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Apr 29, 2010

Very aggressive offer from JB Hi-Fi - a sign of tough times ?

Spotted on the Interweb - times must be tough - a very aggressive offer.

Foursquare Clever Idea from Jimmy Choo

Source: Creativity Online

Catch a pair of Choos on Foursquare.

Jimmy Choo has launched a Choo hunt on the streets of London using Foursquare. A pair of Jimmy Choo trainers will be checking into various locations around the city. If you catch them up with them onFoursquare before they travel on to their next stop, you'll win a pair for yourself.

Apr 28, 2010

Live teleseminar: Clear thinking is your most valuable work and this is brain Windex.

Hello,

Let's keep this short.

– 90% of your effectiveness as an entrepreneur is determined by how good you are at just 10% of the skills.

– There are only 4 key activities that you are doing more than 90% of the time. It doesn't matter if you are a sophisticated solo-proneur or the boss of 1,000.

– In Chapter 4 of "The Simple Secrets of Gordian Knot Management," Dov Gordon will show you what these are, and help you begin using them immediately.

– If you've already seen Chapter 1, 2 or 3, you know to expect something different; simple, practical and to the point.

– In Chapter 4, Dov will cover:

  • What you need before making your next difficult decision.
  • The structure beneath EVERY disagreement.  Whether with an employee, a customer, a prospect, investor, etc.  Just this insight will grease many rough roads for you.
  • How to focus every conversation on the one thing that will really move it ahead.
  • and more…

– If you join the teleseminar live and stay till the end, you'll get a FREE GIFT:  access to a talk Dov gave on "How to Strengthen Your Negotiating Position."  It's not about negotiation so much as it is about simple things you can do to put yourself in a stronger situation so people do business with you on YOUR terms.

– This will all be during a LIVE teleseminar on Thursday.  To accommodate both coasts of the US and Australia, Dov will be doing this twice.

First Call will be for Australia and Europe:

11pm in Los Angeles (WEDNESDAY night)

7am in London (Thursday morning)

9am in Tel Aviv

2pm in Perth (Thursday afternoon)

4pm in Sydney

Second Call will be  for Europe and the US:

9am in Los Angeles (Thursday morning)

12 noon in New York (Thursday afternoon)

5pm in London

6pm in Capetown

7pm in Tel Aviv

To register, go HERE and scroll to the bottom.

(If you have already registered to get Dov's $149 video free, you don't need to register again.  Just watch for an email from him with instructions on how to join.)

All the best,

Stephen Saunders

The Shoppologist


Apr 27, 2010

Sussan's Sleepwear wide awake

Sussan, East Gardens.  An impressive window from Sussan, somewhat reminiscent of a Peter Alexander style, but very credible lifestyle offering.

and the Ugly

BIG W, East Gardens - shocking waste of high profile selling space, on a busy Sunday afternoon.

The Bad

BIG W, East Gardens - not good having this many out of stocks in a high profile selling position.

The Good

BIG W, East Gardens.  Pretty good display - apart from trying to cram too much stock onto it, thus destroying the symmetry necessary for a great display.

Apr 22, 2010

Time Alchemy – A short video that shows you why time management tactics haven’t helped you

Today Dov Gordon released "Time Alchemy:  How to Think About Your Work So Others Become Insanely Jealous of How Much You Get Done.  If you're in a rush, go get it here: LINK   It's free and you don't need to register.

—–

Why do so many (you as well?) get such poor results from their efforts to manage their time?

I think it's because almost all the good ideas and advice out there is tactical.  BUT there's nothing that marries the tactics with the BIG PICTURE the way Dov Gordon does in his latest video.

The good news: You won't need any new tactics.  This video shows you how to get more from what you already know – and try to do.

It's Chapter 3 of his free training series called "The Simple Secrets of Gordian Knot Management."

It's called "Time  Alchemy:  How to Think About Your Work So Others Become Insanely Jealous of How Much You Get Done."  And you can watch it now.    HERE

Now, you and I don't really care if anyone becomes jealous of how much we get done.  The point is to get more done.  Right?

As with everything he does, Dov has an uncanny knack for getting to the point; for getting to the underlying structure; for helping you see things you may otherwise miss.

And that's what he does with "Time Alchemy."

Go get a cup of coffee and block off a few minutes to watch this all the way through.  It will SAVE you a few hours this week.  I'm sure of it.

A quick reminder, in case you missed my last email.

My friend and colleague Dov Gordon is sharing a very unusual series of training videos for entrepreneurs, CEOs of small and medium sized companies and sophisticated solo-preneurs.

If you missed Chapters 1 and 2,  you can get it HERE.

Chapter 2 is his $149 training video on "How to Win Your Hearts' – by Reading Their Minds."  You can get it FREE THIS WEEK.  You'll need to register at the bottom of the Chapter 1 page, since he protects it behind digital walls.  But then you'll have access forever.

It's very rare that I promote other people's material.  But this is very rare.

So, go now and watch Chapter 3:   HERE

All the best,

Dr Stephen Saunders

The Shoppologist

Beauty that Attracts

L'Occitane, Broadway.  Attractive window to promote a new seasonal range - eye catching even if you are not in the target market, but then who doesn't buy gifts ?

Gotta Luv a Bargain

Smiggle, Broadway.  A strong, compelling concept from Smiggle - visible from a cross the mall.

Happy Business

Boost Juice, Broadway.  These guys deserve a bouquet - their staff always have their 'happy' faces on - and service is snappy.  The busy queue shows they are getting a lot of deserved business. I also like how colourful the kiosk is, with the balloons.

Apr 20, 2010

The only business shortcut that never comes back to bite you

Cutting to the Chase:  

In my line of work I get to see lots of management training material - and this content is really worthwhile.  My friend and colleague Dov Gordon is sharing his $149 training video on "How to Win Your Hearts' – by Reading Their Minds" for only a week or two.  Below I explain why.  If you're in a rush, just go get it now:  CLICK HERE

The Scenic Route:

If you're past the honeymoon stage in your business, you know that taking shortcuts have a nasty way of blowing up in your face.  Eventually.

BUT there are always a few people who seem to effortlessly zero in on the key points in any meeting, negotiation, management crises or opportunity.  They get more done, faster – both alone and through others.

Warren Buffett is an extreme example.  In 1991, his multi-billion dollar investment in Salomon Brothers was at the edge of disaster.  The government was *this close* to effectively shutting them down.

Buffett had to choose a new CEO, making what he considered the most important hire of his life.  And he did.   In 15 minutes.  He met the guy for 15 minutes and decided to hire him.  And it was a fantastic choice.

Astounding, no?

Was it luck?  No.  Nor was it a kind of reckless shortcut in which he "hoped" it would work out.

Buffett has systematically trained his mind to see subtle things in every day situations that almost everyone else misses.  He can "see the unseen."

Not in a mystical way.  In a practical way.

The good news is that you and I can learn these skills.  Maybe not to the level of  Warren Buffett, but certainly to the level that you know in your heart you were meant to achieve.

My friend and colleague Dov Gordon has put together a free online video course for entrepreneurs and small business owners that teaches you just that.  It's only available for another week or so and I recommend you go get it now.

The course is called "The Simple Secrets of Gordian-Knot Management."

You get it in four parts:

Chapter 1:  "How to Strike at the Root, While Everyone Hacks at the Leaves."   This is short, just 14 minutes.  But it will change the way you think.  (Available now. No registration required.  CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE COPY.)

Chapter 2:   "How to Win Your Customers' Hearts – by Reading Their Minds."  (Available now at the same link.  Free registration required because he usually sells this for $149.  Naturally, Dov protects it behind digital walls.  But this week you can walk in without paying.)

Chapter 3:  "Time Alchemy."  If you've ever had only "some" success with time management, it's because you've never yet seen the big picture this clearly!  (Available in a few days.)

Chapter 4:  "The Critical 10% of Management Skills that Make You Look Brilliant 90% of the Time."  The 90-10 rule applied to management skills.  It's much simpler when you can confidently focus on just a few things that give you leverage.  Real leverage.  (Coming soon.)

I don't often promote other people's material.  However, I've seen Dov's work.  I have got to know him and am impressed with his clear thinking and unique ability to teach it to others.

And it won't cost you anything.

WHY is Dov giving this all away for free this week and next?  Because he wants to introduce himself.  He knows that some will want to continue with him in a paid program.  If you do eventually buy something, I will probably earn a commission for having made the introduction.  But you'll thank me for telling you about his free training long before that happens.

So do this:

1.  Go register for the $149 training while it's still free:

2.  Watch your email so you know when chapters 3 and 4 will be released.

I hope you have found this useful - I know I have learned a lot from his material.

Kind Regards,

Dr Stephen Saunders

The Shoppologist

Apr 6, 2010

When The Bucket is Half Full

TGV mall.  The SuperDry store's resilience was being tested by the rain in Sydney last week :)

Brave message

Aveda, QVB.  A brave social message from this beauty and cosmetics retailer at Easter when everyone else is thinking eggs and chocolate.  Also, it sets them right up against The Body Shop as the social conscience of shoppers.  Presumably if you believe you are right, you wouldn't care about that either.

Whimsical

Bed Bath and Table, Chatswood Chase.  Striking imagery for Easter. An innovative way to link the season to the category and engage customers.

Apr 5, 2010

Brand Attitude

Smiggle, MidCity Mall, Pitt St.  Work in progress at this store - innovative hoardings convey the fun message.

Framed at the Camera Shop

Paxton's Camera Shop, Westfield Chatswood. Being a camera buff, I was disappointed to see the cameras hidden behind photo frames, and only a small range carried (small enough to be obscured by 1-2 customers), and tucked away in the corner.  Given their reputation they should do better.

Desperately close to walking away

Skechers, Westfield Chatswood. A hot offer (sale stock $50 or less) on a busy trading day (Easter Monday) and two staff who couldn't seem less interested in the throngs of people in the store.  To her credit, she did help us when we eventually asked for help, out of desperation.  They almost lost the sale.

Impressive for Easter

Chatswood Chase. Ferrero Rocher - impressive, but do they have a brand identity challenge, as Lindt use gold extensively at Easter ?