As a small business owner, you have an even greater need to capitalize on your talents. You may not have a large staff to delegate to, but if you plan your resources well, you can have a large group of contractors to outsource to. This allows you to profit from your strengths, get things done more efficiently, and provide the greatest value to your clients while keeping yourself sane.

7 Critical Keys to Outsourcing

1. Know your strengths, as well as those areas of business you should not be doing yourself. Taking on tasks that take you twice as long to complete, or that you do not love doing, only drains your time and energy. You could use that time and energy to bring in revenue, create new product lines, and more!
2. Know the value you bring to your clients. Especially identify the key areas in your business that impact cash flow that can only be done by you. Here is a little exercise: Create a list with three columns to answer the following: Done by You, Done By Others, Attributes Required. What must be provided by you and what could be delivered by someone else? What attributes do you need in that person? This list will help you define what you need.
3. Create systems for anything you could delegate* and document those systems. This can save hours in training time, as well as give you the ability to repeat the outsourcing process easily. *I recommend that you create systems for every area of your business – even those you do yourself. But, if you don’t have your systems documented yet, and you are considering outsourcing, get these systems documented first.
4. Know your budget. If you hire someone for $x amount. What short term impact will that have to your cash flow? What positive impact could it have long term? (i.e. what will you use your freed up time for?)
5. Communicate expectations clearly and create a method for checking in, accountability, communication and follow up. I always say (and I’ve learned the hard way) “inspect what you expect.” Make this motto your own when working with someone new. And, identify the milestones you’ll use to gauge whether this is a success or not. To aid in communication, consider a project management software such as Basecamp, Smartsheet, Liquid Planner, or the many other options on the market to keep your pulse on project progression.
6. Start small with one person or company and one task. Remember, outsourcing is supposed to relieve your stress level, not add to it! Ask for referrals from your network. Interview and ask for references. The due diligence you put in now will pay for itself many times over later.
7. Nurture your outsourced relationships. In order for the relationship to last, it needs to be a successful relationship for all involved. That means making sure your contractor is happy and you are willing to adjust to them when appropriate as well.

As you can see, when done right, outsourcing can be one of the smartest decisions you make for your business. In fact, it may be the only way to grow and remain in control.

Now, what are you waiting for? Do what’s best for your business and for you. Work within your strengths and let someone else do the rest!

And, please, share your ideas for outsourcing and delegation below!

Does this sound familiar to you?

Every business owner knows this feeling at some point in their career. Here is what I recommend to overcome the overwhelm:

1. Take a very deep breath. Realize that this is a temporary situation and you can get through it! Oxygen helps the brain work.
2. Be honest with yourself. What is bringing on this feeling of overwhelm? (Is it an upcoming trip? Is it a client deadline? Is it that remodel you are in the midst of? Or is it something completely outside of your control?) Answer this question and you’ll have a good starting point for overcoming it and/or controlling it.
3. Do a brain dump. Write or type down everything that is on your mind that needs to be done. Don’t worry about sorting it, just get it out of your head and into a list.
4. You should already be feeling better and thinking more clearly! Now look at that list and decide what TRULY must be done in the next 2 days, what can be done a week from now, and what could be done later.
5. Identify items that you can delegate to others, consider even the smallest tasks and helpers you might not normally engage.
6. Schedule items on your calendar so you are sure to do them.
7. Repeat this process as often as is necessary!

What helps you feel more in control when you are in a state of overwhelm? Share your tips here!

Then…….work mode sets in.

I begin to lose that clarity. I start to feel overwhelmed by all there is to do (in all areas of my life), or the fear of change sets in, and rather quickly, those feelings of clarity and motivation slide into the ether. Almost as if I never left my crazy day to day life at all!

Well, this time, I am determined to keep some of that lovely momentum! Here are a few ways I intend to do that. If this scenario is familiar to you, use these tips:

1. Do a “brain dump.” My favorite way to get everything out of my head and onto paper or computer. Be sure to include some of those great ideas that came to you during the quiet moments of vacation. (This step alone can help you hang on to your vacation hangover), but I also recommend this next step as a minumum.)
2. Remember your vacation! Take brief moments during the day to take a breath and recall those feelings of renewal and space that you experienced while away. Recall the excitement of those ideas. Then, from that remembered space…
3. Separate the list between standard every day “to do’s” and new initiatives or ideas
4. Take that list of new initiatives and relate it to your goals. Will these new ideas help you to move a specific goal forward? Knowing this will help you to prioritize, revise or toss the idea.
5. And, of course, once you’ve identified the ideas you’ll work on first, break those into smaller steps that you can schedule. Identify what you’ll need to get them done i.e. education, hired expertise, time to think, etc.
6. Take action! Because without this last step, you’ll never really get anywhere!

Wishing you a rejuvenating vacation very soon, and a lasting hangover.

To your success,
Tia

Your business in an extension of you and it is likely that your business’s core values are similar to your own. However, they may not be the same.

Have you taken the time to define your company’s values and ensure you are communicating them clearly to your clients? And, do you know the importance of doing so?

Believe it or not, it was the Occupy Movement that got me thinking of values! Regardless of personal opinions, the overall effort of the movement has struck me as somewhat impressive. They have clearly identified and demonstrated their core values to the community. Despite inclement weather and other obstacles, the members of the movement continue to hold steadfast to their values.

I’ve been defining my company’s core values as my mastermind partner and I strategically plan for 2012. Though unexpectedly challenging, I’m finding this process of defining values very powerful. We’re starting from the foundation of our businesses and working our way up. (The foundation being our core values and beliefs.) Those “things” that drive every decision we make or action we take, whether we are aware of them or not.

With that said, I propose a challenge throughout the coming year!

1. Define your company’s core values in a way that is clear to you, your employees, clients, colleagues and competitors.
2. Ask yourself, how can you continue to represent your company’s values within the scope of a changing business or marketing plan?
3. As your business continues to grow, ensure your clients continue to recognize your values throughout your business practices.

If your values are not being clearly communicated, or if some of your actions are outside your company’s values, make the necessary changes to bring your decisions and actions into alignment with your values.

Attention to your values is especially important during growth and other high-stress times. If you define your business’s values ahead of time, it will be that much easier to ensure they are consistently communicated by all people in your company.

As an example, I’ve identified a few of Ribary & Associates’ values as: honesty, accurate and clear communication, gratitude and respect for limited resources such as people, time, money and the environment.

A couple of other tips:

• Ask yourself before speaking with a client or a member of your team, how can I clearly demonstrate my values through this interaction?
• Consider taking a poll to measure how well your company has progressed within your business community.

Your values are the foundation of your business and will continually drive your actions, decisions and emotions. It’s best to know what those drivers are!

To your success,
Tia

With so much new information coming in, it can be helpful to start with something familiar. So, I thought I’d share what I know works in traditional networking, that you can also apply to social networking. Here are five simple rules to get your social networking off to a powerful start:

Rule #1: Make sure your image is consistent with your brand and you appear “put together”. In the online networking world, apply the same rules you would apply to an in-person networking event. You wouldn’t go to an event without your shoes on, or your hair or clothes a mess. In the same way, be sure your online profile is complete, proofed and accurate. In addition, never say anything in the online world that you wouldn’t say in a group setting at an event.

Rule #2: Show up consistently to make it work. Log on and reply to comments, friend or network requests, post comments, etc. Stay connected and engaged and you will develop a strong network. Just like any other form of networking, out of site = out of mind.

Rule #3: Be clear on what you need. In networking, the best results are achieved with clearly defined needs and a compelling message. In the on-line world sending a clear message is essential. There are many thousands of profiles on-line, so what makes yours unique? It’s you and what you offer. Succinctly communicate the amazing result you bring to your clients. Likewise, be clear on whom your ideal client is or your network certainly won’t be! Clearly state the market you serve and the types of clients you are looking for. Ask for what you need.

Rule #4: Be of service. You get real traction when you get people’s attention in a way that is meaningful to them. You add value when you help others make good connections, answer questions from your network, write and post useful articles or comments. Ask yourself, “Who can I connect this person to? What tidbit of information can I provide that will make a difference in this person’s business or life?” Make sure others know you are there to contribute.

Rule #5: Be active in your organization. The more involved you are in the organization, the more you’ll get out of it. Host online events and put in time connecting others to valuable resources. You will get serious traction and attention when you help build the network with invitations and involve others in your community.

These are just a few ideas to ground the social networking world to something most of us are quite familiar with:  traditional networking. If you start with these simple rules, the task of social networking will be less daunting.

Finally, you will find me on BizNik, Linked In, and Naymze. If you’d like to connect with me there, I’d love to “see” you!

Wishing you endless success,

Tia

One of the biggest offenders is an increase in mail, which means more paper than usual. If you’re like me, you receive many donation requests, holiday cards, a surplus of advertisements, and a lot more.

Try using the following sorting process for every piece of paper that reaches your hands. Ask yourself these questions anytime you’re dealing with clutter:

Does it require action on my part?
If so, it’s a “to-do”. This includes bills to pay, contributions to make, and action items for the in-box, etc.

Do I want to read it?
If so, it goes into “reading.”

Do I need to keep it for my records?
If so, it goes into “to be filed.”

Do I need it at all?
If not, it can be recycled or thrown away.
For the holidays, ask yourself one additional question:

Do I want to keep it temporarily for the holidays?
If so, it can go into a separate area for holiday cards or coupons.
Below are more strategies for dealing with increased paper flow.

Holiday Cards:

We know our friends, co-workers, and family mean well. They send the sweetest holiday cards each year. As nice as it would be to display the cards through the holidays, you don’t want MORE clutter. You could purchase holiday card hangers or stands, but the cards aren’t easily displayed so that you can enjoy them. Or you could display the cards on a table or bookshelf, but the clutter really adds up that way.

My tip: String a piece of fishing line from one corner of a room to the other and then hang your cards on the line. It makes a nice decoration and gives you an easy, out of the way method of displaying special cards. One of my clients does this and when I saw it, I knew I had to share it with you. You can even leave the empty string up all year long if you like. Remember  – fishing line is not easily seen, so placing the line and cards near the ceiling is a perfect option.

And what about photo holiday cards? At the end of the season, gather them together to place in your photo album, just like you would any other photo.

Increased Requests For Donations:

In December, many of us make extra donations to charities we don’t regularly support throughout the year. However, when we’re sorting the mail, we’re not always sure which charities we’ll be donating to for the holidays. Use a small box, basket, or file folder to collect potential charity envelopes. Then, when you’re ready to donate, you can sort through the envelopes and choose the organizations you have the desire and money to support.

Additional tip: Keeping your charity envelopes near your “bills to pay” will make it easy to pay both at the same time.

Coupons and Advertisements:

Is there an end to the abundant amount of holiday specials and advertisements? Try placing the advertisements of interest in a specifically designated basket or file. As you receive the coupons/ads, be sure to mark down what you want to use them for. Example – if you first identify the ad as a gift idea or something you want to buy for yourself, mark that on the coupon or identify it with a sticky note. Then, when you take your coupon and ads with you, you’ll know exactly what you wanted to purchase the item for.

The holidays are a festive and fun time. With the right organizational techniques, they can also be clutter free!

Wishing you peace and happiness,

Tia Ribary

Is going on vacation too much work? It doesn’t have to be, if you plan well. Read on for tips on how to plan for vacation, without pushing yourself over the edge to insanity.

I’m currently planning my own vacation – two weeks in Maui at the end of April. And, I’m talking about a REAL vacation. No phone and no email. At times, it can feel so overwhelming, I think, “Why am I going away? It would be much easier to stay here and catch up on all this stuff’.” However, I know from experience, that our vacation will renew my health, my spirit and my work-mind – which will ultimately help my business.

The key to planning a great vacation away from the office is thought and preparation.
Here are a few things to consider:

30 – 60 days before your trip:

Create a timeline for what needs to happen while you’re away.

Consider the following: What bills will be due; what employees/contractors will need to be paid; which client’s have high-peak volume while you’re gone; what organizations do you volunteer for that might depend on your time; what events are occurring just after you come back that you’ll need to be ready for?

Think about how to handle this while you’re away. Can you write checks early; can you schedule extra time to work with clients who need it; can you do early preparation for the event? Get it all on your calendar.

Although I regularly use a digital calendar, I find it helpful during the planning process to print out a month-at-a-glance page to map out my time. Then, I schedule things onto my digital calendar based on my monthly map.

30 – 45 days before your trip:

Notify clients AND employees/contractors that you’ll be out of the office. This helps them plan their projects.

Set time aside to catch-up after your return.
Think of how relaxing your vacation will be and how much longer the effects will last, if you know you’re coming home to a day or two of in-office time. Use this time to catch up on email, voice mail, check-in with clients, etc.

Before you leave:

Update your voice mail with the dates you’ll be gone, whether or not you’re checking voice mail and when you plan to return calls. Consider hiring someone to check your voice mail and schedule appointments for you while you’re away.

Set up e-mail auto-responder. Include the same information as your voice mail. You can also hire someone to handle your email while you’re away. This can make a big difference in how much work there is when you return.

Finally, anytime your mind starts reeling about all there is to do before you leave or what awaits your return – stop and make a list (brain-dump as I like to call it). This takes you out of your own head and allows you to prioritize and schedule accordingly.
What’s left to do after you’ve planned so well? Have a fabulous vacation!

If you’re planning a vacation and would like assistance scheduling items, need extra help or would like your voice mail and e-mail handled – Ribary & Associates can likely assist you. Just ask!

Wishing you endless success and happy vacations,
Tia Ribary