A fantastic few weeks. Working hard but have have acquired two new customer projects. Net sales online has also increased which is good, predominantly down to social media and video marketing. I also had a wonderful trip to Bath yesterday/today, were I did a share of knowledge on Niche marketing and why you should chunk down to a niche in your marketing. Everyone in the group was very welcoming, and I thoroughly enjoyed it... hopefully they did too. The trip was not only enjoyable but productive too. If you ever get the opportunity to work in other parts of the country or even abroad, take it. It reinvigorates you.

Fabulous weather, round of golf and the down to the king William in Chigwell, (only way is Essex territory). Competition today; better ball, 45 points... Yay... Didn't win... Boooo! Didnt even come in the top 3?!! Oh well, still pleased with how I played. After a BBQ at the club house and a few sherbets, I then headed down the KW. If you want to see a flash place, then head Down there, fortunately I'm blinged up enough and drive a decent car, otherwise you could feel a little intimidated. But well worth a visit just to see real essex.
On a work note, I've had some good a bad news. One of my staff is leaving...due travel, But I've now got another person join already, phew!!!!
New product launch soon. Can't wait!!

Waking up today, I looked outside and realised the hazey start to the day would soon blossom into a fantastic afternoon, and luckily (as I was dressed for summer), I was right. The sun soon burned off the morning clouds, to reveal a sun kissed golf course by in heart if Essex (Woolston manor, Chigwell). Shame about my golf. Playing well for the most part, I'm struggling to maintain consistency for 18 holes. Physically it's becoming tough.. You wouldnt think so... Golf can't be physical can it? When your zig zagging across hilly turain, it soon takes it's toll on ageing legs and back. But I reckon metally too. It must be that I'm not mentally preparing correctly. Not that I take it serious enough to mentally prepare, but I am interested to understand how the mind works, and I believe that I'm loosing points due to concentration. I'm going to try some mental stregnth techniques fornext week... Just to see if it makes a different.

Arriving home at 6:30am this morning after a 40th Birthday party, seems to be causing my body clock to be out. There was no way I was going to be able to get up for golf, but I did manage to drag myself down to the leisure centre to play tennis for 2 hours. Not sure that was a good move. However as I slept in this morning, Im still up at 1am!!. I have golf at 8:30... lets see if I can make it this time, followed by a sunday lunch and a few glasses of Chablis. hopefully the heavy lunch and wine will send me off to sleep early, so Im all fresh tomorrow.

Im now exhausted, after another long day.  So again up at 6am, set off to a networking event, where I mingled with businesses in the essex area. Breakfast included, so I need to watch the waist line.  After my brief presentation to the group, I received to some great feedback and opportunities.  I left the meeting around 10:30am. drove the 45 mins back to the office, whilst structuring the sale of one of my web businesses, over the phone.  My team had technical issues, and one of my hosting providers is causing us issues with customers emails.  I also have navigated a couple of structured finance transactions through to near on completion.. baring in mind Its the end of the quarter and also good practice to maximise opportunities just like a PLC.   I then had more work on selling the web business, and created a P&L showing the site generated cash positive income month in month out.  I then had to send out a huge mailer for one of my customers webinar events…. amazing how much pressure it is just sending out a mailer to someone else’s list…. before I did, I invited my copywriter to review, and aghh…. just as were about to send … we spot some errors, whilst not critical, its important not to send out with known errors on it.  I then rushed off to another meeting, whilst continuing to juggle the finance transactions… after a 3 hour meeting, yes 3 hours… first meeting.. very enjoyable, and a good opportunity, I'm then left with little time to close anything…. so frantically, trying to negotiate, organise and deploy, I unfortunately ran out of time.  Two of the three Finance transactions, closed, leaving large one to complete tomorrow.  The business sale was agreed in principle, but not signed over, so I cant get excited yet, and the customer meeting produced a huge action list.  Not to mentioned following up on the networking event.  To cap that off, my own IT is now playing up, with my Iphone causing me email issues…. may need to go back to a blackberry  I get a call about advice on a cross border managed service agreement, via SAP and HP…  so I arrange to have a conference in the morning… with so much to do before 10am, I then realise I have double booked as Im out in morning… I think something is going to have to give… I need some sleep.

I just thought Id say a few words on the importance of physical “networking” to go along with your online marketing strategy. As I have become more and more successful online, I had actually forgotten the importance of meeting real people. I have recently launched a new venture, which actually, whilst has an ongoing residual income that mirrors my 100% online businesses, this new venture actually requires me meeting people face to face. So we have assigned some marketing time… or Networking time… and I can say not only am I really enjoying it, its opened up some great avenues. Forget the immediate impact of positive cash, (customers).. that will take time.. what’s it has allowed me to do is network with people who offer services I require.. e.g., book keepers, accountants, photographers, copywriters, business card printers etc etc. Allowing me to tap into such services with people I like. to find one of the many networking events in your area, Google, “Business Networking Event XXXX” replacing the XXXX with your town or county. Many of these events are free for at least 2 visits, allowing you to get a flavour of the set up!!

Well, Its been a great weekend. I wrapped up early on Friday, and went for dinner around a friends house, where she cooked dinner, whilst I attempted to do some IT.. and sort out a laptop for her little boy to use. IT is not my strong point…. and subsequently failed to get the DVD working, but had some nice food and wine.
Saturday consisted of my latest “tick in the box”… which consists of leaning to play tennis. I started in December, and play once a week at the David Lloyd in Chigwell. Its good to use up some of that pent up energy. The evening consisted on another night out this time an evening at a local restaurant… a sort of Italian / Burger bar.. in Loughton Essex. Strange combination of target market, but the foods pretty good value.
Sunday, I was up early, to play golf. Again a once a week thing, but hopefully now the light nights have arrived, a few more rounds per week. I was awful… shame as I had improved dramatically over the last few months…. but the good run finally came to a end…. with a bump. Chilled out in the afternoon and watched the new version of Wall Street, which wasnt too bad. That was after I tucked into a nice sunday roast. Yum…
After watching a bit of TV, and looking at some property opportunities, Ive gone to bed with mac in hand and here we are!!