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"Committed to helping small business owners
and entrepreneurs earn more and work less!"

In This Issue

  • A Note From Lorraine
  • Teleclasses and Workshops
  • Feature Article: 'Can You Afford To Be Busy?'
  • Lorraine Recommends: 'Powerful Planning Days '
  • 'Classifieds

To view this ezine on the Web, click here.

Vol 12.11 - April 2008

Published every Tuesday. You are on our list because you signed up for one of our programs. To change your subscription, see link at end of email.

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"The Organised Times" now!


A Note From Lorraine

Hi,

Sometimes when I sit down to prepare this newsletter I do get ‘writer’s block’.

Although I keep a file with all my stories and ideas to share with you, there are times that I have so much, that even I don’t even know where to begin.

Do you ever feel that way in your business? So much to do, heaps of ideas but where do you start? Who do you turn to?

Being a business owner it’s easy to get overwhelmed and not know which way to turn or what to do.

That’s when I seek out expert help from a coach or mentor. It’s too hard for me to work it out all by myself.

When you’re immersed in your business on a daily basis you can get caught up in all the ‘stuff’. It can be very difficult to get clarity and direction on where you need to focus your time and energy.

This week’s story is a classic example of many unproductive business owners. You really have to wonder why they are in business.

Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.

Lorraine Pirihi
Australia's No. 1 Productivity Coach

"Committed to helping small business owners and
entrepreneurs work less, earn more and have a life!"

PS: Check out our blog to receive your free copy of "How to Get Organized, Focussed and On-Track" e-book.

Teleclasses and Workshops

''How to Have a Profitable Business Without Dying in the Process"

Melbourne 22nd May

Do You Feel Your Business is Stressing You Out and Wearing You Down? Have Your Family Forgotten What You Look Like? Are You Overwhelmed and Confused on How To Take Your Business to the Next Level?

Discover how to transform yourself into a powerhouse of energy and vitality, boost your profits and enjoy more family time by working less hours.

Save $100 on our early bird special. Click here to book now

I can now see how much time I have been wasting keeping ‘busy'. With the solutions I've learned from this workshop, I can easily save an additional day a week as well as boost my profits.

Marc Stafford, Marc Stafford Health & Fitness, www.marcstafford.com.au

Want to be our next success story? Make this workshop a priority. Click here now

Feature Article

"Can You Afford To Be Too Busy?"

By Lorraine Pirihi                                                                  

Wouldn't it be great that every time someone sends you an invoice for their services/products you pay for it immediately?

The cash is always sitting in your bank account and no matter what bills you receive you can always pay on time.

The theory is if you're good at ‘budgetting', you should be able to handle your ‘cashflow'.

So that leads me to this week's story.

I had an outstanding payment for a supplier which was overdue. The only reason I hadn't paid it was the fact that I had a couple of queries about the work that had been done.

Knowing that the business owner was disorganized in the way he ran his business, I wanted to check that everything on that invoice was correct. It wouldn't have surprised me if he had overcharged for work already paid for.

Little things gave me the impression John was disorganized. He didn't respond to emails and wouldn't return phone calls. Invoices were sent out weeks after the work had been completed. It's funny though, because John always complained to me that ‘cash flow' was a problem.

Fortunately for John he had an assistant who ensured the work was always done and sent out on time. If it wasn't for the assistant, I'd find another supplier.

Here's the bottom-line...

John didn't respond to my emails when I queried the payment, so I rang him and left a message with his assistant. The assistant said she'd get John to call me that afternoon.

Three days later, I called again, finally got hold of John and I asked him why he hadn't responded to my email and phone calls. His response... “I've been too busy!”

I don't usually follow up like this but I had another job ready for John's company to do and didn't want any hold-ups due to outstanding payments.

I teach my coaching clients how to set up simple systems so they get paid on time. This reduces their cashflow issues and frees them up to work on improving their business for more profit and time off.

If chasing payment is something you do often then consider these options:

  1. Ask for payment up-front or 50% deposit on commencement of project and 50% prior to completion.
  2. Offer regular instalments on credit card or direct debit (which you deduct at your end)
  3. Delegate or outsource the task of chasing up outstanding payments. Sometimes all it takes is a phone call to the debtor.

There's been a few times when people have done work for me and not sent an invoice. I bet it's probably happened to you too.

As the owner of the business you must get yourself organized, otherwise you may find that your cash isn't flowing and you waste time, energy and resources on trying to bring it in.

© Copyright 2008 The Office Organiser

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?

See Lorraine's Blog.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's No. 1 Productivity Coach. She's a dynamic, motivational and powerful speaker, author and leading business coach. Lorraine specialises in helping small business owners and entrepreneurs have more time, make more money and have a life!

For more information on how to increase your productivity and your profits in your small business, subscribe to Lorraine's widely read ezine ‘The Organised Times'. Go to: http://www.office-organiser.com.au

About Lorraine

Lorraine Pirihi, Australia's No. 1 Productivity Coach is creator of a range of powerful tools and resources to help small business owner and entrepreneurs earn more and work less.

Lorraine also offers FREE productivity tips, powerful products, workshops and coaching . Learn more now at www.office-organiser.com.au

Publisher:  The Office Organiser,
PO Box 2062, Hampton East
Melbourne  Vic Australia 3188
Tel: 1300 857 756 Fax: 613 9532 5497
admin@office-organiser.com.au

Check out our complete list of  resources and tools here.

Lorraine Recommends
 

"The Powerful Planning Day"

If you feel that you're struggling with managing your time, suffering from people problems and have difficulty getting clear on what you need to be doing to take your business to the next level, then this may interest you.

Would you like to have Lorraine spend the day with you? Get the solutions to your specific problems. You'll also have a clear plan on exactly what you need to do to get organised, focussed and on track.

Please reply to admin@office-organiser.com.au with "Powerful Planning Day" in the subject if this is of interest to you.

 
   
Classifieds
 

"Property Investing That Works"

Finally you can ‘crack the property code' and discover the real truth to having a property portfolio which will generate a desirable income for your future.

In this no b.s. seminar you will hear from Kirk Simpson, a humble, down-to earth retired millionaire property investor who at the tender age of 29 retired. He will share with you the real truth behind creating wealth from property...safely!

This free seminar is for people who seriously want to get ahead.

.....Date: Tuesday 6th May
.....Venue: The Buckingham International, 1130 Nepean Highway, Highett (Melbourne)
.....Time: 6.30 for 7.00pm start.

     Limited seating. Book your place now.
 
 
"How to Write Killer Headlines That Get Results Every Time"

Melbourne 29th April, Sydney 7th May

  • Do you struggle to write powerful headlines that grab people's attention?
  • Don't you wish you had a formula for writing headlines that worked, every time?

What if we could show you a sure-fire way to create tried and trusted headlines in minutes that sell any product or any service? Would that be of interest to you? Don't reinvent the wheel, use the formulas that the advertising professionals use every day and watch the sales roll in.

Click here to book your place now.

REACH MORE THAN 5000 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND ENTREPRENEURS.

Reserve your spot today!

© Copyright 2008 The Office Organiser. All rights reserved.

Lorraine Pirihi, The Office Organiser
PO Box 2062, Hampton East  Vic Australia 3188
Tel:(613) 9532 5497  Fax: (613) 9532 3398
admin@office-organiser.com.au
www.office-organiser.com.au
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