Thank you to the over 125 people who participated in the Professional Organizer Training Institute™ training programs this past year. It was my extreme pleasure to inspire, educate, and train you to launch your own Professional Organizing business. If you are planning to launch your business in 2010 we have upcoming training opportunities to get you started on a successful and profitable business: Webinar Units I, II, and IV: January 12-March 4, 2010; 5:00-6:00 p.m. Pacific Time; Tuesdays/Thursdays. Registration deadline is December 29, 2009. Seminar February 8-10, 2010 early bird registration deadline is January 18, 2010. This seminar is already half full. To say informed about future training opportunities and the organizing industry you are invited to become a fan of the Professional Organizer Training Institute™ Facebook page. Last, but not least, I am offering FREE shipping on my book Get Rich Organizing through December 24, 2009. After you submit your order, sen...

Last month I was invited to be on the NAPO Oregon Golden Circle Member panel at our monthly meeting. I thought it might be insightful to those who are interested in becoming a professional organizer and to those already in the business to read the questions they asked me and my responses: How has your business evolved since you first started as a professional organizer? (Include when you started your business.) I officially started my business SolutionsForYou, Inc. in January 2003 and joined NAPO and NAPO Oregon the same month. I was asked to be the NAPO Oregon board secretary in April 2003 and remained on the board until May 2009—acting as Secretary, Vice President/Director of Membership, President, and Immediate Past President. I loved all aspects of launching a business. After six months of business launching activities, my husband—who was working from home at the time, turned to me kicked the chair that I was sitting and said, “Don’t you think it’s time to find a client?” ...

I just learned the Professional Organizer Training Institute™ has been nominated as the Most Valuable Educational Resource for the 2010 NAPO LA Organizing Awards . This is THE AWARD EVENT for the professional organizing industry!!! PLEASE VOTE for me--the Professional Organizer Training Institute™! Go to http://www.NAPOLA.org .

I received my first feedback on my book, Get Rich Organizing: The Professional Organizer Survival Guide to Launch, Manage, and Grow a Profitable Business. Here's what Julia says... Hi Anne, "We originally connected on LinkedIn . I received an email from your website when Get Rich Organizing was released. I LOVE the book! Last night, I wrote out answers for the questions in the first two chapters. The book is really helping me focus on specialization as an organizer and where I need to apply more focus as a business owner. I'll definitely write a review when I'm finished. And I know that I'll be constantly using it as a resource!" Here's what Cindy says... "Got my book! How exciting for you to have your name on the spine of a book. I love books! I am enjoying reading bits and pieces of it. I have been reading about the different clients you have come across. congratulations - and thank you for the note and the autograph. Cindy"

Get Rich Organizing: The Professional Organizer Survival Guide to Launch, Manage, and Grow a Profitable Business Order your signed copy now ! Listen to my book interview with Susan Creal www.freeconferencecall.com Login: access code 220447 phone 6054754875 subscriber pin 401106

I just completed a three-day training program and launched three new professional organizers. Meet (from left to right) Tonya, Sharon, and Tami. I love, love, love to train new organizers!! See Sharon, Tonya and Tami in action at their client practicum . If you are interested in becoming a Professional Organizer or know of someone who would be a great Professional Organizer we have another seminar in November. Or if you prefer distance learning we are starting our webinar series in September. My book, Get Rich Organizing: The Professional Organizer Survival Guide to Launch, Manage, and Grow a Profitable Business is now available. Order your copy now !

If you have attended my Professional Organizer Training and Education Program webinar or seminar you know the underlying message I repeat over and over is the importance and impact of communicating your value to your client. I came across this video of Don Hutson on the subject of selling your value. It reiterates what I say and more. Bottom line, if you clearly communicate your value, your client will pay your price. Your client's perceived value of your service must be equal to or greater than your price. For example here is what a client of mine said after working with me, "It’s amazing; my desk is no longer a catchall. Nobody touches this space except me now—before I was the only one who didn’t use this space. I can find any piece of paper I am looking for and I know where to file paper when I receive it. I am so appreciative of Anne, I can’t say that enough. She coached me through the entire process. I feel so much calmer now that I can make decisions and manage...

NAPO Presentation from todd v on Vimeo . If you have been wondering whether or not you need to obtain liability insurance for your professional organizing business, this video will answer that question and why. It's a must see and hear for anyone engaged in the professional organizer business or considering it as a business.

I came across the "Elephant's Walk" story [not sure where now] and I think it sums up the difference between advertising, marketing, public relations: "If the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign saying “Circus coming to the Fairground Saturday,” that’s advertising . If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk him into town, that’s promotion . If the elephant walks through the mayor’s flowerbed, that’s publicity . If you can get the mayor to laugh about it, that’s public relations . And if you actually planned the elephant’s walk, that’s marketing ." Want to learn how to market your professional organizing business and more? Here's how .

Rich Brooks was a speaker at the NAPO 2009 conference. He shares his thoughts and marketing tips for organizing professionals: I thought a lot about some of the unique challenges professional organizers face, and so here's my list of 10 things professional organizers can do to better market themselves. 1. Get listed in local search. Your business is local. That should drive a lot of your marketing choices. Improve your visibility in local search by visiting GetListed.org, which will walk you through the process of getting listed in the four most important engines for local search. 2. Don't use an AOL, Yahoo, Cox.net, Comcast or even Gmail address on your business card (or anywhere else.) It reeks of amateurism, and you're no amateurs. You're professional organizers, and your email address should be promoting your brand, not AOL's. 3. Where are you? Your business is local. Include your address on your business card. On the 100 or so business cards I got ...

Question: Hi Anne- I just picked up a new customer-someone in my networking group. She has already told me that her house is very bad. And others in the group, when they found out she hired me, rolled their eyes and said, "Good luck!". I'm afraid she is most likely a chronically disorganized and maybe a hoarder. Her plan is to sell her house, but right now she's looking to rent somewhere and weed through the stuff in the empty house. She'll probably make a mess in the new place too. I'm a little nervous about this; I have an appointment on Monday. She seems willing to purge and wants to change and get rid of stuff; I guess I'm a little anxious that if she DOES have a problem, it may be more than I can handle. I've already told myself not to feel bad if we only get so far; it won't be my fault if we take a step forward and 2 back, right? Any wise advice from a seasoned pro? Answer: My initial reaction is to say, “no” because you don’t have the ...

Question : Hi Anne, I hope all is well with you. I am writing the marketing section of my business plan and I am searching for articles and information on the growth of our industry. Can you advise me on the best place to gather this information? Thank you so much for your guidance. It is a great support through this rocky building time! Best, Cathy Answer: Hi Cathy, The best source is NAPO and the Board of Certified Professional Organizers . Understand, any industry information is going to be lagging by about two years, but you can get trends. However, the trends are changing in general due to the economic climate of today is so vastly different than it has been as during the growth of our industry. You might also just do a general Google search "professional organizer industry" and read the websites that come up. If you find anything great--email me the link(s). Anne

At the NAPO Oregon Vendor Expo this past weekend I was asked, “With the economy being what it is, is it really a good time to start a Professional Organizer business?” Answer : I replied, “It is probably the best time to start any business because you will have the time to focus on your Action List—everything you need to do to launch your business successfully. When the economy picks up people will start loosening their purse-strings and start spending again, then you will be ready for them. In the meantime, with the clients and contacts you do make be sure to communicate the value of your services and how you can benefit them.” Do you want your own Action List with everything you need to do to launch your Professional Organizer business successfully? Do you want to learn how to communicate the value of your services and how you can benefit your clients? Now is the best time! The Professional Organizer industry is growing!! Our Track 1 Webinar filled and we are launching ne...

I’m very excited to see that the Professional Organizer industry is growing in this economy. Fourteen new participants are engaged in our Webinar Track 1 and Self-study Programs! Our Professional Organizer Training Program for Business Owners and Entrepreneurs is the best place to start to launch your business or to become retrained in a new field that will see you through these tough economic times while realizing your dream of launching your Professional Organizer Business. Don't miss out! Register now for the next Webinar track or February Seminar I look forward to meeting you soon at one of our Seminars , Webinars , or through our Self-study Program . You can live the dream. Start here today!