By CASEY NEILL
“WHEN your phone rings you need to answer it.”
This piece of business advice stood out from the other tips shared at the Women Making it Work breakfast at Nomadic in Berwick on Tuesday 10 November.
It came from an eight-year-old boy.
The group’s vice-chairwoman Megan Glew said her son offered up the gem that morning and urged her to share it.
She said it was important to prioritise answering and returning calls from clients.
Women Making it Work chairwoman Gail McTaggart’s advice was to put systems in place.
She’s a mortgage broker and has template emails, forms and lists.
“Every situation is different but the system of lodging a loan is always the same,” she said.
Another tip from the table was using “the old-fashioned whiteboard” to note goals so they’re not hidden on computer or in the back of a notebook.
The group’s secretary Annemarie Cross stressed that unaccomplished goals could hold businesspeople back from taking risks.
She said fear of another disappointment could stop them from setting goals.
“Your subconscious thinks it’s keeping you safe but it’s actually holding you back,” she said.
Ms Glew spoke to the Casey Cardinia group about how business people should network to get people to know, like and trust them.
She said getting out of the office, listening more and talking less, and following up on initial meetings were keys.
Ms Glew said studies showed it generally took seven contacts for people to remember each other.
Each breakfast guest had 45 seconds to pitch their business with occupations ranging from a lawyer to personal trainer, accountant, banker and real estate agent.
Virtual PA Sue Smith from Sue’s Desk was a new member and received three minutes to share her business story.
She helped her sister move back to Australia from Europe in a hurry, assisted her to establish a business, and then move the business to Western Australia.
Ms Smith decided to turn her organisational skills into a new venture.
The only thing she can’t do from her home office is make coffee.
“Put it on my desk and I’ll get it done for you,” she said.
Women Making it Work will hold its next event at 7am on Tuesday 8 December at On Track Cafe in Pakenham.
Phone 0407 009 656 for more information.
