Thursday, March 11, 2010

Video Blog: Get Some Support!

February 13, 2010 by Julie  
Filed under Home office, Life Balance, Main, Organization

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Detox Your Inbox!

January 18, 2010 by Julie  
Filed under Home office, Main, Organization

Krista Green is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur and one of our all-time favorite "Ask the Expert" speakers. Her first company, Organized for Life, went on to become the first professional organizing franchise system worldwide – and the first employer in the industry in Canada with three locations – in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto. Krista is a Speaker and Coach in the organizing industry, and a co-creator with Julie Anne Jones of the brand new "Chaos to Clarity – Office Organization Edition," a Step-by-Step Solution to Office Organzation product (on sale this month! Learn more here.)

Krista will be kicking off our "Ask the Expert" calls for 2010 this coming Wednesday, January 21st at 9:00 am Pacific/12:00 noon Eastern time. Click here to reserve your space now!



Are you frustrated and overwhelmed by all of the emails in your inbox? Do you have trouble finding information when you need it? Are you frequently scrambling to get something done at the last minute because the email got buried in your inbox? Do you spend too much time drowning in emails and not getting things done?

The amount of email we receive has increased exponentially over the past few years, especially if you have your own business. And we are expected to read every single message! I have heard of people declaring email bankruptcy, but that’s really not an option (and it doesn’t really address the problem either).

Here are just a few things to help you make the shift from email overload to email under control…and maybe even inbox zero.

  • Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.- Albert Einstein
  • If you don’t make any changes to the way you look at, review, think about and act upon (or don’t act upon) your email, then how can you expect different results? Open your mind to a new way of thinking about your inbox, when to check it and how to process it. Consider that finding the perfect system can sometimes be about experimentation and tweaking.
  • Set up a system. I am sure you have all heard what SYSTEM stands for…it is a process or set of steps that can Save You Stress, Time, Energy and Money. It doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the simpler and more repeatable it is the more likely you are to be successful with it.
  • Streamline and update. Technology changes…and quickly. But it’s actually the technology that is slower to change that we have a more difficult time recognizing and changing.

Email folders are the prime example. How much time are you spending moving your emails into separate folders so you can access them later? And do you still have difficulty finding what you need? Why spend so much time on maintaining something you are not likely to use? I am sure you have heard of the 80/20 rule (Pareto’s Principle) which infers (loosely translated here) that you will only refer back to 20% of what you file. That means 80% of what you spend time categorizing and moving around will never be referred to again.

This is just the beginning…If you are interested in learning more on how to tackle your email overload, join Krista Green for our Detox Your Inbox FREE Ask the Expert call this Wednesday, January 21st at 9:00 am Pacific/12:00 noon Eastern time. Click here to reserve your space now!

Delete, Defer, or Delegate

November 24, 2009 by Julie  
Filed under Home office, Life Balance, Organization

Multi_taskDuring my live organizational training, I do a time management exercise with the audience. I invite them to figure out how much time they need for their business and how much time they're actually spending. Often, people will find that the various activities they identify require more time than they actually have to give their business each week. 

When that happens, I encourage them to either delete, defer, or delegate some of their tasks, especially if they aren't income producing. Here's an example of what I mean by that, in case you find yourself needing to do the same thing.

Delete – What's on your list that you really don't need to do? It may be something you've always done that isn't really serving a purpose any more, but it's a habit. Break it and dump it!

Defer – Are there items on your list that you don't need to do right now? Can you put them off for a few weeks or months, until you're not quite so busy? If so, make sure you get them (and any evidence of them) completely out of your space and filed away in a safe place until you're ready to tackle them.

Delegate – This one is my favorite. I can tell you from experience that there are many, many tasks in your business that you think only you can do that someone else could, with very little training, do for you. Sorry, but you're not indispensable. Make a list of all of those little things (filing, putting labels on catalogs, even retrieving messages off of your voice mail) that take up your precious time and find someone (or a few people) to delegate those tasks to. Does your neighbor or friend love your product? Barter with her for a few days a week in your office for product. Do you pay your kids allowance? Increase it a little bit and put them to work on simple tasks. Get creative and you'll find someone. I promise.

The most important part of this process is to look at the bigger picture. It's easier to keep doing things the way you've been doing them, but for most of us, it's not contributing to a more balanced, peaceful life. Take some time, get rid of some of your tasks, put off a few others, and find some support to complete what's left. That means you'll have time to focus on whatever activities actually make you money. And more time to spend with your family and on yourself.



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Julie Anne Jones is a success language consultant, a direct sales coach and trainer, and the CEO of Julie Anne Jones, Inc. She is known for her authentic and easy-to-use scripting and specializes in specific language and tools for success in direct sales. To learn more about Julie Anne and her products and services, visit her at www.julieannejones.com or check out her blog athttp://julieannejones.com.

10 Great Ideas for Taking Your Live Party Online

November 17, 2009 by Julie  
Filed under Bookings, Home office, Party sales

Today’s blog post is written by our “Ask the Expert” speaker for November, Diahana Barnes. Diahana specializes in online content development. She is the President and Chief Learning Coach for LearnEase, LLC and has over ten years of experience in building training and leadership programs from the ground up. She has written an e-book called, “The Online Party eBook” and developed a 3-week Web Seminar series on how to offer your parties live and online.

You can join her for our free call, entitled "How to Plan and Hold Effective Online Parties"
happening Wednesday, November 18th at 9:00 am Pacific/12:00 noon Eastern time.  Click here to register (you can even ask Diahana your most pressing questions about how to plan, develop, and execute a Live Online Party of your own!) Don’t worry if you can’t make the live call. We will send you a replay once it’s over.
 
Have you ever considered offering your in person party in an online format? Converting your party content and current format to an online format may seem like a daunting and difficult task but it doesn’t have to be and it can be a great way to reach more customers and make you more money! While many of us may have attended a webinar, an online meetings, or taken an online course, and in general are comfortable with the concept of going “online,” some of us are still hesitant to add offering online parties as an option. But it can be a great way to reach a customer who has moved, or a hostess in another state. 
 
A Live Online Party is held completely online using Web Conferencing software. All you need is an internet connection and a phone. It is simple, easy and fun. Think of it as a conference call with your friends with visuals on the computer. It can be a great alternative for that hostess who doesn’t want to clean her house or has only a limited amount of time. Think of all the possibilities! Plus, in today’s tough times, a live online party can result in you reaching and helping more people while adding an additional revenue stream to your business.
 
 In person parties are fun, but can require travel, time, and planning. Wouldn’t it be great if you could sit in your bunny slippers and accomplish the same thing?  Everyone is looking for new ways to have fun and be productive, increase their sales, and still provide a valuable service to their clients. All this can be done by offering your in person parties in an online party format.

Are you wondering how you would go about taking your very important in person party and implementing it as an online party? Do you wonder how you will keep everyone interested and engaged? How will you make it seem personal and fun?  Here are some ideas for you:
Idea #1: Use PowerPoint. Keep the presentation simple, but occasionally insert a graphic and animate it. I also offer a free template as part of my workshop. Also practice using an online highlighter, underlining and freestyle drawing during the presentation to keep interest. 
 
Idea #2: Toggle. Practice toggling between the PowerPoint presentation and other applications. Show your product website and if you have one, a “members only” page of your website to keep interest. This is also how you can take online orders before, during and after your party.
 
Idea #3: Pass the Controls. This is a fun way to get everyone involved. Pass the Controls; means to turn the mouse actions over to someone else and let them control what is on the screen. This is a great way to get everyone engaged by having them take turns at controlling the online class and what is on the screen.   Have them show their favorite product on your website and share their story, keep everyone interested and it creates conversation.
 
Idea #4:   Pass or Change the Presenter. Similar to passing controls this allows you to change presenters from you to someone else. Especially useful in smaller groups you can have each client place a photo of themselves, their family, favorite hobby etc. up on their screen and as you change the presenter everyone has a turn sharing. **Use with Caution – make sure everyone clearly understands what is happening. It can be really embarrassing if someone accidently shows their screen and it has email open, IM, another website, etc.

Idea # 5: Play a movie, fun screen saver or video. By having different activities happening on the screen, clients stay engaged.

 
Idea #6: Do a questionnaire or survey. “What is your favorite product?”  Tell me a little bit about what you use (insert your product) today?
    1. What do you like about what you currently use?
    2. What don’t you like about what you currently use?
    3. What would you like to see enhanced or improved?
    Several online Web Conferencing tools have question capabilities or survey built in. You can ask questions on the fly, capture results and post them live for everyone to see. 
     
    Idea #7: Do an interview with your hostess and/or a few guests. Start your party with a mini interview type format, and have multiple people talk about their product experiences to keep the party interesting and fresh. Have your hostess be a guest speaker or share a success story.
     
    Idea #8: Online e-cards, wallpaper and screensavers – use them at the beginning of the online party, during the middle or at the end. They are a great way to welcome people and help them with the initial online set up as well. Some sources are:
    www.hallmark.com
     www.americangreetings.com
    www.freeze.com
     
    Idea #9: Flash Movies and animations are a great way to keep them engaged. Use them to welcome people, holiday themes are very poplar and fun.
    http://www.animationfactory.com/en/
    http://www.animationlibrary.com/
    http://www.gifanimations.com
     
     
    Idea #10: Online Games, playing an online game is a great way to break the ice! Here are a few sites:
    www.gamescraze.com
    www.flashadvisor.com
     
    Join us on the call next week to learn how you can receive a complimentary Jeopardy Game you can customize for your own use.

    Don't Chase That Squirrel!

    September 23, 2009 by Julie  
    Filed under Home office, Life Balance, Organization, Self Development

    Squirrel

    This summer my boys and I saw the movie "UP." (If you missed it, be sure you rent it. It's a great family movie). In the movie, the villain equips his dogs with devices that allow them to talk. One of our favorite scenes in the movie comes just as one of the dogs is explaining that his master has given him this collar and now he can talk. While the humans look at the three talking dogs somewhat stunned, one of the dogs yells "Squirrel" and all the rest of the dogs immediately turn their attention at once and shout, "Where?"

    It's a hilarious moment that's repeated a few times in the movie and it has become sort of an inside joke in our family. Whenever someone's attention seems to be wandering (as in "are you listening to me?"), the speaker will say "Squirrel!". It's a great way to bring the listener's focus back in a humorous way (and we always crack up!)

    I was thinking about this yesterday as I was working. It's hard to stay focused in the virtual world. I'll be working on a project in my shopping cart and then discover that there's a typo I need to fix on my website (which I accessed for my original project). Then while I'm on the page fixing the typo, I'll notice that my photo needs to be updated (I got new photos taken in June and am still discovering a few places where they need to be replaced). As I'm locating the new photo to upload to the page, my Outlook will message me that I have a new e-mail and I'll flash over to read it. Before I know it, I've completely forgotten where I started. "Squirrel!"

    Does this scenario sound familiar to you? If so, let me recommend a few ideas that have really supported me in keeping the distractions to a minimum so I can keep my focus on one project at a time:

    • Turn off the instant notification on your e-mail. This is simple (you can do it in the "Tools" and then "Options" tab in Outlook) so you're only receiving e-mails when you're ready to process them.
       
    • Create a master list on Sunday evening of all of your projects for the week (I call mine a Master Manifestation list). List your goals for the week and then break down your actions by day (Monday – Friday). Even though I use the calendar and tasks in Outlook, I find having this visual piece of paper on my desk keeps me on track each day.
       
    • Schedule out blocks of time on your schedule for certain tasks and stick to it. An easy way to stay disciplined about doing this? Pretend someone is paying you by the hour to work on whatever the project is upon which you're currently working. If you don't keep track of your time, you won't get paid.
       
    • Use an egg timer to keep you conscious of how much time has passed. You'll be amazed at how fast an hour goes when you stay conscious of the passing time.

    I can't guarantee that these tools will completely eliminate the lack of focus you sometimes feel as you work, but I can promise that the more you become aware of the squirrel chasing you're doing, the less you'll be tempted to do it.

    So, tell us what tools you use to keep yourself focused. I'd love to know.



    WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE?

    You may, as long as you do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):

    Julie Anne Jones is a success language consultant, a direct sales coach and trainer, and the CEO of Julie Anne Jones, Inc. She is known for her authentic and easy-to-use scripting and specializes in specific language and tools for success in direct sales. To learn more about Julie Anne and her products and services, visit her at www.julieannejones.com or check out her blog at http://julieannejones.com.

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