For most businesses, information is the most important asset after staff.

Today's use of computers for storage of business information demands that responsible business owners implement disaster recovery solutions to backup and (if necessary) restore data that is lost, corrupted or stolen.

Research shows that many businesses fail within 2 years of a significant data loss.

In the event of a major system failure, the time required to restore normal business computing operations includes:

• the time to setup replacement machines;
• the time to restore lost data and
• the time to enter data that was backlogged while your system was down.

Effective disaster recovery solutions require

• Regular backups of data and system settings to be taken and verified as being correct. Too many businesses only take a single backup at the end of the day. Many of these businesses fail to check if the backup was successful.
• Offsite storage of selected backups. A disaster (like fire) that destroys your entire system will likely destroy backups that are stored at the same location.
• Restoration tools that allow systems to be rebuilt within hours (not days) in order to minimise the downtime impacts on the business.

Affordable technology exists today that allows the implementation of reliable and efficient disaster recovery solutions that meet these criteria.

There is no excuse. "Disaster recovery is business insurance you just can’t afford to live without." #1

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If you would like further information on disaster recovery solutions for you business data, please contact Mick at Computer Networks Central Coast on 4322 0665.

#1 Jeff Godlewski (Network World) Sep 2008

Federal Member for Dobell Craig Thomson welcomed the appointment of the interim Local Employment Coordinator to the Central Coast-Hunter.

The Local Employment Coordinators have a key role to play in the Australian Government's $77 billion Nation Building Recovery Plan to support jobs today by investing in nation-building infrastructure for tomorrow.

"I am pleased to introduce Mr Peter Taylor who is already working to play a critical role in helping to drive local responses to keeping Australians working," Mr Thomson said.

"As part of the Australian Government’s Nation Building Recovery Plan, $608.568 million is being invested in Central Coast-Hunter to support jobs and training opportunities."

"Mr Taylor will work with local business and other key stakeholders, such as local councils and unions, to develop strategies for keeping people in work while recruitment for the permanent Local Employment Coordinator is underway.

"He will identify ways to ensure that local people are able to access the job opportunities created by the Government’s economic stimulus measures.

"He will also work with key Government and community agencies to develop rapid responses to best deal with emerging employment issues in Central Coast-Hunter and promote job opportunities."

For further information on Keeping Australia Working and the Jobs Fund go to: www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/KeepAustraliaWorking/

For enquiries please contact Craig Thomson's office on (02) 4351 1223.

The NSW Government will provide a free online business tools as part of a $6.5 million investment in programs to support NSW small and medium businesses in the NSW Budget.

The NSW Minister for Small Business Steve Whan said the business e-learning portal is being developed by the NSW Government and the University of Western Sydney.

"This will be a fantastic resource for small business operators. The site will offer real, practical assistance. For example, users will be guided on how to develop their own business plan which they can use when seeking finance or for monitoring the performance of their business," he said.

The site will also include a ready checklist and self-assessment check to assist in reducing the number of small business failures in the State.

Small business operators will also be able to access free training in finance, marketing, legal requirements, employment and export.

The small business e-learning portal and website will compliment a range of small business programs on offer by the NSW Government.

"Business Advisory Services will continue to provide free business guidance from experienced business facilitators at strategic locations across the State.

The new online portal will be able to do a lot of the early work, like writing a business plan, at home, before they visit their local BAS.

There are almost 650,000 small businesses in NSW, providing jobs for more than one million people.

What a productive and informative day the Central Coast had with the visit from the Minister of Small Business, Independent Contractors and Service Economy, Honourable Dr Craid Emerson.

Starting with a business leaders luncheon held by NSW Business Chamber with President of the Regional Advisory Council – Ken Baker, NSW Business Chambers Regional Manager – Mary Doherty and Member for Dobell Craig Thompson was also in attendance. Held at Diggers at The Entrance, where Craig Emerson gave an informative speech followed by a round of question and answer discussion. Then at 3pm it was off to the Central Coast Business Enterprise Centre situated at the Zenith Centre, Tuggerah Business Park for an afternoon forum with local small businesses.

Dobell's Craig Thomson shared his awareness of the challenges faced by business on the Central Coast and made suggestions on how to help cut employment.

At least 30 different businesses were represented, ranging from sole proprietors to medium sized manufacturers.

The Minster Craig Emerson has a PHD in Economics with experience in small business including setting up and running his own business. He shared his vision for a one-stop shop and was pleased to see that the Central Coast Business Enterprise Centre had implemented this concept for small businesses.

He mentioned that Central Coast businesses riding the current economic roller coaster makes for good economics and social achievement. He also posed the question “Can we do more to keep people local” and indicated the he and his department are committed to do everything they can to support local small business.

Craig Emerson, the Minister, also gave a commitment that the Federal Government were endeavouring to remove burdens and red tape in the area of regulations at a Federal, State and local level for small businesses. In turn this would give small businesses incentives, keep more earnings, reward efforts and promote more free enterprise.

Questions were raised concerning unfair dismissal, ATO (Australia Taxation Office), carbon footprint and training, help for manufacturers, employer incentives, bank relationships, the tender process and "Buy Local" and the extension of the stimulus package.

Recent changes to the SIS Act (effective from 24 September 2007) mean that trustees of superannuation funds may now borrow in prescribed circumstances, and may in fact pursue a geared investment strategy, provided that the requirements specified in the SIS Act are followed. The New Super Rules present fresh opportunities to leverage into the property market using your superannuation savings.

The many tax incentives introduced by the Government into superannuation laws, mean that many Australians may potentially accumulate wealth faster in a superannuation environment than they could by investing in identical assets outside of their superannuation. Now, under the new rules - superannuation funds can invest in direct property without the need to have accumulated the full purchase price. Superannuation funds are able to do this by using an Instalment Warrant Arrangement.

With the equity markets worldwide doing so poorly and with the lower cost of interest on borrowing and property being fairly priced – many real estate agents and financial planners are predicting a surge in the number of individuals opting to get control of their own super and experiencing heightened numbers of new SMSF’s being setup for the specific reason of purchasing property through the new IW arrangements.

There has not been a better time to take control of your superannuation.

Budget Stats

• Deficit of $57.6 billion;
• Reduction in tax receipts of $210 billion over next four years;
• Contraction in GDP of -0.5% in 2009-10 with a forecast of positive growth of 2.25% in 2010-11;
• Unemployment rate projected to rise to 8.25% in 2009-10;
• CPI expected to remain steady on 1.75% in 2009-10;
• Budget savings of $22.6 billion over four years.

Budget at a Glance - Announcements

• Creating a $260 million paid parental leave scheme to begin in 2011;
• $14.2 billion reform of the pension system including a rise in pension age to 67 with the pension for single people raised by $32.49 a week and couples increased by $10.14 a week.
• Cutting personal income tax by $9.8 billion;
• Investing $22 billion in national infrastructure including;
• Spending $8.5 billion on roads, rail and ports; with $2.16 billion for NSW.
• Investing $4.7 billion in a national broadband network;
• Increasing the Small Business and General Business Tax Break to 50 per cent for eligible assets ordered between December 2008 and December 2009
• Extending the First Home Buyers Boost for a further six months — including three months at the full rate, before stepping it down;
• Changes to superannuation including a reduction in the amount that can be salary sacrificed at a concessional tax rate.
• Commitment to $4.5 billion for the development of clean energy generation and new technologies in a bid to reduce carbon emissions.

The second Swan Budget is projected to deliver an underlying cash balance of -$57.6 billion, or -4.9% of GDP.

Total revenue for 2009-10 is expected to be $290.6 billion, with 42% coming from individuals' income taxation and 20% coming from company and petroleum resource rent taxation.

Spending

The IMF insists that fiscal stimuli must be sustained and (if possible) increased in 2010.

IMF points out that the credibility of extraordinary government spending can only be maintained if it:

• addresses the medium-term challenges brought by an ageing population, notably increases in social security and health costs; and
• boosts long-term economic capacity through adequate investment in infrastructure; and
• is reduced once recovery begins and so avoids inflating asset price bubbles.

Debt

The Federal Government's mediumterm fiscal strategy consists of:

• allowing the level of tax receipts to recover 'naturally' as the economy improves, while keeping taxation as a share of GDP below the 2007–08 level on average; and
• holding real growth in spending to 2% a year until the budget returns to surplus.

Small business tax break

The Government will inject an additional $141 million to expand the Small Business and General Business Tax Break for small businesses. This provides a greater incentive to invest in new capital items such as vehicles as well as existing equipment. Small businesses will be able to claim a bonus tax deduction of 50% of the cost of eligible assets ordered between 13 December 2008 and 31 December 2009 and installed by 31 December 2010. This will give a small business spending $30,000 an extra $6,000 upfront tax deduction. The 30% announced earlier this year can still be obtained by all other businesses that acquire eligible assets before 30 June 2009, as well as the rate of 10% applying for eligible assets acquired before 31 December 2009.

Personal income tax cut

Treasurer Wayne Swan’s budget delivers $22 billion in nation building infrastructure, focused on transport, communications, energy, education and health.

New Announcements

• $8.5 billion for nationally significant infrastructure projects
• $43 billion over eight years for National Broadband Network
• $3.6 billion for Clean Energy Initiative
• $2.6 billion million from the Education Investment Fund
• $3.2 billion from the Health and Hospitals Fund towards hospital Infrastructure

New Announcements - (NSW)

• $91 million for pre-construction work of Sydney West Metro
• $1.5 billion for new dual carriageway between the F3 and the New England Highway near Branxton.
• $618 million for the construction of a 14.5 km dual carriageway bypass of the Kempsey and Frederickton

Skills and Workplace Participation

The Government has increased education spending by around 50 per cent over the current five year period

Skills

• $1.5 billion ($799.5 million in 2009-10) for the Jobs and Training Compact,
• $650 million Jobs Fund to support local jobs, build skills and improve facilities in local communities
• $277 million Compact with Young Australians to keep them engaged in education and training and increase educational attainment,
• $438 million Compact with Retrenched Workers will give retrenched workers immediate access to intensive employment services

Workforce Participation

• $731 million over five years to implement a Paid Parental Leave scheme from January 2011,
• $2.4 billion savings over 4 years on Family Tax Benefit and the Baby Bonus

Higher education

• $578 million over three years to increase the rate of indexation for higher education funding
• $491 million over four years to uncap the number of public university places from 2012,
• $325 million to reward institutions for attracting and retaining students from a low socio-economic background

Research and Development

The incentive to undertake research and development will be doubled for most small businesses from 2010-11 under the new Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit – replacing the existing R&D Tax Concession. As an interim measure, the Government will lift the expenditure cap on eligible R&D for firms in tax loss from $1 million to $2 million for the 2009-10 financial year, at a cost of $65 million.

Small Business support line

The Budget also provides $10 million over two years to establish a Small Business Support Line and referral service to assist small

1. Know your priorities

Look at all of the different areas of your life including career, partner relationship, family, friends, health, finances, creativity and self care and think about what is most important to you. What are your personal values? What is your definition of success? Make sure you plan time for activities that you find pleasurable and for the things that really matter.

2. Choose your attitude

Having a positive outlook really makes a difference. Each morning before your feet hit the floor think about three things you're grateful for.

3. Make time to relax

One of the things that is missing for many people is that little bit of space where we simply stop and do nothing. Practise yoga, tai chi or meditation to help you learn to physically and mentally relax.

4. Breathe

Taking a few deep breaths is one of the most effective ways to reduce and manage stress.

Here's a simple breathing exercise. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Breathe deep into the abdomen, taking the breath deep into the belly and allowing the ribs to expand out to the sides and the belly to the front, hold the breath for a moment and breathe out using a loud ‘sigh’ sound. Repeat at least seven times, making each breath slower, longer and quieter.

5. Get healthy

Exercise is one of the key factors to reducing stress as it not only increases your fitness level which provides you with more energy, it is also the best way to flood your system with positive hormones which counteract the impact of the negative stress hormones.

Remember to eat a healthy diet with lots of fresh vegetables, drink at least two litres of water each day and replace coffee and tea with herbal alternatives.

6. Plan breaks

Make sure you get away from your desk to eat lunch. It's also important to schedule a holiday each year and preferably, a couple of mini-breaks such as a long weekend, in between.

7. Find an interest

This is beneficial on many levels as it provides you with 'you' time, plus many hobbies also give you the opportunity to express yourself creatively, engaging the right side of the brain.

8. Connect with friends

Make contact with a friend. Reaching out to others helps you gain perspective and changes how you think and feel about your problems, which will definitely help to relieve and manage your stress. Most people don’t need therapists. As long as you can talk openly and honestly and have someone really listen to you, you can reap similar benefits by talking with a trusted friend.

9. Know your boundaries

Learn to say 'no'. Be clear about your personal boundaries and learn how to say a gentle but firm 'no' when people make requests of you that push those boundaries.

10. Laugh!

Laughter is one of the most valuable resources to help you reduce and manage stress. See a funny film or a comedy show. Remember to create time to 'play' and remind yourself to lighten up and not take life so seriously.

Positive wrd-of-mouth is the main source of new business for many soloists, and networking is a good way to build it. But people have to remember you to refer clients, so how you introduce yourself to people you meet is important to boost referrals.

When we meet someone new and they ask what we do, most of us take the easy option and respond with a label: "I'm an accountant", "...writer", "...graphic designer" and so on.

Labels can be very limiting. With so many new people to meet, it’s very easy for other networkers to get the wrong impression of us anyway, but we add to the problem if we use labels that don’t articulate the true nature or value of what we do.

When I first set up as a soloist, I proudly called myself a marketing consultant. A mate of mine rang with an opportunity for me. He knew someone who was opening a waxing salon and needed some ads written. Now this was someone who knew exactly what I did for a living, that I had a background in industrial marketing and specialised in writing proposals. Or so I thought. In fact all he’d absorbed was that I worked in marketing. To him that obviously meant ads for XXX Brazilians. Ouch.

Here's another example. A graphic designer might specialise in consumer packaging or magazine design, focus only on websites, or do cheap and cheerful business cards and pizza flyers. What you think about what graphic designers do depends on your own experience of them. So when someone introduces themselves as one, you’ll immediately think of those you already know whose businesses may be very different.

To focus attention on the words we use when networking and to boost referrals, I came up with an introductory statement I call the 10-word teaser. It is your opening line when someone asks: "So what do you do?"

Why 10 words? Because you have three seconds to make an impression and 10 words is the most anyone will remember when meeting you for the first time. There are two options:

1. Use your 10-word teaser to articulate your specialist positioning; or
2. Talk about the problems you solve or the results you create for your clients.

With two 10-word teasers up your sleeve, you can choose which one you use. My first option is to introduce myself as "a proposal strategist and writer". That's my specialist positioning and it's usually enough to get the conversation rolling. Otherwise, I can talk about the problem I solve; "I help companies win hundreds of millions in new business". It's a more aggressive opening, but sometimes this is necessary to get attention.

A personal trainer might position herself as "a wellbeing coach" or as someone who "helps people change behaviours to become healthier". A publicist "negotiates specialist media exposure" or "helps clients build brand awareness in niche markets".

For more about specialist positioning, and why I think it’s essential for success as a soloist, take a look at my article Why specialist positioning matters.

To create the 10-word teaser about problems you solve or results you create, think about what triggers people to pick up the phone and call you. Many more people buy to solve a problem than to create an opportunity, so first try to find a problem-centred statement you can use.

Let's say you're a tax accountant. You start telling the people you meet through networking that you “specialise in solving tricky tax problems.” One of them is talking to a friend at a barbecue, who says he’s dreading a call from the tax man because he hasn’t filed a return in four years. Who is your networking contact going to remember? Chances are it will be you, so this can be a great way to boost referrals.

If you can keep your cool while economic mayhem abounds, you could set up your business for not just survival, but for greater profit and cashflow when things improve. Here are some money management tips to thrive and survive in the downturn.

It's all over the news that business and consumer confidence is low and that Australia and other Western economies are heading for tough times. Money is tight and many business sales are falling. This is not good news for many small to medium enterprises, but it can present a chance to take stock and even get the edge over competitors who don’t treat the situation as an opportunity.

This is a time when business owners need to show leadership and retain the confidence of staff and stakeholders. SMEs often have an advantage over larger businesses in that they are able to act more quickly and decisively. Larger businesses often have to contend with office politics and various departments trying to protect their own turf, whereas SMEs are more down to earth.

Just because SMEs can act quickly, it can be detrimental to employ ‘slash and burn’ money management tactics to survive a downturn. i.e. indiscriminately cutting costs without really thinking about how this might impact on the future of the business.

The best place to begin preparing for a downturn is to work towards where you want to be when things pick up again.

Ask yourself:

• Are there better ways to structure the business?
• What type of customers do you want to work with?
• How will you market/sell your product or service?
• What resources will you need to deliver products and services and how will you deliver them?
• Where will you operate your business from?
• What price and cost structure will exist?
• How will your business be funded? Will external funding be required or will it be self-funding?

Once you have a picture of your ideal business, you can begin to look at the cost of running it and other money management issues. Start with a review of your Profit and Loss Statement for a prior period e.g. for the year ended 30th June 2008.

When times are good most business owners spend little time worrying about every cent that gets spent. When sales start to fall though, this is the best place to start.

Look at direct costs e.g. cost of products for sale and labour costs. Are there alternatives or better methods of delivering your product or service? Perhaps do some research on the Internet to see how other businesses are doing it.

The next money management tip is to work your way through every line item on the Profit and Loss Statement. Time put aside to focus on this issue can be some of the most profitable time you will spend in your business. It may seem tedious, but when every cent is coming out of your pocket as a business owner, believe me, it's worthwhile.

I went through this money managment exercise myself a couple of years ago and came up with approximately $250,000 per annum worth of savings. I looked at every single item and thought "How can we do this better, more efficiently and more cost effectively?" Lots of self-discipline is necessary and a little sensible ruthlessness as well.

The important point in relation to cost savings is that every dollar saved is a dollar straight onto the bottom line. Whereas every dollar of extra sales may only be a matter of cents onto the bottom line, because a sale carries with it direct costs and overheads.

Cashflow also needs serious attention during a downturn. Stock needs to be more closely managed to ensure only the stock that is required is purchased. If you are purchasing stock on credit terms you could get a double whammy of reduced sales and collections at the same time as paying for stock that is taking longer to sell.

All of the above may sound like Doomsday stuff, but if you can be realistic and take the tough money management decisions now, your business will be in a much better position when the downturn ends.

Your business will also be in a far stronger position than competitors who haven't properly managed the downturn or indeed survived it. When the upturn arrives your business could be even more profitable and valuable.

How will you make your business robust enough to thrive through the downturn?

Sue Hirst is the founder of CAD partners (also known as 'CFO On-Call'), a team of Financial Controllers who can help business owners grow their business safely

Many retailers are searching for ways to stand out from the crowd in order to generate extra sales.

Here are a few simple ideas that smart retailers are using in their stores and showrooms to enhance their customer service and distinguish themselves from their competitors.

Eye catching displays

First, try displaying moving promotional images in your storefront.

Moving images are a great way to attract the interest of passing foot traffic.

In the past this promotional technique was rarely adopted by retailers due to the expense and relative poor quality of the video and graphic images available to them. The sheer physical size of the TV based display technology also prohibited the use of this technique in most shop displays.

However, it is now a viable option for most businesses to display moving promotional images using flat screen (LCD and plasma) monitors and digital multimedia technologies.

All in one digital systems are now available for use in retail showrooms that feature slim lined flat screen monitors with multimedia equipment attached.

The rapidly advancing quality of multimedia imagery now allows even small businesses to cost effectively produce an eye-catching range of multimedia product information displays and advertorials.

The display screens are also becoming increasingly more affordable. The display screens can now range in size from 15 inch LCD screens through to large plasma screens. These screens can produce crisp high quality images and due to their flat slim design they now only require a very limited floor space, making them suitable for inclusion in most shop displays.

You may also find the use of multimedia based promotional displays particularly useful during the Christmas shopping period when trying to attract the attention of passers-by who are otherwise aimlessly wondering the retail arcades looking for gift ideas.

Encouraging interactivity

The next idea is the use of touch screen information kiosks in your store.

You will have seen various types of computer information kiosks before. The actual kiosk units are often a flat touch screen computer monitor mounted on an upright stand or wall mounted. Both options are suitable for a retail showroom, though if you have a store with limited floor space, the wall mounted kiosk in an easily accessible area may be the best option for you.

Touch screen kiosks can offer customers a wide range of information including full product catalogues and product specifications, customer testimonials and they can also assist in educating customers about terminology and concepts used in your industry.

If you wish, you may also allow customers to design or modify product specifications and place orders using the kiosk. Recent trends indicate that using in store kiosks to allow customers to order products is becoming increasing popular overseas.

The kiosk is best used in a store environment to entertain customers when sales representatives are busy serving other customers or as a means of customer self-education. The benefit of the interactive nature of information kiosks is that they will often engage and amuse customers when customers otherwise may have left your store or become impatient when waiting to be served.

Personalised service

Another very simple and yet effective idea is to create personalised printed catalogues for your customers.

This idea requires some simple catalogue creation software, a computer, a printer and possibly a digital camera. Using these tools you can select specific products from your range and produce a printed personalised catalogue for a customer on demand.

For example, if a store customer was interested in three of your products, you could print a personalised catalogue for that customer featuring their preferred products. The catalogue can include pictures and specification details of the three products together with your company logo, the name of the sales representative, company contact information and ordering information.

You may already have found that customers are often overwhelmed with information when shopping. By taking this type of active step to offer extra customer service through a personalised catalogue that you will go a long way towards demonstrating your genuine interest in the customer and reinforcing your product and brand.

These three ideas are just a few examples of ways that you can gain enhanced benefits from applying simple e-business technology to basic promotional and customer service concepts.

Sharon Wild – Strategy and Marketing Director of e-Jaz
e-jaz.com.au        sharon@e-jaz.com.au