The new way to communicate with customers

Most people have heard of Facebook and while some people may still not understand Facebook there is no denying it is changing the way business communicates with the public.  In fact there is a significant swing towards using a business Facebook page as a first point of online contact. Instead of businesses advertising their URL (website) businesses both big and small are advertising they are on Facebook.

So what does it mean if your a business and your not on Facebook?  It's okay, you business is not going to collapse tomorrow, but you may be missing out on valuable opportunities to grow your business.  While Facebook is not the be all and end all of your marketing strategy it can be an important and very successful tool for creating customer loyalty and building your brand and best of all it is free!

For the small business that maybe can't afford a traditional website Facebook business pages offer a cheap alternative.  For large business it is a great way to reach the masses.  Some great Facebook business pages to check out include Coke, Nike and Cadbury.  Some smaller local pages include Asimus Business Coaching, Absolute Infinity and of course mine (Wayne W Lennan Financial Services), which as I am learning is a work in progress.

Now setting up a basic page is not as difficult as the prospect of doing it seems and once you get started you can get tips and advice on how to tweak it to give it that corporate look. 

To help any businesses in Newcastle get started Lindy Asimus and I are going to be running some short workshops over the next few weeks that will offer practical advice for getting your Facebook business page up and running.  Lindy is a dedicated social media expert (junkie...) with great tips to not only set up your page but practical ideas for how you can use it to promote your business.  While there is a small cost involved, $10 Lindy has kindly offered to do this and donate all proceeds to our Light the Night team for the Leukaemia foundation.

Groups for these Facebook sessions will be kept to a maximum of 6 people at a time so everyone will get the opportunity for some one on one time with Lindy.

If you are interested in attending one of these sessions please click here to register and recieve your free guide "7 steps to a healthy growing business".

Good Mental Health is an important part of your overall health

Having worked in the life insurance industry for more than 20 years now, I have seen the increase in mental health claims.  In fact 1 out of every 5 Australians will suffer depression in their lifetime.  In fact mental health has become so widespread that the insurance industry has had to add it to their risk assessment when processing an application for insurance, especially for income protection.

So how can you maintain good mental health?

Obviously some things are beyond our control, the death of loved one, long term unemployment, an accident or illness, divorce, even moving house or losing a pet can trigger an episode of depression or anxiety.  The good new is though that you can proactively help your state of mental health, there are things in everyone's power to decrease your chances of being one of the statistics.

Exercise
This doesn't mean you need to train for a triathalon or marathon.  All you need is a couple of hours of activity every week, whether it is going for a walk or playing a sport it doesn't really matter you just need to move!

Nutrition
The food you are eating can affect your mood, energy levels and concentration.  Fresh fruit and vegetables are an important part of maintaining good mental health.  It is recommend you eat 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegies a day.  It is also important to get enough protein, afterall protein is the building blocks for your entire body including your brain.

Sleep
Medical experts agree that everyone should aim for between 6 and 8 hours of good sleep every night.  Lack of sleep can affect the brains production of important hormones and chemicals that control your mood and energy levels.  Sleep is so important to our body's ability to function that going without sleep for a prolonged period can cause death.

Stress Management
We all suffer from stress from time to time.  Trying to get the kids organised for school while they are fighting over the bathroom and get to work on time, all at the same time - very stressful!  Stress will be a part of normal life and we can't always control stress triggers but we can learn how to cope with them or reduce them.  For example mornings in a house with children who have to go to day care or school and both parents have to get to work too, you can't change the situation you need to go to work and the kids have to go to school but you can minimise the stress by preparing the kids the night before.  Making lunches, setting the table for breakfast the night before, having uniforms etc organised the night before and having a schedule for the bathroom will all help make the situation less stressful.  Learning to recognise stress will help you manage it and most importantly take time out to relax!

I think the secret to good mental health is living a balanced life, it's not easy finding that balance and maintaining it but following the guidelines above will give you a starting point.

WL

Click her for more information on Mental Health

FINDING AND CONSOLIDATING YOUR SUPER

Proposed changes in the Superannuation laws regarding lost super mean that any super account that has less than $200 and is unclaimed will be transferred to the Commonwealth.  You will then need to lodge an application to the ATO to reclaim your lost super. 

This proposed law will also affect accounts with higher values if the members are deemed lost and the accounts have been inactive for more than 5 years.  These laws if passed will commence in December 2010, so now is the time to look for any lost super.

Most people don't even know when they have lost super, but you can check by visiting the ATO website and using their online Superseeker program to see if you have any.  You need to provide some personal information and your Tax File Number so they can cross reference it with the fund databases.

I found some lost super, what do I do next?

If you have a super account that is currently recieving contributions you can rollover the funds into that account.  If you don't have another super account because you don't work you will need to set one up to roll the super into or you can advise the fund that is currently holding your super and advise them of your new contact details.  They will explain what your options are in regards to withdrawing the money or rolling it over.

By locating and consolidating any lost super you will reduce your management fees and associated costs, plus you will know where all your super is!

Visit the SuperSeeker or the ATO for more details.

WANTED: 10,000 Australians to lend a helping hand

Aritcle by Christie Birch

Child sponsorship is one of those subjects that raise various opinions around the "water cooler".  The most common comment I hear is "there are people in need in our own country".  While this may be true it's worth noting the same people that use this retort to justify their decision not to sponsor usually don't contribute to any charity, not even the local ones!



My family and I have sponsored 2 children overseas through World Vision for nearly 10 years.  Sponsorship has not only made us feel like we are helping to make the world a better place but it has taught our children to appreciate how lucky they are to live in Australia and have the opportunities most kids take for granted.

The other popular objection is "I would but I can't afford it".  When we first sponsored our kids we were living on one income and had just bought our first home.  I know lot's of people who use this argument who are much better off than we are or are ever likely to be.  Child sponsorship is about $43 per month which isn't a lot when you think about how much we spend a month on coffee, morning tea or lunch at work.

Your money not only helps your child with their education and medical needs but some of it is also contributed to community projects such as agricultural education, wells and water pumps and medical facilities.

Our own children have grown up alongside our sponsored children and our family always looks forward to the annual updates and new photos of our sponsored kids. They have become an extension of our family and one day I hope that we will have the opportunity to visit them and to see first hand how we have helped them and the communities they live in.

If you have ever considered sponsoring a child now is the time.  World Vision are currently looking for 10,000 sponsors.  You can pick your own child or you can let them pick one for you.  There is a wealth of information on the World Vision website including stories from the children, sponsors and about the difference sponsorship has made in communities all over the world.

Visit World Vision and help to make the world a better place for one child.  Don't forget to share this with your friends too!

FIX OUR CITY CAMPAIGN

Fix Our City was formed in August 2009 in response to the Hunter Development Corporation’s Newcastle City Centre Renewal Report.

Their objective is to ensure key recommendations within the report are implemented in full by maintaining a public profileas well as maintain pressure on state and federal politicians to secure funding for the region. 


This Thursday June 3rd 2010 at 5pm they have organised a rally at Town Hall.  I would urge anyone who feels that it is time for Newcastle to move forward to attend.  I believe that by implementing the recommendations we will have greater connectivity in our city, greater investment and job creation. It is time for the people of Newcastle to take a stand!

Home to 9% of the state's population (620,000), the Hunter region is the largest regional centre in Australia, yet it receives less than half of this figure in NSW government funding.

7 Habits of Wealthy People

Everyday we make choices that affect our level of wealth, from our spending habits to our investment choices.  We often blame our low pay or high bills for not being able to get ahead but the truth is that wealthy people usually have the same financial habits in common.  These habits don't require a degree in economics in fact most of them are just  common sense.

1. Spend less than what you earn
2. Save your money (aim for 10% of your income)
3. Invest wisely - make sure you get sound professional advice, most people are not stockbrokers.
4. Borrow wisely - make sure you have good debt (debt that is used for an asset) not bad debt.
5. There is no such thing as a get rich quick scheme - if it is too good to be true then it probably is.
6. Be patient - If you can't get rich quick then get rich slowly!
7. Insure yourself - no matter how clever we are with our money we cannot always control what is going on in our lives.  Accidents happen and people do get sick and these events can mess up our plans, having a contingency plan in place to avoid losing your income or having to sell off your assets is just good sense.

If you follow these very simple rules you should be able to build your personal wealth, and while money is the most important thing in life it gives you a greater choice of what you can do in life.

HEART ATTACK WARNING

Warning signs of heart attack can be different from person to person, they may not always be sudden (often how hollywood portrays them) and a lot of people will only suffer mild chest pain and some none at all.

So how can you know when you or someone you know is having a heart attack?  The Heart Foundation has recently launched a campaign to educate all Australians on the warning signs of heart attack.  The key to survival rates is early treatment so the sooner people realise something is wrong the better their chances are.

Warning signs can include a feeling of tightness or heaviness on their chest and a choking feeling in their throat.  Their arms can feel heavy or useless.  Other warning signs include pain, pressure, heaviness or tightness in one or more parts of their upper body, including back, neck, shoulders, jaw and arms.  Sweating, dizziness, nausea and vomiting are also warning signs and some people might just feel generally unwell "not quite right".

It is important to be aware of these early symptoms and to take immediate action by calling an ambulance.  Don't try to drive yourself to the hospital - you could end up hurting someone else and delay getting vital treatment that can be administered by paramedics on the way to hospital.  The earlier the treatment the less damage that will be done to the muscles around the heart.  Talk to your family and friends make sure they all learn the early warning signs, it may just save a life.

If you would like more information visit the Heart Foundation's website.