Business Matters Magazine Blog

Happy Easter

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 21:44:00 GMT

Happy Easter from Business Matters Magazine. Having a break is really important, she says while typing at 7.30 am on Easter Sunday. Work life balance is something that becomes quite difficult when you don't see your business as work. I actually find writing very relaxing, so it is hard when someone says stop working and come and watch a movie or something. I find writing more relaxing than watching TV and somehow less time wasting. I always feel a little guilty watching T.V, Is that just me or do other people feel the same way???

I really am doing better this year with the work life balance and to be honest these holidays I haven't done much but relax, I find that a bit difficult because I find the less you do the less you feel like doing and then the less you do. Whereas when I am fitting in this that and the other thing, I seem to have so much more left over time. Do you find that?

Business Matters Magazine has now been going with me running it for some two and a half years and at the beginning I seriously was working 70 to 80 hours a week, sometimes more. Now I can honestly say that while I still work way more than most, I love every single second of it and definitely do have time to spend with my family and friends.

Having just gone on a ten day cruise, we have stayed home for Easter. How interesting is this though, the issue of the ten day cruise, we had a biggest magazine of the whole period. I have never taken ten days off before, but I think that is showing that I am starting to get people in place that can help me, and that when you get back from a break you really do work that little bit smarter everyday to assure you get done what you need to get done.

The next issue of the magazine is about people. I would very much love to hear about someone that you think is amazing on the Sunshine Coast, or someone that you think is doing great things, but falls under the radar.

I look forward to hearing from you. Post here, or email me vmagic@bmmag.com.au

Thanks and enjoy.

Networking - Seven Tips to success!

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:31:00 GMT

Networking is an absolute must if you want to be successful in business.

The way people buy is, I know you,

I like you,

I trust you,

therefore I will buy from you.

Knowing you, liking you and trusting you is not instant, it is a build. So the fact of the matter is that you need to see these people over and over and over.

STEP ONE- select about four or networking events that you can go to that are going to put you in front of four or five DIFFERENT groups of people - the major tip here is that the people in the four or five groups are not the SAME people.

STEP TWO - Do not go to a networking event and talk to the people you already know. Yes that is the comfortable thing to do and that is what most people do and it is probably what you have always done, but the fact is, as we all know, if you keep doing what you have always done, then expect what you have always got. If you are wanting some new and different results you have to try some new and different steps. Try this, go up to a group of people that you don't know and say, "Hi I am Vickie Magic (replace with your own name) and I am from ..........................., I am wanting to meet one person today that I don't know, would you like to be that person". They will laugh you will laugh and you will meet one new person (or indeed on new group). It you do that every single time, (and yes it takes gutz and it takes action) you will meet more and more people.

STEP THREE - When you meet someone new, do not look over their shoulder looking at who else is in the room and who you are going to talk to next. Give the person right there in front of you the GOLDEN TREATMENT, treat them like they are the only person in the room, in the world. People absolutely love to feel special and feel that you are not trying to side step them to find someone better. Take their card and send then a short note. Hi, I met you yesterday at the ..............................., thanks so much for chatting to me, it was lovely to meet you. (don't try to sell them anything).

STEP FOUR - when you see the same person at a different event, it is important that you still don't try to sell to anyone. The one thing that people HATE AND I DO MEAN HATE, is someone that comes up to them and says, "Have you heard of (blah blah the thing I am trying to sell)", they cannot get away fast enough. They will RUN RUN RUN for the hills.

STEP FIVE - Ask them questions about them, about their business, about their family, about where they live, show a genuine interest in them and again DO NOT TALK ABOUT YOU or what you are trying to sell.

STEP SIX - offer to catch up for a coffee, now this is the tricky part, I get a lot of people saying that they really don't want to waste their time catching up with the wrong people. THERE ARE NO WRONG PEOPLE, I promise you, every single person that you meet BAR NONE, have value in some way or another, whether it be now or in the future or whether it be that they are going to recommend you to someone that they know (EVENTUALLY), Every person that you meet anywhere is worth a cup of coffee. People knowing you, liking you, trusting you everywhere that you go is absolutely going to be one of the best ways for you to build your business.

STEP SEVEN - Give referrals, give referrals, give referrals, whenever you hear someone that needs something recommend someone that you have met, you might say I haven't used this person, but I met them as such and such and they seemed great, don't ever ASK for referrals. GIVE GIVE GIVE.

I believe that these steps can give you some wonderful results. I would love to hear your thoughts on the above, which have you used, which will you use. Give us your thoughts.

It's all happening

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:51:00 GMT

It is definitely all happening at Business Matters Magazine, we have some great announcements which I would like to share. First of all you may have heard that our Vickie Magic recently won the Sunshine Coast Business Women's Network, University of Sunshine Coast - Micro Business Woman of the year.

She was also a finalist in the AIM awards, but unfortunately didn't win that one.

Vickie is also a finalist in the Caloundra business awards, and we have just heard made the finals for the Sunshine Coast Business Excellence awards - Outstanding Business Person of the Year.

A year and a half ago she certainly didn't see that coming, I guess that very very hard work, true passion and enthusiasm to really be a catalyst in making a difference to business on the Sunshine Coast do pay off.

We are humbled and honoured to receive these accolades and definitely proof that anyone can do anything they set their mind to.

We are so excited to share with you that Business Matters Magazine is about to grow, we have a new team member about to come on board. Watch this space we will share very soon who it is.

So much happening - issue 34 launch

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:02:00 GMT

Our new Issue launch last Tuesday night was absolutely fabulous, we raised over $1000 for Youth Insearch, and we had almost a hundred guest attend on the night. It certainly is turning out to be exactly what I wanted it to be, a fantastic networking night and just a fantastic night out meeting and mixing with some great Sunshine Coast Business professionals and owners. I am so excited about being the catalyst to get people to work together for the purpose of helping business on the Sunshine Coast prosper.

We can sit back and whinge about business not being what we want it to be, or we can become part of the change so urgently needed, we need positive people getting out and making a difference, helping each other to grow, giving local support to anyone and everyone that we possibly can, sometimes not through financial but through just giving a helping hand, maybe sharing knowledge, maybe just a conversation around something you have overcome that someone may be struggling with.

Business Matters Magazine is out to really make a difference to business on the Sunshine Coast, it is about education, it is about motivation, and it is about giving you aspiration by reading articles about other local successful businesses, But most importantly it is about inspiring you personally to reach up and exceed your own and your clients expectations each and every time, each and every day. You will never read anything negative in Business Matters Magazine and yes that is absolutely intentional.

If you think you can, or you think you can't, remember that you are 100% right (Henry Ford).

The next issue of the magazine is about BUSINESS MUST HAVES, can you think of anything you would like to know about for your business. Let us know?

Business Matters New Issue Launch - MULU CHAR

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:25:00 GMT

Our new issue launch last night at Mulu Char was so fantastic. Really enjoyed the night, can't believe just how many people we now get along, we had 90 people on the list which was awesome. Thanks so much for the people that came, we enjoyed a short stint of speed networking which was a bit of fun. One of the main purposes of the night is to find out what people want to read about, be educated on, we absolutely love to give away a free editorial as part of a thank you for people filling this out. The lucky winner this time was the lovely girls from Red Hot Events, I was thrilled that they won. And the winner of the business card draw was Victoria Berry from HBA Accountants, well done Victoria. Will post photos on a new listing on our website called Socials, so make sure you take a look there.

Thanks for reading.

Vickie Magic,
Not Magic, just common business sense.

Web Wednesday all about Blogging

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:21:00 GMT

Went to Web Wednesday at the Tafe last night, put on by the amazing Yvette Adams from the Creative Collective. Totally loved the ROVE format, three great guest talking about blogging and how it can be really effective for your business. Picked up some great tips on how I can be a better blogger, looking forward to the next Web Wednesday.

Three top things I got from the night were.

Seems that the best blogging tool seemed to be wordpress

Seems that the best blogging format is to have eight different subjects and to rotate them around,

Seems that to make money out of blogging you really need to have about 50,000 or more followers,

so I guess I have a ways to go, great inspiration though.

Not Magic,
just common business sense

Vickie Magic

NEW ISSUE LAUNCH

Tue, 24 May 2011 21:41:00 GMT

Had a fantastic night with our biggest numbers yet for our New Issue Launch last night. 76 people turned up to celebrate the new issue, what a really fabulous turnout. Thank you personally to those of you who came, congratulations to John Pickering from Pickering Accounting who won a free editorial in the next issue, just by telling us what he wants to read about / be educated on. Congratulations also to Leanne Burnside from Picture Framing on Wises, who won a free ad in the business card draw.

Mulu Char did a really amazing job with the food, we had comment after comment about how good it was, thanks Tex. If you haven't been to Mulu Char yet, give it a try, you will be surprised how good it is.

Leanna Williams sang her heart out for our guest, when your friend asks if she can sing at your event it is a little scary, (we have all seen the Australian Idol auditions where these people really do think they can sing, and oh dear they so can't), well I need not have worried Leanna was soooooooooooooooooo good that Mulu Char offered her a job, thanks Leanna.

We played a great networking game which by all accounts from quite a few of our guest went down well, everyone was given a number, letter or shape and they all had to find their match and ask them three specific questions, feedback was that people really enjoyed being made to meet new people.

thanks to everyone who came along,

Bye for now

Not Magic, just common business sense

Vickie Magic

Business Matters New Issue Launch next Tuesday 24th May

Tue, 17 May 2011 21:00:00 GMT

I am very happy to say that Business Matters New Issue launch is next Tuesday night 24th May. We have very exciting news - the event will be held at Mulu Char, Duporth Avenue, Maroochydore (where the wine bar used to be) so be excited about tasting some amazing South African food - tickets can be purchased on our website www.bmmag.com.au/events - tickets just $25 plus gst for great networking a drink and a taste of some amazing food. Give me a call if you have any questions about it.

It has been a very busy week at Business Matters Magazine aside from getting the magazine to print, we have also moved office, we are now located inside the O3Office Business Hub, situated right in the middle of Maroochydore at Plaza Central, 7/32 Plaza Parade. Feel free to give me a call if you are in the area to see if I am around to drop in.

Not Magic, just common business sense

Vickie Magic

8th April - E hoa - Christchurch earthquake charity fund raiser

Tue, 03 May 2011 07:48:00 GMT

Had an amazing lunch at the Maroochydore Surf Club to raise money for the Christchurch earthquake victims, they ended up raising an incredible $14,500 - how fantastic was that.

It was a great afternoon organised by the lovely Yvette Adams from The Creative Collective and also Nyssa Berryman from The Buzz Pr, what a great job they did or putting this together, I have to say it was one of the best events like this I have been too. SO MUCH FUN.

Vickie Magic

14th April - BOQ Business Matters Lunch

Tue, 03 May 2011 07:46:00 GMT

Lunch at Ricky's at Noosa, what a fabulous place the food was so good and the atmosphere was even better, thanks so much to Donna and the team who gave our Bank Of Queensland, Business Matters Magazine lunch a really good time.

We asked our guest "What they could do personally within their business to raise the business confidence on the Sunshine Coast, their answers will be in the next issue of the magazine, so stay tuned.

Vickie Magic

6.4 Business Matters Advertisers Workshop

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 04:44:00 GMT

Business Matters Advertisers attended a fantastic workshop which was held at Sunshine Toyota, this was a follow up on the previous workshop which Terri Cooper took on networking.

It was a fantastic turn out and we did some great networking and relationship engagement training to really help our clients to get to know their clients and by doing so to help them make extra income.

Thanks so much to the lovely Anna Searle who took half of the workshop she did a great job and we got some great feedback.

Not Magic, just common business sense.

Vickie Magic

8th March - Business Matters New Issue Launch

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:24:00 GMT

The Business Matters new issue launch on the 8th March was so successful. I have to share with you that I was a tiny little bit scared about opening up the launch/networking night to the whole of the Sunshine Coast and attaching a charge of $25.00 plus gst, in the back of my mind I was thinking, oh dear, what will I do if nobody comes, but I pressed on and it turned out to be almost our most successful event. What people shared was they actually felt better about paying to come along, because they really did see value in the event as a fantastic networking night. What great news. We had a room full of 66 people in the end. Our next launch which is on the 12th April will be even more exciting we will have a special appearance from Brad Manual the magician featured on page 62 of our current edition.

Hope you can make it. You can buy your ticket online at www.businessmattersmagazine.com.au under events.

All advertisers and columnist are no charge, but please do RSVP.

If you were at the launch we would absolutely love some feedback from the event from you.

Thanks

don't forget,

Not Magic, just common business sense.

3.3. MY WORKSHOP ON NETWORKING AND YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:04:00 GMT

Our advertiser or columnist of Business Matters Magazine receive lots of value adds from us.

This is just one of them, every issue we have a small workshop aimed at helping businesses in any areas they feel they would like help. Lots of interest was shown about networking rights and wrong and how to absolutely maximise all networking that you do.

Should you follow up, how should you follow up, what to do at the event, how to be a fantastic networker, what to expect from networking, how much time should you give to it. What is your elevator speech, mine is

I own a local Sunshine Coast Business specific Magazine, my absolute passion with the magazine is making a difference to the businesses on the coast by educating them in everything to help their business grow. I would love your feedback on what that might mean to you?

Please comment and give me your elevator speech,

the things we covered were that it's to give me an indication of what you do WITHOUT SELLING ANYTHING, it needs to tell me why you love it and what you are passionate about, and it needs to leave me inspired to PICK YOU the next time I want something that you could help with.

Vick

3.3. TERRI COOPER BREAKFAST

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:57:00 GMT

How much do you know about Twitter, I attended the Terri Cooper Breakfast this morning and it was all about Twitter and how it can help you with your business.

Cat Mason was the speaker, she is an amazing lady and I found her to be very inspiring about me getting better at twitter, I came home and decided to follow all these new people. My own followers increased by heaps overnight.

Thanks Terri and thanks Cat for a great (as always) networking event.

I always get lots from this event.

Vick

28.2 CATHY SINGLETON'S BIRTHDAY

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:52:00 GMT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CATHY.

What a lovely lady, thanks Cathy for inviting me to come to your house for ladies brunch, it was a fantastic morning and I am thrilled to have been part of it.

Great to take you to lunch on your actual day, thanks Ross Forbes for coming as well.

Totally enjoyable.

Vick