Use your tools - Know what is out there just for you!

Making life easier is something that alot of business owners are seeking. You may not have the time to look around, but if you do, there are some incredible online tools available to make your life easier.

The first one that I like to use is Hootesuite this social media manager allows you to log in and update multiple social media sites all at once! If you have been avoiding social media due to time issues - this is the product for you. I can log into hootesuite, write a status update that will be uploaded to twitter, facebook, linkedin and my 2 facebook pages. And I can do schedule when I want them to update - going on holidays for a week, but still want to bring attention to your website - easy!

You may have noticed my newsletters come out via Mailchimp, this simple and effective tool allows me to write newsletters in HTML format, include images and instantly send or schedule to send in a week. With the added bonus of being able to store multiple newsletters - you can have your next 4 newsletters done and dusted today - set and forget!

Looking to outsource your webcontent, articles, newsletters or logo design (or anything else you can think of)? Check out the talent on Elance, Fiverr,Burnyourtodolist or Odesk. These sites have thousands of people listed with all sorts of talent. Fiverr is a heap of fun because it has listed all the things that people will do for $5! From unique gifts to recording a testimonial!

Online outsourcing is just another way to free up your valuable time. If your time is most valuabley spent meeting and greeting clients - then your focus should be to outsource everything that is not meeting and greeting clients.

Here's to a great week in business. Tanja

What your customers really think

What your customers really think!

You would like to know - wouldn't you? Then ask them - it really is as simple as that. You must be prepared for the good, the bad and the ugly though. Giving your customers the opportunity to give you feedback on your products and service allows you to get some honest feedback - which might just hurt - but will allow you to improve your service and not just keep existing clients, but retain new customers that come along.

Give your clients the option of returning the survey anonymously, or filling out their details. You can help clients want to complete your survey by offering some sort of prize or 'special offer'.

The value of a customer survey is often underestimated, though when you think about it - these people have chosen your service, experienced your service and continue to use your service - who better to comment on how you are going?

You can even create a survey for outgoing or previous clients - it doesn't hurt to ask for their feedback!

Choose your questions wisely - try to limit the survey to 10 or 15 questions and avoid questions about the actual cost of your service - you don't wan't people thinking that you are not confident in your prices. If you put in a 'comments' section they will be sure to tell you in here if they think you are overpriced etc.

Don't forget to add to the bottom of the survey a section for a testimonial for use in advertisements. For example "We would love to have your comment for use as a testimonial on our website - please comment below and write your name as you would like it to appear" *note - your personal information will not be given to a third party - all names will appear in the following format - E B Jones Coffs Harbour"

There are many options for sending out your survey - one that I like to use is surveymonkey.com

I would love to hear of your feedback!

What your customers really think

What your customers really think!

You would like to know - wouldn't you? Then ask them - it really is as simple as that. You must be prepared for the good, the bad and the ugly though. Giving your customers the opportunity to give you feedback on your products and service allows you to get some honest feedback - which might just hurt - but will allow you to improve your service and not just keep existing clients, but retain new customers that come along.

Give your clients the option of returning the survey anonymously, or filling out their details. You can help clients want to complete your survey by offering some sort of prize or 'special offer'.

The value of a customer survey is often underestimated, though when you think about it - these people have chosen your service, experienced your service and continue to use your service - who better to comment on how you are going?

You can even create a survey for outgoing or previous clients - it doesn't hurt to ask for their feedback!

Choose your questions wisely - try to limit the survey to 10 or 15 questions and avoid questions about the actual cost of your service - you don't wan't people thinking that you are not confident in your prices. If you put in a 'comments' section they will be sure to tell you in here if they think you are overpriced etc.

Don't forget to add to the bottom of the survey a section for a testimonial for use in advertisements. For example "We would love to have your comment for use as a testimonial on our website - please comment below and write your name as you would like it to appear" *note - your personal information will not be given to a third party - all names will appear in the following format - E B Jones Coffs Harbour"

There are many options for sending out your survey - one that I like to use is surveymonkey.com

I would love to hear of your feedback!

My guest blog on BUSTING OUT!

Here is the link to my guest blog on Busting Out!

http://bustingout.com.au/a-real-life-busted-out-journey/

Love the whole 'Busting Out' concept & am filled with gratitude at the opportunity to do a guest post! Thanks Renee,

x x

Tanja

Great Gossip and how to get more

Gossip is not something that is normally considered a good thing. But when you take a minute to think about it - we all love a bit of gossip now and then! We love hearing it, sharing it and spreading it. So what does this have to do with business? Your business needs to be the focus of (great) Gossip!

We have all done it - had an experience in a shop or business and let more than one person know about 'what happened'. Now unfortunately we are more likely to spread negative stories (we love gossip - but we love to have a whinge too!), and alot of the business advice you read or receive is focused on this fact. How about focusing on the fact that when people have a funny, odd or sensational experience - they will share that with friends too.

What can you do in your business to start the gossip ball rolling?

What your business services are will depend on what can you do, but some ideas may include;

Putting in a kids corner to keep clients kids occupied (parents LOVE it when their kids are entertained for 10 minutes), colouring in competition, giveaways, lucky door prizes, free delivery, carrying goods to the car for people, free wifi for clients, complimentary tea and coffee while they wait, up to date magazines and books, a library of books or equipment that is specific to your business that your clients can borrow, these are the basics - then you can add to this list the 'quirky'. How about giving everyone who comes in the door a flower on valentines day? An egg at easter (beware of allergies), the list can go on.

Think about who your business caters for, and then think about who else you cater for by default. If your business caters to kids - they have adults that bring them along - what are you providing for them? Your business caters to adults - they may have friends or family that come along - how can you cater to them?

Get the gossip cranking today!

Here's to a great week in business. Tanja

Adventures In Manifesting

Adventures In Manifesting

So, 12 weeks ago I stumbled across an e course called Adventures in Manifesting. Ididn't really know what to expect in the course, having never done one before, and Iwasn't really sure what I would get out of it. To be perfectly honest I ummed and ahhhedfor probably 2 days before clicking on that 'buy now' button. What made me finally do it ? I knew that I wanted more in my life, and I had read Sarah's book - which, to me (having my own book in stores, and knowing what it takes to get to the finished product on shelves), meant alot.

I could not have possibly imagined the journey that was ahead. If you are reading this because you are trying to decide - then do it. I can try to describe the camaraderie, the RESULTS, the shift in mindset, the accountability, the laughter, the tears, the gratitude, the love and all the great, awesome, exceptional things that come into your life, the higher level of understanding and the growth you experience as a person, but it would just be words.

Truth be told, if you have found out about this course, and you are reading up on it, then go for it - you have attracted it into your life for some reason, why question it?

www.adventuresinmanifesting.org

#LOA

From the heart

Tanja

Moving the washing Basket

Moving the washing basket.

Seems like an odd title for a business e-news, but stay with me. I was putting away my washing the other day, and was going from the basket to the robe or the draw putting clothes where they belong, and it dawned on me - why don't I move the washing basket?

Women readers of this news are probably chuckling right now - they know how to effectively and swiftly manage the housework - you move the wash basket to the robe so you don't have to walk, you spin the washing line so the empty space comes to you - you don't walk to it. There are probably hundreds. What has this got to do with business? Everything.

Is your office, workspace or place of business fitted out in such a way for ease of use? Or do you have little obstacles, that now have become so 'normal' to you, that you don't notice them anymore? Take a fresh look around, ask a friend if you have to, should you move anything for 'ease of use'. Another name for this is "Feng Shui" or "wind and water" and the philosophy behind it is simply ease of energy flow.

If you put absolutely no stock whatsoever in energy flow - let me put it to you this way. If it takes a team member, who uses the printer 16 times a day, 30 seconds to walk to the printer, and 30 seconds to walk back, that's 16 minutes a day in walking to the printer - maybe you could move it closer to them and save yourself approximately 3840 minutes of 'wasted wages'.

Does your place of business welcome the customers? Do you have a welcome mat? Is your doorway open and inviting, or cluttered and small? Does your team have to negotiate desks, chairs and cupboards to get around the office, or can they just walk in straight to their desk?

From the larger items - like the actual placement of office furniture, to the simple moving the washing basket, take a fresh look at your systems - are things where they are "because that's where they have always been". Maybe its time for a mini move to spice things up - they say that change is as good as a holiday!

Here's to a great week in business. Tanja