Business Tips Corner: Your attitude and you!

By Dr. Cheryl Cottle

Today, I will share with you some truths about your attititude. John C. Maxwell defines attitude as an inward feeling expressed by behaviour. Here are some ways that your attitude can affect you.

1. Your attitude determines your approach to life
2. It is often the difference between success and failure
3. Your attitude at the beginning of a task will affect it outcome more than anything else
4. Your attitude can turn your problems into blessings
5. It can give you an uncommonly positive perspective
6. Your attitude is not automatically good because you are a christian

Your attitude have a direct effect upon how you do business. A great attitude; one of respect for others, appreciation, and valuing of others will surely help you to build strong and long lasting relationships. On the other hand, poor attitude is easily discoved and it pushes people away.

To read more read John C. Maxwell. Attitude 101: What every leaders needs to know

Shared by Dr. Cheryl Cottle
Chief Consultant of Cottle's Professional Consulting
Administrator of CPC Women in Business

Business Tips Corner: Creating a workspace!

My business tip for this week is about creating a workspace for your home-based business.

While most entrepreneurs will agree that creating a space dedicated to your home-based business is critical, some still continue to function in an informal way rather than create a formal environment with office equipment, furniture, and the overall feel and layout of a professional space. Separating your home life from your work life provides you with the mental separateness required to run and manage a home-based business.

Regardless of the type of business you are in, if you work from home you will need a space for your business operation. You can use a small nook or a room that you dedicate to your work. Some common spaces used by my clients include working from their kitchen table, converting a closet into an office, working from their attic, garage, basement, or converting a bedroom. One of my clients created a sewing studio that doubles as her DIY video production set. Another client is a yoga instructor and uses her living room area as a studio, while yet another client has converted his basement into a top-of-the-line recording studio.

Here are a few reminders why creating a dedicated space for your business is beneficial:

• A home office puts you in the right mindset for working and creating, by making you feel grounded and provides the right climate for you to focus
• It is easier to block out distractions, therefore increasing your productivity
• It is a place where you can organize and easily access your work material and resources
• It enables you to threat your entrepreneurial venture as a business instead of a hobby
• Enables your children and family members to see what you are doing as a serious undertaking, therefore creating greater respect and acknowledgement for your job

These reminders have worked for me and my clients, perhaps they can work for you. They just might make working from home a more rewarding and profitable experience.

Created by Dr. Cheryl Cottle of Cottle's Professional Consulting.

Copyright © 2011 by Dr. Cheryl Cottle ● Cottle’s Professional Consulting.

Business Tips Corner - - Blogging a strategy for small businesses!

One way to brand your company is through blogging. While many companies both large and small are using blogging as a way of marketing their products or services; a great many are still yet to do so. Many companies are still considering whether they need to make a change to recruit an employee specifically responsible for blogging or whether they should put out the cost necessary. In today’s economy where viral marketing is leading traditional marketing strategies, blogging has become a must. Businesses should decide to integrate blogging into their business strategy. The benefit to your business can be invaluable and have a great impact on your brand, client-base and profitability.

While there are many benefits, here are just some reasons that I hope will motivate you to introduce blogging to your business:

1. Brand your company and reach your target audience: A business blog helps you to brand your company and your expertise. You can get an opportunity to reach your target audience. It enables you to widen your client reach and allows you to reach your target audience at an affordable price.
2. Increase traffic to your website: The best way to introduce a blog into your business marketing strategy, is by integrating it into your website. The underlying objective of having a blog is to drive traffic to your website and encourage potential clients to see what you do and to learn about your services.
3. Establish yourself as an expert: Use your blog to establish yourself as an expert. Make sure that the information you provide is current. By posting relevant and useful information, people will come to know you as the person who they can rely upon for useful information.
4. Develop a great following: A blog is designed so you can have a very large following. Some blogs have thousands of followers — thus the potential of a blog is great. It can put your business and you in front of a large audience of similar interest. You can also learn a great deal from the feedback you receive via “COMMENTS.”  This feedback helps you to form valuable relationships.

I hope that this advice will help you to make your decision regarding starting a blog. Cottle’s Professional Consulting can help you to design a blog that will reflect your business and put your services and products before a larger audience. Contact us at: ccottle@drcottle.com

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Author: Dr. Cheryl Cottle is an educator, instructional technologist, system analyst and business consultant. She is the founder and Chief Consultant of Cottle's Professional Consulting; a firm that specializes in the areas of education, organizational development, professional development and small business development. Dr. Cottle also manages CPC Women in Business; an online forum for women entrepreneurs globally.

Copyright © 2011 by Dr. Cheryl Cottle ● Cottle’s Professional Consulting.