SORTING WHEAT FROM CHAFF
Commit to a daily 10-minute meeting or phone call with your main e-mail correspondents. Focus on non-urgent items that might have gone into e-mails. You'll be amazed at how many messages you can pre-empt. Source: TimeBack Management blog
PREDICTION MARKETS
Prediction markets have been cited as a way to improve forecasting by giving employees virtual trading accounts that allow them to sell "shares" that correspond to different outcomes, such as how well a new product will sell. But companies are struggling because it's hard to keep sufficient trading going after the novelty wears off. As well, when employees can't see how the results of their predictions are used, they lose interest. Source: The Economist
A STITCH IN TIME
The most overlooked secret of successful marketing, according to consultant Seth Godin, is to show up on time and meet your deadlines. Related virtue: Cherish the time of people you deal with. Source: Seth's Blog
AUTOMATIC SAVINGS
Software designed by the University of Liverpool that automatically shuts down computers if they are unused for half an hour is saving large organizations up to £13,000 ($23,000) a month. PowerDown, as it's known, allows users to opt out if they need their computer to keep running when away from it. Source: ScienceDaily
GETTING THROUGH TOGETHER
Marketing consultant Charles Green urges you to buy tickets now for a major cultural or athletic event for the middle to end of next year and then send one with a note to a prospect also struggling with the economic downturn: "We will get through all this, together, and I look forward to celebrating with you when we do. Keep this ticket in a safe place, because mine is the seat next to yours." Source: RainToday.com
E-MAIL TIME SAVER
You can save time when replying to or forwarding e-mail messages with Microsoft Outlook by having the original message automatically close when you hit send. In Outlook 2007, click on Tools, Options, and then, on the Preferences tab, click E-mail Options. Under the Message Handling section, click "close original message on reply or forward." Older versions of Outlook have a similar option. Source: online-tech-tips.com
