Microsoft walks Halo to the bank

Written by SEVEN


Half a decade after acquiringrepparttar independent developer Bungie Studios and enjoying record-breaking sales withrepparttar 145268 Bungie megahits Halo 1 and 2, Microsoft is poised to cash in on Bungie's monumental success by contracting out a Halo movie to Universal Studios and Twentieth Century Fox.

Microsoft has also requested thatrepparttar 145269 Halo movie be finished as early as possible, and wants to release it beforerepparttar 145270 2006 release ofrepparttar 145271 highly aniticipated Halo 3, butrepparttar 145272 film studios have made no such promises.

Alex Garland, producer of 2003's "28 days later", has been recruited by Microsoft to produce a script forrepparttar 145273 Halo movie, but Microsoft has made it clear thatrepparttar 145274 company wants to protectrepparttar 145275 halo franchise. Close cooperation with Bungie will ensure that "the Halo franchise is protected and is something Halo fans can be proud of", Microsoft says.

Will Your Business Survive Without You?

Written by Kathy Gulrich


I had a health scare in December.

As it turns out, everything's perfectly okay. Butrepparttar possibility of things not being okay really knocked me for a loop.

Forrepparttar 145251 first time ... ever ... I thought about what would happen to my business if I suddenly weren't around to take care of it.

What an eye-opener!

Fact is, I'mrepparttar 145252 only person who really knows how things work in my business.

Several people - from my attorney to my coach to my book printer - know 'bits' of it. But there's really no one who knows enough about my business to step in, figure things out, and keep things moving without me.

And that was pretty scary to me. (Fortunately, it was scary enough to actually do something about it.)

Thought it would be helpful to share with you what's working for me....

1 - Put your business systems in writing

The good news: I know exactly how things work in my business.

The not-so-good news: I'mrepparttar 145253 only person who knows exactly how things work in my business.

Why is this a problem?

For starters, I'm heading out on vacation tomorrow. And I don't want to bring work with me! If I'mrepparttar 145254 only person who knows how to keep things moving, how is this possible?

It's clear I need some systems. So what needs to be in writing?

Ideally, practically everything. But you might want to start with something fairly easy. Say, how you 'process' new customers, or clients.

When someone decides to work with me as an Art Coach, here's what happens:

• We make our first coaching appointment

• I get credit or debit card authorization for payment of coaching fees

• I send out a Welcome Pack, which includes: pocket folder/label, cover letter, business card, Policies & Procedures, Client Data Form, Client Checklist, Coaching Prep Form, and additional information about coaching

• I use my 'KG Checklist' to check offrepparttar 145255 exact forms I send out; note date mailed/delivered

• I prepare a client folder for my office: insert checklist, cover letter and all info/notes to date, write phone number on tab, write date of first coaching appointment (and all subsequent appointments) onrepparttar 145256 folder cover

• I follow up and note whenrepparttar 145257 signed Policies & Procedures form is returned, and add it torepparttar 145258 client folder

• I staplerepparttar 145259 completed Client Data Form torepparttar 145260 inside cover ofrepparttar 145261 client folder

• As we work together, I add all relevant materials (correspondence, artwork samples, etc.) torepparttar 145262 folder

What's your 'system' or 'process' for prospects and new customers? Do you:

• Capture all their contact information (name, address, phone, email, snail mail)?

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