Working Smarter Works for Me

April 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Over the years of being in business for myself, and before that with my husband, I’ve had to develop a whole lot of systems and processes in order to get things done.  Some have worked and some have failed miserably, but they’ve all taught me something.

Recently, I took my business which had been running smoothly for the last 3 years, and decided to:

  1. Hire a bunch more VA’s
  2. Take on a few more clients
  3. Change my project management system AND my invoicing system

1 and 2 went great.  I bet a bunch of VA’s who were extremely talented in their chosen fields (social media, databases, accounting, design, etc.) and a lot of awesome Realtors.

#3 just about killed me and made me want to shut my doors.  I had take tons of information from Basecamp and just dumped it all in Google Docs.  Needless to say, I drove everyone on my team nuts.  And while I don’t have a specific way to fix all that just yet, I can share some other ways to work smarter:

  1. Batch your time.  If you’re going to write,  block off a few hours and do nothing but write.  If you’re going to schedule some tweets, utilize HootSuite, or my new favorite, Timely.is  When I do this, I can get a week or two worth of blog posts and twitter updates.  You should also use time batching for running errands – schedule everything at once and just go!
  2. Work that calendar!  I have about 6 or 7 Google Calendars that I use on a daily basis.  I don’t schedule in everything, but I do make sure that I’ve blocked off time for myself each day (lunch break!) and then I also use it to batch time with clients by the type of work that needs to be done.  I’ll schedule in calls one right after the other in order to save time, and everything of course syncs with my Android phone.
  3. Goals & Purpose.  I no longer do any work or take on clients that don’t align me with my goals and my purpose.  It’s been tough to learn how to say no, and to turn down money but it’s been better in the long run for my business, my family and myself.
  4. I teach and live by the 80/20 rule.  {80% of my results come from 20% of my efforts}.  I try my best to focus on that 20%, and delegate the rest.  I encourage my clients to find that 20%, and send the 80% to my team.  I encourage my team to find their 20%, and only take work from me that is in alignment with that.  The result?  More efficiency, and easier people to deal with.
  5. Make lists – and use them!  I love making lists, but I rarely ever look at them again.  I now have 4 lists that I maintain:  My master list of everything: projects, articles, content ideas,etc., my weekly priority list where I plan out my week each Monday (this ends up on my Google calendars), my daily priority list of things that I check off as I go along, and a dreams & goals notebook.

What kinds of systems have you put in place that have allowed you to work smarter?

Filed Under: Coffee with a VA, Ditch Your Desk, Escape the Paper, Real Estate Info, Real Estate S & M Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You Gotta Be RUTHLESS About Your Time (How to Get It ALL Done)

March 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Clients are always so curious about how I manage to get it all done. And it’s no wonder because now that I see it all down on paper, it does seem like a lot. But, before you think I’ve got it all figured out, let me be very transparent with you. I have a crazy number of emails in my inbox, many of which need answering. And every so often, a few things fall through the cracks. Hey, I’m human after all, but I’m better off than I’ve ever been before.

What I realize from coaching people over the years is that I have indeed figured out a few things about getting it all done, or at least, a lot of it done, while still having sanity and a lot of fun in my life. It’s all about BOUNDARIES around time, with others, but mostly with me.

I’m realizing you have to be RUTHLESS with your boundaries around time management, because no one else will.

One of my favorite books on this subject is Dan Kennedy’s “No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs.” I can’t tell you how amazing this book is. It’s actually become required reading for all my private clients looking to get more clients and make more money than they are making now.

Although I’m pretty good at getting things done, the “Time Management Techniques Really Worth Using” has changed everything for me. What Dan came up with should be universal materials for every one of us entrepreneurs and sole practitioners who wonder how to get it all done. I’m certainly even more RUTHLESS with my time than before using the following, direct from Dan’s book:

(A caveat: you may not agree with some of these, and that’s OK. Some of them are a little harsh. But just think about what your time would look like if you applied even 2 or 3 of these…)

  1. Tame the phone: You don’t need to literally jump every time the phone rings. Take few, if any, incoming calls; return calls at your convenience, instead of on-the-spot. (Most every call, even from a prospective client, can wait a half a day to be answered.)
  2. Minimize meetings: I implemented this technique several years ago and it’s worked wonders on my schedule. People (especially prospective clients) often want to meet me in person to talk about something. Problem is, it takes 15 minutes for me to get somewhere (minimum), an hour to “meet” and then 15 minutes to get back from the meeting. That’s an hour and a half! Instead, I now speak to people on the phone for 15 minutes and get just as much done. Amazing, you should try it.
  3. Practice Absolute Punctuality: The bottom line about this is, when you are absolutely punctual, it shows the other person you expect and demand they respect your time with the utmost respect. You can’t expect that others will treat your time with respect when you don’t show respect for theirs. (Most of us can afford to get better at this.) And beware of prospective clients who are late to initial consultations with you. It may be that they’re not trustworthy about other stuff.
  4. Make and Use Lists: You can’t get anything done when it’s all swimming around in your head, like a jumbled mess. Write it down and find systems to help you prioritize and get things done. There’s a lot out there on making and using lists effectively; find the way that will work best for you.
  5. Fight to Link Everything to Your Goals: Ask yourself “Is what I am doing, this minute, moving me measurably closer to my goal?” (I have this on an index card next to my computer, to remind me often.) Just the simple act of asking yourself this question several times a day will dramatically increase your productivity. You have no business doing stuff that’s not directly related to your goals. If it’s not moving you forward toward your goal, making you money or attracting clients, drop it or delegate it now.
  6. Block Your Time: It’s been said that one of the hidden secrets of people who consistently achieve peak productivity is that they make sacred appointments with themselves, appointments they aren’t allowed to cancel. You’ve heard me say this before, especially if you’re a private client of mine. In nearly every coaching call I have with someone, we create BLOCKS of uninterrupted time to get things done.

We’re talking blocks of time each day and each week for Client Attraction work, but also for certain projects that need to get done. If there’s a major task on my plate to get done, I’ll actually estimate how long it will take, and then put it in my calendar as I would a client appointment. I don’t allow myself to break this commitment. Try it. It works like magic and allows you to get so much more done than if you tried to squeeze it in somewhere between clients.

Your Assignment:

Go to Amazon.com and get yourself a copy of Dan Kennedy’s book “No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs”, today. It’s that good. (He’s a little abrasive, but it’s all well worth it.) For $10.00, you can’t beat it.

Start applying some of the steps listed above. I guarantee that the number of PRODUCTIVE hours you spend making money and attracting clients will increase dramatically. It did for me, BIG TIME. Ca-ching!

And to attract even more clients, I’d recommend you create compelling marketing and systems starting today. The tool that will take you from 0 to 60 clients the quickest is The Client Attraction Home Study System™. It’s everything you’ll ever need to know to fill your practice quickly; no matter how long you’ve been in business. All the tools, scripts, templates, and examples are handed to you on a silver platter (including how to close the sale 97% of the time). So, you do step one of the system, and when you’re done with that, you move on to step two, and so on. So easy. That’s why my customers have gotten such great results from it. You can get yours atwww.theclientattractionsystem.com.

© 2011 Client Attraction LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine?

No problem! But here is what you MUST include:
Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is founder of the Client Attraction SystemTM , the proven step-by-step program that shows you exactly how to attract more clients, in record time…guaranteed. To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her weekly marketing & success mindset articles on attracting more high-paying clients and dramatically increasing your in.come, visit www.clientattraction.com.

 

Filed Under: Coffee with a VA, Ditch Your Desk, Escape the Paper Tagged With: , , , , ,

Delegation Series – Scheduling

February 18, 2011 By 1 Comment

Day 2 according to the 30 Days of Delegation ebook is all about Ditching the Email Overwhelm, but I’ve already posted about that here and here.  No need to do it again!

On to scheduling!  This is one that I don’t always feel the need to delegate because I have the right tools in place, but you may need to.  Please tell me you’re not still just writing it down on a paper calendar!  (Outlook is just as bad.)

The key here is to be able to share your calendar with your team and to be able to access it anywhere, anytime you need it – just like your email.

I highly suggest using Google Calendar for all of your scheduling needs.  I’ve used paid services that don’t even come close to the functionality of Google’s calendar!  I keep 8 calendars that all mesh nicely into one view:

  1. General Company Calendar – hold my daily, weekly schedule for client work, appointments, recurring events, training courses, lunch (yes, I have to schedule it!), blogging, marketing, etc.   I also add into this calendar the “type” of day it is:  Client focused, Marketing, Flex, Planning, Development, etc.
  2. I have 1 calendar for my husband’s real estate company.
  3. I have 1 calendar for a client who does a lot of real estate transaction that I manage, and we need to both see when items are due and what is needed.
  4. I have 1 calendar for launches & promotions.  I haven’t used this one yet, but just having it there is a great reminder that I need to spend some time in this area.
  5. I have 1 calendar that is linked to my Google Tasks (in Gmail)
  6. 1 is for family activities.  I keep track of weekly carpooling, cheerleading schedules, school projects, family functions, dinners, date nights (those usually get ignored though), parties,  and my personal time.
  7. 1 have a Team Chick calendar that is shared with the members of my team to keep track of vacation days, personal time, outside work schedules – everything.  This helps when determining deadlines or if one team member needs to schedule something for another.
  8. And the last calendar is simply a US Holidays calendar.  When I work with clients in other countries, I’ll add in their calendar as well so that I always know what is going on in their world.

Sceduling Tools

I use Tungle.me to quickly and easily schedule consultations and appointments with my clients.  I can quickly and easily “paint” off the times & days that I’m available, and then it’s sent off for the recipient to choose which of those times work best for him or her.  Once a time has been established, everyone gets an email, and then it’s automatically added to your Google calendar.  It also syncs with Outlook, iCal and there is an iPhone app as well.  Tungle, if you’re listening, we’re also ready for an Android app!!

You can easily delegate this to your real estate virtual assistant by giving her access to scheduling applications and sharing your Google calendar with her.

My calendar this week – so girly!! Notice my logo in the background.

My Tungle availability for next week - this is what your client sees if they go directly to your page.

Filed Under: Coffee with a VA, Ditch Your Desk, Escape the Paper, Transaction Management Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Get Past Procrastination: My 5 Steps to Getting It ALL Done

January 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Have you ever looked at your to-do list and just wanted to run away? Sometimes, procrastination gets the best of us self-employed people. It seems that everything is priority and we tend to put some things on the back burner. The thing is, if the items on your to-do list have to do with marketing and Client Attraction, then you don’t want to ignore them (if you do, your pipeline of prospects will be empty in 6 months, or less).

Procrastination creeps its ugly head in my business every now and then. Personally, I think it’s more overwhelm than procrastination and the list can be so overwhelming that I tend to go into avoidance/denial mode, preferring to just not deal with it. (Has that ever happened to you too?)

Realistically, you can’t ignore having to market yourself, so you sometimes just have to bite the bullet and do what it takes. Here’s my personal action checklist to take me from procrastination to massive action:

  1. Prioritize: Your list may be a mile long or just a half page long. Either way, the best way to get into action is to sort out what your return on investment for each item on your list is going to be (financially, time-wise, resource-wise) and then sort them by the one that will reap the most benefits (e.g., clients and re-venue) from the littlest output on your part. You’ll start with that one.
  2. What’s getting in the way? Sometimes, I find procrastination is more about something getting in the way than anything else. It could be you don’t have every piece of the puzzle to be able to move forward into accomplishing something. It could be you don’t know how to do ONE aspect of it. It could also be that this is a SHOULD and isn’t absolutely necessary to your success. Whatever’s holding you back, just get clear on it.
  3. How long will it REALLY take: I’ve found that often, I delay on a marketing task (or any task, for that matter) because I anticipate it taking a lot longer than it really will. To get past this, look at a task and ask yourself how long it will realistically take to get done. Then, take out the to-do list and write down the time it will take you to accomplish it next to each item (15 minutes, 2 hours, etc.).
  4. Schedule it: Look at your calendar and find time slots that correspond to the time allotment for each task you did above and schedule them, as if they were client appointments you were unable to cancel.
  5. Just do it: Once you’ve got the “task appointments” scheduled in your book, just do them. You’ll power through them like you’ve never done before. It’s actually pretty cool.

Your Client Attraction Assignment:

When marketing yourself, take notice of when you start slipping into procrastination mode (it happens to most everyone, believe me). Prioritize the tasks on your list to focus on theones that will get you the highest return on investment, notice what’s getting in the way or what piece is missing, and solve the issue accordingly, establish how long it will take to get done, and then schedule it in your calendar. You’ll have no excuse not to do it.

Remember, there’s never a point at which you can say (about marketing), “I’m successful now, I might as well take a nap.” Notice the very successful entrepreneurs you look up to. They never stop marketing. In fact, they’re always adding new things to their existing marketing plans. Do the same. Get past your procrastination and into Client Attraction. ALWAYS BE MARKETING and you’ll always have clients (especially if you have systems in place).

You may be wondering WHAT to do to market your business that’ll give you the most returns with little effort on your part. If so, I recommend getting the Client Attraction Home Study System™. It gives you the most important things to do to set up simple, solid marketing systems, so that you consistently fill your pipeline and continually get new clients. It’s all step-by-step, not a big mishmash of things. So, you do step one of the system, and when you’re done with that, you move on to step two, and so on. All the tools, scripts, templates, and examples are handed to you on a silver platter. Easy. You can get it atwww.theclientattractionsystem.com

© 2010 Client Attraction LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine?

No problem! But here is what you MUST include:

Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is founder of the Client Attraction System , the proven step-by-step program that shows you exactly how to attract more clients, in record time…guaranteed. To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her weekly marketing & success mindset articles on attracting more high-paying clients and dramatically increasing your income, visit www.clientattraction.com.

Filed Under: Coffee with a VA Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,