I often tell my client to celebrate their successes.
Deep down we all love a bit of praise for a job well done. It might come from family, friends, colleagues, or clients, but just a simple “thank you,” “well done” or “that was great” can make us feel a whole lot better.
But sometimes it might feel as though compliments are in short supply. Maybe someone in your close family thinks “you should get a proper job” or “why are you bothering with that” and it can hurt.
Make sure when you do have a success you share it with people who will support and celebrate with you.
So will you help me celebrate?
This month has been absolutely amazing for me. Why?
This is from over 10,000 registered users, across 4 networking platforms, I was recognised for the effort I put into not only running 4Networking meetings, being part of 1Networking, engaging on the Network Central Social Media platform, but also for the support and time I give to other members and teams to help them understand how to get the most from networking.
From nearly 600 nominations, again I was recognised as being worthy enough for my nomination and supporting comments to be sent over to the judges – Ian, Marine, Sarah, Abid and Emma, fo them to decide if I am good enough to win this prestigious award.
Good luck to everyone in all categories and I look forward to seeing you all at the awards dinner in June.
FINALIST – Networker of the Year 2022
3 – Final throws of book collaboration
I’ve been writing my first book since Christmas and it’s going to be published next month. This was an idea which has come out of a friendship formed with Jenny Leggott from Transcend Zero, met through 4Networking,
So the first book in the Focus Guru Series, “Focus Guru – 52 ways to achieve your work life balance” was born!
We had a call between Christmas and New year, decided we could together come up with 52 tips on work / life balance and make a book. Less than 5 Months later, we have now added Jonathan Smythe to our collaboration. Here’s a sneaking peak at part of the back cover.
Sneak peak at part of the back cover
4 – Free marketing
I am passionate about making the most of everything a membership organisation offer to me. Part of my Network Central membership is the ability to go onto their social media platform and use it to raise awareness of myself and my business.
One of the best ways to do this is to get what is called “a full house”. This is where your name and picture is on every the front screen of every room. Just like this!
Full House – raising my profile
It means that everyone visiting the site has to see my name and my picture. The chances are if I track my profile views before getting the full house and after, there will be more visits to my profile after. This means more people will know about me, what I do and how I can help them than before I achieved the full house.
As 2020 begins so does the marketing cycle. For many business owners it can be confusing to know where to start. What should you spend your budget on? How do you get the best value for money? Should you spend big on printed material, or social media, on networking or referrals? These are some top tips:
Print marketing is still one of the most cost-effective and versatile ways you can market your business. Think beyond postcards and flyers. Today’s print marketing includes your message printed on anything from tshirts, caps, mugs, pens to billboards and more. It includes adverts in magazines and newspapers. It includes advertising on the side of a car or a bus. If you can think of it then it can be printed. Print is one of the most personal and powerful marketing methods and it’s here to stay.
Another marketing method that’s greatly underutilised is social media marketing. A grey area for some business owners who worry their message won’t get taken seriously, or they think it gives staff an excuse to “waste time online”. But this is far from the case because whether we like it or not, we all use social media to find out about events, products and activities. We like and comment, share and tweet. With a little effort, posts can go viral, and end up across the world in seconds.
If you have the courage, face-to-face networking is an excellent way to promote your business. When you stand up in the room with the opportunity to say who you are, what you do, how you can help and who you’re looking to meet, the world opens up much wider than the 10, 20 or 100 people in the room. With a “face behind the product” other networkers can easily understand what your company does and recommend you to their colleagues and connections.
This leads into the fourth of the best ways you can market your business in 2020 which is through using genuine referrals from people who know you and your company. If you have succeeded with your print marketing, social media and networking, then the recommendations and referrals will come. Remember, giving a referral is just as important as receiving a referral. Everyone wants to feel valued. With a little planning you can introduce incentives to encourage people to talk about your company and refer business to you.
These are four valuable ways you can market your business in 2020. It’s important to keep your message positive and visible using a variety of different marketing methods. For more information on how to market your business, visit http://getfocus.guru/a-post-a-day.
This blog is focusing on my personal journey which I talk about in presentations and in 4Sights at 4Networking meetings. I’d like to share some of the steps I’ve taken to get to where I am today. I hope my experiences will help you take control of your lifestyle, your time and your income. There are many opportunities available which easily fit around your current commitments.
Seeing plants flourish
It’s said on average humans make 35,000 decisions every day. Many of these decisions are made at home before we even think about going to work. For example, a typical man makes 3 decisions when choosing which shirt, trousers and socks to wear. In comparison, a woman might make 10 or more decisions including clothing, make-up, jewellery and accessories. That’s before choosing whether to have toast or cereal with tea, coffee or orange juice. So, it’s easy to see how the number of decisions each day adds up to tens of thousands of micro-decisions taking place every few seconds.
Can you imagine what it would feel like if each of these micro-decisions took several minutes to make? This is known as “Decision Fatigue” and it’s a sign our brains have become overloaded. Simple tasks become agonisingly difficult. It’s where molehills become mountains. It can feel like you’re walking through treacle. Over time, decisions can take longer and longer, until the difficulty of making a choice becomes painfully slow, causing stress symptoms, anxiety and depression.
One tip I can offer is to lay out the clothes you want to wear tomorrow as one of your last tasks before bed. In the morning everything will be ready, and you’ll have a few less decisions to make.
Our decisions have a huge impact on our lives. To do, or not to do, that is the question.
In my teenage years, I had an incredibly tough decision to make. At age 18, from a busy, active and energetic life, playing hockey at club level, swimming at county level, canoeing, playing the violin, viola and singing in voice choirs, always on the go, suddenly the backache I’d been ignoring became serious. I was given a terrible decision to make. To undergo high risk surgery or live the rest of my life in a wheelchair.
I chose surgery and after a successful operation on the 14th of October 1997 I spent 5 weeks in hospital relearning how to stand, how to walk and how to climb stairs. With the metal rods in my back, even now, I sometimes feel like a cyborg. My recovery took months of physio plus lots of support from my family and friends. Instead of the super-active lifestyle I was used to, I took up gardening, cycling and joined an orchestra. I made the decision to love the new life I had been given.
Around 15 years later, I aggravated my back slipping down some stairs. I was in agony. I had a beautiful garden that needed my attention, yet I could hardly move from the sofa. Without my care, the precious plants I’d nurtured from seeds would wither and die. They became my motivation.
Again, I had choices. Should I ask my husband to help water the plants? That was an option, but previous experience told me the plants would probably die. Should I give up? In this option, the plants would certainly die. The third option was to find a way around this. To find a viable solution.
I chose the third option. There would be a way around this problem. I just needed to find it.
To aid the recovery from my back injury, the best advice was to walk and to increase my walking every day. Once I was walking freely and unaided, I started carrying some weights around with me to build up my strength and resilience. I didn’t have traditional weights, so I made my own. I used a 2 litre bottle of water.
At first, I only filled the bottle enough so I could water one of my plants. I chose the one plant that meant the most to me. The one I wanted to help survive while I was recovering myself. Having given the plant enough water, I refilled the bottle, again just a small amount, but enough to water the next plant. It took time and patience, but in the second week I could fill the bottle enough to water 2 plants in one go. Then in the third week, I filled the bottle enough to water 3 plants. Then within a month I could fill the whole 2 litre bottle and carry it around. It was enough to make sure I didn’t lose all my garden.
It wasn’t extra money or time at the gym that helped my garden to flourish. It was the power of the 2 litre bottle of water. It gave me the strength to build up my muscles without straining my back. I regained my posture and my confidence.
Seeing the plants thrive in the garden reminded me of the power of water.
As humans, we benefit just as much as plants from drinking water. Keeping ourselves hydrated throughout the day is like putting fuel in a car. It’s like recharging a mobile phone. If you find yourself lagging during the day, if your eyes itch or you are easily distracted, take a few sips of water.
You’ll find when you’re properly hydrated, decisions are easier to make. You’ll have more energy and feel more awake. I can also recommend cutting back on tea and coffee, these drinks will dehydrate you during the day. If you need help remembering to drink more water, set an alarm or ask me to be your accountability buddy.
This is how 2 litres of water helped in my recovery from my back injury and gave me the tools to help my garden survive. Water has helped build my strength and my confidence. It helps maintain my health and has been massively beneficial for me in many ways. I believe every problem has a resolution and I enjoy thinking outside the box, finding solutions for myself and my clients.
What simple thing in everyday life has helped you?
“Rachael is an excellent 4Sighter! I recently saw her 4Sight at Leek Breakfast and her story really made me reflect on ways I can stay focused when working from home. I’m now more aware of the breaks I’m taking and I’m making a conscious effort to drink more water! Thanks Rachael!” – Sarah Spicer, The English Coach, Macclesfield.
If you would like to hear my 4Sight in person with more details about my journey, surgery, recovery, the plants and the solutions I find for others, please give me a call on 07756 772950.
Over the last twelve months I’ve covered many different topics through the Focus Guru and RachaelChiverton blogs. Some of the blogs have been written to address common questions I’m asked about business and contracts and others have been about mindset, creating habits and making the best use of time.
End of year reflection, what have you achieved
Here is a re-cap of everything I’ve covered, from my Communications and Cashflow Workshop with James Perryman, to the business skills we can learn from our pets.
I’ve had some lovely feedback from clients in different sectors who are gaining huge benefits from the improved time management and streamlined processes I have helped to implement.
If I can help you or your staff with any business related issue, please contact me either by emailing rachael@rachaelchiverton.co.uk or by telephoning 07756 772950. I offer a free 15 minute consultation and will work with you to make small changes that make a big difference.
Thank you for sharing this year with me. As 2019 draws to a close, I hope to continue working with you, developing new strategies, boosting your social media presence, creating new habits and being accountable with sticking to them, writing your contracts and enhancing your processes and productivity. Let’s make 2020 your best year yet!
