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Business Management Archives - Natalie Crowe Designs | Web Design Company Australia

Category Archives: Business Management

The Importance of working ON your business as well as IN it!

Importance of working ON your business as well as IN it | Business Mentoring Hunter Valley

Business Tip:  Make time to Work ON your business as well as in it!

Hey  guys,
Something I’ve learnt in more than a decade of business as a Web Designer & Business Mentor,  it’s important to work ON your business as well as IN it.  

For me, Working ON and IN my business has had different meanings at different times. However in a nutshell,  if you’re only doing one not the other you run the chance of creating imbalance or feast and famine in your business.

So what on earth am I talking about ?

WORKING ON YOUR BUSINESS:

Working ON your business could include things to improve your business and gain more exposure:

  • Writing a blog post
  • Sharing an update on your social pages
  • Planning out content for your website
  • Creating ideas of how to market your business
  • Making changes to your website
  • Doing product or service research

WORKING IN YOUR BUSINESS:

Whereas, working IN your business usually includes doing the tasks to make revenue:

  • Creating your product or service
  • Engaging with your customers about their orders
  • Following up on accounts/ collecting payment
  • Tasks that are needed to keep your business ticking

Because every business is different. Finding that perfect balance between: Doing enough Marketing VS. Selling / Making / Delivery enough products or services, can be challenging.

Here’s a couple of things you can do:

  1. Schedule time in your diary at least once a month, ideally if you can, once a week , to work ON your business. Look at ways to grow your following, market your business and look at how you can improve the business – what information do your prospects need to know right now?
  2. Whilst you’re working IN your business keep a running list of things you could do – sometimes it can be hard to come up with ideas in the moment so keeping a list of ideas can be super helpful.
  3. Keep track of your progress. After you’ve spent time working ON your business take 5 minutes to summarise and track your progress in a journal – today’s  session I did XYZ and I had these additional ideas.    So next time you go to sit down and work on your business you’ll have a starting point rather than having to reinvent the wheel again.

Business Mentoring Hunter Valley | Australia

One of the many things I love about my business is that it allows me to help you with things just like this!   Working ON your business can be a little daunting and it’s great to have someone who has a technical background however is down to earth and can help you overcome obstacles.

If you’d like to have a chat about your business and see how we can work together on your business to help market and grow your business, please visit our Contact Us page or send me a message via our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/nataliecrowedesigns

Looking for more than just a website designer | Hunter Valley

Easy going Website Design & Business Mentoring

Down to earth Website Designer & Website Help

Hello there lovely,

Nat here, I just thought I’d  stop by the blog and do a little heart to heart post.

It’s 1:52am on Thursday morning.

I’m writing this whilst the thought is fresh in my mind.  Armed with an Ovaltine Hot Chocolate embracing the early hours of the morning – some find it strange, but it’s my optimum working time and most uninterrupted creative period and to be honest when you work with clients all over the world.  You adapt to difference in timing.

I’ve actually been busily working through my ideas on how best I could help others…

Whilst I am working with a heap of clients at the moment…  I want to help more… I want to do more… I want to support more people…

I’ve been in business for 10 years and I’ve worked with 100s of business owners to improve and grow their businesses over this time. 

I have worked with all types of businesses, all types of business owners and all types knowledge and experience.

From business owners who have absolutely no tech experience, through to those who are competent, and all the way back to the experts who just don’t have time to work on their websites and grow their presence.

I spend a great deal of my time working with  and mentoring / training individuals on how to get the most out of their websites. How to get their target market’s attention and to cope with those changes.

Change is inevitable but accepting it is another story…  I help my clients cope with change.

I honestly LOVE the diversity that my business brings… 

Some days I’ll work with corporate clients… it’s very structured and formal in how we operate.. Whilst my style of support doesn’t change, it’s shaped more specifically around collared shirts, procedures and structure.

Other days I’ll have Skype mentoring with clients who grab a cuppa and have chat around what’s happening for them… what goals are they trying to achieve and how we can use the technology in front of them to grow and strengthen their business.

My line of work is SO diverse… Websites are great… I love being able to build infrastructure behind a business. The ins and outs of how it all comes together and how much of an impact it makes… not only for the client, for their family, their clients and the community.

However more often than not, those clients who are regular clients, come to me with the obstacle of needing a website or having a website they’re not happy with… and  are looking for more in their website designer – more support… more guidance and more connectivity than just being a number to some big corporation… 

I LOVE the fact that I AM able to offer that Down To Earth connection and support myself and my family whilst I do something I love.. 

I LOVE the diversity, I LOVE how I’m able to work with so many varied experiences. That looking past all of the stereotypical focus on presentation and “this is what business looks like”…  You must  talk this way, look this way, act this way to be socially accepted. Which is WRONG….

When it boils down to it… Most home based businesses or business start-ups began from humble beginnings.. 

Each business owner at one point or another said ENOUGH is ENOUGH…. taking their own story, their own experiences and their own gifts to impart in the own hands and doing something about it.

I can tell you right now…  That’s NOT how it works..  diversity and difference is a wonderful thing and I find my clients become very comfortable with the factor, I’m honest, realistic and no frills…  

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind the corporate ladder and still can “kick it” with the formal business… but I know damn well that my super customers or customers who generally mesh well; with me and my personality, are business owners – who aren’t fixated on what stereotypical business looks like…

However they ARE wanting genuine support, guidance and someone to hear them out, hold the space and help them work through their obstacles..

I get it… I started my business too from that place. I know what it’s like to have to find means to support your family, keep food on the table and roof over your head.  I too got to the point where I said  ENOUGH is ENOUGH….

I get it that you’ve got big dreams, I understand you have a whole lot of responsibility and I’m all to familiar with the idea that you have very little time carved out to dedicate to you and your goals…. 

Whether your challenges consist of any one or more of the following – then I hear you:

  • You’re a Stay at home parent – with desires to improve your lifestyle.
  • You’ve got a business idea but not sure how to implement it.
  • You’ve got heavy responsibilities from family, child wrangling &/or love ones.
  • You’re currently only on a single income stream and struggling.
  • You’re starting from scratch and wanting help to lay solid foundations.
  • You’re unhappy with the way things currently are in your life  and want some help moving forward. .
  • You’re feeling stuck, you’ve got solid ideas of what you want but not sure how to get there.
  • You keep getting in your own way. Knowing what you “need” however get stuck instead of “doing”
  • Struggling to make ends meet day in and day out.
  • Have an established business but want more from that business.
  • Have ideas and goals for growing your business but need someone to support you and provide accountability
  • Not supported by those around you and need a sounding board.
  • Goals and ambitions for your business and not sure where to start.

At some point or another in the last decade of being in business I’ve been there too, as have many of my existing clients.  We’ve together, overcome many of those obstacles and moved towards a much happier, healthier and abundance outcome and I couldn’t imagine my life and my work any other way.

Paws Up… Who needs help with their website or business?
Web Design & Business Mentoring Hunter Valley

If you think you’d like to discuss your options with regards to your websites and how best to get from where you are now to where you want to be.  Please feel free to send Natalie Crowe Designs a message via our Contact Us Page or connect with me us through the various mediums available:

It all started in 2008

Website Design Hunter Valley | Natalie Crowe Designs

I started my web design business to support my family

Natalie Crowe Designs is a Hunter Valley based website design business which was founded back in 2008. The business was originally created because of my passion for web design and my desire to work, however, I did not have my license at the time and the pending arrival of my daughter limited my ability to work outside the home.

Holding my Diploma in website development, and certificates in business management. I felt that this combination and working for myself would be perfect for our growing family needs. We officially opened our doors 1 month before my daughter was brought into the world and it’s been onward and upwards from there.

My passion was  problem solving and Helping Others

I loved the diversity, the challenges, the ability to provide financial security for my family but also the flexibility
working for myself as a stay at home mum. I had a natural knack for the process of problem solving and helping others to find solutions that supported their businesses, and time and patience to sift through the constantly increasing “sea of information” available and offering the skills and knowledge needed in a personalised and down-to-earth service, which I hear so often, is so hard to find when working with larger companies.

7 Years in business – 2015

Web Design Cessnock | Web Design Maitand | Web Design Australia

A slideshow image from 2015 celebrating 7 years in business.

Seven years on, I am phasing through the next stage of my business. I am working in a career that still “lights me up” as it did in the beginning. One that gives me such drive and motivation. One that can see me “working” until the early hours of the morning, and still get up the next day, ready for a new day with enthusiasm and purpose. Whether that be a consultations for a new client, raising my family and whatever lessons life throws at me, I love my job and can’t imagine doing anything else.

 


NEWS & UPDATES:

10 Year Review | Natalie Crowe Designs | Web Design Cessnock , Web Design Hunter Valley, Web Design Maitland

 


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Call Back Policy

Something that all small businesses need to do is put into place a policy or strategy as to what they’re going to do in relation to dealing with follow ups and “calling clients back”. How many hours a month are you wasting?

One of the biggest issues I’ve seen as a part of my own business is the extended time spent chasing up clients who show expressions of interest in your services but time and time again, one call, two calls, a few emails etc social media connections, later, you look back and see a massive  time loss during chasing those clients and their business.

After analyzing how many hours in a given month, We recorded a minimum 5-10 hours a month of accumulated time, following up calls or chasing clients for information.  Due to this,  Natalie  Crowe Designs has initiated a new policy in terms of Call Backs and follow ups.  In the instance of a first consultation we contact the client twice, if we can’t get hold of them, they’ll receive an automatic email notifying them that we have tired to contact them however we have been unsuccessful, should they wish to organise a scheduled appointment to discuss how Natalie Crowe Designs can best help them, please feel free to contact us on  – 0423285233 or reply.

Imagine what could be achieve with an extra 5-10 hours a month up your sleeve!