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There are times in most businesses and lives when nothing much is happening. Nothing creative. No innovations.  No new directions. From the outside all is quiet. The challenge is working out what is happening on the inside.

Are you stuck – and have no idea which way is the best way forward, but can’t go backwards either? Are you in a holding pattern where you have to wait for other planes to land before you can make your move? Are you just part of a natural rhythm of nature and are lying fallow at present but with the spring warmth will burst into bud? Or are you procrastinating – knowing what you could be doing, but for whatever reason (usually fear) you teeter on the edge – not willing to take the leap into your future?

Looking in from the outside, each of these patterns look the same. But looking out from the inside the scene is very different. Each view of the world is coloured by a different emotion. Stuckness has a confused, heavy quality to it. Holding patterns can start as quiet resignation, but can turn to irritation or frustration if the wait is too long. Lying fallow usually feels slow and gentle. Procrastination feels unsettled and like a burr under your skin.

Getting out of each state into action also has its differences. Stuckness needs insight, wisdom and pathfinding. You can’t move from stuckness to action just by force of will alone. Getting out of a holding pattern before the other planes have moved is a recipe for disaster, so the only two choices you have are to learn the art of patience or find a different landing strip. Trying to move from fallow to full production before the conditions are right means a measly harvest if at all. The only way out of lying fallow is waiting for the change in the seasons. Moving from procrastination to action requires facing the fears down and taking action anyway.

So if you or your business are in the doldrums you may want to stop and work out whether you are stuck, in a holding pattern, lying fallow or procrastinating. You can then match the action strategy with the issue, and not just leap into ill-considered action.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

Every now and again I get asked about favourite pieces of software that I use to boost productivity.  About two months back a close friend told me about Dropbox and I have to admit that I now can’t live without it.

So what is Dropbox? Well if you put your files into Dropbox on one of your computers, provided you have installed Dropbox on your other computers, then the file is instantly synced between your computers.  What that means is if I work on a client file on my desktop, the next time I turn on my laptop I can access the most current client file and make edits, which are instantly synced back to my home computer. I can also access the file online if I need to from a client’s computer.

So what? No more shuffling USBs, no more emailing versions to myself, no more sitting at an airport thinking “darn, I brought the wrong version of the file with me”.

Once you have yourself sorted, then the fun begins – you can grant access to individual files or folders to one or a number of people, and set the individual permission levels from read only to edit and delete.  For me it means my clients can now access drafts without having to email backwards & forwards or hassling with Yousendit or other programs (a much better option if we are at graphic design phase and need to work between client and designer).

Things you can do to really take it to the next level.

• Small teams can now access all corporate manuals and documentation using Dropbox from whatever computer they are using (which means always having the most current version of corporate policies and procedures).
• Remote workers or telecommuters can store their stuff centrally, no more stressing about the quality of home backup systems.
• People on extended leave can stay in touch with work projects.
• Use it to upload & share photos with your family while you are overseas (without the hassles of Facebook security/privacy).
• Teams can collaborate on drafts of documents.
• It covers you in case your house/business burns down (with all your computers & backups with it).
• Load your MYOB file into it so your accountant can work their magic without hogging your file or stopping you from invoicing.
• Use Dropbox with your Virtual Assistant to organise audio transcription or file editing.

Did I mention that the first 2GB is free and up to 100GB is available at negligible cost? Yes, it covers both Mac & Windows, and yes, they take your security seriously.  And no – I am not getting any kickbacks or even free space for this post – I consciously chose just to recommend it free and clear (it is that good).  So check out Dropbox for your business and you will very quickly be wondering how the heck did you live without it?

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Copywriter

Over the past month my path has crossed with many fantastic people. Some who I consider to be true experts in their field, yet no one knows about them. Others I have met hold themselves up to be experts in the field, and have large followings behind them cheering them on. In some cases, the public experts have the goods in terms of personal knowledge, in others -  well …

Talking with these public and private experts is an eye-opening experience. Most of the private experts know they have some knowledge, but underestimate how much they know. Often a self esteem issue holds them back, and they feel that shadowy “other people” are better than them. The public experts have their own demons. Some have a scared little voice inside their head – telling them that they are going to be “found out” one day. Others have bullet-plated self esteem, where they feel they are the best there is (whether or not that is the case).

So what is the real difference? From what I can see, the public experts have taken the time to document what they know (or have someone write it on the behalf), and hoist their flag over the parapet. It stands to reason that the person who stands up and is counted for their knowledge will be the one getting the kudos and the money, compared to the person who has the knowledge inside their head and only letting it come out to play over a dinner party or with select clients.

Listening to Matt Church and Steve Major, who are active in the brilliant group – Thought Leaders, it appears that this is the key. If you want to be a thought leader, you need to first start by documenting your intellectual property. Yes, part of doing that is finding what is unique in your approach or thoughts, but the first stage is to get it down on paper.

Once you have it clarified, then tell everyone about what you know through sharing your expertise, systems and processes. People then give you feedback on your knowledge through testimonials and case studies and your reputation as an expert builds.

The hard part is most of us don’t take the time to stop and document what we know. So, to all you silent experts out there I issue you a challenge. Get writing! The worst that can happen is you will realise how much you really do know.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

This is a tale of two movies. Both outstanding in their own way. Both with lessons for businesses that care to listen.

The first movie is Avatar. Last week ourselves and a good proportion of the world decided that Avatar in 3D was a must see movie. If you haven’t yet seen it the whizz bang special effects are truly mindblowing. And the massive investment by James Cameron and his backers have been handsomely returned as a result. Avatar demonstrates the future of film – with exceptional CGI, sound and blended human acting throughout. From a business perspective, Avatar demonstrates that there is always a market for the “next big thing” – for new ideas flawlessly executed.

But today we went to the other extreme. We visited an ancient picture theatre in the middle of rural Queensland – the Majestic Theatre in Pomona.

When you walk into the cinema you step back nearly 100 years of film. To a time when going to the pictures was an event you dressed up for. To a cinema with rich red velvet curtain walls, candelabra lights and painted proscenium arch.

In the early days of movies, film was in black and white and without sound. The plot was moved along by appropriate text slides and the musical stylings of the local muso who played the organ, changing tunes as the action shifted. CGI was not even a dream in the wildest imaginings.

The Majestic is the only cinema in Australia to still regularly show silent movies, complete with organ accompaniment by Ron West.

Recently when we were helping mum clear the effects of one of her friends who had passed, we discovered a stunning photo album filled with postcards of the silent movie stars of the 1920′s and 30′s. We knew the collection had to go to a deserving home, so donated it to The Majestic theatre. We organised our holiday to coincide with visiting the theatre.

As thanks we were treated to a private screening of the 1920′s film “The Haunted House”, with Ron on organ.

To be honest the kids were initially very sceptical – after all Avatar was their most recent movie. But within a few minutes when the candelabras had dimmed, the curtains opened and the music started to play the kids were lost in the movie. They laughed until tears formed in their eyes. The story was universal and the humour spanned the generations.

It was one of the most memorable experiences I have had in a long time. Sitting in a darkened theatre, bathed in the warmth of Ron’s hospitality and listening to the magic of  my kids laughter.

As any parent would know, the sign of a good movie is the car ride home – the kids couldn’t stop talking about what they had seen.  We talked about my kids grandparents and great grandparents. We talked about the cars, the kitchens and the portrayal of African-Americans they saw in the movies. We talked about the universality of slapstick humour no matter the nationality … we just talked. The silence of the movie triggered an avalanche of conversation – given my kids are teens this was a miracle!

Now, silent movies will never make The Majestic buckets of money. But The Majestic in Pomona is the hub of the local community. People travel for hours to attend one of their silent films. And the richness of the experience they offer cannot be priced.

The Majestic shows the value of a good business, doing what it does best consistently and continuously. It does not want to be main stream – it is the ultimate niche business, and everyone is the better for it being there.

So, if you ever are north of Brisbane, take the exit to Pomona and take in a silent movie at the Majestic.  Sure, enjoy the next blockbuster at your local cinema, but enjoy the living history of The Majestic at Pomona.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

One of the fastest ways to grow your business is by reading, studying with and being mentored by the best in their field. One of the people I regularly read is Alan Weiss. He is opinionated, I may not always agree with his thoughts, but he certainly pushes my thinking in a whole range of areas from life balance through to value based fees (one of the best books written on the subject) through to organisational consulting (and no, I don’t receive any affiliate fees from recommending him).

His Monday email this week for an area of focus was a beaut:

Ask how you can best help your target market improve during a recovery, and then demonstrate it. Typical high potential areas: hiring and rehiring; luring back past customers; rebuilding brand and image; rebuilding morale and loyalty; identifying high growth opportunities; professional development; financing; upgrading technology.

What can you do to help your clients improve during a recovery?

A few other words of his wisdom from his weekly e-newsletter:

• Solve it, decide about it, or cope with it. Don’t whine, don’t let it fester. Either correct what’s bothering you, make a decision about options facing you, or simply live with the issue. “To fret” is a rather archaic verb and a rather archaic response.
• Never allow someone to claim “an hour of your time,” or “20 minutes of your time” for that matter. Agree to talk to them, but don’t commit to arbitrary time frames or the conversation will ineffably expand to fill the void.
• Learn to say, “Sorry, no.” If someone says, “Got time for a quick question?” respond, “Sorry, no, bad time, try me later.” They’ll get their question answered elsewhere.
• Never schedule back to back social or business meetings. You need time to reflect, to allow for traffic jams or surprises, and to prepare yourself for what’s coming. Endless meetings form a cincture that can squeeze the life out of you.
• Do things when the spirit moves you whenever you can. If you feel like writing the article, or reading the book, or paying the bills, do it. You’re better, more motivated, and more efficient when you’re doing things “in the mood.”
• Act only on patterns, not random events. Once is an accident, twice a coincidence, three times a pattern. Whether positive or negative, don’t bounce around in the feedback pinball machine. There is usually a systolic cadence to reliable issues and events.

Who do you read to get that “whack on the side of the head?” for your business?

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Copywriter

Have you ever stopped, I mean really stopped to see how far you have come? To celebrate your success? Sometimes businesses do it through a strategic planning process, or as part of your life review questions in coaching, but generally it gets a few seconds of consideration and then you are on to your next thing on your to do list.

This forward focus was hammered home to me this week courtesy of my teenage daughter. She has quite a nice singing voice and has been rehearsing for a Cabaret style show at her school. And when I mean rehearsing, I mean every day during school holidays, two nights a week till 9pm after starting at 7am or 7.30am for choir rehearsals, both first and second break at school for the past fortnight and every weekend for at least 4hours for the past 6 weeks.

Now that is a pretty grueling rehearsal schedule no matter your age – but for a 13 year old that is really extreme. Yet she did it without question. “We want to be the best we can – we aren’t there yet” is what she would say when quizzed.  There were days when she was bone weary, and days when she was crying tired. Days when we swore the antichrist had moved into our house and days when she was on top of the world. But she kept plugging away at it.

Tomorrow is performance day, and after a 10.30pm finish last night and a very husky voice today I kept her home from school to rest.

Rachel has been sitting in the lounge this morning watching DVDs of her pre-school and year 1 concerts (we recently had the videos transferred to DVD thanks to Milk2Sugars). While working in my office I heard hoots of laughter during the DVDS, and then she came in to the office to see me.

“Mum, I can’t believe how awful we were. I mean we really sucked. We couldn’t hold a tune, we overacted and you only got a part if you were obnoxious so the teacher would try to give you something to succeed at. I can’t believe you sat through it, clapped and cheered for us.  I guess that unless I had done that, I wouldn’t be here now”.

Now, I had been telling her this for years, but it hadn’t sunk in. It took a video of her before to show her how far she had come, to show her her own success stories. Some people need visible evidence of their progress to realise the distance they had travelled. I know I had the same experience when I looked back over some university assignments 20 years later – to see how far my thinking and writing style had progressed.

In my reflections on life, pretty much everyone sucks at things to start with, but over time and with enough practice everyone can improve. If you really want something enough, and invest the time into it, then everyone can get a credible result. You may never be a world beater, but you will produce great outcomes. That after all is one of the success secrets – time plus commitment equals success.

The other part of success is your cheer squad. For Rachel’s case all her commitment meant driving to and from school to meet the rehearsals (buses don’t get to the school from our place at those hours). It meant shuffling my appointments to work around her. It meant doing “food runs” to make sure she had something warm to eat on her 14 hour days. No-one succeeds on their own. When you are looking back at how far you have come – spend a few moments remembering all the people who have contributed to getting you where you are now.  This cheer squad is part of the meaning of success – they add love and meaning to your results.

From my side of things, it doesn’t really matter how the Cabaret shows go tomorrow. Rachel has already learnt the biggest lesson of them all – to give it everything you have, to invest time in what you want to do and to celebrate your journey.

What about you – have you really stopped to realise how far you have come? What do you do to help you reflect and celebrate? What are your success secrets?

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

You all know how much I love poking fun at the Snuggies – the blankets with sleeves. But somewhere amidst all the laughter and the jokes the darn things sold and sold well. Thousands of people bought the backwards hospital gowns, so rather than being a one hit wonder, the Snuggies blanket  manufacturers have now brought out a new Snuggie designer range and chose to launch it at NY Fashion week.

I have my suspicions that a good 50% of all Snuggies last year were bought as gag presents, to be filmed in You Tube videos or to be worn on pub crawls.

The Snuggy fad sort of reminds me of other cringe-worthy niche business ideas/fads over the years – pet rocks, moon boots, roller blades, sea monkeys and hula hoops. Each had their day in the sun after making a mountain of money for the inventors and then slowly faded away only to be found in discard piles at garage sales.

It will be interesting how the new zebra patterns, leopard spots and dog Snuggies actually sell this year. Perhaps the gag will have worn off (we can only hope).

Until that time, I tip my hat to a very quirky niche business (and no … I will not be buying one!).

I give you fair warning though – the first of the designer Snuggie spam emails hit my spambox this morning,  so beware the coming spam onslaught.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

For years I was an advocate of multi-tasking.  I believed that I had the capacity to do multiple things at once – and all well. After all … I am a woman and mother and I seem to remember reading that in my job description.

And then the wheels started coming off the wagon. The more I did, the less I accomplished. But then I discovered an underground movement – one where people are standing up and declaring “Multi-tasking sucks”, and I was hooked!

In recent times I have a new motto “one task at a time until completion”. I was tempted to needlepoint it and put it into my kids bedrooms but given their walls are covered in Twilight posters I figured it may clash.

In my work we have new processes. If we are focused on writing for a client – then that is what we do until the spark of creativity is burnt out. This means yes, the phone does go through the answering machine when we are writing. We figured you wouldn’t want a doctor doing surgery to pause and answer their phone in the middle of it – well why did we stop when we were writing for our clients?

And the results are significantly better for our clients – it means the flow is not lost and the language is clearer.  We are not constantly having to regroup and gather back our train of thought.

It also means that emails get answered every day or so in a big blip and it means we return calls in a single window of time.

Yes, our way of working does also mean we will lose some clients who are impatient and need answers now. But those we do keep appreciate the quality and craftsmanship. They appreciate that we focus 100% on their business and their work – allowing no other distractions until we are done.

One of my colleagues is one of the champions of this underground anti multi-tasking movement. Donna-Marie Coggins teaches businesses the mysteries of setting up and running successful online businesses, and she has recently released a great free e-book titled

“Multi-tasking Sucks: The High Achievers Guide to Squeezing the Most Out of Every Second”

Look this is a great book (and you can’t argue with the price). It is full of tips to automate business processes, save time on the computer, increase your efficiency and build a successful online business. This is not one of those light on content high on hype ebooks – it is just pure useful stuff you can use straight away. I fully recommend it! Go to her site, enter your details and grab your copy of her book. It is worth it!

So – what have you done in your war against multi-tasking?

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

In another great example of how looks can be deceiving check out this latest clip from Britain’s Got Talent – Greg Pritchard.  His style of voice was common in the 1600′s – 1700′s in Operas – although the voices were generally surgically created.

Love to hear your reaction!

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

Many people believe that you have to be the best in your field to be successful.This sets you up for major stress and a lot of disappointment.  It also makes for situations where business goals are written down as  “to be the best in the world (insert business here)” – which serves as a demotivator to employees and generates a “ho hum” response from clients.

The good news is you don’t have to be the best to succeed – otherwise all of those kids who were Dux’s of High School would have taken over the world by now.

If you think seriously about it there is ever only going to be one “best in the field” at any given time. If we let that stop us there would only be one painter in the world, one footballer and one stockbroker. All the rest would say “ah well – I am not going to be the best so I may as well do something else”.

We know that isn’t true. There are thousands of successful painters, hundreds of A-league footballers all making a mint, and thousands of professional stockbrokers. There’s room enough for all of them to make a successful living.

So cut yourself some slack. All you need to be is one of the best in your field, or at least be known as one of the best in your field. You don’t have to be perfect – you just need to be known to be better than most of your competition.

Someone once told me that you have to be a better marketer of what you do, than a doer of what you do. I am not so sure that I fully agree with that sentiment. I personally believe marketing and professionalism go hand in hand. There’s no point in being the inventor of the world’s best mouse trap if no one knows about it.

You need to balance both sides of the equation for success. You just don’t need to be the world’s best at doing it. There … doesn’t that feel better?

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer