Innovatively Organized | Productivity. Organization. Results.

In the September 2011 edition of Costco Connection, we found an interesting article on downsizing (or what we typically refer to as “purging”). Vickie Dellaquila explains in “Downsizing Proves Desirable” that downsizing is a necessary fact of life. Transitions in our life or the lives of our children require that we let go of some things from the past. We may need more room in the house or might need less room- either way, there are times when we have to go through old items in order to simplify. She discusses the physical and emotional toll this process usually has on people, as well as benefits associated with downsizing. She even includes resources for downsizing, including NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers).

Additional resources

Yes, it’s possible to have a healthy and active sales pipeline and still spend very little time managing it. Fortunately, with the right preparation and systems, you can successfully manage your sales pipeline in 15 minutes a day or less. Here are six steps to follow from Matt Heinz, president of Heinz Marketing in Redmond, Washington.

1. Start with clear definitions & next steps by stage

You absolutely must create and document clear, consistent definitions for each stage of the buying process for your customers. Ideally, you should identify and enumerate specific qualified lead stages, then a separate set of stages that reflect the process of buying once a prospect is qualified and in the near-term market to buy.

2. Use a consistent CRM tool (even if it’s Excel)

You can’t successfully and efficiently manage your sales pipeline in email or on Post-It notes. Your defined sales stages, and the prospects within them, need to be encapsulated in a clean customer relationship management (CRM) system. And whether you use something based in the “cloud” or just Excel, make sure it’s easy and fast to update and accessible everywhere.

3. Develop a discipline for adding new prospects daily

Get in the habit of networking and adding new prospects daily. Look for new prospects via newspaper articles, press releases, LinkedIn Updates, etc. Have a set of pre-written email introductions and offers (an article you’ve written that could help them, for example), so that reaching out and engaging new prospects is fast and easy.

Matt Heinz is the President of Heinz Marketing, a marketing agency in Seattle focused on sales acceleration. To read Matt's full list of six recommendations, with templates and links for more information, you can read the original article post on his blog, Matt on Marketing.

Description:
Is your coupon drawer overflowing with expired coupons or great coupons that you keep forgetting to take with you? Try Coupon Sherpa to make coupon-ing mobile. You can get the app for your iPhone or iTouch, and carry thousands of coupons with you every day. It is easy to search for broad categories or specific stores, restaurants, and retailers. Not only are you going to save a fortune, but it’s free too!

Abilities:
• Exclusive coupons provided by retailers only for Coupon Sherpa users
• In-store coupons searched from the internet
• Print, email, or display coupons on phone
• Find coupons by store category or name
• Find nearby stores
• Create list of favorite stores

Great for:
• Saving money
• Reducing physical coupon clutter
• Remembering coupons on the go

Cost: Free

Instead of take up valuable drawer space, why not store your plastic wraps and aluminum foils vertically? This durable organizer holds four boxes and is easily mounted on walls or within cabinets. Plus, it is made with a raised edge to help clean inevitable spills!

What are your thoughts?

Could your kitchen use a little help staying organized? We know that it’s hard enough keeping the dirty dishes under control, let alone all of the Tupperware containers, spices, and canned goods. If your drawers are frightening to open, take a look at our list of must-haves for kitchen organizing. It’s full of supplies that can help you gain control in the most chaotic room of the house, like foil organizers and drawer dividers.

Get organized now with our Must-Haves for Kitchen Organizing Checklist!

And for more Innovatively Organized checklists, visit our page of Organizing Checklists!

Want a cute way to organize your refrigerator? Instead of using a mish-mash of different magnets, add magnets to the backs of colorful clothespins! They hold all of your wedding invitations, postcards, upcoming events, and baby announcements- while looking clean and neat.

What are your thoughts? Do you use clothespins anywhere else?

Moving to a new home? Registering for your wedding? Learning to cook? Make sure your kitchen is well-stocked with everything you need. We’ve got all the essential supplies your kitchen needs, regardless of whether you’re making a soufflé or making toast. Print out the form and take a tour of your kitchen to see which supplies you still need.

Get organized now with our Essential Kitchen Supplies Checklist!

And for more Innovatively Organized checklists, visit our page of Organizing Checklists!

Before and After of the Week

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09.30.2011

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Service: Business Organizing

Challenge:
The challenge for this client was finding a way to manage the volume of incoming and outgoing paper and electronic information. He needed help setting up a file management system, advice on how to handle reference material, and some guidance on time/task management to help him prioritize his day.

Solution:
We sorted through the piles on and around his desk, purged anything that was not essential, and created an easy-to-use and maintain file management system. We provided organizing and productivity tips for him to manage the information being received via email. We helped set up a task list and provided him with techniques to prioritize to-dos.

Result:
He now has the tools to help him get through his work day without frustration. He has a clear system for processing incoming and outgoing paper and electronic files, and knows exactly where all categories of information should go. He can efficiently manage his emails and make sure his inbox is empty at the end of every day.

For even more Innovatively Organized before and after photos, visit our Facebook album!

So you’ve got all these purses in your closet (or scattered around your house!) that you just don’t know what to do with… The moment you no longer love a purse, it becomes clutter. There is no good way to store the various shapes and sizes, so purses easily stack up. Here’s an idea: swap your purse for a gorgeous new bag that you’ll actually use!

Purses of Interest is a purse swap fundraiser to benefit Rise n’ Shine. The event is next Thursday, October 6th at 6 pm at PNK Ultra Lounge in Pacific Place. You can register online for $20 before October 1st or for $25 after.

Upon arrival, you will be checked in and given a ticket in exchange for your gently used purse (cough- clutter). For the purse swap portion, numbers will be drawn at random to invite guests to pick out their new purse. And the best part- all purses include goodies, discounts, or gift certificates hidden inside! Not only will you be getting rid of “extra baggage” in your home, you’ll be returning with an awesome new bag already filled with goodies!

There will also be a small silent auction for wines, chocolates, a boat tour, a L’Occitane gift box, and gift certificates to local Seattle Restaurants! All of the evening's proceeds go in support of Rise n’ Shine, which supports children and teens affected by HIV/AIDS.

Bring all of your friends- especially the ones with purses you envy! You can also check out their Facebook event to learn more!

Description:
Rather than manually entering in all of your contacts, Connected “hooks into nearly every social network, contact database and calendar repository on the web to automatically build out a comprehensive contact and company database, free of duplicate entries.” You can create comprehensive profiles for each contact, including recent conversation streams, tags, descriptions, and photos. We love that you can create daily agendas, complete with brief bios of everyone you are meeting with, as well as their latest company news.

You’ll love it for:

Integrating all of your accounts (Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Outlook, Mac Adress Book, Google contacts, Google calendar, Google Voice, Evernote)
Merging contacts to avoid duplicate entries
Staying informed about contacts before meeting with them

Cost: $9.99/month

Available at: Connected

Article: Downsizing Proves Desirable

Additional resources

Guest Blog: How to Manage Your Sales Pipeline in 15 Minutes a Day

App of the Week: Coupon Sherpa

Innovative Idea: Plastic and Foil Storage

Checklist: Must-Haves for Kitchen Organizing

Innovative Idea: Clothespins

Checklist: Essential Kitchen Supplies

Before and After of the Week

One Woman’s Clutter is Another Woman’s Treasure!

Product Spotlight: Connected

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