SAVVY The Business Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2019 ISSUE NO. 1

MAKING BUSINESS DEALS VIRTUALLY

-MELISSA AMBERS

THE 6 PARTS YOU NEED TO PERFECT YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE -BRIAN BASILICO

PRODUCTIVITY OR BUSYNESS THE CHOICE THAT BRINGS YOU SUCCESS IN LIFE AND BUSINESS

-CHARLENE BURKE SAVVY The Business Magazine ■ www.savvymag.biz ■ info@savvymag.biz ■ Page 1

THE EDITOR'S NOTE

MELISSA AMBERS

Founder and Editor-in-Chief Your Editor-in-Chief works hard to ensure that she brings you informative articles and tools for your continued growth. We want you to be successful in your career and your business.

Savvy The Business Magazine was birth through a vision of Melissa Ambers as she worked on an event for a client of Behind The Scene Chic LLC. She has always had innovative ideas that has given any project a jolt. Melissa is recommended to many because of her contemporary way of creating efficient and effective solutions for any business to be successful. Melissa is exceptional at starting conversations that lead up to collaborations and/or partnerships. As a result of her efforts why not bring others together in a unique way.

This is how "SAVVY" Magazine is born.

Thank you to all of Savvy Magazine Contributors and Supporters. Anyone that has some business advice, tips, or Ads to be placed in the magazine, send email to info@savvymag.biz Check out the website for more Savvy Resources at www.savvymag.biz

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TABLE OF CONTENT 01

Overly used Business Words Words You Can Use Instead ___________________________________________________________06

02

Productivity Or Busyness: The Choice That Brings You Success in Life and Business ________________________________07

03

Let’s Vents _________________________________________________________________________________________________________10

04

Principles That Help In Growing A Small Business____________________________________________________________________11

05

The 6 Parts You Need to Perfect Your LinkedIn Profile_______________________________________________________________13

06

How to Turn a Bad Habit Into A Good One __________________________________________________________________________16

07

Making Business Deals Virtually ____________________________________________________________________________________18

08

Social Media Management Comparison _____________________________________________________________________________21

09

5 Steps to Move From Employee to Entrepreneur_____________________________________________________________________22

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PRODUCTIVITY OR BUSYNESS: THE CHOICE THAT BRINGS YOU SUCCESS IN LIFE AND BUSINESS

BY CHARLENE BURKE ■■ We live in a world of more, more, more.

■■ More emails.

■■ More meetings.

■■ More text messages.

■■ More notifications from social media.

■■ More advertising and marketing messages.

your day differently?

Be willing to understand the difference between busyness and productivity, and then be willing to change how you do things each day.

Let’s look at the difference between busyness and productivity.

Busyness is:

■■ The result is we’re busier than ever, getting less done, and feeling overwhelmed.

Scurrying around the house and the office, jumping from one list to another to make sure everything gets done with nothing really getting done. At We live in a 24/7 culture with access to the end of the day you have a list that needs to entertainment, news, friends, and colleagues be transferred to tomorrow, and nothing finished just a simple app away on our smartphones or a that moves you closer to achieving your goals. simple voice command if you have Alexa or Siri or Echo or Echo Dot. This makes it so easy to fall This may sound familiar to you: into a mindset that Busy is Good.

Recently, I invited a friend out for coffee. I felt Watch out! It’s a trap! fortunate because usually she tells me she’s too busy. It had been a while since our last This mindset will quickly escalate and become “catch up” session. I was really looking forward a justification for why you’re not getting the to hearing about her son’s recent graduation important things done. from college and the wins in her business.

According to a 20171 study, Americans We met at a local coffee shop. While we stood increasingly perceive busy and overworked in line to order our coffee her phone rang. people as having high status. “I’m so Busy” She answered, then looked at me and said “I is the expected response to the question of, hope you don’t mind but I’ve been expecting “How are you today?” this call and will be a few minutes…can We’re confusing being busy with achievement. you order for me?”

These are two different things. You can be busy “Of course,” I responded. doing everything on your to-do list, but not I ordered coffee and a pastry and joined her at achieve anything in the process. a table. As I sat down she placed her phone on Success is not determined by how busy you are. It the table and asked me about my day. I started is determined by how productive you are. to tell her about my morning, the phone rang Changing your mindset is the key to changing and she apologized for the interruption as she your busyness into productivity. picked it up.

You can get out of the trap, or avoid it. You can This continued throughout the 30 minutes choose to plan your day differently. we spent together. I quickly surmised that we should reschedule our “catch up time” for How do you choose? How do you plan SAVVY The Business Magazine ■ www.savvymag.biz ■ info@savvymag.biz ■ Page 7

another day. When she finished her conversation she asked me “how’s your business?” I responded with “obviously not going as well as yours! I’m so pleased your business is growing.”

She gave me a quizzical look and I pointed to her phone, saying “Look how many customers and partners you’re talking to. If I had that much going on I’d be in great shape. I’m really glad it’s going so well for you”.

She responded with a slight smile and said “Oh, I wish I had that much business! That last call was the dry cleaners telling me my comforter was ready for pick up.”

I learned that no call she had taken had anything to do with her business. And, that she hadn’t invited me to her home because she hadn’t been able to get the house cleaning done. When I asked why that was the case, she said it was because she was so busy that she couldn’t find the time. Then she showed me her planner, full of lists of things she had to do that day: ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

The grocery list.

The housekeeping list.

The proposals that needed to be finished.

The follow-up phone calls to prospects.

The eBook that needed to be proofread and then edited.

■■ The yard work that needed to be done.

■■ The outreach to prospects.

Based on her behavior that day, I was certain that she wouldn’t be finishing anything on any of those lists any time soon.

■■ Getting another certification ■■ Making tweaks to the website ■■ Researching on the internet, Google searches, on anything for more than 5 minutes We feel productive because we’re doing something. Yet, each one of those tasks should be done during non-working hours.

Another way to look at productivity in your business: Valuable interaction with the people your business can best serve, that inspires their reciprocity.

It’s being in touch with your market. It’s connecting by phone or email or private messages on social media.

You’ll know that it’s valuable interaction with your ideal audience if it inspires reciprocity of some kind (likes, comments, shares, inquiries, and more importantly - purchases.) If your activity doesn’t inspire reciprocity from your audience, question that activity.

Who are the people your business can best serve?

■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

Current customers Ideal prospective customers Ideal former customers Current referral sources Former referral sources Ideal potential referral sources

■■ The evangelists (biggest fans) of your content If your workday isn’t filled with you being in contact with one or more of these people, question Productivity is: how you’re spending your working time and look Writer Charles Duhigg defines it as “making certain at outsourcing the tasks that are preventing you choices in certain ways” that moves us from being from prospecting, making sales, serving your “merely busy” to “genuinely productive” in his book customers or clients.

Smarter Faster Better2.

What to outsource? Administrative duties, data Another way to look at it is - Getting the right things entry, bookkeeping, email management, research, lead generation, content writing, and marketing done. are just a few tasks that can be outsourced to a Let’s begin with the business. virtual assistant or local professional. Another Here’s a short list of what many of us do, thinking option is using college interns, in person or virtually. we’re being productive: ■■ Reading industry articles ■■ Working on a future event, program, service, course, or book

Next, let’s look at your personal life.

What are you truly responsible for? If you’re the primary caregiver of a family member, is it

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possible to get outside help? Whether it is a paid or volunteer service that gives you a few hours a day of respite, it is worth interviewing agencies and individuals to take over some of your care duties.

For many women, housework is always unfinished. While it may not sound like a big deal, the unfinished tasks that are on your mind because they need to be done are part of what is causing you to feel rushed and are why you’re feeling that you’re not accomplishing anything.

Hire a professional to clean your house one day a week. It’s less expensive than you think and you’ll be less anxious with a few more hours a day to do what you want with your family and your business.

■■ Is this goal important?

■■ What part(s) of my life does this goal impact?

■■ How does this goal support my overall strategies?

■■ Do I have a plan for achieving this goal? How can I improve it?

Look at your previous To Do Lists.

What tasks or items on those lists will help you achieve the goals you just wrote about?

Those items are what get moved to your new To Do List.

What about the other tasks and items? Delegate or outsource to family members, team members, virtual assistants, hired professionals.

Choose Productivity When you choose productivity over busyness you This is what I do and what I teach my clients and are focusing your time and energy and attention members to do3: on doing only those things that matter.

Block out an hour or two to sit, think, and plan You will get more done, have more energy, and be your day. Get your pen and paper, your journal, or more fulfilled in your work while spending more open your calendar on your computer and a blank time with your family and friends. All because you Word doc in front of you. made the choice to be productive instead of just Make a list of the goals you want to achieve in being busy. your personal life and your business. For each goal ask yourself these questions: 1. Journal of Consumer Research. (2017, March 22). Lack of leisure: Is busyness the new status symbol?. ScienceDaily.

Retrieved June 4, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170322122631.htm 2. Smarter Faster Better: The Transformative Power of Real Productivity Kindle Edition by Charles Duhigg 3. 3Search by Burke, Get It Done productivity groups, 30 Day Productivity Kickstart

Charlene Burke is an Information Professional, freelance writer, professional facilitator with a background in marketing and engineering. She is the creator of Power of 10: Mastermind for Women Business Owners and the 30 Day Productivity Kickstart Program. She hosts Get It Done Groups of her own and for Trainers, Coaches, and Consultants. She believes that knowledge is powerful, productivity is more than just getting things done, and the more you know, the more you grow.

Learn more on the Search by Burke website.

Contact info: Email: info@searchbyburke.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharleneBurke LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/CharleneBurke

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Let’s Vent is a column that was created with you in mind to share frustration with a product or services.

You can choose to stay anonymous or not. If you asked, why weren’t you prepares? Why did you give me your business card if you did not want a follow-up? I’ve tried this product, and it does not do what it says.

My vent: I attended an event and met a lot of people, but there were a few that I have great conversations about their business and how my service can provide a solution. The next day I sent you a follow-up email. I did not get a response, so I waited 3 days and still no response. Now I decided to give you a call. Just in case my email went to Spam. You answer the call, and I remind you how we met and if you received my email. Your response is “I got the emails, but I was not sure why you sent the email to me. Now that we are on the phone, what service are you interested in.” I am not interested in your services at this time. Our conversation was how I can help you solve a problem, and you wanted to set up a meeting to discuss moving forward. You replied,” Oh, yea, I do need to solve this problem, but can we barter?”

Now my vent is if you can not afford a service just be up front and say that and find out how you can set up a payment plan, NOT BARTER. Businesses are not created for decoration or to never get paid.

Be respectful of others and what they have to offer. Just like you have a service or product and think the world of it, so do others. Now don’t get me wrong….. Bartering can be a mutual benefit if both parties are in that discussion. Do not have a bartering conversation if both parties do not need the service/product. Just because I have what you need do not mean that it is automatic. by: Anonymous "You have something you want to "Vent" send an email to info@savvymag.biz

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Adaptation and moving forward

PRINCIPLES THAT HELP IN GROWING A SMALL BUSINESS

G

By Sidney L Smith

rowing a small business is a daunting task. It is a fact that most startups fail within a few years of their start. As per a study conducted by Statistic Brain Research Institute, a whopping 50% of start-ups in the U.S fail after five years of their operation. So, the challenge remains in understanding what usually goes wrong and how small business owners can overcome the obstacles. However, there are also few that despite all odds manage to rise high and flourish their businesses. So, let's explore the five principles that these people follow to grow their small business over the years.

One of the key reasons behind the failure of start-ups is their failure to adapt according to the changes in consumer demand and market. The solution lies in adapting as soon as possible and to move forward. The reason is sometimes, product or service offerings of a small business could be exemplary but way ahead of the customer demands. For example, even the mighty Kodak company failed to adapt as per the rising trend of digital imaging and collapsed miserably.

Creating a positive image Amidst soaring competition from other businesses with similar product or service offerings, it is essential to focus on creating a positive image to attract and retain customers. Successful entrepreneurs never fail in creating such image through targeted marketing campaigns and excellent customer service. Nowadays, some start-ups prefer to hire professionals for managing their online reputation from the very first day. With the rising power of social media, they don't take any chances and keep a watchful eye on their brand image.

Willingness to invest in technology Majority of businesses with humble beginnings are those who have dared to invest in the latest technology available at that time. The fact that there is an increased trend of mobility across the world also demands a willingness

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to embrace technology as it pays rich dividends.

A disruptive technology can threaten the entire business model if businesses fail to quickly respond or adapt accordingly.

There are many who hire wireless support service providers or cybersecurity experts to ensure optimal use of technology for their small business.

For small businesses, it is imperative to understand that growing a small business demands immense dedication and hard work apart from all the above. Right planning, excellent infrastructure, and networking also play a huge role in ensuring business growth.

Oasis Mobility Services is a reputed provider of wireless support to a wide range of businesses irrespective of their size and type. Based in the U.S, the company has decades of experience in helping its clients to leverage the power of wireless technology at an economical price.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sidney_L_ Smith/2100020 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9930607

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THE 6 PARTS YOU NEED TO PERFECT YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE ■ Are You Selling Business To Business?

Social media can be a Bright Shiny Object. There are hundreds of articles, webinars, podcasts, videos, and more touting how you can (and should) be using everything and anything to sell your “High Ticket” products or services.

Some include: LinkedIn Leads, Facebook or Google Ads, YouTube Domination, Instagram Story, and way too many others to list.

Here is the bottom line… LinkedIn is the de facto Business to Business network and social media platform. I that is where your audience is playing, you should bring you pail and shovel and play in that sand box!

The best place to start is by creating a profile that engages, energizes, and entices your perfect customers to want to connect with you. If you look like a selling machine, people will avoid you like the plague. What people look for is “Does this person resonate with my values, and can I trust them to help me solve my problem(s).”

■ Emotion vs Benefits

I want you think about that when it comes to your customers. People tend to get engaged from emotion, but they tend to buy towards the benefits. On LinkedIn, it's not a whole heck of a lot different. The key thing is, your profile is what creates the emotion. They take action based on the perceived benefits that you can provide them.

■ 6 Ways To Perfect Your LinkedIn Profile So here are six things that you need to think about.

The first thing is your profile picture. The second is your header image. The third thing is the headline that you put at the very, very top of your profile. The fourth is the summary text you put

right below that headline, that outlines what you do. The fifth thing is the media, or the things you add that people can click on, and the last one is your contact info, which is kind of buried on your profile but if people know where to look they can get it.

■ Profile Picture

Let's start with your profile picture. Now, yes, you can have one taken with an iPhone, and if you've got somebody who knows what they're doing you can take some darn nice ones, but here's the bottom line. Make it professional. Make it look like you are somebody that somebody wants to connect with. Make it fun, smile. Don't just do the standard corporate headshot where you're staring into the camera looking all prim and proper in a suit and tie. That's okay, but if your personality is a little bit more fun, then have some fun with it. The bottom line is, we're there to make an emotional connection with the end user, and that picture is the first thing that they see, especially on mobile devices.

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■ Header Image

Your profile picture is on top of the header image. Now the header image changes based on a desktop or mobile platform (in other words, your profile picture moves). Your header image should explain who you are, what you do, what audience you talk to, and even have some graphic representation about how you solve other people's problems. Sounds like a lot, right? It doesn't have to be complicated, but just leaving it as a blue background doesn't do much good, and using just some stock photography really doesn't give people an emotional connection unless that stock photography really hits home on what you provide to the end users. Don't be afraid to add your logos, some text, some graphics. Make it interesting, make it visually stimulating, and most importantly, make it emotional.

■ Headline

One of the most important parts of your profile is your headline. Many people make the mistake by just saying, “My headline is I am the CEO of XYZ Corp.”

No, you're not that. What you are is a person that solves a particular problem for a particular type of customer. So, what you should do is focus on what you do for people and make it creative and crystal clear what's in it for them.

What I try to tell people is that, I help people find great connections and build great relationships on LinkedIn. That's the general idea, but you do have a limited amount of characters to express that. You have to figure out what is going to connect with your audience emotionally and what will they pay attention to?

■ Summary

Next is the summary. The summary is the text that's below the headline. Usually there's a Read More button, because it only shows like the first line or two. But that's uber important. That first line should be so compelling that somebody wants to click that read more button. You should make it say, “Hey, pay attention to the fact that this is what I can do for you and this is how I want to help you.” So start off with something powerful that gets people to click the read more button. From there, you can add thousands of characters. You can add a ton of information. But if nobody ever clicks on it, they won't see it. Give them a reason to do that.

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■ Media

Then below that, you have the opportunity to add media. What do I mean by media? Well you can add graphics.

You can add infographics. You can add PDFs. You can add links to websites, to podcasts, to webinars, whatever it is that you do. Have some interesting material that if somebody is researching you and your business to learn more about what you do, that you give them the information that feeds their needs. So make sure it's focused on them, not all pitchy, pitch, you know, buy my crap kind of stuff. Make it something that's going to be interesting, a resource to your audience.

■ Contact Info

The last piece is your contact info. Now your contact info is usually over on the right hand side in a clickable button. When it opens up, you have the opportunity to put in everything from your websites, to your email address, to your phone number, to your address, to your birthday, whatever you want to put in there. Now one of the things that I hear is people say, “Well I don't want to put all that stuff in there, because all people are going to do is contact me and try to sell me things.”

Well yeah, but to be honest with you, the vast majority of people that are selling you things, by doing the connecting pitch on LinkedIn which is connect with you and immediately go in and send you a message of how great they are, most of those people never even look at your profile. The people that look at your profile are the ones that are willing to do the research to get to know you.

■ Why Bother

So if they're legitimately interested in you and your business and want to get a hold of you, why would you hide that or not put it up? Yes, you will get some people that will contact you from that who are trying to sell you something. But that's not what we're there for. We're there to connect with people that we can help. So be open and accessible, and give them the information they need. If they want to get a hold of you, give them that opportunity. Why would you hide that?

■ Final Thoughts

Stop thinking of your profile as just a resume. Stop thinking about LinkedIn as just another way that people are going to annoy you. What it's really about is creating real connections with real people to start business relationships.

Make sure that your profile picture looks emotionally approachable, and not stark and cold. Make sure that you add a header graphic that describes what you do. That your headline gives an example of what your brand is, your personal brand. Make sure your summary and media is added in there to give people information about how you can help them and finally, be open and accessible to being contacted.

The Bacon Guy Brian Basilico Author ◆ Speaker ◆ Relationship Marketing Strategist (630) 692-1431◆ (630) 248-6232 - Text ◆ (630) 299-5160 - Fax BaconPodcast.com ◆ B2b-im.com ◆ Brian.Basilico.com

■ Author Bio

Brian Basilico is an award-winning author of the best selling book “It’s Not About You, It’s About Bacon!

Relationship Marketing In A Social Media World!” He was honored as one of the Top Marketers to Follow in 2018.

Brian is an Online Marketing Strategist with over 40 years of marketing experience and the owner of an awardwinning internet marketing company, B2b Interactive Marketing, Inc. He is world renowned for his LinkedIn Training and Strategies and was one of the first 1000 people to join the Social Network in 2004.

Brian is a syndicated blogger, podcaster, and a sought-after guest expert featured in Entrepreneur and Inc., magazines, His show “The Bacon Podcast" on iTunes was also voted one of Inc. Magazines top 35 business podcasts.

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How to Turn A Bad Habit Into A Good One

Ask for an Accountability Partner Do you have a personal trainer or friend who enjoys fitness who can help monitor your success? Do you have a nutritionist who can help create healthy meals? Do you have a business partner or friend who you help turn your business struggles around? Or do you feel comfortable posting certain struggles or challenges on social media so your followers then become your accountability partners? Keeping your struggles and goals to yourself often makes it easier to cheat; however, if you tell other people what you’re trying to accomplish, then you’ll focus more on the new behavior, which eventually will overtake the bad behavior.

One quick tip: Don’t try to change multiple bad habits at once. Choose one behavior to focus on and work on that first. When you feel that bad habit has been changed for good, work on changing another bad habit – or work on incorporating good habits into your daily life. www.behindthescenechic.com

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MAKING BUSINESS DEALS VIRTUALLY M

aking a deal may seem like it’s all about mastering the art of negotiation, but a lot more goes into that than just being a smooth talker. When you’re a business owner, it’s essential to do your research and be prepared to make sure you’re able to navigate the process and confirm the terms that are beneficial to your organization.

Below are some essential things you should do while making any deal virtually Identify Your Must-Haves

Making deals does not mean that you have to be in an office. Today’s office world is your devices. You no longer have to make so many faceto-face meetings.

When making a business deal you’re not likely to get everything you may want, but if you go into the process knowing your absolute must-haves, you’ll be much better off. Dealmakers can eliminate future business deals by either going for everything or not knowing exactly what they want. Do not forget about the most important efficient online tools.

cost. You no longer have to purchase tablets and pens to take to the meetings. You will never have to worry about a pen that is not working. One of the great things in Evernote is that you can record your meeting. You can take notes by using a stylus or iPen, type your notes, or just record the entire meeting. Just in case you missed something or either party don’t remember what was discuss in the meeting. This can cut back a lot of confusion.

Evernote - note-taking tool. This is a tool that will save you time and decrease your

Podio - This tool is used for project management. Anything you are working

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on with team members and clients. It does not matter how small or big the project, you should always have some type of project management tool to ensure deadlines are meet.

inexpensive and really simple to use.

These are only 5 online tools that I have shared with you, but this is nowhere near what is out there. I would recommend to do you research and see what works best for you business, but these are the most inexpensive for anyone starting a business and if you have an existing business. Start now to decrease your cost and get your time back.

Insightly - A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool can be used as your client database. You can document everything about your Client or Lead. You can set up Welcome or any other email templates for Now let’s get back to making your future new and current contacts. business deal and get your new contract signed.

Proposify - This tool is an proposal/ agreement tool. Not only can you send Learn to Identify People Who Aren’t Serious agreements for electronic signatures, but you can design this agreement to include Trust your gut! If you’re attempting to make a videos and stock photos. This truly give it a deal, it’s essential to know where to spend your step up to your same old boring agreements. time, and where not to waste it. You need to hone in on your skills when it comes to identifying QuickBooks - Manage you invoices and people who aren’t planning to buy from you but payables with this effective online tool. are instead just picking your brain.

Easy to set up accounts and send invoices.

If you are not comfortable with Quickbooks Research Proactively because you are not an Accountant, no problem. This not the same Quickbooks A good rule of thumb with any negotiation is from 5 years ago. The online version is to come in armed with information. The more SAVVY The Business Magazine ■ www.savvymag.biz ■ info@savvymag.biz ■ Page 19

background information you have, the better.

If you’re prepared with information about the company and the deal, you’re more likely to do well during the negotiation process. When it comes to negotiations, knowledge is power.

When you have the experience, you’re more likely to avoid being taken by a quick talker or someone who’s bluffing.

Don’t Be Afraid to Walk Away In the business world, you should always be ready to walk away if the situation. I know sometimes we work hard to be prepared to do what we need to do to make a deal happen, but it seems like nothing you do is enough. That’s ok. If it’s meant to be, then it will happen. Even if you are told to go back to the table and come back with another solution. If that happens, now you have a second chance to make it work, or they like you so much they want to offer you a more significant opportunity. If it seems like a deal is dragging, you might look at it as your opportunity to leave the conversation. While that particular deal might not have worked out, it is likely to be best and leave it behind.

Trust Negotiators that focus on building relationships first will develop confidence and can easily create collaborations with others. The strongarm tactics many negotiators depend upon are not effective long term. Going straight in with a business deal without a trust-worthy relationship can be detrimental to your business. Remember, people, talk more about

the bad than the good. Just know the most important thing is for you to learn from your mistake.

Clarity Transparency is key. Clarity is something every organization should strive for to seal the deal and to gain the confidence of your client. In a negotiation setting, lack of transparency can be more than just a nuisance; it can be a genuine danger. It can be taken as if you are hiding something or you are doing a shady deal.

Documenting any agreement that is reached is crucial. This way there is no hearsay, or 6 months later no one remembers. If you are documenting in a meeting before an actual agreement, you can use Evernote to document and record the conversation. After the conference is sure, you copy everyone that is involved. This makes you transparent and that all are on the same page. If there are any questions, the notes are easily accessible. This may seem tedious, but drafting specific legal contracts—rather than relying on verbal agreements—you ensure that both sides understand entirely what to expect of each party. You may also wish to record the meeting for future meetings—be sure that you have all parties’ consent before doing so.

Dependability It’s certainly not something to be proud of, but human beings are generally comfortable with lying. When it comes to business deals, reliability should be a basic policy. Any agreements you make or contracts you sign are good as your

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willingness and ability to carry them out. Before you make any promises, be sure you can deliver what you promised and meet all deadlines. It’s always better to have a deal fall through than to renege on a contract after it’s been finalized. Be dependable as you expect the other negotiators to be, and you will develop a trusting reputation that can affect any future deal.

pajamas all day, why not? Turn on some music and blast it to boost your productivity.

Keep Your Focus

When working remotely, distractions are easy to access, especially if you’re working from home. The laundry needs to be done, and dishes are piled in the sink, and so much more.

It’s essential to use your calendar to schedule Accept Your Freedom personal tasks (family, kids, spouse, errands, If you’re working virtually, you have a lot more etc…). This is just as important as your business freedom to follow your rhythm. If you work meeting. Remember you are only one person better in the pre-dawn hours, do it and take a and that you can be in one place at a time. nap in the afternoon. Alternatively, work in slots throughout the day, taking the time to be with

by Melissa Ambers your kids when they come home from school or go for a walk. So if you feel like staying in your Behind The Scene Chic, LLC

Social Media Management Comparison Chart

NOTE: Comparison chart was created based on available information and features are subject to change.

Hootsuite EveryPost Buffer Social Clout hootsuite.com everypost.me buffer.com socialclout.com

Social Oomph socialoomph.com

Cost

$35 – 100/mo and more with customizable features

Free to $100 /mo

Free for one SM account. $10/mo for 10 SM accounts – up to $399/mo for 150 accounts

Free to $99/mo

Free to $20/mo

Mobile Platforms (may come with extra charge)

iPhone, Android

iPhone, Android

iPhone, Android, PC

iPhone, Android, PC

iPhone, Android

Multi-Platform Integration Supported Networks

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Google+ & Wordpress.com blogs

Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Flickr, Linkedin, Tumblr, and many others

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest & Instagram

Free: Facebook & Twitter only Paid: FB, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn & Instagram

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, App.net and Plurk

Can monitor keywords, hashtags and more.

Easy to use. Ability to import youtube and flicker content into posts

Has browser integration so you can share relevant content with a click of a button

Can monitor mentions and @mentions. Real time engagement dashboard, competitor analysis reports

Straighforward, easy design.

Doesn’t support all popular networks

If you need to reschedule a post, you have to edit each the post for each social profile rather than editing one post and it updates for all profiles.

The sentiments reporting is slightly confusing.

Auto-DM feature has to be purchased separately.

Limited analytic reports.

No mobile apps

Tracking & Reporting Post Scheduling Monitoring Pros

Also has a shrinking feature for saving space.

Cons

There are size limitations for images you can post.

So large images will need to be edited prior to posting.

Some sites are limiting 3rd party connections due to security thus causing some conflicts.

Ability to add things to the queue and also to mark them to re-add to the queue

Doesn’t support all popular networks

SAVVY The Business Magazine ■ www.savvymag.biz ■ info@savvymag.biz ■ Page 21

5 STEPS TO MOVE FROM EMPLOYEE TO ENTREPRENEUR

BY LINDA CATTELAN Have you been considering quitting your day job in favor of starting a business? Have you just lost your job and are currently exploring alternative ways of earning a living? Have you always dreamt of owning your own business some day?

Before you take the leap of faith into self-employment, consider these 5 steps: Get clear on your goals/passions - It's not enough to decide to become a business owner. There are several questions and things to consider before you move forward in becoming a business owner. You will need to think about what kind of business you wish to run. You`ll need to determine if you wish to grow it from scratch, buy an existing business or purchase an available franchise. But even before you decide that- you should think about how the business will fit in with the rest of your life. Running a business can be a huge commitment of time and money. So ask yourself what do you enjoy doing or what will bring you joy? You will spend much of your day on your business so it's a good idea for the business to provide work you actually enjoy doing.

Ask yourself what you are most passionate about?

What would you love to do? What is your dream job/ business?

Do your research/homework - Don't make any rash or impulsive decisions and don't leave your day job until you are absolutely sure of what you want to do and have a plan for doing it. Take the time to do good research by researching the industry, the marketplace, your potential target clients, your competitors. Do proper business research including a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. Get a good handle on projected revenues and realistic operating costs as well as an understanding on how long it will take to breakeven and generate more revenues than expenses. Identify your personal strengths and skills and determine if there are any skills gaps. Determine how you will close any skill gaps or lack of expertise. Which gaps can be closed through skills training? Which gaps can be closed through recruiting the right people? Which

gaps can be closed through coaching or mentoring?

Determine what options and opportunities are available to you right now?

Learn from others' mistakes - There is no shortage of people who have started or run a business. Speak to as many people as you can who have gone before you. Learn what you can about what works, what doesn't, and what mistakes others have made. Don't waste valuable time and money. Be open to hearing others` perspectives on what they would have done differently. Hindsight is always 20/20.

Business Plan ahead - Do the work and develop a business plan. While it may be a lot of work, it will be time well spent and most financial institutions will require one if you are searching for financing.

The process of business planning is not only to prove to the bank that your business will be a success, it's also a roadmap for you to follow to ensure success. Running your business finances can be like running your weekly, monthly or yearly personal budget - so if you haven't developed good budgeting and financial management skills, it might be particularly challenging and doubly important to have a solid business plan.

Hire a mentor - Starting and running a business can be challenging or even lonely at times. In addition to the day to day operations of the business, you may be mentally or emotionally overwhelmed by being a business owner. Having a safe place to go to for advice, guidance, and accountability or simply as a sounding board can be just what you need to help you make the transition into entrepreurship easier and smoother. Good coaching and mentoring can really help you fast track your transition.

While there are many advantages to being an entrepreneur, it`s important for you to also consider the downside of self-employment. Become a business owner armed with as much information, skills and tools you can to ensure a successful transition from employee to entrepreneur.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/ expert/Linda_Cattelan/538795

SAVVY The Business Magazine ■ www.savvymag.biz ■ info@savvymag.biz ■ Page 22