Sorry I’m late with my blog this week. I was having technical difficulties with my computer! You know how frustrating that can be. We have had a good week at our house as my husband just received a promotion as store manager for Walgreens. I am so proud of him as he worked really hard to get to this point!

How hard are you working to achieve success? Do you have a list of goals set forth that you want to see accomplished this month? This year? Today? Follow these tips to help you get back on track:

1. Set aside time. One of my favorite authors, Roald Dahl, is known for setting aside at least a couple of hours each day for writing. It didn’t matter if he was actually writing a book or even had anything to say. He would just sit down in a quiet place and write for two hours. If you’re experiencing a case of writer’s block, this is a great way to get the juices flowing again. Two hours is not a long time to write, and you may be surprised at what you accomplish. The point is to save a certain part of the day to keep yourself focused.

2. Set a deadline. If you’re like me, you need to have a deadline in order to accomplish anything. If I tell myself that I can do that project whenever I get a minute, I notice that minutes turn into hours and hours into days. Before you know it, a whole month has gone by, and I haven’t even looked at the project I promised myself I would finish. Setting a deadline for yourself is especially important if you’re working for yourself. The easiest way to lose business is to lose focus of the task at hand.

3. Stay organized. Before you get started each week, organize your tasks and priorities for the week. What needs to be done by 5:00 today? What needs to be done by Friday? Organize your list from top priority to least important. Then cross off each task as you finish it. You will be surprised how many tasks you can accomplish when you set your mind on a list. It’s also a good idea to make a general list at the beginning of each month. What do you hope to accomplish? At the end of the month, review your list and congratulate yourself on what you did do instead of focusing on what was never finished.

These are just three simple tips on how to get back in focus. Everyone starts to get off track every once and a while, especially after coming back from summer break. Get your priorities in focus and start achieving success!

To your success,

Katie

Ahhh, fall is in the air! Of course, it’s still a blistering 80 degrees here in South Carolina, but we consider that fall weather here in the South! I am hoping for snow this winter, though. There is nothing like a cool Autumn day to make you feel motivated to get to work. Even though I’ve been out of school for several years now, I still feel that first day of school excitement when fall comes around. Somehow, it motivates me to tackle some of those tasks I have been putting off all summer.

How are you doing? Is your business turning into what you thought it would be? If you are in need of motivation, follow the example of your kids as they prepare to go back to school.

1. Get organized. Before you begin any new project, you want to clear your desk of all the old clutter. Do you still have files open from projects you have completed? Are there a lot of old emails in your inbox? Take the time to decide what needs to be kept and what can be thrown away. Then organize the things you keep into a file drawer or a storage box. It’s hard to get motivated to work if it seems like you have so much work to do! Start with a clean slate.

2. Purchase new supplies. I don’t know about you, but one thing I always enjoyed about the first day of school was the opportunity to purchase new items (pens, pencils, notepads, etc.). Something about a brand-new notebook with all those empty pages just seemed to excite me! In fact, my husband still takes me shopping during the back to school weekend so I can purchase new supplies. This is a great time to buy new office supplies or other accessories you may have been wanting for your business. Splurge on a little something. You will find your motivation returning at the excitement of using your new items.

3. Make new friends but keep the old. On the first day of school, I was always hoping we would have a new kid in our class that would become my new best friend. Of course, I was always excited to see the old friends I hadn’t seen all summer. This can be true in business as well. Keep up correspondence with your old clients, but make an effort to find new clients as well. Start an ad campaign by distributing press releases to various media. Submit articles to free websites. Offer free services or a free gift to first-time clients. While “wooing” prospective clients, don’t forget to keep up with the clients who have been faithful to your business all along.

Now that you’re feeling motivated, use this time to brainstorm ideas for the next few months and even for next year. Focus on your goals and how you want to see your business develop. Building a business takes time, so don’t feel discouraged if you haven’t met your goals yet. Jump back into the game with renewed vigor!

To your success,

Katie

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. I am not going to add any business to today’s blog out of respect for two significant events.

First, of course, I want to honor those people who lost their lives on this day just five years ago due to a cruel act of hate. My thoughts and prayers are with those families who have been left behind to remember their loved ones. I also want to express my sincere thankfulness to those who have been willing to put their lives on the line for my freedom and to their families for letting them go. I am humbled by the thought of what others have done for me. May God bless you!

Second, I want to pay a special tribute to my dear friend, Melody Koenke, who went to be with her Lord on Thursday, September 7, 2006. Melody never married but devoted her life to ministering to others and to helping her parents. She sincerely loved the Lord and dedicated her life to serving Him. Even after she was diagnosed with colon cancer a couple of years ago, she never allowed herself to stop ministering to others. She never allowed others to see her pain, and she was always concerned about helping others (including me). This dear woman had a positive impact on my life and will be greatly missed. I know her family and friends will always remember this special woman and her godly impact on so many lives. After dealing with so much pain, I know that Melody is relieved to finally be in heaven.

The funeral for Melody is this afternoon, so please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Have a great week,

Katie

Happy Labor Day! I hope you all are taking the day to relax before you get back to your grueling job! Enjoy the cookouts and day at the lake with your family. It is, after all, officially the end of summer.

As fourth quarter begins, start planning for next year. What goals do you have? Do you hope to add more clients? Do you want to add an additional service to your business? Can you offer more products? Now is the time to re-evaluate your niche market and to find out what they want for their future. No one stays the same, and change is inevitable. You need to change your business to match the needs of your clients.

Now is also a good time to review your previous marketing techniques. What worked for you and what didn’t? What new techniques can you use? You can also view other websites to see what marketing techniques work for other people in your field. Re-use the tools that worked for you, but don’t be afraid to try something new.

Get excited about your business by taking it to the next level!

To your success,

Katie