Wednesday, December 11, 2013

5 Tips for Business Owners leading up to Xmas


 

1.    Get organised.

Just like any other event or deadline, make a list of thing to do & prioritise. Once you have them on paper put them out of your mind and focus on working your way through the list.

 
2.    Review last year’s activities. 
What did you do that worked last year?  Review which product and services performed well and which didn’t.  Did you have enough staff to handle increased holiday traffic?  Think of how you can improve your promotions and marketing efforts from last year.

 
3.    Prepare your team to up the client service ante
Get your team ready. Staff training sessions prepare them for the extra volume of customers/Sales. They will be under more pressure than usual but a positive, helpful attitude will make the busy period more pleasant for all. Assess whether you need some temp staff.

 
4.    Shout from the rooftops
Don't be shy about making your business as visible as possible. All promotional materials should be Christmassy! Promote your unique selling points to remind loyal customers and attract potential ones. Consider adding limited-time discounts or expanding your sales/marketing channels. All good points for your Xmas Newsletter

 
5.    After the party
After the hustle and bustle of Christmas business tends to be quieter post-Christmas, this is the time to take some time off for a holiday. When you get back perform a business health check with your business advisor to help kick start your path to financial success in the New Year..

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Short Speech about Excellence in Organisations

Becoming an EXCELLENT Organisation

The word EXCELLENT can mean many different things to people.
 
We all aim to turn our own businesses into EXCELLENT Organisations.
So how do we define an EXCELLENT Organisation?
 
Let’s look at the some of the common characteristics: 

1.    Action oriented – focus on making immediate use of facts to make decisions & take action, instead of procrastinating (another word for Committee Meeting)

2.    Listen – simple really, talk to your clients and find out the quality & service that they are looking for.

3.    Encourage change: Support innovators & risk takers in your organisation. You’re looking for initiative & leadership from your people

4.    Respect – your staff are where quality products start & finish. In that respect they are your most valuable resource

5.    Vision – Napoleon Bonaparte said, “A leader is a dealer in hope. If you combine hope with clear goals, then people have direction – they know where they are headed and why.  They’re much more likely to achieve excellence.

6.    Knowledge – know your boundaries; stick to what you know best

7.    Innovation – first ask the question: Will this change benefit our customers?


If these are some of the characteristics of EXCELLENT Organisations, how does yours compare?

Is there anything that you would want to change?