BUSINESSLINK NEWSLETTER September 15-22 Web viewBUSINESSLINK NEWSLETTERSME BusinessLink Community...

BUSINESSLINK NEWSLETTER

SME BusinessLink Community Newsletter September 15-22 2012

http://smebusinessslink.com

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BUSINESSLINK NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 15-22

SME BusinessLink Community Newsletter September 15-22 2012

ContentsZIMBABWE’S ECONOMIC FUTURE SUCCESS LIES IN NEW TECHNOLOGY....................37 CRITICAL ACTIONS TO TURN A GREAT IDEA INTO A REAL BUSINESS......................4THE ROAD TO ISO CERTIFICATION- PART 2.........................................................6FACE UP TO YOUR GREATNESS............................................................................8GET FREE HANDBOOK- HR COMPLIANCE: GETTING IT RIGHT!..............................10BUSINESSLINK EVENTS SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012........................................11HOW DO I GENERATE WORD-OF-MOUTH BUZZ FOR MY BUSINESS?.......................14BUSINESSLINK PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE............................................................15PROMOTE YOUR PRODUCTS FOR FREE...............................................................16HOW TO GENERATE ATTENTION AND INTEREST..................................................16IMPORTANT REMINDER: ZIMRA 3RD QPD DUE ON 25TH SEPTEMBER......................185 WAYS TO UTTERLY DESTROY YOUR LAPTOP, SLOWLY BUT SURELY.................19NEW BOOK RELEASE: HEADLESS HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD................................21YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS CLUB: NEW START-UP OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED22

This free weekly newsletter is sent to subscribers on the BusinessLink mailing list. If it has been sent to you in error, or you no longer wish to receive it, please reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line. To subscribe please visit our website or just send an email to [email protected] with SUBSCRIBE on the subject line. Please pass on this newsletter to those in your network.

Don’t miss out on opportunities to grow your businessTo list your profile and / or advertise your products in this newsletter and on the BusinessLink

Community website, please see the back page.

http://smebusinesslink.com

mailto:[email protected]

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Let’s grow the BusinessLink Community togetherPlease send me your thoughts and feedback by

email or post your comments at our facebook page, search for SME Businesslink, or on our website. Invite your friends and contacts to subscribe to the free newsletter and also participate in our activities and accelerate each other’s growth! Best wishes in 2012.

Phillip Chichoni –PublisherCopyright © 2012 Admiral Business Systems (Pvt) Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only. While we consider our sources reliable and take every care to ensure all data is as accurate as possible, we advise readers to consult their professional advisors when making business decisions. The newsletter is


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distributed on the understanding that the publisher is not rendering legal or financial advice and readers use the information herein at their own risk.

Publisher’s Note Zimbabwe’s economic future

success lies in new technologyBy Phillip ChichoniLast Wednesday Apple unveiled the new iPhone 5, which has been eagerly

anticipated by iFans for several months. The latest model incorporates features that had been widely predicted by tech analysts, including a four inch Retina screen, a faster

processor and a two tone design. The new phone is 18% thinner and 20%

smaller than the IPhone 4. In a big move, the phone features global 4G, which I hear Econet and Telecel are working on rolling out.

The battery has also been upgraded. I have been frustrated with my iPhone 3’s battery which didn’t last beyond a couple of hours

when browsing the internet on 3G. This new one is said to last longer, with an estimated eight hours of talk time and 225 hours standby. The price being touted, over US$1,000 for the 64Gig model, will make me stick to my older model for a while until Samsung or the Chinese create an a cheaper imitation.

But we won’t stop appreciating the innovation that keeps on taking place at Cupertino (Apple HQ in California) even after Steve Jobs’ death. It’s that kind of innovative and creative thinking that can propel Zimbabwe forward faster than any half-baked indigenization, agricultural or mining policies that Zimbabwean leaders are seized with.

My applaud goes to visionary companies like Econet and its ZOL subsidiary for their Jumpstart technology challenge. At this year’s edition, young Zimbabwean technology developers came up with new solutions and applications that included the following:

A piracy-proof online electronic book distribution application An offline directory which facilitates easy access to local companies A lost and found application Mtutor, an SMS based- Internet mobile platform tutor for junior students The Real Livestock Marketing System that seeks to revolutionize cattle

trading A mobile based crowd sourcing application A web-based service and application for soccer fans, called Football zone.

I hope the winners of this start-up initiative will use their prize monies wisely and develop viable products and services that customers can buy and use. The prizes amount to US$25,000 in cash seed funding and a similar amount in internet services.


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7 Critical actions to turn a great idea into a real business

By Phillip Chichoni

Thousands of people think up new business ideas every day, but very few get to realize those ideas and turn them into real businesses. What's the difference between those who succeed and those who fail?

The answer lies in these seven crucial decisions that you have to act on. With the odds of success in new business already stacked against you, ignoring these seven actions will inevitably lead to a still-born business that will quickly get forgotten, while you would have wasted your precious time and money. These actions are what the majority of successful entrepreneurs I have spoken to attribute as being key to their success.

1) Set clear goals: your new idea is nothing but a fleeting thought in your mind. If you don’t act on it immediately it will melt away. Write down a set of goals that you want to achieve from that idea. Clear, ambitious and realistic goals set a destination for your business journey. Others, including new staff, investors, suppliers etc will see where you are going only when they understand your goals; otherwise it will be a struggle to get support if people don’t “feel” your mission or your idea has no meaning to them.

2) Identify your market: you know the product or service you want to supply. Now decide who will use or buy it. Select a market that needs and can afford your product. This calls for you to know the market very well and to understand the needs of the people in it. You should understand the problems that affect them so that your product provides a compelling solution to one of them. Too many people make the mistake of getting products first, then start looking for a market. The result is inevitably failure.

3) Raise capital: Every business needs money to pay bills, suppliers and salaries. Decide where the money will come from. Do you have personal savings? That is the best source of capital that will not give you headaches. Some entrepreneurs have managed to start-up by creatively getting funding from customers. If you can get them to pay first, you can raise the crucial start up money you need. Banks are a no-go for start-ups. Family and friends may help, although there is a risk of soured relationships if the business fails.

4) Build your team: you may be very good in your specialized field, but you cannot be good in all aspects of running a business. You need other people with skills and competences that will complement yours. These people will help you build a real business instead of you running around trying to do everything.


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5) Start selling: in the end, your products and services have to sell for your business to make money. If there are no sales, there is no business. Your selling strategy will make a big difference between business growth and failure. You will notice that many people will be reluctant to buy from a start-up, so you need to come up with real value in your offering so as to attract good customers and gain market share. Your product must solve real problems that affect customers, and in a way that is better than competitors’ products.

6) Build the infrastructure for growth: many businesses get stuck in the “first base” forever. The business remains at the same level, supplying the same products and serving the same number of customers for a long time. The business is not able to grow because it is not structured for growth. It won’t be prepared for expansion, opening new branches, hiring more employees and decentralizing management. It is important to set up the infrastructure for growth, including documented business systems, as early as possible so you can take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves,

7) Adapt to change: customer needs, technology, and competitors all evolve, and the very success you achieve by making those first six decisions well could doom your venture to destruction. Unless you can adapt to those changes--seizing new opportunities and guarding against evolving threats--your customers will flee and your venture will decline.

If you want to beat the odds and win in the start-up game, you must make these seven vital choices the right way. Otherwise, you’ll let down yourself as well as your co-founders, customers, investors, and employees.

The BusinessLink team is working on two new handbooks for both new and existing entrepreneurs: “Start-up Toolkit: How to launch your idea into a business in five weeks” and “The Entrepreneur’s Toolkit: Five steps to accelerate your growth”. Don’t miss them when they come out on 1 October.


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Please send your feedback, advice, questions or suggestions to [email protected].

The Road to ISO Certification- Part 2

By the BusinessLink teamHow to get certification to the ISO 9001 Quality Standards. The second of a ten-

part series to help high performance entrepreneurs achieve world class standards.

Getting ISO certified is a prestigious achievement. It opens up major opportunities for your business and shows the world that your firm has graduated into the super league of serious and professional players.

Last week we covered the initial four steps, namely:Step 1: Commitment Step 2: Appoint someone as project managerStep 3: Do a Gap AnalysisStep 4: Map a plan to fill the gaps

The next steps are as follows:


Need a Shelf Company or New Company Registered?

Or want Tax Clearance Fast?Call Phillip Chichoni now

on 0777 774 007Find out about our easy payment plan for new companies today! Prices for shelf companies

range from $220-$280, PBCs (Private Business Corporation) only $90.

We also offer website development, trade mark & brand registration, business plans and all corporate secretarial and

accounting services.


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Step 5: PDSA continuous improvement cyclePDSA cycle is a fundamental quality improvement tool used to improve almost

anything. It is sometimes called Shewhart’s cycle after the inventor, or Deming’s cycle (the quality management guru who made it well known).

This stage takes the most time and effort. Get people involved throughout, so that people help to build it, and so they understand and use the system and opportunities to participate and contribute. A system developed by one person and imposed on others is rarely a good one. The PDSA process is explained in detail in next week’s article.

Step 6: Review your systemAudit it, internally. You will find some problems—if you don’t, you aren’t reviewing or

auditing properly. Resolve the issues you find, using your formal correction procedure/s (one of the requirements) to do it.

Step 7: Approach the SAZ and schedule the external audit

Step 8: Have the external auditThe SAZ audits your quality system against all of the specific requirements of ISO 9001.Step 9: Get the certificate and celebrate!


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Assuming you are successful, of course, you can now get that coveted ISO Certificate. The SAZ will enter your organization onto the official world-wide register of certified organisations. You are now said to be ‘registered (or certified) to ISO 9001 certification’.

The Most Common Mistakes Made with ISO 9001Companies usually make the following mistakes when trying for ISO certification: They don’t really know what they want from their system Don’t make the system work for them Don’t keep it simple Don’t understand the Standard, let alone how to apply it to what they do Don’t know or use a ‘systems approach’ Don’t get the documentation right (the dreaded quality manual) Don’t get their people involved Don’t actually know what they mean by ‘quality’ The biggest one of them all: they don’t follow their own system

Email your feedback and suggestions to [email protected].


Studies show significant benefits of having ISO certificationA number of major purchasers require their suppliers to hold ISO9001 certification. In

addition, studies have identified significant financial benefits for certified organisations. According to the British Assessment Bureau, last year 44% of their certified clients

had won new business. Corbett et al. showed that certified organizations achieved superior return on assets

compared to other-wise similar firms without certification. Chow-Chua et al. showed better overall financial performance for certified firms in

Denmark. Lo et al. identified operational improvements, such as cycle time reduction, inventory

reductions etc. following certification.The benefits of increased domestic market share and international trade, in addition to internal benefits such as customer satisfaction, interdepartmental communications, work processes, and customer/supplier partnerships derived, far exceed any and all initial investments. - Source: www.wikipedia.org.

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Face up to your greatnessBy Milton Kamwendo

Greatness is in your face all the time. It is simple, achievable and accessible. The social noise of negativity around us clouds this simplicity and makes those who are not wary skeptics. It is amazing that when you look at your face, you can see the simple levers of greatness that are available to all of us. We are dispirited when we look at greatness like in imposing edifice, a towering menacing giant and an impossible feat. True greatness is simple, abundant and achievable. Without this belief dominating your mind you can never rise beyond a few dusty inches. So where is greatness?

In Your EyesThe key to greatness is in your eyes - your sight and vision. What you see determines what you believe; what you believe determines what you become. The essence of eyes is vision; it is the ability to see. Where there is no vision there is no destiny.

What you see is determined by how you think. Enlarge your visual range and break free from your limitations. Start seeing a bold new vision and dream of new exciting possibilities. Greatness is not achieved by those who simply dream at night. It is achieved by those who dream with wide open eyes. What you see determines the measure of your vision.

Where others see only a myriad of obstacles, see exploration possibilities. Where other see in impregnable wall, see possibilities for leapfrogging. Where others see death and decay, see life and resurrection. Your vision will always determine your exploits and speed of pursuit.

All eyes can look but not all eyes can see the possibilities, opportunities and the glaring silver lining. Great people see differently. Looking at life like a loser destines you to be one. Looking at life like a winner predisposes you to become one.

Up Your NoseThe sense of smell is one of the most important of five senses. In the animal kingdom it is the satellite navigator that ensures survival. Smell enables taste and opportunity. The sense of smell enables us to sense the presence of something even if we cannot touch or feel it. In my dictionary the nose represents opportunity mindedness.

Great people are opportunity minded; victims are always problem minded. Victims think that the whole world owes them a living. Victims are always waiting on the giant lottery of life to bring them autographed opportunity to their doorstep, if not bedroom.


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Any wonder, victims are always disappointed people with multiple opportunities for blame. Refuse to think, talk and become a victim.

Smell opportunity everywhere you go. When you start smelling for opportunity it starts sniffing out for you and looking up you GPS. The best way to prepare for opportunity is to prepare and position yourself for opportunities that do not as yet exist. Always be ready for the opportunities that you seek. Faith is moving and preparing for what you smell in the air of opportunity which your eyes may not have seen.

Smelling for opportunity starts when you set a clear goal list. Always carry your goals with you. Read them daily and carry them at the top of your head - where your nose is located. Every day is opportunity day. Let every step carry you towards your dream, your vision and the possibilities that you smell in the air of your spirit.

In Your EarsWhat you hear determines what you think. Deliberately position yourself to hear

inspiring things that charge you forward and inspire you. Negativity and cheap gossip is the staple diet of fools. You do not have to wait for other people to inspire you with their words. That would be placing your destiny in the hands of other people. Speak to yourself and program your mind for greatness. Tell yourself where you are going and not where situation is taking you adrift. Some people call this affirmation; other people call it positive confession and whatever you call it, please just speak it to your ears.

When you write out your goals always make sure you make your goals big and inspiring. You can tell if your goal is big enough by the way your mind rebels at the mention of the goal. Small goals will leave you always obsessed with toys. Once you have set your big goals the next step is to verbalize the goals. Speak and verbalize your goals until you believe them yourself. Every morning when you awake read out your goals. Read them with passion and let your ears hear and you will not be where you are for long. All in your MouthYour greatness is in your mouth. The words you spoke have become your reality. to or boom for you speak positively. Refuse to speak like a fool. Your words are shaping your reality. To change your life change the words you have habitually speak. Your vocabulary sells you out as a winner or fool. Never speak to placate the negative people around you. Speak according to your faith and not according to your fears. Let your mouth carry you to your destiny.

With your eyes start envisioning great possibilities. With your nose keep smelling for opportunities for they are abundant. With your ears, get positive input to inspire you and with your mouth speak to your greatness and you will be great. I appreciate your feedback and would value your follow on Twitter:@MiltonKamwendo.

Committed to your greatness. Milton Kamwendo


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Get free handbook- HR Compliance: Getting it right!

If you have friends who may be interested in receiving Job Alerts ask them to send an email with the subject *SUBSCRIBE* to [email protected]

We are working on our website and soon you will be able to view job alerts, register your CV and view our products and services.

We have compiled an HR mini Handbook for non HR Managers called HR Compliance: Getting it right!

We are giving this eBook away free of charge. Should you require a copy, send an email with the subject *HR HANDBOOK* to [email protected] and we will send you a copy!

We also have a vast array of Corporate Training materials on offer should you wish to conduct your own training. These include Trainer and trainee manuals, PowerPoint slides, ice breakers and games. Call and get it now. Refer to this newsletter and get a 20% discount!

*TO GET A DETAILED BROCHURE, CALL US ON 0773 974 669 OR email us on [email protected]

Introducing All About People HR & Recruitment Consultants

A dedicated, young and vibrant HR Consultancy which aims to "mould our services to meet your needs".

Our products and services include:

Pack Recruitment Training and Development HR Outsourcing Corporate Training Materials HR Business

Contact us today on 0773 974 669 / 0772 855 161 for an affordable, professional and unique service. Alternatively, send us an email on [email protected] and we will get back to you.

Buhle TaodzeraManaging Consultant






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Businesslink Events September / October 2012

Networking Breakfast Meeting Thursday 27th September 2012Nigel Chanakira, the founder of Kingdom Bank and franchise holder of Success

Motivation International, will talk about how the Success Motivation Program will change your life.

Venue: ZimCafe Hotel and Conference Centre, Cnr Fife Avenue / 2nd Street, the Avenues, Harare

Time: 0815-0945Fee: BusinessLink Gold Club members $10, non-members $20 Business Plan Classes Saturday 22nd and Wednesday 26th

September Are you an entrepreneur struggling to put together a bankable business plan?

Need to put your business idea into a viable proposal? Or you need to develop a plan to guide you in setting up and / or growing your business?

Then the business plan class is for you. Experienced business plan developer Phillip Chichoni, who has helped scores of entrepreneurs write successful business plans, raise funding and get investors, will help you put your ideas into a powerful and viable business plan. The course comes with full templates, worksheets, software and samples to help you develop your own business plans.

Venue: ZimCafe Hotel and Conference Centre, Cnr Fife Avenue / 2nd Street, the Avenues, Harare

Time: 0830-1300Fee: BusinessLink Gold Club and Young Entrepreneurs Club members $30,

non-members $60Fee covers tuition, handouts, CDs and Business Planning Simplified

handbook, teas, sandwiches and refreshments.

Essential Business Skills Training Workshop (3 days) October 3-5

Are you an entrepreneur skilled in your industry but not well versed with business management, financial management, cash flow planning, marketing and people management skills? Do you want know how you can use the Internet and Social Media tools to accelerate your business’ growth?


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The three day course is designed to empower you with essential skills to improve your competency in managing your business and help you grow and make more profit in the current depressed and highly competitive economy.

The course consists of six modules as follows:Day 1 Business EssentialsModule 1: Setting up the essential infrastructures for building a great business Program your mind for success in business (0900-1030) Five essential legal requirements your business must meet(1050-1150) How to set up and use an effective financial record keeping system (1150-1300)

Module 2: Financial management and cash flow planning Listen to the numbers, numbers don’t lie (1400-1500) How to plan and manage your cash flows to avoid disaster (1515-1630)Day 2 Building a sustainable businessModule 3: How to develop and improve your business model for more

effectiveness and profit Introduction to the various business models and their effectiveness and applicability

(0900-1030) Build an effective team and create a scalable management model (1050-1130) How to avoid mistakes when recruiting employees (1130-1215) The importance of employee contracts, codes of conduct and HR manuals 1215-1300)

Module 4: You need other people How to work on your business, rather than in it (1400-1500) Businesses are built on relationships (1515-1630)

Day 3 Marketing that works to grow your businessModule 5: How to develop an effective marketing strategy + Essentials of Social

Media and Inbound Marketing Six steps to developing an effective marketing strategies (0900-1030) Introduction to the Internet, websites and free Social media tools (1050-1120) How to use the internet and social media to get more customers (1120-1220) Blogging, content marketing and creating buzz to get results (1220-1300)

Module 6: Low cost high impact marketing strategies to grow your business Networking to get more customers and build business relationships (1400-1500) Five tips to sell more quickly(1515-1600)

Presenters: Phillip Chichoni (Business planning expert, consultant and founder of SME

BusinessLink) William Makava (Internet, web design and social media marketing expert and founder of Buhle Taodzera ( Human resources consultant and founder of All About People HR

Consultancy (Pvt) LtdModule Date Time Objective Tangible Result (or you


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get your money back)*1. The basic

essentials of business

Wed Oct 3

0830-1300

To inform owners and help them comply with all

legal requirements of a formal business

A fully legal and tax compliant business

2. Essential record keeping

Wed Oct 3

1400-1630

To equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills of financial record

keeping

You will be able to know how to measure and analyse your business’ profitability, performance and cash flow status and be able to plan

3. How to develop and improve your business model

Thurs Oct 4

0830-1300

To help you develop a profitable and sustainable

business model

Your business will grow and be more profitable and

sustainable

4. You need other people

Thurs Oct 4

1400-1630

To equip entrepreneurs with essential leadership and communication skills

and improve critical relationships

You will communicate and lead people more effectively and get the results you want

from interacting with stakeholders

5. Marketing Strategies that give real results + Essentials of Social Media and Inbound Marketing

Friday Oct 5

0830-1300

To equip entrepreneurs with knowledge and skills

to develop effective marketing strategies and

increase sales. Plus impart knowledge and tactics to make use of the internet

and social media to accelerate business

growth and build customer relationships

You will at least double your revenue within 6

months.Plus you will have a

successful social media presence that actually attracts customers to

your website, resulting in purchases

6. Low cost high impact marketing strategies to grow your business

Friday Oct 5

1400-1600

To empower entrepreneurs with

knowledge and skills to get more customers at low

cost

You will get new customers and sell more at a

low budget

*Our guarantee: We will provide support systems and follow up to ensure you get the results you want. If you are not satisfied with the results after 6 months, we will refund your course fee.

Fees: Full course $200; One day session $75; One module $50All fees include course materials, handouts, teas, refreshments and lunch, plus

certificate of participation. BusinessLink Gold Club members get 40% discount.To book, please complete the Essential Business Skills Training Workshop

booking form, which you can download at http://smebusinesslink.com, or you may request it by email to [email protected], or call our marketing executive, Christine on 0772 854 301.



http://smebusinesslink.com/

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How do I generate word-of-mouth buzz for my business?

Michael HalliganStrong word-of-mouth is the holy grail of marketing. We all talk about it but

very few of us experience any significant benefit from it. There are two primary targets for word-of-mouth spread:

Existing customers – very few will actually talk about you New customers – delight them, and they will want to share the word

Most of us fall into the trap of only targeting our existing customers with word-of-mouth. You have a relationship with them, they’ve been able to see how you act and behave over time and they have enough confidence in you to tell others. It makes sense right?

Surprisingly, most of your word-of-mouth will actually come from new customers that have never before interacted with you. As humans, we prefer to share exciting new experiences that show us to be knowledgeable and at the forefront of news.

Encouraging new customers to share The key to having new customers tell others about your business is to focus on that

first experience. Think about the last business you told someone about. The experience in dealing with them was more enjoyable than you had expected, right?

You can’t be average. Average is word-of-mouth’s worst enemy. The customer needs to feel delighted and you need to exceed their expectations.

How you do that is up to you. It might be through exceptional customer service, a unique sales process or with quirky branding. I’m not fussed – as long as it’s not an average experience!

Encouraging existing customers to share after all these years There’s more to encouraging existing customers to spread the word about your

business than finding a group to target. If they’ve been buying from you without sharing for years, why would they do so now?

You need to give existing customers something new to talk about. If you combine something new and worth talking about with an incentive to share (such as a voucher, free upgrades, etc.) you’ll get a significant increase in word-of-mouth.

A word-of-mouth program For years, businesses like Foxtel have thrived on programs built into their sales cycle

that incentivize new customers to spread word-of-mouth. In Foxtel’s case, they offer a $50 credit to any Foxtel customer that successfully encourages a friend to subscribe.

They know their lifetime customer value and have calculated that they can easily afford an acquisition cost of $50 when the average new customer will spend over $800

a year on the service. Once you’ve enhanced your buying experience, think about what you can afford to give away in return for a sale and work referral requests into your new sales processes.Michael is the founder of Engage Marketing and Plan Lab. His agency specializes in working with small businesses to provide low-cost "guerrilla marketing" campaigns and strategic marketing advice.


http://www.getplanlab.com/

http://www.engagemarketing.com.au/

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BusinessLink publications available

Between now and 30 September, you can get the following publications at half price:

Business Planning Simplified handbook $18 special $9 The Entrepreneurs’ Guide to Starting a Business in Zimbabwe $7 special $4 High Impact Low Cost Marketing Strategies for SMEs $8 special $4 Developing a 3 step strategic plan to grow your business $12 special $6 BusinessLink Starter Pack CD- containing the 4 books on PDF $9 special $4 Seminar DVDs: Accelerate your growth in 2012 $10 special $5 Breakfast meeting DVD: Harnessing the power of Internet and social media to

accelerate your growth special $3Get these publications and DVDs at Crayseal Trading, 5th Floor Hungwe House,

Jason Moyo Avenue, btwn First and Second Street Harare, Lloyd will help you. You will also find our publications at Innov8 Bookshop, 23 G. Silundika Street in Harare.

If you are out of Harare please call us on 0777 774 007 to arrange delivery.


Have you enjoyed or benefitted from any of the

BusinessLink publications or events?

Please post your comments on Facebook

(search for SME Businesslink).

5 winners will get free to the next Networking

breakfast meeting on 21 September, 2012.

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How to Generate Attention and Interest

By Robert Middleton – Action Plan MarketingSomeone asks you what you do and you

respond with your best "elevator speech" but nobody seems to be interested. You write emails and marketing materials that seem to say the right thing, but very few people respond.

You're confused because you've targeted your market, talked about all your benefits and value and still you don't get the response you want.

At this point, you may give up marketing completely. You decide that it's just not worth all the effort if nobody is responding to your message. But you sure would like to have a message that actually worked, that got the attention, interest and response you want.

Is there a "secret marketing formula" that you can apply to marketing your professional serves?

The answer is, "yes," and it's the most important marketing principle you'll ever learn. When you finally understand it, you'll think, "That seems to be completely obvious, why didn't I see that before?"

The secret is this: When you communicate about your services, most people immediately focus on the benefits and value of the service they offer, that is, the focus in on you. "Here's how we can help you, here's what we do for you, here's what you get if you work with us." It's all about "Me, me, me."

It's not that you shouldn't communicate all that information at some point. The secret is that you should never communicate it FIRST! You'll have a lot more success if you communicate it SECOND.

You see, when the first words out of your mouth or in a written document are all about you and what you can do, your prospect is actually turned off. They don't feel listened to. They feel they are being sold to. And that creates immediate resistance.


Promote your products for freeInform other entrepreneurs about your business

and promote your products in this newsletter. Send your materials to [email protected]

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"Here's this person telling all the great things their company can do, and I have no idea if they even understand my situation."

So if you don't talk about YOU first, what do you say?You talk about the prospect, about their situation, their challenges, their problems,

their pain, their frustrations and even their aspirations and goals. In the FIRST words of your marketing message, essentially you are saying: "I

understand you, I feel your pain, and I know what's missing for you now and what it is you want. I've been there before. I completely empathize with your situation."

And there's nothing in the first part of your message that's about you. It's all about them. And guess what? When you're talking about them, they pay attention in a completely different way. And this is what generates attention and interest.

After you've communicated that clearly, only then do you talk about what it is you offer that addresses their situation, makes their challenges easier, solves their problems, eases their pain, lessens their frustration and shows the way to achieving their goals.

What I call this method of marketing communication is "Marketing Syntax." You see, syntax is the order of things. If you say things in the right order, they make sense. If you use the wrong order, you don't connect.

Marketing syntax is simple:1. Talk about their situation, problems and aspirations first. 2. Talk about your outcomes and results second. 3. Talk about stories that demonstrate that someone who was at #1 is now at #2.4. Explain more benefits, as necessary. 5. Make a call-to-action. Invite them to find out more. I won't go into #3–#5 in this article as I want to give you some real examples. Audio Logo - This is the sentence you use when someone asks you what you do.

You want to apply marketing syntax. Imagine someone asks "What do you do?" Here are both good and bad examples:

Bad: We help people achieve abundant health and vitality. Good: We work with people who have chronic health issues.Bad: I'm a coach who works with people to achieve their goals.Good: I'm a coach who works with successful people who still get stuck in achieving

some of their most important goals. Bad: I help companies increase profits dramatically.Good: I work with companies who are dissatisfied with their current profitability. Bad: I work with professionals to help them attract more high-end clients. Good: I work with professionals who want to attract more high-end clients but don't

know where to start. Read these over carefully. You'll notice that the bad ones are about what you do,

about your results. The good ones are about the prospect's situation, problem, frustration or aspiration.


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If you follow the good examples, you'll discover that prospects then want to know more. You can then tell them about the outcomes you produce for clients, share some stories, and explain some benefits.

Until next week, all the best, Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing: Products and Programs for Attracting More Clients

http://www.actionplan.com

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. -Peter Drucker

Important Reminder: Zimra 3rd QPD due on 25th September

All business owners are reminded that the Zimra 3rd QPD is due on Tuesday 25th September, 2012.

You are required to pay a 30% installment on the tax on estimated profits for the year. Contact your professional consultant or Zimra officials if you are not


Business Plans that workCall Phillip Chichoni on 0777 774 007 or email

[email protected]


http://www.actionplan.com/

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sure what to do. You can also download The 2012 Guide to Taxes for SMEs on our website http://smebusinesslink.com.

5 Ways to Utterly Destroy Your Laptop, Slowly but Surely

By Matt SmitA laptop is one of the most fragile consumer electronics devices you will buy. It’s a

complex system packed with fast hardware, yet it also finds itself in constant use, which often mean constant danger. Accidents happen. Hardware fails. About one in three laptops will bite the dust within three years.

Luck is part of the equation, but there are also specific actions that can send your laptop to an early grave, or at least result in major repair.

Turn Your Laptop into an OvenLaptops generate heat. A lot of heat. This heat must be expelled by a fan, and that

fan vent has to be kept clear. If it’s not, the heat has nowhere to go. Some laptops don’t like to overheat, and sometimes will shut down automatically. But others are real troopers and won’t complain one bit while they are slowly baked to death, and slowly extract money from your wallet.

Furniture, carpets and blankets are all surfaces that can cause havoc, but a pile of books kept way too close can cause problems as well. Pay attention

to your laptop’s fan volume. If it’s going like a hair-dryer, and your computer is not involved in a demanding task (like gaming or video encoding), consider it a cry for help.

Shaken Laptop SyndromeOne problem with a mechanical hard drive is its use of moving parts. The problem is

that these moving parts have their own inertia, so if a laptop is moved while they are active, they’ll try to move along their original direction. This can cause contact between internal hard disk components. And that makes your data die.

You can reduce the risk by moving your laptop gently and not moving it when running a program that frequently accesses the hard drive. Treat your laptop like a baby. No

quick movement. Instead use a gentle, soft touch.Use Your Display as a HandleIf you hate your laptop, start picking it up and

throwing it in a bag by its display, or by any corner, or by the optical drive. That’s a good way to make it crack like an egg. Even premium laptops can sometimes succumb to this seemingly innocent abuse.


http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/author/mattsmith/

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-ways-utterly-destroy-laptop-slowly-surely/

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-ways-utterly-destroy-laptop-slowly-surely/

http://smebusinesslink.com/

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If a laptop is closed the best way to pick it up is by grabbing the front or rear of the laptop. If a laptop is open, it’s best to just pick it up with both hands, one on each side. Do not pick up a laptop by the display, or by the side of the chassis with the optical drive, or by one corner. You should also keep the laptop on a firm, level surface whenever possible. This will prevent it from getting all bent out of shape.

Mangle the CordsIf you want to make your life harder, just start mangling your cords. Wrap them

around weird things, twist them at weird angles, and wait for something to break. It’ll happen sooner than you think. A hard plastic edge is all it takes. Some power adapters will do the trick if you wrap the power cable around them.

Avoid this problem by bundling a cord over itself. Most cords come packaged this way when you receive them and some come with a little piece of Velcro you can use to keep the cord together.

Give Your Laptop the JittersLaptops don’t like to be shaken. Or stirred. Or jarred in any way, really. Despite what

movies might have you think, you can’t use them on the back of a motorcycle, or while running away from guys with machine guns, or in the back of a car while missiles are fired at you. Unlike Bruce Willis, laptops don’t die hard.

Most users buy a laptop bag to take the edge of sharp bumps. That’s a great first step, but you need to make sure the bag actually provides protection. Cheap laptop bags only include a compartment that that is laptop sized but lack protection. Others will pad the sides of the bag but then completely neglect to pad the top or bottom. Guess what hits the floor if you drop a bag you’re holding or have strapped over your shoulder. The bottom!

An alternative is to place your laptop in a padded sleeve. This can protect your laptop from bumps and jolts while also keeping objects in your bag from scratching the laptop’s exterior. Just make sure the sleeve is padded. Cheap sleeves, like cheap bags, may be too thin to offer real protection.

ConclusionIn summary – sweat the small stuff.I’ve read stories of people dropping their laptop in a pool, or spilling a soda on it, or

knocking it off a fourth-story balcony. Such things do happen. But dramatic accidents are not how most damage occurs.

It’s often a combination of small actions, some of which may have no consequences at first. Over time, however, the damage caused by constant overheating and mishandling your laptop will surely send it to an early grave. If you’d like to kill your laptop, you can do it gently.

Matthew Smith is a freelance writer living in Portland Oregon. He also writes for Digital Trends (www.digitaltrends.com) and PC Perspective in addition to MakeUseOf.


http://www.digitaltrends.com/

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New book release: Headless head of the household

Author: Faith Ntabeni-BhebheBook Description

As more and more women become financially self sustaining, the phenomenon of male gold diggers is

becoming rampant. Whereas female gold digging tends to be taken for granted and even tolerated mostly

as a result of the socialisation process that encourages and or expects women to marry upwards in order to be cared for, male gold digging is less so. Yet there are quite a number of male gold diggers around.

Further, most men in jobs fall into the category of mindless dependency on the employer with some even committing suicide or stressing to death on being prematurely separated from an employer. Society, through its giving men preferential treatment at the expense of women, has in fact destroyed men. When the chips are down and the favourable conditions once created for them can't hold any more, quite a number of men fumble.This book is ‘the other side’ of the coin of Faith's first book 'Financial Independence: Women's Ultimate Empowerment,' but also of several other books that have focused on women's financial empowerment. It focuses on the problem of heads of households who in fact do not have the capacity to serve in that role. The book challenges men to go


AUTHOR, MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND ENTREPRENEUR MRS FAITH NTABENI-BHEBE

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beyond holding down a job by working on being financially independent from an employer in order to leave their children an inheritance that is more than just a surname.

Young Entrepreneurs Club: New start-up opportunity not to be missed

By the BusinessLink teamNew opportunity for you to be part of a national distribution network for a

leading Zimbabwean company.

Zimbabweans are successful at bootstrapping when starting new businesses. When we lost our own currency in 2009, very few people had access to foreign currency. But amazingly hundreds of businesses were able to restart and new ones mushroomed. Where did the owners get the money to purchase their mostly imported stocks?

For most it was bootstrapping: starting a business with very little capital. Now many of those bootstrappers have grown into businesses that are forces to reckon with.

If a not so-highly educated widowed mother of six can start a small informal clothing retail business and make enough money to fend for her family, why can’t you?

Businesslink has just concluded an agreement with a leading food processor to recruit young entrepreneurs in its network who are interested in marketing their products in their local communities for a commission. The company does all the distribution hard work; your work is to seek retail customers and get orders, while also promoting the new product in your community.

There is no limit to your earning capacity, the more orders you get, the higher you earn. And once you get good retail customers in your customer base, you can approach other suppliers and expand your product range. To succeed in this type of business, you need good selling and communicating skills. For those who need help in this area,


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Businesslink will arrange some essential training and motivation workshops to help you get off to a flying start.

Full information will be sent out to those already on our Young Entrepreneurs Club database. If you have not applied to join, do so by filling the form on our website, on the Young Entrepreneurs Club page.


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Safes and Equipment (Pvt) Ltd is a Zimbabwean steel fabrication and manufacturing company with a vision to be the best in quality, value and customer and customer satisfaction in Zimbabwe.

Our mission is to continuously grow our offerings of high quality products and services with total customer responsiveness. We specialize in the following:High Risk Security Products

Catering Equipment Hydraulic Equipment

Pioneer Safes: for security of record against fire

Explosive Resistant Safes

Treasury Office Safe

Strong Room doors: Fire & burglar resisting strong room doors.Service and repairs to all types of safes, Safe removals & Key cutting

Industrial stoves Chip fryers Bread ovens Oven racks Stainless steel tables Oil jacketed pots Mincer machines

We also provide repair and maintenance for the above range of products.

We supply, repair and service the following equipment: Tilting Rams Tilting Pumps Cylinder Rams Hydraulic Pipes and

Fittings Steering Boxes Steering Pumps Trolley Jacks Bottle Jacks Pallet Lifters

Contact us at Factory No.10, Isafil Industrial Complex, 667 Seke Road,Hatfield Harare. Our contact numbers are: 04-2933391/ 2933392Cell: 0772 403 827, 0712 400 534, 0733 377 915

Email: [email protected]

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