#90: 7 Ways to Work Smarter in 2016

Can you believe 2015 is over already? I know, it's a cliche thing to say, but it's true--I feel like the year has just flown by! Maybe you can relate. I know when a year is packed with as many projects, launches, milestones reached and lessons learned as 2015 has been for me, it makes time race by. It's impossible to anticipate the new year without thinking about resolutions. Ugh. I've never been one of those people who respond well to those. Instead of thinking about resolutions, I found myself drifting back to a book that I've read about a hundred times. I'm sure you've heard me talk about it before: ReWork, written by the guys who founded Basecamp. This book was like a manual for success, back when I was first getting started...but it seems to be turning into a tradition that at the end of one year, I review it for fresh inspiration on how to smartly approach the coming year. Call it a New Year's Rejuvenation, if you will. This year, I was going through it looking for how its principles could help build online business. And as usual, ReWork did not disappoint. I was taking so many notes that I had to turn it into a podcast for you. The strategies I'm going over today are all about different ways to approach your work so that... a) you get more done b) everything you do leads you to big results c) you end the day feeling more satisfied with your bottom line In particular, if you want to build a business around creating online training programs and courses, these strategies are going to be really applicable. They'll help you get more done with less time, less money, less resources…you know, the precious things we always seem to be short on. Each of these 7 tips will have to do with one of these three words: Strategy, Saving, and Selling. And I have to tell you, this is a very dense, deep episode--give me a break, it's the final episode of 2015!--so you really should listen to the whole thing. I suggest curling up with the last Christmas cookie, stir a little eggnog into your coffee, and enjoy a final moment of holiday hibernation to brainstorm your 2016 business year. Strategy #1: Embrace your constraints Limited resources force you to do make do with what you’ve got, and that in turn forces you to be creative. Strategy #2: Become a curator It’s the stuff you leave out that matters--in terms of product value and saving yourself valuable time. Find out how--click here to listen now. Strategy #3: Build a more focused product What’s the one most important thing that your product is bringing to the table? Strategy #4: Make decisions often You’ll be amazed how strong your decision-making skills can get when you make it a habit. Strategy #5: Create an offer your audience cannot refuse. One of the best ways to do this is to offer more of you. Strategy #6: Sell your by-product as an upsell or downsell If you offer an upsell or downsell, you can work less! Find out how--click here to listen now. Strategy #7: Make sure your work really matters Nothing really matters if your work doesn’t matter to others…or to you. In the end, your business' value is really all about your business' balance. Adding too little will leave your audience confused and you unsatisfied; adding too much value is just overkill for your audience and way too much stress for you. Get the low-down on each of these tips...find out how they tie in with Strategy, Savings and Selling...and get your business systems aligned for an amazing new year!