The Real Deal on Time Management
For most of us- time management is the biggest challenge. There never seems to be enough time in the day. I’ve found that if you really want to get something done, you’ll find a way and if you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
The real deal on time management is that it’s a personal battle for all of us- between doing the things we need to do or doing the things because we want to. To achieve our desires and dreams, we have to make sacrifices to do what needs to be done in order to achieve our goals.
So, how do you find the time to do what you must do so that you can get on with the things you want to do? Developing a sense of urgency and applying Pareto’s 80/20 Rule have worked brilliantly for me but it takes a serious commitment to change your old habits. Take inventory on how you spend your day and you’ll begin to notice how much of what you do either contributes to your goals or move you away from achieving your goals. If you’re honest enough and willing enough, there’s nothing you cannot achieve!
The Pareto principle (also known as the 80-20 rule). It is a common rule of thumb in business; e.g., “80% of your sales comes from 20% of your clients.” It also applies to a variety of more mundane matters: one might guess approximately that we wear our 20% most favoured clothes about 80% of the time, perhaps we spend 80% of the time with 20% of our acquaintances, etc.
As you can see- this principle can be applied to so many areas of your life. To become more efficient in your business, here are some suggestions:
Focus your time and energy on 20% of your customers that are contributing to 80% of your sales/business. Those customers are already buying from you so offer specials just for them to introduce them to your other products.
Invest your time on the 20% of the distributors that are contributing 80% to your business instead of chasing the prospects that can’t decide or the distributors that are on the fence. Keep them on your email list and send them news and updates once a month to keep in touch.
Review your sales and marketing efforts. Which online and offline sites generate the most sales for you. Which networking groups have the most positive, uplifting and people that you would like to associate with and can learn from? Invest your time and money on the ones that are generating the best results for you. Concentrate on the 20% of your marketing and networking efforts that are responsible for 80% of your business.
Each day, do at least five things that are “income producing”. Do these things first instead of putting it off for another day. Make one more call. Talk to one more prospect. Meet and collect one more business card. Attend one more networking meeting. If you want a constant flow of business and continue expanding your contact base- commit to doing at least 5 things a day that lead you towards your goal!
Spend time with people that are uplifting and want to see you succeed. Limit your time with people that “energy vampires”. Most average people want you to be average just like them (John C. Maxwell). If you want to be successful, hang out with successful people. Seek them out, spend time with them and learn from them. It’s a huge compliment for them and you’ll see a huge difference in the way you see yourself when you’re surrounded by success!
It really does take a lot of discipline to get focused and do the things that we don’t always want to but know that we need to. That’s really the difference between success and failure. Nothing happens to your goals, dreams, ideas, intentions until you do something · nothing happens until you take action.
So, the next time you find yourself struggling with time management, review Pareto’s 80/20 and you will see that time is really arbitrary. Inevitably those that want to get something done, they’ll always find the time, and those that don’t, they’ll find one excuse after another to justify why they didn’t want to in the first place.
(c) Janette Stoll of ChicBoutique At Home. CBAH is a unique mobile boutique specializing in Trendy Clothes, Leather Handbags, .925 Sterling Silver Jewelry and Accessories. With a variety of different products and price points between $20 and $100- there is something for everyone. For info on how to become a Retail Therapy Expert or an Associate, check out our web site: http://www.chicboutiqueathome.com.
Are You Promoting Your Business with Article Marketing?
One of my favorite websites for article marketing (and for finding content for my blogs and newsletters) is WAHM Articles.
You can see my articles here: http://www.wahm-articles.com/profile/Michelle-Shaeffer/1960
It’s free to join, free to post your articles, and free to find articles you can use on your website, in your blog, or in your newsletter.
3 ‘A-Ha’ Success Principles That Have Reshaped My Business
By Alexandria K. Brown
Over the past several years I’ve immersed myself in learning. Because my business is marketing, I have mostly attended and spoken at marketing seminars. But I also make plenty of time to read books, attend seminars, and listen to audio programs on personal development as well.
Why?
You should actually work harder on yourself than you do on your business (or job). I first learned that from Jim Rohn, whom some call the father of personal development. Some call him America’s foremost business philosopher. I just call him brilliant. (Jim was one of Tony Robbins’ first mentors, too.)
There are three success principles I’ve learned over the years that I wanted to share with you. I call them my “a-has” because they put my attention on areas I’d never thought of. And following these guidelines has helped me skyrocket my business.
1. You are the average of the five PEOPLE you hang around the most.
When I first heard this quote from Jim, it struck a big nerve in me. Robert Allen says something similar, that your bank account balance is typically the average of the five people you hang around the most. (Yikes!)
I realized I needed to surround myself with people whom I wanted to be like. I still love my old friends, but I make a specific effort to be around people who take risks, think big, and talk about great ideas instead of the latest celebrity gossip, the price of gas, or how much they hate their clients.
What first opened up my circle of influence was attending seminars. I continually go to seminars on marketing, business, and personal development. There are so many great seminars going on every month all around the country, at all price points. You have no excuse not to get out there and meet people who are playing big!
2. Your HABITS create your future (and your fortune).
Brian Tracy talks a lot about this. Your daily habits create your long-term results. Your habits today will determine your outcomes tomorrow. If you want to be a millionaire, you’ve got to have millionaire habits. If you want to be a great leader, you must have the habits of a great leader. If you want to get in shape, you’ve got to have the habits of a fit person.
What new habit can YOU put into place right away?
I wanted to put into place a millionaire habit. Because I detest budgets (and enjoy spending), I needed an easy way to save money. So now I have a set percentage of my inflow automatically go into a savings account that I don’t touch.
And because I enjoy looking and feeling great, I made the habit many years ago to exercise at least 5 days a week. To kick this into gear, I hired a trainer, which forced me to make the habit happen. It was a struggle at first, but now I feel off-balance if I don’t work out regularly.
3. Make sure your ENVIRONMENT supports you in playing big.
A few years ago I had the chance to hear a dynamic woman named Artemis Limpert speak at an event in Dallas. In her talk, she pointed out that when you have a pet fish that’s sick, you treat the water — NOT the fish.
Your success depends more on your environment than you know, but it’s extremely important that you give yourself an environment that supports you at the level you want to BE at. (Note that I did NOT say the level you are at now!)
There are generally 3 areas of your environment you should pay close attention to:
First, your physical environment. Do you love your office? Do you have enough space to work and plan? Are you surrounded by attractive things? Do you have a nice view or at least a beautiful piece of art to look at? I paid a pretty penny for my beach pad, but I can’t tell you how inspiring it is every day to look out at the peaceful ocean, sailboats, blue sky, and the sand. It fuels me.
But you don’t have to spend a lot of money on your environment. Little touches like candles, flowers, music you love, and photos of friends and family can go a long way. (Even if your office is the kitchen table!)
Second, your emotional environment. Are you getting the support you need from your family and friends? It’s up to YOU to ask for what you need.
If they cannot provide it, find a coach, a mastermind, or a support group. I find it wonderful to have a mastermind group for support. I can bounce ideas off them, ask for help with problem solving, share my victories, and sometimes just vent!
Third, your intellectual environment. Jim Rohn says, “Are you feeding your brain protein every day, or are you just giving it candy?” Most Americans sustain their brains solely on candy - that is, useless television shows, news, and gossip. Are you stimulating yourself with big ideas and new learning? Again, check out a seminar, take a teleclass, or buy some books or audio programs. (I love listening to programs on CD or my iPod, so I can learn while driving my car or relaxing on a plane.)
© 2003-2008 Alexandria Brown International Inc.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning ‘Highlights on Marketing & Success’ weekly ezine with 28,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.AlexandriaBrown.com
Learn to Say “NO” and Mean It!
The question has just been posed.
Did you immediately say yes, even though there’s a voice deep down saying “no?”
What would happen if you said no? You’ll disappoint your clients? You won’t feel accepted? You’ll lose money?
Saying “no” is hard for many of us because guilt often comes into play. Whether it has its foundation in religion, your upbringing or a world view that simply says “it’s not nice to say no”, we often make decisions we’d rather not be making based upon guilt.
Realize that when you say ‘yes’ when you really mean ‘no’ you are wasting your time and energy. As a business owner, it will actually cost you money. When you are distracted with things you don’t have an interest in, things that don’t bring you closer to your goals, things that are not priorities for you, you have wasted your time and may feel taken advantage of.
How do you know when to say ‘no’? Identify all the reasons you have for wanting to say “no.” Is it beyond your comfort level? You have no interest? Start by knowing what it is that you DO want and set boundaries. Boundaries are simply rules that you decide are right for you.
Sometimes there are reasons not to say ‘no’. Would the discomfort involved in saying ‘no’ outweigh the benefits of possibly going along with the request? Or, do the benefits outweigh your temporary discomforts? Perhaps you’ll support a good cause, make your client happy or feel like part of the team?
Listen to the voice deep down inside of you. Make your decision by honoring your boundaries. Once you’ve made the decision to say “NO’ then go ahead and say it clearly, and self- assuredly…in the mirror.
Just say “NO.” Look yourself in the eye, and do it. Say it like you really mean it, and then say it again as you would to whomever made the request of you. When you pretend you’re speaking to the person who made the request, does it come out differently?
Practice and experiment with different ways to say “NO” until you find one you’re comfortable with. Then go, and say “NO.” If you’re used to giving in to others, then guess what? After all that practice, you may just be surprised to find that they are not willing to accept it!
They may push, rephrase the question, or make a new, not altogether different, request. Be prepared for this! Know your boundaries-what ARE you willing to do? If you are serious about saying “NO” then stand your ground.
How NOT TO say “NO!”
1. The “Wet lettuce NO” If you are going to say NO, you must say it in a way that means NO! Saying NO in a quiet, unassuming voice is like a hand shake that is floppy and limp. You will feel as though you have to convince the other person why you have said it!
2. The “Angry NO” This is at the other end of the spectrum in how to say NO. It is done in an aggressive manner and usually said with contempt. It is not an effective way to communicate your NO. For example: “NO. I’m not doing that garbage. You’ve got to be joking aren’t you?”
How TO say “NO!”
1. Be assertive. This is the best way to say NO! In a firm, yet polite voice say: “No. I will not be able to do that for you” If you want to say the reasons why, keep it short and sweet. “My schedule is full.”
2. Use effective body language. When saying NO remember the power of non-verbal communications. Look the person in the eye when you say the NO. Shake your head at the same time as saying NO. Stand up tall. Use a firm tone in your voice.
Your Assignment:
For the next 7 days: start to say NO more often. You will be an expert at the end of the week! What will happen? You will feel much more confident. The more you confidently say “NO” the easier it becomes. Others will respect your wishes and take you seriously the first time you say “NO.” You’ll have more time to focus on the things you want to be involved in.
Remember that when anyone asks a question of you, it is perfectly OK to say, “I’ll think about that and get back to you”. Don’t feel pressured into giving an immediate answer. Take some time to think it through and to gather your thoughts, even if the delay is only a couple of minutes. It will give you some time to think about how you are going to say it, the words to use and your body language.
Practice makes perfect as they say!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sherri Frost specializes in helping Holistic Practitioners and Coaches Easily Fill Their Practice with Clients. To get her FREE eCourse: 7 Simple Ways to Easily Fill Your Practice With Clients visit her site at http://www.ProPowerNow.com
A Ray of Stitches
We’re a homeschooling family and unique games and learning tools are something we’re always on the look out for. For my oldest son’s birthday last year I picked up some great games from A Ray of Stitches that were custom made with a space theme. They’re definitely the most popular games in the house!
Check out her gallery here: http://arayofstitches.com/gallery.html
Coming up at WAHspirations…
For the next few weeks I’ll be spotlighting a different inspired business woman here and there. Keep your eyes open for unique gifts, cute baby items, and more from some of the home based business women I’m blessed to know.
A Lady You Don’t Want to Miss
I’ve been subscribed to Nancy Marmolejo’s newsletter for a while now and regularly read her blog. It’s an inspirational “kick in the pants” for me to get real about claiming my personality, knowledge and style an being okay with that. Highly recommended!
As I was browsing the archives a bit I ran across this quote:
You do have something unique to say because no one has said it in your voice, with your style, and with your personality. Imagine if no artist ever painted the human form again because Rembrandt did it so well. By withholding your expertise, you are denying your ideal market the chance to learn from a new perspective. — Nancy Marmolejo
Read more about Marketing Yourself as an Expert here: http://www.vivavisibility.com/blog/?p=24
Nancy Marmolejo helps successful entrepreneurs stand out, get noticed, and get more business by positioning themselves as sought after, recognized experts. Find out how easy it is to start with Nancy’s 7 Quick and Simple Tips, available free at www.VivaVisibility.com
Do You Have To Report Your Online Income?
If you have an online business - whether it’s selling on eBay, affiliate marketing, direct selling, or even a service you offer - you’ve probably wondered at some point if and when you have to report that income.
Well, CPA and fellow online business owner, Kristine McKinley, answers this question for us here. According to Kristine…
* You must report all income earned. It’s a common misconception that if you don’t earn much or if you’re just doing it as a hobby that it’s not reportable or taxable. That’s not true. All income is reportable from the first dollar earned.
* It doesn’t matter if you receive a 1099 or not. It also doesn’t matter if you earn less than a certain amount. Another myth is that if you earn less than $600 you don’t have to report the income. Again, it’s just not true.
* However, you are allowed to deduct business expenses from your income, so just because you have to report your income doesn’t mean you’ll have to pay any taxes. If you have expenses that are as much as or greater than your income, then you won’t owe any taxes, and you may even be able to use that loss to reduce other taxable income.
To learn more about how your online income is taxable, and what expenses you can deduct, please check out “Your Top Tax Questions Answered” teleseminar and ebook.
5 Tips For Giving Presentations That Consistently Sell
©Tessa Stowe, Sales Conversation, 2008
Have you ever given a sales presentation and your prospect said thanks but no thanks? They didn’t seem all that interested or even if they were interested, they didn’t want to buy from you?
Think of all the time, money and resources (TMR) you have wasted on these sales presentations that go nowhere.
Here are five tips that will help you avoid this ever happening to you again. These tips will also help you give sales presentations that consistently sell.
Tip #1: Only give a sales presentation after you understand your prospect’s specific problem and motivation.
Before you can give a presentation and say you can solve your prospect’s problem, you need to understand their specific problem. Yes? Seems obvious and logical I know but ‘prescribing before diagnosing’ is one of the top 10 common sales mistakes. Therefore before you present your solution, ask lots of questions and dive deep into the answers so you can understand their problem. Find out what their problem is costing them. Also find out what specific benefits they would get if they solved their problem.
Tip # 2: Only give a sales presentation after you have asked the “magic question”.
The “magic question” will make the need for many presentations and proposals disappear. That’s why it’s magic. With this question you simply ask “Just suppose, that I give you a presentation on our products and services, and you see they’re a perfect fit for you, what would happen next?” The answer to this question will often indicate you need to do a lot more work before a presentation or proposal is the next best step.
Tip # 3: Give highly relevant sales presentations.
The more relevant your presentation is to your prospect, the greater will be their interest. Conversely the less relevant it is to them, the less will be their interest. There is a direct correlation.
If you give a standard - one size fits all presentation - on the faint hope that something you say will be relevant and hit a hot button, chances are your prospect won’t be listening - or they’ll be asleep by the time you do get to that hot button. If you are giving a standard presentation, you are leaving it up to your prospect to work out what is relevant and most prospects simply can’t be bothered. If you give a standard presentation, the relevance will be low and their interest will be low.
To give highly relevant presentations, only present those aspects of your products and services that are relevant to their specific problem. Ditch the rest. Your prospect doesn’t care about the rest.
You also want your presentation to be highly relevant in language. Speak to your prospect in the language of their role - not in your language. I call this “Speaking to their ears.”
Tip # 4: Give sales presentations that motivate prospects to buy.
With tip #1, I said to only give presentation once you understand your prospect’s motivation for solving their problem. During your presentation, you then simply reflect back all the motivation your prospect has told you during the questioning process. You reflect back what they’ve told you about what the problem is costing them. You reflect back what they told you would be the benefits if they solved their problem. Your prospect will agree with everything you’re saying as they are the ones that gave you the information. Assuming it makes sense (financial or otherwise) - and you should not be giving a presentation unless it does - your prospect will be very motivated to buy.
Tip #5: Only give sales presentations to people who are going to buy.
This tip may seem obvious but selling to prospects that aren’t going to buy is another one of the top 10 common sales mistakes. It’s a complete waste of your TMR giving presentations to prospects that aren’t going to buy so make sure you put your prospect through your filtering, or qualification process, before you give your presentation. You do have a filtering or qualification process, don’t you?
To implement what I’ve covered above, I suggest you do two things. First look back at some recent presentations (or proposals) you have given that went nowhere. Now look at these tips and see what you could have done differently to have avoided this situation. Your past “failures” are very valuable learning experiences - and you’ve paid for them with your TMR - so learn from them. Secondly I suggest you look at some current prospects you are talking to and see which tips you need to apply before you give a presentation.
Apply these five tips and watch how your sales presentations will consistently sell.
Tessa Stowe teaches small business owners and recovering salespeople 10 simple steps to turn conversations into clients without being sales-y or pushy. Her FREE monthly Sales Conversation newsletter is full of tips on how to sell your services by just being yourself. Sign up now at www.salesconversation.com.
How to Get Great Tech Support in Four Easy Steps
1) Rely on Yourself First
You might be surprised what you can solve quickly by taking advantage of the “self-help” resources most technical related companies offer. Check for flash (video) tutorials, a searchable knowledge base, or a customer forum. Very often the most common questions can be answered in just minutes if you look at those places first. It will save you time if you start there. Or try a quick Google search.
2) Use Proper Avenues
Always use the proper method to request support. If support has a helpdesk use it. You’ll generally get a quicker response than if you try to skip the support staff and go direct to the CEO of the company. The CEO will usually pass your request back to the helpdesk staff anyway. Escalate a problem only if it becomes necessary.
3) Details, Details, Details
The more detail you can provide about the problem you’re facing, the better. It will take longer for tech support to help you if they have to reply with basic questions and await your response, then you have to wait for another response from them.
Here are some details you may want to include for some common internet problems.
For a hosting related problem:
- Your domain name
- Your username
- What server you are on
- What problem you are having and what you did right before it happened
- What time it happened
- What internet browser you are using (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc)
- What operating system you are using (Windows XP, Vista, Mac OS X, Linux, etc)
For an email related problem:
- Your email address
- What email program you are using (webmail, or a program on your computer)
- The exact error message or problem in as much detail as possible
- When the problem began
- Any recent changes (for example, upgrade to your computer software or a new internet service provider)
For a shopping cart related problem:
- As detailed a description of the problem as possible
- If a particular category, product, or page, include a link to that page
- If a particular order had the problem, include the order number
- Try to recreate the problem and include the steps to recreate it
- Anything else that might be related to the issue
For a problem downloading a product you’ve purchased:
- What steps you took to try to download it
- What happened when you tried
- What operating system and browser you are using
4) Remember Your Manners
Be polite. The majority of the time whatever problem you are having is not the direct fault of the person you’re speaking to. Consider that it might be user error. No matter who ends up being at fault (you, them, a computer somewhere, a mysterious internet gremlin) you’ll normally get a faster and more helpful response if you don’t begin by making the person who is ready to help you defensive by being rude, swearing at them or “YELLING” in caps. They are on your side and want to help you. Be patient, allow them time to solve your problem, and treat them with respect.
Keep these four tips in mind and you’ll be able to resolve your technical web problems more quickly and with less frustration.
Find Michelle Shaeffer online at The Small Business Muse where she shares weekly tips and strategies for small businesses in The Muses Brainstorm. Stop by The Muses Guide for inspirational guides to help your small business grow.