Time Management Archives - Page 3 of 5

How networking with your dog can help you make new friends and business connections

If you told me I’d be attending networking meetings with Missy, my faithful furry canine friend, this year I don’t know if I’d have believed you. It was the introduction of the lockdown restrictions which forced the change from face to face business networking to the new virtual meetings taking place every day of the week. Now that networking takes place from my home-office, Missy can come to virtual meetings with me.

Missy lives in the moment, exploring everything as we should be doing in business — Missy comes to my networking events

As strange as it sounds, I have a bigger choice of meetings I can attend than ever before. Before the lockdown, travelling to multiple meetings in one day was both cost and time prohibitive. Now instead of spending hours in the car, I can spend more time with Missy and more time working on my business.

If anyone’s happy I’m spending more time at home, it’s Missy. She’s never far from my desk and always attentively looking for signs in my working day. She knows the second I’ve finished with a document and can stop for a tummy rub. She knows if I’m about to make a phone call, and of course, she knows when it’s time for walkies!

This brings me to a top networking tip. Always listen and listen attentively to the person you’re with. You never know where the conversation might lead. A great friend of mine, Stefan Thomas, has a saying that

“every big opportunity starts with a little conversation”

and this is so true. Dogs are great listeners. They pick up on verbal and non-verbal clues and with practice, we can too.

Another top tip I’ve learnt from Missy is that practice does make perfect. From learning to walk, to clean herself, to bark, to sit, lie down, roll over, offer her paw, Missy has plenty of patience and has learnt her skills to perfection. I only need to head for the coat cupboard and she’s by my side wagging her tail because she knows a walk is imminent.

Missy gives me a great excuse to leave my desk at least once a day for a good hour of exercise around our local park. Being outdoors in the fresh air is good for my health too. While we walk, we often meet other dog walkers and often meet the same dogs and their owners several times a week. We stop and chat and our dogs play together, chatting in their own way with lots of woofs, barks, and tail wagging.

This reminds me of my virtual business networking meetings, where I meet dozens of new people each week along with regular members of each group. Just like Missy, I stop and chat, listen and learn. I’m keen to find out more about each person and their businesses. I also keep an eye out for opportunities where we can perhaps work together and check my contacts to see if I can offer referrals or collaborations.

I’ve founded a new virtual networking group designed to bring dog lovers together from across the country. Whilst chatting about our businesses, our dogs also attend the meetings. With the relaxed, friendly format, some dogs sit on their owner’s lap, others curl up by their owner’s feet. The meetings attract dog owners, dog walkers, dog breeders, dog product manufacturers and even the owners of dog friendly hotels and accommodation.

It’s not essential to have your own dog to be able to come to a dog lovers meeting but lots of dogs do attend with their owners. Missy looks forward to the Friday afternoon meetings. She knows the dogs on screen are real and they are her friends even though she may never meet them in the park. Not everyone has a dog, but everyone is welcome.

If you’d like to come to a Dog Lovers Meeting, they are held every Friday at 2.30pm via Zoom. To receive the welcome message and Zoom link please book your place at https://www.4nonline.biz/book/search?keywords=dog or contact me on 07756 772950 if you’d like to know more.

How Much Have You Changed Your Business This Year?

At the beginning of 2020, the last thing on my mind was a worldwide lockdown. I hadn’t thought about the potential difficulties buying everyday items in the supermarket, or not being able to visit my Mum. Attending networking events and client meetings face to face was cancelled almost overnight. Looking back, could this have been predicted?

Take the dog for a walk - best habit — Spending extra time with Missy is a bonus

After the initial shock, annoyance, anger and panic, things are settling down into the “new normal”. We’re in a world where we can be even more connected than ever before. Instead of travelling to see friends, we can meet virtually, via Zoom, WhatsApp, Facebook, Skype, Houseparty and many different apps. It’s not the same, but it is essential for us as humans to keep in touch with each other.

With travel restrictions, have you needed to work from home? Has this revealed hidden benefits, such as financial savings on fuel, time savings on not travelling, spending more time with family? Have you missed your daily commute? How much have you changed this year?

The lockdown has made me rethink my working day. One of the big changes has been to rethink my networking routine. Instead of attending face to face breakfasts, lunches and evening meetings, I can “teleport” all around the country and abroad. I can meet people virtually, exchange ideas, support and advice. I’m doing business with people I might never have crossed paths with.

Being at home more has given me extra time to spend with my family, including my dog. She thinks it’s great I’m around all day! On Fridays she comes networking with me at a specially themed “Dog Lovers Meeting” which I run as part of the 4Networking Online National (and International) Business Networking Groups. She’s not the only dog there either. Everyone at this themed meeting either has a dog, works with dogs, or just loves dogs! It’s great fun and business happens as people get to know each other in this relaxed, friendly setting.

I’m also involved in the 4N Sunday Sesh (the UK’s first Sunday 4Networking group) for those of us who don’t keep Monday to Friday office hours, and also the 4N NW Group aimed at people in the North West but open to everyone. Each meeting provides the opportunity to meet business owners and decision makers in many different trades and industries.

Perhaps the most exciting new development in my networking world is the launch of 4N Down Under connecting business owners in the UK with business owners in Australia. Imagine the travel time and cost attending a meeting in Australia in person. Yet we can be connected for less than the price of a Hungry Jacks!

These are some of the key changes I’ve implemented in the last few months. I’m spending much more time online in Zoom meetings than ever before. It’s working. I’m still able to speak with my clients and help them with their business strategies and streamlining. I can offer my accountability services virtually to business owners and there are now even more opportunities to promote my work with Arbonne, helping friends, family and clients with botanically based skincare, make-up and nutrition.

If you’d like to find out more about taking your dog networking, my Focus Guru services or just fancy a chat, please give me a call on 07756 772950 or visit www.getfocus.guru.

Make It Easy To Schedule Your Social Media With “A Post A Day”

This is a new service I’m offering to help small business owners keep on top of their social media. Instead of posting messages on an ad-hoc basis, I can help to write and schedule your posts on a daily, weekly or fortnightly basis. It’s never been easier to take a hands-free approach to staying in your customer’s and prospective customer’s mind.

It's easy to stop social media overload — It’s easy to stop social media overload

How “A Post A Day” Works

It’s easy to get started with “A Post A Day”. With a simple phone call, I’ll ask questions about what you want to achieve with your posts, whether they are to inform, to educate or to entertain. We’ll chat about which social media platform will work best for you, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or multiple platforms. I want to be sure you get the most out of your posts so the phone call to research your aims and objectives is vital.

Why You Need “A Post A Day”

In social media today it’s increasingly difficult to stand out. By continuously posting new and original content the search engines will notice the steady stream of posts and award a higher status to your pages. Many small business owners simply don’t have the resources to dedicate the time and effort for doing all their marketing and social media in-house. If this is you, please get in touch and I will be happy to help.

How to Get Started

We’re all busy people so I’ve made it as easy as possible to get started with “A Post A Day”. You can get started today if you wish. I will run through the following steps and set up the scheduling to begin as soon as you’re ready.

Phone call to discuss which social media platform(s) will be the most suitable for your posts.
Choose the frequency, e.g. every day, weekdays only, weekly or fortnightly.
Decide if you wish your posts to be informative, educational, entertaining or a mixture of these.
Choose whether to add stock photography (or your own photos) to the posts, or use text only.
With these ingredients, the content will be created, and the schedule set up for you.

That’s it. As soon as we’ve chatted, working with my team, I’ll create the content and show you for your approval. Then your posts will be scheduled to go online at the time intervals you have chosen.

Everything is posted using your own social media accounts giving you full transparency and control over the posts. By posting on a regular basis you’re giving yourself and your business the best chance of being seen by your potential audience.

In 2019 there were 3.48 billion people online and realistically it would be impossible to put your message in front of everyone. This is where the targeted posts make the most of your marketing budget. Using “A Post A Day” will take the stress out of your social media.

If you’re going round in circles wondering what to write or whether people will see what you’ve posted, please give me a call on 07756 772950 or visit http://getfocus.guru/a-post-a-day and let’s get started.

Who can resist shopping and cake?

Shopping and cake. These are two of my favourite things. Are they yours? If you like shopping or cake, or both, come and join me at my “Celebrating 40 Years of Arbonne” event! It’s on from 7pm to 9pm on Monday the 16^th of March at Wet Led (Church Street, Macclesfield) and everyone’s welcome to come along.

At the event I’ll be showcasing some of the award-winning products created by Arbonne. So, if you fancy some pampering, come along! I’ll be able to show you some of the fabulous skincare cleansers, toners, moisturisers and creams to smooth out wrinkles and make your skin glow radiantly.

We can talk about the latest make-up trends, which colours are popular this season, and how to wear different types of make-up during the day and how to add special effects for evenings out.

I’ve noticed the Arbonne moisturising lip balms are extremely popular at this time of the year when it’s still cold outside. The soothing moisture lip balm with sustainable shea butter can be used on its own, or because it’s clear in colour, it can be used as a base layer to protect your lips before a coat of lipstick. Having chapped lips can be awkward for eating and speaking and this deceptively simple product can ease painful lips and boost your confidence.

Arbonne is a pioneer in plant-based, 100% vegan, cruelty-free products, created from sustainable sources and backed by both scientific and clinical research. I am proud to be a brand ambassador for this amazing company with its holistic values to improve the skin, body and mind, inside and outside.

I mentioned cake at the beginning and there will be plenty of cake at Wet Led on the 16^th of March. Lots of cake and lots of drinks as well! I’m hoping the evening will be filled with fun and laughter, chatting about everything from family to holidays, stories of adventures and most of all, bringing people together.

I hope anyone who arrives as a stranger will leave as a friend. My event “Celebrating 40 Years of Arbonne” is open to everyone however please confirm you’re coming (very important for cake supplies!) using the contact details below.

Celebrating 40 years of Arbonne – Hosted by Rachael Chiverton

Venue: Wet Led, Church Street, Macclesfield

Date: Monday 16^th March

Time: 7pm to 9pm

Please comment here if you can come along, or please give me a call on 07756 772950. If there are any Arbonne products you would like to purchase on the evening, please let me know on or by Friday 13^th of March. Any products can be ordered on the night for prompt delivery.

How to Spend More Time with Your Sweetheart on Valentine’s Day

On Friday the 14^th of February 2020 it’s Valentine’s Day. Since Roman times, this date has been set aside as a worldwide marker for romance. Love it or hate it, the 14^th of February is the day when couples publicly and privately celebrate their friendship and relationship with each other. It’s become a tradition for both men and women to exchange cards and gifts to show their true love for each other.

This leads to the question of how do you express true love in a gift? What does true love look like?

How much does it cost? You might even argue if true love costs nothing, why do we buy gifts?

The answer to this lies in the fact that we are busy people and don’t always take the time to appreciate those we love as much as we would like. We’re busy being parents, grandparents, running businesses, commuting, cooking, keeping the house tidy and much more. Even living under the same roof doesn’t guarantee quality time together.

But, in reality, it only takes a little preparation if you would like to spend more time with your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day. Instead of stopping at the garage on your way home to queue up for last-minute flowers, chocolates or wine, I can help you to plan ahead. I can help you save time buying presents, so you can spend more time with your sweetheart.

If you’re not sure what to buy and don’t want to get it wrong, let me help you to select a thoughtful and memorable gift he or she will appreciate. Please contact me to chat about their likes and dislikes and I will find the perfect gift. You can choose whether the gift is delivered to your door, or to their office if you want it to be a surprise.

Gifts for men are becoming as popular as gifts for women. Why should ladies be the only ones to receive the champagne and chocolates? Online surveys suggest 4 out of 5 Britons will buy their loved one a gift for Valentine’s Day with the average spend of around £30, slightly higher for men buying for women than women buying for men.

As an Arbonne Independent Consultant, I love this time of year. It means I can chat with my clients, men and women, about the latest make-up and skincare products they may wish to buy for their husband, wife, partner, girlfriend or boyfriend. There’s lots of choice and sensational gifts to suit every budget.

Valentine’s Day is also the perfect occasion to treat yourself to something new. For ladies, it might be a new lipstick, eyeshadow or bronzer. For men, it could be a grooming kit tailored with luxury products, ideal for whether you’re clean-shaven or bearded. Buying a soothing foot-pampering kit is a not-so-subtle hint that you’d like your feet massaged. Doesn’t that sound perfectly romantic?

From setting the mood with scented candles, to foot pampering, to stylish make-up for a glamorous date night, I can deliver the special ingredients you need for a great time together. There’s still time to contact me to find out more about the romantic gifts you can choose for your true love. I may not be Cupid, but I can give you great ideas for romantic Valentine’s Day true love gifts.

You can find out more by messaging me or calling 07756 772950. Valentine’s Day is the 14^th of February and there’s still time to have your romantic parcels delivered in time.

How becoming an Arbonne Independent Consultant helped me achieve more in my life.

We’re all looking for ways to get fitter and stay healthier, especially at this time of year when post-Christmas coughs and colds are everywhere around us. In previous years, it felt as though every germ, bug and lurgy was waiting around the corner trying to ambush me. But not anymore. There’s been a small but significant difference which I’d like to share with you.

You may have already heard of Arbonne and you may already be using their products. But if you haven’t, then please let me explain how this company has transformed my life in the last few months.

B Corporation Flourishing after 40 years

To start at the beginning, Arbonne is a world-leader in skincare, bath and body, nutrition and hair products used by men, women and children all around the world. You may already be using their products in your daily skincare routine. You may keep a fizz stick in your handbag to beat the mid-afternoon energy slump or have an Arbonne scented candle burning while you relax in the bath.

But if you haven’t heard of Arbonne, then please let me explain how I got involved and the genuine difference Arbonne has made for me. Put simply, I owe my involvement in becoming an Arbonne Independent Consultant to Vivien Hamilton, a lady I connected with online via LinkedIn, then met in person when I invited her to a 4Networking meeting.

Vivien’s company, Life Transformed with Arbonne, is a hugely successful business centred around providing Arbonne solutions to customers with different needs. From setting up Life Transformed with Arbonne to provide a flexible income after having children, Vivien now has a team of 28 people, including me.

I listened to Vivien’s story and learned how she was looking for an opportunity to have an income that would give her and her family choices in life and time together. These are things I wanted to achieve too, and I am sure there are many people in the same situation.

We chat most days via WhatsApp and Vivien drops in ideas to promote the gluten-free, 100% vegan certified products, in easy to achieve activities, such as running a pop-up shop, like the one I ran just before Christmas at Wet Led in Macclesfield.

I also talk about the sustainably sourced Arbonne products at the business networking meetings I attend. Over the last few months it has been interesting seeing people’s reactions to the different products I can offer. Some people are sceptical, and others can see the real-world benefits from changing to a holistic approach to beauty, health and wellbeing in their daily lives.

I asked Vivien for a quote to share in this blog about how she sees my role in her team and how I can grow with Arbonne to develop my business. This is what she said:

“I think Rachael will be really successful, she takes action and is very organised. She follows through on everything she says she will do. I can see her building her own team in the future and helping others succeed too.” – Vivien Hamilton, Life Transformed with Arbonne.

My aim is to share the knowledge I have gained in health, beauty and nutrition to help others. I have seen great results through friends and colleagues who have more energy and more vibrancy after changing to using Arbonne products. For my business clients, I can recommend Arbonne products as gifts for key clients and employee rewards.

There are many opportunities for me to promote Arbonne products as they can be used by all of us, old or young, male or female. I am grateful to have met Vivien Hamilton and to have discovered the philosophy embracing the connection between a healthier mind and a stronger body.

If you would like to know more about Arbonne and the products designed to improve your quality of life, please contact me either by emailing rachael@rachaelchiverton.co.uk or by telephoning 07756 772950. I will work with you to make small changes that will make a big difference.

Merry Christmas And End Of The Year Reflections

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.

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.

January

February

March

April

May

June

August

September

October

November

December

Relax and Buy Your Christmas Gifts at the Wet Led Pop Up Shop
How to look after yourself and your business in the Christmas party season
How To Schedule Your Social Media So You Can Spend More Time Doing What You Want
Merry Christmas And End Of The Year Reflections

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!

How To Schedule Your Social Media So You Can Spend More Time Doing What You Want

Social media is arguably the most powerful way to transmit your message around the world in seconds. From the moment you think it, you can type it, speak it, video it and within the blink of an eye your message is online for anyone to read, listen to or watch.

If you want to be seen, social media is a great way to publish news about yourself and your business. Writing a post about taking on a new employee, launching a new product, or attending an event, are popular messages to broadcast.

As soon as your post is online, your message is instantly available to people in your circle of friends and connections. Using relaxed privacy settings, friends of friends can view your posts and, if you choose, your message can be broadcast to the world at large.

But, keep in mind your posts aren’t the only posts on the Internet. How will someone see your news above your competitor’s news? Why would someone want to follow your company? How will it benefit them?

If you want to be remembered, it’s important to keep posting new items, new stories and new news that your viewers can absorb. It takes time to remember someone and even longer if there are lots of things to remember at once.

With the quantity of information online, to be remembered takes consistent effort to keep your message at the front of people’s minds.

It’s no longer enough to post once a month as your message will be seen by several people, then pushed further down in their memory as new content from other people supersedes your message. Even posting once a week is having a limited effect for many businesses.

Building up a loyal following takes time and each time you post, the content must add value to the reader, the listener or the watcher. It must inform or entertain. Or both. You may remember the last video clip you watched, or the last Live you watched. Or, as quickly as you watched it, the content perhaps made you think or laugh, and then it was forgotten.

So, the consistency of posting then becomes important. Creating a post a day across different platforms is the consistent way to keep your message at the top of people’s minds. If they need a window cleaner, they’ll think of you. If they need a new car, they’ll think of you. Or an accountant, web designer, solicitor etc. they will think of you. Social media is available for every type of business.

If you don’t think you have enough news to share or are concerned people may find what you do boring, this isn’t the case. There is always something to write. It could relate to trending news, or an anniversary, or to something that’s happened in your working day. Your daily post could mention upcoming events, promotions, awards, functions, legislation changes, motivational quotes.

Anything that could be of value to your audience is worth posting.

But creating content isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. This is where I can help you with the writing and scheduling of your social media to free up your time for the things you want to do. Creating interesting, quality content and scheduling the consistent release of new news and information is a simple way to add lasting value to your social media presence.

Launching this month, I am happy to share my new service called “A Post A Day” which is available to individuals and business owners who want to enhance their social media presence with consistent quality posts every day.

For more information and details about signing up for a trial, please visit https://getfocus.guru/a-post-a-day or call me on 07756 772950 and I can answer any questions about this exciting new service available for your business.

Relax and Buy Your Christmas Gifts at the Wet Led Pop Up Shop

Are you finding Christmas shopping a little bit stressful? Or are you guilty of putting it off altogether? Don’t worry, you’re not alone and I have the perfect solution for you!

Many people spend more money on Christmas gifts and activities in December than they spend in all of the other months combined. This could be to do with buying something for everyone all at once, rather than staggering purchases throughout the year. It could be to do with the constant TV advertising reminding us the holidays are coming. Then there’s the peer pressure to have the latest gadgets and technology.

With this in mind, wouldn’t it be nice to relax and buy everything you need in a friendly, no-pressure atmosphere? To say, “Cheers to Christmas”, raise a glass with your friends and get some Christmas presents purchased at the same time?

If this sounds like a great idea and you’re in the Macclesfield area, come and join me at the Wet Led pop-up shopping experience on Thursday the 19^th of December. I’ll be there with my pop-up shop and I know you’ll find top quality gifts at great prices. You can even have a drink in your hand while you browse.

I’ll have some of my favourite gifts on sale including the “Pampermint Foot Care Gift Set”, “Mulled Cider Hand Care Duo” and a “Hangover Cure Party Season First Aid Kit” which promises five steps to a better morning after!

All of the gifts in my pop-up shop are formulated from quality natural ingredients and are sustainably sourced. They are plant based, cruelty-free gifts and don’t contain artificial colours or fragrances. From pocket money stocking fillers to full beauty sets and pamper packs the range of gifts is sure to catch your eye.

Did I mention you can enjoy a drink while browsing? Whether you prefer a winter-warming whisky, a cold beer, a traditional glass of Glühwein or a cup of coffee, you’ll be able to relax and get into the Christmas shopping spirit, without leaving the bar.

The pop-up shop is open on Thursday the 19^th of December from 5pm to 6.30pm at the Wet Led bar in Church Street, Macclesfield. This is a free event and everyone’s welcome. For more information please contact me on 07756 772950.

Will Outsourcing Your Admin Help You Grow Your Business?

If you’re a small business owner, it might seem an extravagant luxury to outsource your admin. The thought of someone else filing your receipts, invoicing your day’s work or chasing a payment, might feel too small to warrant delegating to someone else.

You might feel you can do it better, or it just takes five minutes, they’ll make a mistake, it’ll take longer to explain, or think you can’t afford it right now. These comments are extremely common, but the reality is unless you’re superhuman, you can’t do it all by yourself forever.

How outsourcing can help grow your business

There comes a point when it genuinely makes more sense to outsource the admin tasks than to persevere doing everything yourself. That mountain of paperwork can disappear off your desk. All those receipts you’ve stuffed in a box can be organised neatly by name and by date. You don’t need to worry about picking up the phone to chase for a late payment because it’s all done for you.

Warning Signs

From speaking with clients there are some common warning signs that the overload of admin is stifling the growth of their business. If you identify with any of these then outsourcing some of your admin tasks is definitely worth considering.

Have you missed meeting friends because you’ve needed to catch up with your paperwork?
Do you stay up late answering emails, sending out quotes, or doing your accounts?
Has your partner commented that you’re always working and they don’t see you as much as they would like?
Do you feel stressed about how much paperwork your business seems to need?

Left unchecked, these warning signs can escalate into bigger problems which can go on to affect your health and wellbeing and give concern to your family and those who care about you. This is the reason why it’s important to make your time count. If you can outsource your admin, you’ll find you do have more time to spend on the things you want to do.

So, my question to you is simple:

Will outsourcing your admin help your business grow?

For many people the answer is yes! I have been helping Steven Wade from Full Moon Coaching with some of his admin tasks over the last few months and he has seen some amazing results.

Example

Steven came to me saying he’d been working hard with clients to the point where he didn’t have the time to keep on top of his admin and it had built up to a mountain of receipts and a jumble of paperwork which needed sorting. He knew the end of the tax year was coming and told me he’d been dragging his feet.

“Rachael told me to ‘eat that frog’. I needed to bite the bullet and get something done about my paperwork. I know I can earn more in the time not organising and typing up the receipts than if I was to do this myself. Rachael is professional and organised. She takes the pressure off and gets the job done.” – Steven Wade, Full Moon Coaching.

Steven gave me a huge box of unorganised receipts. There were receipts for business and personal expenses to separate and receipts dating back several months where nothing had been done with them since the items had been purchased.

To enable Steven to focus on his business I separated the business and personal receipts and organised them by date and supplier into clearly labelled folders for easy accessibility. This seemingly small task made his tax return and end of year accounts much easier. It also gave Steven an easy way to add new receipts into the folders to keep things simpler going forward.

Outcome

“With Rachael’s help, the new system is efficient and manageable. It’s a huge weight off my shoulders knowing the background jobs are getting done. I can focus on my clients, meeting people and running my business.” – Steven Wade, Full Moon Coaching.

I enjoy restoring order to admin chaos and believe it’s possible to turn the most disorganised of filing systems into smart, efficient, easy to use systems which will increase your productivity. It will certainly save time at the end of the tax year knowing your receipts and expenses are available at the click of a button.

It can also help with the smooth running of your business if your daily, weekly and monthly expenses are available in graphs and charts to predict your outgoings and cashflow. When using my services, I can promise you confidentiality, accuracy and honest suggestions for improvement.

If, like Steven, you have piles of receipts that need sorting, or any admin headaches you would like cured, please get in touch on 07756 772950 or visit getfocus.guru and I will be happy to help.