More People Keep Coming...Limited Spaces For December

Hi Peeps,

Just a short one as we're really busy rushing out several campaigns.

All the same, despite all the hectic excitement and flurry of adrenaline rushing activity, we've still made time to review a few resumes and meet some very delightful people.

I thought we were helping people by guiding them to craft their winning, personalised cover letters and resumes. But you know what?

We're having such a ball getting to know all you wonderful people that I feel blessed! LOL! Thank you.

And those of all who will be contacting us for follow-ups, we look forward to it. :-)

We are taking on a few more CVs reviews for December (only a few more). So if you've wanted wanted to see how you can "turbo charge" your resumes for FREE (yes, the consultation is at no charge); now is the time to contact us...especially those who:

1) emailed and messaged me
2) Left a comment on my facebook page or within the blog
3) Called me
4) Those who have seriously thought about doing this but have put it off for whatever reason.
5) those who are shy :-)

Get in touch with us ASAP. As we get busier, I am not sure if we will do this next year...

In the meantime, good luck to all those who are applying already for their desired jobs or passing it to recruiters, etc. It's nice to see people so motivated thanks to their revamped resumes. There are no guarantees in life, but you just have to get out and d give yourself the best shot you can get. A great resume sure helps. :-)

Cheers and have a great week ahead.

Josh
Words Wizards Team
"Be Different"
josh@wordswizards.com

Free Resume Reviews -- Great Response From All & Happy Deepavali!

I didn't expect to get such a great response for our resume/CV review sessions, but it has been a full house for the past few Saturdays.

It was also fun for the participants and myself during our one-to-one, personal reviews as we set about helping craft the winning resumes they wanted...whether it was for an overseas or local vacancy, to enter into a new industry, to pursue rediscovered or new passions, I thank everyone for giving me the privilege and sense of exhilaration in helping them reach their destination. It's true, Half the fun in life is getting there. Destination is only always half the story.

Anyway, we're still pretty tight for time with the bookings and follow-ups and all, but there is still place for a few more people who would like a non-bias, truthful, experienced and strategic review of their "personal brand documents" aka resumes. If there is anyone who feels that it's this small thing which is holding them back, or want to present themselves better...we'd be happy to help.

The review and consultation is FREE OF CHARGE. Yes, just make an appointment and show-up. What's the catch? None. We like the fun of helping you be successful and meeting new people.

Of course, this is just a review...we're not going to write up your new resume for you. That takes time and effort which you should invest yourself. If you want us to do it, a small fee is charged as it takes time for us to really put together a damn good document for you.

Which is why, we say that only those who seriously want to invest in a winning, impactful and employer-to-notice resume should contact us. This is your future career we are talking about and only people who really want this advantage and are ready to use it, should call us.

We had some wishy-washy inquiries who booked our time and didn't show (which was very inconvenient and inconsiderate to us and the others who did show). Oh well, it happens.

But to all the good people, who showed up...thanks again for the kind words and all the best to you. Do pass the word around if there is anyone else who you think would like a bit of assistance. And don't forget to mention what we really do for a living -- creative, integrated communications consisting of developing creative ideas and strategies for brands and executing them through print advertising, web/online/interacting marketing, graphic design, copywriting, video/animation and the niched field of international translation services.

Sorry, for the self promotion...couldn't help it. LOL!

Btw, Happy Deepavali to those who are celebrating. Have a great one and I will see you soon in another post.

As always, I'd love to hear from you all. Drop us a line on my facebook page, email or right here.

Cheers and love to all.
Josh
The Words Wizards Team
We'll Treat Your Brand Like It's Our Own

CV & Cover Letter Review...Only For People Who Seriously Want a Winning Resume

Hi Peeps,

I was at Carl's Junior at Mid Valley the other day talking to a friend who was leaving her present company. And that's how we got talking about CVs (resumes) and how important it is to keep them updated and to have them written "as a sales and marketing" piece -- to make it really "sell" you.

I'm no trained HR expert but Words Wizards has done about 20 personalised cover letters and resumes since 2006. I don't really want to brag or make promises or guarantees. But EVERY ONE of our clients secured a job within 1 month except for one who took three months (that was because he was shifting industry and relocating to Singapore).

I also wrote lots of career oriented articles for a Singapore magazine, called Career Central (the only Malaysian contributor on the Singaporean team). I don't do it anymore as we began strategising the business towards advertising and marketing work and I wanted to focus on new areas. It was time to move from magazine writing.

Following are some links of my Career Central writing days:

http://community.jobscentral.com.sg/taxonomy/term/66
http://community.jobscentral.com.sg/taxonomy/term/110
http://www.youth.sg/content/category/104/91/

Anyway, we still get so many requests for this service, but we only choose to work with a select few as we want people who are serious (know what they want, where they want to go in their career and really appreciate the professional, personalised crafting of their resume).

Back to the topic...

Now, we're not talking about fabricating stuff in your CV; what we call, "puffing up the resume". What I mean is actually beefing it up and making it standout as an individual piece of work to sell that individual to employers. We're looking at sitting down with you, chatting with you on your career goals, what kind of industry do you want to be in, your qualifications, experiences and skills, your personality, etc and then putting it all together so you have a winning CV that gives you an edge from the competition.

And I think you know competition. In today's job market and economy, your resume is competing with piles of others. So what are you going to do about it?

Anyway...after speaking to my friend, I realised that Words Wizards can help lots of people (perhaps you if you want to take up this offer).

For two mornings, we're providing a FREE review of your CV. We'll look at it, give you some ideas (which is unique to you) to make it much better. Be prepared for a barrage of questions as we give you a whole 45 minutes to a hour dedicated to you and your resume.

More so like if you need to spruce up your resume as you really, really need to apply for a job like in 2-3 days time. Then you should be talking to us. If the need is urgent, this could make the difference between no answer and calls for interviews.

This is FREE, non-obligatory and you don't have to get us to actually enhance the CV for you. There is no charge as we share the insights with you.

The Catch? (You were expecting one so I'm going to give it to you).

Spaces are limited. so is my time. I will only be doing this for two Saturday mornings. So I can probably only take about 5 people per session.

Those interested, please respond to me via my facebook group, drop me a message, post a comment up here or just email me at josh@wordswizards.com. You can also email my colleague: marina@wordswizards.com.


In the meantime, just to give you an idea of what will happen when you see us, here are some things to consider when next doing up your resume. And these are not the usual general tips you can download from the Internet (i.e. make sure the resume is neat, no typos, have all your skills inside, etc).

I am talking about stuff like:

1. Does your resume sell the personal brand which is you? Does it somehow have a unique voice (this is normally achieved when you include a customised cover letter
which can make a world of difference)?

2. What key points do you want to sell most in relation to the industry or position you're applying for? Your experience or qualifications?

3. How can use personal quotes and mottos in the CV to add a personalised difference and to show the value you bring to the organisation?

4. What questions you can answer in your resume that you'll probably have to answer if you were called for an interview?

Just think about this for now and when we meet, we'll discuss them further for your benefit.

Cheers!

Josh

PS:

How Thinking Like A Salesman (or woman) Can Improve Any Part of Your life. Read This :-)

The other day, as I was chatting with some friends at a local cafe at the Curve, a thought occurred to me as I saw all the people walking about. Young and old, trendy and stylish, simple or conservative, confident or looking pensive...i realised something very, very important that most of us tend to forget about.

And then it really dawned on me. I mean realised it before, but at this point, it really hit home and I knew I had to share with you guys.

Sales and marketing is not an activity we do at certain times of the day or our lives. It's not just a job. It's not something you can compartmentalise and pocket into a certain part of your life.

Now before we go any further, please take a moment to clear your mind, get relaxed and then consider very carefully what I'm about to say:

OK, here goes...

At anytime, anyplace and anywhere, we are all selling or marketing something. Whether you like it or not, as long as you're alive and kicking, you're a salesperson.

If you're in the public eye...you're actually marketing yourself based on the image you're projecting -- the clothes you wear, your facial expression, the way and pace you walk. You're actually selling an image.

If you're on a hot date, you're selling yourself (not in that way) but you're looking to convince the other party to buy into the proposition of you -- the package of you. He/she is going to leave the table (with you or without you) based on how well you manage the sale. Or whether there would be hot date Part 2.

If you're talking to someone, just a casual conversation, you're selling your opinions, your confidence, your ability to converse, etc. People are going to "buy" impressions of you based on what you say.

Even when you're just walking down the supermarket or sitting down at a mamak stall...you're in the public eye and that means you're "selling" again.

And in complete honesty, you're judging me based on how well I write this blog. :-)

And the list goes on and on.

Have you considered all these different ways and times that you're indirectly engaged in sales and marketing? if you do, good for you. Cos if you're aware, then you're probably also taking steps to always project the best or correct image for yourself in those many occasions of indirect sales and marketing.

If you don't, then consider how many business contacts, social opportunities and job offers you could have potentially lost. Consider then how you can turn things around.

Sales and marketing is not just a subset of our lives and something we do at interviews or at jobs (if you're a salesperson for your company).

It is our lives in a very big way.

How do you capitalise on this? In my next posting, I'll share some ideas on how you can capitalise on this free medium of indirect marketing and advertising.

Cheers, peeps. Have a good week ahead.

PS: Continuing a little from last week's post, socialising also means attending different kinds of events. Like the photo of the one below -- yes you guessed right. It's a rock party! Up the irons! :-)




And...........










PPS: Some of the ads we have done for a client in developing an international image for them as we help them go regional. It's fun to do this kinda work and judging from the response of the market and from our client, it's working. :-)







Josh
Words Wizards

We're Back! A Key to Business Success: Work Less & Play More & Proven Tips to Get Customers

Hi guys,

Firstly, apologies for the long delay. I'm sure many of you were wondering what happenned and have been waiting for some news.

Well, everything's hunky dory. We just got caught up with work on some very critical projects. We also broke new ground -- growing our videography and animation business with new clients and are getting closer to them big accounts. It's a learning curve all the way...challenging but just exhillaratingly fun!

But apart from work, we've also been busy with a very important business element -- partying. Some of these shots were taken from our recent WordUp gathering held last month. :-)

Yes, I think a successful business involves a lot and lot of partying or at the very least networking and meeting new people. When I was in Mesiniaga, the sales people called it coverage, others prefer social mingling to build relationships. Some people call it business development.

Speaking from experience, a big part of running a successful business or even your own life (I think everyone's life should be run like a personal services corporation, which you are the CEO), is showing your face, telling people about yourself and just interacting with them. This is free brand building. Not just awareness, cos if you do it right, you can go all the way to brand embrace and belief.

I mean..take your favourite business idols -- Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Donald Trump, Tony Fernandez, etc. Yes, they do get their hands dirty (or used to) in the business execution. But now a bulk of their time is playing ambassadors for their brands and companies.

So you got to do the same if you wanna get big fast.

And often the best business relationships are formed in social settings. For me, I got many clients at business networking meetings. BUT I GOT MORE from the people I met when playing futsal, having beers and at gigs (when I was still in the band).

You see, it's not always about hard sell. It's about having fun. Generally, people open to those whom they can have fun with. If you can party together, the automatic response is perhaps, they can trust you too. Also, you're in the minds cos they recall you because you connected with them through the meeting, interaction or relationship.



This is all part or relationship building, which any good salesperson or successful person will tell you, is so so important in being a winner in life...regardless of who or what you do.

Some gurus say that business is business and leisure is leisure and you shouldn't mix' they forgot that life as a whole IS MIXED. Everywhere we go and do and function, business and pleasure is mixed. So you have to get into that mix too cos you already are.

So balance out work with play. Play more. Here are some proven tips that I personally use (and have used with great results)in playing more.



1. Attend social events with your clients. Don't just look for business events. If you're in the events business, parties and social functions should be part of your agenda. If you don't like these events, it can be tough for you. I'd admit it's a problem. But if you wanna be noticed, you got be playing in the same arena.

2. Attend forums and client related events. If your client is having a function of sorts, be there. If it's a talk, be there. The important thing, be there. And make sure they notice you -- introduce yourself, talk to them before or after the event, etc. Strike that match while the chemistry is hot!

3. Eat with your clients. Invite them for lunch and do it sincerely. Clients know you're looking for a business relationship in the long run, but during the meal, show genuine care and interest in their lives, problems, kids, etc. Care for the person and the client cares for you. Plus, you can always claim the meal as entertainment allowance for a tax rebate or incentive (ask me how to do this if you're really interested).

For me, I even sometimes, forget about the business element. It's just fun to chill out with someone and have a meal. You know what happens then? Friendships form and either way, that's a good thing. I once had a meal with a client who became a close friend. We didn't do any business, but after 18 months, she recommended me to someone else who is now Words Wizards major account. See how that works?

3. Spend at least three days a month for relationship building. On these days, you do nothing but just be with your clients -- playing tennis, golf, having lunch, chilling out, etc. Make time for them, so they'll have time for you.

4. Phonecalls and emails. Stay in touch with "quiet clients" -- people whom you haven't heard of in a long while. By jogging their memory, you're back in the radar scope. I can remember at least five times when I spoke to a quiet client and within a week, they suddenly had business for us. It works, try it and see!

5. If you can't network yourself, get someone to do it for you. It's best that you do it yourself, but the next best thing is having one of your staff do it for you. At times, if I'm out of the country or indisposed, my staff (who are great networkers) go see clients and take an interest in them.

For more tips and personalised advice to your business or personal services corporation, email me at josh@wordswizards.com. I'd be happy to chat with you. It's great to help and hey...this is also working less and playing more.

My personal playing more strategies:

1. Futsal sessions (come and join us every Saturday at 6PM)
2. Cheers and Beers or teh tarik :-)
3. Starbucks (I'm normally free on Saturday mornings for a bit if you wanna cuppa)
4. Winners and Dinners :-)
5. Events and networking sessions
6. Parties.
7. Get involved in parties. Be the organiser, not just the attendee. Makes a big difference.

Next week: It's the little things that count big -- how small, inexpensive and even free gestures can be rewarding for you!

How in One Minute I Went From Can I Help You To Fuck Your Mother Too. This Could Happen To You

Oh yeah, it's all true and it wasn't a prank call. I Actually told a potential customer to "F off". :-)

It's really amusing how it all happened. On a busy Thursday afternoon, as I was checking my email at the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) cafeteria (We're working on a copywriting project for BNM, but I can't say much for now), I got this call.

It's more interesting if I do this dialogue style...so here goes.

Me: Hello...

Crazy guy: Can I speak to Joshua?

Me: Speaking, Joshua here. Afternoon to you.

Crazy guy: Joshua? Hi, I got your number from XX (a client of mine. Have to protect their ID) and my company is ZZ (I'm not trying to protect his company, I just forgot the schmuck's company!). And we have RMYY to do a corporate website. We saw what you did for XX.

Me: Yes, that was our work. How can we help you, sir?

Crazy guy: Well, I want someone to do our website. We actually have an ad agency, but those guys are crap and they're very arrogant. They do our press ads and so on, but they dropped us (i now know why). They have an attitude problem.

(At this point, I was already slightly suspicious).

Me: Well, Words Wizards, my company does ad campaigns as well.

(At this point, you may assume that crazy guy sounds completely normal. Now comes the crazy part)

Crazy guy: Really? Oh, OK. So what's your full name?

Me: Joshua Rayan.

Crazy guy: Are you Indian? Chinese?

Me: (jokingly with a laughing tone): well, I don't see how it matters, but I'm Indian. I prefer just Malaysian.

Crazy guy: Sorry, what did you say?

Me: I said I'm Indian.

Crazy: No, before that you said something. (At this point, I sensed trouble. But I just played it cool).

Me: Well, I don't really think it matters, you know the race and all, but I'm Indian. I prefer just Malaysian.

Crazy Guy: Hey, I'm trying to be friendly, but if you wanna be cocky and all...what's your problem? This is not the way to do business. You got a bad attitude. What's your problem?

Me: No problem, but I'm not comfortable talking about race, especially to someone whom I hardly know. I think it doesn't matter.

Crazy Guy: You listen here, man. You better watch it with your attitude. (and he had this very angry ...lancee, kurang ajar tone. I was still keeping cool).

Me: I don't have an attitude and I'm not being unfriendly. I mean you're asking for my full name, race and all but you haven't even told me your name.

Crazy Guy: That's because you didn't ask, Josh. You didn't ask.

Me: Well, normally when people talk on the phone, they introduce or identify themselves. You don't even tell who you are and you start asking for details. Is this how you talk on the phone?

Crazy guy: You're the one with a problem, OK. I can ask anything I want. (at this point I knew any hope for rapport was lost. But I couldn't care less. I didn't want any).

Me: You call me up and you ask for details that only the police and immigration can ask me...

Crazy Guy: Fuck you, man!

Me: Fuck Your mother too!

I hung up. He called back. I told him I don't wanna waste anymore time with him.

I sat there smiling in a puzzled fashion. So I called my customer and told her what happenned. She was shocked.

We later discovered that crazy guy was actually a very bad customer to my customer -- twice he FFKed them and made the client rep wait for almost four hours in total, Not a single phone call or sms to say he won't be able to attend.

I think for me, I was just defending my privacy. I don't like to reveal things that are no concern to others, especially to someone who doesn't have the basic sense to give me his name. He could be a stalker for all I know!

The lesson in all this?

I probably turned down a biz killer -- one of those really dumb clients that will suck your life energy, treat you like trash and then pay you dirt (if he/she even pays you at all).

Worse, this kind of client can kill your biz. And I just avoided one.

Lesson two:

Never, ever kao tao to anyone. Respect people to the fullest, but never kao tao. I learnt this a long, long time ago from the great Zane (one of Malaysia's best Creative Directors) in 2004 at a seminar and it always rings true and probably will forever.

Sometimes, you just have to say no or turn them down. Not everyone who shows up at your doorstep is a friend.

Lesson Three:
Maintain good relations with your existing clients. They will back you up when nonsense like this happens.

Lesson Four:

Learn to laugh it off. Have a thick skin and when you are bestowed one of those rare chances to screw somebody because he really, really deserves it (right time, right place, right person, take it and enjoy it! :-) It's a great stress reliever!

Cheers, peeps. Have a great week ahead.

PS: The big contracts that I was mentioning earlier it seems, will not materialise. I haven't heard a definite No, but it's been too quiet for too long. Well, at least I was close. And you know what, you can't always get close all the time. Eventually, you'll hit jackpot. My 777 is coming in...real soon. :-)

If Your Clients Want to Cut Costs...Tell Them This

With all the talk about the petrol price hike and the impending doom and gloom of rising prices and inflation, you're probably aware that many clients are going to be cutting costs. It's the standard thing that corporates do and one of the first areas that they'll be looking at is the Advertising/PR /Marketing/Events budget.

Oh yes, after they've analysed all their non-key business areas, they'll start looking at creative communications. The smart companies know that this would be wrong. But, unfortunately, many businesses will look to slash to get cash and this is not good news for us in the business.

If you're not prepared for this, then get ready for it. If your business is insulated from these, well and good. But you can expect that you'll have to bargain harder or throw in some valued added freebies to retain prices and margins. And watch out for that old clanger about, "eh, petrol prices are uplerr, economy not so good, give a discountlerr."

So what do you tell your clients during these times? What do you do to educate them and save their business while looking after your bottomlines as well?

The answer is, tell them directly and honestly that cutting the comms budget is a big, big mistake, especially when times are not going well.

Reason being that all of our clients now have to work harder to win the customers' ringgit. You have to be more creative, aggressive and find ways to increase your presence in the market. When the going gets tough, creative comms is what keeps things going.

Strangling this lifeline is like depriving the business of a very vital form of sustenance. Simple as that.

I mean, if you want to get someone's attention in a noisy place with lots of people, you're going to shout more or make more noise, wave your hands and do hell of a lot to get their attention. Sure, I hear some wise guys saying, they'll just walk over and whisper in their ear. That'd be great if you're trying to chat up that bombshell babe (or hunk to be politically correct for my female readers), but when you need to get the message across to a whole room, whispering isn't going to do much good.

The answer is to get your message out there. You have to be active, get their attention and be creative in your communications.

This is why cutting the budget doesn't help at all. Not at all. You cut, you do less and you get less. Simple as that.

The really successful companies know this. This is why the fast food chains, clothing retailers, hotels and so on actually increase their comms budgets. They know it's a lifeline and they need to spend more and get their messages across when times are not exactly great.

This is the message that we should be telling more corporates. It's in their best interest to not just cut cost. But to work with us strategically with a more aggressive budget.

To back this up, you can also dabble in some other areas to make the package more attractive to them:

1. Offer value added ideas in addition to maintaining the comms budget.
2. Do more research -- show them how each ringgit they spend makes a difference. Show them where the cash is going.

3. Show them results.
4. Adopt new advertising methods such as online media, sms and viral marketing instead of standard ATL and BTLs.

5. Niche the whole thing. Focus on specific markets and target the comms to them. The sniper's motto is one shot, one kill. The shotgun shooter's motto is...I don't know if they have one.

Anyway, that's about it. So when customers and clients want to slash their comms budgets, tell them what they should really do. You'll be doing them a favour.

Cheers, I'm craving for fried rice. Off I go. :-)