Let’s Talk Business 1
Let’s Talk Business Back To Basics Business Solutions - Support for Small Business
Issue 09 November 2013
Australian Small Business Confidence Leading Into Christmas 2013 Frenzy or Famine?
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
Inside this issue
Cover Story ………………………2
Business Snippets………..……3
Biz Tips……………………………..4
Seven Truths About Change DR TIM BAKER ………………….5
Business Jargon GEOFF BUTLER … ... ………….6
What Nearly Every Business, Including Your Competitors, Have Absolutely NO CLUE About! DAN BUZER ………………………7
Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Good Advice? PETER ATHEY ……………………8
Beware of Redemption Marketing Syndrome PETER NICOL …………………….9
Shift Work RON COURT ….……………….10
Yield PAUL GILLMORE ….………….11
Are Your Marketing Emails Regarded as Spam? MIRIAM BATTERSBY ….……12
The Business Coach ..........13
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Let’s Talk Business 2
Small Businesses Confidence Leading Into Christmas - Who Do You Believe? A Shop A Docket survey of 250 small to medium business owners and managers in the service and retail industries has revealed a strong sense of optimism heading into the Christmas season. National Sales Manager for Shop A Docket, Tim Wingrove, said the national survey revealed a positive outlook from small businesses, particularly from those in food and beverage, entertainment, healthcare, real estate and retail sectors. “When asked to rate their business confidence leading into Christmas 2013, 38.55% answered they were more confident than 12 months ago, 38.04% were unchanged and only 17.18% were less confident. Overall, 43.56% were more positive about the next 12 months ahead than they had been in the past, and a further 29.45% remained the same.” According to Dun & Bradstreet’s National Business Expectations Survey, out today, 28 per cent of businesses expect to increase their profits across the next three months, compared with the seven per cent which expect a reduction. The survey covers the manufacturing, retail, wholesale, services, construction, insurance, real estate, communications, finance, transportation and utilities sectors – a sweeping snapshot of the economy. Retailers are hopeful for strong Christmas sales, but Australia is lagging behind online. With retail sales growth underperforming longer term trends over the last year, bricks-and-mortar retailers are less confident about their prospects for Christmas than they were a year ago. Deloitte Access Economics has released its latest “Counting on Christmas” survey – where it asked 60 executives of Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
Australian retailers about their expectations for the 2013 Christmas period and beyond. Overall, it found that Christmas expectations were dependent on consumer confidence and the macroeconomic environment in Australia. “It is concerning that we are yet to see the recovery in business sentiment translating into improvement in actual trading conditions since the global financial crisis. Business hiring and investment intentions are also expected to remain subdued for the remainder of 2013,” Greg Evans, Chief Economist at ACCI said. Business Insider reports: It’s a slow shopping burn for retailers in the approach to Christmas but the chains on the national collective consumer wallet may be loosening, if only a little. Retailers have seen four years of suppressed spending with sales at less than half the average of the last decade. They hope this Christmas will be the one. The turning point. The return of the smiling spender, shopping up big for the family. Analysts see some signs suggesting sales will pick up but whether it will be in time for this Christmas is up to the management committee of Santa’s helpers. Calls to the North Pole haven’t been returned. The lift in confidence with the election of the Coalition government has so far not produced much in the way of lasting benefits in the shopping world.
Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
Pacific Brands (Bonds, Hush Puppies and King Gee) says retail conditions are far from ideal and Wesfarmers (Coles, Kmart, Bunnings, Target, Officeworks) says spending is subdued after the initial good feeling of the change in government. Wesfarmers’ Richard Goyder doesn’t think conditions are better: “If anything I think business is generally finding it marginally tougher at the moment.” Pacific Brands’ John Pollaers: “Retail conditions remain far from ideal and we expect continuing short-term challenges.” Snowgum, with 26 stores and an outdoor wear retailer since 1926, has gone into administration. It competes against the likes of Kathmandu, whose online sales now represent more than half of sales growth. However, Super Retail, with Supercheap Auto and Rebels Sports and other stores, says sales are improving and it plans to expand with new stores. CEO Peter Birtles: “After a pleasing start to the year, trading slowed around the federal election but has returned to plan during October.” The Reserve Bank believes conditions are right for a lift in the economy. Deputy governor Philip Lowe says “a lower value of the Australian dollar, an improvement in business confidence and low interest rates provide the basis for our outlook of a gradual lift in the non-mining economy over the next couple of years”. Mobile: 0451 184 599
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Do women 'need a dude' to help them buy a car? From Jane Wells Buying a car is like a root canal. Without the anesthesia. I hate it. As much as I love the feel and smell of a new vehicle, I cannot abide the process of acquiring one. It is funny business of the highest order. Four out of five women take a man with them to go buy a car, according to a 2012 study by Capital One. The Internet has brought about some improvements by better informing all consumers about a car's true value, and DePaul University research suggests women are more aggressive negotiators online than they are in person. Hundreds of cannabis workers fall ill in Albanian village (Reuters) - Doctors in Albania say hundreds of people have fallen ill from harvesting cannabis in a lawless region that for years has been out of bounds to police, Albanian media reported on Friday. The hospital in the southern city of Gjirokaster said a total of 700 have sought treatment since June for the effects of planting, harvesting, pressing and packing the cannabis in the village of Lazarat. "In the last two months about seven to eight people arrive in the emergency ward each day and many more have come earlier with disorders from hashish," Gjirokaster doctor Hysni Lluka told Top Channel television. Judge denies California town's request to halt hot sauce production A Los Angeles suburb Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
that sued to curb the strong, spicy odour emitted from a chili-processing plant lost its initial bid for a court injunction against the makers of the popular Sriracha-brand hot pepper sauce on Thursday. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert O'Brien denied a motion from the small city of Irwindale for a temporary restraining order against Huy Fong Foods, calling the request "rather edgy."
telling business earlier this month was found guilty of conning two women out of $138,000, claiming that the funds would be used to solve problems related to their past lives. Funny Business Signs
"You're asking for a very radical order on a 24-hour notice," O'Brien said during the brief proceedings. Psychic scammers find fertile haunting ground in Internet age Experts are warning people to be wary of modern occult scammers who have moved online to hawk virtual voodoo dolls, revenge spells and otherwise "haunted" items. While the idea of spending money for a magic spell - to help with an endeavour or to inflict pain on an enemy - has been around for centuries, experts say the anonymity of online transactions can encourage people who would otherwise never think of visiting a storefront psychic to fall for a con. "It's a new twist on an old idea," said Nicholas Little, legal director of the Centre for Inquiry, a Washington-based non-profit that promotes secular and rational thinking. "It's easy to hide your identity on the Internet, so people are willing to try scams online that they would never be willing to try in person." While most scammers offer items in the small-dollar range - selling allegedly haunted items on auction sites for under $10 - some go for large sums of money. A Manhattan woman running a fortuneEmail: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
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Let’s Talk Business 4
Dennis Chiron Marketing Means Business 0451 184 599
BIZTIPS
dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au Skype: dennis.chiron2
Word-of-Mouth Marketing on a Shoestring Cheap and easy ways to let customers know you're here
One of the satisfactions-and sometimes thrills-of being in business for yourself is unexpectedly meeting or getting a call from someone who wants what you offer. But for this to happen, you need to get the word out that you're in business. While most business owners think the best way to do this is through advertising or using direct mail, experience has shown us that while these avenues may help increase your visibility, they're not the activities that'll produce the quickest or the surest results. So just how can you best let people know you're in business? Here are several methods that have been praised over and over by people we've interviewed about how they got their business rolling: Face-to-Face Time Solicit customers you're familiar with. One of the best ways to generate business is to directly solicit the people or businesses who will be likely buy your services, and you should start with people you already know. If you're in the gift balloon business, for example consider contacting the managers of restaurants where you're been a regular patron. If you're at all nervous about contacting people, you can warm up cold-calls by first sending post cards or e-mail. Network. If you haven't joined any organizations in your area yet, now's a good time to think about doing so. Then you can begin Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
networking through these business and trade organizations. Going to these organization's meetings and events means you connect with people on their schedules. There are also both local and international organizations whose goal is to promote networking. The largest of these is Business Network International. You should also start promoting your business to people you already know and ask them if they know others who might be interested in your products or services. Walk around your neighborhood. This method can be ideal for anyone who likes meeting and talking with people. You can do it any time, and it doesn't involve selling. You introduce yourself, ask something about the business you're visiting, and leave a card. It's immediate, and you can tuck it into your schedule even on busy days by visiting the areas your own business activities take you to.
profile of what you do and allows you to review postings from people needing your services. Or think about joining an online networking community and actively participating in ways that can expand your presence on the site. Get listed. Since more and more people are using the web every day to find what they're looking for, pay for a listing on a Yellow Pages site.
People who do this tell us it's not unusual to get regular referrals from the businesses they visit. Another option is to attend trade shows, conventions and expos your potential customers will be attending.
According to Alexa Rankings, last year the top five sites to be listed on were:
The Web
3. Facebook
Establish an online presence. If you don't already have one, now's the time to set up a website. Even local businesses need a site--you never know how your customers will search for you, and this is one way to cover your bases.
4. WhitePages.com
Be sure your site includes information, or keywords, that are specific to your location and specialty so people can easily find your business in a search engine. Network online. Use a site such as one of your local business groups Members or B2B Listing that enables you to post a Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
1. Google 2. Yahoo
5. Linkedin Remember, you don't have to spend a lot of money to get the word out about your business. There are plenty of creative ways to attract new customers. So pick the two or three that are best suited to your business and your personality, and get started today
ďƒž Mobile: 0451 184 599
Let’s Talk Business 5
Dr Tim Baker Managing Director WINNERS AT WORK Pty Ltd
www.winnersatwork.com.au www.about.me/tim.baker
Seven Truths about Change
Telephone. +61 7 3899 8881
Editor’s Note: Tim is an international consultant, successful author, keynote speaker, master trainer, executive coach, university lecturer and skilful facilitator. In a nutshell, he has conducted over 2,430 seminars, workshops and keynote addresses to over 45,000 people in 11 countries across 21 industry groups. Rosabeth Moss Kanter, bestselling author and Harvard professor recently wrote an article identifying seven universal sayings that can comfort and guide small business owners and operators engaged in the effort of setting a new direction, orchestrating innovation, establishing a culture, or changing behaviour. "Change is a threat when done to me, but an opportunity when done by me."
moving. Do something, get started, take the first steps however small they seem, and the journey is underway. "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." A clear destination is necessary to guide the journey of change. Many change efforts falter because of confusion over exactly where everyone is expected to arrive. In the children's book, Alice in Wonderland, Alice, who is confused anyway, asks the Cheshire cat which road she should take. The magical cat responds with this helpful reminder to pin down your goal first. Zoom in on the destination on your mental map, and then zoom out to pick the best path. "Change is a campaign, not a decision."
She coined this truth in her book The Change Masters. Resistance is always greatest when change is inflicted on people without their involvement. If it is possible to tie change to things people already want, and give them a chance to act on their own goals and aspirations, then it is met with more enthusiasm and commitment.
How many people make vows to improve their diet and exercise, and then feel so good about the decision that they reward themselves with ice cream and sit down to read a book? CEOs and senior executives make pronouncements about change all the time, and then launch programmes that get ignored. To change behaviour requires a campaign, with constant communication, tools and materials, milestones, reminders, and rewards.
"A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step."
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."
Big goals can seem overwhelming. The magnitude of the problem, the difficulty of the solutions, the length of the time horizon, and the number of action items can make change feel so complex that people feel paralysed, and nothing happens. This saying from China's Chairman Mao is a reminder to get
Baseball legend Yogi Berra was known for oddball sayings that contain gems. There is an aspect of change that involves trial and error. Fear of mistakes can sometimes leave paths unexplored. It's important to seize unexpected opportunities. Some sidelines are dead ends, but others
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
"A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step."
Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
might prove to be faster routes to the goals. "Everything can look like a failure in the middle." There are numerous roadblocks, obstacles, and surprises on the journey to change, and each one tempts us to give up. Give up prematurely, and the change effort is automatically a failure. Find a way around the obstacles, perhaps by making some tweaks in the plan, and keep going. Persistence and perseverance are essential to successful innovation and change. "Be the change you seek to make in the world." Leaders must embody the values and principles they want other people to adopt. This famous Gandhi quote reminds business people that one of the most important tasks is personal: to be a role model, exemplifying the best of what the change is all about. ďƒž Mobile: 0451 184 599
Let’s Talk Business 6
Geoff Butler FAIM AP, MAITD MACE
fired co-worker
Principal/Business Improvement & Implementation Specialist
Deceptionist - a receptionist whose job is to delay or block potential visitors Ghost worker - the uncompleted tasks of fired employees that must be completed by remaining workers
Business Optimizers Mobile: 0414 943072 Fax: 3036 6131 Email: geoff@businessoptimizers.com.au
Business Jargon Using Jargon is a Simple Recipe for Guaranteed Miscommunication I thought this month I’d go for something a bit lighter in terms of an article but still with an important message. As a society we love jargon. Every industry has it and we all use it incessantly, often without realising it; and mostly our clients hate it. Jargon is defined as:
the language, especially the vocabulary, peculiar to a particular trade, profession, or group e.g. medical jargon; unintelligible or meaningless talk or writing; gibberish;
any talk or writing that one does not understand; and
language that is characterized by uncommon or pretentious vocabulary and convoluted syntax and is often vague in meaning.
Jargon has two major disadvantages. Firstly it makes our customers feel dumb as our use of it makes them assume they should know it also which they often don’t, and secondly often it’s perceived that we’re showing off because we know something that they don’t. The first rule of advertising and marketing is to speak to your clients and prospects in a language they understand and not the one used in your industry. I often hear accountants Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
talking to their small business clients using acronyms and technical terms that their clients don’t know or understand, and then wonder why they’ve failed to follow their advice. One of the major things I focus on in working in my clients is making sure I speak to them in a language they understand without any expectation they will know the industry jargon. Try it and you’ll be amazed at how much more your customers will use your services and trust your advice. Having said this I thought I’d bring you up to date with some of the latest jargon I heard recently, particularly related to the IT industry but some of which could be used in your business. If you’ve been out of the workforce for awhile or haven’t been keeping current, these are the important new examples of business jargon to look out for: Alpha geek - head of your firm's IT division Bangalored - having been fired after your position was contracted out to India Betamaxed - when a product is overtaken by an inferior, but wellmarketed alternative Bleeding edge - something even more cutting edge than "cutting edge" Cubicle vulture - those who gather office supplies from the desk of a
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Jump the couch - strange behaviour that negatively impacts your career; think Tom Cruise on Oprah McJob - a demeaning or lowranking job Mucus trooper - the colleague who has a cold but still comes to work Operationalise - to do something OT mail - the email you send to your boss after hours to let them know that you're working overtime RDB - rectal database - the origin of ideas that are "pulled out of one's arse" Spokesweasel - public relations agent Travel dazzle - an attempt to impress the boss while on a business trip with them Treeware - anything printed on paper Veal pen - the work cubicle Work spasm - the short but productive period of time after a holiday Zerotasking - doing nothing I really love some of these. See how many you can incorporate at your next staff meeting. As for me I’m hoping to be away doing some zerotasking so I can come back and have a work spasm in the veal pen. That way I won’t be so reliant on my RDB. Mobile: 0451 184 599
Let’s Talk Business 7
Dan Buzer Profit Mechanics 0414 567 188 www.profitmechanics.net/
What Nearly Every Business, Including Your Competitors, Have Absolutely NO CLUE About! Now, I know that sounds like a rash statement, so let me prove it to you. Go to www.google.com, type in a suburb name where you know there are lots of businesses (like an industrial estate), zoom into any area where you can see the buildings of businesses. What do you see? How many tags come up, showing the names of the businesses? I bet that there’s only about 1 in 10 businesses showing up as being recognised by Google maps! Oh, but wait … there’s MORE! Of the businesses that a bubble shows up on, stating the name of the business, click on the icon inside that bubble called ‘more’. This is that businesses opportunity to tell you how good they are, how they are unique and to show you photos of their wonderful products, amazing people and even happy smiley photos of customers! But they’re NOT there, are they?! Why? Because they don’t know … but now YOU do! But, there’s EVEN MORE!!! Google is scouring the internet looking for things to index, particularly businesses, as they are the ones that spend money with Google. To get noticed by Google the best thing you can do is tell them as much as you can about yourself. Tick as many boxes as you can, describe yourself in the appropriate sections and fill every photo slot you Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
can (there are 10). However, here’s a little secret. Google has trained the world to have a maximum of a 9 second attention span. Yep, that’s their magic number. If a page takes 9 seconds to load up, the person looking for that page has moved on to a faster loading page. Due to this phenomenon Google has identified that people prefer short, snappy and popular videos! So they have added to the Google+ profile page an area where you can upload 5 YouTube videos. “Why YouTube videos, Dan?” Glad you asked! Google took this ‘grab people’s attention’ thing seriously. Very seriously! In fact, they took it so seriously they acquired YouTube!! Now do I have YOUR attention? So imagine how much you would stand out to Google if you were one of the very, very, very few businesses that completely filled out their profile, uploaded 10 photos AND uploaded 5 YouTube videos? Now you have done the basics. To do those things will take about a day (and a couple glasses of wine). The next project is to add the final piece of the puzzle. By the way, you haven’t spent a cent! Your YouTube Channel is essential. This is a little bit
trickier and you may want to borrow a guru for a few hours to set up your page. But once it’s set up, you can easily upload videos and share them with your Google+ profile, Facebook page, website, blog and lots of other places. “But Dan, I’m not very experienced at putting videos together”. Here’s a little trick for you. Go to www.animoto.com. It’s about $30/ month (cheaper if you pay for a year up front) and is incredibly easy to learn. Even better than that, it’s loaded with music, images and video clips that are copyright free! By the way, your phone camera is good enough to take video with. You can add captions and your own video clips and still shots, so you don’t have to worry about sound. Remember, the videos just need to a. Exist so you can keep Google happy. b. Be interesting enough for people to take a look at (hint, video people, send it to them and they will share it because it’s all about them!). There’s one more thing to do to turbo charge your efforts. If you call me on 0414 567 188 I’ll tell you! If you don’t call … well, let’s hope your competitors don’t! Dan Buzer Profit Mechanics Business Mentor
Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
Mobile: 0451 184 599
Let’s Talk Business 8
Peter Athey Specialized Management Services 0405 318 449 www.specializedmanagement.com.au peter@specializedmanagement.com.au
“Want More Customers?” I have been helping businesses start up and ramp up for over 15 years now and I have seen dozens of ways to fail. I’ve seen every mistake that I would have never thought of and made most of them too.
on one and have some minimum standards for the other 2. I have seen several businesses successfully focus on 2 but never all 3. Let’s look at a simple commodity such as soft drinks to illustrate the theory.
One of the simplest things you can do to attract more customers is position yourself correctly. It’s impossible to be all things to everyone and those that try learn that lesson in cold hard cash. There are three ‘pivots’ in your position. There are many more factors you can use to position yourself at your market but these three, I like to call them pivots because everything else seems to be leveraged off them. The pivots: Price, Product & Delivery. I’m often told that I have missed ‘value’. No I didn’t, these things make value! Depending on your business, Product could be replaced by Service. Delivery also includes the sales process and aftersales service. The theory is that you can’t have all three. You can’t have the cheapest price, the best product or service and have the best, fastest or most convenient delivery. If you try, one of the pivots will suffer and because you have likely made representations to your customers, you will end up with unhappy customers. The best businesses I deal with focus Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
Plain brand soft drinks are quite cheap. Do you really expect them to be the best quality? The delivery is ok, (average), it’s right there in any supermarket but it is not available in say, a snack bar. Compare that with your favourite branded soft drink. It is rarely on special or as cheap as the plain brand. In reality, the cost of making your favourite brand name soft drink is 1 or 2 cents different from that of the plain brand. Branded is dearer, you expect good ( average) quality and it is available at triple the supermarket price in snack bars, service stations almost everywhere. There is a brand of brewed ginger beer that is very hard to find. The quality is superb. When I see it I can’t help myself making that choice and to be honest, I don’t care how much it costs. It is often half as much again as the famous branded soft drinks. Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
So, how have you positioned your product or service? If you are trying to be the cheapest and the best and the best sales/ aftersales service, your days are limited. If you want more customers, pick one or 2 of the pivots and focus your efforts on those. Decide on what level you will pitch the other pivots and communicate the reasoning to your customers. When your customers are making a value judgment, these factors have a pivotal effect. Be careful of what you wish for! “The purpose of business is to create and keep a customer.” Peter F. Drucker If you want help with your position let me know. I am happy to have a quick look at how you have your pivots in action and will give you a free, no obligation, report. Mobile: 0451 184 599
Let’s Talk Business 9
Peter Nicol Wisdom Marketing & Management Services 0417627097 www.wisdommarketing.com.au manager@wisdommarketing.com.au
Beware of redemption marketing syndrome “Hey, business is bad let’s do some advertising.” “Hey, business is bad let’s do some marketing.” All too often these are the catch cries of businesses in real trouble. They lost their way a long time ago. Business was good, customers were everywhere, and margins good. Why bother? It is in this toxic environment that a business can end up in all sorts of trouble. After years of apathetic treatment of customers they embark on what they think is a great idea. It is usually “getting someone in” to make phone calls. Sad to say the untrained person they “get in” is working for next to nothing and to save time (of course) they give this poor “lamb to the slaughter” a list and tell them to phone everyone on it and ask them if they want some “ more of the things” they purchased in 1994! That’s got to be winner. We are showing we care! Wow we are good. We are seeking redemption for being so lousy to you that is what you are saying.
of 1930’s. I cannot to this day work out why they called it a great depression! The studies of large US department stores showed they were in all manner of trouble. Yet. The ones that kept promoting (albeit with reduced budgets) were quicker to bounce out of the depression when things got better. It was found that those who had completely stopped had to spend what they had spent in the entire lifetime of the business to get back to where they were before the depression hit. On the other hand those that kept a presence in the market found they were in front of the game and had to spend much less than those who had out to get back and indeed grow their market share. So what? Well there is a real lesson here; it shows that if you keep a focus on your marketing and your customers’ needs and wants then you will be ready for all the sudden pitfalls that get thrown at the enterprise.
If a business is to endure it simply must allocate funds to the marketing of the brand or the products the business sells over time.
I have made good consulting fees out of the USTA’s. We “used to do this and that” but over time they have fallen off the radar of “to do lists”.
The only time in history when we could track what happened was when there was the great depression
People come and go and build little things into a business that make it
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zing along. They leave or, get promoted, and the newcomer is either not told or just wants to do it their way and real structural efficiency in the business is lost for good. Just some examples. Christmas Cards – A lolly in the box that products are delivered in- real incentives to pay on time – a call to see if all is ok with the new product a week after delivery. Simple little things that come under the banners of marketing or customer care. If you are experiencing a drop in revenue or profits do NOT start throwing money at the problem until you have put some flesh on the real issues that have to be identified and THEN work out a strategic NOT reactive plan in how you might start your processes. Set success benchmarks for the plans so you know in a reasonable time if what you are doing is working or, needs refinements or, a complete rethink. Remember it was you that got into this position, only you can get out of it. When you do get out of it (with hard work) please do never stop looking at your ongoing service and marketing imperatives.
Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
Mobile: 0451 184 599
Let’s Talk Business 10
Ron Court, AMC Dip (Funerals) MQJA JP
OH&S Advisor 0419 679 619 roncourt@aapt.net.au
Shift Work Shift workers as a group tend to get significantly less sleep than those who work equivalent hours that do not intrude on the typical sleep period (11 pm - 7 am). Extended working hours, particularly for shift workers, adversely affect the amount of time available for sleep and social activities. As work hours increase, the individual compensates by reducing the amount of time available for sleep and other activities.
the short-term, but can actually be quite harmful to health in the long -term. The timing of meals and the quality of foods you eat can affect your sleep, and may lead to digestive complaints such as heartburn, constipation and indigestion.
The individual begins to accumulate a sleep debt, which causes fatigue levels to rise, and affects health and safety.
The following tips may help you avoid unwanted disruptions while trying to sleep during the day:
use blinds or curtains with backing to reduce the level of light in your bedroom during the day - using heavy curtains and sound insulation on doors and windows can also reduce noise levels cool conditions can help in getting to sleep and staying asleep use an answering machine, or turn the phone down to help minimise disturbances develop ways of 'unwinding' after the afternoon or night shift take a shower or a relaxing bath before going to bed go through all the normal rituals of going to bed as you would before a normal sleeping night don't get upset if you can’t sleep straight away. Reading the paper or listening to music may help, but remember that rest in itself is important. be cautious with using sleeping tablets, which may appear useful in
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Wherever possible, keep to daytime eating patterns. When working a night shift try having two meals at regular times and a light meal in the middle of the night shift. Consider having your largest daily meal during the day. Do not have a big meal or drink too much liquid before sleeping. Eat a meal before 1am as the effects of digesting a meal can decrease alertness in the second part of the night shift. It is better to eat before becoming fatigued at night.
Share the drive with other people. Tips for health and physical fitness It is recommended that you consult your doctor before beginning shift work if you: are on regular medication (e.g. insulin for diabetes or antidepressants) have a chronic medical condition (e.g. asthma or epilepsy).
What to eat and drink: Alcohol lowers the quality of sleep and overloads the bladder. It is recommended that you do not consume alcohol in the last few hours prior to sleeping. Avoid drinks which contain caffeine (such as tea, coffee or cola) in the last few hours prior to sleeping.
Shift workers tend to have more health -related problems than day workers.
The following driving precautions can help you manage fatigue: Avoid driving when you are tired. Avoid using the heater as it can make you feel drowsy. In cool conditions direct warmth to your feet, and open the window a little to allow fresh air on your face. Make the vehicle as windy, noisy and uncomfortable as possible.
You can get information about your OH&S obligations and other valuable OH&S resources both in hard copy and online from their websites. http:// www.deir.qld.gov.au
You should seek medical advice if you experience: depression sleeping problems heart problems Indigestion or other stomach or bowel problems.
Always seek independent legal advice on what is applicable to your situation.
Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
Mobile: 0451 184 599
Let’s Talk Business 11
Paul GILLMORE DFS Founder and Director Southern Cross Financial Services 07 5429 5561 0402 685 032 paul@sc-fs.com.au
Yield is commonly known as the income that an investment returns. Quite simply, if you buy a business for $100,000 and it earns $4000 in a year then it has a 4% yield. Simple enough but did you know that yield can have predictive properties as well? How? I hear you say. From a financial purist perspective, yield is the return on government bonds for differing time frames such as 1, 2, 5, or 10 years. It is the interest that the government guarantees it will pay on money it borrows from the market at maturity at the time of issue. Yield can also be the rent from an investment property or the dividend from a share. Definition of 'Yield Curve' “A line that plots the interest rates, at a set point in time, of bonds having equal credit quality, but differing maturity dates. The most frequently reported yield curve compares the three-month, two, five and 30-year U.S. Treasury debt. This yield curve is a benchmark mortgage rates or bank lending rates. The curve is also used to predict changes in economic output and growth”. – Investopedia ...Investopedia explains: “The shape of the yield curve is closely scrutinized because it helps to give an idea of future interest rate change and economic activity. There are three main types of yield
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YEILD
curve shapes: 1. A normal yield curve is one in which longer maturity bonds have a higher yield compared to shorterterm bonds. It can be a sign of upcoming growth and interest rates increasing over time
So there you have it. Bond yields can be a good indicator of: 1. Future economic activity 2. Possible future interest rates
How to Find Out Simply do an internet search for current Australian Bond rates.
2. An inverted yield curve is one in which the shorter-term yields are higher than the longer-term yields. This can be a sign of upcoming recession and interest rates decreasing over time.
3. A flat (or humped) yield curve is one in which the shorter- and longer-term yields are very close to each other, which is also a predictor of an economic transition with interest rates not significantly changing over time.”
This will reveal a normal yield chart meaning that markets expect growth along with rises in interest rates. This won’t happen tomorrow, it is the expected trend in the economy. Now that you know where the market is expected to go and where interest rates are expected to go, you can plan your business and your investments with a great deal more confidence. Interestingly, if you ask your bank which way interest rates will go, they will tell you that nobody knows ! But clearly people do know and do act upon the knowledge. Why do banks say what they say? I have a sneaking suspicion that they have a bit of a vested interest in customers being kept in the dark – or perhaps I’m being cynical but . .
Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
Mobile: 0451 184 599
Let’s Talk Business 12 Miriam Battersby, dip Multimedia, International Webmaster Certification-
Woorim , Bribie island ph 3410 1071 admin@on-line-biz.com http://www.online-biz.com.au
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MIMBEE MULTIMEDIA (est 2002)
Online Business Website Consultants
Are Your Marketing Emails Regarded as Spam? Email Marketing is great but... Did you know that email marketing must abide by the rules and provisions of the “Spam Act” (2003)? Recently a NSW company, on line shopping hub, Greys, was hit with a $165,000 fine for not complying with the rules. Under the Spam Act, all marketing emails must be sent with a recipient's consent and include an opt-out option. This also applies to SMS marketing. The first consideration is — what constitutes a ”marketing” email? “The Spam Act 2003 defines a commercial electronic message as one which: offers, advertises or promotes the
supply of goods, services, land or business or investment opportunities advertises or promotes a supplier of
goods, services, land or a provider of business or investment opportunities
You MUST include an OPT-OUT statement. There are rules around this too (of course). Businesses must make it easy for people to unsubscribe from electronic mailing lists.
helps a person dishonestly obtain
property, commercial advantage or other gain from another person. The Act classifies an electronic message as ‘commercial' by considering: the content of the message the way the message is presented any links, phone numbers or contact
information in the message that leads to content with a commercial purpose—as these may also lead the message to be defined as 'commercial' in nature.” So the take home message is “be careful, be very very careful.” When sending marketing emails. Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com
Your statement must contain an electronic address the recipient can use to tell the authorised ender they do not wish to receive messages. It must remain functional for at least 30 days after the original message was sent, it must allow the unsubscribe message to be sent to whoever authorised the sending of the message, the unsubscribe instructions must be presented in a clear and conspicuous way and a request to unsubscribe must be honoured within five working days at low cost, or no cost, to the user. Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
References: www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Marketers/Ant i-Spam au.news.yahoo.com/a/19320437/nswcompany-fined-165-000-for-spam/
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Let’s Talk Business 13
THE BUSINESS COACH They are called by many different titles: Business Coach Business Mentor Business Consultant Management Consultant Some are exceptionally good, and some are exceptionally bad. Some have a wide and diverse range of knowledge, Some are specific industry specialists, and Some really would not have a clue. Some have been practicing for many years, and some have just started up. Some are highly qualified, and some may have no qualifications whatsoever. Some run their own business, some work for larger consulting firms, and some are part of a franchise.
Have you ever used a Coach / Mentor / Consultant in your business?
What has been your experience?
Are you using one now?
Would you ever use one again?
Tell me of your experience: Good, Bad or Indifferent, and if you agree, I would like to pass your feedback on to our Network and our Readers. Simply send me an email of your experience – or thoughts – and if you are happy for me to pass this on to our Network, simply add “approved to distribute to your network” … Or if you choose to remain anonymous, simply add “I wish to remain anonymous” Please send your email to me, Dennis Chiron, at dennis@mybusinessadvisor.com.au Thank you.
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Email: dennis@marketingmeansbusiness.net.au
Mobile: 0451 184 599