tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41306829388399063582011-12-24T13:47:57.428+11:00The Consultants' Consultant blog is about how to consult better. Cindy Tonkin wrote the Australian Consultant's Guide, setting up and running your consulting business profitably and painlessly. Call Cindy on +61 412 135 426 if you have a question or hit the contact us tab below.Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comBlogger641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-66328239401387266292011-11-24T12:44:00.000+11:002011-11-24T13:44:16.320+11:00

Now this is an interesting project: Too Hard for Science? Philip Zimbardo–creating millions of heroes  "Zimbardo and his colleagues have created the Heroic Imagination Project, a nonprofit organization devoted to advancing everyday heroism...Heroism as we define it means taking action on the behalf of others for a moral cause, aware of possible risks and costs and without expectation of gain,"

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-23594099779535719192011-10-17T18:49:00.000+11:002011-10-17T18:49:06.415+11:00

If your business relies on clients turning up to appointments, then you may find some useful information in this article suggesting ways that the National Health Service in Britain increased the percentage of clients (they call them patients) turning up to appointments 'via Blog this'

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-33333482407846235032011-09-29T17:01:00.001+10:002011-09-29T17:01:33.892+10:00

I am an unabashed Seth Godin fan. Here are his 16 questions for free agents (read consultants and freelancers). Some of them you won't want to answer, but you may benefit from thinking about them. Go on, get a coffee and write down the answers!

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-69047223801477269542011-09-28T10:27:00.001+10:002011-09-28T10:27:30.816+10:00

Online registration for your events at eventbrite is free for free events, and incurs a small percentage fee if you charge people. It twins with MailChimp which allows you to send up to 12,000 emails a month to people before they charge you. So if you have an event to organise, you know how to do it now! Thanks to Glen Bell, who gave me this tip.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-89478262342810532842011-09-19T12:28:00.000+10:002011-11-23T12:26:56.091+11:00

It's coming towards the end of the year, and perhaps you, like many consultants, are considering updating your business plan, or at least thinking about what you want for 2012. You may like this 4 step Whole Brain Business Plan which centres on being right-brained (less mechanical, tick the box, more inspirational, behavioural, multi-inputted) about it. They outline four steps: 1. update your

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-1713417023804129282011-09-18T13:53:00.000+10:002011-11-23T11:59:27.165+11:00

When you're setting up a business, the intangibles (the look, the feel, the "vibe") count just as much as the tangibles. I am reading Martin Lindstrom's Brandwashed on my Kindle right now (love the kindle). This article which is excerpted from the book prompted me to buy it: How Whole Foods "Primes" You To Shop. I'm not finding the rest of the book as interesting, frankly, but this article does

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-57972093160457359082011-09-15T16:48:00.003+10:002011-09-15T16:48:46.090+10:00

I'm updating my web site, which was put together in 1999 for the publication of the Australian Consultant's Guide. The web has changed a lot since then, so it's a major re-write I'm into. Acquiring skills in their thousands! Subway sign, New Yorkthrough a cooldistorting lens Ibought at MOMA So that the pages are still accessible, although not on my main menu any more, here are links to some of

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comNewtown NSW 2042, Australia-33.8965493 151.1799632-33.909729299999995 151.1602222 -33.8833693 151.1997042tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-66037414214939213392011-09-03T11:26:00.000+10:002011-09-03T11:26:56.722+10:00

On Chicago apartment block: Cheapand Tacky 2 bedrooms  Found this beginner's guide to Search Engine Optimisation (essentially getting more traffic to your web site). It may help you!

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comNewtown NSW 2042, Australia-33.8965493 151.1799632-33.909729299999995 151.1602222 -33.8833693 151.1997042tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-67881415995970114602011-08-18T19:19:00.000+10:002011-08-18T19:19:52.056+10:00

Check out this video of vendor/client relationships in real world situations. made me chuckle!

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-52731631724781793742011-07-07T03:14:00.000+10:002011-07-07T03:14:12.802+10:00

Detail from the Chagall American Window at the Art Institute of Chicago. I'm visiting Chicago to take some classes this week! If you have long-term clients with whom you have great relationships, it may pay (literally) to occasionally introduce someone new into the relationship so they can ask the 'dumb' getting to know you questions, based on this research: Inside Influence Report: Older? Yes

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-29052638930320312512011-06-25T08:42:00.000+10:002011-06-25T08:42:25.551+10:00

Infographic Of The Day: Vizualize.me Instantly Turns Your Resume Into Charts | Co.Design

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-15650070778386043542011-05-24T13:05:00.000+10:002011-05-24T13:05:23.754+10:00

If you're interested in using more creative methods in your organisations, or with your clients, or if you're curious to see how creative and artistic endeavour can be relevant to improving organisational productivity and quality of life, pay attention now! The talented Andrew Rixon has run two years' of Story Conferences  in Melbourne, Australia. He's just announced the next part in his trilogy.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-44136739223940224452011-05-23T16:06:00.000+10:002011-05-23T16:06:31.578+10:00

If you've got a preference for social media or for email, check out this article on which works (and the answer is, why not do both?)

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-19946744806391542232011-02-24T14:06:00.000+11:002011-02-24T14:06:01.663+11:00

Thanks to Glen Bell from Robinson Ryan who drew my attention to this webinar on email marketing. It analyses 9.5 billion emails to analyse ‘Click Through Results’ (CTR) and unsubscribes from MailChimp.He summarises the main points from the webinar as:  Send emails at 6am on Saturday (Tuesday is terrible you will max your unsubscribes) Increase the number of links (if you have a site you want

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-16207341599706578822011-02-18T10:29:00.000+11:002011-02-18T10:29:55.800+11:00

Apostrophe - Mixed Media work on Paper by Cindy Tonkin, 2004 Seth Godin's great post on why you don't get paid what you're worth is a good read. If you don't know what you're worth, then you can buy Chapter 6 of the Australian Consultant's Guide and figure it out - guidelines on knowing what to charge in all their many worded glory there. Or Buy the whole book if you like. And if you've got

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-40294109920738536372011-01-03T18:44:00.000+11:002011-09-29T16:57:51.696+10:00

Check out this article by Graeme Simsion (a famous data guy) with another take on why the soft stuff is the hard stuff. Thanks to Glen Bell who drew my attention to this article.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-26993146034158370682010-12-23T09:13:00.000+11:002010-12-23T09:13:28.059+11:00

Check out this Belgian site which offers assessment of a business plan for $99 USD. In several languages. Not a bad business idea - maybe you can make the Australian version? Very cheap set up, just a website. Could make a nice side business!

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-43794365102452223252010-11-17T15:07:00.000+11:002010-11-17T15:07:35.586+11:00

If the kind of consulting that you do consists of replacing executives, or becoming part of the executive team then this list of more than 60 executive search firms will interest you. Or if you're looking for other kinds of work as well as consulting, try out this search engine for jobs which searches other job pages and sends you a summary.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-68296621288183500322010-10-12T17:47:00.000+11:002010-10-12T17:47:54.167+11:00

So, apparently the PSI is under review. According to an article in the Australian Financial Review this week*, it's going to get harder. If you have only one client in any one business year, then you'll be deemed an employee, or if you have only one employee same deal.  If you're concerned, then try these guys: Cameron Rudolph called me today, and I promised him a blog entry. They are designed to

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-70714444244145206122010-08-24T10:28:00.000+10:002010-08-24T10:28:23.299+10:00

Essentially the job of a consultant is selling. Selling the concepts, ideas or solutions we know are best for the client. That's not even counting the actual SELLING of the job in the first time (what people usually think of as selling). Check out this set of tips on Sales Writing, which has links to another 7 articles on sales messages, their crafting and negotiating.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-15811779514398037282010-08-19T15:02:00.000+10:002010-08-19T15:02:05.867+10:00

The remarkable Jill Chivers of I'm Listening fame sent me this link to a calculator for how much you can charge. It's pretty much a higher tech version of my Magic Charge Out Formula Spreadsheet* which you can download for free. As I say in Chapter 6 of The Australian Consultant's Guide, what you charge is more than just numbers though. Take into account what you can charge as well as what you

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-5797943912568869622010-08-18T17:00:00.000+10:002010-08-18T17:00:31.067+10:00

So, today I took a giant leap and changed my blog from a blog blast (where I send my subscribers an email) to a model where you sign up and get what you want. If you want to know when I add to this blog, please subscribe to the RSS feed (on the RHS of this page). Or follow Consultconsult on Twitter. Or search for Consultants' Consultant on Facebook (and "like" it). And then when I post I'll

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-3967772135014324962010-08-05T19:40:00.000+10:002010-08-05T19:40:25.560+10:00

Just because you can, why not spend 2 minutes and see 40 inspirational speeches in 2 minutes. It will make you feel good, I promise!

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-87121663980021558782010-06-15T13:26:00.000+10:002010-06-15T13:55:53.694+10:00

My accountant is consistently reminding me that it's better for me to use an agency like CXC for any sub contractors I use, just to make the transaction more contractor-like. Perhaps you have other agencies you'd recommend. I was very happy to find this tax office tool employee-contractor decision tool. It helps you determine whether subbies are really contractors or just employees. You can

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-83209033388751748212010-04-18T16:53:00.001+10:002010-04-18T17:05:02.394+10:00

If you have a lot of useful information to present to your client, but much of it is technical, check out informationisbeautiful. Especially this chart where they present the benefits of health supplements like green tea and fish oil and vitamin d, based on the evidence. It's colour coded and spatially differentiated - supplements with better evidence are dark blue and closer to the top, poor

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-14137345116683989802010-03-09T18:49:00.000+11:002010-03-24T18:18:59.224+11:00

Apparently Henry Ford once said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” Read this provocative article from Anthill which supports the idea.I know that I have lost business from helping clients clarify that what they wanted isn't exactly what they think they want.And I have also gained business (and client trust) by giving clients what they want when others

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-68369181968840076452009-10-20T11:59:00.000+11:002009-10-20T12:04:54.863+11:00

This interesting post from the Cialdini camp about error management suggests that making an error and then fixing it may give you customers for life. They cite a hotel where the 2 childrens' sized tennis racquets were in use, so a staff member drove to a sports store and bought 2 more: the guest was so impressed they booked the family in for another holiday.It's an example of customising the

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-26983997796612461312009-09-23T09:24:00.001+10:002009-09-23T12:34:40.520+10:00

Anthill has this informative short article about how to get things re-tweeted on twitter - the cornerstone of any viral marketing campaigns. I've got a twitter account (cindytonkin it is, go follow me), but right now it just lets people know when I've issued an ezine style blog blast.It most surely has some applications for teams to keep in touch, and maybe you can think of a way to promote your

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-11402614126336076602009-09-17T13:40:00.000+10:002009-09-17T13:51:15.925+10:00

Anthill this week features an entrepreneur who attributes his success to 5 coffees a week.Analysing my own business stats and those of some of my clients, I have always said it's lunches and coffees, especially when I have down time which keeps me going. People I worked with 20 years ago, friends of friends, people who are resigning from clients and thinking about consulting... people who come

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-47297341847491371102009-09-02T14:22:00.001+10:002009-09-02T14:24:26.347+10:00

I enjoyed this slightly humorous post on advertising - you've got to be like your mum. You may find it a little sexist (do dads nag?), and the message is useful for those of us in small consultancies who don't have a massive advertising budget.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-63324785242758771712009-07-23T18:19:00.000+10:002009-07-23T18:28:55.705+10:00

If Financial advice is your expertise, check out this article on Marketing for Financial Advisors on Wharton. You may have to register with Wharton to see the article, but registration is free, so that should be easy, right?The subtitle of the article is "harness data, drill deep into a niche - and thrive". Which I consider pretty good advice for most consultants!! Written by psychologists who

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-76287223507869779642009-07-23T12:12:00.000+10:002009-07-23T12:15:39.972+10:00

If you need to record conversations over the phone with clients, check out this gizmo for recording Skype conversations in mp3 format.I've just downloaded it, and I'm eager to try it. It's freeware too, so even better news!It will be useful when I'm doing needs analyses for training programs, or if I want to transcribe someone's actual words (for a manual, a modelling project, an analysis of

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-4625439797495439762009-07-23T10:45:00.001+10:002009-07-23T10:52:31.338+10:00

Loved this short article in Anthill about what colours mean.If you're just designing (or redesigning) your web site or business card, it's worth a quick look. If you know who your demographic is (and you really should work that out!), you can make a site which fits their preferences. It's important, of course, that your clients and potential clients love your site and your logo. Not so essential

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-60598273256288373512009-07-23T08:38:00.000+10:002009-07-23T08:44:49.290+10:00

I was interested by this article in Go-to-Market today, which suggests that having Hotmail, AOL, MSN or Yahoo! addresses in an email marketing list is a waste of time.I am still astonished at the number of consultants I meet with a beautifully printed card, and an email address at one of these domains. Firstly because it says to me their business is temporary. Secondly because it says they are

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-15084213804052748222009-07-09T15:04:00.000+10:002009-07-09T18:08:18.714+10:00

You may have wondered what happened to the ezine you've been receiving every month or 2 for the last 3 - 5 years. There hasn't been one since March 09. It's about to change!The idea is to make it easier for me and for you; the same information, but delivered more frequently and in smaller chunks to your mailbox.The ezine so far has been long, with lots of pictures and ideas. Each ezine takes a

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-63453988915703425692009-06-30T22:50:00.001+10:002010-03-24T18:28:20.929+11:00

It would seem that a section of small businesses in Australia are still confused about the tax system and view the Australian Taxation Office as the enemy in understanding this.Read this article on the changing orientation of the ATO to be more helpful to Australian Small Businesses.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-89368072155105265282009-06-25T18:41:00.001+10:002010-03-24T18:31:13.927+11:00

If you have a marvellous business idea and are concerned about keeping it safe, check out this article on Confidentiality Agreements.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-16459989810720747082009-06-15T17:30:00.000+10:002009-06-15T17:36:56.028+10:00

While Seth Godin blogged this week about not spreading yourself too thinly marketing-wise, Anthill published the 6 biggest email marketing mistakes. To get it right, they suggest you pay attention to: list developmentemail designhow you reply to emailsget your email objectively reviewedreaching the right number of people (Seth's point)watch out for spam filters.And of course, testing your email

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-84457737366811918892009-06-02T19:08:00.001+10:002010-03-24T18:38:07.426+11:00

Here's a bit of fun: I love this shipping container architecture; it's an idea which didn't exist say 50 years ago or even more recently. Architects are re-using and repurposing materials, and creating a whole new products.So how are you repurposing your materials? When you look back at your history as a consultant, what have you done over and over which could be come an off-the-shelf or

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-65692971067918557052009-06-02T19:03:00.001+10:002009-06-15T17:40:40.594+10:00

At dinner recently with some French speaking friends on holiday in Sydney. We were translating as much of the menu as they needed with no problems. Then it got to dessert and I couldn't translate honeycomb.So I was pleased to find an instant translator among Fast company's must-have iphone apps and for the non-iphone (blackberry, etc).My blackberry is now a fast translator. It doesn't translate

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-17265110382472790752009-05-07T16:17:00.001+10:002009-05-07T16:28:30.144+10:00

The longest you can fast with just water is about 60 days, but if you take some salt, sugar and vitamins you can go for 300 or more. Read the facts.And to cheer you up, go visit the Historic New England Museum, and read about pockets (more like aprons really) or sewing tools (check out the patented bird, which held your fabric on the table while you hemmed it) and as many of their other

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-49868661412713944932009-05-06T10:38:00.000+10:002009-05-06T10:41:37.342+10:00

The "elevator" pitch has been receiving a lot of attention as people are trying to gather more business (aren't we all, always, looking for more or better business?).Try these tips on creating your own pitch, and remember, if it's too hard, that most business comes from referral rather than random encounters!!

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-70834482058188295652009-04-29T17:53:00.000+10:002009-04-29T17:55:24.692+10:00

Spend 4 minutes watching this montage of the Rolling Stones Top 500 (it's just the first 100). What is amazing is what people will do with their time for no compensation - the whole passion thing.  Is there some entertaining way you can think of to do what you love and make your consultancy more noticeable in these times? 

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-85288514593624360672009-04-17T15:43:00.000+10:002009-05-07T16:30:02.210+10:00

If you're offering your client an array of products, the more you offer them the more likely they are to choose on practicality and frugality.If you're offering a luxury product, then offer fewer.See this research to find out why.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-49083962819002596912009-04-16T13:27:00.000+10:002009-04-16T13:31:58.540+10:00

Check out this article from Wharton on building your personal brand using social networking. It cautions against mixing business and personal contacts (e.g. business contacts on Facebook mingled with personal contacts could detract from your profile). What do you think?

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-4645728801786004382009-04-16T12:18:00.000+10:002009-04-16T12:21:16.735+10:00

Here's a really useful 5 step preparation for any negotiation. It focuses on what you need to know, and what you don't know. Try it out, tell me what you think!

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-40965506300438883682009-04-08T08:46:00.000+10:002009-04-08T08:49:52.630+10:00

Michael McLaughlin regular newsletter, Management Consulting News is very practical. Read this month's headline article, about retaining your current customer in lean times (an easier and more economically viable feat than finding new ones).If you have the time, also check out his past issues, lots of practical information on running your business more effectively.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-58034679385203207402009-04-04T18:13:00.000+11:002009-04-04T18:15:02.260+11:00

Take a quick peak at this 1:44minute youtube - clever and interesting use of language and ideas. 

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-12669670266453158162009-03-27T12:20:00.000+11:002009-03-27T12:27:16.474+11:00

There are quite a few of these around, and if you're confused about how the credit crisis came around, check out The Crisis of Credit Visualised. Beautiful example of making the complex simple. Could you explain your methodology like this?

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-53111175473070486322009-03-23T17:45:00.001+11:002009-03-23T17:58:21.138+11:00

Here are some fun things to do this month: play with a basic guide to reading your fortune in the tea leavesdiscover book illustration and its purpose (inspire, inform, influence, process). Lovely line drawings of skeletons and muscles In the influence one some beautiful advertising posters and cataloguesAnd then be amazed by David O'mer's bathtub acrobatics And finally, Scared

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-1331433634509310542009-03-23T17:42:00.001+11:002009-03-23T17:44:04.148+11:00

Spend a moment with the Visual Thesaurus, you'll be glad you did. You put in a word, it shows you a network of words related to it, grouped like a mind map so similar kinds of words are together. Then you can click on a sub-network and delve further. I tried coach (and got the word in its transport sense as well as the sporting sense). delving further it a got into words like apprize (and apprise

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-63653966085173874832009-03-23T16:55:00.000+11:002009-03-23T17:00:58.876+11:00

In recent conversations with friends and clients about blackberries and i-phones and the like, I have decided that work has taken over my life. I am, as the addicts say, powerless. But I do have to say my blackberry continues to make my consulting life easier.Now I send myself emails as reminders, I use my outlook inbox as a to do list; I can send meeting agreements moments after leaving a

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-64461947104302954172009-03-23T16:46:00.001+11:002009-03-23T16:55:48.639+11:00

If you're just starting out in business, after you've bought the Consultant's Guide, you could check out these tips on starting a new business. Of course if you've read the Consultant's Guide you'll know that I hate cold calling (I keep gathering ways to avoid it), but maybe you'll enjoy these ideas on how to make them more effective (which really create a very warm cold call).

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-89146379472362248462009-03-23T16:42:00.001+11:002009-03-23T18:14:32.178+11:00

Perhaps you believe that speaking may be a good marketing tool for you. Follow these tips on presenting - how not to choke under pressure (just in case!).

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-32941907537579595442009-03-23T16:15:00.000+11:002009-03-23T16:45:38.147+11:00

If you're looking at making your online marketing more effective, consider these 7 tips from Go-To-Market Strategies. In short they are: have business goals, retain customers, have a content strategy and keyword plan, use social marketing, listen through social technologies, integrate your PR with your online presence (that includes linked in), and think differently about ROI metrics. Although

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-30369444133594101752009-03-16T10:45:00.000+11:002009-03-16T11:14:35.635+11:00

It's very likely that you're trying to sell some work right now. If you're interested in selling better, I always love the go-to-market tips. This month they outline 12 big sales presentation boo-boos.They include structural issues like unclear thinking, no clear structure, talking too much, not using stories, using no 3rd party endorsements, missing the emotional connection or working at the

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-70432153672361394032009-03-13T10:03:00.001+11:002009-03-13T10:09:23.143+11:00

If you've been reading my ezine for a while, you'll know that I'm "into" gratitude. So it's not surprising that this game site, Akoha which encourages random acts of kindness is appealing to me.It's an online game space which tracks the acts of kindness in the real world and shows them on a map. Anything that encourages people to be kind is great in my book.To make it practical, people have game

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-10841697744238990202009-03-11T08:58:00.000+11:002009-03-23T18:13:46.549+11:00

Watch this hilarious video. from Louis C.K., which makes you realise what an amazing world we live in. He says things are amazing and we're all ungrateful idiots. When we fly, we sit in a chair in the sky, for example, and we don't even feel like it's amazing!What are you grateful for? What's amazing in your life, when you really think about it?

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-83802398566934064532009-03-10T16:08:00.000+11:002009-03-10T16:32:23.995+11:00

From Anthill, a short article on the Dangers of Discounting.Put together a spreadsheet on your profit margin and realise that the less you charge the more you work - and disproportionately.Dropping your price by 20% will mean you need to work 25% more days (assuming a $3kper day chargeout, $30k of business operating expenses and a salary of $80k). If you want more salary (say $100k), dropping the

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-50200432352144069642009-03-10T12:43:00.001+11:002009-03-10T12:47:01.918+11:00

I loved this business idea: online physiotherapy. It dispenses advice on how to treat yourself for minor injuries, without going hands-on.What parts of your consulting business could be dispensed without you being there? How can you systematise it so that otherse can pay you for just answering emails?

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-92148732573323827692009-03-09T16:25:00.000+11:002009-03-09T16:47:55.678+11:00

Wharton has an interesting article on word of mouth marketing which focuses on whose words are more important. (if you've read The Tipping Point, from Malcolm Gladwell, which I'm currently doing again, you'll say "of course! some people's words are more important than others").Essentially the article says that you can't assume the "opinion leaders" are the people who say they're opinion leaders:

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-32329923053520095562009-03-07T17:51:00.001+11:002009-03-07T18:08:36.259+11:00

I've commissioned a new business card this week, because when I was in Vietnam for a client last year I was embarrassed to find my "normal" one doesn't say "Australia" anywhere. I'm off to Vancouver mid-April for the International Association of Facilitators Conference, where I'm giving a 3 hour session on Working at the Top of Your Intelligence (featuring some cool improvising games). So I

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-46710802448430411312009-03-05T11:07:00.000+11:002009-03-05T11:11:03.257+11:00

We all want to be working at the top of our intelligence when dealing with clients and managing staff. Perhaps you're interested in boosting your cognitive performance (planning, organising, multi-tasking). Scientific American has some tips on using food and exercise to do this.

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130682938839906358.post-66627705312906972102009-03-05T10:57:00.000+11:002009-03-23T16:46:13.691+11:00

Because my business name (Aragon Gray Pty Ltd) is at the front of the phone book I've been called by quite a few companies recently asking me about whether I have debtors that need to be collected. Fortunately I pick up 50% up front (sometimes 100%) and my major clients are mostly larger businesses so cash flow isn't an issue. But perhaps that's not the case for you. Check out Peter Switzer on

Cindy Tonkinhttps://profiles.google.com/107095330751903812742noreply@blogger.com