Tag: business tools

5 Ways to Work On Your Business

5 Ways to Work On Your Business

Tonnisha J. English

COVID-19 has impacted so many of us in different ways. We cannot control the current climate, but we can control how we respond. 

Before you ask, no, it will not be easy. If you remember my new mantra, I’ve told you that entrepreneurship is not sexy and I mean that. But I mean it x100 during this pandemic. 

What we’re not going to do, is let COVID think it can steal our visions we have for our businesses. I hope you don’t take this as me being insensitive to what you’re going through. If you’re having a hard time, I want you to know that I am seriously here for you. My goal in all of this is to help other business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs thrive on their journey.

Here are 5 ways you can work on your business during these times…

1. Create designated time for YOUR brand

When I made the decision to go into full-time entrepreneurship, I decided immediately that working 9-5 was not for me. I wanted to create a life that allowed me to be best mom and woman I can possibly be. So, I decided I would work 35 hours per week for clients, and those last 5 hours would be spent working on ME and/or MY business. 

I use a tool called Toggl (it’s free check it out) to manage my time and this allows me to hold myself accountable when it comes to working on my business. If you’re one of those people who claim they don’t have the time, that is not true. The time is there, you just have to demand it for yourself.

2. Work on your content strategy

You know I love me some content marketing! I want you to love it for yourself, too. This is the ultimate way to establish yourself as the industry expert in your field and to position yourself as the go-to person for all things <insert whatever it is that you do>.

Do you know how many times I’ve been called “the email girl” or “the content lady”? More times than I can count! That is because I have put myself in position through these emails, posts on social media, live videos, and speaking engagements to be seen as the go-to person when you want to know more about digital. You can do the same for yourself! 

3. Build your tribe

We’ve talked about the importance of having a tribe a few times in these emails. If you don’t believe I practice what I preach, take a look at the lineup for #RTHCon20! I’m blessed to have such a powerful network of business owners. 

How did I meet such amazing people you may ask? Networking! Putting myself out there. Sparking conversations. Attending other people’s event. Them attending mine. Fostering real relationships. 

Building your tribe is NOT a one way street. It’s going to take work on both sides. Put yourself out there and get to work building your community of bosses!

4. Know your numbers

I have some past traumas that have led me to be very afraid of money. I don’t like thinking about it, but I do all the time and it makes me nervous. Since working with Touche Financial Solutions, I have felt more at ease because I know my numbers. I have a clear understanding of how much money my business needs to make in order to thrive. By knowing this number, it helps me make the right business decisions to continue to grow TJE. 

Spend some time doing a deep dive into your business and personal expenses, and find ways to improve in both of these areas. I’m no expertise in this area. However, I can tell you that doing this has helped me grow tremendously. I highly recommend you reach out to Sierra Thomas of Touche Financial Solutions ASAP!

5. Better tools = better business

Having the right business tools in place is truly amazing. I wish I could explain the feeling of knowing that your business is running properly even when you’re sleeping. 

What are considered business tools? Social media schedulers, email platforms, project management tools, your CRM, etc. I need you to review these tools to make sure they are helping your grow your business. I wrote about this at the beginning of the year, check it out. 

Spend time going through every tool you are using and make some decisions sooner than later. One recent decision I’ve made is to move 6 years work of email marketing into a brand new platform. This task is not easy (still working on it) but it is necessary if I want to continue to grow my business. 

Now that you have 5 different ways to work on your business, it is time to do the work! If you want to chat, I’m here! Schedule a call today. Click here.

Here’s Why Tracking Your Time Matters

Here’s Why Tracking Your Time Matters

Tonnisha J. English

It’s easy to believe that since you’re working for yourself, or working from home, that you have to be on at all times. I am so guilty of staying up well past my bed time to finish work (or start work), complete a project, or read blogs or articles to gain new digital marketing insights.

Regardless of your reasoning for feeling like you need to work around the clock, I am here to tell you that is not true.

If you’re not currently tracking your time, here’s why you need to start as soon as possible…

Accepting (or Not Accepting) New Business Opportunities

When I first started my business 6 years old, I accepted every opportunity that came my way. I did not have a great vetting process to decide which opportunities were worthwhile, and which were not aligned with my business or business goals. After two years of this, I decided to get more serious about my prices, packages, and how many hours I wanted to spend on my business.

Today, I use project managements tools and time trackers that help me understand where I am putting my energy on a daily basis.

By understanding how much time is being spent on each client, I’ve been able to:

  1. Ensure I am being properly compensated for my time
  2. Decide if I have enough hours to bring in new clients

Better understanding of which services bring in the most revenue

Since tracking my time, I now know which of my services bring in the most revenue for my business on a monthly basis. With this information I am able to ensure I am marketing this service through all appropriate channels to bring in new business opportunities.

On the other hand, if this is a service I no longer want to offer, I know that I need to pivot my content strategy to avoid speaking to this service too much.

For your own business, take a look at your top products and services and see which items are in your top three. Once you have this list think about…

  1. How much time it takes to products these products or services?
  2. What is your net profit from this product or service?

**Net profit is the actual profit made on a business transaction, sale, etc., or during a specific period of business activity, after deducting all costs from gross receipts.

If the costs don’t add up, then you need to give your business a complete audit to reassess your goals and create a business strategy to meet them.

Need help with your business strategy? Book your 1-hr business strategy session today! Click here to book today.

Don’t Burn Yourself Out

I recognized I was doing the most when my three year old daughter begins to tell me I need stop working and “give [me] attention.” Talk about a reality check!” The whole point of me pushing for full time entrepreneurship was so that I could have more time with her, not make her feel neglected.

Some weeks I would work so much I would get physically ill from the lack of sleep I was getting.

This is NOT normal.

Whether you work in corporate or if you’re a full time entrepreneur, tracking your time is crucial to ensuring you do not burn yourself out. Decide how many hours you want to spend on projects, keep track of how much time you’re spending with clients, make time for your own business, and turn it off when it’s time to turn it off.

**I recently started turning my email and social media notifications off from 5pm to 9am – best decision of my life!

So, now you do understand why you should track your time? Give it a try this week and let me know how it works out!

 

How to Make the Most of Your Day When Working from Home

How to Make the Most of Your Day When Working from Home

Tonnisha J. English

If you’ve never worked from home before, it is probably more difficult than you can imagine. Our homes are supposed to be our sanctuary, not a place to stress about work!

With the recent circumstances, many of us don’t have a choice but to ditch the office and create a productive work environment in the comfort of our homes.

Why is working from home difficult?

Many people have this false idea that people who work from home are just sitting in their pajamas all day and binging their favorite series. That is far from the truth.

Those us who have the privilege to work from home on a daily basis are aware of the distractions your home causes when work needs to be done. It’s hard to see the laundry that needs doing, or the dishes in the sink, and the dog giving you the sweetest eyes begging for a belly rub and NOT want to give all of these things your time. This is why I choose to pay a membership to a co-working space so I can set some of those boundaries.

Here’s how you can maximize your productivity while working from home…

Whether it’s your first time working from home, or if you’ve tried to in the past and felt like a failure, here are 5 tips to help you maximize your productivity while working from home.

  1. Do not work in bed! Sounds like a good time, but you’ll end up napping/scrolling IG.⠀
  2. Create a designated work space. If you don’t have an office, your kitchen table may work. ⠀
  3. Find a good podcast to tune into. This is much better than watching tv because it’s hard to NOT look at the screen while working. Podcasts are great and all you have to do is tune in!⠀
  4. Set work hours! Whether it’s 9-5 or 10-6, find a time that works for you but stick to it!⠀
  5. Create a to-do list. This will help you stay on task and be mindful of your productivity. ⠀

If you follow the above five steps, I promise you will be able to successfully make it through these next few weeks. If you’re a mompreneur, check out one of my recent #TonnishasTuesdayTip that discusses how to work from home with toddlers.

Do you have any other tips for working from home? Comment below and share!

3 Ways to Turn Your Passion into Content

3 Ways to Turn Your Passion into Content

Tonnisha J. English

I’ve posed the question many times and still can’t find the answer….why is content marketing so hard? 

What makes content so important?

  • Content is the QUEEN of digital marketing
  • It helps to build credibility
  • Gives customers another entry point to your website or store front

We know the landscape of social media is changing so we can no longer just rely on these platforms to attract new customers. We have to leverage our experience and expertise in other ways to take our brands and businesses to the next level.

So again, why is content marketing so hard? It is because you are overthinking it. Content marketing sounds like something that is more intricate than it really is.

If we break it down…

Content = your knowledge.

Marketing = the place you decide to distribute your content (social media, email marketing, whitepapers, videos, blogging, etc.).

Here are 3 ways to turn your passion into content:

  1. Keep it basic. The first thing you have to understand is that you have knowledge about your industry that the average person does not. This means that there is no need to go into too much detail over things your audience may never understand. Think about the surface level knowledge you can share with your audience and find ways to translate that information in layman’s terms.
  2. PLAN. You know how I feel about planning. That doesn’t change here. Pull your calendar out and begin thinking about the content pieces you want to put out into the world.
  3. Distribute in a way that makes you feel comfortable. If you enjoy writing, distribute your content through writing. If you’re not scared of video, press record on your phone and get your content out to the world that way. Where people fail at content marketing, is being afraid to just do it – this is partially because they are scared of how they will distribute. Yes, it is important to evolve and push your limits. However, in the beginning, I encourage you to do what makes you feel comfortable.

Ready to turn your passion into content? It’s time to get started!

Need help? Schedule a FREE 15-minute call – let’s connect!

 

Here’s your 2020 Business Checklist

Here’s your 2020 Business Checklist

Tonnisha J. English

It’s 2020 which is not only a new year, but a new decade! As we enter onto clean slate, it’s time to do things differently. Take a look at your 2020 business checklist to get your year, and your business, off to a great start.

  1. Review Business Tools – Are your current tools helping or hurting your business? Take a deep dive into the systems you’re using and determine what type of impact they are having on your bottom line. Is the ROI worth it? Are you able to obtain more business, more customers, or more sales with this tool? If the answer is no, then it is time to find new tools. **If a tool is not helping OR hurting, then you should still consider finding a new tool that can improve your business. We want to see consistent and steady growth vs remaining stagnant.
  2. Analyze Reports – From social media, to email marketing, and sales channels, making an effort to review your reports will give you a clear understanding of what is working, and what is not. At that point you’re able to create your 2020 strategy with the proper information to create a successful plan for your business.
  3. Content Planning – Decide the type of content you want to produce in 2020 and consider how much it will take you to produce. If you don’t have the skills or resources to execute your goals, then you need to consider outsourcing and allocate enough time to do so. Plus, we all know content planning is KEY to winning at life and business.
  4. Get Organized – Take your ideas from your mind or your journal and implement them into a real project management system that can hold yourself, and your teams accountable. There are plenty of free tools out there that can help you stay organized which will ultimately help you grow as a business owner.
  5. Find Your Tribe – We know how important it is to have a community who you can grow with and learn from. This is equally important in your personal and professional life. If you don’t already have a community, then take the time to find one! Start online and then move those digital relationships to real, in-person connections.

For more business tips, subscribe to Tonnisha’s Tip of the Month mailing list! Plus, check out 6 Ways to Keep Your Sanity in Entrepreneurship.