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Close to the end of the year as we are, you are probably working very hard at getting all your projects finished before the 31st. Here is a 30-second time management method that will give you a boost of productivity, while requiring almost no set up, and that works whether you are a busy executive or a busy stay-at-home mom. No long explanation this week, so let’s dive immediately into it: Read the rest of this entry »
It is easy today to use the clothes you have in your closet to create both casual and going-out styles. It is even possible to turn daytime clothes into evening wear simply by using well-chosen accessories. Knowing how to mix and match clothes to change your style according to circumstances is something we all need to possess.
Casual wear can easily turned into chic and trendy outfits by mixing them with higher-end or evening elements. Read the rest of this entry »
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If there is a to-do-free solution to mastering your day, I’ll find it, but I suspect there isn’t, which leaves us with the trusty daily to-do list as an essential tool to mastering our days.
However, to-do lists are not created equal in terms of helping us get things done, and most importantly getting the right things done. Some are so boring you want to cry just looking at them, so last year, for the holidays, I gave you a wealth of different formats for your task list, so you can find one that inspires you to make your to-do list and to use it too. But format is just one of the steps to make your to-do list productive for you.
HOW you write it and WHAT you write (format-wise) is just as important for success, Read the rest of this entry »
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One day, I was explaining to a client the downsides of chronic stress on productivity when he made a remark that stopped me in my tracks:
“It’s interesting, because I’ve always felt that I work better when I’m under pressure or on a deadline.”
I had heard this said in a form or another several times in the past, but had dismissed it with a “it’s different. It’s all in the intensity.” That time, though, I stopped to really think about it. Why was it that, whenever I talked about reducing the stress of coming up to a deadline by starting the project well ahead, several clients had initially reacted with a “but I work better when a deadline is looming”? Read the rest of this entry »
The holiday season (aka the last two months of the year), are the most stressful time of the year. So says the majority of Americans. And since it’s stressful every year, that’s the way it is, and the way it will be, no way around it. Or is it?
It’s not. And it breaks my heart every time I hear someone say that this is just the way it is, because it’s so painful to live through, and so easy to change. Stress is something that can easily be managed – better, mastered – and with little effort, even during the holiday season. We’re just not taught how to do it. Read the rest of this entry »
My friend Michele Risa, over at BodyMindSpirit, posted these very useful tips on her website today:
Here are 4 things that you may not know that you can do with your cell phone.
FIRST (Emergency) Read the rest of this entry »
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CRM or Contact/Client Relationship Management is something we hear about more and more, even for the smallest businesses. Yet most of the CRM solutions I’ve seen – Act!, salesforce, etc. – are often too complex for the person who is not either managing or part of a full-time sales team, and most definitely for the people who just want some reminders to touch base with a person.
I know, because you have told me so, that a lot of you want a system, but something that is simple and intuitive.
I had a couple of solutions I like, such as oprius, but there is now a free, simple solution: Gmail, associated with some free plugins. John Jantsch, at Duct Tape Marketing, tells us how to make it work.
I haven’t tested it yet, but this seems to fit the bill quite well, at a price that can’t be beat.
Let me know how it works for you!
My clients are often surprised when I ask them about the quantity and quality of their sleep, even though sleep is one of the most powerful weapons we have in our arsenal for productivity – and for happiness too.
I myself fell prey to the seduction of making more time by sleeping less…
When my son was younger and I was developing my business, I never had the time to do it all during the day, so I worked – or took care of home and family – in the evening. I’d regularly end up going to bed an hour or two later than I really should have. The next morning I’d be woken up by my bundle of joy, who is an early riser, and another, similar day, would start.
After a few weeks of this, people pointed out to me how much I was complaining of things taking forever to get done, of being tired, and how little patience I suddenly had. Read the rest of this entry »
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You’ve heard me talk many times about the value of a good to-do list, how to use it for productivity (see the 5-minute Time Management Solution for instance), and even which type of to-do list will work best for you (see this article).
One thing I’ve never talked about before now is the “not-to-do” list.
In the same way that we need a to-do list to remind us of the priorities of the day, week, month or otherwise, sometimes we need a not-to-do list Read the rest of this entry »
As a productivity and time management coach, I often hear “I don’t have the time to work on time management, it just takes too much darn time!” This is true if you choose a complex system such as Getting Things Done, the Franklin Covey system, and others, which require you to learn the system, then “clear the decks” to start implementing it.
However, it is not necessary to implement a complex system to improve your productivity and time management skills in the next few minutes. Here is the start of a very simple, 5-minute system that I often give to my clients as we start working together, and that works whether you are an executive in a large company or a stay-at-home mom:
Every morning (or the night before if you prefer), write down the things that you need to do that day. Start by defining one to five top priorities. These are the tasks that truly define your day: if that is all you are able to accomplish, your day went fairly well. Trace a line across the page below those one to five priorities, then write the rest of your tasks for the day.
Make sure to write only the number of tasks that you can reasonably finish that day, knowing that unexpected requests will come up as well. As a rule of thumb, I recommend to leave about 25% of your day open to deal with the unexpected.
Then take a timer – a kitchen timer, the timer on your phone, an online timer, anything that counts down the minutes and rings when it gets to zero is perfect.
Set it to 25 minutes.
Start working on your first priority of the day, in a focused manner, without allowing any interruption to intrude.
When the timer rings, take a 5-minute break. If possible, take a full break from work (i.e. no work-related task: stretch, do a five-minute game of Angry Birds, a mini-meditation). At minimum shift task completely to do something that is quick and easy, such as a quick email check, filing some papers, etc.
Repeat the timer steps as often as you can during the day until it’s time to go home.
You’ll be amazed at how much you have accomplished in a day.
This very simple method gives you a good hear start on mastering your time because it is designed according to how our brain works, in particular as it relates to focus. Our brains are able to sustain complete focus for only 20 minutes or so. Working in a focused manner without break for much longer over-tires the brain, which leaves it less able to solve problems, be creative and work fast. Good breaks, on the other hand, allow our brains to relax, recharge and refocus. Put short bursts of very intensely focused work with short, recharging breaks and you have a powerful method to manage your energy and your focus. This will of course not answer all the challenges that you may be faced with during your day – how to deal with interruptions to this routine is one of the first ones – but it will significantly increase your productivity and reduce the time you need to do things, giving you the time and availability to work with a coach to create and implement your own, comprehensive time management, productivity and energy management system.
To get the full 5-Minute Time Management Solution, enter your name and your email address in the sign-up box at the top of this page, and you’ll get instructions to download it at no charge. This is a limited offer, though, and I may soon transform it to a paying product, it’s that good. If you missed this window, the full 5-Minute Time Management Solution is available in the Store.
This special online event is brought to you by Biba Pedron of Your Business in Style. today I introduce you to Heidi Richards Mooney from www.WeMagazineforWomen.com.
“There are as many ways to connect to customers these days as there are customers, including email. Make sure that your email marketing strategies are getting you the results you want and need.”
Heidi Richards Mooney
Email is alive and well and for those doing it right a great Internet Marketing and Communciations strategy. Connecting with the right customers through social media, participating in forums (highly targeted forums to tap into your own expertise and that of other participants), hosting online seminars (webinars) conferences (online and offline), blogging, writing articles and doing your homework can all be vastly improved simply honing your email communication skills. Done right, “the power of e-mail” can improve your image, drive traffic to your website and add to your bottom line..
Here are thirteen strategies to increase your email effectiveness:
1. Write your e-mail offline. When you write your message online, you may have a tendency to send it before it has been fully edited for spelling, syntax and format.
2. Have a clear message that portrays you in a professional manner. You want to be remembered for your professionalism, not for the haphazard way some folks write messages.
3. Provide information people want and need to know. Cut the hype and promotion. Keep the promotion to a minimum and people are more likely to want to use buy your products and use your services.
4. Your signature line is your business card online. Use it effectively. Tell the reader enough to whet their appetite, but don’t make it a biography of your life.
5. Choose a memorable screen name, user name or URL (domain name) that promotes your business. This is an opportunity not only to communicate your message, it is also an opportunity to get people to go to your website.
6. Use the KISS principle (keep it short and simple) with your email communication. People appreciate it when you respect their time. Get to the point. If they want more information, they will ask you for it.
7. Don’t say anything online you wouldn’t want printed on the cover of your local newspaper. Try your message out on a group of people you can rely on to offer you honest, constructive feedback.
8. Contribute to online discussions (social media groups, pages and forums) only when you have something to contribute. It is not the place to blatantly self-promote. Soft-sells (like the signature line) work best. Otherwise people will avoid you or worse, ban you from future discussions.
9. Build your e-mail list. Use online classified ads, newsletters and e-zines to help you with this endeavor. Offer something for FREE to encourage people to want to get information from you, as I have with these e-mail tips. Continue to offer valuable information and your list will continue to GROW.
10. Check emails frequently! Customers expect an immediate response. When they don’t get it, they go elsewhere. If you take more than 24 hours to answer a message, you have probably already lost their trust, something you may never regain. At the very least have an auto-respond system that lets them know their message has reached your inbox and a time you are likely to reply.
11. Ask customers how they found your website. This is the most effective way to know what works and what doesn’t, in terms of marketing efforts and money spent.
12. Have a new product? Make a change to your site recently? Have a special sale? Let your customers and prospects know with a targeted email. Direct traffic to your site with a short description of what you want them to see.
13. Trade links with sites that your target market is likely to visit. This will increase your exposure and may help with search engine placement.
BONUS: Use email to submit your website for review by magazines, newsletters and website awards programs (such as the Women in Ecommerce Sites of the Month). Choose them carefully, a favorable review will add to your exposure and credibility.
There are as many ways to connect to customers these days as there are customers, including email. Make sure that your email messages are getting you the results you desire.
Heidi Richards Mooney – is a Professional Motivational Speaker, Business Coach and the Author of 7 books including: “Rose Marketing on a Daisy Budget ~ How to Grow Your Business Without Spending a Fortune.” She is also the Publisher of WE Magazine for Women. Stop by http://www.heidirichards.com to get your FREE copy of Chapter 1 and 2 of “Quirky Marketing: 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany and Non-traditional Holidays” today!
This special online event is brought to you by Biba Pedron from Your Business in Style –
Today I introduce you to De Harris from DeHarrisOnline.com. I specifically asked her for this article, it’s such a great resource for all of you!
Be warned this is a pretty long post but this is only because all the shortcuts have been included. Initially, my thought was to break this up into bite sized pieces but who knows maybe you’ll run with the full idea of incorporating these easy to use keyboard shortcuts into your computer life.
If you had told me a year ago I would be using the same shortcuts that those ‘tech types’ use then I would have said you were c-r-a-z-y! Once again I learned a valuable lesson in keeping my mind open and my mouth shut. What I’ve found since implementing just a few of these shortcuts is that:
1. I don’t miss my mouse anymore. One less device to carry around or plug in. Wrist fatigue has vanished.
2. You can cut steps of any project by using these shortcuts. The benefit is improved efficiency which turns into a huge time saver.
3. They help me look as if I know more than I actually do. 
If you are like I was and feel as if these shortcuts have no place in your life then I challenge you to just try a couple and see. That’s how I started. Begin with – Control C for copy / Control V for paste / Control X for delete. By initially incorporating just those three helped me realize the value of keyboard shortcuts. Now you try and tell me what you think. ~De
P.S. Make sure to bookmark this page for future reference. I have a feeling you will want use them more & more!
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Getting familiar with keyboard shortcuts not only helps you get the work done faster, but also saves you time and energy during your work day. If your daily job relies heavily on using Windows, here are some 100+ Windows Keyboard Shortcuts you might want to check out. If there are any missed nifty shortcuts a quick note would be much appreciated.
The General Shortcuts
We’ll kickoff the list with some really general shortcuts that you often used.
- CTRL+C (Copy)
- CTRL+X (Cut)
- CTRL+V (Paste)
- CTRL+Z (Undo)
- DELETE (Delete)
- SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
- CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
- CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
- F2 key (Rename the selected item)
- CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
- CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
- CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
- CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
- CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
- SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
- CTRL+A (Select all)
- F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
- ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
- ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
- ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
- ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
- CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
- ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
- ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
- F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
- F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
- SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
- ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
- CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
- ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
- Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
- F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
- RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
- LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
- F5 key (Update the active window)
- BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
- ESC (Cancel the current task)
- SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)
Dialog Box Keyboard Shortcuts
- CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)
- CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)
- TAB (Move forward through the options)
- SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)
- ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
- ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)
- SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)
- Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
- F1 key (Display Help)
- F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
- BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Shortcuts
- Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)
- Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
- Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)
- Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)
- Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)
- Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)
- Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)
- CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)
- Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)
- Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)
- Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)
- Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)
Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts
- Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)
- Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)
- Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)
- SHIFT five times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)
- NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
- Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)
Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts
- END (Display the bottom of the active window)
- HOME (Display the top of the active window)
- NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
- NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)
- NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)
- LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
- RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)
Shortcut Keys for Character Map
- After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard shortcuts:
- RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)
- LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)
- UP ARROW (Move up one row)
- DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)
- PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)
- PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)
- HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)
- END (Move to the end of the line)
- CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)
- CTRL+END (Move to the last character)
- SPACEBAR (Switch between Enlarged and Nor mal mode when a character is selected)
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Main Window Keyboard Shortcuts
- CTRL+O (Open a saved console)
- CTRL+N (Open a new console)
- CTRL+S (Save the open console)
- CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)
- CTRL+W (Open a new window)
- F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
- ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the MMC window menu)
- ALT+F4 (Close the console)
- ALT+A (Display the Action menu)
- ALT+V (Display the View menu)
- ALT+F (Display the File menu)
- ALT+O (Display the Favorites menu)
MMC Console Window Keyboard Shortcuts
- CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)
- ALT+Minus sign (-) (Display the window menu for the active console window)
- SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
- F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
- F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
- CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)
- CTRL+F5 (Restore the active console window)
- ALT+ENTER (Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item)
- F2 key (Rename the selected item)
- CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console)
Remote Desktop Connection Navigation
- CTRL+ALT+END (Open the m*cro$oft Windows NT Security dialog box)
- ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)
- ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
- ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
- ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)
- CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
- ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)
- CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-) (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
- CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) (Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
Internet Explorer navigation
- CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
- CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
- CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
- CTRL+H (Open the History bar)
- CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
- CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
- CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
- CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L)
- CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
- CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
- CTRL+W (Close the current window)
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De Harris brings over 17 years of expertise as a manager, business owner, and personal & business development coach. As the Founder & President of The WOWNetwork Alliance & CEO of AllBiz Web Support, she has worked with a wide variety of large & small businesses, corporate leaders and entrepreneurs to formulate their voice and presence through on/offline branding, organization and marketing systems that build better business. De is passionately dedicated to keeping the web/tech challenged expert ‘in the know’ by offering solid networking connections and support through educational opportunities with experts from around the world. Subscribe and learn more by visiting DeHarrisOnline.com
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This special online event is brought to you by Biba Pedron, from Your Business in Style Today I introduce you to Carol Deckert, Networking Expert/Coach
Turning to your current and/or past clients for their referral business is not only a smart and practical way to build your business, it’s EASY! We all know it costs more to obtain new clients than to maintain current or past clients. Make a commitment to keep in touch with them often – tell them what’s happening with your business and ASK for their help. People love to be needed!
1. Look at your clients not as a one-time sale, but as a budding friendship.
Friends help friends. Share your stories with each other – develop those important relationships.
2. Ask for them!
I know, that’s an obvious statement, but so many people are afraid to simply ask. Why not try this ? Contact one of your clients/customers today and simply ask – “Of all the people in your office (or of all of your closest friends) which person do you think would be the most interested in the product/service I offer?” What’s the worst that can happen – you certainly cannot be killed for asking!
3. Begin at the beginning.
Instead of waiting later in a client/customer relationship to ASK for referral support….(which for some can be uncomfortable) begin TELLING your prospects/new clients at the very beginning that receiving referral support from your clients is HOW you do business. Always tell your prospects what they can expect from you during your relationship, and in turn, what you will expect from them.
4. Practice makes perfect!
The more you do, the better you become at what you do or know, the more confident you naturally come off to others. Creating more confidence for THEM to easily refer you to the people in their life as “The only ONE to go to.”
5. Shift the burden.
Many business owners are afraid that asking for referrals from their customers/clients puts an unwanted burden on them. (They feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for ‘help.’) So, shift your belief or understanding. When you ask your clients to refer their friends or colleagues to you, YOU (once again) are HELPING MORE PEOPLE. (The burden stays on you and off of them!) People LOVE to help others (generally) so why not make them feel special, and ASK for their help?
6. Create an exclusive experience!
Create an experience for your customers/clients that feels (and is) exclusively just for them. How you do business should definitely stand out (and apart) from your competition. It doesn’t have to be a lot. Keep it simple – yet clearly beneficial to your clients/customers.
7. Clearly express yourself!
Let your clients know ALL that you do. Most will think the only thing you do or offer is what they get from you. Explain through stories, examples, and other offers the FULL RANGE of what you are able to offer. Don’t drown them in details, it’s better to explain all the products and services you offer, one at a time.
8. Think Long-Term Relationship – not just WIIFM!
Let your clients/customers know you are interested in serving them for the long haul. Sometimes it won’t occur to a client/customer to return to you for your product or service. Let them know you would like to serve them as long as they need the product or service you are exchanging with them.
9 . K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Specific
People love easy and simple (isn’t that why you are reading this top ten?). Whatever your product or service, make the experience of working with you as easy and simple for your customer/client as possible. Be specific in what you are offering or in what you are looking for!
10. Tell your clients just how important their referral support is to your success.
People love to know when they are doing good and when they have been a key player in something successful. Be sure to thank them, thank them often, keep in touch with them, find out what’s important to them and to their business and see if you can offer a solution to them!
To Your Networking Success!
Carol Deckert is a Networking Expert/Coach. She’s the founder of Referrals Unlimited Network, has more than 10,800 first-level connections in LinkedIn and approximately 1,800 “friends” on FaceBook and more than 5,000 followers on Twitter! Carol knows you do need the numbers before you can accumulate quality connections, because not every connection will be a good one for you. Through her individual and group coaching, she helps others learn to do what she did, saving them lots of time and heartache, by teaching them how to network efficiently and effectively. Contact Carol on Skype: Deckert1116 and follow her blog http://www.carolconnectspeople.com
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This special online event is brought to you by Biba Pedron of Your Business in Style. Today I introduce you to Mari-Lyn Harris of Heart@Work.
From asking this question from a group on LinkedIn, I am sharing what these other six people (with permission), how they help others. By contributing their knowledge, expertise asking questions and even letting people know if they are hosting any events. Sometimes in groups you may only see everyone promoting themselves and not interacting or ENGAGING with other members of a group. The feedback was very interesting, here it begins…. Here are six people who shared how they help people.
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“We help each by sharing articles, information of interest to people who are a part of the group or forum. By building our own Brand if we put out good information, answers questions in a non-self-promoting way, contribute positively then that’s is the way it’s supposed to be. I am looking for a genuine opportunity to exchange ideas and information with current and new colleagues as well as share my expertise. Then as I demonstrate my competency, I hope that colleagues will keep me top of mind and make referrals for my follow up and exploration. My competency should be my expertise calling card and marketing tactic.” by Darlene Sparks
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“I join groups, less to honk my own horn, but to help where I can in the mentoring of others, whether new to the industry or tried and true veterans. I tend to subscribe to the mindset of the last person that knew everything was Aristotle (with the possible exception of Mark Twain), they are dead. So the rest of us, myself inclusive can but learn from the others in this and other forums. I think that anything that detracts from our communal helping of our colleagues does a disservice to the forum and the industry at large.
Having said that, I will start. My expertise is in creating operating plans for small businesses and people who are starting up. If someone would like to know more about the importance of this step in creating your business, I am happy to assist you. If it would be helpful, I can post tips on a bi-weekly basis so that people can learn how to do this for their clients. I will add that I will do this without asking for any compensation or leads.
I would like to know more about effective ways to market myself. I would like to hear how some of you generate clients and how much of your work comes from repeat clients. Let’s help each other as much as we can. I know I could use some mentoring.” by Debra Ward
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“I’ve hoped to offer/ receive in a collaborative manner, do the best job, be ourselves and everything else will sort itself out. On that note, I’ll say my area of expertise is strategy and project management. Background in organization development, but found it was easier to sell “project management” because everyone knows what a project is – or at least thinks they know. I’ve had a lot of lovely people give me direction and advice over the years. And I’m sure I can still use that – especially new ideas so I don’t get bored or complacent, but am more than willing to offer it as well”. by Martha Legare
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“As a ‘one woman band’, sharing ideas/queries and asking for opinions/help is why I share. The self-promotion however cannot help but be apparent to some degree and in a subtle way by merely joining in the discussions (people buy people so you engage yourself with those who engage with you and get to know these people). I also suggest the flag wavers get over themselves and stop trying too hard to market themselves.” by Sharon Kendal
“I share where to find interesting offers and openings for myself as a freelancer and showcase what I do. I’m interested in what’s available cause I need resources here and there and they are much easier to find at a specialist place like Linkedin. In the end lots of us here are small businesses, so sales and support go hand in hand and are close by.” by Martin Holzke
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“When I teach entrepreneurs and business owners how to use social networking, the first thing we tackle is the difference between self-promotion on social networking (and why it doesn’t work!) and sharing. I’d like to hear from other consultants how they find new clients and ideas for success. I am also ALWAYS looking for guests for my Blog Talk Radio Show and am always looking for someone who is sincere, knowledgeable, and a good fit”…. by Jeanne Grunert
Mari-Lyn Harris is a Relationship Marketing Specialist in customer retention. Get your FREE report on why you need a customer retention program. http://heartatworkonline.org. http://XeeMe.com/Mari-LynHarris
You want to finally get a handle on your time. You are sick and tired of always struggling to meet deadlines at work; your boss has even mentioned this issue to you; so you have decided that you’ll do something about it. Now comes the issue of how to do it: you know from past experience that setting up a full system all at once is a sure recipe for failure. So this time, instead of – again – doing something that is doomed to failure, you decide to start small, with just one new good habit: writing a daily to-do list. You’ll make it even easier: you’ll write down just your 3 top priorities for the day. And you will do it immediately after sitting down at your desk in the morning. This is going to be your priority: you’ll do this one thing every day, no matter what else happens.
The same evening you write to yourself a reminder note in the middle of your desk, so you’ll see it when you get in. And you write down your priorities! The next day, you do it again – and notice that the past two days have been much more productive than usual, and that you’ve gone home much happier with your accomplishments of the day. So you keep writing your list for several days, then one day you forget. No matter, the next day you get right back to it. After a week or two, you realize that you are actually not only writing your three top priorities, you are now writing all your tasks for the day. It just felt natural, and is working very well.
Congratulations! You’ve just created a new habit, using all the elements that maximize success: manageability, motivation, commitment, trigger, and acknowledged that it’s ok not to be perfect and miss a day here or there.
We tend to think that habits just happen, but creating new habits is a skill, just like writing or tennis, and, just like writing or tennis, it can be learned. The difference between the latter and the former is that it is just assumed that we can create habits, while no one would even dream of expecting you to be perfect the first time you pick up a tennis racket. A number of my clients are confronted with this issue when they start changing their habits, so I have started to formalize the process for them – and for you.
Let’s start with what a habit really is: A habit is a repetitive, automatic action linked to a trigger, such as: turn on the computer upon arrival to work; smoke a cigarette when stressed; brush teeth before going to bed. You most likely don’t consciously think “I have to turn on the computer when I arrive at work”, you just do it. That’s a habit.
Now, in order to be able to successfully create a new habit in your life, you need to:
Clearly define your new habit, and make it easily manageable (or you won’t do it): write your top 3 priorities at work; walk for 5 minutes every day. etc.
Uncover your most powerful motivation(s) to install this habit. If you don’t have a strong personal motivation to do it (should’s don’t apply), it won’t happen. Even better, find multiple motivations: because it’ll affect my yearly review; because I told everyone so I can’t back out; because I want to be a good model for my kids; etc. If you want, take mantras, phrases or pictures that symbolize your motivations and have them in a visible place to remind you why you are taking on this new habit.
Choose a trigger, an action you already perform regularly, to attach this new habit to (makes it a lot easier to remember): first this upon arrival to work; immediately after getting up in the morning; right after lunch; etc.
Make this habit your top priority for the next month. In other words, decide that you will practice this habit every day, no matter what.
A very helpful further step is to think, ahead of time, of some things that could prevent you from practicing your habit (because your trigger disappears, such as during a trip, for instance, or if you can anticipate what will happen when your willpower fails – it always does). Devise solutions in advance. That’ll make it a lot easier to stick to your habit.
Once this is done, you are ready to start practicing and installing your new habit.
Remember that failure is part of the process. If you forget once, just get back to it the next day. If you forget 3 or more days in a row, something is not going right in your process. Figure out what is standing in the way. Maybe it’s your motivation – not strong enough; then find new, stronger motivation – or change habit. Maybe it’s the activity – you hate it; then change it, instead of going to the gym, go out for a walk, for instance. Maybe you’ve linked it to a trigger that doesn’t work for you; then change your trigger.
You will eventually find the right formula for you to succeed at creating this new habit. And once you’re done, the next habit will be easier to install, because you’ll understand the process, and you’ll know what works and doesn’t work for you. Before you know it, one simple habit at a time, you will have created a whole host of new habits that can change your life.
Your Turn:
What habit do you want to change or install? Follow the process outlined above, and you will have a much easier time installing habits than ever before.
This being said, sometimes doing it on your own doesn’t quite work, even when you know the process. One of the most common problems I see goes something like that: “I know I should get organized, and I get how much of a difference it will make, but I can’t seem to do it no matter how much I try.” In such cases, it’s useful to have someone who can help you unearth your most powerful motivations, keep you accountable and cheer you along through the process, as well as brainstorm with you solutions when you stumble along the way. If you want this kind of support – and not just for productivity or organizing issues, the process is the same no matter what you new, supportive habit you are trying to create -, just hit email me (this information is on the left of your screen) and we’ll determine together how I can best be there for you through the process.
This special event is brought to you by Biba Pedron of Your Business in Style. Today, I introduce you to Bonnie Gortler, of bonniegortler.com.
There is no way around it SPONSORING new people is key to building your Network Marketing business.
One of the biggest challenges when joining a network marketing company is to find people to work with you in the business opportunity. Sponsoring serves as the foundation when building your team. Staying focused on such income producing activities like sponsoring can be the difference between a lack luster business versus one that is constantly gaining and sustaining momentum. Every network marketer knows this isn’t always easy but there are things you can do to make this must do activity easier. You can start by always attending your company’s training since this one action is very effective in keeping you in the loop & motivated. You quickly see the bigger picture & your part within the organization. You will find while you are prospecting that you will soon be able to sponsor many of the people you meet at various group presentations, one on one meetings or networking events that you’ve added to your calendar. Keep in mind too that building one on one relationships should become top priority when connecting with those you meet. Listen to your potential prospect; it serves you no purpose to do all the talking. Find out how you can be of value to them.
Below are some additional tips and questions that you will find useful when prospecting & sponsoring new people in your network marketing business.
Tips
Do not pre-judge your contacts. Do not fear asking.
Just ask! If they say “yes”, you have a new business partner.
If they say “not now” keep them in your contacts, in your pipeline.
If they say “no” move on, and say “who’s next?”.
Great advice by President Rita Davenport of Arbonne “Some will, some won’t, some wait, so what, next! SW, SW, SW, SW N”.
Key Questions
Here are some questions to break the ice with your prospect?
Do you like your job?
Have you ever considered opening your own home-based business?
Are you aware of the benefits?
Have you ever considered developing an additional income stream?
What does success mean to you?
Do you think you earn what you’re worth?
Do you have the time and freedom that a home-based business can offer?
One of the biggest challenges to overcome is rejection. Unfortunately, this comes with the territory. It happens all the time when you are sponsoring or selling. Don’t let it get you down or take it personally. This is part of the process when you are looking to sponsor new people for your business. The more no’s you receive the better you will do and the more likely you are to succeed in your business. Sponsoring is where the action is. It is productive, significant for your business and a useful way to spend your time because sponsoring is what will bring income into your business. Make it easy on yourself by finding ways to network whether it’s on the telephone, in person or on the social media sites. Once you make the connection with someone, and you’ve established a rapport remember to offer the gift… your business opportunity. Start with the opportunity because you can always sell your product or service if they are not interested at the moment. The only way not to succeed is by giving up. Keep going and believing. You never know when the next prospect could be the one that takes both of you to the top.
Bonnie Gortler is a successful stock market guru who is passionate about helping people reach their dreams, persevere, and live life to the fullest. She has successfully lost 65 pounds through her shift of living a healthier lifestyle focused on personal growth, mindful eating & exercising. Bonnie invites you to visit her blog where she posts weekly on the topics of business and health & wellness. Feel free to download, Twitter Magic, her FREE informative straightforward guide packed with great tips that will allow you to make friends, build lifelong connections, and grow your business. Create an excellent week! ~Bonnie
Connect via Twitter & Facebook Subscribe to blog at BonnieGortler.com
E-mail at BonnieGortler@gmail.com
This online event is brought to you by Biba Pedron of Your Business in Style. Today I introduce you to Biba herself.
Upon starting a business most entrepreneurs don’t develop an extended budget.
They often make the mistake of not having a business plan and having virtually no clue how long it will take to break even.
Now, with the ability to get free exposure and skip most of the cost of advertising, you can start almost any business on a shoestring budget.
Your business can become international via the internet without you even having to leave the house.In just 5 minutes you can buy a domain name for $10 a year, sign up for an hosting company for $10 a month, start your blog for free and start posting to promote your products or services.
You don’t need a fancy blog, you just need good content.
It is always ideal to have a fancy design or a custom made website, but in the meantime there are so many free themes and templates available today that you will probably find one that you want without investing a dime. You can always invest later on a custom nice.
The only thing you will really need to start is a squeeze page or landing page and a blog. You can invest on a website later. Signing up to social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Twitter and others are free and get you exposure, allowing you to reach new friends, prospects and clients. Your friends are some of your greatest allies. With your squeeze page, blog and profile on various social media sites you can start promoting your business or services right away. Build your list of targeted potential clients and make sure to follow-up by email. To follow up most efficiently you will need an autoresponder starting at $15 a month. You now have most of your marketing tools in place for less than a $50 a month.
Once your online presence is set up,
you will need to face the world and attend networking events. Select the event that caters to your target market. Otherwise, you will be paying to attend events that will never result in clients.
The one marketing tool you can’t skimp on is your business card
Even if you are on a meager budget do not print your business card on your own. It won’t look professional at all. Remember, you only have 10 to 30 second to make the right impression so don’t ruin those precious seconds with a haphazard business card. If people see that you can’t invest a few dollars or a few hours of your time on a professional representation of yourself, they will not invest, trust or do business with you.
There are plenty of resources online that offer 250 business cards for roughly $30. I don’t suggest that you buy more than 250 cards at a time, because you want to use the back of your cards as a promotional tools also, and change the message on the back on a regular basis. Last but not least, don’t try to do everything on your own, because you will end up doing very little during the day and not having enough time to promote your business.
Having a virtual assistant,
even when just starting off, will help you tremendously. If you hire somebody even just for 5 hours a month to start that’s 5 hours you can concentrate on your core business instead of on paperwork. You can check online on Craigslist for example to find a virtual assistant for $10 a hour. Don’t see this as an expense but as an investment. The $100 that you will invest in your assistant will allow you to bring a lot more money since you will have more time for your clients.
You definitely can start your business on a shoestring, but be careful, this is just a temporary situation, if you want your business to grow fast, you will need to investment more at some point, in material, a new website, nicer promotional marketing tools as postcards or brochures and last but not least in continuing education. Only 10% of small business owners invest in classes, programs or coaching programs to take their business to the next level. If you are not ready to reach that goal at some point you won’t run a successful business but just a hobby.
Do you want to learn more about how to attract clients with networking and social media?
Visit www.TheConnectionQueen.com, and download 3 free gifts including a 60mn audio, 6 videos and an ebook on networking and marketing strategies.
Biba Pédron, also known as “The Connection Queen”, is a business coach and personal stylist who helps solo women entrepreneurs to attract more clients with proven marketing strategies, like networking and social media. She also helps them awaken their personal look, dress to impress, achieve greater self-confidence, and stand out from the crowd thus skyrocketing their income by creating their signature business style.
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This special online event, a week of unique blog posts, is brought to you by Biba Pedron from Your Business in Style. Today I introduce you to Patricia Weber from www.patricia-weber.com.
As an introvert (not to be confused with shy) when my energy is off I find I don’t even want to be around me! Whether you work for yourself or for someone else you can tune in, get grounded and release the energy clog and lift yourself up.
Tuning in. Recently I got an email about how important having those mobile barcodes in your local marketing. As I was lured into the idea because I like to be on the leading edge, I stopped. I noticed some heartburn. The cereal I had for breakfast couldn’t have caused it. Then, I listened to my thoughts. “Do I really want to do more local marketing? Aren’t my clients mostly out of the area? Why I am taking my time to listen to this?” I used my delete key pretty easily after that. Sometimes in our daily activities we stay on autopilot. Often mindlessly and aimlessly we act on something because we think or feel we need to. If we stop and tune in to ourselves – physically, mentally, emotionally – we can pause enough to possibly let go, and then recharge.
Getting grounded. So much of our life is physical, so being connected to our body is important for ultimate happiness and success. That’s all being grounded means: to be in touch with your body. In particular if you’re an introvert, we’re spending a lot of time in our heads, in our thoughts, daydreaming and with our emotions. How then do you get grounded? There’s are dozens of ways to be grounded so try a few to have handy when you have the feeling of yourself, “Elvis has left the building.” You can take a short walk paying particular attention to feel your feet hit the ground, Or, from head to toe progressively tighten and then release all your muscles. Do some stretching and pay attention to how your body feels with each area you stretch. A fun grounding activity to do is to find – and hug a tree. Let the trees deep roots ground you! If nothing else, visualize that hug. If you are anxious or stressed throughout the day, find some ways to manage your energy leaks when you need to.
Releasing. With tuning in and grounding your energy will be more positive. Still, you might find little annoyances all day long. Some “idiot” driver cuts across the lane without a turn signal. You lose a prospective client you’ve been counting on. You can’t easily find an important piece of paper. Now you’ve brought in worries, stress and unwanted emotions. These can be speed bumps or stop signs to us mastering our day. For me, it’s best to release them as they come up and I have a variety of tools I use that you can too. There is EFT and NLP – alphabet soup for Emotional Freedom Technique and Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Then there’s the Sedona Technique which I highly recommend as it’s easy, practical, powerful and scientifically proven.
If you are tired of feeling disconnected or overwhelmed, if your stress is undermining your day then – tune in, get grounded and release. Take time to consider you and your style to figure out a plan that would work best for you. A plan that includes techniques you both can schedule and have right at hand to use as the dreaded unexpected energy drain comes up. It doesn’t really matter which tools you choose as long as the ones you select make your days more vibrant.
As an introvert (not to be confused with shy) when my energy is off I find I don’t even want to be around me! Whether you work for yourself or for someone else you can tune in, get grounded and release the energy clog and lift yourself up.
Tuning in. Recently I got an email about how important having those mobile barcodes in your local marketing. As I was lured into the idea because I like to be on the leading edge, I stopped. I noticed some heartburn. The cereal I had for breakfast couldn’t have caused it. Then, I listened to my thoughts. “Do I really want to do more local marketing? Aren’t my clients mostly out of the area? Why I am taking my time to listen to this?” I used my delete key pretty easily after that. Sometimes in our daily activities we stay on autopilot. Often mindlessly and aimlessly we act on something because we think or feel we need to. If we stop and tune in to ourselves – physically, mentally, emotionally – we can pause enough to possibly let go, and then recharge.
Getting grounded. So much of our life is physical, so being connected to our body is important for ultimate happiness and success. That’s all being grounded means: to be in touch with your body. In particular if you’re an introvert, we’re spending a lot of time in our heads, in our thoughts, daydreaming and with our emotions. How then do you get grounded? There’s are dozens of ways to be grounded so try a few to have handy when you have the feeling of yourself, “Elvis has left the building.” You can take a short walk paying particular attention to feel your feet hit the ground, Or, from head to toe progressively tighten and then release all your muscles. Do some stretching and pay attention to how your body feels with each area you stretch. A fun grounding activity to do is to find – and hug a tree. Let the trees deep roots ground you! If nothing else, visualize that hug. If you are anxious or stressed throughout the day, find some ways to manage your energy leaks when you need to.
Releasing. With tuning in and grounding your energy will be more positive. Still, you might find little annoyances all day long. Some “idiot” driver cuts across the lane without a turn signal. You lose a prospective client you’ve been counting on. You can’t easily find an important piece of paper. Now you’ve brought in worries, stress and unwanted emotions. These can be speed bumps or stop signs to us mastering our day. For me, it’s best to release them as they come up and I have a variety of tools I use that you can too. There is EFT and NLP – alphabet soup for Emotional Freedom Technique and Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Then there’s the Sedona Technique which I highly recommend as it’s easy, practical, powerful and scientifically proven.
If you are tired of feeling disconnected or overwhelmed, if your stress is undermining your day then – tune in, get grounded and release. Take time to consider you and your style to figure out a plan that would work best for you. A plan that includes techniques you both can schedule and have right at hand to use as the dreaded unexpected energy drain comes up. It doesn’t really matter which tools you choose as long as the ones you select make your days more vibrant.
If you want to continue to get ideas and tips to master yourself as an introvert, or even shy, follow http://www.patricia-weber.com Patricia Weber helps introverts in particular, who are motivated for change, to discover their personal breakthrough to help reach their ultimate success.
If you want to continue to get ideas and tips to master yourself as an introvert, or even shy, follow http://www.patricia-weber.com Patricia Weber helps introverts in particular, who are motivated for change, to discover their personal breakthrough to help reach their ultimate success.
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Boundaries are a key component of a successful day – they can simply make or break your day, as these three cases illustrate:
Lynn (not her real name) was a successful web designer, but she was working solid 60 hour days, had no time for her family, her boyfriend, or exercise, and was starting to feel the strain of it all: her family was inviting her to fewer family events, because they knew she wouldn’t be able to attend; she felt her boyfriend was slowly becoming more distant; and she had back problems because of her lack of exercise. This simply had to change, but she was worried about what would happen to her work as a result.
The largest source of her long hours was one single client. This retainer client was asking for urgent jobs at all times of day or night, with no thought to the fact that they were paying her for only 20 hours a week and that she had other clients to take care of. I asked her to put boundaries around this client, so that the time devoted to them would be clearly defined for both. It was the first time that she had spoken up, so she was very fearful of the client’s reaction, but, as I expected, the client was very amenable to change and she was able to negotiate an agreement where she would still be working the contractual number of hours, but solely during certain hours of the day; if a request came at another time, she would hold it until the next day. That one simple step reduced her work hours from 60 to 50, and a few other time management steps led her down to 40 hours a week – with no loss of income.
Another client, let’s call her Kathryn, had another issue: her clients were wonderful, but she kept being interrupted by family and friends who didn’t understand that her working from home still meant working. They assumed that she always had time for personal items, so almost daily she had someone calling to share a piece of gossip or vent, or stop by and ask for help or a favor. She would listen to the friend, help the family member, and get to the end of the day having worked less than 4 hours. I taught her to put strict boundaries around her work time, and she learned to tell her friends and family that she would be happy to listen and help… after work hours. Within two months, she had doubled the number of her clients, who were happier than ever – without any impact on her relationship with friends and family.
Sometimes, the boundaries that need to be set up are physical. When I started Daily Mastery, I was living in an apartment. There was no separate room for my office, and the only room big enough to host an office area was the living-room. So I set up my desk there, and lived a daily nightmare: I could see the living-room and everything that wasn’t in order; I could see the TV, who sometimes was irresistibly attractive, even turned off; and since I was in the living-room and he could see me, my then-4-year-old son felt that he could interrupt me whenever he wanted to. So I created an office space by strategically placing bookcases, and immediately saw a marked difference: I was no longer compelled to get up from my desk to straighten out; the TV, being out of sight, lost its power of attraction; and my son, since he didn’t see me every time he lifted his head from his games or books, wasn’t as inclined to interrupt me. In a few days, my productivity had doubled.
Your turn:
Boundaries can indeed make or break our days, depending on whether we have them, and how firmly we protect them. So take a look at the boundaries that you have with family, friends, co-workers, work and home, space, etc.
Are they meeting your needs? Are they allowing you to be fully productive at work, and fully engaged at home, or do you feel strain in some area? What can you do to create firmer boundaries where you need to?
Write down some ideas, practice what you will say from now on to gently but firmly enforce your boundaries, and see how you suddenly have more time, and enjoy your life better. And if those questions leave you stymied, anxious or with more questions, reach out for help, send me an email. It is often easier to do this work with someone who can support you, offer you additional ideas on how to protect your boundaries or how to teach others a new way to interact with you, and hold you accountable and remind you why you are doing this work during those first times when it often feels uncomfortable to affirm your boundaries.
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Last week, I was at a very interesting conference organized by the Economist, Human Potential. Among the many fascinating talks and panels on the future of the economy, the “war for talent”, the challenges of globalization, etc., there was a panel on the pursuit of happiness. Yes, you read this correctly, the pursuit of happiness.
Happiness is quite a recent subject of research in psychology, and we are discovering remarkable facts about it – and its link to productivity, hence the presence of this panel in what is after all an economic conference. Research has found something of vast importance for the future: a happy workforce is a productive workforce.
It may sound like an obvious statement, but it hasn’t been common sense because of the history of work. Until recently, the majority of workers were in manufacturing or otherwise working with their hands. And if you put a manufacturing worker under pressure through fear, accelerated work rhythms and/or promise monetary reward for increased productivity, you get increased productivity. That’s the paradigm companies have operated under the past 100 years: to improve productivity, make your workers work faster. It’s a lot easier than to figure out how to make employees happy and engaged so that they want to do it on their own.
However, this pressure equation doesn’t work for workers whose main tool is their brain rather than their hands. Fear creates stress, which decreases mental productivity. Even worse, it’s been recently shown that the anticipation of monetary reward actually decreases productivity too! So ensuring that employees are happy and engaged at work is becoming good business.
Unfortunately only a minority of companies have understood this and acted on it. But there is something you can do – on your own – about it now, even if you have no influence on your company’s culture. There are two factors that reliably predict happiness at work: support – the feeling that you are supported in getting the work done - and connection – friendships at work. If you add to the mix a third factor, meaning/purpose, then you not only are happy, but you are inspired in your work.
How does that translate for you personally?
If you are part of a company, find colleagues, a mentor or a boss who will support and help you when needed; make some friends; and find a reason for your work. I heard not long ago the story of a customer representative whose task it was to talk to irate customers – and she had no power to solve their problems in most cases. But she decided that her goal was to make each customer feel better after the conversation even if their problem wasn’t resolved. The meaning in her work was to bring a little connection, understanding and happiness to the people she was talking to. Contrary to most customer service reps, she wasn’t stressed out at all!
If you work for yourself, create a network of people who can help you in very tangible ways. Also, surround yourself with supporters and cheerleaders, people who want your success for and with you. Working for yourself, you probably already find meaning in what you do – you probably wouldn’t do it otherwise.
If you are a stay-at-home mom, you have a job to, mothering, and it may be one of the most challenging of all. The meaning of what you do is obvious – raise your children to be happy and well-functioning adults – but connection and support are often in short supply. So build a support network around you: ask your spouse to do some of the work for you; get babysitting arrangements; use the more experienced moms around you (your own mother or someone else you like and respect) for advice. And make friends with other moms who are going through the same phases you are. As a mom who had to build both support and connection around me, I can tell you that it’s absolutely invaluable, and makes all the difference.
Your Turn:
So, how can you build or further grow the three elements to a happy worklife: meaning, support and connection? Who can you turn to? Who can you cultivate? Make a list of the people who are already fulfilling one or more of those roles, and set to find the ones that you need to fill the gaps. How can you give meaning to what you do for a living every day, if it doesn’t have any yet? What is the ultimate purpose of what you do, beyond providing you with the money to live?
The answer to those questions will find you much happier at work, and you’ll see that you effortlessly become more productive too. The clients I’ve worked with on this topic are living proof of it.