I want to use social media  to be a real person and genuinely interact with others. Like most people, I don’t like spam or gratuitous self-promotion and I don’t want to inflict it on others either. However, social media has to be manageable, so I am looking for ways to automate tasks that don’t need my personal touch. Then I can spend that time on critical business building tasks.

Here’s a great automation tool I have just discovered. Tweet Old Posts is a WordPress plugin that will take your old posts and randomly retweet them for you. You just set the frequency and away it goes. It can also add text to the tweet and hashtags if  you like. You can also exclude some posts from being retweeted.

So how has it worked for me? I have been using it since the start of February, so just over 2 weeks. So far my Twitter following has jumped by about 30% and I am getting a lot more retweets of my posts.  Traffic is up on my blog by a huge amount too. Admittedly both of these are off a lowish base.

Why does it work?

• Twitter moves so fast, that getting my content out there more often gives more people a chance to see it and notice it.  I am going to experiment with the frequency of tweeting old posts – both more often and less often and see what that does to the number of people engaging.
• It doesn’t come across like an automated bot.

Cautions:

You would need to have enough content on your site for this to work. If you are light on content so far, you may want to set the frequency of the retweets further apart. I am conscious it might get annoying to followers to have the same old posts coming up again and again. I don’t want them to tune out or get annoyed.

Also, this shouldn’t be the only thing on your Twitter feed. You should also engage with your followers and retweet other content they may find useful – or you think is interesting.

And lastly, a thank you to all the wonderful people I’ve connected with on Twitter who have given me positive feedback about my posts. (You know who you are.) You make my day!!

Action:

Look up the Tweet Old Posts plugin on WordPress and install it today. Test different settings and measure the stats to see how it helps to build users and drive traffic.

Further Reading:

I learnt about this plugin (and some other great tools) from this great post from Kissmetrics: Twitter Marketing Guide

Join the Conversation

Have you used this plugin or another tool that you find helps to automate Twitter tasks in a human friendly way? Let me know.

Have your say in the comments – or use them to create a little bit of extra motivation and accountability to get your action task for today done.

And I would love you to join me on Facebook  or Twitter.

Image used under Creative Commons license courtesy of  Su-Lin

Sometimes even the best of us get stuck. It might be in something small like how to deal with the paper piling up on our desk or something big that really affects our business – like achieving product-market fit.

And all of us are prone to inertia. Which means that when we get stuck, we tend to keeping spinning the wheels for a time (shorter or longer) until we work out that what we are doing is no longer working. This kind of cycle is deadly if it goes on too long, because it kills momentum which is the lifeblood of a startup.

Insanity is repeating the same actions and expecting different results.

So, when you feel stuck in your business – change something. Creating change can help give us perspective which in turn helps us find solutions. The change doesn’t have to be something big, it could be as simple as:

• Working in a different space
• Taking your laptop to the local cafe and working there
• Working in a different space in your own workplace or home – the kitchen table, outside.
• Going to the beach with a pen and notepad.
• Changing your daily routine
• Catching up with a business friend you haven’t seen for a while and getting feedback about your business.
• Taking a day off and doing something completely different

Sometimes these small changes jolt us enough that we realise some bigger changes we need to make. Sometimes they give us new energy and inspiration to come up with solutions.

Action:

Where are you feeling stuck in your business? What action can you take today to create some change?

Join the Conversation

Have your say in the comments – or use them to create a little bit of extra motivation and accountability to get your action task for today done.

And I would love you to join me on Facebook  or Twitter.

Image used under Creative Commons license courtesy of  Su-Lin

Action:

Implement one thing today that will reduce the time you spend on email. (Or if you are feeling daring, make it 2 or 3!)

Here are a few tips you can implement NOW:

Stop email interrupting your productive time

There are hundreds of articles about managing email on the internet, but here are a few things you can easily implement:

• Don’t check email first thing in the morning. It is an unproductive start to the day. Make sure the first thing you do is essential to moving your business forward. That way you will feel great because you have done something constructive AND you will have avoided the procrastination trap – for now!
• Turn off the automatic receive function in your email client.  That way, you won’t be distracted by those little pings as your email hits your inbox.
• Make a set time to check emails. No doubt about it, this requires self-discipline. The best option is if you only check and respond once a day, but if you can’t bear waiting that long, schedule in times where you will check your email, rather than drifting to it in between other more important tasks.

Manage email once it’s on your machine

The aim here is to make sure you are only spending time on emails that really need your attention. Again there is a lot written about this and here are some actions you can take:

• Cut down the amount of email you receive in the first place. Unsubscribe from newsletters. I don’t know about you but I subscribe to them thinking I’ll read them but I rarely do. I might as well get rid of them
• If you don’t want to unsubscribe, create a filter to direct newsletters into a folder other than your inbox. You can use this technique for notifications too. As soon as I implemented this for Twitter notifications then email in my inbox reduced by half.
• Stop self-inflicted email. You can combine the previous two tips. Direct all your newsletters & notifications into a folder and then unsubscribe from them once a week.
• Set up folders to archive important emails. Then they aren’t hanging around in your inbox and drawing your attention.
• Find a way to create a task out of emails that need action. Put them in your task list and then archive as above.

Further Reading:

Tim Ferriss is an email ninja. He outsources his email. You might not want to be as brutal but he is an outstanding example of how much you can actually control email.

The other outstanding productivity expert is Leo Babauta from Zen Habits. He has written a succinct guest post on Tim Ferriss’ blog about how to be an email ninja.

And if you need a laugh, you might want to check out the Procrastination Flowchart.

Join the Conversation

Have your say in the comments – or use them to create a little bit of extra motivation and accountability to get your action task for today done.

Or join us on Facebook  or Twitter.

Image used under Creative Commons license courtesy of  Social Media Online Classes

Action: Let someone be a support to you & your business – Ask for help

What would really help your business right now? Is it a referral, some word of mouth promotion, advice or something else? Who do you know who may be willing to help? Make a list, ask them – and surprise yourself by the results.

Further Reading: Don’t let fear hold your business back

This tip comes from the Harvard Business Review. Read the whole article: The Fear That’s Holding Back Your Business by Dorie Clark  He suggests that by being scared to ask for favours from people we have done business with, we miss out on enroling them as allies, when they are often very willing to help. He also suggests 4 things you could consider asking your friends, colleagues, and past clients.

Join the Conversation

Have your say in the comments – or use them to create a little bit of extra motivation and accountability to get your action task for today done.

Or join us on Facebook  or Twitter.

Image used under Creative Commons license courtesy of  Shalou Mariano

Absolutely not.

We can tend to get the idea from news reports and places like TechCrunch and Y Combinator that every startup has outside investor funding. But that is a misconception.

There are many successful businesses that don’t have investors. In fact, if you can bootstrap and build your company without one it is often better for the following reasons:

• You can spend your time on the business rather than looking for an investor. Finding funding takes a lot of time which is a distraction from growing the business. Sometimes the business even grinds to a halt.
• You will learn to manage your finances very well – because you have to. There is no spare cash for non-essentials and you will direct your $ to the growth of the business
• You retain full ownership of your startup
• Internal relations are a lot simpler
• You learn to be self-reliant

Good reasons for having an investor is if they can contribute something more than money to the business:

• They have relevant skills or experience they can use to give you wise advice
• They have contacts which can significantly more the business forward

Note that you may be able to find advisors who can do this for you who do not have to be investors.

The only reason you really need an investor is:

• You really need a large amount of money which is vitally necessary to grow the business. ie. You have large infrastructure or staff costs which are absolutely necessary to the operation of the business. (And I mean ABSOLUTELY necessary – ie. the business cannot operate without them.)

I wouldn’t be a big fan of finding an investor for under $25,000. Most entrepreneurial people should be able to find this amount without giving away equity. (It’s kind of an early test of your entrepreneurial abilities!)

However, one reason you might look for an investor at this early level is if you were going to be part of an incubator (like Y-Combinator or the like) which would give your startup a huge strategic advantage because of the added value the investor brings, such as mentoring, knowledge or networks.

Personally, I prefer an idea that can be bootstrapped or at least grown to a point where it has been proven and has a reasonable income. Then you have better leverage in doing a deal with investors, if you want to take them on to grow the company.

Originally published (in a slightly different form) in answer to this question on answers.startups.com 

Image used under Creative Commons license courtesy of Justin Scott

• makes you more alert
• gives you more stamina
• increases your energy
• improves your mood
• helps you sleep better
• increases  your ability to cope with stress.

“I don’t know a successful entrepreneur who is not a fitness fanatic.” Tim Stannage, serial entrepreneur, Kari Accessories, Business Essentials

Action: Plan more exercise in your routine

What is one change you can make to put more exercise into your routine? Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

• Find one or two physical activities that you want to do and would find fun. It could be anything: walking, jogging, tennis, fencing, sailing, cycling, anything. Booking yourself into regular classes or a competition is a great way to ensure that you will get regular exercise. Don’t feel guilty about spending the time on exercise. It will ultimately benefit you and your business.
• Find some times in your daily or weekly routine where you can walk or cycle instead of drive. what about going to the  post office, getting coffee, picking up a few items from the supermarket or picking the kids up from school.
• Find a friend you can work out with regularly.

Join the Conversation

Have your say in the comments – or use them to create a little bit of extra motivation and accountability to get your action task for today done.

Or join us on Facebook  or Twitter.

Image used under Creative Commons license courtesy of  Thomas Quine

Action: Take one positive action to move your business forward

Is today one of those days where you just need to keep persisting? What is one positive action you can take that will move your business forward? Do it!

Extra Reading: Startups don’t die

Read Justin Kan’s TechCrunch post on persistence here: Startups Don’t Die, They Commit Suicide.  I love the excerpt below. It really sums it up:

“Persistence isn’t just key — it is everything. Getting in the ring is hard, but staying in the ring is even harder, especially when you feel beaten down, tired and alone. Successful entrepreneurs will readily tell you about the good times, their secrets to success, and even their mistakes (with a ready helping of how they overcame them), but they will rarely mention the times they were ready to throw in the towel and do something else. The truth is that everyone has those moments, and the guys you read about on the cover of Fortune were the ones that didn’t quit at them.

I can’t promise you will succeed if you stick with your startup. What I can promise is that if you give up, you won’t possibly succeed.”

Join the Conversation

Have your say in the comments – or use them to create a little bit of extra motivation and accountability to get your action task for today done.

Or join us on Facebook  or Twitter.

Image used under Creative Commons license courtesy of  Jingles the Pirate 

]]> http://www.readysetstartup.com/2011/10/13/startup-tip-28-take-one-positive-action/feed/ 0 http://www.readysetstartup.com/2011/09/30/startup-tip-%e2%80%8e27-find-a-business-mentor/ http://www.readysetstartup.com/2011/09/30/startup-tip-%e2%80%8e27-find-a-business-mentor/#comments Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:46:21 +0000 Susan http://www.readysetstartup.com/?p=485 Instead of trying to find one mentor who can help you with everything (does such a person even exist?), find someone who is exceptional at one area you want to improve in. Ask them to teach your their strategies for handling that area. Do this with multiple people to cover all the areas you want mentoring in.

One of the strategies that people who are really good at using mentors have is to:

• Identify which specific skill they need mentoring in
• Find someone who is excellent in that area
• Find out specifically what that person does to be excellent
• Try out the mentor’s strategy in their own situation
• Make any modifications or adaption they need to to make it their own.

The cool thing about this, is that you can have many different mentors and are not looking for the one perfect person who can mentor you through everything. It also eases the burden on the mentors and means most people are happy to help because they don’t have to make a permanent commitment.

Action: Call a mentor and make a time for coffee

Identify one area you could improve in that would have a massive impact on your business. It may be converting leads into sales, product development, marketing strategy, hiring great people. Think of someone you know who is great at that particular skill. Call them. Now. And ask if you can have a coffee and pick their brains.

Did you do it? You have just started building a network of supporters around you who are gunning for your success.

If you are still reading and haven’t picked up the phone – then DO IT! The only reason to read startup tips is if you are going to apply them to build your business!!  :-)

Further Reading:

Amy Gallo’s post Demystifying mentoring gives you tips on best practice strategies you can use to find the mentors you need. (But you don’t really NEED to read this. You just need to pick up the phone.)

Join the Conversation

Have your say in the comments – or use them to create a little bit of extra motivation and accountability to get your action task for today done.

Or join us on Facebook  or Twitter.

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Infact, you might want to make it a  habit and set a goal to meet so many new people per month.

How can you start a conversation like that this week? Share in the comments…

Join the conversation on Facebook or Twitter.

A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to so something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today.

The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.”

- Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese’s.

What do you need to do today?

Join the conversation on Facebook or Twitter.

Image used under Creative Commons license courtesy of  Howard Lake