Your Pinnacle Practice
February 2004
Welcome to YOUR PINNACLE PRACTICE!
A monthly practice- building newsletter for "go-getters" and
pioneering private practice professionals.
Each month we bring you the best information and resources we can find
to help you build your ideal practice and achieve the pinnacle
of success in your field.
If you are recieving this from a colleague and wish to subscribe click
here
CONTENTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. February 4th Free Practice Building Seminar-
Effective Marketing Using a Call to Action
with David Steele and Dr. Jackie Black
A "Call To Action" is an invitation for your
prospective clients to actively engage you in some way- directly or indirectly.
Most prospective clients, even if they are very interested in working
with you, often need a way to build a relationship with you in bite-sized
pieces to work up to engaging your services.
Effective marketing will ALWAYS include a SPECIFIC, EASY, TARGETED, COMPELLING,
and usually FREE, call to action.
Everything you send out can and should include a call to action; e-mails
(in the signature line), web site, flyers, business card, advertising,
announcements, newsletters, even the outgoing greeting of your voicemail
system.
We will cover three types of calls to action and how to use them
effectively to fill your practice.
9am pacific/Noon eastern on Wednesday February 4th.
Watch for the bridge # to be e-mailed separately in a reminder to our subscribers
a few days prior.
Don't miss this seminar- put it on your calendar
today!
For more information about this and future Free Practice-Building Seminars
click
here
To subscribe to this newsletter and receive free seminar announcements
click
here.
2. March 3rd
Free Seminar- Converting Prospects to Clients
Last month's Pinnacle Practice feature article "How
to Get Clients" described how "marketing and getting clients
are not necessarily the same thing!"
In this seminar we will provide an in-depth look at how
to:
- Avoid common and costly marketing mistakes
- Use your "complimentary session" effectively
- Handle objections such as "I can't afford it right
now"
- Guarantee your success in private practice!
Don't miss this seminar- put it on your calendar today!
For more information about this and future Free Practice-Building Seminars
click
here
To subscribe to this newsletter and receive free seminar announcements
click
here.
3. Overwhelming
response to our Endless Referrals seminar and download
Wow... the response we have had to last month's "Endless
Referrals" seminar and "Endless Referrals Grid" free
download has been overwhelming and gratifying. We had no idea this would
happen!
Participants have reported great success at building their referral pipelines
and getting new clients using the information from this seminar and the
grid. Maybe we should charge for it, but for now, please accept this as
our gift.
If you haven't yet, you can download the "Endless Referrals Grid"
for free here
(just fill in the boxes with the red asterisks... no need to enter
your CC info- it's free!)
And, if you missed it, we invite you to listen to the audio recording:
PART I (24 MIN):
PART II (21 MIN):
Jackie is offering a FREE follow up conference call if you download the
grid and
start using it. Details provided after you download.
4. How to Add Audio to
Your E-mails or Website
We've had many requests for information about how we record our tele-seminars
and offer them on our website for our members.
The ability to offer internet audio allows you to:
- Add a welcome message to your website
- Provide testimonials from clients in their own voice (powerful!)
- Offer a "verbal newsletter" or "postcard" for
a more personal touch
- Archive your seminars for later listening (free or paid)
- Create multi-media products (e.g. an e-book that talks)
- And more
See this month's Cool Resource of the Month below
for step-by-step instructions and tools that we use for internet audio.
Table
of Contents
FEATURE ARTICLE
A Basic Windows PC Survival Guide
by David Steele
Somehow, I have become the computer guru for my family and friends, as
well as clients and members of RCI and BYIP.com.
Hey, I'm just a schmuck using a computer as a tool in my business just
like you! I have experienced, struggled with, and learned from all the
same computer problems that you have, or will soon have. Recently, when
I was able to help a friend get control of her computer from viruses and
unwanted popups, it occurred to me that I might have some useful tips
worth passing along.
If you are like me and rely on your Windows PC computer for your business
and would like to avoid a costly crash, this do-it-yourself article will
provide specific tools (most are free) and tips for preventing and solving
the most common, and vexing, computer problems.
INTRODUCTION
Computers have become a necessary tool in today’s world, and if
you take advantage of the wonders of e-mail and the World-Wide Web, a
huge bane as well. To survive in this computing environment fraught with
viruses, spyware, adware, pop-ups, hacking, identity theft, and more,
we must learn some basic survival skills and use the tools available to
us, or risk expensive and time consuming consequences.
This article will focus on preventing and recovering from some common
problems I have experienced and learned from, and have helped others recover
from as well. I am not a computer expert and this article will only cover
some basic issues and solutions.
Note: Instructions on finding a Windows program on your
computer use the symbol “>” after each step, meaning to
go to the next location on the screen in front of you, such as “Start
> Programs” means to go to the Start menu, then choose Programs.
Your computer may differ from these instructions, depending upon your
version of Windows. If you want to find something and can’t, you
can always search by going to Start > search, or browse the help content
at Start > Help.
BASIC PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
DAILY/ON-GOING
1. ANTI-VIRUS PROTECTION: Anti-virus software with automatic
updates
Norton Antivirus-www.Symantec.com,
$49.95 online
McAfee Viruscan- www.Mcafee.com, $34.95
online
Often you can get a much better price at a retail store than online- go
figure!
2. FIREWALL;
Enable the built-in Windows XP firewall- Start > Control Panel >
Network Connections > click on your connection > select “Change
network settings” on left menu > Properties > Advanced tab
> check box labeled “Protect my computer and network by limiting
or preventing access to this computer from the Internet”
McAfee Personal Firewall Plus, $39.95 www.Mcafee.com
Norton Personal Firewall, $49.95 www.Symantec.com
Often you can get a much better price at a retail store
3. USE POPUP STOPPER: (available free here-
scroll down for “free edition”)
WEEKLY
4. SCAN FOR VIRUSES
5. HARD DRIVE MAINTENANCE; run Disk Cleanup (Start >
Programs > Accessories > System Tools) then Disk Defragmenter (same
place- some versions of Windows require putting your computer in "Safe
Mode" first. Consult your manual)
6. SCAN FOR SPYWARE/ADWARE: Download and run Ad Aware
(free from www.downloads.com–
put “ad aware” in search box). Check each item it finds and
delete them.
7. BACKUP DATA
Easiest and best solution is Maxtor’s “One Touch” external
hard drive, which have come down in price tremendously. I got mine for
$169.00 (120GB) at Fry's. www.Maxtor.com
Otherwise, you can backup by using the built-in Windows Backup Wizard-
Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup
MONTHLY
8. REGISTRY SCAN AND REPAIR
Registry Mechanic , $19.00
Registry First Aid
, $21.00
9. REVIEW STARTUP PROGRAMS
Use the free Windows Startup Inspector
to identify startup programs running in background and uncheck all but
essential programs. Also check startup programs by going to Start >
Run > (enter “msconfig”) > Startup and uncheck there
as well. Be sure to click “Apply.”
10. SYSTEM TUNEUP
Free at www.pcpitstop.com; select
“Free PC Tuneup” > “New Members > “Anonymous.”
Do this when you can take some time to review your results and take the
recommended actions.
11. REMOVE UNUSED PROGRAMS
Go to Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and remove nonessential
or unused programs.
ONE-TIME ACTIONS
12. DISABLE WINDOWS MESSENGER
This is not the same as instant messaging by AIM, etc.
Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services >
right click on “Messenger” > Properties > General tab
> Startup Type drop down menu > disabled
13. DUMP KAZAA
If using Kazaa to download music, uninstall and download Kazaa Lite. Do
a search on www.google.com and choose
a download site offering it for free.
PROBLEM-SOLVING PROTOCOL
Most problems I’ve been encountering lately involve spyware, adware,
and similar programs unknowingly downloaded onto your computer through
a number of means. If your computer displays popups even when not online,
freezes, slows, get error messages, try the protocol below. Be sure to
restart/reboot your computer after each action.
Step 1. Make sure your software and hardware are not
conflicting. If you experience a problem with your computer and have recently
installed or downloaded something, remove it and see if that fixes the
problem. You can also go to Start > Programs > Accessories >
System Restore to restore your computer to an earlier state without losing
data.
Step 2. Make sure you have installed the programs mentioned
above.
Step 3. Update your virus software and scan. If you
find viruses that your software cannot remove, write down the file name
of the virus and do the following:
A. Use the filename to search for a solution at
http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/
B. Often, you will find a virus removal tool at
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/tools.list.html
http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=vrt
C. Alternatively, you can go to www.google.com
and put the file name of the virus in the search box in quotes to research
for information and solutions.
D. Repeat scan
Step 4. Do an Ad Aware scan, check and delete all found
files. Repeat.
Step 5. Do registry scan and take recommended actions
Step 6. Do #6 and # 11 above
Step 7. Defrag hard drive (#3 above)
THE ABOVE STEPS WILL SOLVE MANY, BUT NOT ALL, OF THE PROBLEMS
ENCOUNTERED BY USING YOUR COMPUTER TO ACCESS THE INTERNET.
LAST RESORT OPTIONS
If a virus or other problem has damaged your computer’s hardware
or irretrievably corrupted your system, the above steps will not fix it.
Your alternatives include:
1. Contact computer manufacturer for technical support (often for a fee)
2. Bring your computer to a repair facility
3. Hire a consultant (see "Tip #7 below for cost-effective resources)
4. Use the system disk that came with your computer to reformat the hard
drive to it's original state (you will lose your data). I had to do this
a few years ago and regretted neglecting to back up data.
5. Try "System Restore" as mentioned above in Step 1 of the
"Problem Solving Protocol"
6 . I recently recovered from a serious problem by following advice from
a tech at "Ask Dr Tech" (see Tip #7 below) to unplug all peripherals,
uncheck all startup programs (except for your anti-virus and wireless
mouse/keyboard software- see #9 above), restart, leave the computer alone
for 3 hours, then plug your peripherals in one at a time, restarting each
time. I guess the computer needed some down time, like us all.
TIPS:
1. NEVER open attachments unless you trust who sent it to you, and the
file extension is familiar (txt, doc, pdf, etc). Never open attachments
with exe in the filename! If in doubt, check it out. Ask your friend if
they sent you something and what it is.
2. Use www.google.com to research
filenames you don’t recognize to decide whether to keep them or
disable/remove them. See also this
website resource
3. Useful websites for researching problems/solutions:
http://www.annoyances.org/
http://www.lockergnome.com/
4. Get your head out of the sand… your computer is
vulnerable and it’s only a matter of time before you will be experiencing
a serious problem. Implement the recommended preventative maintenance
steps and you will be doing everything you can (that I know of) to prevent
costly and frustrating computer problems.
5. Consider purchasing a “suite” of software that will combine
virus protection, firewall, spam filtering, and privacy protection. For
a little more than the critically necessary virus protection, you will
have an integrated and user-friendly solution to the most vexing problems.
This definitely fits the “ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure”
idea.
Norton Internet Security Suite www.Symantec.com,
$69.95 online
McAfee Redzone Suite www.Mcafee.com
$79.80 online
Often you can get a much better price at a retail store
6. Since many viruses are delivered via e-mail attachments, and spam
is such a bane to many, use Spam Arrest (www.spamarrest.com)
for free to filter your e-mail.
This service (and others like it) is a bit radical, but 100% effective
since senders must verify who they are (once) and spammers won’t
do so. Think about it… why not require anyone sending you an e-mail
to verify who they are? Your friends, family, colleagues, clients, and
prospects won’t mind. If you are not tech savvy and/or don’t
want to hassle with spam filtering solutions, this is the way to go.
7. Put an expert in your back pocket- subscribe to a PC consulting service.
You pay a monthly or yearly fee and get live and online help when you
need it. Great insurance! Nothing is worse than struggling with a problem
and not knowing where to turn for help when you need it. Very affordable
considering the cost of downtime.
Ask Dr. Tech:
Live and online help 24/7, $89.00 per year. I use and recommend them highly!
Includes lots of good online tools that will save you from needing to
purchase some of the recommendations mentioned above.
888-Geek-Help,
Live and online help 24/7, Family plan- $69.00 enrollment+ $1.50 per minute
AAATechSupport.com: Free
2 minutes to determine if tech can help, then $2.79 per minute
Juvio: One free
question answered- $34.95 per month
Feel free to share this information with someone you care about that
owns a Windows PC. Let's make computer downtime and helpless frustration
a thing of the past!
©2004 by David Steele / All rights reserved
David Steele, MA, LMFT, CLC is founder and CEO of BuildingYourIdealPractice.com
and Relationship
Coaching Institute, and author of “How to Build Your Ideal Practice
In 90 Days.”
David conducts a 90-Day Practice Building Intensive for private practice
professionals who desire to build their ideal practice, and invites readers
to join his free Monthly Practice Building Seminar Series; visit www.BuildingYourIdealPractice.com
for more information.
Table of Contents
CONGRATS!
Our PBI Participants Share Their Wins
CONGRATS To MICHELLE BLACKSHER who accepted our "24 Hour
Challenge" (see How
to Get Clients: The 24 Hour Challenge in last month's Pinnacle
Practice) who writes:
"I was stuck at home due to snow and ice on the roads for three
days last week
and was working on a lot of projects, but after Thursday's call, I got
on the phone and would not get off until I got a new client.
It didn't really take all that long, but I did make several calls, and
I had a referral from one of my Divorce Recovery clients. His girlfriend
is going to start the Divorce Recovery
coaching that I do on Tuesday afternoon.
In addition, my calling and following up with previous Divorce Recovery
clients have added a RESTS (Relationship Success Traiing for Singles program)
mini-class that starts tomorrow evening with four new clients. In addition
to that, I received a call this morning from a person I had contacted
that same day saying she could not attend tomorrow's class, but wanted
private coaching. And, there may be a couple of others that said they
were going to get back to me.
As a result of all this, my income for this month is already about halfway
to the amount I set that I would like to be making at the end of the three
months.
THANK YOU for your support and challenging encouragement! I have needed
that.
PS: Jackie, I will keep up my momentum by continuing to call people from
my database for at least an hour each workday that I am not seeing clients.
Also, I will not hesitate to have another 24-Hour Challenge for myself
when needed."
Michelle Blacksher
Manna Coaching &
Westside Divorce Recovery
(503) 504-7052
m.blacksher@att.net
COOL RESOURCE OF THE
MONTH
We've had many requests for information about how we record our tele-seminars
and offer them on our website for our members. Here is how we do it:
1. TRX-20 telephone recording jack, available here
2. Record to digital recorder such as these
or even better, plug the TRX-20 to your sound card and record directly
onto your computer (use extension cord).
3. Audio recording and editing software. We use Adobe
Audition , which is high-end, but there are many less expensive options
here.
4. Make audio available by flash player with a link sent in an e-mail
or 3-button player on website using Instant
Audio
Examples:
Text link- http://PlayAudio-123.com/play.asp?m=41089&f=VXDXJD&ps=6&p=1
Hyperlink in html or "rich text" e-mail- click
here to listen
3-Button Player-
Instant Audio
is so easy, anyone can record and distribute audio programs. You can record
over the telephone, using a microphone on your computer using their system
(no other audio recording software needed), or upload your own recorded/edited
audio file. They provide UNLMITED server space- you can have as many recordings
as you want! Recordings can be up to two hours long.
Sonic
Memo is a good option for adding audio to a website, though requires
some html and ftp skills. Inexpensive (no monthly fees) and works with
Site Buildit
INVITATIONS
- We invite you to share this newsletter with a colleague.
There is a tremendous need for our services, and we need to work together.
Practice development is always in need and we want to be the leaders
in our field.
- Please contact
us with ideas and resources you have found useful so we can pass
them on!
- We invite you to get the support you need to be successful in your
practice.
We are available for information, training, ideas, mentor coaching,
etc.
- We invite you to become an affiliate of BuildingYourIdealPractice.com
and begin to earn extra income just by sharing our programs and products
with your friends and colleagues. For more info click
here.
- If you are a private practice professional who received this from
a colleague, we invite you to visit our web site and contact us for
information on joining us.
How do you like our newsletter? Your feedback is welcome!
Until next time…
David Steele, MA, LMFT
Founder and CEO of BuildingYourIdealPractice.com
The purpose of this newsletter is to connect, support each other,
inform, and build a strong community of helping professionals who want
to have thriving businesses and fulfilling lives.
Feel free to share this with a colleague. Your submissions and feedback
are welcome!
Our Mission: To provide the tools, information and support to help private
practice professionals have their ideal practices in the most effective
and efficient ways possible.
Copyright notice: This newsletter is copyrighted and all rights
are reserved. Feel free to share with others as long as our contact information
and authorship is included. U.S. Library of Congress ISSN#:1530-3055
Table of Contents |
