We are thrilled to have Lani and Allen Voivod from Epiphanies Inc. for an extended hour webinar on April 7, 2016 to present “Social Media Trendsetting: How to Succeed and Lead Today With Digital And Mobile Marketing”. The workshop will reveal how to best use Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and more to your advantage. Please share this webinar with any of your friends and family who could use this information. Mark your calendars!
Using YouTube for your business
YouTube is a super tool for your business. Be sure to watch this important information and use it. An additional recommendation is to turn your videos into podcasts! The technology we have available is amazing!
4 benefits of business groups
Consider joining a business group of some kind. There are numerous benefits that your business can gain from with a small time investment in an active group. Some are:
1. Sharing your knowledge and gaining satisfaction from helping others. This will give your business the professional edge and you will become viewed as an expert in your industry.
2. Gain referrals and make connections. Since you are viewed as a professional amongst other helpful professionals you will gain more valuable referrals.
3. More opportunities. While you are contributing to the business group there will be many opportunities that will be brought for individuals and the group to participate in.
4. Infusion of positive influences. Business groups are filled with optimistic people who love to help others. If your business is going through a rough patch and you need a fresh view, the positive outlooks of the group members will lift you up to carry you through.
Networking can be a lot of fun and help grow your business. So get out there and mingle. The small investment of your time will pay back HUGE dividends!
Please list business groups you are or have worked with and how it was a benefit to your business.
Do you chose to accept your mission?
Your business exists for a reason. What is it? How can anyone in your company meet expectations if they are not written down and shared?
Create a mission statement. It is really needed so everyone understands the reason why your business exists. The statement needs to be well thought out, concise, and specific. Take your time with it and get every word just right.
A well constructed sentence or two is all that is needed to create your vision. Some questions to consider during construction are: Why do you do what you do? What problems does your company solve? Who works for your company? How can your business make customer’s lives better?
There are many other questions to help narrow down this very important statement. Please share more questions in the comment section below.
Thousands of Opportunities!
Looking for a place to sell your products and services? The government has set up a website called FBO.gov which is the Federal Business Opportunities website. Federal Agencies post their solicitations (stuff they need to buy) on this website so that vendors can respond with information or proposals.
Before responding to a post, a vendor must have a DUNS number (Data Universal Numbering System). If you have already registered in SAM.gov then the information will be pulled into FBO.gov with just the DUNS number. There is also free help to assist vendors in this process through Procurement Technical Assistance Program or PTAP which is available in every state.
This database is very comprehensive and worth a look by any business to see if they can provide the product or service the government is looking to procure. There are thousands and thousands of listings for just about anything. We have seen solicitations for toilet paper, construction, software, cleaning services, ice machines, interpreter services and coveralls. We are sure what you have to offer is being sought. Check it out!
Please comment any tips on using FBO.gov for your business.
Please comment any tips on using FBO.gov for your business.
Calling all service businesses, consider this
In a service business, generally time is traded for money. If services aren’t rendered you don’t get paid. You have to keep cranking out those services to generate income. It is the nature of the service business.
What if you could create products to sell from your service business? I know it may sound odd and you might be asking, how do I make a service into a product? In your service industry you are an expert! Use your knowledge to your advantage and create another stream of income.
If you don’t have a website, create or hire someone to get it up and running. Sell some how to videos or podcasts. Or if you are shy, create how to books or short ebooks in your industry. These can create what we like to call “information vending machines”, you get to help many more people with your knowledge than you can by actually performing services.
Please share in the comments, how different types of service businesses can turn their expertise into products.
Stop, write, and roll
Do you ever feel like your boss gives you too much work at once? You can’t focus on what needs to be done because there’s too much to do. Your mind swims and you jump from one fire (urgent need) to another. As a result, nothing gets done. How do you sort it all out?
Stop, write and roll….
1. Stop what you are doing, take a deep breath and clear your mind. This will give you a clean slate to start from.
2. Write all of the work down in a list. Get it onto paper where you can evaluate each one and prioritize based on urgency and importance.
3. Roll through the prioritized list one at a time. This takes focus and discipline. There will be phones ringing, emails coming in and instant messages that will pop up. If need be shut all of it down so you can focus and go into what we call “the cone of silence”. Make sure there are no distractions taking you off your task.
When each task is complete, be sure to cross out or check them off. Make it a game and project how many items you will finish by lunch or by the end of the day. This will give you something to strive for.
Even if you aren’t passionate about your job, there is satisfaction knowing you put out a bunch of fires and your boss will be grateful for it.
Please leave other tips on how to handle work overload in the comments.