Expert Advice

Over the past couple of years I have delivered a series of education courses through Wisdom Learning on the subject of Strata Management. In addition to a Certificate II course which is delivered over an extended period of many months, we have also provided full day "CPD" courses aimed at real estate professionals who are not directly working in Strata,...

The primary purpose for most websites is to convert clicks into customers. If you are getting heaps of traffic and have difficulty getting qualified leads, go through these basic checks first. 1. Are you talking to the right audience? If you fail to define your target audience for your website, the visitors may misunderstand your services. You need to connect...

Businesses are becoming increasingly dependent on social media as a marketing tool and way to interact with existing and potential customers. Although social media draws many benefits for businesses and customers alike, it needs to be treated like traditional forms of advertising in that comments and opinions are not false, misleading or deceptive. Importantly, business owners are responsible for the...

Most people assume that bookkeepers and accountants get along very well. The reality, however, is they tend not to share a lot of information with one another. Bookkeepers and accountants should dance around with each other to realise the best possible outcomes for their clients. But why are such harmonious and effective relationships hard to achieve most of the time?...

These days, information is can be the most valuable asset a business can own - so how do you protect it when entering into a new business partnership? Confidentiality or Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) are used in a wide variety of business relationships, where protection of one or both sides' confidential information is essential, whether it's customer and contact lists, design...

As a business, is it worth checking out how your business can get climate ready? Getting climate ready includes reducing your energy use, energy costs and training staff to build resilience to climate change. It is worth checking out what the Government has on offer to help you adapt. This includes free, easy-to-use resources, tools and ideas. It includes access...

They say cash is king. Find out how to give yours the royal treatment. There's a golden rule in business you'd be smart to learn now: No matter how much you sell, if you don't collect the money, you're going to go out of business. As business owners, we often get so wrapped up in selling our products and services...

Cyber Security attacks are on the rise at the same time as budgets for IT programs are undergoing cost cutting and efficiency measures. Now more than ever, businesses need to carefully consider their security expenditure to maximise the return on investment. Like any other area of the business, it is critical that the security program is in step with the...

The Australian Financial Review recently contained two articles which highlighted the growing importance of intellectual property in international trade. The first article was titled "China rival US as biggest wine market". This article referred to Australian wine exporters benefitting from the free-trade agreement and the growing demand for wine among China's middle class. Wine exports to China are reported to...

Voluntary staff turnover has risen in 29% of organisations over the past year. That's one of the many findings in our recently released Hays Salary Guide, which shows that just 14% of the 2,752 organisations surveyed, representing over 2.6 million employees, reported decreased staff turnover during the past 12 months. The remaining 57% said it stayed the same. The increasing...

As the nation's capital lurches its way towards the end of another cold winter, we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief that the sun will soon reappear. As a self-confessed sun seeker, I find it difficult to find anything much positive to say about the chilly weather. One exception, however, is the pleasure of escaping from the cold...

I often say, customer service is the best form of marketing. Customers are the reason we are all in business. Love them or lose them, it's really that simple. Don't let digital marketing fool you. It doesn't matter what or where or how you are marketing, the fact remains that 100% of your customers are people and every customer has...

The start of a new Financial Year is a time to reflect on the past year and to look ahead, making sure your business is in-shape and ready for the next 12 months. It's important you finish the Financial Year strong, but also ensure you kick off the next year on top. 1.Review your business story How has your business...

It is a great time for small businesses in Australia. With further tax deduction and booming cloud business solutions, small business owners can better achieve their entrepreneurial goals. In this article, I would like to share a few useful cloud business services for small businesses and discuss how we can best benefit from using them. The most prominent issue faced...

Directors are not the only decision makers regarding the operation and direction of a company's business; shareholders also have a lot of power. By being entitled to vote on key resolution affecting the company's future, its directors and strategic goals, shareholders can be crucial to a company's success and expansion. Shareholders exercise their powers through general meetings - but who...

The 2016 Actsmart Business Sustainability Awards celebrate Canberra businesses that have ramped up waste management and recycling and improved their energy and water use. What is amazing about the businesses at this year's awards is their diversity, proving that any business in the ACT can get smart with sustainability and save money at the same time. There are 12 winners...