When setting out to build your business, many advisors will tell you to set your goals, create a plan, develop a framework and take action – otherwise known as executing your plan. Although this is excellent advice, in this article I offer some additional aspects to consider while growing a successful business. Your Mindset, Skillset, Resources and Actions

Mindset

Mindset comes before everything else. The way you think about a situation and the beliefs behind those thoughts will have a major impact on what you decide to do in your business.

If your mindset is one of skepticism, worry or doubt then the actions you take will reflect that. If, on the other hand, your mindset shows optimism, clarity and certainty, then you will propel yourself into positive action.

“I’ve never known a person who was successful that didn’t at first establish a mindset of success. You can’t be that which you can’t believe.” –...

Many women in business struggle to price their products or services. How do you know what ‘the right price’ is? One way is to calculate the material, manufacturing cost or hours of planning you’ve put in to the product. Unfortunately, that idea is not the best way of determining a good price. The right way is to match the price to its value, and then focus your marketing on showing your customers this unique value.

Defining the Value of Your Offer

Do you understand the value of your product or service? The value is how well it changes the life of your customer. It saves people money or time, prevents hassles, or solves problems. It’s not only how your product does this, but how it does this differently from other products on the market.

^{"Your value proposition is an answer to the question: Why should I buy from you and not your competitor?" Neil Patel}

To define what about your product sets it apart and helps people solve their...

There are a wide variety of marketing strategies and processes that the marketing experts will tell us we must follow. But there seems to be new methods or techniques popping up all the time. How do you know which is right for you?

What type of business?

If you have a product based business, your marketing choices will be different to someone who has a service based business. Low ticket items will need a different approach to high ticket items and so on. The key factor here is about reaching the right people using the right methods. So, where do you start?

When it comes to developing your overall marketing strategy, some people say you should be Omnipresent, meaning you cover all bases. Every social media account, networking, public speaking, FB and Google advertising, SEO, radio and magazines. Not to mention YouTube, your own blogs, email marketing and podcasts. The list seems to grow bigger every day.

Does this work?

One problem with that is keeping track of all your...

The end of the year always seems to come in a rush. So much to do - so little time. Co-ordinating  marketing campaigns, sales, deliveries, staffing and, of course, managing the Christmas break. The list of what needs to get done at this time of year can become overwhelming. Sometimes we are not even aware of how much time is taken up with the various projects we may have on the go at once.

That is where technology can come to the rescue. You just need to know what is available and which tools to use. 

Here are 6 time management tools that can help you improve productivity.

Toggl

With Toggl you can keep better track of the time you spend working on projects and tasks and is an excellent alternative to time-sheets. Effective time management starts with being clear on how much time you are actually spending on your projects and tasks, and then through careful analysis, working out how you can better manage them. 

Another option to look at is...

When you’re speaking to someone face to face, it’s easy to understand what they’re saying. After all, we don’t only speak with our mouths; we actually communicate using our bodies too. When face to face, you can read someone’s hand gestures, body language, tone of voice and facial expressions. All of this makes it very easy to understand what the person is saying.

Online it’s a whole different story. When you’re communicating with someone via email, forums or even webcasts it’s not always so easy.  You don’t have the ability to gather visual feedback in the same way.

However, by following a few simple rules you can make your digital communication a whole lot easier.

#1 - Write clearly. It’s often difficult to write down what is actually quite easy to say. But writing in a long-winded way can be confusing to the reader. Instead, think about what you mean to say and write in short, clear...

As a business owner no-one knows your business better than you do. Even when struggling, you actually know the steps you need to take with your business, but systemizing those steps into “do-able” chunks can be a lot more difficult. There are also many “small” questions that come up as you build our business, and having someone to turn to can be a great help. Even just having an objective person listen to your ideas can be a life saver. In these situations, one-to-one coaching can really help.

 How do you decide if coaching can benefit you? Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

#1 - Could I use an impartial person to run my ideas by?

Your friends and family may be great to turn to for help, but remember they are slightly biased. They may not be much help if they don’t specifically understand the inner dealings of your business or your market.

Having an impartial, knowledgeable person review your ideas and plans can be...

When your computer is for personal use, a crash can be a real pain if your data wasn’t backed up.  If the computer you’re using to run your business isn’t backed up, a crash could be devastating.  It could take months to replace the data you lose, and much of it you may have to be rebuilt, costing you precious time and money.  You need a line of protection against this kind of loss.

The first line of protection for your computer is getting software to protect it from viruses, worms, and other malicious software that could ruin or steal information or even compromise your whole computer system.  While many people spend a lot of money on software programs, there are great virus scanners, and other protective software online for free.  And even if you do spend some money, it’s worth protecting your computer and everything on it.  

Just because you have protective software, doesn’t mean it’s...

Crafting a marketing plan will help you understand how to get the word out about your offerings. Not only that - as you develop the marketing plan, you’ll also come up with new products and services to provide for your audience. It doesn’t matter if your business is big or small; a marketing plan will help you achieve the results you desire. Your marketing plan can be one page or longer.

Here is a checklist of what you need to do.

* Create a Mission Statement – It can be as simple as describing what you do, for whom, why you do it, and how you do it. It’s just one to three sentences. The best way to create a good mission statement is to look at other mission statements and try to fill in the blanks with your own thoughts for your audience.

* Describe Your Target Audience – You should be able to describe your target audience easily. If you do the research and get to know your audience, you should be able to pick out and describe one...

We know that some people have a natural tendency to be organized – and others, not so much. Regardless of your preferences there are numerous benefits to being in control and developing a clutter-free lifestyle.

1. Less stress

When organized you are automatically less stressed, you know where your keys, wallet, important papers, phone charger and phone are. Similarly, if your project plan is up to date and you complete your reports on time, there’s no need to worry about on-the-spot requests for project updates or meetings.

2. More time

Planning your time and keeping up-to-date means you can allocate time for everything in your life, including downtime. Being organized means, you won’t get sidetracked or panicked by not being able to find important items. You’ll be punctual and more productive.

3. Ready for the unexpected

You can be prepared for last-minute requests or deadlines because you’re not distracted by untidiness or the...

Given the current environment many of you may be working from home for a while yet.

When you're working from home you should always be looking for ways to increase your productivity. More work done in less time means more time to kick back, relax and have fun. Here are a few suggestions that can really make a difference:

1. Keep a daily routine

Some people who are new to working from home will scoff at the idea of anything resembling a daily schedule. The truth, though, is that it can really boost productivity and prevent work from spilling over into your spare time. By starting and stopping work at approximately the same times every day, you ensure you'll have plenty of time to recharge afterwards, which is ultimately great for productivity.

2. Always plan ahead

Something as simple as a daily to-do list can do wonders for your productivity. Sure, deciding on the spot what to do next has a certain charm, but it leaves you spending too much time on deciding, and too little on...