Summer typically is a tough time of year for charities. People are on vacation and out of school. Whether your donors are blood donors or financial donors the key to keeping them thinking about your organization is fun!

Think back to your summers as a young adult what types of things made you stop and take notice? Get out a pad of paper for some neat ideas that will not only get your donors in, it will get their families in too.

• Host an  educational  water safety event.
• Collaborate with MADD or other organization providing a public service.
• Give away tickets to the nearest water park for donations.
• Host a parking lot concert for donor drives.  
• Create a baseball themed contest. Provide give aways for each run scored in addition to points they have earned for their individual donations.
• If Type O blood is in demand, soccer themed events are a big hit.
• Local athlete presentations and sports camp.
• Dance presentation on site.
• Have a luau party during the month of July with food and beach toy give aways. Ask your team to join in on the fun wearing Hawaiian shirts.

For online charity websites:

Create an incentive wall that allows people to post short comments about their experience and invite others.

Add interactive games with gift incentives for their participation.

Short term theme events with interesting facts and online prize awards.

Host live and informative classes on nutrition.

Post your organization’s wish list.

Be sure to keep your website up-to-date and interesting. Stale information will only lead visitors feeling that your organization may be on vacation mode too.

Keep the energy up in your organization by providing employee and volunteer incentives. If they are motivated, they will help your organization reach its goals.

One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams. Think of it: We can look deep within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our families; dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical lives; certainly dream of better spiritual lives. But what makes this even more powerful is that we have also been given the ability to not only dream but to pursue those dreams and not only to pursue them, but the cognitive ability to actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams. Powerful! And that is what we will discuss in detail this week: How to dream dreams and establish goals to get those dreams.

What are your dreams and goals? This isn’t what you already have or what you have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there.

So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts.

Let’s take a look at some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:

Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don’t do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet “dream time” this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts (you get to do this in the workbook exercises this week).

Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you LOVE to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions you will feel Great and you will be in the “dream zone.” It is only when we get to this point that we experience what Our dreams are!

Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don’t think of any as too outlandish or foolish - remember, you’re dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record.

Now, prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.

Here is the big picture: Life is too short to not pursue your dreams. Someday your life will near its end and all you will be able to do is look backwards. You can reflect with joy or regret. Those who dream, who set goals and act on them to live out their dreams are those who live lives of joy and have a sense of peace when they near the end of their lives. They have finished well, for themselves and for their families.

Remember: These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. Your specific goals are what you want to attain because they are what will make your life joyful and bring your family’s life into congruence with what you want it to be.

Let’s do something remarkable!

Learning how to alter customers’ routines likely means making significant changes to your own.

Let’s face it: Your regular customers are on autopilot. When a purchase is repeated enough times, it becomes habit. However, market shifts can disrupt even the most powerful habits, and the current financial meltdown is the single biggest market disruption we’ve ever lived through. Customers are altering their behavior because of uncertainty about the future: laying off employees (maybe even your contacts), hoarding cash and postponing routine purchases. All purchase decisions are now up for conscious review.

This is a daunting challenge, but it also creates opportunities. Here are some ways to get your customers back in the habit of buying from you.

your existing customers to buy something–anything. You want to grease the wheels of habit formation by getting your customers to once again get used to doing business with you. Even if it’s selling small volumes or items with low margins, write orders. Once you have customers buying from you, you can look for ways to sell bigger and more profitably. Remember, your goal is to reestablish purchase behavior, so be flexible.

Recognize that your original value proposition may no longer hold. Perceptions of value have changed along with perceptions of need. Spend time with your contacts inside the company to determine if you, your products and your services have maintained their reputation and relevance. Make sure you know who the new influencers are, and spend time with them to uncover new directives.

Go for the throats of your competitors. Their customers have changed their purchasing habits, too, so now’s the time to get your products and services into the mix. Get in front of potential customers and pitch strongly. Again, get a foot in the door by getting a sale–any sale. Get into their systems so ordering becomes easy. Create repeatable processes that will lead to long-term sales relationships.

Reinforce your value. This means not only delivering on your promises, but also understanding the sequence and timing of rewards and the removal of punishments. Salespeople often treat their prospects better than their clients. This is bribery and doesn’t lead to habit. Reinforcing behavior means providing the reward after the targeted behavior occurs.

Pay attention to customer feedback. Your customer is trying to train you as well. Pay attention to the feedback. What’s the preferred method of communication? This may vary by the context; for example, e-mail for documents and work flow, phone calls for complaints, and text messages for quick questions. Work with it.

By becoming your customers’ habit, you will create a strong competitive advantage. And we all know how hard it is to break a habit.

A noted author, speaker and consultant, Neale Martin works to bridge the gaps between marketing and sales as well as between the scientific and business worlds. Neale’s latest book, Habit, updates our understanding of marketing and sales based on current findings from neuroscience and cognitive psychology. - Entrepreneur magazine

As you begin to understand the four styles of communicators and how they act and respond to the world around them, you will be able to better understand your own style and identify the style of the people around you. To help you understand each style, here are a few key descriptions to help you picture each one.

Steady Relater

• Relationship-oriented
• Moves, acts and speaks slowly
• Avoids risk
• Wants tranquility and peace
• Enjoys teamwork
• Good counseling skills

Interacting Socializer

• Relationship-oriented
• Moves, acts and speaks quickly
• Risk-taker
• Wants excitement and change
• Enjoys the spotlight
• Good persuasive skills

Cautious Thinker

• Task-oriented
• Moves, acts and speaks slowly
• Wants to be accurate
• Enjoys solitary, intellectual work
• Cautious decision-makers
• Good problem-solving skills

Dominant Directors

• Task-oriented
• Moves, acts and speaks quickly
• Wants to be in charge
• Gets results through others
• Makes decisions quickly
• Good administrative skills

© 2007 Tony Alessandra

December 21, 1998, was a brisk winter day in Saudi Arabia. I was stationed on my first combat deployment, flying missions enforcing the Iraqi southern no-fly zone.

I was scheduled to take off on only the fourth combat sortie of my career, inexperienced and quite nervous. It was a mission I’ll never forget.

I was flying that day with my flight lead Lt. Col. “Hos” Hyatt, the commander of the 79th Fighter Squadron Tigers. Our “2 ship” of F-16s were charged with “sanitizing” the airspace of any enemy aircraft that might be crossing the restricted area. It could have been a routine patrol – or not.

Suddenly, our radios blared with an urgent call from the radar ground controller, “Viper flight, you’ve got a MIG-23 150 miles off your nose headed south…hostile, hostile!”

This meant the MIG had crossed the no fly zone and was headed towards us and the fuel tankers we were in charge of protecting. A split second later, my headset erupted with a call from Hos.

“Viper flight, COMMIT, COMMIT!”

Almost unconsciously, I pushed up my throttle to afterburner and started to climb as I struggled to stay in perfect formation with Hos. There was no turning back. We were going after that MIG.

With those two words, “Commit, Commit,” my destiny was set in motion that day. No time to think – there was simply time to react. I was trained for that moment and my instantaneous choice was really quite clear: it was time to “commit.”

My heart raced. The intensity was beyond words. Quite frankly, there was a part of me that asked, “Am I ready to do this? Will I get shot at? What if my engine fails?”

In the moment, doubt crept in.

But deep down, I knew I was ready and I was mentally and emotionally prepared. Otherwise, I had no business being in that jet. Aborting that mission was not an option – period. I had a job to do. All of my military training boiled down to this one moment and I simply had to trust my wingman, stay in position, and execute the briefed plan. It was time to act.

That moment may have come in the extreme of combat, but it was really no different than the “call to duty” we all face in everyday life and business.

Do you have the discipline and training to commit to action in your life - to “push it up” and go after your target with confidence? Perhaps it’s the challenge of raising a family, a new job opportunity, going for a promotion, embarking on a fitness regimen or a “serious” diet, or the trust and rigors that come from a relationship. The actions you take once you commit will determine the quality of your outcome.

If you’re not ready to commit, no problem. Perhaps it’s not the right time, or you just need more time.

But, if you really are committed to take action in your life, then you better have the discipline to do what it takes to commit with confidence and foster that level of trust others can count on.

True commitment only exists when it is aligned with action. Action that is based on disciplined preparation, laser sharp focus, and most of all – courage, the sort of courage that says even though you may get “shot at” – you will carry on regardless! This is the reality of flying fighters in combat, and it is also the reality of leading a life of passion that is based on commitment and action.

Bottom line, before you commit to anything, you have to risk getting “shot at.” You have to be willing to work and sacrifice. Let’s face it, it’s not easy to commit. If it were, everybody would be doing it!

So, here’s the wingtip: The ability to face our fears, harness courage, and commit to action when the stakes are high is made a lot easier when we act in service to others. More importantly, when we have a trusted partner on our wing backing us up, it gives us courage to press on.

Hos was on my wing. Who is on yours?

Visit any home improvement store on a Saturday morning, and you will see the beginning of hundreds of projects. People gather supplies, get instruction, and consult with professionals to get their game plans in order. Week after week the same scenario plays out. Based on sales, it would appear that these weekend warriors will soon beautify and improve the entire planet.

But reality and results tell another story entirely. A quick look through the garages and basements of many of these great starters would likely reveal the truth about completion: the final ten percent, for many people, is virtually uncharted territory - meaning they never get there.

Carry the accumulation of half-demolished foyers, clogged caulk guns, and piles of debris into the business world, and it’s no different.

The pattern for success in business is to recognize an unsatisfied need, innovate to find and provide a solution, then to expand and repeat the process. Somewhere between innovation and delivery, we find the no-man’s zone known as completion.

I once employed someone who proved to be an excellent initiator but a terrible finisher. She would start a task but get hung up once she encountered an obstacle. When asked why she didn’t get the job done, she blamed someone for not getting back to her or a situation she’d encountered. In short, she didn’t understand how to drive to completion.

What makes completion such a challenge?

Completion forces us to step forward.
For many people, the thought of completing a goal is unsettling - even when the task at hand is unpleasant. Maybe it’s the sense of the ‘known evil’ being preferable to the unknown one. No matter how ornery a project has become, at least it’s a pain in the neck that is familiar. We know that upon completion, we must choose again. We question whether we’ve got the goods needed to accomplish the next challenge.

Completion forces us to step up.
Concluding the current initiative inevitably moves us to a point of “what next?” For success-minded people, the answer to that question always comes in the form of raising the bar. Knowing that an even greater challenge lies ahead can make incompletion insidiously alluring. We know that each completion is followed by a call for even more. We wonder how we will bear up as the stakes are raised.

Completion forces us to step out.
Whether the task at hand is pleasant or not, we become attached to it. No matter how hard it seemed as we first put our hands to the plow, it is now within our comfort zone. It is familiar, and it seems manageable. People generally fear change. We convince ourselves that survival depends on staying inside our circle of competency. Completion represents a not-so-subtle nudge out of that circle.

For many people, incompletion has become a way of life. It takes the form of procrastination, loss of interest, confusion, and frustration. By remaining at the 90% complete mark, we reap the dubious benefits of security, mediocrity, and familiarity.

How can we push forward for completion?

Assess the current situation.
Focus on one task at a time until it is complete. This sounds like an effective solution - on paper. Chances are, though, that your world is more complex than that. However, even with multiple projects and priorities going on at the same time, you can still focus on one idea at a time and then move on. Each new opportunity should be evaluated before you commit. Remember that ‘good’ is the enemy of ‘best’ in your consideration. Does it serve your purpose? If so, engage and then move forward into completion.

Realize that the final 10% isn’t so bad.
Often the final stretch is comprised of unremarkable, monotonous, or tedious tasks. Because they are less than exhilarating, they seem onerous. Reality is that these final milestones are a lot closer, and a lot easier to attain than they seem. These loose ends rarely take the time or energy we fear they will. Just like the sticker on your car’s rearview mirror reads, completion “may be closer than they appear.”

Understand the price you pay for incompletion.
The process of beginning an initiative and working on it requires that you fully engage your commitment, your creative power, and your attention. The deepest recesses of your mind loathe letting go of these commitments. Like an elbow constantly poking into your ribs, your mind will nag you unceasingly about your incompletion. This distraction is often enough to pull you right out of the game when it’s time to take your next step.

Enjoy the rewards of completion.
The marketplace rewards completion. Every purchase of goods or services is immediately and unconsciously evaluated for completion. If you were to go out for dinner, place your order, and then never receive your food, you would complain, refuse to pay, and never want to go there again. If you purchased a car and discovered it was missing some key component, a steering wheel for example, you would refuse to take delivery.

It’s been said that the key to outrageous success is to do what nobody else will do. This brings to the forefront an opportunity to excel through completion, and reap the rewards of your diligence. A quick look around illustrates people’s tendency toward procrastination, loss of momentum, distraction, and incompletion. By committing to completion, you will do what nobody else will do, and the rewards will follow.

Recognizing the prices and benefits of completion may be enough to move you forward. What prize awaits when you push forward for completion?

http://www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/employeemanagementcolumnistdavidjavitch/article202352.html#ixzz0JYqnu8UJ&D

Want to Live the Dream? Pay the Price.

Have you ever been strolling through a shopping mall or car lot when - POW! - THE perfect product captures your attention? Perhaps it’s the sporty convertible with a V-8 engine and unbelievable acceleration. Maybe it’s the adorable dress that’s exactly your style, has a flattering fit, and accentuates all of your finest features.

Whatever the case, there’s an initial moment when you’re enamored with THE product. For a split second reality is suspended as you imagine the joys of owning it. Unfortunately, two words generally bring this pleasant daydream crashing to a halt: price tag.

The Dream Is Free, but the Journey Isn’t

When you first think about a dream, you only see possibilities and potential. As my friend Collin Sewell observed, all dreams begin obstacle-free. However, at some point we have to confront the Cost Question: Am I willing to pay the price of my dream?

If you want to achieve a dream, you have to be willing to do more than just imagine the outcome. You have to be willing to pay a price to start the journey. Dreams don’t fall into our laps by accident or good fortunate. They must be attained at the cost of personal sacrifice.

The Price Must Be Paid Sooner Than You Think

Dreams can’t be bought on impulse. Buy now, pay later financing isn’t an option. If you want to own a dream, then be prepared to make a hefty down payment.

I think most people realize that there will be some cost for achieving their dream. They have a vague notion that someday they will have to pay a price. But they don’t realize how quickly the costs come. Stepping toward a dream is like launching a rocket; massive amounts of energy must be expended at the beginning. Otherwise, gravity takes hold and the journey never gets off the ground.

The Price Will Be Higher Than You Expect

All dreams have price tags attached, and the cost is always higher than we expect to pay. Not once in my conversations with successful people have I heard someone say, “Getting to the top was much easier than I anticipated.” The reverse is true. Those at the pinnacle of their professions point to the hardships and sacrifices they had to endure to reach the top.

Having done a good deal of travel, I’ve learned the taxi principle: ALWAYS find out the cost before you get in the cab. Unfortunately, dreams are far too complex for us to accurately access the costs upfront. A noble dream is worth the expense, but the full costs won’t be apparent until we’re already on the journey.

The Price Must Be Paid More Than Once

As a young leader, I mistakenly thought acquiring a dream was like buying a ticket to Six Flags: pay once and enjoy the rides. Experience has taught me otherwise. Following a dream forces you to make continual sacrifices.

Just as a rocket must shed weight to escape gravity, so to a leader has to let go of some goals to accomplish others. You have to give up to go up.

Let’s face it: dreams don’t work unless you do. Easing off the accelerator and coasting won’t get you to your desired destination. For dreams to be apprehended, leaders must have an appetite for hard labor.

It Is Possible To Pay Too Much for Your Dream

Although sacrifices go hand in hand with success, it is possible to overpay for a dream. Don’t mortgage relationships or discard your moral compass in pursuit of career goals. I’ve seen it happen all too often. I’ve watched people sacrifice marriages, neglect their kids, ignore their health, and abandon their conscience - all in the name of a “dream.”

As Jesus of Nazareth once said, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul?” Some prices aren’t worth paying. Do not allow your dream to dictate your values. Rather, make sure your values inform and govern your dream

As we look throughout history, we find that this great country of America was built on the backs of those who had an unwavering determination.  It did not matter the trials or the difficulty they faced.  It was not predicated on the adverse situations that seemed to surround them as they built families, farmed the land, established towns and cities and created businesses.  As I think about our country’s history and how it would have been if I were a part of the toil and labor that it took to build the infrastructure and lay the foundation on which we, a privileged people, now stand, I have to say that the level of determination set the standard for achievement and overcoming adversity we admire today.

While playing in the National Football League, I was faced with many situations that required extreme determination!  Yes, playing in the games on Sunday afternoon calls for a great deal of toughness, grit, strength, and commitment, but you must be determined to overcome adversity, pain, mistakes and failure in order to be successful.  Your opponent is doing everything in his power to outmaneuver you, to break you and ultimately beat you down.  Well, I had the same attitude towards them!  I was not willing to give up an inch.  I was determined to hold my ground and not allow the opposing receiver or ball carrier to catch the ball or gain one yard!  Now, it didn’t always work out that way but that was my attitude. 

There were always opportunities to give up and throw in the towel – or, more importantly, my career! — during the course of  the games.  Before I ever put on an NFL uniform, I was told that I would never play professional football.  Before I set foot in an NFL locker room, I had faced much adversity, trial, doubt and negative criticism from others.  It would have been very easy for me to bow out and not see my dream realized, but I thank God that He gave me a strong determination to not give in to what “people” said and not give up on the “vision” He gave me when I was a little boy growing up in Plano, Texas! 

What is your vision?  Are you determined to see it come to pass and live out your dreams?  Along the way, you may face trials and tribulations and have doubt.  You may have those that are close to you tell you that “it will never happen, you can’t do that.”  You may even fail a time or two, but I encourage you to never give up, never throw in the towel and bow out.  Be strong in your faith and have a great determination that says “I will, in spite of….!”

I have found that sometimes the subtle difference in our attitude, which of course can make a major difference in our future, can be as simple as the language we use. The difference in even how you talk to yourself or others. Consciously making a decision to quit saying what you don’t want and to start saying what you do want. I call that faith. Believing the best, hoping for the best and moving toward the best.

A few examples could be, instead of saying “What if somebody doesn’t respond” you start saying, “What if they do respond?” Instead of saying “What if someone says no?” You say, “What if they say yes?” Instead of “What if they start and quit?” say, “What if they start and stay?” or “What if it doesn’t work out?” You say, “What if it does work out?” and the list goes on and on.

I found that when you start thinking and saying what you really want then your mind automatically shifts and pulls you in that direction. And sometimes it can be that simple, just a little twist in vocabulary that illustrates your attitude and philosophy.

Our language can also affect how others perform and behave around us. A teenager says to a parent, “I need $10.” And if the parents learn to say, “No comprende. That kind of language doesn’t work here. We’ve got plenty of money, but that’s not how you get $10.” Then you teach your teenager how to ask, “How can I earn $10?”

That is the magic of words. There is plenty of money here. There is money for everybody, but you just have to learn the magic words to get them. For everything you could possibly want. If you just learn the philosophy. How could I earn $10? Because you can’t go to the soil and say, “Give me a harvest.” You know the soil smiles and says, “Who is this clown that brings me his need and brings me no seed.” And if you said to the soil, “I’ve got this seed and if I planted it, would you work while I sleep?” And the soil says, “No problem. Give me the seed. Go to sleep and I’ll be working while you’re sleeping.”

If you just understand these simple principles, teaching them to a teenager (or adult) is sometimes just a matter of language. It’s like an investment account instead of a savings account. Simple language, but so important. It is easy to stumble through almost a lifetime and not learn some of these simplicities. Then you have to put up with all the lack and all the challenges that don’t work out simply from not reading the book, not listening to the tape, not sitting in the class, not studying your language and not being willing to search so you can then find.

But here is the great news. You can start this process anytime. For me it was at age 25. At 25 I’m broke. Six years later I’m a millionaire. Somebody says, “What kind of revolution, what kind of change, what kind of thinking, what kind of magic had to happen? Was it you?” And I say, “No. Any person, any six years, 36 to 42, 50 to 56. Whatever six years; whatever few years you go on an intensive, accelerated personal development curve, learning curve, application curve, and learning the disciplines. Now, it might not take the same amount of time, but I’m telling you the same changes and the same rewards in some different fashion are available for those who pay that six year price. And you might find that whether it’s in the beginning to help get you started, or in the middle to keep you on track, that your language can have a great impact on your attitude, actions and results.