Dear Richard,

Welcome to another edition of the RAC3 Group Newsletter. This month, we continue our theme on passion - passionate marketing. We trust you find our newsletter useful, informative, and interactive. Send us your questions and suggestions.

The RAC3 Group helps CEO's, executives, leaders, teams, organizations, and entrepreneurial individuals improve their performance and achieve extraordinary results--with confidence, grace, and ease. Find out more about us and how we work with our clients.

Richard Allan Canter, Coach & President

Use the following checklist to help you demonstrate your passion and create success.

• Be on time. Show respect for others by arriving on time for any pre-arranged business meeting. Demonstrate you value clients' time as much as your own by being punctual. Long term relationships develop because you show your customers you care about them by being on time
• Deliver. Demonstrate your reliability by under promising and over delivering. The sales transition from prospect to satisfied client should be seamless and exceed expectations. Communicate a responsible attitude by taking full responsibility for your actions and outcomes.
• Put your best "word" forward. Your words are the most obvious way you communicate - they say everything about who you are and what you're about. Develop a rich vocabulary and never bad mouth anyone, even the competition. When in doubt, say nothing.
• Let your body do the talking. Your body is the next most obvious way you communicate your attitude to others. Your posture, your facial gestures, the way you sit and position your arms, legs, and hands, communicate volumes. Cultivate positive, open, and welcoming body language.
• You are what you think. Your thoughts, above all else, influence your attitudes and create the filters through which you perceive the world. Changing your thoughts (for the positive) will automatically change your attitude. Make sure you're showing your best self by watching what you think.
• Listen. Be still and listen with all of your senses to what your prospects and customers are saying. Put attentive, empathetic listening at the top of your communication skills. Demonstrate your ability to deliver what your customer wants by understanding what they really need and want.
• Dress for success. Your clothes speak volumes about what you think about yourself and the image you want to project. Dress up one level from your prospect or client. Wear clothes you are comfortable in and that fit you well.
• Be energetic. Successful business people are people in action. Being well-rested and physically fit always helps. Your leadership and action will be contagious and inspire confidence. Show your willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
• Return calls and emails within hours. You don't need to be a slave to phone calls and emails to project courtesy and concern. Set aside two or three times a day to respond promptly - generally within 8 hours, no more than 24. If you don't, you'll be perceived of as someone who is not on top of things (at best), or as someone who doesn't care (at worst).
• Smile. Practice smiling at everyone and everything - it's a healthy habit. Delivering a smile with sincerity is a universal sign of welcome and friendship. Use your smile to attract people to you and your business.

People who are passionate about their work do a better job. They pour all their thought and energy into doing the job well! Let us show you and your team how to change your attitudes and find your passion.

Take the coaching readiness quiz. . .

Leadership checklist. . .

I have several things I really need to do to get my business going and improve my personal life. I've done everything to get myself started, but something always seems to hold me back. What's wrong with me?

Signed "Stuck in Somerville"

Dear "Stuck in Somerville"

The following is from a free newsletter I subscribe to, "Crucial Skills Reminder," Volume 3, Issue 16, 4/27/05 (for more information).

"Get Unstuck - The Law of Crucial Conversations: Anytime you find yourself stuck, there are crucial conversations keeping you there. Identify the crucial conversations that you're not holding or not holding well, and get better at everything.

If there is a problem or issue you can't get past at work or at home, consider the conversation you are either not holding or not holding well around that issue. Recognize this as a key factor in what is holding you back and keeping you stuck. Identify your poor results, and then backtrack from the results to the crucial conversation that is keeping you stuck. Focus on learning to step up to this conversation and on learning the skills you'll need to hold it well."

Do you want to identify those conversations that are causing you to be stuck? Contact us - we can help you find that conversation.

Warm regards, Coach Richard

(Send your questions to us. We do our best to answer those questions we feel reflect the interests of our readers)

(The RAC3 Group believes in the power of social capital and networking. Each issue we spotlight someone we want to introduce to our readers. Richard is a member of the Patriots Chapter of Business Networking International (BNI). Visit the Patriots Chapter member website.)