|
|
|
|
The purpose of this guide is to help you gain or regain control of your business. Though I will be bluntly honest at times, those blunt honesties are not meant to discourage you. Quite to the contrary, they are presented primarily to help you better understand what is really involved in making a decision to start or continue your own on line business and planning it takes to be successful at it.
Anybody who knows anything about running a business knows that a well organized business equates to better productivity and better productivity normally equates to more profit.
If your Internet based home business includes the management and promotion of websites to sell products or services, but you are struggling with managing your business, then you may just need to get organized. Sounds simple enough, but I mean organized to the point that you don't have to struggle in an effort to make more profits.
If you are just starting you can use this guide to help you develop your OWN plan that will prove to grow your business without the struggles you’re currently experiencing. If you are an experienced Internet Marketer you can use some of these tips to help increase your online income.
I will cover taking control of your business so you can run it like a REAL business. Obviously taking control of your business means taking control of yourself by developing habits that will allow you to do just that. BE YOUR OWN BOSS!
We will cover putting a system in place that will allow you to be as productive and profitable as any one or 2 two person business can be. So we are going to cover how to analyze why you are not getting as much out of your current business "System" as you think you should be, and the time your current "System", allows you to be productive in the areas that have the potential to produce the most profit.
What we will NOT cover is a bunch of filler about the history of Internet Marketing and the obvious things you need to do with your web site or blog, to make your Internet Business more profitable. There are literal tons, (Tera-Bytes), of information on line that will help you with those efforts.
Obviously, if you are not making the kind of money that you want to with your Internet Business, and yet you know there are a lot of people out there that are. It stands to reason then that they must be doing something you are not. We are going to help you figure out why, and hopefully help you turn your business around. We’re going to cover how to run your own business like a REAL systematic, well organized, highly efficient, productive and more profitable business.
So lets move ahead and take a look at why you felt a need to learn from an Ecourse like this.
It's time to take a step back and think about the reason you started or wanted to start your own an Internet Business. By Internet business I’m talking about any web site business that actually sells products or services directly from that web site. Not a web site that is just a web presence or support site for an existing brick and mortar business.
There are more and more people every day wanting to start their own on line business. The problem most times is that they don't know what to do to start or what they want to do to make money with online.
The first thing any aspiring Internet Entrepreneur needs to do, even before they choose which business they want to work, is to figure out why you want to start and run a business of their own. The question is then, did you? And if you did, did you write down the reason, in a clear and detailed mission statement? The reason gives you the answer of what you want your business effort to result in providing you and or your family.
Most people want to start a business in order to earn more money, or to be able to quit their current job, stay at home and raise their kids or achieve financial independence. These are only a few of the reasons why people want to run a business of their own from home.
Everyone has their own reason(s) but you have to know what your reason is before you start or if you don't know the reason and can't say exactly what it is without hesitation right now, there is no need to move on to the next chapter until you do.
One thing that most people don't realize is that when you don't have a clearly defined reason why you want to undertake this mission of starting and running a home based business online, you are setting yourself up for failure from the start. The reason for starting or continuing with your mission is what will be your primary motivator.
The fact is, more that 90% of all Internet home-based businesses fail - not in the first year, but before they ever really get off the ground. This failure rate isn't due to a lack of hard work or a lack of funds - it's due to a lack of organization and planning.
In short, the trend toward failure is due to entrepreneurs with high hopes putting the cart before the horse, and acting without forethought, planning or caution.
Part of being ready to start a new business or continue a fledgling on line business is to have a plan. But if you just jumped in after reading a few guides about “Making Money On line” and went running around from one project or sub-project to another, never seeming to get any of them completely done, you have to ask yourself NOW; will I ever do any better? Do you think you may do or be doing better by now if you had a plan.
You may have read hundreds of reports and purchased a hundred more internet marketing associated ebooks, applied some of the strategies defined, advertised your business in Adwords and produced several blogs for search engine sake, but so far there has been little or no profit, right? You have to be thinking, "I must be doing something wrong", so you continue to hunting for the next big time, never before seen guru promise of millions overnight.
Well, to be honest, you are doing something wrong! But it's not something you can attribute to lack of information or even bad information, it's due to a missing link – your reasons for owning your own on line business with the benefits of those reasons inspiring you to construct a proper, well defined and goal oriented strategy.
Are you in the habit of creating a plan to accomplish your goals?
Do you think you have the self discipline to stick to a plan? If not do you think you would be willing to learn do discipline yourself to learn how to stick to your plan?
Can You Sacrifice
Certain Wants and Needs to Succeed?
Are you willing to
give up the time necessary from things you currently do in your life to
succeed in your on line business?
This may mean giving up:
Some of your
favorite T.V. shows
Foregoing some of
your favorite hobbies
Foregoing other favorite activities – sports, charity work, etc.
If you answered no to any of the above questions, you need to step back and take a serious look at your reason(s) for wanting to own and run your own on line business. (Or any type of business for that matter.)
If you have not sat down and written out not just your reasons for running your own business, but the benefits of ending up with a SUCCESSFUL on line business then you have 2 choices.
Stop reading this
book right now and go outside. Find a wall. Brick would be nice but any
hard surfaced wall will do just fine. Stand about 2 feet from the wall.
Reach forward with both hands and lean into the wall. Now lean in
closed enough so you can pound your head against that wall until you
realize this exorcize is exactly what you are already doing by not
knowing the reasons why you want to own and run your own on line
business.
Stop reading this book right now and WRITE DOWN YOUR REASONS including the benefits of what each reason will bring you once you HAVE made your business a success. (I’m not providing a guide here. This is all on you. Take the Responsibility. Put as much time and effort into this exorcize as you need to. Let your imagination run a little wild. Be realistic but remember you are capable of doing far more than you think you can. So don’t hold back.)
OK, so your back. Excellent! So how did you do? We don’t have to analyze your reasons here. Just know this; if your reasons for wanting to own and run your own on line business successfully and the benefits you will gain as a result of doing that, did NOT get you so fired up and filled with a desire to do what ever it takes, to end up with those benefits, put this book down.
It’s back to the wall for you. Why? BECAUSE APPARENTLY YOU HAVEN’T REALLY CONSIDERED ALL THE BENEFITS.
Consider the following and see if any of the following reasons do inspire you:
By controlling your own business organization, you will acquire the knowledge and skills required to help increase your ability to take advantage of future business opportunities.
You are in total control over your finances. No more slaving away for a set per hour wage or salary because which is basically selling wholesaling your talent skill and abilities to your employer, who resells them for a profit. With your own business, you are in control of how much you make.
You will save a lot of money on transportation, including gasoline costs related to going to work on a daily basis, saving wear and tear on your automobile, mileage and frequent car repairs caused from everyday use.
And here's a biggie; Once your business is a success, you'll have more time to spend with your family. Often, a full-time job away from the home doesn’t allow for a lot of family time or spending all day with your children. If you don’t want to miss a minute, a home-based business may be the way to go.
Ambition – Your ambition is only limited by your ability to grow your business. Equally, if you want to stay small, you can.
You are in control of your schedule, the hours you work and which day(s) you work. There is no calling in sick or working late hours because you get to decide the schedule. Even if you want to work in your robe and slippers, you can because your home is your office.
Long holidays – Providing you can organize your business to allow it, you can take as much time off as you want, whenever you want.
You will make all of the decisions involved with the day-to-day operations regarding your business, including full creative control.
You will learn how to gain free publicity for your business through the use of press releases, article marketing, search engine placement and link exchanges. This information is extremely valuable and will always be important if you plan to continue with your business.
You will not be tired from standing on your feet all day, sore from lifting heavy boxes and shipments or any other labor associated with many jobs. With an at-home business, the heaviest thing you will need to lift is that of the rare occasion when computer equipment must be moved or checked.
You will no longer have to worry about company cutbacks, layoffs, reduction in hours or other issues that can cause financial problems with conventional jobs. If you need to earn more, you simply put in more hours to earn extra money. If you need some time off, you can determine when and how much according to your wishes.
Of course these are but a few of the reasons and benefits for owning your own on line business and I’m sure you have or have written down others. Still the question is; will your reason and their benefits be enough to inspire you to forge ahead?
If you answered yes to the above question, then you need to proceed with turning those reasons into a plan that will get you the benefits. But before we proceed, let’s do a reality check and analyze your perception of what it will take to start and develop a successful on line business.
If you are serious about succeeding at
running your own home based on line business, you should considered
all of the following un-realistic ways of thinking about your
business:
I’ll be my own boss,
so I can work as much as I do or don’t want to.
Stinkin Thinkin: Until such time as you reach most of your
primary goals and are profitable, you will have to work more hours
every day in stead of less.
I don’t need a plan
because I bought a course that says it will teach me everything I need
to know to be a success on line including a plan as to how to be
successful on line. (Several hundred thousand Internet Marketing
Success wanna beez thought the same thing.)
Stinkin Thinkin: While I’m not saying there are not good
courses out there, you will pay a pretty penny (Upwards of $1,000.00 +)
for a complete course. The problem is the Internet is changing so fast
and so many new technologies are coming along even faster, that by the
time the people that write these courses get them completely researched
and written, they are out of date. Not to mention their PLAN is almost
always intended as a guide line. It’s not a complete plan and it’s not
YOUR plan.
I can start my on
line business on a shoe string budget so if I fail I won’t be out
anything but my own time.
Stinkin Thinkin: Obviously you can start and run an on line
business with far less start up capital than you can a traditional
brick and mortar business or even a conventional service business out
of your own home. You are going to have software costs, domain
registration costs (Believe me one domain wont be enough), monthly
hosting fees, monthly autoresponder fees, Internet fees, server side
software costs, monthly fees for services such as .PDF conversions and
the list goes on. A budget is a relative term depending on how much you
are willing or able to spend to be successful how soon.
I don’t have the
time to learn all that technical stuff. I’ll just pay somebody else to
do it.
Stinkin Thinkin: That’s fine if you have the money but do
you have the knowledge and experience to manage employees or worse yet
independent contractors to do most of the technical work for you? Think
about it.
There are of course more things that can be added to this list but I think you get the idea. At least in the beginning you will have to learn an amazing amount of information, work more hours than you ever did at your day job, and spend enough money to put you in a position to start making money.
Thinking that starting and running an on line business will require any less and you’re kidding yourself. And that is what I call Stinking Thinkin. Basically lying to yourself about what it will take or believing someone else’s lies about how you can become a successful on line business owner cheap and easy.
Before you can seriously plan anything, you need to know your own time management habits. Otherwise you will plot out a time line for a project and end up wondering why you didn’t get it completed in the time it seemed like you should be able to. So let’s talk about how you can best analyze your, “At Work Time” buy using software tools that will help you do just that.
While I am not recommending any one of the following software products over another, they will give you an idea of the type of program you need to use to analyze your time management habits but will also allow you to continually improve on how to best use your time.
Just as with any job or responsibility, having the right tools can make carrying out any time management plan easier. Not only will these tools help you save time, they can also help to keep you focused on your newly formed time management plan.
The first tool that any effective time management plan should include is good time tracking software. These types of software packages allow you to track your time precisely as you move from project to project. This feature makes it possible for you to manage your time more efficiently and to determine which projects require the most of your time.
There are numerous types of time tracking software currently on the market. The ones that we will explore, however, are easy to learn, run on windows, and include extra reporting features. Just Google the text in bold and you’ll find a link to the software programs below:
Smart
WorkTime Tracker: Smart WorkTime Tracker is intended for those
people whose main activities are directly related to working with the
computer (designers, writers, software developers, on line marketers
etc.). SWTT will allow you to obtain the exact time spent on doing this
or that part of your work. This is useful for both self-control and the
appropriate evaluation of how much your work costs.
The important thing is that you do not have to tell the program all the
time what you are doing at the moment: the program will understand it
automatically by monitoring the applications you start and the
documents you open in them. If you go out for a smoke with friends
during your workday, you will not have to take time to inform the
program about the break. Smart Work Time Tracker will exclude the break
from your work time automatically. This is extremely inexpensive
considering what it does.
TraxTime
Time Tracking Software. This software contains another simple to
use time tracking system thanks to its "punch clock" type feature. With
this type of entry system, adding start and stop times is quick and
easy. This software also includes a memo feature, a customizable report
feature, and the reports can be viewed in a wider variety of formats.
Track-IT
Light. This software is unique in that it offers a variety of time
entry methods. Using this feature, entrepreneurs can experiment with
different methods until they find the one that works best for their
tasks and their system. Another great feature of this software is its
ability to handle multiple projects. This feature can come in handy as
you work to combine your numerous responsibilities as a business owner.
But, maybe best of all, this software is relatively inexpensive and
does not require the large amount of computer resources that most time
tracking software systems do.
Responsive
Time Logger. This software is similar to the others in that it
easily and efficiently allows you to track your time. It does, however,
contain two unique features that may cause it to stand out from its
competition. One is the drag and drop feature that allows you to
customize on-screen reports. The other is its Palm O/S interface that
allows you to track your time even when you are away from your
computer.
Time Writer. This software allows you to track your time via an on-screen scheduler. The entry screen consists of a weekly grid displaying hourly entry areas. The benefit from this type of screen is that entries can be made quickly and without much effort. Another benefit to this software is that aside from the time tracking feature, it also offers a great report compiling function.
With the great number of time tracking software packages to choose from it is best to start simple until you become more accustom to their uses. Then, when you have a better idea of what features you will use the most and what type of entry system you prefer, you can upgrade if you need to. And, as your business grows and changes, so will your time tracking needs.
With a good time tracking tool in your time management arsenal, it is now time to explore the use of some other tools, namely Day Timers and calendars.
While time tracking software can help you monitor the time that you spend completing certain tasks, tools such as Day Timers and schedulers can help you plan that time in advance. These tools are necessary when using the schedule that we will talk about in the next chapter. The key is to get that same schedule organized in three distinct ways- with a Day Timer, a calendar, and a "to do" list. Since the Day Timer and calendar are similar, we will explore those first. In the next section we will tackle the in and outs of "to do" lists.
Although it may seem repetitive at first glance, any successful time management plan really needs to utilize both a Day Timer and a calendar. The calendar will soon become your master planner, and your Day Timer will become your daily planner and the container for your "to do" list.
Day Timer software for the on line business owner is an absolute must if you are going to stay on top of your business. However, some people find it easier to use a physical Day Timer and have it open at their side. The only problem I see with this is a physical Day Timer is not going to remind you with audio-visual alerts like a Day Timer Software will. Physical Day Planners are great for road warriors but the home based business user is really better off with software.
Still most of the following can apply to either software or Day Planner note books.
Day Timer Software
You don’t have to run out and buy the most expensive Organizer there is. Programs like ACT!, Microsoft Outlook and GroupWise, costing $100 to $300. Not to mention there are VERY steep learning curves that go along with using these programs effectively. There are plenty of good inexpensive “Day Planner / Contact Manager” software programs on line. Again I’m not going to specifically recommend any software in particular, however, one does come to mind you can find with a Google search for “Active Date Manager 2.0”.
Let's start out discussion with calendars. It doesn't really matter which type of calendar you choose, however, you should pick one that contains large enough spaces in each square to hold multiple entries and notes. To use your calendar efficiently start by importing the tasks from the schedule that you completed earlier.
Since your Day Timer will contain all of the detailed information from your schedule, you do not need to make entries on your calendar like sort incoming mail at 2 p.m. You do, however, need to enter all meetings, appointments, time sensitive report running, and major deadlines.
For example, your meeting with a client at 9 a.m. on Monday, your 10 a.m. Tuesday appointment with the web designer, and your 5 p.m. deadline on Friday for advertising bids should all be included on your calendar.
Your calendar is also the place to add entries regarding entire days that need to be devoted to conferences, large computer projects, and personal events such as family dinners and birthday parties.
Since you will be recording both personal and professional entries on the same calendar, it can help if you start color-coding these entries. For example, you can record all professional entries in red or black ink Red ink can be used to denote outside engagements, and black ink can be reserved for engagements that will take place at your office or home. Then the blue color can be used to denote all personal entries. By using this color-coding system you can more readily grasp the extent and nature of your commitments with a single glance.
Once you have entered every appropriate schedule entry onto your calendar, it is time to break out your Day Timer.
When scheduling with your Day Timer or Day Timer Software, your objective is more complex. Your calendar entries were made in order to guide your general schedule for the month and provide you with a master plan. Your Day Timer entries, however, will be used to guide your efforts on a weekly and daily schedule.
Using the same type of color-coding that you used with your calendar, you begin entering your tasks into your Day Timer. However, this time you not only want to include more detail, but also specific time allotments that you have determined are necessary for the completion of each task.
For example, when entering the 10 a.m. appointment on Tuesday with your web designer block out the hours between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., or however much time you will need to complete the appointment and travel to and from it. You also need to include information such as the web designer's phone number, address, and directions to the meeting.
By making detailed entries such as these in your Day Timer you can make sure that your time schedule is efficiently planned and avoid searching for supporting information each time that you prepare to move on to the next scheduled task.
Continue adding items from your calendar and schedule to your Day Timer until each day is organized and each task is assigned its own time slot. At this point, you still need to exclude "to do" list activities. Those items will be addressed later. For now just continue filling your Day Timer with the above information.
As you fill in each day and week keep the following points in mind…
Business
And Personal Tasks Separated. Do not schedule a stop by the bank
during a lunch date with a friend unless it is absolutely necessary.
Doing so could result in your getting carried away at lunch and running
out of time at the bank, or taking too much time and the bank and
short-changing your friend. To keep from botching your schedule,
separate all tasks, assign them each their own time allotment, and
concentrate on each task individually.
Should
you use a planner for both your personal and business. Some
entrepreneurs choose to utilize two separate planners, however, this
option usually results in conflict. Unless each planner is consulted in
unison every time you go to use one or the other, events get double
scheduled and stress arises.
There
are rules for day planning. Not including enough information (just
copying your calendar entries), or including too much information
(entering in every detail from your "to do" list) defeats the purpose
of the Day Timer. Stick with the rules of entry for a Day Timer and you
will ultimately produce a planner that you can and will use.
You
have to stay flexible for your plan to work. A time management
tool is only as good as its ease of use. If you create personal rules
that are too time consuming, such as all entries must be made in
printed letters using a rule for a straight edge to endure readability,
you will eventually become frustrated and stop entering items all
together. On the other hand, if you create rules that are too lax, such
as allowing yourself to enter scribbles directions in unidentifiable
shorthand, your planner will not contain enough useful infor4mation and
you will eventually stop carrying it around.
Keep
your planner software or book immediately accessible. No matter
how well organized your planner is and how much information it
contains, if you cannot consult it, it cannot help you. Get in the
habit immediately of taking it with you everywhere you go and stopping
to consult it often.
Use
all the tools in your Planner. Get the most benefit from your
planner by taking a few moments when you first purchase it to enter
important phone numbers and contact information, directions to
unfamiliar places, needed account numbers, emergency contact
information, and other useful information for quick reference and quick
location.
Update your plans on the fly and major updates weekly. Since your Day Timer will be with you every hour of every day, it will have a tricky way of accumulating a lot of junk and clutter. At the end of each week dump the scraps of paper, receipts, business cards, and other unnecessary items into a box. Add the organization of this box to your next week's "to do" list.
Now that you have chosen a Day Timer Software, use it systematically. It’s easy in the beginning to over or underestimate the time you think it will take for you to complete a given task. Don’t let that frustrate you. Just make notes to remember how long the task actually took so when you schedule a similar task in the future, your estimated time of completion will be much closer to the actual time it takes.
But we need to talk about some of the things that can cause tasks to take longer to complete than just underestimating the time necessary.
Let's face it. The Internet, with its extensive amounts of information, lightening fast speeds, and varied content, has become a necessary tool for any small business owner. However, that same information and interesting content is responsible for untold amounts of time wasting each day.
It is easy to fall prey to its charms. You log on to verify a shipment or research a new possible product line and it happens… you see a blurb about the hottest new vacation spot and off you go. Hours later you have read the latest international news, checked your investments, booked your next vacation and bought a pair of house shoes. Unfortunately, however, you haven't gotten a bit of work done.
So, with all the temptation and the necessary information to contend with, what is an entrepreneur supposed to do? The answer is simple; you need to find a balance that focuses your efforts more successfully.
Start by reviewing your activity tracking worksheet again. This time, however, only scrutinize the entries that are related to Internet use. Pay close attention to the amount of time you spent surfing compared to the amount of actual work you completed. Once you can see the problem in black and white, you can actively see the need to do something about it.
Next, make an online "to do" list. While the heading "Internet" can be a daily entry on your regular "to do" list, you need to make a separate, more detailed list for your online activities each day. Include everything related to the Internet on this list including reading emails, ordering supplies, booking your vacation, even shopping for your mother's birthday present.
Once your list is complete, reorder the entries according to priority. Next you should jot down an estimate of time next to each entry. For example, agree to let yourself spend ten minutes searching for and booking your hotel accommodations. Adjust the time allotment according to importance and degree of difficulty. Of course using one of the time tracker tools referenced in a previous chapter that tracks what program you’re using and for how long, does away with making notes about your time spent on line.
Once you have your list completed and your time boundaries in place, vow to adhere to the list. Also, select a dedicated time period of each day to concentrate on your online "to do" list. This will keep you from hopping on and off the Internet at many different times throughout the day and running the risk of varying from your online "to do" list.
So, now that you have your Internet time organized, how do you fight the temptation to wander off task? One good way is to take advantage of bookmarks. It is very easy to happen upon an interesting, and potentially important website while conducting a work related search. But, instead of ruining your well laid time management plans, bookmark the site and add exploring that site to a future "to do" list.
All browsers have a bookmark or "favorites" options that allows you to save web pages to a folder for later viewing. Take advantage of this time management tool by creating folders based on topic and interest and delegating all newly discovered sites to the appropriate folder for future viewing.
There is nothing more discouraging then logging on to your email account and realizing that the high number of new messages is sure to throw off your carefully calculated time allotment for the task. But do not despair. By creating a quick and organized email plan you can ensure that all important emails are taken care of in a timely fashion, while still leaving room for the less important, or even mundane, messages.
No matter which type of mail system you are currently using (Microsoft Outlook, AOL, or any of the others) they all come equipped with tools to help you organize and prioritize your message. Spend some time now learning about these tools and organizing these systems in order to cut down on wasted time later.
Make routine
emails easy to recognize. Many
mail systems come equipped with a color-coding option. Use this option
to identify emails from regular contacts so that you can immediately
determine whom the message is from and what you need to do with it.
When using Microsoft Outlook, choose the heading TOOLS and then
ORAGANIZE to select USING COLORS in order to select the color code you
want for each contact.
Learn to set
up and use email folders. Most
people already use this option to create folders dedicated to a certain
contact or resource. But, you can also use the folders to organize your
mail in action categories. For example, adding folders headed with the
titles Immediate, This Week, and General, will allow you to quickly
move the messages into the appropriate folders and store them in the
order of priority for later review.
Use shortcuts. Many mail systems include navigational tricks that
can help you eliminate time consuming, multiple step tasks. Microsoft
Outlook, for example, supplies navigational tools that help you move
around quickly inside your in box. For example, pressing the ENTER key
will open up a message and pressing ESCAPE will close it.
Simplify
email searching. Once a
certain folder has become overcrowded with emails, use the sort option
in your mail system to organize the messages in a way that agrees with
your current task. For example, if you need a message that a supplier
sent to you three months ago, do not waste time scrolling through the
messages until you happen upon it. Instead, use the sort option to
reverse the way the dates are numbered and move that message closer to
the top of the list.
Learn to decide quickly. Another useful way to take advantage of the folder option in your email system is to create three folders titled Action Required, No Action Required, and Unidentified. As you scan through the subject lines of each message, move the message to the appropriate folder. Read and take care of the mail in the Action folder immediately. Read and sort the mail in the No Action folder during a specified email session from your "to do" list, and ignore the Unidentified mail until the end of the week when you clean out your mail box.
Now that you have the tools to organize your incoming emails, its time to apply some of those same tricks to dealing with your incoming paper mail. And luckily, the same basic principles apply. Again, organization is the key and being able to make quick decisions about each piece of mail is part of this organization.
Begin by dedicating five different colored folders to your desk organization system. One color should be dedicated to mail that needs to be dealt with immediately. In this folder place all mail that needs to be responded to that day, whether the response is a return letter, a phone call or even a date to be jotted on your calendar.
Next, dedicate a color to mail that needs to be dealt with this week. Delegate all the important, but not immediately pressing, mail to this folder to be dealt with at a designated time during the week.
Next, choose another color that will be dedicated solely to bills. This folder will contain all bills or invoices that need to be paid. As you place them in the folder, make sure that you place them in order by due date to free up time when it comes to bill paying day.
Another idea for organizing bills is to dedicate a folder of a similar yet different color to bills that have been paid. This can help you organize your receipts and invoices in a timely manner and make it easier to store these loose papers until filing day.
For your fifth file folder, chose a color to denote information that needs your attention eventually, like informational reading or ads for new products. Items such as magazines, flyers, letters, and newsletters should be delegated to this folder.
Then, the next time you find yourself searching for something to do while your computer defrags or you are enjoying your lunch, reach for this folder and eliminate some of its contents. Just be sure to take some sort of action with each piece after you have read it. File it, answer it, order it, or throw it away. Just be sure to never place it back in the informational folder.
Another great time saving mail option is to pay someone to sort it for you. This idea may seem extravagant, but this simple act could save you hours each week. By leaving the chore to someone else, you can more easily resist the urge to look at every halfway interesting ad or article that comes through the door. Just be sure to fully explain what is important and what can be tossed to your assistant.
Phone calls, both incoming and outgoing, can cause major disruption in your workday flow. Simple five minutes phone calls turn into fifteen-minute phone calls. Repetitively left messages turn a two-minute task into a thirty-minute chore. The game of phone tag extends a twenty-minute phone call into a weeklong business meeting.
No matter how you look at it, the phone can be a major problem for any time management plan. However, since the incoming calls, the ones you really have no outside control over, can be the most disruptive, we will take a look at some time management tips for those first.
The first step in managing incoming phone calls is deciding whether or not to answer them. This step isn't really about screening your calls and deciding whom is important enough to talk to. It is more about deciding how those phone calls, no matter which contact they are from, will affect your daily work plan.
So, how do you decide then? The decision is simple if you use the three-part Quick Decision plan. Thanks to the modern marvel of Caller ID on all cell phones and most home phone systems, you can determine who is calling before you pick up the phone. Use this technology to help you place the incoming call in one of three categories…
Requires
Complete Attention. These calls are the ones from clients,
suppliers, or other contacts that will need your full attention, and
most likely some support paperwork, in order for you to complete any
business during the call. These calls should be put through to voice
mail. Then, when you are prepared for and focused on the matter, you
should return the call.
Can
You Put It Off For An Hour. The calls that fall into this category
are the ones that you had planned on making or returning later on in
the day, or calls that you do need to attend to but that are not "drop
everything" important. These calls should also be allowed to go through
to voicemail and only retrieved when you are ready to carve out time
for return phone calls.
High Priority. These are the calls that you need to take to continue working on your projects for the day, or calls that you have been waiting on and there may not be the option of a better time.
Once you have made your decision, stick with it. If you let a call go through to voice mail, do not retrieve it or return it until the time is appropriate according to your individual time management plan.
And if you have decided to answer the call, well, you can save time there, too. Use the following simple rules to protect your time while still putting your best foot forward. After all, as an Internet marketer, most of your business is done online. What business you can do over the phone represents one of your best chances to impress your contact or customer.
How
You Answer States Professionalism. Unless the incoming call is
from a good friend, family member, or very familiar contact, it is best
to start the call off in a professional manner. By beginning the
conversation with a professional statement such as "Hello, Quick
Corporation, this is John Smith speaking", you set the tone for a
business only, focused interaction.
It’s
rude to NOT pay attention. Since you have decided to take the
call, it can only mean that this particular call was of the utmost
importance. Act accordingly and stop everything else that you are
doing. Flipping through paperwork, typing on your keyboard, even quick
glances at your calendar can detract from your attention and convey an
attitude of disinterest. Not to mention the fact that all the extra
activity will take your focus away from the matter at hand and end up
costing you more time when you have to ask for certain pieces of
information again and again.
Step
back and look again. If you are having problems staying focused,
stand up and move a few steps away from your desk. This action will
move the distractions out of your line of vision and keep you from
wandering back to other tasks absentmindedly.
Control
the conversation. Although you are not the one that initiated the
call, you can still work towards controlling the conversation. If left
unfettered, some callers will wander off topic or see the phone call as
a chance to chat. Keep the call focused on track by asking direct,
business related questions and by providing short concise answers.
Business done? End the call. Sometimes a conversation can be clear, concise and quick but when the business is completed the caller tends to hang on the line. Stop this practice in a polite yet firm way and avoid the trap of wasted time by supplying a closing statement when you realize the call is essentially over. Statements such as "I am so glad that we had a chance to talk. I needed this information to continue the project so now I can get right back to work. Thank you so much for calling".
Now that we have tackled the problem of incoming phone calls, it is time to take a look at ways to manage outgoing phone calls. Since you are in charge of placing these calls, they are ultimately much easier to control. By planning ahead and taking a moment to focus your thoughts before each phone call, you can easily shave hours off of your daily phone call routine.
Plan
for calls in your "to do" list. Set aside at least two time
periods each day, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon, for
making and returning phone calls. This scheduling will free up your
time in two ways:
You will not have to stop yourself in the middle of a
project each time you remember an important phone call you need to
make. At the very least, you may need to stop a minute to add the phone
call to your list, but then you can forget about it until the
designated time.
You will have time to plan for the phone call and prepare all relevant documents you need if you know exactly what time you are placing the call. This step will save you from hunting around for information while on the phone and ultimately using up more time than you had intended.
Enter
a short agenda when you adding a call to your "to do" list. Take a
few moments to gather crucial information, think about the reasons for
the call, and determine the desired outcome. By having a purpose in
mind before you make the call, you will be more apt to stay focused and
achieve the desired outcome of the call while taking as little time as
possible away from your dedicated work hours.
Streamline
your work station to handle calls. Prior to dialing the number at
the top of your "to do" list, clear your desk and your mind. Keeping
your desk clear from anything other than information pertaining to the
call at hand will keep you from becoming distracted and prevent you
from attempting to multi-task.
Be
mindful of time zones and place calls at convenient times. Yes,
you want to attempt to make all of your outgoing calls at a time that
is most convenient for you, but you also need to consider the schedule
of the person you are calling. If you know that a certain contact never
arrives at his office until after 9 a.m. it won't do you any good to
schedule a call to him at eight. Planning your calls based on your own
schedule and the schedule of those you are calling will go along way
toward cutting down on the amount of time you waste leaving messages,
retrieving messages and playing phone tag.
Know
what you’ll say if you reach their voice mail. Having a planned
message in front of you just in case will ensure that you leave all of
the information you originally intended to. Plus, detailed messages
will help your contact know how to respond to your call and save you
time when you receive a call back.
State your name, a detailed reason for your call, the time and date of
your call, your contact information and the best time to contact you,
and, most importantly, exactly what type of information you would like
to be called back with.
Benjamin Franklin once said, "You delay, but time does not". That statement pretty much sums up the problems of procrastination. Those individuals who fall prey to procrastination often find themselves putting off important tasks, time and time again, until time has run out.
In order to beat procrastination, you must first understand why you let it happen. Maybe it comes from a subconscious fear of the project at hand. Maybe the pending task rates as the least enjoyable thing to tackle on your "to do" list. Maybe the project seems too large to ever accomplish. Maybe you are waiting for the "best" time to take on the project – a time that never seems to come.
Whatever your reason is for allowing procrastination to destroy your plans, it is time to learn how to control this major time management problem. While you will probably not be able to beat this destructive habit overnight, taking small steps each day to improve your situation will inevitably result in success.
The first step in beating procrastination is recognizing the problem. Do you put things off because you lack motivation or because the project scares you? If the problem is lack of motivation you need to pinpoint areas that you need to change. For example, if you usually tackle high-energy projects after lunch when all you really want to do is lay down and take a nap then you need to reschedule your workday to reflect your most productive hours.
If the problem is your fear of a certain project, review the project to pinpoint exactly where the problem lies. For example, maybe the third part of the project involves using software that you are unfamiliar with. This fear can keep you from tackling the project thus allowing you to avoid the possibility of failure. To overcome this problem break the project down into achievable segments and learn what you need to about the project to become more confident in your abilities.
After you have identified why you procrastinate you need to remove the word procrastinate from your vocabulary. The more you call yourself a procrastinator the more likely you are to become one. To help with this step, start replacing the negative word with a more positive motivating one.
For example, if you have put off deciding on a new banner ad campaign instead of saying, "I need to stop procrastinating" say "I will begin this project in one hour and impress myself with how much I can accomplish". With the first statement you are cementing the negative habit and turning the act into a self-fulfilling prophecy. With the second statement you are reinforcing a positive action and increasing positive energy.
Another way to overcome the mental causes of procrastination is to stop and think about your behavior each time that you find yourself falling into this time wasting trap. The next time you find yourself jumping at any excuse not to tackle a pending project, stop, take a breath and ask yourself what the problem really is. Why do not you want to complete or even begin the project? Even if this step doesn't motivate you to change your behavior right then and there, at least it will help you become aware of the problem and the thoughts that lead to the continuation of the cycle.
Once you have adopted the above mental tips, it is time to tackle the actual act of procrastination. The simplest, and most effective, way to do this is just to start. Many times people avoid a large or confusing project because they cannot visualize ever completing it. This fear of ending keeps them form ever beginning in the first place. The next time that you find yourself in this position, force yourself to start the project without worrying about the end.
Starting something is usually fairly easy. The actual start, or beginning of a project, consumes only a small amount of time and lacks the importance of the actual body of the project. By using that mentality for each section of a project, you can keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed and actually finish a project before you feel as though you have even begun.
So, the next time that you are facing a large project, begin each day with a vow to "start" the project. Then, pick up where you left off last time, only this time tell yourself that you will just "start" the work and see how far you get. You will probably surprise yourself once the pressure is off and work longer and more intently on the project than you first expected.
Another great way to overcome the temptation of procrastination is to remove the things that trigger these thoughts. For example, if you have to clean up your desk or sort through a stack of jumbled notes before you can even begin working on a project, you are more apt to put it off than if it was all set up and ready to go for you.
Organize all of the paperwork on your desk. Keep your folders, both physical and those stored on your computer, organized and labeled for ease of use. Use color-coding or other organizing systems like numbering or lettering for prioritizing and to track and separate the different segments of the project and make them easier to work with.
If you have implemented all of the above techniques and still find yourself battling with the pitfalls of procrastination, motivation may not be your problem. More likely, you have problem differentiating between the importance of each task and end up doing to many things at once. This "being busy without actually accomplishing anything" mode can get out of hand and lead to your being bogged down with numerous areas of unfinished work. To defeat this type of procrastination problem, you need to learn how to better differentiate between important projects and urgent ones.
Important tasks are those that must be done in order to further your career, build your business, or add to your personal life. These projects must be done on a regular basis and are usually easy to focus on because they are driven by personal reasons to succeed.
Urgent tasks or projects, on the other hand, are those projects that require immediate action- your website is experiencing problems, your shipper cannot make a deadline, your wholesaler will be unable to deliver the promised product- yet are not as important to your overall goals as the important projects. Contacting your web designer to fix a problem with an ordering button will, of course, make business run better today, but it is still a problem that is easily fixed and will not affect the long-term outcome of your business.
Devising a company growth plan and working out the steps necessary to achieve this goal, however, will matter in the long run. Without a plan in place to research and navigate change and growth, your business will stay the same, or maybe even lose profits, a few years down the road.
While urgent projects cannot usually be planned for, they do need to be taken into account each day as you plan your work schedule In the ideal time management plan, 75% of your actual workday will be dedicated to important tasks, those that grow your business and ensure your success. The other 25% of your day should be dedicated to urgent tasks, routine tasks, and "housekeeping".
So, what do you do if every time you sit down to work on an important task, an urgent one interrupts you? The most effective thing you can do is plan ahead. By knowing that these tasks will pop up and having a clear plan as to what you will do when they occur, you can minimize the amount of time it takes to fix each problem or tackle each task.
You should plan ahead by making a list of the possible emergencies or urgent tasks that could pop up. Then, make a notation next to each item regarding possible actions and solutions for each scenario. Possible courses of action include documenting the names and numbers of individuals that you can effortlessly delegate the task to, documenting the names and contact information for experts you may need to rely on, and planning out step-by-step plans that will lead to a speedy solution.
If, after you have explored all of the areas of procrastination and implemented each of the above techniques, you still find yourself losing numerous hours to procrastination each day, it maybe time to bring in some outside help. The most effective option, albeit the most expensive, is to hire a procrastination coach. These experts have years of experience working with even the most stubborn procrastinators and can use their knowledge and experience to formulate a plan that addresses your individual needs.
If the cost, and maybe even the awkwardness of hiring a stranger to watch your every move, intimidates you, you may think about asking a friend or mentor to become your procrastination coach. This person could be in charge of checking on your progress throughout the day and making you feel accountable for your actions. Usually, just knowing that someone will be judging the amount of work you have accomplished each day, especially someone that you respect or look up to, is enough to force you to let go of your procrastination habits.
If nothing else, at least try to find a friend or business associate that has overcome the habit of procrastination and ask them for advice. Sometimes just knowing that this habit can be beat is enough to motivate you to keep trying.
Whatever you choose to do about your procrastination habit, vow to start now. Tell you friends and family members about your goal, write it down on a piece of paper that you post by your desk, do what ever motivates you to avoid letting your procrastination habit kill your procrastination goal!
In order to eliminate your main time wasters, review chapter 3 and use the techniques and guidelines supplied there to change your habits. These techniques include ways to deal with net surfing, emails, phone calls and procrastination. Once you have defeated these common time wasters, it is time to improve other time consuming areas of your workday.
Just as organizing your incoming mail saves you time when it comes to in and again when it is time to send it out, organizing your other systems can perform double duty.
By organizing your computer files you will save time when you create a document by already have a place (folder) to save it in. And, you will save time again when you go to use that file and do not have to waste precious seconds searching for it.
Begin organizing your computer systems by reviewing your current documents, headings, and folders and devising a simpler, more organized system.
For example, to house all of your advertising documents create a main folder titled "Advertising". Then, inside of this folder, create more folders in order to designate what type of advertising information they contain. Make separate folders for your banner ad ideas, your print ad information and your pay per click designs.
Remember to create a folder inside each of these folders that is labeled "Contract Specifications". In this folder store all of the legal and logistical information that deals with that type of advertising.
Repeat this process for every type of document you currently have. Be sure to include picture files, design files, and even personal files.
Once you have a place for everything on your computer, and you have put everything in its proper place, you will be able to save a considerable amount of time. However, even with all of your organization techniques in place, it may still be easy to misplace a file or even forget exactly where you chose to store it. This is especially true if some of your topics or documents overlap.
Solve this problem by installing and using a search tool. Yes, your computer probably already has a search tool. This would be the tool you find by clicking on the start menu and choosing "search". However, a faster and easier to use tool is available.
The Google Desktop Search Tool is one such tool. With this tool finding a document on your computer is as easy as determining the whereabouts of your college roommate on the web.
To try this tool go to Google Search: http://desktop.google.com/.
By downloading this type of search utility and allowing it to index your computer files, you are always just one word away from finding the exact document that you desire.
No longer will you have to remember the title you gave your document or the name of the folder that you stored it in. Instead, you will just need to type in one word that you know appears in the document and hit search.
Now that you are confident that you can find any document, either electronic or paper, anywhere in your office in record time, let's look at how automation can further increase your time management efforts.
If you are a successful Internet marketer, or at least have plans to be, then sooner or later you will need to deal with a large volume of customers.
While achieving the mark of high volume seller is every Internet marketer's dream, the details involved with taking care of all of those customers can be time consuming. The fastest and easiest way to deal with this potential time crunch is to automate your business.
The use of autoresponders can save you time in many different areas of customer communication. For example, autoresponders can be used to answer emails that request technical support. These responders contain a message confirming the customer's request and include information regarding the timeframe in which you will fix the problem.
Autoresponders can also be used to reply to customer's requests for price lists, to answer commonly asked questions, and even to deliver a free "report" or mini-ebook on the topic of a product or service you provide.
As far as frequently asked questions go, you can also monitor those questions and opt to create an FAQ web page or add to the one you already have established. This option can be used instead of the autoresponder option.
There are many different types of autoresponder services on the market. Deciding which service will work best for your business will depend on what you want that service to accomplish. To try out a free autoresponder service, log onto www.automatic-responder.com and see what options work for you.
Another area that you need to automate under your time management plan, if you haven't already done so, is your shipping operation. There are numerous automatic shipping options available to day that can help you with every detail from the moment a customer orders your product to the moment it arrives at their door.
By using an automated shipping system you can decrease the amount of time you spend each week or day typing and entering address,