Newsletter No.1

Why Do I Need a Web Site?

If not just to keep me busy, there are five reasons a business should have a Web site:

Presentation on the Internet

Allows you to promote your business to new and existing clients via the internet (more people use Google than the Yellow Pages)

Marketing

Allows you to market your business in a cost affective way compared to other media, like printed media.

Get information quickly to clients

Allows your customers to download brochures, newsletters and other information quickly and at their own convenience.

Direct your Clients to Useful Sites

Allows you to direct your clients go another site for more information. Accountants could link their site to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)

Free up staff time

A Web site is a 24/7 source of information which your staff can direct clients to so that the clients can download their required information, plus freeing your staff from handling and posting the information.

Using MS Outlook for better Time Management

Time Management is so important to the small business person, so it is essential that we use Outlook to it best advantage.

Processing Email

• Select a time when you prefer to read your email
• Turn off all reminders in regard to arrival of email
• Handle email once
  • Read and delete
  • Read and file
  • Read and commit time
• Drag to calendar
• Drag to tasks
• (You can then delete the email after these steps)

Weekly/Daily Plan

• Plan for the next week/day.
• Collate work
• Prioritise
• Break it down
• Commit time - productivity cycle
• duration 1.5 x duration
• (get an exit time)
• build in slack ASAP
• rewards
• Be flexible.
• Drag tasks into calendar (change “the show time” as to free unless this is a meeting or this task must be done at this time.)

How to Design an Effective Brochure

Is it true we all think about the colours, images, size and what the brochure will look like when we consider designing a Brochure? Should these not be the last things we consider? Here are five things to consider when designing a brochure:

What is your Purpose?

Define your prospect's problem and answer the key questions your prospects will have.

Who is your Audience?

Identify what they need to know and use language which they will understand.

What is your Message?

We all know of the trap of selling features instead of benefits.

The size and shape of the brochure

The page setup of the brochure is important. Will it fit on one page or multiple pages? How will you fold it?

Finally, the Presentation

Now you can consider font styles, colours, images, etc, to be used. To make the brochure easy to read and understand make use of ‘white space’. Keep it simple by using no more than 3 different font styles, and keep the size at 10pt or above. Be aware that using white words against a dark background as it can be difficult for people to read.