District32 Business Prophet February 2023

INFLUENCER INSIGHTS

CONNECTION

BUSINESS

February 2023 Issue

04

Most People Hate Being Sold To… And That Just May be Your Greatest Competitive Advantage!

06

Why District32 Is The Real Worth Of Networking - A Case Study By Peter Butler of Smarter Websites

08

Why Content-First SEO Is Key For Online Growth

10

Business Grant Funding – Handy Tips From NAJA Business Consulting Services

15

How To Be Strategic In Deciding Which New Business Opportunities To Pursue

16

A Reflection On 20 Years In Business

18

We Are Excited To Announce That Dezign Digital Has Become An Accredited Google Partner!

20

District32 Is About Making Connections With Other Business Owners

Transform Your Team In 2023!

24

Tips For Saving Money On Bills

25

Are You Sending The Right Message?

28

The Importance Of Video In The Marketing Mix

32

Website Security – A Tale of Woe

33

Entrepreneurs: You Can't Do It All!

36

The Perth-Based Giving Circle Empowering Women Around The World.

CONTENTS

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Most People Hate Being Sold To… … And That Just May be Your Greatest Competitive Advantage!

We live in a fast-paced, hyperconnected, constantly sold-to world.

Everyone and everything we come across is trying to influence us, pitch us, judge us, scare us, seduce us, or maybe even scam us. It's exhausting!

As a result, prospects have become more cynical and suspicious. People have become less accepting of pressure-based selling, or any form of selling that attempts to push the ego of the seller or overwhelm the decisionmaking of the buyer.

So, what does this mean for the modern salesperson?

If you run a reputable, high-integrity business, solving real problems, with real solutions that work, then selling should be THE most noble thing you do in your business. You have a responsibility to get people to buy from you, ahead of anyone else they meet.

You just need to overcome the cynicism and suspicion of the prospect first.

The key is transparency in the sale.

It's no longer enough to just TELL the customer about how you can help them. It's not even enough to offer guarantees to reverse their risk.

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Your prospects need to be able to SEE behind the curtain, understand enough about what you do and be able to do their own due diligence.

Equally importantly, your team must have a consistent way of SHOWING your prospects the profound, compelling and self-evident value of what you do, without over-promising or underselling!

How can you achieve all this and make the way your business sells, scalable and more successful?

The answer lies in a simple, little experience we've all had.

When you ask someone for directions to a location, or to explain the layout of a room, or walk you through a technical process, they will very often say something like, "Let me draw it for you …" or they'll grab a flow chart, map or diagram and walk you through it.

They create transparency of the concept by letting you SEE it, rather than just HEAR it.

One of the most transparent and powerful ways we have discovered to sell, is to use specifically designed and choreographed visual models. Simple frameworks that allow anyone in your team to walk the prospect through all the complexities of the sale … SHOW

They can work through the due diligence of "Will this work for me?"

The model makes everything you say, real! It organises the thinking in a way that lets the customer SEE the value at every level. It creates incontestable desirability for your solution.

Imagine this … mapping the core genius of what you do, into a single, powerful, visual model that you can

them the value in a more interesting way and give them a FRAMEWORK

walk through in less than 10 minutes and eliminates every concern your

they can believe.

prospect might have about buying from you.

With that same map, you turn everyone in your business into a salesperson … that's what a suite of powerful, visual, sales models can do for you!

The model becomes the focus and it allows the prospect to try your solution on before they buy.

Founder: The Models Method Creator: The Genius Models The Models Method Pty Ltd www.modelsmethod.com support@modelsmethod.com 5

For a quick model you could use in your selling right now, and to find out more about our Create My Models Program, go to The Centre Circle Sales Model.

INSIGHTS

The human brain makes sense of complexity by visualising it. We need 'blueprints for the brain' to map our way through complex ideas.

Why District32 Is The Real Worth Of Networking - A Case Study By Peter Butler of Smarter Websites One of my claims to fame was to be one of the first people called by Dean Keating when District32 was first launched 8 years ago. Sorry Dean, I played hard to get - it took me 5 years

Yet they have created a collaborative group, where business owners support each other and where competitors connect, all knowing we're on a similar journey and helping each other to get

to join, biggest regret ever.

there.

I've been in business 38 years, in this

Comradery: So strong, the connections

industry for 15 years, and been a

we're making are for life. Our circle of

member of several different networking groups (some with 3 letter acronyms), and have had good success

influence has grown exponentially - it's very dynamic.

from networking.

Education: The education is about us

Being a systems and numbers geek, I track everything. So, what value has

moving forward in business. Other networking groups focus on internal education, rather than business owner-

District32 been to me?

focused education. Here's the irony;

Apart from the numbers, there's the accountability, the comradery, culture, and let's not forget, education.

the the

Accountability: What we discuss, what we cover and what we say we're going to do in our local groups, helps us to stay on track with our business development and our business growth.

Culture: This is a total credit to both Dean and Lorraine - I have never met people like them. Let's be real, with so many personalities, and some big ones, in one large group, it has to be demanding at times, right? (Do I hear an amen in the room?)

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most of what we cover, we either have a certain level of understanding, and that level is elevated, or it's a timely reminder to action something we know, with fresh insights and motivation, and to help us stay on track.

The education is a game changer.

not going to share the $$$ value, but substantially, there have been 76 projects so far, with most of those becoming active and ongoing clients.

In effect, District32 over the past 3 years, has been worth twice as much to me as any previous networking group or activity. We've also grown our team from 5 to 9. Business wouldn't be what it is without District32. I'm in for life.

peter@smarterwebsites.com.au 0413 733 272 www.smarterwebsites.com.au

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CASE STUDY

So, what about the numbers? Well, I'm

Why Content-First SEO Is Key For Online Growth Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is essential for every website, and it's something you should think about from the start. With a content-first SEO approach, you can ensure your website content is exciting and relevant, and more likely to appear in search engine results.

content-first SEO approach, to ensure your website is found more easily.

Using keywords to create helpful and engaging content

Content-first SEO

Content-first

Content-first SEO should be on top of

audience will find useful and relevant.

By providing value to your readers

Here's a guideline for creating a

your list, even when you're just beginning to build your website. It ensures your website is optimised for search engine visibility. Investing in

is

content

your

first, and optimising for search engine rankings second, you can establish yourself as an authority in your industry. This will help build a loyal

this approach ensures your website reaches the right people, at the right time.

following of readers who come back for more. Content-first SEO is the key to your SEO strategy.

Understand key search terms

Titles and descriptions must include keywords

To maximise your website's visibility and reach, it's essential to understand key search terms related to your website and its content.

Carefully selecting relevant and descriptive keywords and phrases for each page ensures you are targeting the right audience and demonstrating your expertise. Additionally, optimising your website with content-first SEO strategies will help you rank higher in search engine results.

SEO optimised pages can lead to increased traffic and better brand visibility, ensuring you are reaching and engaging with more potential customers.

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SEO

One key step to take, is to ensure your images have 'alt tags' with relevant keywords. Alt tags are small pieces of text that help search engines understand what an image contains. By adding relevant alt tags to your images, your website will be indexed more effectively, boosting search engine results.

Use Google Analytics to better understand results Google Analytics is an essential tool, providing invaluable insights into the

Conclusion SEO is an essential tool for businesses looking to drive more traffic to their website.

Following a content-first SEO approach, ensures your website is optimised for search engine results and provides valuable content for your customers.

Staying up to date with the latest SEO trends, will maximise your website's

number of visitors, their demographic information, the time spent on each page and more.

potential. With a proactive attitude towards SEO, you can take full

This knowledge helps you tailor your content to optimise your website to reach its fullest potential.

For more information on search engine optimisation visit our blog here.

Keep up to date with SEO trends SEO has been an essential part of the Internet since its inception. As technology changes and algorithms evolve, staying ahead of the competition requires staying up-to-date with the latest updates from Google and other search engines.

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Keeping track of the latest trends will ensure your website remains optimised for the best user experience, giving you an edge over your competition.

SPONSOR FEATURE

Complete image 'alt tags' with keywords describing them

advantage of all the benefits higher rankings can offer.

calum@optimiseonline.com.au 0439 927 686 www.optimiseonline.com.au

Whether you're a start-up looking for access to initial capital funding or an established business seeking development funds, an online search will reveal a myriad of sites with funding opportunities offered by

If the answers are yes, the following tips will give you the best chance of submitting a successful application:

government, industry and community sectors.

visually appealing way Present information in a logical and

Engage the reader by telling a vivid story in a clear, professional,

consistent way Provide evidence of benefits and use SMART goals and objectives

Examples of grant websites: Business.gov.au/grants-andprograms Thegrantshub.com.au

Paul Rosair, principal at NAJA Business Consulting Services is the pre-eminent provider of services to guide businesses

Mybusinessgrant.com.au

application process.

Smallbusiness.wa.gov.au The trick is matching your needs with the funding body and writing a compelling application that clearly articulates why your project is worth investing in and how your organisation will deliver the objectives of the grant.

Before you start you need to ask yourself:

Contact Paul Rosair for a free Funding Navigation and Application Hints booklet or to book a free initial consultation.

Do I have the time, skills and information needed?

Do I have access to funds if the grant requires a co-contribution?

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through

info@naja.com.au 0419 930 467 www.naja.com.au

the

funding

GRANTS

Business Grant Funding – Handy Tips From NAJA Business Consulting Services

FEBRUARY

2023

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

CO.LAB BY LIBERTY

Join us as a GUEST at this complimentary District32 information evening and learn how to drive new business, create new referral opportunities, and meet up to 100 new connections!

Experience first-hand an opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with other like-minded business owners.

We'll cover networking for growth, lead generation and social media, and of course, you'll learn how District32 can help you to grow YOUR business!

Find out how District32 can help you and enjoy pitching on the night and engaging in business growth conversations.

Members and guests leave District32 business growth events feeling buzzed, with practical business strategies to grow their business AND those who join District32 on the night will receive special business growth bonuses!

District32 is a business growth network that exists to help business owners to create more: ✔️Profit ✔️Growth ✔️Speed

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EVENTS

15

Complimentary Visitor Event

Reset Your Mind For Success In 2023 District32 Ladies Connect Event

02 MARCH

2023

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Speaker: Lesa Hinchliffe Outcomes: Discover the power of your thoughts and how they can open the gateway to your ultimate success.

Could your vision of success be limiting your capacity to achieve it?

Unlock your competitive edge with a simple yet powerful habit to outpace your competition and fast-track the realization of your goals.

Businesswoman and Author of Entrepreneur to Megapreneur, Lesa Hinchliffe, reveals the elusive formula for mega success and what successful Megapreneurs DO, that most of us don't.

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MT. LAWLEY GOLF CLUB Ticket price includes a book 'From Entrepreneur to Megapreneur'

Business Maximiser Event

MARCH

2023

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

CO.LAB BY LIBERTY Speaker: Jeff Barnes Outcomes: Psychology of Sales Finding the Trust Value of your Business Emotional Selling

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The entire sales process can be draining. The amount of time, effort and hope trying to convert each new prospect is only worth it if it results in a sale. If you understand what it is you really are offering, how it can help your clients and get them to emotional engage as to why they need it, your sales will increase, your time will be worth it and your business will grow. Come and learn the tools on how to identify the value of your product and how to effective communicate this message close more deals.

EVENTS

09

How To Close More Customers And Maximise Your Sales Opportunities

ADVERTORIAL

INSIGHTS

How To Be Strategic In Deciding Which New Business Opportunities To Pursue Clarity on your business' target customers, value proposition and unique key capabilities are the foundations for business success. This is especially important when facing the

What unique capabilities are required to win, and which will drive your sustainable competitive advantage, i.e. what key processes, resources and alliance partners are

current capacity and capability constraints, particularly with labour

required to win?

constraints and as inflationary pressures squeeze margins.

Businesses who are not clear on the answers to these questions can focus on activities outside their strategic

A challenge facing many businesses

'sweet spot', which inevitably leads to

this year is that current market conditions present more opportunities than businesses can take advantage of.

waste. Instead of focusing on high payoff activities that support their value proposition, they engage in

In addition, constraints such as finding and retaining staff and sourcing

wasteful undertakings that can be costly to the business. In

equipment and supplies are commonplace for many businesses, especially as China removes

environment of constraint, this could lead to businesses pursuing opportunities that will yield low

restrictions, further impacting supply chains.

profits, including bidding for and winning work, for which they do not

an

have the capability and capacity.

In the current environment, a business' ability to focus on its strategic 'sweet spot' and to pursue the right opportunities becomes crucial.

Business owners must consider: Where will you play, i.e. who is your target customer?

How will you win in the market where you will play, i.e. what is your value proposition?

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Business owners should ask these important strategic questions every month, quarter, and year in the current environment, especially if they want to grow a sustainable, profitable business.

tonym@brentnallswa.com.au 08 6212 7200 www.brentnallswa.com.au

A Reflection On 20 Years In Business EOS IT celebrated 20 years in their IT business, EOS IT. The journey has not been without many challenges and self-reflection along the way.

Karl noticed a gap in the local market for a computer specialist to help and support business and the general public with their computers, so EOS Computer Specialists was founded.

Technology is a fast-moving and everevolving industry and the company has

Over the past 20 years, the backbone and the 'why' for both Karl and Kelly

reinvented itself on more than one occasion.

has always been to offer technical help, support, and guidance to their clients.

It all began in 2002, when Karl

Kelly reflects on the last 20 years,

Winrow, Managing Director, and wife Kelly Winrow, Director, moved from

which has been a juggle for both her and Karl, managing and growing the business along with the addition of two

Last year, Karl and Kelly Winrow

the UK to Western Australia.

children and numerous pets along the way:

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It's been a rollercoaster ride that's for sure, but for the most part, we have enjoyed the ride, and it's not over yet.

We continue to keep learning and growing personally, and as business owners.

I think what we've learnt during the years, is that you must have a passion

empathy, motivation and the drive to succeed. There will be disappointment

for what you do, otherwise we wouldn't have survived happily for 20

and failure at times that will make you question your 'why', but ultimately all

years in business (and marriage 😊 ).

Surround yourself with good people; smart and passionate team members,

the sacrifices and hard times are worth it, if you get it right!'

great suppliers and loyal clients.

And always go the extra mile. It's often the small, thoughtful things that have the greatest impact. I also recommend that you spend time with other likeminded business owners and enjoy the shared knowledge, companionship.

kelly@eosit.com.au 0488 157 688 www.eosit.com.au

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wisdom

and

Managing a business takes hard work and dedication, compassion and

MEMBER SUCCESS

'It's a fantastic milestone to celebrate and a great achievement for us both, but it's been a team effort and we have really appreciated our staff and our suppliers, and of course, the many loyal clients we've had over the past 20 years; we couldn't have been as successful without their support.

This achievement demonstrates their dedication to delivering top-quality website and digital marketing services and reflects the strong track record of success they have achieved with Google products, especially Google AdWords campaigns.

As a Google Partner, Dezign Digital now have access to exclusive training, support, and updates from Google. This helps them to stay up to date with the latest industry trends and technologies and enables them to provide the best possible service to their clients.

To become a Google Partner, Dezign Digital needed to meet stringent ad spend requirements and pass exams that tested their Performance, Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness in online advertising and Google products.

According to Google, this accreditation sets Dezign Digital apart from other agencies and gives clients demonstrated confidence in their capabilities.

hello@dezigndigital.com 1300 977 099 www.dezigndigital.com

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We are proud of this accomplishment.

If you need Google Adwords, Digital Marketing or website services, Dezign Digital can be contacted here, hello@dezigndigital.com or 1300 977 099, for a friendly no obligation discussion of your needs today.

MEMBER SUCCESS

We Are Excited To Announce That Dezign Digital Has Become An Accredited Google Partner!

Welcome to the new year 2023!

We wish you all a Happy New Year and a prosperous 2023 from all of us at Minuteman Group. We are looking forward to helping your business grow.

We are currently holding a raffle draw for D32 members and subscribers.

OUR SPECIAL GIFT TO YOU! Minuteman Press Group is giving away an amazing offer for 2 lucky District32 members - a chance to win hotel or resort accommodation.

All orders and successful referrals will go into the Draw.

To enter just purchase any item before the end of February 2023 from one of our locations Canning Vale, Fremantle and Joondalup.

Mention this promotion via email sales@minutemangroup.com.au to go into the draw. If you have referred someone, please email us, or get your referral to mention you for your chance to be in the draw.

The lucky winner in the January draw was Stephen Wigley of Burning Fruit.

We will draw the second winner at the end of February 2023.

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Canning Vale Unit 1, 79 Catalano Circuit, Canning Vale WA 6155 Fremantle Unit 2, 352 South Street, O'Connor WA 6163 Joondalup Unit 3, 87 McLarty Avenue, Joondalup WA 6027

SPONSOR FEATURE

MINUTEMAN PRESS CANNING VALE, O' CONNOR, JOONDALUP

District32 Is About Making Connections With Other Business Owners ….but can you form a real connection after just a brief chat?

If that is what you expect, then, believe me, you are short-changing yourself.

Are you an effective listener?

Today more than ever, business is about building strong relationships and making solid connections. In a group situation, most information is superficial.

A

short

chat

at

a

networking event is best used to set up a meeting and a relaxed conversation over a coffee.

This is where you have the time to get to know the other person and discover how you can help one another.

When you attend a networking event for the first time, you will be cautious, and rightly so. This brings us to the 4 stages of forming meaningful connections: 1. When you first meet someone, you emotionally protect yourself by sticking to facts in a conversation. This reduces your chance of getting hurt.

2. When rapport and trust are established, you feel safe enough to add emotion.

3. As you start to trust the person isn't out to get you, the barriers drop even lower. When you feel safe, you reveal your feelings, leaving you vulnerable.

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At this stage, you are emotionally open to rejection or even ridicule.

4.The fourth stage leaves you fully exposed, yet it is by far the most meaningful. It is where real growth can occur. This requires an extremely high degree of trust because your defences are down. You have no protection. You are vulnerable and exposed.

So, establishing a good connection always starts with an exchange of information. What you do, your past, your goals and aspirations. As the relationship matures and you feel safe, feelings are revealed. The deeper the connection, the higher the trust - and trust is like gold.

A relationship may start with a brief chat, but you must meet for a private one-to-one conversation to create a better connection.

alan@brainygecko.com 0414 288 050 www.brainygecko.com

Being a boss, manager, or supervisor doesn't make you a great leader.

3. Invest in Communication.

Strengthen your communication skills

Anyone can get a promotion and oversee a team. However, it takes commitment, personality, and focus

wherever possible. This includes ensuring you can effectively communicate when you're chatting to

to become a quality leader.

people over video call or conference, as well as when you're communicating in person.

Try these strategies: Know what kind of leader you want to be. It's hard to become a motivational leader if you don't know what that looks like.

1. Encourage creativity. If you really want to achieve incredible things, it's important to encourage those around you. A creative team is more likely to come up with positive ideas on how to grow your business and generate new opportunities.

2. Embody the values you want to see. Leaders are there to guide and inspire the people around them. If you want to see incredible things from your staff, give them a model to replicate.

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4. Encourage and motivate your team. Ultimately, the wins of the people you lead are your wins too.

It's important to constantly encourage, motivate, and inspire your team members to achieve the best outcomes.

John Hardy

john@peakconsultancy.com.au 0413 286 774 www.peakconsultancy.com.au

INSIGHTS

Transform Your Team In 2023!

Are you just

a sales target?

Do you know how to side-step being a telco sucker?

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Derek has an in-depth understanding of 'all things Insurance' and we have had all our insurances organised by Derek over the past three years.

Certainly providing 'Certainty in Crises,' I have previously recommended Derek's

THE ADVICE YOU CAN TRUST FordSure | 0414 540 767 | dford@iaa.net.au

expertise to other businesses and have received a very positive response from every business I have referred.

- Cletus D'Cunha

Director at BzyBuild Projects

OSKA PULSE FOR REHABILITATION Natural, and science-based, the OSKA Pulse is a wearable medical device that uses Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMF) to stimulate the body's natural healing. Low-intensity, low-frequency electrical potentials trigger the exchange and healthy balance of essential ions, stimulating blood flow and accelerating the healing process.

The OSKA Pulse is a portable, wearable device, so you're no longer limited to on-premises treatments. You can use OSKA to extend physiotherapy sessions and other pain remediation programs.

For more information, go to www.oskapulse.au

OSKA | 0438 920 147 | michael@medictechnology.com.au 23

SPONSOR FEATURE

On a professional level, as an insurance broker, Derek took the time to understand our businesses before evaluating and proposing potential insurance cover.

With life getting busier and bill paying

Determine average data usage and

getting easier with automatic payments, it can be months, or even

choose the lowest plan needed and move up to a higher plan only if, or

years, before we take the time to review them!

when, necessary.

SAVING MONEY

Tips For Saving Money On Bills

Tablet: Are you paying for a data plan, but your tablet is rarely used outside of your home or business? Connect to Wi-Fi and cancel the plan or get a long-expiry plan. *Hot Tip – data only plans are often more expensive than a regular voice/data plan – either can be used in a tablet, so go for the cheaper option!

General: Avoid lock-in contracts wherever possible.

Pay on time discounts/late fees – stay on top of due dates to avoid excess charges.

Payment method – some companies charge for paying by credit card, ask for alternative ways to pay to avoid these charges.

Cancellation fees – be aware of any costs for cancelling.

Payment Processing: Did you know that you can change your EFTPOS provider without the hassle of changing your bank account?

Mobile: If possible, when purchasing a new phone, buy it outright. Plans that come with a phone are often less competitive than stand-alone plans.

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deb@nextstepservices.com.au 0412 192 576 nextstepservices.acndirect.com

When it comes to marketing your

What's an example of good core

business, clarity is everything. You might have heard the saying "The

messaging?

confused person never buys." It's 100% true! One of the biggest reasons why people 'bounce' when they visit your website or they look confused when you deliver your pitch, is because they

To give you an idea, here are my statements for Inspired Business.

can't figure out what you do and if, or how, you can help them.

will save the world.

Clear, sharp and impactful (punchy!)

VISION To empower purpose-driven

messaging makes all your marketing and sales efforts easier. Get your

entrepreneurs to bring their vision to life.

messaging right, and you'll see your revenue increase with ease.

MISSION

So what is Core Messaging?

To help entrepreneurs master the craft of starting and growing a thriving, scalable business so they can make the

Your core messaging describes the

difference they're here to make.

essence of who you are, what you believe, and what you do, boiled down to a few critical sentences or phrases.

What do you want people to know and remember about your brand? As Simon Sinek always says, "Your job is to do business with those who believe what you believe," which starts with clearly defining your 'why', vision, mission and tagline. This then flows into all your marketing assets and the way you speak about your brand.

You'd be surprised how many businesses struggle to clearly articulate their brand core message.

And they struggle to make sales as a result.

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WHY Because I believe that entrepreneurs

TAGLINE Grow your business with ease.

When you nail your messaging, you'll see an immediate increase in leads and conversions because people now know exactly what you're about, who you help and how.

Kate De Jong kate@katedejong.com 0424 176 658 www.katedejong.com

INSIGHTS

Are You Sending The Right Message?

Scotty Collins

Managing Director

08 9361 9534 scollins@whitechalkroad.com.au

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ADVERTORIAL

We have been helping small businesses grow since 1999, through proven digital strategies, that get results.

SPONSOR FEATURE Claim the offer by filling out the form here. Or directly contact Sally Bowes of Edge Animation at 0429 962 943 or send an email to sally@edgeanimation.com.au

Are you making these rookie mistakes with your passwords?

If you reuse the same favourite passwords (think family pet or DOB) and use a spreadsheet to store them – stop right now! You're playing straight into the hands of hackers.

Martarna's Keeper Security system can manage all your passwords securely in one place, generate complex passwords and alert you if any of them have been compromised.

You can also rest easy knowing all your data is encrypted and stored securely, while still allowing you quick access when required.

Contact Peter at Martarna peter@martarna.com.au to find out more and set up a free 30-day trial.

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The Importance Of Video In The Marketing Mix

In the current age, it is imperative for organisations to adapt technological advances and market trends to survive

The pandemic boosted online media consumption by 215% in the US. In 2022, audiences spent an average of 19

and thrive in a competitive landscape amidst unfavourable economic

hours a week watching videos online.

headwinds.

Video is the second most popular content type on social media for

You have heard it said that a picture is worth a thousand words, therefore a moving picture with sound must be worth a lot more. The powerful and exciting medium of video is all about moving pictures. Moving pictures demonstrate services, train, educate, advertise and sell. In the past television was the exclusive domain for large companies with sizable advertising budgets.

With the advent of technology, the internet and realistic investment schedules, the production of a promo video is accessible to all businesses today.

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The rise of smartphone technology has made watching videos easier and more convenient.

increasing engagement. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok have always been about video. Instagram and Facebook are focusing on video.

Platforms that don't offer native video uploads emphasise the value of video marketing.

Video Tweets on Twitter get 10x more engagement 68% of video marketers plan to use LinkedIn video this year People watch almost a billion videos a day on Pinterest.

Video content is more engaging than traditional media.

SPONSOR FEATURE

Within 2 minutes or less, a promotional video can tell your potential customers far more about your products and services than 10 minutes of listening to a sales representative or reading a sales brochure. Professionally scripted, shot and edited, a promotional video can relay a message about your business that is inspiring, convincing and educative.

In addition, unlike traditional advertising content, videos embedded in newsletters, social media posts and video channels provide businesses with almost real time statistics of the number of clicks and views and many more metrics, to measure the Return on Investment or effectiveness of their campaigns.

andrew@buffalofilmstudios.com.au 0415 330 321 www.buffalofilmstudios.com.au

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Andrew Njuguna

bookkeeping, BAS and business advisory firm based in Western Australia, with a mission to remove confusion, fear & uncertainty by replacing it with clarity, freedom & control.

Astute Bookkeeping & Advisory was formed out of Kirsty's passion for educating for success. Astute not only assist business owners with financial efficiency and adherence in compliance with taxation law, they also provide frameworks that give you a fresh perspective, an opportunity to step out of the box & look at the big picture. kirsty@astutebookkeeping.net.au | 048 317 1616 | www.astutebookkeeping.com.au

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SPONSOR FEATURE

Kirsty Thompson is the Managing Director at Astute Bookkeeping & Advisory Pty Ltd, a fast-growing

ADVERTORIAL

Website Security – A Tale of Woe

GroupSupport was approached by a valued client in 2022 to assist with

The GroupSupport team removed the foreign pages and other material from

making some changes to their website normally managed in-house by the client.

the website, upgraded the authentication requirements and put the site on our maintenance plan. Our

While scoping the work, the GroupSupport team discovered over

work also included assistance to the client by changing the same credentials used on other platforms.

750 published, live but unauthorised posts, created by a 'black hat' (hacker) using credentials harvested from a hack on a separate business. These pages were causing the Google ranking of the site to plummet, but the client didn't know why.

We confirmed that these posts and pages had been injected using valid login credentials. The pages contained all manner of horrible content including pornography, links to gambling sites, spam and phishing sites and advertisements for medications, to name a few. But because the authorisation was used, the pages avoided being detected by the automatic scanning / security firewall the client had installed.

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This scenario is a perfect example of why regular maintenance of your website is needed, by experienced operators outside of your business, work that should include more than just a check on credential security.

Peter Trenaman peter@groupsupport.com.au 0416 087 429 www.groupsupport.com.au

Late nights, endless to-do lists and hectic schedules - traditionally "the deal" as entrepreneurs. The reality is that you won't grow your business this way; it will either stagnate or eventually kill it. "Burnout is the biggest

Outsourcing mindset: do what you do well.

risk for entrepreneurs in the scaling phase."

specialists and the quality control department. But we can't do it all and

As entrepreneurs, we make a difference in our businesses; as Brand Ambassadors, tireless promoters,

expect to grow.

Outsourcing for competition All businesses need to outsource work to compete and grow in this climate. If you don't your competitors will. We need to adopt an outsourcing mindset.

This means realising what we must do and what to delegate to someone like a VA. Be blunt about this.

Reality checks: We live in a global world and a 24/7 marketplace.

Everything is online, including your competitors.

Customers are impatient and want service now.

Economic conditions are uncertain.

This has been, and always will be, the way to moving forward.

We need to build businesses that respond to these challenges and thrive in this environment.

Take home: This doesn't dictate being available by phone 24/7 nor missing your daughter's sports game to render a quote.

33

Pick a short list of duties that will propel your business forward and are aligned with your goals. These need to be closely linked to growth and revenue generation. They must be measurable.

The rest can be done by someone else.

An

entrepreneur's

shortlist

should

include giving critical advice to staff and clients (the talent), steering the ship, building key relationships and checking, training and quality control (a few others I've missed). These are the functions only you can do.

With the rest, get an experienced VA (Virtual Assistant) to do the grunt work in combination with a good CRM. Or outsource specialist tasks to an agency partner i.e.

Bookkeeper.

Click here to read the whole article.

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Perth's largest independent flexible workspace provider, Liberty, has swooped into action to quickly take-

Without Liberty taking over the Victory Office, tenants of Level 17 Exchange Tower would have been locked out

over the operations of failed workspace provider Victory Offices

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The company that was once valued at $80 million, said it faced becoming insolvent and appointed DV Recovery Management as voluntary administrators. Victory Offices was facing an application to wind up the company launched by creditors allegedly owed around $3.5 million in overdue debts, which was heard in the Supreme Court, including $985,269 in unpaid rent and associated interest.

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36

join not just women), who choose to donate between $300 and $1200 a year (tax deductible).

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100 Women Co-Founder, Alicia Curtis, said these organisations do so much to

like to fund. The grant recipients are then announced at an annual gala dinner in Perth the following month.

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In 2022, almost $185,000 was awarded to support the following initiatives:

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Crisis response and intervention of sex trafficking and exploitation of thousands of girls in Cambodia; High school and holistic support for 50 Ugandan girls; Workshops and peer support for almost 200 victims of Family and Domestic Violence in Perth; Five birthing huts, 50 birthing attendants and school education for 25 remote villages in Papua New Guinea; and Training in respectful relationships, sexual health and equality for a group of 35 culturally and linguistically diverse teen girls in Perth.

37

ensure we end discrimination against women. Our members are passionate about leading this change and giving everyone the chance to be safe, achieve their potential and thrive. These grants don't happen without our members and volunteers."

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Advertise Your Business Here Contact lorraine@district32.com.au 1300 55 22 93

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