News

Tuesday 7 September

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:26:00 GMT

Marketing Day 15
The new marketing project took a backseat today as I caught up with being away from the office. I also had a wonderfully productive morning session with presentations coach Mariette Rups-Donnelly from Powerhouse Presentation. Working with Mariette has been one of the best decisions I've made. Apart from improving my public speaking skills, one of the more unexpected results of working with Mariette is that when I prepare for a presentation now, it only takes me a fraction of the time that it used to. (I reckon one tenth of the time it used to - so that's a massive time saving). She is an amazingly intuitive and highly skilled coach and I absolutely recommend her if you want to improve your presenting skills.

Fitness Day 15
Had my fourth session with the new personal trainer today and LOVED it. My trainer is literally half my age. I'm still coming to terms that I can actually say that.

Monday 6 September

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:18:00 GMT

Marketing Day 14
I have to admit: there's something about having to get on a plane that throws your day out a bit. Luisa and I flew back to Sydney from Byron so I did not achieve as much as I wanted to on the marketing front today. A key step, however, was chatting to a direct response guru on the right people to target in our new marketing project. Which, I guess, is better than nothing!

Fitness Day 14
Despite Luisa suggesting that I would not have the motivation to bother going to boxing tonight, I'm happy to report that I made it. Great instructor, great class. Weirdly, I feel fitter in Sydney than in Byron. Somehow, the Byron theme of "Fit, fabulous and fun for five days" wasn't quite as energetic as I had hoped. Time to make up for it!

Sunday 5 September

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:11:00 GMT

Marketing Day 13
I mapped out the steps we need to take in our next marketing project. So what's the new project, I hear you ask. Well, we have a wonderful suite of business writing courses that are ideal for people who need to improve their writing skills at work. So my next focus is to ensure there are clear marketing messages across these courses and that they reach the right target audiences. Our business writing courses are already in demand (and many get booked out well in advance) but, with an added marketing push, we could increase their frequency and reach.

Fitness Day 13
A bit of an uninspiring rainy day in Byron. We power walked into the town centre but most of this good work was undone by cocktails at the Balcony, followed by dinner at a sushi train. Looking forward to get back into boxing in Sydney tomorrow!

Saturday 4 September

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 05:24:00 GMT

Marketing Day 12
Nada. Nothing. Well, I did say that the "weekend" was going to count as one day. But I've since realised that I didn't do that last week. Anyhow, it can be hard to get into the marketing groove when you are poolside at the resort all day. I did, however, read more of "Guerilla Marketing" by Jay Conrad Levinson on my Kindle for iPad if that counts for something?

Fitness Day 12
After blobbing out all day with only a few laps of the pool to show for it, we salvaged the 30-Day Fitness Challenge with a twilight run. 30 minutes at a good pace. Better than nothing!

What I learnt from glossy magazines

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 06:43:00 GMT

Back in the day, I used to work in glossy magazines. Specifically, I spent a lot of time working in women's magazines where you are surrounded by lots of clothes, even more make-up, celebrities, and, in my case, four years straight of CLEO's 50 Most Eligible Bachelors (really, NOT as exciting as it sounds).

But, believe it or not, running magazines is a great training ground for running your own business. After all, when you edit a magazine, you are essentially running a small business. You need to generate revenue, entice people into buying your product and generate repeat purchases by encouraging customers to buy again and again. And you do this by continuously innovating - keeping the magazines fresh and always delivering new and interesting articles.

Magnetic magazine methods
So what are the key things you can learn from the world of magazines that you can apply to your business?

The reader/customer is king or queen
Good magazines know that the reader is king or queen. They have to give readers what they want or they simply won't buy the publication again. The same goes for small business. You might think your product/service is fantastic but if it's not what the reader is looking for - if it doesn't give them what they want - then it doesn't matter.

Magazine editors also know that while gut instinct and good editing is important, so are reader/customer focus groups and surveys. When was the last time you did a survey of your customers? When was the last time you called them to do some qualitative research on what they want from you?

The more you can find out about your readers/customers, the more you
can tailor your marketing messages and products/services.

Consistency
Never underestimate the importance of consistency. When you pick up successful magazines, you'll notice that they feature the same sections in pretty much the same place in the magazine each week or month. You always know where to find "Two of Us" in the Good Weekend magazine, you always know where you find your astrological stars in your favourite mag. And you always know where you find the form guide, if racing is your thing. Readers and customers like consistency.

It's like when you go to your local supermarket and they've changed everything around. The dishwashing liquid is no longer in the second aisle where it's been for the last three years. It's disorienting. Customers forgive this if it happens occasionally but if you're looking for the dishwashing liquid
in a new place every week, it's going to wear thin.

You also need consistency in your product because customers may love you so much that they refer you to their friends. If they then don't get the same level of quality their friend experienced, your original customer won't be as inclined to provide such a vigorous recommendation next time.

For example, let's say you do the Creative Writing course at the Sydney Writers' Centre. Here, your presenter could be any one of several acclaimed authors who teach for us. But we've been sticklers for consistency, which means that we have a hugely comprehensive and fully documented curriculum which ensures that, no matter who your teacher is, you're going to learn the same things as any one else doing the course. Of course, each presenter will bring their own experience and style to their class, but the learning outcomes are always consistent.

Cover lines
These are the sentences on the cover that scream at you from the news stands enticing you to pick up the magazine and buy it. "Lose 5kgs in 5 days." "Your dating problems solved." "How to handle your teenager on drugs."

In a small business, it's the equivalent of your marketing. Good magazine editors know that cover lines can make or break an issue so they spend ages on picking the right ones.

Think about the "cover lines" that you are using. That is, look at the marketing for your products and services - whether that's on your packaging, on your website or brochures.

Here you need to entice your prospective customer to want to buy your product/service. Magazines always give you a promise: "Lose 5kgs in 5 days." "Your dating problems solved." "How to handle your teenager on drugs."

Give the what they want, not what they need
What promise can you give your readers? Here, it's important to think about giving them what they want, not what they need.

Let me explain. Let's say you are a personal trainer. Your aim might be to help customers with their fitness so they can sustain it themselves, to provide them with a fitness program that's going to ensure they still have a fit body, say, when they are 60.

They SHOULD want good fitness and strong bones so they are healthy now and when they are 60. But they actually WANT to lose weight, or run 9kms, or fit into that dress.

So promise them what they WANT but give them what they NEED and invariably you will end up giving them what they want as well along the way - so everyone wins!

These are just some of the many tips I learnt from the world of glossy magazines that I successfully apply to my business today. If you'd like to hear many more, I'd love to meet you next week at the following event:

Meet me: Working Women's Network
Date: Wednesday 8 September 2010
Time: 7.00pm
Where: Roseville Golf Club
Cost: $50 members / $65 guests
$75 Late Registration

Book online here.

Online Business Booster Bootcamp – finally it’s on again in Sydney!
Date: Thursday 21 October 2010
Time: 9.30am sharp – 5.30pm
Where: Milsons Point

This is the only time I’m running it this year, simply because my schedule is crazy. I’m really excited about it because I now have even more information and smart strategies to share with you. What have previous participants said about the Bootcamp?

"The workshop was very well set up. It was great to have a booklet to refer to with all the resources that were covered in the seminar. Valerie was a great presenter and was very generous with sharing her business strategies and the ins and outs of what works and what doesnt.

"The bootcamp was so well structured and I feel like I have been given a blueprint to running a successful online business. I will be using everything learnt to re-launch my website into something much more functional."
- Julie Mitsios

"The content was extremely relevant and I found I could apply the strategies to my own role at ACP Magazines, our members (newsagents) and also solo business owners. I have a feeling my friends will be recruiting me to help them with their online marketing strategies for their own businesses! I send an enewsletter every week and have done so for the last three years therefore our content and layout is a little bit stale. Bootcamp has refreshed my mind and given me so great ideas and strategies which I can implement straight away. I'll be refreshing my current enewsletter layout and copy writing and I'll definately be exploring social media as an alternative marketing solution for me and my members."
- Claire Thomas

You can find out more about the Bootcamp, including video testimonials from past participants here.

Important time-sensitive offer for you
As you know, I always offer an early-bird price on the Bootcamp for people who want to book in early.

Regular price for the Bootcamp is: $695
Early-bird price (book before 15 September): $595

Make sure you book soon. Plenty of people book in at the full price so take advantage of this special offer before the places are snapped up!

Friday 3 September

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 05:54:00 GMT

Marketing Day 11

Today, I worked of fleshing out a keynote speech that I'm doing next week at the Working Women's Network in Sydney. It's all about what I learnt from my time in glossy magazines that now apply to my business. Running a magazine is very much like running a small business. And, believe it or not, you can learn some fantastic ideas from the world of magazines that you can apply in your business. I wrote about some of them here in today's Business Bootcamp newsletter. It's these "magnetic magazine methods" that have helped my business grow, grow and grow!

Fitness Day 11

We actually went to 1.5 hours of yoga this morning. I could tell it was doing wonders for my body, stretching muscles in desperate need of some flexing but - geez - it's a freaking boring exercise. Despite suggestions from the yoga instructor to "take it slow" for the rest of the day, we embarked on a very satisfying boxing session on a beautiful remote wooden platform in the middle of the everglades.

Thursday 2 September

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 05:53:00 GMT

Marketing Day 10
I'm thrilled to report that the marketing challenge must be working. Bookings/sales are going nuts. Maybe it's the first few days of spring. Maybe there is something in the air. But half the planet seems to want to do writing courses at the moment - and they are booking in with us. We're thrilled to have more people in our writing community, it makes it such a dynamic and lively place for everyone - both in our online forums and in our physical training rooms.

The interesting part is that although many of the marketing activities I've described in this blog are in a work-in-progress (and therefore have not actually been put in effect yet), we've also been keeping on top of our existing marketing efforts: tweeting about upcoming courses in Twitter, following up with people who have expressed interest in certain courses, and so on - and it's certainly paying off.

Jay Conrad Levinson, author of "Guerilla Marketing" says that two important aspects of marketing are consistency and commitment. You can't expect to run a single stand-alone campaign and expect it will give you instant results. You need to work out a marketing strategy and stick to it. Your customers need to become familiar with you in order for them to believe that you are consistent and credible.

Fitness Day 10

Despite our plans to go to 8am yoga this morning, the effects of alcohol from last night put paid to that idea. After a lazy morning, I managed an hour of cardio in the gym while Luisa was having her treatment at the spa. That's it. Unless you count watching tonight's episode of Rush as exercise.

Wednesday 1 September

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:07:00 GMT

Marketing Day 9
Happy first day of spring! Today, we filmed the final three videos in our series - so all the videos for this marketing project are now done - hooray! Now, our talented new media coordinator will be busy editing the videos before they go online. We had to finish filming the videos this morning because I flew to Byron this afternoon for ..

Fitness Day 9
.... "Fit, fabulous and fun for five days". Yes I'm experimenting with using themes for different chunks of my life as it seems to be a productive approach so far. As most of the afternoon involved travelling from Sydney to Byron, all we managed was a one-hour power walk on the beach this afternoon.

I'm here with my friend Luisa. About two weeks ago, we were both complaining about how unfit and unhealthy we were feeling. So we decided that a break would be a good kickstart to our fitness campaign - and what better way to start off the first day of Spring. (Ok, I won't mention that we indulged in a couple of cocktails after the power walk. Hey, it was happy hour. But now that we have that out of our system, we've declared the rest of our stay to be alcohol-free.) Stay tuned on our progress :)

Tuesday 31 August

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:58:00 GMT

Marketing Day 8
One more video in the bag. That's five down, two to go. With all this filming, we are considering investing in studio lights and backdrops so that we are not reliant on the vagaries of the sun, wind and noisy buses driving past!

We ran out of time today as I had to go MC the fourth and final seminar in the Let's Talk Business series run by the City of Sydney. Tonight's topic was about "Measuring your marketing" which reminded me that I have to put key measures in place for the marketing initiatives I've been implementing during this 30-Day Challenge.

Fitness Day 8
I squeezed in a session with the new personal trainer. This was the third session with him and no doubt I will rue the day I said to him: "I need to be pushed". Cardio, weights, boxing. At one point, I think I face-planted into his shin but attempted to coolly regain my composure. Might have a squashed nose.

Monday 30 August

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:51:00 GMT

Marketing Day 7
We successfully filmed two videos today. So that's four done, three to go! Filming video is a very time-consuming process, especially when you fluff your lines and have to start all over again. I think I'm getting better at it so hopefully the process will become quicker as we do more video. I'm really excited about these videos. They are short but are really info-packed.

Fitness Day 7
I went to the boxing class down the road today. I'm very impressed with the trainer. Every week is something different - with the exception of his penchant for Eighties music.

Sunday 29 August

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:50:00 GMT

Marketing Day 7
I knocked over the final email that I didn't get to yesterday. That's about it today as I've been pretty busy on deadline for a magazine that I edit. We're sending all the pages of the magazine to the printer on this Tuesday so it's crunch time.

However, one thing I did explore today was www.trackur.com It's a great (free) online tool that can help you see what kind of conversations are going on in the social media sphere about yourself or your brand. I discovered a whole heap of references to my business and myself that I had no idea existed. They ranged from Twitter mentions to comments on other people's blogs.

Fitness Day 7
Nada. Unless you count walking little doggie Rambo. Today's been a fairly lazy day but that's what Sundays are about huh? At least, that's what I'm telling myself.

Saturday 28 August

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 05:12:00 GMT

Marketing Day 6
Wrote the thank you page that customers will see after they opt-in to our landing page (and get their free book). I also wrote the follow-up emails they'll receive after they sign up, with the exception of one. What can I say? It would have felt great to knock that last one over but I got distracted reading "Power Friending" by Amber Mac, which focuses mainly on social media and has a ton of interesting case studies and online tools. Great book. I love reading it on the Kindle for Ipad because you can bookmark and easily return to key sections later.

Fitness Day 6
Arrrrgh. Luisa cancelled our two-hour power walk. So there I was all dressed up (in workout gear) and no place to go. The cancellation was the perfect excuse not to do any exercise so I figured drastic action was needed. I know this is wacky logic but I told myself that if I treated myself to some new workout gear (very necessary now that I'm on this challenge, of course). then I HAD to do some exercise in order to deserve it. Ok, I realise that should work in reverse order but what can I say: it worked!

I paid a visit to my favourite shop to buy workout clothes LuluLemon in Mosman and walked out a fair bit poorer but laden with some awesome new clothes I can't wait to wear.

So that I didn't feel too guilty, I went for a 40-minute run this afternoon. It was great with the exception of going up hills - which made me feel like my legs were made of lead.

Create your own 30 Day Challenge

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:17:00 GMT

Spring is right around the corner and I think it's an exciting time of year. One of my chickens, Sophie (she's the white one), has not been laying eggs all winter. But two days ago, she finally popped one out. She must instinctively realise that it's that time of year again. Spring is a great time to clear the cobwebs that have accumulated over winter, declutter your business, career or life, and start afresh.

But sometimes it can be difficult to gain momentum if you have been stuck for too long. Maybe you've been hibernating in one area of your life for much longer than a winter season. So the process of coming alive again can take quite a bit of effort.

Perhaps you haven't exercised in so long, you dread the thought of heading back to the gym. Maybe you have neglected an area of your business for so long that you're scared to tackle it in case you can't even remember what you're supposed to do. Or maybe there's a relationship in your life that needs attention which is way overdue.

There is no easy way to get started. You simply have to ... get started. But sometimes we build imaginary obstacles in our path and the way forward seems so much harder than it really is.

This week, I also wrote a post for my Enterprise blog which appears in smh.com.au, theage.com.au, brisbanetimes.com.au and watoday.com.au. It was about how "busy" really is just a code word for "not committed". It's so easy to use our hectic, busy lives as an excuse not to embark on projects or activities that really ARE important.

This concept really resonated with me and I began to identify areas in my life and business that need more of my attention. There are several of course. But, for now, I've decided to focus on:

(a) New marketing ideas for my business
(b) My personal fitness

In my business, we're no strangers to smart marketing strategies. And we've been very lucky that we've systemised these marketing strategies so they run like a dream. Like clockwork. (For more details on how we do this see our Online Business Booster Bootcamp below.) They are very effective and have helped us build our business, which recently won the NSW 2010 Telstra Business Awards Micro-Business of the Year. But at times like these it's important not to rest on your laurels. I do have a ton of other new marketing ideas that I've been keen to trial - but have just been "too busy".

30-Day Challenge
Well, no more. I've set myself my own personal "30-Day Marketing Challenge". Yes, it'll be a little weird that the only person in this program is me, but, hey, I'm an only child, so I'm used to it! The "30-Day Marketing Challenge" that I've set myself means I have to complete at least one (if not more) significant marketing action every day for my business.

Initially, I planned to map out the whole 30 days but realised that not only was that too much - I mean, there is such a thing as over-planning - but I could only really effectively map out my "to do" list for the next week. I am tracking my progress on my personal blog here for anyone who is interested. Better still, if you want to join me on your own "30-Day Challenge", please do!

Remember, it doesn't have to be about marketing. You can choose the
area of your business or life that you want to boost. Maybe it's
documenting the systems in your business. Maybe it's getting fit again. Or
perhaps it's about implementing a new sales strategy you've been meaning
to get around to. Or even finding a new relationship!

Don't be insane, just do it
Whatever it is, just do it. Remember what Einstein said: "The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results."

Don't be insane. Don't be "too busy". Challenge yourself to make a profound difference in your life - but give yourself a deadline. You can join me in your own personal "30 Day Challenge" and we'll be in it together.

Online Business Booster Bootcamp – finally it’s on again in Sydney!
Date: Thursday 21 October 2010
Time: 9.30am sharp – 5.30pm
Where: Milsons Point

This is the only time I’m running it this year, simply because my schedule is crazy. I’m really excited about it because I now have even more information and smart strategies to share with you. What have previous participants said about the Bootcamp?

“The Bootcamp not only gave me the map of where I want to go, but also provided me with the vehicle and engine to get there. The Bootcamp has assisted with clarifying my strategic thinking about my business development with practical, workable tools to implement.

“Strategies I will be implementing as a result of what I have learnt at Bootcamp will be a finetuning of my promotional activities - overhauling the website, new tools for communicating with my target markets and creating new products for sale.”
- Trudy Johnston, TJC Publicity

“The information was excellent - extremely useful and practical. We were shown how to actually implement systems rather than just learning about the theory of implementing them. Valerie cut through all the confusion of the many systems out there so I now feel like I actually have the knowledge and tools to start implementing some online marketing.”
- Sylvia Aitken

You can find out more about the Bootcamp, including video testimonials from past participants here.

Important time-sensitive offer for you
As you know, I always offer an early-bird price on the Bootcamp for people who want to book in early. But this year, I’m doing something special for those of you who are subscribers to this newsletter.

Regular price for the Bootcamp is: $695
Early-bird price (book before 15 September): $595
Exclusive price for you (book before 1 September) $495

If you want to take advantage of this offer, use this PROMO CODE to get $200 off when you book:
OBBB010910

Make sure you book soon. Plenty of people book in at the full price so take advantage of this special offer before the places are snapped up!

Friday 27 August

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 09:00:00 GMT

Marketing Day 5:
Today was a big day on the marketing front. So I'm pleased with that. I managed to write three video scripts, which means all seven video scripts for our current project have now been written. Hooray! We couldn't film anything today because it was even windier than yesterday. Instead, our talented new media coordinator edited one of the videos we shot yesterday and we're very happy with the result. The backdrop of Sydney Harbour looks so beautiful, it looks fake! But I assure you it's real.

In addition, I got started writing an ebook on "How to write a best-selling book AND get published". It's going to be a downloadable book on the landing page that we're creating. I got on a roll with that one and before I knew it, it was way past dinner time. I thought that writing the book was going to be a project for the weekend so I'm thrilled I've knocked that over. I rewarded myself with the Foxtel Box Office movie: "Love Happens" with Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston. Unfortunately, it wasn't that much of a reward! (Maybe skip this movie if you have the option.)

Fitness Day 5:
Zip, Nil. Nada. Nothing. I feel a little bit ok about this because my friend Luisa and I plan to do a two-hour power walk tomorrow around Coogee and Bondi.

Thursday 26 August

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:18:00 GMT

Marketing Day 4:
So we had to re-do the four videos that we filmed yesterday. Thanks to really windy conditions, we only got two done. Bummer. Yes, we are doing all our filming outside because we want to take advantage of some of the amazing backdrops around our office (wait till you see these videos!) Oh well, I keep reminding myself that two videos are better than none. And much as I would like the power to control the weather, this gift has yet to be bestowed on me!

Fitness Day 4:
Back with the personal trainer at www.PlatinumFitness.com.au. Another awesome high-intensity workout with lots of boxing combinations, followed by strength training. I'm loving the boxing. Sometimes, there is nothing more satisfying that bashing stuff up. As I said to my trainer: "I'm not really interested in the zen aspect of martial arts. Right now, I just like to hit stuff really hard." It's a great stress relief - and a good workout too.