Wild Streak

Women are responsible for 85% of all brand purchases, 92% of vacation purchases, 93% of food purchases and control $7 billion in annual spending. If you’re an online merchant, ignore them at your peril. According to Unicast’s “What Women Want From The Web” report, the most popular online pursuits for women this summer are connecting with [...]

How many times have you hit 'send' or 'publish' on a piece of written communication, only to find as soon as it's live, there's a glaring typo or grammatical blunder?

Editing and then proofreading your work isn’t a five-minute process, but if you've ever had that sinking sensation when you re-read your published work, you know the investment in time is worth it. 

Polished written communication is a must if you want to project a professional, credible image. No matter how carefully crafted your written messages are, refinement prior to publication is almost always necessary. 

One of the most effective ways to ensure a polished product is to edit it on several levels, focusing on a separate element each time – and not only on the typing and grammar. 

Content

Firstly, what are you actually writing about? Is all of the information you've included relevant to your audience and your overall writing goal? Will your audience read on? 

Secondly, is your information accurate, and are your claims consistent? 

And have you cut through the fluff so your key messages stand out? 

Structure

Are your paragraphs in a logical sequence and have you made clear transitions between them? 

Does each paragraph stick to one main idea? This keeps your message clear and your reader engaged. 

Clarity

Have you defined any terms that might be unclear to your reader? Does each sentence make sense? And have you chosen the best words to express your ideas? 

Try to avoid using words you find in the Thesaurus that aren't part of your normal vocabulary – you could misuse them, or you may just confuse your readers. 

Grammar

Grammatical errors can undermine your message and your credibility. 

The use of correct grammar is important in projecting a professional image, but if it isn't your strength, save the punctuation, spelling and grammar until you have addressed your other editing goals and finalised the content. Then question each punctuation mark. Ensure each sentence reads smoothly. If a sentence is complex, consider splitting it in two, or using a semicolon to break it up. 

For more detailed guidance on grammar, check out some of the articles Mary Morel has written. 

And finally, if you are unsure whether a word fits correctly, use a dictionary. If you're still unsure, get a second opinion.

Once you're completely satisfied with your content, a final proofread is vital. 

Do you have tips for self-editing your work?

How many times have kicked yourself for going against the very advice you give your clients?

Falling into those bad traps that you know full well how to avoid is frustrating, but there are some benefits to slipping off the practice-what-you-preach wagon. Experiencing these issues first hand provides us with valuable learnings and teaches us to have greater empathy and understanding towards our clients.

In neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) though, it’s more valuable to consider how we let this situation arise and how we can overcome it.

The answers relate to our internal values and motivation, and more specifically, they relate to whether we’re motivated towards doing something that focuses on what we want, or away from something that focuses on an outcome we’re trying to avoid.

These examples illustrate the difference: 

Towards: I’m going to the gym four times this week to maintain the level of fitness, energy and muscle tone I love to have.
Away from: I’m going to the gym four times this week so I don’t feel sluggish or have a wobbly tummy.

Towards: I’m going to stick to my time management schedule today because I want to achieve two projects that will have a big impact on the profitability of my business.
Away from: I’m going to stick to my time management schedule today because otherwise I’ll feel frazzled for the rest of the week.

Towards: I’m looking forward to making those cold calls today because I love getting to know prospective clients and starting new business relationships.
Away from: I’m not looking forward to making those cold calls today, but if I don’t there’s no way I’ll achieve my sales targets this week.·

The difference between ‘towards’ and ‘away from’ motivation can be very subtle, but will have great impact on what you do and the results you achieve. This is a classic case of the way you behave being a consequence of what’s going on in both your conscious and unconscious minds. If the two parts of your mind aren’t in alignment, it will be difficult to consistently achieve your goals. 

Think about the goals you’ve reached in the past. Do you tend to respond better when your motivation is towards an outcome or away from it? 

Although some people respond well to ‘away from’ motivation, framing your goals towards a particular outcome is generally more motivational and inspiring. 

Next time you’re having difficulty motivating yourself to do something, list the reasons for doing it and the reasons for not doing it. Clues that you have ‘away froms’ lurking around in your mindset can be found firstly in the inconsistent results you’re getting, and secondly in the language you use to describe the issue. 

Here are a few linguistic patterns to be aware of: 

Negations: I don’t want to miss my deadline.
Compulsions: I should try to win that new project, because I have to pay my credit card bill. 
Comparisons: I need to sell more so I have less debt. 
Fears: If I don’t finish that project I’m scared I’ll lose the client. 

Switch to using different language to talk to yourself about your goals, and you’ll be one step closer to reaching them. 

Are you a web-specialist with a dodgy site, an accountant behind on your tax, or a marketer without a plan? How are you going to motivate yourself to get back on the practice-what-you-preach wagon?

After a second sell out event in 2009, Flying Solo LIVE! is taking off again on Wednesday, 15th September 2010. Here’s what's in store on the day.

This year, we explore the incredible power of community to shape our businesses and lives. Drawing from the talented members of the Flying Solo community, the event brings together Australia’s top small business specialists and friendliest solo and micro business owners.

Combining keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, interactive expert panels and casual networking over lunch and breaks, you'll have plenty of opportunities to meet experts, learn new skills and discover answers to burning questions.

We are once again holding the event in Sydney, at the Australian Technology Park.

Who you'll hear from on the day

• Ben Angel is our Maestro of Ceremonies and presents Personal branding briefs
• Julia Bickerstaff explains How to design a profitable business
• Tania de Jong AM presents a keynote on the Power of community - the art of social inclusion
• Hugh Gyton, master networker, presents How to ACE your confidence, credibility and connections
• Janet Horton shows us how to Use technology to attract, serve and retain ideal customers
• Roz Howland* reveals The seven secrets of an organised office
• Belinda Jackson teaches you What you need to know about succeeding online
• Deborah Keep* presents on Motivation: How to fire on all cylinders, all the time
• Lucinda Lions* demonstrates how to Convert browsers into buyers with powerful web content
• Pete Miller presents How to be memorable and connect using the power of personality
• Tim Reid*, “The Ideas Guy”, has a session on Small business, big marketing
• Craig Rispin presents a keynote presentation Business trends: Know first. Be first. Profit first.
• Zoe Routh* uncovers the Seven secrets of magnetic leaders 

* denotes Flying Solo contributors.
The details

Flying Solo LIVE! is on Wednesday 15 September with registration opening at 8am for an 8.30am start. The final presentation concludes at 5.30pm followed by some casual networking over drinks. 

For one value-packed day, you’ll be surrounded by the tips, tools, knowledge, contacts, community and inspiration you need to build a business you love.

And STILL at the micro price of just $195 (inc GST), it’s one very smart business investment.

Tickets include a choice of sessions, morning and afternoon refreshments, a networking lunch and the chance to mingle with sponsors and exhibitors.

Book your place and we'll see you there!

Our 2008 and 2009 events were sell outs, so register online now to secure your spot.

Were you there last year? Planning to come for the first time? Share your comments below. 

Love your work!

Robert, Sam & Peter

 

PS: If you have any questions about the event or registration, please use this contact form or call Fiona Toy and our team of wonderful organisers on 02 4340 8897.

comScore, Inc. recently launched its Ad Metrix Creative Summary report, providing statistics on size, formats, and types of display ads being used by advertisers on publisher sites. The first report shows JPEG ads have the lion’s share of impressions in the USA, at 42%. Medium rectangles (300 x 250 pixels) and 728 x 90 banners, known [...]

Does your brand have the right look and feel? If not, it’s time to get back to basics. Start by reviewing your logo – and don’t let costs hold you back.

Using design to build your business is just like building a house. You start with the foundations and grow from there. Having a high quality, professionally designed logo will also make it easier to create other good-looking marketing elements, such as websites, brochures, e-newsletters and signage.

Your logo is the most important aspect of your brand image, and even if you can afford nothing else, it’s crucial to get it right. This is one of the cornerstones of building a strong brand.

Here are some tips for you to consider if you know you need a logo (or anything else) designed, but your budget is limited.

Choose suppliers who are the right fit for your business

When it comes to design, the term ‘budget’ is a matter of perspective. So how do you ensure that you and your designer are on the same page?

My recommendation is that you be upfront and honest about your budget when consulting designers about your project. This will flush out who is a good fit for you and in my experience will also save you time and money in the future.

Finding the right fit can take time, but is worth it in the long term.

Contra deals

I know of many small business owners who successfully swap goods and services on a contra basis. 

Personally, I’m not a fan of these types of arrangements, because I’ve seen instances where projects that were business critical to one soloist have been left in limbo for weeks while the supplier they’ve made a contra deal with concentrates their energies on paying work. 

If well managed though, a contra deal with the right business could be a great way to get things done that you don’t have the cash flow to fund. 

Arrange a payment plan

For large projects, you may be able to arrange a payment plan schedule with your supplier. In fact, the ability to do this could be one of the criteria you use to determine which suppliers are the right fit for your business. 

Outlining your cash flow restrictions at the start of negotiations with your supplier makes it more likely you’ll be able to set up payment plan options. Some designers offer credit card facilities, which opens up opportunities to spread payments in weekly or fortnightly recurring cycles. Payment plans do need to be a win-win for both parties, so be aware that you may need to make some compromises. 

Protect your logo

Finally, protect your new logo with a registered trademark. IP Australia is the regulatory body that oversees the registration of trademarks and patents in Australia. If engaging an IP lawyer is out of your reach, the IP Australia TM Headstart Program is a low cost method of registering your logo or trademarks. 

Using design in your business is a very powerful way to create a distinctive and unique competitive advantage. Just because you have a shoestring budget doesn’t mean your business can’t look good! 

Have you got any additional tips for driving your design dollar further? Please share them below.

When I heard myself say “I’ve deleted that newspaper” I got worried. Should I pull the plug for a bit?

I’m an Internet and email addict from way back, and online social networking is my new drug of choice.

Have I found it amusing and entertaining? Absolutely. Productive? Absolutely not. Before the Twitterphiles get on my case again, I do recognise that social networking can be a wonderfully effective business tool that connects, informs and edifies.

But not in my hands. Think monkey. Think remote control.

A wedding photo here, a status update from a long lost and not very loved friend there…I lose myself in this hoo-haa for way too long. All this from a woman who has bemoaned her lack of time…more than once.

In response to the commenters on my recent missive, I want to get off, who suggested I take a step back and slow the heck down, I started to wonder whether tuning out of the online world could help.

Using delete in the wrong context and saying LOL out loud was the last straw for me. Just as I was facing up to my need to give it all a rest, I read this from philosopher Alain de Botton:

“We have become such experts at being always in touch, informed, connected. Now we must relearn how to be silent, disconnected, alone.”

Count the characters… yes it’s a Tweet! Oh, the irony.

I also read an article (online, of course) about a guy who returned his iPad because it was just too absorbing. It’s a great piece, but here’s my favourite part:

“Being bored is a precious thing, a state of mind we should pursue. Once boredom sets in, our minds begin to wander, looking for something exciting, something interesting to land on. And that's where creativity arises.”

I’m a big believer in synchronicity and reckon the message is loud and clear. So this weekend, I’m going to bite the bullet and get offline. No Internet, TV or radio for a whole two days.

I’m going to quieten my mind and take a listen. In the meantime, I’m sure to keep hitting refresh compulsively to see how many comments this articles has had, and click through some photos of friends of friends (i.e. strangers).

Have you tried deliberately going cold turkey on the digital drug? How was it?

Also, can I take a big pile of Vanity Fairs into my retreat or is that cheating?

A lot of merchants in the online scene maintain a LinkedIn profile; but don’t seem to get what “networking” means. I’m not a great networker these days, I prefer to be a bit of a “ghost” and do my own thing. I started up a LinkedIn profile years ago out of curiosity and have hardly used [...]

If you want to convert more of your website visitors into paying customers, then your website copy may need to get F’d.

Before you swear at me, let me explain why – and how.

Website usability guru Dr Jakob Nielson has conducted detailed research into how we view and interact with websites. In one study he hooked up 232 website users to eye-tracking equipment, and documented their eye movements as they visited thousands of sites.

While research had already proven that we scan website copy rather than reading it word for word, Dr Nielson’s research went one step further and actually established the scanning patterns of website users.

And hands down, the dominant reading pattern was in an F shape.

The F-shaped reading pattern

1. Top bar of the F. First of all, website users read horizontally, generally across the upper part of the page.

2. Lower bar of the F. They then move down the page and make a second horizontal eye movement, which tends to cover a narrower region than the first.

3. Stem of the F. Finally, website visitors scan the page’s left side in a vertical direction.

It’s not all F’d

Not all web-readers follow an exact F pattern when they scan a website, sometimes they follow an E pattern, an inverted L pattern or some other pattern. But in general, it is roughly an F-shaped pattern.

What does this mean for your website?

It means that if your most persuasive copy is strategically placed in scanner-friendly areas, then it’s more likely to make a sales-inducing impact. Put simply, you are more likely to convert your browser into a buyer!

How to make your website copy F’d

Below is my personal guide. It isn’t an exact F pattern, but it’s fairly close, and it works well for most people. 

• Punchy headline: Write an attention-grabbing headline that hooks the casual reader.
• Introductory paragraphs: Write one or two concise introductory paragraphs that include your most vital information. Important note: with websites, never leave the best information till last. Blast the reader with your gold nuggets first because they’ll rarely take the time to read all of your carefully crafted copy!
• Bullet points: Include a list of bulleted points underneath the introductory paragraphs. Where possible, load the front of each bullet point with the most important information.
• Summary paragraph with a call to action: Summarise everything with a succinct, final paragraph that tells your reader what you want them to do. This call to action might be an invitation to put an item in their shopping cart, subscribe to your e-newsletter, or phone you for an appointment.

In a nutshell, changing your website copy and its layout could change your website conversion rate too.

So, do you think website copy should be F’d?  Share your comments below.

An interesting and (in my opinion) useful feature I came across the other day was a form with an audio help feature. As I scrolled through a form, it offered tool-tips type help which is a useful feature in itself, but also a play button that triggered a sound file with instructions associated with that particular [...]

I had no idea how many soccer fans there were out there until this darned 2010 FIFA World Cup. Apologies in advance to any soccer fans out there – but enough already :). On some sites I work with, I’ve been seeing some strange traffic patterns over the last few weeks and while some of it [...]

How will the changes affect you?

Changes to Tax and BAS agent registration requirementsMonday 28 June 2010

Effective from 1 March 2010, Tax and Business Activity Statement (BAS) agents must be registered under the new Tax Agent Services Act 2009.

I use a Tax or BAS agent

If you are paying someone to do your BAS, you need to make sure they are registered under the new Act.

The new Act includes a Code of Professional Conduct which aims to ensure services provided to you by registered agents, meet appropriate ethical and professional standards.

You will also be protected by safe harbour provisions which may guard you from 'failure to lodge on time' penalties.

I provide BAS services

If you provide BAS services as part of your business for a fee or other reward, you must register with the Tax Practitioners Board (the Board).

BAS service providers have until 31 August 2010 to:

• notify the Board they are accessing transitional provisions, or
• register with the Board as BAS agents.

For more information on the new registration requirements, visit the Tax Office or Tax Practitioners Board websites.

Nominations open 1 July...

NT Research and Innovation AwardsWednesday 30 June 2010

The biennial Northern Territory Research and Innovation Awards open for nomination on 1 July 2010. The Awards aim to recognise outstanding achievement through research and innovation in the Northern Territory.

The four categories you can nominate for are:

• desert knowledge research award
• tropical knowledge research award
• Indigenous innovation award
• new generation research and innovation award.

The winners for each of the above awards will then be further considered for the Chief Minister's Award.

To find out what selection criteria apply for each of the awards, and to nominate, visit the Department of Business and Employment website.

Mentoring service for Victorian businesses...

Mobile Business CentreTuesday 29 June 2010

Are you a Victorian business owner looking for assistance or coaching to help you get the most out of your small business? Have you considered booking a free mentoring session with the Mobile Business Centre?

The Mobile Business Centre is travelling throughout Victoria between June and October 2010, and can provide mentors to assist you with a number of business issues including:

• business and marketing plans
• financial management and pricing your products or services
• market research and identifying new opportunities
• improving the viability of your business or business idea
• online marketing.

To find out when the Mobile Business Centre is in your area or to book a session with a mentor, visit the Business Victoria website.

Take advantage of Standard Business Reporting...

Standard Business Reporting now availableThursday 01 July 2010

Standard Business Reporting (SBR) is now open for business, offering Australian businesses, accountants, bookkeepers, tax agents and payroll professionals a quicker and simpler way to complete and lodge reports for government.

The main function of the SBR program is to standardise the current approach to business reporting and its associated language. The SBR program was developed in partnership with Federal, state and territory government agencies, software developers, local businesses, bookkeepers, tax agents and other business intermediaries.

SBR will simplify the business to government reporting by:

• removing unnecessary or duplicated information from current government forms
• using business software to automatically pre-fill forms with relevant information
• providing an electronic interface to report to agencies directly from accounting software
• providing a single secure online sign-on AUSkey for users.

To ensure your business can take advantage of SBR, talk to your accountant, tax agent or financial and accounting software provider to find out what their SBR-enabled products offer.

For more information on SBR, visit www.sbr.gov.au.

When using the Google AdWords program it’s critical to consider the keyword quality scores of your ads, as they may determine the success of your campaign.

What’s a quality score, and why is it important?

The AdWords system assesses how relevant your keywords are to your ads and to the terms searchers are entering into Google, and applies a numerical rating called a ‘quality score’ to each of those keywords.

Every time a Google user enters a search query, an AdWords auction is conducted. The quality score governs whether a keyword is eligible to participate in that auction and also determines your ad’s ranking and the cost-per-click (CPC) that you pay.

The higher the quality score and the more you are prepared to bid, the higher in the ranking your ad will appear. Ad ranks are determined by multiplying the keyword quality score by your bid. The higher the result, the higher the ad will be placed. A high quality score may also mean you pay less per click than others, even advertisers whose ads appear below yours.

Viewing your quality scores

To add the quality score column to your screen, go to the Keywords tab of your Google AdWords Campaign, click the word ‘Columns’ (just above the traffic graph), then tick the box for ‘Qual. Score’ and click on the ‘Save’ button.

You want the scores to be as high as possible – preferably 7 or higher. (Interestingly, you will rarely see keywords scores of 8 or 9; they tend to jump from a score of 7 straight up to a perfect 10).

Influencing your quality scores

There are several factors that influence quality score, but the largest is the keyword’s click through rate (CTR) over time. A healthy CTR indicates your ads are relevant to the search query and of interest to searchers, making Google happy that it is meeting its main aim of matching results to users’ needs.

By the way, Google expects that the ads at the top of the page will naturally attract a higher CTR than those appearing lower down, and their benchmarks take that into account, so improving an ad’s CTR by bidding more (in order to get a higher ranking) will not necessarily lead to an improvement in quality score.

You can maximise your CTRs and enhance the effectiveness of your AdWords campaign by having interesting ad copy that compels the reader to click. Strong quality or value statements and strong calls to action can mean the difference between a CTR of 1 per cent or 3 per cent.

The relevance of keywords to ads is another very important factor in maximising CTR and quality score. Ads are more likely to attract clicks if they contain the keywords used by the searcher. This is the primary reason for grouping your keywords and ads into well thought out ad groups.

Use negative keyword matching

You can also maximise CTR by using negative keyword matching to reduce the number of irrelevant ad impressions. Unless you’re exclusively using exact match keywords, it’s likely your ads are shown to some searchers who are not really looking for what you sell.

For example, an advertiser bidding on the broad- or phrase-matched keyword “tennis shoes” may find their ad is shown to people looking for “kids tennis shoes”, even if they don’t stock children’s sizes.

A look at your Search Query Performance Report will show you which keywords are triggering your ads and which ones to add as negative matches.

Make sure your landing page is relevant

The quality of your landing page is important to your quality score. If your ad for birthday cakes leads to a page about muffins and cupcakes then your landing page is not really relevant to the searcher, even if your site does have a page about birthday cakes elsewhere.

Spending time improving your quality score and therefore your ad rank and CPC is worth the effort. Have you tried improving yours? What was the impact on your campaign results?

Are you a starving artist? A writer in a draughty garret? Newsflash: creative people need to eat too. Here’s how you can be productive, profitable AND creative.

Creative people don’t always love playing by the rules of business and I’ve worked with many who aren’t primarily driven by the traditional measures of success. They do what they do because it’s what they love doing. 

But how do you put food on the table (and money in your superannuation account) if your primary objective is exploring your craft? In my coaching work, I’ve found the following tips can lead to significant shifts. 

1. Move beyond perfection

Creative people are often the strongest critics of their own work. The first time I sent a newsletter I rewrote it about eight times. I loved writing but I wanted everything I wrote to be perfect. I knew intellectually that no matter how much I perfected my craft I’d never please everyone, so in the end I accepted that I had to get comfortable with ‘good enough’. 

Remember that many of the world’s most highly acclaimed artists were completely disregarded in their own times. Trust your instinct and create what you want to create without worrying about how it will be received by others.

2. Get out of the house

Creative people don’t always want to share their work. Many are content to write, design or make things for their own pleasure. 

Most of the creative types I know would rather die than network. 

But if you don’t get your work in front of a large audience, you stand less of a chance of making a sale. 

Find your own way to build new relationships and take small steps towards getting your work in front of a bigger audience. And never stop building on that, even if your audience expands slowly. 

3. Find a reason to succeed

If money and business success don’t motivate you, what does? 

Are you interested in social responsibility or leaving a legacy? Would you like to be a role model to younger artists and designers? 

Find a meaningful reason to turn your creativity into something more than just an interest. 

4. Have a plan (but keep it flexible)

Set some measurable goals around what you want to achieve in a given time period. Break your goals into small manageable steps and set a start date for step one. 

Sounds pretty simple I know, but it really does work. 

Goals are meant to be flexible, so revisit them every month and change them as you see fit. 

5. Discipline is not (always) a dirty word

Contrary to popular belief, some degree of discipline and structure can actually give you a greater sense of freedom, which in turn can foster creativity. 

If you feel you’re being just a little bit more productive, you’ll lose the sense that you’re constantly wasting time and will feel less guilty. 

You’ll enjoy your time off in a more leisurely way, and you might even find yourself actually looking forward to the time you’ve set aside to be productive. 

6. Fill your creative cup

Most creative people know what helps their creative process. It might be swimming in the ocean, walking in nature, listening to music, gardening, taking a yoga class, visiting an art gallery or seeing live music. Whatever works for you, it’s imperative you find time to fill your creative cup. 

Have you found a way to make your art pay? Please share your tips for maximising both creativity and profitability below.

As a soloist, do you ever wish you had more support from advisors, sounding boards or mentors? Would some expert advice help you make better decisions?

I used to experience that a lot, and I speak to many micro business owners who feel the same way. 

Introducing your imaginary mastermind group

A few years back I found a way to get access to a mastermind group of the very best advisors, mentors and experts. These are people who I previously would never have dreamed I could have on my team. 

I meet with my mastermind group often, and they've done wonders for my business. They’re amazing people who really care about me, understand my goals and challenges intimately, and are always there when I need them. I strongly suggest you do what I did and get your own business mastermind support group working for you.

I put my mastermind group together after reading the excellent book Think and Grow Rich. The author, Napoleon Hill suggests that you create your own team of advisors… in your imagination.

Recruit the best team for the job

Your mastermind group should ideally consist of three to five people. They can be historical figures, successful business people you admire, or anyone you find inspirational.

Choose individuals you know will have a positive impact on you and your business, and ideally, enlist help from people with a range of personalities and skills.

Get to know your team

Study the people in your mastermind group. Learn whatever you can about their lives, their businesses, how they made money or succeeded in their endeavours. Useful tools include biographies, online resources, newsletters, Twitter and any other method you can think of.

This is an ongoing exercise. The more deeply acquainted you become with your mastermind team, the more they’ll be able to assist you.

Call a virtual meeting

When you need help making a business decision or feel like bouncing some ideas around, call a virtual meeting with your mastermind group.

Have your meeting wherever it’s easiest for you to imagine connecting with your imaginary mentors. Perhaps in a quiet room, out walking or sitting in a cafe.

Take the problems you want to discuss with them. Write down an agenda (I use a mind map), and focus on one agenda item at a time.

Picture your mastermind group sitting there with you and ask each one's opinion about every agenda item.

Encourage robust discussion

You won’t get the full value from this practice if you stick to asking your masterminds simple questions like 'What would you do in this situation?'

Instead, ask them to see your entire business through their own eyes and experience. How could you learn from their lessons and apply them to your own challenges? How did they react when they faced a problem that was similar to the one you’re dealing with now?

If someone gives their point of view, have another person interrupt with their own take on it. What would person B say in response to person A's suggestion? Which parts of it would they agree with? What would they object to, and how?

Listen to them debating the issues. If they get rowdy because their styles clash a little, enjoy watching them bash things out. And take particular notice of things they agree on.

Minute your meetings

Take notes. I scribble my thoughts on each branch of the mind map that formed my original agenda.

Go through your minutes and determine what you'll action. Schedule it.

Foster an open mind

I know it might sound a bit odd imagining these people, but if you can get over that this exercise is extremely powerful. Don't judge it until you've given it a go.

No one knows you're doing it. It's your secret. Okay, everyone knows I do it now, but I can deal with that. The benefits to my business have been extraordinary.

Who are you going to invite to your imaginary mastermind group? Nominate your dream team below!

Are you, like me, surrounded by a myriad of itsy bitsy things pleading for your attention? And are you sick of how this messes with your mind? Try these actions.

When I began training as a coach over a decade ago, I was introduced to the concept of ‘tolerations’. Tolerations are things we put up with that steal our concentration, cloud our focus and disrupt any coherent pattern of work. 

Yes, tolerations are bad and they need exterminating. Here’s how I lay into mine. 

1. If it’s a mass of ‘stuff’ 

Stuff may translate to an overflowing inbox, a pile of papers, a little stack of business cards or just general workspace mess. 

Whatever its manifestation, the solution is a concerted block of cleaning up time. In such instances I adopt the persona of Harvey Keitel in Pulp Fiction and use a lesson learned via the Pomodoro Technique.

The first step is to clarify precisely what’s going to be zapped, set a timer for 25 minutes and unless fire or blood is involved, ignore everything but the task at hand.

If you need longer, take a five-minute break, do a couple of laps of the office and go in for round two. On no account check email, Twitter or phone messages.

2. If thinking time is required 

Often what’s going on in my complex little brain is a swirl of disjointed thinking regarding business strategies, vague concepts or a cocktail of random and incomplete world changing ideas. 

Over the years I’ve come to realise that if I don’t get them down on paper they’ll never see the light of day and I’ll end up in the funny farm. 

A simplified mind map is the answer for me. A quick ten or fifteen minute brain dump gets the chaos out of my head and into a format I can come back to later.

3. If it’s a plain old worry

Pacing up and down worrying about ‘what might happen if…’ and such like is so destructive and in nine out of ten cases, unfounded. Working alone, it’s very easy to self-accelerate negative thinking and quietly convince yourself you’ve never done a good thing in your life. 

At such times I use a little ‘change your thinking’ tool I picked up years ago from the world of cognitive behaviour therapy. It involves looking at anxieties from all sides, instead of simply focusing on the ugly bit. 

Deborah Keep wrote a great piece along these lines a short while back.

So this week, if your mind is creaking under the strain, give these simple steps a run up the flagpole and be sure to tell us how you go.

I remember my first computer teacher relaying this very important piece of wisdom. “There are two types of computer users – those who have lost their data and those about to.” Disaster can strike at any minute – a web server getting fried or even a power surge in your own system. In one second, [...]