Sometimes even when there’s a lot going on around you, you still need to get work done. What do you do to ensure that you will not be disturbed?

• Use your door – I had a supervisor at a previous job who had a very clear signal for whether she was available to be disturbed or not. When her door was open, it was never a problem to enter her office to ask a question. When her door was closed, you were not to disturb her unless there was an urgent need or an emergency. It was one of the things she shared with you when you were first hired so she set the expectation up front and everybody knew it.

• Block or screen your phone calls – When I was in a meeting with the same supervisor (with the door closed), she would put her phone on “Do Not Disturb” so that her calls went directly to voice mail. In today’s world that is the same as putting your phone on silent.

  Another tip I used when I owned a computer store and would receive almost constant phone calls. There were times when I just had to get some work done, and there were certain people that I still needed to talk to. I told those people to ask for Scott David (adding my middle name) when they called. My staff knew to let those phone calls through and to take a message if the caller didn’t have the “secret code”. I still chuckle at the creativity of this early caller i.d. system.

Protect your productivity. I would suggest that for any business owner you need to have at least some time each week to work undisturbed. Schedule that time for yourself and use these tips (or similar ones) to own your zone.

If you have an office, close your door when you don’t want to be disturbed. If you don’t have a door to close, let those around you know that you would like to be left alone for a certain amount of time.

Turn the ringer off on your phone when it’s appropriate. Or use caller i.d. to screen your calls and know ahead of time who you are going to let in.

What do you need to do to protect your productivity?

Most of us run our lives on a handful of systems. Between our cellphones, our planners and our e-mail inboxes, we have systems in place to organize ourselves and our time. And if you ever doubt the importance of these systems, recall your panic the last time you lost your planner.

Yet as important as these systems are, most of us don’t take advantage of what systems can do to improve our businesses. Systems are simply ways of automating or structuring processes so that they can occur systematically without so much thought or attention—and by more than just one person, so that the business can continue to run even if the owner takes a vacation.

For most of us, there are dozens of similar repetitive tasks, large and small, in our businesses that could be systematized. To identify where you can apply systems, step back and look at your business as objectively as you can. Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

• Where are your frustrations? This is important for two reasons. First, you are more likely to be frustrated if you are redoing tasks that bring no particular satisfaction. Second, you are going to be frustrated if you have to relearn a task or “reinvent the wheel” every time a specific need comes up.
• What is holding back your business? Do you need to generate more prospects? Do you have prospects but a low rate of conversion? Do you convert prospects but lose them as customers through poor follow-through? Strategically focusing on your business this way is more likely to spot high-value opportunities for systemization.
• What causes you stress? Is it sorting out your invoices for your accountant? Finalizing the material for your new program? Preparing for your annual make-or-break tradeshow? Even if you know the steps by heart, systematizing at least part of these stress-inducing activities could yield big benefits to your business—and your well-being.

Tuesday, February 16 Linda Claire Puig from Ready2Go Articles and Ready2Go Ezines will be our guest expert on the Marketing Action Seminar, and will be sharing how to publish an ezine that makes you money. Linda suggests that establishing an expertise requires consistent and intentional efforts. Here are some of her guidelines to follow when using an ezine or newsletter to market your business.

• Fill your newsletter with helpful information that readers can use in their lives. Give suggestions, new ideas, “how to’s,” warnings, resources, tools or advice. You may include brief information about your services, but avoid self-promotion; keep it focused on the benefits of your services.
• Make the newsletter relevant. Whether it is about school bullying, managing conflict at work, healthy ways to age or reduce weight, Internet addiction, changing careers, or finding one’s purpose, make the newsletter current and helpful to your audience.
• Send out your newsletter consistently and regularly. This builds trust and confidence that people can rely on you. It also keeps you in front of your public enough that they grow to associate you with the newsletter and with the services you offer.

Yet a lot of people find publishing their ezine to be very time-consuming—often overwhelming—and they give up.

Join us on the Marketing Action Seminar as Linda Claire Puig shares some of her secrets for making ezines MUCH easier so that you can reap the benefits of a regular, consistent newsletter such as: more clients, more income, more attention, more opportunity.

For more information and to receive the call-in details, click here.

Home-based business owners have a special set of challenges.

• They don’t have a boss telling them what to do so it’s easy to let things go.
• They have to make business decisions by themselves which can paralyze them from making any decision for fear it will be the wrong one.
• Often they are so caught up in day-to-day activities that they do not take the time to plan, organize or evaluate.
• Being on their own much of the time, they can feel isolated and bored leading very quickly to distractions away from growing their business.

You can have a different outcome, but first the right tools need to be in place so you’re working smarter, not harder. I suggest a zone by zone approach where you master the following one at  a time:

• Internal Focus Zone – the mindset that creates your thoughts and feelings
• External Focus Zone – systems and environments
• Internal Action Zone – strategic planning
• External Action Zone – implementation and follow through

To master those zones you need tools and support so that you’re not spinning your wheels.

For a limited time my blog readers can get those tools and support in the FBA Circle. You can even try it out for 2 weeks at no charge using this link.

This four month virtual mentoring program offers home-based business owners a unique zone by zone approach. Each month members master one of their zones with my easy to implement tips and strategies.

 Circle members receive:

• simple and actionable tips each week to stay productive
• 2 monthly seminars over a conference line jam-packed with more strategies to help you stay in action
• a discussion forum with the other members to help you implement the tips and stay moving forward in your business.

If after the 2 weeks, you agree with me that you’re getting exceptional value from the program, you can then sign up for only $1 for another 2 weeks and $37 for each of the remaining 3 months, but you must use this special link.

Where does all this “stuff” come from anyway, and why is it so hard to get rid of?

As business owners, we lead busy lives. If you’re like me and many of my clients, in your busy-ness you don’t take the time to put away items you’ve taken out. It just seems to pile up. You generally know where things are, but often you have to spend time looking for stuff in the pile. Whether you have a neat 4 foot tall pile or a number of small piles all around your office, it is draining your energy.

It’s time to turn your pile into a file. Imagine how good you will feel when you have a clear space. But, where do you start?

I suggest you think of the process for dealing with your clutter as having 2 parts:

1. Handle the current clutter that has piled up.
2. Create and implement a system for keeping your space clear so that the clutter doesn’t get out of hand again.

Both parts of this process must be included in your plan. Otherwise, you will continue to add more clutter at the same time as you are clearing the old stuff. Or you never deal with the old clutter even though you are not adding more to it.

FBA members have the opportunity to learn more about clutter clearing and clutter control on this month’s Lunch ‘n Learn call. For those who’d like to listen to the recording, here’s a link for a free 2 week trial. Check it out. It will change the way you do business.

After sending out a recent offering for the FBA Circle, I received the following question from a potential member:

Can you stand over me with a whip and magically chain me to each task?

I imagine that might be true for many of you. It’s certainly true for me. (By the way, I’m not into whips and chains, but I’m certainly open to the occasional use of magic.)

I want the freedom that comes with being a home-based business owner (in my case it’s RV-based). Yet that brings with it a special set of challenges:

• You don’t have a boss telling you what to do. Without any external deadlines, it’s easy to let things go. And you soon find yourself off track from what you planned for yourself and your business.

• Generally, you have to make business decisions by yourself. It’s all on your shoulders which can paralyze you from making any decisions for fear it will be the wrong one.

• It’s totally up to you to make things happen. If things aren’t going in the right direction, you have to turn the ship pointing the right way. Nobody else is going to do it.

• Often you are so caught up in day-to-day activities that you do not take the time to plan, organize or evaluate.

• Being on your own much of the time, you can feel isolated and bored leading very quickly to distractions that aren’t important for the running of the business.

Does that sound familiar? I have struggled with this ever since I went out on my own as a coach. And, that’s why I created the FBA Circle to help others who have the same struggles.

Here’s how I responded to the potential client:

No, I can’t make you do it.

What I can do is support you with tools, tips and an occasional positive kick in the seat to get into action on those tasks that will move you forward. It’s an emotional muscle; one that I can help you strengthen over time until you are able to make the choices on your own that bring you success and freedom.

Now it’s your turn. What do you think?

A goal without a plan is just a wish. ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery, French writer (1900 – 1944)

How often do your goals turn out to be only a wish? Here’s a great way to stay on top of your desired outcomes.

Start each work day with a quick 2 minute structured check-in.

First, create a list of 5-10 questions to ask yourself during the check-in. These questions should reflect your desired outcomes for the day. Your checklist might look like this:

• What is most important for me to accomplish today?
• What is urgent that must be completed today?
• Have I given myself time for meals and two 15 minute breaks?
• Am I using a timer regularly?
• What else should I add here?

One last thing: Think of this checklist as a work in progress. When the last questions triggers you to become aware of another item for your daily desired outcomes, add a new question to the list to support you in remembering the new item.

Each month the Focused Business Action program offers a teleseminar in which you learn about one aspect of marketing and begin work on the material presented as part of the call. The next Marketing Action Seminar is this Tuesday and our guest expert will be Cathy Goodwin from Copy Cat Copywriting speaking on Copywriting to Hook Your Clients Online. For more information and to register for this free conference call, click here.

Guest post by Cathy Goodwin

Recently a reader asked me: “Do I use the same copywriting for ebooks, websites and sales letters?”

At first, it’s tempting to say, “No way.” After all, when you buy an ebook, you don’t want to read sales copy.

But you can use copywriting ingredients to add spark and zest to just about anything you write for clients and prospects.

Think of adding spices to different dishes as you cook. You might have a dozen spices on your rack, but you can use them in hundreds of dishes.

Here are a few ways to use copywriting tools:

• Assemble your benefits and features before starting to write.

Good cooks assemble ingredients before they begin to fix a meal. (At least that’s what I’m told. Cooking has never been my talent.) You can assemble a big list of benefits and features.

What will your prospects gain from what you write? Will they achieve a measurable outcome that’s important to them? What features in your writing will help them achieve this outcome?

• Sprinkle bullets liberally in your content.

Bullet points are the heart of copywriting. They’re short phrases like, “How 3 easy copywriting techniques will increase your conversion ratios.” Actually, copywriters use several dozen forms of bullets and seek variety.

Bullet points also can add life to your article or blog post. As you write paragraphs, you begin to ask, “Would these points be easier to comprehend in bullet format? Would readers be more likely to read them?” You can also use bullets to create chapter headings and sub-headings.

• Top with a hook that grabs the reader and finish with a powerful call to action.

Whether you write an ebook, post, article or sales letter, you have to grab the reader at the outset. And you want to leave the reader with an answer to the question, “What next?”

When you include a strong, motivating call to action in an ebook, your readers may be more likely to implement your ideas instead of just reading passively. They’ll be more satisfied and, hopefully, closer to finding solutions to their problems.

Of course, you have to be careful with spices. Hopefully, even I suspect that you don’t use cinnamon in a meat loaf (although I’ve been advised to use brown sugar with salmon). However, a more advanced cook knows whether it’s okay to add oregano and bay leaf to omelets, fish and/or hamburger.

Don’t ask me. I just throw things in and hope for the best. Sometimes the result is…interesting. Next time you read website, landing page or ebook content that doesn’t quite work, you might notice that the writer got a list of techniques but wasn’t quite sure how to combine them so the effect is “creatively delicious” instead of “well intentioned but not inviting.”

How do you get more done in your business and have balance in your life? Watch this video for one of the answers. More strategies are available when you join the FBA Program.

You also get to see in the video what I  do in my free time. Enjoy.

Believe it or not, there is more to the Big Rocks story that I shared in the previous posting. (If you’re not remembering where you left off, go ahead and reread the story before continuing.)

The teacher then said, “Let’s continue with our exercise. Is the jar full now?”

By this time the students were on to him. “Probably not,” they said.

The professor then produced two cans of grape soda from under the table and proceeded to pour their entire contents into the jar – effectively filling the empty space between the sand, the pebbles and the rocks. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor “here’s another point: no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of sodas.”

In your life and in your business schedule the big rocks first (what’s most important) and make sure that there’s room for a couple sodas (fun and rejuvenation). If you have too much work or too much play, you will end up either wiped out or bored. Having a good balance of both will bring you a sense of joy as you work hard and play hard.