ThePodcastSisters

Podcast Sisters 65 - Project Management

This week's Podcast Sisters Podcast,  Krishna and Heather share their views on online project management tools and their use for effective client project management and team collaboration.

SHOW NOTES

00:00  Introduction

01:14  Shoutouts to The Baby Boomer Entrepreneur; Marketing Over Coffee; Street Smart Marketing; Wonderful Web Women; emmaspigs.co.uk

05:34  How to add photos to Facebook

13:54  Project Management for client projects and team collaboration

22:20  Why consider using project management software?

35:52  Our preferred choices of project management software

40:58  Exploring and example of how you might deploy a project management tool in a business

50:43  Show ends

YOUR FEEDBACK

We'd love to hear from you - what thoughts, feedback or suggestions do you have for future content? Or perhaps you have suggestions for subjects you would like us to cover?

You can post your comments here or mouse on over to our Podcast Sisters Friend Feed room.

Or you can join us over at the Podcast Sisters Facebook group to discuss this week's show.

You can also send us an email perhaps attaching an audio file with your comments to podcast.sisters(at)googlemail.com.

REMEMBER SUBSCRIPTION TO THE PODCAST SISTERS IS FREE! 

1) To listen now on line without any downloads then click here and press the play button

2) Or to subscribe in iTunes      

3) Or if you use a different podcatcher then here are the feed details:

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Podcast Sisters 63 - How A Builders Merchant Can Use Web 2.0

This week's Podcast Sisters Podcast episode Krishna and Heather discuss a case study how a builders merchant can use online  marketing and social media to develop grow their business.

SHOW NOTES

00:00 How a Builder's Merchant Can Use Online Marketing - A Case Study

09:13 Case study - Trade supplier of specialist building supplies

12:22 Setting up a blog

16:10 Using videos

24:08 Create an interactive e-commerce site

26:48 Integrate mobile marketing

29:25 Comment and write articles

31:06 Set up a store on E-Bay

40:48 Show ends

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

Zack Exley

The English Cut - Example of blog for specialist service provider

Will it Blend - Example of using of video to promote your business or product

The Podcast Sisters previous show on e-commerce, show 057

Mobile Marketing Association

Krishna's Biz Growth Live Show 27 July 2008 on Mobile Marketing

Ebay

YOUR FEEDBACK

We'd love to hear from you - what thoughts, feedback or suggestions do you have for future content? Or perhaps you have suggestions for subjects you would like us to cover?

You can post your comments here or mouse on over to our Podcast Sisters Friend Feed room.

Or you can join us over at the Podcast Sisters Facebook group to discuss this week's show.

You can also send us an email perhaps attaching an audio file with your comments to podcast.sisters(at)googlemail.com.

REMEMBER SUBSCRIPTION TO THE PODCAST SISTERS IS FREE! 

1) To listen now on line without any downloads then click here and press the play button

2) Or to subscribe in iTunes      

3) Or if you use a different podcatcher then here are the feed details:

What's this?
or copy the address in the field below to your podcast software:

Podcast Sisters 60 - Social Media For Farmers And Rural Businesses

This week's Podcast Sisters Podcast, Krishna and Heather discuss Heather's learnings from her time studying for her Nuffield Scholarship which is exploring the opportunity for the adoption of Web 2.0 and Social Media in rural businesses and farming communities

Show Notes

00:00 Introduction -  Reader's questions

02:36 Issue with Facebook virus

07:29 Twitter issues - use of Auto Follow

08:54 Using Twitterific (Mac) and Twhirl (PC)

10:52 Social media and using a  preferred method of contact

13:31 Blip.fm music channels and linking to Twitter

16:30 Heather's Nuffield Farming Scholarship - Researching best agicultural practice

19:32 Heather's project - Development of Web 2.0 and Social Media and Application to Farming and Rural Business

21:57 Initial research findings and opportunities for rural communities

25:54 Personal choices and opportunities afforded by social media

29:18 Transparency of industry, consumer and society - how we are seen by others and our reputation.

34:20 Precis of report and initial findings and recommendations - Connections and relationships not about tools and the internet

36:31 What should farmers and rural business start out to do in the adoption of social media

42:44 Tips regarding opportunities for web presence for farmers and relationship with their customers

49:28 Show ends

Resources For The Show

We'd love to hear from you - what thoughts, feedback or suggestions do you have for future content? Or perhaps you have suggestions for subjects you would like us to cover?

You can post your comments here or mouse on over to our Podcast Sisters Friend Feed room.

Or you can join us over at the Podcast Sisters Facebook group to discuss this week's show.

You can also send us an email perhaps attaching an audio file with your comments to podcast.sisters(at)googlemail.com.

REMEMBER SUBSCRIPTION TO THE PODCAST SISTERS IS FREE! 

1) To listen now on line without any downloads then click here and press the play button

2) Or to subscribe in iTunes      

3) Or if you use a different podcatcher then here are the feed details:

What's this?
or copy the address in the field below to your podcast software:

Free Marketing Resources For Coaches

I know a number of our listeners to The Podcast Sisters are coaches. You might not be aware that I also host a podcast series for coahces and HR professionals and that I interviewed Hannah McNamara, author of Niche Marketing For Coaches recently about the difference between coaching and mentoring.

Hannah has today launched a promotion to accompany her book - yes she is looking to increase sales of her book, but she is collaborating with people in her network who also have expertise and resources that will assist you in attracting more leads to your coaching practice.

HOW THE PROMOTION WORKS

If you order your copy of Niche Marketing for Coaches by Sunday 14 September 2008 you will get access to the free resources.

The book covers how to identify your coaching niche, marketing tips and how to set your coaching rates.

You must purchase the book from Hannah's website which you can access HERE - bonuses are not available if you buy the book from any other source.

You will receive an automated email asking you to confirm your registration. It is essential that you confirm using the link in the email otherwise you will not be able to access your bonuses.

When you have confirmed, you will receive another email containing a link to a page containing information on how to claim your bonuses.

You can find out details of the bonuses HERE - yes I've provided a really valuable bonus all about online press releases to attract more media attention and more clients.

A Simple Tip for Social Media

I was asked today about where a small business should start on social media. They had loads of great ideas - seriously great ideas - but had spent the last few week thinking about how to start.......my advice

Just start....

The best part of social media is that you can test ideas, you can fail fast and move on, evolve and develop.

Social media can be overwhelming but often it is overwhelming when you look at the whole.....choose one area that you feel passionate about, that makes sense for what you are trying to achieve with your company. One thing that I did early doors was try things with my personal name or a name that people could not link to my company...that way I could test it out with low risk.

Free Teleseminar 12 May 2008: Social Media For Solopreneurs

I'm afraid it's been a bit quiet over here on The Podcast Sisters recently as Anna and Heather have been travelling and then Anna has been ill.

If you are missing our voices and views about social media, then you might want to hop on my call this week for Biz Growth Live, where I am in conversation with Peggy Murrah and Chris Muccio about social media for solopreneurs and how it can help you attract more clients.

You can find out more about the call which is a FREE teleseminar masterclass taking place at 1pm ET/6pm Ireland and the UK on Monday 12 May 2008 here.

If you already receive my newsletter you will have the details of the call in number so you don't need to register again.

Hope to hear you on the call soon.

iQ Content Online Marketing Bootcamp: Dublin 22 - 24 April 2008

As I mentioned on The Podcast Sisters show we recorded this evening, if you are in the Dublin area between the 22-24 April 2008, I highly recommend that you check out the details of the forthcoming Online Marketing Bootcamp being hosted by iQ Content. Read on to find out how to avail of a 10% discount on the registration fee.

The online marketing bootcamp includes workshops on the following areas:

• Search engine marketing 202: More advanced techniques for enhancing your website's search engine visibility
• Content strategy: Getting your content mix right to drive traffic, engage customers and increase conversions
• Writing for the web 101: Creating great content – the fundamental techniques
• Writing for the web 202: Beyond the basics – writing to convert and persuade
• Accessibility for web managers: Planning, procuring, delivering and maintaining an accessible website
• Information architecture that works: Essential techniques for structuring and organising your website
• Killer web applications: Designing usable and effective web applications
• Personas – Getting into the head of your customers: Tools and techniques for understanding your customers
• Practical user testing: Planning, conducting and reporting on user tests
• Web analytics 101: Fundamental techniques for measuring the success of your website
• Web analytics 202: More advanced techniques for measuring the effectiveness of your website
• Website healthcheck: How to evaluate the effectiveness of your website and benchmark it against your competitors
• Kick-start your web strategy: Defining and implementing an effective online strategy
• Web governance: Getting your organisation organised – people, teams and processes
• Web project management: How to deliver a successful web project
• Email marketing: Planning, creating and delivering effective email newsletters
• Online advertising: Conceiving, creating, implementing and measuring an effective online advertising campaign
• Search engine marketing 101: Driving more traffic to your website – the fundamental techniques.

You can attend for 1 day, 2 days or 3 days and as I'm speaking at the event, you can use the special code I've been given by the event organisers and can therefore avail of a 10% discount - please note this is not an affiliate link - I asked the organisers if my community of readers could benefit in some way and am delighted that they made this discount available.

All you need to do is put in the code 'speaker' when making your booking.

I'm speaking at the session on the Wednesday afternoon - the iQ FutureNow Seminar where we'll be covering emerging trends and technologies that you need to start thinking about. Do let me know if you plan to be there won't you. I'm trying to clear my calendar as much as I can as  know the content that will be covered at the online marketing bootcamp will be outstanding.

How to Regain the Energy in your Business

When you are a small business owner, you can often hit a wall - maybe in motivation or focus. Here are some tips that have helped me to overcome the "business" wall

• Have strong network of business people who inspire you. My other podcast sisters are a great source of inspiration on those bad days. I stress the word inspire though, as each of us need that person around us who we can feed off from time to time.
• Remember why you started the business...what was your dream? Often admin, tax returns, traveling can drain the energy and we lose focus away from why this business is important to us. Write it down and post it on top of your PC.....keep the dream alive and front of mind.
• Give yourself a break, take yourself away from the desk. It may be as simple as going on a long walk or going to a business networking event that will reignite the ideas.
• Sign up for twitter. I find twitter a great source of support and also font of ideas.
• Set some actions for the next few days that play to your strengths, that you enjoy doing. When we are doing things that we love we recharge our batteries.

Small business can be hard and even lonely. However, the people who succeed are the ones that accept there will be times when it will be tough...and keep going, believing in the dream to change the world.

Social Media Needs Investment - Time Not Money

Social media is a wonderful tool for small business because it opens your business to a world of consumers - not just locally but globally. When I started my business - The Engaging Brand - I did it on a investment of £500. Yes, £500, that is all that I had in the bank at the time to follow my entrepreneurial dream. I did not want to risk my savings, I wanted to start with nothing and see if I could build a business.

Social media meant that was possible. Blogging, podcasting has brought me an array of clients around the world. However, it has not been without time investment. But time is something that I have, as long as I focus, as long as I use my time wisely then I can get my message out there without having to go the traditional marketing route.

Here are my time management tips

• Be clear about your market and focus your time on providing value for that market.
• Use travel time to create social media content.
• Capture ideas when you have them...that just means that when you have time at your computer then you are creating content not thinking about creating content.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help from other bloggers, podcasters etc They will save you time in learning about the new social media tools.
• Learn on the run! I learned about social media through podcasts - whilst walking for the train, driving in the car, working out at the gym. This is time when I wouldn't be able to do "physical work".

Has social media worked for me...well, the business is thriving despite the £500 investment!

Are you an inspirational business mum!

Received a great email from Gerel of Shiny Red that I would share with all you entrepreneurs...

"Just wanted to touch base with you regarding the “Inspirational Business Mum of the Year Award” in the run up to Mother’s Day ... as we thought it might be of interest to some of your readers on PodcastSisters.

The awards, which are hosted by Prowess, celebrates all women in business and I was hoping if you and any of your readers would be interested in entering the awards by nominating themselves, friend’s, sister’s, partner’s or even their own Mum’s in the run up to Mother’s Day. Entries close on April 11^th 2008."

As I fail on at least one account :) then I will leave the field open to everyone else and if you enter...good luck!