Your Pinnacle Practice
May 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. Greetings and Farewell from Dr. Jackie Black
Have you ever wondered why we named our newsletter Your Pinnacle
Practice?
In David Steele’s book, How To Build Your Ideal Practice in
90 Days, he points out that the Pinnacle of our practice is when
we have “arrived”; when we are satisfied that we have reached
the absolute top of what we want to achieve.
For me that also means living and working on purpose, through my values
impelled by my passion and embracing the life I am meant to live.
What do you think about when you think about your Pinnacle Practice?
Where are you on your road to achieving your Pinnacle Practice?
Most of us are at one place or another along the continuum of struggling,
putting some of the pieces together, really getting it together and having
“arrived.”
This road is not linear; that is, there is not a beginning, middle and
an end in some recognizable progression. The road to living on purpose
and creating our best life zigs and zags and often takes turns we least
expect. It is often a combination of daunting moments and rich opportunities.
We are faced with countless choices, challenges and reminders that can
test our spirit, our personal knowing and our trust. We are nudged, sometimes
very gently and sometimes not so gently, into the unknown so we can stretch
and grow and get closer to reaching our Pinnacle.
Sometimes when we are very lucky things go pretty much as planned. When
we are truly fortunate our dreams materialize and life takes on a different
dimension.
We have all heard David say, “Build it and they will come,”
a famous line from the movie Field of Dreams. How many of us actually
dare to dream, never mind dare to “build it”?
In a sense, I have been planting seeds in my field of dreams for a long
while. After many years of dreaming, declaring my vision, living with
intention and working systematically according to proven business and
marketing principles and strategies (exactly what David and I preach and
teach in the PBI every week) they are coming!
It is with mixed emotions that at the end of June I will leave
my position at BuildingYourIdealPractice.com to tend those fields.
The time has come for me to shift my focus and devote all my time to the
opportunities that I have created and that are coming to fruition.
It has been a rich and satisfying experience -- personally and professionally--
working with David Steele. It has been a rewarding experience working
with our PBI members and with the RCI coaches. My only regret is that
my time with all of you has been too short.
Thank you for the opportunity to be present with you for a moment on
your path to building your ideal practice. I will take a part of you with
me. I am enriched by having known you and having worked with you.
I wish you everything you wish and vision for yourselves. I look forward
to our paths crossing again.
Remember, only YOU can make it happen!
With warm respect,
Jacki
2. May 5th
Free Seminar- Get Slightly Famous- In Print
with special guest Steven Van Yoder, author
of Get Slightly Famous
Getting your articles and press releases published, and
having journalists quote you and write about you, is a very effective,
and free, form of PR.
This seminar will cover how to "get slightly famous"
by getting you and your writing in front of your target audience in the
publications they read.
Watch for the bridge # to be e-mailed separately in a reminder to our
subscribers a few days prior.
For more information, see our feature article below-
Getting Slightly Famous- In Print
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. June 2nd
Free Seminar- Developing Passive Income
Would you like to earn income while you sleep?
Passive income is revenue you earn without your direct involvement. You
can vacation in the Bahamas and your business continues to maintain it's
cash flow!
This seminar will cover:
- Three types of income
- Why passive income is the best kind
- Six types of passive income for helping professionals
- How to leverage your current business to earn passive income
- How to get started, with or without a website
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.
4. Coming
Soon: How to Get Clients Toolkit
The most common and fundamental challenge reported to me by our clients
and participants of our practice building programs is simply getting clients.
In response to this need I put together our best and most proven tools
for getting clients into a book/CD set I call the How to Get
Clients Toolkit.
How To Get A Free Copy: It will be another month or
two before publication, and I would greatly appreciate your testimonial
to demonstrate to folks that the material in this program really works.
If you experienced success using my 24 Hour Challenge or the
Endless Referrals Grid, please e-mail
me your testimonial and if I use it I will send you a FREE copy
when it is published.
For a preview click
here
Table of Contents
FEATURE ARTICLE
Getting Slightly Famous in Print
by Steven Van Yoder, author of Get
Slightly Famous
Early in my career, I wrote an article for a small business magazine
about self-publishing as a marketing tool for businesses. Because I specialize
in helping businesses get into print, the article only took a few hours
to write. A few months later it was published.
Almost immediately, my phone began to ring and my email box filled up
with inquiries. As a result of “Be An Expert, Get More Business”
I landed two clients, submitted several proposals, and added dozens of
names to my mailing list. Later I used the article in my email newsletter,
made glossy reprints for my marketing materials, and arranged to reprint
the article in other magazines targeted at potential clients.
Years later, the benefits continue to roll in as prospects read my article
on the Internet, recommend it to associates, and hire my firm because
I'm an expert in Slightly Famous marketing strategies. In one
instance, a reader became a client even though her company had almost
finalized a decision to hire a competitor. "We came across your article,
and it made all the difference," she said. "We knew from your article
that you could help us."
You might be thinking that success came easily to me because I am a writer.
But you don't have to be a professional writer or seasoned journalist
to get your name in print. Whether you're a management consultant or a
masseuse, you can learn how to pursue print media exposure and succeed.
And with more than 10,000 publications in print today, opportunities are
virtually unlimited.
Visibility + Competence + Word of Mouth = REPUTATION
Getting Slightly Famous in print media means reaching a larger
audience, rather than relying entirely on human contact. After all, there
is only one physical you. No matter how much you network, get around,
or attend meetings, YOU can only go so far.
Appearing in the media is the equivalent of expanded networking. You
reach a targeted audience of people who might buy from you, and you build
a relationship with your target market that can lead to sales. Even if
you have a small local business, media exposure helps you establish a
regional or national presence without leaving your desk.
Media exposure works because it associates your name with the authority
of the media. When you read about a business in the newspaper or hear
about it on the radio, chances are you immediately elevate that business
above its competitors. It has solidity and credibility.
Appearing in media that reach your target market establishes a bond of
trust upon which future sales are possible. Ultimately, your Slightly
Famous media strategy will develop your reputation as a business
of choice in your market niche. As more prospects run across your name
in publications targeted at them, you will acquire an aura of expertise
that will get you more business with less effort.
Publishing Articles & Columns
Bylined, contributed articles are a mainstay in many trade and special
interest publications because most cannot afford full-time writers. From
fillers to features, these magazines rely on freelance writers and contributors
like you for at least some of their content.
Often written for a small fee—or given freely in exchange for an author
bio designed to elicit business—these articles show off the expertise
of the businessperson or consultant who authored it. Besides exposing
your business to thousands of prospects, it’s possible to get feature
articles devoted entirely to your business. As a bonus, article reprints
make excellent, low cost sales literature.
The key to publishing expert articles is to package your ideas in a benefit-oriented
fashion. Tell prospects how to think about or apply your business solution.
Give readers real information they can use, regardless of whether they
will buy from you. If you don’t, and use a thinly veiled sales pitch instead,
editors will see through it and reject the article.
Articles are usually a one-shot deal. Columns, on the other hand, are
regular engagements that allow a writer to build relationships with readers.
Columns appear on a weekly or monthly basis in newspapers, magazines,
and Web sites. They can brand an author not just as an expert, but also
as a friend, confidante, and mentor.
You don't have to achieve “Dear Abby” status to be a successful column
writer. As with any Slightly Famous marketing strategy, your column only
needs to reach the right people in your target market to position you
as a resource.
Be A Media Resource
Bylined articles are not the only way to see your name in print. Read
any newspaper or magazine article. You will see a handful of experts quoted
within stories as diverse as international business, stock market forecasts
or the latest fashion trends.
Reporters are not experts. That's why they need experts from the business
world to create their stories. The secret is to position yourself as a
media resource. The media relies on you, the industry expert, to give
substance and credibility to their stories.
Experts can be book authors, speakers, consultants, managers and professionals.
If you have knowledge about a specific subject—and that subject can be
your business—you qualify too. People who get quoted in the media pursue
a strategy to be on journalists' radar screens when journalists write
stories about their industries. They make themselves available as expert
interview sources so that journalists will think of them when they are
writing relevant stories.
When you learn how the media works, and mold your expertise into a carefully-crafted
media attracting strategy, you actually help the media do its job in exchange
for valuable exposure for your company.
With a little effort, you can become the first person on a reporter’s
list when a story about your business area comes up. But it won't happen
if you don't let the media know you exist!
Time, Commitment, and Consistency
You wouldn’t expect a massive return on a monetary investment overnight.
The same goes with getting Slightly Famous in print, where huge dividends
come to those who persist.
Like all marketing activities, print media exposure is a long-term commitment
that will yield long-term rewards. Is it worth the time? Yes. Landing
just a few clients can pay for all your marketing costs for the next year.
If you don't give print media exposure a chance, you'll never know what
it can do for you. Establishing your reputation in print takes time. But
if you are committed, an inevitable "snowball effect" will take place
and can bring you all the business you can handle!
© 2004 Steven Van Yoder www.GetSlightlyFamous.com
FREE TELE-SEMINAR! Be sure to join Steven Van Yoder on
Wednesday May 5th for Get Slightly Famous- In Print.
For more information click
here
Table of Contents
CONGRATS!
Our PBI Participants Share Their Wins
CONGRATS TO: Go-Getter's Club member Diana
Owens (Prescott, AZ) who writes:
"Thanks for the prayers and well wishes. I appreciated them. I loved
my event. It was not large--only 12 people, but the feedback was wonderful.
People loved it. Words on the evaluations were...inspiring, enlightening,
empowering, enriching. They loved the "camaraderie and fellowship"
of the group.
Most of all, I had fun and stayed to a precise time schedule as well.
Also, I got a bridge line and will be following up this event with 3 offers,
an all day retreat, a coaching group and a free teleconference weekly
support group.
New people attended this event as well as old faithful clients. I think
I am really learning about marketing and networking and follow up. I called
the head of the Small Business Development Center of Yavapai College to
invite him personally to the event. He couldn't come, but invited me to
call back in several weeks.
Every one I talked to was more than receptive to hearing about what I
was doing. It was very confidence producing. I can't think small anymore.
People are good, they like me and I like them and I love doing these groups.
I'm ready for more!
Thank you and David and PBI for another small victory for me. By the
way, This was my 5th group event this week. I am really manifesting my
desire to do groups! A year ago, I thought it was impossible.
Blessings,
Diana"
Way to go Diana!
COOL RESOURCE OF THE
MONTH
End Telephone Tag With Online Scheduling!
Save time and increase your availability to your clients and prospects
by allowing them to book their own appointments with this outstanding
online scheduling system by ProMatrix
Designed specifically for private practice professionals, your clients
and prospects will appreciate the ability to schedule, cancel, and reschedule
their appointments with you, securely and confidentially.
They, and you, receive e-mail confirmations, and to prevent scheduling
conflicts, you have complete control of your calendar and availability.
This application is so easy, all your client or prospect needs to do
is enter a valid email address, select the desired date and time for the
appointment. That's it! The appointment is set! No waiting on hold, no
worry of phone tag, no waiting for proper business hours.
Your clients and prospects are able to set appointments 24 hours a day,
7 days a week at their convenience! It only takes a few minutes to set
up, and their 30-day free trial doesn't require giving them any financial
info. Check
it out!
I put the URL to my online schedule in my e-mail signature line, and e-mail
it to folks that wish to meet with me in person or over the telephone.
I’m so happy to eliminate the hassles of telephone tag!
For an example of how you can use this on your website, check out a website
I’m putting together for my partner Maggie here
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
Jackie Black, Ph.D.
President 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 |
