Tuesday, September 21, 2010

This time last year……

I have been extremely impressed and very proud of the teams performance lately...But if you want to know just how good the performance has been, let’s compare results from this time last year…

Week Ending September 19, 2009:
Number of agents on telecom campaign: 11
Total new accounts: 93
Total Revenue: $9,853.00

Week Ending September 18, 2010:
Number of agents on telecom campaign: 30
Total new accounts: 210
Total Revenue: $33,771.00

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Congratulations Alex!

212, Inc., a leading Providence based direct marketing and sales agency, promotes Alex Navarette to Assistant Management.

“I am excited and proud of this promotion,” says Alex Navarrett, Assistant Manager, 212, Inc.. “I am thrilled to see what other milestones my team and I can reach together.

Alex Navarette began with 212, Inc., September of 2009 as an intern in sales and marketing. As a student at Johnson and Wales University, he began the position at 212 as part of his co-op curriculum. After four months of working part time as an intern, Navarette completed his co-op and received his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing.

In Februaury of 2010, Alex began working full-time at 212 as an Account Manager for the company’s largest client. Five months later Alex received his promotion and is now in charge of a team that produces over thirty percent of the company’s total revenue.

“Alex is a great example of work ethic and high goal setting,” says Andrea Atkinson, President 212, Inc. “He deserves this promotion and has set the record for the individual to receive this promotion in the shortest amount of time.”

Friday, July 16, 2010

The Perfect Handshake

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/07/16/scientists-reveal-secrets-perfect-handshake/?test=latestnews

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

212, Inc. Raises Money and Awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

212, Inc. Raises Money and Awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
A Providence-based sales and marketing company participates in the Great Strides Walk in support of Cystic Fibrosis

Riverside, RI (PRWEB) June 15, 2010 -- 212, Inc., a Providence-based sales and marketing company, announced that the company raised and donated money to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the leading organization in the United States devoted to cystic fibrosis.

President Andrea Atkinson and the 212 Inc. team got family, friends, and business partners to donate money in their effort to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The team concluded their fundraising efforts by participating in the 5K Great Strides Walk, an event where tens of thousands of co-workers, friends and family come together each year as one community for one cause - to help find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.


Our main goal was to raise awareness
“Our main goal was to raise awareness,” said President Andrea Atkinson. “Collecting donations and walking for the cause did just that!”

The 212, Inc. team had participated in a walk for multiple sclerosis in April. It went so well that they decided to donate their time and participate in another charitable organization event.

“I wanted to personally get involved with Great Strides since I have a loved one with Cystic Fibrosis,” Andrea Atkinson said. “I was so excited that the team was just as enthusiastic to help!”

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About 212, Inc.
212, Inc. is a direct marketing and sales agency focused on meeting the needs of the Fortune 500 community. For more information, contact (401) 272-2600

Thursday, April 29, 2010

WALK FOR MS

212 Inc. “Gives Back” by Making Personal
Donations and Participating in Walk for the National MS Society


Leading direct marketing and sales agency raises moral and donations for MS Society


212 Inc., a leading outsourced sales and marketing company, announced participation in the National MS society walk in Narragansett, Rhode Island. Employees of 212 also gave personal donations to the charity.
By making these donations, 212, Inc. will help the National MS Society fulfill their various goals, which include furthering research to prevent, treat and cure MS, as well as reaching out to individuals, families and communities living with MS.

The choice was made to raise money and participate in the walk for MS when the team members of 212 realized that almost all of them know a friend or family member living with MS.

“Not only is MS a disease I personally want to help raise awareness of and do my part to help fund research, but it was also a great way for us to come together as a team,” said Andrea Atkinson, President, 212, Inc.

Andrea Atkinson has already set future gift-giving goals including participating in the Walk for CF this May and a possible charity softball game this summer.

About 212
212, Inc., is headed by Andrea Atkinson and headquartered in Providence, RI. The company specializes in direct marketing by bringing products and services directly to consumers.

Contact Information for Charities
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/index.aspx

###

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

212, Inc. Reviews How to Change a Behavior

We have all been in a position at one time or another when we wanted to change a habit, routine or personal discipline. Whether it be going to the gym and eating better, studying our trade at work or school, or maintaining better relationships in our lives -- changing our current behavior in order to get a better result is inevitable. Here are a few pointers on how to change your behavior.


5 Ways to Change Behavior


1.Take ownership. If you don't think you can change, you can't. Believe in your ability to change and take ownership before getting started.

2.Be patient. Positive, lasting results take time, usually 50% to 100% longer than most people initially think.

3.Accept difficulties. Real change takes real work. When setting out, be prepared to face challenges you didn't anticipate.

4.Refuse to be distracted. Something more important will inevitably come up. You need to make your development a priority and refuse to let distractions divert your path.

5.Maintain. Once you've started to see traction, don't declare victory. Sustainable change requires maintenance over a lifetime.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Email is back up!!

Hello again!

hr@212inc.net is back up and running! If you tried to email this account in the last 24 hours and haven't received a response, please resend and we will do our best to get back to you within 24 hours!

Thanks!
212 Team

Monday, April 12, 2010

EMAIL TROUBLE!!

Hello All!

We are experiencing email difficulties! If you need to contact us please send an email to: 212marketing@gmail.com
or call: 401-272-2600

Thanks for understanding!
212, Inc.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Great Tips on How NOT to Interview!

Top 10 Interview Blunders


1. Don't Prepare
Not being able to answer the question "What do you know about this company?" might just end your quest for employment, at least with this employer. Background information including company history, locations, divisions, and a mission statement are available in an "About Us" section on most company web sites. Review it ahead of time, then print it out and read it over just before your interview to refresh your memory.

2. Dress Inappropriately
Dressing inappropriately can work both ways. You will certainly want to wear a suit if you are interviewing for professional position. When interviewing for a summer job at your local theme park or as a lifeguard, for example, dress accordingly in neat and casual attire. If you aren't sure what to wear, visit the organization and watch employees coming in and out of the office to see what they are wearing.

3. Poor Communication Skills
It's important to communicate well with everyone you meet in your search for employment. It is, however, most important to positively connect with the person who might hire you. Shake hands, make eye contact, exude confidence, engage the person you are speaking with, and you will let the interviewer know that you are an excellent candidate for this position - before you even answer an interview question.

4. Too Much Communication
Believe it or not, a recent candidate for employment, who, by the way, didn't get the job, didn't hesitate to answer his cell phone when it rang during an interview. Leave the phone behind or at least turn it off before you enter the building. Same goes for coffee, food and anything else other than you, your resume, your job application, and your list of references. They don't belong at an interview.

5. Talk Too Much
There is nothing much worse than interviewing someone who goes on and on and on... The interviewer really doesn't need to know your whole life story. Keep your answers succinct, to-the-point and focused and don't ramble - simply answer the question.

6. Don't Talk Enough
It's really hard to communicate with someone who answers a question with a word or two. I remember a couple of interviews where I felt like I was pulling teeth to get any answers from the candidate. It wasn't pleasant. So, even though you shouldn't talk too much, you do want to be responsive and fully answer the question as best you can.

7. Fuzzy Facts
Even if you have submitted a resume when you applied for the job, you may also be asked to fill out a job application. Make sure you know the information you will need to complete an application including dates of prior employment, graduation dates, and employer contact information.

8. Give the Wrong Answer
Make sure you listen to the question and take a moment to gather your thoughts before you respond. Like the following candidate, you'll knock yourself out of contention if you give the wrong answer.

The interviewer had completely described a sales and marketing position to the candidate. She emphasized that cold calling and prospecting were the most important skills and experiences needed for the position. The candidate responded to the question about what she did or didn't like to do in sales, with these words: "I hate to do cold calling and prospecting, and I'm not good at it." That response ensured that she wouldn't get the job!

9. Badmouthing Past Employers
Your last boss was an idiot? Everyone in the company was a jerk? You hated your job and couldn't wait to leave? Even if it's true don't say so. I cringed when I heard someone ranting and raving about the last company she worked for. That company happened to be our largest customer and, of course, I wasn't going to hire someone who felt that way about the company and everyone who worked there.

It's sometimes a smaller world than you think and you don't know who your interviewer might know, including that boss who is an idiot... You also don't want the interviewer to think that you might speak that way about his or her company if you leave on terms that aren't the best.

10. Forget to Follow Up
Afraid you didn't make the best impression? Are you sure that you aced the interviewed? Either way, be sure to follow up with a thank you note reiterating your interest in the position and the company.

Finally, even if you do flub the interview, don't take it to heart. I don't think there is anyone hasn't blown an interview or two. If it happens, look at it like it just wasn't meant to be, learn from your mistakes and move on to the next opportunity.

What do you think is the top interview mistake you can make? Take a look at more top interview mistakes and add yours to the list.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Leadership Conference

This weekend top team leaders will be invited to attend the 1st quarter Northeast's leadership meeting.

Team members will get a chance to learn and discuss leadership topics as well as network with new and experienced entrepreneurs.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

MS WALK 2010

212 will be participating the MS walk in RI on April 18th. Be on the lookout for more info!

Aqua Cancun



After finishing out 2009 with a bang, the mangement team at 212 got a chance to celebrate during the all-inclusive vacation at the Acqua Cancun resort in Cancun Mexico.

Overall experience:
1. Service - A+ the staff wouldn't even let us pour our own coffee!
2. Comfort - A+ The rooms were gorgeous with great views and even at the pool you could relax on a bed equipped with a fresh set of sheets and pillows!
3. Night life - A+ The onsite lounges were great with great entertainment only a short taxi away!

Saturday, February 27, 2010

One decision that changes everything. Take Action.

http://www.marcandangel.com/2010/01/11/one-decision-that-changes-everything/

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Good Stuff!

14 of the stupidest things ever said in sales meetings
February 25, 2010 | Jim Nichols | 3 Comments |
Share | (Editor’s note: Jim Nichols is a Senior Partner at Catalyst:SF. He submitted this column to VentureBeat.)

Saying the wrong thing can totally screw up a pitch. And sometimes even the best salesman find something utterly moronic coming out of his or her mouth. Trust me, I’ve heard plenty.
I asked a wide number of buyers and sellers about the stupidest things they’ve heard in meetings. Here are the top 14 (I’ve deleted the names to protect the guilty). Heard something as stupid – or worse? Sound off in the comments below.

1. From a Seller: “We flew to a client, and the head of the department came to the lobby to tell us that our key contact died during the night. And my boss said, ‘Well, who’s her replacement? We flew up here and expect to present to someone.”

2. From a Seller: “I fell asleep. While the client was talking. They had to poke me to rouse me.”

3. From a Buyer: “I was working for Dr. Pepper. A vendor catered lunch at headquarters. With Coke products.”

4. From a Seller: “A seller said, ‘What’s your title? We usually present to someone higher up than you.”

5. From a Buyer: “I always make a point to say hello when vendors visited my team. One day, I did my drive by hello, and when I left the room the rep said, “Your boss is smokin’. Is she single?”

6. From a Buyer: “Spelling my name wrong on slide one. It’s Smith.”

7. From a Buyer: “We had a salesman that visited monthly and told me stories of his drunken escapades. After six months, I told him I’m Mormon and didn’t care for it. So he apologized, and then joked ‘So, how many wives you got?’”

8. From a Seller: “How many times do people have to see it in sitcoms before they stop saying ‘when is your baby due?’ to an obese woman.”

9. From a Buyer: “Our consumers are predominantly Latino – as am I and some of my team. A couple years ago an ingredient supplier came in and referred to all Hispanics as Mexicans, and called our language Mexican. Throughout the meeting, we looked at each other thinking, ‘Did he really say that? There! He did it again!’ We still joke about it. And we don’t work with them anymore.”

10. From a Seller: “Our rep resigned while presenting. Just stopped and said, ‘I don’t really think I want to be in this business.’ Picked up her bag, and left.”

11. From a Buyer: The salesperson hadn’t even handed me the proposal and said he’d give 25 percent less than the quote because they had a rough quarter. Like, ‘here are the fish in the barrel, and here is your shotgun.’”

12. From a Buyer: “The all male ad agency team telling my female marketing team that they understood tampons better than us.”

13. From a Buyer: “People have certain stereotypes of Southerners. Once a rep said, ‘When I hear your accent, I start deducting IQ points.’”

Hopefully you got a chuckle from those. But I’ve saved the best for last. Not because it’s funny, but rather because of how often it happens:

From Everyone: “The rep comes, does their pitch, and doesn’t have next steps. We all file out with no progress and no deal.”

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Great job hunting tips!

Top 10 Reasons Why You’re Not Finding a Job
Related Articles
Text, Tweet, Blog and Surf Your Way To a New Job
Seven Cyber Job Hunting Tips
Is Your Name Holding You Back?
By Kate Lorenz
1 July 2008

You’ve got the flawless résumé, impeccable credentials and the perfect look — you are an employer’s dream candidate. So why is it you’ve been on the job hunt for almost a year and there are no prospects in sight?

You also need to have the right attitude, according to Tony Beshara.

What gives Beshara the right to tell you to get an attitude adjustment? He has worked with his fair share of job seekers. The president and owner of Dallas-based job placement firm Babich and Associates is a 30-year veteran of the placement and recruiting industry. He’s also an occasional contributor on a little television program called "The Dr. Phil Show."

Here are some reasons why you might be having trouble with your job search, according to Beshara’s book "The Job Search Solution: The Ultimate System for Finding a Great Job Now!" (Amacom):

1. You’re not making finding a job a job itself!
Many people don’t adopt a committed, passionate, failure-is-not-an-option attitude and don’t recognize that finding a job is a numbers game. When it comes to interviews, it’s all numbers: the more interviews you get, the better your chances of getting called back; the more times you’re called back, the better your chances of landing a good job.

2. You haven’t developed a system of finding a job.
The system should entail everything from goals and intentions that dictate planned activity to role-playing of interviews.

3. You have an unrealistic idea about the market for your skills.
There is a tendency for people to overinflate the ease of their ability to find a job, based on a distorted view of the marketability of their skills. This can lead to frustration and disappointment when the job search takes longer than expected.

4. You aren’t acknowledging the psychological and emotional stress that changing jobs entails.
By denying this reality, people operate out of fear of rejection. They confuse activity with productivity and focus on minor things that appear to be job-finding activities, but aren’t the most fruitful activities.

5. You ignore small businesses.
You’ve forgotten or don’t realize that 97 percent of the businesses in the United States employ fewer than 100 people. America is not run by big business. It is run by small groups of people who organized to provide goods and services.

6. You don’t recognize that face-to-face interviews are the only things that matter.
There are all kinds of things you can do to get face-to-face interviews, but you have to get them. Pulling out all the stops by doing anything you can to get in front of a hiring authority with pain (the need to hire someone) is key.

7. You don’t prepare well for interviews.
Most people are either not confident in themselves or act arrogant in the interviewing process simply because they are not as prepared as they should be. They don’t prepare and practice presentations on themselves with others.

8. You’re not selling yourself.
The vast majority of people going into an interviewing situation simply don’t sell themselves very well. People neglect to do everything from dress properly to focus on what they can do for a prospective employer. And worst of all, they don’t come right out and ask for the job.

9. You have the attitude, "What can you do for me?"
Most people consider interviews a two-way street. They believe that the employer is just as responsible for selling them on the company and the job as they are for selling themselves to the employer. They don’t realize that there is nothing to consider until you have an offer. If you give enough reasons to employers as to why they ought to hire you and what you can do for them, they will give you plenty of answers on what they can do for you.

10. You give poor reasons for leaving your job.
Whether it’s why you left your last employer or why you want a new job, most people present the reason from a selfish point of view. They badmouth and criticize their current or past employers and justify their own convictions, thinking that a prospective employer is going to identify with them. They’re wrong!

http://www.youngmoney.com/careers/career-advice/275_746/

Saturday, February 20, 2010

In other news

Overall rating for Shutter Island: B

Overall rating for Wolfman: Z (thats beyond an F) we recommend you go see it, then come to the office and talk about how bad it was!

Asian Palace, N. Main St, Providence: A (Good eats!)

Week at a Glance

Week ending 2.20.10

Great job to Jamison! First week after completing training he takes the number one spot in the office rankings for most new accounts and highest profit!

Congratulations to Carolyn one of 212's newest trainers who has done a great job taking on a leadership role!

Kudos to Jay who closes his first sale and sings the best rendition of Billy Idol's Rebel Yell at karaoke night!!

Welcome to Dan and Shane who started training this week!

And of course thanks to the recruiters Renee and Ashly for finding this great talent!!

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Happy Birthday to 212!

212, Inc. of Rhode Island Celebrates Three Years of Success

Leading outsourced direct sales company reviews three successful years of growth

212, Inc., a Providence area-based outsourced sales and direct marketing agency celebrates its third birthday this week.

Originally opened in Westchester, NY in February 2007, 212, Inc. has since relocated to the New England area and has enjoyed further growth with its clients -- including one of the nation’s leading telecommunications providers.

Most notably in the past three years, 212, Inc. has seen annually revenues steadily increase along with client satisfaction. Since relocating to New England, 212 has seen a 500% growth increase.

“I am thrilled at the success we have seen over the past three years,” said Andrea Atkinson, President, 212, Inc. “Watching something grow from the ground up has been an exciting experience. Although I am even more enticed to see what we can do in another three years.”

In the past six months, 212 has increased its management and sales support staff due to increased hiring. It has also received recognition in both the third quarter and fourth quarter of 2009 for outstanding sales performance, highest sales increase, and lowest customer concern rate.


212, Inc. is an outsourced sales and marketing firm focused on quality growth for clients and employees. For more information about services and opportunities please call (401) 272-2600

Monday, February 1, 2010

Dallas Trip!

Over the weekend the management and HR team headed to Dallas for the annual kick-off meeting!

The weekend events included sales and management training as well as annual vendor awards!

212's President - Andrea Atkinson - winner of 2009's high revenue increase contest!
Andrea received recognition at the conference and an all-inclusive trip to Mexico!

Monday, January 4, 2010

212's New Year's Resolutions

So after much discussion, here are our New Year's resolutions!

1. Bring Lunch. We as a group spend WAY too much money on eating out!
2. Save Money. Taking all the money we would have spent eating out and save it!
3. Have more fun. As an office we are committed to enjoying what we do more often!
4. Back to the gym! Even if we have to go together, getting in shape will happen in 2010!
5. Remember it takes 28 days to create a habit, so we commit to doing the above 4 for at least the next 28 days! :)

How to Keep your New Year's Resolution

How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions: Advice from the Experts
Buzz up!91 votes Send
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Delicious Digg Facebook Fark Newsvine Reddit StumbleUpon Technorati Twitter Yahoo! Bookmarks .Print ..By MAIA SZALAVITZ Maia Szalavitz – Fri Jan 1, 2:40 pm ET
About half of all American adults (48%, according to a Marist poll taken in December) say they are at least somewhat likely to make a New Year's resolution this year. Their top vows: to lose weight (19%), quit smoking (12%) and exercise more (10%). Sound familiar?


The Marist poll also found that while 65% of people who made a resolution in 2008 kept their promise for at least part of the following year, 35% never even made it out of the gate. Indeed, when you wake bleary-eyed on the first day of a new year - or decade - resolutions to "cut back" and "moderate" seem both an excellent idea and an impossibly hazy dream. (See TIME's special report on health and happiness.)


But consider this: if hard-core addicts can break bad habits - some by moderating, not just quitting - there's still hope for you. Whether your goal for 2010 is to get fit or tame your drinking, experts say there's a lot you can learn from people who have successfully moderated their habits to help keep you off the resolution merry-go-round.


1. Don't Kid Yourself


"The most important thing is to be honest with yourself," says Howard Josepher, a former heroin addict and president of Exponents Inc., an organization that provides support and educational services to people with substance misuse issues. "You need to know the difference between enjoying yourself and self-medicating. It's not that self-medicating is necessarily bad - but you should give yourself parameters. If you are adhering to them, O.K. If not, you need to check yourself." (See the year in health 2009.)


Successful moderators decide in advance how much is "too much" - and stick to their limit, no matter what. Have a cookie a day, if that's what you've deemed acceptable. But if you "cheat" by having "just one more," know that you are only cheating yourself and exacerbating the problem, experts say. The point is to learn how to hold yourself accountable.


For those who are concerned about drinking in particular, a free, research-based online tool called Drinker's Checkup can help you determine whether you are drinking at unhealthy levels, and what to do if you are.


2. Quit Cold Turkey - Temporarily


"Theoretically, there are very good reasons to take a break from a behavior, totally," says Reid Hester, director of research at Behavior Therapy Associates, explaining that an initial period of complete abstinence can make it easier for people to moderate behavior, by eliminating the habitual, automatic aspect of the unwanted activity. (See America's health checkup.)


Take a cue from the self-help group Moderation Management (MM), which advises problem drinkers to abstain completely for a month before attempting moderate drinking. If you can't achieve a month of abstinence, the thinking goes, successful moderation is unlikely.


The best way to stay on course is frequent self-monitoring; use as many behavior-modification tools, support groups and programs as you can. In October, Hester and colleagues published a randomized controlled trial in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment comparing heavy drinkers who used MM's website to help them quit with those who used the MM site plus another online tool, which teaches behavior-control tactics and helps chart drinking. While both groups significantly reduced their drinking and alcohol-related problems, the group that used the additional tool had more days abstinent and drank less when they drank.


3. Do What the Dalai Lama Would Do


Alan Marlatt, director of the Addictive Behaviors Research Center at the University of Washington, studies "mindfulness-based relapse prevention," which uses meditation and other ideas from Buddhist teachings to help people break bad habits. (Read "Battling Addiction: Are 12 Steps Too Many?")


"Between stimulus and response, there's a space, and in that space is our power to choose our response, and in our response lies our growth and freedom," says Marlatt, quoting author and Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl. Marlatt says, "Mindfulness gets you into that space."


Being mindful may involve traditional meditation, in which you sit quietly and observe your thoughts and breathing without judgment. But here, it is also used to focus awareness on thoughts and feelings that lead to unwanted behavior. Simply recognizing the triggers to relapse can help you choose not to give into them. "When there's a fork in road, craving is pulling you one way. Well, what's the other way? You have to look down other road see where it takes you. Then, you have a choice, instead of being on autopilot," says Marlatt.


One tactic he recommends for resisting those cravings is called "urge surfing." It involves being mindful of the fact that craving is like a wave - it rises to a peak, then falls. This happens whether you yield to the urge or not, though most people erroneously think their craving will escalate endlessly, unless they give in. In fact, succumbing to cravings only reinforces them - resisting, in contrast, reinforces resistance. Marlatt advises watching your urge, noting its peak and "surfing" it, rather than allowing it to wipe you out.


Another trick to recognize is that willpower is like a muscle - it gets stronger with appropriate use, but ultimately weakens if overloaded. That's why Hester recommends setting short-term goals that are "moderately difficult, realistic, concrete and measurable." As with weight-lifting, starting at a level that is challenging but not overwhelming can provide a sense of achievement and success - which can give you the drive to take on bigger challenges.


4. Don't Try to Scare Yourself Straight

Research shows that in the long term, the pleasure of victory is a better incentive than the agony of defeat. "Punishment is a poor motivator," says Hester. "It sets people up for failure. If all you do is punish yourself for failure, you won't stay motivated to change for very long."

Instead, reward yourself for sticking to your limits and focus on the benefits of changing. For instance, if your goal is to drink less or lose weight, treat yourself to something you want - a new book or DVD, say - each time you successfully resist a tempting dessert or achieve a goal, like a month of abstinence. Success tends to beget greater success. If you do slip back into old patterns, avoid recriminations. "Don't say, 'I can't do it,'" says Marlatt. "People make mistakes. If you keep working at it, you will get better over time. That's what the research shows."

For some people, trying to moderate bad habits is not achievable or takes more effort than abstaining altogether - as the philosopher Saint Augustine put it, "Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation." Recognizing this by trying and failing can also be a critical step toward behavior change.

5. Get Better Friends

Consciously and unconsciously, people tend to imitate those around them. That's why the latest research shows that things like happiness, quitting smoking and obesity can spread like a contagion through social networks. So, surround yourself with friends who can also be role models. "Make sure that people you hang out with are people who look and act the way you would like to. Social imitation is the easiest form not only of flattery but of self-improvement," says Stanton Peele, author of Seven Tools to Beat Addiction. (Read "In Old Age, Friends Can Keep You Young. Really.")

Social support is critical to changing all kinds of behavior. Good friends can not only help you through slip-ups, but they can also help keep your New Year's resolution from taking over your life. Rather than obsessing about what you shouldn't be doing, think about things you should, experts say. The distraction will help you curb bad habits. "Focus on your higher goals and positive activities, things that both sustain you and fill your life," says Peele. If you regularly engage in meaningful activities that give you pleasure - whether it's visiting friends, picking up a hobby, taking a class or doing volunteer work (one of the most overlooked sources of personal joy and meaning is helping others) - you'll simply have less time to crave or engage in the behavior that you want to reduce.