As your practice grows, you will likely feel the need to hire a graphic designer to help with tasks ranging from the production of marketing materials to the creation of images/logos for your website. As this may be your first time working with a freelance graphic designer, here are a few tips:

Make Sure the Designer Understands Your Brand

Even if you don’t have a website that you particularly like, you probably still have an idea of the image of your practice that you want to project to the public. Before meeting with a graphic designer, write down a bit of information that will help demonstrate your vision. What are your brand colours? If you don’t have brand colours, what colour scheme do you find professional and representative of how you want to appear online? Write down some adjectives that describe your practice, e.g., holistic, energetic, comforting. You must be clearly able to communicate your vision, otherwise the designer may not know where to start.

Provide Clear Format Guidelines

Make sure you can clearly communicate your objective in terms of the marketing material you want to create. If you’re redoing your website—why? Be able to tell the designer what you want to change, and what you want to remain the same. If you are making a one-page sheet detailing your services, be clear about your objective for the sheet. What do you want the result to be? If your goal is to entice potential clients to book a call or book a meeting, make sure the sheet has a clear call-to-action with your contact information on it.

The designer also has to know what form you want the final product to take. If you are planning on only sending a booklet or PDF digitally, the designer will create a web version of your material. If you plan on printing the material, the designer will need to create a print version.

Provide Clear Deadlines

Be up front with the designer about when you need to have your project complete. Keep in mind that even designing a “simple” image or logo can take the designer hours. Also, you will likely have delays caused by the designer’s need for additional content. Oftentimes you think you have given the designer everything  needed to complete a project, but there will be information missing, and projects can take a lot of back and forth before completion. Expect delays, but be clear about the timeline you’re aiming for.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Edits 

In the end, the designer is creating something that will represent you and your practice. If you’re not happy, don’t sign off on a project. First, be able to define exactly what it is you don’t like about the finished product and what changes could improve it. Telling the designer, “I don’t like this at all,” will not help make a piece into something you do like. You will have to pay for the designer’s time to fix what you don’t like, but that’s better than investing in marketing and never being happy with it.

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I’m not sure why, but I always feel easily inspired to write blog posts when I’m sitting in the airport at 4 in the morning! Regardless of the reason, here I sit thinking about an old saying, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch”.

What does that mean? Well, essentially it means that you shouldn’t count on what may happen with your revenue, resources, or big deals until they’re done. And while, in business—and, as an advisor—it’s fine not to spend money you haven’t made, you can’t plan if you don’t count your chickens before they hatch!

You have to be able to project the revenue of reaching your intended sales targets in any business to be able to plan your business. And while you can certainly make some different decisions—or change course if you miss a target—you literally can’t efficiently run a business if you wait until every sale is certain to make decisions on your growth plan. Have a plan B for sure, but don’t wing plan A.

So as you look at your practice over the next 6 months, what investments could you  make in your marketing, training, or growth that would help you get more chickens to count?

Are you ready for Fall?

We are!

Join us in cities across Canada for our Cash Flow Workshop:

Learn:

• How to stay top-of-mind with your clients
• How to prepare for CRM2
• How to boost your revenue & referrals!

Most of us make sure we carefully weigh the big financial decisions in life. We do exhaustive research on the most fuel efficient  vehicles, help our kids apply for grants and scholarships, and painstakingly book our travel through Air Miles to get those inconvenient―yet cheaper― flights.

But you can actually save big by paying more attention to the little things. For example:

Coffee

How often do you buy coffee outside of your home? If you pick up coffee every morning on the way to work, are you aware how much that is costing you? Is it worth it, or would you be just as happy drinking the free coffee at the office? Speaking of coffee, if you have a Tassimo or Keurig at home, do you know what you’re spending per month on t-cups? If you really aren’t passionate about coffee in any way but are spending a lot on the habit, you may want to consider taking a new approach to your daily java consumption. Switching to instant coffee in the early morning can save you time and money.

Food Waste

In Canada we waste approximately 40% of our food, according to a study by Value Chain Management Centre, an independent think tank based in Ontario. This statistic includes not only the food we toss from our homes, but also the food we leave on our plates at restaurants.

Are you wasting food? Maybe you don’t typically throw away uneaten goods, but think about splitting a meal with your partner rather than ordering an entire portion. Think about packing your leftovers for lunch the next day. Could you split your next Costco order with someone else so that you don’t end up with more frozen waffles than you ever imagined?

Skipping the Drink 

We all know that going to a bar for drinks is a costly endeavor, but so is getting into the habit of buying bottled drinks while you’re out. Avoid buying bottled drinks at drugstores, concerts, and events and you’ll be amazed by how much you can save. Do you really like Mountain Dew that much?

Use Things Until They Wear Out  

This may seem obvious, but when was the last time you had to throw something away because it was physically falling apart? Before buying a new item, consider whether you truly got all the life out of the item you’re replacing.

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Are you stressed about taking advantage of your hard-earned vacation days? With 9-5 jobs becoming a thing of the past for many of us, taking time off can seem impossible. But work-life balance is essential if you want to avoid complete burnout.

How to take a stress free vacation:

Arrange for Backup

In advance of your vacation, identify tasks that must continue in your absence and then find a co-worker to take responsibility for those tasks. Write out the instructions and send them in an email; this way your co-worker will have easy access to the details. Once this is taken care of, you can relax about those tasks completely.

Set Your Out of Office Messages

Vacations are important because they allow you to recharge. If you don’t set your out of office email reply and your voice mail to let people know you’re away, you’re basically still on the clock—and ruining your chances of really relaxing. It’s crucial to unplug completely while you’re away.

Let Your Office Know Well in Advance

Taking time off is less stressful if everyone knows well in advance that you will be away. Keep in mind that while you are busy preparing for your departure, others may have things they’ll need from you and they will have to know that you won’t be available so they can ask for those things in advance. Save yourself a lot of last minute scrambling by telling your boss and co-workers about your vacation period a couple months before and then reminding them closer to the date. If you use Gmail or Outlook, you might even want to schedule your vacation as an event and share it with others so that it’s blocked off in their calendars as well.

Make Your  To-Do List For Your Return in Advance   

Reduce stress upon your return by creating a to-do list before you go. Getting your head back into the game will be easier if you know where to start! Plus, you’ll have the comfort of knowing that you won’t be totally lost when you return.

Halifax Workshop for Advisors !

CRM2 is looming! How do you show your value?

We can help with that! Attend our NEW Cash Flow Planning Workshop and learn how to protect your practice and quantify your value just in time for CRM2.

Will we see you tomorrow? 

When most of us envision a trip, cooking dinner isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But if you arrange to stay in a hotel with a kitchen or with an adjoining deck and barbecue, you can even enhance your experience (while saving lots of money)!

A few ways you save by staying in a hotel with a kitchen or outdoor grill:

Time

If you’re more interested in exploring the city you’re visiting than spending the evening sitting in a restaurant, cooking in your room might be the way to go. A quick visit to the local grocery store will likely prove interesting, in terms of the possibility of unique ingredients; plus, when you return to your room after an exhaustive day of trekking around, the ingredients for dinner will all be waiting for you. After a quick grill, you’ll be free to see an evening show.

Alcohol

Undoubtedly one of the biggest dining expenses is the alcohol. If you’re accustomed to ordering a bottle of wine over dinner, your restaurant spending can add up quickly. On the other hand, if you prepare your own food at the hotel, you can easily save loads of money and drink a much better quality bottle of wine in the process!

Taxi

When travelling, many of us visit far-off eateries because we read about them in a guide (a guide which may or may not be terribly outdated). While this seems like an adventure at first, your taxi ride alone could end up costing you the same amount as a light meal! If you use the grill at your hotel, you don’t have to think about that running taxi meter as you make your way across town.

One More Thing!

Aside from saving on travel to and from your hotel, you can also use this as an opportunity to appreciate your surroundings a bit more. We tend to pay a lot of money to stay in a nice hotel and then we leave the room at every opportunity. Dining on the adjoining balcony or in the attached kitchen is a great way to savour your hotel itself! It’s romantic because it’s different and fun. Rather than waiting in a crowded restaurant for a cramped table, you can happily sip a glass of wine as you prepare a dinner of your choice. Bon appétit!

Are you registered for The Money Finder LIVE Workshop Near You?

You will learn:

• How to quantify your value in time for CRM2
• How to be a daily positive thought in the minds of your clients
• How Cash Flow Planning can help your clients to make the most of the money they have!

Cities/ Dates:

• June 11 – Ottawa
• June 16 – Halifax

Register Now!

For some, summer just has a lazy feel. Maybe it’s the stomach full of BBQ. Maybe it’s just that business isn’t as intense as usual. Maybe it’s that those five business days between trips to the cottage just seem to fly. Whatever the case, you shouldn’t write off your summer in terms of productivity. In fact, if business isn’t as intense, that means you have  more time than usual to sit down and set some goals. Set some deadlines for yourself. Break out of vacation mode and really get into the game with these tips:

Do An Annual Review of Yourself

Looking back at your performance at work, do you think there are things you can do better? Take stock of the tasks you excel in. What motivates you to excel at these things? Then, look at the tasks and projects that you typically aren’t fond of. This will teach you about which areas you might want to focus on more and which areas you might want to delegate to others.

Set Goals

Sure you have your usual deadlines for projects at work, but what about setting some self-imposed goals as well? If you’d like to advance in your company, you can’t just sit back and expect to be promoted. Define where you would like to be going, and then create a roadmap that will allow you to get there. Focus on little steps that will produce big results. Think about tasks that others may want off their plates and whether you can take over for them. Impress others with your tenacity.

Continuing Education

If things are slower at the office, get out of it! Register for professional development courses. Are there skills you think would help you thrive? Find a local class or workshop and develop those skills.

Establish a Fitness Routine

You’re generally more motivated to be active during the summer. This is a great time to establish a fitness routine that will work with your career. Maybe you’ll find that you do have time for a quick trip to the gym in the morning. You can always do a few mornings and a few evenings at the gym each week. Play around with your schedule and establish a routine you’ll stick with. Try scheduling workouts in your calendar so that you can quickly see your schedule.

Workshop For Financial Professionals in Cities Across Canada!

Are you registered yet?

You won’t want to miss these workshops for financial professionals. Come and learn exactly how to quantify your value just in time for CRM2.

You will also learn:

• How to be a daily positive thought in the minds of your clients
• How Cash Flow Planning can help your clients to make the most of the money they have

Cities/ Dates:

• June 9 – Calgary
• June 11 – Ottawa
• June 16 – Halifax

Watch as she breaks down society’s habit of imagining that disabled people have to act courageously on a daily basis:

When one thinks of a summer trip to the beach, one rarely thinks of how much it might cost. That’s because a family trip to the beach shouldn’t cost you a lot of money. But, let’s face it, there are certain supplies that you absolutely need at the beach and if you forget to bring them, you could end up shelling out big bucks at the canteen.

Here are a few suggestions for keeping the costs down this summer:

Create a Beach Checklist

It would be painful to spend $13 on a small tube of sunscreen at the beachfront store. And it also wouldn’t be ideal to forget your sunglasses and have to pay $20 for a pair that make you look slightly like a park ranger. Not to mention how expensive it could get if you don’t pack water or juice for the kids. Create a beach checklist and use it each time you go to make sure everything you want is packed. Especially towels !

Bring Food!

You might get an inexpensive hot dog, but that doesn’t turn out to be so cheap when you have to buy pop and fries and ice cream to go with it. Packing your own snacks will ensure that you don’t spend a fortune on food, and usually the snacks you pack will be a bit healthier too.

Find a Closer Beach or Hoof It

If you’re driving to a far off beach, you might want to consider carpooling or even finding a closer beach to frequent. You’re likely to already spend more on gas during the summer, with trips to the cottage and weekend excursions. If there is a beach near you, try walking there. A walk to the beach often becomes part of the fun! 

Avoid Stores Along the Boardwalk!

Even if you have packed everything you intended, it can be tempting to check out those T-shirts and stuffed lobsters in the nearby stores. Don’t forget why you went to the beach in the first place—to enjoy fresh air and nature. Don’t be left wondering why you went home with an oversized tie-dye T-shirt and a seagull sculpture…

Workshops for Advisors !

CRM2 is looming! How do you show your value?

We can help with that! Attend our NEW workshop and learn how to protect your practice just in time for CRM2.

NEW CITIES ADDED!

• June 2 – Saskatoon
• June 3 – Winnipeg
• June 8 – Vancouver
• June 9 – Calgary
• June 11 – Ottawa
• June 16 – Halifax

We all have those days sometimes. On those days when your to-do list seems like it will never be done, it can be helpful to repeat something nice in your head. After all, maybe the secret to being happy is to decide that you are. The Sanskrit word “mantra” literally means “instrument for thinking.”

A few daily mantra ideas:

I can…and I will!

I am amazing

Today I choose happiness

I love my work and I’m great!

I got this!

For more inspiration, check out the magic of running mantras from Runner’s World; scroll to the bottom of the article for your own mantra builder!

NEW Cash Flow Planning Workshop Dates!

Learn how you can be a daily positive thought in the minds of your clients!

Not to mention, prove your value just in time for CRM2! How will you show clients your value? Come find out!

See you in:

• Saskatoon, SK - June 2
• Winnipeg, MB - June 3
• Vancouver, BC – June 8
• Calgary, AB – June 9
• Ottawa, ON – June 11
• Halifax, NS – June 16