So you’ve got an email marketing list 10,000 names long. But you’re still consistently getting less than a one per cent response rate, which is way down from what you’ve gotten in the past. Not to mention, you’ve started getting complaints from recipients that they kept getting your newsletter even after they formally requested not to, because duplicate emails had somehow crept into the mix.

Sometimes, it’s the message you’re writing that just isn’t connecting with your audience. But other times, the problem is that you haven’t taken the time to manage your relationships in their most basic level: your email lists, a critical piece of your marketing efforts. If your email blasts are resulting in a lot of bounce-backs, or what’s just as bad, no response at all, it’s time to revisit your list management.

How do you clear up your list? With paid list server services, management can be easy once you get a quick tutorial on the tools. You may be able to set up rules to automate many functions.  For free email marketing services or basic software that comes with your computer, you may need to do this work manually, one by one. It can be tedious, but it’s necessary (this may be where out-tasking comes in). Use card-scanners and other tech tools to expedite the process whenever possible.

You should be going through these lists at least twice a year. That means updating their contact information (including their information for other networks). Confirm if people have changed positions, since you want to be talking to the decision-makers for your field. An accurate but shorter contact list is generally more effective than a longer one filled with junk leads.

Linda Chu
CEO – Out of Chaos, Professional Organizing Solutions
www.outofchaos.ca

Experience, hard word and talent are not enough to succeed in today’s workplace. You need to also focus on building a network that will bring you the success you want. Your career will likely span multiple jobs and fields and the best and fastest way to get where you want to be is having a network of people you can call on. Building an effective network takes time, planning and intention. Here are 5 rules that will help you out:

1. Talk to strangers. You never know who is standing behind you at Starbucks.
2. Build a network with intention; create a plan of the types of people you want to meet and work the plan.
3. Give as much as you get; don’t be stingy about looking for ways to help others out. This will repay itself many times over when you need a helping hand.
4. Reach out to people long before you need anything; do not be that person who only ever calls when they need something. That is not networking – that is using people and you will not be appreciated for it. Stay in touch regularly with the people in your network.
5. Ask for what you want, not what you think you can get. The simple act of asking will get you a lot more than you can ever imagine.

Remember: success does not come to those with a low tolerance for risk or those who are led by fear. Start talking to people – you will be surprised what you learn!

Fiona Walsh, CEO, FM Walsh & Associates Inc., www.fmwalsh.com

A big part of automating your business means being tech savvy. Name an administrative business function and you’ll probably find a free, or inexpensive, online tool to get it done. Google alone has dozens of apps you can use to organize, create, promote and network.

A few of my favorite tech tools for business include:

GTDMail

This email service provides simple workflow that transforms emails into tasks, enabling you to process them much more efficiently. Create categories like Follow Up, Read and Action for various types of responses. Create a Snooze folder so you can have the email re-delivered to you when it’s convenient.

Jott

Imagine having a private secretary following you around 24/7, transcribing all your thoughts so you can retrieve your ideas at any time. With Jott, you can record messages on your cellphone and have the messages sent to Outlook as sound files or transcribed and sent to your email.

Sticky Notes

Lots of people still use the paper sticky notes to help remind them of important tasks. Digital sticky notes fulfill the same purpose on your computer, without adding to your clutter. You can insert hyperlinks into them to make them more useful.

Linda Chu
CEO – Out of Chaos, Professional Organizing Solutions
www.outofchaos.ca

I’m a rainmaker. I bring in money and opportunities every week. My team at the Ghost CEO are also rainmakers. We are in the market every day hunting along side our clients for new opportunities and platforms. A lot of time gets spent looking for ‘hunting partners’ in the market. The blunt truth is…many business owners don’t hunt. They hang out their shingle and wait for customers to walk in the door.

I like using networking events to find other ‘hunters’ to partner with. It’s easy for someone to tell you they like to do business development, but the proof is in the pudding when you see them in action. I like to go to networking events with prospective alliances (i.e. hunting partners) and watch them work the room. Do they sit in one spot talking to the same person for 20 minutes, or do they work the room scanning opportunities, making introductions, and seizing the opportunities that come with a networking event?

Even if you don’t go to a networking event with anyone, once you get there, look at who is commanding attention in the room. That’s who you want to become curious about. What is it about them that is captivating the audience? There are a lot of turkeys at networking events who are going ‘because they have to’. The eagles swoop in, find and capture opportunity and are off again. Be an eagle and look for other eagles at networking events to align with.

Best,

Chris.