The Power Of Words

Ever since childhood I have been an avid reader and been fascinated by words. From the creative delights of the Land of the Faraway Tree to the complexity of The Hobbit, I loved losing myself in a narrative.

Later in life, after reading my first copy of Think and Grow Rich, I began an even deeper appreciation and delving into the power of words. When words are read as not just a collection of symbols or characters, but as thoughts, emotions or sentiments, the real power of words can help, inspire, encourage, motivate and move us. In just the same way words can also move people, teams, communities and countries.

Think for a moment about a handwritten note you've received, perhaps it included words of love, of friendship, or an apology. Remember how you felt reading the words and feeling the sentiment behind them.

The importance of words comes in the form of a shared language and shared meaning. To become an exceptional leader you must be aware of the power of story and metaphor to convey your ideas and steer the change process. "Effective leaders...create communities out of words." Warren Bennis.

Take for example one of the greatest speeches of our modern time, one that inspired and motivated people - delivered by Martin Luther King. He didn't just have a dream, he described that dream in words, clever words, descriptive words, stories and metaphors that were so powerful they catalysed a social movement.

What words are you using in your life, business and career, what do they reflect about who you are and where you are going?

PR versus Search Engine Optimisation

Check out this interesting article on PR versus SEO...
http://holisticsearch.co.uk/2009/02/18/managing-reputation-seo-vs-pr-who-is-better-placed/

Cheers
Heidi

Social Media to help a social cause

Using social media today is all about looking to connect with people on a personal level, to move beyond one way communication to stimulate dialogue and a greater level of involvement and engagement.

A cute clip I came across recently from Haagen Dazs is a beaut example of a brand using 'social media marketing’ techniques for a social marketing cause.

It’s part of their Help the Honey Bees campaign and it is definitely worth a look.

Be well communicators
Heidi Alexandra Pollard

Using Twitter to find a job

Just came across this interesting article written by Thursday Bram on using Twitter for job hunting to see whole article http://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/taking-your-job-hunt-to-twitter.html
In summary:
Twitter can offer a quick way to learn about who actually has a job to fill and perhaps even help you get your application on the top of the pile.
It’s All About the Hashtags
There are three hashtags that can come in handy to someone on a search for a new job. Keeping an eye on #rtjobs, #jobangels and #jobs can give you a look at who’s looking to actively recruit on Twitter. Even recruiters from companies like AT&T have started posting job listings, often labeling them with #jobs.
To connect with me on Twitter visit http://twitter.com/Commscoach
Cheers
Heidi Alexandra Pollard
The Communicators' Coach

Social media as a business tool

An article by SMH/Age reporter Paul McIntyre recently suggests that with the Prime Minister of Australia on Twitter, blogging his way to the next election, that it's about time business sites up and gets more serious about harnessing the power of social media as a business tool.

All the evidence suggests it will be impossible to ignore.

Twitter, a micro-blogging venture in which users post views, or "tweets", to a maximum of 140 characters, is still tiny. But numbers are up more than 500 per cent this year in Australia, says Hitwise. And the time Twitterites spend with the application is greater than MySpace, Facebook and any of the big five online publishers, including ninemsn and Yahoo!7.

Twitter is just one emerging social media application, but combined with others (and there are hundreds) it is creating a boom for the PR industry because someone's got to interpret what's being said about companies and brands online.

However while technology may be helping media audiences gather news from sources outside the mainstream - eg blogs, social networks, podcasting, vodcasting, video-sharing sites, it can't deliver what companies need: automated insight about consumers.

Companies around the world over are starting to dabble with social media - and they have to or they will be left behind.

Here are some of its statistics on online users gathered this year:
Bloggers globally: 184 million;
Those who watch video clips online: 82.9 per cent;
Those who say they have joined a social network: 57 per cent;
Those who have uploaded photos to a network: 55 per cent;
Those who have uploaded videos to a network: 22 per cent;
Those who have uploaded a video clip to a video sharing website: 8.5 per cent.

These are global figures, but UM breaks out some numbers for Australian users: 62 per cent say they have read a blog, up from 21 per cent in 2006 and 55 per cent last year.

Most important point for companies: 34 per cent of bloggers say they post opinions about products or brands!

So the challenge for those of us in PR is not only to monitor these forums for information and discussions around our products or brand but how we engage and participate in the discussion.

Join in the Professional Communicators' Network Online Forum
The Professional Communicators' Network Online Forum is a global networking site connecting professionals from around the world and providing a platform to share what works. Joining is F.R. E.E. so get connected with like minded professionals and actively participate in the discussion.

Let us help you become a more effective communicator. http://affiliate.kickapps.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=4554367&as=80679

To read Paul McIntyre's original article visit http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/biztech/using-social-media-for-commercial-gain/2008/12/04/1228257189521.html

The Secret to Setting Powerful Goals in 2009

Do you set goals or make resolutions at the beginning of each year? With 2009 upon us now is the time to whip out a pen and paper or your Blackberry and make some plans before another digitally enhanced year speeds by!

Want to know the secret to setting goals that you will achieve? It's all to do with your unconscious mind and the way you frame your goals. You see when you talk about accomplishing something in the future, it will stay in the future in your mind.

For example here are some typical goals:
"I aim to increase my profits per client by 50%."
"I plan to delegate more and take more holidays in 2009."
Instead write them in the following manner:
"I increased profits per client by 50%."
"I outsourced all the administrative and operational functions of my business and took 6 weeks of holidays to travel."

See the difference? When you write your goals as accomplishments, you trick your subconscious mind into believing they've already happened.

Instead of thinking about all the obstacles between now and reaching your goals, visualize yourself already where you want to be. This minor shift in language will make a huge shift in setting up the mindset you need for success.

If you want 2009 to be more successful than 2008, you need to think differently and plan differently. You may need fresh ideas and different skills; to find new partners or associates, better ways to organize your business and even a coach or mentor.

Make a list of your accomplishments for this coming year. The act of writing them down and sharing them tricks your brain into making a commitment to reach them. Define what you'll have achieved 12 months from now written in the past tense, as if you'd already achieved them.
My secret weapon in ensuring my goals are powerful is to write them in the form of a gratitude letter. So each year I write my goals down in the form of a Gratitude Letter because as an author and communicator I find this narrative, descriptive form most powerful as it makes it tangible and gets my creative juices flowing.

I recommend you review your goals and plans regularly, daily if not weekly so as you reread them you can track your progress. It's easy to make resolutions. But it's hard to make them come true.

No wonder so many people make the same resolutions every year, without ever achieving them. Don't let yourself fall into this trap. This year 2009, right now, resolve to put your goals onto paper and, if you need to, hire a coach or find an accountability buddy to keep you on the track to success!

If you would like to download and read a copy of my special gratitude letter simply visit www.leadingvalue.net

The 'Embargo' argument

Last year, Chris Anderson of Wired magazine made news with the controversial decision to publish the email addresses of PR practitioners who consistently bombarded him with irrelevant pitches. Now, Michael Arrington of the TechCrunch blog has fired an opening salvo at companies that fail to enforce embargoes.

The latest article from Marketing Profs outlines his new approach:

"We've never broken an embargo at TechCrunch," he writes at a post titled "Death to the Embargo." "Not once. Today that ends. From now our new policy is to break every embargo. We'll happily agree to whatever you ask of us, and then we'll just do whatever we feel like right after that. We may break an embargo by one minute or three days. We'll choose at random."

In the last year, argues Arrington, companies desperate for attention have become especially aggressive in their pitching methods, for instance by providing embargoed announcements to just about anyone with a URL. While reputable outlets like TechCrunch hold the news until the embargo date, it looks as if they're being scooped on a regular basis by less scrupulous competitors. "The benefits are clear," he says. "[S]ites like Google News and TechMeme prioritize them first as having broken the story. Traffic and links flow in to whoever breaks an embargo first."

What do you think of Arrington's policy?

Cheers Heidi Alexandra Pollard, The Communicators' Coach

Using the power of the mass media

Hi everyone,
this is Heidi Alexandra Pollard, The Communicators' Coach from picturesque Lake Macquarie and I thought I would share with you a story from a well known US PR guy Paul Hartunian.
Here's what Paul had to say about the power of mass media:
"When I sent out my press releases about the Brooklyn Bridge, I knew I was onto something big. I knew I had a great story and I was sure that the media was going to pick it up and run with it.
What I didn't know was just how big the publicity was going to be!
I didn't just get calls from newspapers and radio stations in New Jersey and New York. I was doing interviews with news organizations around the world.
I spoke to reporters at outlets I'd never heard of.

I only knew two things knew about these media organizations:
1 - they were going to give me sales - and I certainly hadn't sent them a press release.
2 - That second point made me think.
If I hadn't sent them a press release how did these newspapers and radio stations get hold of me?

The answer was obvious: they'd seen the story on the news, just like everyone else!
Without a doubt, one of the most amazing things about publicity is that when you have a good story for the media, there's no telling where you'll end up. You could send out a fax release to your town newspaper and the next day, you could get a call from Oprah Winfrey inviting you on her show.The reason is simple. Reporters are desperate for stories.

They have to put out their publication or show every day or every week without fail. And each edition has to be packed with interesting information. They can't just say, "Well heck, it's been a quiet week this week, let's cut twenty minutes from the show."

It just doesn't work that way. Whatever happens - or doesn't happen - reporters and editors have to produce exactly the same amount of information in each edition or each program.

That's why the story on that press release can end up circling the world before you know it.
"You can read all about Paul's Brooklyn Bridge adventure at:
http://www.Hartunian.com/bridge.htmlHappy New Year everyone
Cheers and Happy New Year from
Heidi Alexandra Pollard
The Communicators' Coach
www.leadingvalue.net

When's the last time you wrote a press release?

A new social marketing and information network (SNOBS) started by a Novacastrian colleague of mine from Australia is powering along on the world wide web.

This recent article titled "When's the last time you wrote a press release?" will be of interest to this blog community. The article includes a simple step by step how to guide for writing a release.

Oh and its a good reminder for those of us in the industry to remember to use this mechanism ourselves - too often we forget to promote our own company and work too!

To read more visit
http://www.snobs.com.au/2008/12/28/whens-the-last-time-you-wrote-a-press-release/

Cheers
Heidi Alexandra Pollard
The Communicators' Coach
www.thecommunicatorscoach.com.au

Bring on the warmer weather and a healthy dose of optimism

Boy hasn't this year has flown by faster than ever!

It has certainly had its challenges with stock market fluctuations, interest rate rises and the retail sector experiencing the strain of consumers reigning in their spending. However I truly believe that the businesses that succeed in the long run take an optimistic attitude to the economy. I am confident that this is a wonderful time to be alive and those that triumph through the difficult times and continue marketing and use this opportunity to highlight their benefits to potential clients and customers will continue to flourish and prosper.

I am reminded of a story…
A shoe factory sends two marketing scouts to a region of Africa to study the prospects for expanding business. One sends back a telegram saying,
“Situation hopeless. Stop. No one wears shoes.”
The other writes back triumphantly,
“Glorious business opportunity. Stop. They have no shoes.”
To the marketing expert who sees no shoes, all the evidence points to hopelessness. To his colleague, the same conditions point to abundance and possibility.

It is in times of doom, gloom and budget slashing that we as marketing and communication professionals, by taking a strategic approach, can help our organizations progress in leaps and bounds. After all you become what you think about most of the time, so focus on where you are going and the strategic vision ahead.

Personally I am feeling very excited about the possibilities and opportunities that the 2009 will bring.

How are you remaining focused and positive? I would love to hear your stories – email me at Heidi@leadingvalue.net

How brands work in the digital world

For those of you based on the East Coast of NSW Australia you may be interested in attending the next Professional Communicators' Network event.

Date – Friday 24 October 2008
Time – 8m – 9amEnigmaCorp’s brand new offices 37 Bolton Street, Newcastle (across the road from the Newcastle Herald).
Topic: ‘How brands work in the digital world’
Presenters - Ian Bennett and Karen Fitzpatrick of Enigma
RSVP - by emailing heidi@leadingvalue.net
For more information on the network visit http://www.leadingvalue.net/profcomnet.html.
I hope to see you there!

Media Relations: why it's become the most criticised aspect of public relations

Earlier this month I came across an article that sparked a debate in my office about the value of media relations and whether we have it right or not. A presentation later in the week from media trainer Jen Fleming confirmed my instincts - it is imperative that PR people build relationships with editors, journalists and producers and understand the market and their interests before clicking send on the media release email. Here's a snippet from the article in PR Influences that got us talking:

Here’s some reasons why media relations always seems to be in the spotlight when the role of public relations is on the agenda.
1. Organisations and their management don’t understand the media.
Management often fails to recognise that media are a distinct, and quirky, audience. Media’s most important self-belief is ‘independence’. Their most common trait is being cynical. In the main they are suspicious of business. They are not there to publish good news. They cannot be ‘sold’ to, or communicated with as you would with other audiences. Above all editorial media coverage can never be guaranteed - and if you are lucky enough to get some then you can’t bank on everything you said being used. If you want control, buy advertising space or time.
2. PR people oversell media relations.
PR people often emphasise their knowledge of, and contacts with, media. What the most experienced PR people know is that this only gives them access - it doesn’t necessarily convert to coverage. Also there’s an awful lot of legwork that has to be done when dealing with media. But combine a slightly exaggerated sales pitch from PR with management’s naivety about media and the result is that there’s a level of expectation by management that is often misplaced. It can be a recipe for some serious misunderstandings!

3. Working with the media isn’t a science
There’s nothing certain or predictable about media. They all aim to reach different readers, listeners or viewers and this impacts on how they each of them handles ‘news’. Look at the four daily newspapers that are read in Sydney each day and see how different items are treated. What can be news one day, can be rejected the next. A journalist can work on a story and file it because he/she feels is important (or has been assigned to do it), but it may never be used for a host of internal media considerations. While it’s important to have a media relations function, and work diligently at it, in many instances media coverage can come down to sheer luck.

4. Modern communications means it’s too easy to send material to the media.
Years ago getting something to the right person within media was an art. It took knowledge and contacts - and the release had to be physically delivered. Today it’s much too easy to reach journalists by a click. Specialist organisations sell media databases that allow media releases to be sent instantly - and anonymously to hundreds of media outlets (and individual journalists). As a result media releases have become a commodity. Many organisations think of media releases as they do direct mail and distribute them like confetti. They work on the principle that if they send out 100 media releases they might get five who find it of interest. That’s not media relations and it only sours media who get so much rubbish that the genuinely interesting material that is sent electronically gets lost.

5. Media is under so much pressure these days.
Media is a business sector that is having its share of challenges too. Almost in all forms of media there have been staff cut-backs; and the use of new electronic tools is changing the way media work. These days few journalists can afford to be away from their desks for long. The practice of attending lunches, functions, launches and briefings is under pressure. It accounts for the fact that increasingly there are ‘no-shows’ by journalists at events they have previously committed to. This means that PR people have to adapt to the changing circumstances and be smarter in how they handle media relations. It means that it’s getting harder - not easier - to achieve results in media relations, and this is against the backdrop of unrealistic expectations from management to begin with.

All of the above is not to say that media relations -from the point of view of both an organisation and media they deal with - is not successful in many instances. This is typically when an organisation has an enlightened, and realistic, perspective with good management and savvy PR people (whether internal or from an agency) guiding the relationship.
But with an increasing number of organisations now committing to using public relations and spreading media releases like confetti to an already over-stretched media, it is likely that media relations will remain the subject of much debate for some time to come.

What do you think? Do you have good relations and create fabulous releases that are both newsy and relevant to their target audience or are you too sending out a stream of endless confetti?

Until next time
Heidi Alexandra Pollard
The Communicators' Coach

Marketing through mass email

I came across an interesting article this week on what's making it possible for email marketing to finally deliver on its promise of relevant, one-to-one communications. The article and my own experience shows that email marketing has become one of the most valuable and best performing marketing channels today.

Email campaign management is one of the top six investment areas for senior marketers in 2008 (CMO Council's "Marketing Outlook 2008").

Email marketing is evolving toward true relevance as the most savvy marketers move from one-to-many, or broadcast email tactics, to establishing one-to-one relationships with customers and prospects. This means that "less is more" will become the norm for email marketing -- soon there will be fewer, more targeted and more relevant email messages -- a growing trend that benefits marketers, businesses and consumers.
This trend is due in large part to the emergence of email automation.

To read more visit http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/19491.asp.
Heidi Alexandra Pollard - The Communicators' Coach

Brand damage - what to do?

Those of you with responsibility for maintaining your company's brand platform take note!

A 26 year old artist named Nadia Plesner has been sued by Louis Vuitton for brand jacking their famous purses in a anti-genocide campaign. Nadia used the brand to strategically make a point that the media cares more about Paris Hilton and high fashion than the genocide in the nation of Darfur.

Nadia said: “My illustration Simple Living is an idea inspired by the medias constant cover of completely meaningless things. My thought was: Since doing nothing but wearing designerbags and small ugly dogs appearantly is enough to get you on a magasine cover, maybe it is worth a try for people who actually deserves and needs attention.
When we’re presented with the same images in the media over and over again, we might start to believe that they’re important. If you can’t beat them, join them. This is why I have chosen to mix the cruel reality with showbiz elements in my drawing.”

Luxury brands certainly have teams of brand police within their marketing departments to ensure their products aren’t being misplaced or improperly positioned, and took action this time by sending Nadia a cease and desist letter.

Louis Vuitton's response is pretty standard and expected, to protect the image and brand that they’ve been working to build. What to do? Continue the legal path and settle with Nadia? Join the campaign and do some work to help raise funds or promote the cause? Walk away and let the dust simple settle - PR practitioners are probably thinking right now that perhaps they are doing the brand more damage?

Or perhaps as John Bell suggests, divert the attention “What they could do is work with Nadia and other artists to host discussions about media focus. They could partner with a neutral party like my friends at ifocos.org to steward the conversation. Keep the discussion away from luxury brands (which is not Nadia’s point anyhow). LV can become part of the solution without taking on the brunt of an issue they do not own.” Good point John.

So, what do you think LV should do? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers
Heidi Alexandra Pollard
The Communicators' Coach

Online addiction!

Did you know that studies are showing that Aussies are spending more time online than watching TV!

You might be surprised but I am not. For the past few years I haven't had a television and now find that apart from breakfast radio I find out what I need to know about what's happening in the world as well as get my entertainment from my trusty laptop.

According to the latest Nielsen Online poll Australians are spending around 13.7 hours per week surfing the net, while average TV viewing time was about 13.3 hours per week.

The results are part of the 10th Australian Internet and Technology Report which looks at the profile of internet users, online behaviours, ownership of technologies and media consumption habits.The report revealed an increase in cross media consumption, with more than half of Australia’s internet users (58%) saying they have watched TV while online and 48% have used the internet while listening to the radio.

“This means that in recent years Australians have been increasingly consuming more than one medium at a time, commonly resulting in a fragmented span of attention. While use of the internet continued to grow this year, for the first time ever this was not accompanied by an increase for TV consumption – a possible early warning sign that we are approaching the feared media saturation point,” Tony Marlow, associate research director, Asia Pacific for Nielsen Online said.

On average, Australians are spending 84.4 hours per week across a range of media and leisure activities, up from 71.4 hours in the previous 12 months. WOW - isn't that huge!

Until next time online...
Heidi Alexandra Pollard
The Communicators' Coach

Online media - don't be left behind

Dear fellow communicators
I was reading a colleagues blog today and he had posted an interesting article titled "Take a close look at your communications" - read it yourself at http://timeschange.wordpress.com/ .

It reminded me of a great channel on YouTube about online marketing that has been getting tens of thousands of hits. If you haven't already it is worth a look - it is hosted by Charles Lewis and he does rap videos about his favourite topics. Yeah I know sounds kind of bizarre but once I got into them I found them not only fun and entertaining but really rather helpful and informative.

For example he has videos on search engine optimisation - one for example - Paid Search 101 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c96LTLlaXew includes lyrics such as:
Research all your key words
And your phrases
They all sound good
But they may not be effective
There's several ways to check
I prefer WordTracker

Short and snappy and filled with simple tips for improving your online marketing - check it out!
Yours in prosperity, passion and purpose
Heidi Alexandra Pollard
The Communicators' Coach
www.leadingvalue.net

Is it time to brand YOU?

When Tom Peters first wrote about branding yourself it was revolutionary and cool. Today it is a necessity if you want to succeed in the corporate world.

Like a plumber with a leaky tap, as a professional communicators you too can get so caught up in doing what you do that you can forget to apply all that great knowledge you have to your brand and career.

As a communicator and marketer being bland is NOT a way to stand out and sizzle as a model of what you teach. If you really want to boost your career and be an expert in your field, then you can’t be passive. You MUST be able to stand behind your personal brand without fear or embarrassment.

In a conversation I had recently with one of my wonderful coaching clients, she discovered that she had such a strong fear of other people judging her. Her need for approval was such that she wasn’t being her authentic self and certainly wasn’t living her personal brand and being visible.

Coaching around this was fun and enlightening! We discussed her strengths, her target market and what she wanted to really be known for. In particular, we took time to explore the language she used to describe herself when meeting others as well as the self-talk going on in her head.

What she came to realise was that she was trying to be everything to everyone and in the meantime was draining all her own energy. PHEW! The relief on her face was visible when she made the decision to focus in on her personal brand, to allow herself to be what she wanted to be and to form new brand messages for herself. The result was a refreshed, congruent and confident woman, with a newly refined career objective and a new personal brand image.

So do yourself a favour and take a moment now to pause and reflect…
Are you happy with your personal and professional life?
What’s missing? What do you really want to be doing?
What are you putting off?
What getting in your way of you doing and being all that you want?
Are you letting others tell you where your career is going or are you being bold and developing your own unique brand?

Take the effort to explore where you're selling yourself short and enjoy the freedom that being YOU will bring.

Click This Link To Play My Special Audio Tip to Help You Boost YOUR Career!
http://playaudio-345.com/play.asp?m=488475&f=PWAICC&ps=13&p=1

Yours in prosperity, passion and purpose
Heidi Alexandra Pollard

Boosting your online search results

Greetings Communicators
The power of the web is unlimited and getting yourself or your company known doesn't have to cost a fortune.
Years ago most localy based businesses relied on a listing in the local Yellow and White Pages but today your opportunities for reach are exponentially increased if you go online. Local search research by Kelsey Group found that 70 per cent of online searchers used local search to find offline businesses. So it is more important than ever to be visible for local online search engines by getting listed in Google Maps, Yahoo Local and other search engines and directories such as Yellow Pages.
If you haven't taken advantage of online promotion yet here's some tips to boost your online search results.
YellowPages.com: this online local directory also includes city guides and user reviews. Search options include local city and state, category and keyword search. Businesses can get a free basic listing. The advantage is the huge exposure -- up to 34 million unique visitors each month.
Local.com: free basic listings are available here also with your company name, address, phone number, website URL and a brief description.
Google Product Search: Local merchants can get free listings on Google's free product search engine.
Free Yahoo local listing: consists of a profile listing basic company information.
Free Google maps listings: list your business in Google Maps by going to Google's Local Business Center, where you'll find information for creating your free listing.
So get online, get noticed and boost your company's online search results!
Until next time, yours in prosperity, passion and purpose
Heidi Alexandra Pollard, The Professional Communicators' Coach

Greening your brand article

Greetings friends - today I thought I would share with you a recent article by Matt Heinz titled "10 ways to "green" your brand".

I myself am leading a rebranding exercise for a large government agency at the moment so I found this article very timely and relevant. In essence Matt outlines that making your brand more environmentally friendly can add market share, cut costs and make your CFO very happy. He then goes on to give the how including how green aware consumers, audiences and the general public now are and the fact that they are increasingly interested in protecting our environment and reducing its collective carbon footprint.

To read more about Matt 's 10 ways to green your brand including recycling, power management and community participation visit: http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/17876.asp
All the best
Heidi Alexandra Pollard
The Professional Communicators Coach

Starting your own home-based communications consultancy?

Here's 4 tips to keep you sane...

So you've decided to take the plunge and start your own home-based consultancy.
You have grand ideas of being your own boss, visions of leisurely days, working in your jeans, having time to 'do lunch' with your friends around your work time.
For those of you, like myself who have been working from a home office for sometime you will know only too well that often the line between work life and home life soon blurs. When I started I often found myself putting on a load of washing before I wrote a proposal for a workshop, or cleaning up the kitchen before returning a call.
Hello real world home office! So much for increased productivity and flexibility.

Over the past two years I have spent some time trying to work out how to keep some of my time structured and some of it flexible. Here are some of the tips I have found to help keep me on track:

Tip #1 Create a work space - keeping a separate, distinct work area in your house will assist you to still be able to go to work when you need to and switch into work mode. I am fortunate to have a spare bedroom that I use as an office however I also share this space with my husband and for him time on his computer is for leisure so I have had to at least define part of the desk space as the 'office'.

Tip #2 Plan your work week - just as you would have used your calendar or outlook when working for someone else to schedule your time and account for your activities, so too you can allocate your time when self employed. For example, if you regularly exercise (I walk my dog Chops at 6am every day), try to do it at the same time each and every day - create the habit. If you commit to start work each day at a certain time - my start time is 8am - then keep that commitment with yourself and keep the pattern and habit a part of your every day.

Tip #3 Let technology be your friend. Client meetings are very valuable when appropriate as there is nothing quite like face to face communication, but schedule them only when required. For correspondance in between sessions or meetings where possible try to use the assistance of technology such as phone, fax, email and if you love technology like I do, use your blackberry or similar device so you can keep in touch with urgent emails and appointments even when you are out of the office. Also make absolutely sure that you get separate lines for your business phone, fax, and internet, the days of the home phone/fax are over!

Tip #4 Keep time zappers at bay. Many of your friends and family will see you as suddenly available now you are working from home. For me the biggest zapper is my husband who is so pleased with his own efficiency when he calls and asks if I can pop down to a local supplier for him. It is very hard to be clear on boundaries but so important if you want to be effective in your business. When zappers call you simply to chat, politely remind them that you're working, and ask them if you can call them back after work or at your designated break time. I allow myself an hour and a half each day for lunch from 12.30 - 2pm and use that time to run all my errands such as going to my PO Box and the bank, so I make it very clear to hubby that if I can fit the errand into my break time then I will do it. He knows now to make sure he's called before noon if he really really needs something.

Working as a solopreneur has so many benefits and pluses and can be very rewarding if you form good habits early on. I hope you find these tips useful in your journey to becoming a successful home-based consultant.

Yours in prosperity
Heidi Alexandra Pollard