planning

7 Actionable Tips for Mastering Project Planning

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As a business owner, it’s important to be well-versed in project planning so that you can oversee and manage projects effectively. Good project planning can save you time and money, and can help you stay on track towards achieving your business goals. In this blog post, we will share 7 tips to improve your project planning and increase the chances of your projects being successful.

Have a clear objective

The first step in any successful project is to clearly define the objective. The more specific and measurable the objective, the easier it will be to plan and execute the project. Be sure to involve all relevant stakeholders in defining the objective so that everyone is on the same page

Define deliverables

Once you have a clear objective, it’s important to define the deliverables – the tangible items or results that will be produced during the project. This could include items such as a report, a prototype, or a new product feature. Defining deliverables will help ensure that everyone involved in the project is working towards the same goals and that progress towards project completion can be tracked accurately.

Break the project into manageable tasks

Breaking the project into manageable tasks is essential for keeping the project on track and ensuring that progress is being made. Each task should have a clear deadline and should be assigned to a specific team member. Breaking the project into smaller tasks also makes it easier to identify any potential roadblocks or issues early on..

Build in contingency time

No matter how well you plan a project, unexpected issues can arise and derail your timeline. Building in contingency time for unforeseen challenges can help ensure that the project stays on schedule and isn’t derailed by setbacks. Contingency time should be built into the project plan from the start, and team members should be aware of this time so that they can plan their work accordingly.

Communicate regularly

Regular communication is critical to the success of any project. Stakeholders should be informed of project progress, any issues or challenges, and updates to project timelines. Regular communication can help ensure that everyone works well together and can help identify potential issues before they become bigger problems.

Utilise project management tools

There are a variety of project management tools available that can make project planning and execution more efficient and effective. Consider utilising tools such as Trello, Asana, or Basecamp to help you stay organised and keep all project information in one place.

Review and learn from each project

After each project is complete, take the time to review what worked well and what didn’t. This can help you refine your project planning process and identify areas for improvement, and increase the chances of future project success.

Effective planning is key to the success of any project. By following the 7 tips we’ve outlined in this blog post, you can improve your project planning process and increase the chances of your projects being successful. If you’d like to find out more about project planning or require any other business support, we would love to help! Get in touch:

E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com   T: 01903 688789

12 Days Of Tipmas Day 1: Have A Monthly Plan And Process In Place For Your Accounts

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We all know running a business can be time consuming and incredibly busy, which is why planning is an absolute must. Monthly plans and processes not only allow you to better visualise your business’ current state but also help to begin the development of future strategies.

Saving time

Monthly planning saves time- allowing you to focus on other important aspects of running your business. Providing a boost to your time management, having a plan in place prepares your business for upcoming spending as well as protecting you from falling behind on payments and expenditures.

Assessing progress

Apart from establishing a regime and saving time, monthly planning also allows you to assess your business’ financial health. You can examine what is working and what isn’t while getting to the root of any problems and identifying underlying issues with ease. It’s a fantastic tool for business growth as well as budget and forecasts comparisons.

A monthly business plan might include:

•  A cashflow statement

• An income and expenditure statement.

• A sales forecast

• A balance sheet

If you’d like to find out more about how we can help your business with cashflow management, please get in touch: 

E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com T: 01903 688789. 

What To Outsource A Month Before Christmas

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With only 5 working weeks to go before Christmas hits, what do you have left on your to do list?  

In between concentrating on serving your customers, providing your services and managing your workspace and teams, there’s an abundance of operations and management jobs that need to be done. Why not take some of the pressure off and ensure you finish the year with all these tasks completed too. Here’s some ideas about what you can outsource to ensure you rest easy this Christmas. 

Admin 

This time of year it’s always good to start getting ready for next, and an important part of that is organisation. You don’t want to come back to work in January with a messy inbox, unorganised filing systems and unruly databases. So why not enlist someone to help? It may only be a few hours work, but against providing your core services, it’s not necessarily a priority.  

An experienced personal assistant can expertly organise your emails, purging out of date or unnecessary correspondence, creating folders to file important emails, highlight important messages and much more. They can even send holding responses for you to give you more time to deal with key communications. 

When it comes to your digital filing systems – folders on your laptop/ computer, DropBox (or other file sharing platforms) or local servers – these can get out of hand after 12 months activity! It’s a task that you probably keep thinking about, but let’s face it, the prospect of sifting through and getting them sorted isn’t a fun one. Why not bite the bullet and recruit a helper? With an impartial view and no emotional attachment, they’ll quickly and efficiently tidy your files and likely make them much more user friendly too! 

The same goes with your databases. Over months of use and ongoing updating they’re prone to getting untidy. New names get added to notes, but not the ‘Contact’ section. Numbers and addresses aren’t always up to date. Old information and data entries are kept when they no longer need to be. Excel spreadsheets have formatting errors and inconsistencies. It’s a mess! Get a skilled administrator to have a look and take the stress of this task away. 

Whilst we’re on the subject of admin, have you sent your customers’ Christmas cards out yet? We can source, print, write and post them for you if you like? 

Finance 

This is so important. We can’t stress enough how little time there is until businesses start slowing or shutting down for the 2-week holiday period. Realistically you only have 4 weeks to get your outstanding invoices sent or followed up for payment. It’s nice getting the orders in and goods sent out, but it’s even better to start a new year with the cash in the bank and your finances in order. We understand one can’t happen without the other, but these processes don’t have to be independent. Hiring a capable Credit Controller to follow up older debts and keep on top of new ones is the best way to ensure you’re ahead of the game when January comes around. 

Bookkeeping is another key area that’s often left until it’s an absolute must. Incoming invoices, receipts and payments are a regular daily occurrence for most businesses and it’s easy for them to pile up quickly without being properly logged, making year end books a bit of a headache. Why not alleviate some of the pain and let a professional help you get it all organised? 

Quick question … When was the last time you reviewed your annual cashflow results and forecasts to look for expenditure savings? We’d be happy to help by producing simple summaries and overviews for you.  

Digital Marketing  

It’s easy to let marketing go a little when you have a busy period, but the problem with that is, when it gets quiet again there’s nothing in the pipeline! Don’t let your new year suffer because of your December successes. Employ an experienced digital marketer to help create and keep on top of your newsletters, mailshots, annual summaries and infographics. Keep the promotions going for January and get a plan in place for the rest of the year. 

Whether you currently use social media as a marketing channel or not, now is the time to start thinking about your strategy. If you use it already, you’ll know how important a good plan is and if you don’t, you should be! Seek the services of a digital marketing expert so it’s not all on your shoulders. The best way to interact and engage with prospects often changes, their help and advice will be invaluable – Not to mention they’ll take the daily workload that comes with social marketing away too!  

FYI – We’ve worked with over 30 industries on 100’s of accounts, across multiple social media channels. We’re always happy to answer questions and share ideas. 

So, whilst you’re taking care of order fulfilling; customer services; staff reviews; stock takes; desk clearing; and new year goal setting, let us help with everything in between. Allow yourself to make time for the most important thing of all – spending time with family and friends and taking some much-needed time off! 

We have been successfully providing services remotely for six years now. We are members of the ICO (Information Commissioners Office) and have been for 6 years. We work on our clients’ behalf as part of their team, and you can be confident that all services we provide are GDPR compliant, we take confidentiality seriously. 

If you’d like help with your admin, finance tasks or digital marketing, then please get in touch:  

T – 01903 688789  E – makeithappen@mbsmih.com 

Juggling It All As A Small Business

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It’s so easy to say yes to everything and everyone, but this can add a lot of stress to anyone who is self-employed or managing a small business, particularly with a household to run or a family to consider. So we’ve pulled together a few of our tips and tricks to help you manage.

Keep your calendar updated

Sounds simple, but if it slips your mind to add things into your calendar it can quickly snowball into overstretching yourself and can cause the added pressure of trying to fit too much in.

Top tip: Colour coding commitments is a great way to keep on top of everything and focus on the task in hand.

Plan your week

Planning is a big part of making sure your week runs as smoothly as possible. At the beginning of each week, ask yourself what you want to achieve realistically each day. Make a weekly (and then daily) plan, setting it all out.

Top tip: Make a list of what you would like to get done and work your way through it.

This will help you reach your end goal and keep a clear mind resulting in a better work/life balance.

Set realistic time frames

Set realistic time frames on everything from business priorities to family time. It’s never a good idea to squeeze anyone or anything in as it will take away from the quality of your work or time with those you care about.

Top tip: In your calendar, set approximate time frames on how long each task/activity should take you.

Spend time with family

Take time out to be present with family and focus on their needs and building / maintaining strong relationships with them. It’s easy to get caught up in constantly thinking about work and what needs to be done but it’s best to keep a clear line between business and family.

Top tip: Try keeping this time varied and interesting and you should find it helps keep energy levels up, resulting in a positive impact on work too.

Although there are many ways to juggle running a business with family time, sometimes you can still feel stretched and overwhelmed. At MOMENTUM we understand how valuable your time is, so should you find yourself in this position we’d love to help with our Admin and PA services. Get in touch by emailing makeithappen@mbsmih.com or by giving us a call on 01903 688789.

This article was featured in Issue 8 of Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce’s Connect Magazine

Make Your Goals Happen

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Having goals is such an important factor to maintaining direction and purpose. Here we share some of our top tips on making your goals happen!

Outline your Goals
The first step to making your goals happen is to outline what it is that you want to achieve. Your goal can be a big or small – think big and go above and beyond what skills you currently have. Stretch yourself but be realistic.

Break your Goals down
Breaking down goals helps us to be more specific. For example: Your goal is to create a work-life balance. Ask yourself why it is you want to achieve this goal: Is it to spend more time with family and friends? Have more time to focus on hobbies outside of work? Think about the underlying reasons as to why you want to achieve your goal and it will help you progress.

Create a Plan of Action
Write up your goals in a plan that you can refer back to. Identify what the first steps to achieving your goal are and what time frames you are working against. Set time aside to review and re-evaluate this plan when you can.

Keep Calm and Make It Happen!
Accomplishing your goals doesn’t happen overnight. Working towards them can be difficult sometimes. It’s important to stay stress free and remember with baby steps, you will eventually achieve your goals! Set yourself new goals once you have completed others, so you always have something you are motivated and focused on working towards.

At MOMENTUM, we believe that making goals is the key to success, but we understand that you may not currently have the time to plan them with your busy schedule. We can take care of those everyday tasks with our virtual PA services so you can take the time to focus on planning your goals. Find out more today: https://momentumbusinesssupport.com/services/

What are your 2018 goals? We’d love to hear them.
Tweet us at @mbsmih or Message us on Facebook!