Category Archives: Uncategorized

Is your Business meeting your Goals?

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Much of the frustration around not meeting business goals stems from the illusion that focusing on results, the business issue, will somehow magically improve the result. The problem is that many managers confuse business and performance issues. Hammering the failure to achieve the desired results and entreating people to ‘try harder’, or trying to treat the result as a business problem, won’t change the result. Only focusing on performance, the choices of behaviours and skills people make to achieve a result, can change the result.

To learn more about how to separate business and performance issues go to http://www.dsbn.com.au/Articles/business-vs-performance-issues

DSBN,  the Dynamic Small Business Network, provides examples to assist you in sorting out where business v performance issues can slow your business. have your considered these issues when your business does not meet your business goals?

Does Facebook have a place in your business promotion?

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Often small businesses tend to dismiss Facebook and Social Media for a number of reasons:

  • Not understanding that it is a way to market themselves.
  • Thinking that just setting up a Facebook page equals an increase in sales.
  • Not realising that it’s a great place to tell people about specials, ie. sell to them.
  • Not updating once the page is established
  • Never promoting the Facebook site through other mediums eg email signature, website.
  • Not responding to comments.
  • Not being aware the attraction of a well-designed page
  • Not having the know-how to run the Facebook site.

You may be sitting there thinking my page is not up to speed, so how can I improve it?

Here are some tips. (from Lara Solomon, in Smart Company 24 Nov 2011)

  1. First work out why you actually have a page, what is it’s purpose; if you can’t think of one then maybe you don’t need it!
  2. Decide what people get from liking your page, what’s in it for them – there has to be something- if you can’t think of anything then it probably means you are going to spam them with info on your products!
  3. Work out what your page needs to improve and find out how to do that. Here are some places to go for info – when you get there you need to search for the info if you want it:
    a. Social Rabbit
    b. Inside Facebook
    c. Social Media Examiner
  4.  Alternatively, if you don’t have time to find the information and do it yourself then hire someone (note this costs money, think up to $1,000 for a page overhaul).

Small businesses have such a huge advantage in the world of social media versus large companies. Okay, so you don’t have a budget to promote your page on TV or have your brand name on everyone’s lips, but you are quick, nimble, real, authentic and open to embracing new technology with a high care factor. Take advantage of what Facebook and other social media have to offer, as the benefits outweigh the costs if you do it right!

What have you done improve your business promotion through Facebook?

Share your views on the value of Facebook for your business.

Lara Solomon is the founder of Mocks mobile phone socks, Chief Rabbit at Social Rabbit – your guide in the world of social media, founder of Steps – the online Facebook and LinkedIn training course and author of ‘Brand New Day – the Highs & Lows of Starting a Small Business’. Lara’s business LaRoo was the winner of the NSW Telstra Micro-Business Award in 2008.

Have you thought of attending a Business Breakfast to connect with like-minded business colleagues? Like the idea of brainstroming to solve your business challenges?

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Business Breakfasts are becoming more popular for small business owners whose business depends on their presence during working hours.  Maree Hamilton, the Director of the Network Events Melbourne, in conjunction with the Monash Enterprise Centre, conducted a presentation today (Nov 3rd 2011) focusing on Maree’s “Blueprint for Business Success”, encouraging businesses to change their mindset and achieve a lot more in their business, without the necessity to increase their payroll costs.  Maree highlighted the need for businesses to incorporate  internet and social media marketing, system driven software & innovative technology into business practices to achieve more exposure in their target market.

Be an action taker & attend our breakfasts – you never know who you may meet, what opportunities you may discover & what you may learn.

Maree Hamilton says…..
“Business is built on relationships. Do you dream of having your business operating on autopilot? Feel guilty that you are not spending enough time with your loved ones? Sometimes feel frustrated and wish you never went into business in the first place?
There is a no-brainer solution to solve the problem that you can’t be all things to all people. Imagine if you left your business running efficiently without you – having a wide range of experts helping with your social media, marketing, public relations etc. Better still, imagine not having to staff. As a CPA accountant with over 20 years experience in the tax and accounting field and consulting to small business, I analysed the traits that successful businesses had in common.
The meaning of a successful business can be different for everyone but many people consider success to include a combination of more money, improved cash flow, time, freedom, flexibility and control. We all enter the business world because we are chasing dreams. The reality is almost every entrepreneur is overworked and underpaid and if you calculated your actual hourly rate you would be in tears!
We all need to put time into how we develop relationships with others. Imagine if your big break came down to a discussion with a key decision maker of a large corporation. How would you stand out from the crowd.”

Your feedback on this morning’s Blueprint for Business Success is valuable to Maree Hamilton as the presenter, so please share what you gained from today’s session that you can apply to your business.

Maree will be incorporating a brainstorming session at the end of each breakfast so business owners can discuss & challenges they are facing right now.

Let us know if you find business breakfasts are the way to go for your networking and learning opportunities, or if Webinars would be a more flexible option for you?
 

 
For more information about networking opportunities click here