第四輯? TEST 2

One of the best methods of using time effectively and controlling procrastination is to plan when you will do specific tasks.

If you've been using the “I do what I feel like doing when I feel like doing it” method of time management and would like to reduce the stress, procrastination, and guilt that go with it，consider trying a flexible time plan like the one discussed below.

Planning does not mean following a rigid, military-like schedule; rather, it means making intelligent decisions about when it is easiest and most efficient to get your work done.

Time management means working smarter, not necessarily harder, and a good time plan is the key.

Know your milestones. The starting point for work is the project schedule. This is what tells you what you're working towards and when you have to achieve it by. If you know your milestones then you have a much better chance of sticking to them.

Plan ahead. How far ahead you need to plan probably depends on how complex the project is and how pushed you are for time. In terms of detailed planning I like to look a week ahead.

I feel that if you try and pan further ahead than this you will need to build in a lot of? contingency as unexpected situations are sure to arise in the meantime.

Prioritize. it's easy to look at the list of things to do and cherry pick the easy ones first. This is not a great long term approach.

You need to be honest and choose the ones which are most urgent regardless of whether you want to do them or not. They will need done at some point so it might as well be now rather than when they become really urgent.

Certainly in the world of project management, the degree of success is directly linked to achieving cooperation between team members, managers, departments and outside consultants. And the key to successful cooperation is ongoing, wide-ranging communication.

Visit the other manager before you finalize the schedule. No matter how restricted you are by an imposed deadline, and no matter how little say you had in choosing your team, you must be prepared to accommodate your team members' managers, work with each manager to resolve it.

Ask for a meeting and present your initial schedual. Ask whether the proposed schedule will cause any conflict with an employee's recurring duties in the department. If there is a sheduling problem, work with each manager to resolve it.

Keep in touch while the project is under way. A weekly status check may be all you need. A three-minute telephone discussion should be enough to double-check schedules.

By working together, you and the department manager will be able to resolve any conflicts that arise and so avoid the kind of breakdowns that way to serious conflicts, both work-related and personal.

Confront the problems, not the people. In some cases, managers will seem unreasonable, unyielding, defensive and uncooperative.

Egos are at play, and no matter how strong a manager is, egos are fragile things. Concentrate on the problem the reaction creates. Ask the manager to suggest a solution that satisfies the departmental of needs as well as the project's needs.

Remain as flexible as possible. Stop and think whenever you find yourself about to say "you told me this wouldn't be a problem". Few departments can judge very far in advance the demands that will be placed on them from above.

Successful project managers stay on schedule and within budget to the extent possible, even when team members from other departments are pulled suddenly. You may have to shift duties to someone else or do the work yourself.

Every time we identify a new market, or considered a new venture or solution, I try to run through these questions before committing the time, energy, and manpower.

Do we have a unique niche or advantage to exploit?

How costly will it be to build, promote, and support? How long will it take to build? How hard is it to support? Are there any legal issues?

Do we have the in-house skills to do it? Or does it need to be outsourced?

Can it be outsourced more affordably while maintaining quality?

Is it the right time to do it? Company? Market? Team?

Will it disrupt, distract, or negatively affect our other work and business in any way?

Are we passionate about it? (Probably the most vital to the success of any project in my opinion)

As with all drivers, it's all about risk. Just as the proverbial "too many eggs in one basket" strategy is risky, so is a small concentration of customers dominating your revenue.

When selling your business, it's important to know that your customer base has a major impact on its value in the marketplace.

A diverse customer base means your revenue comes from a number of clients or customers, not just one or two, and preferably comes from multiple sources other than your primary service.

Simply put, the more customers contributing to your sales revenue without a few dominating that figure, the more valuable your business will be.

Because it reduces the risk of serious cash flow issues.

An enterprise serving a multiple multiplicity of customer types, or customers in unrelated industries, that are not affected by the same economic conditions further mitigates risk.

What would be the impact from the loss of a major customer?

How painless it for the customer to switch to a competitor and what could cause that to happen?

To increase your customer base, it is necessary to stay in constant contact with potential and existing customers and more value your business can offer, the more likely they will remain loyal.

A 5% increase in customer retention can result in a 75% increase in customer value. The challenge is how to improve your retention by 5%.

WeChat users have an average of 229 friends. When you create new content, launch a new product or run a new campaign, be sure you share this across social media channels you are active in.

There is no easier way to grow your customer base than providing value and then having your customers promote your band for you.

Start up businesses need clients - any clients.

Mid-level business need more clients and more money.?

Established, successful businesses need fewer, better, higher-paying clients.

You must get dressed and get out of the house! If you can commit to talking to at least three different people about your business everyday, you'll be amazed at the changes you'll see in your clients, your stress and your income.

You need to do your rage a research, find out where your ideal clients go to network, learn, and grow their businesses - and you need to go there too!

Be there with great, valuable, helpful content, answer questions, assist others, join in conversations, be engaged.

Communicate the core aspects of your business to a stranger in 30 seconds or less in a way that makes sense.