Happy New Year! Now is a great time to reflect on the past year and set goals for the current year. See my list of New Year's Resolutions below for suggestions. I'm excited to announce that my latest book, Marketing Magic, is now available. Please call or email me to request your copy. Please see further details below. If you like the articles in this issue, please forward it to your friends. There is a "Forward email" link at the end of this newsletter. Please send me your questions or suggestions for future articles. Thank you.
Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro
Mark Where You Park
Whenever you park at an airport or a mall, make a note in your PDA calendar where you parked. This comes in very handy when you return from a shopping mall laden with packages. Note the section and row number if available. Otherwise, note the nearest landmark. For airports, enter the information on your return date. Finally, be sure to note where the airport shuttle will drop you off. Wandering through a huge parking lot in the rain is no fun.
Source: 101 Tips from the PDA Pro, Tip #55
Never Leave Home Without Your PDA
A PDA is a terrible thing to waste. And, you're wasting it if you don't carry it with you wherever you go. OK, don't shower or swim with it. But, otherwise, bring it along. The movie Johnny Mneumonic features Keanu Reeves as a character, with a memory chip implanted in his brain, who smuggles data across the border. I'm not kidding.
The point is, he took this memory chip with him wherever he went. Humans may eventually have an opportunity to have a memory chip implanted in their brain to aid their memory. Until then, your PDA acts as your memory chip. It has all of the phone numbers, addresses, appointments, meetings and tasks you need to access. Most importantly, you need to record that information as soon as you receive it. In reality, most of us fall short of accomplishing this. Others don't have a problem recording it, but instead have a problem getting everything done because there's just too much to do. But, that's an issue of commitment and prioritization.
Now, just because you brought your PDA to work doesn't cut it. You must bring it to every meeting and conference call you have. You never know when you might run into someone in a hallway. If you have your PDA, you can instantly take a note or schedule a meeting. Memory is fleeting. Don't rely on your ability to recall information from a conversation you had an hour ago. You most likely won't even remember that you planned to make a note of it. The promise of doubling your productivity means that you are always prepared to be productive.
My wife laughs when I bring my PDA with me when we shop. While she's trying on clothes, I'm busy writing an article, reprioritizing my task list, or reviewing my schedule. If I think of something I need to do, I record it as a task immediately. Do I slip? Sure. We're all human. That's why I coach people on how to use a PDA to leverage their time. Everyone needs someone to hold them accountable.
So, the first question I always ask is, do you carry your PDA with you all day? Keep in mind that it's often easier for men to carry a PDA than it is for women. I carry my Treo on a holster on my belt. I can retrieve my PDA and power it on in less than five seconds. Many women carry their PDA in their purse. It can take 15-20 seconds to locate your PDA and pull it out of its case. You can improve your speed by storing your PDA in an external compartment of your purse.
Never leave home without your PDA. Productivity begins with preparation. Be ready to record, and then to take action.
The Art of Scheduling Appointments
There is an art to scheduling appointments using a PDA. If you're in sales, you know that the more time you spend in front of customers and prospects, the more you'll sell. So, priority #1 is always to schedule appointments, either in person or over the phone. Obviously, face time is far more effective, but a phone call will go a long way. Plus, it may be the only option without having to travel some distance. And travel time can dramatically reduce your productivity.
Whether in person or over the phone, your PDA can help schedule your time. Use your PDA to quickly scan your week. Your PDA should have a daily, weekly and monthly view. The weekly view will offer a quick view of your availability. Look for open spots. When scheduling, think in terms of morning and afternoon. If you already have an appointment in the afternoon, try to book another appointment to fill the afternoon. Also, make sure you block out time for phone calls. This works best when you can be in your office. Block out three or more hours for calls. Start first thing in the morning. That will allow time to receive callbacks later in the day.
Give some thought to your availability before you make a call. If you live in a sprawling urban area, consider travel time from a prior appointment and traffic. Try to group appointments with prospects and clients who are located in the same geographical area. If you already have an appointment in a far away location, make calls to other clients and prospects in the same zip code. This way, you'll maximize your time in that area. Try to fill the day with appointments. When you pick up the phone, have several dates and times ready to offer if your first choice doesn't work out. It's OK to use paper to make notes.
Also, allow plenty of time between appointments. Better to have some free time in between to make additional calls than to arrive late. That can result in a domino effect throughout the day. Also, allow extra time for people to return from lunch; 1 pm is usually a bad time to meet and you might even be bumped off of someone's schedule if they haven't returned from lunch. Try 2 pm instead.
Select the start and end time to schedule an appointment on your PDA. Meetings that start at the top of the hour are easier to remember. Sales appointments should be brief and to the point. So, schedule no more than one hour and be sure to end on time. Also enter the name of the person you are meeting and the location. Use the notes section of the calendar entry to list steps to prepare for the appointment. Also, add any action items to your task list.
Finally, know your goal when you meet. Are you trying to establish rapport or close a sale? Know your goal and you'll be closer to achieving it. By practicing the art of scheduling appointments, you'll be far more effective and that can translate into higher sales.
Events
Jan. 18 TNI Arden Lunch Chapter in Sacramento, CA from 11:30am - 1:00pm. Rick will give a short presentation on how to "Increase Sales Using Your PDA". Guests are welcome, by invitation. TNI is The Network, a business to business networking organization. Location: Vientos Restaurant, Town and Country Plaza, 2916 Pasatiempo Lane, Sacramento, CA.
Feb. 8 ACT Sacramento User Group in Fair Oaks, CA at California Career College from 3:00 - 4:30pm. Rick will present "Take ACTion with Your PDA". Guests are welcome. No charge to attend. Location: 5330 Primrose Drive, Ste. 240, Fair Oaks, CA.
Apr. 26-27 33rd Annual Northern California Financial Planning Regional Conference in San Francisco, CA at The Palace Hotel. Rick will host a breakout session on how to "Build Beneficial Relationships by Leveraging Your PDA".
May 13 IMC USA Management Consultants of Sacramento in Sacramento, CA at the Hilton Hotel from 7:15-9:00am. Rick will deliver a presentation offering "6 Strategies to Build Lasting Relationships: Prospect with Your PDA". Guests are welcome. Minimal charge to attend.
May 21 IMC USA Management Consultants of Sacramento in Sacramento, CA. Rick will offer a workshop on "How to Use a PDA Effectively".
Coming soon...2005 Class Schedule
Announcements
No matter what business you're in, you rely on effective marketing strategies to create awareness and attract clients. My latest book, Marketing Magic, offers innovative tips on marketing, sales and public relations. I offer tips for leveraging your time and increasing sales using your PDA. Marketing Magic also features wisdom from some of marketing's most celebrated authors including Brian Tracy, Jay Conrad Levinson and Robert W. Bly. Call me at 800-677-6708 to order your copy today. You'll learn powerful ideas to help transform your business.
The PDA Pro Blog: Ten New Year's Resolutions for PDA Productivity
Are you interested in improving your productivity by using your PDA? This month, The PDA Pro Blog offers ten New Year's Resolutions to boost your productivity and effectiveness. Here are the first three resolutions. Click "More" below to visit the blog and see all ten resolutions. I have written a short article for each resolution.
Resolution #10: Write with a Stylus
Resolution #9: Always Carry your PDA
Resolution #8: Retrieve your Email
[Click "More" below to visit the blog and see the remaining resolutions along with additional information on each.]
Identity theft is a growing threat and your PDA may be a target. Don't risk losing your identity. You are invited to attend a Teleclass on Preventing PDA Identity Theft. The Teleclass will be held on Wed. Jan. 19th from 5-6pm PST and again on Thu. Jan. 27th from 12-1pm PST. You will learn five strategies to protect your PDA data from falling into the hands of an identify thief. This Teleclass is only $30, or $20 if you are a subscriber to the Tips from The PDA Pro! newsletter. Simply call 800-677-6708 or send an email to rick@thepdapro.com to sign up.
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 leverage their time and increase their productivity by 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. His book, Marketing Magic, offers innovative tips on marketing, sales and public relations. He is a national speaker on business productivity and sales.
