Managing the daily influx of emails – is it possible?

Going through the daily messages is one of the constant concerns of busy entrepreneurs and business owners. Jeni Clift, Director/General Manager of DWM Solutions and a Professional EOS Implementer admitted that she needs help when it comes to managing and organising the daily influx of emails she receives.

“Unfortunately, I use my inbox as a repository of emails. I am open to seeing how others do this as it is not an effective method,”

But not all is lost, here are a few tips we put together from some of our EO members that may help you get ahead of the game.

Schedule reading your emails

According to Arosh Fernando, Founder and Director of WooHah Productions, “The biggest time killer in our world right now is email, especially when you’re getting cc’d in everything and the inbox is filling up fast if you don’t check it. Fellow EO Member Dean Cherny had a great idea which I adopted – checking emails at given times of the day. So I do this at 10 am and 2 pm, for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on whatever your business needs are at the moment. This helps me manage time around and, as a CEO, get to tick off the real objectives like my long term goals to grow the business. As I have learnt in EO many times over, it’s not about what we start doing but it’s what we STOP doing that is important to enable us to focus our time and energy on the big goals.”

Scheduling reading and responding to your emails is a brilliant idea that can be a big help, as long as it suits your work schedule and lifestyle as well as the requirements of your business. You can calendar going through your messages at certain times of the day and make sure you have the discipline to carry it through.

File and have separate inboxes

Another helpful tip is to file your messages in folders so that it’s easier for you to check them. You might need to allocate some time to do the preliminary work, such as creating folders and segregating messages, so that the succeeding ones that arrive in your inbox get filtered easily.  

Anthony Lam, Managing Director of Punchy Digital Media, shared, “I have separate inboxes and tackle each one at separate times. I have one for clients, prospects, and teams. I try to set a timer and tackle each inbox one at a time.”

On the other hand, Appscore Co-Founder & Managing Director Alex Louey tries to undertake the challenge of sorting through his emails through their levels of priority. “My inbox is a disaster, and I wish I could tell you that it is well-sorted and filed. The only ones that I focus on that are a must-do are customer-related ones. They get top priority and my full attention. The rest get attended to in terms of the priority of my task list that I run throughout the day or week. I can’t respond to everyone that tries to contact me so I don’t,” he professed.

Work on “zero” emails

Having “0 emails on inbox” is one of the policies that Damian Blumenkranc, co-Founder of Creativa, Attento and Just Click Videos and CEO of Sunset Sleepers, personally follows. “I use a very simple decision tree to tackle them as they come:

1 - Can I respond to this quickly on the fly? If yes, then I just respond to it and archive it;

2 - If no: Is this something I will read/look into on spare time? Then I move it to my ‘read later’ folder that I can read on the train or when I finish work;

3 - Is this something I need to work on for more than a few minutes to respond to it? I set a time on the calendar to work on it and even copy the link of the email or the content of the email as a reference, then I can archive it as I will be working on it when the time comes;

4 - For those emails that we want to keep as a reference for something but really have no need to reply, I move them to an 'important info’ folder and those that I want to use as a reminder to follow up later I also put on the calendar or I snooze them for later.”

Automate it

In this era when technology has created so many breakthroughs in fast-tracking everything we do, one can get a little help by automating their emails. It is one of the things that Nathan Chan, CEO & Publisher of Foundr Magazine, does to lessen the workload brought about by daily emails. “I have automation rules,” he declared. “Also, “I view my inbox as everyone else's to-do list and treat that accordingly.”

Depending on the email software or platform you use, various email automation tools can make things easier for you, sometimes sending automated replies, based on the rules you create. You can consult with an IT professional or explore how you can make this work for you and your business.

Hire an assistant

But apart from automating his emails, Nathan also gets a little help from his staff. “I have an incredible EA (executive assistant),” he added. If the tasks are too many and going through your daily emails can often become a burden to you, don’t hesitate to delegate to your team or have someone help you with it so that you can attend more on other important matters.

If you’ve been in this situation before – getting overwhelmed with the number of emails you receive and you’ve surpassed it, share with us how you have overcome it as it may also be helpful to those who are currently stuck in this predicament.

Using LinkedIn to promote your business

LinkedIn is a social media platform that has been used by individuals, companies, and organisations to connect, network, and promote their products, services, causes, and brands. Entrepreneurs have also recognised the value of LinkedIn to their business, and EO Members share with us how they utilise LinkedIn to promote their brands and organisations and take advantage of the platform’s network.

Create brand awareness

As more and more professionals connect on LinkedIn, it becomes an effective venue to push for brand recognition. Although most users tend to use it for business purposes, it doesn’t mean one cannot get creative and playful on this platform. Let your brand’s personality shine and inject a bit of fun to make your posts stand out.

“I use LinkedIn for business to create brand awareness and get known in my field. It is mostly for PR purposes. To be honest, I treat it more like Facebook and do not take it too seriously as some of the comments I leave are more for fun than serious engagement. LinkedIn can be a bit dry sometimes, so why not spice it up,” quipped Alex Louey, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Appscore.

Attract new prospects

Raising awareness for your brand can help generate prospective customers and new clients for you. If you use LinkedIn well by regularly expanding your network and posting quality content, you will be able to attract a potential market for your business.

“We use our LinkedIn to re-purpose awesome content that will help us attract new prospects to our community and world that, in turn, will hopefully see our brand as a source to learn from,” said Nathan Chan, CEO and Publisher of Foundr Magazine.

Promote one’s products and services

While you’re at it, go beyond your regular posts. Talk about your products and services so that readers become more familiar with what you do and what you can offer. Your content doesn’t have to be a hard sell as you can subtly present your offerings that can pique the interest of your readers. 

“We use it to post and share videos that we have produced for our clients. It's a great way to showcase what we do on a mass scale. And every month, we always win new clients that say they found us through the videos that we share,” Anthony Lam, Managing Director of Punchy Digital Media, claimed.

Tell a story

LinkedIn is a platform for professionals, but remember that they are also individuals whom you can inspire and motivate. The users can also relate to your experiences, so use the platform to reach out to them through your stories.

“LinkedIn has been my go-to marketing platform to tell an authentic story without spamming people’s inboxes. During COVID, when we had no budget for marketing but still needed to tell the story to the world, we used LinkedIn to showcase and as a case study of what we were doing. The result from this was a 75% increase in new customers. Being able to connect with people at a one-on-one level was important to me. Few important things on LinkedIn -- personal profiles and personal articles get better traction than company updates,” Arosh Fernando, Founder and Director of WooHah Productions, shared.

Build credibility and authority

There is power in your LinkedIn profile and posts. Whatever you put out there can make or break your image. Make LinkedIn work for your advantage by sharing things that can build your portfolio. Share your wins, give and ask for recommendations, engage with people in your network, update your profile, and be consistent in your messaging.

“I use LinkedIn in building credibility and as a way of being seen. I try and post an article weekly that is in alignment with how I want to be recognised, which is as an authority on People,” remarked Jeni Clift, Director/General Manager of DWM Solutions and a Professional EOS Implementer.

If you have some great experiences on how LinkedIn has helped you in your business, share them with us through the comments section below.

Check out the EO Melbourne LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/eo-melbourne.

How to become an impactful public speaker

Every entrepreneur has a good story to tell. But, how do you tell a story and make a difference? How do you deal with stage fright? How do you make sure that you create an impact every time you come in front of the audience? Some of our EO Melbourne members share how they overcome this fear and make sure that their story and learnings reach their audience effectively.

We’ve got help from Appscore Co-Founder and Managing Director Alex Louey; Punchy Digital Media Managing Director Anthony Lam; WooHah Productions Founder and Director Arosh Fernando; DWM Solutions Director/General Manager and Professional EOS Implementer Jeni Clift; and Foundr Magazine CEO and Publisher Nathan Chan, who shared with us their learnings on how to become an impactful public speaker.

Preparation

“Public Speaking is something I enjoy doing, although I still get nervous after 20 years. But I know this is a good thing as preparation is key to a flawless presentation in any public speaking event,” Arosh Fernando pointed out.

This is why many public speakers always say this, “Practice, practice, practice,” which Anthony Lam also reiterated. “The first proper public speaking event I did was the Digital Marketing Summit 3 years ago. I practised the presentation until I knew it by heart. I had 4 weeks to learn and I practised 2-3 times throughout the day. But having done it once, I think it would be pretty easy to do it again, going forward,” Anthony enthused.

Proper preparation also includes putting together the right materials needed for the presentation. “Make sure your slides don't have too much text,” Nathan Chan stated, to which Jeni Clift added, “Just a handful of slides – not death by PowerPoint.”

Connecting with the audience

Being able to resonate with your audience is an important factor in a powerful presentation. “Really make sure that you understand the audience you are speaking to,” Nathan remarked. That entails “Talking TO the audience and not to the lectern or the screen behind you,” as Jeni advised.

In order to keep your audience focused on your message, “Keep still and stay in control of your hands. It is so distracting for people to be pacing the stage or waving their hands around as that will probably make you lose your audience,” Jeni added.

It also helps that you acknowledge your audience every now and then during your presentation. “My biggest tip for public speaking is to pump up your audience by telling them how amazing they are,” Alex Louey said.

On the other hand, Anthony shared an interesting insight. “Lower the bar. I always try to share very advanced tips, which I find they confuse the audience at times. It's always better to lower the bar on how ‘amazing’ the content needs to be and keep it simple. More times than not, what I find as ‘common knowledge’ is what the audience will relate to and find most interesting,” he stated.

Delivery and presentation proper

Once you have prepared well and connected with your audience, be mindful of the delivery of your messages. Arosh’s tip is to break it into segments. “Have an intro or icebreaker, make your content interesting like ‘5 Things I Love Doing When Public Speaking’, and highlight the value and summary. This helps the content to stick because sticky content is what people remember. Keeping it short and sharp will make it impactful rather than long drawn out speeches,” he shared.

For Alex, it is also important that you “slow down your speaking by pausing so you don’t sound rushed.”

Moreover, a good story can make the audience relate to you and remember what you are trying to convey. “I love to use a story to articulate what I need to get across,” Arosh said. This is echoed by Nathan, “Tell as many stories as you can. They are what people remember the most. Lastly, be vulnerable.”

These are simple yet very helpful tips for those who may soon be facing a group of people to speak about their business or a particular topic. If you have additional tips on public speaking that you’d want to share, please feel free to drop them in our comment section below.

Ways to motivate your staff at work: 5 tips from EO Melbourne Members

One of the factors of a successful business is having a strong and dedicated team that keeps the organisation running like a well-oiled machine. However, no matter how passionate, hardworking and talented your people are, they still experience exhaustion, burnout, boredom, frustration, disappointment and all other things that may slow down or hinder your progress.

Your workforce is an important asset of your business. It is just fitting that you look after their welfare and keep them motivated at work to inspire them to do their best, perform well and hit their targets. EO Melbourne members share various ways on how to encourage your team members and inspire them to keep going.

Communicate your vision and plans

Having a shared vision and goal, such as where you want to bring the business and how you want to get there, is essential in leading a team. Apart from being transparent when it comes to your objectives and plans for your enterprise, there are also advantages when you present to them how they can grow and develop within your organisation because it helps them to visualise and understand that when your business advances, it also has a positive ripple effect on them.

A helpful tip from John Liston, Director at Liston Newton Advisory is “I try to communicate clearly the vision of the business and where we are going together. The vision of the business is that we grow in size, and there are more opportunities for career growth, development and personal wealth for all those involved. The price of admission to be on that journey is that all staff own their numbers and hit their targets.” 

Give affirmation

Sometimes, all it takes is a little push or a few words of encouragement to bring out the best in them. Trusting in your team’s capabilities enables them to prove themselves worthy of such trust and empowers them to come up with strategies and plans that will help them achieve their targets. Affirming their good works also emboldens them to always put their best foot forward in everything they do. That is why Carlo Santoro, Founder of RetailCare, makes sure that he is “standing alongside the team at all times and giving them deep confidence in their skills and ability.”

Conduct regular huddles

Constant interaction and communication is key to a stronger team. And even when some of your staff may be working from home or in remote locations, find time to have regular contact and huddles to discuss various updates, concerns and other aspects of their job and areas that may also be affecting their work. Take this also as an opportunity to talk about light matters that can make your regular meetings more interesting and fun.

As an example, Punchy Digital Media Managing Director Anthony Lam shared, “One of my favourite things that we do is we start our Friday weekly huddle with a communication starter and go around the team. These can range from light-hearted to some very deep questions that let us learn more about each other.”

Jason Ellenport and his team at Edison Partners also do something similar to what Anthony imparted. “During the lockdown, we ran regular short 30-minute daily WIP sessions to ensure the team was on the same page. This was supplemented by a ‘Friday drinks’ session to maintain informal team interaction and culture,” Jason conveyed.

Have some fun activities with the staff

Organise some fun activities and interesting initiatives for you and your team outside of your regular meetings. You can do team building sessions or have monthly or quarterly get-togethers or arrange for small put a hobby corner at your workplace. There are many things you can do and you can even tap on your staff to take the initiative on this. Sometimes, it’s good to see the various sides of your team members where they are not confined to stiff and structured environments.

Professional EOS Implementer and the Director/General Manager of DWM Solutions Jeni Clift shares a brilliant idea on how to inject enjoyment in the workplace. “I am an eDISC Practitioner and run some activities around the different behaviour styles to give people a greater understanding of how different people behave. One of these is set in a pretend café and is always different and fun.”

Reward them for a job well done

Having a reward system is one of the methods business owners implement in organisations because it’s a key motivation as well as a form of recognition to those who do their job well and even beyond expectations. Some rewards may come in the form of incentives, awards, promotions or gifts. It’s also important that you understand the kind of remunerations that will appeal to your team. There may be those who appreciate getting material gifts while others may prefer having a one-of-a-kind experience.

One example is going on trips like how Nathan Chan, CEO and Publisher of Foundr Magazine, and his team has done. “We did an all-expenses-paid trip with our team to Thailand for hitting our annual revenue goal targets. It was an incredible shared experience and brought the team closer together.”

There are various ways to encourage your staff to perform well and achieve their goals and targets. Please share with us your experience on how you have done it in your organisation through the comment section below. We’d love to hear your story as it may also inspire others to do the same.

EO Melbourne members share their secret recipes for Social Media Success

With billions of people worldwide using the internet and social media for their day-to-day activities, it is no question as to why many companies and brands turn to social networks to engage their customers and target market. The big question is how to do it successfully?

Robert Tadros, CEO of Impressive Digital:

LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram

“Our approach is multi-faceted,” Robert stated. “Generally, we’ll pick a content vertical that we’re focusing on for the month. Then we ensure that our website content, such as pillar pages, subcategory pages and blogs, is up-to-date before we map out the various posts across our channels to support this vertical. This provides social signals for SEO performance.”

The key thing that Robert points out is to have different posts for different social networks. He explains, “We tailor our content in each platform. LinkedIn has previously been geared towards recruitment for us, but we’re now experimenting with curating a marketing industry newsfeed, while Facebook will be geared towards knowledge and results, and Instagram for recruitment and in-the-moment content.”

He also acknowledged that for the majority of platforms, exposure is difficult to achieve without amplification. “We do this if it’s beneficial to our campaigns. Otherwise, we don’t underestimate the value of our team’s personal and professional networks. You’ll frequently see posts shared by Impressive staff, which highlights that our true value as a company is collaboration.”

Hannah Vasicek, Founder and Director of Francesca Collections:

Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

As a retail brand with mortar-and-brick stores and an online shop, Francesca Collections has to constantly reach out to their current and prospective customers to let them know of latest and available designs as well as updates and other offers. Hannah and her team use social media as one of the tools to communicate and build relationships with their clientele and keep the public informed of their products and services.

She finds that engagement is key to get the audience interested in the brand. “Currently, we plan our posts based on engaging educational content leading onto a 'sell'. We have found that by communicating to our audience by asking them a question like 'which product do you like better' really gets engagement up! Our audience loves being involved and it also provides social proof.,” she expressed.

Hannah cites planning well as an important factor in social media success. It includes coming up with creative content and implementing it with the right timing. “We plan a week ahead of time and schedule all of our posts,” she said.

While they generate content on various social media platforms and grow their audience organically, they also place advertisements on Facebook to boost their reach and visibility, which often help convert readers into buyers. “Facebook ads remain our highest return on investment,” she declared.

Nathan Chan, CEO and Publisher of Foundr:

Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

Creating and generating regular content for its magazine, podcast and website, Foundr has developed and continues to develop a wide audience and astonishing reach through social media. With over 2.4 million followers on Instagram, more than 840,000 followers on Facebook, and 101,000 plus subscribers on YouTube, it seems that Foundr has found the key on how to reach out to more users.

“We plan our social posts by having a social schedule working 4-6 weeks in advance. The method we use is providing quality content on a consistent basis at scale. We promote articles, videos and quotes or infographics. Our method is very effective,” Nathan declared.

For Facebook, they invest in it by putting out ads on this platform. “We spend millions of dollars every year to build the reach of our brand and acquire new customers profitability,” he substantiated.

On the other hand, it is organic audience-building for their Instagram account. “We have one of the largest Instagram accounts in our niche. This allows us to build top of funnel awareness for our brand, as well as provide value, educate our audience with engaging content and sell Foundr products.”

Similarly, their YouTube reach is organic. “What we do is we produce many videos for community to build trust, develop top of funnel awareness and sell Foundr products. We’ve found that video is a very powerful tool to build a relationship with our audience versus other mediums,” Nathan shared.

Tom Caw, Founder and Director of Untitled Group Australia:

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

Untitled Group is a Melbourne-based collective that produces a variety of unique festivals, tours and events within Australia and abroad. Taking an innovative approach on how they do things, they also make the most of social media in reaching out to their audiences in promoting their events, artists and music.

According to Tom, “Our social media posts are planned around previous posts by reviewing how effective they were. For example, we look out for posts that performed well and then try and replicate that style of content or copy in future posts. If you try a new style of post or content or copy and you notice it is not performing well, it is important to recognise this immediately and adjust your strategy.”

Tom finds this method effective but recognises that other factors can affect the reach and engagement. “These factors can be the time of the day it is posted, day of the week it is posted or something happening in the community that day like a major announcement that will overshadow your post.  Also, do you usually put money on your posts or do you let them go organically? There are a lot of factors that need to be considered when strategising, planning and reviewing your social media posts,” he quipped.

How about you? What social media platforms do you use for your business? Comment below your experience.