Privileged to serve local business in Barnsley and Rotherham

As I reflect on today I am allowing myself a moment of pride.

I was born in Nottingham but my Family moved to the North West when I was 13 years old, at the time something I was not happy with.

Looking back all these years later I realise now it was the start of a life’s adventure.

I eventually travelled the World in business and for a time felt like a Gypsy, moving home constantly.

In time we moved to West Yorkshire and became Immediately taken by the warmth of Yorkshire folk.

The best was yet to come, a move to the beautiful County of South Yorkshire.

When people ask about my roots my answer surprises people and I have never found adequate words to explain my love of Barnsley.

It was where I was meant to belong though. Finally, I have found my roots.

The people are wonderful, borne in part by their mining history and the sense of community that has always been the heart of the Town, in spite of past challenges.

Today I took another step towards adoption, said to take as long as thirty years sometimes! They demand a lot in Yorkshire to qualify.

I am now to serve Barnsley and Rotherham as Board Director of the local Chamber of Commerce.

A love of the area and people make this a blessing for me that will enable me to care for the well being of the Town.

It might be a small contribution but it will also be heartfelt.

I am proud of them and hope one day to make them proud of me.

I remain grateful to Jessica Zeun and Dorothy Betts for their confident nomination and to everyone who subsequently placed their trust in me.

http://www.brchamber.co.uk/     

I Forgive you Linda Glenn for the painful lesson

Who can believe that February is upon us?
The UK benefits from a variety of seasons that will cater for everyones tastes.
Take Winter away completely and I would be content.
Dark days have no appeal for me.
Spring brings renewal, the days get longer in the light and somehow challenges seem more achievable.
There is no doubt that challenges exist all around the World.
Local and National issues are always of concern but to ignore the World scene would be foolish.
Where is society going?
Family life has always been the building block for society and its not difficult to see that both have become more dysfunctional.
Schools teach facts but omit to influence wisdom.
Kids are promised the Eearth but no-one tells them they need to work for it.
Everything has become disposable, including friendships.
When i was 11 years old a family in my street had eleven kids.
In spite of their differences they were fiercely loyal.
I managed to get myself "adopted" into their fold and Mum looked after me like she did her own.
After all, what is one more mouth added to eleven!
They were happy times.
One day i was having "words" with a boy of 10 years old in the family when his Sister of 15 turned up and warned me off her little Brother.
I laughed. You know the sort of thing. "Shes only a Girl!"
When she hit me in the face and burst my nose i remember thinking "a Girl just hit me!"
I forgive you Linda Glenn.That day you taught me more than one lesson.
Today family seems full of disunity, disloyalty and less affection.
I said i would never say it but i now give up.......they were better days when some values still existed.
The seasons have changed and so have people.
The World is smaller and the population larger.
Celebrate the good people in your life.
They are becoming more rare.
If you come across Linda Glenn.....duck!Dont say i didnt warn you.

Time used wisely accomplishes much

I had occasion to attend a funeral yesterday.
It struck me that I was suddenly attending an Increased number of these events lately!
I never met the Man who had lived to the age of 92 but some things were clearly in evidence.
I was there to support his Daughter.
I met her Brothers and Sisters and it reinforced what lovely people they are.
This Man and his Wife did a great job and they would have had reason to be very proud of these children, now adults with their own children.
The attendance was very high with people of all ages and backgrounds.
There were tears and laughter all mixed together and a difficult day for the family was made easier by the love of genuine friends.
The degree of high regard for this Man was a great comfort.
Life goes on after these events but the happy times of days gone by become a greater value in the comfort they bring in the time ahead.
A lot was achieved in 92 years.
Many of us will not achieve this length of time.
We can of course make every minute count, not simply thinking of ourselves but also giving our support to others.
It is an Irrefutable fact that giving brings its own satisfaction and achievement.
If you do not believe it...give it a try!

Ten Tips for Marketing your Company

➢ Stay Positive. Use the media to deliver good news about your business and raise your profile
➢ Don’t Cut Your Marketing Budget. Make sure your budgets work harder by targeting your customers more effectively
➢ Raise Your Profile. Your continued marketing efforts will stand out more as a result of others deciding to reduce theirs
➢ Be Consistent. Consistent messages will help you gain momentum as the economy improves
➢ Keep Communicating. Keep regular contact with your customers to increase customer loyalty
➢ Build A Strong Brand. Brands cannot be built overnight but their value is demonstrated in difficult times
➢ Reduce Risk. Using case studies and testimonials to demonstrate the benefits of your products and services reduces the perceived risks of using a new supplier
➢ Emphasise Value. Your customers may also be experiencing difficult times so ensure they are receiving value for money
➢ Make Sure Your Website and Sales Literature Are Up To Date. You risk losing business if your information is not current and relevant
➢ Evaluate Your Marketing Activity. Constantly review how your company is perceived and is performing

Memories remembered in Song

In every generation of music there is outstanding talent.
Think of your own life and there will be a song that means something special to you.
Many of lifes ups and downs are recounted when a familiar song can be heard in the background.
It may help you recall someone you loved, someone you lost or someone who made a huge difference to your life.
If you can think of a song that lifted your spirits, find it again and let your mind revisit those days.
Here are two of my special favourites. What are yours?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyuSrm1oLxg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Olo8gzgpC4

TEAM = Together Everyone Achieves More

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

It is always satisfying to bring a group of people together to hear of their experiences and re-energise them for the business goals they seek to achieve.

Wherever people take a genuine interest in each other, there exists a strong foundation for each to succeed and prosper.
Promoting a sense of competing with yourself rather than a colleague achieves much and ensures personal satisfaction.
People thrive in a climate of respect where they have ownership of their tasks.

Staff development relies on getting to know an individual. Much like a football team, a Manager must balance his team to maximise the final outcome. It requires patience, skill and experience.

If you never believe in the skills and abilities of others or seek to maximise on peoples strengths - you will never lead a Team.

Are you a positive energy Inspiring others to reach out?

Help the generation coming up behind you to ensure your own skills are not forever lost.

Let Irish calm fall upon you

A number of times in my life it has been said of me that I have "Irish Eyes"!
When it was explained to me that it meant kind eyes I valued such a lovely compliment.
In truth my Fathers family originated from Galway and on one of my business trips I got to see it.
Its Impossible not to fall in love with Ireland and its people.
They have something pure and rare and perhaps holding more to good manners and hospitality than most.
Celtic origins are prized.
On those days when you feel stretched and stressed, its good to unwind with something calming.
Music does it for many of us.
Try this to see if it refreshes you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQN9gr-Hb_Q

Asking good questions begins with a genuine interest

I think most of us have had a conversation where it becomes obvious the other person is not listening!
It could be they are weighed down by an Issue, distracted or just bored.
Skilful use of questions can produce great results for everyone.
What you ask and how you ask will have a direct bearing on your success.
Questions Involve your listener.
The answers provide valuable feedback.
Of course the subject needs to be Important and relevant so your lead question needs to create Interest first.
You need to use good logic and show you are searching for something of value to them.
Questions enable learning since Ideas and Information are being evaluated.
When someone is not genuine it shows.
Regardless of the circumstances, when you get a response let the person express themselves and hear what they are saying.
If you need clarity ask another relevant question and this will be well received.
Never assume anything....always validate.
Questioning is not called an "Art" for nothing.
Be Inquisitve but never personal.
Respect should remain at the heart of any discussion.
What you gain can be remarkable.

Pulling together beats going it alone!

No Man or Woman ever achieved anything alone.
Theres a saying that the day of ones death is more Important than the day of ones birth.
The reason may sound complicated but it holds a simple truth.
At the end we have forged our reputation and built a rememberance of us.
Hopefully we gave more than we took, encouraged and supported others and left our Imprint.
Being able to work alone can be helpful but being a loner is unhealthy.
Working hard instead of smart wastes time and energy.
Respecting the talents of others and joining our own makes it possible to achieve the Impossible.
Ever thought you might learn an Important lesson from a flock of Geese?
See for yourself at:
http://www.pullingtogethermovie.com/

To be LinkedIn or not?

As someone who is often described as a "serial networker" I am often asked whether LinkedIn is useful?
It is often said with a "sense of doubt" and it takes me back to the same feeling I once shared.
The truth is, using LinkedIn was one of the best things I ever did.
Like most things you have to take a little time but by using its strengths you will never regret it.
It has the power of a Web and Search Engine combined.
It made an early and significant Impact on my success.
I often hear people say "I am too busy" followed by time less well spent doing something else.
Its not like Facebook.
It does more than Twitter.
You do not have to do it but then I guess success is never compulsory!

http://uk.linkedin.com/in/derekcarpenter55

Do we really hear what we need to? Listen up!

Have you ever found yourself having a conversation only to find that your audience drew different conclusions from what you actually said?
This is not uncommon.
Some people act on perception and others rely on reality.
I am sure you have seen this process in a good film portraying courtroom presentations.
Often,an Innocent point is presented as a proof of Intent and before long the  Innocent person is persuaded to doubt themselves.
In a sense this is a form of bullying when one person uses confidence to break a persons spirit.
Have you ever been in a meeting where one person seems to win an argument based on the length of what they say and their delivery manner, rather than persuading with facts?
This is called the "Empty Bucket Syndrome" where a loud voice attempts to overwhelm others to their point of view!
Its likely they are disposed only to their own Interpretation for reasons of convenience and they seldom engage the skill of "Listening".
We are all guilty in degrees but for some it becomes a compulsion because their single aim is to have their own way.
An alternative point of view is not welcomed and judged as negative.
In truth,If two people always agreed, one would not be needed at all!
We live busy lives but switching off our hearing leaves huge Information gaps and likely leads to poor judgement.
Listen to others. At worst, it enables you to test your thinking and validate final judgements.
Believe in the value of others and benefit from their Input.
http://www.derekcarpentermarketing.co.uk/content/how-good-your-hearing

Ever doubted you were a negotiator?

Have you ever stopped to wonder how much negotiation you get through in a single day?
It may seem natural in your workplace but in truth we do it with Family and Friends too.
When Mum is organising the kids for school one of her first negotiations is to get them out of bed and then decide what breakfast might be.
You will know then that it often takes compromise and persuasion.
A negotiating technique I used on my Daughter in her early years was the threat of a wet flannel.
Its probably Illegal now on the basis of Human Rights and dignity but it made us both engage in discussions!
We all want or need something and it will generally,in part, rely on someone else being Involved.
Just like a marriage or friendship will need give and take, so does negotiation.
If anyone thinks that winning at someone elses expense ever works, take another look.
In time that person has no value,no friends and little real success.
So the message is the one you tell your kids...... "Play nice".
http://www.derekcarpentermarketing.co.uk/content/presentations

Price versus Value - which wins?

I have spent many years with sales teams helping them to develop skills that would enable them to have a good career and life.
The UK has a tendency to devalue sales people but those who succeed tend to become well balanced in life as well as work.
I can think of two occasions when,against all obvious odds, I helped two young Men to go on to be the best sales people I ever met.
What contributed to them becoming such fine examples?
They had the ability to listen, wanted to learn and always tried an Idea before dismissing it.
Throughout the 1990s I created an exercise to help me Improve my Business results.
In training courses with sales people I then developed an exercise where i asked them to tick Five out of Ten items listed that they felt would be a customers primary objective.
Around 90% always listed price.
Over a period of meeting thousands of people by various methods I put the same question to them.(The Customer)
70% said they would pay a price for a product or service provided the benefits revealed it met the value paid.
The first lesson for me was to rule out the other 30% as my audience.
The real problem is that some sales people are Introduced to the Idea that you can get business on best price alone.
Such people are destined to fail.
Being a specialist salesperson needs Intelligence and being able to understand what is the best long term solution for the Customer makes the relationship stronger.
If you Invest in something you can see a return on, the added value is a bonus.
I was reading a trade magazine recently.
One of my Old Companies is still using the same advertising of 4-5 years ago.
Advertising is branding and seldom,in itself, brings business...but if you have nothing fresh to say its likely people will not find you Interesting or up to date!
Websites suffer the same approach.
If they are poor you just stop visiting.
Question your thinking before you decide on an action.
Think strategically and ask appropriate questions to determine what your Customer really needs.
Too many suppliers supply but never explore or advise.
Make your relationships strong and you protect your business.
Half the fun is sending a message to your competitor that you keep your customers based on meeting their needs and never letting them down.
The average, very average, salesman will never see things as you do and will soon give up!

Are you an effective communicator?

Most people will say yes quickly and here lies the problem.
What we think is not always the reality.
We are bombarded by millions of pieces of Information daily aimed at Influencing our thinking.
Sorting facts from fiction can sometimes be a challenge.
In our haste we can often fall foul to making assumptions.
The results could be disastrous!
http://www.derekcarpentermarketing.co.uk/content/effective-communication

Are you balanced in life...or do you just think you are?

Over my working life I have often been described as a "workaholic".
In truth I never really saw it that way.
My culture has always been to work hard and achieve my best.
In fact it was that same hard work that brought success.
I have never been opposed to money since it adds to the stability of life.
Neither has it ever been my priority.
I have travelled the World in Business achieving things people said were Impossible.
If it was "Impossible" it had my name on it!
I have been privileged to work with and help many fine people over the years.
I work long hours at times but I make them count.
There is never a reward in being a busy fool and I have had to re-train many salesmen to understand this.
Family has always been my priority.
I never became a casuality of missing out on quality time with those I love.
Obsession in a job is distracting.
A clear head and strategy always gets a return.
I work well on my own but love the team endeavour.
I never compete with others because I seek first to Improve myself.
I have had many plaudits but my greatest satisfaction is saying "I did that" with a sense of personal pride.
I am a 98% perspiration sort of a guy and 2% talented but I have always got the job done, made friends and gained respect and trust.
A job can change. Your family never will.
Dont make them pay for your lack of Insight.
Lose the time with them and its gone forever.
You can have both.
I know because I found it.
http://www.derekcarpentermarketing.co.uk/balanced-lifestyle