Yes it's that time of the year again, and the buzz is growing about the upcoming Vegas PubCon conference. Dubbed one of the largest search event of the year, it brings search marketing talents from far and wide. In the past few years search has gotten a lot more exposure as a serious form of marketing - and rightly so, because from where I stand it is a powerful force to be reckoned with.
This year's event is special for two reasons (ok, maybe slightly more than 2, but you're getting two of the lot…).
Firstly, it is the first time I am paying for it privately - so that makes it special. A handy tip btw, the eggs Benedict in the Wynn cafeteria are absolutely amazing :o). But I digress…
The second reason for it being special is because all my fellow SEO-Chicks will be there at the same time - hurrah! SEO-Chicks.com is a blog we started in support of all females in the SEM industry - a place where you can be proud to be a woman in SEM.
So, if you see us at PubCon next week - we'll be wearing bright green T-shirts - come and say 'Hi'.
That's all for today - who said I can't do short posts…
Ha! How our priorities change as we go through life…
Today's post, I'm afraid, holds no marketing value - but instead is a very selfish one.
I have thought about this topic often lately - in fact ever since we moved to live in Spain. When I first arrived in the UK about 9 years ago, all that was on my mind in terms of my work life - was a HUGE CAREER. I wanted to be a very notable and successful business woman. I didn't know how I'd achieve that or what line of work I'd be doing…
Fast forward 8 and a bit years and you get me sitting in my bikini (in the middle of November I might add) on our roof terrace typing away, and feeling incredibly humbled by the view in front of me. Without tempting fate and simply with gratitude - I am now thinking that the things that matter the most to me now are my family (including Andre and the cats and of course mom, dad, brother and so on), my friends, and the people we meet.
Of course I matter to me too, and that's how I have changed so far - I now care more about how I use my time. I care about who uses my time, where I am using my time, and how much fun and appreciation goes into whatever I am doing.
In short, be precious with your most precious commodity in your life. Spend your time doing the things you love most, with the people you love most in the places you love most…
Easier said than done?
NO - you just have to be conscious of this 'rule' and you'll see how soon everything changes to fit in…
This is a very painful topic for some people… in fact, most people who have just started working for themselves, have to at some stage find a solution to this question.
Allow me to be very prescriptive here - YOU HAVE TO find a way to hold yourself accountable!
Or you will end up running your business into the ground. Back at your 9 to 5 you used to have colleagues and bosses to keep you delivering and on time, but now that you ARE your colleagues and your boss, the job's left up to you.
Some people are quite good at keeping a list of things and project managing, but if you're not lucky enough to be one of THEM then here are a few options to consider. Choose what works for you and what's manageable. You can combine two or more of the 3 methods - just make sure you are held accountable in some way…
The DIY Method
You're just starting out in the industry. You're not sure who to turn to and frankly you don't know that many people in the industry. You're a private person. Or you're just as orderly as an army general and just loooove to keep track of your milestones and bottle necks… This one's for YOU.
Get a software that can help you along. MS Office has stuff in it to help you along so if you have it with your PC - you're sorted. If not, you have Open Office that is free and is also well equipped for managing your tasks. On Mac you can just about manage with you iCal and again, it's free with your OS software. The least you can do is use a notepad, dedicated to tasks alone (don't mix notes and all that in it, keep it just for tasks).
I found that the most helpful book I have read on the topic (and I have read a lot of books on the topic - including project management for dummies) is The 4-Hour Work Week. This is chock-a-block with practical day-to-day advice and is worth every penny. The tasks management method Tim Ferriss shows in there is my daily routine… 'nuff said!
The Delegating Method
You 'suck' at PM (project management). You hate the concept of chasing deadlines. You loooove getting 'involved' in a project - who cares when it will end… You just CAN'T keep up with timelines and milestones… You have enough disposable income to not have to do this one… This one's for YOU.
Outsource your PM to someone who's good at it and loves doing it. Simple - I know, and it's also a smart route to go if you're the 'creative' 'entrepreneurial' type who just wants to get on with the 'fun stuff'. In that case just hire a VA (virtual assistant) or a recommended person and get on with life.
Again, The 4-Hour Work Week offers an invaluable lot of resource sites that you can test to find your perfect VA - Project Manager.
The Mastermind or With-a-Little-Help-From-Thy-Friends Method
You have friends or connections in the industry you're in - like-minded people. You get a kick out of sharing ideas and drawing on other's experience and skills. You feel there's nothing better to push you forward than to have people expecting to see results when you said they'd be delivered. You have something to offer them and they have something to offer you in terms of knowledge or support… This one's for YOU.
Contact your people to contact their people and get a set time to meet up each week or even two weeks. Meet up face to face though - that's the ideal. You could definitely do a call meeting, but it isn't the same, so leave it for a last resort.
Once you start these meetings, you will see how having other people's brains working in parallel with yours can produce some remarkable results.
In the same breath I need to WARN YOU - if you find you're getting nothing but time wastage from each meeting, review the people involved. You're in this to benefit - and so are they. Also, beware of negativity. Constructive criticism is one of the best assets in these types of meetings, but the moment it turns to just negativity - get rid of it. Negativity is the single most powerful deterrent to getting better! In my opinion anyway :o)
So there it is. Now you have now excuse to not moving through your tasks like a lean mean steam machine… yeah, all this and I haven't had a drop to drink…
Warning: This post has nothing whatsoever to do with marketing, but I thought it was so hilarious that I just had to post it!!!
I've become a member of Facebook, through sheer desperation of looking for an old friend of mine (whom I still haven't found BTW). So in the process of looking for some other friends and finding them, I've become part of the community. A very passive & reactive member - like a parasite… I'm not too worried though, I just don't have the time to do it.
I basically enjoy reading what people post on my FunWall and today, as I went to check yet another Facebook alert, I found this post by a friend of mine that I thought was fantastically lighthearted - bar the actual topic of it…
So here it is for all of your enjoyment:
…yes I know… :o) you don't have to thank me… thank Ian…
Whoopppeee! I am finally embarking on getting some Spanish lessons with a tutor. It's well needed… Whilst I find the Spanish are extremely willing to help communications if you at least try to speak their language, I must say we're hitting barriers more and more often now.
The good old pointing and spurting a few unconnected Spanish words is no longer feeling 'right' for me so I'm taking the next step.
This topic on Spanish living is also giving me the opportunity to say that I am flabbergasted at how little need the average Spanish business displays for attracting new customers. (That's not a negative comment towards my new home nation, it's just a reflection of the reality that is found almost everywhere.)
We walked into a mobile phone shop today to try and get a Spanish pay as you go simcard, and without even moving an eye in our direction we were told by the shop keeper to come in tomorrow… unfortunately the lady behind the counter couldn't explain why! Granted, we couldn't speak her language, but she didn't even try to ask us…
Right, rant over!
My point is though - in a competitive market no one can afford to ignore opportunities for potential customers. I come from an ex communist country and know all about complacency can creep in at the site of a guaranteed paycheck, but sooner or later the need to differentiate your business comes out to bite you in the proverbial butt cheek.
And if you don't rise to the occasion, you WILL be swallowed by the competition. I've always been quite fond of the comforts of customer service for selfish reasons, as much as carreer fascination. And to this day consider it to be the second most important part of a successful business (the first being an excellent product).
So is it a fact that the Spanish market place is still on its way to saturation? Or could it be that the laid back attitude to life in Spain has prevailed over the 'rat race' culture of the west - haha! Here is a philosophical thought for you to ponder on…
Can laid back attitude thrive in a competitive environment, without inflicting a 'rat race' culture?
