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5 Tips to Making Money That You Can Do When You’re Not Tied to the Phone

By now, you as an entrepreneur know just how important phone calls are to your business. Curious callers dial your number to inquire about your services, and you’d cheerfully entertain their questions, and encourage them to try your company out.

This is exactly how curious callers become faithful patrons.

But you as an entrepreneur, know too that you can’t just sit on the desk to answer or make phone calls. You have to go out and meet people, deal with your employees’ concerns, hire the right staff, set short- and long-term goals — basically, duties that will help expand your business.

So while you delegate call screening, phone answering, outbound calling, and accurate message taking to the right people i.e. great and affordable virtual receptionists, you’ll have some time to make use of productively and profitably. It’s a win-win situation.

Here are five tips to making money that you can do when you’re not tied to the phone:

1. Explore your business’ online and offline marketing strategies

When was the last time you checked your brochures? Do your calling cards need a facelift? Are the information and services there up to date? Do you give free stuff away to promote your brand? Have you redesigned your website in the last 5 years? Is it mobile-friendly? Do you have a Facebook page? Do you participate in trade fairs or expos?

It’s a great idea to make sure that your online and offline marketing strategies are not only updated but are on point, cohesive and well connected. For an example, if you are going to have a booth at a trade show, come up with a marketing plan that would:

Use your social media channels to tell your people that you’ll be at the trade show, and give them a heads up if you’re giving away free stuff there.

Blog about the event, and invite industry bloggers to be part of the event as well.

Give a special incentive to your social media followers if they stop by the event.

Set up a fun activity that would encourage your event attendees to share their experiences on social media, preferably with a fun hashtag, too.

These will all work together to connect you to a larger audience and will lead to a bigger profit.

2. Attend seminars, symposia, and conferences

Attending seminars and conferences will give you access to helpful knowledge that will help better your business in key aspects, such as sales development, getting the most out of technology for your company, and best practices, to name a few. This will lead to productivity and profitability when properly applied.

And if garnering skills and know-how aren’t enough, you’ll also get the chance to meet and build relationships with insightful and experienced speakers and industry leaders. Plus, such events are teeming with entrepreneurs like yourself — which means you’ll get to expand your network and maybe even spark up mutually beneficial partnerships. This is a great place to put your new calling cards to good use.

Waiting a few weeks before the next interesting seminar? Consider watching a few interesting Ted talks about businesses to make for a more productive (and fruitful) wait.

3. Focus on your team

With a few extra hours of solace in the office, you’ll get the chance to focus on the valuable assets that are your employees. Studies (and experience) show that happy employees are more productive, hence, it’s important to keep everyone on your team joyfully contented.

Do you delegate responsibilities to capable employees? Are there opportunities for growth in the company? Are employees’ skills matched well to the tasks they’re assigned to? Are hours spent in the office properly optimized? Do you have regular programs that aim to boost employee morale? Do you regularly give incentives or a sincere pat on the back for a job well done? Assess these key points and see where you can make reasonable adjustments.

When employees are happy, there is a reduced absence and staff turnover rate, so keep them smiling!

4. Don’t Forget About Yourself

During the time you’re making sure that you’re keeping others happy, add one important person to the list — yourself!  Only 20% of adults in the U.S. are meeting the government’s physical activity recommendations, which is at least 2 ½ hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 1 hour and 15 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity.

Make sure that you’re part of the healthy statistic. After all, a fit, energetic entrepreneur makes sound business decisions.

When was the last time you exercised? Being in top physical health will give you a daily boost of energy and laser-like focus that will help you constantly make creative, intelligent judgments. Do you have a routine? Successful people adhere to strict daily routines that keep them productive and at the top of their industries.  Waking up early (say, around 5 or 6 a.m. every day) will help enhance your willpower and of course, keeping hydrated will keep you energized. Keep healthy snacks such as nuts and fruits at arms’ length and take breaks to stand up and stretch.

Make keeping active a priority, and you and your business will reap the benefits.

5. Check your systems, processes

While a phone is not cradled between your shoulder and chin, you’ll have time to check how your operations work, and if the systems and processes involved can be tweaked or improved. Efficient processes not only save time and money but also help boost profits in the long run.

Are all the steps in the current system absolutely necessary or is there a faster, more logical way of getting things done? Are you going over budget? Do your employees tend to over-service?  Is there a better way of delivering your products? Is there a way to make your process more customized or buyer-centric? How long does the process usually take?

Sit down and observe how your current systems and processes are, identify pain points and list down possible solutions for each one. Implement, observe, and measure outcomes.
So make the most out of your hours away from the phone and apply these 5 action items. Silence is truly golden when it’s used for your business’s profit.

  • blog

5 Areas In Your Business Where You Might Be Losing Money

It is the goal of any (sane) hardworking entrepreneur to get the most amount of profit at all times. Granted, you have a kick-ass service or a life-changing product, but if you’re business is losing money faster than it can make more moola, that is not good. And that is an understatement.

It’s time to look at five key areas in your business where you might need to put a cork in to stop your hard-earned money from leaking out.

It pays to do your research before you start putting items in your shopping cart, virtual or otherwise. Look for good deals online. Check reviews. Get online coupons. Be open to trying different stores or sites. Change is good if it will lead to wiser spending habits.

Scout prices between different stores or sites. You might be buying your monthly supply of ink for $10 more. That’s $120 you could have saved in a year.

Don’t be afraid to buy in bulk, especially items that you regularly use, such as printer paper. Not only are items cheaper when bought in bulk, but you’ll also save on shipping costs.

Check your supply cabinet regularly and you may just find silent culprits inside. Do you absolutely need three big boxes of post-its? Save money by going digital. There are several note-taking apps that make life easier (and cheaper) such as Evernote and One Note.

Speaking of supplies — please mind the power supply. Always turn off the computer and unplug it before leaving the office. Laptops and desktops consume wattage even on standby mode, and the cumulative costs take up about 5 to 10% of your yearly energy costs.

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Is your office space big enough? Too big, even? Earn some extra money by leasing desk space. Who knows, you may broaden your business network (or maybe even your personal one) by sharing your work space with other professionals.  

Considering the nature of your business, where is your business located? Assess if you need to bring your business downtown, or would it still work in an area with cheaper rental costs? Say, rent a space in Long Island City, instead of 5th Ave.

Or better yet, ask yourself, do you even need to rent office space? If your business can operate with your employees working from home, not only will you save money on rent, but with electric and supply costs as well.

Give them the chance to prove that they can effectively close business deals in their pajamas and you’ll be known as a cool company forever (that has saved so much money).

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It’s always a good idea to evaluate your processes in the office.

Cut back on unproductive meetings. These meetings run anywhere between 2 to 4 hours — time that could have been spent getting new clients or embellishing your marketing campaign. Instead, send important company-wide announcements and reminders via e-mail.

When it comes to attending seminars, do you really need to send the whole marketing team out? Consider sending the team lead and have him or her cascade the seminar’s main points to the whole team. Save on money but not on the learnings.

Check each department’s processes. Improper accounting methods can easily cause you thousands of dollars. Find out if there are duplicities in how your employees conduct work and educate them on how this can be avoided.

Set systems that work best for your company, and adjust accordingly when the need comes.  

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Remember the days when you had to buy time on television or purchase newspaper or magazine space to get your product or service out there? Of course, these options are still available for the bigwigs, but for your startup, it may not be the best choice.

You can effectively promote your business using free social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, to name a few. Increase your network, build your brand’s image, and create an effective support system for your clientele for zero dollars.

Before you buy that insanely expensive editing software, check out free resources first. You can create nice shareable graphics and video materials for your social media pages using free image creating tools such as Pablo, Canva, or Skitch if you’re using Mac.

Awesome things can be created with free tools, especially if such are being utilized by the right hands. Which leads us to our next point.

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Your workforce can make or break your business, hence it is of utmost importance that you select the best people. Make routine performance assessments. Check your people’s skills and performance. Do they come on time? Are they reliable? If time at work is not used productively, that equates to serious dough going out the door.

Talk to employees who are not meeting goals one-on-one and offer to find ways to help them out. After you’ve done all that you could and results are still not favorable, you can always decide to find better people.

But if you have the best possible people based on their work ethic and performance, don’t skimp on them! Value your employees well and give them the salary they deserve. You’ll save money in the long run.

Find more affordable help without sacrificing quality performance by outsourcing jobs. Fielding calls, assisting customers, scheduling appointments — these could all be done outside the office for way cheaper. Discourteous receptionists can drive away old and new clients, so make sure that you hire the right people to be your business’ frontliners.

  • Uncategorized

7 Reasons Why Hiring a Virtual Receptionist Makes Logical, Financial Sense

In today’s tech-savvy times, we can order Indonesian takeout food with a click of a button. We can purchase a venti mochaccino with a quick scan of our iPhones.

Granted, it’s not how Back to the Future described it to be, but you have to admit, it’s a pretty great time to be alive — technologically speaking.

Of course, today’s wonders are not limited to acquiring sustenance and much-needed caffeine.

Technology has given us the ability to have our calls answered by friendly folks who work outside the four walls of our offices. These helpful men and women are called virtual receptionists, and they are all the rage with small-medium businesses — and for good reason, too.

If you haven’t heard of virtual receptionists yet and what they can offer a company, we’ve listed down 7 compelling reasons why hiring one would make logical, financial sense:

  • blog

Say Hello to the Ultimate Guide to Phone Etiquette!

“Hello, it’s me. I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet,” Adele beautifully croons. Meanwhile, a millennial somewhere on 5th Ave. wonders why anyone would want to pick up the phone to make a call anymore.

Hello, (90’s reference) why not? Phone calls have helped mankind achieve great things.

Watch any political drama and you’re bound to find someone in a suit engaged in a serious phone call, looking all intense, and dropping a gasp-inducing line or two before it cuts to a Super Bowl commercial.  

Phone calls are an essential part of our lives. And you’d think that we would have perfected how we make and receive phone calls by now. But alas, we are, after all human. And we need reminding every now and again. And again. And again.

And so we have compiled the ultimate guide to phone etiquette for you good folks (or for that one particular officemate that just absolutely needs constant reminding.)

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  • Start with a Smile

Nothing beats handling a call with a genuine smile. The party on the other line will always be able to tell if you’re smiling because:

  • Your voice quality improves
  • You give off a “I want to help” vibe
  • You’re simply easier to converse with

So use your facial muscles wisely and smile before you reach for the receiver.

  • Keep it Clear and Focused

A clear voice goes a long way. Some would think that it’s obvious not to pick up the phone while eating, drinking, or chomping on gum, but believe us when we say that it happens far too often to not be reiterated.  

Also, give your caller your undivided attention. So if Janice from Accounting suddenly wants to chat, politely put the caller on a brief hold and tell Janice that you’ll drop by her cubicle after the phone call. Pro tip: take the courteous route and let the caller hang up first when you’re done conversing.

  •  Use a Normal Tone of Voice

It’s not easy to talk to someone who uses a tone of voice that rivals nails scratching a chalkboard so keep your tone positive and relaxed. Some experts suggest using a lower register of one’s normal speaking voice when talking on the phone. Emphasis on “normal speaking voice”. Don’t go fake super bass on your callers or you’ll scare them away.

  •  Mind the Ring and the Ringer

No, we’re not talking about the one on your hand (that’s for another blog, or maybe a copy of Cosmo). It’s advisable to pick up a call on the second or third ring. Picking up the phone on the first ring may startle your caller, while letting it ring for a long time may cause understandable frustration.

Speaking of all things startling: it’s good that you’ve decided to finally personalize your caller ringtone, but did you really have to choose Sir Mixalot’s “I Like Big Butts”? You can do better than that. Think of the kids. We have faith in you.

  • Keep Voicemails and Hold Times Short

Keep your voicemail message short and sweet if you have a lot to say, consider sending an e-mail instead. Make sure that you talk slow and state:

  • Your name
  • A very brief explanation of why you’re calling
  • Your call back information

If you’re on the receiving end, ask if they’d rather leave a voicemail message before putting them on hold. If they’d rather not, pick up the phone and talk to them every 40-60 seconds. Let them know that a zombie invasion has not happened yet and that there’s a light at the end of the long hold.

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  • Keep the Volume Low

Remember to respect those around you by not speaking at the top of your lungs while you’re on the phone. It’s not good for your voicebox, and it’s not good for everyone else’s eardrums. Mind the volume when you’re in public. Politely tell your caller that you’ll call back when you’re in a better location.

  • Keep Personal Matters Personal

Not everyone and we can’t seem to stress this enough wants to hear the full, gory details of your latest office drama or boyfriend woes. So never discuss personal stories, especially when you’re in mass transit, or in enclosed space with other people, like the elevator. It’s better to talk about personal things in private, preferably with a tub or two of your favorite ice cream. And a box or two of your favorite pizzas.

  • Keep it Off the Table

Whether you’re eating out on a fancy meal somewhere in Hell’s Kitchen, or enjoying a Big Mac in Brooklyn, never put your phone on the table. Keep it in your bag and remember to put it on silent or vibrate. Remember that there’s life outside your mobile phone, and it may be staring you right in the face, secret sauce charmingly smeared on his or her cheek. If it’s an emergency, politely excuse yourself and take the call away from the table.

  • Keep it Away While Driving

Okay, this is an intervention. We care about you and the lives of others. So never, ever talk on the phone while driving. And don’t even get us started on texting while driving. Almost 10 people die and more than a thousand get injured on a daily basis due to distracted driving.

If you absolutely need to call someone, pull over on the side of the road first before reaching for your phone. Your life and the lives of others are more important than the most important phone call you could think of. Yes, that includes a call from the Queen, the POTUS, and Johnny Depp.

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  • Jot It Down

Before making a call, jot down important questions that you’d need answers to, or vital points that you’d need to discuss. Not only will it save you precious time, but you’ll sound prepared and professional. If you’re taking a message for someone, make sure that it’s as detailed as possible. Politely ask how a name is spelled out (“Would you mind spelling that out for me, please?”) or repeat call back information. Your officemates would love you for it.

  • Remember Your Non-Verbals

70% of the time, and that’s a huge chunk by the way, we communicate. And communication is not just about speaking: a large part of it involves non-verbal aspects such as facial reactions and gestures. And unless you’re on a video call, you won’t have access to such non-verbals over the phone. This is where effective listening comes in. Remember to keep focused, give the other party a chance to speak, and don’t interrupt.

  • Be Picky About Words

We’ve all been in a situation wherein we need to badly talk to someone over the phone. And we’ve all had to hear  “I don’t know,” “I literally have no idea,” or worse, “Who? I don’t know who that is, so, like, I don’t know what to tell you right now? So, yeah, bye.”  

Be picky about your choice of words. “I’d be glad to check that for you,” or “Let me see what I can do to help you out. Would you mind if I put you on a brief hold?” sounds way better and more helpful. Treat your callers as royalty, and they’d be doing you the same.

Pro-tip: Go for standards. Yes, not yeah. Phone number, not digits.

  • Anticipate Callers’ Needs

Being helpful is a skill that will put you in good stead for the rest of your life, over the phone or otherwise. As you answer calls daily, you’ll get to know regular callers better. And if you let your helpfulness and proactiveness kick in, you’ll be able to anticipate your callers’ needs and be of better assistance. It will save you time, energy, and build better business or personal relationships.

  • Manners Maketh Man

Of course, not everyone you speak with on the phone is a saint. From time to time, you’ll get a caller who will be impatient and just plain rude. And no matter how downright villainous the person on the other line is, resist the urge to snap back. Mind your good manners and right conduct. Don’t slam the receiver. Don’t mutter under your breath. And whatever you do, don’t curse!

  • blog

7 Timeline-Based Tips to Successful Event Planning

Time check: 2 hours, 13 minutes before the event starts.
As of right now, there’s still no word from the caterer, the chairs haven’t been delivered yet, you just found out that one of the keynote speakers is down with the flu, and the host is still stuck in traffic.
That’s right — just 2 hours, 13 minutes before your company’s worst event nightmare is realized.
Wouldn’t it be a more perfect world if all our events went exactly as planned?
Yes, event planning is back-breaking business. You obviously want your company or brand’s event to make a great impression, regardless if it’s relatively small or one of a grander scale.
And as with all tough tasks, we need all the help we can get to make it as smooth sailing as possible.
We’ve compiled 7 timeline-based tips every event planner should keep in mind:
No. 1 — Determine the Need for an Event
(4-6 MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT)

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There are many whys and whats an event planner needs to satisfy. Why is there a need to hold an event? What is the main objective? Who would be working on it? Is there a budget? If you won’t be able to answer these important questions (and more), then you may want to rethink if you’d like to push through with it.

But if you were able to answer all the preliminary queries about your event without breaking a sweat, then you need to start preparing for it 4-6 months prior.

At this point, make sure that you:

✓ Have an event committee and chairperson
✓ Establish each committee member’s role and responsibilities
✓ Schedule regular committee meetings (and don’t forget the minutes of the meeting!)
✓ Allocate a budget
✓ Determine the type of event (is it a formal fund-raiser? A product launch? A business dinner?)
✓ Pick an event date
✓ Book your venue
✓ Identify and book your speaker (if you need one), hosts, and special guests
✓ Identify corporate sponsors and request for their logos (for banners)
✓ Determine the guest list

No. 2 — Contact and Communicate
(3-5 MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT)

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We can’t stress this enough — the key to a successful event is constant and clear communication. And 3-5 months before the event, it’s normal for the initial excitement to dissipate for some of your team members.

Also, this is the best time to contact people and businesses who will work with you during the event.

At this point, make sure that you:

✓ Have all your communication collaterals created, printed, readied and sent out (to those that apply). And by this, we mean:

  • Formal Invitations
  • Save-the-date cards
  • Email invites
  • Social media announcements
  • Event map or directions to reach the event venue from different routes
  • Pre-event posters
  • Banners (to be put up during the event)
  • Signages for pedestrians and vehicles (ask your venue what they would allow/require)
  • Registration template
  • Write your event programme
  • Have a publicity plan (utilize social media channels to create hype or contact local press to write about your event to generate hype)
  • Have press release articles written, checked, and distributed
  • Plan for promo items or giveaways to VIPs and guests

✓ Get documented arrangements with important vendors who handle:

  • Chairs, tables, podium (if they are not provided by the venue)
  • Audiovisual equipment (lighting, projector, computer, sound system)
  • Decorations (flower arrangements, stage design, etc.)
  • Catering (get a menu plan, schedule menu tasting if needed)
  • Entertainment (will there be a live band?)
  • Ushering and guest relations
  • Safety and security
  • Transportation (will you offer free shuttle services to and from the venue?)
  • Parking
  • Photography and videography (look specifically for photographers/videographers with event coverage experience)

No. 3 — Find and Furnish
(1-2 MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT)

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With just a few weeks of breathing room, arrangements for the event should already be in order. This is the perfect time to review the complete event plan with the whole planning committee and look for anything you’ve missed. Get your magnifying glasses and polish up your event plan.

At this point, make sure that you:

✓ Assign and document point persons who will be in charge of communicating with each vendor
✓ Finalize your event programme AKA master plan
✓ Create a list of ushers, organizers, and everyone else who will be working on the day of the event
✓ Create a seating chart for guests
✓ Purchase giveaways
✓ Create your guest speaker’s speech (or write key notes that he or she can discuss)
✓ Review all your security and parking arrangements
✓ Start designing table names for guests

No. 4 — Confirm and Anticipate
(1 WEEK BEFORE THE EVENT)

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The event is fast approaching — you’re on the seven-day countdown! Take this time to lock down documented confirmations for all your arrangements. This is also the time to anticipate all the things that could possibly happen (or go wrong) and create contingency plans. Get your thinking caps and put your brains on percolate.

At this point, make sure that you:

✓ Have confirmations for all arrangements with vendors via your team’s assigned point persons
✓ Confirm the final guest count and forward it to the caterer (it’s a good idea to add at least 10 extra meals and seats than the confirmed count)
✓ Print badges for ushers, IDs for organizers, registration documentation, seating charts and plates
✓ Have a list of backup ushers, organizers, and volunteers
✓ Brief all concerned parties of their respective roles before, during and after the event
✓ Confirm media/ local press’ attendance

No. 5 — Finalize and Tweak
(1 DAY BEFORE THE EVENT)

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The big day is on the morrow! And if you’ve followed your master plan to the T, you should be able to get a good night’s rest tonight. But before you do, take the whole day to finalize all aspects of your plan and make it stellar. It’s time to make last minute adjustments and tweaks to your event’s needs.

At this point, make sure that:

✓ You check all signages, tables, chairs, decoration, and audiovisual needs are in place in the venue.
✓ Ensure that all giveaways are packed, ready to be distributed, and are on-site
✓ The registration table is stocked with all necessary documents/ items
✓ Send reminder emails to local press/media attending the event
✓ All organizers and point persons have a copy of the event programme, including: special instructions, important phone numbers, guest and VIP lists, and seating charts

No. 6 — The Big Day!
(DURING THE EVENT)

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Today’s the day! The months of hard work comes down to this day. To keep things as organized and as stress-free as possible for you and your whole team, you should arrive early at the venue and have a meeting/pep talk before the event starts. All point persons should make sure that their designations are all set.

At this point, make sure that:

✓ All point persons are on top of their designations and are ready to give a brief status report
✓ All audiovisual and lighting equipment are working
✓ Re-check tables, chairs, decorations, etc.
✓ Catered food quantity and quality are checked
✓ Vendors’ attendance are confirmed
✓ You have enjoy the event!

No. 7 — Evaluate and Elevate
(AFTER THE EVENT)

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The event has concluded successfully, and everyone has gone home with smiles on their faces, which is simply awesome. This is the perfect time to evaluate the event and list down points for improvement for the next one. And most importantly, give gratitude to all those who worked hard to make the event simply stellar.

At this point, make sure that you:

✓ Write personalized thank you notes to:

✓Event Team Organizers and Volunteers
✓Sponsors
✓Speakers
✓Guests
✓Media/ Local Press
✓Vendors

✓ Write a detailed evaluation of the event with suggestions for improvement
✓ Conduct a post-event survey with the whole team and with guests
✓ Create a post-event press release article and publish photos of event
✓ Gather all financial information related to the event, including receipts and reports

With these seven timeline-based tips, event planning will no longer be nightmarish. Who knows, if you master all these steps, you might even make a living out of it.

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The Top 3 Inbox Rules You Need To Set Up Today

What do we mean by this? Inbox rules can refer to a number of things. Do we refer to email inboxes or to voicemail inboxes? Are we referring to features that you should set up in the technology or self-limiting rules? The most important rules, as it were, are not limited to one specific category, so the ones on this list will be a mix of all of these. Still yet, here are the top three inbox rules you need to set up today.

Set Up Signatures

This is a super simple inbox rule to set up that can take your business interactions to a whole new level of professionalism. A signature that ends every email you send can provide the recipient of your email with a number of important pieces of information. It can inform them about the details of your position and how they should address you through your title. It can also provide them with other important contact information in case they need to send you information in another manner. Signatures, as you can probably see, can be very important.

Reply Promptly

This might seem like an obvious rule, but that does not mean that it isn’t important. By responding promptly to all messages, you establish a reputation that you care about your clients and business associates. This lets others know that, if they need business done quickly and correctly, they can contact you. Who doesn’t want that kind of a reputation?

Set Your Own Time Frame

This is more of a rule for your own well-being. You need to set your own time frame of when you are going to respond to messages. Obviously emergencies deserve to be responded to immediately, but you also need to give yourself some personal time that is not constantly connected to your messages. By establishing a time frame within which you will respond to messages, you provide yourself with a separation between work and your person life.

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Email Etiquette: Why Timely Responses Are Key

Digital communication values continue to grow, as do consumer expectations regarding response time. This day and age are no time to slacken the reins of etiquette. Your reputation and your business are on the line.

While a live voice may not be on the end of the line or standing before you, email communication requires equal attention. A timely response to email offers a key to the success of your company, building customer loyalty and profits of your bottom line. Response windows of less than 24 hours remain acceptable in the business sector. For issues not addressed within this time frame, it benefits you to send an email stating when you plan to send the information. Why the pressure?

Affects Your Reputation

Timely email response evokes a sense that you are dependable in those among those whom you are in communication. It earns respect. This truth applies to customers and colleagues and mentors. On the other hand, failure to consider timely response valuable damages your reputation and decreases your effectiveness.

Builds a Good Relationship

Communication is key to maintaining healthy relationships and, email extends that. By ignoring or responding late to an email fails to value the original sender. This powerful message reduces loyalty. In business, customers expect a reply and desire to be informed. Communication along these lines goes a long way in building loyal customers. It is even believed that maintaining a healthy relationship helps retain the client even in the event of the human mess up.

Forgiveness flows easier in an established relationship than in a non-existent one. In fact, moderate professional skill matched with excellent customer relations retains clients better than highly-skilled professionals paired with second-rate relationships. Timely responses to questions and inquiries and keeping customers informed goes a long way in building loyal relationships.

Improves Customer Satisfaction

In an Oracle study, half of all customers allow one week for a response before they take their business elsewhere. Studies indicate that clients express satisfaction with 24-hour email turnarounds. But the speed of change in technology continues to tighten these guidelines. In this culture of instant gratification, strive to stand out. Sure, 24 hours is acceptable, but four to eight hours or less makes an impression.

Your reputation, a good relationship, and improved customer satisfaction speak well of your business and promote your bottom line. Crazy how a dose of timely email response can accomplish all of that.

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Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career

All our lives we search high and low for what we consider to be a good job or career, and the ability to balance what we love to do at work with what we love outside of it. But, as Larry Smith notes in his TED Talk “Why You Will Fail to have a Great Career,” we are all going to do just that: fail.   Why? As Smith notes, it’s because good jobs are disappearing and are being replaced with high-stress, high-anxiety, work-obsessed careers – the kind of soul-sucking jobs that leave little to no room for pursuing your greatest interests and passions.

Unfortunately, these types of jobs are taking over, and there is no happy medium.   So, why are you going to fail to attain your dream job? The one that gives you hope and allows you to spread your wings like the high-flying, go-getting butterfly you know you can be? Excuses, excuses. You’re using your creativity in a self-sabotaging way by constructing excuses for not taking the necessary steps towards having a great career.

A short list of some of these excuses might help you better understand how you are impairing your own ability to take those steps and have a great career.

Excuse 1: Good jobs and careers, for the greater majority, are happened upon by luck. There’s no need to try because I’ll get lucky by standing around and waiting for a good career to fall into my lap. But, as Smith points out, “A good career is an impossibility, so that’s not going to work.”

Excuse 2: I don’t have a quirky niche to obsess over, and people with great careers have strong passions to consume them. If I’m too “normal,” I can’t have a desirable career.   Quirkiness goes hand in hand with being a genius. Geniuses are of a “weird” type, so if you’re not a genius, you will always fail to have a great career.

Excuse 3: Mommy and Daddy told me that if I work hard enough, I will succeed in having a great career. So, even though I’m unwilling to be lucky or change my entire personality, I will still have a shot! I’ll tell myself that I will work extremely hard, and end up living the life.

You know what? If you do want to work as hard as you possibly can, the world will give you that opportunity. Well, you know what else? You will still fail. Because having the opportunity to work REALLY hard has no bearing on having a great career.

Hard work with little payoff: the idea of the American Dream. Trying to obtain it is as realistic as having a great career. You can live to work, but if you’re not working to live you will never find satisfaction. Here is the dilemma that causes the excuses. The desire to have a great career while having the ability to balance it with the rest of your life.

The part of your life where the excuses come from, the part that tells you that because you value human relationships so much, you couldn’t possibly pull yourself away from them to go after the career you want.   But you tell yourself, despite all of the excuses, you have interests!   Sure, you have plenty of them.

Great, you’ve found one that you like more than the others. But is that enough to get you off the ground and into that great career of which you’ve been dreaming? The one you’re so interested in pursuing? No, because having an interest in something doesn’t compare to the passion you need to obtain the job that will sustain that interest. Passion, as Smith notes, is your greatest love. The love for the one interest that surpasses all others.

The one that engages you and inspires you to actually, finally, stop making excuses as to why you will fail to have a good job.   The reason you will never have a good job is because you’ve settled for the excuses you’ve made to stop you from reaching your goals. You’ve settled for having an interest rather than pursuing a passion. And, for those lucky ones who have found their passion and thought about running with it, guess what? You will still fail to have a great career.

You will fail because you will have come up with yet another excuse to deny yourself that great job you so desperately crave. All because you’ve let yourself fall into the trap of “unless.” The trap that triggers the fear of pursuing your passion, of trying and failing. You could have had a great career, if only you had stopped making excuses and pursued your passions. But you didn’t, and you won’t. Unless there is no “unless,” you will always fail to have a great career.

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10 Excuses You Need to Stop Saying

Business leaders often have a forward-thinking vision and defined plan to help them reach their long-term goals. Bidding farewell to these common excuses can help you take one step closer toward your personal goals and success.

“I didn’t give this enough time – I’ll get to it later.”

There is always enough time to make some progress on the project. Keep track of what you accomplished, the achieved results, and the time it took, so that the next time a similar project arises, you’ll be able to estimate the time it will take to complete.

“I don’t have the expertise or knowledge.”

Most people aren’t experts – until they are. There is a wide variety of easily accessible information. Take a few minutes each day to learn something new that you can incorporate into your projects and business.

“I don’t have enough money.”

Ideas don’t carry a price tag. Be willing to invest in yourself by researching some creative ways to fund your dream.

“I’m too young – or too old.”

Age should not be a deciding factor in taking the next step toward success. Children have grown profitable businesses and organizations by seeking out the wisdom and experience of their elders – who can put that same wisdom and experience to work in their own lives.

“It’s too hard.”

Thomas Edison once remarked that he didn’t fail to create the light bulb 1,000 times – creating the light bulb took 1,000 steps. Approaching the task at hand with a positive mindset helps you overcome difficult jobs and understand how that piece fits in the big picture.

“I’m too scared.”

Taking a step of faith can be scary and exhilarating. Focus on growth and seeking out positive, encouraging mentors and role models who have taken a similar path.

“I have no plan.”

Without direction, it can be hard to decide the next step. A strategic session and re-evaluation of your long-term goals, both personally and professionally, can help align your steps and guide your choices.

“I care about what people will think of me.”

These people are not paying your employees or bills. It can take humility and growth to set aside what people may say and work toward your planned vision. Think about why the opinions of others matter to you and make a decision to follow your dreams.

“I’ll get to it later.”

Prioritizing tasks can be difficult, but with a step-by-step plan to reach your vision, you will be able to accomplish the important tasks in a timely fashion.

“I’m too busy.”

Decide which tasks are tasks only you can complete – and which are tasks that you can seek help in accomplishing. Answering and returning phone calls, status updates and online scheduling are all time-consuming tasks that can be handled by a virtual receptionist, freeing you up to grow your business.

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Seven Hobbies That Make You Think Smarter and Faster

Everyone needs a hobby. There is nothing better than spending your downtime doing something you enjoy rather than something you have to do. Many hobbies are mindless and don’t allow you to accomplish anything. It is much better to choose a hobby that can be beneficial for you. Check out some of these hobbies that can actually make you think smarter and faster.

Learn to play a musical instrument

There are many benefits to playing a musical instrument. Learning music is a creative outlet that helps to build fine motor skills. It can help hone your analytical skills as well as improve your math and language abilities. Science has also proven that learning music helps to improve memory and builds problem-solving skills.

Read

Reading goes beyond looking at words on a page. Reading anything increases crystallised, fluid, and emotional intelligence. Readers learn how to problem-solve by putting pieces of evidence together. Readers also detect patterns and understand processes.  These are skills that are easily transferable to everyday life.

Exercise regularly

It is well known that exercising regularly has a profound effect on the human body. It also has a positive effect on the mind as well. When you exercise on a regular basis, your body is flooded with BDNF, which is a protein that helps with memory, focus, concentration and understanding. One great way to get exercise regularly if you don’t like going to the gym is by joining an organized sports team or club.

Learn a foreign language

Learning a foreign language requires many different parts of the brain to function simultaneously. Science has shown that people who are multi-lingual have more gray matter in their language centers than monolingual people do. Bilingual people can more easily focus on multiple tasks at the same time because the parts of the brain that relate to reasoning, planning, and memory are more developed.

Complete brain puzzles and games

Puzzles such as crosswords and Sudoku are forms of exercise for your brain. Like the other muscles in the body, the brain works better and faster when it is used in multiple ways. Playing games requires the brain to reorganize itself to respond in different ways. When you play games and work puzzles, the neuroplasticity is increased, and you are able to approach issues from different points of view.

Travel

Traveling to different places can help to increase your intelligence. The physical and mental work it requires to travel to different places helps to relieve stress and allows you to become more focused and observe what is around you. Each location you travel to also presents new opportunities to learn new information, putting you in touch with new cultures and ideas, thus making you a more well-rounded person.

Collect coins or other interesting objects

Collecting coins or other objects helps you to understand the world around you. Collecting specific items fosters creativity and requires mental focus. It also helps to increase organizational skills. Having an interest in something great enough to make it a hobby also helps a dedicated attitude that can spill over into other areas.

If you don’t have enough time to dedicate to a life-improving hobby, consider hiring a virtual receptionist. A virtual receptionist tackles the projects that you need to get done and focus on your day-to-day activities that cannot go by the wayside. Virtual receptionists are paragons of efficiency and dedication. Once you hire a virtual receptionist, you will be amazed at how much time you have to pick up a hobby that can further help you at the office. It’s a win/win situation. If you need more time for your hobbies, contact Gabbyville today and see how our virtual receptionists can make your life better.