This year’s Working Naked day was a huge success. People around the world shed their sweat suits, chucked their daily commute and celebrated the freedom they have to work from home.

Now that this year’s event is over, you have 364 days to think about how you’ll celebrate next year’s big day. And of course, you’ll have plenty of time to figure out what you’re going to wear that day…or not.

Although we officially recognize Working Naked Day once a year, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy the benefits of Working Naked all year long. These guest blog posts I wrote for Bit Rebelsand genConnectshould keep you in the mood for Working Naked.

4 Geeky Ways to Stay Safe While Working Naked 
Whether you’re literally working naked, birthday suit and all, or figuratively working naked — without the support of the corporate workplace — staying safe while working from home is important. After all, if for some reason you can’t work, who’s going to cover for you? These four gadgets can help you stay safe and stay on track when you’re working from home.

Working Naked Day: 10 Ways to Make You More Productive
Working Naked Day is tomorrow and whether you’re working in your birthday suit, a business suit or in your jammies, being productive is important. Think about it: When you work for someone else, your time isn’t your time … it’s your company’s time. When you work for yourself, time is precious and any time you waste during the workday is money out of your pocket. When you look at it that way, being productive takes on a whole new meaning.

There’s still time to get your FREE Working Naked Day gift, a collection of eBooks and guides to help you grow your business. Click here for your gift.

Whichever way you interpret Working Naked, today is the day to celebrate your independence from corporate life, bask in your break from a daily commute, and enjoy the flexibility you have to work from home on your own terms.

Today as you bare it all and enjoy your work-from-home freedom on the 3rd annual Working Naked Day, expose yourself to these six ways to grow your business.

1. Partner with other small business owners

Working Naked can be lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. Connect with other small business owners and find ways to work together. Let’s say that most of your clients are realtors. Think about companies that target realtors, like sign companies and home stagers. You could approach them to put ads on your site, sponsor your seminars or webinars and even share client lists. You’re both trying to reach the same market, so why not work together?

A different option is to work with another business or several businesses to sponsor a contest. By pooling your resources, you can come up with a strong list of prizes. When the contest ends, everyone involved in the contest can share the list of names and e-mail addresses they collected.

2. Update your website

Take a close look at your website. When someone wants to know about your business, or when he or she searches for a business that fits your keywords, what impression does your site give? Your site is your link to the outside world. Make sure that impression is a good one.

Have fun with your site. Add photos and videos. Let visitors get a sense of who you are and what you can do for them. If you don’t have a site — you need to have one — or your site needs a facelift, hire a Web designer. Before you decide which designer to hire, check out the sites they’ve designed to make sure you like their work. Most site designers have a link at the bottom of the sites they’ve created so if you like a site, contact the designer to find out what he or she can do for you.

3. Sign up for a class online or on campus

When I graduated from college, I swore I’d never go back to school. So much for never saying never. I loved school and learned so many skills that I’ve applied to every client I’ve worked with since I graduated. Also, I’ve been able to write for different design magazines and websites that wouldn’t have given me the time of day without my degree.

Consider whether going back to school or learning online will give you the skills you need to serve your clients better. You don’t have to earn a degree but if taking Web design, marketing or programming classes would give you an edge over your competitors, consider investing time learning new skills. Keep in mind that you can write off any expenses related to your classes.

4. Attend a webinar

You can get in your car or catch a plane to attend a seminar, or you can grab a cup of coffee instead, sit at your desk, and attend a webinar. Different websites offer free webinars throughout the year. If you want to learn more about SEO (Search Engine Optimization), check out Hubspot. If you want to learn how to start and maintain a WordPress membership site, WordPress University offers regular, short programs loaded with good tips.

Some webinars are live, but if the webinar time doesn’t work for you, sometimes you can download a recording. How easy is that? Best of all…you don’t have to get dressed to attend a webinar. Seems to be the perfect Working Naked Day activity. The bottom line: nothing beats learning something new while you’re sitting in your pajamas or your birthday suit. Ask your corporate friends how often they get to do that!

5. Read business books and eBooks

I admit I’m an eBook addict, but you can learn so much from experts in every field. The best part is that you can find hundreds of eBooks online, loaded with information, for free. There’s an eBook on almost every subject. Use Google to find eBooks about something you want to learn about or need to know.

The more you read eBooks, the more you’ll realize that you can write (and eventually sell) your own eBooks. Research the topic for your eBook to find out if there’s anything similar available. If so, figure out how to make yours different.

6. Set up a group chat through Skype or over the phone

When you’re Working Naked, most of the time there’s no one around to tell you that your ideas are worthless or even amazing. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel when you can meet with other entrepreneurs and pick their brains. They can filter your ideas, encourage you (everyone can use a pat on the back) and maybe even tweak your ideas a bit to make them work for you. Also, it’s incredibly helpful to be able to get input from other business owners who may have faced the same problems you’re dealing with now.

Enjoy your day and call your friends who are stuck in a cubicle or in a boring office today and wish them a Happy Working Naked Day. Maybe next year they can celebrate it with you.

How are you going to celebrate Working Naked Day?

Click here to get your FREE Working Naked Day gift, a collection of eBooks and guides to help you grow your business.

Mistake #1 Not spreading the word about your business

Maybe your business is better than everyone else’s, but it doesn’t matter if no one knows about you. When you develop a new product or service, send an e-release out to your media contacts, spread the news on Twitter and other social networks, and tell everyone you know. Don’t be shy.

Mistake #2 Not seeking advice or guidance from others

Don’t expect to know everything about finances, marketing, and sales. A business consultant, or a volunteer at SCORE (the Service Corp of Retired Executives) can offer business help. Or call someone whose business style you admire and ask them specific questions.

Mistake #3 Not knowing when to cut your losses and move on

It’s too bad that no matter how much you believe in your products or services, that belief doesn’t determine how much success you’ll have. If you’re losing money on a product or service, take a close look at what you can offer instead. It’s tough to let something go, but when you do you make room for more opportunities to grow your business.

Mistake #4 Skimping on the wrong things

A computer, printer, scanner and other office equipment are more important than a top-of-the-line desk and credenza. Keep in mind that most of the time clients will see only what comes out of your office, not what’s in it. Focus first on technology, then go from there. Don’t forget to invest in a reliable, comfortable and adjustable office chair. After you sit in front of your computer day after day, your back will remind you that you need more support.

Mistake #5: Forgetting to listen to your clients’ needs or requests

You may be so closely tied to your business that you overlook new ways to serve your clients, your best resource for new ideas. Before I wrote my first home office book, people often asked me to recommend a book to help them set up their home office. Finally the light bulb went off and I wrote a book. Some people have “aha” moments. Mine was more of a “duh” moment.

There’s nothing wrong with making mistakes, and when you work for yourself you’re going to make plenty. In fact, that’s part of being an entrepreneur. The key is to learn from those mistakes.

source: discoodoni

A friend of mine keeps as many promises as she breaks. Why are we still friends? The main reason is that the promises she makes to me aren’t important.

When she promises to meet me for coffee, I enter the time in my iPhone and then before I leave my house, I send her a text to confirm. Sometimes she remembers and sometimes she doesn’t.

While those broken promises aren’t earth-shattering and haven’t affected our friendship, if she did the same thing to her clients, her client list were dry up. To a client, any broken promise is important, so you need to do what you can to keep every promise you make.

Start with these tips.

Don’t promise what you can’t deliver

A huge corporate client with a large budget may tempt you to make promises you can’t keep, and add more to your plate than you can handle. Before you say yes to a request from a big client, take a close look at your current schedule and decide whether or not you have time to complete the job. Don’t forget to consider if you’re even the right person to handle the project. If not, recommend someone else who can help your client.

Prioritize your projects and clients

The minute you sit down at your desk each morning, make sure you have a clear idea of the tasks and projects that need your attention that day. Start by reviewing your list of ongoing projects. Bringing in new clients is important, but don’t forget about your existing clients. If a prospect calls you and you accept the project, how will the new client affect the attention and service your current clients expect? Will you be able to do a good job if you face a time crunch? You have one chance to make a first impression and if your work isn’t up to par, you’ll lose any chance of building a long-term relationship with any client.

Build in a cushion

When you promise something to a client, do your best to gauge how long it will take you to finish the project and then, if possible, add a week. That gives you extra days to make sure you deliver what you promise, when you promise it. Even if you’re the most qualified person to handle a job, yet you can’t meet your client’s deadline, you could damage your relationship with that client. And rebuilding a damaged relationship can take longer than you think.

As the old saying goes, “Promises are made to be broken,” but that doesn’t mean they should be.

What strategies do you use to make sure you keep your promises?

He blamed it on the chicken nachos.

While it’s important to build rapport with a client, you need to make sure you keep your business relationship in line, starting with these tips.

Remember that you always represent your business

If you’re out with a friend and you do something reckless, a friend may laugh it off. But if you’re with a client, he or she may wonder whether you’re handling his or her account the same way. They may even lose faith in your ability to make good decisions on their behalf. There’s nothing wrong with having fun. Being out of control is beyond wrong.

Think before you speak

When you meet with a client, don’t get so comfortable that you start sharing secrets, insight or anything else that could compromise your business relationship. I remember having lunch with a supplier who was telling me about his company’s problems and that he was looking for a new job. My confidence in the company dropped so much that day that eventually I switched suppliers. That was a case of too much info, too fast.

Use good judgment

A client is a client, whether or not he or she is your friend. So anytime you go out, avoid letting your hair down completely. Treat your friends the same way you would a client, and don’t forget that something you do in your personal life could affect your business relationships.

The more you work with a client, the more comfortable you’ll be around him or her, and if all goes well you’ll work together for years. The key to a lasting client relationship, aside from delivering products and goods as promised and running an ethical business, is respecting the professional relationship you’ve built.

How do you avoid blurring the lines between your business and personal relationships?

source: NatalieMaynor

A few days ago, my refrigerator stopped working.

When I opened the refrigerator door, the light turned on but everything felt a little warmer than it should. When I opened the freezer and squished an ice cream sandwich that should have been frozen solid, I knew I didn’t have much time to clear everything out.

While I cleared out my freezer, I tossed a few things I’d had a bit too long. I did the same thing with some of the food from my refrigerator. I was making a clean start (no pun intended).

My forced refrigerator and freezer purging and cleaning made me think about people who struggle to toss papers they don’t need. What if the papers scattered all over your home office were fruit, vegetables, or meat that had an expiration date? You’d be forced to deal with them within days instead of within weeks or months from when they hit your desk.

You may have stacks of papers on your desk that you want to get rid of, but don’t know how. There are a few ways to get started.

To read the rest of my guest post on Success Your Way, click here. (I’ve closed comments on this post so you can post a comment on Success Your Way.)

When your business is thriving, you may not be worrying about getting more clients. On the other hand, if you’re waiting for the phone to ring, hoping that prospects will fill out your “get more info” form, and you have more bills to pay than clients to cover them, you’re probably thinking about ways to find more clients.

You can go after new clients, which can cost time and money, or you can find new ways to serve old clients. Studies show that it’s less expensive to service an existing client than to market to a prospect.  Consider these tips before you spend more time and money trying to find new clients.

• Anticipate your clients’ needs. You don’t have to be psychic (although it wouldn’t hurt) to gauge your clients’ thoughts and concerns. Some people use intuition while others use a more direct approach: they simply ask their clients for other ways they can help them. If you ask the same question rephrased differently each time — try not to be annoying — you should get the information you’re missing.

• Be a resource to your clients. If a client asks you to do something that’s outside your area of expertise, recommend someone else. Your client will appreciate your willingness to help and when they need your help again, you should be the first person they call. Make sure you recommend someone reliable, because if they drop the ball, it reflects poorly on you.

• Create new products or services based on your clients’ needs. For years I’ve heard from clients who have moved from one part of the country to the other, but still want to work with me individually. Some weren’t able to fly me to their home offices, so I had to refer them to a colleague in their city. The light bulb finally went off and I started offering consultations via Skype. At first I didn’t think the virtual consultations would work, but they do, and have become a large chunk of my business.

Before you give up on a client who hasn’t contacted you lately, ask yourself it there are any other services you can offer them. They’ll enjoy hearing from you, you’ll enjoy reconnecting with them, and the bottom line: you’ll be able to help them again.

How have you found new ways to help old clients?

I don’t remember much about my life at four years old, but what I do remember is that all I had was time. My nephew probably had learned that response from everyone around him.

What would you do with more time?

No matter what type of business you’re in, and whether you’re working from home full-time or part-time, time is a valuable commodity. Take the time to consider what would happen if you had more time.

• Would you take the day off, spend more time with your family, or work on your personal development?  If so, let go of tasks that don’t need your attention so you can have more time to spend on yourself or with your family.

• Would you accomplish more? Think about whether more hours in the day would give you more time to work on important tasks or leave you with more time to waste. Everyone works differently but I’ve noticed that when I have all day to work, I’m less effective than when I have only a few hours to work.

• Would you keep postponing tasks that need your attention? Either you’re going to tackle tasks on your to-do list or you’re going to keep putting them off.  Task the tasks off your list that you keep moving forward or the ones you know you’ll never try to tackle. It’s easier to let those tasks go when you consider whether or not those tasks would affect your productivity and bottom line.

Throughout the week

• Stop what you’re doing and evaluate whether you’re working too much. (I admit I’m a reformed workaholic who’ll never go back to my former schedule.) A few signs that you’re working too much are the feeling of dread you may have every morning when you get out of bed. When you work for yourself, ideally you should want to go to work most days.

• Listen to others who may be trying to tell you that your long hours are taking a toll on you and your family. Life has too much to offer to spend day after day holed up in your home office, and isolated from your friends and family.

• Even if you have all day to work on your to-do list, develop false deadlines. When you give yourself extra time to work on a project, you’re not faced with a last minute time crunch to finish a project.

The way you run your business, and how you work from home, will change throughout the years. But the need to manage your time and control everything you face each day, will always stay the same.

Would more hours in the day make you more productive?

If you like this post, check out my new book, Organize Your Home Office for Success.

source: Ant Smith

Yesterday, I grabbed a sandwich at a deli near my house and the place was packed. While I was waiting in line, one of the employees almost knocked me over. He was busy mopping the floor and putting the rugs back, while customers tried to walk past him to pick up their orders.

The floor needed to be mopped, but did the guy have to mop during the busy lunch rush? He was doing the right thing, but his timing was off.

How is your timing? Consider these questions:

Do you follow up with clients when say you will?

A superstar realtor friend of mine has had a record year. Why? She calls her prospects back on the exact day she promises to call. When she shows that much attention to detail, the prospects are so impressed (and surprised), they hire her to represent them.

One of the few times a prospect she was working with decided to sign with another realtor, was when she responded to the prospect’s text at 3 am. The client had sent the text at dinnertime the night before and didn’t appreciate the text in the middle of the night.

Do you respond to e-mails within a few hours or a few days?

So many of us are spoiled. When we send an e-mail, we expect a response within hours (I know I do). If we wanted a response days later, we could send letters via snail mail. Who does that? Even if you don’t have the information your prospect or client wants, send him or her an e-mail to let the person know you’re still working on the project.

Do you focus on tasks that need your attention this week instead of ones that you could handle a week from now?

Whether you put off tasks because you don’t want to handle them, or you wait until the last minute to finish a project, you open yourself up to making huge mistakes. Focus on the tasks with the earliest deadlines and, while you can throw in a few easy tasks that may not due for a week, go back to the tasks you need to finish right away. Keep in mind that even though you may be busy, that doesn’t mean you’re being productive.

Do you expect clients to respond to you during the weekend?

Unless you’re a realtor or someone who has to work on the weekend, don’t expect your clients to answer your e-mails or take your calls until Monday. A friend of mine was angry with one of his clients because the client hadn’t answered my friend’s e-mail right away. He had sent the e-mail to the client after 6 pm on Friday and by Sunday night, he still hadn’t heard from him.

In life and in business, timing is everything.

For most of us, taking time to read seems more like a luxury than a necessity, but keeping up with the latest in your industry and knowing what your competition is doing, is an important factor in moving your business forward.

While you can’t add more hours to your day, there are a few ways to make a dent in your reading pile.

1. Sort through your books

As you look through your books, give away the ones you’ve had for years and will never look at again. You could make a few extra dollars by selling your books to bookstores that sell used books. In most cases, any books they don’t buy, they’ll donate to charity. An interesting online option, BookMooch, is a point-based bartering system. You type in the books you want to give away, receive requests from others for your books, mail your books and get points, and then use your points to get books from others.

2. Designate certain places for magazines, reference materials and anything else you want to read

Stacking bins work well for magazines and papers to file (they’re larger than stacking trays). Keep them next to or under your desk and label them “to read” and “to file.”

3. Reduce your reading stacks

Start by getting rid of the newspapers and magazines you haven’t read for the past year. If you haven’t read them by now, chances are you won’t read them anytime soon. Consider switching to online subscriptions.

4. Read e-books

One of the best ways to organize books and save space storing books is by trading traditional books for e-books. Think about the number of e-books you could take with you when you leave your home office.

The best way to get your reading under control is to realize that you can’t read everything. But by taking a few simple steps, you can get your reading under control.

How do you get through your reading wish list? Please share your comments below.