NZ Entrepreneur – April 2017 Vol 3

NEW ZEALAND’S E-MAG FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESS OWNERS

APRIL 2017 VOL 3

HOW TO GET A PROFILE FOR A NEW SERVICE OR PRODUCT WHEN NOBODY’S EVER HEARD OF IT

TAKING THE PULSE OF NEW ZEALAND’S SALES PROFESSION SEVEN MODERN DAY WAYS TO LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION STARTUP WATCH: NICHE FM CONSULTING www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

2

CONTENTS 4

How to Get a Profile for a New Service or Product When Nobody’s Ever Heard of it

12 Taking the Pulse of New Zealand’s Sales Profession 18 Startup Watch: Niche FM Consulting 21 Quick Fix 22 Protecting Your Business When Disaster Strikes 24 Seven Modern Day Ways to Leave a Lasting Impression

CONTACT US

w: www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

ABOUT / Short and sharp, New Zealand Entrepreneur is a free e-magazine delivering thought provoking and enlightening articles, industry news and information to forwardthinking entrepreneurs.

f: www.facebook.com/nzentrepreneur

EDITOR / Richard Liew ART DIRECTOR / Jodi Olsson GROUP EDITOR / Colin Kennedy CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER / Alastair Noble

linkedIn: NZ Entrepreneur t: @NZpreneur

CONTENT ENQUIRIES / Phone Richard on 021 994 136 or email richardl@espiremedia.com ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES / Jennifer on 0274 398 100 or email jenniferl@espiremedia.com WEBSITE / nzentrepreneur.co.nz

www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

Vist:LeadingEdgeGroup.conz

, l l e s we ceed c u s u yo

Better sales begin with better relationships.

Our proven sales and customer service helps your business thrive by fostering deeper connections between people and brands.

We work behind the scenes to make our partners’ brands shine.

Find out how your sales channel can work better and smarter.

Visit: LeadingEdgeGroup.co.nz

3

4

Entrepreneurship

HOW TO GET A PROFILE FOR A NEW SERVICE OR PRODUCT WHEN NOBODY’S EVER HEARD OF IT

BY Colin Kennedy

5

H

ow do you raise awareness and create a market for an entirely new, unique product or service that nobody has ‘ever heard of’?

I was at a Grow with Hubspot event in Auckland recently when business owner Joanna Clough asked a similar question.

Joanna is the New Zealand founder of The Dog Safe Workplace Ltd, a small company with a potentially lucrative international market, helping workers who need to enter private properties, as part of their work, where there may be aggressive dogs.

Joanna will train mail delivery people, salespersons, real estate agents, property managers, electricity meter readers, sheriffs of the court – and probably even Jehovah’s Witnesses if they’re willing to buy – on how to be safe around a strange dog.

“A lot of dog attacks can be prevented by just being able to interpret how a dog is responding to you,” Joanna told me when we chatted briefly after the seminar. “But nobody else out there is training people in how to behave around dogs on a stranger’s property. It’s unheard of, as far as I can tell.”

So how do you begin to build profile, presence and market share for a new product or service innovation?

Perhaps the thought of your product or service may never have even crossed your potential customer’s mind – even though they need it. It’s also possible that the decision makers don’t want to entertain the idea of an additional cost.

So what can you do?

CALM YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES

Don’t for one moment think that your customers will leap to buy your product or service the moment they hear about it. Like anybody with a new product or service, you have a lot of work ahead of you. Many people, including myself at one time, believe that they will achieve quick success when they introduce a unique product or service to a market because ‘nobody else is doing it’.

When I ‘discovered’ that what I was doing was called content marketing in 2003, I thought to myself, “here’s a name upon which to pin a point of difference; it’s something that people need, and they’ll grab it with both hands.

Nobody else is talking about it!”

Nah. Nope. Never happened.

Mostly, what I got was blank looks and attempts by potential customers to relate the concept back to things they knew and understood, like article marketing and public relations (even though I might add, the concept of content marketing has been around for generations).

It’s important to get on the front foot and begin educating your target market as quickly and comprehensively as possible because when they do catch on, copycats with more money and resources will sweep in and take over – claiming to be the first, the biggest and the best. www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

6

Entrepreneurship

PUBLISH, PUBLISH, PUBLISH AND SECRECY BE DAMNED

Flying under the radar to avoid threats from potential copycats may be a mistake because the brand that claims the lion’s share of market profile usually wins (as the Special Air Service say: “Who dares wins”).

Copycats will come along – you can count on it – and if they do their marketing better than you because they have more money and resources, you’ll find yourself looking like the copycat.

Here are some tips on how to raise profile about your service or product: Monitor the general news media for opportunities to educate

I suggested to Joanna that she watch the media for reports about dog attacks.

When one occurs, call the journalist (or broadcaster) doing the story and offer to write or interview about some tips that may help people who find themselves in those risky situations in the future (I know that Joanna has already done this to some extent).

TIP My advice, however, is not to go near ‘very bad’ news situations. For example, where something particularly heart-wrenching, sad and unpleasant has occurred, emotions will understandably be running high. No business person wants to be perceived as trying to profit from misfortune on that scale. Also, make sure that your service or product is relevant to the situation when you are following up on a news event.

Of course, some people who go into business are passionate, committed entrepreneurs who want to make a difference. They want to help other people, and they see educating the public as a philanthropic act. But the media is fickle, and publicity is a doubleedged sword. Proceed with caution, tact and good intentions.

Here’s an example of a story – ‘Too middle class for a mortgage’ – which we helped get started for Christine Lockie at LoanPlan. It received good pick-up from media. www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

7

Evaluate the environment and target trade media

The PESTLE model (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental) is good for this. What’s happening on the political front, for example, that makes your product or service more relevant? Socially? Economically? Legally?

In Joanna’s case, New Zealand recently brought in strict laws on health and safety in the workplace (Health and Safety in the Workplace Act 2015), which has strict processes and procedures that managers must follow to ensure worker safety.

The penalties for not taking reasonable steps to keep staff or contractors safe are severe.

Managers of people who must enter private properties, for example, property managers and meter readers, would be in for the high jump if they failed to ensure that their staff were adequately trained to deal with aggressive dogs (or billy goats for that matter – just ask my daughter).

The law change is an opportunity for somebody like Joanna to create educational articles, video or infographics for industry media – including industry associations and company newsletters – that are designed to steer the audience to her company’s website.

TIP It’s better to write the article first and send it to the editor as part of your pitch. Editors are more likely to decline content if they don’t know what to expect. Experience has taught them that the quality of most press release articles they receive are sales, advertorial gumf. Sending your educational article along with your pitch will help dispel that fear.

www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

8

Entrepreneurship

THE MORE YOU EDUCATE, THE MORE YOU SELL

The Problem Story

Talk to customers, find out about their experiences and then use those experiences in your stories – you don’t have to name them, but it is preferable (make sure you have their permission first) – and then use that experience to discuss possible ways of dealing with similar situations.

The Question Story

Address your customer’s problems. For Apple founder Steve Jobs famously said example, in this article, we’re talking about the ‘customers don’t know what they want’. problem of raising awareness about an entirely However, I believe that your clients often don’t new product or service. Here’s a useful formula know what they need – especially if what that applies to the problem story: you’re offering is brand new – until you make 1. Name the problem them aware of it.

2. Tell your audience why they Once your customers understand what you’re have this problem offering, and they see the value, let them 3. Explain why it isn’t going away provide you with the direction from there on in.

4. Educate them with some tips and advice There are three types of customer feedback on how to fix it that you can use to inform your content.

5. Paint a picture of life after the problem • Experiences Make no mistake; problems sell – it’s why • Problems the media is full of problem and issue type • Questions stories. Research shows that bad news, problem-related stories are 17 to 1 more likely to result in engagement.

The Experience Story

Note: I’m not talking about a case study.

A case study is a sales tool. I’m talking about real, everyday experiences your customer has had; that other customers will instinctively understand.

What’s the most common question every customer has, but to which there is hardly ever a straight answer?

“What’s it cost?”

Customers always want to know the price. So tell them. If you scare them away, they’re probably not your ideal client. You don’t have to provide a definitive price. Instead, say something like, “the price is variable according to certain factors, but you’re looking at (for example) somewhere between $300 and $600 excluding taxes”.

Every customer question is a piece of content.

Address those questions with objective, ‘how to’ content that informs, educates, entertains or inspires.

www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

9

Once you’ve created some good quality educational content, it’s time to put the word out there.

HERE’S A SIMPLE CONTENT PUBLISHING SYSTEM ANYBODY CAN IMPLEMENT

A website: It goes without saying that you must have a website, a place where you can publish blogs, articles, video, podcasts and press releases on your site.

There should always be an offer: Provide a ‘free to download’ eGuide, eBook or a tool of some sort. For example, Hubspot’s Website Grader evaluates your website. Infusionsoft provides a free email campaign performance tool, and Shopify has a logo maker.

Customers who see the value of your free content are more often than not prepared to provide you with at least their first name and email address in exchange for accessing the content or tools.

Build a community: Once a potential customer has trusted you with their email address, they should receive an automated response to say ‘thank you’ and to advise them that you’ll be sending them more informative and educational stories from time to time (as well as product and service offers).

Automating your response system, even preloading a library of emails ready to go at set intervals, can be done for nothing by opening up a free MailChimp account and linking it to the subscription box on your website with a bit of code. Don’t abuse the privilege by sending customers stuff almost every day. That kind of behaviour usually meets with delete, delete, delete – unsubscribe.

Customers who see the value of your free content are more often than not prepared to provide you with at least their first name and email address in exchange for accessing the content or tools.

10

Entrepreneurship

SYNDICATE YOUR CONTENT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

Identify the influencers, journalists, speakers, bloggers, managers and other leaders in your target market. Follow them on social media and make use of levers like hashtags and tagging to get their attention when you have something informative and interesting to add, with a link back to the relevant content on your website.

Guest blogging may also be a good way for some businesses to increase exposure. Do you have suppliers or know of companies that are compatible with your products or services?

For example, if you sell hardware of some sort, it probably needs cabling. Ask the cabling company to share your content on their website, and you’ll do the same for them.

CONCLUSION

In the beginning, I did say that you should roll up your sleeves because this is going to be a lot of hard work. Introducing a new product or service into a market is not easy. In fact, GOOGLE ADVERTISING AND OUTBRAIN it’s a lot harder than offering something everybody recognises and understands. It Google AdWords and content discovery takes persistence and consistency to achieve platform Outbrain may both be used to draw a breakthrough – you should publish at least attention to useful and informative articles, once a week, at the absolute minimum. videos, podcasts and eBooks that you The thing to remember is: by going into publish. Both are quick and easy pay-perbusiness you are no longer a retailer, click channels to set up so you can start mortgage or insurance broker, or plumber, drawing attention to your message. Google or trainer or lawyer – you’re a marketer first AdWords offers a headline, teaser and link and foremost because without sales you back to your website. don’t have a business.

Outbrain publishes articles on high traffic, Go ahead, educate your customers and high authority websites – like the New make those sales.• Zealand Herald, Stuff, the BBC website, MSN and the New York Post – which link back to your website. Outbrain will be more Colin Kennedy is a New expensive than Google AdWords, but traffic Zealand-based content volumes could be massive. marketer and thought leader. www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

GOT A PRODUCT, SERVICE OR BUSINESS WORTH TALKING ABOUT? Want to grow brand awareness in a more effective and useful way?

TALK TO ESPIRE MEDIA ABOUT OUR CONTENT MARKETING SERVICES We offer a range of ways to attract and retain customers, by creating and curating relevant and valuable content to engage and add value to your audience.

BENEFITS: • Expand your digital footprint • Grow brand awareness • Increase traffic to your website • Thought leadership • Media exposure • Attract new customers • And... grow SALES!

Get in touch with Jennifer now to discuss our options. +64 3 443 6316 (NZT) | jenniferl@espiremedia.com | www.espiremedia.com

Visit us for content marketing advice, tips and ideas, plus a free copy of our content marketing guide The Content Creation Cookbook!

11

12

Sales

TAKING THE PULSE OF NEW ZEALAND’S SALES PROFESSION

www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

13

W

hy is this important as an entrepreneur? Without sales, no business. It’s important we’re aware of the landscape we work within and how that impacts our ability to grow our businesses. As this article clearly points out – knowledge is power, but only if you take action on what you know.

Recent research by Influence Central revealed that for 90% of consumers, an online review of a product or service is more important than input from a salesperson.

The world of the traditional sales professional has undergone significant change, especially over the last decade. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that 2008’s Global Financial Crisis, as with other major historical economic events, played an integral part in the latest cycle of challenges; shaking sales organisations to the core when the money dried up.

Constant connectivity coupled with increasing dependence on the ‘all seeing, all knowing’ Internet has changed the way people buy, and thus the way sales professionals must sell. It’s clear that buyers like to do their research to get the maximum value out of every dollar they spend before they make any purchase, and this has made the work of sales professionals even more challenging.

While we have mostly recovered from the GFC fallout, New Zealand sales professionals in both business-to-consumer and business-tobusiness must now navigate the increasing impact of the online world, including social media, on lead generation and the sales cycle.

We spoke to five New Zealand sales training and development experts to take the ‘pulse’ of the sales profession in New Zealand, and get their take on the three biggest challenges facing our sales professionals. Here are their insights.

14

Sales

LESS EMPHASIS ON PRE-EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS

Historically, the New Zealand marketplace has been heavily weighted regarding interpersonal relationships. Being able to build relationships built on trust meant long-term success and ensured that the competition couldn’t enter the fray.

MARTIN PERCIVAL Managing DIrector ACHIEVEGLOBAL NZ

PRESSURE TO DEVELOP NEW OPPORTUNITIES OR LEADS

New Zealand as a marketplace has always been finite in terms of opportunity and leads. As such, sales endeavours have often related to the cyclical buying requirements related to reinvestment and maintenance.

Then the GFC landed.

We’re still experiencing the spend rationalisation and conservative behaviour that permeated the years following the GFC. Also, when we do spend, we look for cheaper alternatives or drive discounts in our suppliers.

As a result, sales organisations are putting increasing pressures and emphasis on sales team members to adopt new strategies, new thought processes and skills – generally without training or support – to prospect and open doors in a marketplace already limited with opportunity, as preexisting relationships dry up. www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

In the current climate, however, budget holders are expected to show a positive return on investment and often find themselves in an extended procurement process with additional team members who focus on the tangible financial aspects of a transaction rather than the immeasurable service or relationship aspect.

In essence, it has become about price, and the salespeople who differentiated themselves through their relationships are struggling to maintain their position.

LACK OF MOTIVATION

Over the past few years, increased buyer expectations, longer sales cycles, reduced budgets, and growing price competition have all contributed towards the fact that sales has become a far more challenging profession.

Sales professionals now need to work twice as hard for a budget, which has been slashed to the smallest permissible level. Therefore, sales professionals now must possess a resilience beyond that which was required in the past, to remain motivated and excited about the next potential opportunity.

15

STUART EDMUNDS CEO

NEW ZEALAND SALES INSTITUTE

ROSS WILSON CEO GROWING ORGANISATIONS

MAINTAINING A HUMAN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BUYER IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Our customers’ time resource is stretched to breaking point. Everyone is ‘meetinged out’ and exhausted. As a result, meetings are set weeks in advance, if you get one at all. Often we have to resort to ‘phone meetings’ instead.

Therefore, even existing customers are harder and harder to get time with.

KEEPING UP WITH THE RAPID TURNOVER OF STAFF

Contacts, especially gatekeepers, as well as decision-makers, move on before you’ve been able to build trust – hence one has to start building trust and relationships with the new people all over again.

COMPLYING WITH MARKETING DEPARTMENTS DEMAND TO KEEP CRM (CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT) SYSTEMS CURRENT AT ALL TIMES

This requires hours of a salesperson’s time every week, taking them away from productive sales activity.

Obviously, this impacts their sales performance and results.

LACK OF LASER-LIKE FOCUS

Every company in every industry has their unique sales challenges, but one universal issue is the frustrated inability of sellers to focus on the most important things. Salespeople fight the daily war against distractions and non-urgent activities that come up with the inevitable impact on focusing exclusively on what’s most important to your pipeline.

EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY

Technology adoption among sales professionals has been well behind marketing.

There is now an explosion of sales automation technologies specific to sales professionals, but those same sales professionals need to take advantage of what’s now in front of them. There’s still tremendous scope for more effective tools to play an increasingly important role in improving sales productivity and effectiveness.

NEED FOR GREAT SALES MANAGEMENT

Far too few salespeople have competent sales management who can guide, coach, support, mentor, motivate and direct their activities (apart from keeping other conflicting priorities at bay), to help them in creating the best environment to ultimately drive (over-) achievement of sales.

16

Sales

JOANNE HYLAND Director PROFORMANCE

KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY

Technology, coupled with the speed of change, is inevitably going to have a widespread and highly impactful effect on sales people and our ability to sell effectively. Our customers can access all sorts of information about ourselves, our company and our products through online sources without even conversing with us.

We can control some of the information online, and hence it’s positive to the brand.

But inevitably there will be information that we cannot control, including friends posting inappropriate photos of us online, customers publishing product reviews we don’t like, and competitors outplaying us. This puts increasing pressure on organisations and their sales teams to be constantly informed and able to respond appropriately.

Moreover, our sales resources have changed. Our customers expect us to have smartphones, tablets and to be able to immediately access sales information, stock levels, pricing options that help them to make their decision. They’re not prepared to wait in this environment where we are all time poor and want immediate solutions. www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

PROVIDING CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS

Sales is a competitive industry, where the dynamics change continuously. With all the technology we have at our fingertips, we should have live comprehensive sales data to inform, educate and advise our customer on the best solution for their business.

No two customers should be treated the same or given the same offer. In-depth analysis enables us to tailor our offer in a manner that is win/win for our customer and us. The outstanding sales person should aim to be in the position whereby your client does not want to be without him/her.

OVERCOMING OUR LIMITATIONS

A good salesperson needs to be aware of his/her skills and abilities as well as his/her limitations. They need to source feedback and coaching to enable continuous self-improvement. They need to look for opportunities to upskill, grow and develop.

17

The sales professional of today must understand that more than ever, in this ever-changing playing field, it’s the survival of the fittest PAUL O’DONOHUE CEO SALESSTAR

GETTING IN FRONT OF THEIR TARGET MARKET

The people who we need to reach have become busier than they used to be five years ago. Moreover, they are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages every day. Getting their attention is a big challenge.

COMMODITISATION OF PRODUCT/SERVICE

It’s a global world, and our products and services are being commoditised.

PROLONGED SALES CYCLES

Most of the time, companies only buy if they have to buy, so decisions are being stalled.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

More knowledge is more power. It’s clear the modern salesperson must be provided with a level of management support and guidance that goes far beyond just increasing their targets for new meetings or cold calls or sales each week.

The pressures of rationalised sales teams and budgets, increased reporting pressures and increased operational requirements can leave sales reps feeling isolated, unrecognised and vulnerable. There needs to be more sales management capability in New Zealand, providing more coaching and support for sales team members.

The sales professional of today must understand that more than ever, in this ever-changing playing field, it’s the survival of the fittest. On the bright side, the sales professional that is flexible, resourceful and can add something of real value to each customer interaction, will always be able to make his or her mark.•

www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

18

STARTUP WATCH NEW ZEALAND IS A HOTBED OF ENTREPRENEURIAL GOODNESS

Each week we profile a startup we’re watching across a range of industries

Niche FM Consulting FOUNDER: Ryan Peni HQ: Eyrewell Forest, North Canterbury

www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

19

Tell us about your business...

Niche FM Consulting is a New Zealand based Management Consultancy Business specialising specifically in Facilities, Asset and Project Management Services. As Facilities, Asset and Project professionals we are the ultimate building organisers, encompassing multiple disciplines to ensure things such as functionality, operational management and the cost efficiencies of running a building, buildings or complexes are managed and achieved.

We have assisted a number of government, local authorities, private investors and organisations of all sizes to provide safe and welcoming building environments for their staff, tenants and visitors.

Who and where are your target customers?

We have national presence, with an experienced international team of consultants. Our target customers are any property investors or organisations who really want to make a positive difference within their property and facilities teams and enhance their building efficiencies through smarter management solutions.

Niche Niche staff staff at at aa Health Health and and Safety Safety meeting meeting

Who, how and when did you first come up with the idea for your business?

Working in large corporate facilities and real estate companies, I was exceptionally frustrated by the lack of client-centric solutions, and the inability to make change quickly without going through the big heavy dirty corporate processes. Missing opportunities because prospective clients didn’t get results quickly was the reason why I set up the business. Inspiration by frustration!

I had considered a startup for some time.

It wasn’t till a holiday in Queenstown July 2015 with my fiancé that we decided “let’s do it”. I walked into Vodafone, purchased a iPhone and by the end of August 2015 I had walked out of my employment on the Friday, and on Monday started off with two contracts. One within the health sector and one with a property investor in Wellington.

STARTUP WATCH www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

STARTUP WATCH

20

What are three things about your business that you are proud of?

General Manager Mike Carter and Founder Ryan Peni.

What are your three biggest unique selling points?

1. We are quiet achievers! We just get on on with it and make no fuss.

2. We have achieved such amazing things in 14 months and have worked across the health, council, government, education and private sectors.

3. Our people. We have an incredible amount of talented professionals who really love what they do and enjoy being part of our movement.

What is the biggest entrepreneur lesson you would like to share with other Kiwis thinking of starting their own business?

For me it was taking the leap, thinking that there was going to be a day or time or year Easy! We are upfront and not virtual where I would wake up and it would be managers; we cut through all the noise the ‘right time’. I came to the conclusion and make it easy to understand; and most that the right time to start your business is importantly, we do what we say we’ll do! ‘now’. I remember reading a quote at the Sounds simple right? You’d be surprised at how time that said, “there is only one type of many people overpromise and underdeliver. failure – the failure of not giving it a go”. •

www.nichefm.co.nz L: Niche FM Consulting T: @nichefm_nz www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

21

QUICK FIX No need to hide

I

f you are new to selling, or have changed industries, you may feel inadequate or embarrassed that you don’t know what to ask or don’t have the answers.

Rather than trying to hide it in the hope that you will gain the client’s approval, be confident and show your enthusiasm.

Say how excited you are to be working in this industry and for a great company like (your employer). Describe why you are really looking forward to learning about your client’s business and being able to help them.

Everyone has been in your shoes many times before. There’s no need to hide it when it’s your turn.•

www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

22

Sponsored Content

PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS WHEN DISASTER STRIKES

THE KAIKOURA STORY

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake near Kaikoura on 14 November 2016 interrupted a high number of businesses and organisations in Kaikoura, Wellington and surrounding towns, with many unable to enter their buildings and shopfronts, or access their IT systems for a number of days, weeks, or even to this day.

WHAT DOES THE CLOUD HAVE TO DO WITH NATURAL DISASTERS?

Put simply, having a cloud-based backup, and recovery technology could mean the difference between sinking or swimming in the event of a major outage caused by a natural or man-made disaster. It’s where a business can recover quickly to continue operations, rather than being forced to temporarily or permanently shut down and face significant costs and losses. www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

For those businesses with cloud-based backup and recovery technology, critical data, software, sites, apps and online communications could be quickly recovered and accessed remotely online.

This meant operations could continue to some degree, and alternative processes could more easily be put in place until complete operations could return to normal.

The impact on employees and other resources was also reduced.

23

BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING

Sadly, it’s a very different story for other businesses who rely on IT infrastructure that cannot be accessed in any other way than through onsite servers and systems.

Many have been forced to find other less efficient means to maintain communications and operations, place staff on temporary leave, and lose business and customers for a period of time.

And all of this on top of the psychological and emotional stress a natural disaster causes in a population.

A SAFETY NET

More and more businesses are choosing to backup their data in the cloud and set up a way to recover their data and systems quickly in the event of a natural disaster or other major outage. The option to use the cloud has become simpler and more affordable to businesses, and far outweighs the potential cost to their business if they were unable to continue operations for a period of time, or indefinitely.

It’s hard to imagine being able to do anything in your business if you cannot access financial records, customer information, correspondence, critical data, files and so on.

A business continuity plan is vital to the survival of any business as it sets out the ways in which a business will continue to access information and systems and operate in the event of minor and major interruptions. The planning process helps companies think through different scenarios and ensure they have the appropriate safeguards in place to protect their business.

A key component of business continuity planning is identifying how your IT systems can be maintained or recovered when outages occur. Cloud-based backup and recovery technology can be a straightforward and affordable solution to ensure your business remains operational during outages.

It offers peace of mind and enables you to immediately support your staff and customers, rather than spending time trying to set up temporary processes for your business to continue.•

ARE YOU PREPARED? Take a moment to develop or review your business continuity plan to ensure you have the right measures in place to protect your business, your employees and customers through effective IT system recovery in the unfortunate event of a natural disaster or other outage. More info about protecting your business on our blog. www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

24

Personal Development

SEVEN MODERN DAY WAYS TO LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION

BY Linda Coles

www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

25

When did you last thank your partner for being awesome or your staff for doing a great job?

D

ale Carnegie wrote a fantastic book back in 1936 that really spelled out How to Win Friends and Influence People, and in my view it was so successful, and continues to be successful, because it contains such a lot of common sense about treating others how we ourselves like to be treated.

Say thanks often

2

Unfortunately, we sometimes forget our common sense due to work and other pressures, and times have changed a little too, so I have put together a quick list with a few examples of both ‘old’ and modern day areas to focus on to leave a lasting impression and be remembered for the right reasons.

1

Pay someone a compliment

If there is a genuine reason to pay someone a compliment, make their day and tell them.

The person wearing a great shirt or a nice perfume will always appreciate a positive compliment, and that compliment will stay with them all day. I wear the best shoes I can afford and they get noticed, very often making the topic of conversation.

Show your appreciation by saying “thanks” when someone holds the door open for you, or goes out of their way to do something.

When did you last thank your partner for being awesome or your staff for doing a great job? Appreciation is one of the main drivers for someone staying committed in a relationship or job; don’t forget to tell them.

3

Give generously

If you are not the type to get stuck in when manual labour is needed, how else can you give generously? A fellow Rotarian, who didn’t have the time for the physical work, gave his expertise generously instead, allowing the club and other charities to benefit from his experience and knowledge. www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

26

Personal Development

5

Smile

4

Do what you say you will

Don’t let others think badly of you by not doing what you said you will, even the smallest of things.

Someone may well be relying on you.

I am a big believer in this. The chap that held the door open for me with a beaming smile made me feel like a princess. How can you pass on such great feelings to others to make their day?

6

Use their name

“The single sweetest sound in any language is a person’s name”

What was the name of the barista that made your coffee this morning? Next time you order, thank them as usual and follow up with their name, it will be noticed. Using their name really is Dale Carnegie 101: “The single sweetest sound in any language is a person’s name”.

7

Follow up

The drain layer that came to give me a quote didn’t follow up until two months after he visited.

Needless to say, someone else did the job and he lost out. Do you follow up 100% of the time in a timely manner, before your competitor gets in? You will stand out just by following up every time, because so few people do it.

Build exciting relationships, online and off.•

Linda Coles is a conference speaker and author on building relationships, and New Zealand’s only LinkedIn Influencer. www.nzentrepreneur.co.nz

27

“The future, we treat it like a noun. It’s not.

It’s a verb. It requires action. It requires us to push into it. It’s not this thing that washes over us. It’s something that we actually have total control over.”

Ari Wallach, Ted Talk WATCH IT HERE: ‘Three ways to plan for the (very) long term’