Archive for the 'To-Do's' Category

Backscratchin’ With Social Media

Published under Networking, Technology, To-Do's

Erin Blakemore of VOCO Creative wrote a great little post suggesting 10 easy ways to nurture those online relationships you are building.

Whether you call it “do unto others,” “cross-promotion,” or “backscratchin,” the results are the same.  Check out her tips and get busy building your private practice with social media!

Then, drop in here and tell us where we can find you and how it’s working for you.

2 comments so far

You Can’t Just Shut The Door And Walk Away

When you get ready to close your private practice, for whatever reason, you can’t just shut the door and walk away. Did you know that?  Attorney Richard S. Leslie has written a thoughtful article in the January 2010 issue of the Avoiding Liability Bulletin.  In it he details some of the following for your consideration when you decide to close up shop:

  • Ask yourself who needs to be notified – clients, former clients, insurance panels, landlords, supervisees, colleagues and business associates, referral sources, and your licensing boards;

    "You Couldn't Have Planned This if You Tried" by Ken Douglas / Today is a Good Day

  • Consider the possible circumstances that might result in you closing your door – retirement, geographical relocation, health emergencies, financial circumstances, your own death, your spouse’ or partner’s death,and other unforeseen circumstances;
  • Your state may dictate certain actions that you must take when you close your practice;
  • Your professional code of ethics and HIPPA will certainly have standards that you must adhere to when closing your practice;
  • How to notify existing clients;
  • Subsequent maintenance, storage, and access to records;
  • How to provide public notice of the closing;
  • When and how to notify former clients;
  • Why you may not want to terminate liability insurance policies when you close your practice;
  • And, in the event of your death or incapacity to handle these things, who does it for you?

Every mental health professional and every professional coach is required to responsibly close their private practice  – regardless of whether their closing is planned or unforeseen.  Whether you’ve been in business for years or you are just now getting started, now is the time to take the steps necessary to prepare for the eventual closure of your practice.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Leave a Comment

Ideas, Projects, And Plans – Pick One And Go!

Published under Marketing, Stress Busters, To-Do's

Are you juggling

25 great ideas in your head

all at once

and getting no where with any of them?

If so, my advice to you is to pick one and GO!

It’s easy to get stuck in the middle of gathering ideas, stirring them up and daydreaming about how perfect each one will be . . . and six months later finding that you haven’t moved forward on any of them!

One thing I’ve learned from my writer friends in Boulder Media Women is that if you want to write a book, you have to sit in a chair and write; and, if you want to implement a new project in your private practice, you need to put one foot in front of another to achieve that goal.

It doesn’t happen by itself.  And, it doesn’t happen if you are spread too thin by feeding all your great ideas at once.

Carve out time on a weekly basis dedicated to your one new project.

Block out the time on your calendar.

Set measurable goals for your work.

Develop the idea / product / project.

Finesse the details. (Need a focus group to help?)

Create a marketing plan.

Fill your seats / meet your goals.

Then you’re ready to pick (another) one . . . and GO!

One comment so far

5 Questions To Answer Before Your Build Your Website

Published under Marketing, Technology, To-Do's

I put off building my websites for at least five years simply because I didn’t know where to start.  Now that I have two, I thought it might be useful if I shared some of my thoughts to help you get your website started.  There are several things you need to consider before you even talk to a web designer.

"5 Questions" by ElDave / Dave Mathis

Why Do You Want A Website? A good website will not be all things to all people.  Do you want it to build your credibility?  Do you want it to provide information? Is there another reason that you want a website?  Get clear about it and stay focused.

Who Is Your Target Audience? Be specific here because it matters.  The look and feel as well as the content of my counseling website is geared to women with a particular focus on complex trauma.  It’s not necessarily going to be attractive to servicemen or useful to parents of small children.  It’s not very focused on addictions or compulsive sexual behaviors.  Take the time to identify and speak directly to your targeted audience.

Why Will People Take Time To Visit Your Website? Are they looking for relief?  Entertainment?  Information?  Know why they will take time to visit your website and then use that information to meet their needs.

How Will People Find Your Website? Will they be looking for someone like you or will they be looking specifically for you? Your networking will both affect how and be affected by how others find you / your site.

What Are The Measurable Goals For Your Website? After being up for one year?  After five years?

Answering these five questions is critical to developing a good website.  Once you are able to answer them, you are ready to begin the next phase of developing your website.  Let me know when you’re ready and I’ll walk you through the next step!

8 comments so far

Setting Priorities For Your Private Practice

I’ve mentioned in the past that one of the ways that I keep my marketing  fresh is that I borrow ideas from other professions.

This morning I was reading Erika Trimble’s blog, Physical Therapy Biz Success, when I ran across a great little post on setting priorities. She recommends the A-B-C-D-E Method for setting better priorities.

A = Critical and Urgent

These are the things that if you put off, will cost you your practice.

  • Professional licenses and certifications
  • The rent for your office
  • Your mental – physical – emotional – spiritual health
  • Transportation to and from work
  • A way for your clients to contact you
  • Securing your client records (to protect confidentiality)

B = Important

These are the things that really need to be done but they are not critical.  If you don’t do them in the short term, there are only minor consequences.  However, if you put them off indefinitely, the cumulative effect can bump these into the A = Critical and Urgent category.

  • Vacuuming the office
  • Networking
  • Emptying the trash can
  • Cleaning the windows
  • Upgrading your computer to the most current Windows settings

C = Nice to do

These include all the niceties and, often, fun-to-do’s that can so easily distract you from your business-building tasks.  They may be of added benefit to you or your clients but if they don’t get done, you don’t incur negative consequences.

  • Sending birthday / holiday greetings to your clients
  • Heating up the coffee / tea pot for your clients
  • Lighting the candle in your office
  • Writing a new blog post
  • Facebook chats
  • Returning friends phone calls

D = Delegate

If you don’t do it easily and well, you need to give serious thought to delegating or contracting to get the task accomplished.

  • Designing artwork for your new project’s marketing campaign (unless you are artistically inclined)
  • Writing the copy for your website
  • Billing clients / insurance companies
  • Janitorial / building maintenance services

E = Eliminate when possible

These are often acts of repetition or 100% time wasters.

  • Surfing the Internet
  • Creating handouts for your clients over and over again
  • Explaining your policies for payment, no shows, and late arrivals
  • Some correspondence including letters of introduction, marketing letters, and reminder letters

As you are gearing up for 2010, make sure you take some time to re-think your priorities.  Assign each of your to-do’s an A, B, C, D, or E using Erika’s method of prioritizing and then let me know what changes for you.

What is it that  you think is important . . . to attend to, to delegate, and to eliminate as you build your private practice?

2 comments so far

Celebrating 2009 – A Year In Review

Published under To-Do's, Write / Writing

I’m not a big fan of resolutions . . . at least not the ones made for the new year.  My thinking is that if you’re serious about making a change or making a commitment, you’ll make it when it is needed . . . not on December 31st. And, you won’t need some day on the calendar to remind you that it’s important.

However, in my opinion, your business will benefit from an annual review.  So, after waiting a week or two to let you resolution-friendly folks have your say, I’m here with a quick review of my accomplishments in 2009 . . . .

  1. Boosted my web presence with my counseling website
  2. Because I track my client numbers I know that after a painfully slow start to 20009 (and with a nod to the economic crisis), the last 6 months of 2009 have resulted in my counseling practice seeing a 100% increase in clients
  3. The 5th Annual Series of Private Practice from the Inside Out is almost halfway complete
  4. Got this blogsite up and running
  5. Maintained a schedule of actually blogging — something that I was afraid I might commit to and then fail to follow through
  6. Qualified for Colorado Volunteer Mobilizer for Medical and Public Health Professionals
  7. Completed 27.5 hours of continuing education
  8. Solidified my branding for Private Practice from the Inside Out
  9. Began attending a monthly consultation group
  10. Significantly expanded my contact list
  11. Increased social networking efforts
  12. Read business-building blogs on a regular basis
  13. Read at least 6 books related to building my business
  14. Initiated discussions for several new projects
  15. Created 2 new business cards and promotional materials for both sides of my business
  16. Updated my resume
  17. Proposal was accepted to teach Lessons from the Margins:  Exploring Difference through the Lens of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed at 2010 Teacher Institute at Western State College (in Gunnison, CO)
  18. Was asked (and agreed) to present Business Planning for Your Private Practice at 2010 Colorado Counseling Association’s Spring Workshop

If you haven’t taken time to review your accomplishments in 2009, take time to do that right now.  What is it you have you done for your business in the last 12 months?

Leave a Comment

Before You Decide Where Your Office Will Be . . . .

Before you even decide where you are going to locate your office,

Mr. Zip, 1966 by Roadsidepictures

"Mr. Zip, 1966" by Roadsidepictures

you need to conduct market research on possible locations. 

One way to begin that process is to learn about the demographics of different zip codes in your area.

Check out ZipSkinny to help you start your own market research because location matters.

Leave a Comment

Teach What You Know

Published under Advertising & Publicity, To-Do's

Teaching is a great way to establish yourself as an expert . . . so what do you know?

"Teacher" by Ben Russell / ben110

"Teacher" by Ben Russell / ben110

What body of information or skill set comes naturally to you?  What is so common sensical that you marvel that others don’t know it?  That’s what you need to be teaching! Teach clients; teach children; teach physicians; teach teens; teach teachers; teach therapists; just teach.

If you are reading this blog, my assumption is that you are a mental health professional with a minimum of a master’s degree.  Don’t tell me, and more importantly, don’t tell yourself that you don’t know enough to teach.  You have more formal education than 98% of the population in the United States so you know something and I choose to believe you know something of value.

So what is it you know right now that you can teach?  And, more importantly, why aren’t you teaching it?  What do you need in order to leverage that natural skill set or body of knowledge to boost your image and name recognition?

What keeps you from inviting more clients into your practice?

2 comments so far

Professional Disclosure Statements For Mental Health Professionals

The purpose of a professional disclosure statement is to inform clients about your professional background and the limitations of your professional relationship.  It is sometimes referred to as a document of informed consent.

It is important to note that the state you practice in may dictate what must be included in your statement of disclosure.

The following items are often included:

  • Contact info
  • Your qualifications including training, experience, licensure, and certifications
  • Professional associations that you belong to
  • Services offered
  • Your theoretical foundation and counseling approach
  • Fee structure including broken appointments and cancellation policy
  • Whether or not you will file insurance / provide documentation for your client to file insurance
  • How you handle emergencies and client needs after business hours
  • Confidentiality and exceptions to confidentiality
  • Client rights and responsibilities
  • The professional code(s) of ethics that you adhere to
  • How to file a complaint against you

Your professional disclosure statement is a living document.  By that I mean that it will grow and change as your experience, training, and practice changes.  It’s a good idea to review (and amend as needed) your disclosure statement at least annually.

When writing your disclosure statement, you may find it helpful to gather samples of other professionals statements.  You will find a copy of my disclosure statement here at my counseling website.

Leave a Comment

A Practice Notebook For Your Practice

Published under Time, To-Do's, Write / Writing

I was reading this post by Jennifer Gandin Le

Making Notes on GTD by Stompy / Abizer

Making Notes on GTD" by Stompy / Abizer

in the blog, Crucial Minutiae.  In it she references Natalie Goldberg’s concept of a “Practice Notebook.”  According to Le, Goldberg suggests using a notebook to establish a habit of self-monitoring your writing practices.  I love this idea . . . and not just for writing!

Your habits of private practice need monitoring, too! Borrowing from Goldberg’s suggestion, one way to do this would be to designate a practice notebook.  In it, you should record the date every single day, whether or not you have worked on your practice, and any related thoughts you may have .

Remember . . . working on your business is not the same as working in your business.  Your practice notebook should contain your notes and thoughts about working on the business.

Go ahead!  Give it a try for 30 straight days and let me know what changes for you!

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Leave a Comment

Is Your Baggage From School Getting In The Way?

If you have been marketing to the educational community with little success, you may need to slow down and reassess your own educational history.  Your personal relationship with education may be getting in the way . . . .

Linda L. Lawless and G. Jean Wright suggest in their book, How to Get Referrals: The Mental Health Professional’s Guide to Strategic Marketing, that you ask the following questions when reviewing your educational history:

Not My Hat! by Alan Levine / cogdogblog

"Not My Hat!" by Alan Levine / cogdogblog

  • Are there any teachers in your family? Are any family members employed by the school system?  What is their input to other family members regarding their work and the system?
  • What has been the family response to their vocation?
  • What educational levels have been attained by family members?  Did they attend public or private schools?  If private, was it religious or nonsectarian?
  • What has been shared about their experience?  What was the quality of the experience?
  • What has been your educational experience from kindergarten through graduate school?  Your siblings?  How do you rate it?
  • Who were your favorite teachers?  Worst teachers?  In your experience and /or perceptions, what were the characteristics of each that made them “good” or “bad” teachers?  As you reflect on these relationships, what are you feeling now?
  • What are your family’s belief systems, biases, prejudices, regarding education and the educational system (school taxes, the school board, election of board members)?
  • Did any family members ever serve on the school board?
  • What is your trust level of teachers?
  • Do you have special training that would correlate with the experiences and needs of educational professionals?
  • Do you have children in school?  If so, public or private?  How do you make decisions regarding your children’s education?

It is critical when marketing to the educational community that you feel comfortable and that they know that. Liberally share your unique school stories with other professionals in the educational community.  Use your unique experiences to help guide where you choose to enter the market.  If you attended a private or parochial school, consider focusing your energy on the same.

By taking the time to reflect on your own school experiences, you will increase your comfort and effectiveness in marketing to this community.

Related Posts

Another Strategy for Marketing to the Educational Community:
Collaborating with Your Competitors

Gathering Market Research on the Educational Community

Teachers Needs Vary and So Should Your Marketing Strategies

Leave a Comment

You Know Your Private Practice Is In Trouble When You Say . . . .

I’ve been reading Louis Baraja’s book, Small Business, Big Life: 5 Steps to Creating a  Great Life with Your Own Small Business.  In it he lists the  22 Temptations of a Small Business Owner that entrepreneurs often fail to notice and then stumble over while building their businesses.

That list got me to thinking about the many ways that psychotherapists and allied health professionals get tripped up on the way to building their businesses so I decided to share my list of 22 things you say (with a nod t o Louis Baraja) before you even know your private practice is in trouble .

You Know Your Private
Practice is in Trouble When You Say . . . .

  1. “I’ve always been ‘Dear Abbey’ with my friends so I might as well hang my shingle out and charge for it!” Just because you are good at something doesn’t mean that you should do it professionally.  And, even if you decide that you want to work in health care, you need to take time to consider the huge differences between working for yourself and working for someone else.  Those differences matter.
  2. “I’m not really sure what I’m doing business-wise . . . but I have a client!” The vast majority of businesses that succeed start with a plan . . . not necessarily a Business Plan but they all have a plan.  By that I mean you need to have an understanding of how the business fits into the larger plan for your whole life . . . and how it contributes to that bigger life plan.
  3. “I haven’t thought about how many hours I want to work or how much money I want to make this year . . . but I know I want to help people. When you enter into private practice especially in health care, you need to begin with the end in mind.  The end matters and will actually dictate the choices that you make along the way.  By keeping your values and your priorities at the forefront  (including how many hours you want to work and how much money you want to make), you will be better able to stay focused on the tasks necessary to achieve your ideal business.
  4. “I don’t have regular business hours.  I work late into the night on my business” and eventually “I’ve burned out.” It’s easy when you’re getting started to over-commit and over-invest in your business.  What I know is that you cannot give what you do not have . . . good boundaries, balanced life, energy and focus, etc.  Self-care is critical especially at the start of a new practice or a new project.  Reinforce those habits now . . . at the beginning.  And, if you don’t have them, find a therapist or coach to help you put them in place.  Otherwise, you will not survive the demands of private practice.
  5. “My preference is to hire and network with people just like me.” I know that you’re more comfortable with people just like you (Me, too!) but they won’t help you long term take your business to the next level.  Differences in skills, experiences, and even politics will be assets to you in many ways.  As long as the people you hire and network with can share your vision for your practice, their differences can serve you well.
  6. My business partner and I constantly struggle with the direction of the business.” If that’s true, then you’ve got too many leaders in the room.  In your practice, your vision is the one that needs to be the guiding force.  Be cautious and be clear about why you want to partner with someone.  Often it is a better choice to hire or consult with individuals (assuming they buy in to your vision) rather than bringing in an actual partner (who has a different / competing vision on his own).
  7. “I am constantly reinventing the wheel.” Take the time to create systems and templates to streamline your work so that as your appointment book begins to fill in, you are able to efficiently delegate or complete your repetitive tasks.    
  8. “I work with everything and everybody.” Don’t say it!  Stay focused on your ideal client and market to him or her.  Of course, you’ll work with others but target your message and your efforts to working only with your ideal client and withing your niche.
  9. “I need to work harder at ___________.” [fill in your weakness] Successful entrepreneurs delegate or manage their weaknesses; they focus on their strengths.  In fact, Marlane Miller in her book, BrainStyles, says that by focusing on our weaknesses, we just build stronger weaknesses.
  10. “I can’t spend money until I start making money.” Wrong!  Have faith in your calling and invest in your practice.  If you aren’t willing to invest in you, don’t expect anyone else to invest in your either!
  11. “My friend needs a little extra income so I’m going to hire her to do my accounting.” Hire people because they are exquisitely qualified and not because they are your friend and you want to help someone out.  You are running a business, not a social service organization.
  12. “I’m really good at flying by the seat of my pants so I’ll just deal with it when it comes up.” Not a good idea.  Take the time to create a plan . . . a blueprint for your practice and for your life.  Then, stick to it.
  13. “I don’t need to hire anyone to do anything.  I can do it all myself!  (And, besides, I’ll save money doing it this way!) If this is what you’re thinking, then you have some control issues to deal with.  You cannot do everything well and if you cannot do it well, you need to find someone i.e hire someone else who will do it well. 
  14. “I’ll hang my shingle out and the masses will come!” No.  They won’t.  What will get clients is a strategic plan and follow through.  Who are you going to talk to about your practice? Where are you going to publicize your practice?
  15. “In order to open my private practice, I need all the bells and whistles . . . a white noise machine, new office furniture, a posh location, special software to keep my progress notes in, etc.” Not really.  What’s going to prepare you to open your private practice is you laying the foundation for name recognition, building trust in the community, and following through on your commitments.
  16. “I will work with anyone who will pay me.” Another bad idea.  Work with your ideal clients.  It’s your calling.  Refer the others out.
  17. “This is too hard so I quit.” Many therapists throw in the towel and quit too soon because they didn’t go get the info that they really needed – the business and marketing info that you didn’t get in graduate school.  Take the time to learn the info . . . take classes, read articles, interview other more seasoned therapists, hire a business coach.  Learn what you need to know in order to jump start your practice. 
  18. “I’m doing great so I’m not going to ask for feedback.” When you’re doing great, is the perfect time to ask for feedback!  Learn what you are doing well so that you keep getting that feedback.
  19. “I know everything there is to know about being in private practice” or “There are things I need to know but I’m not going to pay another professional to get that information because  I’m not worth it or I’ll figure it out.” Again, quit fooling yourself and go get the help / info that you need.  Hire a counselor or an attorney or a coach or whomever.  Don’t just delude yourself into failing.  It’s not necessary!
  20. “I don’t know how to explain to clients why they should work with me.” That’s a really big problem.  Then you need help learning to articulate what gifts you bring to your practice.  Sign up for a class, hire a coach, work with a copywriter or wordsmith.  It’s one of the single most important things you can do to build your reputation in the community.
  21. “What’s wrong with my clients?  They aren’t getting better.” Well, that’s definitely a problem . . .  and it’s a bigger problem for you than it is for your clients!  If your clients aren’t getting better, you need to change . . . start or stop doing something, learn something new, talk with a consultant, etc.  Whatever you do, don’t blame it on “resistent clients.” 
  22. “I don’t need an exit strategy because I’m going to be in this business forever.” Even if you do plan to be in private practice forever, you still need make an exit plan.  It will help you focus on building your practice up . . . to promote, to sell, or to expand.

Have you tripped up on these already?  Or, do you have other red-flag statements to share?

2 comments so far

10 More Questions You Must Ask Your Prospective Supervisor

If you are getting ready to start shopping for a clinical supervisor, here are 10 more questions you need to ask before you invite them to work with you.

Question Mark by Segozyme

"Question Mark" by Segozyme

  1. What professional associations are you a member of?
    Don’t assume that they are telling you the truth.  Make sure that you verify their membership through your state licensing board.
  2. How are you involved in these associations?
    Does she hold an office in the organization?  Remember to verify that your prospective supervisor is as involved as she represents herself to be.
    A supervisor who is actually involved in a professional association (rather than just paying her membership dues), is better able to help develop you as a professional in the field.
  3. Why did you choose to join these organizations?
    Was it about the membership fee?  The purpose of the organization?  The benefits of membership?  This can tell you a lot about what is important to your prospective supervisor.
  4. Do you expect me to be involved in a professional association?
    If so, then you will want to know which organization and how involved.
  5. How will you monitor my client’s welfare?
    Your supervisor may monitor you through a one-way mirror, ask you to audio / video record your sessions for review, obtain self-reports from you, contact your clients, etc.  Most clinical supervisors use a variety of methods to monitor client welfare.
  6. How do you insure my compliance with ethical, legal, and professional standards?
    This is a critical task for your supervisor and you want to make sure that she has a solid plan for this to take place.  In doing so, your client as well as you will be protected.
  7. What do you expect of me as your supervisee?
    Yes, your supervisor will have expectations of you and the best way to meet them is to go in informed.  A professional clinical supervisor will have a written contract that stipulates your supervisor’s expectations (as well as your own).  Don’t accept a supervisor who does not have this in place.
  8. What conflicts typically arise between you and your supervisee?
    Everyone has conflicts.  You want a supervisor who is aware of them and comfortable enough to talk about them openly and honestly.
  9. How do you handle conflict when it arises with a supervisee?
    You want to know that your supervisor has basic problem solving skills.
  10. How do you address counter transference between me and my client?
    As a new therapist, it is likely that you may not have much experience dealing with this predictable but sticky issue.  You’ll want a clinical supervisor who doesn’t flinch, judge or shy away from helping you develop skills to deal with issues of transference and counter transference.

Are you finding these questions to be helpful?

These questions came from the Institute in Counselor Supervision taught at the University of North Texas’ Counseling Program by Carolyn W. Kern, Ph.D., LPC, NCC and Cynthia K. Chandler, Ed.D., LPC, LMFT.

Related Posts

10 Questions You Must Ask Your Prospective Supervisor

Clinical Supervision and Money Gouging

2 comments so far

Is Your Post-Graduate Supervision All That You Expected?

If your post-graduate supervision is not all that you had hoped for, there may be a really good reason.  Do you know that clinical supervision is different from administrative supervision?

An administrative supervisor typically operates from a business model rather than a clinical model.  His priority is to make sure that the organization (or her department) runs smoothly. There are local, state, and federal regulations  (like the EEOC guidelines and the Disability Act) that impact his decisions concerning her supervision of you.

Administrative supervisors are often

In Which Zac Never Realized . . .  by Zac Peckler

"In Which Zac Never Realized . . . " by Zac Peckler

what you encounter as a new graduate entering the workforce through an agency, hospital, or school setting. You will recognize an administrative supervisor because he will emphasize paperwork and productivity, managing your caseloads, scheduling, and accountability.

An administrative supervisor must train employees to systematically complete basic paperwork, manage crises, work within systems, and deal with large numbers of clients needing many different things at the same time.  There is much to be learned from an administrative supervisor that will serve you well throughout your career but this is NOT clinical supervision.

If you are frustrated with the quality of the supervision you are receiving, perhaps you assumed that the supervision you would be receiving from your supervisor would be clinical supervision rather than administrative supervisionHere are some things that you can do to insure that your experience under supervision is all that you want it to be.

Related Posts

9 Steps You Can Take to Insure a Great Supervisory Experience

4 Things to Consider if Your Supervision is Less Than Ideal

Supervision or Consultation?

Leave a Comment

The Cheapest Marketing Tool You Must Have

If you still haven’t taken the time to have a business card made for yourself, then you are making a big BIG mistake.

Here’s two things that you really need to know . . . .  Your cheapest form of marketing is a great business card. They can cost you as little as six dollars for 250 at an on line printing service like VistaPrint or they can cost you as much as several hundred dollars for 1000 from a local printer like Maverick Press in Littleton, Colorado.   Your design, choice of paper and quantity ordered factor in to your final costs but any way you figure it, your business card is your least expensive marketing cost and is the most versatile tool you will use.

The second thing you need to know about your business card is that once you hand it over to another professional and leave the premises, it serves as a reminder of who you are and how to reach you. Think about it . . . .  I told you about that old adage “last in, first out.”  That means that if your business card keeps your name in front of other professionals’ eyes last, then your name is the one that is likely to be recalled when they are ready to call with a referral.  Last in, first out.

And, here’s one more thing you need to know about having a business card.  It’s the professional thing to do.  No CEO, no professional, and no office manager is going to refer clients to you until you take yourself seriously enough to get decent business card. Think about it. . . .  Having a business card implies that you are serious about your professional services. . . . It implies that you have some degree of stability i.e. your address, website, and phone number aren’t changing daily. . . .  And, it implies that you have something of value to offer.

Still putting off getting that business card? P-L-E-A-S-E!  What’s keeping you from taking that step?  Let me know and I’ll be happy to nudge you along!

Leave a Comment

Older Entries »