Welcome to Lisa's blog!

Read about how to turn that “back to school” feeling into “back to business” action, in this week’s issue of our e-zine, Executive Insight Tip of the Week.

Read about how to continue your business development throughout the summer in this week’s issue of our e-zine, Executive Insight Tip of the Week.

Read about how to really identify the value you provide to your clients and maximize it in this week’s issue of our e-zine, Executive Insight Tip of the Week.

Read about how to use this time to position yourself for the other side of the recession in this week’s issue of our e-zine, Executive Insight Tip of the Week.

I had a routine check up with a doctor today and upon walking into the office, learned he had retired. I knew that he was retiring eventually because he had brought a younger man into the practice last year. What I didn’t know was that the transition had actually happened.

Apparently, letters had been sent to patients several months ago, including an invitation to a farewell gathering.

Clearly, the intent wasn’t to ignore me – I’m sure my letter got lost in the mail – but I felt like something big had happened and I was the last to know. After a 25 year relationship, I arrived at the office to find out that someone else was my doctor.

I’m sure that the new doctor is competent and high skilled, but that isn’t the point.

• Why didn’t the he send a letter welcoming me to his new practice and say that he was looking forward a relationship?
• Why didn’t the receptionist say something when I called to make the appointment?
• Why didn’t the nurse say something when she took my vitals?

We know that one touch isn’t enough. It takes time and effort to acquire new clients, and when succession occurs, the cost of making the transition work well is much less than the cost of losing prior clients due to careless oversight.

Yesterday I made a presentation at the New York City Bar Association on time management and technology. It was attended by about 30 solo practitioners. In a survey of the participants, we learned that the most important time management issue was doing everything themselves.

This is a critical issue for all solopreneurs, microbusiness owners, as well as small business owners with small staffs. The familiar refrain of “I can do it faster/better/easier” results in serious problems.

If you are the talent, the rainmaker, the client server, you can’t take time doing things that could be done more effectively by support professionals (who typically do those tasks better than you do anyway). Holding on to every function in your business or practice is an ineffective use of your time. Here are some things to consider:

• Identify what you could delegate, if you chose to do so
• Identify resources that you can ask for help
• Track your activities for a week, and you’ll find even more things to delegate.

This will be the topic of an upcoming issue of Executive Insight, so stay tuned! And thanks to Dave Rosenbaum of Real-Time Computer Services for inviting me to make the presentation.

This is a great time to cultivate new business relationships, even though there may not be immediate opportunities to work together.

Take a genuine interest in the people you meet now. Be curious and thoughtful of how they’re responding to current challenges. They’re experiencing the same pain that you’ve seen in your own companies and with your clients.

Give them a reason to open up to you, and you’ll open the door for a future alliance.

Bosco

I brought Bosco to get groomed at A Cut Above Grooming Salon today, and was thrilled to learn that their new salon (which opened last fall) is doing well. It was a great piece of news – an anti-recession triumph! It reminded me that opportunities surround us, and that we just need to adjust our filters.

A Cut Above’s dedicated owner, Ming, has a wonderful staff that provides consistent, high-quality grooming services. Expanding to a second salon has enhanced their brand. We travel out of our way to use this service because we know that it’s always first class.

Do your clients “go out of their way” to use your services? What can you change to make what you offer that attractive?

In today’s environment, all businesses are searching for new and innovative ways to generate revenue. Creative partnering can result in fresh approaches to marketing.

Mary Fugle and Ivy Menchel are combining physical and fiscal fitness as a way to cross promote personal fitness training and financial planning services for people going through a divorce. What a great concept! Through seminars, social networking and jointly written articles, they are targetting this audience in an innovative way.

Who could you partner with to provide a new way to market your services?