|
In this issue
Business Marketing Tips -
Email Signature
Article - Creating Systems in your Business
= Sanity
What's New - Free Resources
Recommended Reading - Starting
an Online Business for Dummies
Business Tools - Site Build It!
Newsletter Archives - click
here
Business Marketing Tips
One of the best way to promote your business is with an email
signature. This is text that is automatically
attached to the bottom of your email message. This text can be
used to publicise your business. You can include your name,
business name, email address, street or postal address, website
details, phone number, fax number, company slogan, description
of your company and its products/services. You can set up
different signatures for different purposes.
To set up your signature using Outlook Express:
Step 1: Select Tools > Options from the menu bar.
Step 2: Click "Signatures".
Step 3: Make sure that you select "Add signatures to all
outgoing messages" - within the "Signature settings" section. It
is up to you whether you would like your signature to appear in
"replies" and "forwards"
Step 4: Click "New" (you can change the name from "Signature #1"
by clicking "Rename") - within "Signature" section:
Step 5: Type in the text that you would like to appear at the
end of your email messages - in "Edit signature" section:
Step 6: If you're happy with this, click "Apply" and "OK".
Article
Creating Systems in Your Business = Sanity
Many business owners struggle with doing everything in their
business e.g. paying bills, day to day management, getting
products and services ready, selling and managing staff etc.
A major challenge for any business owner is how to get others to
help run the business, so that it doesn’t completely take over
your life. You can look over everybody’s shoulder all of the
time, do most things yourself… or you can invest in systems to
free yourself and make life easier for staff… as well as
yourself.
In order to set up a system you have to get the knowledge out of
your head and into a format that staff can understand and
follow. You need to identify what are the most critical actions
in your business, who is responsible for them and how they
should be done. Once you know these things, you can share this
information with others and begin to do less of them yourself.
Obviously staff needs to be trained and monitored in these
actions, but a little time invested in this direction, will pay
big dividends down the track.
Running a business successfully is a bit like following a
recipe. There is a saying “If you can read you can cook!”
Systems in your business are as important as the products and
services you sell. If you don’t give your customer a variety of
products to choose from and a quality product then they will go
somewhere else. Look at your business operations in the same
way. Each of these products becomes a quality product and
sometimes even a unique product. This only happens by following
a ‘recipe’. Your ‘recipe’ for success is actually having
systems, making sure they are functional and using, and
constantly improving them. If you have systems in place your key
staff can replicate easily the critical actions. This will give
you the opportunity to have a break when you want and know the
business will perform in the same way as if you were there. If
you don’t have systems you will always be a slave to your
business, and this is not a healthy way to live.
If you have any thoughts about expanding your business or
increasing the number of outlets, then it is critical that you
have systems in place. If you have more than one outlet you
can’t cut yourself into two or three. When your product is good
you need to ensure you replicate that each time you make the
product. You need to do the same with your business. Things that
are replicated are easier for your staff to follow. This helps
greatly with staff retention. Staff who feel secure with the
systems they are operating under have much less stress. One
example is ‘Point of Sale’ – POS is sometimes the last thing
that is considered, whereas it should be the first, because it
is the most important from a customer’s perspective. This can
easily be systemized for sales staff so that they know the which
products go into the optimum position. You as the business owner
know this, but your untrained staff may not, so you need a
system to ensure this is understood and action taken as per the
system.
Systems stop you, the business owner, from having to be the bad
guy/girl all the time. When something isn’t being done as per
the system you can simply say “This is the way we do it here and
this is the system.” It leaves no doubt in the mind of staff
about the way things need to be done. This is why McDonalds is
so successful. They have systems and they say “This is the way
we do it here.” Systems also create an environment for
improvement. It gives staff the opportunity to contribute new
ideas and see them incorporated into the system – another
motivator and retainer of good staff.
Systems can take many forms e.g. manuals or a web based method.
Web based methods for many business processes are popular today.
They enable owners to run a business remotely when necessary
e.g. when on holidays or even just from home. If a staff member
has a question you don’t have to scurry back to the shop to
explain the answer. If you have a web based system you can
simply direct them over the phone to the relevant information
and talk them through it. These types of systems are not as
expensive as you might think. What price do you put on your own
sanity and health?
Any type of system must include a reporting function. This
enables the business owner to see the results in order to take
corrective action quickly, and make constant improvements.
Another benefit of having systems in place is in added value to
your business. If you wish to one day sell your business and
retire, having systems is much more attractive to a buyer than a
business that runs from inside the owner’s head.
Sue Hirst
Director
CAD Partners
CAD partners (CFO On Call) are a team of Advisors who work with
business owners to realize the maximum return from your
business, both in cashflow/profit and personal lifestyle.
Special Offer – A Free ‘Financial Health Check’ for readers of
this magazine. Simply call us on 1300 36 24 36 or visit our
website www.cadpartners.biz
What's New
If you haven't visited Websites 4 Small Business in a while,
you may wish to check out our Free Resources - you will find
information how to get free business cards, where you can obtain
a 234 page guide called "Small Business, Big Opportunity" and so
much more...
Simply go to:
http://www.web4business.com.au/FreeResources.htm
Recommended Reading
Starting an Online Business for Dummies
So you want to own your own business, be your own boss, set your
own hours, and make real money. If you’re comfortable with
computers and have a marketable idea, service, or product, this
guide will help you become an ontrepreneur (online
entrepreneur). It covers everything you need to know to set up
shop in cyberspace. You’ll find out about using established
storefronts as a shortcut (sort of like setting up shop in a
huge, established cybermall) or building your own Web site from
scratch. You’ll explore:
ü Doing research, defining your
niche and target market, and putting it together in a practical
business plan
ü Getting the hardware and
software you’ll need to get going
ü Creating your own Web site with
good organization, useful content, and eye-catching design,
including ten must-have features and info on clip art and photos
ü Selecting a Web hosting service
(with info on free Web site homesteading)
ü Setting up for handling business
online, including building in security, accepting charge cards,
creating shopping carts, and more
ü Managing your goods and
services, including sourcing goods, handling returns, adding
shipping fees, and maintaining inventory
ü Taking advantage of successful
online business models, including storefronts such as Amazon.com,
Yahoo!, CafePress, PayPal, or Microsoft that already have all
the tools and systems, plus great traffic
ü Running a business on eBay
ü Marketing your business and the
secrets to search engine success
ü Keeping good business records
and staying on the right side of the law, including everything
from trademarks, copyrights, and licensing to taxes, with info
on accounting tools and software
Written by e-biz whiz Greg Holden, Starting an Online Business
For Dummies, Fourth Edition has all kinds of case studies of
successful cyber businesses, including a woman who sells her own
insect repellent, a mapmaker, a housewife who sells sweetener
and coffee on eBay, a sculptor and painter, and more. Packed
with inspiration and information, it includes:
Lots of Web sites that will give you good ideas
A companion Web site that includes an online directory of
Internet business resources
A list of legal and business requirements
Get going, and build a booming business right at home. The only
people you’ll have to take orders from are customers, and those
are the kind of orders you’ll like!
To order this book in Australia,
click here
To order this book in USA,
click here
Business Tools
Site Build It!If you are looking to build your own
website, then you should definitely consider this tool.
Site Build It! has many outstanding features, which are
extremely easy to use and is suitable for even those that are
technology challenged. It is
the only, all-in-one,
site-brainstorming-and-building-and-hosting-and-marketing,
step-by-step system of software tools that delivers thriving,
profitable business... and more.
The right process, the right tools that remove all the barriers
and mysteries, correctly applied at the right time. That is how
you grow long-term profits. And that is how SBI! works.
More info
Till next time ... Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
www.web4business.com.au |
