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20 Ways to Excite Employees in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Business owners ask how to make their employees more productive, more focused, or more loyal. Less frequently, they ask how to make their employees more excited. And this is a problem, because learning how to excite employees can often lead to employees that are more productive, focused, loyal, and more.

Making your business somewhere they want to work, instead of somewhere they need to work to get a paycheck, is incredibly powerful. But how can you do that? Here are twenty suggestions to get your employees excited this year.

  1. Call out good behavior. You might be surprised how effective simple acknowledgment is at exciting your employees. People want to be recognized when they do something well.
  2. Start an incentives program. Rewarding employees for good work is a great way to get them excited about doing it! Little things like gift cards can make big impacts.
  3. Let them try new things. If employees do the same thing day after day, the work gets stagnant. What excited them on day one might not excite them on day 30. Let them shake things up by trying new things, and you can make sure that they stay excited about what they do.
  4. Give them ownership of their work. It is a lot easier to get excited about work that feels like it is uniquely yours. So by giving employees ownership over their work, you help make them feel excited about it.
  5. Encourage volunteering. People like feeling like they are having a positive impact. Encouraging volunteering on company time helps make the day-to-day job more exciting, because they are able to help people as well.
  6. Offer flex time or remote opportunities. These are very exciting to employees, because it allows them to take control of their own schedule. It also helps to remove some stressors that could impede excitement, such as difficult commutes.
  7. Remember things about them. Employees will be excited to work for you if they think you see them as a person. Remembering things like their birthdays or hobbies can shows that you care.
  8. Make sure there is room for growth. People will not be as excited for their position if they do not think that there is room for growth. Make sure you are checking in with employees about five and ten year plans.
  9. It is all about workplace culture. If your workplace culture is one of excitement and innovation, it will rub off on your employees. If your workplace culture is one of stagnancy and complacency, that will rub off on them, too.
  10. Keep them up-to-date on what the company is doing. It is hard to get excited about things when you do not even really know what is happening! Make sure your employees are up-to-date on whatever it is that your company is doing.
  11. Take interest in their goals. This goes back to our point about growth, and showing interest in your employees as a person. Show that you care about their future as much as they do, and get excited with them about their opportunities.
  12. Try to “gamify” tasks. People are predisposed to like games. Whenever possible, try to make tasks more entertaining and exciting by turning them into “games.” This can tie into the incentives mentioned above, with rewards being given out when they hit a certain point.
  13. Focus on core values and intrinsic motivation. External motivating factors like incentives and perks are very exciting. But internal excitement is just as powerful. Make sure that your employees understand and share the core values that are at the heart of everything you do.
  14. Make your office space amazing. Nothing energizes and excites us more than our surroundings. So make sure that your employees are surrounded by things that are thought-provoking or entertaining!
  15. Encourage competition… Competition is a great way to get excitement into your employees’ days. It makes them get engaged in their work on a different level, and gets them communicating with other employees.
  16. But do not pit employees against each other. All that said, at the end of the day friendly competition should be focused on the first word, not the second. Make sure that the competition is designed to encourage camaraderie and that no one is feeling as though they are being actively worked against or slighted.
  17. Plan a retreat. Sometimes the best way to get employees excited by work is to get them all to take a break. And a retreat is a way to turn that break into something productive, whether it is used for team-building purposes, education, or just some well deserved relaxation time.
  18. Be honest. They say that “honesty is the best policy,” and this certainly applies to keeping employees excited. Be up-front with them about what is going on.
  19. Make sure employees know why they are doing something. If you want to get your employees excited about their work, make sure they understand the meaning behind it. It is hard to get excited about tiny pieces if you do not know where they fit into the big picture.
  20. Give them the chance to learn. People love to learn, and find it exciting when they are able to put new lessons into use. Give your employees that chance by sending them to classes custom-tailored to their work.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

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20 Ways to Give Back in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

A common New Year’s Resolution, especially for businesses, is to “give back” to the community. But for as often as the concept comes up, few businesses actually follow through with it. Often, this is because the business has a base misunderstanding of what “giving back” is.

There are so many ways to give back. Here are just 20 of them for you to implement in 2020:

  1. Start a charity program. The most common one is where you pick a charity for employees to donate to, and after a certain amount of time, you match the donation as a company. This encourages charitable giving and supports a good cause.
  2. Give employees time to volunteer. Allowing employees to volunteer hours on company time does far more than help a good cause. It also encourages employee retention, as being able to give back is incredibly important for a lot of people.
  3. Reward employees for volunteering. For every employee who is eager to volunteer their time, of course, there are some that are more reluctant. Make volunteering more enticing for them by offering rewards if they hit a certain number of hours, for example.
  4. Start a scholarship. Scholarships are a great way to give back to your community. It encourages higher education in youth, and is a relatively simple way to show that you care. Making the scholarship a contest allows it to reach a wide audience.
  5. Get involved in your community. Never underestimate the power of simply being there when people need you. Whether it is to help clean a park or providing aid after a natural disaster, find a place where you can be of use and go there.
  6. Partner with a non-profit. Partnering with a non-profit allows you to give your services to those who are in need. An established non-profit will have an audience that you can provide for, making it easier to reach the people you want.
  7. Sponsor a food drive or similar event. Sponsoring events allows you to provide for your community in an easy, effective way. It gets important goods to the people who need it, and it allows you to get involved in a real, tangible way.
  8. Share your knowledge by running a class. Many people do not consider the amazing impact that sharing their knowledge can have on a community. An in-person class or a webinar allows you to educate people on what you are an expert in.
  9. Buy from local small businesses. When possible, buying local does amazing things for your community’s economy. It also encourages loyalty and improves overall morale. And, of course, it supports small businesses.
  10. Collect donations from customers. Many companies have a tip jar, and a similar process can be used to collect donations for the charity of your choice. Most people are willing to throw in a bit of change, and that sort of thing adds up.
  11. Turn volunteering into a team building exercise. Encouraging employees to volunteer as a group has several benefits. In addition to providing even more aid to people in need, you also encourage employees to get to know each other outside of a professional setting.
  12. Volunteer with causes that align with your core values. If you are going to donate time or money to a cause, do not just pick it at random. Instead, make sure it aligns with company values and how you want to present yourself.
  13. Sponsor a youth sports team. Again, giving back to the community is not just about charity. Sponsoring a youth sports team is a great way to give back to schools and the students in them who are trying to shape their futures.
  14. Hold a contest. This is a simple but fun way to get involved in your community. Holding a contest fosters a sense of fun and friendly competition between people. It will get people in your community interacting with each other, which is important.
  15. Offer your skills when appropriate. If you notice a small business or family struggling with a service that you are able to provide, do not be afraid to lend a helping hand! People will remember you as the person who came to their aid.
  16. Give free resources on your site. Want a less labor-intensive way to give back to the community? Offer free resources on your site—things like blogs or white papers provide valuable information to your community free of charge.
  17. Offer special deals for those in need. An example of this is a restaurant that allows patrons to purchase a second meal so that people who cannot afford one can have one for free. You will see this frequently at pizza places.
  18. Put a focus on “going green.” This does more than give back to the community — it gives back to the world by making it a healthier place to live. Making an effort to lower your carbon footprint and improve the environment is an important step in becoming a kinder business.
  19. Auction off things you no longer use, and donate the profits. Sometimes items outlive their usefulness to your business. But that does not mean that they cannot be useful to someone else. Sell them and donate the profits.
  20. Donate products that do not sell. This can tie into the action above. Simply donating the items you no longer need to people who could use them is a great way to give back. It also ensures that you are not being wasteful.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

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20 Ways to Stay Motivated in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

January has hardly begun, but already people are forgetting or giving up on their resolutions and goals. This is a process that happens every year, and it happens because once the “shine” is off the new year, it can be incredibly hard to stay motivated.

However, “hard” does not mean impossible, and with a bit of effort you can stay excited and engaged with your goals all year long. Here are 20 ways to keep your motivation up in 2020.

  1. Break your goals into chunks. If you try to tackle a large goal, you might wind up discouraged by just how much work there is to do. But splitting your goals into smaller parts will help sustain a feeling of accomplishment across a span of weeks or months.
  2. Set an intention for each day. This intention can be big, like starting on a project that you have been putting off, or small, like waking up five minutes earlier. But having at least one “win” every day can keep you feeling motivated and excited!
  3. Practice positive thinking. Optimism is learned. And people who think positively often have more positive experiences in life. How you approach things will often attract the sort of results you want to see, so try your best to catch your self in negative self-talk and replace that with more positive thoughts.
  4. Stay grateful. Practicing gratitude is an important part of motivation. At the end of the day, go over the things that happened that you are grateful for. This will help you to start the next day with motivation and excitement!
  5. Make sure each goal has a “why.” Nothing kills motivation faster than not having a clear reason for your goal. After all, if you do not know why you are doing something, what is the point of doing it? Put your “why” somewhere you can see.
  6. Get friends to hold you accountable. It is a lot harder to “slack off” on goals when you know that someone else is counting on you to do them. Make it reciprocal, too — help your friends stay on track with their goals, and you can get motivated by their success as much as your own.
  7. Reread your goals regularly. As we get into the day-to-day grind of life, it can be easy to lose sight of our larger goals. So take some time to read your goals weekly, or even daily. Keeping them top of mind will help you stay motivated to achieve them.
  8. Start slowly. When we set our goals, it can be tempted to jump into them all at once. But this can often lead to burnout and a lack of motivation. Instead, find a place to start small with your goals, and build your way up from there.
  9. Track your progress. If we cannot see the strides we are making, we run the risk of giving up entirely because it feels like it is not making a difference. Finding a way to track your progress can help motivation. Daily trackers are a great way to do this, because it encourages you not to “break the chain.”
  10. Schedule in time to work on your goals. It is easy to say that you will work on a goal “when you have the time.” But if you follow that train of thought, it will be easy to find excuses to never start. Set yourself clear deadlines and then schedule in time to work before your deadlines, too.
  11. Schedule days off, too. As important as it is to work on your goals, constant work is not sustainable. Make sure that you are taking regular breaks in order to keep your mind and your motivation sharp. You will find yourself returning to your goals with renewed excitement.
  12. Be sure to “unplug.” We live in a world with more distractions than ever before. It makes keeping up with goals very difficult, and motivation is hard to keep when it feels like there are a thousand more interesting things we could be doing. Schedule time to eliminate distractions like phone and internet.
  13. Identify your procrastination triggers. Some people procrastinate when they are stressed, others procrastinate when things feel like they will take too long or go too slow. Realize what your procrastination triggers are and come up with a plan to combat them, to keep motivation.
  14. Have a five and ten year plan. Where do you want to be in five and ten years? Identify that, and then take the time to consider how this year’s goals will help you reach the person you want to be in the future. This will make it much easier to stay motivated.
  15. Mix professional goals with fun goals. Having “fun” goals is a great way to stay motivated. Make it a goal to take a trip somewhere you have always wanted to go, or to try something new that you have always wanted to try. Working on these goals will make it easier to work on your more professional goals.
  16. Do nightly reviews. Take some time at the end of your day to review what you did to work on your goals, how it made you feel, and what you want to do next. Keeping track this way will help you stay motivated to take next steps.
  17. Reward yourself for completing goals. Rewards and incentives are powerful motivators. Do not be afraid to give yourself some when you finish a goal! This will help you stay motivated for the next ones, as you will be excited for the next reward!
  18. Help others set goals and intentions. Helping other people set their goals can be incredibly motivating. Seeing other people succeed gives you the drive and excitement that you need to succeed, as well!
  19. Celebrate your successes. Celebrating and simply giving yourself a “pat on the back” feels good. So while it can be tempting to simply check off one goal on your list and move onto the next one, take some time to recognize that you did well.
  20. Learn new things. Learning is a powerful motivator. When we educate ourselves, it empowers us and makes us want to take that new knowledge into the world. Employees are more motivated by custom classes, which is why more businesses are investing in them.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

20 Ways to Grow Your Business in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

2020 is just around the corner. This start of a new year — and a new decade — is an exciting time for business owners. It is a time for goal-setting, strategizing, and looking to a future of improvement and growth.

In that spirit, here are 20 ways to grow your business in 2020:

  1. Join more clubs. This includes not only networking groups, but also clubs that are dedicated to other things. The more people you meet, the more potential clients are in your circle. Obviously, you should not push sales too hard on everyone you meet. But make sure they know what you do.
  2. Build a social media strategy. If you have not started a social media strategy already, this is the year to begin. When people find out about you, they will be googling you. It is important that you have a social media presence to show that your company is real.
  3. Get client testimonials. These should be displayed prominently on your social media, website and possibly on your clients’ social media, too. Testimonials are an important part of making companies appear trustworthy and worthwhile to potential clients.
  4. Start a blog or podcast. Blogs and podcasts do a lot for a company’s image. They can turn you into a figure of authority, or humanize you, depending on your needs and your audience. Strategically providing for potential clients will make them more likely to hire you in the future.
  5. Track data and metrics. To grow a successful business, you need to know what is working and what is not. That means identifying the actionable metrics you can track, and keeping an eye on them. Adjust your strategy depending on what they say.
  6. Conduct a customer survey. What do your customers actually like about you? What you think might be very different from the reality? Take the time to actually ask them how they interact with your business, and be sure to highlight the things that they like, while improving what they think needs improvement.
  7. Volunteer in your community. In addition to being a genuinely good thing to do, volunteering allows your business to become more tied to your community. This helps you reach a wider range of people around you, and positions you as someone who cares.
  8. Host a webinar or other event. Similar to blogging or podcasts, hosting a webinar or a similar event is a great way to get “on the radar” of potential clients. It also shows that you want to provide them with a mutually beneficial relationship.
  9. Keep up on your email marketing. Email blasts are an easy thing to forget, but they should not be. This keeps you top-of-mind for people on your list, which can really improve your rate of referrals, as well as improve your business with current clients.
  10. Watch your competition. Know what other people in your space are offering. Then you can focus on what makes you different, and put emphasis on why people should choose you over others. In addition, you might be able to see trends in what customers want.
  11. Give back to your customers. Positioning your company as one that genuinely cares about your customers can do a lot for your reputation. Offering simple gifts or deals can help bring in new customers who are interested.
  12. Hold a contest. Visible contests, like hashtags on social media, can help get the word out about your business. It can also tie into the above point about giving back to customers, if you offer prizes at the end of it. Contests are exciting and fun.
  13. Partner with other businesses. This will allow you to offer an even wider range of services to clients. People do not necessarily want to be in contact with a bunch of different businesses. If, by hiring you, they get access to many other services, that makes you convenient and easy to work with.
  14. Acquire other businesses. This is another way to provide a wider range of services, with the added benefit of adding more people to your team.
  15. Simplify what you do. This might seem a bit antithetical to the last few points, but being really clear about what it is you offer can help you find the clients that actually want your services — and, on a similar note, it can help those clients find you.
  16. Get better at delegation. This will allow you to put more time toward networking, reaching out to current clients for more work, and all-around growing your business.
  17. Reward your team. While you are giving your team more responsibilities through delegation, make sure you take the time to show them how much you appreciate them. If you want your business to grow, you need the team to accommodate that growth.
  18. Become an expert. Learning new things is always important for business owners. But when you are attempting to grow your business, it is critical. You need to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in order to provide what customers want.
  19. Be consistent in messaging. Often, people will not hire you the first time they hear about you. But if they hear about you consistently, you will be on their mind when they actually need your services. Keeping messaging consistent is what will keep you memorable.
  20. Invest in training. If you want to grow your business, your team needs to be prepared to provide the services you offer. That means training them. Online training is a great option because it allows your employees to learn on their own terms.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

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20 Goals for 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

The new year is closer than you think, and this will be a particularly exciting one. Not only is January 1, 2020 the start of a new year; it is also a new decade. And that means that it is a better time than ever to set new and exciting goals to grow your business.

In the spirit of “2020,” here are 20 goal ideas to get you started.

  1. Improve workplace training. If you are not doing regular training with your employees, you are running the risk of them forgetting or misunderstanding policies. Online training is a great way to make sure they are up-to-date.
  2. Start a blog/new social media channel. There are so many ways to reach out to your customers now. Find out where your target audience is spending the most time, and meet them there.
  3. Gain followers on social media. The more followers you have, the more engagement you have. And this will help improve your visibility even further.
  4. Talk to your customers. What do your customers actually want? Are you giving it to them? Take the time to do a survey or something similar, and you might be surprised by what you find out.
  5. Go paperless. Many employees and customers value a company that attempts to “go green.”
  6. Improve workplace procedures. Take the time to review your current policies and procedures. Identify ones that are out of date and bring them up to speed.
  7. Join a new networking group. Meeting new people in your field is not only a great way to get new clients, but also to stay on top of industry trends.
  8. Meet with [X] new prospects. The actual number will, of course, depend on the size of your business. But meeting with prospects and reaching out to potential new clients is an important part of any business owner’s growth.
  9. Improve your personal brand. This could mean starting a blog or refreshing your LinkedIn page, or something more ambitious like teaching a class or a webinar.
  10. Put your employees first. Make sure you are doing things that work with their schedule, not against them.
  11. Take a break. Working hard is important, but you also risk burnout. Take some time to yourself.
  12. Review your budget. Taking financial risks can be a part of business. But it is important to review these things and make sure you do not make mistakes.
  13. Improve employee morale. Sometimes, it just takes something small, like throwing a pizza party.
  14. Create a mission statement. What does your company actually stand for? Take the time to consider this.
  15. Track your progress. Do not get so lost in the day to day operations that you forget to celebrate your wins.
  16. Make a marketing calendar. This will make sure that you are consistent. It is all too easy to start strong on the marketing front, only to fall behind in later months as you run out of ideas. Marketing is a long game, so it pays to have a plan for the whole year.
  17. Engage more with customers. Talk directly to them, and find out what they are thinking. Then, give them what they want.
  18. Pay off [X] amount of debt. Running a business is not cheap. If you have gained debt in your time as a business owner, dedicate effort to paying it off.
  19. Receive [X] rejections. The more rejections you receive, the more proposals you are putting out. And that means the more acceptances you are receiving, as well.
  20. Take [X] classes. Learning new things can only make you better at what you do, and you are never done learning.

What are your goals for the new year?

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Keeping the Success Coming in Q4 by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

There is always a lot of focus on goals, success and productivity at the beginning of the year. But before you look to 2020, there are still two months left of 2019. And while it can be tempting to let yourself fall into a routine or get caught up in the day-to-day operations of your business, there is still room for growth and improvement this year.

Finishing 2019 strong will not only benefit you in the short-term, but the long-term. Instead of going into 2020 with the hope of doing better, you can go in with a sense of accomplishment, building on the work that you did in 2019.

Here are three ways to ensure that these final months of 2019 are your most productive yet.

Check In on Goals

You probably created goals, or “resolutions,” at the beginning of the year. But as work and life get busy, it can be harder to keep up with them, and maybe you have not even looked at them for a number of months. If this sounds like you, now is the time to look at those goals again.

Maybe there will be things that you cannot accomplish in two months. But instead of focusing on those, focus on the goals that you can still accomplish. Also, take a moment to notice the goals that you already accomplished. While in a growth mindset, it can be difficult to remember to celebrate your wins. But noting how you have improved this year will encourage you to continue.

Keep Track of your Successes

In addition to noticing where you have already succeeded, make it a point to focus on where you will succeed. Whenever you have a “success” in the next few months, take the time to celebrate it. You might even want to write it down. Build a more positive mindset by really noticing everything that you are doing right.

When we are working, it can get too easy to focus on the mistakes, things that need to be corrected, and to-dos that still need to be checked off of our list. Making a mindful effort to celebrate the things that we do accomplish, every day, is good not only for our productivity but also for our overall mental health.

Join a New Networking Group

Whether you are part of some networking groups in your area or not, new faces are always energizing. Meeting new contacts can open up avenues that you had not previously considered. It also keeps you in the habit of introducing your business, which you do not always get the chance to do in networking groups that you have been a part of for a long time.

And, of course, networking always brings with it the potential for more business. Gaining a new client or project as the year ends is a great way to build a more productive mindset, in addition to the obvious benefit of income. And that is a mindset that you will be able to bring into 2020 and beyond.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

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What We Can Learn from These Innovative Women by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Women in business have a lot to learn from each other. That is why companies like Inc. Magazine compile lists like the Female Founders 100. This list celebrates the female entrepreneurs that have made strides in their respective industries.

And while a lot of what they have learned is specific to their industry, there is always a universal lesson that we can take away. Here are just five:

Lesson 1: Always be expanding.

Polina Veksler, Universal Standard

Veksler started strong with Universal Standard, setting up shop with a friend in 2015 to create one-of-a-kind fashion for plus-sized bodies. But she did not stop there. In fact, she has been able to grow Universal Standard at a rate of 200 percent, all while growing her family and herself.

Her story is one that all business owners can take a lesson from. Your business can always be bigger, and you can always take the “next step” to grow, both professionally and personally. A growth mindset will always be more beneficial than a fixed mindset.

Lesson 2: There is never a perfect time.

Nichole Mustard, Credit Karma

Anyone who wants to start a business but is waiting for the right time should take note of Nichole Mustard’s journey. In the early days of Credit Karma, she spent more than a third of the year on the road. This was despite having a child already. And she did not slow down in her desire to have a family, either—she went on to have three more children.

“We didn’t want to slow down the family and we didn’t want to slow down with the work,” she recalls. “There’s never a perfect time, right?”

As you begin to grow your business, there will be a million reasons to quit. And you should not neglect what is important to you, whether that be your family, your relationship, or something else. But if you work hard, you can have it all. Make sure that you are not using obligations as an excuse to avoid chasing your dreams.

Lesson 3: Do not be afraid to say no.

Brené Brown, Brené Brown Education and Research Group

Sometimes, the lessons that we can take from someone are the lessons that they are still trying to learn.

This is the case in what we can learn from Brené Brown, who is focusing her attention on saying no and being more selective with her time. “When I first started, I didn’t say no to anything, because I wanted to prove I could do it,” she says. Now she is ready to “say no to a lot of things, and get really clear on who I want to be.”

Lesson 4: Stand out.

Jessica O. Matthews, Uncharted Power

From the time she was 22 and founding her own business, Matthews has been dedicated to making a splash. Whether it is her advanced energy-producing technology or her impressive achievements — raising $7 million in financing, for example — she has never been afraid to push the boundary of what it means to be in business, particularly as a black woman business founder.

Women in business can learn a lot from Matthews. So often, we are afraid of taking a risk, or failing, or looking foolish. But if we dare to stand out, we will be remembered.

Lesson 5: Take the first step.

Katonya Breaux, Unsun Cosmetics

Anyone can have an idea. But it takes a real visionary to put it into action. Katonya Breaux is one of those visionaries. Her idea came when she realized that most of the safer sunscreens she came across only came in one color: white. As a black woman, Breaux thought this was not ideal. Most people would have simply left the thought at that, but Breaux took it a step further.

“I learned something by happenstance that affected my beauty and, I learned, that also affected my health,” says Breaux. “So I said, why not me?” So she created the cosmetics line that now caters to people of all skin tones.

“Why not me” is a powerful thought for anyone in business. Every day, business ventures die without ever being verbalized, simply because the person with the initial thought is not bold enough to act on it. If you want to succeed in business, especially as a woman, Breaux’s boldness is something you should strive to emulate.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

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How to Make Employees Excited About Training by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

You probably understand the value of training. Perhaps your employees even understand the value as well. But understanding the value of something is not the same as being excited for it. You can see the value of, say, mopping your floor, but that does not necessarily mean that you are excited to do it.

And this becomes a problem when it comes to training. Because if your employees are viewing these classes as an obligation or a chore, they’re already at least partially “checked out.” They are not paying a lot of attention, which means that they are not getting the most out of the class. This, in turn, means that you are not getting the return on investment that you put into the class.

So, how can you create a culture of excitement and engagement around training?

Offer incentives.

Incentives are a great way to get employees engaged in business in general, and training is no different. It is much easier to get excited about something if you know that there is a reward at the end, and it can be as simple of an investment as a small gift card.

Incentives make employees excited to participate, but it also shows that you are taking their work seriously. You recognize the effort that they are putting into becoming better at their jobs, and they will appreciate that, in turn working even harder.

Make it a competition.

People like a little friendly competition. They like to earn “points,” and see how they rank agains their peers. You can easily use this to your advantage when you offer training. Offer prizes to people with the best grades, or people who complete a certain number of classes. Or, if your company’s culture allows it, create a “leaderboard” for employees to track their own and each other’s progress.

This is a great way to engage employees, giving them a tangible way to track how far they have come. It will also make classes feel less like a chore and more like a game for them to “beat.” This will make it far more enjoyable for them, which will make them pay attention more.

Spread things out.

Do not put classes back to back. You run the risk of your employee burning out if you do this; in addition, they will start to resent all of the extra time spent on classes when they could be doing other things. Instead, spread your classes out so that they only have to take a few classes at a time.

This will help to make sure that employees do not feel stifled or overwhelmed by classes. It also shows a respect for your employees’ time. It shows that you do understand their need for down time, and that you do not expect them to sacrifice their free time for an extended period.

Make courses online.

In-person classes are often inconvenient. They require a commute, a shuffling of obligations, and frequently they require babysitting for those employees with families. All of this can make your employee resent the class before they even walk in the door, which is not conducive at all to an excited, engaged classroom.

This is why more and more businesses are turning to elearning solutions.

Online courses allow employees to take their education into their own hands. By allowing them to pick the time and place that the class occurs, it gives them a sense of ownership. This is probably the best thing you can do to make sure that employees are excited and engaged.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

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Teaching on Their Time: Elearning for Employees by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

The fact is simple: your employees have lives outside of their jobs. They have families to take care of, friends to keep in touch with, errands to run, hobbies to pursue.

Think about your typical nine-to-five job. Accounting for things like traffic, the time it takes to do things like cook and eat dinner, and general exhaustion after a hard day’s work, this leaves your employees with precious little time to pursue things that they want to pursue. They have a few hours during the day and their weekends, but this is about it.

You can understand, then, why some employees might be hesitant or even resentful of employee training.

Classes take time to complete. There is simply no way around this fact. Even if you pay for the classes, and even if you go as far as paying your employees for going, no amount of money can really make up for time taken from things that they would rather be doing.

And when classes are in-person and mandatory, that can be even more frustrating. Because the time is so rigid, you might very well be cutting into another obligation. You might be causing them to miss a child’s graduation, or a date night, or a beloved activity.

No matter how much someone loves their job, you can still run the risk of them resenting a class if it comes at a time that is inconvenient.

So what is the solution? How can you make it so that employees enjoy going to class — or at least make sure that they do not actively resent it, which will likely lead to them not learning anything.

The answer is simple: you do not make them “go” to a class at all. You make the class go to them.

Elearning has seen growth in the education market, and other businesses are seeing the benefits of this kind of technology, as well. When it comes to employee training, it can often be easier to let them learn on their own schedule, in the comfort of their own homes. Not only does this take away any sort of pressure that a traditional learning environment might put on them — it is also more convenient.

For this reason, among many others, businesses are focusing on elearning. By giving employees an online learning platform, you can make sure that they are learning at a time that is actually convenient for them. It puts your employees back in control of their schedule outside of their nine-to-five job.

And make no mistake — your employees should be allowed to take control of their schedule. This allows them to feel more in charge of their own learning, which will make them more independent and inclined to actually listen to the lessons being told. And by offering them an elearning platform, you allow them to learn important things without sacrificing the time dedicated to things they care about.

A strong elearning platform shows just how much you value your employees time. It shows respect for their needs — and this, in turn, will lead to a happier, more productive workforce.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

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Why Training is not “One Size Fits All” by @DrRKayGreen

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by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Do you think investing in training is important?

I am willing to bet that many business owners would say “yes” (even if they have not gotten around to actually investing yet). But for those few who say no, it is probably because they invested in training but did not get the results that they wanted.

What is the difference between a successful training program and an unsuccessful one? The answer to that is simple: a successful business training program is one that actually takes its employees into account.

Learning is not “one size fits all,” in any sense of the word. For one thing, not every business will benefit from every training, so you need to research carefully to make sure that the class that you are thinking about implementing will actually have information that is actionable and relevant to your employees.

If you simply send your employees off to the first class that seems relevant, they may come back with nothing that they can actually apply to their day-to-day operations. Or if the information is all stuff that they already know, you will find the class does not affect their work performance at all.

Your business is unique, and you need to find training that fits your unique needs.

For training to be successful, the information needs to be actionable and applicable to your employees’ every-day operations. And it needs to be introduced in a way that they are actually able to retain the information.

And this can be difficult, especially if your team has many different personality types. Just as your business is unique and different from every other business, your employees are all unique and slightly different from each other.

Some of your employees thrive in a classroom setting. Some do not. Some work better in groups. Some work better on their own.

This is a much harder problem to tackle than the first one. How can you make sure that you are giving them training that meets all of their needs, even when those needs are wildly different from each other?

The answer that many businesses have found is elearning.

When done correctly, elearning is a highly customizable platform that allows businesses to create a learning experience specific to them. It also allows employees to learn at their own pace, using the methods that suit them best.

If you do want to invest in training, consider elearning instead of sending employees to the traditional classroom.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn