Talking Business

By: Michelle Hanton OAM

In business, you must have a consistent approach to everything. By your approach to everything, I mean just that: Everything you do and say. Every decision you make. Everything you think. Living in the current environment, albeit in a beautiful part of the world, where lockdowns and the unknown lurk around each corner; now more than ever we need a smarketing mindset.

SO WHAT’S SMARKETING?

Smarketing encompasses strategy, sales and marketing rolled into a system that becomes a part of how you work, and everything that you do. It’s learning how to refocus your business mindset for results. It is not the sort of strategy you write down for your boss or your bank manager. It is what you practice until it becomes second nature. And before you think, ‘this Dragon Sisters lot sound like a brain-washing cult,’ one of the key things in developing a Smarketing mindset, is honing your own, unique voice, to cut through the white noise of sameness. Smarketing is, put simply, a mindset you develop to constantly and consistently create and maximise opportunities. In other words, you are alert. Alert to opportunity; anticipate and spot trends. You are also alert to where risks may lie and are strategic about the risks you choose to take. The good news is that this is something that anyone can learn. When you master the mindset you become one of those sorts who rarely miss an opportunity and, importantly, know how to create opportunity.

It’s your personal formula of communication and promotion.

It personalises your sales, your marketing, your business. It

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sets you, and your business, apart from the rest. So often I hear “But I’m advertising already. What more can I do to gain business?” My answer is always, “You can do a lot! And it need cost you no more, or even less, than what you’re doing now. In fact, if you have a tiny budget, you can still do a lot.” Because all that is missing is one key element to your sales and marketing equation

… Smarketing…. the secret ingredient!

When you’re a Smarketer you have your own unique voice. You are able to consistently use every opportunity that presents itself to create awareness of your business. If you don’t, you’ll find that the results you get are inconsistent and your performance averages out at, well – average. Consistency is key. Whether you’re enjoying good times or experiencing a famine, you need to consistently be out there. Once you lose momentum it is extremely hard to pick it up. A Smarketing Mindset sets you up for success. No matter what stage your business it at and even if you’re on a roll, it’s vital to be smarketing. Always. Often people think that it’s enough to be busy marketing, even if the results are pretty much hit-and-miss. At least they are maintaining awareness of their brand or service and isn’t that what marketing is all about? The short answer is no! It’s much more complex; you need to be able to test and measure results. There must be a strategy behind everything you are doing, especially when you are spending money or investing time into the activity.

TEST & MEASURE

Testing and measuring take several forms. There is the solid data that you can study based on backend platforms, cut out coupons, scanning in/entering codes and affiliate results but then there is the more abstract. I’m talking about touchpoints. What is a touchpoint? It’s a point of contact between you and a potential customer. When it comes to how you count touchpoints there are a host of different opinions on this. However, I believe, if you are being serious about measuring you need to count every single touch point. In my business it takes around 20 touchpoints to make a conversion to engage my services. I count from the first time I meet a potential client to the time they hand over their dollars. This includes any visits to my blog, engagement on social media channels, phone calls, emails either personal or via my mailing list, 1:1 chat, connecting at a networking function or business group we both belong to or seeing them out at a social gathering. How many times have you seen an advertisement, called up about it, and then not been followed up? Worse yet, someone takes the time to come out, measure up and provide a quote and then does not get in touch again to ask for the sale. Now you might be thinking, “Oh, I don’t want to look pushy.” Flip this on its head and think about it like this…when you follow up you are closing the sale. Either you get a yes or a no. You have an answer and have closed. This is Smarketing! Even if the answer is no, keep in touch. Circumstances change. You’ve already made a connection so keep it up by having a strategy in place for staying front of mind.

MAINTAINING A CONNECTION

Being a smarketer means understanding the value of maintaining connections. The amount of effort to gain one client or get to the point where you followed up for the close and the answer was thanks but no thanks, is never wasted if you are using a smarketing mindset. Want to learn more about smarketing? I’m running a FREE online workshop next month. Interested? Get in touch michelle@dragonsisters. com.au or 0418 898082 and I’ll pop you on the list to receive details.

NOELENE LAKE NOELENE LAKE

Bribie Accounting Services Bribie Accounting Services

TAX TIPS....TOP 7 TAX DEDUCTIONS OVERLOOKED

Some of the most over looked tax deductible expenses are: • Tax Agents (Accountant’s) fees • Travel to and from Tax Agent • Memberships to work related professional associations • Union fees • Work related car expenses • Home office expenses • Internet expenses

TAX TIPS....CLAIM EVERYTHING YOU CAN

Listed below are some possible tax deductions that you may have overlooked: Investment expenses, charity donations, Accountant’s fees, travel to and from Accountant, phone calls to Accountant, motor vehicle expenses (work related but not usually to and for work unless tool carrying), course fees, seminar fees, self-education related to your work, sunscreen, protective clothing, eye protection, work boots, laundry, dry cleaning, books and journals, briefcase, home office electricity, printer ink, copy paper, stationery, subscriptions, salary package fees, income protection insurance, newspapers, personal contributions to superannuation, computer expenses, mobile phone use, internet use, overtime meal costs, tools, equipment, union fees. To claim a tax deduction, you must have incurred the expenses, it must be necessary to do your job and you need evidence to substantiate it (receipts). Please contact me to maximise your tax refund or minimise your tax payable. Noelene and Angela