaala habab peela...
aadat hai ab tou nasha na kaaf....
paani na piya sharab peela....
nasha imaan hota hai....
surahi deen hota hai...
jawaani ki ibadat ki kadar rangeen hoti hai..

tumhara husn agar ba naqaab ho jaya...
har ek chehra khuda ki kitab hoja ya..

jo qayaada sa na ho tou..woh fozool hai sajida..
adab ka sath khata bhi sawab hojaya...
sharabeeyon ko aqeekadat hai tum se..
jo tum pilado tou paani sharab ho jaya..

dil us ka namaazie ban jaya..
aank uski ghulabi ho jaya..
jis ko tu mohabaat sa dekhi..
sakee woh sharabii ho jaya...

meri saaki saaki mera saaki saaki..
saaki saaki saaaaaaaaaaki.....
...........................................................................


part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re9Z2McyHeU&feature=related

meri saaki saaki mera saaki saaki..
saaki saaki saaaaaaaaaaki.....

Yoon To Saqi Har Tarah Ki Tere MaiKhane Mein Hai
Woh Bhi Thori Si Jo In Aankhon K Paimane Mein Hai
Sub Samajhta Hoon Teri Ishwa-Kari Ay Saqi
Kaam Karti Hai Nazar Naam Hai Paimane Ka..

Teri Behki Behki Nigah Nai
Mujhe Ik Sharabi Bana Diya

Tera Pyar Hai Meri Zindagi
Tera yaad Hai Meri Bandagi

Na Namaz Aati Hai Mujhko, Na Wazoo Aata Hai
Sajda Kar Leta Hoon Jab Saamnay Tu Aata Hai

Bus Meri Zindagi Tera Pyar Hai

Mai Azal Say Banda-E-Ishq Hoon,
Mujhe Zohd-O-Kufr Ka Gham Nahin

Mere Sir Ko Dar Tera Mil Gaya
Mujhe Ab Talash-E-Haram Nahi

Mere Sir Ko Dar Tera Mil Gaya
Mujhe Ab Talash-E-Haram Nahi

Mera Ik Nazar Tumhein Dekhna
Ba Khuda Namaz Se Kam Nahi

Tera Naam Loon Zubaan Say
................................................................................


Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjryshA6AAM&feature=related

Tera Naam Loon subah shaam
Tera Naam loon Zubaan Say,
Tere Aagay Sir Jhuka Doon

Mera Ishq Keh Raha Hai,
Mein Tujhe Khuda Bana Doon

Mujhay Bhool Ja'ay Dunya,
Mein Agar Tujhe Bhula Doon

Mere Dil Mein Bus Rahe Hein,
Tere Bepanah Jalwe

Na Ho Jiss Mein Noor Tera,
Woh Charagh Hi Bujha Doon

teri dil lagi ka sadqa..
teri sang dilli ka kurba...

mera ghum pa hasna waala..
tujhe kaun si duva doo...

teri dil lagi ka sandka..
teri sang dilli pa kurba...
...............................................................................


Part 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5y8oBNKbyM&feature=related

teri dil lagi ka, main sandka..

zulf rukh sa hata ka baat karoooo..
raat ko din bana ka baat karooooo..

maikada ka charag madam hai..
zaara aankien utha ka baat karo..

phool kuch chahya huzoor hameen..
tum zara muskura ka baat karo..

yah bhi andazzaa guftugu hai koyi..
jab karo dil dukhaa ka baat karo...

tera dil lagi ka ,main sadqaa...

zara apni shookhi tou dekhiyaan...
liya zulf gum shuda haath main..

mera paas aaya dabba dabba..
muhje saap kah ta dara diya..

dil ki talab hai , aur tammana hai jaan ki...
kya mehrabaniyan hai mera mehraaban ki..
nazook maza jo ho na koyi yaar ki tara....
kich ta hai baat baat pa talwar ki tara....
kimat laga raha hai magar sab ka samana...
dil muft cha hata hai magar bus sab ka samna....
kimat laga raha hai khareedar ki tarah...

teri dil lagi ka main sadqaa..
teri sang dilli pa kurbaan..

meri gham pa hasna wala..
tujhe kaun si duva doon....

qayamat main tera daagain mohabbat la ka uthho ga....
teri tasveer us din kalajaa sa lagi hogi..

kyu ki

meri zindagi...

tera pyar hai bus meri zindaggi...
tera pyar hai meri zindagi....
teri yaad hai meri bandagi...
jo teri khushi woh meri khushi...
mera junoon ka hai mojaza...
jaha apna sar ko juka diya ,
waha maina kaba banadiyaan,,

Mere Baad Kisko Satao Gay,
..................................................................................

Part 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7VQcWa-f0o&feature=related

Mere Baad Kisko Satao Gay,

main na un ka sammana..aval ka khanjar rakh diya..
phir kalaja rakh ,dil rakh diya,sar rakh diya...

mer baad kis so satavo ga...

main na kaha..mish ga hai ya.. us na kaha ya teer hai..
main na kaha abroo hai yah..us na kaha shamsheer hai..

main na kaha..chehra pa kyu balkhati hai zulfaa do ta..
us na kaha yah aashqoon ka wasata zanjeer hai..

main na kaha furkat pa teri ,jaan pa khela hoo main..
us na kaha zinda raha yah bhi teri taqdeer hai..

main na tum ko dil diya..
tum na mujhe ruswaa kiya...

main na tum sa kya kiya...
tum na muj sa kya kiya..

mera baaad kis so satavoo ga..

jitna jee chahoo satavoo waqt hai..
bakasoon par muskaravoon waqt hai..

dekh la na main na tadpoo ka ..zaheerrrrr..
shookh sa khanjar chala waqt hai...

meri wafayaaan yaad karo ga...
roovo ga..fariyaad karo ga...
mujhe ko to barbad kiya hai..
aur kissa barbad karo ga...

aa kar bhi nashad kiya hai..
ja kar bhi nashad karo ga..

teri zulm nahi hai shamil ,har meri barbadi main
teri aankhien bheeg rahi kyu mera afsaana sa,,
par ya tou bata do phir ,

mera baad kis ko satavoo ga..

Jo Pucha K Kis Tarah Hoti Hai Baarish,
Jabeen Se Paseene Ki Boondein Gira Di

Jo Pucha K Kis Tarah Girti Hai Bijli,
Nigahein Milaein Mila Kar Jhuka Dein

Jo Pucha Shab-O-Roz Milte Hain Kaise,
To Chehre Pe Apne Wo Zulfein Hata Deein

Jo Pucha K Naghmon Mein Jaadu Hai Kaisa,
To Meethe Takallum Mein Baatein Suna Deein

Jo Apni Tamanaon Ka Haal Poocha,
To Jalti Howi Chand Shamein Bhujha Deein

Main Kehta Reh Gaya Khata-E-Mohabbat Ki Achi Saza Di

Mere Dil Ki Dunya Bana Kar Mita Di, Acha

Mere Baad Kisko Satao Gay,

kuch aasi katellana nigaa hoon main dal gaya..
armaana arazoo ka jinaaza nikal gaya..

kismat phiri to phir gaya , ahbab iss tarah..
dekha humaan tou door sa ,rasta badal gaya

mera baad kis so satavooa ga
Mujhe Kis Tarah Se Mitao Gay
Kahan Ja Ke Teer Chalao Gay

Meri Dosti Ki Balaein Lo
Mujhe Haath Utha Kar Duaein Do,
Tumhein Ek Qatil Bana Diya

Mujhe Daikho Khuwahish-E-Jan-E-Jaan
Main Wohi Hoon Anwar-E-Nim Jaan

Tumhain Itna Hosh Tha Jub Kahan
Na Chalao Is Tarah Tum Zaban

Karo Mera Shukriya Meherban
Tumhein Baat Karna Sikha Diya

Yeh Jo Halka Halka Saroor Hai,
Yeh Teri Nazar Ka Kasoor Hai
Kay Sharab Peena Sikha Diya

Life's Little Instruction Book !

Have a firm handshake.

Look people in the eye.

Sing in the shower.

Own a great stereo system.

If in a fight, hit first and hit hard.

Keep secrets.

Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday.

Always accept an outstretched hand.

Be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.

Whistle.

Avoid sarcastic remarks.

Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 percent of all your happiness or misery.

Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.

Lend only those books you never care to see again.

Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all that they have.

When playing games with children, let them win.

Give people a second chance, but not a third.

Be romantic.

Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.

Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.

Don't allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It's there for your convenience, not the caller's.

Be a good loser.

Be a good winner.

Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.

When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.

Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.

Keep it simple.

Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.

Don't burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.

Live your life so that your epitaph could read.... No Regrets

Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the one's you did.

Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.

Remember no one makes it alone. Have a greatful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you.

Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it for you.

Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.

Begin each day with some of your favorite music.

Once in a while, take the scenic route.

Send a lot of Valentine cards. Sign them, 'Someone who thinks you're terrific.'

Answer the phone with enthusiasm and energy in your voice.

Keep a note pad and pencil on your bed-side table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 a.m.

Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job.

Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.

Make someone's day by paying the toll for the person in the car behind you.

Become someone's hero.

Marry only for love.

Compliment the meal when you're a guest in someone's home.

Wave at the children on a school bus.

Remember that 80 per cent of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people.

Don't expect life to be fair

NICE INCIDENT TO SHARE

One truck driver was doing his usual load delivery at a mental hospital, by parking his vehicle beside an open drain.

He discovered a flat tyre when he was about to return from the mental hospital. He jacked up the truck and removed the flat tyre to fix the spare tyre.When he was about to fix the spare tyre, he accidentally dropped all the 4 bolts in the open drain.

As he cannot fish the bolts in the open drain, he started to panic as to what should be done?Just then, one patient happened to walk past him and asked the driver as to why he was looking troubled.

The driver thought to himself, since there is nothing much he can do or this mental joker can. Just to keep the bugging away, the truck driver informed the whole episode to the mental patient and gave a helpless look.

The patient just laughed at the truck driver and said “you just cannot even fix such a simple problem? No wonder you are destined to remain a truck driver for life".

The truck driver was astonished to hear such a compliment from a mental guy." Here is what you can do “said the mental guy

"Take one bolt from each of the remaining 3 tyres/wheels and fix it on to this tyre. Then drive down to the nearest workshop and replace the missing ones. Isn’t it simple my friend ".

The truck driver was so impressed with this quick fix answer and asked the patient "how come you are so smart and intelligent and you are here at the mental hospital?"
The patient replied..." hello friend! I stay here because I am crazy but not stupid".

No wonder, there are some people, who behave like the Truck Driver, thinking that others are just stupid. So, guys, though you all are learned and wise, but, just watch out, there could be some CRAZY guys in our professional / personal lives, who could give us lot of quick fixes and brush our wisdom.

The moral of the story is - just do not conclude that you know everything and do not judge people by mere looks/ attire stature or academic background.

My All Time Favourite Quotes

Excellence is not an act, rather a habit.

I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.

"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway." - Mother Theresa

Why do you worry? Who are you afraid of? Whatever has happened has happened for the good. What is happening is also happening for the good. Whatever will happen, will be for good also. Do not repent over the past, or worry for the future. Do your duty selflessly---and to the best of your abilities---in the present only.

What have you lost for which you cry? You did not bring anything to this world when you were born. You are unnecessarily attached to your possessions. This attachment is the root cause of all your sufferings. Treat all your possessions as a trust property given to you by the God. Let the thoughts of 'I' and 'my' be completely wiped of your mind. Practice detached attachment. Always remember the creator, and surrender to the will of the Lord.

Why worry about the unavoidable death? Change is the law of nature. Atmaa (Spirit) is the abode of body, and the body is an abode for the individual soul (Jeev). This physical body was not here in the past, nor will it remain here for ever. But, the Atmaa is immortal. It neither takes birth nor dies. Atmaa only changes its bodies as you change your garments.

Pearls Of Wisdom

Life is here to enjoy…learn and practice these simple truths and make the best that this short life has to offer to us all.“ The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything”.

Don’t just look…………….Observe
Don’t just swallow……….Taste
Don’t just sleep…………….Dream
Don’t just think…………….Feel
Don’t just exist…………….Live

“ A gem is not polished without rubbing, Nor a man perfected without trials”

“ Falling down is not defeat, defeat is when you refuse to get up”

“ Love makes the time pass, Time makes love pass”

“ Forget about the people in your past, They didn’t make it to your future for a reason”

“ Small children disturb your sleep, Big children your life”

“ A true friend is someone who says nice things behind your back”

“Even if you are on the right track, You will get run over if you just sit there”
“ There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience”

“ We never stand taller than when we stoop down to help someone who had fallen

Dont be Sad !

If you are sticken by poverty - others are chained in debt.
If you dont have shoes - others have no feet to walk.
If you feel pain now - Others Have been aching/sick for years.
If Your Son dies - Others have lost many of their Family.
If You Have sinned - Then Repent.
If you have commited a mistake- Then correct it.

The door of repentance are ever open.The Fountain of Forgiveness is ever rich.So Dont Be Sad!

Let All by Gones be By Gones...What is predestined for you, you shall see it.

Being sad will not change anything!so dont be sad!!!

Sadness spoils your life..Destroy Your Happiness..and turns it into wretchedness Supplications is your shield, Prayers is your beacon!!Prostations is your mean, So dont be sad!!See how Vast The Earth,How nice are Gardens and forests..How Bright Are The stars!!!!All are Happy, but You are sad so Dont be sad!!....You have sweet water to drink and fresh Air to breath!Feet to walk with , You sleep safely in your bed...So Why You be Sad ????

Wired Facts !!!

Who sells the largest number of cameras in India ?
Your guess is likely to be Sony, Canon or Nikon. The answer is: None of the above. The winner is Nokia, whose main line of business in India is not cameras but cell phones. The reason is that cameras bundled with cellphones are outselling standalone cameras. Now, what prevents the cellphone from replacing the camera outright? Nothing at all.

Try this...Who runs the biggest music business in India ?
The answer is Airtel. By selling caller tunes (that play for 30 seconds) Airtel earns more than music companies do by selling albums. Airtel is not in the music business. It is the mobile service provider with the largest subscriber base in India . That sort of a competitor is difficult to detect and even more difficult to beat. By the time you have identified him, he has already gone past you.....
But if you imagine that Nokia and Bharti (Airtel's parent) are breathing easy, you couldn't be further from the truth. Nokia has reportedly acknowledged that it missed the smart-phone bus. It admits that Apple's iPhone and Google's Android can make life difficult for it in the future. But you never thought Google was a mobile company, did you? If these illustrations mean anything, it is that there is a bigger game unfolding. It is not so much about mobile or music or camera or emails.

The "Mahabharat" (the great Indian epic battle) in this context is: "What is tomorrow's personal digital device?" And, a related question: "Who is my competitor?"

In 2008, who was the toughest competitor to British Airways for international flights in India ?
Singapore Airlines? Indian Airlines? Maybe, but there is a more interesting answer: The video conferencing services of Hewlett-Packard and Cisco. Senior information technology executives in India and abroad were compelled by their headquarters to use videoconferencing to keep travel costs in check. Of course, there could be a rebound in travel. But to think that the airlines will be back to their previous business post-recession is something I would not bet on. In the short term, yes. In the long term, it is a resounding no. Remember, if there is one place where Newton 's law of gravity is applicable besides physics it is in electronic hardware, where prices consistently fall. Between 1977 and 1991, prices of the now-dead VCR crashed to one third of their original levels in India . PC prices also dropped. If this trend repeats itself, then videoconferencing prices will also crash. Imagine the fate of airlines then.

Films vs Cricket:
India has two passions. Films and cricket. The two markets were distinctly different. So were the icons. The cricket gods were Sachin and Sehwag. The film gods were the Khans (Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan etc). That was when cricket was fundamentally test cricket or at best 50-over cricket. Then came the Indian Premier League and the two markets collapsed into one. IPL brought cricket down to 20 overs, reducing the game to the length of a three-hour movie. Cricket became a competitor to film. Desperate multiplex owners requisitioned the rights for screening IPL matches at movie halls to hang on to the audience. If the IPL were to become the mainstay of cricket, films would have to sequence their releases so as to not clash with IPL matches. As far as the audience is concerned, both are a three-hour "tamasha" (entertainment). Cricket season might push films out of the market.
Look at the products that vanished from India in the last 20 years. When did you last see a black and white movie? When did you last use a fountain pen? When did you last type on a typewriter? The answer for all the above is "I don't remember!"

One final illustration:
Some 20 years ago, what were Indians using to wake them up in the morning? An alarm clock, that monster of mechanical springs. It had to be physically wound up every day. It made so much noise that it woke you -- and the rest of the colony. What do we use today? Cellphones. An entire category of clocks practically disappeared without warning. The boss of an IT company once said something interesting about the animal called competition. He said "Have breakfast …or…. be breakfast"! That sums it up rather neatly.

Beautiful Words

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!

-Rudyard Kipling

Anger Management...!

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper.His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the ! day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger,they leave a scar just like this one. You can put
a knife in a man and draw it out.It won't matter how many times you say "I'm
sorry", the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us.

"Do share it with your loved ones.YOU ARE MY FRIEND AND I AM HONORED! Please forgive me if I have ever left a hole.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

The great Greek king, Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and he was bedridden for months. With death drawing close, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth were of no use.
He called his generals and said, “I will depart from this world soon. But I have three wishes. Please fulfill my wishes without fail.” With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king’s last wishes.

“My first desire is that,” said Alexander, “my physicians alone must carry my coffin. Secondly, when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard should be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury. My third and last wish is that both my hands should be kept dangling out of my coffin.”

The people who had gathered there wondered at the king’s strange wishes. But no one dared to question. Alexander’s favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. “O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?” At this Alexander took a deep breath and said, “I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt.

1.I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure anybody. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted.
2.The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell people that not even a fraction of gold can be taken by me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.
3.And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I want people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world.”

Alexander’s last words: “Bury my body, do not build any monument, keep my hands outside so that the world knows the person who won the world had nothing in his hands when dying.”

I Believe..!!!

A Birth Certificate shows that we were born
A Death Certificate shows that we died
Pictures show that we lived!
Have a seat . Relax . . .
And read this slowly.

I Believe...
That just because two people argue,
It doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
It doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if
We understand that friends change.

I Believe....
That no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe...
That true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant
That will give you heartache for life.

I Believe....
That it's taking me a long time
To become the person I want to be.

I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with
Loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe....
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe....
That we are responsible for what
We do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs
to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe....
That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I Believe....
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down
will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe...
That sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
But that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe....
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had
And what you've learned from them and less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe....
That it isn't always enough,
to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...
That no matter how bad your heart is broken
the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe....
That our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
But, we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...
That you shouldn't be so eager to find
Out a secret. It could change your life Forever.

I Believe....
Two people can look at the exact same
Thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...
That your life can be changed in a matter of
Hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe...
That even when you think you have no more to give,
When a friend cries out to you -
you will find the strength to help.

I Believe...
That credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...
That the people you care about most in life
are taken from you too soon.

I Believe...
That you should share this to
all of the people that you believe in, like i just did.

Ten Internet Marketing Tips that Will Explode Your Business

One of the biggest frustrations or mistakes people make in having an online business is generating traffic to their websites. There is no point having a fancy looking website that just sits there with no traffic. The problem also lies within a large proportion of home businesses is that they do not teach you effective marketing strategies and instead lead you to believe that sending offline traffic to a replicated website will build your business.

There are so many options out there for people to learn internet marketing and get the marketing education that they need but it certainly helps to have it all in the one place so you dont have to spend months of time and thousands of dollars to learn the skills.I am going to share with you the top 10 tips in creating a online presence and becoming a master marketer.

1) Read Magnetic Sponsoring . I dont care what industry you are in – this is a must for learning how to become the hunted instead of the hunter.

2) Brand Yourself - Learn to become a leader. Give value and position yourself as a leader with personal branding

3) Learn copywriting – This skill is invaluable in order for you to learn how to use words that get people to take action.

4) Use Social Media – Use sites like Facebook, You Tube and Twitter to help create your online presence. Do no spam people with your opportunity or pitch people, learn to be yourself and attract people to get to know you.

5) Build Your Own List - This is so important that you use an autoresponder service that allows you toown your own list that you can market to and not filtering your traffic to a system.

6) Autoresponder Marketing - Personalise your autoresponders and build a relationship with your list by weaving your story and your message into your messages.

7) Google Adwords PPC - Do whatever you have to , to learn and master Google Adwords. You definetely need to be learning from the best to master this but when you do it can create six figures a month.

8) Master One Method at a Time - You have heard the saying “Jack of all trades – master of none” . Focus on one lead generation method until you master it before you move on. Dont try and learn everything at once.

9) Keyword Research - Know your target market first, do your keyword research and build your content, articles, videos etc all around those keywords.

10) Mindset – To get different results you need to become a different person. In my opinion mindset comes before skill.

The 100 Most Sustainable Companies

1.General Electric Company-->United States-->Capital Goods
2.PG & E Corp-->United State-->Utilities
3.Tnt Nv-->Netherlands-->Transportation
4.H & M Hennes & Mauritz Ab-->Sweden-->Retailing
5.Nokia Corporation-->Finland-->Technology Hardware & Equipmen
6.Siemens Ag-->Germany-->Capital Goods
7.Unilever Plc-->United Kingdom-->Food Beverage & Tobacco
8.Vodafone Group Plc-->United Kingdom-->Telecommunication Services
9.Smiths Group Plc-->United Kingdom-->Capital Goods
10.Geberit-->Switzerland-->Capital Goods
11.Henkel Ag-->Germany-->Household & Personal Products
12.Inditex Sa-->Spain-->Retailing
13.Procter & Gamble Company-->United States-->Household & Personal Products
14.Toyota Motor Corp.-->Japan-->Automobiles & Components
15.Westpac Banking Corp.-->Australia-->Banks
16.Enbridge Inc-->Canada-->Energy
17.Koninklijke Philips Electronics Na-->Netherlands-->Capital Goods
18.Diageo Plc-->United Kingdom-->Food Beverage & Tobacco
19.Nippon Yusen Kk-->Japan-->Transportation
20.Royal Dutch Shell Plc-->United Kingdom-->Energy
21.Prologis-->United States-->Real Estate
22.Insurance Australia Group-->Australia-->Insurance
23.Johnson Controls Inc-->United States-->Automobiles & Components
24.Stockland-->Australia-->Real Estate Investment Trusts
25.Encana Corp.->Canada-->Energy
26.Prudential Plc-->United Kingdom-->Insurance
27.Old Mutual Plc->United Kingdom-->Insurance
28.Adidas Ag-->Germany-->Consumer Durables & Apparel
29.Bg Group Plc-->United Kingdom-->Energy
30.Groupe Danone-->France-->Food Beverage & Tobacco
31.Centrica Plc-->United Kingdom-->Utilities
32.Taylor Wimpey Plc-->United Kingdom-->Consumer Durables & Apparel
33.Kesko Oyj-->Finland-->Food & Staples Retailing
34.Atlas Copco Ab-->Sweden-->Capital Goods
35.Bt Group Plc-->United Kingdom-->Telecommunication Services
36.Agilent Technologies Inc-->United States-->Technology Hardware & Equipment
37.L'Oreal S.A.-->France-->Household & Personal Products
38.Coca Cola Company-->United States-->Food Beverage & Tobacco
39.Intel Corp.-->United States-->Semiconductors & Semiconductor
40.Suncor Energy-->Canada-->Energy
41.Novozymes A/s-->Denmark-->Materials
42.Vestas Windsystems A/s-->Denmark-->Capital Goods
43.Swisscom-->Switzerland-->Telecommunication Services
44.Umicore Sa-->Belgium-->Materials
45.Novo Nordisk A/s-->Denmark-->Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology
46.Kingfisher Plc-->United Kingdom-->Retailing
47.Gpt Group-->Australia-->Real Estate
48.Starbucks Corp.-->United States-->Consumer Services
49.Sainsbury (j) Plc-->United Kingdom-->Food & Staples Retailing
50.Sun Life Financial Inc-->Canada-->Insurance
51.Lafarge Sa-->France-->Materials
52.Glaxosmithkline Plc-->United Kingdom-->Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology
53.Bluescope Steel Limited-->Australia-->Materials
54.The Capita Group Plc-->United Kingdom-->Commercial & Professional Serv
55.Iberdrola Sa-->Spain-->Utilities
56.Origin Energy Limited-->Australia-->Energy
57.Lonmin Plc-->United Kingdom-->Materials
58.Roche Holdings Limited-->Switzerland-->Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology
59.Nexen Inc-->Canada-->Energy
60.Credit Agricole Sa-->France-->Banks
61.Boral Limited-->Australia-->Materials
62.Pearson Plc-->United Kingdom-->Media
63.Sca Ab-->Sweden-->Materials
64.London Stock Exchange Group Plc-->United Kingdom-->Diversified Financials
65.Transcanada Corp.-->Canada-->Energy
66.Electrocomponents Plc-->United Kingdom-->Technology Hardware & Equipmen
67.Statoilhydro Asa-->Norway-->Energy
68.Toronto-Dominion Bank-->Canada-->Banks
69.Baxter International Inc-->United States-->Health Care Equipment & Servic
70.Duke Energy Corp.-->United States-->Utilities
71.Royal Bank Of Canada-->Canada-->Banks
72.Mtr Corporation Limited-->Hong Kong-->Transportation
73.Sims Metal Management Ltd-->Australia-->Materials
74.Abb Limited-->Switzerland-->Capital Goods
75.Trend Micro Inc-->Japan-->Software & Services
76.Omv Ag-->Austria-->Energy
77.Swiss Reinsurance Company-->Switzerland-->Insurance
78.Sembcorp Industries Limited-->Singapore-->Capital Goods
79.Sap Ag-->Germany-->Software & Services
80.Smith (ds) Plc-->United Kingdom-->Containers & Packaging
81.City Developments Limited-->Singapore-->Real Estate
82.Anglo Platinum Limited-->South Africa-->Materials
83.Pinnacle West Capital Corp.-->United States-->Utilities
84.Dassault Systemes Sa-->France-->Software & Services
85.Neste Oil Oyj-->Finland-->Energy
86.Intesa Sanpaolo-->Italy-->Banks
87.Stmicroelectronics-->Switzerland-->Semiconductors & Semiconductor
88.Telus Corp.-->Canada-->Telecommunication Services
89.F & C Asset Management Plc-->United Kingdom-->Diversified Financials
90.Tata Steel-->India-->Materials
91.Samsung Electronics Company Limited-->Korea (South)-->Information Technology
92.Housing Development Finance Corp. Limite-->India-->Banks
93.Posco-->Korea (South)-->Materials
94.Banco Bradesco Sa-->Brazil-->Banks
95.Ricoh Company Limited-->Japan-->Technology Hardware & Equipmen
96.Petroleo Brasileiro Sa-->Brazil-->Energy
97.Dexus Property Group-->Australia-->Real Estate
98.Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Compa-->Taiwan-->Information Technology
99.Natura Cosmeticos Sa-->Brazil-->Household & Personal Products
100.Sompo Japan Insurance-->Japan-->Insurance

How do you handle the dreaded salary question?

In an interview you will be asked two questions about compensation. If you do not handle them correctly it will be the end of the interview process or cost you a lot of money.
The first question is about earnings history. “What are you earning or what did you earn in your most recent job”?The second question is about your required compensation. “What do you need “? “What are you looking for”?

I will not review the bad advice but will cover the correct answers to both questions. The first question about earnings history must be answered honestly and accurately. Since it can easily be verified there is no point in trying to dodge the question so tell the truth. There are no circumstances that justify anything else.

The harder question that everybody frets over is what are you looking for?

One thing you never want to do is give a fixed number. Any number high or low will hurt you. Let’s look at what giving a number will do.

If the number is to high your interview process will end. The opportunity may have been so great that you might have considered it for less but in the beginning of the process it is too early to tell and the number you give assures you will never find out. Giving a number cost you the job. What if you decide to play it safe and give a low number? Suppose you say you would like 60K. If the employer was prepared to go to 65K you just lost 5K because like everybody else he wants to save money and if he thinks he can get you for 60K that is exactly what he will offer. Giving a low number cost you money and giving a high number cost you the job.

So if you can’t give a number what do you do?

You give the following answer;

My reason for being here is to evaluate the opportunity just as you are evaluating my fit for your organization. If the opportunity is everything I want and I satisfy all your needs I’m sure the money will not be an issue.

In most cases that will be the end of it. Some interviewers may push you by saying something like, I know you are primarily interested in the opportunity but really, what are your salary expectations?

In this case turn the question around on the interviewer with something like,

You know my background, skills and experience as well as your needs and pay range; what compensation do you feel would be appropriate?

I hope you find it helpful

The 'Corporate' language

1.'We will do it' means 'You will do it'

2.'You have done a great job' means 'More work to be given to you'

3.'We are working on it' means 'We have not yet started working on the same'

4.'Tomorrow, first thing in the morning' means 'Its not getting done..At least not tomorrow !'.

5.'After discussion we will decide -I am very open to views' means 'I have already decided, I will tell you what to do'

6.'There was a slight miscommunication' means 'We had actually lied'

7.'Lets call a meeting and discuss' means 'I have no time now, will talk later'

8.'We can always do it' means 'We actually cannot do the same on time'

9.'We are on the right track but there needs to be a slight extension of the deadline' means 'The project is screwed up, we cannot deliver on time.'

10.'We had slight differences of opinion' means 'We had actually fought'

11.'Make a list of the work that you do and let's see how I can help you' means
'Anyway you have to find a way out, no help from me'

12.'You should have told me earlier' means 'Well even if you told me earlier that
would have made hardly any difference!'

13.'We need to find out the real reason' means 'Well I will tell you where your fault is'

14.'Well.... family is important, your leave is always granted. Just ensure that the work is not affected' means 'Well you know...'

15.'We are a team' means 'I am not the only one to be blamed'

16.'That's actually a good question' means 'I do not know anything about it'
.
.
.
AND FINALLY, THE BEST OF ALL...
.
.
.
'All the Best' means ' You are in trouble'

15 Principles for Marketing Any Professional Service

Successful marketing doesn’t happen by accident. It takes insightful analysis, dedication to building a business and, most of all, patience.

Even though every company approaches the market in a unique way, the most effective marketers follow 15 principles that lead to their success.

1.Marketing is embedded in every aspect of the business, from the big things (like how you deliver services) to the details, such as the look of your emails and envelopes.

2.You have a market positioning vision that reflects your direction and purpose.Everyone in the practice understands and can describe it in a few brief sentences.

3.Clients understand your market positioning.

4.Your clients and prospects know what makes you different from your competitors.

5.All members of your practice know exactly how they contribute to the success of both your business and its marketing strategy.

6.You have a marketing activity calendar, and you follow it.

7.Client-specific programs are at the center of your marketing strategy.

8.You have patience with your marketing program, recognizing that some strategies take hold more quickly than others.

9.You measure the effectiveness of your marketing, making mid-course corrections as needed.

10.Your marketing strategy relies on an array of integrated tactics, applied consistently over time, rather than a start-and-stop approach.

11.You place a high value on client relationship skills.

12.You deliver your services flawlessly.

13.You provide a positive experience for your clients, no matter how tough the project.

14.Your marketing materials make a positive difference in your business development efforts.

15.You make time every day for marketing the business.

You can probably add to this list, but look at each of these principles and assess how well your firm is meeting the intent of each one. For most organizations, a few small changes in how they go to market can make a significant impact on performance.

I’ve left one essential, but obvious, item off this list. You must have an in-demand service offering that you can deliver to the market. Without that, your marketing efforts may succeed, but your business will ultimately fail.

How to Start a Business with No Money

Who said you need a lot of money to start a business? You don't! These are some tricks I would like to share that can allow you to start businesses with less than $1,000.


You Don't Need Everything from Day One
* You don't need to incorporate from day one.
* You don't need an office.
* You don't need a fax machine, fancy business cards or that desk you really like.
Don't feel like your business has to look like a "real business" from day one. Concentrate on selling and then selling some more. That's all you should be working on at the very beginning.

Have Contractors, not Employees
Having contractors has many advantages:
* You can stop working with them when you don't need them anymore or if they're not good at what they do.
* They don't need a desk or office space.
* When work is slow, they get paid less. When there's a lot of work, they make more money. Try to do that with an employee.

Pay for Results
It's OK to have some people on retainers, but make sure that most of their income is tied to results. If they bring you a lot of business, they should make a lot of money. After all, you'll be making a lot of money too, so it's only fair that you share it with those that help you achieve your goals.

Use Relationship Marketing to Your Advantage
This is the most important lesson that should be learned in the career as an entrepreneur, so please pay attention. The best kind of marketing is called "relationship marketing" and it's free. How does it work?
1. Find the people that have access to your audience.
2. Offer them a commission for referring business to you.
3. Let them market your company at no risk to you.
Let's say you offer city tours in Paris. Go to all the hotels in the city, talk to the front desk staff at each place and tell them what you do. They have access to millions of travelers and that's your target audience. Pay front desk clerks a commission for each guest they send your way. This is risk-free and extremely effective.

Be Smart About Your Inventory
These are two great pieces of advice I learned from my mentor:
* Produce on demand. When you receive an order, collect payment and then manufacture the product. By doing this your working capital will come from your customers instead of your own funds.
* Be the middle man. Instead of producing your own products, buy them at a discount from someone else and sell them at retail price. The profit margin will be smaller but this is a lot less risky. Once you're in a better financial situation, you can start producing your own products.

Do As Much as You Can Yourself
Build your own website, design your own business cards and write your own marketing copy. This won't look as great as work done by professionals, but it'll free and fast. Once you've sold a few thousand dollars worth of products, you can always re-do your website, business cards and marketing copy using experts.

Barter as Much as You Can
Very few people barter these days, but bartering is extremely powerful. If you have something other people want, try to barter for their services. You might not get the best expert in the industry to work with you, but whomever you get will be good enough.

Leverage Other People's Businesses
You should take advantage of the retail locations, distribution channels and manpower that other companies pay for. For example, if you sell t-shirts, opening your own retail store will be way more expensive than selling your t-shirts through other people's stores. Let them carry your products. Use their salespeople, their retail space and their distribution channels.

Nokia Story

A famous example of how change can result in untold success is Nokia, a company you are all very familiar with. Nokia embraces change. Originally they made paper products then they expanded into making galoshes, tyres and raincoats.

In the mid 80’s the Finnish Government was at the forefront of in-car telephony and Nokia decided to move into electronics. In the early 90’s they decided to enter the mobile handsets market. Their first product was forecast to sell 400,000 units – they sold 20 million and in the process, changed the world. Nokia is the only company in the world that generates more wealth than its country of origin.

In 2008 Nokia sold 350 million handsets, 35% of the 1 billion sold worldwide."

"It's not the strongest of the species that will survive, nor the most intelligent, it's the one most responsive to change."

Use this the next time you are due for a speeding ticket

Ramankutty Nair, a middle aged Indian immigrant in Dallas , Texas bought a brand new convertible Porsche.

He took off down the road and pushed it up to 160 MPH and was enjoying the wind blowing through his (thinning) hair.

"This is great," he thought and accelerated to an even higher speed. But when he eventually looked in his rear-view mirror there was a Ford Crown Victoria Police Car behind him, blue lights flashing.

"I can get away from him with no problem" thought the man and he floored it some more, and flew down the road at over 210 mph to escape being stopped.

Then he thought, what the hell am I doing? "I'm too old for this kind of thing" and pulled over to the side of the road, and waited for the Police car to catch up with him.

The Policeman pulled in behind the Porsche and walked up on the driver's side.
"Sir, my Shift ends in five minutes and today is Wednesday 22 November a day before Thanksgiving "If you can give me a good reason that I've never heard before as to why you were speeding, I'll let you go."

The man looked back at the Policeman and said, "Last week my wife ran off with an American Policeman and I thought you were bringing her back."

The Policeman said, "Have a nice day, sir"

Rules for Life

• RULE 1 - Life is not fair; get used to it.

• RULE 2 - The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

• RULE 3 - You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice president with a car phone, until you earn both.

• RULE 4 - If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure.

• RULE 5 - Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping, they called it opportunity.

• RULE 6 - If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, So don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

• RULE 7 - Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try "delousing" the clothes in your own room.

• RULE 8 - Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they will ask as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

• RULE 9 - Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

• RULE 10 -Television is NOT real life! In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

• RULE 11 - Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

FYI

An old hill farmer trudges several miles through freezing snow to his local and very remote church for Sunday mass. No-one else is there, aside from the priest."I'm not sure it's worth proceeding with the mass - might we do better to go back to our warm homes and some soup?.." asks the priest, inviting a mutually helpful reaction from his audience of one.

"Well, I'm just a simple farmer," says the old man, "But when I go to feed my herd, and if only one beast turns up, I sure don't leave it hungry."

So the clergyman, feeling somewhat ashamed, delivers his service - all the bells and whistles, hymns and prayers, lasting a good couple of hours - finishing proudly with the fresh observation that no matter how small the need, our duty remains. And he thanks the old farmer for the lesson he has learned."Was that okay?" asks the clergyman, as the two set off home.

"Well I'm just a simple farmer," says the old crofter, "But when I go to feed my herd, and if only one beast turns up, I sure don't force it to eat what I brought for the whole herd..."

Interview Preparation – The Key to Success!

"Nothing is more feared or more misunderstood in the job search process than interviewing. People tend to conjure up all their fears and insecurities when an interview is requested and sometimes the level of anxiety is so high it actually sabotages the interview.

A certain level of nerves is good. Any athlete will tell you that being a little nervous “tunes” us up for the competition and sharpens our “edge.” However, in an interview situation we do not want appear so nervous that it detracts from our ability to present a professional image. That is where careful preparation comes in.

When we are well-prepared, we can present a relaxed and polished image and are less likely to get flustered by unexpected questions. Always keep in mind that the interviewer already thinks you are qualified for the job or you would have gotten the interview!


Here are six steps to effective interview preparation:

1. Research the company. Make sure you know what the company does, who their customers are, and how they are doing. If they are a publicly traded firm, reading the most recent Annual Report is very helpful. Running a search on Google for the company usually turns up loads of information about any firm.

2. Download and study everything you can find about the specific job position for which you are interviewing. If the job was published, study the job description thoroughly and be sure to read between the lines. If there is no specific job description, then analyze the firm’s most likely needs and think about how you an help them with their business objectives.

3. Research the person who will interview you. Simply searching for the person’s name is usually enough and if they are in LinkedIn that may be all you need to do! Study their background and especially look for anything you may have in common with them.

4. Read your own resume and be ready to talk about your career accomplishments by telling stories. Stories are very powerful ways to explain what you can do for a company. Use the SAR model – Situation, Action, and Results – to help guide you and don’t talk too much about a single accomplishment. Two or three minutes is more than enough.

5. Prepare two or three substantive questions about the company based on your research about the company. Questions like “Where do you see the company going over the next few years?” or “Do you have plans for any new products or services?” or “What do you think is the key to the company’s success?” are good questions that will position you as a strong candidate.

6. Be ready with a 30-second “commercial” in answer to the possible invitation to “tell me about yourself.” Write it out and practice it frequently. The commercial should talk more about what you can do than who you are.

Finally, be very clear that every interview is a selling opportunity. The potential customer is the employer and you are the commodity that you are trying to “sell”. Make sure the interviewer knows what you can do for her firm and stay focused on the needs and priorities of the interviewer, not your own."

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Awesome Technologies That Will Die in Decade Starting 2010

DVD(Will be replaced by Blu-ray Disc)
Previously floppy discs served the basic storage requirements for the users. But then came a remarkable shift from the magnetic storage to optical compact discs pushing aside the use of floppy. Moving a step further DVD or Digital Versatile Disc was invented in 1995.

Blu ray discs are mainly used for storing high-definition video, PlayStation 3 video games, and other data, with up to 25 GB per single layered, and 50 GB per dual layered disc prototypes.Also providing superior resolution for more detailed images, improved audio quality and special features like pop-up menu, which allows you to access the menu functions while the movie continues playing and picture-in-picture video commentary and the ability to download new content right from your Blu-ray player and so on make it a lot better than its counterparts and also worth the penny.

According to the Digital Entertainment Group, the total number of Blu-ray Disc playback had reached 9.6 million by the end of 2008.According to Swicker & Associates, Blu-ray Disc software sales in the United States and Canada were 1.2 million in 2006, 19.2 million in 2007, and 82.4 million in 2008. Toshiba has already announced that they will only manufacture Blu ray disc players and many laptop manufacturing companies have too planned to drift towards the new technology. So probably in the next 10 years to go, Blu ray discs replacing DVDs is not some impractical thought.

Landline Phone (Will be replaced by Mobile Devices)
Or should I say it already has. The mobile industry has an interminable list of options for almost every social class ,when it comes to making a preference for a mobile phone. Also as the Smartphones get more like a hand held PC, there has been a major dependence on these handsets as a result of online fever and time constraints. So when you can enjoy the access to the whole world on the go, the grounded landline devices are sure not to attract much of your attention. And with mobiles available at the most cheapest prices, owning a one is no longer unfeasible.

I also came across a Nielsen report that reveals that 21% of households in U.S.A now use mobile phones only giving up the land line numbers and that 15% of households now own at least one smartphone. So in a world where convenience and pragmatism play a paramount importance, wireless communication completely wiping out the traditional landline systems, that’s possible without a second doubt.

Data Card (Will be replaced by 3G and 4G Phones)
As the list of the wireless service providers gains momentum, there have been new services and offers for the users. Data cards are the portable devices used for wireless high speed internet access. But with the advent of faster technology in the form of 3G and 4G, these devices may be loosing out onto their significance. 3G Internet or Third Generation Internet Technology is the fastest mode of data communication now and having a 3G enabled phone is like carrying the world in your pocket. Listing out the advantages, 3G offers its users voice and video calls, mobile TV, mobile internet, mobile e-mail and mapping and GPS applications. So talking about 4G would mean even better performance, faster speed and refined features. There are few companies rolling out 3G Data Cards but why carry another device when your phone can cater all your needs. Also the basic feature of video and voice calls is not supported by every data card. Some data cards are also used for data storage but with phones carrying a surplus memory from 8GB to 32 GB or may be even more should not rise much concern. So spending a little extra amount would not be a major issue as your most valuable time will be hoarded by enhanced performance and speed.So as I mentioned earlier about the phones becoming indispensable part of our lives, a 3G or 4G phone will be all that you will need to stay connected on the go.

LCD TV (will be replaced by Plasma TV)
Now that’s a tough choice to make as these are two hostile technologies that more or less deliver the same experience. But then one has to be a winner. Coming onto the technical front, Plasma offers better contrast level, color accuracy, viewing angle, excellent performance with fast moving images and high contrast levels, an average of 60,000 hours longevity in the display and enjoys a better production size and cost and lower pricing per size. But LCD TVs too enjoy superiority over plasma when it comes to brightness, screen glare, screen burn in and most importantly power consumption. But the companies have already started the efforts to deal with these drawbacks and plasma is sure to evolve as a complete package and slowly take over the LCD fondness. So the next 10 years will be fun watching these technologies battle to emerge as a sole leader of the industry.

2D Cinema (replaced by 3D and 4D)
The Cinema has covered a long journey from 19th century to 21st century. Whether in terms of the infrastructural or echnology growth, the motion picture industry has matured significantly. The conventional 2 D cinema has long served its viewers and with more than half industry still producing the 2D films it wouldn’t be a wise idea to place my final verdict. But looking back at the development in the field I may not sound foolish too. The transition from black & white to colored films, changing production styles and technology all point to the changing scenario of the movie industry. Infact the virtual reality concept that is widely used today for more augmented reality could not have been imagined until 20th century. Also with movies like Avatar, getting an overwhelming fastest 1 Billion earning clearly show 3D craze catching on pretty well.
So the whole idea of having a virtual presence and experiencing things happening around you is exciting and lots of fun. Yes I am not ignoring the hefty price tag attached to it. But the development of computer-generated imagery and the introduction of high-definition video standards, the 3 D and 4 D cinema have a potential calibre to overcome the usual 2D soon and a decade to predict that shift, worth consideration.

Dedicated Web Hosting (all will move to cloud)
Taking a Wikipedia definition web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their own website accessible via the World Wide Web. In a layman language the web hosts provide server space for people owning a website. In a dedicated web hosting the user doest not own the server but has complete control over it.
But what if your operations exceed the limited bandwidth dedicated for you. Well lets take an example here. Amazon runs 13 million models in the cloud. For a server to support such a big number, it will require thousands of servers increasing the hardware cost immensely (include the expenditure for other software and services too). That does not sound scalable. Also Google who has billions or even more user base, runs many of its operations from cloud as that provides more efficiency and faster performance. So next time when your site gets more hits than the server’s capability and your site crashes, you know its time to move to cloud. And as cloud computing gets integrated into our internet life, this change in next ten years easy and apparent.
For the start-up sites, there are a number of cloud services from Cisco, Amazon, Microsoft and Google. These are easier to host, cheaper to maintain, more reliable. I doubt if anyone will host in dedicated hosting in future.

Mobile Voice Call– Local/ISD/STD (all will be replaced by Voice over internet)
Probably every person owns a mobile today and internet use is well routed into a normal day life. Also the technologies like 3G and 4G have made internet connection fast and easily available and there are services like Skype that provide free video calling. So with such effortless and free access, why would people still confine to the traditional calling styles?
Since we are talking about a major shift in the next decade I cannot base my results on mere assumptions. So let me share a news with you that some of you may have already heard about. The Finland government has introduced a law for guaranteed 1 Mb broadband access to every person living in the country where almost 79% of the population uses Internet. Now a country where every person has an internet access, why would the same traditional calling way be followed? Similarly if the whole world flows in the same wave, Mobile Voice Call– Local/ISD/STD is sure to lose its ground.
The introduction of Netphone and Netbooks are sure to speed up this process

User Login (will be replaced by finger print readers or eye readers)
Many of us already have that in our laptops, and those of you working in banks, multinationals etc are well acquainted with the technology.
The retina and fingerprint recognitions are the most secure login modes because of their uniqueness for every being on the planet. A usual login name or a password may be difficult to reveal but not impossible as they usually revolve around few facts related to our lives and there are ample geek minds with their own algorithms to hack even the most complex passwords. And as recent trends reveal the vulnerability of our passwords getting into the hands of cyber criminals, a more robust and secure way is the demand of the hour. So as computers continue to advance to unmatched levels, this technology has latent ability to ground itself in the next ten years.
One of my friends feels most people prefer Passwords over Fingerprint or Eye Reader as passwords can be shared in need. I doubt if this reason can save it. After-all there is always share option in most features, and with more advanced technologies you may no longer need to share passwords.

Credit Card (replaced by SmartPhone or NetPhone with barcode)
Credit Card is one of the biggest inventions of the Finance Industry that made it the king of all industries. When barter system was replaced by monetary system, hardly anyone would have thought that next replacement might come. But Credit Cards and Debit Cards made that happen. The Bank Cards ended the problem of carrying huge cash to make big and/or multiple transactions.
Now the time has come when we are pissed off to carry many cards in our wallet. Every time we carry several cards like Credit Card, Debit Card, Insurance Card, Club Membership Card, Driving Licence, SSN or PAN Card, Ration Card, Company Identity Card etc. This needs to be replaced by some technology that’s easier to carry and use.
Well the Technology just might be a Smartphone like an iPhone. Already two companies have brought an add-on to convert iPhone to Credit Card Reader. Another is sure to bring another add-on soon that has bar code of the Credit Card Number.
The Smartphones will not only replace the Card Reader Terminals and Credit Card, but also enable any user to pay or receive money through the gadget itself. No one will be standing in a queue at ATM to withdraw cash or no issuing cheque or carrying Cards for shopping. The day is not too far.

Print media and newspaper( will be replaced by online news)
Most of the Newspapers have already gone digital, and now we no longer need to get a hard copy paper in the morning. Regular news updates on the mobile too have helped in staying updated with whats happening where. There are also plenty of news channels around and newspapers have been slowly loosing out to the growing internet world. Google is bullish with this idea and it is already working on converting 1 million books online. Amazon brought Kindle, a gadget just for reading books, few years back. Now there are many companies producing more than 30 models of E-Readers.
I do not say that the vast and old libraries will be left abundant and the existence of print media will be wiped out completely, but the technology shift has already begun and in years to come we may witness such situation.
When the first room sized computer was made by the engineers, little they would have thought that one day their technology would rest on the laps of people as laptops. When Alexander Graham Bell made the first electric telephone, he would have not imagined about the wireless world too. That is the only reason why I find technology so interesting because it never rests and it makes everything possible. So as the new decade starts it will be pleasurable to watch science boom in its own way and technology thrive each day.

And moving ahead broadband will be replaced by Satellite broadband. Find out more here