My Virtual Sidekick | Management, Marketing & More | Raven Howard

Feedback and complaints are really important in building your business successfully. They’re an opportunity for us to improve ourselves, our products, our services, and our processes – if we act on the feedback that we receive.

Unfortunately most feedback is either handled horribly or goes in “one ear and out the other”. Mishandling complaints this way is why a company’s performance never improves.

A more effective solution to deal with feedback is establishing a 3-step customer feedback process:

1. Gather customer feedback.
2. Take action.
3. Communicate company feedback.

(more…)

Every winter there is a shift in talk to business planning for the next year. You’re told NOW is the time to start thinking of what you want to do next year. You probably attend some teleseminar and  jot down some goals for next year and may even outline a marketing plan for your next big idea for a product or service you want to have out by next quarter. In some cases, that fills you up like mama’s turkey. You pat yourself on the back and move into another year of hasty planning and often times poor results.

If you think of your business journey like a runner there are two races for you to consider entering:

The 100m dash-Relying on your natural abilities you spend most of your time contemplating the start of the business. The “jump off” the block when the gun sounds. Then you frantically scramble the short distance to the finish line. Zoom and it’s over in a flash.

However, if you want to be in business for the long haul; then you’ll have to do much more than plan for the start. You’ll need to shift into a marathon runner’s mindset and create a concrete plan of performance across the track. There are miles upon miles of road up ahead that you must be ready for. You’ll need to understand the course completely and have your unique journey clearly mapped out so you can optimize your pace and run the race you WANT to run. You prepare your business for this race with a business plan.

A Business Plan is a living document that is broken down into sections that each covers a different aspect of your business. When woven together this document tells a winning business story.

On your mark….

(more…)

…and spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, video and real-time chat.
If you’re tired of trying to remember what format to save documents in for each client or you have wasted your last minute scouring your inbox, outbox and countless folders for a needed attachment…then its time you tried Google Docs. It is all here-in one place-all you need is a Google Account to retrieve, update and share!

Four Quick Answers:

1. Unlike Webex or HyperOffice, it’s free!
2. You can upload and export.
3. There are size limitations, so unlike your inbox and documents folder, you will have to keep it up-to-date!
4. Your documents can be shared with the world or selected few.