Newsletters

Issue #6, Dec 2024

Newsletter Inspiration Comes From Where??

As the holidays approach, we’re coming into an even busier time of the season and still trying to keep ourselves focused on ideas for our newsletter writing.

The question is: “How to keep up with ideas to simplify our writing?”

I don’t think I’ll look at new magazines articles the same since I was just listening to a recent guest speaker’s talk. She mentioned that whenever you see articles you like, posts with interest, etc., take a picture and send it to a file for future reference for ideas for your newsletters. If you’re like us, there’s always magazines around to browse, Canadian Living, Fine Homebuilders, even the LCBO has beautiful magazines fit to inspire (Now that magazine might lead to having a little sip of something whilst looking through it! LOL!)!!

Here’s a few ideas to help you find inspiration as they’re helping me:

** Magazines – Their “From the Editors” section has great ideas you could use and edit to make yours. Take a few sentences and keep going as you’ve just started those creative juices flowing!

** LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. – Other people’s postings can create a wealth of inspiration from all different points of view. Endless ideas to help your brainstorming. Follow lots of people for different points of view.

** Books – As you indulge in some quiet times enjoying some reading, you never know what can inspire your writing; a sentence here, a few words there… and off you go with another creative insight…..and into another world of ideas.

** Inspiration from nature and life – Looking at nature, like the blue jays taking control over the bird feeders from the smaller birds, might inspire ideas of hard work and achievements. Then as the seasons are changing, reflections of change might be another inspiration. Ideas are endless!

** Podcasts and Blogs – Keep your notebooks close or your note-taking apps because you never know what you might hear that just grabs your mind to thinking, I could use that!! This happens to me a LOT!!

Issue #5, Nov 2024

Filling The Gaps When Things Get Slow

As someone who’s used to – and enjoys – feeling at capacity most of the time, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself at times when things slow down a bit. I began by cleaning out cupboards in the kitchen, a task which actually turned out to be quite rewarding.

After a while, though, it occurred to me that this newly found time is rare and temporary. So I decided to take more deliberate steps to improve things.

If you’re interested in doing the same, here’s what I recommend:

  1. Examine your business from the outside in. Listen to your outgoing voicemail message – is it friendly and clear? Look at your email signature – is your phone number included? When was the last time you read your website homepage? Or subscribed to your own newsletter to see what happens?
  2. Check out your LinkedIn profile. Make sure your profile picture is a professional head shot and that it’s up to date. Ask for those recommendations you’ve been thinking about.
  3. Post past content. If you’ve got past newsletters that are not yet up on your website as well, take steps to add them.
  4. Clean up “tolerations.” You know, those annoying little things that you are still putting up with. Are you always struggling to find client phone numbers? Do you keep needed supplies in the basement instead of near your desk? Is there a pile of papers in the corner that you’ve ignored for months (years?)? Take the time now to handle these little annoyances.
  5. Organize your desk. Take everything off (yes, everything) clean it thoroughly, and only add back what you need.
  6. Review your finances. Why wait until tax time to organize your expenses? Bring them up to date now.
  7. Plan your next big project. What are you waiting for? Jump in!

 

For people who are used to being at capacity, a little down time can be disorienting. So yes, make sure you relax. But when you’re ready to jump back in, take advantage of the opportunity to take your business to the next level.

 

 

Issue #4, Oct 2024

STOP PROCRASTINATION! (Now, Not Tomorrow)

Nearly every day, clients and prospective clients come to me with a big idea or project they want to tackle. Some are brimming with excitement, others with concern. Either way, some jump right in while others just seem to stall.

 

Procrastination is something we’ve all been guilty of now and then. (My particular form of procrastination includes reading, gardening, knitting and eating some form of chocolate; most know me as a chocoholic!!)

 

Whatever the specifics, I think it stems from a perception that their project will be difficult, expensive, or confusing. The key word is perception.

How then, can we get moving when stalled on a new project? Here are some tactics that have worked for me.

Know what you need to know and what you don’t. There are some projects where it is essential to understand exactly how something is set up. There are others where you only need to know enough to keep things going. Take setting up an email newsletter, for example. If setting up Mailchimp is not intuitive for you, and you’re wasting hours doing something you don’t love, let someone else do the initial set up. You can still handle it monthly from there, even if you were not the one to build it in the first place.

Ask the question: What other information do I need? Sometimes we need to do research to get started with a project; sometimes we already have all the information. If you need more information, decide specifically what that is and make a plan to get it. If you have everything, look at it all together so you can see the big picture of the project to feel more confident.

Don’t ask for too many opinions. While it’s nice to have the support of family and friends, ask yourself how much they really know about the decision you’re trying to make. When it comes to logo design, for example, I trust my designer, not my friend who’s good with colors (even though she may have a strong opinion). When it comes to choosing software to run my business, I listen to others who have made this decision before me. Asking for too much input is often just another way of procrastinating.

Break the project down into categories. Something like redesigning your website can seem like a huge task. But if you break it down, you’ll see more manageable chunks of work. In this case, start with the homepage and make a list of what you want to include – things like Facebook and LinkedIn social media icons, a head shot of yourself, a testimonial from a client, a link to your calendar. The point is, be as specific as you can.

Don’t keep the details in your head – write them down. When I don’t have a written plan, I can spend hours spinning my wheels trying to remember what I’ve done and what to do next. Spend time up front to write a detailed plan in order to see the entire project. It will save time and work.

Leave perfectionism behind. It’s better to get started and improve the work rather than wait until you have every detail just right. You’ll learn as you go and make it better over time. Businesses evolve all the time – so develop the improvement muscle and you’ll be able to stay current with what your business needs.

Overall, the hardest part of any new project is getting started. Apply these six simple ideas and put procrastination away forever!

 

Issue #3, Sept 2024

Adjust outdated processes as your business evolves

As a small business owner or solo professional, you’ve got many processes and procedures in place, not to mention lots of outwardly facing marketing things, like your LinkedIn profile and your web site.

Over time, it’s easy to look at them, without really seeing them. That can be a problem, particularly as your business evolves. With that in mind, here are three ways I keep a fresh eye on my work:

  1. Question past decisions. Decisions we made about how to do something 3 or 5 years ago may no longer apply today. Better software solutions are invented all the time. Maybe your business focus has shifted. Or, maybe, there is an easier, less expensive solution available now.
     

  2. Look closely at the parts of your business that are right in front of you. The other day, a friend noticed a typo in her email newsletter that had literally been there for years – how could that happen?

    To avoid this, I suggest you do a scan of the parts of your business you may be taking for granted. If you’re about to give a presentation you’ve given many times already, review it closely one more time. Look at your website – every page – and make sure all the buttons and links your potential clients might be clicking are working as they should. 
     

  3. Know that the buck stops with you. I’ve heard many times from solo-professionals: “I don’t know how that works, so and so set it up for me.” That’s fine, I don’t expect you to know how the technology was set up, let alone how to make modifications to it. But it is critical to check the work you outsource and make sure you understand what is supposed to happen when. Then document it, so you can look back later on and check again!

     

It’s easy to fall into a comfortable groove when running your own business. That can be a good thing; just make sure your eyes remain wide open!

 

Issue #2, Aug 2024

Untangling Your Messy Calendar

Unfortunately, many people still struggle with electronic calendar set up. This is how it usually happens:

  • They have a job before they start their business, and they use a calendar associated with their personal email for their personal life. That makes perfect sense.
     

  • They start a business and decide to keep business and personal lives separate (just like when they had a job). So they get a new email account for work, something like, mybusinessname@gmail.com account. Now there are two calendars.

  • Then (sometimes), they get a “paid domain” email account (e.g., yourdomain.com ). Then they get a calendar with that and there are now three places to log into and three places to track.

I was one of these people until I decided it was time to consolidate everything in one place.

If there is resistance to this idea, it’s usually from people who want to keep their “work life” and “personal life” separate. I understand, but, since there is only one you and only one place you can be at any one time, it makes more sense to keep everything in one place.

You can even have other people’s calendars show up (with their permission, of course). For example, I can toggle on and off some clients’ calendars. This way, we can schedule meetings easier, reducing the confusion.

Sorting this out can take a little time, but I guarantee it’s worth the effort. Here’s how to start:

  1. Decide which calendar you’re going to use. Open the other calendars and transfer your appointments manually or hire someone to migrate them for you. Be sure to look a year ahead so you don’t miss any recurring events, like anniversaries and birthdays that might be months in the future.
     

  2. Make sure all calendar invites sent and received are done so using the email address tied to this calendar.
     

  3. Ask other calendar owners, like your children, significant others and select clients, to “share” their calendar with you. If you use Google calendar click here for step by step instructions, click here if you use Outlook.

When you’re finished with the consolidation, you’ll be able to access your calendar across all your devices knowing that everything you need is in one place.

 

Issue #1, July 2024

You Can’t Do It All! How to Delegate Effectively

 Learn how to leverage your time with help.

It seems that at least once each week I hear the same five words from friends and clients: “I need to delegate more.” And then, immediately afterward, they say, “But I don’t think there’s anybody who will understand my work, take it as seriously as I do, and do a really great job.”

As a result, nothing gets delegated and they are left doing everything for themselves.

The problem, I’ve discovered, is not a lack of capable and committed people willing to help. It’s that people simply don’t know how to delegate and are afraid to let go, even a little. So they assume there’s no way forward.

Here’s what I recommend instead on your way to becoming a delegation rock star:

 

    1. Do your research.It’s important to know what skills are needed by the person you’re going to hire. Just like hiring an accountant to do your taxes, you’ll want to find someone with expertise. If you need to delegate setting up your newsletter, find someone with experience using Mailchimp, Constant Contact or a similar program.

This may sound obvious, but I often hear solo professionals say they are thinking about hiring very smart friends, but I discover after a few questions they don’t have any relevant experience. You wouldn’t hire a “very smart friend” who knew nothing about cars to act as your auto mechanic – delegation of your business needs works the same way; specific skills are required.

 

    1. Take time to plan.You’ve got to give the person doing the work enough time to schedule it into their calendar and get it done. This requires planning ahead. When I get ready to write my newsletter, for example, I ask my editor on Sunday or Monday if she has time for edits on Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning. I don’t just assume and send it over to her. You need to be prepared, too, for the answer to be “no” or “not this week.”

    1. Provide specific information.“Can you handle this?” is not enough information for the person you’re delegating to – even if it’s a simple and (in your mind) self-explanatory task. Include details, timelines and any supporting information. For example: “I’m ready to publish my next newsletter. Attached is the word document and the images I’d like to use. Can we schedule it for this Friday at 6:00 am?” Be thorough: include deadlines and guidelines about how you’d like the work to be done.

    1. Create check-in and control points.If you’ve delegated a project, schedule check-in points for milestones to make sure things stay on track. Sometimes there can be misunderstandings about the required tasks even when you both think you understand. Regular meetings will help with discovery and allow for adjustments.

    1. Develop a communicative relationship.When you work with someone you are in a relationship with them. I don’t mean you need to be BFFs, but simple things that work in your other relationships will work in this one too. A simple, “Thank you – great job,” or “How was your weekend?” will go a long way. Be sure to answer questions about the project quickly so that it can stay on track and on time. Your work together will require conversation – either written or verbal.

My guess is that 99% of the time the person assisting you wants to do a good job. If that’s not happening, check these five points to see where you two might be going off track.

Delegation is a powerful way to leverage your time and get help with areas of your business where you might not have expertise. Done well, it can be a big win for you and your business.