Blogging 101 - The Harsh Reality

BLOGGING TIPS – The Harsh Reality


I was asked the other day by my Life Coach what it is about blogging that I find so addictive, having penned over 2000 articles.  I must admit I had to stop for a moment and think carefully about my answer and I am so glad that I did.

You see I have been struggling for some time now to get articles written.  It’s not for a lack of material you understand (I probably have enough material to keep me writing an article a day for the rest of my life and beyond).  The problem for me is a lack of time, or rather to be completely honest with myself (as well as you lot) and more to the point, a lack of organizing my time!  There . . . . I’ve said it!

I have on many occasions stated that I often write about what I most need to hear and this is again one of those instances.  I am ashamed to say that I have become a procrastinator of note!  Shocking hey!  To the point that every time I see an article about procrastination, I hastily file it without even opening it – now that’s just me being a huge coward on top of everything!

The really sad thing about all of this is that on some level I have to write every single day (and I am not talking about Policies and Procedures here either) in order for me to be fulfilled – it is my one creative outlet and I know and understand that if I don’t write and express myself and dig down deep into the core that is essentially me – well then I don’t grow and if I don’t grow  - well a part of me dies!  That sounded quite melodramatic don’t you think?

So what happened – why is it that I have not been writing every day – the simple answer is . . . life.  I have allowed the everyday clutter and clatter to creep into what is fundamentally time that should be sacred to me.  The ‘slap upside the head’ for me was yesterday when I had a meeting with a client who wants me to mentor him and we were discussing time constraints and how we would fit it into our respective diaries and he said “I know that on a Friday you like to catch up on your admin and that you like to take some time for your ‘dream time’, so let’s have the meeting on a Friday.”  My ‘knee jerk’ reaction to that was – Noooooooo!  Actually, now that I have really thought about in (in the writing of this article to be exact), the answer is still a resounding “No!”

I have to take back my ‘me’ time!  I have to get back into the habit that was mine for so long, where writing an article was part of my daily stuff – the daily stuff that matters.  I have to get back to doing what is best for me, in order for me to grow as a human being and an individual.

So if you are going through the same dilemma, understand it is about facing the ‘time thief’, even if that is you and taking control of your life.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - The Dream Referral

Networking 101 - The Dream Referral

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Today I continue with my tips on the ‘how to’ of getting your dream referrals from your ‘Circle of Influence’ or Network.

Last week we looked at teaching our Networks about what our “Dream Referral” looks like.  This week I would like to talk about ‘getting what we ask for’.

Now I’m sure that brought a smile to many faces, as we are often told to ‘be careful what you ask for’ and yet this is exactly what it is that I want to discuss.

We often hear people at Networking meetings, asking us to refer them to “Anyone who wants or who is looking for . . . .” or how about “Everyone who want or who is looking for . . . .”  I am sure you remember exactly who they are and also exactly what the product or service is that they want you to refer on their behalf.  You don’t!  You really don’t!  Ok, let me explain why you don’t.

It appears that when we hear to many ‘anyone’s’ and ‘everyone’s’ we tune out because we know so many anyone’s and everyone’s that it becomes too much and we end up not referring ‘anyone’ to ‘everyone’, or is it the other way around?  I am led to believe that this has something to do with information overload, and let’s face it – there is a huge amount of irrelevant information out there.  So in order for us to access the correct information we need to ask specific questions.

So too it is with referrals!  If you want the right referral, you have to be specific with your request when asking for referrals.

Be specific about who you would like to do work for and the kind of work that you want to do, so that your Networking partners have a clear picture in their minds of the type of person/referral that you are wanting.

Remember though – Be careful what you wish for!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Business Tips – How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis – Part 3

Business Tips  – How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting  (Pty) Ltd

Remember, there are only 3 reasons why you will find yourself in a cash flow crisis.  To remind ourselves, there were:-

1. You’re not making enough money. 

2. You are not getting your debtors to pay you and

3. You are spending too much money!

Last time we looked at the first step that should be taken and that was to get clarity on what you owe and what is owed to you and we did this by means of a debtors and creditors aging analysis.

This time we continue with the next step and that is cutting costs.

Entrepreneurs, like individuals, seldom even think about cutting costs.  Most believe that if they can just increase the number of sales  or alternatively if they can just get all the outstanding monies in then all will be well in their world.

The reality of course is that the more you make the more you spend.  Your expenses will rise up to meet your income, so of course it is of the utmost importance that you regularly review your expenses to keep them in check

Remember, cash flow is exactly that -  the flow of money into and out of the business, therefore both the entry (input) flow and the exit (output) flow must be monitored and measured on a continual basis.  Consistency is the key here.

Once you have all your expenses under control and have cut what you can and allocated that ‘spending’ to some of your outstanding debts, it is time again to look at what is outstanding and see how best to deal with these.  This is also a good time to put a budget into place in order to control spending going forward and this will help you to ensure that your spending does not get the better of you again in the future.

There are several ways to now deal with the outstanding money that you owe to your creditors. This will however, depend on the supplier and how ‘flexible’ they can be or are willing to be.

What happens next will probably be one of the hardest things that you will have to do and that is a) full transparency and b) absolute honesty.

You will need to contact every single one of your creditors and meet with them.  Face to face is best.  When you meet with them you will have to explain ‘how’ you are going to sort your debt to them out.

Be realistic, don’t promise what you cannot deliver!  This is the time to err on the side of caution.  Rather under promise and over deliver than the other way around.

For the expenses that are paid by debit order, try and stagger them through-out the month so that they do not all fall due on the same day, or even better yet, stop them altogether and pay as and when your funds become available, but make sure that you pay the minimum that you have agreed to pay, on or before the date that you have agreed to pay it.

This is one time that you have to be absolutely honourable, not only in your intent, but also in your execution.

Next time we will look a bit more in-depth at how to take back control of your “in crisis” cash flow.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Inspiration – The Joy of Constantly Learning

Inspiration – The Joy of Constantly Learning

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

On his website Rich Habits Institute, Tom Corley outlines a few of the differences between the habits of the rich and the habits of the poor.

Two of these are:

1. 88% of the wealthy people read 30 minutes or more each day for education or career reasons vs 2% of the poor and
2. 86% of the wealthy believe in life long educational self-improvement vs 5% of the poor.

The reality then of course is that ‘those who need it the least do it the most and those who need it the most do it the least!”

Why am I telling you this?

Well that’s simple really – because I am also one of the 2% and 5% respectively and since I have been doing this, my “lot in life” has certainly changed dramatically, and whilst I am now ‘debt free’, I am not quite at the same level as ‘the wealthy’ yet but I am certainly on my way.

To say that I came upon Marsha Wright’s The Secret Collaborative Community by accident, would be a stretch because I certainly believe that “when the student is ready the teacher will appear” and in this case that is certainly true.

Let me break it down and give you the stats.

I started reading The Secret Collaborative Community around the 9th December 2016, and since I am also reading a book by Dr John Demartini and an online course on "How To" at the same time and there are only 60 minutes a day allocated to all three “for the reading” and a further 30 minutes a day allocated to the ‘doing’ of what I’ve just read, the going is slow, but steady and sure..

I have had my twitter account for several years now and discovered that I have managed to attract an average of around 83 followers a month.

I started going onto the #ThinkBigSundayWith Marsha around the middle of January 2017 and this is where I changed just two habits.  The first one was that I retweeted just 5 of the current tweets appearing on the feed but included a brief ‘one liner’ that added to or re-enforced the message that the person who had tweeted the message.  The second thing was that I then found my own inspirational quote and posted that.  Just an extra 10 minutes or so each day and this time is taken out of the aforementioned 30 minutes allocated to the ‘doing’ of what I learn.

The results have been nothing short of amazing!

At the end of January my twitter followers had increased from about 83 monthly to 123 for the month and this increased again in February to an additional 173 for the month and as the 28th March I was already sitting at an additional 280 followers for the month. The numbers continue to grow, gathering momentum along the way and I am excited every single day to watch the number of followers increase.

To turn it up a notch, I am now posting the words of that same inspiration tweet onto Facebook and LinkedIn and they too have made a tremendous impact.  Not only have my followers increased by leaps and bounds but I am also making a huge difference in the lives of some.  The feedback from all 3 social media sites are heart-warming and give me that ‘warm fuzzy feeling’ and make me smile on the inside.

When a simple gesture like posting a quote, produces a result like this and makes a difference, what more is there to say.

Thank you to Marsha Wright for not only a practical guide ‘how to’ book but also an inspiring one.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - Don’t Forget The Basic Procedures

HR 101 - Don’t Forget The Basic Procedures

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice  requirements.

Most people have this absolute loathing for procedures and policies in the workplace, believing, somewhat naively that “It won’t happen to me”.  Sad that.

Many others, having burnt their fingers once or twice or indeed several times over, now do a 180 degree turn and belabour the point, going too much into the finer detail and forgetting the basics.

Here’s the thing – too much is just as bad as too little.  Oh I can just see all of you, shaking your heads sadly and wondering (probably out loud) if ‘this woman will ever be happy’ with what you do?

Stick to the basics – keep it as simple as possible.  Putting in too much detail and complicating the whole process may well result in the whole thing going pear-shaped as chances are you will be opening the lid of “Pandora’s Box”.

Here’s the story.

Mike owns a courier company and has many vehicles and drivers in his employ.  Both George and Simon are drivers who were driving around the yard early one morning prior to going out onto the road to do their deliveries.  George was still inebriated from the night before and should probably not have been driving anything.  George’s reactions were not what they should have been and coming around a corner, he failed to react in time and went smack bang into the side of Simon’s vehicle, which was parked at the loading bay.  Clearly George was at fault.

Mike drove George off to the nearest police station and requested that station commander or one of his staff test George for alcohol excess.  This implied that Mike did not have the means to conduct an alcohol test on his own premises.

For whatever reason, the police could not do the test either.

Mike then conducted a disciplinary hearing on George the next day.  George was found guilty and dismissed for drinking and driving, for endangering the lives of others and also for the damage that he caused to both vehicles.

George was also not advised that he had the right to appeal the findings.

The Court was not impressed.  You see although it agreed that George was intoxicated at the time of the accident, proper procedures were not followed.

• George did not know that he could be dismissed for being drunk on duty – there was no Dismissal policy or Code of Conduct policy in place.
• George was only advised that the charges were at the actual disciplinary hearing. The charges should have been recorded on the charge sheet or the notice to attend a disciplinary.
• George’s previous disciplinary record was not taken into account.
• George was not given enough notice of the disciplinary
• Mike did not ‘test’ to see whether George’s conduct had damaged the employment relationship to such an extent that George’s continued employment would be intolerable.
• What about the element of ‘trust’ in the relationship.  Mike had not shown that the trust between himself and George had been irreparably damaged.
• The most damaging aspect of this case though was that the Court said that it was the ‘responsibility of the Management to ensure that George (or any other employee for that matter) did not start working if he was drunk and/or had consumed alcohol prior to commencing work.’

Mike had not followed that basic procedures when putting this case together and based on that alone, he would have lost the case.

So before you do the ‘knee jerk’ thing – step back, take some time to think about what you are doing.  Look at your own internal policies and procedures and make sure that you follow them step by step.  Chances are that if you are procedurally correct, the case will not go to CCMA for arbitration. 

Remember, if you are not sure about what you are doing, find an HR specialist, don’t try and do things yourself. It will cost you more in the long run.

 Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - Getting the best referrals

Networking 101 - Getting the best referrals

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Often when we entrepreneurs try to build relationships within ‘our circle of influence’, we try and ‘sell’ ourselves or our products to those individuals with the express hope that they will in turn ‘sell’ us to their respective ‘circle of influence’ and we will receive qualified, consistent and dynamic leads.  This in theory is how it should work.

That said, in order to optimize what our needs are we should add several steps along the way, in order to ensure that the leads that we get are of the highest quality.  Let’s face it – none of us want a ‘bad client’!  So for the next couple of weeks I am going to concentrate on ‘getting the best referrals or clients’ from your Networking relationships.

Let’s presume that your product or service is unique, (let me say here that it doesn’t matter how many competitors you have, you have made it unique because of the level of service or the value adds or what have you) and it (the product or service) has made a profound difference in the life of one of your clients and let’s call her Sue.

In any event, Sue is immensely grateful for the product or service that you have provided her and as far as she is concerned you have single handedly literally ‘saved her life,’ and she is not at all shy about telling the whole world about how it is that you came to ‘save her life’.  I have no doubt at all that we all have a “Sue” somewhere in our businesses.

So now here is what you do – at the very next Networking meeting that you go to (and all subsequent ones to), get Sue to go along with you – get her to tell everyone what you sold or did that was so ordinarily extraordinary.

For all intent and purposes, Sue is your dream client, she is your dream referral and everybody can see what she looks like.  An ordinary person – just like everybody else, someone who has the normal requirements - just like everyone else, but to whom your product or service has made an incredible difference.  Now think about it for a moment – if your product or service has made such a difference in her life, imagine what it can do for theirs?

If your ‘Sue’ cannot manage to go to the meeting with you – there is nothing at all to stop you from describing your ‘Sue’ and her reaction to the difference or the actual difference that you made itself.  The more detail you can give them about ‘Sue’s’ experience and the kind of person that she is (in other words your target market) the greater the understanding that your collaborative networking partners will have in recognising your prospective clients when they meet them outside of the Networking meeting.

Hiding your particular light under a bushel when you want to generate referrals that lead to sales is not a good idea.

So don’t be scared to tell people just how great your product or service is.  No-one will know unless you actually tell them!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Blogging 101 – Where Else to look for Ideas – Part 8

Blogging 101 – Where Else to look for Ideas – Part 8

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Last time we looked at the opportunities around Free Writing, the Movies, reading Fiction and Nature, for inspiration or ideas for articles of interest that pertain to your particular passion.  Today we will have a look at a few more.

1. Quirky Facts
Having been in business now for over 16 years this year (yes I am one of those good statistics that we hear about from time to time), I have encountered several ‘strange but true’ incidents and often write about them.  Some of them are hilariously funny and I often find myself giggling away as I recount the story, but sadly some of them do not have happy endings and I feel a profound sense of sadness when I tell these stories because they more often than not tell of loss – so yes some of my clients have lost their businesses, their relationships and their livelihood.  Both kinds of stories however, are told not to gloat or because I want to embarrass anyone, but rather to illustrate what can and often does happen, so that these particular types of results can be avoided where possible.  Obviously it would not be a good idea to ‘name and shame’ anyone, so the identity of the client or real life protagonist is always kept confidential – but their stories are told and hopefully they serve to prevent similar types of issues from reoccurring.

2. Stating the Obvious
Just because I have made a statement, what feels like a million times and in my mind every person on the planet has heard it, the reality is that there are still many more out there who haven’t!  Just like I always tell people not to ‘assume’ stuff, so should I listen to my own advice and make the statement again! The reality is that there will always be someone out there who hasn’t heard the statement yet and who in all probability, is in desperate need of hearing it.  So go back to the beginning, to what are the ‘ground roots’ or the cornerstone of what people need to know.  It may be feeling like you are caught up in or stuck in a ‘ground hog’ kind of situation, but you will most certainly be assisting someone somewhere.

3. Taking a break
When all else fails, I put my pen down or switch the computer off and spend some quality time with my kittens.  I tickle their tummies or scratch their ears and under their chins and just revel in the marvel of unconditional love and trust that my animals bestow upon me.  They never cease to bring a smile to my face or give me pause to chuckle at their antics and even on occasion to squeal when my youngest unmarried daughter of the feline furry persuasion bites my toes or nips at my ankles, in her own little attempt to get my attention.  Often the distraction is all that was needed to take my attention away from the frustrations at hand and I am able to once again focus and get on with what needs to be said and done.

We are at the end of this particular series and I hope that these tips have provided you with some inspiration when you have those moments where your mind is a blank and you feel that there is nothing to write about.

Remember, as much as you may need to get that article out there, you also need to enjoy yourself, so as always “Happy Writing” and don’t forget to have fun!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS – How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis – Part 2

BUSINESS TIPS – How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Last time, remember, we discussed the only 3 reasons why you will find yourself in a cash flow crisis.  To remind ourselves, there were:-

1. You’re not making enough money.  This usually means that you have to increase the number of sales that you are making or alternatively it may mean that your margins are incorrect, which means that your profits are too small or even non-existent.  Either way you are not making enough money.

2. You are not getting your debtors to pay you.  That means that your money coming in is insufficient to meet the needs of your money going out.

3. You are spending too much money!

In the interests of clarity, let’s just be clear on something else here too – the only person responsible for your cash flow crisis is you.  You are the only person who has to manage your cash flow and the only way that you could have ended up with a cash flow problem is if you failed to manage your sales, your collections and your expenses.

You need to step up and take responsibility and be accountable for the situation that you find yourself in.  I know that this is probably not what you want to hear but in order for you to take ownership of the problem and sort it out, you need to understand that you have the problem because you failed to adequately manage these three elements.

In order for you to overcome your cash flow problem you need to take control of the situation.

So let’s break it down

Firstly, take a big breath and calm yourself down!

Getting into a state is not going to help the situation.  You need to give your full attention to finding the solutions to your problem and you will not be able to do this effectively if you are in a state of panic.

First things first.

Before you can fix the problem you have to know exactly what the problem is.  It may be that you have a specific problem, for example you are not collecting your funds efficiently or it may be that it is a combination of all three.

So the first thing that you need to know is exactly how much money you owe to people and how much is owed to you.

You will need to be brutally honest with yourself here and although it can be one of the most painful exercises that you will ever have to do, please understand that it will have to be done and once done will be very liberating too. Don’t leave anyone off the list.  If you owe the newspaper guy R5, put it on the list.

By the same token, if somebody owes you R5, that must also go onto the list.

To take this one step further you need to record the date from which you owe the money or are owed.  Then calculate how long the debt has been outstanding for both your creditors (those who gave you credit or who you owe money to) and your debtors (those you owe a debt to and who you owe money).  This document is called an aging analysis.  This will give you a better understanding of exactly how much you owe as well as how much you are owed and in both instances, for how long.

Once you have all of this information, have a closer look at all your creditors and in order of priority, list those who need to be paid immediately as well as who can be paid a bit later. The length of time that the money is owed, plus the value of the debt and of course the person who is shouting the loudest for their money, usually determines who gets paid first and how much is paid.

Whilst you are in this state of “crisis”, it is advisable to do this exercise on a daily basis, recorded which suppliers you have paid, how much you paid, when they were paid and the balance that you still owe them.  Remember to add all your “new” suppliers onto the list too.

On the debtor’s side, make sure that you list each and every payment that you receive and make a note of “how” you have allocated it to the creditors that you have paid.  Again, for the moment do this on a daily basis so that you can track that what has come in and gone out to those that you need to pay, in order for them to give you a little breathing space and room to maneuver.

Next time we will have a look at how to take the next important step!

Next time we will delve a little deeper into the mystery that is cash-flow to get a little more clarity

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Inspiration – What do You Understand?

Inspiration – What do You Understand?

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

T. Harv Eker, best selling author of “Secrets of a Millionaire Mind”, says “What you hear you forget, what you see you remember, what you do you understand.”

Whilst we all learn differently and at different speeds, with different levels and depth of understanding, Harv’s abovementioned quote certainly rings very true in my world.

That said, I think there are a whole host of additional ingredients that need to be looked at and added to the mix.

For example, if the topic at hand is not one that I am passionate about, I will most definitely not remember anything I have heard or read and in all likelihood even if I do manage to “do”, I will probably abandon it for something else entirely – preferably something that I am interested  in or passionate about.

The reality of course is that there is so much information out there.  So much to choose from, so much that is pure unadulterated drivel, that it is often quite a mission to find what you need to be looking at, never mind remembering and eventually understanding.

For me the challenge is finding the correct information about what it is that I want to learn “how to” do and then reading that, putting a plan of action in place and then doing it.

For me it is about having to kiss several ugly frogs before I find the handsome Prince.

Always . . . remember to be consistently persistent in your quest to find that little jewel of information and, don’t forget to have fun!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - Out with the Old, In with the New – Part 4

HR 101 - Out with the Old, In with the New – Part 4

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice Requirements.

So following on from last time – let’s have a look at some of the other changes that were made to the Act that received a typical ‘knee jerk’ reaction.  They are (but not limited to).

“Where an employee accuses an employer in court or at the CCMA of having dismissed him unfairly and the existence of the dismissal is established, the employer is assumed guilty of unfair dismissal until it proves itself innocent.”

So what exactly does this mean? Here’s the story

Sally owns a pre-school, nursery school type establishment and George works there as the gardener/handyman.  Sally has a very strict “Code of Conduct” in terms of what the staff can or can’t do and one of the issues is that staff may not drink any alcohol or partake of any illegal substances whilst on duty or come to work still under the influence of either alcohol or drugs of any sort.

One morning George came to work and it was evident that he was still inebriated from the previous evening. Clearly it is not a good idea for an adult to be drunk around small children and Sally was obviously not impressed. Sally followed all the procedures correctly.  With his written permission, Sally did a sobriety test and George was found to be well over the legal limit.  Sally sent George home to ‘sleep it off’ and when he returned the following day he was given notice to attend a disciplinary hearing.

George was found guilty and dismissed and the next thing that happened was Sally was presented with the paperwork as George had gone off to the CCMA.

On the day the CCMA agreed that George was in fact guilty of being intoxicated and that George’s dismissal was the correct thing to do, however (and here is where it gets ugly) the arbitrator still decided that the dismissal had been unfair because George had not been given the change to cross-examine those who had raised the complaint.

You see, Sally, in her fury had neglected to bring every single person who has seen the state that George was in and who had actually reported his behaviour to her.  Sally had taken it upon herself to just report what she had seen.

Herein lies much of the problem when it comes to disciplinary hearings – the more witnesses you have the better your case becomes.  It doesn’t really make any difference whether they all say the same thing, what matters is that there is a ‘visual and physical’ component to the charges that have been made.  Documentary evidence is good, but having witnesses corroborate the evidence that is set out in the documents is even better.

Knowing what the procedures are and following them is good, but understanding the law and applying it to those policies and procedures is even better.

It is also necessary for everyone to understand how important it is to get professional help when you are having HR issues, clearly trying to deal with this stuff by yourself becomes part of the problem.

This brings us to the end of this particular subject, next week we will move onto something else.

 Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Blogging 101 – Where Else to look for Ideas – Part 7

Blogging 101 – Where Else to look for Ideas – Part 7

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd -  February 2013

Last time we looked at the opportunities around what the last year brought, Everyday Activities and Hiatus, for inspiration or ideas for articles of interest that pertain to your particular passion.  Today we will have a look at a few more.

Free Writing
I have recently come across a style of blog writing called “Free Writing”.  Now apparently what you do is ensure that you will not be disturbed by phone calls or e-mails etc., decide on a small amount of time (like 10 or 15 minutes), sit down and just start writing.  Don’t worry about your mind wandering, just let your thoughts guide the writing.  Once you are done, you will obviously discard some of what you have written, but you will also be astounded by some of the profound things you have written.

Don’t be scared of your imagination.  Don’t be scared by the playfulness of your inner child, just have fun.

Movies
I often use movies, both the big screen and the small screen, that I have recently watched to illustrate a particular point that I am trying to make.  When your readers identify themselves with a favorite actor or actress or indeed even a favorite movie or show, they often ‘get’ the point that you are  trying to make a whole lot easier.

Read fiction
Read fiction – lots of it!  Sure it is also great to read factual type books, but fiction and fantasy are also wonderful.   Quite honestly, they inspire me and I am often amazed by the minds of the authors and how their brains work.  In particular authors like Dean Koontz, who is well known as a ‘horror story’ writer, and what about fantasy writers like J K  Rawling and her tales of Harry Potter or J R R Tolkien and his Lord of the Rings series, who wrote of hobbits and fairies and made up languages – what incredible imaginations they must have, what incredible minds . . . .  and their stories . . . that transport you to magical places.  They terrify, they horrify, they intrigue and mystify you but most of all they entertain you and that is exactly what your blog should do – entertain your readers.

Nature
Years ago before everyone had a computer or the internet was available to many, I used to travel a great deal for work.  I also have a really great Russian friend Olga, who is married to a Greek chap and who lives on a tiny island in Greece.  We corresponded regularly and I introduced her to this incredible country by mail.  As I travelled and mostly drove to wherever I was going I would compose my letters to her in my head.  From the wide open spaces and “Big Sky” country of the Free State, to the magnificence of the Drakensburg and beauty of the Cape and the breathtaking views in the Eastern Transvaal.

Wherever I visited I bought picture postcards and then told the story of my journey there and what I saw around me.

More than 20 years later we still correspond regularly via SKYPE.  We chat often and she tells me that she often goes back to her bundle of letters and post cards from me, during the long cold winter months and imagines herself travelling those roads and seeing those sights.

I certainly learnt a lot about South Africa as I looked around me and I mean really looked.  There is nothing like having to describe something that you take for granted to make you open your eyes and really see!

Next time we will have a look at some more ideas to keep those blogs flowing. Until then “Happy Writing” and don’t forget to have fun!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - Cultivate reciprocal relationships

Networking 101 - Cultivate reciprocal relationships

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Networking is about having a reciprocal relationship which evolves over time in a mutually beneficial manner.”

The words “reciprocal, relationship and mutually beneficial” are the ones that stand out the most for me here.

Let’s have a look at what the dictionary says:

‘Reciprocal’ – “In return; mutual; inversely correspondent, complementary; expressing mutual action or relation.”

‘Relationship’ – “State if being related; condition or character due to being related; kinship.”
‘Relation’ – “What one person or thing has to do with another, way in which one stands or is related to another, kind of connection or correspondence or contrast or feeling that prevails between persons or things.”

‘Mutually’- “Common to two or more persons”

‘Beneficial’ – “Advantageous; of having the use of or benefit of property etc.;”

Well that is all very clear isn’t it?  For me it means that there are two or more people who have formed a bond, that is a connection between them for the purpose of all people receiving something that is of benefit to them, in return for their participation.

Yet so many people seem to struggle really badly with this whole concept of everyone getting something out of the relationship – why?  I certainly cannot understand it. 

It doesn’t mean that because I give you a qualified lead here and now today, that you have to go home and search through your entire data base to find someone who may or may not, need my services (in your opinion) and then refer them to me!  That’s just crazy.

What it does mean though is that during your travels in life and as and when you meet people and engage with them and learn more about them and start building a relationship with them, should you hear that they need the kind of services that I offer, you will refer me.

It means that when to talk to prospective clients about what they need from you, you also listen to what they need in general, from other people too – it might just mean that they need your services too.

Listening to what people want, rather than giving them what you think they need, is fundamental to the well being of your business.  Giving people what they want, means adding value to your business and it means adding value to the people that you have relationships with in your data base or your circle of influence.  It mean being reciprocal, it means giving benefit to your clients and your relationships.  It means bringing benefit to your client, your data base and yes, bringing benefit even to yourself.

So when you Network, remember to listen carefully . . .
Listen and then react!

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://www.drrenatevolpe.co.za

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Business Tips – How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis – Part 1

Business Tips – How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Brian Walsh of Entrepreneur and lately the “Real Success Club” always says “get clarity!” I say “If cash is King, then clarity must be Queen!”

So, let’s start off by getting ourselves very clear on what is and what isn’t.

Cash flow is the measurement between money coming in and then going out of your business.  If you have more money coming into your business than going out -  that’s a good thing because is profit. If you have more money going out of your business than coming in then you obviously have a cash flow problem!

There are only three (3) types of issues that cause cash flow problems and these are:-

1. You’re not making enough money.  This usually means that you have to increase the number of sales that you are making or alternatively it may mean that your margins are incorrect, which means that your profits are too small or even non-existent.  Either way you are not making enough money.

2. You are not getting your debtors to pay you.  That means that your money coming in is insufficient to meet the needs of your money going out.

3. You are spending too much money!

Let’s unpack these individually.

You’re not making enough money.
As can be clearly seen from the above, this can be broken down further into two parts.

The first part is about sales. You are not selling enough product or service and you need to get yourself out there and sell! If that is not your strength, then you need to hire someone whose strength it is and get them to sell.  If  your marketing or branding needs to be improved or your product or service that needs to be updated or improved, that needs to get done sooner rather than later.  Whatever must happen, must happen and then you need to sell, sell, sell!

Test and measure and then test again along the way so that you can see where things are going awry and then “tweak” them and test again.  Throw away what doesn’t work and move on.  Replicate what does work, it’s really as simple as that.

The second part being your margins is a little more complicated.  In order to calculate your margins correctly you need to know exactly what your cost of product is and what your cost of sale is.  There is obviously a huge difference between whether you are selling a product or a service but irrespective of which you sell, the issue is the same but from different perspectives and I will deal with each of these issues more comprehensively next time.

Struggling to collect your money.
Again there are two avenues here and again I will deal with them in more depth in a future article.

Basically they are:-
- Being a registered credit provider and carrying a ‘book’ and
- Being a regular, no credit offered type business.

In both cases you need to be in control of the money that is owed to you and the payment thereof.

In both cases you need to ensure that an aging analysis is generated on a regular basis to ensure that you collect your funds timeously.

Do NOT become emotionally attached to your wayward clients.  Decide on the rules e.g. if they haven’t paid in 30 days they get a lawyers letter and if they haven’t paid in 60 days they get handed over to the lawyers. Stick to whatever it is that you have decided upon – no exceptions!

You are spending too much money.
Systematically go through your General Ledger and look at each and every expense and see how you can cut it.

Again, check your emotions at the door, if your staff are no longer productive for a full day, chances are that your cash-flow will no longer sustains them.  Start a retrenchment process.

Next time we will delve a little deeper into the mystery that is cash-flow to get a little more clarity

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Inspiration – What are You Creating Today?

Inspiration – What are You Creating Today?

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Firstly, a happy New Year to all reading this, may 2019 fulfil your hopes and dreams and aspirations in great abundance.

Tony Robbins says “Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.  Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives.”

When I first read this statement, it kind of took me by surprise and in a way it actually challenged me.

I sat back for a few moments and thought about it.  I looked at several occurrences in my life that have had a profound impact on me -  one way or another, and then I looked at what ‘could’ have happened had I not made the choices that I did make.

Make no mistake, not all of the choices that I made were the right ones and even with those I was able to avoid complete disaster, again by the choices that I then made.

So the reality, well my reality at any rate, is that I had the ability to become completely ‘disempowered’ or completely inspired.

In the instances where I made the right choice for me, and I became inspired, I have remained inspired, clear in what my ‘end goals’ are and comfortable in the knowledge that I have made the correct choice, in order for me to fulfil and live my purpose.

In the instances where the choice that I made was not necessarily in my own best interests, this was quickly highlighted in the difficulties that I began to experience.  The more I made the wrong choices, the greater the difficulty and the harder the lesson.

As I started to make the right decision, the easier my life became again.

That said, with my ‘end goal’ in mind, I am presented with many opportunities as well as many challenges along the way.  The choices I make are intrinsically linked to the quality of my life.

Irrespective of all the internal and external issues that affect us all on a daily basis, I am responsible and therefore accountable for me, for my well-being and my happiness and whilst there may be many individuals who share the journey of my life with me, they are not and can never be, responsible for who I am or who I may become.

That alone is my choice, my decision, my action, my responsibility.

I have made my decision and continue to make the choices daily that move me closer to my goals. I am fully aware of them and engaged in them and although there are times that my choice is made without thought or deliberation and may in all probability need correcting along the way – I do know that I am, at the very least, going in the right direction.  Right for me that is . . 

What about you?  Are you going in the direction that is right for you?

Are you conscious of the choices that you make and the consequences of those choices or are you wandering through life without purpose or direction?

Only you will know . . . 

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za