tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38946512154015924062024-03-13T15:27:23.208+00:00FrontLine ResultsComments, news and views on topics that affect entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses.Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-76338441108274112712008-09-12T16:17:00.005+01:002010-08-03T13:32:02.372+01:00Time to Move On<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RUGq753EVsbENMkqU2GW-nirbV02_RdNt6WuoZ59hL7y46iyE1oIx2FE7xBRb0qTsxvPBD3lbfFPXvSMzdi3GFpY4-k7SAOaCnl7nIWHdwM_-XuxS03TukG7wJ7Q34307cQJzTEy94A/s1600-h/moving-van.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245158025997327218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RUGq753EVsbENMkqU2GW-nirbV02_RdNt6WuoZ59hL7y46iyE1oIx2FE7xBRb0qTsxvPBD3lbfFPXvSMzdi3GFpY4-k7SAOaCnl7nIWHdwM_-XuxS03TukG7wJ7Q34307cQJzTEy94A/s200/moving-van.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This has been a very easy blog to learn on, to use and to build and I am a little sad to leave. I've decided to keep all the posts here for you to read - especially since you've taken the trouble to visit!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">If you'd like to follow me to my new home, I'd be delighted to welcome you there too. There will be the same mix of news and tips, plus the occasional rant (you didn't really think I'd stop did you?) so I hope you'll pay a visit to the new blog which is at: <a href="http://www.frontline-results.com/blog/blog_index.html">http://www.frontline-results.com/blog/blog_index.html</a></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">See you later ......</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-59425866500660469092008-09-04T13:16:00.003+01:002008-09-04T13:31:28.458+01:00A key question<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWtWC08fuF1QyuI_ZiAunvIGRpGbKaIbUUoUZuSf8w7vYsiEaKLlEdt_n63ik6LiK5bFk5JABIuikwJXQviYXkHtqCtJDOX_4wW-jIPFk6iiTzSwHGWCXTuim_4_ciZ5WDBPCy7qVXBA/s1600-h/question.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWtWC08fuF1QyuI_ZiAunvIGRpGbKaIbUUoUZuSf8w7vYsiEaKLlEdt_n63ik6LiK5bFk5JABIuikwJXQviYXkHtqCtJDOX_4wW-jIPFk6iiTzSwHGWCXTuim_4_ciZ5WDBPCy7qVXBA/s200/question.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242142636123712322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">This morning has been one without focus. As a result, I haven't got through half of what I wanted to! Some papers I needed weren't where I thought and I kept getting distracted by trivia. My mood wasn't good.<br /><br />Then the phone rang (doesn't it always!). The caller quickly identified themselves and launched into what they wanted to say. I'm afraid I gave them rather short shrift! My mind was still on the missing papers and how far behind I was falling. While I wasn't rude (at least I hope not), I did actually utter those immortal words "Don't call me, I'll call you." (I can't quite believe I actually said that out loud).<br /><br />How different things might have gone if the caller had asked me the one key question that I believe everyone should learn: <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Do you have time to talk now?"</span> and waited for the reply. I might have felt more kindly disposed if I had been given the option to hold the conversation at another more convenient time.<br /><br />Oh well, enough of that... now, where ARE those papers?<br /><br /></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-81796933885105800862008-08-29T14:10:00.006+01:002008-08-29T15:59:47.631+01:00Let's get refocused<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's nearly the end of the summer holidays and I can already see lots of invitations coming through for networking events, seminars and workshops. Business owners I've spoken to are starting to ramp up their marketing - and I'm no exception!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've been kept busy over the summer both working with coaching clients and on new products. I'm consciously moving closer to my new business model - it's starting to get exciting now!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">From next week I'm delighted to have several projects lined up with <a href="http://www.southernentrepreneurs.co.uk">Southern Entrepreneurs</a>, starting with leading a small Mastermind group and then, at the end of September, I've been asked to hold a Stress Management workshop.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Next week also sees the launch of a brand new joint venture that I'm really looking forward to and will announce here when it goes live!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">As a result of all the preparation involved in these activities, blogging has rather slipped through the net lately! But, with the end of the holiday season, I know that all business owners will be refocusing on their targets for the rest of the year. I will resume more regular blogging and hope that the posts will continue to provide tips and inspiration for you!</span><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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However, this frugality has also backfired on me and held my business back.<br />
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You see, I believed it was wrong to spend much on training to learn more about business. But the free or low-cost seminars and workshops just left me increasingly frustrated because they didn’t give me the whole story!<br />
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I’d been following several very successful business owners whom I admired, hearing them tell about the importance of investing in their personal development, and that they spent as much as they could afford (sometimes even more than was comfortable) on hiring a coach and training.<br />
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At some point a couple of years ago, it dawned on me that my belief was actually holding me back from success. It wasn’t a case of waiting until I could comfortably afford to invest in training at all! The training had to be done <b>first</b>, and <b>then</b> the business would be more successful. Not really a light bulb moment, more of a ‘Duh, why didn’t I think of that before?’ moment!<br />
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All the time I was thinking small and penny pinching on my personal development, I was in effect saying that neither my business or I deserved more.<br />
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As soon as I took the plunge and started investing serious amounts of time and money in training and coaching for myself, that’s when I began attracting more business. I was even able to get some of the training paid for under a government initiative!<br />
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Business is still growing, and I’m still investing in it! Never again will I be a ‘cheap-skate’ because I now know that <a href="http://www.frontline-results.com/">my business</a> is worth the best. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-56608766874618919242008-08-06T10:53:00.002+01:002008-08-06T12:10:56.027+01:00Customer Service 101 – Don’t P*** off your loyal customers!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;">I recently responded to a special offer from British Gas to service my central heating boiler. Being a somewhat cynical soul, I checked out the website first and the offer appeared to be genuine. <br /><br />Rather than book via the website I decided to call and, hopefully, speak to a ‘real person’ in case I had any questions.</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;">My call was quickly directed to a customer service person (only one set of options to go through!) and I told the young lady in question that I wanted to book a date for one of their engineers to come and service my gas boiler for the special offer price.</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><br />I was asked if I was aware that by paying a very modest monthly sum, I could insure for parts replacement and labour. Saying ‘Thanks for the information, but no thanks’ politely, I repeated my request to book the special offer boiler service as advertised.</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><br />I was then asked how I wanted to pay. This came as a bit of a surprise to me and I naively said that I didn’t expect to have to pay until after my boiler had been serviced.</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;">This apparently was not possible, despite my asking if being a loyal customer for nearly 30 years counted for nothing? <br /><br />I decided against taking up the special offer.</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><br />There are 3 areas where I believe British Gas need to look at their customer service:</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><br />1. By all means upsell to another (higher price) product but please, not until after you’ve made the initial sale!</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><br />2. Asking for the money before even checking for a convenient appointment date is just being greedy!</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><br />3. Wanting the money upfront from new customers is understandable. Wanting it upfront from existing customers is an insult. If it isn’t possible for the engineers to take money, why not add it on to the next bill?</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><br />I realise I’m in danger of being labelled a ‘grumpy old woman’, but at a time when customers have so many supplier choices, it isn’t rocket science to realise that loyalty needs to be rewarded. Keeping existing customers happy is a lot cheaper than trying to find new ones. But then, perhaps that isn’t an issue for British Gas?</span></span><br /><br /><i><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;">(Since writing this post Centrica, the owner of BG have announced profits of £1bn and BG tell us there is to be a price rise of 35% - I rest my case.)</span></span></i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I love Fridays but I’m really not sure why! It’s the one day of the week that is somehow different from the other six. There’s a subdued feeling of excitement, the anticipation of possibilities still unexplored. There’s a lightness of spirit – have you ever noticed that people smile more on Fridays?</span></font><br style="font-family: verdana;" /></div>
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<font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I was a child, Friday meant the end of a week of school, no homework for a couple of days, and no need to get up early. Two whole days of play!</span><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I grew up, Friday meant getting ready to enjoy the evening out with friends (is Friday still the best night for going out?). It didn’t matter that I had to get up early for my Saturday job – I never seemed to need much sleep back then!</span><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><span style="font-family: verdana;">During my corporate career, Friday meant looking forward to a lie-in for the next couple of mornings and a chance to recharge batteries. Friday evenings with my (then) husband were no longer spent on the dance floor; instead a meal out or a take-away was the weekly treat because it meant no cooking!</span><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now that I have my own business, Friday no longer means the end of the working week. I often find myself checking emails at the weekend, networking on facebook, and catching up with reading blog posts and newsletters that I didn’t get time for during the week.</span><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><span style="font-family: verdana;">So Fridays have always been a bit special to me. Then I started thinking that it would be great to feel like that every day of the week. And it’s absolutely possible! Using some simple NLP (neuro linguistic programming), you can recall a pleasurable experience from your past and apply all the feelings associated with it whenever you want.</span><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But I think I prefer to leave Friday as a special day and enjoy that ‘Friday Feeling’ – just like today! </span><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><span style="font-family: verdana;">What do you think? Do you love Fridays too, or do you have a different favourite day of the week?</span><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><br style="font-family: verdana;" /><i><font size="1"><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Louise Barnes-Johnston</span></font></i></font><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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<div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTvhk1mViVPmiVKAGnIXWT848fQGHPHymmATP7R_-2J4N-aTNqETgIitg8KD_RGEQpulf6dWCGmdhWc1vAsxKfAwRkw5QROcGY_AOA2wcpTQSheDvozE61ajBErVtLqlApyhXK3QMuH8/s1600-h/lightblb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="border: 0pt none ; background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQYzZC5lBYzeYhP1JJ14x5K8l1LiV4-IwSQC3rz4Ko_pwnNw9QgxPmblDvu1SWA0wGNKVY9vAxwLKJ4n9PW4_HAYUcIZSqpCfGEG_YSpdnFau7GyzmrngCpqIROnBsZY8xwLzzBtoMUE/s320-r/lightblb.jpg" style="border: 0pt none ;" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana;"><font size="2">Recently I’ve taken on several new projects that need to be created almost from scratch. Also, because the deadlines are either at least a couple of months away or not even specified, I’m having to be disciplined and set some imaginary completion dates.</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: verdana;"><font size="2">I’ve always considered myself to be a good planner of projects, to be logical, pay attention to detail and, indeed, I’ve prided myself on completing ahead of time on many occasions. This was very useful during my corporate career.</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: verdana;"><font size="2">Those experiences and skills have also served me well in my own small business, except in one rather important area.</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: verdana;"><font size="2">When it came to creating a new product, my old ‘linear’ way of thinking didn’t seem to work too well. I found that my paper lists became very messy as I thought of new points to add in, and that logic wasn’t terribly helpful for new products that didn’t exist yet (except in my head!).</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: verdana;"><font size="2">It was obvious that a new way of thinking was called for. Mindmapping, devised by <a href="http://www.buzanworld.com/">Tony Buzan</a>, has been a real revelation. It enables you to let your brain take a more circuitous route and capture more and different thoughts than if you were simply writing a list. One of my local networking contacts, Andrew Wilcox of <a href="http://www.cabre.co.uk/">Cabre</a>, is using Mind Manager software in very innovative and effective ways in businesses.</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: verdana;"><font size="2">Now, whenever I start a new project, I plan it out as a mindmap first. The lists come afterwards. More creative – and even more new ideas!</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: verdana;"><font size="2">How do you think?</font></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-53902377519002417032008-07-01T18:53:00.004+01:002008-07-01T19:57:23.124+01:00Who's on your side?<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It can be a lonely life as a business owner. If you came from an employed background you were probably used to chatting to people while having a coffee or across the office. When you work from home who is there to share the trials & tribulations, or to celebrate getting the order? Your disinterested cat - if you're lucky!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's so important to have a supportive network in place when you work for yourself. Family and friends will usually try hard to understand - be sure to keep them in the picture if you know you can rely on them. There's nothing worse than pouring your heart out and hearing "If it's so hard, why don't you get a proper job?" I know - that's happened to me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Networking with your peers can be an invaluable source of support but make sure you steer clear of the 'doom and gloom' crowd! They will suck all the enthusiasm out of you and leave you feeling like packing everything in. Misery loves company - but it isn't a club you have to join.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Search out people who will be your cheer leaders, who will encourage you to 'go for it' and motivate you when the going gets tough.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">One of the biggest compliments I hear from my coaching clients (and one of the reasons I so love what I do) is that they leave our meetings feeling totally motivated and ready to take on the world!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Life, and business, are tough enough - but with the right support, the challenges are easier to deal with. Make sure yours is in place - ready to cheer you on to to success!</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-45742915645284750752008-06-25T17:17:00.001+01:002008-06-25T17:17:02.295+01:00Routines can get too comfortable<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Talking to a client yesterday, she suddenly said: <blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"I want to find a different way of doing this! I don't want to be the same as everyone else!"</blockquote>She got me thinking about how we tend to search for a tried and tested way, rather than striking out on our own. There are both pros and cons with this.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Since that conversation, I've been having a look at how I work in my business. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I try to spend a little time each day learning something new. It's one of my routines. Just like checking emails at certain times, replying to client queries within 24 hours, writing the newsletter twice a month. Routines are needed to make sure nothing important is forgotten. But some routines can also stifle change, and often they're only there because they're comfortable. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">To be absolutely honest - some of my business routines are really only there because I've been too lazy to change them. No longer! I'm going to look at each routine closely and assess if it needs to be changed to benefit the business.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">What routines do you have in your business that are in need of an overhaul?</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-49888790586778798072008-06-23T15:56:00.002+01:002008-06-23T16:37:57.467+01:00Will rising fuel costs affect business networking?<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Over the last couple of months, I've been spending more and more time developing my networking skills online - with Facebook, LinkedIn, Ecademy, Plaxo, and Twitter. The series of blogs earlier this month looked at similarities and differences between online and offline networking.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">As someone whose clients have come primarily from offline networking, I am a strong believer in the power of building relationships and networking has always been an incredibly cost-effective marketing tactic.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">However, it is also time-consuming (depending on how many events you attend). And now, there's another factor to consider. With rising fuel costs, people are thinking twice before getting into their cars. They want to cut down the number of journeys they make so as to reduce the number of visits to the petrol pumps.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">As I work from home, I don't have to go out every day. I'm now choosing to use my car less often and blocking together appointments whenever possible. While this has always been a good time management tool, it's now become a tool for financial control as well!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">How are the rising fuel costs affecting how you do business? Please feel free to comment.</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-78219870406318867962008-06-13T12:59:00.004+01:002008-06-13T13:36:01.774+01:00In case you missed theseI'd like to make it a regular feature on this blog to share websites and other blogs that may be of interest to fellow business owners. It's impossible to find time to read through all the newsletters and alerts out there, I know I've become very selective these days. Time is precious with every minute accounted for! So, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:<br /><br /><div style="background: #ffffff; width: 180px; text-align: center; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: #333333; margin: 8px; padding: 8px 0px;"><a href="http://www.moo.com/readymade/pack/148"><img style="border:0;" src="http://www.moo.com/is/sys/e22a9da1-2691-5756bae8-482aa344-f38e.png" alt="Rachel Cave MiniCards" width="175" height="165" /></a><br /><br />MiniCards £9.99<br /><a style="color:#3399CC;" title="Rachel Cave MiniCards" href="http://www.moo.com/readymade/pack/148">Buy this on MOO.com</a></div><br /><a href="http://www.moo.com"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Moo.com</span></a> Some unusual mini cards, postcards, notes, stickers, etc. at reasonable prices for small quantities. The standard designs are good, or you can customise them. I'm thinking of putting something together for a product launch in a couple of weeks.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.caroline-middlebrook.com/blog/twitter-guide/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Caroline Middlebrook</span></a> has written a very comprehensive guide on using Twitter which is great for beginners and for business owners wanting to use this tool for marketing. Some useful pointers on 'Twitetiquette' - there's a whole new language awaiting you with Twitter! (If you want to 'follow me' I'm at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/LouiseBJ">www.twitter.com/LouiseBJ</a> )<br /><br />Emyr Williams of <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bytestart.co.uk">Bytestart</a> is one of the stalwarts of small business information. The site contains literally hundreds of articles for start-ups and growing businesses alike. There's a newsletter too, that I've been getting for some years, as it provides updates on changes in company law and other regulations.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.saynoto0870.com">Say No to 0870</a> is an excellent resource (I've used it twice this week). If you're like me and don't like paying up to 10p per minute for calls to UK non-geographic numbers, go to this site. Type in the 0870 number and you'll find out if there is a geographic alternative number listed, that is cheaper to dial. You can also contribute by sharing any alternative numbers you know of. This site also covers 0845, 0844, 0871 - as well as 0800 and 0808 numbers that can be costly for mobile users.<br /><br />I hope this is helpful.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-66945602924908009212008-06-12T18:41:00.005+01:002008-06-12T18:52:41.231+01:007 Ways Business Owners Sabotage Their Success<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">As a business owner or entrepreneur, I’ll bet you’re really busy all the time and there never seem to be enough hours in the day.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Some of your everyday activities are habits, like brushing your teeth; taking a shower; or filling the car with petrol. You wouldn’t dream of not doing them. In your business you have habits as well, such as opening the post; reading emails and checking your diary. You do them without thinking.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">But what about the activities you need to do to bring in more business? Like marketing for new clients; following up with existing contacts; planning and goal setting to grow your business? When do you do them?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">If you’ve ever spent your day responding to emails, helping other people, working on making your marketing brochure or website absolutely ‘perfect’; doing paperwork or tidying your office – you already know that these are comfort activities, and they will keep you stuck just maintaining your business. By filling your days with these tasks, you are effectively avoiding doing the sometimes less comfortable activities that will really move your business forward.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Your ‘busy’ work will create the illusion that you’re working hard, simply because you feel busy and fill up the day. You will do anything rather than face the activities that would dramatically accelerate your business success. You get to the end of the day and say to yourself “It’s OK, I was really busy today, I’ll do that tomorrow.” Or “I just couldn’t find the time today to make those follow-up calls.”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">You know, if you’re waiting to find time, it will never happen! There will always be other busy work to fill your available time. Your business building activities need to become a habit too if your business is to thrive and profits are to increase.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Do you identify with any of the following?<br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >The Top 7 Ways Business Owners Sabotage Their Success<br /></span></span><ol style="font-family:verdana;"><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">It’s got to be perfec</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">t</span> – this tactic affects so many of us. It often stops us from starting a project or activity and gets in the way of goal achievement. Most tasks don’t have to be perfect, they just need to be good enough. Give yourself permission to be human!</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nobody else can do it</span> – this is when you believe that only you can do a job because no-one else can match your standards or do it the way you want it done. You need to devote your time to the important business building that truly can only be done by you. Let go of routine tasks by delegating or outsourcing.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> “Last time I tried that, it didn’t work”</span> – so you don’t do it again. I’ll agree that it’s a good idea to stop doing what doesn’t work but only after checking if it might have been your approach that didn’t work, not the activity itself.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Not being accountable</span> – when you conveniently ‘forget’ to do something you know you need to do but would rather not. If it’s an important activity, write it down so you remember it. Even better, ask someone (like a coach!) to hold you accountable for doing it. Remember, no excuses!</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Failing to plan</span> – and allowing all the ‘busy’ work to fill your day. Anything that is important to your business success needs to be planned into your diary so that it gets done before the less important stuff. Write it down.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Not setting a deadline </span>– means you can put things off if you don’t feel like doing them. This is often why ‘to-do’ lists don’t work. Every time you write down a task you need to do, give it a realistic deadline and be accountable for meeting it (see #4).</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Easily distracted</span> – by interruptions like the ‘phone, incoming emails, other people, or new ideas. Using this tactic will mean you have lots of unfinished jobs on your ‘to-do’ list and feel you are overwhelmed. Stay focused on the important task you are currently working on and only allow yourself to be diverted by real emergencies.</span></li></ol><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">No more excuses! The time for self-sabotage is over.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >© Louise Barnes-Johnston, 2008<br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Louise Barnes-Johnston is <span style="font-weight: bold;">“The Business Accelerator”.</span> She provides business coaching and mentoring for entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses. Get a copy of her FREE report <span style="font-weight: bold;">“10 Ways to Boost Your Business”</span> at<a href="http://www.frontline-results.com/"> http://www.frontline-results.com</a></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-3507160666213255802008-06-11T16:51:00.004+01:002008-06-11T16:58:44.538+01:00The wandering apostrophe (a mini-rant)<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">If you’ve read <span style="font-weight: bold;">‘Eats, Shoots & Leaves’ </span>by Lynne Truss, you’ll know that the misuse of the apostrophe has been going on for quite some time!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Lately I seem to be constantly visually assaulted by haphazardly placed apostrophes on web pages, blogs and even in newspapers - and it’s really getting to me!!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It would appear that the current thinking is - if in doubt, use an apostrophe. Who cares whether it’s right or wrong – it has a 50/50 chance.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The word that is annoying me the most – at the time of writing – is the word <span style="font-weight: bold;">LOTS</span>. I keep seeing <span style="font-weight: bold;">LOT’S </span>(as in <span style="font-style: italic;">"... and Lot's more!"</span>) with a misplaced apostrophe and what I want to know is, what belongs to <span style="font-weight: bold;">LOT</span>? Does the writer think it looks better with an apostrophe than without? Is it somehow under-dressed without?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I know that my own use of English grammar isn’t wonderful and I do get confused with other punctuation marks and when to use them (colons and semi-colons have always been a bit of a mystery – and I’ll admit to overusing the comma, and the exclamation mark, at times!!), but I do like to think I know how to use the misunderstood apostrophe properly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">First impressions mean a lot when people visit your web page or read your brochure, and it’s vital to get the spelling and punctuation right. It can be difficult to spot your own typos so getting someone else to proof read your copy is always a good idea, as is reading it backwards.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Could it be that with the increase of ‘text speak’ and reliance on spell checks, people are forgetting how to use apostrophes correctly? What’s been your experience?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Louise Barnes-Johnston</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >Pedantic punctuator </span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-28478397962391418272008-06-09T15:56:00.003+01:002008-06-09T16:07:37.488+01:00It's all about you!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaIlGbgVnl4BLL2vfbL1Fwpp3a5TWpKDCVdO_zFETHnmZux4R0ynjfMd7ufsB2u0USoExf2GWKP2Um9EvqFhRsDwnTznpmyjtGPuDn6-zgP9f8lNKos3FjgL7h0QSlRrV8xfxoJ2G77o/s1600-h/open+file.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaIlGbgVnl4BLL2vfbL1Fwpp3a5TWpKDCVdO_zFETHnmZux4R0ynjfMd7ufsB2u0USoExf2GWKP2Um9EvqFhRsDwnTznpmyjtGPuDn6-zgP9f8lNKos3FjgL7h0QSlRrV8xfxoJ2G77o/s200/open+file.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209898182321444706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Recently I’ve been writing sales letters and other web copy, both for myself and for clients. Following on from my post last month <a href="http://frontlineresults.blogspot.com/2008/05/this-week-ive-had-my-head-down.html">Writing for the Web</a>, another couple of important points occurred to me, so I thought I'd share them with you here.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />We often get so carried away with how great our product or service is, that we forget the purpose of what we’re writing, be it for website or printed brochure. We want people to be interested enough to buy!</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />They’re not going to buy unless <span style="font-weight: bold;">THEY</span> see a compelling reason.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">So, the copy we write has to be all about <span style="font-weight: bold;">them</span>. It has to contain the words ‘you’ and ‘your’ as often as possible. Keep ‘I’ and ‘we’ to a minimum.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />You’ve probably been taught in workshops that it’s the benefits that sell. Very true, but you need to take that a step further in your written copy. Tell your reader what <span style="font-weight: bold;">end result</span> they can expect. Or, if your product/service will deliver them from a nasty experience, use the emotion of that. <br /><br />So, instead of:</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“Our product will bring instant relief from unwanted pests”, </span>try<br /></span> <span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" ><br />“You will never have to suffer from those unwanted pests again”</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />You want your reader to say ‘That’s for me!' And for them to feel the emotions associated with the problem you will be solving for them.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Do you have any copywriting tips to share? </span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-10349937569245034612008-06-06T16:10:00.000+01:002008-06-06T19:01:43.723+01:00Traditional vs Online Networking - Part V<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtVbzLgt630GN8UZQKFI8OIC4EUwdYGN7uE0kIYPNOgPEns8digugznm6JLuCnvMwpulzeqlu4YvmIOVztFq7G7tLUryGuhk0_W5FKRRPLZL-82djAsNIoriAPaOLuFascc1mDhyphenhyphenwxG8/s1600-h/roladex.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 153px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtVbzLgt630GN8UZQKFI8OIC4EUwdYGN7uE0kIYPNOgPEns8digugznm6JLuCnvMwpulzeqlu4YvmIOVztFq7G7tLUryGuhk0_W5FKRRPLZL-82djAsNIoriAPaOLuFascc1mDhyphenhyphenwxG8/s200/roladex.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207582899288108834" border="0" /></a>I<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">t's been an interesting week, revisiting mini-articles from my Ezine </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.frontline-results.com/">'Competitive Advantage'</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Today I heard about a networking group that has closed because <span style="font-weight: bold;">attendance numbers were too low</span>. I'm sure there will be others who struggle to survive.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Some groups are all about referrals, some are supportive and others are more social in their approach. <span style="font-weight: bold;">It isn't feasible to belong to them all</span> so decide which are best for you and your business and give them your loyalty.<br /><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Attend them regularly and really get to know your fellow members.</span> If networking is to continue to be as powerful a marketing technique as it has become in recent years, then <span style="font-weight: bold;">each group will have to be nurtured by its members.</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br />I belong to several groups on Facebook. Some of them bombard me with messages, some try to 'upsell' me to buy a paid service and others are as quiet as the grave. I know it's difficult to please everyone, but a<span style="font-weight: bold;"> regular update at reasonable intervals will keep members interested</span>. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is the last part of my look at </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >whether 'traditional' networking techniques also work with the latest online or social networking media</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">. I believe that, for the most part, they do. Whether face to face networking between small business owners will ever beat online - and result in more sales more quickly - I don't think so.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">While it may be possible to meet many more people online and in a much shorter time period, the key to successful sales will always be to <span style="font-weight: bold;">build relationships</span> - and that takes time and effort.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope you've enjoyed this week's posts - and would really love to hear your comments.</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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</a></div>Louise Barnes-Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679626648889051085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894651215401592406.post-14394034232225377312008-06-05T14:30:00.000+01:002008-06-05T14:30:01.143+01:00Networking - Offline vs Online - Part IV<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-qygjvn_4YmJBxKEyrcb0_h5V9G_UkSYQuPR_i_6_SSrOJfAL3y_y8btsg2ztzadyFidoSNob2VzgM495hyphenhyphenHeZ3YYZyZiSIUJqF7NhupnaV9GdOSYP8YTklkZjQ89RDVPBLF5TsNE6I/s1600-h/business+card.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 158px; height: 153px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-qygjvn_4YmJBxKEyrcb0_h5V9G_UkSYQuPR_i_6_SSrOJfAL3y_y8btsg2ztzadyFidoSNob2VzgM495hyphenhyphenHeZ3YYZyZiSIUJqF7NhupnaV9GdOSYP8YTklkZjQ89RDVPBLF5TsNE6I/s200/business+card.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207580022640014978" border="0" /></a>O<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">nce again, I found an article from a back-issue of my </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.frontline-results.com/newsletter.html">Ezine</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to include on this topic.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic;">If you network regularly and visit the same groups, you’ll probably see the same people quite often. Not only is this a good opportunity to <span style="font-weight: bold;">build on relationships</span>, but you can expand on your original introduction. Talking about success stories or projects you’re currently involved in may bring to mind <span style="font-weight: bold;">people they know</span> who could be facing similar challenges.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic;">If you go to ‘Speed Networking’ events, you often get 2 or 3 minutes to talk about your business, so it’s worth having <span style="font-weight: bold;">a few case studies to reinforce your message</span>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic;">But, as I’ve said many times, <span style="font-weight: bold;">these conversations aren’t just about you</span>. Encourage the people you speak with to tell you more about what they do. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Have some questions prepared</span> – ask them how they’ve been getting on since you last met and think about who you know who may be a good contact for them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic;">While it’s nice to speak to people you’ve met before, don’t forget to make time to <span style="font-weight: bold;">introduce yourself to new contacts too!</span> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Networking online involves joining groups too and, because of common interests, you get to know the members quite well. I do enjoy being able to meet so many new people, with such diverse talents, although I've been quite taken aback by the amount of blatant advertising in posts by people I've only just met!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are many similarities for both online and offline networking here.</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://del.icio.us/feeds/js/networkbadge/LouiseBJ?icon=s"></script>
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