My favourite way of getting around is by train.  I’m on my way to London as I write this and I’m enjoying the peace and quiet (almost) away from the constant buzz of technology.  It’s a great way to take time to think about what I’m working on and how the business is progressing without feeling the need to respond to phones/emails and other distractions.

I have to confess that I do have all my technology with me - I’m still not quite ready to let it all go through my iPad so I do have my laptop with me.  As I can touch type I just can’t get to grips with a non-sensory keyboard.  I can do the odd email or message but I just can’t get as fluent and it ends up frustrating me too much.  My laptop is quite a weight to carry around town but as it contains nearly all the business information I could ever need in a meeting I’m loathe to leave it behind.  That’s one of the problems of technology - once you have it, it’s a real mind shift to live without it.  As I’m also an information hoarder I like the comfort blanket of my laptop - even if I end up with back ache from carrying it around in an inappropriate bag.

I used to use a backpack all the time and would try really hard to put on both straps.  Unfortunately I feel a bit like a schoolgirl wearing it so now only tend to use it onsite and not for other meetings. So, I have my laptop, my phone and my iPad with me.  Why the iPad?  Well, today it’s doubling up as baby security blanket and entertainment console with books and some great brain challenging games on there (as well as the inane games that I just can’t put down).  Tomorrow though I’m going to leave my laptop at home and venture out with the iPad and phone.  Do I really need the iPad?  Probably not - my meetings are onsite and not based on information I already have but if I do get a spare moment it’ll come in handy.

For today, I’m on the train with great space to write some blogs whilst looking at the world whizzing by.  The trolley is coming by so maybe I’ll splash out and have a cuppa.  So much more relaxing and stimulating than driving!

I’ve been reviewing my marketing plan recently and realise that nearly all my marketing tactics involve social media.  It really did surprise me as I hadn’t realise that I’d become so involved in it.  I also took stock of the fact that there is so much I have to learn.  I’m a big fan of continued learning - I love listening to podcasts and audio books.  Even the most insignificant podcast on marketing can give you one nugget to work on and develop your business.

However, I now have a backlog of social media to learn.  I’m looking forward to it but am not sure how to balance my time.  After all, this is for the long haul - for the future and has to be done but equally it’s not bringing me immediate reward so how do I justify the time it takes?  One colleague suggested allocating one day a week to immerse myself in each topic and get on top of it.  Another suggests breaking down each working day and spending an hour a day on the topic.  I’ll try both over the next few weeks and see which works best for me.

In the meantime, my list of topics is growing and I’m looking online for webinars, You Tube clips, support documents and general discussions.  By giving myself a variety of information formats I’m sure I’ll pick up enough tips to get going and develop a good Social Media strategy.  So, if you’ve got any good sites/info on the following do let me know.  My primary subjects, for now are:

Google+: everyone is saying you have to be there and the segmentation is really useful but I’ve not seen any evidence of it’s growth and impact.

Pinterest: I’ve got my account and can see how this can be useful to event discussions but I need to spend some time working in and around it to really get going.

Hootsuite: As above, I’ve got my account and done the basic set up but I really need to set up a Twitter feed schedule and learn how to make the most of this great looking tool.

Mailchimp:  the time for Newsletters has come, I have the database I have some interesting content but I need to get them merged with Mailchimp. 

Wordpress:  I’m fascinated by this.  I use it for my personal and business blogs but would like to become more of a power user so I can make the sites more personalised.

Lots to learn about - I’m looking forward to it. Now where is that Time-turner...

So when should you start your event and which day is best? Over the years I’ve heard many different event managers comment on this, all with gusto and most with experience to back up their decision.  At the end of the day it depends on your audience and your topic - are you aiming for business or consumer and is it something that people want to make time for in their busy days or would they rather team it up with some drinks and make an evening of it?  The questions (as ever) are never ending but here’s some thoughts to help you decide.

- I’ve found that people like Monday mornings to decompress from the weekend and get their thoughts in order for the week.  Hence Monday’s may not get the best attendance.

- Similarly, Fridays are either frantically full of the work that hasn’t yet been finished or is the wind down day.  Catching up on emails and work in the office so you can leave for the weekend with a clean conscience.  

- So let’s aim for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  Being a pragmatist these may already be booked up for travel and meetings so get your invites out early to book these slots.

Should we now go for morning, afternoon or evening?  

- Evenings are great if you want people to network or be sociable - I concede that some are happy to do this on company time but a lot of people will be focused purely on their job during the day and so evenings, give them the option of a learning/networking opportunity with the possibility of a a free drink or canapé thrown in.

- Afternoons have never been particularly successful for my clients.  The audience fills up the morning with work and then it’s hard to justify/find the time to leave for an event.  Something always seems to come up be it traffic, bad weather, another meeting, a shortened deadline - small things can tip the scales to prevent attendance.  Do you want to risk it?

- Mornings are often the best option as people go into automatic pilot, check their diary and head to the first appointment - your event!  OK, traffic can affect timings but you can plan around that.  The crucial thing is that something else hasn’t managed to squeeze it’s way into the diary that day.

And don’t forget to look up bank holidays, any strike action due, election days, school holidays and annual national holidays ie some European companies effectively shutting down in August. It’s a complex business working out the best time and date to hold your event.  The best advice is to research your potential audience and find out how they plan their week.  Fit that research into knowledge about the local calendar and you should be able to make a rational and effective decision which gives you the best chance to get your audience to attend.

As you might have noticed I’ve  not been writing blogs recently - I took some time off over the summer to sit on a beach and contemplate my navel.  I can heartily recommend it.  I’ve come back to work completely refreshed but with a new burning desire to move onwards and upwards.  I find that I can look at situations afresh and be much more creative about how I’m going to move things forward.

I understand that not every business owner/freelancer can take 3 weeks off work but given the school holidays were upon us and everyone is growing up so quickly I tipped the scales to life and let the work stand still for a while.

So, here’s my action plan for the next month:

• • get fitter.  I’m making time to exercise first thing, following a training programme so that I push myself and don’t just workout at my usual steady level.
• • turn off the Today programme and wake up to some calming music instead (I’m fed up of the negativity of the press)
• • change my home page from BBC news to StumbleUpon (what fantastic inspiration that brings up)
• • turn off my iPod when I’m walking (I seemed to fill my every moment with news and noise and had no time to let my brain run free)
• • set up goals for each of my business ideas and prioritise which ones I’d handle first.
• • print out a weekly planner and divide each week up into the different projects/roles and make sure that I focus solely on that project that day.
• • go to a quiet place once a fortnight and consider the monthly plan and how I’m moving the business forward.

So it’s all about priorities, contemplation and focus...I’ll keep you updated on how I get on but right now it feels really positive and I really don’t think I’d have got here without taking time out for myself and my family.

As you probably know if you’ve been reading my blogs, I’m on a mission to get out and about and meet and chat to as many interesting business people as I can.  I’ve found over the past few months that if I plan carefully I’ve always come away with something useful.  It may not be a sales opportunity but it can be some clarity or business inspiration.  However, I also have to confess that I’ve rushed into a few meetings where I was unprepared and without focus and have really found that I lost much of the potential value.

It is essential to think about why you want to meet each person before you set up a meeting. I’m not advocating a full time seat reservation at Costa Coffee but focused meetings that meet one of your outlined needs.  These needs may not all be sales focussed but may be about building your contact list, or they may fulfil your desire to help and support the community.  So, don’t set up meetings with anyone but do make a list of your requirements and consider if each person can meet that in some way. If they don’t meet those requirements, is it really worth your time? One last thought before you scrap the meeting - do they know anyone who can help you?  People buy from people so maybe the more people you know the more you’ll sell?

As you know, I work on my own now so one of my needs is to meet up with kindred spirits and just talk about my plans for my business.  As a result I’ve been lucky enough to find a small group of ladies who meet up once a month and discuss our business progress.  It’s a great pleasure to meet with them, and it gives me a chance to talk about my current business issues and what’s sometimes better, I get to support their businesses and help them grow.

Even in such a friendly regular meeting I go along with a list of what I want to cover and get out of the meeting.  I set out my issues and goals and make sure I cover them.  Even for new contact meetings I suggest you do this.  Conversations do have a tendancy to wander so it’s great to have focus and something to return too.  If it’s a sales call, not only do you look prepared and interested in them but you’ve got an agenda that makes sure that you don’t leave without the information/tip/contract you need.