WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS - Blog

Plan Ahead for 2010

This is a great time of year to set the foundations for a successful year ahead. Carve out some time over the festive season to give some serious thought to how you want your business  -and your life - to look like this time next year.

A good starting point is to take stock of the year just gone. What went well, what didn't go so well and what lessons did you learn? How can you increase your profits, how can you increase your time off? Are there systems you need to put in place to ensure your business and your life run more smoothly? Some people never do this review, but it is a vital part of making the next year one of your best ever.   

Often we'll sit down and write our plan for the next year without reference to what's already happened. This is not a good idea as we'll miss out on the lessons learned.  So make sure you do some kind of review of the previous year. Ideally this kind of review and the forward planning will be written down.Initially you may just want to brainstorm ideas, but capturing your thoughts in written form will  provide focus and aid clarity.

There are lots of planning tools you can use, both on and off line. Most people have their own favourite time management tool. And if you don't, now's a perfect time to choose a paper based or electronic system to help you really get organised for 2010.

I highly recommend Jinny Ditzler's fantastic book "Your Best Year Yet" which I have used for the past five years for my own planning. This will give you great questions and a structure for deciding what are your top goals and priorities for 2010.

YOUR TAKE ACTION CHALLENGE:

You might want to try the "Year Ahead Exercise".  Imagine it's already December 2010 and you are writing a letter or journal entry about the year just gone. It's best to hand write this exercise as this makes it easier to get in touch with your creative brain.  Don't worry about what seems possible. Just go with the flow and write what pops into your head. Don't edit and don't over analyse. You may be surprised at what crops up.

Some of my clients have found brilliant new business ideas through doing this exercise. You never know what fantastic thoughts your subconscious will present you with that you may never have discovered at an intellectual level. Have fun with this and don't rule anything out as being too fantastical - the clues are there for taking into next year's plan.

(c) Shona Partridge, Women Mean Business

This is a great time of year to set the foundations for a successful year ahead. Carve out some time over the festive season to give some serious thought to how you want your business  -and your life - to look like this time next year.

A good starting point is to take stock of the year just gone. What went well, what didn't go so well and what lessons did you learn? How can you increase your profits, how can you increase your time off? Are there systems you need to put in place to ensure your business and your life run more smoothly? Some people never do this review, but it is a vital part of making the next year one of your best ever.   

Often we'll sit down and write our plan for the next year without reference to what's already happened. This is not a good idea as we'll miss out on the lessons learned.  So make sure you do some kind of review of the previous year. Ideally this kind of review and the forward planning will be written down.Initially you may just want to brainstorm ideas, but capturing your thoughts in written form will  provide focus and aid clarity.

There are lots of planning tools you can use, both on and off line. Most people have their own favourite time management tool. And if you don't, now's a perfect time to choose a paper based or electronic system to help you really get organised for 2010.

I highly recommend Jinny Ditzler's fantastic book "Your Best Year Yet" which I have used for the past five years for my own planning. This will give you great questions and a structure for deciding what are your top goals and priorities for 2010.

YOUR TAKE ACTION CHALLENGE:

You might want to try the "Year Ahead Exercise".  Imagine it's already December 2010 and you are writing a letter or journal entry about the year just gone. It's best to hand write this exercise as this makes it easier to get in touch with your creative brain.  Don't worry about what seems possible. Just go with the flow and write what pops into your head. Don't edit and don't over analyse. You may be surprised at what crops up.

Some of my clients have found brilliant new business ideas through doing this exercise. You never know what fantastic thoughts your subconscious will present you with that you may never have discovered at an intellectual level. Have fun with this and don't rule anything out as being too fantastical - the clues are there for taking into next year's plan.

(c) Shona Partridge, Women Mean Business

Marketing 101 - Tip # 13 Time to Think

If you're constantly busy and on the go, where will you find the time to think about new ideas? The trouble is, when we love what we do it's much more difficult to have the demarcation we would get in a traditional, salaried job.

However, taking time out to rest, recharge and just daydream is actually an essential part of being an entrepreneur and business owner. After all, Einstein came up with the Theory of Relativity when he was lying on a hillside on a sunny day wondering what it would be like to ride on a sunbeam! And Walt Disney had a specially designated "Dreaming Room."

So, what's your dreaming time and special place? When did you last empty your mind of to do lists and "shoulds"? New ideas need space to develop, and marketing ideas are no different. Try it out - and I'd love to hear how you get on.

If you're constantly busy and on the go, where will you find the time to think about new ideas? The trouble is, when we love what we do it's much more difficult to have the demarcation we would get in a traditional, salaried job.

However, taking time out to rest, recharge and just daydream is actually an essential part of being an entrepreneur and business owner. After all, Einstein came up with the Theory of Relativity when he was lying on a hillside on a sunny day wondering what it would be like to ride on a sunbeam! And Walt Disney had a specially designated "Dreaming Room."

So, what's your dreaming time and special place? When did you last empty your mind of to do lists and "shoulds"? New ideas need space to develop, and marketing ideas are no different. Try it out - and I'd love to hear how you get on.

Marketing 101 - Tip # 2 Create "Client Free Days"

One of the most important decisions I ever made in my business was to only see clients 3 days a week!

I decided to ring fence times where I did not see clients or even do a lot of client  work. Nowadays, I don't see clients on Mondays or Fridays and  I limit any client work I do on these days.

My key days for seeing clients and doing client work are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. This means I have two days a week to concentrate on other things. Maybe it's marketing and PR, writing, creating new programmes,reading or learning new skills or maybe just taking some time out to re-charge my batteries.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this decision changed my life. Instead of rushing around at the whim of my clients, I took control of my time and my commitments. My clients benefit too because they know when I'm available for them.

Trust me - this one decision will repay huge dividends in extra time, energy and a feeling of control.

One of the most important decisions I ever made in my business was to only see clients 3 days a week!

I decided to ring fence times where I did not see clients or even do a lot of client  work. Nowadays, I don't see clients on Mondays or Fridays and  I limit any client work I do on these days.

My key days for seeing clients and doing client work are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. This means I have two days a week to concentrate on other things. Maybe it's marketing and PR, writing, creating new programmes,reading or learning new skills or maybe just taking some time out to re-charge my batteries.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this decision changed my life. Instead of rushing around at the whim of my clients, I took control of my time and my commitments. My clients benefit too because they know when I'm available for them.

Trust me - this one decision will repay huge dividends in extra time, energy and a feeling of control.

Strengthen your business boundaries

If you want to have more energy and more confidence it pays to have strong boundaries.

If you say yes to too many requests from other people you could find yourself feeling harassed and even resentful. Not a good combination for your confidence levels!

There are several things you can start to do right away which will have a positive impact in this area.

You’ll find that a lot of these suggestions are really about controlling your time in one way or another. If we feel in control of how we use our time it helps us to feel more confident that we are in charge of our own lives and businesses.

• Get really clear on your business and personal priorities. Only say yes to requests that fit into your own priorities.
• Have set days and times for client appointments rather that saying yes just because you have a space in your diary. This one action can radically reduce your stress levels and give you clear time to work “on” your business.
• If you work from home ensure that friends, neighbours and family members know your core working hours. Don’t fall into the trap of being everyone’s errand runner or doing the car pool most days. Remind people that you are running a business and your time is important too.
• Say no to requests politely but firmly – you don’t even have to say why. Just practice saying something like: “That won’t work for me.”
• Buy yourself time by not saying yes to requests when you are first asked. Say you’ll get back to the person when you’ve checked your diary. This gives you breathing space to make a considered decision. We all love to be helpful and can find ourselves saying yes and regretting it later.
• Remember you don’t have to answer the door or the telephone if you are busy.
• Get help in the form of a cleaner, baby sitter, order groceries on line etc.

Think about what bothers you in this area. Is there something that others take for granted that is bugging you? Is there a negative friend who drains you every time they phone? Are you doing most of the housework and cooking? Are you the one who always seems to be picked for committees? Make a list.

Now go through your list item by item and decide what you can do differently in future to strengthen your boundaries.  Pick something easier to start with as this will give you the confidence to work up to the more challenging items. Not everyone will be happy with your new way of doing things, but trust me, the freed up time and energy will be well worth it!

Motivation matters!

If you want to keep your motivation high as you build your business, remember why you went into business for yourself in the first place. Consider what you want your business to do for you! Too often we become slaves to our businesses and lose touch with our key values and reasons for being our own bosses. It pays to step off the treadmill now and then to reconsider why you decided to run your own business. People go into business for themselves for all sorts of reasons - negative as well as positive. Perhaps you decided to turn your hobby into a paying concern. Perhaps you did it to avoid a long commute, a boring, repetitive job or even a bullying boss!

You could be one of those lucky people who are so passionate about their line of work  they would do it even if they weren't being paid! But, hey - you need to cover the mortgage too! Maybe you wanted to spend more time with your family, or find the time to finish writing your novel. Maybe the idea was to travel more and only work a four day week. Whatever the positive reasons were, try getting back in touch with what motivated you and use this to revitalise your long term vision for your business and how it will support your life.

Do you want your business to grow into a larger enterprise or do you want to keep it smaller and more manageable, still working from a home based office? Do you envisage larger premises and more staff? Is your longer term goal to make the business work without you and perhaps build a business that you can ultimately sell? It pays to think about the very long term.

Try writing down your ideas - don't just think about them. It's amazing how much clearer your ideas become when you write them down. Rather than working from month to month or even year to year, look at the really big picture. When do you want to retire? Do you even want to retire? This exercise will pay enormous dividends and may even prevent you taking a wrong turn with your business. You don't have to grow your business beyond a certain size if you believe this could have a detrimental impact on your quality of life. Remember, it's your life and your business so make the most of it!

Do you need to meet in person?

I'm been working on making my business bigger and more "virtual" this year. I'm very fortunate that I can work by telephone so it doesn't matter where my potential clients live.

Are there any aspects of your service provision that could be done over the phone rather than in person? It's great to meet potential and actual clients face to face, but not every subsequent meeting needs to be in person. You and your clients could save lots of travel time and it frees up space for more clients or more time off.

Of course sometimes it's great to get out of the house and it can stop us feeling too isolated as solo professionals working from home. But just giving a little extra thought to whether you really want or need to get in the car or hop on the train, instead of just picking up the phone can add up to hours of saved time over a year

Marketing 101 - Tip # 13 Time to think!

If you're constantly busy and on the go, where will you find the time to think about new ideas? The trouble is, when we love what we do it's much more difficult to have the demarcation we would get in a traditional, salaried job.

However, taking time out to rest, recharge and just daydream is actually an essential part of being an entrepreneur and business owner. After all, Einstein came up with the Theory of Relativity when he was lying on a hillside on a sunny day wondering what it would be like to ride on a sunbeam! And Walt Disney had a specially designated "Dreaming Room."

So, what's your dreaming time and special place? When did you last empty your mind of to do lists and "shoulds"? New ideas need space to develop, and marketing ideas are no different. Try it out - and I'd love to hear how you get on.

The Power of 15 Minutes

Never forget the power of 15 minutes. 

This is one of the best time saving tips I have ever been given.
There are lots of tasks you can accomplish or make a dent in, in as little as 15 minute blocks.  Write and send e-mails, return phone calls, write a planning list, review notes for a meeting.

At home you could  put on a load of washing, do the washing up, iron a couple of items - the list is endless. Too often we feel - "oh I've only got a few minutes - there's no point in starting anything".

Try using this 15 minute tasks tip several times a day for a few weeks and see how much difference it can make.

Marketing 101 - Tip # 2 - Create "Client Free" days

One of the most important decisions I ever made in my business was to only see clients 3 days a week!

I decided to ring fence times where I did not see clients or even do a lot of client  work. Nowadays, I don't see clients on Mondays or Fridays and  I limit any client work I do on these days.

My key days for seeing clients and doing client work are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. This means I have two days a week to concentrate on other things. Maybe it's marketing and PR, writing, creating new programmes,reading or learning new skills or maybe just taking some time out to re-charge my batteries.

This may sound a bit shocking, but I'm not exaggerating when I say it changed my life. Instead of rushing around at the whim of my clients, I took control of my time and my commitments. My clients benefit too because they know when I'm available for them.

Trust me - this one decision will repay huge dividends in extra time, energy and a feeling of control.

Marketing 101 - Tip # 1 - Make Time for Marketing

Marketing is vital for the success of your business so it's crucial that you set aside regular time for it.

Whether it 's an hour every day or a day every week, make a marketing appointment with yourself and stick with it like you would keep a client appointment. Don't push marketing onto the back burner, no matter how busy you get. In future posts we'll look at what marketing tasks you can concentrate on, but this is the key foundation step that will make all  the difference.

MARKETING 101 - # 1 Make Time For Marketing

(c) Shona Partridge 2009, Women Mean Business. www.womenmeanbusiness.co.uk