SearchRank Founder and CEO David Wallace is a very busy guy. He has to have a schedule. At the SMX West session on Productivity Tips for the Busy Search Marketer, he says that when you’re busy you have to have a routine.
(Coverage of SMX West continues at Murdok Videos. Keep an eye on Murdok for more notes and videos from the event this week.)
Looking for more productivity with your writing? Remember that creative or research can be published any time, but news has to be first. Overloaded with email? Utilize extensive category structure and only keep pending emails. When it comes to social bookmarking, be selective where you are involved, and avoid time-wasters. When submitting content, submit where you will receive the most benefit.
Twitter is viewed as useful to many and as a time-waster to many more. That’s why Wallace says to use apps to help you manage and don’t play.
On top of all of that, Wallace suggests making sure all regularly scheduled work is completed by certain day of every month to allow for internal development and projects. And don’t forget to leave room for yourself!
After Wallace (who has plenty more productivity tips here) finished up, Jennifer Slegg, the owner of JenSense discussed making use of non-desk time. She pointed out that there’s “nothing wrong with the old-fashioned pen and paper.” It’s portable and relationship-friendly. If you have a laptop, you’ll most likely get distracted by other things.
It can also be useful to use a personal voice recorder, which is small and portable. It’s a great way to record ideas when they come. She then suggests using speech recognition software like Dragon Naturally Speaking, which converts spoken words into text and imports into Word, Dreamweaver, and WordPress.
She also suggests using netbooks and mini laptops because they start up great and can run most business software. Blackberries and iPhones are also good for sending quick emails, Twittering, etc.
Productivity is crucial in a down economy, and it is the little things that can make a huge difference in how much your business can produce. Abby Johnson contributed to this report from SMX West.
