Posts Tagged ‘royal oak’

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5 Cool Ideas for a better presentation

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

Michael Angelo Caruso IACPA Iowa accountantsSpeaking is a lot like driving.  We all think we’re good drivers, but there are a lot of dented cars on the road!

Here are 5 Cool Ideas for sharpening your next presentation, followed by a link to order my Present Like a Pro DVD:

1.  It’s better to make mistakes when you’re alone.
I teach managers and salespeople how to be more effective.  The fastest improvement occurs when clients adopt my motto:  It’s better to screw up when you’re alone.

2.  Practice the beginning of your talk more than any other part.
Your nervous system is most likely to be under siege at the beginning of your presentation.  Practice the first part of your talk more than the middle or the end.

3.  Call your own voice mail to record sections of your presentation.
Use this “poor man’s” recording technique to listen to yourself and make improvements.

4.  PowerPoint often hurts more than it helps.
Stories are far more effective than bullet points because people tend to make buying decisions using the “emotional side” of the brain.  Use stories to inspire, motivate, and get the audience involved.  Develop a strong “signature story” and work it, baby.

5.  Be specific with your time-sensitive call to action.
All good presentations end with a clear call to action.  Don’t say “Please take this form back to your office and send it to me when you have time,” when you can say, “Please fill out this form before you leave the room.  I’ll be at the door to collect it from you.”

Order the Present Like a Pro DVD now!  It will be especially helpful to your leadership and sales team!

Place your order within 48 hours and I’ll immediately e-mail you a fantastic 30-page, companion e-book at no extra charge.  Watch for it and download it quickly.

As with all my products and services, you’ll get much more than you pay for.

Speaking about speaking,

Michael Angelo Caruso, Keynote Speaker                  T   248-224-9667  

P.S. You must order Present Like a Pro within 48 hours to receive the bonus 30-page e-book.

P.P.S. You’re welcome to publish these 5 Cool Ideas in your corporate newsletter, on your Web site and blog.  Just send a quick message to Reprint@EdisonHouse.com.

www.MichaelAngeloCaruso.com

The Fifth, 432 S. Washington, #1105  Royal Oak, MI  48067

I can finally recommend a credit card processor!

Saturday, February 5th, 2011

I just interviewed Bill Pirtle, my new bff, on how to save money with credit card processing.

He’s my new best friend because he showed me how to save a bunch of money on my monthly credit card processing statement.

Let’s review:  Bill Pirtle showed me how to save money on my MONTHLY statement, which I receive every 30 days, 12 MONTHS per year, EVERY YEAR that I own a business (the rest of my life).  That’s a lotta green.

Consider that I sell over 75 information products and have people all over the country register for my live training events via credit card payment.

Bill first got my attention when he pointed out that I didn’t need to pay a $175 annual PCI fee.  His company doesn’t charge anything for this!

Then I read his terrific book, Navigating Through the Risks of Credit Card Processing.

You can reach Bill Pirtle via most social media platforms and at 734-272-6177.

Here are some highlights from the interview, which will soon be available on audio CD through www.MichaelAngeloCaruso.com.

Q:  What is one of the biggest mistake business owners make when signing with a credit card processor?
A:  When they focus on the rate alone.

Q:  What’s wrong with focusing on the rate?
A:  Many processing agents use a “teaser” rate to get you to sign while placing up to 40 other fee types into the contract. These fees include transaction fees, authorization fees, batch fees, AVS fees, statement fees, annual fees, PCI Fees and some are even adding something called an “IRS Reporting fee”.

Q:  How can merchants tell if they need a review of their processing?
A:  There are several signs including:  unexplained fees and surcharges on most of your transactions.

Add all of your fees from each section of your statement divide total by net sales and then multiply by 100. This gives the effective rate, the percentage of your sales that you pay in fees. If fees higher than you thought you should be paying, you need a review.

Q:  True or false, reductions in rate are always best way to save money?
A:  False!  Reviewing a contract is more than reviewing rates. It is to review the policies and procedures of processing credit cards. Finding cause of non-qualified transactions and correcting can reduce fees several times more than just changing rates.

Q:  Besides rates, what is something business owners need to know?
A:  There is no such thing as a free terminal. A “free” terminal will result in added fees somewhere in the contract.

Bill’s special offer

If you share your complicated, hard-to-read credit card processing statement with him, he will show you how to save money within 6 minutes.  This valuable assessment normally costs $99, but it’s available to you at no charge if you mention my name to Bill when you call him at 734-272-6177.

Finally, I can heartily and enthusiastically recommend a credit card processing vendor!

-Michael Angelo Caruso, Royal Oak, Michigan

Internet marketing training at my home Jan. 27

Sunday, December 12th, 2010
Internet marketing at Michael's home!

Internet marketing at Michael's home!

Want to receive Internet marketing training in a great setting?

You’ll learn some fantastic techniques for marketing online so you can sharpen your current campaigns, make more money, contribute more to your favorite charity, or even start a biz.

You can attend this Internet Marketing Summit on January 27 at my home in Royal Oak, Michigan.  I live at on the 11th floor of a high-rise condo called, The Fifth and the view is inspiring!

You’ll learn to:

- Do effective e-mail marketing

- Get the most from your Web site

- Benefit from video marketing–the hottest trend in the land

- Make the Web work better for you

- Use free social media platforms to market your great products/services

- Grow your data base

You’ll get $250 in bonus products!  And I’ll feed you twice!

Read testimonials and register today!

This program is fun and affordable.  This is not a technical class–you will not get lost.  As with all my products and services, you will get much more than you pay for.

Call 248-224-9667 for more info and some free consulting.

www.MichaelAngeloCaruso.com   432 S. Washington, #1105  Royal Oak, MI  48073

P.S.  Here’s a fun video that shows how fun my class is.

Better photos = Better marketing

Saturday, October 9th, 2010

Photographs used to be a ceremonious, somewhat expensive way to create visual memories.  In the digital age, however, pics are a very inexpensive way to create brands, including your digital footprint.

I’m fortunate to have worked with some of the best photographers in the country, including Bill Cowger, who is also a close friend.  Recently Bill shared a few photography tips with me, some of which are included below.

Photos have always been images, but because the world can view your photos online, it’s now “Image” with a capital “I.” Here are at least 5 Cool Ideas, plus three bonus tips on how to take better photographs.  


Cool ideas for taking better photos

1.  Always carry your camera. Unless your cell phone takes great photographs, carry a digital camera with you at all times.  The day you don’t is the day you’ll meet George Clooney or Angelina Jolie.

Note the asymmetrical architecture

Note the asymmetrical architecture

2.  Be a little “off.” Symmetry is not all it’s cracked up to be.  It’s okay–even preferred–to have the photo subject be left or right of center.

3.  Make your camera the “official” camera. How many times have people promised to send you photos and not followed through?

4.  Be like a movie director. Dictate how it’s gonna be.  Don’t be afraid to choose the best background or pose for yourself and anyone in the photo with you.  Images are forever, right?

5.  Play the angle. Camera flashes have a way of spotlighting any oils or perspiration on your face.  Minimize these hot spots by never facing the camera directly.  Always remember to tilt your face a little to the left or right.

6.  Take two! Ask the photographer to take a few pics.  It’s too time-consuming to snap a pic, have everyone look at it, get repositioned, snap another pic, etc.

Charming Michael Angelo Caruso blog photo image marketing

Charming

7.  Use a good photo editor. Crop, brighten, and otherwise “punch up” your pix whenever possible.  Your image is at stake!  I use a photo editing tool from Paint.net.

The cool photo to the left shows my Dad and me having some fun way back when.  Notice the sloppy framing (Mom!), the dark tones, and the ugly wall hanging (Mom!).

The photo below has been cropped and brightened using Paint.net.  The unsightly wall hanging was removed using PhotoShop.

Be careful when snapping photos and you won’t have to use PhotoShop.

More Charming Michael Angelo Caruso blog photo image marketing

More charming

This version of the photo was a much better graphic for my audio program, Dear Michael Angelo–A Father’s Life Letters to His Son.

8.  Make your pics “lifelike.” Never take photographs of buildings, scenery or things when you can photograph people in front of buildings, amidst scenery or holding things.


Photos are persuasion tools

Ultimately, photos are used to “sell” something, whether it be a product, a service or a feeling.  Have fun and good luck!

Learn more about the art of persuasion from FastLearnerAudio for Salespeople.  Sign up to receive my popular 5 Cool Ideas newsletter at www.MichaelAngeloCaruso.com.

-Michael, Royal Oak, Oakland County, Michigan

What percentage of the time is opportunity convenient?

Sunday, September 12th, 2010
Visual metaphor for running a festival

Visual metaphor for some opportunities

A multi-million dollar festival was dropped into the city grid in Royal Oak, Michigan on Labor Day weekend.

The Ford Arts, Beats & Eats Festival (ABEF) had been hosted by the city of Pontiac for over a decade until the city had a falling out with the festival organizers.

Royal Oak accepted the challenge and hosted this year’s festival.

The event didn’t seem to be convenient for anyone.  Attendees, which showed up in record numbers, had to park a mile from the city and ride a shuttle bus into the grid.  The City of Royal Oak did back flips to host the event.  Jonathan Witz and his crack ABEF team had to deal the logistical nightmare of relocating the even and accommodating an average of 100,000 people per day.

Plenty of revenue was generated, including ticket receipts and sponsorships from major corporations such as Ford Motor Company and Citizens Bank.  Thousands of dollars were contributed to charity.  Over 200 acts performed.  People had a great time.

And many Royal Oakers complained about how the festival was “inconvenient.”

I wonder . . . just how often we should expect opportunity to be convenient?  What do you think?  Please comment below.

How much would you pay for more self-esteem?

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Feeling good is important enough to spend money on it.  In fact, we do.

Self esteem shop WEB New clothes, a clean car, hair color and vocational training are just a few of the ways we try to buy a strong self-concept. 

And there's a store in Royal Oak, Michigan that actually sells self-esteem.  The Self Esteem Shop (248-549-9900), located at 32839 Woodward Avenue, sells books, audio programs and various signage that promote feelings of self-worth.

Many people think nothing of spending money on liquor, tattoos and gambling–purchases that give little long-term return-on-investment. 

But what if you could go to a store, browse through some shelves and pay for more self-esteem?  What exactly would you purchase?  How much would you be willing to pay in order to feel better about yourself?  Would you make one such trip a year, or make weekly visits?

 

How much would you pay for more self-esteem?

Monday, September 21st, 2009

Feeling good is important enough to spend money on it.  In fact, we do.

Self esteem shop WEB New clothes, a clean car, hair color and vocational training are just a few of the ways we try to buy a strong self-concept. 

And there's a store in Royal Oak, Michigan that actually sells self-esteem.  The Self Esteem Shop (248-549-9900), located at 32839 Woodward Avenue, sells books, audio programs and various signage that promote feelings of self-worth.

Many people think nothing of spending money on liquor, tattoos and gambling–purchases that give little long-term return-on-investment. 

But what if you could go to a store, browse through some shelves and pay for more self-esteem?  What exactly would you purchase?  How much would you be willing to pay in order to feel better about yourself?  Would you make one such trip a year, or make weekly visits?

 

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