The election is over and the holidays are upon us. It's time to get your holiday shopping done. A PDA makes a great gift, for yourself or a friend. But, how to select a PDA. Please see Announcements below for an offer for the PDA Quick Select Kit. Please enjoy the articles in this issue and let me know if you have any questions. Please email me with any feedback or suggestions regarding this newsletter. Thank you.
Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro
Just Thumb It
PDAs have been recognized for their wide body, flat screen and, of course, the stylus. To speed up your productivity, ditch the stylus. If you have a PDA with a built- in keyboard, type with your thumbs. If you need to select something on the screen, reach up with your thumbnail and click on it. It's a great timesaver.
Source: 101 Tips from the PDA Pro, Tip #4
Never Forget A Customer's Birthday Again
One way to build relationships is to remember and recognize all of the important events in people's lives. You can do this by picking up the phone and calling someone, sending them an email message or, better yet, a personal note or greeting card. The point is to acknowledge their special event. How can you do that when there are so many events?
It begins with identifying their special events to start with. When someone mentions, "Oh, my birthday is next month." You can say, "Oh really, when?" Then, while it's fresh in your mind, write it in your contact record for that person. And take an additional step. Create a recurring annual event on that date. It's quick, simple and effective. Then, simply review your schedule periodically. You should usually do this every couple of weeks to see what events are coming up. Then, add a task to buy a greeting card or call them. And make sure you follow through. This demonstrates to people that you are thoughtful and attentive to detail.
Just remember it takes discipline to plan ahead and take action. If you had the best intentions to send a card and simply didn't have time, just call on the day of the event. You will have done more than the majority of people who didn't even bother to pay attention when someone mentioned their birthday or anniversary.
Four Fundamental Ways to Use Your PDA
Most people can save at least two hours a day by using a PDA to manage their time more effectively. Here are a few simple tips you can use to leverage your time to increase your productivity.
Time management is a misnomer. We all have the same 24 hours a day, no matter how you slice it. In reality, using a PDA requires personal management. A PDA is simply a tool that allows you to keep track of all the details in your life. It's up to you to take action consistently. A PDA has four main functions: calendar, contacts, tasks and memos. These functions enable you to stay focused on your priorities. While most people can save two hours a day by using a PDA, others can double their productivity by integrating a PDA into their business processes. By using the following simple suggestions, you can save both time and money.
First, a PDA's continuous calendar allows you to schedule events, appointments and important dates for the next 50 years or so. There's no need to purchase a new calendar every year. Simply enter your schedule every day as soon as you set an appointment or schedule a meeting. For fast recognition, enter a description before each entry such as Appointment, Meeting or Event. To stay on top of personal events, enter birthdays or anniversaries on the calendar as a recurring annual event. The key is to review the calendar periodically for future events and prepare in advance.
Second, enter all of your contacts in a PDA. Some people spread their contact details over multiple address books and lists. Consolidate them all into a PDA. Enter relevant details regarding people you have met such as the names of family members or their favorite gifts.
Next, enter your tasks. Most people create a task list from time to time but it sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Others use a planner and have to rewrite tasks that haven't been completed. Once you enter a task in your PDA, it stays there. You can quickly change the due date if necessary. Once you mark it completed, it's still available for reference.
Finally, use memos to store extra information. It's really a useful function. Use it to write a speech or list your goals. Capture your brilliant ideas on the golf course. Or, copy an article from the Internet to read on the go.
People will always find excuses that prevent them from accomplishing their goals. Commitment to using a PDA can help overcome those excuses. Using the calendar, contacts, tasks and memo functions can enable you to leverage your time and money to increase your productivity.
Events
Nov. 4 TNI Power Seminar (& Trade Show) in Sacramento, CA. Rick will be participating in the Trade Show. Join us for a great event from 11:30- 2:00pm at Zigatos Restaurant, 2100 Arden Way. Guests are welcome. TNI is The Network, a business to business networking organization. For more details on TNI, follow the click below.
Selecting the right PDA can be confusing. Should you choose Palm, Pocket PC or Blackberry for the operating system? What are the merits of a Palm Tungsten over an HP Ipaq? Do you really need Bluetooth? Well, help is finally here. Introducing the PDA Quick Select Kit, the easy way to identify the best PDA for you. It includes a self-assessment form, a list of resource websites to find further information and a fifteen minute consultation with Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro. It's guaranteed to help find the best PDA for you, or your money back. It can also help you pick the best PDA for a gift, just in time for the holidays. To order, simply email me at rick@thepdapro.com or call me at 800-677-6708 and ask for the PDA Quick Select Kit, available for only $19.95.
The PDA Pro blog
You can never have too much information in my opinion. We all surely suffer from information overload. However, we all learn how to quickly prioritize our reading and extract nuggets of value from our information sources. In the spirit of enlightenment, you can now gain additional insights on PDA tips and trends through The PDA Pro blog. Of course, a blog is a weblog or online journal. They have become extremely popular in the last few years, especially in the political spectrum. I believe they are a great tool for small businesses, as long as you are knowledgeable on your topic of expertise and can write well. Please visit The PDA Pro blog, offering PDA advice for business professionals who sell.
Call me now to take advantage of an offer for free coaching by phone. For a limited time, I am offering a free half hour coaching session by phone to people who have not already attended one of my coaching sessions. Whether you have a PDA or are thinking of getting a PDA, I will offer advice on how best to leverage your time using a PDA. Learn how to double your productivity! Call me at 800-677-6708 to schedule your free Quick Start Coaching Session By Phone.
Disclaimers
The information and resources provided by The PDA Pro website and email newsletter, Tips from the PDA Pro, are intended to help you leverage your time to increase your productivity using a PDA. We hope you enjoy the information provided and gain value from implementing any suggestions you read. We do not specifically recommend or endorse any product or service mentioned in the newsletter or on the website. If you want to share this newsletter with a friend, click "Forward email" below and enter their email address.
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Rick Cooper is The PDA Pro, your PDA Coach for productivity anytime, anywhere. He teaches people to manage their time effectively using a PDA. He offers sales coaching and training to help sales teams achieve their revenue and margin goals. Rick is author of the book, 101 Tips from The PDA Pro, which offers tips, hints and shortcuts on using a PDA to increase productivity. He is a national speaker on business productivity and sales.
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