Fun with ditloids

First of all what are ditloids?

Some of you may be familiar with them others in the dark. 

Ditloids are puzzles for quizzes, icebreakers, team building activities and can be great  fun.

They provide an easy source of materials for organizational development and team building exercises, team building games and quizzes of all sorts.

Ditloids work because the format is very quick and simple, and they combine aspects of maths, logic, lateral thinking and general knowledge.

Ditloids are very quick and easy to create, so you need never be at a loss for some light relief at any gathering. For example, as an exercise ask teams to create their own ditloids puzzles for the opposing teams - using terms from their own organizational context. Creating ditloids puzzles in workgroups enables all sorts of otherwise dry materials to be brought to life in an interesting way.

Ditloids are also fun in training coffee-breaks, or as ice-breakers, especially if created for a relevant or topical theme.
The ditloids below generally include connecting words like 'in' and 'to', which is not always the case in ditloid puzzles.

The origin of the word ditloid is apparently from a cryptic crossword clue which appeared several years ago in the UK Daily Express newspaper: 1 = DitLoID, whose answer was One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, which incidentally is a novel written by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

Many ditloids adhere to the structure of the original crossword clue, that is, a number followed by the equals sign (=) then the abbreviation. Others have a more flexible format, which enables a wider variety of information and facts to be used in their creation, like the ditloids below.

Here's an example of the format used in the ditloids puzzles below: 12 M I T Y - (Answer, 12 months in the year)

How many of the following ditloids can you answer?

Easy ones first...
Answers at the bottom of the post

Here are some easy-ditloids for the weekend

7 B F 7 B  
101 D
3 B M
T 10 C
366 D I A L Y
T 39 S
6 W O H T E
A B A T 40 T
T 7 W O T W
50 W T L Y L
N 10 D S
12 S O T Z
16 O I A P
T 3 W M
13 I A BD
26 L I T A
10 G B H O T W
4 L O A H
A T W I 80 D
2 W O A B
52 C I A D
2 P I A Q
Let me know if you enjoyed this

Oh Here are the answers

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
 101 Dalmations
 3 Blind Mice
 The 10 Commandments
 366 days in a leap year
 The 39 Steps
 6 wives of Henry the Eighth
 Ali Baba And The 40 Thieves
 The 7 Wonders Of The World
 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
 Number 10 Downing Street
 12 signs of the zodiac
 16 ounces in a pound
 the 3 wise men
 13 in a baker's dozen
 26 letters in the alphabet
 10 green bottles hanging on the wall
 4 legs on a horse
 Around The World In 80 Days
 2 wheels on a bike
 52 cards in a deck
 2 pints in a quart
 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea


Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking

©Paul Johnstone

Please Comment on this or any of my earlier Blogs 

Make more of your networking and your web site can help

Like Networking your web site must be fit for purpose.  When we go networking we go prepared!  Taking cards, badge our 60 seconds, note pads, and we have our elevator pitch ready for action. We dress to impress and are usually prepared to meet all who come to the event and spend time with them to understand their needs. Our aim is to get to know people a little better, so we can position our services to help solve their issues.  

When networking we talk, and more importantly we listen.  Listening helps us meet prospects needs, it helps us interact with others, it shows we are interested in what others have to say.  In fact we do what we need to, so we can make things happen.  The good networkers are prepared for whatever the event throws at us, and many make things happen. 

Your web site should be suitably fit for purpose.  Here I may upset a few readers well designers anyway.  A great design can be multiplied by other futures. The most emphasis has to be placed on the Headline.  As in copy writing, 90% of your effort should be spent on the headline and the first paragraph.  Secondly it has to get people to interact with your web site, just get them to do something.  Once they do that they are closer to becoming a client.  But your landing page has only 3 seconds to capture their interest.

On my search for information I came across this site.  Copybogger is a great place to get tons of free information, why not take a look at this for some great information http://bit.ly/fGhH2e.  It is also one of the top 50 most visited Blogs on the net, so they are doing something right.

Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking

©Paul Johnstone

Business Networking a How to Blog

How should I act at a business to business networking event is an often asked question.  There are so many doo’s and don’ts at these events.  Networking skills are important for your success, so it’s important to get it right.  

Here is a video on using business cards at a networking event.  It also touches on working the room and how to use your business cards Tom is an Australian and Ex BNI

Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking

©Paul Johnstone

A Networking Resource

Networking resource

You know there is a ton of information on networking on the net. 

So I thought I would use this piece to point my friends at a couple of sites and Blogs with interesting content.

The first one ties in on and off line networking as is written by Dave Clare who started NRG networks and is one of the good guys.  http://bit.ly/g7VFi3

The second is an article from BNI (Love’em or Hate’em there is no halfway house) which looks at why exhibitions are so good for networking. http://bit.ly/habFSZ

Speaking of Exhibitions did you know, the largest business to business exhibition in the UK takes place at the NEC from the 6th to the 10th February The Spring Fair. 

There are over 3,000 exhibitors and it takes up pretty much the whole NEC for details see www.springfair.com.  If you have a B2B offering it’s well worth investing a day or half a day there, The catalogue is one of the best B2B databases there is.

Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking

©Paul Johnstone

5 Tips on Business Blogging With Minimal Effort

“Why should we have a blog?”  It’s a reasonable question.

What’s a blog got to do with me, I run a small company and how will I benefit? 
That is also a realistic question which I will answer in this Blog.

Never mind the fact that millions of businesses are blogging and multiples of those millions of customers are reading those blogs.

Blogs as a content management system make it very easy for you to supply, useful content directly to your “customers.”   That’s it, it’s simple and basic, but it gets better. 
You can supply content indirectly via search engines and social channels providing greater industry visibility, to prospects and new customers

In your business you will have something interesting to say and stories to tell.  It’s like night follows day.  We all have stories its part of business.  How you present them is the key.  So a blogging platform can be one of the most productive methods for publishing and engaging people.

For companies that are new to blogging, telling people about their professional passions can be daunting.  Then there is the notion of starting and maintaining a blog which can be scary.  There is the fear of being sucked into a black hole of “Dead or Wasted Time”.  
Writing, researching, support and hosting, plus marketing and measuring something that wasn’t forecast in the first place may seem a lost cause.

For those of you that realise the benefits of a blog, but don’t have the resources for it, here are a few tips on blogging that I hope will get you started in the right direction in a manageable way.

1. Read Blogs. It’s important to read what’s out there.  If you know what’s out there, it’s a lot easier to put together content of your own. Reading blogs gets you into how successful will it be to publish one of your own.  

If you read magazines, newspapers or email newsletters, subscribe to their blogs.  Find topics you are interested in, subjects that relate to you and your business.

2. Set goals for your blog. If you don’t have a destination for your blogging effort then “time suck” will become your unwanted friend. Don’t waste time trying to serve everyone. Be purposeful in your blogging effort by identifying a few, reasonable business outcomes and timeframe. KPIs (key performance indicators) are a good starting point for measurement that can lead to outcomes.

For example, a common business outcome for blogging might be “increase relevant traffic to the corporate website”.   A blog that publishes useful, customer centric content a few times per week gives reason to come back and to visit more detailed information on the corporate website.

Set a goal for a percentage increase in blog and keyword referred traffic to the corporate website.  Create a blog editorial plan that pays attention to linking to corporate pages from topical blog posts and use keywords in the posts and links that are relevant to the destination pages.  Over time, search engines will see those links and send more visitors to the corporate website by ranking the pages higher in search results. The links can also attract visitors directly.

The common mistake companies make is to set unrealistic goals, like, “attract more referred traffic to your website.”  Then start blogging personal or corporate based information: announcements, product and press releases, PR speak. That’s a Big No-No.

People will read your blog because they believe they are getting information.  And that information should be free and useful.  Look if they want to read adverts about your company they will.  A blog is your opportunity to build followers who will become customers – eventually. 

But how do you find out what customers want from your blog?
Ask them. Use your newsletter, ask them in person at events, talk to your sales and customer service departments for customer topics and trends.

Look at successful competitor blogs and topically relevant industry blogs as well.  Then create an editorial plan that gives your corporate blogging effort a chance to be successful by planning blog topics that serve customer needs and indirectly, business needs. As a result, the blogging effort will be more focused, intentional and likely to result in the desired business outcomes.

• If you are a florist tell people what giving certain flowers means.
• If you are an electrician give them practical safety tips
• If you are a printer tell them how creative printing stands out from the competition
• If you are a business coach give some of your collateral away

3. Have a Plan.  Here’s the important bit.  Set a plan and stick to it.
I am a believer in blogging once a week, but if that sounds too time consuming blog once a fortnight.  Whatever you decide stick to it.  There is nothing worse than searching on the net for something, and the results bring up a blog that is two years old.

I have a plan which is updated every 8 weeks or so.  I plan what my blog will be about and then write it. Having a plan helps you focus on the topic.  But if something comes up which is topical, write about it.

Someone I know writs a weeks blogs every Monday, short 200 – 300 words and schedules them to be published every day at 07:00  This takes him about 2 hours once a week and he has a daily blog!

Along those lines, why not do a little blogger outreach with some connected friends in the media? Getting mentions of your new business blog on other high profile websites or blogs can inspire internal support.

4. Be efficient with content. There are many ways to get more out of less with your content.  You can keep an eye out for interesting videos and write a paragraph and post a link to You-Tube, and your blog is written.  By knowing what does well with an understanding of what your target audience is interested in is a winner.

Struggling for content, why not use the Google reader facility.  Set it up download blogs, news feeds and interesting sites who cover topics you’re interested in as potential sources.   For example daily newspapers have blog editions The Daily Telegraph, The Independent and Guardian all have them just search for the newspaper you are interested in and check it out. You can search for blogs already in your area or in similar areas of interest.   See who’s out there and what they are writing about.

5. Make blogging a team effort. I get guest bloggers to help me.  It’s as simple as asking colleagues, friends or suppliers to write something for you.  It surprised me when I got this tip and asked a few people to help.  Out of 10 people only one was not able to help.  Hey nine blogs written for you and all you do is a little editing. What’s not to like?


Check back for more helpful customer gathering techniques

Helping Real People do Real Business with Real Networking
©Paul Johnstone

SMEs won't be picking up the public sector job extras

The Government hopes the private sector will start hiring as the public sector starts firing. But SMEs beg to differ, at least in the short term.

We’ve heard a lot from the Coalition recently about how entrepreneurship is the answer to the UK’s economic woes. The Chancellor told the CBI conference just weeks ago that he envisaged a future where new start-ups could ‘flourish’, ‘drive growth’ and ‘create jobs’. With 500,000 public sector jobs expected to be lost, that means we'll need a whole lot of high-growth start-ups to avoid the dole queue expanding exponentially. However, research conducted shows that 85% of SMEs aren’t planning to take on any new staff in the next three months. Doesn’t bode well…

Add to that recent reports that the UK’s lack of world class manufacturing is going to hinder any recovery where are we to go?

That said, the Prime Minister may not need to fret just yet. Research released by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry earlier this month found that the majority of London-based entrepreneurs are planning to invest in growth in the next two to three years (just 30% weren’t). So although most entrepreneurs are sitting on their hands for now, it could be a different story further down the line. That's backed up the survey, which also found that around 35% of firms are more optimistic about the economy than they were three months ago, and a similar number are expecting business to take a turn for the better in 2011.

But if the Government is really going to persuade small companies to invest in growth, it may have to go further than spending money on infrastructure and its much-heralded centres for innovation (though that's a decent start). What do entrepreneurs really want? Less red tape, for a start: a quarter of SMEs reckon the Government should start by taking the axe to health and safety legislation, while a further 19% thought tax compliance was the place to start. Hopefully, reducing the compliance burden will save money and free up entrepreneurs to do what they’re best at, i.e. running their business - while shelling out lots of tax and hiring lots of ex-civil servants in the process.

Also there is a  lack of training for women  in business which has bee identified as holding back UK industry, where next?



Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking

Elevator Pitch and Lifts in General

Looking at business connections and learning’s, I reflected on how you haven’t learnt anything until you have put that learning into action.

Take the infamous “elevator pitch” it’s a speech you would give if you were in the elevator  with a potential customer and you only had until they got out at the tenth floor to impress them with details about you and your services

There is some evidence to support this was originally used as a way to impress the personal assistant who was escorting you to your interview.  The thought process was the boss would ask said PA what they thought of the applicant

However, in summary, a relatively short description of what you do and the benefits you deliver. A helpful, but by no means the only recommended structure, is to develop your sentences as follows:-

We/I work with ………………………………… (insert a description of customers)
Who have a problem with……………………………….…………. (insert description)
What we do is……………………………………………………………... (insert description)
So that………………………………………………………………………..………. (insert results)
Which means that…………………………………………………………….. (insert benefits)

Research shows that people respond more readily to problem solvers than they do to potential benefits.  This is why the second line is so important.  This is another way of looking at the age old phrase that ‘Knowledge is King’ and those who use it wisely will generate more business.

For those out there who would like a free evaluation of your elevator pitch please send me yours with a few details of your product or service and I will give you a free and impartial review.

To your success in business

Paul Johnstone
paradigmshakers@gmail.com

Big firms getting Social media right

Here’s a thing- Big companies are teaching small businesses an online lesson. And it’s usually small companies that have the ability and flexibility to teach bib business lessons about on-line smarts.

Anyway this Graham Jones fellow puts it across better than I can check out his message.  http://bit.ly/bOM5u4



Helping Real People do Real Business through Real Networking

Paul Johnstone

PS do you see a duck or a rabbit?

Something we don't know about you

 

Paul Johnstone ©

 
Does any of this sound familiar?

Have you ever been to a business networking event and left feeling that you didn't really get to know anyone?

The conversations at some business networking events can be dull even lifeless, especially if everyone just talks about their business.

Now one of the main reasons we go networking is to increase our sphere of influence.  This works because other members start to understand what it is that makes us special. 

There is more to business than business itself. 

A truism in business is this.  “People buy People” they don’t necessarily buy from people in the same group.  This is where your social skills come to play.

Ask others about their family, hobbies and so on.


We are all taught to ask questions and then respond.  The problem with this technique is that it is not conversation, it is interrogation.  “Who are you?”  “What do you do?”

A conversation in real live usually starts with a statement or an observation.  “You’ll never guess what happened to me today.”  Or “”What a fantastic time I’ve just had” 
 “What did you think about that great show on the TV last night” Ok that’s a question but it’s one that starts a conversation.

When you’re out networking, a good idea is to build up a pool of knowledge about others in your group.  If you like a bag of facts that will help you enjoy a conversation with them.  Once you have taken an interest in their interests, they will become interested in you.

Often this is when people come alive, smile and reveal their true nature. Especially when they share one of their passions with you..

That often is the spark for a conversation with someone and a real connection where you get to know and like each other. It's those connections that lead to follow up and a good business relationship based on trust where you become advocates. That's when networking really starts to work.

Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking

Keeping track of your referrals

Paul Johnstone ©  

Make sure you know where your referal came from.

At a Refer-On Breakfast last week a guest came up to me with these words: 
She told me that the Refer-On business networking group she belonged to had been the main reason she had become more successful.    Much of her business was a result of the relationships she had made in the group. It was not all, however, down to direct referrals. It was sometimes 2, 3, 4, 5 or even 6 steps removed.   But by tracking back to the initial source she knew which relationships were critical to maintain & nurture.

If you don't keep track in this way you run the risk of upsetting your referral sources.  By not keeping them up to date with the results of the positive Word of Mouth they are generating for you.  You could potentially miscalculate the return on investment on some of your activities and end up dropping some for the wrong reasons.

You may think that is limited to direct contact of some sort, but I have also found that much of the business generated via the internet has its root in referrals and word of mouth.

During a conversation with a prospective New Hub manager, he wanted us to open a Refer-On Hub in his area. I asked how he had found us?  He said through LinkedIn.

When we met I asked the question again. Whilst it was true that he had found our website via LinkedIn it was because someone we both know had suggested me to him.  It’s often a complex path that referrals follow so it’s worth tracking them at all times.  I was able then to thank the referral source and keep them informed.  After all we all like to be told we have done well, and a short email is a fantastic way to keep people informed and tell them how their introduction turned out.

Many of the people who found us through the net or social media turn out to be via Word of Mouth. As often as not, people who find the Refer-On web site have been directed there by a colleague or a friend.  Don’t underestimate the power of the web when recording your referrals.


Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking