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Tag: EVALUATE

It’s About Time

Several years ago, a business owner and sales manager uttered these words that have resonated with me throughout my life: ” I can give you all of the training and tools you need to succeed, but I cannot give you more time.”

It’s About Time

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When you stop and think about it, that may be one of the truest statements ever spoken because we can never give ourselves more time. I chuckle when I read or hear advertisements that claim, “we can save you time.” Really? How do you actually save time? Do you have a special box that you put time in so that I can use it later? Of course not, we can’t save time; we can only make better use of the time we are given.

No matter what your religious beliefs or affiliations, most people will agree on this; there are no guarantees on time; what we have, all that we are promised is the moment we are in right now; not tomorrow, not next year, but now.

As you approach your life and business goals for 2013, think about time. Think about the fact that our time on this planet is limited and we have no guarantee’s. Make the most of your time each day. How do we do this? Here are five tips for making the most of your time:

  1. Stop meeting for the sake of meeting. If you are in sales or an entrepreneur, you know what an hour of your time is worth; so stop giving it away. If your meeting has a purpose and is essential, great; if not then why are you meeting?
  2. Value your own time as you plan your day, or your week. Be honest how much time you need to devote to each task or each project.
  3. Scale back on social media platforms. Do you truly need to be on every single social platform for yourself or your business? Evaluate and determine which platform makes the most sense for your goals or your busienss.
  4. Delegate and outsource. Use a community manager for your social marketing and/or a virtual assistant for tasks that are stealing your time.
  5. Say No! Just say no to coffee with friends, to things that waste your time, and to people that”just want to pick your brain!” It’s okay to say no!

Need further proof? Read this post by Suzie Poirier, owner of Ace Concierge: Your Income is Limited by Your Time.

It’s About Time. Your Time; use it wisely!…

STOP the Social Media Insanity!

Do you remember the Stop the Insanity weight loss program from Susan Powter? In the 90’s, you couldn’t turn on television without hearing her infomercial with that famous catch phrase, “Stop the Insanity!”

insanity

Do you ever feel the need to scream, STOP the Social Media Insanity? Websites, Blogs, RSS feeds, Emails, Email newsletters, Facbook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ Instagram, Vine, Pinterest, FourSquare, Yelp, and on, and on, and on! Do you get overwhelmed as you try to keep up with reading information, posting or joining various social platforms for yourself or your business? If so, I have a few suggestions that may help you stop your own insanity.

Tips for dealing with social media insanity:

Take a deep breath and decide which platform(s) are right for you!

No one can be everywhere or be on every single social platform. There are too many platforms and cloning isn’t perfected, so if you try to do them all, you will burnout. Quickly. Approach social media just as you do any decision for you or your business; how does this serve me or my clients/customers. If your niche market or demographic hangs out on Facebook, then spend time building your following or Facebook Business Page. If your prospects spend time on Twitter, then build your Twitter brand. If email newsletters work for your business, produce the best newsletter possible! If you want better search results and enjoy the platform, spend time building your circles on Google+. Remember, no social platform, no matter how good it is, should take the place of your own website. Spend the time to get your site right and use these social outposts to drive traffic to your site.

Develop a schedule and stick to it!

One of the best pieces of advice I have for individuals and businesses is this: develop a schedule. Use a legal pad, an online calendar or create an editorial/social media calendar and stick to it! This will save you hours of frustration and make it much easier to develop or produce content. It’s more calming to know you what you need to write about or post for the next week or month than getting up everyday and trying to decide. Voice of experience talking here, so listen! My dear friend Julia Rosien published an exceptional post about this on her Social North site: Editorial Calendar – Social Media Strategy Must Do.

Evaluate, update and move on!

Maybe you have had a presence on Facebook since it was The Facebook. Does that outpost still align with your personal or professional goals? If not, then move on. I think far too often we get used to being on these platforms but forget to regularly evaluate whether …