#1 REASON TO JOIN MY PARTY– and it’s NOT what you think!

By now you’ve surely heard the buzz about my VIP Book Launch Party!  Are you joining the celebration?

(In a hurry?  Join here  http://bit.ly/chlQlw)

Just in case you haven’t made up your mind, here’s my list of top 9 reasons why it would be good for you.  So here goes…

#9. Be in-the-know. Even if you’re just a little bit curious about what’s happening.  It’s your industry and you deserve to know what’s going on.

#8. Free give-aways – many bonuses, e-books, coaching sessions, recordings that can be yours, simply by joining the party

#7. Free advice – we’ll be talking about Setting Yourself Up for success in the busy Fall months – you need to know this information to succeed!

#8. Amazing line-up of guest experts – you want to be in their presence, you want to know how they think, what’s on their minds now, where they think the industry is going

#5.Free excerpts from the book – if you want to know how to market yourself better, you will want to hear this

#4. 3 conveniently-timed slots – hop on for all three sessions, or just one – whenever it’s convenient for you

#3.Get a recording for the future – even if you are busy on the actual day of the party, I will send you a recording of everything that happened, so you can listen at your convenience

#2. Beat the competition – you don’t want to be the only one NOT knowing about the best, brand new marketing resource for our industry

#1. I would love your support! You’ve been a host of a party before right?  So you know how it feels when you’re preparing your grand event and making everything just perfect.  You’re anticipating. You’re excited.  And you would just LOVE to have your friends and colleagues there.

That’s how I feel now too.  This is my very first book.  And let me tell you, it was like birthing a child:  exhausting and rewarding at the same time.  One of my goals this year is to really slow down and relish in what I’ve accomplished and celebrate.  So that’s exactly what I’m doing.  I am a first-time author and I’m just so proud and excited.  Would you come support your colleague in the industry?   I am inviting you to join me!

To join the party, simply get your own VIP access details here:  http://bit.ly/chlQlw

Tuesday, August 31st – The Business of Interior Design VIP Book Launch Party Line-Up

A PRODUCTIVE WAY TO POST ON FACEBOOK

I’m not sure how many people know about this, probably more than I can imagine.  But I just discovered it and thought I would spread the word.  I think this is super cool.

We all know there are plenty of tools out there to schedule your FB posts.  My problem with them is that I have to open up another web-site, log-in, copy & paste, schedule, etc.  I already have a ton of windows open on my computer.  What I wanted instead was to use what I was already using.  Alah, there is a way.

Using outlook, you can send an e-mail (much like you do all the time anyway) to your own personal FB account.  Don’t know your own personal FB account?  Go here and it’s right there for you:  http://www.facebook.com/mobile/

Your post is the subject line.  No need to put anything in the body of the email.

Outlook allows you to schedule e-mails, therefore, you can schedule your FB posts.

And you can attach pics and videos – just like you would doing your regular email.

You have to admit, this is totally cool.  Since we are on e-mail all the time anyway, why not use it to do our FB updating and scheduling.

I’m sure there are some who knew about this for a long time.

For those us who just discovered it – Cheers!

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If you enjoyed this article and would like more time-saving tips about Facebook and successful marketing your design practice, check out a brand new book Business of Interior Design due out on 8/31.  Join our celebration party on 8/31 at http://www.BusinessOfDesignBook.com

3 WAYS TO PRIORITIZE & TAKE CONTROL OF THE OVERWHELM

Prioritizing is the key to converting a long, overwhelming to-do list into a well-run business.  But how do we decide what gets prioritized first, second, third, etc.  What criteria do we use to keep ourselves in check and not lose our heads?

My suggested priority categories for you are these: immediate term, short term, and long term.

Immediate priority action items. They are easy. They are fast. You know how to do them. They may be personally interesting and exciting for you. They are no-brainers.

An example of an immediate priority action item would be to create your email signature. You know you should have one, you know it’s important, you know it will take you only a few minutes, but you just haven’t made time for it because other things got in the way.  The timing of an immediate priority action item is about one week.

Short-term priority action items. Your short-term priorities take a bit longer to accomplish, they may be more complex, and they may require planning and research.

How do you decide which items are more important than others? In other words, within this group of priority, how do you prioritize it even further? Here are the criteria I use and advise my clients, as part of my mentoring program.

i.      Which activity will cost the least and bring the biggest result?

ii.      Which one have I been wanting to do for a long time?

iii.      Which one can I execute consistently?

A great example of a short-term priority is doing your email newsletter (e-zine).

Long-term priority action items. Everything that didn’t make it into the immediate and short-term priority lists falls in this list. But long-term doesn’t mean never, or someday. It still needs a date. I recommend that you strive to accomplish your long-term list within 90 to 120 days.

A good example of a long-term priority action item may be booking a speaking engagement.

Those were your three priority categories: immediate, short-term, and long-term. Regardless of when you’ll tackle your priorities, they all fall within the marketing pie. It doesn’t matter whether you are a seasoned designer or just starting out, the marketing pie doesn’t change – what does change is your knowledge and experience with each “slice of the pie.”

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If you enjoyed this article and would like more information about the Marketing Pie and what it takes to successfully marketing your design practice, check out a brand new book Business of Interior Design due out on 8/31.  Join our celebration party on 8/31 at http://www.BusinessOfDesignBook.com

7 No Brainer Ways to Repurpose Your Expertise and Excellence ©Melissa Galt 2010

In this age of life and business at warp speed, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the many opportunities and tasks that come our way literally daily. And we forget that the whole point to the internet is that it allows us countless super simple ways to replicate ourselves and our expertise with a minimum of effort. So let’s imagine that you have one piece of incredible content, even at just 250 words whether they are written or spoken (I know you might not like to write or be good at it, but I also know you can talk and be transcribed!) Here are seven no brainer ways to repurpose your expert and excellent content.

1. Make it a BLOG POST, if you don’t have your own blog, then share it on someone else’s as a comment.
2. Turn it into an ARTICLE and submit it to article directories like www.ezinearticles.com
3.Spin it into a VIDEO. You can do this easily with www.animoto.com or www.articlevideorobot.com
4. Add images and illustrations and make it a downloadable SPECIAL REPORT. (This works even better when you combine several articles together.)
5. Put it in your EZINE (electronic newsletter)
6. Make a PODCAST out of it.
7. Share it in a FORUM. This is a great way to attract new prospects and buyers.

There are many more ways you can repurpose your content. The key is to put these systems into place so that you can focus on your excellence and expertise and reap the time saving benefits of sharing great content you create in multiple formats with multiple prospects and buyers. After all we are in the Information Age, the more you share, the more you grow.

Want more great shortcuts to systemizing your profits? Grab your seat on the upcoming free webinar “5 Super Simple Secrets to Save You Time, Skyrocket Your Profits, and Build Your Brand With Heart and Individuality”; on Thursday, August 12, at 4 pm EST/7 pm PST, http://tinyurl.com/23wgfeo.

Vita on “More Than Money” TV Show LIVE with Gene Dickison

I had an opportunity to be a guest expert on a local TV show “More Than Money”. This was a segment called “Women in Business – Thriving in this Tough Economy”. Gene asked me such questions as:
-what does it take to start a business?
-what does it mean to be a successful business owner?
-how do I keep myself motivated in my business?
-what kind of support system does every entrepreneur need?
-how to find a good mentor?
-what pitfalls to watch out for?
-and many more

This was my 1st time on LIVE TV (or any TV for that matter). How do you think i did?

For my part, I had SO much fun! Way too much fun than I even realized I would. I can see how this could lead somewhere…

Enjoy!

A SURPRISING WAY TO BE PRODUCTIVE

It is Monday after the conference.  I got back two days ago.  One would think that it’s enough time to recuperate.  I was 100% confident, I would be back into the groove of things by Friday afternoon.

Ha!  Not so fast.  I am not totally sure what’s contributing to such a lethargic state of mind.  Is it because:

• I had to fly for 6 hours there and back within three days?
• Of the time zone change?
• There was so much great information, that brain went into overload?
• Adrenaline rush?
• Red-eye flights are never fun
• Lack of sleep?
• The body is exhausted, while the mind is racing
• The new possibilities
• New connections
• Overwhelm with what the next steps are?
• Overwhelm with what was left undone while I was away?
• The realization that I have to overcome certain fears and uncertainties in order to move forward?

Interestingly, making this list was quite therapeutic.  I believe it’s because it’s part of the diagnostic process that we must go through, in order to figure out what’s happening.  Before we move forward, we first have to identify where we are, what brought us here, what’s holding us back. (it’s just another good reason it’s step #1 in my productivity system).

What this weekend also taught me is that it’s important to build-in some recuperating time after a conference (or a meeting, or an appointment – anything where you’ve expanded a lot of your energy and yourself).  In order to get my energy back, I learned that I have to just take it easy and not do anything.

This sounds like such a simple concept, but anyone who knows me, also knows that it’s the hardest thing for me.  As a productivity expert, I always encourage my clients (and push myself) to act, act, act.  Interestingly, in this case, the most productive thing is to do nothing.  Let myself absorb what I’ve experienced.  Stay in the conscious place, but active place.  Just be.

3 More Ways To Increase Productivity In Your Home Office So You Can Get More Done In Less Time

Eliminate post-it notes.  Although they are a great invention and I use them every day in the course of my work, I resist the urge of using them to post reminders around the office.  Why?  Because, they collect dust, they curl, they fall off, and ultimately add to the clutter.  If I need a reminder, I set my outlook.  If I must make a note for later, I write it down on my ‘to-do’ list, because effectively it becomes a to-do item.

A while ago, I wrote down my assistant’s fax number on a post-it note and attached it to the fax machine. “It’s just temporary”, I said to myself.  Months later, the darn thing was still there, curling up and falling off.  Every morning I would find it on the floor, grind my teeth, slap it back on, just to repeat the process the next morning.  After months of frustration, I finally decided to take my own advice.  I found 2 minutes (big deal, right?), got an adhesive label, wrote down the number, and pasted it neatly on the fax machine.  I was very proud of myself.  Small thing, I know, but it made me feel so good.

Place a coaster by your computer.  It sounds silly at first, but believe it or not, it can play a part in healthier you this year.  The coaster is in effect a reminder that a glass of water needs to be placed on top of it.

It’s no surprise that most of us don’t drink enough water.  As decorators, we are always “on the road”, between clients, and on appointments, which makes it particularly hard.  But when we are in our office, there should be no excuse.  Water cleanses your body, makes you feel better, and ultimately increases your productivity.  Although we know all the benefits, it is still very easy to forget it, while getting wrapped up in the office-day catch-up.  The coaster is your reminder:  if it’s empty, it’s time to get your water!

Go full circle.  This is like saying:  “Everything that goes up, must go down”.  In the life of a designer (decorator, window treatment specialist, workroom, or installer) it’s about putting things back where their “home” is.  But it doesn’t mean putting it back some day, tomorrow, or later – it means putting it back right away.

So if you’ve pulled out several trim books to match with the fabric, put them back right after you’ve found the right trim.  If you’ve taken out a price book for a hardware order you’re working on, put it back as soon as you’ve completed that proposal.

In my GET IT DONE Mentoring Program, my clients particularly like this rule, because it’s so simple and they can easily implement it.  Just remembering about it and catching yourself when you’re tempted to put something aside until later, is all it takes to make it work.  Just remember, all your tools, reference materials, supplies, and files must go back full circle to where their designated home is.

FREE open line coaching calls

For one day only, I am opening up my line for your questions! FREE of charge!

Call me for a 10 minute, private 1:1 session where I will personally answer your most burning questions. You’ll be amazed by how much we can achieve in this short time.

• When: Thursday, 7/8/10
• Time: 10am – 2pm eastern
• Phone: 215.579.2049

First come, first serve!

How to Achieve an Amazing Year – by Neen James

To make the most of this year, make an appointment with yourself to review these 10 tips and find out what you can implement to make this year amazing for you.

Set Realistic Goals

Everyone says to set goals but I recommend you write down your goals and then decide you will achieve them. Many of us write down our goals but don’t commit to achieving them – make this year different. Make your goals realistic and put them on your fridge where you can see them everyday.

Focus on your health

This can be your greatest asset or your greatest liability. Get a check up with your doctor, implement an exercise program if you don’t have one, take vitamins if you need to and discover what will help boost your health this year.

Invest in your personal development

I recently read those who spend a thousand dollars or more on their personal development will increase their business by 20%. Read books, attend workshops, find a new network, listen to tapes or CDs in your car, do on-line courses or enroll at Tafe or university. Keep your brain active.

Know your priorities

Once you have set you goals you can focus on what is important to you this year i.e. family, self development, profitability, building your profile, health, gaining new clients or more relaxation time. Whatever you deem most important will help keep your focus on how you spend your time.

Eliminate Time Robbers

Make a list of the things that rob you of your time i.e. TV, running many errands, checking your email too often, long phone calls, waiting times and sometimes it might be other people. Focus on controlling your time and get rid of the things in your life that are not a high priority.

Surround yourself with VIPs and eliminate VDPs

Find very inspiring people (VIP) you can learn from, bounce ideas with and enjoy their company. Minimize your time with the very draining people (VDP) in your life. Be strict with yourself and you will feel more positive when VIPs surround you.

Plan your next holiday

Yes that is right! Allocate time in your calendar for your next holiday to give you something to look forward to and also to prevent your diary filling up before you have time to plan.

Make time for those you care for

Balancing work and home is a challenge for most people. Choose to spend this year more focused on those you love and don’t forget to remind them how much they mean to you, promise yourself you won’t take anyone for granted this year. I try to tell one person per day they are special, maybe you could try this too.

Create a daily ‘Attitude’ to do list

Many of you make ‘to do’ lists for work but consider creating an ‘Attitude’ to do list you can use everyday. My list includes things like; tell someone they are special, send a thank you note, sit in the sun for 15 minutes, find something funny, exercise and choose to be positive. What will your list say?

Choose to be amazing

Make a commitment to yourself each morning that you will have an amazing day. This might include trying some of these tips like read your ‘Attitude’ to do list, focus on your health, eliminate time robbers or find more VIPs in your life. Remember life is not a dress rehearsal – we only get one performance so let’s give it our best.

Neen James is an International Productivity Expert. She demonstrates how boosting your productivity can help you achieve amazing results. She is a dynamic keynote speaker, author and executive coach and business mentor with a unique voice, high energy, sense of fun and uncommon common-sense. Find out more at www.neenjames.com – P.O. Box 1764 • Doylestown, PA 18901 • 215-230-0835

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