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Archive for Business Tools

How Learning Can Help Your Business

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Tuesday, May 24th, 2016

learning goldfish

At QuantumShift’s leadership development program, one of the many tips that attendees received was that in order to succeed as an entrepreneur, they would have to dedicate themselves to a life of learning. Focusing on improving yourself and a dedication to knowledge of all types was a main ingredient to having a successful business.

While many balked at first, thinking this meant continuing education, what was really meant by this was learning more about yourself, more about your customers, your product and anything else you were interested in. It was the actual learning experience that brought the owners of these companies to the forefront and helped them keep up with ever changing business demands.

They found it was not so much about balancing learning with their other interests, as it was about priorities. One of those priorities should be to always learn. In today’s quickly evolving business community, knowing what you need to do is just as important as finding the time to do it. We all have the same 24 hours a day, yet some people seem to accomplish all they set out to do, while others don’t do much of anything.

There is also a difference between information and knowledge, which leads to wisdom. Many of us have lots of facts that we have memorized or data that is stored in our brains. We have access to tons of information online. However, knowledge is being able to interpret this information, analyze it and put it to use.

Changing your daily routine and realizing that each thing you do is a choice, will gradually result in a change in your life and these business owners found that the more they became interested in not only various aspects of their business but hobbies and subjects which were far outside of the scope of business, the more they found different ways to provide new services for their customers. The small act of even the simplest changes seemed to activate something that evolved gradually and then began to pick up steam.

Looking back, in the past, what these entrepreneurs were gathering would have been considered knowledge, a general understanding of various skills and principles, but most of us have lost the ability (or interest!) to learn in this way. Discovering a new way to do something routine or adding to what we already know and then applying it to our lives seems to be a lost art.

Amid all of the other tips that these entrepreneurs received, they realized that learning in a classroom or learning a new business skill has somehow become more important than expanding their interests. What small business owners are now finding out is that learning itself is a skill, and if they wish to excel, learning must be practised.

© Copyright 2016 Chris Draper  All rights reserved.

image courtesy of henley.ac.uk

 

Categories : Business Tools, Small Business
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How Lists Help Your Productivity

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Monday, May 9th, 2016

listFor those of us who wish we could simplify our lives just a little – and which of us doesn’t wish that – maintaining a productive schedule doesn’t always come easy.

What are the most important things you would like to accomplish today? Which things do you really need to do and which would you like to do?

This is where maintaining balance and boosting your productivity cross paths. It’s also where  lists, whether you love them or hate them, are important. Some people are expert list makers. They have lists for everything and if you can manage that and it doesn’t take away time from actually getting things done, then you’re already a step ahead of most of us.

The great thing about lists is that as long as you pay attention to them, they will keep you organized. A master list is a great thing to have; one that encompasses both your work and your home life. For the professional list maker, this keeps everything running on an even keel. If you aren’t good at lists, an online app might be more to your liking, otherwise most of your day will be spent getting started on a list!

For the rest of us, the to do list should become a priority. This is the list that you make at the end of each day with a running tab of everything that you want to get done within the next several days. These are the things which when not written down, will keep you awake at night, worrying that you have forgotten something important. These are the things that you want to focus on and accomplish as quickly as possible and then get out of the way so you have time to enjoy your life.

It’s always a good idea to put a set amount of time beside any item(s) on your list and have a variety of tasks, some which can be finished quickly and others that may take a bit longer. This way, when you have those periods throughout the day when your energy is lagging, you can look at your list and complete one of the smaller tasks. This is usually all you need to get your focus back.

Getting right to your tasks early in the day will help you accomplish more and if you do hit a period where your energy level drops, it will be easier to get back to your list later in the day if you feel you have already completed the majority of the items.

Remember to take short breaks. Getting up and moving around will increase your energy and also give your eyes a rest, especially if most of your tasks are computer related. Rushing through to finish everything as quickly as you can usually means you aren’t putting your best effort forward. Know when to stop for the day. Not completing everything isn’t the end of the world. Add any remaining items on your list to tomorrow’s to dos. Right at the top so you get to them first.

Another example of a useful list, taken from the master list gurus, is one that you will re-use, such as a grocery list, a travel list or a 4 season list. This last one is a list of the things that have to be done around your home throughout the year. Once the list is made, things can be added or subtracted from it as needed but it will save you time once the original list is there for you.

One final note; remember to keep your list up to date. Remove all completed items and those that are no longer of interest or needed. You’ll notice your productivity increase quickly and at the same time you will get much more from life!

© Copyright 2016 Chris Draper  All rights reserved.

image courtesy of pd4pic

 

Categories : Business Tools, Productivity, Small Business, Time Management, Work/Life Balance
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5 Precepts for Entrepreneurs

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Wednesday, March 9th, 2016

5 precepts

Precept: a general rule intended to regulate behaviour or thought.

Your actions will have a corresponding reaction.

For each decision and action that you make as a business owner, especially those that propel your business forward, your competitors will react. Much like a chess game, strategic moves that result in your business jumping to the forefront in your niche, will result in a likewise counter move from those who compete with you.

Expecting perfection is self defeating.

The more you strive for perfection in your business, the less happy you may be with your progress. Have you ever noticed the business owner who refuses to bring out a new product until everything is just right? Their advertising and marketing, messages they would like to post on social media, their website – all of it must look just right, be the right color, have perfect wording, come across a certain way – all in the name of perfection. In the meantime, your competitors have already moved ahead with the same or similar services and products and are now the leaders in your market.

Even when you fail, there is a lesson to be learned.

Without failure, there would be no risks. By taking risks, entrepreneurs innovate and this is how some of our greatest companies have come to exist. With risk, there is also the chance of failure and this is the way you learn what needs to be improved, what should be changed and how not to be complacent. Failure doesn’t necessarily mean that your product has bombed or your services are unneeded. It can mean that your marketing campaign wasn’t quite right or that you are a little ahead of your time. It gives you a chance to stop and think…and improve.

Plans are made to be changed.

No one likes change. Though many say they thrive on it and apparently it is good for us, it still doesn’t go over well, especially with your customers. Marketing change as improvement has long been one way many large companies have managed resistance in their customers. Changing your plans doesn’t mean you slow down or become less productive. It means you have a better idea and want to move forward with it.

Measure success through your own eyes, not through the eyes of others.

If this is your first business, you know how far you’ve come. You know what you have learned since striking out on our own and though you may not know why everything is going well, over time you’ll learn that also! Don’t let others tell you how well you’re doing unless those others are your customers. You’ll know which of your actions have created the most welcome responses from them, as all of your actions will have a corresponding reaction!

Chris Draper © Copyright 2016 All rights reserved.

image courtesy of emaze

 

 

Categories : Business Tools, Entrepreneurial Lifestyle, Marketing, Productivity, Small Business, Success
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Becoming an Effective Communicator

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Wednesday, June 10th, 2015

communicateThough effective communication is considered an interpersonal skill, it also forms the basis of all learning skills and eventually becomes a necessary leadership tool. A large part of communicating as a business owner will also involve your writing skills. If your ability to get your message across with the written word isn’t the best, this is one area where you may want to hire an assistant.

Success in business will depend upon your ability to develop relationships with your customers. Unfortunately, we live in a time where telephones are rarely answered and texting has become more common than conversation. Because of this, communicating through speech is becoming a lost art. Take special care not to lose yours because it is still one of the most important business needs.

Your ability to inspire others to come up with new ideas through collaborating can only be done if you are able to communicate those ideas to business colleagues and other business owners you work with. Simplify complicated information. This is particularly useful when dealing with customers. Leave out the technical details and stick to specifics.

Use your own way of speaking. Nothing turns off most clients more than a business owner who uses every current buzz word around. While it’s great to be yourself, remember to listen to the customer’s opinion. There are some business owners who confuse opinion with fact and their way is the only way. Don’t be one of those business owners. Remember, this is also important at any time. I doubt that your friends and family want to listen to your self-righteousness ravings either 🙂

The better your communication skills, the more you can expand your business to include new customers who would normally be outside of your reach. Know when to ask questions and when to listen. Your customers know when you’re listening and when you’re not concentrating on them because you’re occupied with what you’re going to say to them next.

Eye contact is important, it build trust. Have you ever spoken to someone who is extremely awkward socially? They usually look away from you and their posture shows how uncomfortable they are with speaking to you. Make sure that your body language can be read as relaxed and interested. While it’s a good idea to use a customer’s name, don’t overuse it by interjecting it into every sentence. That is just annoying and your customer will pick up on it right away.

Becoming an effective communicator takes time. It’s best to just be yourself and not try too hard. Communication is high on the list of “most wanted” by customers and it’s a skill that can be used in multiple ways to grow your business.

© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2015

image courtesy of businessknowhow

Categories : Business Tools, Small Business
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How Much is too Much?

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Tuesday, March 24th, 2015

too much  In their first enthusiasm of running a business, owners can be forgiven for getting carried away. Adrenalin is high, energy is endless and the future is bright. However, once they are in business for several years, well known and successful, there are several ways owners can still get in over their heads and over do a good thing.

Offering too many choices.

Wanting to please your customers is a natural desire but paying too much attention to your competitors can start a tendency to offer everything that they are offering in order to compete. There are advantages to offering less. Depending on your type of business, cost of overhead multiplies increasingly as you add more products. Simplify your management, cut your stock to the bare bones and concentrate on your most popular and most cost productive products. Studies have shown that consumers tend to buy more when there are fewer options available. The more choices they have, the more likely they are to get frustrated and not purchase at all.

Using social media inappropriately.

Social media can be your friend and a great tool for marketing your business, but only if you know how to use it.

For example, Ellen opens a Facebook account. She intends to access it only for her business, but besides her business contacts, her friends and relatives are also following her or listed as friends. Ellen, not terribly social media savvy, doesn’t realize she can set up her account with different lists and block certain people from seeing some posts or posting on her timeline.

Before long, her personal life and her business life are overlapping and her business contacts have more personal information about her than they really should. She is putting her business at risk by allowing others to know more about her life than is acceptable and not putting the focus on her business only. Ellen also hasn’t taken into consideration the threat of identity theft or realized that total strangers may be able to find out where she and her family live and what they do in their personal time. If you use social media for marketing your business, learn more about the tools available and take advantage of all of the security settings.

Too much communication.

As with social media, business owners spend a lot of their time spreading the word on what their business can offer that others don’t or can’t. In the midst of this, especially when offering anything new, business owners need to be careful that they don’t inadvertently give their competitors too much information.

In another vein, spending too much time communicating via email or phone can take time away from more profitable tasks. Knowing how much is necessary and how much is a distraction or an avoidance technique will tell you how well balanced your business is. Unnecessary communication can be used as an excuse to cover up how little is really being accomplished. There is also the risk of miscommunication and revealing something in error that can jeopardize your business.

Remember to use any marketing or business tools to the best of your ability. Overuse or misuse can result in less success for your small business.

© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2015

image courtesy of crystalmedia

Categories : Business Tools, Marketing, Small Business
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A Supercomputer in Your Pocket – The Future is Here!

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Friday, December 19th, 2014
Infographic about computers

by floydworx.

Categories : Business Tools, Entrepreneurial Lifestyle, Productivity
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5 Twitter Statistics You Probably Don’t Know But Should

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Friday, July 4th, 2014
5 Twitter Statistics You Probably Don

Categories : Business Tools, Marketing, Social Media
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Social Media Trends in 2014

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Friday, May 30th, 2014

Explore more visuals like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

© DemGen Inc. 2014

Categories : Business Tools, Social Media
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How Virtual Teams and Telecommuting Will Save the World

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Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014

How Virtual Teams and Telecommuting Will Save the WorldToday is Earth Day, but given some of the recent reports on climate change, it’s clear we need to be focused on the environment each and every day.

We realize there are many jobs that often require a physical presence and intend this post to help you to think out of the ‘typical box’.

Through a Google search, you can find many elite doctors that have performed successful virtual surgeries. When patients can’t come to doctors and doctors can’t come to patients, there are alternatives – no matter how remote the location.

This is the ‘virtual reality’ we live in these days… Almost every task can be completed online with the right technology.

Here at DemGen, we utilize tools such as Google Drive, Basecamp, Highrise, Infusionsoft, Grasshopper and many more to collaborate virtually.

Given how effectively we utilize these tools on a day-to-day basis, we often wonder why commute unless essential? OnlineMBA said back in 2010, beyond the environmental impact, businesses are losing money on in-house workers. Technology has evolved even more since, allowing for even more online collaboration…

According to 2013 US Census data, 8.1 percent of U.S. workers still commute for 60 minutes or longer (frighteningly 10.1 percent in California), and nearly 600,000 full-time workers are “mega commuters,” traveling 90 minutes, 50 miles or more for their jobs. What percent of that is actually necessary in this day and age?

Indeed, many commuters require face-to-face meetings, but what about the rest? How much could telecommuting, even just for one day of the week, or hiring a virtual team, help the environment?

Not to mention, people that don’t commute are just happier and more productive!  (Wouldn’t you be if you didn’t have to make your way into the office and back every day?)

Times, they are a changing.

Instead of simply pondering what you can do this Earth Day, I challenge you to think about the BIG picture…

What can you do that will make a lasting impact to ensure future generations are able to enjoy Earth as we know it?

Baby steps are always a great starting point!  Whatever you choose to do, you need to stick with it to inspire others to do the same.

Any step in the right direction is a good thing. Whatever you do to limit your environmental impact, we commend you! Please let us know in the comments or on social media, so we can share your feats. (We’re big fans of supporting people doing great things!)

 

© Tamara Smith, DemGen Inc. 2014

Categories : Business Tools, Entrepreneurial Lifestyle, Virtual Teams
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In an Office Far, Far Away… A Look at the Workplace of the Future

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Friday, April 18th, 2014

Here at DemGen we understand the virtues of virtual work firsthand and employ many strategies, systems and tools to ensure efficiency and productivity.

This fun infographic takes a deeper look at the workplace of the future.

Future Office
Source: TopManagementDegrees.com

Categories : Business Tools, Productivity, Virtual Teams
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