While training for a marathon last year I really got into listening to Podcasts to make the hours of putting one foot in front of another go quicker. Lucky for me a number of my friends had started their own podcasts which I was able to download onto my trusty iPhone and take with me on my long runs..  

I one of the Podcasts I have become addicted to is Pete Williams and Dominic Goucher’s Preneurcast.  I do know both of these fabulous gentlemen personally, but even if I didn’t this podcast would be on my favourites list!  Why?  

Here is why:-

• They produce a regular podcast – I hate getting into some thing and not know when I can get the next episode.
• They talk about things I am passionate about – marketing online and good old fashioned small business survival.
• They are about way more than just online stuff – any business owner or wana-be business owner will pick up very valuable insights into what it takes to run your own business successfully.
• Every single episode has contained things I want to follow up – now all I need to do is workout how to make notes WHILE I’m running! (I think I might use SIRI a bit more this year)
• My favourite episode was all about Omnifocus (no.25) – which is a Getting Things Done piece of software that is synced across all your mac platforms (Laptop/desktop/ipad/iphone).  I have had it for a few years but like so many thing never really used it – after listen to that episode I have fallen in love with my omnifocus AND I think I’m about to get reacquainted with my old friend Evernote all with the aim of making my work/personal life run more smoothly..  Its all about leverage and using the tools you have
• I can listen to them at double time and therefore listen to more of them

The Preneurcast website is here: http://www.preneurmedia.tv/ along with Dom’s fantastic show notes containing all the resources they have talked about, plus there is a transcript of each episode.  You can also hook up with the Podcast on iTunes of  course

P.S. I have been using Pocketcast on my iPhone to listen to podcasts – I would recommend you check that out too!

Do you have a Facebook Page for your business or organisation?  You need to see this video about the new insights – you can’t improve something if you’re not measuring it & they do it all for you

Click here to check it out: New Facebook Insights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H61WvxOm1AM

Ok, Christmas is only a couple of weeks away – what have you done to thank your current customers/clients for their support during 2011?

The statistics show that a current customer is a lot more valuable to you than a new/potential customer.  A current or past customer has already built a line of communication with you, they already know, like and trust you, as Simon likes to say.  Don’t ever underestimate this in your business – treat your current customers well!  Let them know how much you appreciate them -> send them a Christmas card or small gift, just some thing to say “thank-you”.  When you do this you will feel good, your customers/clients will feel good and 2012 will get off to a fabulous start!

We are very excited and humble to announce that Michon International has won the 2011 Launceston Chamber of Commerce business excellence awards – Entrepreneurial section!

Thank you to the Chamber, Telstra as the award sponsor, the judges and all our loyal clients/friends

The judges said it was Michon’s passion for helping local business to get and grow online that really stood out for them, along with the international flavour of their business, demonstrated in their digital products sold all around the world.

Michon International started in 2002 developing market first digital (information) products which it has and still does sell all over the world..  Simon and Michelle Frost now use this same information developed since 2002 to help local businesses to market online. Staying up with major developments in the online marketing world and then sharing those updates with their clients is a passion that Simon and Michelle hope to be able to share with even more local businesses thanks to this Entrepreneurial award! 

Thats right you can now create pages for your business on Google+, which is a great idea because the more content about your products/services that you can get out there the better!  And of course Google is the main player in town when it comes to getting you traffic to your website..

There is an article here from Search Engine Land which you can read – it explains more

And here is our Michon International Google Page …  and our Smik Web Design Google Page …  We haven’t finished filling them out yet, but it only took about 5 minutes to set each up

What should we do next?

I think we’ll run some workshops before Christmas – time is moving very fast as it does every year nearer you get to Christmas (it really is aptly named the SILLY season!)..

If you’d like to do a workshop with us and learn more about getting online – let me know and I find a place for you, just go through the contact page.

The main problem appears to be that we all know in our head what we need to get out but we have a devil of a time getting it out as fast and as easily as we think we can!  This is quite a frustrating problem that we all have to deal with – I am told that the only way to overcome it is to become a prolific producer of content

This clients issues really rang true for me today as I am having the same problems with this website right now!  In my head I know what I have to do and it feels like it should take no time at all … but it just seems to take for ever to even get the smallest thing done

Oh well heres to slugging it out and getting it done – one bite at a time