Blue Flute Software- 'In a NutShell' Newsletter

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                    In a Nutshell
   Information and Tips for your Image Consulting Business

8/04/04                                          Issue #28
Linda Gerloff, Editor, linda@blueflute.com
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     By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of
                   "In a NutShell".
You are receiving this newsletter because you have
subscribed to either the monthly Automated Inventory
Updates or this newsletter.
Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.

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   IN THIS ISSUE
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    => Inventory Updates for August
    => Blue Flute News
    => Feature Article
         You’ve got an advantage – Use it to grow your biz
    => In my Business, how do I…
         Start over with my inventory
    => NutShell Tip
         Enter the Celebration Pre-pack


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Inventory Updates for August
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Your inventory updates for August are ready. The updates will
bring your NutShell inventory list in synch with the
current BeautiControl order form. If you purchased the
NutShell Combo, Career Builder Packager or have subscribed
to the update service, you can get your updates here:
http://www.blueflute.com/btyupdt1.htm

If you would like to sign up for one of these options, they
are available here: www.blueflute.com/orderpage.htm.

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Blue Flute News
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NutShell at Celebration – Thank you to all who stopped by
for a ‘Hello’ at Celebration. It was great to see you -
some for the first time and with others, it was a nice
reunion! To those who signed up, Welcome!

NutShell Flyers – Do you a know a consultant who is ready
to get her business organized? Are you ready to earn some
free inventory updates? Please download August Special and
New Consultant Flyers here:
www.blueflute.com/Flyers.htm
Please feel free to hand them out liberally!

Find out more - If you are not familiar with NutShell, you
can find out more here:
http://www.blueflute.com/btynut.htmm
Download NutShell here:
http://www.blueflute.com/ordrform2.htm

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Current ‘In a NutShell’ Newsletter and Archives
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Did you miss a prior ‘In a NutShell’ newsletter, or would
you like to review one of the articles? You can view it
here: http://www.blueflute.com/Newsletters.htm

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Feature Article –
   You’ve got an advantage – Use it to grow your biz
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What advantage do you have over the ladies that stand behind
the counter in department stores, selling Lancome or Clinique?

Of course, there are your products themselves. These are an
advantage. But good products can’t make the sale on their
own. The thing that will make the first sale with a client,
and then keep her buying again and again, is your
relationship with her. A relationship that you work hard to
build and nourish. Brian Tracy explains to us in the article
below, how to listen effectively to your clients. His tips
are great, so put them to use right away in your business,
especially in August and September when you are working hard
to get your recruits and build your team.

Three Skills To Improve Conversation
By Brian Tracy

One key to becoming a great conversationalist is to pause
before replying. A short pause, of three to five seconds,
is a very classy thing to do in a conversation. When you
pause, you accomplish three goals simultaneously.

The Benefits of Pausing
First, you avoid running the risk of interrupting if the
other person is just catching his or her breath before
continuing. Second, you show the other person that you are
giving careful consideration to his or her words by not
jumping in with your own comments at the earliest
opportunity.

The third benefit of pausing is that you will actually hear
the other person better. His or her words will soak into a
deeper level of your mind and you will understand what he
or she is saying with greater clarity. By pausing, you mark
yourself as a brilliant conversationalist.

Ask Questions
Another way to become a great conversationalist is to
question for clarification. Never assume that you
understand what the person is saying or trying to say.
Instead, ask, “How do you mean, exactly?”

This is the most powerful question I’ve ever learned for
controlling a conversation. It is almost impossible not to
answer. When you ask, “How do you mean?” the other person
cannot stop himself or herself from answering more
extensively. You can then follow up with other open-ended
questions and keep the conversation rolling along.

Paraphrase the Speaker's Words
The third way to become a great conversationalist is to
paraphrase the speaker’s words in your own words. After
you’ve nodded and smiled, you can then say, “Let me see if
I’ve got this right. What you’re saying is . . .”

Demonstrate Attentiveness
By paraphrasing the speaker’s words, you demonstrate in no
uncertain terms that you are genuinely paying attention and
making every effort to understand his or her thoughts or
feelings. And the wonderful thing is, when you practice
effective listening, other people will begin to find you
fascinating. They will want to be around you. They will feel
relaxed and happy in your presence.

Listening Builds Trust
The reason why listening is such a powerful tool in
developing the art and skill of conversation is because
listening builds trust. The more you listen to another
person, the more he or she trusts you and believes in you.

Listening also builds self-esteem. When you listen
attentively to another person, his or her self-esteem will
naturally increase.

Listening Develops Discipline
Finally, listening builds self-discipline in the listener.
Because your mind can process words at 500-600 words per
minute, and we can only talk at about 150 words per minute,
it takes a real effort to keep your attention focused on
another person’s words. If you do not practice self-discipline
in conversation, your mind will wander in a hundred
different directions. The more you work at paying close
attention to what the other person is saying, the more
self-disciplined you will become. In other words, by
learning to listen well, you actually develop your own
character and your own personality.

Action Exercises
Now, here are two things you can do immediately to put these
ideas into action.

First, make a habit of pausing before replying in any
conversation or discussion. You will be amazed at how powerful
this technique really is.

Second, continually ask, “How do you mean?” in response to
anything that is not perfectly clear. This gives you even
more time to listen well.

Blue FluteSoftware Creations, Inc.