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| Story on per second billing ... in Africa |
| 06.10.04 (12:18 pm) [edit] |
Per second billing comes to car insurance…
Following on systems currently mooted in the USA and Europe, Per Kilometre billing is set to find it’s way onto the SA insurance landscape. While not quite ‘per second’, the principle is similar to that introduced by South Africa’s leading cell phone companies. We looked at the idea and will follow up with an in-depth article in next month’s RESOURCES.
HOW IT WORKS:
Per Kilometre billing is based on the principle that those drivers who travel less than average pose a lower risk to insurers. The savings for low kilometre users can be significant. Of course the risk profile of the policyholder still plays a significant role in risk evaluation.
Industry experts we spoke to voiced their doubts as to the sustainability of the product in South Africa. How it works overseas: a driver will purchase cover based on his estimated distance traveled each month. When that distance is reached the policy lapses until he ‘tops up’ the cover. Given the generally long distances covered by South African motorists, as well as our high rate of hijackings – most of which occur close to home – it remains interesting to see how the calculations will pan out. The first company to introduce per kilometre billing is Nedbank insurance brokers. Keeping tabs on actual kilometers traveled is the tricky part of the system, overseas insurers opting for expensive GPS tracking systems. With their affiliation to Nedbank, the first SA model links the policy to a garage card, which records mileage every time the vehicle is refueled. The product is geared at users who travel less than 1500 kilometres per month.
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| Fresh start? |
| 03.12.04 (6:26 pm) [edit] |
Wiped out my web log ... which is a great way to make a fresh start I suppose! ....
My week ended on a high note, magazine out at last, layouts just finished for Monday, and hey It's weekend. Great news is that we have secures our sponsorship for the down coast regatta ... but have Admirals Cup next weekend - a toughie but we should be OK, what with the new sails, and the crew is pumped what with two fourths and then a win last Saturday ...
Pic below is from Wednesday - Wizard trucking past us, but we clawed back and made 4th!
![]() =http://img21.photobucket.com/...%20Glass%20racing/Wizard_ trucking_past.jpg
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| Now we're cooking! |
| 03.11.04 (12:17 pm) [edit] |
New publication is being delivered tomorrow - and it looks fantastic! Phew... thank God
I need your help - does anyone out there know how I can convert a Jpeg image into one spot (with half tones)?
- hey I'm a writer not a layout expert ...
Busy with a job that requires a two colour print, but artwork has arrived in full colour - and a Jpeg - which is a 'flat' image, which means it has no layers... I really could use your assistance ...
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| Writerboy on turning ships and tunnel lights shining ... |
| 03.10.04 (3:22 am) [edit] |
The phone's been ringing off the hook. Work is pouring in Whoo Hoo! Still don't have two brass ... to rub together, but the light at the end of the tunnel is sizzling my retinas. The question is how much longer can I cope with this stress?
My brilliant three kids and my gorgeous wife all look at me like I'm some kind of hero - which I'm not - and the faith they have in me: where did that come from? I feel like a grape in a wine press...
Still, I can feel the ship slowly coming about
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| Pregnant with opportunity - where's the cash? |
| 03.07.04 (3:52 am) [edit] |
A week from hell just over and another one looming ahead. Several projects boiling over and on the brink of closing... Revenue Servcie called again Friday - asking all sorts of questions - last months bills havent been paid yet and all my work is only getting out next week. Feast or Famine is the name of our game. We are either so busy that it is normal to pull 16 hours/ day or we sit and wait. The book is progressing nicely, the magazine is at the printers and new work is streaming in ... hopefully the cash flow nightmare will be over soon.
I have been working hard on a sponsorship deal to get our yacht down the coast for a big regatta at the end of April, and it looks like this is going to come off. It will be brilliant to get to sea for a few days...
Pressure :!:
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| OK so it happened... |
| 02.23.04 (9:59 am) [edit] |
F*cked up big time today... well actually I didn't, my printer did, which amounts to the same thing. Ever notice how much better the wine tastes after you have had a crappy day?
Looks like I have lost a serious client... but also pitched for a Jazz festival that looks like will come off ... One door closing?
Anyhow, enough blogging... I got wine to drink :wink:
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| Sunday Bloody Sunday |
| 02.22.04 (8:51 am) [edit] |
It’s Sunday – Bloody Sunday – I completed all the changes to the March publications yesterday. I sit with my desk a mess of notes, proofs and empty Camel packets … The coffee is still hot - Bonus! My to-do list of critical jobs to finish before Monday is as long as my arm. The South Easter is romping along at 30Knots plus, so no sailing… not that I’d have the time to, you understand. I have stop/started April several times this morning, just cant seem to get going, so instead, I’m updating my web log – not too bright, huh?
I have a several page business plan to have ready by Morning, layout and copy of the entire April Resources mag, and several other smaller projects. All of which have to be out yesterday, if I am going to be able to bill them and be paid before month end. It is Nix’s birthday this week. Cards are full, Creditors screaming, and our beloved Revenue Service is dying to know what I did with my earnings last year. (Me too)
:o
Had a brilliant half hour with entire family on our bed this morning, Baby Claire, Mom, Dan & Hannah. Playing ‘here comes the tickling hand’ until Claire chortled her self into paroxysms of laughter. Then of course the two bigger kids started to fight with each other, and the moment is lost.
What is this malaise that falls over all writers? That implacable force that makes it impossible to actually start work on a project, like some black mojo keeping my fingers from the keyboard… is it fear of failure? I don’t know but I better get started now, or it is really going to be a Monday, Bloody Monday …
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| Is the way you dress costing you sales? |
| 02.08.04 (9:12 am) [edit] |
[b]Is your career in freefall - all because you don't dress right for the job?[/b] Writerboy – anm communications
![]() =http://img21.photobucket.com/...
It is hard enough to attract new business. How you look could be turning clients off without you realising it. Let’s face it, today’s broker has to contend with lots of new challenges: The buy-direct brigade are making it cool to cut out the middleman – or even dump him in a tub – and the (SA) governments onerous new FAIS requirements are all contributing to making your life as a intermediary a potential minefield.. To survive you need to hone your existing skills, and learn new ones. The world is not the same place anymore. You need to realise that you no longer sell life assurance, insurance or even service. You sell yourself. YOU have become the product, The Brand if you will. Sell yourself successfully and you will never have to look for new business again. Like any successful brand, packaging is paramount. How you look, act and conduct yourself will be used by potential clients to gauge the value of your services. Here are ten proven tips to build the new Brand of broker;
1) Jewellery: men should never wear anything other than their wedding band. Flashy rings make you look like a rap artist, not an insurance professional. Earrings and body piercings are for University students.
2) Beards. Shave it. Beards are only really accepted in an academic, theatre or arts environment. Research has proved conclusively that while facial hair may be acceptable if you are an author, bearded men arouse negative responses in most branches of industry and commerce. A study by Texas Tech University during simulated sixty-second news bulletins found that ‘presenters’ without beards were rated higher than their bearded counterparts in both competency and honesty perceptions. Cut your hair regularly, before you have to. No Ponytails.
3) Be punctual – never early – arriving on time shows respect, arriving early creates the perception you have too much time on your hands. Moreover, while you are waiting, do not read the magazines in reception – take out your PDA or diary and ‘seem’ to be working hard, even if you have nothing to do. Always accept the coffee – it is polite.
4) Do not be kept waiting. A window of 15 minutes is acceptable. Allowing someone to keep you waiting for half an hour sends signals that you are desperate. By the time you eventually get into their office, they will have painted a picture of you in their mind of a third rate insurance hack. You are a professional. Act like it. If you are being kept waiting beyond an acceptable time, leave. Politely make an excuse to the secretary or receptionist that you have a flight to London in 90 minutes or an appointment with Thabo Mbeki – anything – but leave. Tell the receptionist you will call in a few days to reschedule. Watch how quickly you are shown in at the second meeting.
5) Keep gadgets out of your breast pockets. A sure fire loser signal is to arrive with your shirt – or worse – your suit breast pockets bulging with pens, glasses and other paraphernalia.
6) Match your socks to your shoes. Never wear light coloured socks; never sit in a way that exposes skin above your socks. Oh, and while on the subject of shoes – spend a little money here, buy the best you can afford and keep them spotless – shoes are still the most visible sign of class. Lose the gray shoes – they really do not send any signals you want your clients to hear
7) Watch your language – swearing is low class and beneath you
8) Be comfortable. Arrive at your appointment relaxed and happy. A little trick I use is to drive with impeccable manners on the way to my appointments. You will be met with smiles and waves from your fellow motorists – some taxi drivers might glance at you as though you have lost your mind when you voluntarily allow them to jump queues – but you will arrive relaxed and unstressed.
9) Watch your manners. It may be old fashioned to hold a door open for a woman, but hey, charm is part of your brand. Cell phones – according to GQ magazine – define manners and breeding. Follow the rules: beat those who don’t.
10) Remember who you are. A professional. Impressing a new client at lunch only to let him see you behave like a drunken boor at a cocktail function that evening is to lose all the credibility you have built for your brand. Behave yourself.
RESEARCH: GQ Magazine, The secret Language of success by Dr David Lewis, Selling with NLP by Kerry L. Johnson
[LINE]
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| So your anti-Hijack strategy didn't work - Now what? |
| 02.07.04 (1:04 am) [edit] |
[b]Your anti Hijack strategy didn’t work – now what?
By Writerboy[/b]
![]() =http://img21.photobucket.com/...
· Do not lose your temper, threaten or challenge the hijacker.
· DO EXACTLY AS TOLD BY THE HIJACKERS!
· Do not resist, especially if the hijacker has a weapon. Surrender your vehicle and move away. Try to put as much distance between yourself and the hijacker(s) as speedily as possible.
· Do not reach for your purse or valuables. Leave everything in the vehicle.
· Try to remain calm at all times and do not show signs of aggression.
· Be compliant to all demands set by the perpetrator.
· Do not make eye contact with the hijacker. He may perceive this behavior as a threat and retaliate aggressively.
· Keep your hands still and visible to the hijacker, so as to give him assurance of your passive content.
· Do not speak too fast (if you are able to talk) and do not make sudden movements.
· Gather as much information as possible without posing a threat.
How many people?
How many firearms and description thereof?
What were the perpetrators wearing (clothing)?
To which direction did they drive off?
Take note of the language they use (the accent).
· First phone the SA Police Service on 08600 10111. They will dispatch the medical services if needed. Other emergency numbers you could phone are 112 ANY Network (Vodacom+MTN+Cell C) or 147 Vodacom ONLY. [b](Info for South Africa only)[/b]
· Activate the vehicle tracking device e.g. Tracker / Netstar / Matrix if the vehicle is fitted with one
:!:
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| Avoiding Hijacking - Hot topic in South Africa - Appeared in RESOURCES |
| 02.07.04 (12:53 am) [edit] |
[b]HOW TO AVOID A HIJACK SITUATION:[/b]
![]() =http://img21.photobucket.com/...
APPROACHING HOME:
· 2km from your house strategy. Be extra alert. Switch off the car radio and concentrate on your surroundings. If you have noticed any vehicle behind you, use the techniques you have learned during the hijack prevention & survival course to determine whether you are being followed.
· Remember to stop your vehicle just on the inside of the gate and select reverse whilst waiting for the gate to close. This creates confusion and may buy you a few seconds for the gate to close completely behind you.
· Check your driveway and street before you leave or enter your premises.
· Make sure your driveway is well lit and clear from shrubbery where perpetrators can hide.
· Be aware of unknown pedestrians close to your residential address – do not turn into your driveway – pass and go back later.
· Liaise with your neighbours – know them.
· Be aware of vehicles parked close to your address with occupants inside. It might be perpetrators observing the area.
· Be alert if your animals do not greet you at the gate as usual. It might be that the perpetrators over-powered them.
· Phone your home and ask for someone to make sure your driveway is safe and to open and close the gate for you.
· When returning home after dark, ensure that an outside light is on, or have someone meet you at the gate. Check with your armed response company if they are rendering rendezvous services.
· If at any time you have to open the gate yourself, switch off the vehicle, leave the key in the ignition and close the door. Then open the gate.
· If you have small children in the vehicle, take the key with you (this is the only exception). You then need the key as a “negotiating tool”. The perpetrators want your vehicle and you want your children.
· If your children are older, it is advised that they exit the vehicle with you when opening the gate so that you are all separated from the vehicle should a hijack occur.
PARKING
· Check rear-view mirror to ensure you are not being followed.
· When exiting your vehicle, be cautious and aware of surrounding obstructions and shrubbery that may be concealing a hijacker.
· Never sit in your parked vehicle without being conscious of your surroundings. Sleeping in a stationary vehicle is particularly dangerous.
· When approaching your driveway, be on the lookout for suspicious vehicles / persons. This is very important as the majority of hijackers approach their victims in home driveways.
ENTERING AND EXITING YOUR VEHICLE
· Have your key ready, but not visible.
· Inspect the outside and inside of the vehicle before unlocking. (Tyre, tyre, number plate, other side of the vehicle – as explained during the hijack prevention & survival course)
· Know your destination and directions to it; and be alert should you get lost.
· Always drive with your windows closed and doors locked.
· Make a mental note of any Police Stations in the vicinity.
· When stopping behind another vehicle, leave half a vehicle length in front of your vehicle to make an emergency escape if necessary.
· When dropping off a passenger, make sure they are safely in their own vehicle before departing.
· Avoid driving through high crime or unfamiliar areas.
· Avoid driving late at night / early hours of the morning when the roads are quiet.
· Drive in the center lane away from pedestrians where possible.
· If possible, never drive alone.
· NEVER, EVER pick up hitchhikers or strangers. (VERY IMPORTANT)
· Never follow routine routes when driving; change on a regular basis.
MORE
· If approached by a stranger while in your vehicle, drive off if possible or use your hooter to attract attention.
· Lock your doors, close your windows and do not have bags or briefcases visible in the vehicle. Use the boot for this. Cell phone should also not be visible.
· There are times and days that these items are visible in the vehicle. Try and open the window they might “smash & grab” about 3 cm, so the window can absorb the sudden impact. If you’ve left your stopping distance you may be able to escape.
· Be constantly on the lookout for suspicious looking characters or vehicles and do not hesitate to report them to the SAPS.
· Always be on the alert for potential danger, and be on the lookout for possible escape routes and safe refuge along the way.
· When approaching a red traffic light at night, slow down so that you only reach it when it turns green.
· Do not take anything from people standing at traffic lights or places where they gather (job seekers on gathering points). Perpetrators are usually standing among these people.
· Make sure you are not followed. If you suspect you are being followed, drive to the nearest Police Station or any busy public area.
· If any person or vehicle in a high-risk area arouses your suspicions, treat it as hostile and take appropriate action, e.g. when approaching a red traffic light, slow down, check for oncoming traffic and if clear, drive through the intersection. A fine will be preferable to an attack. Treat stop streets in the same way. Thereafter call for assistance if necessary. Always report these incidents to the SAPS. But remember, this is not an excuse to ignore the rules of the road. The onus will be on you to prove in a court of law that you had justifiable reason to act the way you did and this is only in the case of a real, life-threatening emergency.
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| An article written for RESOURCES, a Santam / IBRC insurance publication in SA |
| 02.06.04 (6:38 am) [edit] |
Why stop now? By Andy Mark
FAIS may be viewed as a monumental pain in the butt by many brokers, but it is certainly going to clean up our industry. We have been inundated with calls from brokers - many of whom have been in the industry since Pa fell off the bus – who have learned their skills by osmosis. By osmosis I mean they have assimilated their knowledge through trial and error. The lucky few have been fortunate enough to work in offices with senior people who have been able to guide them along the pitfalls of what is an extremely challenging industry. My problem with learning by Osmosis – or trial and error- is that it is often the client who has had to bear the brunt of paying for ‘our’ education. The damage done to our industry and the personal reputations of skilled brokers by poorly informed and educated intermediaries is immeasurable. Our good advice, delivered to our clients purely in their best interest, is often viewed with suspicion, all because the client has had a previous ‘bad experience’ – It is still happening today – brokers, only too happy to sign up new business – are ‘forgetting’ to explain the pitfalls of insurable interest to a father who misguidedly places an adult son’s or daughters’ car on their policy. The error only being discovered when the unfortunate policyholder tries to claim on their child’s behalf. It all boils down to accountability. We earn our commission based on our advice. If we offer bad advice why shouldn’t we be held accountable?
The implementation of the FAIS act and all it’s ramifications carries with it the seed of opportunity. If your skills level is not up to scratch, why not go back to school? It does not matter if you are in your fifties or just starting out in the industry. There are many education establishments that offer part time course – even Internet based course where you only have to leave your home to go and write the exams. Breathe a breath of fresh air into your life. Mix with youngster who are also studying for the same exam – you will be surprised what you can learn from them, and you will be surprised at how much you have learned since you last sat in a classroom. Remember you are only as old as you think you are – seize the challenge and phone around for a prospectus from a college near you. Do it today.
The minimum requirements in terms of the FAIS Act are as follows:
Personal lines - Grade 11 or an NQF level 4 (National Qualifications
Framework) with 12 credits.
Commercial - Grade 12 or an NQF level 4 with 30 credits.
The Act stipulates that personnel members who are involved in personal lines must attain a total of 30 credits on NQF level 4 over a period of two
years. Personnel members who work in commercial lines are required to obtain a total of 60 credits on NQF level 4 over a period of three years.
No credits will be awarded for years of service in the insurance industry or for internal courses. However, credits will be awarded for certain insurance-related qualifications.
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| The joys of living in beautiful South Africa - so we have drivers from hell, so what? |
| 02.06.04 (6:10 am) [edit] |
[b]“Where did you get your licence? – Pick&Pay?”[/b]By Andy Mark
![]() =http://img21.photobucket.com/...
No slur intended to South Africa’s leading grocery retailer, but it seems that to obtain a drivers licence in this country is simply a matter of picking your licence and paying the right corrupt official. The Eastern Cape joins the ranks of other provinces (surprise surprise) that face a drivers licence scam of monumental proportions. So bad is drivers licence fraud in the province that people flock to the area from Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape to obtain the fake licences.
The drivers licence debacle is by no means limited to the Eastern Cape. A recent fire at the traffic department head office in Empangeni, KwaZulu Natal, occurred mysteriously soon after the polices Special Investigations unit began its enquiry into allegations that several police officers stationed there were running a drivers licence scam. The brilliantly intelligent culprits involved apparently set fire to the offices, hoping to eliminate incriminating evidence. The offices had no sign of forced entry and the damaged building reeked of petrol after the blaze was extinguished.
Andre Rossouw, Umtata’s traffic chief has been arrested and charged with corruption, obstruction and bribery. Picturesque Humansdorp, situated on the N2 between Plettenberg Bay and Port Elizabeth has a staggering 505 cases of fraudulent licences being investigated. If you’ve ever traveled that way, Humansdorp barely has that many motor vehicles.
Extrapolate these figures to the rest of the country and the overall number of unlicenced drivers on our roads is staggering. ‘So what, I’ve got a licence’ you say. Well the lack of licences affects all of us. Not least because an unlicenced driver is an uninsured driver – even if a policy is in place – More importantly: every time you venture on to a road or highway (alone or with your family) you take your life into your own hands.
What can we do? A defensive driving course is certainly a worthwhile investment and intelligent planning of routes to avoid traveling on dangerous sections of road - at peak traffic times or when visibility is reduced - can help reduce the risk. The Automobile Association offers advice on various routes to their members. The SA weather service has a brilliant website, updated several times each day covering weather conditions across the country.
PRO DRIVING TACTICS:
031 500 4488
FOUR RINGS DRIVING ACADEMY.
Tel: 082 905 1213
BMW ADVANCED DRIVING
(011) 466 2710
(011) 466 2673
NATIONAL HIJACK PRVENTION ACADEMY
Tel: 012 661 1388
AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA
AA ROAD REPORT 082 16 111
:!:
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| Make your business work for you in 2004: Communicate! |
| 12.24.03 (4:22 pm) [edit] |
[b]2004 – The year your business pays off your house…[/b]If you are anything like me, you can hardly remember that you’ve even been on holiday. Oh, but your bank does. If you have not yet received your credit card bills, you will soon.
Why not make 2004 your most successful year yet? Make enough money out of your brokerage to settle not only credit card debt, but your car and your house too. Take a long hard look at how you are doing things, and who you are doing them with. Watching commission cheque after commission cheque roll in is plenty exciting.
Those of you who have been in business for a while will undoubtedly have a standard routine of doing things. A routine that works most of the time. You are receiving referrals (not as many as you would like) and your usual leads sourced through your golf or sports club and business associations may be generating enough new business to tide you over. To really cook – to make enough money to become debt free by the end of 2004 - you are going to have to lift your game a little. You need to rekindle the excitement that makes you leap out of bed at 5:00am eager to start work.
Do the sums. Your outstanding bond is R350 000, you still owe R170 000 on your car, MasterCard and Visa - after the holidays - are running at R 20 000…
Make an additional half million this year…
Clearly, you need to make an additional R540 000 this year, to achieve your debt free status. Here’s how: The longer you have been in business, the more contacts you have made. If you have delivered a professional service and managed to keep most of your appointments, your clients will be relatively happy with your abilities. Clients however are not loyal. Witness the massive growth the buy-direct insurance companies have made in recent times. They have stolen your customers. Clients that you used to deal with are now picking up the phone and dialing a toll free number to get better rates, regardless of the 5 year history you have built up with them. Those clients have fallen victim to a very powerful, carefully targeted, advertising campaign. I am not privy to the typical buy-direct advertising budget, but from experience, I can tell you that after the TV shots, magazines, sports sponsorships, newspaper and radio ads, the adspend is probably greater than the health budgets of many of our northern neighbors.
Why they do it…
Popular sales intelligence tells us that it takes an average of seven contacts with a prospect before he converts to a client. Most of us give up way before then. The media campaigns unleashed by your opposition rely on the power of television, radio and print to make those seven contacts for them.
How do you, running a small or medium sized brokerage hope to compete? The answer lies in your existing client database. A regular monthly message to everyone on your list (no, I’m afraid a computer generated birthday card does not qualify) is an invaluable tool and key to achieving amazing results. Carefully chosen content is important. Your communication could take the form of a newsletter or personalised mailing that contains something of interest to your reader. Perhaps a story on office or home security, or the importance of an accurate inventory or similar. It is important that the message contains NO HARD SELL – just information valuable enough to make your client want to read your news every month. You see, if you try to sell through the communication you immediately brand yourself along with all the other junk mailers and your campaign will fall flat. The object here is to carefully research content with a ‘Gee, I didn’t know that!’ value. The kind of value that makes your client look forward to your regular mailings. What you are doing is building what the advertising guru’s call ‘top of mind’ awareness. Couple this to a tactfully placed message in the body of the communication, asking for referrals: ‘If you find this newsletter helpful, and know someone who might also benefit, please ask them to call me, or give me their details and I will call them’. And there you have it, the crux of this article: By positioning yourself as a leader in your field – and you must be, because you know enough to mail inside info to everyone on a monthly basis – you immediately come to mind when it is time for your client, or someone referred by your client, to buy.
Now take the total of the income you need above to become debt free this year, R540 000 – and divide that up by the number of names on your address list, say 500 (that’s an income of R1080 each) who refer you to another 500 (that’s another R1080 each) who refer you to 500… you get my point? Your monthly newsletter is doing your prospecting for you. Properly executed, your newsletter will generate referrals and sales leads like nothing you have tried before.
[i]Writerboy runs a specialist newsletter and direct mail communications practise based in Cape Town.[/i]
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Brain fade |
| 11.29.03 (9:16 am) [edit] |
[b]2004 – The year I take back control of my life…[/b]
Do you suffer from short-term memory loss? I do. I was beating myself up the other day over an important appointment that evaporated from my memory ten seconds after I ended the cell phone call. In my defence I had taken three calls immediately afterwards, all before I arrived at my office, and - caught up in the urgency of deadlines, proofs and a thousand other minor emergencies – I forgot to note the date and time of the appointment. Unforgivable. Or is it? Think of the tens of thousands of bits of information you process every day. A simple task, like driving to the office, sees us react to a hundred different stimuli – here avoiding a taxi, there dealing with an out-of-order traffic light. Add to this mix a cell phone call or two, each requiring an immediate decision. Those of us with children will still be carrying the residue of a typical school morning, lost shoes, signing homework and refereeing round six of the ongoing bout between our darling offspring. How much information can our brain absorb before it starts to misfire?
Our technologically deprived forefathers sure worked hard. But they also had it easy. A letter was a letter. Written on real paper. And it waited patiently for the postman to deliver it to your office. You could then take a day or two to formulate your response before you popped your reply in the postbox. Modern-day email now demands you respond immediately.
In the old days folk simply had to wait until you were back in the office before they could call you. Drive time – even without airbags and ABS - was a quiet affair, there was much less traffic to avoid and you were safe from tele-canvassers interrupting your journey with annoying cell phone calls.
All this got me thinking about working smarter. My goal in 2004 is to take back control of my life. I have made the decision to drive with my cell phone switched off – car kit or not. I desperately need the time to plan, to digest information, develop creative solutions and simply give my brain a break.
Making technology work for you…
The second phase of my plan to regain control is to use technology to work for me, not the other way round. The nature of my work requires that I keep up to speed on many different topics. I find the easiest way to stay abreast of happenings in the industry is to subscribe to electronic newsletters. Ezines deliver breaking news, on topics I choose, instantly right to my mailbox. Of course, I also receive a lot of irrelevant subject matter. I have installed a handy bit of freeware called Mailwasher. This tiny utility reveals all my email instantly, even before it is downloaded from my ISP. A quick glance through the list allows me to open my email without downloading. I can delete and even blacklist unwanted email. This small program, actually ‘donationware’ – if you like it, you can donate any amount to the developer – saves me nearly 20 minutes every day. Over nine hours a month! Nearly a whole working day.
Manage your clients…
Absolutely essential to any modern business is effective CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software. Letters, quotes and other communication are fully automated and yet deliver personal looking material with the addition of only a few key words. I have looked at several CRM solutions, ACT, GOLDMINE etc, but have found MAXIMIZER to be the easiest to get up and running.
Auto responders…
An autoresponder system, running alongside your CRM software that responds to clients queries automatically. Follow up letters, emails, reminders and more – all personalised – WITHOUT having to write a single word. Yet another thirty hours a month saved, and increased business to boot! (Dependable research shows that most sales are only completed after the fifth contact – just imagine how effective you will be, if four of those five contacts are done for you?)
Box smart…
Business people, utilising the myriad of networking opportunities at their disposal, have a potent tool to easily add business to their book with very little impact on their precious time.
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