Koogar Blog

Mentoring Evening

Once every 6 weeks, 4 women (now 5) get together. Using each others houses as a venue to talk about their business and what problems they are facing or come up against.
The evening starts around 7pm ish and doesn't usually end before 11pm. The host for the evening provides a few light snacks and drinks.

This evening is dedicated to you and the other members to push each other forward with the businesses that are run on a daily basis, giving each other ideas that you might not have thought of otherwise.

At Wednesday evenings meeting, only three of us could make it. In this meeting I got reminded about the "following up" process, as sometimes I have been too busy and have forgotten to follow up a lead. One one occasion I had lost the details of two leads.

Today I followed up a lead that I received when I went on an Effective Speaking Course I went on in May08. I sent the company an email to find out if they still needed our services.

The Director of the company got back to me within a few hours and explained due to school holidays some staff were not available for the training they needed, but they are still very interested in my services. She went on to ask about fees and the dates she and other members of staff were available.

So you see, even if you forgot about following up a lead and its a few months later, you should still make the effort to contact that person, just in case they still need your services and also to remind them that you are available for them whenever they need you.
Also having a mentoring evening with other business owners and freinds helped me go back to basics and also spur you on to do better things.

Labels: follow up leads, mentoring, networking

posted by kOOgar at 6:55 PM

Attracting more Clients

I recently put myself onto a course that a friend of mine is holding called "How to Present You and Your Business to Attract More Clients"

Marie Claire Carlyle is a fantastic coach and inspiration to not just me but a lot of other people too and to show you her willingness to help her friends out, here is the reason why she started the course in the first place:

We were walking back from a local networking event and my friend Christine turned to me and said "I need to learn how to present my business".

Christine is a cranial sacral therapist who like many small business owners, is brilliant at what she does but is shy about getting out there in the marketplace. "OK Ill help you" I said , and less than two weeks later I invited a select group of just ten local entrepreneurs to a 6 week class on "How to Present You and Your Business to Attract More Clients"

Today business is more about co operation than competition.

Once a week this group of entrepreneurs meet and support each other as they learn how to be clear about what they do and how they can add value. We learn what to say to that dreaded "and what do you do?" question. We get a chance to practise the "One minute to Win it!" speech within a safe environment. And we share best practices as we look at the messages we are giving in our branding and the way we present ourselves and our respective businesses.

Over the weeks we get to know each other and how each of us can help one another. In this way we are setting up a natural network of potential referrals. In fact , some of us are already swapping services! We act as a support network as we brainstorm ideas for each other and most of all we show that you can do business and have a laugh at the same time!

You should have heard the laughter last night as our local "Tantric Sex Expert" joined the group,...but then that's another story !!

So how has this helped me so far?

Week two has just passed, we talked about branding and tag lines. Being a designer, branding is what I do so this wasn't a problem for me at all, but what the discussions did do was make me think of new ideas for the other members of the group.
Our homework for the first week was to describe your business to a stranger in one sentence as a new member was joining us for week two, and I came up with:

"Koogar can help you make your mark and create the face to your business"

The new member guessed at the type of business I was in and said Marketing which I supposed graphic and web design does for a business. I was also please with the feedback from the other group members too.

I shared a lift with another member of the group and on the way home I said that creating this sentence was worth going on the course already as this helps me tell people what I do without saying the normal "Graphics and Web Design" reply.
This is more creative and this single sentence prompts people to ask me a second question of "so...what exactly is it you do?"

So in conclusion, I would recommend this course to anyone who needs to be taken to the next level. I know this is only week two, but this week has made me think about my business, how I want to conduct business and where I want to take it. See what it can do for you...

For more information, visit www.themiraclecoach.co.uk

posted by kOOgar at 10:02 PM

Ask and you shall receive!

How strange, in the last few days I sent out the latest of Koogars eLetters which was about Networking and how it works for you and you business. I noted in the eLetter that I'm not very good at standing up and introducing myself in from of people.

Today I have received an email from a lady called Evelyn.. and its to do a course on effective speaking! Its a sign and this means I have to do it, its an opportunity that cannot be missed and luckily its at the times I can make it too!

Fantastic! Thanks for listening and reading my eLetter!

Labels: communication, effective speaking

posted by kOOgar at 10:05 PM

Networking... Does it work for you and your business?

A note to all:
I'm sorry the March eLetter is late. The Studio has been very busy this month and has another busy month ahead for April. I know that no excuse for me neglecting you so here is this months eLetter..

This month's newsletter is on Networking only because I have been doing a lot of it lately and I wondered how others get to grips with it and what other people thought about doing it?

For a Web Designer networking is an essential part of business life. I think without networking I wouldn't have met a lot of my clients or met as many pleasant people as I have. I have also met rude and obnoxious people at network events, but these are the people you don't want in your business life! Let alone your own life.

I'm not a professional networker, in fact I'm still not used to standing up for the 15 seconds of fame and telling people what I do. Most of the time I stumble and sometime forget what I do.. Which doesn't mean I'm bad at my job, it just means that I need to improve at Networking.
One of my goals this year is to become more confident when standing up and maybe doing a public speaking course of some sort. If anyone has any suggestions please email me on what I can do to become confident when speaking in front of others.

Networking is an investment, not a nuisance. anonymous

Networking doesn't just consist of going to a breakfast meeting or lunch meeting at these corporate events. They also include free courses, events, and can even include your weekly shopping.

I recently went on a free course in Liverpool and met a lovely lady by the name of Sarah. (Names have been changed to protect the innocent)

Everyone on the course introduced him or herself. You know, the usual..
My name is.. and I'm based.. and my business is.., and we also added why we were attending the course in the first place.

Anyway, Sarah works for a charity, which is based in my area; she also lives in my area (what a small world). She also asked if she could have my details as she is constantly asked for details about someone who can create professional websites.

TOP Rule: You should ALWAYS carry business cards with you!

On the course I went on to learn something new and exciting (for FREE) and I also made a new friend and contact. I know a few people who help charities out in different ways so I'm able to help Sarah by giving her a new contact for when ever she needs that service.

Someone said to me:
You should always look your best and carry a card, as you never know who is stood behind you.

So this little story not much of one I know, but it shows you how you can meet new people in a situation you wouldn't have thought of.

Here are some of the Network Meetings that I attend..If you know of any more, please feel free to email them to me so I can add them to the list:

Network Meetings
C.E.P.N Business Forum (currently a Committee Member)

http://www.cepnforum.org.uk/

W.I.R.E Women in Rural Enterprises

http://www.wireuk.org/

Wirral Business Association

http://www.wirralbusinessassociation.co.uk/

Online Networks
www.ecademy.com
Koogar's Profile:
http://www.ecademy.com/user/amandadaniels

www.linkedin.com
Koogar's Profile:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/6/a1/b6b

www.myspace.com
Koogar's Profile:
http://www.myspace.com/koogar_webdesign

Women in Business (ning)
Koogar's Profile:
http://webnetwork.ning.com/profile/AmandaDaniels

Become friends of Koogar by clicking the above links if you're already signed up for these online networking groups.

Later this year, Koogar will be setting up our own event based in the North Wirral.

If you would like more information about the event, please feel free to contact us at: network@koogar.co.uk

Labels: communication, networking

posted by kOOgar at 9:52 PM

Bought a domain name, now what?

If you own a business or are just starting one up you should at least have bought the domain name that matches your company name or if the name you wanted has gone you should get something close to it.

If you have not bought your domain name now, you should! The reason for this is so when you decide to get your web site your domain name (the name you want) has already been bought by you so that no on else can have that name.

What is a domain name?

A domain name is basically an address on the Internet. For example: www.koogar.co.uk .

A domain name is also known as a URL: Uniform Resource Locator

Its what people will type into the address bar in a browser to find your web site.

You can go to: www.1and1.co.uk to purchase a domain name.

A .co.uk is about £3.00 for 2 years not including VAT.

Make sure the domain name that you chose falls into the follows the basic guidelines:

• 
  

Make sure you have thought of a few different domain name in case the one you want has already gone.

Keep it short and relevant.

Make sure its easy to spell and memorable.

Choose the right extension for your audience and business. For example: .co.uk / .com / .org (charities)

• 
  

If you not sure and need a little guidance, please don't hesitate to contact us at: info@koogar.co.uk

--

The Internet is the fastest growing advertising tool. Just think of the people who could use your services that use the Internet and don't look in the local paper or the magazine at all.

Statistic:

85% of people would not even buy from you if you don't have your own website! Now how scary is that statistic!

There are figures out there (that I wont go into here) which show the increasing importance of being on-line.

What you need to remember is that every body does things differently.

Some people don't like going to the shop unless the know that the item they want is available. Another person would only use the phone when purchasing and another might not like using the phone so they would need an email address or fax and there are also those who just love shopping and walking around to get that item they want.

Everyone is different so you need to cater for as many people as you can which will give you a wider range of potential clients.

Think about what you do yourself? What actions do you take when it comes to surfing the Internet? How do you find someone? and what do you do when you have found them?

Personally I try to find whatever it is I want initially in my area by using the Internet. If I cant find the place or item I want I will obviously go else where until I find what it is I'm looking for. So if your not there how are people going to find you?

There are 30 million households that are now connected to the Internet. Can you afford not to show yourself to these people?

--

Now that you have now chosen the domain name that all your potential clients/customers will be typing in to see more information about you, what do you do now?

Well this is were the hard work comes in.

You need to think about what it is these paying customers want to see on your website. Do you need a gallery to show off work you have already done? Do you need to have a blog to let people know about your day-to-day findings and thoughts? Do you just need your basic information and contact details? Or maybe you will need everything?

Shop around and see what other businesses like yours are doing. What are the main similarities between the sites your looking at? Do you think you'll need the same pages or maybe something different to stand out from the crowd? Remember not to copy these sites as your web site needs to be as unique as you and your business. Every business is different. What makes you stand out? What do you do differently?

Next you'll need to work out how your website is going to if you visited it. What navigation titles would you expect to see? For example: About Us page, Contact page and so on. What kind of functionality do you need or want on your website? Is that functionality actually necessary?

Once you have thought about what it is you want, it is then time to look for the right Web Designer for you.

Labels: buying domain names

posted by kOOgar at 1:46 AM

Get Your Websites Ready for Christmas!

Why not get your business ready for Christmas?

Have you got a special offer on? Or you want to update the latest news on your website? Or just expand your online presence?

Please don't hesitate to contact us so we can help you to get your site ready for Christmas and New Year period.

Web Maintenance is for individuals or companies who currently have a web site that they would like to be updated or even re-designed.

What are the Benefits?

- You can spend more time handling tasks that need to be done
- We can add or edit functionality
- Updating your website gives your clients more information about what your company's goals and achievements are
- We can answer short and long term solution questions
- Providing you with an elite experienced team
- Handling all administrative tasks for the website
- Reducing errors on your website
- Improving customer satisfaction and reduce support calls
- You will be able to control your budget by choosing the best package for you

Koogar Maintenance plans:

Please see the services we provide below:

Monthly Retainer Plan
If you think you would like to update your web site monthly adding bits of text here and there. Maybe the odd new image this package is best.

The Retainer Plan retains Koogar services/time for you for a certain amount of time per month. If you want new text or images to be uploaded to your site it can be done straight away.

The retainer plan is for minor changes like, adding bits of text, adding/removing images, adding links, answering any questions that need investigation from me. It's ideal for small companies who want to update their site regularly with small changes here and there.

Adding pages to the web site is not covered in these plans as work over 2 hours need to be quoted for separately.

[Retainer Plan 1] £20.00 = 1 hour allocation per month
[Retainer Plan 2] £30.00 = 1.5 hour's allocation per month
[Retainer Plan 3] £40.00 = 2 hour's allocation per month

Pay-As-You-Go
All amendments required will be quoted at £30.00 per hour

Express Delivery
If you need changes added to your site with 1-2 days this package is for you and will be quoted at £40.00 per hour


With Koogar, help is available whenever you need it. For more information on our maintenance packages, please email us at info@koogar.co.uk.

If you would like to see the other services we provide, please visit our website at www.koogar.co.uk

Labels: communication, web maintenance, web updates

posted by kOOgar at 8:44 PM

*NEW : Cost Esuri Golf Holidays (Web Site)

http://www.costaesurigolfholidays.co.uk
Costa Esuri is the latest addition to Koogar's achievements.

Paula won the website at an auction at Loreto Parents' Association (LPA) in 2007. Paula has a property abroad and wanted to advertise and market it a little more by using the web to help her. Take a look at the website, you never know you, might just want to book some dates!

Labels: costa esuri, golf, holiday, web sites

posted by kOOgar at 12:41 AM