Issue 1 - March 1, 2003

Editor: Lynne Bullen
lynne@associatedsecretarial.com.au

Publisher: Associated Secretarial
Copyright © 2003 Associated Secretarial

In this issue:

1. Editorial - Welcome!

3. Resources

5. Classifieds

6. Sponsors

7. Feedback

8. Subscribe/Unsubscribe

1. Editorial - Welcome!

Welcome to our new e-zine, "From the Eagle's Nest". Hi, I'm Lynne Bullen. During the coming months, I hope help you with information about the sorts of things that will assist you in your business, whether you're just starting out, or whether you've been in business for years.

So, "What's your claim to fame?" I hear you ask! Well, whatever fame I may have is largely due to people who believed in me, pointed me towards invaluable resources, showed me my potential and mentored me along the way. On the other side of that is this ... I dared to dream. And guess what? Some of my dreams have come true! (I'm working on more dreams when I have those rare quiet times).

I truly believe that trying to do it all on your own is the painful way to go. Why put yourself through the agony? There is help "out there" for almost any kind of quest and all types of questions. You just need to trust yourself to go exploring, believe in yourself and your dreams, and have faith that your dreams can come true.

During the months to come, we will cover a range of subjects, from "Starting Out", "Sourcing, Cultivating and Keeping Your Clients", "Why a Great Website is a Must Have", "Marketing" and more. The information is fresh, clear, understandable and most of all, useful.

Join me and begin a journey that may help you to realise your dream.

In this issue, part one of an eight part article series entitled "So, You Want to be In Business?" deals with what to do first. I have drawn on my own past experiences, including the pitfalls and perils, the hard work and successes it earned me. I've also done some exploring and gathered together information that will help you with a little soul searching, a little researching, and help you to decide what's right for you. Yes, that's right! You have to do a little work, too. Remember, you'll get nothing for nothing.

It can be a bit scary, but again, trust yourself. I hope to take you on a journey of self-discovery, and along the way, I hope that you will realise your business potential. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at lynne@associatedsecretarial.com.au and I'll do my best to put you back on course.

If you're serious about getting into business for yourself, I'm serious about helping you.

So, you want to be in business! Ultimately, it's your decision. No one can make it for you. Read on and find out if you've got what it takes.

Lynne
lynne@associatedsecretarial.com.au

2. Article: So, You Want To Be In Business? Part 1: Starting Out - the Basics

-- Make sure that this is really what you want to do

Your own business! Sounds exciting, doesn't it? Having to get up and cope with traffic every morning will be a thing of the past. There'll be no boss expecting more and more. No work colleagues asking endless questions and hoping you'll sort out their problems for them. Ahhhh ... Bliss!!!!

Think again! This is your business, your income, which in turn will be providing for your lifestyle, including your occasional holiday. You must plan this new venture carefully and nurture your business at every step, and that means really caring about how you go about what you go about. You'll need to be able to plan and
prioritise your day, your week, your month. Time Management is key here. Yes, you're already rather good at that. It's part of the job you're doing for someone else now! Well, let me tell you. It's a whole different thing when you're doing it for yourself.

You will need to get up every morning and go about your usual routine ... what ever it is. About the only thing that will change for you will be that you won't have to be out the door by 7.00am to ensure you'll be at work on time. You will need to choose a time that will be the start of your working day. Stick to it. Start by having a good breakfast. Have your little breaks for tea, coffee, etc., make sure you take time out for lunch. Finish your working day as you normally would. The difference here is that you will not have to fight your way through traffic to get home. You'll be there!

I'm sure you'll think of lots of other advantages in working from home. Those of us who are already doing it will confirm that there are many advantages, but there are tradeoffs, too. They come in the form of having rules for yourself, your family and your friends. Just because you work at home, doesn't mean that family
and friends can impose upon you when they feel like it. Friends who just drop in, children who call you to help with homework - now! or your partner who is asking you to come help find the dog, who's just run off again. These are the things that can eat into your working day (or night, should you choose to do it then).
Check out this website: http://www.flyingsolo.com.au. It's Australian. On the home page it gives you the chance to take a quiz to find out if you've got what it takes to "fly solo".

-- What is the main function of your proposed business venture?

What products or services will you offer? List them and then prioritise them in order of what you do best, the type of work you want to do. This will help you to focus.

-- Do you need a Business Plan?

Most definitely! There are those who would disagree, so, each to his own. Ask your friends who are in business if they have a Business Plan. If the answer is yes, ask them can you have a peek. If you do have a plan, what type is it. There are two quite distinctive Business Plans. One written specifically for the bank
or other potential lenders if you're going to borrow money or you intend to have a partner. The other is the one you write for yourself; what you do, why you're doing it, setting goals and what you hope to achieve are just some aspects of your plan. Keep working on it, even after you've commenced your business. It will
help you keep abreast of changes you may need to make as your business grows. A business plan is no good to you if it's not used regularly. If you've invested time in creating it, keep it updated and stick to the plan.

-- Your Business Name

What's in a name? It should be carefully chosen, not too long, easy to remember and catchy. Be sure that the name you choose for your business reflects what your business is about, or have a tag. (Mine is pretty ordinary - "Lynne Bullen Strategies - Professional Secretarial and Administrative Services" - but with it's tag it does reflect what the business is about. The word "Strategies" is also pertinent). An enterprise which I founded with five other businesswomen also has a name and a tag which reflects what the business is about. "Associated Secretarial ... the perfect solution".

Well, that's it for this issue. Next time, we'll cover Registering Your Business Name, Choosing an Accountant, Taxation and the GST, Setting up your Home Office, and Insurance Matters.

Lynne Bullen is a successful businesswoman whose talents are many. She registered and launched Lynne Bullen Strategies in 1991. She is also the Founder of Associated Secretarial ...the perfect
solution. Lynne is happy to share her knowledge to help others achieve their goals - lynne@associatedsecretial.com.au

3. Resources

Explode your writing profits! The Internet gives you an unbelievable opportunity to rocket your writing career into orbit. If you're feeling that you're not getting your share of the exploding opportunities, the new e-mail workshop, Writing To Sell In the Internet Age, is for you. Click here for more info, with course outline

Ryze business networking -- worth joining! Signup, create and profile and start networking! Meet people from all over the world and from many different fields http://www.ryze.com

What to find a job? An online resource that could be the way to go - http://www.flipdog.com

4. Article: How To Write A Perfect, Selling Ad: Five Easy Tips

I lied.

There's no such animal as the perfect, works-every-time, selling ad.

But I got you to read this far, didn't I? That was the title's purpose --- see Tip Two: Write an attention-grabbing headline.

I didn't lie about these tips, though. They're easy and fun to use. And they work.

=> Tip One: who's the reader? (Or viewer, or listener if you're writing for broadcast.)

Although you're writing for a crowd, it's easiest to write if you imagine you're talking to one particular person.

You can even start writing your first draft with a salutation, as if you were writing a letter: Start with "Dear Elli", and keep writing.

Who is this person? Is she old, young, married? Where does she live? What's her life like? What does she want most? What's she scared of? Why would she be interested in your product? What difference would it make in her life?

Professional copywriters spend a lot of time in this phase of the writing process. You can't motivate someone if you don't know who they are.

=> Tip Two: Write an attention-grabbing headline

Your headline is vital. No one is looking for your ad. You've got to wave and yell at them to get their attention. If you don't get their attention, no sale.

Write a trial headline to get yourself started. This probably won't be the headline you'll use. However, with a trial headline, you've got a corral for your copy. You're writing to that headline.

When you've written a draft of the ad, force yourself, with a timer, to write another twenty headlines in five minutes. (Read the rest of the tips and write the benefits and the response before you write a draft.)

Don't try too hard. Who cares if they're all junk? You're writing lots of headlines to get your subconscious mind to take you seriously, and throw up the PERFECT headline. You'll never achieve this perfect headline with conscious thought. It's a gift from your subconscious, but you have to goose it into cooperating.

You may find a headline you like more than your initial headline. Just substitute it, if it fits. If it doesn't you can write another version of the ad to fit that headline's concept.

=> Tip Three: Write the features first, then work out what the benefits are

Nobody buys a product (or a service) for its own sake. They buy because it benefits them in some way. The benefits are what you're selling.

You're not selling a German Shepherd puppy, you're selling an intelligent, loyal companion and family protector.

You're not selling a car, you're selling travelling comfort, prestige, and a sure-fire babe-magnet.

You're not selling a book, you're selling the adventure of a lifetime, love, romance, and sex.

To get a handle on this, take a sheet of paper and briefly list the features of your product or service on the left.

Then beside the feature, write the corresponding benefit that each feature provides.

Remember --- use the benefits in your ad.

=> Tip Four: Don't forget the response!

I've lost count of the number of ads I've seen everywhere from the Yellow Pages to full display ads costing thousands in magazines, where the copywriter and everyone else forgot the response.

You must tell the reader what you want him to do. You must ask for the sale. Ask the reader to do something: call a number, come into the store, go to a Web site.

This is so important that when I'm writing an ad I always write the required response on a sticky note and tape it to a corner of my monitor. I tape it onto the screen itself, so I can't miss it. (Yes, I have been guilty of forgetting the response. And very embarrassing it was too.)

=> Tip Five: Read it out loud

You've finished the final draft of your ad. Before you show it to anyone else, read it aloud.

You'll pick up redundancies, awkward sentence construction and other nasties when you read the copy aloud.

Author and copywriter Angela Booth crafts words for your
business. Words to sell, educate or persuade. Contact her today
for a free quote: http://www.digital-e.biz/
Free e-zine: Creative Small Biz --- subscribe at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Creative_Small_Biz/

5. Classifieds

Want to start an online business, but you don't really know what to do.......well, that is what MOE is for!!
MOE can help you get started, teach you how to publish your own ezine, fine-tune your promotions and
much more! Subscribe@myownezine.com or visit MOE at http://www.myownezine.com

Quit Your Day Job In A Month Or Less---Work Full-time At Home! Ebook shows you how. 7 Days To Easy-Money---Copywriting Success http://www.digital-e.biz/ebooks.html

6. Sponsors

Got a big project coming up? Need more staff? Stop!!! Don't employ anyone else. Why? The Virtual Assistant has arrived and is ready, willing and able to provide you with professional secretarial and administrative tasks without the on-costs and overheads ... and we do it at our office!. Associated Secretarial will provide you with top quality work, on call and on time. Click here to find out why we are

CREATIVE SMALL BIZ
A free weekly business e-zine for creatives. Turn your creative
talent into a business. For writers, artists, photographers and
other creatives. Sign on at: http://www.digital-e.biz/

7. Feedback

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Copyright & Privacy

From the Eagle's Nest: Copyright © 2003 Lynne Bullen and Associated Secretarial (articles by other individuals copyrighted as indicated). Prior to using Lynne's articles please e-mail her at lynne@associatedsecretarial.com.au - she will provide her bio and a URL link. Thank you.

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