issue 26 - dns accountants - v20.1accountants/...and to build the plan for 2018. it always amazes me...

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W elcome to the December issue of The Success Newsletter and I’d like to start it by wishing you a very happy festive period and a successful 2019. I’d also like to thank you for your business in 2018 It means a great deal to everyone here that you put your faith and trust in us. December is also a great time to reϐlect on the previous 12 months and to build the plan for 2018. It always amazes me that so few business owners dedicate time to plan, yet it’s been proven time and again that even a basic plan can have a massive effect on the success of a business. So I thought I’d share with you a simple 5‐step format that has worked well for us, one that you can easily adopt to your own business… STEP 1: OVERVIEW OF 2018 The ϐirst step is to review the previous 12 months. Look at how the business performed against the targets set 12 months ago. Write down what worked well. What didn’t work so well. Try to be speciϐic… ‘XYZ worked well’ is not as good as ‘XYZ worked well and for a spend of X it resulted in Y’. Do the review across the entire business; stafϐing, customer service, sales, marketing, ϐinancial performance etc. It doesn’t need to be ‘War & Peace’. Bullet points for each key operational element of your business is okay. STEP 2: 2019 TARGETS Having reviewed performance over the last 12 months, you’re in a good position to look at targets for 2019. These don’t just want to be ϐinancial targets. You know your business better than anyone, so whatever you can measure (and almost everything can be measured) can have a target. But only measure the things that will have a major impact on the business. Always be thinking 80/20. Focus on the 20% of things that have the biggest impact. ANY QUESTION? WANT HELP? NEED SUPPORT? CALL THE TEAM ON: 03300 886686 December 2018 Continued on page 2... “A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.” Henry Ward Beecher P1: Thought Of The Month P2: How to Hit Economy P3: Dumb Criminals P5: Social Hub P6: Brain Tracker P8: Bet You Didn’t Know Reaching Your Targets in 2019 How To Hit Any Economy Head-On And Win This Month’s Incredible Dumb Criminals True Story 7 Ways To Transform Your Website Into A Social Media Hub Pit Your Wits Against This Month’s Brain Tracker Challenge Sumit Agarwal

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Page 1: ISSUE 26 - DNS Accountants - v20.1Accountants/...and to build the plan for 2018. It always amazes me that so few business owners dedicate time to plan, yet it’s been proven time

Welcome to the Decemberissue of The SuccessNewsletterand I’d like tostart itby wishing you a very happyfestive period and a successful2019. I’d also like to thank youfor your business in 2018 Itmeans a great deal to everyonehere that youput your faith andtrustinus.

December is also a great time tore lect on the previous 12 monthsand to build the plan for 2018. Italways amazes me that so fewbusiness owners dedicate time toplan, yet it’s been proven time andagain that even a basic plan canhaveamassiveeffectonthesuccessofabusiness.

So I thought I’d share with you asimple 5‐step format that hasworkedwellforus,onethatyoucaneasilyadopttoyourownbusiness…

STEP1:OVERVIEWOF2018

The irst step is to review theprevious 12 months. Look at howthe business performed against thetargets set 12 months ago. Write

down what worked well. Whatdidn’t work so well. Try to bespeci ic…‘XYZworkedwell’isnotasgoodas ‘XYZworkedwelland foraspendofXitresultedinY’.

Do the review across the entirebusiness;staf ing,customerservice,sales, marketing, inancialperformance etc. It doesn’t need tobe ‘War & Peace’. Bullet points foreach key operational element ofyourbusinessisokay.

STEP2:2019TARGETS

Having reviewed performance overthelast12months,you’reinagoodpositionto lookat targets for2019.Thesedon’tjustwanttobe inancialtargets. You know your businessbetterthananyone,sowhateveryoucanmeasure(andalmosteverythingcanbemeasured)canhaveatarget.

But only measure the things thatwill have a major impact on thebusiness.Alwaysbethinking80/20.Focus on the 20% of things thathavethebiggestimpact.

ANY QUESTION? WANT HELP? NEED SUPPORT? CALL THE TEAM ON: 03300 886686

December 2018

Continuedonpage2...

“Amancansucceedatalmostanythingforwhichhehasunlimited

enthusiasm.”

HenryWardBeecher

P1: Thought Of The Month

P2: How to Hit Economy

P3: Dumb Criminals

P5: Social Hub

P6: Brain Tracker

P8: Bet You Didn’t Know

Reaching Your Targets in 2019

How To Hit Any Economy Head-On And

Win

This Month’s Incredible Dumb Criminals

True Story

7 Ways To Transform Your Website Into

A Social Media Hub

Pit Your Wits Against This Month’s Brain

Tracker Challenge

SumitAgarwal

Page 2: ISSUE 26 - DNS Accountants - v20.1Accountants/...and to build the plan for 2018. It always amazes me that so few business owners dedicate time to plan, yet it’s been proven time

STEP3:THEPLAN

So how are you going to reachthose targets? That’s what theplanisallabout.Keepitconcise.Lengthyplansnevergetreadandusuallyendupcollectingdustonashelf!Keepitto2‐3pages.

STEP 4: COMMUNICATE THEPLAN

Makesureyoucommunicatetheplan to your team (anotherreasonwhytheplanneedstobeshortandconcise).Thisisalsoagreatopportunity to thankthemfor all their hard work andeffortsoverthelast12months.

STEP5:MONTHLYREVIEW

It’s no good ‘occasionally’reviewing the plan. It’s vital toreviewitmonthly.

Then you’re in a much betterpositiontomakechangesquicklytoensureyoukeepontrack.

Noneofthisisdif icult,butIcanassureyouthatputtinginplaceasimple plan WILL make a hugedifference to your results in2019

Once again, best wishes andthanksagainforyourbusinessin2018.SA

Your role as a businessowner is to ensure yourcompany blossoms no matterwhat’s happening with theeconomy. In fact, if you followthese proven strategies, youcanusetheperformanceoftheeconomy(good,orbad)inyourfavour and capitalise on theweaknesses of yourcompetitors. What maysurprise you is that numerousstudies dating back to 1923(Ronald S. Vaile—HarvardBusiness Review) andcontinuing through to 2001(notably by Malik PIMS) haveshown that even in times ofrecessionthosecompaniesthatmaintain or even increasemarketing spend, prospermost.

But, of course, you need toapplytherightstrategies.Onesthat will give you the greatestreturn on investment for theleast time, effort andcost. Strategies that work nomatter what the economythrowsup.

Solet’stakealookatour‘Guide To Building YourBusiness In Any EconomicClimate’ with 3 easy‐to‐applystrategies...

Business Building Strategy#1: Optimise All ExistingMarketingPieces

It’s very important you usewhat’s known as ‘MarketingAssets’ in your marketingpieces. These are the thingsthat make your marketingwork.

Look through your existingMarketingPieces(website,ads,letters, lea lets, etc.) andevaluate the quality of theMarketingAssetsineachone.

TheMarketingAssets

QuickGuide

1.YourUniqueness

2.Bene its

3.IrresistibleOffers

4.Headlines

5.Guarantee

6.SocialProof

7.CallToAction

Ideally, you should score eachMarketingAssetoutof10,with‘10’beingperfectand ‘0’being‘notused’.Thosethatscorelessthan8needtobeimproved.

It’s important you improveeachMarketingAsset;however,if all you did was to replaceyour current headlines withbene it‐based headlines, you’dseeabigspikeinresults.That’sthe power of using theMarketingAssets.

Remember, all theseimprovements can be madewithzeroadditionalcostandtheresultswillbeinstant!

Business Building Strategy#2:MakeSureYouAreUsingStrategies Across The ‘3BusinessMultipliers’

It is also important to useseveral strategies across

HowToHitAnyEconomy...

2

Continuedfrompage1...

“Evenhavingabasicplaninplacewill

improveyourresultsin2019”

ANY QUESTION? WANT HELP? NEED SUPPORT? CALL THE TEAM ON: 03300 886686

Page 3: ISSUE 26 - DNS Accountants - v20.1Accountants/...and to build the plan for 2018. It always amazes me that so few business owners dedicate time to plan, yet it’s been proven time

each Business Multiplier(generating more leads,converting more leads intosalesandmaximisingcustomervalue).

Doing this automatically givesyour business added stabilityand the ability to improve theoverall performance of thebusiness in each of the 3 keyareas.

Business Building Strategy#3: Improve Your CustomerExperiences Using ‘MomentsOfTruth’

Without any doubt, yourcustomers, clients or patientsareyourprizedpossession.

We've discovered that mostbusiness owners fail toappreciate the true importanceof their customers and as aresult, never really maximisetheirvalue..

One of the best ways toincrease customer value andreduce attrition (customerlosses) is to usewhat’s knownas ‘Moments Of Truth’. Let usexplain…

In1987JanCarlzon,theCEOofScandinavian Airlines, wrotethebook,‘MomentsOfTruth’.Itexplained how he took theairline fromde icit topro itby‘moving’ the airline to acustomerfocusedorganisation.

Now, as you know, there havebeen many books written oncustomer service, but wherethis book and Carlzon’sstrategies really differ is hisfocus on each interaction the

customer has with thebusiness.

He calls these ‘Moments ofTruth’ and, of course, eachinteractioncanbeapositiveoranegativeexperience.

Scandinavian Airlinesprospered because theyworkedveryhardtomakesureeach Moment Of Truth withtheir customers was a verypositive experience, and theresults they achieved were atestamenttothis.

Sohowcanyouusethistoyouradvantage? There are just twosimplesteps…

STEP 1: Write down all thepossible moments you havewithyourcustomers.

STEP2:Systemise thepositiveexperience at each interaction(moment).

Let’stakealookateachone…

STEP1...

Write down all the possibleinteractionsyouhavewithyourcustomers.Thisissimple.

Here’swhatyoudo…

First, you need to identifyevery single interaction(moment) you have withthecustomers.

For example, everymeeting, every phone call,email and letter—basically,every contact you havewithyourcustomers.

...Head‐OnAndWin

DumbCriminals

AModestProposal.

Whatwasyourfavouritefairytaleas a child? I always preferredHansel and Gretel. Not for thequaint representation of Germancountrylife,thememorablevaluesinstilled by the story arch, thechilling idea that evil exists mostfervently under a harmless guise,orfortheadmirablyperspicaciousnatureofthechildren…no,ahousemadeoffoodseemeddamncool.

Unfortunately,somebodytookthischarming childhood story andtransformed it into a realdisturbance. A mother inMinnesotareceivedananonymousletterexpressing thatherchildrenlookdeliciousand that thesenderwould like a taste. She respondedpubliclyonFacebook,beratingthecreep for her “urges”. Inretaliation, the sender arrangedfor magazine subscriptions to besent to the house, addressed to“Your Tasty Children”. AccordingtoHuffPost,theculpritturnedoutto be a neighbour frustratedwiththe children leaving their toys inher yard. I suppose we’ll knowmore after her interview withClariceStarling..

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ANY QUESTION? WANT HELP? NEED SUPPORT? CALL THE TEAM ON: 03300 886686

Continuedonpage4...

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STEP2…

Systemise the positiveexperience at each interaction(moment).

Break each interactiondown so you can identifyeachspeci icarea.

Then prepare how tomaximisetheinteractionsothe customers have apositive experience (WOWMoment)withyou.

Let’s say you have periodicmeetingswith your customers.Each meeting is, of course, aMomentOfTruth.

What you need to do is breakdown each phase of themeeting, right from themoment the customer walksthrough your door to themomenttheyleave.

All these things are veryimportant and will make asigni icant difference to the‘experience’thecustomerhas.

So that’s it. 3 easy to applystrategies that you can use nomatter what the economicclimate.

HowToHitAnyEconomyHead‐OnAndWin

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ANY QUESTION? WANT HELP? NEED SUPPORT? CALL THE TEAM ON: 03300 886686

…Continuedfrompage3

MomentsOfTruthallowyoutobuildstrongandfruitfulrelationships withyourcustomers.Allyouneedtodoisidentifyeachpoint

ofcontact(moment)withacustomerandthenturnthatintoa‘WowMoment’.

KEY:

1.The effect on the customer using traditional marketing strategies. Notice theMomentOfTruthwasanegativeexperience,takingthecustomer’ssatisfactiondown,creatingdiscontentwithanexistingcustomer.

It’s thisthatoftenresults in fewer futuresales,orworse, thecustomerleavesandbuysfromacompetitor.

2.MomentsOfTruthapproach.Bybreakingdowneachstepevenfurther,thein‐terestlevelandsatisfactionlevelisraisedevenhigher.

3.Shows thedrop in interest level and satisfactionusing traditional techniques(ornoneatall).

4.ShowstheincreasegainedbyusingMomentsOfTruthtechniques.

Understanding ‘Moments Of Truth’

Page 5: ISSUE 26 - DNS Accountants - v20.1Accountants/...and to build the plan for 2018. It always amazes me that so few business owners dedicate time to plan, yet it’s been proven time

Should your website be social? Areyou looking to turn that staticwebsite into something a bit moreinteractiveforyourvisitors?

Keepreadingtodiscoverhow…

BecomingABitMore“Sociable”…

There’s no doubt thatsocial media is apowerfulmarketingandcommunicationtool for businesses and non‐pro itorganisationsthathaveembracedit.

Yet,formostofus,ourwebsitesarestillwhere the rubber meets the road. It’swhere you turn visitors into leads, andprospectsintoclientsandcustomers.It’swhereyoubuildyourcredibilityandsellyourwares.

But can you inject some of the“humanness” of social media into yourwebsitewithoutcompromisingitsabilitytosell?Canyouusesocialmediatodrivetraf ic to your website for conversionwithoutalienatingyourcurrentvisitors?

More andmore businesses are showingus that this is an achievable andworthwhile goal; that the two togethercanfoster improved communication,build brand loyalty and create a better,more responsive, more pro itablecompany.

Here are seven examples of how youcanintegrate your social media activityintoyourwebsiteformaximumresults.

#1:AddSocialMediaButtonsToYourHomePage

A few years ago, the idea of sendingpeople to another site from your homepageafteryouhadworkedsohardtogetthem there in the irst place seemedboneheaded.

But the reality is thateveryoneofyourvisitors is spendingmore timeonsocialmediasiteslikeFacebookthantheyeverwillonyoursite.Sowhynottalktothemthereandfromtimetotimegivethemanewreasontocomebacktoyoursite?

So putting a button on your site thatallows them to connect with you theremakessense,right?

Quick Tip:If you’re concerned aboutlosingthatprospect,considerhavingthesocialmediasite theyclickonopen inanew tab or window, keeping your ownwebsiteavailableforlaterviewing.

Also,makesureyouhaveasocialmediapro ile that will engage your audience.You can get ideas from looking atexamples of top Facebook pages andread up onhow to optimise yourLinkedInandTwitterpro ile.

#2: Connect Your Blog With YourWebsite

The line between blog and website hasnever been blurrier, with manybusinesseschoosingtobuildtheirentiresiteonplatformsthatweretraditionallymeantforblogging,suchasWordPress.

Whetheryourblogsharesadomainwithyourwebsiteornot,youcanimprovetheinteractivity of your website by teasingyourblogpostsfromyourhomepage.

For example,a webmaster should beabletoeasilyaddamenutoyoursiteaswell as pull in the recent posts as linksontoyourhomepage.

QuickTip: Although free blog serviceslike WordPress and Blogger are greatandthey’refree,IprefertohavemyblogunderadomainIcontrol.Thatway,youcanmove fromoneplatform to anotherwithout hurting your search enginevisibility, and you’re more insulatedagainstathird‐partybloggingplatform

7WaysToTransformYourWebsiteIntoASocialMediaHub

Cryptic Puzzle Of The

Month Daft Dave has beenhired to paint thehouse numbers on arecently completedhousing estate.Thereareonehundredhouses and thereforeDavehastopaintallofthenumbers from1 to100.How many times willDave have to paint thenumbernine?ANSWERONPAGE7

SteveHackney—Helpingyoutoquicklygrowyourbusiness

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ANY QUESTION? WANT HELP? NEED SUPPORT? CALL THE TEAM ON: 03300 886686

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goingoutofbusiness.#3:EmbedVideosOnYourWebsite

There are few things as engaging as awell‐put‐together video. Imagine addinga how‐to or explanatory video to yourproduct or services page, never mind awelcomevideotoyourhomepage!

Howmuchmorecompellingwouldyoursite be? How much could you increaseyour conversion rates by showingexamples of other customers indingsuccess by using your products orservices?

Embedavideoonyourwebsitetobringyourofferingstolife.

#4:MakeYourSiteShareable

Twitter ‘Retweet’ buttons andFacebook‘Like’buttonsaren’tjustforblogs!

When someone clicks these buttons, allof their connections see that they 'Like'your site or one of your site’s pages onTwitter and Facebook, with a link theycanclickonthatwillinstantlybringtheirconnectionstothepagethey'Liked'.

So by encouraging people to ‘Like’ and‘Retweet’ your site’s content, you aregiving yourself opportunities for yourvisitors to recommend and drive traf ictoyoursiteforFREE!!

#5: Add Your Presentations To YourWebsite

If you sell complex or high‐pricedservices or products, you canmaximiseyour results by putting yourpresentationsonyoursite.

ThebestwaytodothisistosetupafreeaccountatSlideShare(thinkYouTubeforPowerPoint).Onceyou’veuploadedyourslides, SlideShare will allow you toembed that presentation back into yourwebsite or blog. This creates aninteractive experience for visitors, whocannowclickthroughyourslides.

Maximise the reach of yourpresentations by embedding SlideShareintoyoursiteassoonasyoucan.

#6:SociallyBookmarkNewContent

Social bookmarking is a uniquemethodfor internet users to store, organise,share and search the web pages theywant to remember (bookmark). In thissystem, users save links to web pagesthat they want to remember and/orshare.

Additionally, as people bookmark webpages on social bookmarking sites thatthey ind useful, web pages that are ofmore use are bookmarked by moreusers.

So as you add new articles or archiveyour email newsletters to your site,make sure that you add them toappropriate social bookmarking siteslikeReddit,StumbleUponandDelicious.These popular sites can drive hugeamounts of traf ic to your website in ashortperiodoftime.

Quick Tip:It’s always best whensomeoneelsebookmarksyourcontent.Ifpeople see that you have a vestedinterest in bookmarking the site, theyare less likely togo lookatwhatyou’vebookmarked.

So itmightmake sense to have a small“bookmarking club”with friends,whereyou promote each other’s work. This“seeding”willoftenencourageothers tobookmarkyourcontent.

#7: Add A Facebook 'Like' Box ToYourWebsite

This strategy is different to the irststrategy I shared with you. With aFacebook ‘Like’ box, people actually getto your Facebook page directly fromyourwebsitewithouthavingto indyourpageonFacebook irst.Butasinstrategynumberone,theprincipleisthesame.

We’re all in luenced by other people, aconcept often referred to as ‘socialproof’.

When we see our friends or people werespect'Liking',supportingorpromotingsomething,we’remoreopento'Liking'itourselves.

AddingaFacebook'Like'boxtoyoursitecreatesthissocialproofforthefriendsofthe person who clicks on the Facebook‘Like’box.

Visitors can quickly see how manypeople have 'Liked' your business onFacebook, get a sense of your level ofcommitment to social media (by theposts you’ve added to your wall), andmayeven spy someof their friendsandconnections through the 'Like' box (itshowsthephotosof the latestpeopleto'Like'yourFacebookpage).

Further, you make it easy for your sitevisitors to 'Like' your business withouthavingtoleaveyoursite.SH

7 Ways To Transform Your Website

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ANY QUESTION? WANT HELP? NEED SUPPORT? CALL THE TEAM ON: 03300 886686

Super Referral Program WehavecreatedourReferralSchemetorewardourclientsforrecommendingus.Wewillpayyou£100whenyourreferralhasjoineduptooneofourpackagesandpaidtheir irstmonth'sfees.EvenifyourreferraldecidesnottojoinuswewillstillgiveyouagiftvoucherasathankyouforrecommendingDNS.Althoughwethinkthisisaverygenerousamountwehavedecidedthatitisnotenoughsowehaveaddedanadditionaltwisttoourreferralscheme!Notonlydoyoureceive£100asareferralfee,butwealsowanttoofferyousomethingextratomakeitevensweeter.If3ofyourreferralsjoinDNSin2018youget50%discountoffyourfeesforJan19toDec19.If5ofyourreferralsjoinDNSin2018youget100%discountoffyourfeesforJan19toDec19

Page 7: ISSUE 26 - DNS Accountants - v20.1Accountants/...and to build the plan for 2018. It always amazes me that so few business owners dedicate time to plan, yet it’s been proven time

What Clients Say About DNS Accountants

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ANY QUESTION? WANT HELP? NEED SUPPORT? CALL THE TEAM ON: 03300 886686

“BeenwithDNSAccountantsformorethanayear,Iwouldhighlyrecommendtheirservices.MyAccountManagerSnehahasbeenveryhelpfulandhelpedwithaccountsandqueriesswiftlyalways!Havingagoodaccountantmeansyoucanfullyfocusonyourbusiness,notworryaboutaccountsandtaxmatters.ThankyouDNS”.ZameerHussainRelisolsLtd

“Ihavebeenextremelysatis iedwiththeserviceIhavebeenreceivingclosetothepast1year.Veryprofessional,transparentandhelpful.SpecialmentiontomyAccountManager,MinakshiArorawhomademytransitionverysmoothandalwaysreadytogothatextramiletosupportandmakecustomerhappy.De initelyrecommended”.BrijeshPradhanSarioVenturesLtd

“IrecentlysetupaLtd.companyandsignedupwithDNSformyaccountingservices.I’vefounditverygoodvalueformoneyandhugelyhelpfulintermsofadviceandguidance.IhaveanAccountManager,SnehaGurudutta,whokeepsincontactwithmeandoffersadviceonthephone…..I’mreallypleasedwiththeservice”MartinWilsonMartinWilsonConsultingLtd

Brain Tracker: How Many Words Can You Find?

Using the BrainTracker gridbelow, howmanywords canyou ind? Each word mustcontain the centralD andnoletter can be used twice,however, the letters do nothavetobeconnected.Propernouns are not allowed,however,pluralsare.Canyouindthenineletterword?

Excellent:50words.Good:35words.Average:25words.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE ANSWER

Thereare20ninestopaint.9,19,29,39,49,59,69,79,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99.

Don'tforgettocountbothoftheninesin99.

Weareexpertsathelpingourclientsinanciallymanageandgrowtheir

business!

“Helped With Accounts Swiftly ” “Always Ready To Go Extra Mile”

“Good Value For Money”

Page 8: ISSUE 26 - DNS Accountants - v20.1Accountants/...and to build the plan for 2018. It always amazes me that so few business owners dedicate time to plan, yet it’s been proven time

Bet You Didn’t Know

Hummingbirdsaretheonlybirdthatcan lybackwards.

Dragon lieshave6legsbutcan'twalk.

TheArcticOceanisthesmallestoceanintheworld.

Cowsdon'thaveupperfrontteeth.

Everydayisaholidaysomewhereintheworld.

FrenchfriesareoriginallyfromBelgium.

Enamelisthehardestsubstanceinyourbody.

Theaveragegolfballhas336dimples.

ANY QUESTION? WANT HELP? NEED SUPPORT? CALL THE TEAM ON: 03300 886686

Our Contact Details:

DNSAccountants

DNSHouse382KentonRoadHarrowHA38DPTel:03300886686Email:[email protected]

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Ask Us About Our Unique Accounting Services... KeyServices:

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