December 6, 2008
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"God cares about honesty in the workplace; your business is His business"
(Prov. 16:11, Peterson).
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Issue 8: Table of Contents
* Letter From the Editior: Economic Downturn and Business
*Business Building Article: How to Focus in on a Problem
*Biblical Applications to Business: Teaching Like Sister Phoebe
*Online Business Article: Simple Steps to Writing a Press Release
*Business Resources & Announcements
*Home Study Program: Sign up for mailing list
*NACWIB Association News
*Subscriber News
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Letter from the Editor!
Hello Dear Reader,
Welcome to another issue of Christian Women in Business News.
Can you believe another year is almost over? This has been an exciting year with all that has happened in the world. The economic downturn is now on the forefront of everyone’s mind and with good reason. More jobs are being lost, meaning people will really feel the crunch as the holiday season draws near.
This has great relevance to the business community. Staying in business during an economic downturn means making your business even more relevant to the needs, wants, and desires or your target market. People will make very careful decisions about what to purchase an dhow to spend their money.
How will you prepare your business to get through the economic crisis? Will it mean developing products at different price points in order to offer options to your target market? Will you need to drop some products or services that are no longer relevant to your target market and focus your marketing efforts in different directions?
To stay in business, a woman in business leadership must forecast the future of her business by looking at economic trends and consumer behaviors in the market place. You can do this by reading the business section of the newspaper, listening to financial reports on the radio or television and studying consumer buying trends. This information will help you to make a better decision about how to focus your business to meet the need of customers when the going is tight.
We continue our series on making decisions in the workplace in this issue by presenting important questions you need to ask yourself to narrow the focus of your problem.
God Bless,
Consuelo
Founder & President
National Association of Christian Women in Business
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Business Leadership Article: How to Focus in on a Problem
Last week we talked about how to define a real problem. Now, it’s time to learn how to analyze the extent of a problem. A women in business leadership needs to know how to look at a situation and understand what is happening or not, who is involved, and what the stakes are of the situation.
Here are some questions to consider as you analyze what is a real problem and the full parameters of that problem
1. Is this a new problem or has this occurred before?
2. Is the problem situation clear?
Getting clear about the problem lets you know what you’re really dealing with. You don’t want to miss some important factors that could make implementing some type of solution an even bigger problem.
3. Are you making assumptions about the problem? (Usually this will happen when the problem is not clear).
It is easy to start including ideas or thoughts that are not relevant, true, or otherwise necessary into a situation. These are just assumptions, and assumptions may cloud the truth of the issue or bring in irrelevant factors that result in a wrong decision.
4. If you are making assumptions, how do you know your assumptions are true or accurate, or not?
If you make assumptions, test the assumptions against any facts and information you already have about the problem to assure that the assumptions are true or not. You might have to eliminate various assumptions, one at a time in order to know if you are being biased or not about one or more issues related to the problem.
5. If nothing were done about this problem, what would happen?
The answer to this question could be a great way to save a lot of time in a business. What if you just let the issue go along as is. What will happen in the short term? What would be the long-term effect? If nothing of importance would happen, you can decide if you have a problem that is worth the taking the time to solve. However, if the answer to this question results in recognize thing your business would encounter even greater difficulties or problems by not taking action, you can then determine how much priority to give to the decision making activities for this particular problem.
6. In what other way could the problem be stated?
That is, what other terms could you use for the problem? Could you say this is a problem that will affect the company or has it already had an effect? Instead of saying this is a critical issue could it be identified as one that is chronic or ongoing? The words used to identify the problem are important because they set the tone for how quickly want to address the problem or not.
7. What important data, statistics or other information are known that have direct bearing on
the problem?
This question asks you to bring everything you know about the issue to the discussion. Present the information on who, what, when, where, where, and how about the problem so you have all of the information. Who will be affected? What departments or areas of specialty are involved? Does the problem reach outside of the company and into the customer base? Include all relevant information, facts, and date in order to be accurate with your decision.
These questions let you focus in on the problem with more accuracy. Instead of working on an issue that may not really matter, you will narrow the focus and better define the precise problem to solve.
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Biblical Principle to Consider: Teaching Like Sister Phoebe
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me” (Romans 16:1-2)
Phoebe was an early missionary of the Gospel to the church of Rome. Paul sent her to teach the people in the area and introduced her as a strong communicator, teacher, preacher, and evangelist. Phoebe displayed courage and boldness in her work, gaining the respect of those she worked with in the church.
Your business might be in the field of education. Educators have a position of great responsibility and influence over the minds and hearts of others. Like Phoebe, you are already well educated in your field. Hopefully, you also have a mentor to introduce you to others as a person with the right credentials to teach others. Women are normally the first teachers and mentors most people have as infants through life. In the world of business, women also run consulting and coaching businesses, and other service industries. Teaching is a natural role for most women who lead by example in the workplace, home, community, church and schools.
Is your work involved in the education system in some way? Do you teach, formally or informally as a part of your work? In what other ways are you in education as a part of your business? How does the support of Paul for Phoebe encourage you as you teach others in your work life?
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Online Business Lesson: Simple Steps to Writing A Press Release
A press release is an excellent way to gain publicity and exposure for your business. A press release is a document containing information that you would like a media organization to feature, such as general information about your business, a special event that you are holding, or a special incentive you are offering.
By having a story featured in a newspaper, magazine, or other form of media, your business will receive publicity and credibility. You can also use the clippings of paper stories and links to stories featured through electronic media as part of your press kit.
You can submit a press release at any time, however you may find that the media features stories about businesses when something special is happening, such as a grand opening, special event, or special offer.
Here are steps to a simple format to use when writing a press release.
Time Statement
If your story can be published at any time, the words “For Immediate Release” should appear at the top left hand corner. However, if the information should only be released after a certain date, use the phrase “For Release After [insert date]. Under that, include your contact information.
Body of the Release
The next area of the press release is the “body”. This is the part of the press release where you include the information you want to publicize. Try to keep your press release under two pages. If it is more than one page include the word “more” at the end of the first page. At the end of your press release insert three number symbols (###).
Questions in the Body
As you write the body of your press release, keep it focused, clear, and concise. Try to answer the five basic questions – who, what, why, where, and when. Who are you, and what, exactly, are you promoting? Why is your target market interested in this? When and where is this taking place?
Submissions
Once you are finished with your press release, you will want to submit it to the media. This can be to your local media outlets, such as newspapers, regional magazines, radio and television stations, or media outlets in geographic areas that you want publicity in. If you are promoting an event that will happen on a specific day, submit your press release early enough so that it has time to be received and facts can be checked, etc.
You can also submit your press release to electronic media, such as newswire services, Internet Talk Radio programs, and more.
Continue to Submit
If your story does not get picked up, don’t give up on press releases. Try a different media source, or rewrite your press release and submit it when you have something to promote. The media receives many, many press releases and cannot publish a story on every one of them. If you keep trying, you will find publicity.
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Business Announcements
Home Study Program:
Sign up for the mailing list of the Business & Marketing Home Study Program. Learn about
the monthly topic. Program allows you to purchase the lesson you need month by month.
NACWIB Association NEWS
Keep an eye open for the new NACWIB Association
Website coming in 2009.
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Subscribers Talk
What’s bugging you? Do you have a business question you want answered? Send me a note
and I’ll try to put your comments or questions into the newsletter. This way the NACWIB
community can brainstorm a response to your questions or inquires.
Community Announcements
What’s going on in your community to help business women grow their business and live a balanced life? Send in your announcements and let’s see if we can get them out to more people.
Spread the NEWS
Tell your groups, church, associations, and others about CWIBNews. Tell them to subscribe and get their business paln template and devotionals for Christian business women.
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Thanks for reading; see you soon.
God Bless,
Consuelo
Consuelo Meux, Ph.D., President & Founder
NACWIB: http://www.nacwib.com/
"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens."
(1 Thessalonians 5:16, Peterson).
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DISCLAIMER: All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional business advise. Use of this information is at your own risk. We make no warranty, express or implied, regarding your individual results.
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