During this morning’s quiet time, I was reviewing my business marketing efforts and contemplating whether I in fact was clear about my vision and what I wanted to be ‘known’ for. My mind drifted (as minds are fond of doing 🙂 ) and I got to thinking about solo practitioners, and our quest for efficiency. After all it’s one of us and so many people to help in addition to ensuring that the world spins on its axis and of course finding the answer to world peace! We are important. Our time is valuable. We need to get clients who can pay for our services and reward us well. I get that.
I recently was following a short workshop series where that guru suggested that I no longer give FREE sessions and tiered products that is from low cost – to high end. That I should perhaps focus on one high end product and make the other bits of information available FREE. Those freebies still did not include free consultations with people. And I get his approach.
Yet for me I realized that while I yearned for efficiency I still needed direct contact with people. I live on a twin island filled with people who need help, my help included. I am well aware that I can’t help everybody but is it possible to find a way to give everyone access to the information that will help them become successful in their own right?
In his book “God Wants You to be Rich” Paul Zane Pilzer says “God wants us to show compassion and understanding toward the unemployed or the poor not because they are poor but because poor people, with help from those who are already successful, can become rich. And when the poor become rich all will benefit, because in our modern economy new unemployment is the first sign of economic growth”
Listening to a Success Cd interviewing Seth Godin, Seth talked about how difficult it is to bootstrap your way to success. I know because I’ve been bootstrapping for a long time. This is not a bad thing but wouldn’t it have been great if there was some person in Trinidad and Tobago who was willing to teach me what he/she knew and shortcut my learning process? Perhaps but then probably not because I may have had to journey this way myself to know that THIS is not efficient and we could all do a lot more if we could just help ONE person along the way to improve, to grow, and to be better professional humans (a term I borrow from Maxwell Maltz, author of Psycho-Cybernetics.)
Dr. Maltz said, and this is my ultimate wish, first for the people of Trinidad and Tobago and then the rest of the world:
“Your life should be an adventure, an ongoing series of rich experiences, a process of setting goals and achieving fulfillment through realizing them. Every day should bring a spiritual triumph like a warm sun bursting through the clouds.”
So while I understand the efficiency philosophy, I’m also looking at my impact levels. When I sit one on one with people, I see them – I see their souls – something I would never be able to “see” otherwise and I always leave those meetings feeling revitalized and on purpose.
My friend and colleague Dr. Marcia Reynolds recently shared this status on her FB page:
“Someone suggested to me that everyone should have one email-free day a week. Call people. Go see them. Go out and enjoy the fall air. What a concept!!”
What a concept indeed! 🙂 Who are you going to connect with and help today? This week?
cartoon from http://www.seppo.net
Get clear about marketing! 
Here’s what I found to be the key to being a solo practioner and freebies….invest your time ( paid and unpaid) in the multipliers. Yes, I know spending time with an “adder” has a reward b/c you are impact their life but here’s the thing…..they do not feel the need to pay it forward. And for you to have true impact and grow your business model you have to invest 90% of your time in the multipliers. What happens is by empowering and sharing space with them with your “unique sprinkle dust” you develop your own indirect sales and marketing team out there and it comes back to you ten fold.
Now that approach I like! Makes perfect sense! Thanks for sharing your perspective – much appreciated 🙂