In another great session at BBMK, a Milton Keynes Networking Group, we discussed hints and tips around cash flow, credit control and cash collection.
Here’s some fantastic ideas here to help you ensure that cash remains ‘king’ in your business.
Remember turnover is vanity, profit is sanity and payment is reality!
60 Great Tips for Cash Control, Cash flow and Credit Control
1. Agree payment terms, invoice path, PO Numbers from the outset. Keep a paper trail from debtor day one and if on 30 days softly chase from day 15. Follow with a ‘low impact letter’ on day 31. Follow up every chase call with an email detailing the synopsis of your conversation, i.e. "Further to our conversation earlier today I shall look forward to receiving the cheque on Thursday as promised"
2. Agree the cost for the year with your client and spread the cost over monthly retained payments. It will help win the business and means you can manage your cashflow accordingly
3. Always allow for late payment, it’s unfortunately inevitable. In addition forecast and make a provision for non payment (Bad Debt Provision).
4. ALWAYS send your invoices on the day that they should be raised
5. Systemise your business when you are small – that way when you grow the process is already in place or needs minor ‘tweaking’
6. Ask for a retainer each month to contribute towards your monthly costs allowing you to budget effectively.
7. Be strict from the start – don’t let your clients get into the habit of paying late. If they pay late once and you didn’t address it then they’ll simply pay late again
8. Be up front. When a sale is agreed make sure that the client is clear about the experience they will receive from you and the payment that you expect from them!
9. Change ‘Payment within 30 days of Invoice’ to ‘Payment must be received within 30 days of Invoice’ be clear.
10. Detail interest charges in your Terms and Conditions for late payment and don’t be afraid to apply them to clients that regularly pay outside of the agreed payment terms. Normally the threat of an interest charge is sufficient to receive prompt payment!
11. Credit check every client – if they don’t pass ask for i) Payment Up front ii) Part payment up front iii) Letter from Director on headed paper confirming that payment will be received within terms. If they won’t agree to any of these steps don’t take on the business or look at alternatives like Escrow services.
12. Dedicate a slot of time every day for raising invoices and credit control
13. Discuss payment terms at the earliest opportunity
14. Do as to others as you would yourself like to be treated, i.e. pay your own bills on time! Is nice as it may sound, don’t expect 60 days to pay your suppliers and for your clients to pay you within 30 days.
15. Don’t ‘overtrade’ – it’s a posh term for spending what you haven’t got!
16. Don’t be scared to stop supplying clients if they are behind on payment
17. Don’t extend your payment terms without increasing your charge – why should you?
18. Ensure that you communicate with your client through the payment terns – be open and honest with them and ensure that they know your expectations of receiving payment
19. Factor all business – it might cost a few % but it takes the headache away and factoring firms are extremely good at cash collection!
20. Focus on what you do best in your business and hand over debt collection to professionals. Debt collection agencies do as ‘it says on the tin’ they’re awfully good at debt collection!
21. Send statements midway through the payment terms and follow the statement with a phone call.
22. Don’t feel embarrassed about chasing money for a product/service that your client has been happy with!
23. For big projects where your client is unwilling to commit to a retainer consider an Escrow service. This means your client will pay a third party that will hold the payment until the work is satisfactorily completed. Then when the client is happy with the completed project they will instruct the escrow provider to release the funds. As the supplier you have the ‘peace of mind’ knowing that you will be paid when you complete the project.
24. Get friendly with the person who pays the bill. Often they are not the person that signed the order form and will have more influence in getting your invoice paid to your terms
25. Adopt the GOYA Principle – "Get off your a**e"! i.e. don’t ‘stick your head in the sand’ and wait for payment, be proactive, politely chase it to 30 days. Thereafter if over terms start getting heavier and after 60 days treat it as debt recovery.
26. Handling common credit control excuses:
a. Common Excuse One: "I haven't received your invoice" - send another copy by fax, email and recorded post to the person you spoke to and phone to check it has been received and when you can expect payment.
b. Common Excuse Two: "I'll deal with it shortly" – ask for an email/fax confirming when it will be dealt with
c. Common Excuse Three: "The invoice wasn’t addressed correctly/The company name wasn’t accurate" - send another copy with appropriate amendments by fax, email and recorded post. Call in two days check it has been received, it is accurate and when you can expect payment.
d. Common Excuse Four :"The cheque's in the post" – ask for the cheque number and postal date. Check your address is correct
e. Common Excuse Five :"It didn’t have a Purchase Order Number" – ask for the purchase order number and send another copy with appropriate amendments by fax, email and recorded post. Call in two days check it has been received, it is accurate and when you can expect payment.
27. Have excellent ‘sound and tight’ terms and conditions that have been thoroughly vetted by a commercial solicitor. Invest time and money now to get your terms and conditions right – at some point in the long term you will be grateful that you made this investment
28. If a client is on 30 day terms then send out a statement after 14 days and follow with a call to ensure that the invoice has been received and that it’s all in order
29. If a debtor goes into liquidation take advice but unfortunately in many cases you can do more then stick your ‘head in your hands’ and hope!
30. If delivering a project then 35%/35%/30% payments are better for all parties than 50%/50%. It’s a genuine win-win for all parties that makes the payments easier to bear for your client and ensure you get a greater ‘chunk’ of the payment before the project is completed.
31. If the cost benefit works then factor your business
32. If the economy is going to run smoothly it requires everyone to promptly pay their suppliers.
33. If you are charging a large sum to a client consider spreading the cost over a longer period. But, make sure you charge a premium to spread these payments.
34. If you offer a service then take a deposit to cover your costs. Therefore, even in the worst case of the client not paying you will ‘break even’
35. Keep promoting and advertising your products/services when you are busy
36. Look after your staff, make them as efficient as they can possibly be
37. Maintain ownership of your product until full payment is received. Don’t be afraid to withdraw your service if payment is not received.
38. Make it easy for your client to pay – accept credit cards, debit cards as well as cheques, standing orders and direct debits (which normally require more than two authorised signatories and will therefore take more time)
39. Make your payment terms explicitly clear before starting any work
40. Negotiate favourable terms with your suppliers – ask for a discount for prompt payment
41. Offer a charitable donation if payment is made early or within terms. Increase the amount the earlier that your invoice is paid. Make your client feel good about paying early!
42. Phone your client before sending your invoice. Are they happy with the product/service you’ve provided? The fee we agreed was £x. Therefore you will receive an invoice for x. Payment terms are x days, etc. Can you confirm that the invoice should be addressed to, the invoice address, is a purchase order number required, etc. This has proven to help rapidly reduce debtor days and is a good example of excellent customer service.
43. Put all of your ongoing running costs on direct debit and standing orders so you know how much money is going out and you’ll never be accused of late payment
44. Regularly review your pricing structure and increase prices in line with your own increasing costs
45. Remember in tough times if you’ve been fair to your suppliers and paid them promptly they are more likely to return a favour to you
46. Remember the ‘Battle of the Forms’ – it is the final Terms and Conditions that have been received that will stand in court
47. Picture two men fighting over a cow – one pulling the head and the other pulling the tail both shouting "my cow". Under the cow are two solicitors milking it! Disputes are expensive and should be the last resort after trying every avenue to effectively communicate your case directly with your client.
48. Set up direct debits/standing orders for your clients to pay – it means that you will get paid on time and will allow you to predict your cashflow.
49. Split a large invoice over equal monthly payments and collect by credit card. It is harder for a client to cancel a regular credit card payment than it is a direct debit or standing order.
50. Systemise your business and have a written debt collection process and follow it! Have checks along the process (perhaps automating them) to ensure you keep on top of payment collection
51. Take as much advise as you can when dealing with debt recovery. If you’re not sure how to do it and the correct procedures you will perhaps save money, time and stress by passing over to a debt collection agency.
52. Take credit card details as a form of security/deposit. Charge a cancellation fee for ‘no shows’. Taking credit card payments rapidly improves cash collection
53. Take out bad debt insurance against big projects or even all of your business
54. Make purchases based upon money received and not orders taken!
55. Take your invoice with you when you deliver the product. Perhaps even collect payment at the same time!
56. There is a British Standard and Code of Practise for payment. Adopt this standard and work with clients that have also embraced this standard
57. This needs to be detailed in your Terms and Conditions that your client signs from the outset but put 20% of the cost on the invoice which you will then deduct for payment within terms (many large advertisers do this)
58. Treat anything over 60 days as debt recovery rather than collection – don’t delay in getting heavy after your payment terms are exceeded.
59. With the adage in mind that a carrot always work better than a stick, offer a discount to your customers for payment that is received within 7 days or 14 days from the date of invoice.
60. Your bank will often provide you with a free (or low cost)credit checking service
Once again, great thanks and credit must go to all of the members of BBMK who contributed these fantastic ideas and tips. We hope that you find them useful.
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Friday, 19 September 2008
I am a candidate
Looking for a job can be a very daunting experience; but whilst salary, working hours and working environment should be important factors when considering what kind of job to take, it is also important to place personal interests, the kind of company you want to work for, job prospects and use of skills as the main incentives when beginning the job search.
Looking For a Job
Knowing where to begin a job search might depend on what kind of career you`re looking for but the internet is full of many websites and recruiters that specialise in hiring those in a particular vocation. Some of the larger national newspapers will have weekly job sections which advertise nationally, and local newspapers will usually have a weekly job insert that advertises the latest local opportunities directly from the employers.
The CV
A good CV will give clear and concise details of education and work experience in reverse chronological order, along with a brief description of qualifications and skills gained and responsibilities these included. Don`t forget to include details or explanations of any gaps in your CV such as time taken to go travelling – use these to your advantage by giving a brief description of any relevant experiences or skills you may have learnt here too. Be wary of small making small mistakes such as spelling errors and too many headings and sub-headings – it is the content that really matters; and a CV should always be sent along with a covering letter which should perhaps elaborate on what you`re looking for and why you think you think would make a suitable candidate for the role.
The Interview
A) Interview Preparation
Always try to do a bit of background research on a company before attending an interview: How and when did the company start? What influence does it have on modern markets? Look for any useful information on their website and see how the company presents itself to its clients and customers as it is more than likely they will want a candidate that best reflects that. Try to rehears answers to the typical kinds of questions you will be asked. "Why do you want to work for us?" or, "What qualities do you think you can bring to our company?" Even if this means giving examples of times when you have failed at something, try to show how you learnt from this experience.
B) Interview Presentation
If it`s true that we make up our minds about the people we meet within the first 3 seconds then this needs to be remembered most at interviews. Dresses smartly; even if the job you would be doing doesn`t require formal wear, always make the effort, and there should always be a handshake. Employers will expect you to be nervous but proving you can stay cool under pressure is one of the things they are likely to be looking for.
Tests
Some interviews, particularly those in specialised vocations, may require you to take an aptitude test to assess your numeric and literacy skills, and any other specific qualifications required for the role such as a particular computer program. Try to take your time with these kind of tests, even if you only have a set time in which to complete it – employers are far more likely to want someone who is thorough than someone who is just quick and careless.
So if you think you`re ready, why not begin your search for Civil Engineer Jobs today?
Looking For a Job
Knowing where to begin a job search might depend on what kind of career you`re looking for but the internet is full of many websites and recruiters that specialise in hiring those in a particular vocation. Some of the larger national newspapers will have weekly job sections which advertise nationally, and local newspapers will usually have a weekly job insert that advertises the latest local opportunities directly from the employers.
The CV
A good CV will give clear and concise details of education and work experience in reverse chronological order, along with a brief description of qualifications and skills gained and responsibilities these included. Don`t forget to include details or explanations of any gaps in your CV such as time taken to go travelling – use these to your advantage by giving a brief description of any relevant experiences or skills you may have learnt here too. Be wary of small making small mistakes such as spelling errors and too many headings and sub-headings – it is the content that really matters; and a CV should always be sent along with a covering letter which should perhaps elaborate on what you`re looking for and why you think you think would make a suitable candidate for the role.
The Interview
A) Interview Preparation
Always try to do a bit of background research on a company before attending an interview: How and when did the company start? What influence does it have on modern markets? Look for any useful information on their website and see how the company presents itself to its clients and customers as it is more than likely they will want a candidate that best reflects that. Try to rehears answers to the typical kinds of questions you will be asked. "Why do you want to work for us?" or, "What qualities do you think you can bring to our company?" Even if this means giving examples of times when you have failed at something, try to show how you learnt from this experience.
B) Interview Presentation
If it`s true that we make up our minds about the people we meet within the first 3 seconds then this needs to be remembered most at interviews. Dresses smartly; even if the job you would be doing doesn`t require formal wear, always make the effort, and there should always be a handshake. Employers will expect you to be nervous but proving you can stay cool under pressure is one of the things they are likely to be looking for.
Tests
Some interviews, particularly those in specialised vocations, may require you to take an aptitude test to assess your numeric and literacy skills, and any other specific qualifications required for the role such as a particular computer program. Try to take your time with these kind of tests, even if you only have a set time in which to complete it – employers are far more likely to want someone who is thorough than someone who is just quick and careless.
So if you think you`re ready, why not begin your search for Civil Engineer Jobs today?
Saturday, 30 August 2008
Telesales Recruitment Launched!
Aaron Wallis has launched www.telesalesrecruitment.co.uk a portal for telesales jobs and telesales recruitment services. Containing telesales jobs together with the latest news from the telesales sector the site has a unique mail list forum and is intended to become a major force to those looking for jobs in telesales.
Friday, 29 August 2008
Sales Engineers - We Salute You!
I was asked recently about what made a really good Sales Engineer and quite honestly I struggled to answer the question.
Having met, I estimate, around 2000 sales engineers across engineering, electronics, scientific, construction, M&E and Instrumentation, it’s fair to say that they vary wildly and good ones are different for radically different reasons.
In reply I used a bit of a clichéd response that I’ve been using for years. And that is “that there are two types of sales engineers; the first is a Sales engineer with a capital ‘S’ and a small ‘e’” - that’s a sales professional selling a technical product that uses his commercial guile and acumen to win a sale, for instance selling components, commodities or manufactured products. The second is a “sales Engineer with a small ‘s’ and a capital ‘E’” and these tend to sell on their technical qualities, experience and qualifications above their raw sales abilities. In essence they provide solutions which are often bespoke to exact need and the sales engineers involved are often published experts in their field.
It was therefore impossible to answer the question in a simple sentence yet made me think about what an absolutely eclectic bunch made up the ‘tour de force’ that are sales engineers! In tribute Aaron Wallis has launched www.thesalesengineer.co.uk which is technical sales website updated weekly with the latest technical news together with the latest sales engineer jobs. To receive a free copy of a newsletter entitled ‘The Sales Engineer’ simply join the mail list
Having met, I estimate, around 2000 sales engineers across engineering, electronics, scientific, construction, M&E and Instrumentation, it’s fair to say that they vary wildly and good ones are different for radically different reasons.
In reply I used a bit of a clichéd response that I’ve been using for years. And that is “that there are two types of sales engineers; the first is a Sales engineer with a capital ‘S’ and a small ‘e’” - that’s a sales professional selling a technical product that uses his commercial guile and acumen to win a sale, for instance selling components, commodities or manufactured products. The second is a “sales Engineer with a small ‘s’ and a capital ‘E’” and these tend to sell on their technical qualities, experience and qualifications above their raw sales abilities. In essence they provide solutions which are often bespoke to exact need and the sales engineers involved are often published experts in their field.
It was therefore impossible to answer the question in a simple sentence yet made me think about what an absolutely eclectic bunch made up the ‘tour de force’ that are sales engineers! In tribute Aaron Wallis has launched www.thesalesengineer.co.uk which is technical sales website updated weekly with the latest technical news together with the latest sales engineer jobs. To receive a free copy of a newsletter entitled ‘The Sales Engineer’ simply join the mail list
The Top Account Management Jobs
Due to numerous requests for a dedicated portal for Account Managers, Aaron Wallis has launched a new website called www.theaccountmanager.co.uk
With news stories that are updated weekly together with links to Account Management Jobs the site is set to be a central resource to Account Managers from all industry sectors. For further information about the site or to register for regular account management news simply visit www.theaccountmanager.co.uk
With news stories that are updated weekly together with links to Account Management Jobs the site is set to be a central resource to Account Managers from all industry sectors. For further information about the site or to register for regular account management news simply visit www.theaccountmanager.co.uk
Site Launched for Instrumentation Sales Professionals
Instrumentation sales professionals have for some time been looking for a resource that details all of the latest industry news and instrumentation sales jobs. Launched in August 2008, www.instrumentationsales.co.uk has been launched by Aaron Wallis, a specialist sales recruitment provider, to fill this void. With weekly news from the instrumentation and process control sector, together with links to specialist instrumentation sales recruitment services, the site has been visited by over five hundred unique visitors in the first month
Looking for Technical Sales News?
Aaron Wallis, a leading UK based technical sales recruitment provider has launched www.technicalsalesjobs.co.uk aimed at sales professionals in electronics, engineering, construction, M&E, science and instrumentation.
This site has weekly updated unique news content together with the latest sales engineer jobs from Aaron Wallis and is aimed at being a significant resource to technical sales professionals from all professions.
This site has weekly updated unique news content together with the latest sales engineer jobs from Aaron Wallis and is aimed at being a significant resource to technical sales professionals from all professions.
FMCG Sales Recruitment
Aaron Wallis has launched www.fmcgsales.co.uk a dedicated portal for FMCG Sales Recruitment and sales jobs in the consumer goods sector. For news from the FMCG sector that is updated weekly simply visit the site or join the mail list
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Aaron Wallis launches new sites
Aaron Wallis launches the following top level domains: www.aaronwallis.biz, www.aaronwallis.eu, www.aaronwallis.mobi, www.aaronwallis.net, www.aaronwallis.org and www.aaronwallis.info
Together with www.aaronwallis.com and the main domain www.aaronwallis.co.uk this specialist UK based sales recuiter now has improved online presence in line with planned growth and strategy.
Together with www.aaronwallis.com and the main domain www.aaronwallis.co.uk this specialist UK based sales recuiter now has improved online presence in line with planned growth and strategy.
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
Finding and Discovering the Meaning to Your Life
Here’s the third of eight connected Meaningful Minutes from New Meaning to help you reflect upon what is important in your life and discover your path
As a human being you respond to a natural call to find or discover meanings. To help find and discover the meaning behind events in your life you can download the third meaningful minute here
If you like it you may want to consider signing up for New Meaning's Meaningful Minutes – a series of weekly exercises to help you understand your meaning and life’s driving purpose.
As a human being you respond to a natural call to find or discover meanings. To help find and discover the meaning behind events in your life you can download the third meaningful minute here
If you like it you may want to consider signing up for New Meaning's Meaningful Minutes – a series of weekly exercises to help you understand your meaning and life’s driving purpose.
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
Indulge in your Easter Chocolate without the Guilt Trip!
Here’s a fantastic article from Peter Moorhead of ‘Celebrate Health and Fitness’, a Milton Keynes personal training business.
Celebrate Easter with Chocolate!
There is no escaping the chocolate at Easter and the temptation is often too difficult to resist, and why should you?
It is not true that chocolate in itself is bad; it is the high fat and sugar content that adds the pounds.
So, rather than deny the simple pleasures of chocolate, choose wisely. A dark organic chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa (70 %+) is a better choice than most milk or white chocolates and even has some important antioxidants. Just don’t overdo it and if you can, enjoy your chocolate with a small handful of nuts. Almonds or walnuts are best.
The protein in the nuts will slow down the rise in your blood sugar levels and lessen the subsequent insulin production that causes your body to get the excess sugar out of your blood stream and store it as fat. What is more, the (good) fats in the nuts will trigger your satiety hormones which say you are full up!
I am told by the best authority I know in chocolate (my beloved wife) that one square of this high coco content chocolate will give you the chocolate buzz you crave –it’s enough, and therefore you get all the good chocolate stuff, without the bad.
You can enjoy your Easter chocolate feast after all, life is a Celebration!
Peter runs Celebrate Health & Fitness, a personal training, healthy lifestyle company based in Milton Keynes. www.celebratehf.co.uk offer a range of services to help improve the general wellbeing of the citizens of Milton Keynes, backed by a 5 star guarantee. Their mission is ‘Let’s Enjoy Life!’
Celebrate Easter with Chocolate!
There is no escaping the chocolate at Easter and the temptation is often too difficult to resist, and why should you?
It is not true that chocolate in itself is bad; it is the high fat and sugar content that adds the pounds.
So, rather than deny the simple pleasures of chocolate, choose wisely. A dark organic chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa (70 %+) is a better choice than most milk or white chocolates and even has some important antioxidants. Just don’t overdo it and if you can, enjoy your chocolate with a small handful of nuts. Almonds or walnuts are best.
The protein in the nuts will slow down the rise in your blood sugar levels and lessen the subsequent insulin production that causes your body to get the excess sugar out of your blood stream and store it as fat. What is more, the (good) fats in the nuts will trigger your satiety hormones which say you are full up!
I am told by the best authority I know in chocolate (my beloved wife) that one square of this high coco content chocolate will give you the chocolate buzz you crave –it’s enough, and therefore you get all the good chocolate stuff, without the bad.
You can enjoy your Easter chocolate feast after all, life is a Celebration!
Peter runs Celebrate Health & Fitness, a personal training, healthy lifestyle company based in Milton Keynes. www.celebratehf.co.uk offer a range of services to help improve the general wellbeing of the citizens of Milton Keynes, backed by a 5 star guarantee. Their mission is ‘Let’s Enjoy Life!’
Sunday, 9 March 2008
Increase Your Sales – Free Articles
The Aaron Wallis website has some great features and articles to download on increasing sales, improving marketing and PR, sales management and business growth in general.
Visit the increase sales part of our site to download free articles. We hope that you like them
Visit the increase sales part of our site to download free articles. We hope that you like them
Karate Black Belts – There’s more to them than you think!
I take my son to Karate every week and he asked about why the highest attainment was a ‘black belt’ rather than a red, yellow, green or purple one.
I explained that in times gone by everyone had a white belt and as you trained longer and harder your black belt eventually became stained with dirt, dust, blood, sweat and tears. So the black belt was simply a reflection of how well and how hard you’d trained over a very long period of time.
Sensei interrupted and said that all originally all karate belts were white and then as time went on and martial arts developed more structure, they were stained according to the level that you had attained.
And here’s the great bit.
Black belts were originally white belts covered in black silk. Then as you trained harder and longer the black silk wore off revealing the white beneath.
This symbolised that no matter how much of a master and expert you were, you were still a beginner. It sent shivers down by spine. Love it!
For more information on Karate visit the Central Federation of Traditional Shotokan Karate Website. It’s a great information portal for everything Karate and has a brilliant section on translation and detailed pictures of the common punches, stances, kicks and kata.
I explained that in times gone by everyone had a white belt and as you trained longer and harder your black belt eventually became stained with dirt, dust, blood, sweat and tears. So the black belt was simply a reflection of how well and how hard you’d trained over a very long period of time.
Sensei interrupted and said that all originally all karate belts were white and then as time went on and martial arts developed more structure, they were stained according to the level that you had attained.
And here’s the great bit.
Black belts were originally white belts covered in black silk. Then as you trained harder and longer the black silk wore off revealing the white beneath.
This symbolised that no matter how much of a master and expert you were, you were still a beginner. It sent shivers down by spine. Love it!
For more information on Karate visit the Central Federation of Traditional Shotokan Karate Website. It’s a great information portal for everything Karate and has a brilliant section on translation and detailed pictures of the common punches, stances, kicks and kata.
The Meaning of Your Life – The Interplay Between Success and Fulfilment
Here’s another great exercise from New Meaning to help you reflect upon what is important in your life.
The exercise will help you define what success and fulfilment means to you.
If you like it you may want to consider signing up for their Meaningful Minutes – a series of weekly exercises to help you understand your meaning and life’s driving purpose.
The exercise will help you define what success and fulfilment means to you.
If you like it you may want to consider signing up for their Meaningful Minutes – a series of weekly exercises to help you understand your meaning and life’s driving purpose.
Exercise to Benefit from an Amazing Gift from Life
If you’re feeling philosophical here’s an exercise from New Meaning to help you reflect upon what is important in your life.
The exercise will help you Discover how to benefit from an Amazing Gift From Life
If you like it you may want to consider signing up for their Meaningful Minutes – a series of weekly exercises to help you understand your meaning and life’s driving purpose.
The exercise will help you Discover how to benefit from an Amazing Gift From Life
If you like it you may want to consider signing up for their Meaningful Minutes – a series of weekly exercises to help you understand your meaning and life’s driving purpose.
What we are, we have become; for we are the product of our experiences
Describing Behaviours, Thoughts and Actions
This is the second in a series of eight connected Meaningful Minutes that you can choose to experiment with to create your own model for finding and shaping personal meaning within your life.
Download the exercise to help find and shape the personal meaning of your life
Visit New Meaning and sign up to their weekly newsletter
Along side the exercise associated with this Meaningful Minute we encourage you to undertake a second daily exercise.
It is quite simple and only takes 5 minutes each day. Just before you go to bed write down (in a journal or notebook) all the experiences that you enjoyed that day. Don't do anything else at this point - just capture these enjoyable experiences.
This is the second in a series of eight connected Meaningful Minutes that you can choose to experiment with to create your own model for finding and shaping personal meaning within your life.
Download the exercise to help find and shape the personal meaning of your life
Visit New Meaning and sign up to their weekly newsletter
Along side the exercise associated with this Meaningful Minute we encourage you to undertake a second daily exercise.
It is quite simple and only takes 5 minutes each day. Just before you go to bed write down (in a journal or notebook) all the experiences that you enjoyed that day. Don't do anything else at this point - just capture these enjoyable experiences.
Saturday, 8 March 2008
The Meaning of Your Future.....
This is the first in a series of eight connected Meaningful Minutes that you can choose to experiment with to create your own model for finding and shaping personal meaning within your life.
Download the First Meaningful Minute
These Meaningful Minutes were written by New Meaning that has a clear vision to ‘provide you with a unique opportunity to explore and interpret personal meaning; define a clear and worthwhile purpose; and shape and energise your work-life contribution’.
Visit New Meaning and sign up to their weekly newsletter
As a Human Being you were created to live in this world and born with the abilities to cope with the changes that occur throughout your life. These abilities help you cope with, manage, or embrace changes that occur in the world you live in. At first glance these abilities seem simplistic and yet if you harness them they are all you need to thrive in a changing world.
Change is a given in life, as are the questions created by change and you can discover your own natural abilities to work with change in any aspect of your life.
I invite you to try these exercises and use them to help you use your human abilities; in turn discovering answers to your own questions and no matter the situations faced.
Discover how the Meanings of Your Future are Tied Directly to the Meanings of Your Past
Download the First Meaningful Minute
These Meaningful Minutes were written by New Meaning that has a clear vision to ‘provide you with a unique opportunity to explore and interpret personal meaning; define a clear and worthwhile purpose; and shape and energise your work-life contribution’.
Visit New Meaning and sign up to their weekly newsletter
As a Human Being you were created to live in this world and born with the abilities to cope with the changes that occur throughout your life. These abilities help you cope with, manage, or embrace changes that occur in the world you live in. At first glance these abilities seem simplistic and yet if you harness them they are all you need to thrive in a changing world.
Change is a given in life, as are the questions created by change and you can discover your own natural abilities to work with change in any aspect of your life.
I invite you to try these exercises and use them to help you use your human abilities; in turn discovering answers to your own questions and no matter the situations faced.
Discover how the Meanings of Your Future are Tied Directly to the Meanings of Your Past
Back To Driving… How to Save Your Back in a Field Sales Role
Here’s a fantastic article written by my Osteopath, Alan Dryer of Joint Solutions in Milton Keynes.
If you drive for a living, (or if you drive extensively for social reasons!), these are great tips to keep you pain free!
Pardon the obvious wordplay, but here at Joint Solutions, a large percentage of the patients we see have back, neck or arm pain which can be attributed to driving for a living!
The fact is, our bodies haven’t evolved to cope with spending lengthy periods in one position, performing repetitive tasks (steering, clutch, brake, changing gear), and to make matters worse, many drivers don’t adjust the seating in their vehicles as much as they might, to alleviate any possible stress on the body.
Top Tips to Help Your Back When Driving
1) Adjust your seat so that you lean slightly to allow your upper back to rest in a natural position. Sitting bolt upright places a continuous stretch on the hamstrings (the muscles at the back of your legs) which in turn, can place a strain on your lower back and pelvis.
2) Make sure you sit high enough – if you don’t, the angle at your hips will be too small – this can produce similar problems to (1) above.
3) Check where you sit in relation to the clutch – if you have to stretch your left leg right out as far as it will go to get the clutch down, you’ll twist your pelvis every time you change gear! Move just close enough that your leg is slightly bent when the clutch is all the way down.
4) We all need to get where we’re going, but try to take a brief break now and again – (it only means pulling into a layby for a minute or two) – stretch your neck in all directions, and if possible, get out, walk round your vehicle and stretch your low back. It sounds time-consuming, but two minutes every now and again, can really help to prevent problems building up.
By the time patients come to see us, their problems have often been building up for years – their bodies tell them it’s time to do something about it, but the damage can’t be undone very quickly – sometimes it takes a considerable length of time.
It’s much better to look after your back and neck to begin with, and perhaps to seek some help to maintain good back health, before it begins to hurt. You wouldn’t wait for your brakes to fail before you took your vehicle to a garage. A regular check up and some mobilisation and muscle treatment could help to prevent all kinds of problems!
Alan Dryer is a Registered Osteopath and runs Joint Solutions a Milton Keynes based multi-disciplinary, practise offering Physiotherapy, Osteopathy, Therapeutic Massage, Sports Therapy, Acupuncture, and Reflexology. Each therapist is registered and fully qualified and where necessary, treatment and advice can be drawn from more than one expert, ensuring patients receive the best possible service. Their mission is to provide ‘Effective Care For Every Body’
If you drive for a living, (or if you drive extensively for social reasons!), these are great tips to keep you pain free!
Pardon the obvious wordplay, but here at Joint Solutions, a large percentage of the patients we see have back, neck or arm pain which can be attributed to driving for a living!
The fact is, our bodies haven’t evolved to cope with spending lengthy periods in one position, performing repetitive tasks (steering, clutch, brake, changing gear), and to make matters worse, many drivers don’t adjust the seating in their vehicles as much as they might, to alleviate any possible stress on the body.
Top Tips to Help Your Back When Driving
1) Adjust your seat so that you lean slightly to allow your upper back to rest in a natural position. Sitting bolt upright places a continuous stretch on the hamstrings (the muscles at the back of your legs) which in turn, can place a strain on your lower back and pelvis.
2) Make sure you sit high enough – if you don’t, the angle at your hips will be too small – this can produce similar problems to (1) above.
3) Check where you sit in relation to the clutch – if you have to stretch your left leg right out as far as it will go to get the clutch down, you’ll twist your pelvis every time you change gear! Move just close enough that your leg is slightly bent when the clutch is all the way down.
4) We all need to get where we’re going, but try to take a brief break now and again – (it only means pulling into a layby for a minute or two) – stretch your neck in all directions, and if possible, get out, walk round your vehicle and stretch your low back. It sounds time-consuming, but two minutes every now and again, can really help to prevent problems building up.
By the time patients come to see us, their problems have often been building up for years – their bodies tell them it’s time to do something about it, but the damage can’t be undone very quickly – sometimes it takes a considerable length of time.
It’s much better to look after your back and neck to begin with, and perhaps to seek some help to maintain good back health, before it begins to hurt. You wouldn’t wait for your brakes to fail before you took your vehicle to a garage. A regular check up and some mobilisation and muscle treatment could help to prevent all kinds of problems!
Alan Dryer is a Registered Osteopath and runs Joint Solutions a Milton Keynes based multi-disciplinary, practise offering Physiotherapy, Osteopathy, Therapeutic Massage, Sports Therapy, Acupuncture, and Reflexology. Each therapist is registered and fully qualified and where necessary, treatment and advice can be drawn from more than one expert, ensuring patients receive the best possible service. Their mission is to provide ‘Effective Care For Every Body’
Five Great Tips to Improve Your Public Speaking
Here’s great tips from a highly experienced voice coach, Cheryl Hawkins of Sound Perfect. These tips are for anyone looking to improve their public speaking voice:
1] Stand in noble stance, leading with the crown of your head and with weight equally balanced through your legs and feet, but without flexing your knees.
2] Combat nerves by breathing OUT and then LETTING the breath back in. Do this 3 times. This has a calming effect.
3] Dry Mouth? With lips closed, chew your tongue discretely. This releases saliva and no-one will notice!
4] Connect your voice to your breath by rolling an rrrrr or by ‘blowing a raspberry’. Feel the abdominal muscles being engaged as you do it.
5] Increase pitch range by exploring the rumble of the lower voice, lips humming loosely together. Feel the vibration in your chest cavity.
Whoop with joy to enjoy the upper end of your voice range.
Apply all this and then say with relish
‘’ Yes..............Once more Laurence/Lydia. That was marvellous!’’
Cheryl Hawkins qualified with distinction from the Royal Academy of Music before spending many years as a professional singer performing throughout the UK and Europe. Cheryl has worked with many celebrities and has recorded for the BBC.
Cheryl now uses her vast knowledge of human voice physiology and production to help anyone that is looking to be vocally more effective.Based in delightful settings on the outskirts of Milton Keynes, Sound Perfect’s mission is to help you ‘Se Your Voice for Impact and Influence’.
Sound Perfect offer free Half Hour taster sessions where you’ll try out some easy techniques to help you take the first steps forward. Cheryl will also give you some practical pointers that will help you keep your audience onside. For more information call 01296 720787 or visit Sound Perfect
Cheryl has also written 7 top tips for a stunning talk or presentation
1] Stand in noble stance, leading with the crown of your head and with weight equally balanced through your legs and feet, but without flexing your knees.
2] Combat nerves by breathing OUT and then LETTING the breath back in. Do this 3 times. This has a calming effect.
3] Dry Mouth? With lips closed, chew your tongue discretely. This releases saliva and no-one will notice!
4] Connect your voice to your breath by rolling an rrrrr or by ‘blowing a raspberry’. Feel the abdominal muscles being engaged as you do it.
5] Increase pitch range by exploring the rumble of the lower voice, lips humming loosely together. Feel the vibration in your chest cavity.
Whoop with joy to enjoy the upper end of your voice range.
Apply all this and then say with relish
‘’ Yes..............Once more Laurence/Lydia. That was marvellous!’’
Cheryl Hawkins qualified with distinction from the Royal Academy of Music before spending many years as a professional singer performing throughout the UK and Europe. Cheryl has worked with many celebrities and has recorded for the BBC.
Cheryl now uses her vast knowledge of human voice physiology and production to help anyone that is looking to be vocally more effective.Based in delightful settings on the outskirts of Milton Keynes, Sound Perfect’s mission is to help you ‘Se Your Voice for Impact and Influence’.
Sound Perfect offer free Half Hour taster sessions where you’ll try out some easy techniques to help you take the first steps forward. Cheryl will also give you some practical pointers that will help you keep your audience onside. For more information call 01296 720787 or visit Sound Perfect
Cheryl has also written 7 top tips for a stunning talk or presentation
Symbolism. Advance!
I love symbolism. I love the way that it’s not always the obvious and when you know the meaning it’s always far more memorable and significant.
Think of the Australian national emblem. It’s a kangaroo and an emu, standing on a wattle bush (Australia’s National Floral Emblem) supporting a shield. Each segment of the shield represents a different state of Australia.
So far pretty mainstream and straight forward.
But why Skippy and Emu? Why not a Koala and a Croc!
Well, often the emblem is emblazoned with the motto ‘Advance’ after the national anthem ‘Advance Australia Fair’
And here’s the great bit.
The beasts were chosen specifically because both Kangaroos and Emus are incapable of walking backwards. Isn’t that great. Symbolism, I love it!
Think of the Australian national emblem. It’s a kangaroo and an emu, standing on a wattle bush (Australia’s National Floral Emblem) supporting a shield. Each segment of the shield represents a different state of Australia.
So far pretty mainstream and straight forward.
But why Skippy and Emu? Why not a Koala and a Croc!
Well, often the emblem is emblazoned with the motto ‘Advance’ after the national anthem ‘Advance Australia Fair’
And here’s the great bit.
The beasts were chosen specifically because both Kangaroos and Emus are incapable of walking backwards. Isn’t that great. Symbolism, I love it!
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
What do you want in your next job? FREE checklist
It’s amazing how many candidates that I register want a new job but aren’t altogether sure what they actually want.
After an Aaron Wallis registration meeting our candidates frequently say that the session really helped them to understand what they wanted (and as importantly what they didn’t want) in their next role.
I’ve broken the questions that we typically ask down into our job search checklist. It’ll take 30 minutes to complete but will enable you to articulate to recruiters and employers exactly what you want and why you want it.
We hope that you find it useful,
All the best, Rob
After an Aaron Wallis registration meeting our candidates frequently say that the session really helped them to understand what they wanted (and as importantly what they didn’t want) in their next role.
I’ve broken the questions that we typically ask down into our job search checklist. It’ll take 30 minutes to complete but will enable you to articulate to recruiters and employers exactly what you want and why you want it.
We hope that you find it useful,
All the best, Rob
Have a bungee jump on us!
I was published in the Financial Times last week and I was rather proud of it!
The article was about employee referral schemes and how innovative recruitment businesses are offering incentives to gain referrals from their candidate and client base.
The journalist that interviewed me had a great name, Rhymer Rigby, and he was impressed by the range of incentives that we offer including flights over London, white-water rafting and bungee jumping four different locations across the UK in a year!
Read the article here and remember that for every candidate that you recommend to Aaron Wallis that we subsequently place you will qualify for one of our choices of incentive gifts. Find out more here
The article was about employee referral schemes and how innovative recruitment businesses are offering incentives to gain referrals from their candidate and client base.
The journalist that interviewed me had a great name, Rhymer Rigby, and he was impressed by the range of incentives that we offer including flights over London, white-water rafting and bungee jumping four different locations across the UK in a year!
Read the article here and remember that for every candidate that you recommend to Aaron Wallis that we subsequently place you will qualify for one of our choices of incentive gifts. Find out more here
Do you really want to achieve your goals, dreams and aspirations?
I was talking to a contact of mine the other day regarding goal setting and he said that he’d been following goal setting principals for the last few years and he hadn’t necessarily achieved his desires and dreams. I asked him to elaborate.
He said that he’d set goals of doubling his income, driving a better car, getting into 32” trousers and moving to a better house. I probed further and he explained how he’d followed all of the golden rules of goals setting. He’d written them down, reviewed them regularly, put them in his wallet so they were close to his heart, etc. etc,
However, he’d missed out on a couple of really fundamental points.
Firstly he hadn’t set milestones along the path to his goals or deadlines for each of them. His goals were simply a shopping list of wants; nothing more than a wish list.
Secondly he hadn’t set any consequences, i.e. what he’d do if he didn’t achieve his goals by the dates he detailed.
But the biggest omission was that he didn’t have a deep down, burning desire to actually achieve his goals!
His partner wanted a better, bigger house and for him to lose a little weight. He was quite comfortable with his thirtysomething paunch and his work-life balance that allowed him to keep up with his hobbies and enjoy the odd beer after work. He didn’t want to eat less, exercise more and work harder, smarter and longer to increase his income and lose a few inches off his weight. He wanted a better car, but mainly this was impress his friends and, on a scale of one to ten of burning desires, it was a flicker rather than an all consuming conflagration!
He didn’t have the ‘spring out of bed every morning’, continuously thinking about it, kind of goal. They weren’t even deep down his own goals. They were someone else’s goals that he was half-heartedly looking to achieve. And, this is the main point, they were goals that he thought he should be setting rather than what he actually wanted!
I explained to him in a ‘kind of roundabout kind of way’ that what the ‘heart doesn't desire your hand won't reach for’. And this got me thinking.
How many of us have set goals that our society and our position in society expects us to. How many of us set them for others; our partners, our loved ones, friends, colleagues and peers. How many of us really know what we really want?
I commonly ask at interview ‘what’s your life goal’ and four times out of five it’s answered – “I want to be a millionaire”. Then, when I delve into the ‘whys’ the answer is most commonly ‘it sounds good’, ‘financial freedom’, ‘enjoy a life of luxuries’ and, more often than not it’s largely superficial, largely ego driven and will probably never materialise.
And this got me thinking some more. In order to set goals you have to really, really, want them. A real guttural, almost instinctual hunger, to achieve your goal. A real 9.9 out of 10. Then it needs a deadline, milestone steps and some idea of how to overcome the inevitable obstacles along your path. Then, well armed with it in your wallet, written down and regularly reviewed, you stand every chance of achieving it.
Based upon what my contact had said about how disillusioned he’d become with goal setting I’ve completely rewritten and re-recorded our Goal Setting and Goal Setting Template. I’ve also devised an accompanying workbook to download with it.
I hope that you like the modifications and it helps you achieve everything that you desire.
Rob Scott is the Managing Director of Aaron Wallis, a UK based sales recruitment provider that offers a wide range of career and life tools including a comprehensive goal setting guide and goal setting template. Visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk for further information.
He said that he’d set goals of doubling his income, driving a better car, getting into 32” trousers and moving to a better house. I probed further and he explained how he’d followed all of the golden rules of goals setting. He’d written them down, reviewed them regularly, put them in his wallet so they were close to his heart, etc. etc,
However, he’d missed out on a couple of really fundamental points.
Firstly he hadn’t set milestones along the path to his goals or deadlines for each of them. His goals were simply a shopping list of wants; nothing more than a wish list.
Secondly he hadn’t set any consequences, i.e. what he’d do if he didn’t achieve his goals by the dates he detailed.
But the biggest omission was that he didn’t have a deep down, burning desire to actually achieve his goals!
His partner wanted a better, bigger house and for him to lose a little weight. He was quite comfortable with his thirtysomething paunch and his work-life balance that allowed him to keep up with his hobbies and enjoy the odd beer after work. He didn’t want to eat less, exercise more and work harder, smarter and longer to increase his income and lose a few inches off his weight. He wanted a better car, but mainly this was impress his friends and, on a scale of one to ten of burning desires, it was a flicker rather than an all consuming conflagration!
He didn’t have the ‘spring out of bed every morning’, continuously thinking about it, kind of goal. They weren’t even deep down his own goals. They were someone else’s goals that he was half-heartedly looking to achieve. And, this is the main point, they were goals that he thought he should be setting rather than what he actually wanted!
I explained to him in a ‘kind of roundabout kind of way’ that what the ‘heart doesn't desire your hand won't reach for’. And this got me thinking.
How many of us have set goals that our society and our position in society expects us to. How many of us set them for others; our partners, our loved ones, friends, colleagues and peers. How many of us really know what we really want?
I commonly ask at interview ‘what’s your life goal’ and four times out of five it’s answered – “I want to be a millionaire”. Then, when I delve into the ‘whys’ the answer is most commonly ‘it sounds good’, ‘financial freedom’, ‘enjoy a life of luxuries’ and, more often than not it’s largely superficial, largely ego driven and will probably never materialise.
And this got me thinking some more. In order to set goals you have to really, really, want them. A real guttural, almost instinctual hunger, to achieve your goal. A real 9.9 out of 10. Then it needs a deadline, milestone steps and some idea of how to overcome the inevitable obstacles along your path. Then, well armed with it in your wallet, written down and regularly reviewed, you stand every chance of achieving it.
Based upon what my contact had said about how disillusioned he’d become with goal setting I’ve completely rewritten and re-recorded our Goal Setting and Goal Setting Template. I’ve also devised an accompanying workbook to download with it.
I hope that you like the modifications and it helps you achieve everything that you desire.
Rob Scott is the Managing Director of Aaron Wallis, a UK based sales recruitment provider that offers a wide range of career and life tools including a comprehensive goal setting guide and goal setting template. Visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk for further information.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Great Links to FREE software and FREE Content from an Open Source Hypocrite
A good friend of mine has a motto – ‘the only thing better than making money is saving money!’ and I hunt high and low to try and get the best possible deals, particularly on software.
However, I’m one of those open source hypocrites. I’m forever informing others of the virtues of Thunderbird and StarOffice yet use Microsoft Outlook and MS Office 2007 myself but hey, ho!
This open source hypocrite therefore details some of his favourite FREE CONTENT and FREE DOWNLOAD sites on http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/favourite_sites_free_downloads_content.php
I hope that you like them, there’s some brilliant sites here.
All the best and have fun, Rob
However, I’m one of those open source hypocrites. I’m forever informing others of the virtues of Thunderbird and StarOffice yet use Microsoft Outlook and MS Office 2007 myself but hey, ho!
This open source hypocrite therefore details some of his favourite FREE CONTENT and FREE DOWNLOAD sites on http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/favourite_sites_free_downloads_content.php
I hope that you like them, there’s some brilliant sites here.
All the best and have fun, Rob
Save money on dry cleaning AND make your suits last longer!
I was moaning to a contact last week that after three dry cleans my suits were so shiny that they were no use. He told me that I was getting it all wrong.
He told me to dab any stains on my suits with a sponge dampened with water and then hang them out to dry on the washing line on a dry, blustery day. Of course I scoffed but fed up with buying a new suit every couple of months I thought I’d give it a try.
Sunday was perfect. It was a crisp, dry and gusty day so I pegged my jackets and suit trousers onto the line. I left them outside for a few hours then hung the jackets on good shaped hangers and clamped the trousers by the hems on trouser hangers and weighted them down with a belt. I left them overnight.
The following morning it was amazing. It really works, the suits were clean, fresh as new and had their shape back. Give it a try!
I was once a suit hanging cynic but am now a convert AND with no perchloroethylenes used it’s got to be better for the environment!
He told me to dab any stains on my suits with a sponge dampened with water and then hang them out to dry on the washing line on a dry, blustery day. Of course I scoffed but fed up with buying a new suit every couple of months I thought I’d give it a try.
Sunday was perfect. It was a crisp, dry and gusty day so I pegged my jackets and suit trousers onto the line. I left them outside for a few hours then hung the jackets on good shaped hangers and clamped the trousers by the hems on trouser hangers and weighted them down with a belt. I left them overnight.
The following morning it was amazing. It really works, the suits were clean, fresh as new and had their shape back. Give it a try!
I was once a suit hanging cynic but am now a convert AND with no perchloroethylenes used it’s got to be better for the environment!
Monday, 7 January 2008
Are you Going to be a Millionaire?
Have you ever dreamt of becoming a millionaire?
Most people have at some point and why not, I don’t blame you! To help you keep a check on your progress Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment has developed a millionaire calculator to see how long it will be before you become the magic millionaire based on your current savings and your monthly saving habits.
To see where you are on your path to ‘Millionaire Status’ , and how you may need to increase your monthly savings simply visit the Candidate Quizzes and Calculators section of http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/ and take the dropdown to Career Quizzes
We hope that you find it fun and that you’re not too disappointed with the outcome. If you are disappointed and need to increase those monthly deposits perhaps you might consider increasing your earning potential by landing a new sales job with Aaron Wallis. Search for a new job at http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/
All the best, Rob
NB Did you know that the only word in the English language that ends in 'mt' is 'dreamt' - well you do now!
Most people have at some point and why not, I don’t blame you! To help you keep a check on your progress Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment has developed a millionaire calculator to see how long it will be before you become the magic millionaire based on your current savings and your monthly saving habits.
To see where you are on your path to ‘Millionaire Status’ , and how you may need to increase your monthly savings simply visit the Candidate Quizzes and Calculators section of http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/ and take the dropdown to Career Quizzes
We hope that you find it fun and that you’re not too disappointed with the outcome. If you are disappointed and need to increase those monthly deposits perhaps you might consider increasing your earning potential by landing a new sales job with Aaron Wallis. Search for a new job at http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/
All the best, Rob
NB Did you know that the only word in the English language that ends in 'mt' is 'dreamt' - well you do now!
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