Thursday, December 16th, 2010 at
12:45 pm
This is just a quick note to let you know that the Blog will be on holiday now until January…
2011 is going to be a big year so make sure you take some time over the festive season to think about where you want to be this time next year (make sure you get your Entrepreneurs Circle wall planner up and fill it in!), to read some books that inspire, motivate and help you grow and of course, to indulge in the pleasures of too many mince pies, mulled wine and Christmas Turkey!
On behalf of myself and all the team at N5 I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and your best year EVER in 2011!
See you in January!
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010 at
4:58 pm
Here’s a thought for you…
There are all sorts of reasons why, in any industry or sector, 5% are rich and successful and the other 95% aren’t – but I think it’s really interesting that 5% sell and market and 95% don’t. Surely it can’t be that simple… can it?
Also 5% bite the bullet and set their alarm clock an hour earlier – and then they get up and work – and 95% don’t.
I’m sure there’s a message in there somewhere… thoughts?
Sunday, December 12th, 2010 at
5:22 pm
You know, one of the most common things I come across with business owners is the fact that, deep down, they are terrified of failing! I know it’s true not only because I’ve been there myself but because I see it time and time again.
Do you spend too much time “preparing” and not enough time actually “doing” because you’re afraid? If this is you then believe me, the only way to get out of the cycle is to “feel the fear and do it anyway” – seriously.
What are you putting off doing in your business because of fear right now? Putting up your prices perhaps? Delegating the jobs that will free up hours a day? Launching that new product or offering more to your existing customers? Whatever it is – take action! It’s ok to be scared as long as it doesn’t stop you from moving forwards. Like the Nike slogan says – “Just Do It!”
Saturday, December 11th, 2010 at
8:33 pm
It’s the X Factor Final tonight and for the remaining contestants the pressure is really hotting up. With 16 million people expected to tune in this weekend the finalists must be feeling the heat.
I hear that Cher Lloyd has now “accepted” that she isn’t going to win and is feeling very relaxed about the whole affair as a result. Rebecca Ferguson called her mentor Cheryl Cole at 4am in floods of tears to tell her that she didn’t feel happy with any of her songs so Cheryl changed them last minute. Rebecca is obviously planning to fight for her spot. Matt Cardle is the favourite to win the show but he’s apparently worried that his voice won’t hold up due to a recent bout of illness. As for One Direction, they just seem like a nice bunch of young guys who are having the time of their lives! It will be interesting to see how they do considering what’s going on in their heads at the moment.
I guess it’s like Henry Ford said “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right”.
Here’s a poem that I thought you might appreciate, should get you thinking when it comes to mindset and winning,
The Victor
Poet: C.W. LongeneckerIf you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.
Friday, December 10th, 2010 at
6:08 pm
An entertaining and inspirational read on the Independent website about Bizarre Real Life Stories. It was the one about Dick Van Dyke being rescued from a watery grave by a shoal of porpoises that really stood out for me (sounds like an April Fool’s Day wind up!). At 84 years old, the Hollywood veteran of Mary Poppins fame had fallen asleep on his surfboard and had drifted out of sight of land…
“I started paddling with the swells and I started seeing fins swimming around me and I thought I’m dead!”
Lucky for Van Dyke the fins actually belonged to porpoises and not sharks (phew!) and even luckier was the fact that they then pushed him all the way back to the shore!
Sometimes in business we can fall asleep and get swept out to sea and at those times it can make the difference between life and death if we have a strong and willing network around us that will push us back to the shore!
As we come to the end of 2010 and look ahead to 2011 make sure you have access to your very own shoal of porpoises who’ll give you a gentle nudge whenever you feel like you’re a bit off track!
Here is the article
Thursday, December 9th, 2010 at
7:47 pm
You may have heard me ask this question before, but it’s that important for you to think about that I’m going to ask it again anyway: What should be your most valuable asset in your business?
Do you need a clue?
Clue; it’s NOT you – yes, a tough pill to swallow, but it’s true.
It’s NOT your staff either – no matter how incredible your staff are they will still never be the most valuable asset you have in your business…
And before you say it, it’s NOT your customers either!
Sure – all of the above are important. Really important. But THE most important asset in your business is…
…YOUR DATABASE.
When I talk about your database, I’m talking about all the details of every single customer and every single prospect in a format that you can use to grow your business. To manage that database I recommend getting hold of a good CRM system (Customer Relationship Management). My business wouldn’t have enjoyed anything like the success it has if I hadn’t decided over 6 years ago to seek out and implement the right CRM system for us. My CRM has helped me build and segment multiple customer and prospect databases, to send out millions of emails, and to sell more franchises and business opportunities than anyone else in the UK. Quite simply we couldn’t have come even close to this sort of success without our CRM. When you have the right CRM system working effectively in your business not only does it bring in more customers (and gets them buying from you more often) it frees up an awful lot of time too! It’s like having an extra member of staff (only its way cheaper and far more reliable!), your CRM works 24 hours a day 7 days a week, it does what it’s told and never takes a lunch break!
If you don’t have a CRM in place in your business it’s time you got one. You can’t build and use your database effectively without one and in the current climate if you don’t have a database either – you’re snookered!
I don’t mind which one you use, just make sure you get it sorted, but if you want to take a look at the CRM we have developed from years of trying lots of other CRM’s then you should take a look here www.getthebestofcrm.co.uk for a 1 month free trial.
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