Why do we have it then when we know we “should” get rid of it?

Usually we put the activity on a to do list, and because it is a small and rather dull thing to do, we never feel the spark about doing it AND NEVER DO IT!  Then we feel bad because we haven’t done it, then we beat ourselves up, so we feel worse, so we don’t do it .. etc.  When we are down we are more likely to want a “magic pill” an amazing experience that may (but is unlikely) to instantly make us feel good, rather than doing some incremental small steps to clear out.  When the magic pill approach fails we can feel worse (again) as more precious money and time may have been wasted.

Clinging to clutter can help us to feel safe.  Very often there is an emotional charge about keeping the stuff.  Clearing out is often not a once-and-for-all activity but a process, as more and more becomes irrelevant.

The most common type of clutter in a work context are the piles of information that just may come in useful one day.  Notes from seminars or webinars that you have not yet put into action so don’t want to throw away, magazines, invoices that need attention.  It is all just in case.

The authentic and more permanent way to remove clutter is to feel so good about ourselves that the stuff becomes irrelevant and can go easily. It is then all part of the big adventure.  As we feel better about ourselves it becomes clear that the gorgeous new person – our new supercharged identity – is inconsistent with all that clutter and stuff.   So out it goes. Yay! And even better it is easy and fun.

In a perfect world clutter doesn’t build up but is dealt with regularly at the end of every day, week, quarter, season or simply as things change.

After focussing on the good stuff coming into my life, finishing with my son’s wonderful wedding which marked the end of an era I have found myself naturally wanting  to make life better, and throw out anything that is no longer beautiful or useful.

So in the last three days I have thrown out (sent to charity shops) all clothes I now longer wear.  What a great feeling.  Two of my daughters have done the same and years and years of forgotten clothes are off to new homes.

And, most excitingly I have re-arranged my wardrobe:  all my clothes are now organised BY GARMENT TYPE and by COLOUR!  All shoes and handbags have been lovingly cleaned with a type of saddle soap ( ie leather “balm” not shoe polish) and they look wonderful!  I have never done this before and now when I open the doors there is an exciting view – and it is easier to plan the new wardrobe that really suits me!

(It is like the difference between seeing the jumble of colours on a sale rail or the new season colours more excitingly arranged.)

Today is the day for another cupboard, and a pile of papers. I am giving myself a set project (the cupboard) and will finish that first and I will know when it is finished.  I am not sure how much time I need for the papers so will give myself an hour to start with, and then will reassess. ( I have to do money-creating activities as well as the clearing up!)

I have been using this approach with one of my groups and they all have naturally wanted to get rid of what is no longer relevant.  So I know it works!

If you find yourself wanting to clear up but not having the energy these guidelines could help:

1.  Identify a clearing-out project that you could do (but haven’t yet felt the energy to do.)  It doesn’t matter whether it is from “home” or “work” as if you run your own business feeling good in one area helps the other.

2. Each day notice the good stuff coming in.  You may have achieved something good,  been paid a compliment, taken a risk, received money but make sure you notice it…acknowledge it and record it in a diary, notebook or document on line.

4. Keep on recording the good stuff.  When you have enough proof of the good stuff you will have a sense of your own spark, and magically the clutter that you have already identified loses it emotional charge and can go.  In fact you will feel excited about it going!!

5. Set to work with energy and purpose on your project which can be finished in a reasonable time frame.  Unless you have lots of time I suggest 1 – 2 hours.  (This is not really about time but about having the emotional energy, but you want to make sure you finish it.  Half way through clearing up there is usually more mess than when you started!

6.  Release all the stuff to other people and get it out of your space.  (Charity shops, recycling or whatever is appropriate).

7.  Show someone else the finished project and celebrate!

Repeat the process!  It is amazing how sorting out one area of your life releases energy to create the business and life you really want.

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Finishing the week with a completed “to-do” list feels fantastic.  Use the natural deadline of Friday at the end of the week to create some urgency.  The thought of  relaxation in the weekend ahead means you are happier to push yourself – and maybe take a few risks.

Those difficult phone calls can be more easily tackled on a Friday rather than Monday, and the person on the end of the phone be more responsive.  If you get the tough stuff out of the way, it makes Monday more enjoyable, so the next week will flow more easily.

Plus Fridays can feel a bit like a treat!  I know business owners who make sure they have an enjoyable meeting scheduled for a Friday (even if it is not a meal or a drink.)  The extra feel good factor often means more goodwill is generated which turns into business opportunities – either for yourself or others.

I think Fridays are also excellent for quality thinking about your marketing and business life.  The start of the week can feel more action orientated which often means looking after clients, but some coherent planning and thinking is perfect – and often easier – for a Friday.  The more relaxed atmosphere on a Friday helps reflection, confidence and thinking outside the box which magically leads to new opportunities.

Use your Fridays to:

• Do difficult tasks
• Do enjoyable things – contact and meet up with people you like
• Reflect on where you are going with your business and plan the next phase
• Take a risk.

Mondays can be a whole lot more fun when you get the most from your Fridays!

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Employees and business owners take their holidays in August, so how could it be a great time for your small business?  These seven ideas will help your marketing and your business spark generally.

1. You can create a link by having the “have you been away/ have you stayed at home/ what did you do / how was it? conversation. The more links you have with your prospects and clients the more they will feel you understand them, and that they know like and trust you.  Of course similar experiences, likes and dislikes make for better quality links.
2. Holidays are associated with postcards – so send some!  A postcard will have more impact than an email.  You can send some to employees, to suppliers, and customers.  The message can be very relevant to your business and / or simply fun.  Of course you need to have their addresses.  Sending a few real hand-written hand posted cards with real stamps from a real place is the most authentic way to do it, or you can prepare a printed postcard with a hand-written font, take them with you and post them while you are away.
3. August is a great time for sending out real live letters which is an extension on the post card idea.  Why?  Because during the holiday season we feel we owe it to ourselves to enjoy things more.  A letter that is enjoyable to read and has a clear call to action stands a better chance of being noticed. Of course if you include a physical lumpy “thing” it is even more interesting and certainly more enjoyable than facing an overloaded email inbox.  Anything that is not an urgent problem or a message from a friend may simply get lost in email overload on re-entry.
4. Make those difficult phone calls because the unreachable person may be easier to reach during August.  They may pick up the phone or even be covering someone else’s phone.  A business owner covering reception duty is wired for action and decision-making not simply passing on messages.  Phoning in the holiday season is higher risk but every so often you get a winning result.
5. Clearing up is easier to do if normal business life is on hold.  Putting names on databases, catching up with invoicing or reconciling accounts, doing research, reducing the paperwork mountain or simply reading relevant magazines, blogs and social media are all excellent ways of getting that firm foundation so your business can move forward and grow in the Autumn.
6. Take time off to improve the quality of your thinking. Of course relaxation is the real point of a holiday! The problem is that if we get more and more stressed and overstretched the less capable we are of taking time off.  In fact like the hot frog in gradually heating water we do not even realise we are not operating at our best.  Relaxation becomes difficult but so does real focus and concentration.  When “forced” to do nothing and enjoy a holiday the phone and laptop often go along as well as a form of anxious defence, or alternatively illness can strike.  I have lost count of the business owners who felt uneasy without their constant checking mechanisms but once they began to relax became aware of how tense they had previously been.  A jump start like reading a wonderful book, taking exciting exercise, playing a boisterous game with the children can bring that first release.
7. As a business owner, however, you are unlikely to completely switch off for long..even if everything is covered at the office.   The chances are you have a lively mind and are interested in doing things better. Once you have begun to relax your interest will be sparked by new ideas and new opportunities.  Stay in brainstorm mode and just collect the business ideas in a small notebook or on a table napkin.  It only need take a minute or two, but the quality of your thinking is likely to be more creative and confident.  Edit and refine later when you are planning the next stage.

Whether you take a four week holiday or just the odd afternoon here and there the most important thing is to switch off.  It is the best investment you can make in your best business asset. The more you invest in you the easier others will do so, too.

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That generally means having an honest beneficial relationship for both sides, which does not involve any trick sales gimmicks,  fake scarcity, manipulative selling or coercion.

Modern marketing is based on open-ness and authenticity and what is professional has been redefined. We can be professional working in a bedroom upstairs, or from a shed in the garden.  No more black and white corporate uniform as a badge of professionalism – think of Richard Branson in his jumpers.  Or the internet where anyone can write anything about a company via facebook, twitter and blogs.

But marketing and selling that would be most naturally authentic and express the “spark”  is sometimes rejected because of fears that it would not be perceived as “professional”.  This is what stops people writing one to one in a mass email, or recording a video where they talk about what they care about and just enjoy themselves!

Being authentic means being committed and behaving according to our values and what matters to us.  When we are on message everything seems easy and natural.  When things start to become inauthentic there are little niggles, a sense of hollowness and self-consciousness, and a lack of connection to ourselves.

Want some humour and music?  I can’t stop watching!  But I do love the original Alicia Keys’s song “New York” .  See this video from Newport in Wales

and then watch this one. It is the spark that is so compelling.

Authentic? Professional? Enjoyable?

What did you think?

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Ada Lovelace is thought to be the first computer programmer.  She died in 1852 aged only 37. She was the daughter of the poet Lord Byron, but he played no part in her life.

Ada Lovelace day on March 24th is an opportunity for bloggers everywhere to acknowledge women in science and technology who have been inspirational.

You don’t have to be a woman to blog but you blog about a woman scientist – living or dead – who has inspired you.

More about Ada Lovelace Day.

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I have just done a gentle purge of last month’s inbox and discovered a few that I had not read, including one person who is keen to come to my blogging workshop on International Women’s Day.

The email does seem to come in rather erratically so this is a good double check.  Luckily nothing was more than a day or two over, but even so, I am surprised that I missed them.  It is not the kind of thing that should have with a well-run business!

I am talking about my computer not Iphone, and of course the computer can cope with any size of read or unread emails, there is no problem about storage of data.  What is far more important is the clearing of clutter from my mind, and reducing any overwhelm.  Thousands and thousands of unread emails in fact slow down both computer and business owner.  When the unneccessary stuff is cleared away, we feel clearer, more in control, ready for new opportunities and the spark has a chance to shine!

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Do you get a card on Valentine’s Day? Did you give one? (or more).

It is often the thought behind the card which is more important than the physical thing itself.  Look at the Valentine’s Day images that one husband has given to his wife over the last few years.

These have got real spark. ..and are completely unique to him.  For me it seems more romantic to rearrange the stones on a beach, rather than spend hours slaving over Photoshop ..so I hope that is what he does.  Computer wizardry can often become self-centred, not other person centred in my view. I hope she also gets a box of choccies and some flowers!

I enjoy giving interesting and appropriate cards – not necessarily just about romantic love.  The Valentine’s ecard from Jacquie Lawson is all about a dog, so I sent that to two friends/family members who would appreciate the dog element.  One is very happily in a relationship and will have a wonderful day, and the other is dating, and could do with an additional card. I think Jacquie Lawson’s e cards are some of the best on the web, as they are very thoughtfully put together .. as it is the thought that counts.

Any note of appreciation is always welcome .. even a plain ole email.  Especially to those nearest and dearest, but also to clients.  The best clients become friends, anyway, don’t they? Unlike the more heady emotions commercialised on Valentine’s Day around one perfect person, appreciation and gratitude are more far-reaching, and are what really makes the world go round.

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Marketing ideas can be big or small, short term or long term.  They may lead to a marketing plan or to the trial of an idea but either way they take you forward.  Going forward is essential to business life.   To mis-quote Bob Dylan if your business is not getting ideas and busy being born it is busy dying..

But creative ideas tend not to come to us in an orderly way.  It is important to be constantly alert for them, and write them down.  As entrepreneurs we tend to have more ideas per moment than most, and one way of combating any sense of overwhelm or frustration is to record all ideas without judgement, and then process them afterwards.  The ideas will be a treasure trove for ways to improve customer service, (or your life), develop new products and ranges, as well as find  new clients.

The spark and the energy of the new idea is  nurtured.  New ideas often meet resistance – whether from your work or home team – so give them some breathing space before they get out into the world.

What is the point of marketing ideas?

Marketing ideas help your small business to communicate what is special your offer (and you) so that the right people buy more easily more often.  The right marketing ideas help the buying decision to happen more effortlessly.  You have more fun being you, and you make more money so you can make more difference.  Pretty good, huh?

When do you find marketing ideas?

When you are more relaxed.  The shower or the bath is one of the best places – think of Archimedes shouting Eureka ( I have found it) when he was in the bath, or Newton – not slaving away but sitting under an apple tree – when the idea of gravity occurred to him.  It is important to have periods of relaxation during the day.  They give your subconscious a chance to get to work, and you stop getting in your own way.

How do you find marketing ideas?

Go out and about and keep your eyes open.  Watch how people behave when they are buying stuff even if it has nothing to do with your business.  Ideas from other markets can easily work in your own.  Note down anything that seems interesting.  then give yourself a period of time to reflect. Sit in a cafe on your own, read the paper, listen and watch.

If you have a marketing problem get clear first on the problem.  Maybe you want more customers, perhaps you sense that you are not presenting your business as a benefit to your customer, perhaps you need some new product ideas.  The worst way to solve it is by getting desperate – ideas and solutions seem to disappear.

Write out the situation as clearly as you can.   There may be some emotion behind what you are saying to yourself, and it is good to get clear on that, too.   Sometimes we can be simply unaware of what voices are talking in our heads!    Write down the exact words you are saying to yourself and notice the tone of voice you are using.  Simply looking at those words and getting a sense of the emotion will help.  It could be anger, frustration, or sadness, fear or excitement…your emotion will affect the response.

Then write the problem out again as briefly and unemotionally as possible.  Reduce it almost to a formula.  See if you agree with it when it is written out, and if not, do it again to reduce it to its simplest form.  Then shut your notebook and go out and lhave a great day.

Ideas will start to come to you.  By recording them (no matter how crazy) you tell your subconscious to carry on working for you, and you will soon be an organic ideas farm and more and more ideas will flow and later you can choose from the best ones.

When do the marketing ideas come to you?

When you least expect it!  Your subconscious (and the reticular activation part of your brain) can do far more work for you when not constantly interrupted by your conscious mind interfering.  So, as we have said, a relaxed state of mind is the best.  You could be driving back from seeing a client, feeling relaxed when suddently you get a brilliant idea about how to structure the website better.  It may surprise you that is is so simple, and you could wonder why you have not thought of it before.  Be grateful you have had the idea, and write it down.When I have reached my destination I often have a quick refresh of my mind to see what I have been thinking about, and discover all kinds of good marketing ideas. .. and yes, note them down on paper, otherwise I will forget them.  Drawings and doodles are good, too, as they come from the more imaginative side of the brain.

The simple act of clearing ideas out of your mind helps enormously to remind you that you have good ideas, and helps you to act on them, too.

You could be cooking a meal and not thinking about anything when suddenly the question you really need to ask your clients jumps fully formed into your mind.  Or you could be on the point of waking up and you realise that the words for your strap line have arrived!  Walking and other forms of physical exercise are good especially if there is an element of rhythm as it seems to soothe the brain and get you into that relaxed state.

Marketing ideas achieved through this process usually have more vitality and are more sustainable than ideas generated simply through will-power.

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The best gift you could give your business is some inspired marketing.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love (that’s you!) gave to me(your business):

12 Twelve months of the year to plan newsletters, special national days, anniversaries and to establish the rhythmn of your business.  Finding an anniversary can be a good way to smooth out any seasonal imbalances. .. and break down any assumptions you may have aboutyour customers buying patterns.

On the eleventh day of christmas my true love (well, you know who that is, now!) gave to me(you know what) :

11 pipers piping out my marketing messages. There are so many pipers available and together they makes more music.  Social media is still becoming more and more popular (facebook has the population of the third biggest country in the world, after all) so make it happen for you.  Face to face networking where you see the whites of their eyes, can read the body language, and be seen and heard most completely is still the first marketing option for many start ups. Write white papers, send email newsletters, or drip out your email courses, PR ( on line and in your vertical markets)can be amazing, advertising: local, pay per click, or in your sector, SEO and on page web optimisation, Web 2.0, blogging and interacting in the blogosphere, directories, videos, teleseminars, webinars, not forgetting direct mail – which has more impact these days – and of course referrals from satisfied customers.

10 lords or satisfied customers leaping around saying how good your work is. More than that, how much you understand what they think  and give them the solutions they want.  Who are your top ten customers and what do they want?  Ask them!

9 ladies dancing. Cars and boats always used to be called “she” and the man who fixed my roof recently referred to my house as “her” and it sounded really friendly!  What do your customers think of your car, your office, your desk, your comfortable chair?  Everything you have is part of your brand and could be dancing for you.  What about your laptop or notebook, the pen you sign the contract with, your shoes, your bag, your jacket, handkerchief?

8 headlines milking the conversation in your customer’s mind.   Headlines on webpages, brochures and emails do a lot of the hard work and work their cash cow thang.  Write 8 during this holiday period so you are ready.

7 steps that take your customers they want to be. Seven is a magical number,  Identify the magical seven steps for one of your headlines and let it out into the world.

6 eggs that have been laid since last year. You will be increasing the asset value of your business year on year.  What are the top six assets that you have developed in your business over the past 12 months?  It doesn’t have to be technical equipment which is how we often think of assets.  Your contact list, products, improved systems, new website, better metrics are all assets, too.

5 go-o-ld things that save your business money and time. New technology means you can do more with less better and faster.  From low-cost email marketing so you know who is opening your emails, to easier websites, IT offered as a service for a lower monthly cost, outsourcing rather than taking on new employees, as well as all the talent available to help you grow your business.  There are many ways to make the recession irrelevant. The ipod, iPad or iPhone could be saving you valuable time and energy.

4 Quarterly plans (to stay on track). Of course planning doesn’t mean you will automatically achieve everything you want, but I am surprised how often it happens.  Getting clear is the first step.  It can be a lonely as an entrepreneur and planning improves your ability to make the most of a team.

3 values that say it all. The sub-text, the hallmark, the special aroma, the spark that you bring to the world that is uniquely you, and communicate powerfully.  It is why people choose to be with you, work with you, like you and trust you.  When we are confident it all happens naturally, but by thinking about it consciously you can generate consistency and be more memorable. (And make more money more easily)

Image by cassie_bedfordgolf via Flickr

When explorers first went to remote parts of the world they often planted their national flag to claim the land.  What part of the internet are you claiming?  You may have more than two phrases what are the top two?

Finally:  on the first day of Christmas my true love (me) turned up to give to me (my way of creating money and value in the world/ my business) one partridge plus pear tree.

What is this gift?  One thing that can fly around,  and one that stays still and grows and bears fruit. They have been delivered to your snow covered doorstep as a package.  All businesses need the running around and the staying still.  Active and passive, doing and thinking, yin and yang, extravert and introvert.

Is your business unbalanced?  Do both sides of you get representation at your (very) senior management meetings? Have you got someone who is on your wave length who naturally contributes what is less natural for you?

In modern times retail Christmas seems to last from Hallowe’en at the end of October till December 24th.  But traditionally the twelve days  went from Christmas Day till January 6th.  So once Christmas Day is past you are still in holiday mood right through the New Year and into the first week.

Thinking is probably the most valuable gift you can give your business.  If you want some help with the foundation thinking about getting the spark into your marketing check out this ecourse.

Enjoy your precious twelve days of Christmas!

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Big brands are using twitter as a lightning strike form of customer service and pouncing on complaints, magically creating confidence.  If you complain about a product or service you may find the washing machine or the computer replaced, and even airline tickets available where none existed before.  Banks with serious reputation issues in the past year particularly have a chance to be seen as human and helpful for a change.

Small businesses don’t have the customer service issue.  Most have a good relationship with their customers and handle problems personally.  So why use twitter?

The usual reasons given are about creating a community, finding out what prospects think, connecting with peers which can lead to joint ventures or collaborations, and of course being the helpful person solving the relevant problems.  All of which can lead to clients and money.

In the twitter workshops I have been running for a while I have noticed that a great deal of clarity and confidence is gained by looking at the world according to twitter.  By making twitter part of the plan in fact the plan gets clearer, the spark gets more sparky, and the next actions are easily identified.

The participants have learned about their business and themselves, as well as about twitter.

In a small business where one person carries out many different roles, this can provide the edge that leads to greater profitability. Unlike the lengthy soul searching that usually accompanies a business plan or marketing plan getting things right for twitter can be achieved quickly and easily.  That is the first piece of return on time invested, and the second is that the follow up action is usually clear.

Once people have a handle on twitter (in every sense of the word) it becomes a really valuable tool

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