Csbn april 2014 edition by CSBN

in the SPOTLIGHT - Dan Sugars Audio - Serene Haven Massage

DO YOU KNOW What YouTube can do to promote your business?

MONTHLY

March 2014 Volume 1. The CONNECT SMALL BUSINESS NETWORK - NETWORK . PROMOTE . EXPAND.

The LAUNCH of the CSBN Monthly! Finally... Find out about the people behind this magazine. They have worked super hard to make this magazine a vehicle where we can all connect, share, advertise and benefit from our unique experiences. Enjoy!

Page 34

LOOK WHAT’S COVERED IN THIS MONTHS

EDITION 3. Meet Chief in Editor Ben Mackie

20. Business Websites

4. I choose to be connected

22. Building your business #1

5. CSBN’s Next Meet - Up

23. Business Highlights

6. Next stage of CSBN Development

24. Spotlight on Dan Sugars Audio

7. Features vs Benefits - the old “What;s in it for me?

30. Business Highlights

8. The CSBN small business guide to youTube

31. Sally McIntosh

10. Your opportunity to SPEAK

32. Did you know...? The importance of page rank and Google ranking

12. Suggested networking events for April 14. Spotlight on Serene Haven

34. Meet the CSBN team

MEET CHI E F A N D E D I TO R

BEN Mackie

Working as a copywriter means that I am regularly involved in creating or editing written content, marketing and business networking. Getting these areas right are the solid, proven foundations on which to build a successful business. Considering that being Editor in Chief for CSBN Monthly meant I would continue to be involved first-hand in all of these things, it’s a challenge I eagerly accepted! In the early stages of managing your own business, it can be difficult knowing what to invest the majority of your time, energy and focus into. Sure you have a slick new website, professionally printed business cards, eye-catching signage and a couple of networking events scheduled in (aside from daily business operations) but what else will it take for your business to thrive? I know first-hand what it’s like to be in a start-up situation where not only do most people not know who you are, but they don’t even know what you do or what you could do for them. Then added to that is the fact you’re not entirely sure where to go or who to rely on for advice. All at once, not only can it feel like there is so much requiring your attention, but like you’ll have to do it all yourself if you want it done correctly. No wonder we get overwhelmed! CSBN Monthly aims to help you overcome all of these common problems, connecting you with a wide variety of like-minded businesspeople and entrepreneurs as well as enabling you to promote your business to a new (and growing) target audience. People who, just like you, are keen to learn new skills or concepts, grow their business, achieve their goals, help others and meet new people along the way. As our name suggests, CSBN Monthly is primarily focused on building a base to connect new and existing businesses with one another because in business, strength and success come in numbers. Not only will CSBN Monthly help you

establish new and valuable business connections, but we’ll also keep you informed of upcoming networking events in your area- this enables you to see what’s upcoming, reasonably close and suited to you, all in the one easy location. Serving as Editor in Chief for CSBN Monthly, I look forward to meeting you, learning about your area of expertise and that great product, service or idea you have to share with people. This is not just an opportunity I’m glad to be part of, but something that Camille, Sam and myself have been eagerly planning together as a reliable and growing platform to provide you with fantastic new business opportunities, partnerships and relationships. Being involved from the beginning in something that will ultimately benefit all of us- readers, subscribers, advertisers, guests, the team- is a role I greatly appreciate. Instead of feeling like a lone farmer planting seeds and then keeping an eye on reaping for himself, I feel as if I am in a huge field, surrounded by farmers all keen as I am to not just reap rewards for ourselves, but help others to do the same. There is still much work to be done, but also much singing along the way- and plenty of celebrating when harvest time comes, I’m sure!

Author - Ben Mackie

I CHOOSE TO BE CONNECTED. “ Networking is the KEY to your business success. ”

Camille Scott is the owner and manager of CSBN. She has run her own businesses for over 13 years, choosing to work from home where she can raise and be present for her young son. She created the CSBN with the sole aim of supporting other small businesses to grow and succeed, while enjoying the process and opportunities. I developed the CSBN (Connect! Small Business Network) to specifically help small business owners like myself looking to grow and expand their business. I had already tried my hand at two other businesses but they were doomed to fail, simply because there was no support available for someone like me and I just didn’t know what I had to do to succeed. Society teaches us all, from primary school right through to our adult lives and beyond that we must work for ‘the man’. It’s safest and what’s expected. It’s smart and sensible and reliable. To go it on your own is hard, almost impossible and you are just passing time until you get over yourself and rejoin the herd with your tail between your legs. I tried working for ‘the man’ for most of my life and I just hated it. I always turned up on time, did my job to the best of my abilities and went that extra mile at every opportunity. I was rarely thanked or acknowledged and it didn’t seem to matter how much my hard work and diligence benefited the company I worked for, my wage and position stayed the same. After many false starts I finally developed a website that served the purpose of connecting NEIS participants, both past and present, and other small business owners all across

Australia! The idea is that by providing a networking platform, we can all easily connect with each other and benefit from our unique business experience, services, products and resources. And get the support, help and guidence we need. This Magazine was scheduled for its first release on October 2013. That was never going to happen. I just didn’t have the time, skills or organisation at the time to make the dream part of my business a reality. But I kept stoking the fires of the back burner and worked on it every chance I could. The purpose of this magazine is to provide valuable information, skills, tips and tricks, and effective marketing and promotion to small businesses Australia wide. Even though this is our first edition, we already have an overwhelming number of subscribers keen to receive and read our work and to learn about other businesses out there they can connect with and benefit from. I’ll tell you something really important. You can’t do it alone. You might think you can but time will prove that you can’t. If you want to succeed in business, in your passion, you simply must connect with other like minded people. It’s OK to share with your mum at the kitchen table what you are doing and hope to achieve, but as much as she loves you she can’t help you make it happen. Well, she can help you package and post your products. I fought this concept for years, I was a rock and I didn’t need anyone. For anything. Ever. “Welcome to reality” I tell myself daily. The more I connect, the more I succeed. It’s just that simple. I look forward to meeting and connecting with you soon. Author - Camille Scott

CSBN MEET UPS

As part of the developments and changes at CSBN! We have listened to your requests and brought back the CSBN! Meet-Upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s with a new venue the Loft in West End on the last Wednesday of every month starting from 5pm. The CSBN! Meet-Upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are a chance for you to meet with other likeminded small business owners to mingle, converse and expand networks in a relaxing friendly environment.

OUR NEXT MEET-UP

When: Wednesday 30th April, 5 to 7pm. Where: Archive, THE DECK, 100 Boundary Rd, West End. Cost: FREE What to New business leads Expect: in a fun, welcoming & friendly atmosphere. The Loft has a range of refreshments available from the bar as well as two for one meal specials available for purchase.

an easy way to connect!

THE NEXT STAGE OF THE CSBN DEVELOPMENT

PLAN SAM ROSENBAUM

THE CSBN IN 2014

“Holding a Certificate III in both Hospitality and Events Management, a Certificate IV in Small Business Management and also currently studying a duel diploma in Business and Management, Samuel Rosenbaum has the key skills and the knowledge set to understand and develop business requirements.”

With 2014 in to full swing CSBN! Is proud to announce some exciting new changes to our operations that will increase the benefits to you and your business. With the new website developments almost completed and the release of the first issue of CSBN! Monthly we have a number of other changes and services available to our members and the wider community. One of the buggiest changes is the new membership structure with currently three of the four membership leaves available, Starter, Enterprise & Corporate to suit various budgets. Each come with a FREE subscription to CSBN! Monthly and access To the CSBN! Hub for the life of the membership and loads more of goodies to be released. The CSBN! Meet-Up’s are back on a monthly bases at the Loft in West End on the last Wednesday of every month. This is a chance you to come along unwind a get to meet likeminded people in a relaxing, modern environment. As well Camille Scott owner and manager has stated running DIY Workshops for small business owners and anyone wanting to expand their skills & knowledge. These workshops are run for 5-7 people per session to allow for one on one training and include light refreshments. The next upcoming workshop is the ‘Introduction to CMS” allowing you to develop and update your own Content Management System (CSM) easily as using a word document. Over the coming month will be continuing to keep you informed on new service and developments as they are released. I hope that we can help you and your business reach your desired potential and beyond.

Author - Ben Mackie

been so ignorant? All the same, this has got me thinking about what is most important for any business in regards to promoting themselves. Many people who make contact with you won’t want to know so much what the features of your business product or service are, but specifically how it will help them. I’m sure you could list plenty of the specific features of your business, but what about the benefits? Would a hotelier talk about the number of staff they had, the furnishings, the lunch menu or the times for laundry service? Perhaps, but far more important is it for them to advertise the fact that guests can stay in spacious, quiet rooms that not only offer very competitive rates, but are close to the city and public transport. In the first instance, we hear about the hotels’ features. The second time around, we hear instead about the benefits. Which of the two is more likely to convince us to check-in? One crucial part of being a copywriter is looking at how any given business, individual or organisation benefits their

Features v Benefits

- the old “What’s in it for me?” For all the things I love about what I do, one of the things that bugs me is the title of my job. If I had just a dollar for every time I have met somebody new and the conversation has gone like this: Them: So what do you do with yourself? Me: I work for myself, I’m a copywriter! Them: Oh, you legally copyright stuff? …then this whole piece would be ghost-written while I smoked cigars in a 5 star hotel room and stacked piles of cash to the ceiling. To be a copywriter means, literally, that I write copy. If anything, I am a writer. Yet in this day and age, calling yourself a writer means that you write novels or short stories. Those of us who write content that enables businesses to market themselves more effectively and engage their target market, are left to be confused as some kind of person who makes a living authorising the ©’s on products all over the world. To be fair, there are professions whose titles still have me searching the dictionary or Google. Only last week did I learn what a milliner is. Perhaps if I lived in my grandparents’ generation or frequented horse racing events I wouldn’t have

customers. Without getting bogged down in the industryspecific details, instead we need to think about what aspects of our business or service will appeal the most to customers in layman’s terms. Many times, the difference between sale and fail is whether or not people can distinguish between what you can do and what you can do for them.

So next time you meet somebody new- whether a casual acquaintance at a social gathering or a potential client at a networking event- instead of being fussed about the title of your occupation and the features of your business, focus instead on communicating all the benefits of your business. Find out first what this new person is involved in- what keeps them busy, what they are working away at- and then (being subtle of course!) communicate with them all the ways your business can benefit them.

Get into the habit of doing this, and the results might just surprise you… Author - Ben Mackie

THE CSB N S M A L L B U S I N E S S G U I D E TO YO U T U BE PART 1.

uTube is not just a platform for sharing videos, it is also one of the most popular search engines on the web. We have all felt the frustration at one time or another at the difficulty and sometimes cost of having our business website NOT turn up in search engine results. There are two ways to Search Engine Optimise (SEO) any website: 1. Adwords - pay per click, and 2. Organic SEO - behnd the scenes work on your website to let Google know about your content, as well as backlinks from other web pages, such as uTube.

Adwords costs, and it can cost plenty depending on your niche market so I won’t talk too much about it here. What I want to let you know is that Organic SEO can cost nothing but some effort and time and be your most effective method of directing targeted traffic to your website. There are quite a few websites out there these days that you can utilise to boost “But wait! I don’t have a video camera, I don’t know how to make a movie, let alone do I have the time!” I hear you.

your SEO and bring more traffic to your business; in this article I will focus on uTube. “But wait!” I hear you cry. “I don’t have a video camera, I don’t know how to make a movie, let alone do I have the time!” I hear you and I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming. My aim here is to provide you with a quick overview to start you thinking. In the next edition of the CSBN Monthly I will be providing a step-by-step walk through of how to easily make a video using images. Why not put it all here? Quite simple.

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT YOUTUBE CAN DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS? I havn’t yet had the time! You all know how busy you get being a small business owner and I am no different. My website has been ‘under development’ for months now as I am inundated with working on my clients sites and marketing. No excuses for the next edition then.

we put in any time and effort, to make sure uTube will be working to promote our business. In short, we need to define our objectives.Consider the following and write it down. You will want to refer back to this for part 2.

First, you need to set up a uTube account. It’s free and easy, simply go to www.youtube.com and make an account. All you need is an email account and you all should have at least one. Set up with your business name and business email. If you have a business website, link back to it. Go ahead and do that now so that you are ready for step 2, in the next edition.

•

We’ve all heard about the millions of views over night, seen the segments played on the morning show, well let me tell you, these are either flukes or very well thought out and put together uTube clips uploaded by people who live life through their iPhone or savvy highschool and uni students who we wish we could employ. For now, it’s just us doing it for ourselves. Lets start by taking a look at what we need to consider before

• •

What do you want to promote? Your business, a specific product or service? Go into detail. Which keywords will you use to target your audience? Use your own content, DON’T breach copyright. Respect IP.

Now, grab your camera and start shooting. It can be anything to begin, remember, we will need to work at it to get a good result so don’t be afraid to practise. You will thank yourself later. The idea is to get together some pictures that you like because that’s what we will be using to make our first video. And guess what! Chances are you already have the software on your computer to turn your pictures into a professional looking video. You will even be able to add sub-titles and transitions. It doesn’t need to take much to get a video ready to upload to uTube. Follow the step-by-step guides in part 2 and you’ll soon be creating great video content and building a valuable presence to represent and promote your business on YouTube. Author - Camille Scott

Guest Speaking is a great way to not only promote your business, serives & products, but also to promote yourself as an expert in your field. their businesses. It was time to tackle this beast that hi’d given my power to for way too long.

After I had finished the NEIS course, Michael from the Toowong Training Center approached me to guest speak in the NEIS classes. I was terrified! I have had a well known phobia of public speaking for as long as I can remember. I avoided it in TAFE and uni, in social groups and even among my groups of friends. I just couldn’t do it. I thought about joining Toast Masters several times but the idea of standing up to speak, of having all eyes on me (apart from those catching a quick nap) just made me want to run and hide. Impossible, I thought. I realised that the opportunity Michael was offering me was unique and would not only benefit my business, but others as well. After all, my whole business is set up to help other small business owners expand and grow

I am lucky enough to have a cousin who specialises in NLP (neural linguistic programming) who was happy to help me. I didn’t know what it was, or what was expected, but I was desperate and determined to make the most of this amazing opportunity. After just one 1 hour session I was wondering what all the fuss was about. I was set to go! Of course, thinking it and actually doing it are two entirely separate things... or are they? After a few weeks of working late into the night to prefect my presentation I was up. It was my turn to speak to a group of people who, in reality, were just like me. I turned up early, pluged in my presentation gear, took a deep breath and said “Hi. I’m Camille and my business is the CSBN. It’s about...” I focused on making eye contact with those who looked friendly and receptive and avoided looking at the few who either fell alseep or were busy giving me stink eye. It needs to be said that a couple of sharp people noticed my hands shaking, they made a point of coming up to me afterward to tell me. But they also said that I did a great job and they found value in what I had shared with them.

YOUR O P P O RT U N I T Y TO

SPEAK “I was so nervous, but the group was reallly welcoming. Once I got started I felt comfortable because I was just speaking about what I know well and do every day! It was an amazing opportunity to promote myself & my business, as well as share my knowledge with others”.

WOW! I was so blown away and I felt really proud of

myself. Not only had I delivered a presentation without wetting myself or running away, I had helped people freely by sharing my knowledge. I went on to do many more presentations to the NEIS courses at Toowong and found myself looking forward to every opportunity to do so. I learnt that I didn’t have to be perfect and when I made a mistake, it was OK. No one knew except for me so I just rolled with it. Most people are not comfortable with the concept of getting up in fornt of a group of people and speaking, and I truly understand that. BUT I know the benefit you can be to both yourself and others by doing so. The CSBN is getting all geared up again for 2014 (yes, I know it’s April already) and we will be hosting a variety of Meet-Ups and Networking events in the coming months. I urge anyone who is interested in being a guest speaker to contact me about reserving a space to share your knowledge with others, just like you. Doing so will help your business, your confidence, and will generate new leads!. And guess what. It’s FREE. You will find it more rewarding than you ever imagined and on more levels than you ever thought possible. I welcome anyone who is interested in being a guest speaker at one of the CSBN Networking events,

please contact me. And lastly but not least, I send out a HUGE heart felt thankyou to Michael for giving me the encouragement and opportunity to step absolute miles outside of my comfort zone. Greatly appreciated. t

Author - Camille Scott

SUGGESTED NETWORKING EVENTS FOR THE MONTH OF

APRIL

B2BB SOLUTION STORMING EVENT Wednesday April 2nd, 6pm Cost: $29.00 Geebung RSL Crn Newman Rd & Collings St, Geebung QLD. Organisers: Wendy Tadokoro & Shirley Farrell Join us in April 2014 for our next solution storming adventure! This forum is for small business owners who appreciate the company of like minded professionals and value getting problems solved. Solution storming is a bit like creating a “village gathering”. Just like in days from a bygone era, our gathering will become a market place of activity and just like market places of old, people will congregate in small groups around a “market stall” to talk about the news of the day. Read more...

WOMEN’S BUSINESS NETWORKING LUNCH Friday April 11th, 11:45am to 2pm Cost: $5.00 Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens - Botanical Cafe 152 Mt Coot-tha Rd, Toowong QLD. Organiser: Crystal Schekoske Tired of always talking to people on the phone and sitting in your office at home? Want to meet some like minded ladies? How about a few laughs over a relaxed lunch? If you answered yes to any of the above then come join us ladies next friday for an AWESOME networking event. Read more...

NETWORKING CHATS Friday April 10th, 9:30am Cost: $35.00 The Business Hub Unit 4/1311 Ipswich Rd, Rocklea QLD. Organiser: Jennie Gorman The aim of these groups will be to COLLABORATE, SHARE and SUPPORT participants to ACTION their networking by creating a programme that will help them to become not only better networkers but to become stream-lined in their networking. Read more...

“ Networking is the KEY to your business success. ” Author

613 CSBN MEET-UP Wedsday April 30th, 5-7pm Cost: FREE Archive - on THE DECK 100 Boundary St, West End QLD. Organiser: Camille Scott, Sam Rosenbaum & Ben Mackie Join us for a friendly and relaxed meeting of like minded small business owners for a powerhouse of casual networking. Read more...

Got a networking event you would like to advertise here? Let us know!

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d LOVE to include it. Author

14 Interview by Ben Mackie - Photography by Camille Scott CSBN is pleased to introduce Kylie Jury , owner and manager of Serene Haven Massage. Far from your standard service, Kylie provides a decadant experience in a luxurious environment with amazing and natural products every time.

SPOTLIGHT on

S E R E N E H AV E N

15 really grown that way. Tell me about your business. What’s unique about it? I think it’s unique because of all the little details that I put into it. People receive a complimentary herbal tea at the end. In winter I put a heated blanket on the table, I use essential oils and I offer Eminence Organic facials. It’s more of a pampering experience but it’s also therapeutic as well and designed to help relieve peoples’ aches and pains. A little bit of beauty and a little bit of pampering added into the whole treatment, which guys like as well. What were you doing before you started this business? I was doing mobile massage around Brisbane and I was also working for a multi modality clinic in Camp Hill. I was also on call for a boutique hotel in the city which I still continue to work for. Before that I was living in Byron Bay and I did a Bachelor of Photography. What inspired you to get started? I was always working for other people. I guess I like to be my own boss and create my own hours and I like the flexibility. Basically, if you are your own boss you can make more money while working fewer hours. I really just wanted to create a beautiful sanctuary where people could come and relax and take their time and not feel like they are just a number, get them on the table and get them off the table again. I guess what inspired me to create the business was to really give the service that I would like to receive if I went to a clinic. How did you get the idea for it? I was in a share house in Holland Park West and I was looking to move with a friend of mine to a place where I could set up my own clinic. One Saturday we looked at over 10 places in a row. We weren’t even going to look at this place but as soon as I walked in and had a look at the rooms I thought “Yes, this is the massage room”. It just really felt like the right place for me to set up and work from home. It’s a really nice location and it just works for people. How long have you been at it? I have been massaging for 17 years and working from here for 18 months. When I first started I had 2 or 3 customers a week and they were all from my mobile massage and I was excited at the idea of getting 5 a week but now I have really grown. It’s all just word of mouth. They tell someone else who tells someone else who tells someone else. My business has

What is your most successful form of marketing? Word of mouth is probably my most successful form of marketing but also I do some work on Facebook and email marketing. I have signage on my car and a sign out the front which helps to keep up the professional image. To what do you attribute your success? I really care about people and I spend a lot of time with them. Often people talk during the treatment so they sort of get a little bit of mini- counselling and the massage at the same time. I think it is having a genuine interest in customers. My main intention is not about the money but to provide a nice experience for someone and a by-product of that is being able to have a sustainable business at the same time. A bit of advice I got when I was working at another clinic was “Be their best friend, imagine that this is a really nice friend that is coming to see you and be open, warm and friendly.” People really respond to that because it feels natural and less clinical, but at the same time I remain professional.

Do you have any staff? What do you look for?

What risks are you facing?

I don’t have any staff, no but I would really like a data entry person or perhaps a receptionist, someone to help me with the book keeping side of things. Someone who is efficient and diligent and pays attention to the details. Someone who gets the finer details right, crosses the T’s and dots the I’s. At the moment I am getting quite busy and sometimes I can’t fit people in so eventually I want to expand outside of the house and into an external premises. I often have people on a waiting list, especially in the evenings and the weekend and it would be great to train someone up in the way I do the massage and treatment, sort of duplicate myself and then maybe I could just take the bookings and serve the tea.

I worry about people that might be a bit sketchy coming along but I haven’t encountered any of that. About 90% of my customers are women and the guys that come are married and fine. Everyone is nice. Maybe being broken into but I feel safe here. Is your business product or service based? Tell me about them. Most of it is service based in terms of treatments but I do have products for sale that compliment the services that I give. I sell the organic tea that I serve in the room so people can try it and if they like they can buy a box of it here. Then I sell the Eminence skin care products and Zen oil which is

for muscular aches and pains, magnesium, essential oils, and aromatherapy diffusers. It’s all about providing something to someone that they need and can benefit from. What makes you stand out from the competition? Why do your customers go to you? I think they feel relaxed with me, they like the massage and they like getting Hi-Caps and I give discounts for repeat customers. I have fun with them and we chat about lots of different things and then they get all the extra details like steam inhalation and essential oils, different blends for different people and then the complimentary herbal tea at the end. Have you considered a partnership or alliance? Why? Who with? It’s a good idea. I’d love to have a Serene Haven retreat external from the house, like a multi modality clinic. As I

in. What happened? I haven’t experienced that yet but sometimes when it does get quite busy I feel like I need a break from it and I’d love someone to come in and help. What book / movie do you think every business owner should read / watch? Why? I like the movie “A Peaceful Warrior”. Anything positive or uplifting, something that helps to inspire. Some Friday nights I go to a place called The Relaxation Centre and they have a lot of movies about health and happiness and relaxation and different spiritual teachings. Sometimes if I watch something like that I fell really invigorated again. Think of the last few months. What was the toughest decision you had to make?

mentioned, the receptionist or the person who meets and greets the customers, that sort of thing. Do you know of anybody? What concerns do you have for the next few months? Maybe that I will keep getting busy and might get a bit burnt out. I’m taking a week off in April to go to Tasmania with my family so that will be nice, some time to myself. Tell me about a time when you had more to do than you could handle. How did you manage to get through it? I think you just keep going don’t you? I think in my kind of work I have to make sure I am eating correctly, the right amount and types of food and enough water and regular breaks. Probably the best thing to do is to not take on too many clients if you find yourself getting too busy and it’s OK to say no. Tell me about a time when you wanted to just pack it all

It’s really just stick to your limits of how many people you can see a day and to not get swayed by that. Also to employ a cancellation policy because it is easy to be really nice and it’s hard to sometimes draw the line with people, especially when they are regular customers. Tell me about the last time a customer got angry with you. What happened? It hasn’t happened to me actually but because I’m getting busier people haven’t been able to book in for the exact

time they wanted. I’ve started to hear myself apologising but then I think I can’t apologise because if you can’t fit them in then you can’t fit them in so give them options and encouraging people to book a couple of treatments in advance. Imagine you could go back in time with a pearl of wisdom to give yourself when you were just starting. What would it be? Employ someone. Train someone from the beginning and train them in the things that you don’t particularly like to do, so you can get all your paper work and tax done on time. Even just simple things like the back end of the business like washing towels, purchasing stock for the business and ordering. Maybe think more of expansion in the begging rather than thinking that I have to do everything. Any other ambitions? Passions? I’m passionate about helping people to feel good. I don’t want people to totally rely on me but to take the insights they get from Serene Haven and think about how they can look after themselves in their everyday

life. I really want to empower people in that respect to look after themselves and their health. What do you do every chance you get? I’ve been going to lots of Meet-up groups lately and re-connecting with different types of people. I went on a 4 hour hike recently through the Moggill Hill Conservation area which was great and in a couple of weeks I’m going to do another walk down in the Lamington National Park. Seeing friends and movies and trying new

places, eating nice food, really just getting out of the house when I’m not working. Procrastination. How do you do it best? I put off book work until I really have to and it’s not a good habit. I think I was better when I had a job working 9 to 5 when you just have to get it done. But because I am my own boss it’s my rules. It’s very easy to put off the things that you don’t really want to do and just do the other work that has to be done. You have to be accountable. Who is your favorite Super Hero and/or Villain? I don’t think I have one but I know Sheldon does, in the Big Bang Theory. What’s next? I have been thinking that I would like to train other massage therapists mainly to apply the finishing touches on treatments. I have had a lot of massages around Brisbane and I think there are a lot of things they could be doing differently to improve their business. So maybe holding a workshop for massage therapists and ultimately expanding the business into an external place but that will be a bit further down the track. Even holding weekend retreats with massage, yoga and nutrition. Serene Haven Retreats, here we come! Anything else you want to add? I think having your own business is the best way to go. A lot of people who come to see me are really unhappy with their jobs

and I encourage them to just find out what they really want to do and see if you can turn it into a business. I think it’s always really good to ask yourself questions, like if something is not working, ask yourself “What could I be doing differently to create a different outcome?” Also I do something bizarre, I ask my business what it wants so I ask “Serene Haven, what do I need to do for you today” and then ideas come to mind. It helps give me ideas. One time I got the idea for an online booking system, another time I thought of a new product to include. The business has its own energy and it attracts people that really vibrate with the business. I’m very practical in business but I want a business that is gentle and personable and more people focused than money and giving great services, making people feel relaxed and comfortable in their own skin and ultimately more peaceful.

www.serenehaven.com.au ph: 0421 401 891 info@serenehaven.com.au Tarragindi, Brisbane. Bookings by appointment only.

20 Is your website working for your business? So often I have clients come to me with websites that just don’t work for their business. There are some definate ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ you need to know about.

BUSINES S WEBSITES NEED OPTIMISATION Provided are some valuable tips for writing optimal content for your website pages. No matter how good your web developer is, YOU will need to provide the content. After all, no one knows your business like you do. Let’s take a look.

up for you. You may never see it, but it’s there and it’s working to help attract your target audience to your website.

Laying out the content for your website can seem like a daunting task. Where to even begin? This article will help you effectively select and create your content with regard to basic structure and SEO.

speaking to just one person in the same room as you, telling them about your business, services, products, aim, etc. This approach helps you to stay focused and communicate clearly on each topic. Quality content should be interesting, well written and on topic to attract your target group to your website. If visitors don’t see what they are searching for in the first few seconds, they will leave your page and continue their search elsewhere.

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, determines where your website appears in search results. Unless you have a very unique niche, getting to page one can take a lot of time. If you are going to have a website, you have to write the content, right? So you may as well put in some effort right from the start and give yourself an advantage. Here are 10 tips for you to consider when writing copy and content for your website pages.

1. Start each page with a tag line - Write a tag line

for each page of your website in one short concise sentence. The Home page should describe your business and let users know what they can expect. Describe the content in a tag line for each page, there is no need to have a tag line for your Contact page. The Home page tag line for Ivy Web Design is: ‘website design & development, Brisbane’. This tag line is very short, just 38 characters, but you can use up to 156 characters (including spaces). We will include your tag lines within <H1> tags on each page for optimal SEO. <H1> tags are used ‘behind the scenes’ of the website, meaning that your web developer will set this

2. Write as though you are speaking to just one person - Close your eyes if it helps, and imagine you are

3. Use Key Words - Key Words are what people enter

into search engines (Google, Bing, etc) to find what they are searching for. Your website content is all searchable, but key words are what your website will rank for. Take another look at the tag line for Ivy Web Design: ‘website design & development, Brisbane’ - these are key words. Use key words in your first paragraph. Use them 2 – 3 times on the page and make them bold at least once but do not risk the integrity of your copy. It is a good idea to write out a list of your key words so you can stay focused on them, and provide a copy to your website developer so they can set them for SEO behind the scenes.

4. Use images to support your content - Include images that help communicate and support what your text is saying. Pages of plain text are off putting. Well placed, professional images make your page more attractive and provide visitors with a quick over view of what each page is about.

EVER Y B U S I N E S S N E E D S A

WEBSITE “My website was letting me down until. I realised that my attempt on a free site was just not working for my business so I forked out and got a professional to do it for me. The increased traffic to by business paid it off in no time . Now I am flying”. Example: instead of ‘img001.jpg’, rename it to ‘dalmation_puppies.jpg’ You can also take advantage of ‘ALT’ tags, and write a brief key word description for each image. The ALT text is what shows when the image does not, usually dependant on the visitor’s computer settings. Example: ALT=beautiful Dalmatian puppies for sale. Alt text is used ‘behind the scenes’ of the website, meaning that your web developer will set this up for you. You should provide a list of any ALT text for your images.

5. Include key word links to other pages of your website - It’s a great idea to provide links to other parts of your website in your content. If the visitor is interested they can easily navigate to the relevant section of their interest to find out more. These links are called ‘Inbound Links’ and contribute to your website Search Engine Optimisation. Instead of using ‘click here’ as the link, use key words to describe what you are promoting. Example: instead of ‘click here to see puppies for sale’, consider ‘read more about puppies for sale’

6. Make your menu names count - Use your key words in your menu items where possible. Sometimes it’s better to just stick with what’s obvious, to keep navigation user friendly and intuitive for the user. The choice is yours. Example: instead of ‘home page’, consider ‘CSBN Business Networking’.

7. Home Page (or otherwise titled) content - This is one of

the most important pages of your website. Usually the first page a new visitor sees, it should provide a clear navigation of the website for the user. The first page of your website is often referred to as the Home Page. Here are some ideas and points to consider: Welcome – a brief introduction/description of your business. Show examples (use images & text) to show what visitors will find on other pages of your website. Above the Fold – Make sure your most important content is positioned so that it shows on your home page without the visitor having to scroll down. You have approximately 2 seconds to grab the attention of a new visitor before they bounce off. Images – also referred to as an eye catcher and not to be used as just decoration. Try to include a strong, powerful, quality image on your home page above the fold. Slide-shows (EXTRA COST) are the ideal way of displaying more than one image in the same space. Opt-In form – include a ‘sign up for our mailing list’ form to help build your marketing list. EXTRA COST Video – link to your Vimeo or uTube clips, or have them play on your page. List all tasks available, eg, mailing list, submit articles, join now, download, forum, etc. Links to social networking – make it easy for people to follow, like, watch, etc by providing direct links to your social networking.

Author - Camille Scott

BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS #1 Creating, building, developing, growing and expanding a business is a continual process throughout the life of any business whether large, small or industry. It is the art of “Designing the Future”, thinking ahead and laying the path for you and your business to achieve your vision, goals and objectives. Over the coming issues we will be exploring the “Strategic Planning Process” and how to apply this knowledge to your business. This process works to achieve five outcomes: 1.

Enhancing businesses reputation

Strengthening market position

Providing a framework for operational activities

Identifying expectations for employees

Sending a clear message to all stakeholders about the values, goals, requirements & outcomes

This method can be applied to a variety of applications large or small on any time schedule, whether it’s a business, department or personal. There is a saying “Those who plan can make things happen; those who don’t plan have things happen to them”. Investing time in planning will benefit in the long term to keep things running smoothly and prevent difficulties.

Author - Sam Rosenbaum

BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS Get your busines sin our Spotlight! Enjoy some effective promotion and marketing, while generating new leads and traffic! I am a firm believer of supporting local small business, in our community. Lets face it - the service is better, and the owners have this funny thing called PRIDE and PASSION that the larger businesses seemed to have lost the concept of. Local Business is also a fundamental part of our community. And let’s not forget the Ripple Effect!

Kim Balson - naturopath E-book “Woman to Woman” www.kimbalson.com Kim’s depth of experience in a whole range of natural remedies is wonderfully demonstrated in her best selling book “Woman to Woman - managing your hormones safety and naturally”. Fully sold out over 12 years and 4 editions as a best seller,

the E-book is now available for just $19.99 from Kim’s website www.kimbalson.com. This is a book that will benefit your mother, daughter, your best friend, your partner. It is aimed at any woman who has reached puberty and beyond.

CreativLi - Transform bland to Brand Champion TM www.CreativLi.com.au Are you constantly competing on price not value? How close is your brand to your customers’ hearts? Is your business seen as a mere commodity? Finding out the effectiveness of your current branding is the first

step in transforming your business toward greater success. Highly effective branding does not make you better than your competitors; it makes you the ONLY option to helping solve your customers’ problems.

CSBN Workshop - introduction to basic imaging The CSBN DIY Workshops are designed to be so easy anyone can do them. Empower yourself and save money and time. The software we use is free to download and we make it fun.

own photographs and images so the achieve the same quality and professionalism as what you see in magazines!

This workshop is under development and will be available soon. Learn how to easily edit your Please register your interest.

24 Interview by Ben Mackie - Photography by Camille Scott

CSBN is pleased to introduce Dan Sugars, a passionate and creative young man making his mark on the audio and music industry. We asked him a few questions about what he does and why he does it. As a small business owner Dan has had to overcome hurdles and challenges...

SPOTLIGHT on

DAN SUGARS AUDIO Q. What were you doing before you started this business? I was working in Hi Fi shops, still related to audio but more the retail side of it. I also worked in Facilities Management for a University, managing their technology and technical requirements. Q. What inspired you to get started? I have been pretty creative for a number of years, being a musician since my teens, played in bands since high school so I was building on that I wanted to take it to the next level. I got pretty interested in the technology side of music so when I finished high school went and did a university degree in music and music production. I’ve always been building towards this and I decided to get a bit more creative with it, throw myself over to the side of working for myself instead of working for other people. Q. How did you get the idea for it? It was really a passion lead thing. A lot of my heritage has been in producing music for bands and working with other bands as a music producer. More recently I’ve been using those skills in composition for multimedia elements which opens up the other aspect of my business. Composing music for computer games and also expanding into providing other audio services such as advertisements, be that working with jingles or working with someone to produce a video and then providing the audio for that or voice over’s and other stuff. Q. WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ANY OF THE BANDS? Well, I’ve done work for a number of Brisbane bands over time,

Chocolate Strings is one, there is a whole list on my website, just can’t think of the names of them all right now. As far as the music production side of things goes, more recently most of the work has been focused on my band called ‘Go Van Go’. We are a 3 piece rock band and I have been producing a fair bit of music production for them. We’ve recently had a song on Triple J radio and I’ve also managed to achieve a few sincing jobs with different ad campaigns so I have a lot going on right now. Q. How long have you been at it? I guess I’ve been really trying to promote my business as a hobby while working for other people since about 2005/2006 but then it’s really only been since about mid 2012 that I took the plunge to try and take the reins a bit more and develop more projects and more focus as a sole trader by providing my own services to other people. Q. Tell me about your business. What’s unique about it? What sets you apart from the rest? That’s a pretty hard question. There is a bunch of people and larger companies out there that offer the same things I do but I suppose a lot of it comes down to the individual person, and that’s why I have kept the brand of my business as my name because you are working with the person that’s going to be working with you, what they need, be it a product or an outcome of some

If you are in small business for yourself, you have to be personable, have drive and passion for what you do.

sort and all outcomes need to align with advertisements or a game or what not. I’ve tried to keep it pretty personable so the job is not just handed off to someone else to do as part of a chain of things to happen. I’m in control of the whole process. As a result of my diverse background in the audio world I can start and finish a project by myself. I have the compositional capabilities as well as the technological capabilities to mix it and master it and create the product ready to go straight to release. Not everyone has this range of skills, they might specialize in one area or another so they would have to outsource.

Q. What is your most successful form of marketing? Certainly I’ve found word of mouth and networking to be the

biggest key in all of it, right from playing in bands and recording other bands, it’s a personal relationship that I form with my clients. It’s all about making a connection with the person and a relationship starts. I’ve had a lot of positive relationships develop by going to networking events run by CSBN and others. Some of the most positive encounters have been not in a networking event where I am surrounded by people who do similar things to me but other people from different walks of life and then I end up meeting other people that need things services that I offer so definitely word of mouth and networking has been a pretty strong marketing tool for me.

Q. To what do you attribute your success? I’d like to say it’s a drive and a passion. To be in small business you have to have drive and passion for what you do otherwise you may as well just go and work for someone else in their business, do your 9-5 and get your fortnightly paycheck. If you are in small business for yourself you have to be personable, have drive and passion for what you do.

26 Do you have any staff? What do you look for? I don’t have any staff as such, I do most of it myself but I do a lot of collaborations. I sometimes work for other people who need to utilize my skills, be it someone who just needs an extra set of hands or a big company. And I do that same thing myself if I need help. I’ll get other people to come in but they are not my staff as such, they will just work for me on a project or a piece. First and foremost you have to have respect for what the client particularly wants. It is their vision and they are using you to try and capture something that they want so you have to be able to communicate. Good communication skills, and again that drive and passion for the work the job that you are working on together. If they don’t have that then it’s not really going to work out too well. What risks are you facing? I think the risks with any small business, and especially with more creative industries are there are a lot of people that will do things for not much money and there are a lot of competitors around so a lot of competition exists. One reason why I say that networking has been my best form of marketing is because they meet the person as opposed to seeing a website which can translate information but there

are a lot of websites that offer this and do that it can get a bit scary for the people. They go “well, who do I choose?” So I guess a risk is getting lost and people trying to meet a bottom line. Is your business product or service based? Tell me about them. I guess it is service based as I provide services and skills but in the end it is producing a product. Most of the times it is a tangible product but it may be working in with some more global piece, such as a computer game. I use my skills and services to provide an audio asset which then goes globally with other mutlimedia assets which then provides a product to the end consumer. In some cases I am a sub contractor to

I guess the biggest concern that any freelance person has is making sure that there is a continuous role of work and that you can manage the time factor.

27 an entity which then has a client. Depending on how you look at it, I guess it’s mainly service based but it does produce a product in the end. What makes you stand out from the competition? Why do your customers go to you? Once again I think it comes down to establishing a relationship. In some cases I have a port folio to see but some people just assume that’s a give-in but they want to work with someone that they like and trust. You could have the best port folio on the world but if you are not very personable or can’t communicate very well with a lot of different personalities then that might put some people off. It’s pretty well just being relatable, understanding and communicating well with my clients. Have you considered a partnership or alliance? Why? Who with? When things get busy there are definitely people that I hinge off in different areas and kind of develop trust relationships with different people so when I’m working there will be people I know who are really good in a certain area, maybe on set operators like boom operators, that I like to use or if there is a video person that if a job comes to me and we need to create an advertisement then he would probably be the person that I’d go to first because I know how he works. There are little partnerships all the time depending on the nature of the work but in my composition for computer games that’s just pretty much myself unless it was a job that got so big that I needed to get people onboard to do other smaller jobs as part of that.

waste too much time. Tell me about a time when you wanted to just pack it all in. What happened? In the end it really comes back to that passion so if that wasn’t there, there would probably be a lot of times that you would just end up doing that but because I live and breathe music and I get really inspired by some things that some others may think “what a ridiculous thing to bother doing” It feels like such a reward and an achievement to create something that other people like and can use so it really just comes back to the factor of passion being there. What book / movie do you think every business owner should read / watch? Why?

I guess the biggest concern that any freelance person has is making sure that there is a continuous role of work and also that you can manage the time and make deadlines. Usually what happens is that everyone wants something all at once so you get a lot of deadlines on your plate at one time followed by a bit of a lull. So trying to balance all that stuff so that you can keep rolling and building your business and your brand.

There are probably a few of the standard business books that I’ve read that are pretty good but then I was thinking a little existentially from that. I did read the Celestine Prophecy which is more of a spiritual book but there are parts that are interesting and about working with different personalities and also coincidences in your life, or meeting points in your life. Taking away the whole spiritual side and applying it back to a networking situation you could sit at home and just keep working on a project and thinking that you don’t have time to go out and see people or make connections but you don’t know what might happen if you make yourself available. That to me was something I took away from that book.

Tell me about a time when you had more to do than you could handle. How did you manage to get through it?

Think of the last few months. What was the toughest decision you had to make?

I’ll let you know when I get through it. Look, I also do a little bit of lecturing at the JMC Academy (a private university) in audio technology so between doing that and the other projects that are going on things do get overwhelming with a lot on your plate. I guess you just have to be methodical with setting deadlines and ticking off each thing and trying not to

I guess, finding the balance to be able to make yourself available for everything, I suppose is something I’ve found to be a tough decision. Making the decision to allow enough time to do everything the best that you can. Sometimes that might mean saying no to certain things so that you can do a job properly and then knowing that that job will finish and

What concerns do you have for the next few months?

28 now it might lead to a new contact that ends up being a really great opportunity. Make yourself available to a lot of opportunities, especially when you are just starting out. Any other ambitions? Passions? Most of my ambitions and passions are somewhat related to music but the band that I play in is one creative outlets that is kind of my own thing that I am working on for myself so the playing side of music is something that I hope to succeed in as well so I could build that up and continue in that area as well. That is a pretty big passion of mine, playing music more than working on it for other people as such, finding that balance anyway. maybe there is nothing else there but you just have to keep building and believe that things will continue along, which they sort of have been so that’s good. Tell me about the last time a customer got angry with you. What happened? I don’t know if I’ve ever had someone get angry with me as such but I try to avoid having a confrontation like that. There has been frustration but that really just comes down to communication, so on my behalf I shouldn’t delve so far down a path without consulting the customer of where I’m going otherwise I’ll get frustrated because I have spent all this time and actually they wanted to go in a slightly different area so it has to more like “this is where I’m going with it, what do you think?” “Oh actually, I was thinking it was going to be more like this.” And if you keep doing that all the time you end up at the same place or at a happy meeting ground and you’re not going to end up with a massive issue. I ensure continuous communication with the client to avoid any issues like that. Imagine you could go back in time with a pearl of wisdom to give yourself when you were just starting. What would it be? Not to persue music as a career? That’s what my mum would say. I’m sure she had the intentions of exposing her child to musical instruments and things because it helps with brain development but the day I decided “oh this is what I want to do” she was probably like “….ok”. She probably thought the only job in music would be to go and play in the army but there are so many more avenues of music, especially today with music technology, I don’t think I’d have it any other way to be honest. But a Perl of Wisdom is probably make the most of every opportunity because you can’t be sure where it will lead, even if it doesn’t look like a good opportunity

What do you do every chance you get? I like to play computer games and watch movies when I can. It is sometimes nice to just play something or to be immersed in something that you are not just working on and just relax and enjoy it. But I do also like to play a little bit of sport like basketball and getting outside to breathe some fresh air whenever I can. It’s been a while since I’ve played some big computer games but at the moment I like a game called Sky Rim, pretty in depth, I enjoyed. Procrastination. How do you do it best? I’m a bit of a sucker sometimes for uTube. Something I do, and whether you want to say its related, I do watch gamers playing games on uTube. For some reason I enjoy that. They go for 10 or 20 minutes and time just rolls away. And Facebook is the biggest killer of time. You have to switch that off because you just end up trawling through stuff and then you’re like “where did that half hour go?” It just consumes you. Who is your favorite Super Hero and/or Villain? I don’t know why but I’m sort of leaning towards Spiderman at the moment as a super hero, or maybe batman. I don’t know whether that’s too cliché… And a villain? The Hulk is sort of a good guy but he’s also sort of bad too so he’s pretty interesting as well. Otherwise maybe the Joker as a villain because he gets inside people’s heads and I guess Heath Ledger portrayed him really well in that role. Maybe that’s why I say that. What’s next?

29 Well I’m really passionate about the compositional side of music, and I really like working toward a vision. That’s why computer games or advertising video media or films, things like that work for me. I really like working in that regard so hopefully a few more projects will lead into each other. But then also, on the other side in my own passion of performing and developing more music with my band, that’s probably what’s next for me. Anything else you want to add? Any more words of wisdom?

up… it’s probably not in the end the most conducive way to get a creative product out but sometimes you have to do it that way. Sometimes I am really creative at night, sometimes in the early morning too. That’s sometimes the problem with compositional work, some days you’re really not in the right mind set to do it. Like I could sit there for hours and try to do things but nothing will come and then if I step away or do something else and then come back I’ll get an idea within half an hour and the song or something else will be finished relatively quickly.

What? Hasn’t there been enough already? (laughter) That probably covers everything about me at the moment, everything I can think of. Sometimes you have to work all night and walk out of the studio Aximus exthe nonfend eesat 5am in the morning, especially with music based projects. There was a project that I did recently where we worked solidly sili catimen atquit; nostreni until we were dead tired, sleep for an hour, regain a little bit of brain esonadduci power, smash out senatius, a little bit more, sleep the floor for ata bit, vive, get

caedicit.Postis vitante, Casdaci You can checkpubliaciena. out Dan’s work , or get in contact with him via WEB - www.dansugarsaudio.com FACEBOOK - www. facebook.com/govangoband LINKEDIN - www.linkedin.com/in/dansugarsaudio TRIPPLE J PROFILE - www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/go-van-go TWITTER - www.twitter.com/DanSugarsAudio GO VAN GO - http://govango.bandcamp.com email - info@dansugarsaudio.com ph - 0415 343 983

BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS Highlight your business and benefit from some effective promotion and marketing, while generating new leads and traffic! I am a firm believer of supporting local small business, in our community. Lets face it - the service is better, and the owners have this funny thing called PRIDE and PASSION that the larger businesses seemed to have lost the concept of. Local Business is also a fundamental part of our community. And let’s not forget the Ripple Effect!

Terri Cooper Networking Brisbane Breakfast Click here to read more. Terri is affectionately known as “The Networking Queen” and teaches business networking skills for individuals and corporate groups.

Brisbane, Ipswich and on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, including Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast Networking Breakfasts, Boardroom Breakfasts and FREE Networking She also runs business netNights. working events each month in

CSBN DIY WORKSHOPS Business Cards Design your own Business Cards All CSBN DIY Workshops are designed to be so easy anyone can do them. Empower yourself and save money and time. This Workshop takes you through the design elements and practicality of creating your own

professional business cards. You take away with you a print ready file to take straight to the printers! One that YOU have designed specifically to your match your business branding. Starting soon.

CSBN DIY WORKSHOPS Intro to CMS Build & maintain your own site In this step-by-step you actually build your own content management website. Content Management Systems, or CMS, are as easy as using a Word document to edit. They are a bit trickier to build but my job is to make that task BASIC! I’m up

for the challenge, are you? With CMS you can easily log in at any time and edit your own content, images, prices, etc. Just imaging how much money you will save! Check the CSBN website for details on the next workshop time and date.

6 31

MUCH LOV E TO

CSBN Shelly McIntosh

“I am a 19 y/o design student living in a student villa on a diet of two minute noodles a green apples. That’s ok with me, as material wealth and the journey towards corporate capitalism I consider to be the destruction of the soul. I don’t care about money. I don’t.”

The greatest advice I was given was to find out what you love and pour your heart into it. So that’s what I do. I make necklaces and jewellery then bury them in the ground from full moon to the next. It sounds strange to the average person but I believe it gives my creations power and strength from Mother Gaya. My friends have bought my healing creations and believe that they have seen a marked difference in their connection to the universe. My goal is to be able to pour my heart into this full-time. So I took the leap, and quit TAFE, much to the disgust of my family, and applied for the NEIS program while taking unemployment benefits. In that meeting I was told there are only so many places available and that my idea was in need of “refining.” Running out of ideas and in desperate need of everything, I contacted Camille at CSBN who I I met, in a complete coincidence at our local supermarket. She suggested I come over for a chat and as you can imagine I was nervous and hesitant as all I could pay her was the silver coins in the ash tray of my `88 Ford Laser. Anyway, my instincts told me to say yes and I never go against them so I politely agreed.

During our meeting (which lasted 2 hours) Camille continually reassured me that money is not as important as my passion. I liked her straight away. We decided together to try to sell my jewellery at markets. So I got on eBay and sold my only possession worth over 20 bucks, my couch. I got 80 dollars for it, spent the money on a site and petrol and sat there all Saturday morning. I hadn’t sold a thing 3 hours in and was starting to think this was a bad idea. That was until a nice couple, also of a hippy persuasion like me, bought 4 of my necklaces valued at 25 dollars each. I felt proud. By the end of the day I’d sold 175 dollars worth of stock. It doesn’t seem like much to you probably but that was six days of dole payment for me! I now average 350 dollars per day from three separate markets a week only six months later and can barely keep up. To this day I haven’t given Camille a cent. I have just come from another face to face meeting with her and she now wants me to engage in social media. Camille also wants me to open an eBay account suggesting that I can sell all my jewellery online while sleeping! That leaves me more time for my passion of making and burying my creations. I find that a bit scary as I am only nineteen but thanks to CSBN I now have decisions to make and a future to build.

Love and Light, Shelly.

DID YOU K N O W A B O U T. . . ?

The importance of page rank and Google ranking GOOGLE PAGE RANK - Ranking in Google has become one of the biggest challenges for websites and online businesses that face thousands of new competitors every day. In order to survive sites must rank, otherwise they will become invisible to users and fail to generate traffic. Ranking is typically based on a quality score set up by Google, based on an algorithm called PageRank. The higher your quality score, the higher your chances of having a better PageRank and better positioning on Google’s search engine results. PageRank was created by Larry Page and Sergey Brin to organize scientific papers of their doctoral thesis which later became the revolutionary technology used by Google

to become so effective in organizing and searching online content. Users, in an effort to adapt to this technology and improve their rankings, developed a Search Engine Optimization Strategy or SEO, which helps websites adapt and increase their chances of ranking on Google searches.

SEO BASIC ACTIONS FOR SUCCESS “SEO becomes the basic strategu to improve your page rank which helps improve the overall rating that Google assigns to a website.”

- Seo becomes then the basic strategy to improve your PageRank which helps improve the overall rating that Google assigns to websites based on the following factors: Textual and image content (keywords, texts and images) Social relevance of the site (what others say about my site) The above items can be optimized by following some basic actions which I will explain below: 1. Keyword Research Keywords are the core of your content and developing a strategy around it is absolutely necessary to

33 succeed. For this, we must perform a keyword research which is the analysis of keyword traffic volume on Google.

Balance keywords and use a wide range of them (try to use as many combinations of the keyword, plurals, synonyms, combinations, etc)

and with less than 1MB

Google provides a Keyword Tool that is able to provide statistics of monthly traffic volume of almost any keyword. This tool is free and it is included in the Google Adwords account. This tool is important to find out what keyword or keyword phrase combination is best for using as website content. You can research any keyword following this link: https://adwords.google.com/o/ KeywordTool

Think like a reader (create relevant, useful and comprehensible content)

Optimise image alt (the alt is the title that Google uses to understand the image).

2. On-page text and metadata optimization. Once you have figured out the keywords you would like to have on your website it is important to use these words in content creation and include them in the body of the page and the metadata which is the text embedded in the website code only crawlers can see. This is very important for Google because it helps it understand and classify the webpage within the search results. In content creation generation it is important to have the following in mind: Maintain a good keyword density (keep your focus keyword within relevant text and include it all over your website) Use keywords in titles and headings Use bold and underline relevant keywords Maintain consistency in the text and content of the page

Be careful with keyword spamming (Google penalizes you when keywords are saturated intentionally on website content, try to maintain a balanced and consistent copy).

WRITE A BLOG - The blog is the best communication strategy that helps to give a personality to your brand. Each article written on the blog is one more page indexed by Google. The more articles you have in our blog the more the chances that you will appear on search results. The more needles in the haystack the more the chances there are to find one. Besides this, a blog helps you retain users, by creating a community that can be loyal to your brand.

OPTIMISE IMAGES - A blog without pictures can be a bit boring, and most social networks index thumbnail images to highlight an article. Besides this the images are indexed very easily if we optimize them, this will position you in Google Image Search.

Optimise file titles with relevant keywords

SOCIAL NETWORK STRATEGY Social networks are essential to help us link our product or service easily throughout the web. It is the way our product is validated by others. Beat the competition with discipline and patience. Having a Facebook Fan Page, a Twitter account, Google+ and Linkedin, helps us connect with millions.

B e at t h e Co m p e t i t i o n w i t h Discipline and Patience - Today with the fierce competition on the Internet it is important to keep up with new technology, strategies and techniques. The above actions are basic for gaining a decent position in your search engine and have an acceptable performance on line. These will help you position yourself naturally in the search and increase the chance of appearing when someone searches for terms related to your business. These actions are easy to implement but require discipline, consistency and patience.

Tips for optimizing images for SEO: Upload images with good resolution

Author - Camille Scott

C A M I L L E S C OT T owner & manager Camille Scott, owner & manager, came upon the idea for the Connect! Small Business Network through her contact with the amazing NEIS small business course, it’s staff and mentors. By seeking new avenues through which to market my website services, and to outsource required work, I quickly realised that I had no clear and easy access to fellow NEIS participants.

“I truely hope the CSBN will benefit NEIS participants, both past and present, as well as other small business owners across Australia.”

meet the

“I truly hope the CSBN will benefit NEIS participants, both past and present as well as other business owners across Australia by providing a networking platform, from which we can all connect and benefit from our unique business experiences, services and products. Because I believe in the NEIS Small Business course, its standards, people and mentors, NEIS participants are the people I most want to do business with. I look forward to connecting with you soon.”

CSBN team

S A M RO S E N B AU M events & developm e n t Holding a Certificate III in both Hospitality and Events Management, a Certificate IV in Small Business Management and also currently studying a duel diploma in Business and Management, Samuel Rosenbaum has the key skills and the knowledge set to understand and develop business requirements. “As the CSBN Business Development Manager, I bring a passionate enthusiasm to the operations’ developmental changes. As well as being a talented multi-tasker my understanding of project management principles means I am able to consider various options when carrying out required tasks as per particulars. While Camille oversees the operations and marketing, and Ben guides the Magazine, I take care of event and business development to ensure the continued growth and development of the CONNECT! Small Business Network.”

“Ihave the skills and knowledge set to understand and develop business requirements.”

B E N M AC K I E chief in edito r Ben Mackie, CSBN Editor in Chief, also manages his own business (Scribe Copywriting). Through frequent involvement in business networking, Ben understands first hand how important it is for business (large or small) not just to make stronger connections with their target market and their existing client base, but also with other businesses. “Starting out in business is like planting seeds with the intention of growing a big tree. You can plant the seeds in healthy soil in a spot where they are exposed to enough sunlight to grow. But it’s not an instant process, the seeds and the soil need constant maintenance, attention and care to grow. Patience is also necessary. CSBN is where we connect people from all different fields- those sowing their seeds to those who have experience tending to their seeds and want to share their knowledge of what it takes to grow your business into a mighty tree.”

“CSBN is where we connect people from all different fields - those sowing their seeds to those who have experience tending to their seeds and want to share their knowledge of what it takes to grow a business into a mighty tree.”

BUSINESS SUCCESS

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The Connect! Small Business Network can help you grow and expand your business. Enjoy the benefits of networking with like-minded people and the resulting success. and enjoyment. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier than you think when you meet up and connect with the right kind of people, just like you!