Business Essentials

There are four key questions that a business owner needs to ask themselves about why their customers choose their business. That's according to Dan Williams, who is the Asia Pacific Coach for EOS Worldwide, a global network of business coaches.   In this episode, Dan Williams explains how studying your customers can lead to insights and increased profitability. Business Essentials Daily is pr...

The common thread for business survivors of the pandemic is their relative digital engagement, according to Bruce Billson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman. Mr Billson says digitally engaged SMEs are more nimble and robust. He says businesses that have become digitised are 50 percent more likely to be growing, and that it is imperative for hesitant owners to move into...

Don’t give up - do it regularly and consistently and you'll reap the benefits. Just like an exercise regimen, prospecting for clients can be daunting - particularly the cold-calling side. But prospecting is more than just cold-calling, and if done properly it can be bring real benefits to your business. Ingrid Maynard knows - she’s had more than 25 years' experience in sales and she ad...

The good old days in agency land saw long lock in contracts, mark ups on media buying and the money flowed. At a time when there are more ad, digital and PR agencies than ever, James Smith, CEO of digital agency Smith Brothers Media, explains why there’s a shift in monetization strategy across the industry. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8...

Many businesses are being held back because their owners either can't, or won't, identify what they are bad at. That's according to Dan Williams, Asia Pacific business coach for EOS Worldwide, a global network of business coaches. Dan says it is crucial for business owners to identify what they "suck" at. He says that by slowing down and taking stock of everything you do, it's possible to identify...

Payroll is a task which must be done to ensure employees are paid the right award and are paid on time. Is it better to perform this important function in-house, or does it make more sense to outsource it? Donavin van Rooyen, a partner at Mazars, discusses some of the key reasons business decide to outsource their payroll function, as well as other accounting tasks that could be done by a third pa...

We’re living in a quick and changing world; and the rate of uncertainty has made it difficult to plan for the long-term. But plan we must, says an optimistic Nigel Collin. You must find the right balance of planning for the future with the flexibility of shifting course when storms approach. Nigel, who’s weathered many business squalls over the years, offers some guidance for others in...

Business Coach Dan Williams says he can chalk up most business failures to weak processes. An Asia Pacific business coach for coaching firm EOS Worldwide, he says successful firms need to have strong processes at their core, otherwise their possible growth and ability to scale will be hobbled. And he says strong processes will lead to fewer people leaving the company. Business Essentials Daily is...

Google has become almost synonymous with the internet. For many people, it’s the first place they go to find out about a business’s product or service, especially Google reviews. But, what can you do if you receive a bad Google review? Marketing consultant Jessie Weatherley goes through the steps, depending on whether it’s a legitimate or fake review. Business Essentials Daily is...

A few years ago, Australian Rules football legend, Rodney Eade, changed his coaching boots for the corporate sector, offering businesses lessons in leadership, especially around the area of change. Rodney's venture is called Facing Change – a timely initiative as the world of business transforms as never before. Like team sport, he's found building a strong culture in the workplace helps bri...

Australian domain names are getting a major face lift. From March this year, you will be able to purchase the shorter and simpler “.au” equivalent of your current “.com.au” domain. You have until 20 September this year to do so before someone else does. Web designer Leigh Ericksen discusses the process and what you should do with the old .com.au. Business Essentials Daily i...

It’s extraordinary how nimble businesses have been in their response to the crises brought on by COVID, says strategist and facilitator Rosie Yeo. But the pandemic has also held businesses back from planning for the long-term. Rosie is author of ‘Go for Bold: How to create powerful strategy in uncertain times’. She outlines her three Cs to building strategy: creativity, clarity a...

Some of Australia’s best-known and largest companies are some of the worst exemplars of customer service. That’s according to Milton Collins, Principal of The Action Business Coach. He says one of the biggest mistakes is forgetting or ignoring what the customer wants. Milton discusses all this from his recently released book, ‘Delight, Disrupt, Deliver: Grow your business using t...

Mandy Holloway isn't a fan of your typical performance management appraisals which allow managers to hide behind a system. Instead, she says, managers should talk with their staff more often and in a meaningful way. Mandy outlines the seven types of conversations you should have with your team members on a regular basis to help motivate them and ultimately increase the business's performance. Busi...

Attracting staff in a hot jobs market is a huge problem for businesses across the country. The Asia-Pacific Business Coach for coaching network EOS Worldwide, calls it the “talent lottery.” Dan Williams says employers need to become more astute, find ways to engage new recruits and offer them something they can be part of. He says direct and friendly conversations with staff about thei...

This country of fire, drought and flooding rains has certainly lived up to its reputation in recent years, and according to scientists, things could get a lot worse. We hear a lot in the news about households that have been affected by natural disasters, but what about small businesses? The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Bilson, has recently toured Australia&rsquo...

The frontline of business is customer service. That's where we engage with customers and – hopefully – persuade people to buy. But, why do some frontline staff fail? It comes down to a lack of empowerment, according to customer service expert, Michael Carrick. When people feel empowered, they're much better at helping others. When we take care of our own people, Michael insists, our pe...

Accepting that you can safely delegate to trustworthy staff can be difficult for some small business owners. But not handing work over to your employees can actually hold a business back from attaining its true potential. That’s according to business coach Tristan Wright, who says leaving one’s ego at the office door and delegating tasks to others, can lead to better physical and menta...

Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Be aware of Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams warns tech expert, Steve Sammartino. He says that scams like these are increasing as improved technology allows scammers to impersonate you and your business. Steve explains what they are and how to protect yourself from them. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

With an election looming, the federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivered a budget focused on cost-of-living measures. Michael Jones of Mazars examines the budget from the perspective of family business and self-managed super funds. He says that budget time is always a good opportunity to reassess your own tax and financial situation with support, of course, from your accountant. Business Essentia...

A combination of ego, overconfidence and, at times, ignorance, can lead to business blind spots. That’s according to Tristan Wright, a business coach and founder of Evolve to Grow. He says the way to find your own business blind spots is by becoming humbler and speaking directly to every member of your workforce. And he says asking for ideas for improvement and graciously accepting construct...

Sure, most things today are done digitally and online, but when it comes to building relationships and sourcing quality leads, answering the phone can in in fact be the answer. James Smith, CEO at digital agency, Smith Brothers Media explains why businesses need to lift their game when it comes to picking up the phone. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3...

Many "new" ideas already exist in some form or other — does yours bring something better to the market? Business Adviser and Author, Alan Hargreaves, has three rules to test a new idea for success: Is it needed? Does it work? Can it be done better? Alan insists if your idea provides more convenience for consumers, it might be a winner. Reference: Find out more about the three rules in Alan&r...

Australians have one of the highest rates of burnout in the world. So, how do workers and leaders handle the emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress? Mark Butler, a specialist in workplace mental health explains how to prevent burnout, and what to look out for if you or your team are suffering. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundca...