24 minute read
Jumpstart Your Team
3 simple steps to start your delegation process
By Katrina Sawa
I hope by choosing to read this you are considering what it would be like to delegate more and start building a
team. I have been delegating to assistants of many kinds since 2003 and wouldn’t be where I am today without my team. It probably is one of the most important things that helps me run my business and earn a multiple six figure income.
But it was not as easy as it is now to find someone, or know what to delegate or “how.” I made a ton of mistakes, including: › Not asking for referrals › Not checking references or past clients, and the work they had done › Hiring people for what they “say” they can and will do › Not having a clear checklist of what needs to get done › Not having a clear plan on “how to interview or hire someone” (I had no clue, they don’t teach this stuff in business school, college, or anywhere.) › Not having good documentation to onboard people or letting them go › Not knowing all the legalities of hiring an independent contractor versus an employee (I’ve done it both ways—with payroll too, what a pain)
Don’t do what I did and try to figure it all out on your own. Trust me, it is painful and can be costly if you do the wrong things.
I like to walk my clients through how to hire, delegate, train and manage their team members, even if they just want to hire one assistant for a few hours a month. There is a lot to know, understand and implement to make it legal for both of you and an effective use of your resources.
I’d like to share the basic stuff—things you implement if you’d like. I would recommend at least having one conversation with me (or someone who is really knowledgeable to make sure you are crossing your “T’s” and dotting your “I’s.” It will save you a lot of trouble in the backend.
You don’t want to hire the wrong person and waste money paying them. That’s what I see happens often. After that, you hire them and never delegate because you don’t have a delegation list or plan. And, more than likely, they are not good at helping you find what needs to be delegated or know what to take off your plate.
So, let’s get started.
Build a “list” of things you want to delegate. Add the things you know you “should” delegated, as well as the things that are not getting done—areas like additional marketing, lead generation and sales type tasks, all of which are critical.
Here’s the list I started with, most of which I am delegating now, or have systematized in some way online, using a specific technology.
Step 1: Put together One Huge List. Start with this and add/delete.
Tasks to possibly delegate to a Virtual Assistant or some other contractor: › Respond to customer emails and phone calls as needed › Schedule business and personal interviews or appointments › Find places to get publicity in person or online or watch HARO for opportunities › Bookkeeping, i.e., tracking expenses and tax records, working with accountant › Internet research, etc. › Plan travel for seminars, workshops, personal › Book speaking gigs or research speaking opportunities › Content development, marketing and repurposing seek out places to post them or people to run them › Maintain customer mailing lists on an easy to use database › Manage the development of/and distribution of your ezine › Manage or communicate with your affiliates and update affiliate program › Handle registrations for webinars/ workshops and any facilitation of them, i.e., set up the technology, opt in pages, follow up emails or reminder emails, etc. › Manage shopping cart and merchant account as needed and create sales reports › Create extra pages on website, or more products and autoresponders in cart › Handle recordings of webinars, edits, etc., and make them into courses, e-books, transcripts, etc. › Handle bounced emails, i.e., fix them, resend stuff, etc. › Troubleshoot computer issues and problems, and help organize email inbox or folders › Arrange shipping for customer orders and products › Place ads in publications and on websites › Format ebooks and print books, and organize printing › Get new cover designs done up for each new product, or new headers or online images designed as needed › Design PowerPoint presentations › Send out e-birthday greetings or actual cards to your list monthly › Purchase gifts and occasionally send clients thank you, welcome gifts, etc. › Write and mail “thank you” notes after attending networking functions › Data entry of all new contacts › Coordinate direct mail campaigns and mailings, facilitate through mail houses, etc. › Transcribe webinars and online courses/audios › Create Google Alerts for specific keywords and keyword phrases, and then set up processes to post comments › Proofread articles, press releases and website copy › Post blog posts on your blog, either with your content or repurposing transcriptions or guest content › Research media outlets that want your story ideas › Regularly read blogs of journalists who you want to get in front of › Submit your press releases to press release distribution services › Update your media contact lists to stay up to date
› Upload videos to sites like
YouTube, and then distribute to social media, your blog, ezine, etc. › Research podcasts, blog talk radio, webinars and online shows that might welcome you as a guest › Look for book reviewers › Find content for your ezine and blog, and post and repurpose content to as many places as will get mentions › Set up social networking profiles, pages, connections › Conduct weekly updates and correspondences on social networking sites (social media messaging) › Return calls through the database with a call-to-action script for a product and/or service (attend event, attend a tele-class, follow up, sales, free call, etc.) › Design images with quotes or wording to use for social media marketing
Step 2: Sort that list into categories such as:
› Technology › Admin › Financial › Customer Service
This will allow you to “hire the right person for the right task.”
Not all assistants or contractors are created equal, nor do they all know what they are doing. Some are so desperate for more hours that they will say they know how to do something when they don’t, or they are not proficient in the task (you don’t want to hire them for that).
Only hire someone for a task or tasks that they “love” to do for clients, nothing else.
It is better to hire multiple people for multiple jobs, and pay them for the time they spend, rather than be stubborn and hire “one” person to try and do it all. “Trust Me.”
Step 3: You can do a combination of the following to find people:
› Ask people for referrals who currently are delegating › Run ads for people on sites like
Craigslist or Upwork › Look at Virtual Assistant or related groups on Facebook, and ask or post what you need in there › Ask me—I know lots of people.
And then comes the interviewing, hiring and training. That is where I may be able to help you, if not in the selection process, as that’s where a lot of entrepreneurs end up choosing the “wrong person” for the job. They don’t ask the right questions.
I’d love to share a few more things with you if you’re interested, now that you have a list (at least that you can start with) on what to delegate: › Most people also want to know: › Where to find team members › How to figure out which types of team members you need, i.e., web designer, Virtual Assistant, personal assistant, errand service, etc. › How to hire possible candidates effectively › How to train your team members › How to manage your team for long-term success and productivity › How to fire a team member who isn’t working out (this isn’t easy) › What types of documents/ agreements/contracts you want to have in place to set expectations, boundaries, fees, disciplinarian needs and things needed to protect your business, copyright, and more
One thing I know that will help is if you schedule weekly meetings with your team or assistant. You need to see the value in paying for their time to meet with you to make sure you communicate well.
I’m working on developing more resources for all these, but in the meantime, I can answer any or all of these on a one-time coaching call. I offer a complimentary business strategy session that people get big clarity on. It is not just a sales conversation, I promise. I want to be a resource for you—one who can help steer you in the right direction to make “Smart Marketing Decisions.”
KATRINA SAWA
is an award-winning, international speaker and business coach known as the JumpStart Your Biz Coach. Connect with Katrina and see how she literally kicks her clients and their businesses into high gear and fast. She is the creator of “The JumpStart Your Marketing® System,” “Jumpstart Your Business in 90 Days System,” author of “Love Yourself Successful” and the internationally best-selling “Jumpstart Your New Business Now.” Katrina has been featured on the Oprah and Friends XMRadio Network, ABC and TheCW, plus dozens of podcasts, radio networks and print publications. She was recently awarded the “National Collaborator of the Year” award by the Public Speakers Association and nominated for the “Woman of the Year” in 2018 from the National Association of Women Business Owners.
Having built the foundation for a highly successful coaching business 19 years ago on nothing but networking and follow up, today, she loves to inspire and educate other entrepreneurs how to create a strategy to develop, market and monetize a consistent money-making business doing what you love. Katrina lives in Northern California with her husband, Jason, step-daughter Riley, and their German Shepherd, Willow. She loves entertaining, cooking, wine tasting, glamping and hosting her live events.
Connect with Katrina
Sign up here: Go download and get access to a bunch of free business, marketing, and sales trainings to help you start up, grow, monetize and maximize your business on my website at www.JumpstartYourBizNow.com/freetrainings. Here’s to getting started and just doing it. Done is better than perfect.
The Joy of Connecting
Why there should be a little courting before your ‘ask’—and how you can do it
By Mary Fain Brandt
Most people get it wrong. They go in fast and hard with their sales pitches. They miss the courting phase and go right into the marriage proposal. Even the hit TV show, “90-day Fiancé,” realized there must be a little courting before the “ask.”
So, how did this happen? One word: COVID. When the world shut down, people realized they needed a new avenue to get in front of potential and current clients. That new avenue was LinkedIn.
The face of networking and events shifted, and there was an influx of people signing up on LinkedIn. They all had that “aha” moment, and realized they needed a different avenue to get in front of their potential clients to grow their network.
As a LinkedIn Trainer, I was like “YASS.” They finally understood that LinkedIn was the platform to grow their network, increase their visibility and credibility, and land clients.
And then all hell broke loose…
Spam messages. Sales messages. Sales calls. They had no idea what they were doing, or even worse, they hired someone who had “LinkedIn Expert” in their headline. (Ironically, I saw many of these LinkedIn trainers popping up, when in fact, they were more of a social media manager, not exactly an expert over here in my playground). I had to fix this, so I created my 3C Method, which is designed to educate my network on how to organically grow their network, get known, be found and get clients.
With close to 800 million users on LinkedIn, just imagine if you could connect with 3%. That’s 24,000,000 users. Imagine that you only need 3% of a network to reach your goals in terms of clients and revenue. Sounds great, right? But how? What’s the secret formula to building relationships online?
It’s not as difficult as you might think—if you use my 3C Method
Connect. Cultivate. Convert.
Connect with purpose — Connect with the right people, but don’t make your parameters too narrow. A “diverse” network is a “strong” network. And don’t go to the flip side and accept every single person who wants to connect with you. It is not a numbers game. This isn’t Instagram and you’re not Kim Karndashian. More connections do not necessarily mean more clients or opportunities. Don’t be concerned with having tens of thousands of connections. Instead, focus on the quality of your connections.
Tip: Always personalize the message with your connection request. Do not automate this part of your LinkedIn strategy. Connection requests with a personal note have an acceptance rate of 53%. Don’t overthink that initial message with your connection request. I keep mine pretty simple.
Example of message:
Hey Colleen,
I saw your post on Women in Leadership and that resonated with me, it also prompted me to pop over and check out your profile. I like adding savvy business women (like you) to my network so let’s connect and continue to support each other on this platform.
Stay fabulous and informed, Mary
Cultivate — Your first date. Remember how it went? You probably flirted a bit, talked at lunch, walked home together, and then your crush asked you out. You didn’t gaze at them from across the room and get asked out in 90 seconds (or did you?)
My point is to “Cultivate” your new connections by commenting on their posts. Nurture the relationship by supporting them online. Then, suggest a Zoom call (I know we’re all sick and tired of Zoom, but I am able to see your face and smile, which makes it more “real” for me.
You don’t marry on the first date, so stop selling to someone in your first InMail. Just stop. As a business owner,
building relationships isn’t an option. You must build relationships with your clients, employees and members of your community—both online and offline.
What can you offer to them? For me, it Is usually an introduction to someone cool I feel would be a great connection. Or maybe there is a strategic connection you can introduce them to. My biggest wins have been commenting on others posts. This has led to being a guest speaker on summits, podcasts and webinars, as well as some fabulous collaborations for events, and even some referrals and clients.
Tip: I like to send a voice message or even a video message. It really helps personalize or humanize things, right? Don’t be afraid to use GIFS and make someone laugh—remember you are interacting with a real person behind the profile. Convert — You’re probably thinking, “Convert to clients,” right? Let’s expand your thought process and change that to convert into opportunities. It is much more lucrative. Think about it: A client pays you once, and if you’re lucky, they refer one client to you. A referral partner sends you multiple clients over the years, resulting in a much higher return on investment (ROI).
And how about colleagues you can collaborate with? Collaboration is one of my top goals and strategies. When you collaborate with someone on a project, your audience reach is expanded. And depending on the person you collaborate with, it could actually strengthen your credibility.
Let’s think about those opportunities in your network. Here is a list to get you started: › Brand Ambassadors › Referral Partners › Collaborators › Potential Clients › Current Clients › Thought leaders
Final thoughts
Since 2020, we are all craving more genuine relationships. Gone are the days of perfection, and here to stay are Zoom meetings in shorts and flip flops. My best advice is to remember the H2H (Human-to-Human) factor in everything you do and every message you send. There is someone behind that profile, so treat them as you would want to be treated.
When you are working to build relationships with your network keep these three ideas in mind:
No. 1: Be willing to Give First
Remember that there is a give and a take in all relationships. If you are not
willing to support someone in your network, do not expect them to support you. And if that’s the case, why are you connected with them in the first place? Pro Tip: Start giving recommendations to those you personally know or have worked with.
No. 2: It’s not all about the benefits
Don’t be so focused on the end goal of getting new clients that you forget that it is possible you won't benefit from the relationship. And hey, that’s okay. Think about your friends who show up to every party with empty hands. You don’t tell them to leave, right? You still consider them friends. Just like in real life, sometimes business relationships won’t increase your ROI.
No. 3: Be genuine. Be real. Be yourself
Treat others as you would want to be treated, and be open to different viewpoints, feedback and new ideas. I recently was given feedback that took me by surprise. I didn’t react, instead I listened, reflected and adjusted. You'll make new connections and strengthen your network. You never know who that new connection knows. It could be a new client or strategic partner.
Connect with Mary
hello@maryfainbrandt.com www.maryfainbrandt.com 619-987-8404
MARY FAIN BRANDT
teaches entrepreneurs, business leaders, executives and sales teams how to fill their pipeline by using LinkedIn in just one hour a day. Her clients successes include landing a client one day after working with her to being offered a job three days after getting laid off. Her clients typically see a 30-45% increase in profile views and engagements which lead to conversations that convert. Mary specializes in working with financial professionals, bank managers, IT professionals and coaches to help others increase their visibility but, more importantly, learn how to CONNECT, CULTIVATE and CONVERT.
Be a VIP with Mary!
Half-day VIP Intensive where you get all done and dusted. Learn more here: www.maryfainbrandt.com/mary-fain-brandt-vip-half-day-session
Learn. Serve. Lead.
Lead Up for Women is proud to
present this exceptional opportunity to
travel to Guatemala April 21 – May 2, 2022 for an 11-day / 10-night service trip
in the settings of the Mayan Villages and discover the most beautiful places in Guatemala! This trip will include learning from the Mayan Women, serving alongside them, then, in turn, teaching the Mayan Women. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to activate your learning, service, and leadership globally.
By Rochelle Brandvein
“Fall” is a weird word. It is either a noun referring to a season or a verb describing a painful descent. The latter oozes with negativity, making me visualize a deep plunge into a dark abyss or a cash flow glitch causing my business to stumble.
But let’s get back to the noun. “Fall” as a season is quite lovely. The leaves turn brilliant shades of color that people unsuccessfully attempt to capture with their cell phones. But a phone simply can’t give the hues their due.
Fall officially began September 22 and runs through December 21. That’s when winter takes over, adding a bitter chill that makes fall lovers yearn for crisp, sunny days. Fall nestles itself between summer and winter, making it the favorite middle child of the weather world. Who wouldn’t embrace a delightful fall instead of a wicked hot summer or a bone-chilling winter?
As the chosen middle child, fall sports another name: autumn. And even before this time of year was referred to as autumn or fall, it was called “harvest.” None of the other seasons even have a nickname, making this center kid a standout star we should take notice of in terms of the pleasures it affords us.
James Taylor’s popular “You’ve Got a Friend” takes it one step even further. He croons, “Winter, spring, summer or fall/All you got to do is call and I’ll be there…” to show the devoted strength of friends willing to withstand the elements by offering a helping hand during times of trouble.
Assistance and support are what nonprofits are all about. In this column, like all my others, I will focus on organizations and people who are making a difference—no matter what the season.
Fall Back/Spring Forward
In 1784, Benjamin Franklin came up with the brilliant idea to reset clocks to extend daylight into evening to burn fewer candles during winter mornings and nights. The US Congress eventually made it official by passing the Uniform Time Act in 1966 in hopes of saving energy. Today, daylight saving time (DST)—which starts on the second Sunday in March when people move their clocks forward an hour and ends on the first Sunday in November, when clocks are moved back an hour—is observed by approximately 70 countries, plus 48 states, excluding Hawaii and Arizona.
You may not give it a second thought, but DST plays a huge role in many industries. A 2009 Journal of Applied Psychology study made an interesting discovery, when it found mine workers who arrived at work having had 40 minutes less sleep experienced 5.7% more workplace injuries in the week directly following the springtime DST than during any other days of the year.
A mine of information: The United Mine Workers of America is a diverse union that includes coal miners, manufacturing workers, clean coal technicians, health care workers, and more, throughout the US and Canada. The union offers a collective bargaining agreement so workers can improve their jobs and lives thanks to better pay, benefits, safety and workplace improvements.
The Fall Guy
The definition for a fall guy, which came about at the beginning of the 20th Century, typically refers to a person who takes the blame for a crime or some type of error. The word fall is used with the criminal slang meaning of “arrest or “period in prison.” This scapegoat definition even hints that the fall guy may or may not truly be responsible for the charged crime.
The ultimate sports scapegoat— Colombian soccer defender Andrés
Escobar—was shot dead after the 1994 World Cup when he kicked the ball into his own goal. This mishap contributed to the team’s elimination from the tournament, and Escobar was killed by gamblers who had bet heavily on Colombia to win. Nicknamed “The Gentleman” for his clean and calm playing style, Escobar’s murder prompted several players to quit the Colombia national team or retire from the sport.
Have a ball: The nonprofit Soccer Without Borders uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing under-served youth with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to growth, inclusion and personal success. The program operates in three countries on three continents.
Fall in Love
Finding Mr. Right does all kinds of yummy things to your brain and your body. A surge of dopamine— one of those feel-good chemicals that triggers pleasurable and mental sensations—is released when you find your true love. Other scientific explanations for the love/happiness correlation include oxytocin, a hormone linked to warm, fuzzy feelings that aid in relationship development by promoting trust, fidelity and communication.
The “love is blind” saying scientifically holds true. When you’re in love, your brain doesn’t see your partner’s imperfections thanks to the inability to make critical assessments of others due to your own happiness. Studies found that love makes you feel less pain—just holding hands with your partner increases your empathy and causes pain to diminish.
Love is all you need: CaringBridge has a vision of a world where no one goes through a health journey alone. Created to share health updates, the free online tool builds bridges of care and communication by providing love and support.
Fall on Hard Times
The pandemic has been an equalizer for everyone. For nearly two years we have focused on a rollercoaster of emotions and events we could never have even imagined. For me, I have looked to people who have previously fallen on difficult times, but then rose to surpass their circumstances. Adversity makes people stronger, and the following incredible women inspire me to move forward and not look back.
Usha Chaumar began manual scavenging—which involves manually cleaning human feces without any precaution—at the age of 7. She married at age 10 years, at the age of 24, met social activist and Sulabh International founder, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. He helped transform her world by creating skill development training for her and her village’s manual scavengers. Usha is the president of Sulabh International Social Service Organization, the nonprofit arm of Sulabh International.
American professional surfer Bethany Hamilton survived a shark attack where her left arm was bitten off. She returned to surfing just one month after the attack, winning the Explore Women’s division at the 2005 NSSA National Championships and began competing on the pro circuit in 2007, where she won the T & C Surf Women’s Pipeline event. Her journey was featured in the 2011 movie “Soul Surfer.”
Diagnosed with a spinal tumor, Deepa Malik underwent three spinal surgeries and received 183 stitches between her shoulder blades over a period of 14 years. She was left paralyzed from the waist down and told she would never walk again. Malik started her athletic career at 30 years old and is the first Indian woman to win a medal in the Paralympics Games. In 2020, she was elected as President of the Paralympic Committee of India.
J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, was a single mother living on welfare when she wrote the popular series’ first book. Rejected by 12 different publishers before selling it for only $4,000, she later became an international star for creating the best-selling book series in history.
Marina Silva is a Brazilian politician and environmentalist. She grew up in poverty, having battled (and won!) five bouts of malaria. One of 11 children, Marina didn’t learn to read until she was a teenager. She is the founder and former spokesperson for the Sustainability Network political party, was elected to the Federal Senate, and served as Minister of the Environment.
The Season of Change
As the leaves continue to fall, now is the time to enjoy the energy of autumn before the cold takes hold. Appreciate the warmth-to-brrr transition before Jack Frost starts lightly tap-tap-tapping on your window. Concentrate on breathing in the freshness of fall, knowing all too well that it will end in a matter of months.
In my mind, nothing says fall more than jumping into a freshly raked pile of leaves to release my inner child all over again. It simply is my favorite time of the year.
Is fall your favorite season for a reason? If so, I would love to hear why.
ROCHELLE BRANDVEIN
is the owner of Brandvein-Aaranson Public Relations, a 30-year-old PR agency that pivoted to solely handling nonprofits and companies with a philanthropic arm or foundation. Her company specializes in publicity, copywriting, and creative services.
Join us in Leading Up through giving back
Donate:
www.localhope.org/donation
Volunteer:
www.localhope.org/volunteer
Sponsor a Child for School:
www.localhope.org/sponsor/ students-seeking-sponsors Did you know your gift of $30 can provide a night of safe housing for mother in need? Make your life-changing donation to Maggie’s Place www.maggiesplace.org.
Lifehouse Project Mission is about eradicating domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking across our world. We are stepping up and taking that responsibility, join us in this mission in making our world a safe place for every woman and child. Donations accepted www.lifehouseproject.org.
Hope and freedom live here!
Free to Fly is a group of women who have previously experienced abuse to some degree in their relationships and chose to choose herself first, thus giving herself permission to be free to fly! Free to Fly is Not a Non-Profit that takes in the abused. We are simply the guiding angels that provide the support, bridge to resources and education, and most importantly the hotlines that they may need to be free once again. Contact us: (602) 341-5840
Let Her Speak’s mission is to elevate women’s voices, facilitate deeper conversations, inspire change in our communities, and build a stronger support system for marginalized women who aspire to lead. We carry out this mission through women-empowered events, female-focused research, and leadership education. We believe that through community, research, and education – more women will rise to leadership positions. Website: letherspeakus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letherspeakus/
NOT YOUR AVERAGE BRACELET BRAND.
We didn’t just want to be another cute bracelet brand. Screw that. The facts are clear – all of these causes are in desperate need of additional financial support and awareness and we knew we needed to do our part.
Every bracelet donates $5 to the cause it supports. We worked tirelessly to find nonprofit organizations that are actively making positive strides towards change and really need our help to continue to do so.
