#006 - How Preparation Can Save You Time And Make You Work More Effectively!

Episode #006 - How Preparation Can Save You Time And Make You Work More Effectively!
Introduction
I have a habit of coming up with a lot of ideas around my business
Good if you have a team to help implement said ideas – not taking 5 minutes to prepare can waste hours of time
This relates to my podcast ‘Active Entrepreneur’, originally called ‘Entrepreneur on a mission’ – thinking about me and what I’m about – I am on a mission
My personal brand is active – would I still want this brand in 10 years’ time?
So I thought I’d do something around the key things to prepare – at any stage of business, preparation is key
Rushing projects, hiring staff too late or too quickly, trying to make sales too quickly and putting customers off – commit an adequate amount of time to some form of preparation
Some things you can do to prepare:
Marketing – you don’t have a business without concentrating on marketing – campaigns, videos, photos – think about these, content is important but it needs to be thought about
Simple method to aid you in coming up with a structure to develop great content:
Who is your market – who are they – my ideal client is; business owners, around the 6/7 figure mark, 6 figure profits, trading for 2 years
What car do they drive? Are they married? Do they have children? – When thinking about your avatar, you can think - What do they look like?
There are different markets for different products – product based companies would aim at a different market
Knowing your market allows you to craft a message to help them – refine and target it as you go
Think about the media you’ll put it on – podcasting, video, blog – I like to make a video/podcast, which we’ll turn into a blog, spread the content over images
Think about the right type of media e.g. if you’re targeting 70 year olds, will they be on YouTube?
Snapchat is aimed at the younger generation/millennials – this should be something to get into if they are your target market
Find where your audience is ‘hanging out’ and use that media to display your message – they need to understand that it’s for them
This comes back to…
What is your big vision? Your mission? What is your ultimate purpose for doing what you’re doing? – weave this into your marketing
Simon Sinek talks about “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”
In my business at the current time, I’ve been developing my own CRM system – software is key
Back in 2005/6, mobile phones and getting internet base leads were only just kicking off – now everything is automated, AI’s coming into certain industries and market places to make them quicker, simpler and easier for the consumer
How can you implement software to make not only your life easier but to give your customers a better experience?
So this made me take on Sales Force, it’s the market leader, yes it is costly but it’s completely bespoke – provides customers with better advice and makes our lives simpler – it is better to have something off of the shelf that I can completely adapt to my business
Small changes are what is going to help you succeed
Focus on; software, systems and processes - Prepare for the company you want to become because the software I’m building today is for the business I want to have in 12, 24 or even 36 months – you have to think about this as an entrepreneur and business owner
Recruiting staff
It takes time – It is all well and good getting someone who can get the job but they need to help us grow as a business and provide for the company
Recruit before you actually need the individual – if things are about to break, you’ve left it too late
Think about how you’re going to fund that expense – I’ve been against using recruitment agencies due to the percentage fees they charge
I’m using a digital recruiter called ‘Box of Jobs’ – they put the advert all over the internet and then send me the CV’s – I need to build relationships with these advisors, administrators, etc. before I need them in the months to come
Always have your scouting cap on wherever you go – if you see talent, snap it up
I look at my day, the night before
The 3 things I want to achieve for today, I planned last night – work ahead of yourself and set yourself up
I also do it on a Sunday night for the entire week – allows me to utilise my time better – more focused and structured
Outsourcing low value tasks
E.g. administration jobs – doing your books and chasing people can be done by someone else as you should be focusing on high income generating tasks
In relation to mortgages and what we do - it is important to prepare
If you leave it to the last minute, it can lead to failure
*THIS IS NOT ADVICE JUST INFORMATION*
If you were to start thinking about your application 12 to 24 months in advance, you are likely to have more success – gives a better opportunity to work through your circumstances, affordability, criteria of the mortgage lender, the terms you may be offered, identify the properties you want to buy or invest in – so you can ultimately have your victory at the end – this is the Active Methodology
Make sure you have; the right identification, the right documentation, the right bank statements and the right income proof
If you know you want an £800k property but you’re currently in a £400k property, you should sit down and think; what does my income need to be? What’s my current affordability and what would it need to be for an £800k property?
You can then set targets in your business and prepare to buy that £800k home – if you know your business well enough, you could set a timescale and proper goal
As a business owner, think about building your business and personal income as well as assets – if you died tomorrow, you’d want another source of income to safeguard you family/future
Assets don’t have to be property, could be an investment e.g. a book – I wrote a book called ‘The Self-Employed Mortgage Guide’ and it’ll be on Amazon forever – a steady stream of income and an asset to my business
You need to think about building assets for you and your business
Hopefully this information has been useful and I’d love to know your feedback on the ways in which you prepare – for your day or in your business or for your future – Leave a comment below
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Connect with me under the username Gary Das
What you believe, you can achieve. Stay Active.