Four Ways to Grow Your Business

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Subscribe | Store | Article Archive | Resource Center | Website | Contact Gregory P. Smith Lead Navigator President In This Issue DISC Training Online Learning  Chart Your Course Assessment Users Group (CYCAUG) This quarterly continuing education webinar is for people who are using or are interested in using our online assessment solutions for their company or organization.   Agenda:   New look and design of our reports Team-building Activity Upcoming Consultant's Boot Camp Emotional Intelligence assessment Q/A Date: July 11 Time: 3:00-3:45 p.m. ET Cost: No charge   Space is limited. Register today! DISC Training (Live Webseminar)    Our DISC training programs  and assessments help you identify individual personality styles so you can hire the right people, reduce conflict, improve communication and unleash team performance.   (Classes are conducted in four, 90-minute sessions)    Dates: July 8, 10, 15, 17 Aug. 5, 7, 12, 14  Time:  3:00-4:30 E.T. Cost: $1295 per person Register now!    Your registration includes over $900 in DISC training materials!     Call or email us  for more information. 800-821-2487 or 770-860-9464 Books ON SALE Fired Up! is a leadership book full of tips and strategies on how to manage, lead and motivate people at work. Unleash your employees' potential today! Starting at : $12.95 Letter from the Lead Navigator:                                       Times are tough for small businesses.The skills businesses require from their workers are becoming more complex by the day. Small businesses are increasingly doing more with less, as they navigate new technologies and regulations.      Still small businesses are the heart of the U.S. economy and remain optimistic for the future. They comprise half of all private sector jobs, and are responsible for 69 percent of all new jobs, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Whatever your small business, here's an article to help you maximize growth.    Also, to celebrate July 4th, enjoy 20% off any of our products, excluding our DISC courses. Happy Independence Day! And note that we'll host a webinar July 11, for our Assessment Users Group. The full details are listed below.   Helping you Chart Your Course!     Gregory P. Smith President and Lead Navigator       JULY 4th SALE 20% COUPON CODE: 1chart34 Enjoy this discount on all CYC products, excluding online DICS courses. Expires 07/04/13. Excludes DISC training courses Four Ways to Grow Your Business While many economic indicators have pointed to the economy's recovery, small businesses are still feeling the pinch. According to a May 2013 survey from email marketing company Constant Contact, 59 percent of small businesses say running their business is harder today than it was five years ago. Plus more than half say the bad economy is the main reason for their troubles, followed by changing technologies and an increase in direct competition. However those businesses do think things are turning around and expect an increase in revenues.     Meanwhile, a small portion of businesses have found ways to succeed despite the tough times. Twelve percent of businesses say their profits have increased in the last five years. They credit their success with more affordable and effective marketing tools via the Internet, and growing support for local businesses.     "Supporting local is a growing consumer trend," said Gail Goodman, CEO of Constant Contact. "The national discussion about the importance of small business to our economic recovery has raised awareness, as have shop local movements like Small Business Saturday. Local and mobile search is also making it easier for small businesses to reach consumers. When a local restaurant can have its menu, along with that day's specials, readily available to restaurant seekers browsing their smart phone for a good dinner spot nearby, it's easy for customers to choose them."     Based on Constant Contact's study and tips from the U.S. Small Business Administration, here are four ways to grow your business in the coming years.     Remember that people are your greatest resource. Successful companies regularly say it's their people that make them stand out in the marketplace. Your employees are the ones face-to-face with customers, delivering services and generating new ideas. This is doubly true for small businesses. When there are fewer people working, each person carries greater responsibilities. Be sure to have a strategy in place to hire the right candidate for each job. Implement retention and appreciation policies to keep your staff happy. Always be on the lookout for new talent or labor markets. Consider untapped/overlooked labor markets such as stay-at-home moms, retirees or exiting military personnel. Exploit/explore digital marketing opportunities. The use of social media, email marketing and other digital methods was a major factor in whether businesses grew and were successful in the last five years, according to CC's survey. The benefits of these tools are they are largely free, and can quickly carry multiple marketing messages to drive business, promote special offers or generate referrals. If you are new to social media- focus on one to two outlets and be consistent and creative. Also don't be shy to ask happy customers for referrals on business review websites such as Yelp.com, Kudzu.com or Google's business directory. To finish reading this article click here! Also coming soon from Chart Your Course International: Grow Your Business Boot Camp! If you have enjoyed my Navigator Newsletter, website, discounts, lessons and articles, then you will benefit from my special member's only Voyageur Business Coaching Program. Members receive discounts on many CYC products and services, as well as customized reports and training via teleconferences and webinars. To learn more click here. Industry Facts and Figures  A recent report from global consulting group BlessingWhite pinpointed several factors that resulted in greater employee engagement. Employees were most engaged at organizations that had a clear set of priorities. The employees also received regular individual feedback, were able to use their skill set, and had career advancement opportunities. The study polled 7,000 workers around the world for its results. Also noteworthy, employee engagement increased with an employee's tenure, level and age. In effect, as people grew more experienced and vested in their work, or more senior in their organization, engagement increased. Stay Connected!          Like the Navigator? Pass it on to your friends! The Navigator Newsletter is received by over 35,000 subscribers in 49 countries, in addition to other websites and magazines. Reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: "Chart Your Course International, by Gregory P. Smith, Copyright 2013." Sign up and receive free articles, tips and newsletters at our website or call us at (770) 860-9464 or (800) 821-2487.   Copyright © 2013. All Rights Reserved.

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Futren's Strategies for Employee Retention

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Subscribe | Store | Article Archive | Resource Center | Website | Contact Gregory P. Smith Lead Navigator President In This Issue Feature Article Industry Facts and Figures DISC Training Books on Sale! Greg's latest book Fired Up! is full of tips and strategies on how to manage, lead and motivate people at work. Unleash your employees' potential today! SALE Price: $12.95   Need a Keynote Speaker? Contact Greg Smith! As a leadership development speaker, he helps businesses create great places to work, motivate people to achieve their potential and transform managers into better leaders. Contact us today! DISC Training (Live Webseminar)    Our DISC training programs  and assessments help you identify individual personality styles so you can hire the right people, reduce conflict, improve communication and unleash team performance.    (Classes are conducted in four, 90-minute sessions)    Dates: June 17, 19   July 8, 10, 15, 17   Time:  3:00-4:30 E.T. Cost: $1295 per person Register now!    Your registration includes over $900 in DISC training materials!     Call or email us for more information. Or call: 800-821-2487 or 770-860-9464 PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP                                           I often talk to small business owners about their hiring and talent management issues. With the improving economy and increase in jobs, employee turnover is an ongoing problem. Proper hiring and selection techniques for new hires or replacements has never been more critical.    Bad hires cost money. They hurt productivity and overall morale. Losing top performers is also expensive. They take their skills out the door to your competitor.    Businesses that want to succeed must pay attention to their most important asset - their people. Hiring the right people and retaining top performers are critical in today's workplace. We would love to help you improve your hiring and selection practices by matching you with one of our customized assessments. Contact us today!     Helping you Chart Your Course!     Gregory P. Smith President and Lead Navigator       Futren's Strategies for Employee Retention Businesses in the hospitality and food and beverage industries face many challenges.They ride the ups and downs of the economy more closely than the healthcare, government, or high-tech sectors, and average two to three times the rate of employee turnover, according to 2012 numbers from the Society for Human Resource Management.     One small business in Georgia continues to overcome these hurdles. Futren Corporation is a private-club management and operations company with around 200 employees, based in Marietta, Ga. Despite industry challenges and the 2008 recession, Futren has continued to prosper and expand. The company manages Indian Hills Country Club and The Georgian Club, and acquired Woodland Hills Golf Course in Cartersville in February 2013. Past projects have included the Ashford Club, Brookstone Golf & Country Club, World Trade Center Atlanta, City Club of Buckhead and the 1818 Club.     Futren attributes its success and low turnover rates to numerous factors, but foremost to its commitment to be "more than fair" with its employees, treating them as people first, employees second. "We try not to just say that we care, or rely on gimmicks or cheerleading," said Futren CEO and President Mitch Rhoden. "We want to demonstrate with our actions that we are looking out for their best interest."    Rhoden is a second-generation executive. His father, Jim Rhoden, purchased Indian Hills Country Club from Continental Bank in 1978. The country club lies in the heart of Indian Hills subdivision, a massive 1,600 single home development. Over the years, other projects followed, as well as the founding of the National Alliance of Private Clubs, which has 41 member-clubs in Georgia and 700 worldwide.     Here are some steps Futren takes to create a high-retention, high-performance organization: Values. Futren has a clear set of values that permeate its corporate culture. It believes in leading by serving- its employees, its members and its guests. The leaders in the company aim to empower and equip their staff. Relationships matter. Rhoden, a former U.S. Marine, attributes his military service and his father's example to the mindset. Training. Along with the expected new employee orientation classes and required certifications, Futren places a high value on informal training and open communication. Managers meet regularly, not just annually, with individual employees. Feedback is reciprocal. Futren also provides some creative training. It sends a group of its employees to Dave Ramsey's Financial Wellness classes every year. Rhoden believes the classes result in a happier, more productive employee, which in turn, benefits the company. To finish reading this article click here! Industry Facts and Figures Business is looking up in the food and beverage and hospitality industries, according to recent numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A 2013 jobs report showed strong gains in the food and beverage sector, with 38,000 jobs added in May, and 337,000 in the past year. Total non-farm jobs added in May was 175,000, slightly more than the average 172,000 jobs added each month in the past year.   Stay Connected!          Like the Navigator? Pass it on to your friends! The Navigator Newsletter is received by over 35,000 subscribers in 49 countries, in addition to other websites and magazines. Reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: "Chart Your Course International, by Gregory P. Smith, Copyright 2013." Sign up and receive free articles, tips and newsletters at our website or call us at (770) 860-9464 or (800) 821-2487.   Copyright © 2013. All Rights Reserved.

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