5 Things Zumba Can Teach You About Business

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Julia Barnickle

Business Lessons from ZumbaI went along to a Zumba class for the first time, two weeks ago. It’s great fun, although I think it will take me several months to master all the steps – and several more to be able to do them at the right speed. I keep comforting myself with the thought that it’s building lots of lovely new neural pathways in my brain which, at my age, is a very useful thing!

It occurred to me, though, that Zumba could teach us a thing or two about doing business – so here are some of my thoughts on that subject.

  1. It doesn’t have to be an original idea to succeed
    Zumba isn’t a totally new idea. It’s made up of lots of bits of other dance styles and exercise routines. It’s simply packaged differently, in a fun and – dare I say it? – ‘sexy’ way.
    How could you package your business in a new, exciting and refreshing way?

  2. It can change over time
    Zumba is one of a long line of crazes that come and go. Enjoy it while it lasts, but don’t get too hung up on a particular craze. Learn what there is to learn, adopt and adapt it, and then move on.
    How can you avoid being too attached to a particular way of doing things in your business?

  3. It should be simple and effective
    The purpose of Zumba is to help you get fit and lose weight, and each routine is designed to exercise different parts of the body. It’s effective because it’s simple and doesn’t feel like exercise.
    How can you simplify your actions so that they achieve the results you want?

  4. It can be intentionally FUN!!
    Because Zumba is exercise done to music, and is basically energetic dancing, it doesn’t feel like a chore. It’s fun, which means you’re more motivated to do it.
    What can you do to put more fun into your business?

  5. It should stretch parts of you that you didn’t know existed!
    Stretching yourself doesn’t always have to be hard work – with Zumba, because you’re having fun, you don’t realise you’ve gone beyond your comfort zone until later!
    What small change could you make to stretch yourself and make a difference in your business?

If you’d like help to apply these lessons to YOUR business, call me on +44 (0)845 838 7906 or get in touch with me via the contact form

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Inspiration – Mel Robbins

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Julia Barnickle

I haven’t put an Inspiration post on my blog for a while, so I thought it was about time.

This video inspired me to publish my 2012 Manifesto instead of keeping it to myself. If you’ve ever wondered why change is so hard, this video will help to explain it.

By the way, when you get to the part where Mel says “no wonder you’re bored!”, just take a look at the audience’s faces!! :-)

You can buy Mel’s book: “Stop Saying You’re Fine” from Amazon.

If you’re struggling with change and need some help acting on your ideas, call me on +44 (0)845 838 7906 or get in touch with me via the contact form

Posted in Goal Setting, Success | Leave a comment

2012 Manifesto

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Julia Barnickle

2011 was a momentous year for me, in many ways. One thing I realised was that I have, in the past, tried to model myself too closely on other people, instead of standing tall and saying “This is who I am, and this is what I believe in – if you’d like me to work with you, then I would love to be part of your journey”.

All that is about to change!

There are people who say “life is hard”, and there are also people who say “business is hard”. I think they’re wrong. I think that life is basically very simple. We are the ones who make it hard for ourselves. And the same goes for business, too. I certainly know that I’ve made my business much harder than it needed to be over recent years.

I now want my life, and my business, to be full of joy and inspiration. I don’t have expensive tastes – I’m quite happy to sit for hours in a cafe, or on the beach (in the sunshine!), watching the world go by. And I’ve realised that I haven’t been doing enough of that lately.

New Year

People say, if you want to succeed in business, you need to spend time with those who are vastly more successful than yourself. Sure, I’d love to hang out with the likes of Richard Branson, but I’m not ready for that yet. Instead, I’m going to spend more time with people who are enjoying their life and their business – and I know that my life and my business will also bloom as a result of that.

The key for me, this year, will be to keep things simple. I’ll still recommend resources from other people who I believe have something interesting or useful to offer – but only if I feel that they are good role models, enjoying their success rather than being a slave to it.

I seem to have gone full circle – I started off, some time ago, talking about Creating an Inspired Life. Then my focus turned to business. Now I’m putting Life first again, in the belief that, when you create a life that inspires you, and fills you with joy, people are automatically attracted to you.

And if they aren’t – at least you’ll have created an Inspired Life!!

If you’d like to take time in January to work out what you want your life to be like in 2012, call me on +44 (0)845 838 7906 or send me an enquiry via the contact form

Posted in Choices, Happiness, New Year Resolutions, Success | 2 Comments

Season’s Greetings

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Julia Barnickle

Season's GreetingsWishing you a Wonderful Christmas, and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

I spotted these Santas last weekend when I was in Trafalgar Square, London. There was an avalanche of Santas wandering around, handing out sweets and generally having fun. I found out later that they were part of Santacon, and that they meet in London every year.

Maybe next year I’ll get out my Elf suit and join them!!

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Zero Moment of Truth – Social Media Marketing

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Julia Barnickle

Zero Moment of TruthOK, I can hear you saying – what’s a “Zero Moment of Truth when it’s at home?” And not without reason. That’s what I thought! So let me explain…

There used to be only two “Moments of Truth” which followed an initial buying decision. The First Moment of Truth was when you were in a shop, looking at a group of similar products and deciding which one to buy. The Second Moment of Truth was when you got the product home and decided whether or not you liked it.

Google has recently been doing extensive research and has come to the conclusion that there is now a third Moment of Truth – the Zero Moment of Truth – which occurs even before you get to the shop, on-line or off-line. It’s when you start researching the product, looking for reviews and product information, perhaps prompted by an advert you saw on TV.

Although people have always told their friends what they think of a certain product, in this age of Social Media Marketing it’s so much easier for your customers to tell the whole world what they think. And their review could be positive or negative. Either way, it’s an opportunity for you to connect with that individual, if they’re reviewing one of your products or services.

For example, if someone is saying: “Love your stuff, but I’d really like the same thing in green” – and if it’s not just one individual but a whole host of people who say that – you know it’s worth your while producing the same thing in green. It’s like customer-led marketing.

If someone writes a bad review of your product or service, it gets it out in the open – you can bet, if one person writes a bad review, that there will be several others who think the same thing but are reluctant to say so. This gives you an opportunity to put the record straight – to apologise, if necessary, and/or to clarify a misunderstanding.

Word of Mouth (WOM) referrals have always been an important part of any business marketing. Now, social media and referral websites are providing an online version of WOM, which potential customers are referring to at the Zero Moment of Truth.

If you pay attention to the Zero Moment of Truth for your own products and services, it could give you a competitive advantage, as most people aren’t aware of it yet. To help you, Google has produced an e-book and video series, asking the question: “Are You Winning The Zero Moment Of Truth?”
http://www.zeromomentoftruth.com/

Posted in Marketing tips | Tagged buying decision, marketing, social media, social media marketing, Zero Moment of Truth | Leave a comment