Event Date: 23rd June 2010
Location: Mingara Recreation Club. Mingara Road, Tumbi Umbi NSW
Description: This high-energy events draws local business men and women together! Providing you the opportunity to develop your business, market your products and services, grow your networks and facilitate partnerships between business professionals, organisations, retailers and the broader community.
Cost: Free to attend.
Start Time: 3pm
End Time: 9pm
Presented by: Sydney & Central Coast Women’s Network
Link out: click here

All Welcome! The Central Coast Business Expo is the first of four events being presented by Central Coast Women’s Network and Sydney Women’s Network. This is a fabulous opportunity for all businesses, government agencies, retailers, community groups and professional individuals to be part of the action. In 2009 we had approximately 400 people at each event in less than 4 hours!

These special events are the headquarters for showcasing your business in an expo environment. Learn from our business development seminars and workshops, while networking and being entertained. There is also a complimentary cocktail function to conclude each expo.

For the Central Coast Expo, we have the support of local council, Westpac, Telstra, BEC and SEA FM Radio – who are all involved as major sponsors.

ADVERTISING & EXHIBITOR BOOKINGS: For more information, and booking forms for each event, please visit SWN’s Expo / Advertising page.

Locate this event…

Business name: Fletcher Tax Accountants
The Lady in Charge: Janna Fikh
Business Location: Lindfield, NSW
Launch date: January 2009
Business website: www.fletchertaxaccountants.com.au
Twitter URL: follow FletcherTax

How would you sell your business concept to an investor, in 50 words or less?
Mention that you are an accountant at a dinner party and most people are unsure how to respond. Typically, people want advice on reducing (or eliminating) their income taxes or how to open an off-shore bank account. My goal – make tax easy to understand and easy to comply with.

What drove you to go it alone?
Mainly sheer disappointment at the quality of advice and customer service provided to clients. So called ‘little fish’ were not given the proper and efficient advice as their ‘big fish’ counterparts. I recognise that tax and paperwork are hard topics for most business owners, with my main goal being to make tax bearable and more efficient for all of my clients – regardless of their fins’ size!.

In terms of business development, or promotion, what have you invested time or money in that you could have done without?
Promotional flyers. I tried distributing some within my local area, but to no avail.

What’s the most surprising thing (good or bad) you’ve learned about yourself since launching a business?
I’m becoming more and more open to trying new things for the good of my business, like using Twitter and public speaking. One bad thing is that, now, my own paperwork gets delayed! That never happened before.

Do you have a favourite quote, for inspiration?
I have two actually. Would have to be “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Albert Einstein. And, “Forget injuries, never forget kindness.” – Confucius.

What would you change, or introduce to your business, soon as financially able?
Someone to help me with all my social networking, ie. my blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, video marketing, website SEO etc.

Ask Janna a question!

If her story resonates with you, or you’d like to know how she deals with any particular thing – leave your thoughts in the comments box…

In The Making is a SNOBS’ initiative to help promote startup, women business owners. You can read more about it here and, if your business is eligible, please write to us via the contact page.

Event Date: Wed 31st March, 2010
Location: Mondo Organics, 166 Hardgrave Road. West End, Brisbane QLD.
Description: Fusion Luncheons are for dynamic, savvy, funky and entrepreneurial businesswomen. Providing an opportunity to connect and discuss the joys, and challenges, of running your own business. It’s about building a quality network of like-minds – like an ‘alma-mater’, or the women’s equivalent of the ‘old-boys-network’.
Cost: $65
Start Time: 12 noon for 12:30
End Time: 2:30pm
Presented by: Alito
Link out: click here

Sparking ideas, fuelling connections. Fusion is a space for like-minded businesswomen to connect, inspire and be inspired. And discuss the joys… and challenges of building a successful business.

Fusion is about:

• Enjoying the company of other dynamic, savvy, entrepreneurially-minded & funky women.
• Great conversation.
• The sanctity of a space reserved only for other business owners.
• Sharing your experiences and hearing the experiences of others.
• Discovery and inspiration.
• Building a robust network of like-minded women, similar to an ivy-league school alumni association.
• New friendships and working relationships.
• Enjoying great food.

What Fusion is not about:

• A leads club.
• How many business cards you can collect in an hour.
• A social event disguised as business networking.
• Mingling with other women who aren’t business owners and therefore share a different reality to you.
• Finding people to ‘sell’ to.
• Being ‘sold’ to.
• Shallow connections amidst a noisy lunch and a mediocre guest speaker.

To book your space, register online.

Locate this event…

Event Dates: March – June 2010
Locations: Nationwide (see details below).
Description: An inspiring workshop for young women to map out their life goals and take the first steps toward their long term saving and investing goals. Create a clear plan for your future and gain an understanding of how financial knowledge can underpin your success. Get a life and finance makeover and receive a free Napoleon Perdis beauty makeover and book: Flirting with Finance.
Cost: $120 (includes lunch)
Start Time: 9am
End Time: 4:30pm
Presented by: The 10thousandgirl Campaign
Link out: click here

Enjoy a personalised life and finance makeover, as well as a beauty makeover!

What’s involved:

• Interactive 7½ hour workshop: explore ways to create and achieve your life goals in a lighthearted and supportive setting
• Life Planning Workbook: record new thoughts and ideas and work on your personal 10 year life plan and action chart for 2010
• Your Spending Plan: learn about and take the first steps toward your long term saving and investing goals to help you achieve your life plan
• Personal finance book: receive your own copy of the popular modern woman’s guide to financial freedom Flirting with Finance
• A makeover courtesy of NP Set by Napoleon Perdis
• Lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

Over the day you will collate tools and resources and realise what’s possible personally and financially in achieving your life plan, walking away with clarity and a new sense of motivation and confidence.

The aim is to inspire a ripple effect; when a girl knows where she’s heading she is able to help others… her family, friends and local community. We’ve partnered with Opportunity International to ensure the ripple is felt globally, helping women worldwide through a microfinance initiative.

Workshops are taking place nationwide. All dates and locations are listed here. Please book online. For queries please contact Tara Grimshaw 0410 532 995 or tara@10thousandgirl.com

Twitter is an excellent social media marketing tool for online retailers and service providers. At the end of 2009 Twitter had just topped 75 million user accounts. Recent research conducted by Pingdom reports that it’s now serving more than 40 million tweets per day. That equals a lot of opportunity.

There are literally thousands of Twitter tools and tips you can adopt for business benefit. Here are just six suggestions for you.

1. Promote Your Business with Hashtags

Insert hashtags in tweets so they appear in search listings on specific topics. Hashtags are simply a number sign followed by a keyword or phrase, without a space between, ie. #laptops or #wireless.

Twitter users seeking information on the term in your hashtag will see your tweet in the search results. This helps drive online sales because the user is already looking for something and may be researching a product they plan on buying.

Use hashtags when tweeting about product specials, new product launches, general industry information, and more.

2. Build Lists to Provide a Service

Any Twitter user can create a list – to compile the tweets of a group of users – and feed this list to followers. By building relevant lists you can become a useful source of consumer information.

Lists are beneficial to both those being followed and the followers. Once you are “listed” your tweets are automatically fed to an entire group of people who have indicated their interest in the list topic.

Lists appear with the @ sign and creator’s username, followed by the topic, ie. @MissEcommerce/ecommerce. Anyone searching for information on e-commerce can instantly see this is relevant and they should check it out.

Rather than waiting for another user to add your profile to their list, start a list and follow others who tweet on the same topic. Ideally, you will add others who add value to your list by tweeting helpful information, but who are not directly competing with you by selling the same type of products or services.

3. Speak Your Customer’s Language

Offering a translated version of your e-commerce site increases the company’s reach, opening doors to new markets. Twitrans is an application that uses human translators to translate your tweet in minutes.

You just enter the English text and, within an hour, the new version is sent back to your Twitter account. You can have tweets translated to Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish.

This tool makes it simple for businesses operating in any country to reach out to new markets with product launch announcements, special sales, and company information. Without the expense of hiring in-house bilingual staff, or outsourcing for the service.

4. Monitor the Situation

There’s a Twitter tracking tool called Monitter that you can use in a few different ways to benefit your business. It allows you to enter keywords or phrases that are immediately searched for within tweets, in real time.

For example, you can use it to monitor what (if anything) is being said about your business or brand by searching for references people have made to your name on Twitter.

You can also track #hashtags or use Monitter to hunt down potential customers. If you sell hair straighteners you could search ‘hair straighteners’ or ‘hair styling’ or the brand name of your competition. See what people are saying about it, and perhaps try to them onto your product/service instead.

5. Poll Your Followers

Do a quick bit of market research with StrawPoll: “tiny polls in 160 characters”. It’s really easy for your followers to vote, just by replying to you with the number that represents their answer. In our example, 1 = Yes and 2 = No.

You could find out your follower’s favourite product, or just utilise a poll to get some conversation/interaction started.

6. A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

Visual stimulation is a proven method for success when it comes to engaging people. Research by Harvard Business School professor Mikolaj Jan Piskorski – who has spent years studying users of online social networks (SN) – found a great deal of SN popularity can be credited to imagery.

Piskorski says, “Seventy percent of all actions are related to viewing pictures or viewing other people’s profiles.” It’s a socially accepted form of voyeurism which can be used to great effect.

TwitPic is one application you can use to get started. It hosts any photos you upload online, and posts them to your Twitter account as a tweet.

In Summary

Twitter is a proven social media marketing platform. Just remember the “social” aspect of social media marketing and do not simply load up an application that will tweet for you automatically. Increase your chance of success by ensuring that communication goes both ways.

Article contribution by M.L. Miller

And you?

Tell us how you use Twitter for business…

Australia’s mission statement for success includes making our nation one of the most enterprising economies in the world, and the best place to start and grow a business. Hence, all the brilliant resources and support networks at our fingertips!

AusIndustry
An Australian Government business program delivering education and services that build on three key drivers of economic growth – innovation, investment and international competitiveness.

BEC
A nationwide network of Business Enterprise Centres that are recognised as the first and best point of contact for small business operators seeking quality business information, advice and guidance.

Business.gov.au
A whole-of-government service (offering online and phone support) providing essential information on planning, starting and growing your business.

Council of Small Business of Australia
Founded in 1979, in support of small business issues ranging from taxation and workplace relations, through to competition law and retail tenancy.

Enterprise Connect
An Australian Government initiative administered by the DIISR. It comprises two components – the Manufacturing Network and Innovation Centres – and works to provide practical advice and support tailored to their individual firms.

SME Boardroom
An independent social enterprise, established to give SMEs a united voice.

Australian Capital Territory
ACT and Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Business and Industry Development
Canberra Business Point

New South Wales
Department of State and Regional Development
NSW Small Business Chamber
Small Business NSW

Northern Territory
Chamber of Commerce
Department of Business and Employment

Queensland
Business and Industry
Business Development
Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

South Australia
BusinessSA
Doing Business in South Australia
Office of Consumer and Business Affairs

Tasmania
Business Mentor Services Tasmania
Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts
Service Tasmania: Business and Economy
Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Victoria
Business Victoria
Office of the Victorian Small Business Commissioner
Small Business Mentoring Service
Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Western Australia
Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia
Small Business Development Corporation
Young Business Network

Australian Information Industry Association
The nation’s peak industry body for the technology sector.

Australian Institute of Management
For the advancement of education and learning in the field of management and leadership.

Australian Web Industry Association
Represents businesses, individuals and students involved in the web industry.

Australian Writer’s Market Place
Australia and New Zealand’s only guide to the writing industry.

Business Council of Australia
An institution made up of 100 of Australia’s top company CEOs.

National Institute of Accountants
Representing more than 22,000 members and students working in industry, commerce, government, academia and private practice.

Real Estate Institute of Australia
The national association for Australia’s real estate profession.

Service Skills Australia
An industry skills council funded by the Australian Government to support skills development.

Australian Anthill
Business news, information and advice for entrepreneurial businesses, innovative startups and fast-growth SMEs.

BNET
Tools, advice and insight for working professionals.

Dynamicbusiness.com
The online arm of Dynamic Business magazine; Australia’s highest circulating print magazine for SMEs.

Flying Solo
Information and advice for Australia’s solo and micro businesses.

Kochie’s Business Builders
Advice and education resource for small and medium-sized business owners.

myBRC
My Business Resource Centre is an online service and resource for business management, created by MYOB.

Small Business Support Network
Established in 1997, SBSN aims to provide small business with a solid starting point to the online business world.

Switzer.com.au
An online portal for retail investors and small business owners.

This page is a sub-category of SNOBS’ Business Resources. If you’d like to make a suggestion for any of our resource pages, please contact us.

Event Date: Wednesday, March 3 2010
Location: NSW – East Maitland Bowling Club, Bank Street.
Description: This workshop will focus on e-marketing and financial know-how for creative professionals. Learn how to develop an online marketing plan and how to create an e-marketing strategy.
Cost: FREE
Start Time: 8:45am
End Time: 4:30pm
Presented by: Industry & Investment NSW
Link out: click here

This workshop presenter is Carolyn Loton, Principal of Juntos Marketing, who holds a master of Business Administration from Edinburgh University as well as a Diploma in Marketing and Bachelor of Applied Science. Carolyn is a member of the Marketing Women Association, a regular mentor in their mentoring program and a lecturer at the Sydney University Continuing Education Centre.

Learn how to develop an online marketing plan and how to create an e-marketing strategy. Combine this with an understanding of basic profit and loss statements, cash flow and pricing information. This all day workshop will provide you with the know-how to put a price on your product, sell your product, and importantly, profit!

This exciting workshop will provide you with the essential business skill set of marketing and finance, tailored especially for small businesses working in the creative industries.

BOOKINGS: Maximum attendees: 60. Register online to attend this event.

Almost as infuriating as websites with no about page, are websites with no clear organisation of categories. Otherwise known as a site with poor navigation, or usability.

Which is precisely why SNOBS is currently “under construction”. Or, I should say re-construction because what’s unfolding at the site right now is version three of SNOBS… making this our second rebuild in 15 months.

It is a little excessive. Plenty of people would strongly advise you to stop ‘fiddling’ with your site and just get on with making it work; whether that means building your personal brand, selling your products, servicing clients, or keeping the Biscuit Appreciation Society up-to-date.

But I say, part of making your website “work” is being able, and willing, to identify its flaws via constant research, education, testing and surveying. And if by doing this you realise your current setup is not quite hitting the mark, why would you spend another six months trying to flog a dead horse?

The thing I ballsed-up was information architecture. Probably because I’d never heard of it. But also because I come from an “old media” background (I used to be a print media journo) where original and creative terminology is encouraged. Like, instead of calling a publication’s section on computers and the internet, Technology you’d use a clever play on words and name it: Tech Your Time.

But cocky wordsmithery doesn’t fly in the world wide web. Besides baffling users, or boring them (apparently the average continuous attention span of a literate adult is 8 seconds) you also short-change yourself in relation to SEO.

You will definitely not optimise your sites ability to be found in a search if your navigation names and section titles are made-up words, or terms. Like a travel review guide called PostCards, or the web’s most comprehensive list of quilt shops in Australia named Haberdasher’s Heaven.

Below is a list of SNOBS’ worst offenders – for obscure content descriptions – and their new, obvious as mud, titles.

Old section title: Forward Thinking
Contained: articles on innovation and technology.
New section title: Internet & Technology

Old category title: Mind Your Business
Contained: news on government policy, industry standards, legislation, etc.
New category titles: Small Business Updates + The Legalities

and by far the worst…

Old category title: Mushy, Sexy, Cool
Contained: random lists and links for amusing time-wasters.
New category title: n/a (the whole section was, itself, a waste of time).

The golden rule is: simple is more effective than fancy.

Call a spade a spade and stick to using old, familiar words. A good article on this topic is by web usability expert Jakob Nielsen: Use Old Words When Writing for Findability.

New legislation comes into effect on 1st March, 2010 that affects tax agents and BAS service providers. The Tax Agent Services Act 2009 establishes the new Tax Practitioners Board (TBP) that provides for registration of tax agents and BAS agents.

This affects tax agents and those providing a service for completing a BAS in return for a fee (ie. bookkeepers). However, anyone providing BAS services for an employer – and receiving a wage in payment – are not required to register.

So while, in the past, bookkeepers have not required qualifications/memberships to practice, this legislation creates a minimum standard of competency that bookkeepers require.

From March 1st, 2010 you need to register with the Tax Practitioners Board by completing their application and providing necessary documentation. There are eligibility requirements but also transitional arrangements in place for a six month period, starting from March 1st, 2010.

For further information and to determine your eligibility for registration you should visit the Tax Practitioners Board website in particular the FAQ page. Don’t bury your head in the sand on this one, time delays could affect your eligibility particularly under the transitional arrangements.

Business name: S.T. Writing Services
The Lady in Charge: Sharon Thompson
Business Location: Brisbane, QLD
Launch date: November 2009
Business website: www.stwritingservices.net.au

How would you sell your business concept to an investor, in 50 words or less?
I write anything, for anyone: I write copy for advertising, web content, blogs, articles, book chapters, transcriptions and more. I do this with a quick turnaround time, at competitive rates. My process is simple and effective, and clients are always satisfied.

What drove you to go it alone?
I think everyone dreams of working for themselves at some stage, but what really pushed me from the stage of thinking about it to actually doing it, was falling pregnant with my first baby. I wanted to have a flexible timetable, be home-based, and feel that there were no limits to my earning capacity. The only way to do this that I could see was to go freelance, set up my own writing business. I am lucky I have a skill easily transferable to working from home, and it seemed silly to waste!

In terms of business development, or promotion, what have you invested time or money in that you could have done without?
I have managed to get this far without paying for advertising yet, so I feel that this has worked well to this stage. However, in the next few months, I will be looking at paid advertising. Business development-wise, it is still early days, and I am still learning, so it is hard to say – time will tell!

What’s the most surprising thing (good or bad) you’ve learned about yourself since launching a business?
I have learned how vital it is to have the right frame of mind: starting the day in a negative mindset can be poisonous for your business and yourself. As somewhat of a natural pessimist generally, I have learned I can control my thoughts, and in doing so, control how the business is being run. I have also pushed through a lot of tough issues, and so have realised I am more of a fighter than I ever realised! Also, I am not a natural businesswoman, and that side of things is still a challenge.

What do you find the most difficult – and most rewarding – aspects of running your own business?
The most difficult thing is the continuous marketing! As I have often been part of developing marketing strategies, I thought this would be fairly easy for me, but I have discovered marketing yourself as opposed to someone else is a whole new ballgame! Writers are notoriously reclusive and I do find selling myself a little hard. I prefer to let my work speak for itself.
The most rewarding? The feedback – we all love flattery and when a client is pleased with your work, comes back for more or recommends you it is a wonderful feeling.

In The Making is a SNOBS’ initiative to help promote startup, women business owners. You can read more about it here and, if your business is eligible, please write to us via the contact page.