Holiday Gifting – Some ideas
So you want to do some giving but you are not sure what to give and who to give too. Here are some ideas for consideration. The theme is to let people know they are appreciated and you are thinking of them. It is also very important not to offend. First  we need some grouping-vendors, Clients and those who sent referrals during the year or really helped you out in some way. Vendors – These are the easiest as these are the folks who usually send you something. Consider a gift that they can share with their family.  It makes it a little more personal for them.  We normally give chocolate. You can give any kind and plenty of it.  We gi

The Rainmaker Dinner
The most successful event in the history of my practice by a long shot? The Rainmaker dinner! What is the Rainmaker dinner? This annual event brings together 7 to 9 professional advisors that you have worked with or want to work with for a private dinner. Identify the attendees – These are the best advisors:  CPAs, Enrolled Agents, Attorneys, etc. Secure a venue.  This would be a private dining room in a nice restaurant.  The seating should be a rectangular table (not round) like your dining room table at home, so everyone can talk with everyone. Identify an outside guest speaker (maybe) – As a newer advisor, you may w

Don’t Talk! or Please Listen?
Most advisors spend too much time talking and not enough time listening? True or False? Of course the answer is… It depends. Some recent examples I have experienced: I was teaching a workshop of 16 advisors and one young man did not find it necessary to listen but found it acceptable to chat throughout the entire workshop to his friend. I am thinking that this was not a worthwhile meeting for him because he certainly did not listen to what I had to say. It would lead me to believe that this same advisor has a hard time listening to his clients or prospects. He wondered why he wasn’t closing! I met a recently widowed woman who came

The E-mail Time Suck
Pavlov let us know about stimulus response. Ring the bell, get food. AOL gave us “You’ve got mail!” Check your email. Microsoft gave us the envelope indicator, the ding and the translucent indicator sneak peek. Hurry and check that email. Ok? Now some of the following is an idea I first got from reading The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss so I am giving credit where credit is due. Email has become one of the greatest productivity reducers in the American workplace. It dings and we look. It dings and we salivate. It dings and we immediately respond. Is this really productive? Is this really responsible

Presentation Presentation
  How do you present your presentation? Back to basics. Many have made presentations over the years but, putting content aside for now, how do yours look? Here are some common methodologies: Stapled Paper Clipped Laminated Clear Folder Manilla Folder Colored folder Colored Pocket Folder Custom Folder Three Ring Binder Three Ring Binder with clear Jacket for inserts Custom Three Ring Binder Bound in house with: Plastic Comb Binders – Black Plastic Comb Binders – Color Matched Wire Binding Vel