Blogging 101 - 10 Tips when Blogging - Part 3

Blogging 101 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Following on from the previous articles where we looked at Being yourself, People are just People, Say what you mean and mean what you say, Keeping it tidy, Interpretation and Perception, Success or Failure and Everyone has their own Journey, here are some more tips around the content of your blogging.

1. Water, water everywhere, but not a Drop to Drink!

Nowadays we often hear the term “Information Overload”.  That said I also often hear people saying that they “don’t have the information that they require” or that they “don’t know where to find” the information that they need.

There is an abundance of information freely available on the internet.  Here’s the thing though, you have to learn how to look!

Much like the ‘good old days’ when we actually went to the library to do our research, we had to know where to look to find the information that we needed.

Walking into the library for the first time for me was really overwhelming.  I must have been around 5 or so at the time.  I remember standing in this huge building, surrounded by really tall shelves that were filled to capacity with what looked like millions and millions of books.

I stood rooted to the spot, bursting with the desire to read everything in sight but having no clue where to start.

The internet is pretty much the same -  you have to learn to define and clarify your questions in order to access what it is that you need to see.

Follow like-minded people or people who are clearly experts in their fields.  Connect with and follow your clients to find out what they want and need.  Join groups and discussion and interact with them all.  You will be amazed at the amount of valuable, interesting stuff that you will come across.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Most people are by nature helpful.  Sure you get the odd idiot who would rather kick you to the curb than give you the time of day, but by en large, the average person will help.

Here’s the thing though, you have to ask for help.  It’s unrealistic to expect people to automatically, intuitively know when you need assistance.

So if you find yourself feeling a little overwhelmed – ask for help.  More often than not you’ll find that the answer is a lot simpler than your thought it would be.

The reality is that it is human nature to complicate things!

3. Don’t give up!

The final piece to this puzzle  - don’t give up!

In order to get to your destination you have to take that first step.  I understand that you may be feeling daunted and unsure, but just get started.

I was terrified when I wrote my first article and as soon as it was posted, I wondered what all the fuss was about!  I celebrated the achievement and went on to write the next one and the next and I am still having fun and writing, more than 1600 articles on.

So stop thinking about doing and just get it done!

Till next time, happy blogging!

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 - Choose the right event for you

Networking 101 - Choose the right event for you

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

For the longest time, networking has been about handing out cards.  Think about it for a moment, if you went to a Networking event, it was usually at one of the Chambers, you were usually encouraged to wander around with a cup of tea in one hand and a sticky bun/cake/sandwich in the other and off you went to engage with some poor unsuspecting person, who was usually caught on the back foot, or you were caught on the back foot.  Networking, these days is just so much more!  Don’t get me wrong, there are still some that prefer the ‘old’ traditional way of Networking, but as in most other aspects of our lives, Networking has also moved forward.

So what other options are there?  Well, apart from the ‘Chamber’ type networking, there are several different types of meetings that you can go to – some are dinners, some are breakfasts, some are during the day.  Some have themes with guest speakers or presentations, some have a combination of a whole lot of different things – you need to find what you are comfortable with. On a personal level, I prefer meetings that are semi facilitated.  As an introvert, I find it difficult to just walk up to strangers and just start talking – I guess that is why I am not too fond of ‘cold calling’ either.

Then there are the social networks such as ‘Facebook’ and ‘MySpace’.  These are essentially fun networks, where people who are passionate about Networking can and often do, do a lot of business.

Actually, if the truth be told, people who are passionate about Networking can actually network anywhere.

Where-ever you Network though, remember that building and maintaining networks is all about building relationships.  So stay in touch, send out newsletters, or interesting  titbits of information to do with your business that would make people want to know more, invite people to the new places that you discover and share with your database.

Share your knowledge, share your experiences, share what you have to offer, who you are and what it is that you do – you’ll be surprised at just how much fun you can have.

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 - Planning Ahead

Business Tips –  Planning Ahead

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

John Demartini, on “Day 46 of the chapter entitled “The Law of Contingency” in his book “You can have an Amazing life in just 60 days” says “People who plan ahead, get ahead.”

Simple but profound!

I really do get a lot of “those” questions.  You know the one where I get a text or an email that says something along the lines of “I just want to own a little something, you know, just a little something that will make me rich!  What do I do?”

These questions really irritate and annoy me and on some level, on the right day, they make me laugh . . .  a loud belly type laugh.

They have no clue about where they want to be, how then do they expect to get there?

I do understand that there are those amongst us, who have no idea what their passion is and whilst that is really sad, it can be remedied.  That said though, even if you do know what your passion is and where you want to end up, you still need some sort of idea, dare I say plan, to get there. I mean you wouldn’t set out for some remote location that most of us have never heard of without some sort of plan or map, on how to get there would you?

You can’t imagine the number of people who have answered my ‘why’ with a resounding “well I want financial freedom” and yet when I ask them ‘how do you intend to get there?’ they cannot look me in the face, much less answer me.

Sadly most of those people will never get anywhere, much less be successful and are in all probability, destined to wander around for the rest of their lives with a slightly puzzled expression on their faces, simply because they have no clarity in their lives.

In my opinion, if “cash is King”, then surely “clarity must be Queen”, and if you are not clear on what it is that you want to achieve in life, then you won’t be able to plan on how to get there and if you don’t know how to get there, you will never arrive at your desired destination.

So take the time to be sure about what it is that you want to do with your life and once you’re clear about that, then make sure that you have a plan or a map on how to get there!

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 - Desertion and the AWOL Employee – Part 1

HR 101 - Desertion and the AWOL Employee – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd -  December 2009

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

It would appear that there is much confusion around this topic and also what the difference between the two is.

Let’s take it one step at a time. 

AWOL (Absent Without Leave) is exactly that.  It usually pertains to the employee who does not come to work and then does not phone in to advise why they are not at work.  They could be away for one day or they could be away for several days, but they usually come back to work with some or other long story as to why they were not at work and why they could not phone in.  Your leave policy should have a procedure to deal with this and the consequences for the ‘missing’ employee.

Desertion is when an employee just walks off the job or does not come into work at all and who has in all probability gotten themselves another form of employment and therefore has no intention of coming back, but just ‘forgot’ to tell anyone.

Both of these carry consequences and these consequences can lead to their dismissal.

So let’s bring in my favourite protagonists.  Mike owns a retail store in a busy mall and George is the store manager. Sarah is a sales consultant in Mike’s retail store and she reports to George. Jane is the head of the HR department.

One Monday morning during the December rush, at about 09h30, Mike received a call from Sarah advising that George had not arrived for work and that all the staff were standing outside the door, together with clients, as they were unable to enter the premises.  Sarah further stated that she had tried to contact George and that his cell phone went directly to voice mail.

Understandably annoyed, Mike instructed Sarah to wait at the store with the rest of the staff as he was on his way.  Mike contacted Jane and instructed her to try and get hold of George and briefly explained the situation.  Mike requested and received the spare keys to the store and made his way to the store.

Mike got the store started and then appointed Sarah as acting Manager until such time as they could ascertain what had happened to George.

Jane in the meantime had also tried to contact George on his cell phone but the phone went directly to voice mail.  Jane then tried to contact George on his home number, this also went to voice mail.  Jane then tried to contact George’s wife and that phone also went directly to voice mail. Messages were now left on all three phones.

Nothing was heard from either George or his wife during the course of the day and Sarah managed the store and closed up in compliance with laid down procedures, in George’s absence.

That evening, Mike again attempted to contact George and his wife, to no avail. Mike left messages on all the phones again.

The following day, Mike instructed Jane to try and contact Mike and his wife again.  Again Jane could not get through and again messages were left on all of the phones.  Jane noted all of this in George’s personnel file. Nothing was heard from George or his wife during the course of the second day that he was absent from work.

On the third day, Jane again tried to contact George and his wife, again without any success.  Again nothing was heard from George or his wife.

By the fifth day, having still not heard from either George or his wife, Mike made the decision to follow the correct procedures in sending a registered letter and a telegram to George’s home address instructing him to return to work.  Again no response was forthcoming and a disciplinary was held in abstentia and George was found guilty of desertion and dismissed.

In this particular instance George never returned to work and Mike never found out why he left.  It was rumoured from time to time, by the staff that George had been seen working somewhere else, so it was clear to Mike that George felt that he could not face Mike and hand in his resignation and he had just decided to leave.  The matter was closed.

Next time we will look at some additional examples of desertion and AWOL.

 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 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 2

Blogging 101 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Following on from the previous article where we looked at Being yourself, People are just People, Say what you mean and mean what you say and Keeping it tidy, here are some more tips around the content of your blogging.

1. Interpretation and Perception

I always say that the 3 most dangerous words in the dictionary are perception, assumption and expectation, as they never meet reality.  Well I have added a 4th word and that is “Interpretation.”

Remember when you communicate face to face with someone they not only ‘hear’ the words, but they also “hear” you through your body language as well as the tone and inflection in your voice. If all of those ‘voices’ are congruent with one another, the listener’s interpretation is usually in alignment with what your intended message was.

The written word however, is a completely different beast altogether and more often than not your words will be misinterpreted.

So be very careful about the words that you use and where possible try and stay away from contentious topics or be prepared to deal with the volatile fall-out.

2. Success or Failure

Well in truth that is completely up to you.  From my experience however, it is extremely difficult to fail on social media, unless of course you just give up!

Consistency is the name of the game and if you keep trying, you will of course get better as you go along.  You will also get to understand your readers a lot better and then you are able to ‘tweak’ your posts to ensure that you supply the information that is both wanted and needed by your followers.
The secret is just to keep going and never give up.

3. Everyone has their own Journey

Comparing where you are in the journey of life with someone else, is just crazy! The reality is, you are all exactly where you are meant to be.  Sure there are social media guru’s out there who you may follow, who always appear to be at the head of the pack, who will always be saying something clever and who are always up to date on what is trending or trendy.  I say “So What”!

The reality is that social media is a huge animal and there will always be someone who is being witty and entertaining.  Instead of concentrating on comparing your ‘lack of’ to their abundance, rather concentrate on doing what you love to do best.

Here’s a thought!  In all probability there is someone out there who is looking to you for guidance and who holds you in high esteem and who would like to be as witty and as knowledgeable as you and the person who you are comparing yourself to also has someone who they hold in high esteem and who they would like to be as knowledgeable as too.

It’s called the Circle of Life and we all have our own little place in it.

On that note, check out next week’s post to look at the final 3 tips.

Till then, happy blogging!

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 - Have a Plan of Action

Networking 101 - Have a Plan of Action

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

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

“ Be strategic and determine what your goals are.  Assess your current network and plan your future networking accordingly.”

Wow!  So this pretty much fits in with what I have been saying over the last 4 weeks or so.

Let’s re-iterate! What is it that you want to accomplish when you go to a networking event?  Do you want to ‘sell’ your product or service or do you want to ‘buy’ someone else’s product or service or do you want to meet up with ‘like minded’ individuals who you want to build relationships with?

If you are wanting to build relationships with ‘like minded’ individuals, they then become your networking partners or, if you like ‘are in your circle of influence’. 

How do you go about educating the people in your ‘circle of influence’ or your networking partners about the type of clients that you wish to do business with? Do you actually know what kind of clients it is that you want?

What about subsequent meetings with your networking partners or circle of influence?  How do you engage with them in terms of reciprocal networking?

Do you have any kind of plan of action?

You see, like most things in life, if you don’t plan . .  well you have exactly  . . .  nothing!

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 - What is Cash Flow?

BUSINESS TIPS –  What is Cash Flow?

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

So after my whole series on “how to manage your cash flow crisis,” someone wrote in and asked me ‘exactly what cash flow is’. Clearly I should have defined it a little more clearly -  so here goes.

We all hear the words every day – “Cash is King”!  Generally it is preferable to have physical cash in your hand, than say a cheque or even money in the bank.  Why do you think that that is?

Firstly if the money is in the bank, then there may be expenses that still need to go off your account, you would still need to go to the bank to draw money or alternatively you may not have the card or the correct access codes to get the money out of the bank.  So having physical cash in your hand is always a good thing.

Let’s have a look at what cash flow is – exactly.  Quite simply, it is the physical money that you have access to at any given time.  It’s not the money that you are waiting to be paid.  It’s not the stock that you are waiting to sell – it’s the physical cash that you have access to at any given time.

Having a good cash flow is absolutely imperative.  As SMME’s (Small, Micro, Medium Enterprises) we need a good cash flow in order to purchase our supplies, to pay rent, to pay our staff and to pay our way in the every day manner in which we conduct our business.  In short it is that lifeblood that we need in order to earn our livelihood, without it we would whither up and literally die.

So how do we get this ‘cash flow’?

First of all we need to get money into the business – this is usually referred to as a “cash inflow” and it is usually made of up four different components, these are:
• Sales of our products or services – well that’s pretty self explanatory.
• Loan or credit card proceeds – this is either money that we have loaned from a bank or financial institution or indeed money that we have loaned our business in our personal capacity or money that is coming to us from sales that were paid for by means of credit cards or indeed money that we have ‘borrowed’ on our credit cards, even money that is owed to us by our debtors.
• Asset Sales – this would be when we sell assets (such as old computers or vehicles etc.) that were previously purchased by the company that we are now upgrading or even just getting rid of.
• Owner investments – these would be property or financial or business investments that we have made on behalf of our company.

Then of course money goes out of the business – this is usually referred to as “cash outflow” and again it is usually made up of four different components, these are:
• Business expenditures – these are of course the expenses that are raised in the normal day to day running of the business.  This would also include salaries and wages etc. for the staff.
• Loan or credit card principal payments – just as you got the money either from a loan or your credit card, now you have to pay that loan back or pay your credit card back.
• Asset purchases – again, just as you sold old equipment or equipment that you no longer needed, so now you have to buy new equipment or assets for the business.
• Owner withdrawals – again that is pretty self explanatory and it is when the owner takes money out of the business for personal use.  These drawings are usually offset against the money that the owner has lent to the business out of their loan account.

Both the ‘Cash Inflows’ and the ‘Cash Outflows’ also fit into three main categories within the business and these are:
• Operating – this covers the sales of product or services of your business, together with the business expenses that you incur in the selling of your product or service.
• Investing – this would be all the assets that you buy and sell and
• Financing – this obviously covers all the loans and the repayments of the loans as well as the money that the owner has invested into their business and the withdrawals that they make for personal use.

So there you have it, basically what cash flow is and the ‘how’ and ‘what’ it relates to.

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 Art of Communication

Inspiration – The Art of Communication

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

I don’t know about you guys, but I am struggling to understand what people mean when they talk.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t understand the words – the words are very clear . . . it’s the underlying meaning and hidden agendas that’s causing all of the confusion and getting me to constantly second guess myself or try to ask the right questions in order to get clarity and even then, more often than not, I seem to get the whole story or the “intent” wrong.

Not only is it extremely frustration, but it is also exhausting!

I did have a huge chuckle though when I came across a quote from Warren Buffet who said “If you can’t communicate, it’s like winking at a girl in the dark.” It describes exactly how am feeling right now – like the girl in the dark being winked at!

I think it has to do mostly with the written word and that’s where we kind of live these days with social media and the millennials, who would rather text than have a real live conversation. We’re in the middle of a generation who do not engage in a whole conversation.

Think about it for a moment . . .  When you actually have a conversation with someone, you “take in” the whole experience, not just the words you understand, but also the tone of the voice and of course don’t forget the whole body language thing. Now that’s the whole package, don’t you agree?

So does this mean that we are going to lose the art of conversation?  I hope not, but that said it does feel like it’s a very real possibility.

That statement sends me off on the next very real possibility – the art of reading!  I think we are about to lose that too.  Just like I have a very real sense of “all is well in my world” when I have an engaging conversation, I get a sense of wonder and excitement when I open up a new book or pick up a familiar one.  What will I learn today or where will the story take me now?

I think that we all need to make a conscious decision, from time to time, to put down all the electronic gadgets, be present in the moment and engage – really engage with one another.

I have no doubt at all that we will be pleasantly surprised.

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 - To Smoke or Not to Smoke

HR 101 - To Smoke or Not to Smoke

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

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

This is one article that really is going to upset a lot of people and yet also make a lot of people very happy.  This is definitely one for the employer!

As an ex smoker myself, I am constantly aware of all the smoke, the cigarette smoke, the cigar smoke and even the pipe smoke that is constantly around me, invading my space.  I am aware of the damage that I have done to myself and the damage that smokers are doing to themselves (and us ‘passive’ smokers too) on a daily basis.

As a business owner, I am also aware of the fact that I have to protect my staff from smokers in terms of the Tobacco Products Control Act.  As you are all aware I am sure, there is “No Smoking” allowed in public places – restaurants and pubs have to have designated smoking areas and smoking is not allowed in malls and indeed in most office buildings.

Here’s the thing though, no where in the law does it state that as an employer, I have to pander to the smoking requirements of my smoking staff! I don’t have to give my employees ‘smoke breaks’, in fact I can actually make them work the time in that they take as ‘smoke breaks’ without having to pay them any kind of overtime at all or alternatively, I can tally up all the time that the smoker used on ‘smoke breaks’ and deduct it from their wages at the end of the week or from their salaries at the end of the month!  How cool is that?

I can ban smoking from the building altogether and I can choose exactly which area can be used for smoking purposes and there is no where that it is written that I have to provide shelter from the elements either.  So if I choose to designate the car park as the smoking area and it is bucketing with rain – well quite frankly, sorry for you!

Think about it for a moment, as an employer I don’t have to provide my alcoholic employee with a ‘drinks break’ so why would I feel the need to supply my smoker with a ‘smoke break’ particularly if I am as anti smoking as most other ‘ex smokers’?  Both are addictions?  Both take time out of the workplace which impacts on the bottom line and both have serious health implications.

Now surely that is an incentive for smokers to quit, whilst they are still ahead!

 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 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 1

Blogging 101 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

I have of late been engaged with blogging and tweeting more and more on a daily basis and in some instances I have been both shocked and horrified at some of the comments that I have received and then on the other hand hugely amused and somewhere in the middle too -  mildly irritated!  I guess it all has to do with these 4 little words that I consider to be the most dangerous in the dictionary -  perception, assumption, expectation and interpretation as they seldom meet reality.

To try and share some of the key points that I have learnt and perhaps defuse some of the reactions based on those four little words, let’s have a look at some of these tips here.

1. Be Yourself
The internet is not a stage or a film set where you play a part.  It might seem like a great place for you to role play or indeed emulate someone else.  The reality however is that if you are trying to brand yourself or your business, you will do more harm than good if you are not authentically you!

To add to that, why on earth would you want to be anyone other than you? If you are branding yourself, actually even if you’re not branding yourself, why would you want to be or portray yourself as someone else?

Be consistent as you brand yourself across the social media platforms.

2. People are just People
One of the things that I always talk about when networking is that it is not about whom you know, but more often about whom you don’t know that knows who you know.  Quite a tongue twister I know but the reality is that irrespective of whether you connect with someone who has 10 followers or someone who has 10 000 followers, you have no idea who they are connected with.

You need to make every connection count and in order to do that you cannot discount people because they only have a small number of followers.  That small number of followers may include someone who can take your business to the next level!

3. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Now this one I particularly like!

You should never say anything on social media, not just twitter, but social media in general, that you are not prepared to defend in person.

Be true to who you are as a person, be true to your beliefs, be true to the topic and you will develop credibility and trust with your followers.

4. Keep it tidy
I know that I always talk about the “telling of the story” and keeping the message short and brief, or “tidy” as I like to call it, may seem to be a contradiction in terms.  That said I still stand by both.

The reality is that if you have a one liner that people don’t understand because they have no frame of reference, it’s not going to help you in any way. In fact if your readers or followers are anything like me, it will frustrate them to such an extent that they will leave anyway.

True as that may be, the story does need to have a point and shouldn’t waffle all over the place.  The story also needs to be entertaining and create pictures in the mind of the reader and leave a lasting impression.

On that note, check out  the next post to receive some more tips.

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 - Sharing with Networking Partners

Networking 101 - Sharing with Networking Partners

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Today I am going to share with you, one of the most effective ways to educate your networking partners about what it is and who it is, that you are looking for in a client.

Actually it’s awfully simple – you have to share!  Yes it is actually as simple as that, you have to share with them the qualities of your current clientele.

Paint a visual picture or even a virtual picture of the people who you currently do work for.  Tell them the top five things (you can tell them more next time to you know) that you do for those particular clients and why those clients need you do to those things for them.

If you can, arrange for the client to come and talk about the difficulties that they were having, how what you have done has made such a big change to their business.

Give some examples of measurements that been made to illustrate your point – for example, Ann said that she was closing one in forty five deals before she had some sales coaching by Tom and now she is closing four in five deals.

Try and do demonstrations where possible, when you can show people something. It often has a far more profound effect than just talking about it.  Have a power-point presentation done or bring a flipchart.

This kind of ‘show and tell’ interactions really help to ensure that your networking partners really understand the type and calibre of the person that you would like to have referred to you.

The more you show your ‘circle of influence’ the type of referral and the calibre of client that you desire, the more that you will find that the referrals that you begin to get will be of a much higher calibre than you currently (perhaps) have and the more chance you will have of closing the sale.
I have found that if I ‘enlighten’ the people that I want to get referrals from rather than trying to ‘sell’ them what I have, it makes it easier for them to understand what it is that I want.

So change your mindset when you go to a Networking event, don’t try and sell anyone anything, rather try and educate them on how what you do or sell can make a difference and then watch and see how the quality of your referrals will improve.

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 5

Business Tips – How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis – Part 5

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

In the last 4 articles we have looked at and dealt with the fact that 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!

We also 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.

Then we looked at cutting costs, discussed putting a budget together and then making arrangements with your creditors to pay what you owe.

We have pretty much dealt with parts 2 and 3 from the list above and so today we look at your sales.

Here’s the thing -  it doesn’t matter how well you collect the money or how you cut out all of the expenses, the reality is that if you don’t sell the product or service there will be no money coming in to collect!

So you need to sell, sell and then sell some more!

The fact that there is money to collect attests to the fact that you can actually sell. You just have to replicate what you did before when you sold and then just keep on doing that better and better. 

The more you believe in your product or your service, the more “believable” you are and the more you will sell.

Make sure that the value of what you are selling is in line with what you say you are selling. 

Make sure that you deliver on time and that you deliver what it is you say that you are selling or delivering.

Look at your product or service and see how you can do it better.  Doing it better will also increase your sales.

Always ensure that you are giving your clients what they want and need rather than trying to sell them what you have or what you think that they may want or need.

Start with your existing clients and ask the question, especially the one that goes “Is there any other way we can help you?”  More times than not, this will get you results and  because the relationship is already there, the ‘selling’ will be a lot easier.  So start there and then broaden your reach out into the open market.

Remember that you need to measure in order to manage, so it is very important to have a plan in place.

Some of the things that you need to look at or implement when you are putting your plan together are (but not limited to):-

- Plan a sales strategy
- Put a sales plan into place and this should include things like:-
• A list of all your products or services and how these are of benefit to your clients.
• A list of your target markets and your perception of “the perfect client”
• Your sales processes from cradle to grave
• Your sales tools
• Your sales scripts
• How to handle objections and how to turn cold leads into sales.

To delve a little more deeply into these aspects let’s break some of them down a little more.

Sales Tools
We all need all the help we can get, so it is a good idea to invest in a basic sales tool and this should include the following:

- A Website -  in this age of technology having, at the very least, a basic website is of paramount importance.
- Business Cards -  besides telling clients and prospective clients who you are, they bring a certain level of professionalism to the table.
- Brochures – great for giving a visual aspect to your products or service.
- Presentation – always useful to help close a sale
- Templates or samples of your products or service
- Sales management systems or CRM’s or similar – as you grow the number of clients it becomes easier to lose track of where you are with clients.  So this is very useful.

Sales Process

It’s always a good idea to have everybody doing the same thing in the same way.  Having a documented sales process will ensure that not only does this happen, but also that certain requirements or important information is not forgotten about. Your sales process should also contain the following:

- Leads -  how and when to make contact
- Prospect – exactly what product or service that they are interested in
- Presentation – has a demonstration been done for the client or is it still to take place and when.
- Objections received -  what they are, were they handled by who and how.
- Negotiation – what will work best for the client and you -  how will you go about getting the right balance so that a win/win situation is created.
- Finalization -  have the authorizations been received, are contracts agreed to and signed off. How many sales were “won” and why (goes to replicating a successful strategy) and how many sales were “lost” and why
- Monitor  -  the sales process should be monitored carefully and updated on a regular basis.  You need to know how many leads you have, how many have been contacted, how many have been converted into sales and exactly where you are in the process with each lead and sale.

Finally!  Prevention is always better than the cure and I have no doubt that once you get yourself out of your cash flow crisis, you will never have any desire to get yourself back into this mess again.

Ensure that the measures that you have implemented to get yourself out of the mess are continued to ensure that you never go there again.

Measure and monitor what is taking place on a continual basis and then make the necessary adjustments as and when they are required.

Remember that according to Parkins’s law, your expenses will always rise to meet your income.  So make sure that your expenses are always under control

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 – Inspiration of Desperation

Inspiration – Inspiration of Desperation

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Tony Robbins says “In life you need either inspiration or desperation.”

I am more often than not confused by the number of people who have to be constantly “motivated” to get things done.

What’s with that?  I really don’t understand it at all!

For me, if I have to be motivated to do something it means that I am not fully engaged at the very least and certainly it means that it is something that I am not passionate about or something that does not serve my purpose!

I remember as a youngster and school and even at college, we were not only encouraged but in some cases even forced to take extra lessons for subjects that we struggled with or just plain hated. I didn’t see the sense of that then and to be perfectly honest, I don’t see the logic in it now.

As the owner of my own business now, I am in a position to ‘outsource’ the things that I don’t enjoy or that don’t captivate my imagination or hold my attention.

This means of course, that I am able to do the things that I love, that challenge my mind and inspire me.  These are the things that allow me to live my true authentic, congruent self. These are the things that make my heart smile and my soul sing.

These are the things that make me . . . well me!

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 - Preparing for Disputes – Part 2

HR 101 - Preparing for Disputes – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

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

Following on from last time, today we are going to look at some of the most typical and also most important issues that can be discussed at the ‘pre-meeting’.

Some of the most typical and also important issues that are or can be dealt with are (but not limited to):

• Any means by which the dispute may be settled.  Both parties would be expected to express exactly what they are wanting that would give them a sense of vindication.  It is often at this point that an “out of court” settlement is reached and agreed to and once this agreement has been signed, the arbitration hearing would therefore  be totally unnecessary .
• Facts that are the common cause.  In some cases it is the ‘straw that breaks the camels back’ that mess the whole works up and it is easier and more beneficial to all parties to get consensus on these and to agree to the facts up front. Issues such as (but not limited to)
+ the exact date that an employee was employed
+ the exact date that the employee was dismissed
+ the exact reason for the dismissal
Here’s the thing – the more issues that can be agreed upon before the hearing, the less time (and expense) will be needed to establish the facts during the hearing.
• Facts that are in dispute.  These are usually the issues that the parties cannot or will not agree on.  These are issues such as (but not limited to)
+ the employees benefits
+ the employees package
+ the employees remuneration
+ whether the treatment by the employer was fair and/or unfair.
It may also include issues such as whether the employee was at the workplace on the day that the incident took place and so on.

Often at this point the parties may agree that the arbitrator will need to decide if the dismissal was procedurally fair or unfair and also whether it was substantively unfair.

• Precise Relief claimed.   Usually this is the discussion that takes place that highlights whether the employee wants to be re-instated or whether they want some kind of financial compensation. 

It is also at this stage that the sharing and exchange of documents takes place and one ‘common’ bundle of documents can be compiled.  Parties fighting about documents and their contents or lack thereof take up huge amounts of time and getting this resolved up front and beforehand makes life a lot easier and it will also greatly reduce the amount of time that is spent in the actual hearing.

Both parties should of course, document the entire meeting, making sure that all the issues that they have agreed to are correctly recorded as well as all the issues that were not agreed on.  These minutes can then be signed off on by both parties that then can also be presented to the arbitrator who will use them to get a clear idea of key issues that are relevant to the case.

Be careful though that you don’t give away too much of your case.  It is for this very reason that it is in your own interests to use someone who is an expert in Labour Law and its relevant processes and the negotiation thereof.  If you don’t and the whole thing goes pear-shaped, it could cost you a great deal of money.

 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 - Focus on the Reader

Blogging 101 – Focus on Your Readers

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty)

This is most definitely a case of “Do as I tell you and not Do as I Do!”

Let me explain . . .

You see I started out writing my blogs for my own gratification, my own enjoyment.  Not for the enjoyment of anyone other than myself.  Sounds really selfish, doesn’t it?  But that is the honest truth!

Now most folk will tell you that you need to focus on what your readers want to read about, not what you necessarily want to say and yes, they are usually two very different things. Pretty much like when you are doing the research on what you are going to sell (be it product or service), you need to ascertain what people want rather than what you think they need.

The reality of the situation is that no-one really cares about what you think or indeed what it is that you have to say, unless of course it happens to be what they want to hear or have a need to hear (and yes those are also two very different things to).  If you don’t give them what they want, they will just go somewhere else to get it – yip, people are pretty fickle like that.

Fortunately though, what I wanted to write about because generally it was something that I had just learnt and was excited about and just wanted to share – or alternatively, something that I needed to hear, was also something that most SMME’s (small, micro, medium enterprises) wanted to read themselves.  I am just lucky that it turned out that way.

That and the fact that I have penned in excess of 2000 articles, makes me believable, especially when they read an article and it resonates with them – the general consensus then is that I must know what I am talking about, so they read another one and so on.

The fact of the matter is that if you are looking to earn money out of your writing, it has to be about the reader – you have to pander to their every need.  You have to strike a chord in them or challenge them or give them righteous indignation – something that makes them think about what you are trying to say that they either wholeheartedly agree with or they completely disagree with.  If it is the latter you need to hope that they are indignant enough to respond to you in some way that will open up a discussion.

Fortunately for me, my blogs (and yes even the business ones) are generally presented in the form of a story, and it’s in the ‘telling’ of the story that I am most successful.  You see, I am a person who sees the words in pictures and when I read I have this whole video thing going through my mind as the words conjure up the most colourful pictures and when I write, I tend to write in the same way.  The words produce pictures in my mind and this is what people tend to grab a hold of. Those pictures in their minds have more impact on the story being told or the lesson that is being learnt than just a bunch of facts and figures would have and this gives the words (or the lesson) great value. 

People usually appreciate getting good value for money and they appreciate it even more if they get the ‘great value’ without having to pay anything, including the usual ‘school fees’ that come with starting a new business or going on your own.

Me, well I don’t really care one way or the other – you see my words give me the greatest value and the most enjoyment, and there’s nothing more that I could actually want from them. The fact that they also make a difference in the lives of others . . .  well that’s just a hidden bonus for both the reader and me!

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 - Take your time

Networking 101 - Take your time

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

On the table today is simplifying the components of your business.  Remember that people who go to networking meetings are going to be listening to a great number of people, all in the space of a minimum of time.  It’s natural to want to tell everybody who attends, all 300 things that you do in your business.  It’s just too much information – so please do your best to resist the urge!

Even if you attend one meeting a week, that’s 52 times you will be given the opportunity to tell people who you are and the wonderful bouquet of products or services that you have.  At any given meeting though, try and limit your product or services to just one.

Take the time to explain in detail, educate your networking partners – create visual posters or images in their minds.  Let them ‘feel’ and see and smell and touch your products or service.  Demonstrate your product or tell them stories about the value of your service.  Explain in detail the value add properties and the consequences of what can/will/might go wrong if people don’t use your product or service or what it is that they might be missing out on.

Each week, talk about a different product or a different aspect of your business.  Each week get detailed and ‘up close and personal’.  Make your stories and tales really interesting and full of useful information, so that they cannot wait for the next meeting or encounter with you.

Make them want to know more about what it is that you do.

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 4

Business Tips – How to Manage Your Cash Flow Crisis – Part 4

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

In the last 3 articles we have looked at and dealt with the fact that 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!

We also 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.

Then we looked at cutting costs, discussed putting a budget together and then making arrangements with your creditors to pay what you owe.

This time we continue with some things that you can do immediately to help alleviate the situation.

Remember in part 2 we discussed the importance of knowing exactly what you owe and what you are owed.

Now it is the turn of your clients who owe you money (or your debtors as they are known) to get sorted.

This is where you have use every single communication medium that you can to communicate with your client.  So you can phone, or e-mail, or SMS and even ‘WhatsApp’ them or use all the different types of social media communication to contact them.  You see, you have to communicate with them and continue to do so until you have been paid in full.

It’s always a good idea to make notes on who you have spoken to, mailed, sms’d etc.  Record the date and time, who you spoke to and what was said. If for example they said that they would pay on Wednesday the 12, make a note to remind them that they have promised to make a payment.  When they pay, contact them again to a) thank them for making payment and b) to get a commitment for the next payment.  If they don’t pay on the due date, of course you need to contact them to a) find out why they did not make a payment and b) to get them to make another commitment to pay.  Be friendly but firm in  your dealings with them and make them understand that they do have to pay and pay sooner rather than later.

For money that has been outstanding for a long time (for me that is anything over 60 days, but you need to make this decision up front), the reality is that you have to take the emotion out of the situation and get tough with yourself.  Hand them over to the attorney for collection.  The reality is of course that many of them are in all probability, dealing with their own cash flow problems.  So being empathetic with their plight will stand you in good stead.  That said though, you still have to deal with your own cash flow crisis – so get them to pay up, or hand them over.

Finally for today’s lesson, remember that you cannot expect your clients to pay you or be honourable with you, if you are not being honourable with your suppliers.  You need to do to others what you want done to you!

Be honourable yourself.  Let your words be congruent with your intent and as your receive the money pay out what you owe – even if it is before the due date.

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 – Facing Your Problems

Inspiration – Facing Your Problems

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

James Baldwin says “Not everything that is faced can be changed.  But nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

I very often tend to “think” in pictures, and the very first picture that came to mind when I read this quote was that of a charging elephant coming straight at me.  The reality of that is definitely about ‘not everything that is faced can be changed’ and that gave me absolute clarity on what the message of the quote is.

We have all (hopefully) heard or even said the words “acknowledging that there is a problem is half the battle won,” and therein lies the key.

If you don’t know that there is a problem how would we even think about finding a solution, let alone “facing” the problem.

As usual it is about clarity! We have to be clear on what it is that we want to achieve and then put together the action plan on the ‘how’ we are going to ‘face it’ or change it.

Often the problem appears to be so big that it is overwhelming and when that happens most of us go into either Ostrich mode (where we bury our heads in the sand and refuse to even acknowledge there is a problem) or we go into full blown procrastination (where we avoid anything to do with the problem in the hope that it will fade away or disappear completely).  Clearly neither of these options help us in any way. In fact what they usually do is make the problem even worse.

The best thing to do of course, is firstly acknowledge that there is a problem, and then decide on what the outcome is that you desire and then work backwards to where you currently find yourself.

This will enable you to then break things down into bite sized chucks that you can allocate both time and resources to sorting the problem out.

Remember to always ensure that the time that you allocate and the deadlines that you set for yourself are reasonable and attainable. Nothing will dampen your spirits faster than not achieving goals and milestones.

Finally, remember you are not alone! You may feel that you are up against the world, but the reality is that you aren’t! If you are in a state of panic and you don’t know which way to turn – ask for help! There is no shame in asking for help because we all need some help from time to time.

Face it, see the end goal, break it down, allocate time and resources, action it. Problem solved.

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 - Preparing for Disputes – Part 1

HR 101 - Preparing for Disputes – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty)Ltd

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

Over the last few months, I have been inundated with clients who have had the need to discipline staff.  In every single instance, although I have previously taken them through the “how to” and the “what to” with their staffing challenges, they have chosen not to listen to or take my advice. The result now is that they are deep in the smelly brown stuff and getting them out of it is going to be expensive.  Had they but listened in the first place, none of this would have happened and they certainly would not have been in the space that they have now found themselves in.

In all of the instances, a huge amount of time and resources, not to mention cost has been spent to ensure that the damage is now contained and that it does not spiral out of control.

Preparation of documents and a comprehensive documented statement of account is vital, so ensuring that the telling of the story and how it unfolded is critical and whilst it is always a good idea to leave ‘emotions’ at the door, explaining how you felt, your perceptions and expectations is always a good thing.

Having your story backed up with documentation is extremely useful, but having witnesses who can corroborate your story and the documents is even better and in all probability the most powerful thing of all.

Remember however, that a disciplinary hearing is still a process and it doesn’t matter how powerful your case is, you still have to follow the process, especially the most basic of all of the processes and they have to be followed completely and to the letter of the law.  Not doing so will actually make things a whole lot worse instead of better.  So please take notice of this.

From there, depending on the outcome of the findings, the dispute may be referred to the CCMA for conciliation, con-arb or arbitration.

Please be aware of the fact that should the dispute go to con-arb or arbitration, the responsibility of preparing the case properly will be yours. So if you are not sure of what to do make sure that you get someone who knows what they are doing to help you and guide you through the process.

The reason that you need to prepare yourself properly is because you can expect to go through a court type hearing with all the relevant proceedings and processes.  You see you will not only have to present your evidence in a manner that is professional, but yet concise and easy to understand – you will also have to respond to and try and counteract the evidence of your opponent, also in a professional manner.  You have to come across as believable and ensure that what you have to say bears merit rather than malice.

There may also be a need for a “pre-arbitration” meeting with your adversary.  In many instances this type of meeting could in fact resolve the matter, thereby removing the need for an arbitration meeting altogether.  At worst the pre-arbitration meeting will assist in the reducing of time that it will take to complete the hearing or assist you in the preparation of the meeting.  For the record though, although the CCMA would like the parties to have a ‘pre-meeting’ and that it could be to your own advantage to do so, the fact of the matter is that it is not compulsory.

Next week we will look at some of the most typical and also most important issues that can be discussed at the ‘pre-meeting’.

 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