Fusion Blog

Why Mastering Public Speaking is Critical for Entrepreneurs

Thu, 24 May 2012 05:32:00 GMT

Being able to speak about your business with passion, authenticity and confidence is critical. However many business owners find the idea of public speaking daunting... even terrifying and when asked to speak about their business they get tongue-tied and fail to articulate just how awesome their business is.

We live in a cluttered world where getting your marketing message to your ideal client is difficult. If you want to set yourself and your business apart you need to use your best asset… you. Learning how to speak with passion, conviction and clarity are must-have skills for every entrepreneur’s toolbox and it may not be as difficult as you fear.

The truth is… there’s a formula for a good presentation and when you combine that formula with some easy-to-learn speaker skills and tools you will have a winning presentation every time.

Here are some tips to help you get started with crafting your business presentation…

1) Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

When you step in front of a group, whether it is just a couple of people or an auditorium of thousands, you must remember that you are representing your brand. You need to be elegantly exquisite in delivering your content. This level of mastery only comes when the content is well planned, structured and practised. Allow plenty of time to design, refine and practice your presentation. Always practice your presentation out loud and don't be surprised if it is different every time you do it. The more you practise, the more confident you will become.

2) Begin With the End in Mind

When designing your presentation, first identify the outcome you want, the learning you want your audience to take away with them, the “aha” moment you want them to have and what you would like them to do as a result of your presentation. Then design your content to take your audience on that journey with you.

3) Include Killer Content

We love to learn, it’s in our dna. Therefore ensure that you are being of service and providing some nuggets of gold in your presentation. Relevant and interesting statistics and stories can turn your presentation into a magical masterpiece, What insight, information, can you share?

4) Whenever Possible Use Visuals

A visually rich presentation will stimulate your audience and prevent “zone-out” – use visual to increase retention, interest and engagement.

5) Become a Storyteller

There is a great quote that I love by Christina Baldwin…”Words are how we think, story is how we link.” Stories make presentations memorable and they create higher levels of trust. They work both consciously and unconsciously to connect our message to the listener. Everyone has great stories to share and they can be used to teach a lesson, give an “aha” moment and to add colour and interest to your presentations. Make your presentations memorable by weaving in great stories.

But Can I Share the Best Advice I Ever Received?

There are so many things to share about crafting and presenting a memorable and engaging presentation. Everyone can become an exquisite presenter once they know and apply the formula and tools. All of that aside, I still get nervous before any presentation (and I have done hundreds of them!) In fact I can still remember being gripped by fear to the point of feeling paralysed before my first ever formal business presentation. I want to share that story with you...

I was so scared that I couldn’t even work out what I should say to start my presentation. I called on my friends who had experience to give me advice. Some of it was helpful… but I still didn’t feel any more confident. And then I received a phone call from a friend of mine about an hour before the presentation and what he said to me was a game-changer!

I can still remember the call vividly; my friend called and told me I would be great, I was smart and that the audience would love me. I heard the words he was saying to me but still I felt no better. And then he said to me “It really doesn’t matter what goes wrong tonight… just remember that”…

I paused and thought … what? Of course it matters!

And then he said these words which changed everything for me…he said…

"You just have to remember that the audience doesn’t know
the script”

GOLD! What awesome advice!

We can get caught up in the need to have everything word-perfect and the reality is that things will never quite go exactly as you planned. But it doesn’t matter because your audience has no idea what you were planning to say, they have no idea if you have messed up… they are just listening to you and being there… and your job is to do the same!

Personally I have found public speaking to be the most rewarding and growthful part of my job. It's a great journey, and I encourage you to get your speaking boots on and give it a go.

This article was provided by Anthea Moffat MBA (adv), MIMC, founder and Managing Director of Business Fusion and The Business Masters Club.

Click here to join the Business Fusion mailing list and receive a complimentary VIP invitation to Anthea's next Business Masters Club workshop...

"How to Speak Like a Pro and Leverage Your Networking (valued at $149.00)... Thursday 7th June 2012, 4.30pm - 7.30pm at The Function Centre, Technology Park, Bentley, Perth.

If you are already on our mailing list and you would like a VIP Guest Pass to the workshop call us on (08) 9307 9383 extension 1 or email your request to helen@businessfusion.com.au. Hope to see you there!

The Key Performance Indicators Every Business Requires

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:01:00 GMT

Bill Gates once said… “How you gather and use information will determine whether you win or lose.”

It’s true, information is critical because your business operates in a dynamic and ever-rapidly-changing environment… the question is, do you know what’s changing inside and outside of your business?

Key Performance Indicators or metrics are an essential part of the entrepreneur’s toolkit but designing, developing and implementing a simple set of key performance indicators can be challenging. If you’re struggling with this topic, you are not alone, some of the more common mistakes that business owners make include…

Too many metrics
Focusing only on the short-term
Measuring but not managing
Measuring the wrong things
Having nobody responsible for driving the numbers

The simple truth of the matter is that unless you get your metrics and key performance indicators working for your business you are driving blind.

Your Metrics Are Your Business Dashboard

Your metrics are the equivalent of the instrument dashboard in your car. You have some things that you need to monitor frequently… oil, fuel, water… and if you don’t monitor those gauges and take appropriate action, your car will come to a grinding halt. Then there are other measurements which have more long-term meaning and consequences. None the less, even when danger isn’t imminent, your car dashboard automatically gives you the data you need to make smart decisions.

Your business needs a “dashboard” that tells you information that can be used to make smart short-term and long-term decisions. These metrics and key performance indicators need to be an integrated, systemised part of your business management system. You need to measure the important things… in other words, your metrics need to be linked to your business goals. You need a mix of strategic, tactical and management key performance indicators. You also need a combination of lagging (these measure the past) and leading (these give you an indication of the future) key performance indicators

So where do you begin?

1) Define your 3-month business goals.

2) Ask yourself, “How will I know if I have achieved these goals?”

3) Identify the things you must get right (your critical success factors) in
order to achieve your goals.

4) Brainstorm a list of metrics that will tell you whether you are on track to
achieve your goals.

5) Check that you have metrics for financial, operational and product /
service quality performance.

6) Reduce your metrics list to your most critical 7-8 metrics.

7)      Identify the frequency with which you need to monitor the list. Ensure you
      have some very frequent measures (daily or weekly) and some less
      frequent measures (monthly or quarterly).

8) Take time out, come back to the list and review… have you got the
right metrics?

9) Identify your target levels for each metric (your goals) and implement.

Your key performance indicators (metrics) are an essential part of your strategic business management system. Learning to “love the numbers” is one of the best decisions you could ever make for the long-term success of your business. The numbers tell you a story… what is the story of your business numbers?

This article was provided by Anthea Moffat MBA (adv), MIMC, founder and Managing Director of Business Fusion and The Business Masters Club.

Join the Business Fusion mailing list at www.businessfusion.com.au and receive a complimentary VIP invitation to Anthea's next Business Masters Club workshop...

"The Key Performance Indicators That Every Business Requires (valued at $149.00)... Thursday 3rd May 2012, 4.30pm - 7.30pm at The Function Centre, Technology Park, Bentley, Perth.

Do You Really Understand Your Business Finances?

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 01:05:00 GMT

A recent management study revealed that only 44% of businesses survive longer than four years. And one of the main reasons these businesses fail is not because they're not profitable, but because they run out of cash.

This information doesn't surprise me. Over the years, I've seen lots of business owners struggle to come to terms with the day-to-day finances of their businesses. They'll employ bookkeepers and accountants to keep an eye on the numbers, but then not have the time, or the know-how (or both), to make sense of the information they have
been given.

Certainly, it's a good business principle to be able to delegate. However, when it comes to the finances of your business, being reliant on others to make sense of your day-today operations puts you in an extremely precarious position.

Look I'm not trying to scare you. But I am trying to make you aware of how important understanding the finances of your business is in determining whether your business survives, let alone thrives.

Take The Financial Mastery Quick Quiz to Find Out Where You Stand…

So, to make it easy for you to understand where you are at, I've devised a little quiz for you. Your answers to these 10 questions will tell you if you really do understand your business finances.

1. Do you have profit and loss statements that you review at least once a month?
2. Do you have a current balance sheet that you can read and understand?
3. Have you recently calculated your Return on Investment to see if the blood, sweat, tears and money that you pour into your business is a worthwhile investment?
4. Do you know what your current break even sales level is?
5. Do you have a monthly sales and expenses budget?
6. Do you compare your budget to your monthly results?
7. Do you know who owes you money? And have a systemised process in place for debt collection?
8. Do you have a cashflow forecast that enables you to understand how much cash you have available at any given time (Hint: this is not your bank statement balance!)?
9. Do you have Key Performance Indicators that are diligently measured, reported and acted upon for the four or five critical financial aspects of your business?
10. Can you honestly say that you can read, understand and interpret your Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet statements?

If you answered yes to seven or more of the above questions, congratulations, you're business is most likely in good financial shape.

If not, it might be time to get your finances in order, and avoid being one of those businesses who fails because you didn't have enough money to pay the bills.

This article was provided by Anthea Moffat MBA (adv), MIMC, founder and Managing Director of Business Fusion and The Business Masters Club.

Join the Business Fusion mailing list at www.businessfusion.com.au and receive a complimentary VIP invitation to Anthea's next Business Masters Club workshop...
"The Key Performance Indicators That Every Business Requires (valued at $149.00)... Thursday 3rd May 2012, 4.30pm - 7.30pm at The Function Centre, Technology Park, Bentley, Perth. Click here for more details.

30 Goal Setting Questions For Business Owners

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:26:00 GMT

Before you set your new 2012 goals I have some important questions for you...

It’s that time of the year when we set new goals but have you taken the time to really look at what you achieved in the last 12 months?

Reviewing the list of goals that you did at the beginning of 2011 can be challenging because it's likely that there will be some things on that list that you did not achieve. But equally, there will be other things that were significant breakthroughs for you that were not on your original list of goals.

Reviewing our past successes is extremely important for our unconscious mind, our self-esteem and our confidence. Self -esteem is the rocket-fuel for our minds so before you begin setting your new goals you want to ensure that you have a full fuel tank.

Simply answer the following 30 questions and not only will you be amazed at the year you had, you will also then be in the perfect space to set your new goals.

1.   Did you introduce any new products or services?
2.   Did you delete or discontinue any product or service lines?
3.   Did you gain new clients?
4.   Did you identify any new markets to target?
5.   Did you increase the number of clients you have?
6.   Did you increase your prices?
7.   Did you increase your average dollar sales?
8.   Did you receive positive feedback from your clients?
9.   Did you receive positive feedback from your team members?
10. Did you engage new team members or outsource any activities?
11. Did you engage new professional advisors?
12. Did you implement new systems and procedures?
13. Did you invest in new equipment?
14. Did you develop or improve your website?
15. Did you undertake online marketing?
16. Did you grow your database?
17. Did you develop or improve your marketing collateral e.g. flyers, brochures etc
18. Did you deliver any presentations or speeches?
19. Did you use your core genius more?
20. Did you do less of the things you don’t enjoy?
21. Did you make new business contacts?
22. Did you improve your business premises or even move office?
23. Did you learn new skills?
24. Did you learn new technology?
25. Did you develop new positive habits?
26. Did you stop any non-supportive habits?
27. Did you take a holiday?
28. Did you win any business awards?
29. Did you support your community?
30. Did you grow as a business leader?

So what can you achieve in 2012? How high can you fly? Be bold as you set your new 2012 goals knowing that you have already achieved so much.

At our upcoming January Business Masters Club workshop Your 2012 Business Success Blueprint, you will have the opportunity to gain further momentum to ensure that you are in alignment with your goals to further ehnance their likelihood for success. Click here to find our more about this workshop.

You may be eligible to receive a complimentary invitation to this workshop - see the details below.

Claim Your Complimentary VIP Ticket
to a Business Masters Club Workshop.
Join the Business Fusion mailing list at
www.businessfusion.com.au and receive
a complimentary VIP invitation to Anthea's
next Business Masters Club workshop
(valued at $149.00). Click here for the
details of the next Business Masters
Club 3-hour workshop.

Announcing the 2011 Business Fusion Award Winners...

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:05:00 GMT

Congratulations to the winners of the Business Fusion 2011 Awards which were announced at our Bollywood Awards Night held last Saturday night at The Old Melbourne Hotel. It was a great night with lots of fun and laughs.

Congratulations to Anna Murphy and Sharon Williams from Annasha Day Spa Retreat who won The Business Masters Club’s New Business of the Year award for 2011. Annasha narrowly pipped finalists Marny Lishman and Sebastian Alexander for the award.

The category of Home Based Business of the Year was won by Jess Blackwell from Equestricare. Jess has had an amazing year of growth and implementation and this award makes it her 10th business award win – a goal that she set for herself earlier this year during our Business Breakthrough to Success training. Finalists in this category included Carved in Stone, Bit Bank Australia and F4 Solutions.

Business of the Year for 2011 was won by Simon and Mel Stibbs from Edward George, with finalists being Matters of Taste Cooking School, The Dog Line, and Worldwide Online Printing – Osborne Park. Special mention must go to Lisa Stephenson from Worldwide as it was a photo finish for this category.

Finally, the Business Master of the Year Award was contended between Mel Stibbs, Jess Blackwell and Colin Seal, with last years’ Business of the Year winner Colin Seal taking the award for this category. All of the applicants demonstrated great implementation of the business principles and strategies that they had learnt at the Business Masters Club or at the various Business Mastery workshops.

On the night we also congratulated our Business Masters Fast Track Graduates – Anna Murphy, Bec Haas, Chantal Vanderhaegen and Rozz Synnot. All of these people are doing amazing things with their businesses and have the foundations to take both their businesses and themselves to the next level of success.

So congratulations again to all of our winners and finalists. Official photos of the night will be released soon.

The 8 Specifics of Leadership - How do you Rate?

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:28:00 GMT

Great leaders have certain qualities, skills and attributes. If you are looking to grow you business you may find it useful to quickly review the list and score yourself in each area out of 10, with 1 being not good at all to 10 being amazing in that area.

The leader is Disciplined
The leader is Persuasive and Influential
The leader is clear in their Vision
The leader adopts a Belief in Themselves
The leader Assumes 100% Responsibility in their words and actions
The leader has internal Courage and Convictions in their Beliefs
The leader demonstrates Authenticity and Congruency
The leader is highly Effective at Communication

How did you go? Did you have some interesting insights in these areas? Did you find some areas in your leadership style that you might want to improve?

We have all met or seen people who strongly demonstrate these traits in their lives, and in all honesty they command our respect. Would you like to step up to the next level in these areas of leadership? When you step up and do this, the hidden rules of the game suddenly become clear.

I want to ask you some questions relative to these hidden rules to get you thinking about how much more you might be able to achieve in your business if you get hold of this rule-book…

How would it impact you life and business if you made decisions that gave you the best possible outcome, no-matter what the pressure at the time?
If you could effectively communicate your vision and recruit others in the quest to realise it, how quickly would that speed up the growth of your business?
If you learnt killer win-win negotiation skills, how would that improve your sales conversions and profitability?
If you had access to proven tools used by highly successful business leaders such as Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Donald Trump, how could you utilise them to dramatically improve your business?

There is something about business that is important for you to know… experience is a hard and heartless teacher. It will teach you the rules… eventually… that is if you stick at it long enough. Now trial and error has a great place in business in terms of driving innovation because we really do need industry groundbreakers, but even the groundbreakers know that the easiest, most efficient and most cost effective way to learn something is to learn from someone who knows the rules.

Business Fusion and The Business Masters Club have various trainings and workshops available where you can learn the rules from someone who knows...

Click on the link below and claim your complimentary Business Masters Club workshop.

Free Business Growth Workshop Opportunity - Perth

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:32:00 GMT

How to Play the Big Business Game

There are countless reasons as to why a person may decide to start or purchase a business… but it usually comes down to the fact that a business is the best chance they have of achieving that dream lifestyle (unless they of course win Lotto!).

However life as a business owner can sometimes seem far from a “dream lifestyle” with long hours and all too often inadequate reward. And the reality is that far too many small businesses get stuck being just that… a small business.

All business owners will experience at least one sticking point where growth becomes stagnant, the business feels like hard work and that dream lifestyle seems just that… a dream. The key to getting past this sticking point is not to just work harder. The answer lies in you, your strategies and your thinking.

You see, just about every big business was at some stage a small business. I am sure you have heard the stories of those companies like Hewlett Packard who started in a garage before becoming huge (and hugely profitable). These companies started with an idea… just like you did. And they developed their business… just like you have. And then something happened for them which made their growth exponential… just like you can.

Now we don’t all necessarily want to be a multi-national conglomerate, but it may just be nice to have that option available to us. It would however be a great idea to not become stuck in a small business where you work long hours for a poor salary.

So at the November Business Masters Club workshop, I will be discussing precisely what it takes to get past the sticking point so that you can have your dream lifestyle and if you choose, your “Big Business”

It’s a 3-hour hands-on workshop where I will show you “How to Play the Big Business Game.” You will learn how to play at a whole new level as I share with you the things you need to know and do, including:

How to avoid the most common business growth mistakes made by business owners;
How to be a business warrior so that you do not waste your time, energy, money or opportunities;
Product and client strategies for building a business empire; and
How to create a product funnel for a multi-million dollar business.

This will be a content-rich workshop and you will leave with many ready-to-implement growth strategies for your business. You will receive a comprehensive workbook, refreshments and the the opportunity to meet and network with over 100 of Perth’s most motivated entrepreneurs.

The workshop is taking place on Thursday 3rd November 2011 at The Function Centre, Technology Park, Bentley, 4.30pm - 7.30pm. We would love to have you join us for a night of learning and networking.

We have 15 COMPLIMENTARY tickets available… check below to see if you are eligible.

How To Claim Your FREE Ticket To This Workshop

If you have never been to The Business Masters Club you can claim a complimentary ticket (valued at $149.00) by simply joining our mailing list.

Go to www.businessfusion.com.au and when you subscribe you will receive your booking code to secure your complimentary seat.

You will also receive COMPLIMENTARY access to our online Free Business Resources Vault which has lots of business building resources including the workshop recordings, workbooks and workshop materials for 5 of Anthea’s workshops including Stop the Clock: How to Effectively Manage Your Time For Greater Profits, How to Strategically Win More Clients, The Business Success Plan and The Ultimate Business.

Be quick, as we have just 15 complimentary seats available to our “How to Play the Big Business Game” workshop.

About Anthea Moffat

Anthea has over 20 years experience in helping
business owners achieve greater passion performance
and profits in their business. Her workshops contain
priceless information that she has learnt directly from
some of the best business masters in the world
including Michael E. Gerber, Jay Abraham, Rich Schefren
and Jack Canfield.

P.S. If you have already been to The Business Masters Club but would like to purchase a ticket for this workshop you can click here to go to the Event Booking Page. Your investment is covered by our 100% no-fuss money-back guarantee.

I look forward to seeing you there.

17 Questions to Increase the Number of Clients You Have

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 03:11:00 GMT

If you are seeking business growth and would like to increase the number of clients you have, then may I suggest that you take a few moments to reflect on your current activities.
In a nutshell, there are 3 important steps to increasing the number of clients you have:

Attract: You need to be doing things to attract new clients.
Convert: You need to have a sales system that works.
Nurture: You need to have a post-sales process that maintains close contact with your clients and encourage repeat business and referrals.

So in order to help you focus on these steps and develop some specific growth startegies, I have compiled a list of 17 important questions for you to answer. All of them designed to spark new ideas for how you can increase the number of clients you have.

Do you have a system in place for asking your “A” class clients for referrals?
Do you have multiple referral sources – have you approached other businesses who share your target market and asked them to provide referrals to you?
Do you have a mailing list that people can join?
Do you regularly provide quality content (not just sales offers) to your mailing list?
Do you have an “Affiliate Program” that financially rewards people for their converted referrals?
Have you recently approached local media outlets with a “PR” story?
Do you have a system in place for reactivating old clients? Most clients stop using us by “accident” or simply because something interrupted their buying pattern
Do you undertake telemarketing to generate sales leads?
Have you recently advertised in a publication that reaches your target market?
Do you educate your prospects with workshops and educational marketing?
Do you have an online sales channel? Can I book an appointment or buy your product online?
Do you regular do direct mail to your mailing list?
Do you have an irresistible guarantee that removes 100% of the risk for the prospect?
Do you have any joint ventures in place with complimentary businesses that share your target market?
Are you regularly building your business or personal profile through blogging and positioning yourself as the expert?
Are you a member of any relevant networking groups? For the group to be relevant, the other members of the group must either be in your target market or be able to connect you to your target market.
Are you proactively using Social Media e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn etc to build your online list of prospects?

Remembering that success is the sum of small steps forward, I have another question for you… what are you now going to do to improve your answers to the above questions and increase the number of clients that you have?

Commit yourself to 3 actions during the next 30 days that will improve the marketing tactics you are using to attract, convert and keep your clients. You will be amazed at the results that these three actions will yield for your business.

Business Owners Making Greater Profits Understand This...

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 03:58:00 GMT

The Real Value of Business Systems...

FACT: Most small businesses do not have the systems they need and as a result
            they are neither making the profits they should be nor reaching their
            potential market value.
FACT: When a business without systems has a problem, generally the only person
            who can fix the problem is the business owner.
FACT: If the business owner is always busy fixing problems the business will never
            move forward reach its full potential.
FACT: Business systems are easy to implement.

Having the correct systems in your business is an integral part of growing a business and although it may feel like an “elephant” task, when you chunk it down it is much easier than you think it is.

A system is just a description of how things are done in your business. Systems enable results and experiences to be duplicated they create a consistent experience for your clients (and clients love consistency!)

Whilst the project may seem daunting and not a high priority right now, there are many flow-on benefits for your business including:

   •   Increased profitability
   •   Increased business value
   •   Predictable outcomes for you and a decrease in stress levels
   •   Increased client retention
   •   Easier recruitment and a faster induction for new team members
   •   Less chaos
   •   Less wastage
   •   A better quality of life for your and your team

Implementing systems will have a direct positive impact on the value of your business. Systems will also give you greater leverage - a greater outcome for less effort. In fact, business systems are considered to be a key component of your business value multiplier.

So to help you increase both your profits and business value, I would like to help you eat that elephant by giving you a 6-step plan which will get your systems implementation project off to a great start.

Six Easy Steps to Increasing Your Business Value
1. Make a list of all of the positions in your business:
E.g. Marketing Manager, Operations Manager etc. You need to create a
manual for every position.

2. Assemble your systems manual shells:
    Here’s a suggested list of sections for your manuals:
      •   Business Overview
      •   Products and Services
       •   Policies
       •   Position Description
       • Systems

3. Identify and assemble the company-wide manual contents:
    The Business Overview should have 4 sections:
     •   Business Background
     •   Business Story
      •   Organisational Chart
       •   Strategic Objectives

The Products and Services section should include a description of your products and services, ultimate benefits, positioning statement and unique selling points, company brochures, price lists, catalogues, leaflets and a basic competition analysis

The Policies section should include the “what and “why” of your business rules such as your Code of Conduct, Employee Handbook etc.

4. Identify and assemble position-specific manual contents:
This will include the Job Description, Performance Appraisal and Employment Contract.

5. Establish the systems:
    The systems are “how” things are done. Systems can include lists of steps, checklists
    and flowcharts. Your systems should be so clearly defined that anyone could follow
    them and undertake the task successfully.

6. Establish accountability for the master copy and a system to keep the
    manuals up to date.
    Someone needs accountability for updating the systems. This is not a “set and forget”
    process. Your systems should be constantly reviewed and updated as part of your
    standard operating procedure. This one thing alone will put you heads and shoulders
    above your competition.

To complete the project you will need a plan. It’s a good idea to create a master list of systems required and then make it a team effort completing one or two systems every week. And there is no better day to start this project than today…remember the ROI on this project is potentially worth millions to you!

Do You Want to Learn More?
To learn more about Business Systems and how to apply them in your business, we invite you to join us at our upcoming 1-day intensive workshop, Systems Mastery. Consultants charge many thousands of dollars to create business systems using the same refined processes that you will learn here for a fraction of the price. You will spend the entire day working “on” your systems and we will share with you some tools and templates to give your project a massive kick-start.

Systems Mastery is being held on Thursday the 22nd of September 2011. Your investment is just $495.00 and includes a 70 page manual, tools and systems documentation templates that you can implement straight into your business. Your investment is also covered by our 100% money-back guarantee. Don’t miss out… we will not be running Systems Mastery until October 2012. Click here to book now.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Why "Stuff" is Killing Your Time

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:28:00 GMT

Every day we all get bombarded with “stuff”… It is overwhelming and it seems to be fired at us from every direction. In fact, some days it can feel like there is a big canon parked just over the horizon continually shooting "stuff" at us. We spend our time ducking and dodging the firing line only to find that Double-Agent “Stuff” Saboteur is also shooting at us us from point blank range…

It's exhausting and and all we really want is some respite from it… just a little rest so we can breathe… do you remember how to breathe? Do you remember what it feels like to relax while you feel the air rushing into your lungs invigorating your energy levels.

So what would happen if you found that respite? And what would happen if you found an easier way to manage the "stuff"? How much happier would you be if you regained control of your time? What would it mean to you to have the space to do the things that are really important to you… you know, those things that you know you should be spending time on but can’t because you are always reacting to “stuff”… those things like spending more time with your family and relaxing, or even spending time planning and developing your business.

Here’s the thing, “stuff” is always going to be there bombarding you, that is life. The secret is to learn how to deal with the "stuff" elegantly and it may sound strange but this is as easy as decluttering your wardrobe. Let me explain.

Imagine your wardrobe to be full of clothes… and imagine that the clothes are just piled in there like someone just stood at the door and threw in a basket full of clothes fresh from the laundry. And they did that because that’s where clothes go and it looked like there was room.

Now imagine you are going out and you need those items you like… those shoes… that suit… that shirt… how much time do you spend looking for them? Do you find them easily or do you just look and look and look until eventually you give up in resignation and miss the opportunity of wearing that item... settling for something far inferior and not what you wanted at all?

Sometimes we treat our diary like a disorganised, jammed packed wardrobe. But just like your wardrobe needs order to be workable and effective, so does your time planner. In fact if you applied the principles of a well-ordered wardrobe to your diary you would be way ahead of most people in terms of time planning and management skills.

So if you want to gain greater control of your time and deal with the daily bombardment of "stuff" effectively, I recommend that you see if it's time for a declutter and implement the following guidelines to your diary:

• Ensure that everything has a designated space.
• Always allow more space for the important big and bulky items (your "working on”
your business tasks).
• Arrange similar items together as this makes them easier to find.
• Plan an orderly arrangement that makes the most of your “space”.
• Once you have your optimal arrangement use the “one-in-one-out” rule.

Remember, if we create more order, we have far more opportunity to breathe in our lives and in our businesses… and to do the things that really matter to us.

Perth Entrepreneurs: Would you like a complimentary ticket to our upcoming 3-hour workshop "Stop the Clock: How to Effectively Manage Your Time for Greater Profits (valued at $135.00).

Have you subscribed to our Mailing List? If not subscribe here and you can come along as our guest free of charge. Otherwise click here to get your tickets now for this 3-hour Time Management Masterclass for only $135.00... AND bring a guest for FREE!

It is on the 1st of September, and we will be celebrating the Business Masters Club’s 4th anniversary of delivering content-rich business Masterclass workshops to our members and guests... So get your time back on track at the Stop the Clock: How to Effectively Manage Your Time For Greater Profits workshop, and learn:

• How to DEFINE AND CATEGORISE YOUR “TO DO” LISTS to reduce overwhelm and increase effectiveness.
• The 5 CRITICAL THINGS you must do to FINALISE YOUR PROJECTS.
• The importance of “Mental RAM” and how to DE-CLUTTER YOUR BRAIN.
• How to design a WORKFLOW SYSTEM so that everything gets done.
• What you should include in your “WEEKLY REVIEW PROCESS” and how that process
alone will make a MASSIVE difference to your peace of mind and results.

Click here now for more information or to book your seat so you can learn these great strategies on how to reclaim your time, so you can spend it in the areas that really matter.

You need to hurry though as seats are limited…

Click here to subscribe to our mailing list and receive your complimentary invitation.

Click here to book now and secure your ticket and bring a friend for FREE.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Celebrate Being Exquisite (A Post for the Ladies)

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:26:00 GMT

International Women's Day is all about celebrating the achievements of women and that means it's time to stop and celebrate YOU!

We live in a fast- paced world. Today's modern woman may be a mother, partner or wife but she may also be an entrepreneur or top of her game in her career or both. For me, International Women's Day is a time to celebrate every woman that has touched our lives. It's a time to stop and reflect on our own achievements and the influence those closest to us have had and the contribution they have made to our success.

We are surrounded by truly amazing women. They inspire us, support us, teach us and include our mothers, aunties, grandmothers, sisters, friends and business colleagues. Each one of them adds more colour and depth to our life.

The relationship that we have with ourselves and others is fundamental to our happiness. Unfortunately in these busy times we don't always show our appreciation as much as we feel it. Today is the day to stop and do just that. I invite you to make a list of a dozen women who you appreciate. Buy some thank-you cards and then put pen to paper and write to them (yes, that's right…I said write…not text, not call, not email but write). Express your gratitude to these women for their love and support.

The second thing I invite you to do is spend some time acknowledging your own achievements and uniqueness.Make a list of all of your successes. You have achieved many great things in your life such as starting a successful business, being a loving wife or mother, maybe you have even beaten a major illness. But it's equally important to acknowledge your everyday achievements such as learning to ride a bike or dance or swim…the list goes on. So today, I want you to stop and take a moment to go and look in the mirror, look yourself straight in the eyes and acknowledge yourself for being the exquisite woman that you are.

Happy International Women's Day.

Complimentary VIP Ticket to The Business Masters Club
Join the Business Fusion mailing list at www.businessfusion.com.au and receive a complimentary VIP invitation to Anthea's next Business Masters Club workshop (valued at $135.00). The next Business Masters Club workshop is "The 7 Deadly Sins That Will Kill Your Business" on Thursday 7th April, 4.30pm - 7.30pm at The Function Centre, Technology Park, Bentley, Perth, Western Australia.

Is Social Media Your Business Friend?

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 08:44:00 GMT

Social media is a wonderful thing. It enables us to connect with people anywhere in the world. It's powerful. It's instant. And from a marketing perspective, it's reach is broad…our postings and thoughts are read by many. But as with anything that has that much power…it can be a friend or a foe.

Have you really thought through your online social media strategy?

Facebook, Twitter, Linked In….the list goes on. Personally, I feel quite exhausted just thinking about the numerous social media opportunities.

However if you are using social media to promote your business you must treat it the same as any other marketing that you do…it must be planned and executed with the same degree of care that you would put into writing a new brochure or website.

One of the big positives about social media (and on the flip side….a danger) is how instant your message is. This means that there is no room for error.

I've put together some questions for you to answer to ensure that social media is your friend. As with any marketing initiative you must ensure that you think through what you are doing.

1. What are your social media goals?
In order to invest your time and money in social media, you want to be clear about why you are doing it. The following questions will help you to get clear about your social media goals.

Do you want to build your profile as an expert?
Do you want to build trust in your business?
Do you want to educate the market about your products and services?
Do you want to attract prospects to your website?
Do you want to grow your mailing list?
Do you want to sell events, products or services?
Do you want to build your resource network?

2. Who are you trying to reach?
As with any marketing you need to be clear about who your target market is and use the social media tools that will be most effective in reaching them. It's not just about quantity…if you really want to stand out, your message needs to be quality.

3. Is the "branding" of your social media supportive of your business?
We spend thousands of dollars on our marketing brochures, websites, business cards and collateral. It's very important when you hop into the "online world" that you maintain consistent branding.

4. If you wouldn't say it offline, don't say it online.
One of the advantages of social media is that your message is instant. Please ensure before you put your words out into the online world that you have thought them through. I've seen some very unfortunate postings simply because the person didn't think through what they were posting. Remember…once it's posted, it's out there for a very long time.

5. Effort versus reward.
For some reason when we hop online the clock seems to speed up. It's so easy to lose yourself for hours online. Make sure that you limit your "online" time. It's all about managing your time effectively and ensuring that the effort you are putting in is worth the reward.

6. Are you the best person for the job?
Are you a social media expert? Is it the best use of your time to spend hours learning about the latest social media tools? Probably not. There are many professionals that can help you use social media effectively for your business. It's their job to stay up to date with the hundreds and thousands of changes that happen every day in "social media land." It's your job to run a great business. Delegate or outsource your social media marketing strategy and execution to an expert so that you can focus on your real job.

Social media can be an amazing friend for you and your business. I encourage you to make the most of the opportunities to promote your business. Just be smart and apply the same thought and planning that you would to any other marketing initiative.

Complimentary VIP Ticket to The Business Masters Club
Join the Business Fusion mailing list at www.businessfusion.com.au and receive a complimentary VIP invitation to Anthea's next Business Masters Club workshop (valued at $135.00). The next Business Masters Club workshop is "The Winning Formula: Secrets of Sales Superstars" on Thursday 3rd March, 4.30pm - 7.30pm at The Function Centre, Technology Park, Bentley, Perth, Western Australia.

The 7 Most Common Goal Setting Mistakes

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 02:00:00 GMT

I’ve always been a big goal setter but in recent years I have come to really appreciate the power of getting clear about what I want and the impact this has on my happiness and the things I achieve.

Last Easter I created a list of 101 goals I want to achieve in my life – my bucket list. It was a challenging process and I really had to dig deep to identify the things I want to do, be and have. But I didn’t give up and once I had completed the list I then created a Vision Book filled with pictures of my goals. It was a great process that I thoroughly recommend.

Just one month later I was teaching at our Leadership Mastery workshop and the participants asked me if I would bring in my Vision Book to share with them. So I brought my book in. It just so happened that it was also my birthday that day.

As I was flicking through the book showing the participants my goals, I came to the page where I had a picture of a Tiffany bracelet. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Just that morning I had been given a Tiffany bracelet for my birthday!

But what really blew me away was the fact that the person who had given me the bracelet had never seen my Vision Book and I had never shared my goals with them. What was even more “wow” was when I looked closely at the picture...it was the exact same Tiffany bracelet. Think about that for a moment….there are at least 152 silver Tiffany bracelets available and my friend had chosen the exact same one that was in my Vision Book. Spooky coincidence or not?

Whether you want a new home, 100 new clients or that overseas trip, setting your goals and intention is very important. Will you achieve all of the goals you set? Some you will. Some you may not. But I know this…if you aim at nothing you will hit it with amazing accuracy.

Goal setting does require time and effort but in my experience it is well worth the reward. I’ve included below the top 7 reasons why we fail to achieve our goals.

1. Failing to spend the time to get the clarity you need
Take the time to get really specific and describe your goals in as much detail as possible. For example if your goal is to go on an overseas trip, where exactly will you go? For how long? Where will you stay? The devil is in the detail.
2. Failing to write the goals down
It’s great to know in your mind what you want but it’s so much more powerful to write your goals down. To measure your progress you need to be able to refer back to your goals.
3. Focusing only on one or two areas
Happiness comes from living a full and balanced life and therefore you need to have goals for all of the following 7 areas – finance, business / career, family / personal time, relationships, personal and spiritual development and community.
4. Being overly optimistic about what you can achieve
Most people underestimate how long things will take and therefore set themselves unrealistic expectations. Be realistic about the time required to achieve your goals.
5. Not chunking down
Success comes from consistent small steps that move you closer to your desired outcome. Break each goal down into the required tasks.
6. Not scheduling tasks
Once you have the list of tasks required you need to schedule time in your diary. If you don’t do this you will find that weeks and months pass without you completing the actions that will move you forward.
7. Not sharing
Life is a team sport and to achieve your goals you need help. Share your goals with your family, friends and team. Ask for the help you need and you will find that you get there much quicker.

Please ensure that you don’t make these mistakes. Take a few moments now to honestly answer these questions…

1. Have I taken the time to clearly determine what I want in 2011?

2. Have I written down my goals with as much detail as possible?

3. Do I have goals for every area of my life?

4. Have I been realistic about what I can achieve?

5. Have I broken my goals down into actionable steps?

6. Have I scheduled time in my diary to start working on them?

7. Who have I shared my goals with?

8. Have I asked for the help I need?

If you have done all of this, congratulations. If you haven’t then I encourage you to take action as soon as possible to ensure that in 2011 you give yourself the best chance of success.

Complimentary VIP Ticket to The Business Masters Club
Join the Business Fusion mailing list at www.businessfusion.com.au and receive a complimentary VIP invitation to Anthea's next Business Masters Club workshop (valued at $135.00). The next Business Masters Club workshop is "The Business Success Plan" on Thursday 13th January 2010, 4.30pm - 7.30pm at The Function Centre, Technology Park, Bentley, Perth, Western Australia.

30 Questions Every Business Owner Should Answer Now!

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 05:15:00 GMT

Before you set your new goals I have some important questions for you...

It’s that time of the year when we set new goals but have you taken the time to really look at what you achieved in the last 12 months?

Reviewing the list of goals that you did at the beginning of 2010 can be challenging because it's likely that there will be some things on that list that you did not achieve. But equally, there will be other things that were significant breakthroughs for you that were not on your original list of goals.

Reviewing our past successes is extremely important for our unconscious mind, our self-esteem and our confidence. Self -esteem is the rocket-fuel for our minds so before you begin setting your new goals you want to ensure that you have a full fuel tank.

Simply answer the following 30 questions and not only will you be amazed at the year you had, you will also then be in the perfect space to set your new goals.

So what can you achieve in 2011? How high can you fly? Be bold as you set your new 2011 goals knowing that you have already achieved so much.

Complimentary VIP Ticket to The Business Masters Club
Join the Business Fusion mailing list at www.businessfusion.com.au and receive a complimentary VIP invitation to Anthea's next Business Masters Club workshop (valued at $135.00). The next Business Masters Club workshop is "The Business Success Plan" on Thursday 13th January 2010, 4.30pm - 7.30pm at The Function Centre, Technology Park, Bentley, Perth, Western Australia.

The Holidays - A Good Time to Achieve Clarity

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 06:22:00 GMT

It’s fast approaching and you can begin to feel the frenzy in the air…school concerts, social gatherings and shopping. Yup, another Christmas is just around the corner and that’s great news for entrepreneurs. Why? Because hopefully you will get a break from your business and that’s just what you need.

Most business owners spend far too much time working “in” their business and not enough time planning and thinking strategically. Research tells us that time completely away from the business with no business calls or emails can do wonders for our creativity and problem-solving abilities.

So here are my recommendations for how you can use the holiday period in order to gain clarity about what you want to achieve in 2011 and beyond.

1. List 101 goals for your business.

What do you want to achieve? How many clients do you want? What turnover do you want to achieve? Do you want to expand interstate or overseas? What are your ideal business premises? Who are your ideal team members? etc… It's a big stretch to create 101 girls but believe me when I tell you that it will really help you to get clear.

2. Create a vision board or book for your business.

A picture tells a thousand words. Create a vision board with pictures for all of your business goals. Share the vision with your team members. Creating a vision board is not only fun and rewarding but extremely powerful in focusing your mind.

3. Define your business values.
Our business values are so important in keeping us on track and helping us to make choices. Values are simply words or short phrases that define how what’s important to us e.g. success, supporting others, honesty and integrity, passion, creativity, learning, making a difference….the list goes on.

Define your top 7 business values and then for each value outline four or five defining statements. For example, one of your business values may be teamwork. Defining statements may be

We take time to celebrate our team wins.
We communicate openly and honestly about what needs to be done.
We help one another to meet our deadlines.
We take time everyday to connect with our team members.

Values are extremely powerful and help to keep us on track. They also bring a team together and set the ground rules for the workplace.

So take the time over the holiday period to get crystal clear clarity about what it is exactly that you want to achieve in your business. It’s an extremely powerful process and you will be amazed when you look back a year from now by how much you have achieved.

Complimentary VIP Ticket to The Business Masters Club

Join the Business Fusion mailing list at www.businessfusion.com.au and receive a complimentary VIP invitation to Anthea's next Business Masters Club workshop (valued at $135.00). The next Business Masters Club workshop is on Thursday 13th January 2010, 4.30pm - 7.30pm at The Function Centre, Technology Park, Bentley, Perth, Western
Australia.