Question: Hi Anne, I feel like my business is stuck and I really need help with marketing. Can you give me a boost? Answer: Marketing is something you never stop doing, or shouldn’t stop doing, for two important reasons. One – it keeps you in front of your client and potential client. Two – it keeps you sharp and focused on your services and what you can offer. If you really feel stuck and want some expert guidance I suggest you work with a Marketing Coach specific to our industry. And, lucky you there is one. Her name is Brandie, Kajino and her business is The Home Office Organizer . Check out what she can offer Professional Organizers at www.thehomeofficeorganizer.com/organizers-only/. Good luck and tell Brandie you heard about her from me. If it is a website you need—my #1 marketing recommendation--I can help you with your website development. To get started read what we offer and then complete our online request form . If you have a website and would like to link with ou...

Question: I would like to run this opportunity by you for your suggestions and/or thoughts. I have the opportunity to speak with some tenants of an office park about organizing their work space for the new year. I have about 50 minutes total to teach them something! I was planning on providing some take-aways, besides my business card! Any thoughts? Answer : You could talk about just paper management or time management or a combination of both. Talk about what a lack of organizational skills causes; loss of time, money, space, energy, relationships and then talk about the value your services can provide; regaining time, money, space, energy and relationships. Sell your VALUE! You could give them a little questionnaire to find out if their preference is for paper or electronic time management tools. Gives them an activity and you a break. Or, you could have them fill out the Your Relationship With Clutter exercise from Unit II. If you are feeling really brave, do a demo...

Hi Anne, I hope you can help – and are willing to help your “in over her head” student. I am not really in over my head, I am just not sure how to go about something. I have my first project where I may need the help of someone else, and I am not sure how to go about it. It is a larger project and the client does not want to have anything to do with it, other than for me to tell her what I have done and what she needs to do to maintain it. I can do that – although not the ideal scenario as I am used to having the help of a client. I am used to having the client help with a project, so what do I do now when I don’t have any help? How do I approach her about whether she is fine with me doing the project on my own – or if she wants me to hire someone to get the job done faster? How do I go about including an assistant in the estimate? If I charge by the hour, or by the package deal, how do I account for another body – especially when I don’t even have another body? Where do you find ...

Question : When we determine a project is going to be too much for us for whatever reason and we refer the client to another organizer, how do we handle a situation when the other organizer charges a lot more per hour / job? Should we try to refer our client to someone who charges the approximate same as us? Should we alert the organizer of what we mentioned to the client prior to referring the client? This could be awkward for all parties involved. Answer : Referrals can be tricky. I refer to Professional Organizers I know and I have worked with, so I know I’m giving a good referral. Turns, out they typically have the same fee structure as I do, or very close. When in doubt, refer your potential client/client to the NAPO website or your local NAPO chapter website and they can choose based on specialty, location, fee, experience, or what is most important to them. It is always a good idea to talk with the organizer before you give a direct referral to make sure they want the client a...

If the economy is causing a decrease in your client time, now is the time for you to update and polish your services. If you have an open block of client time (ie no billable client time) then work in your office. Really focus on what is your unique niche that you can bring to clients. If you haven't identify who your key client is do it now! Are they single professional women, families, small business owners, store-front businesses, home-based businesses, students, seniors, crafters, who are they? Next create a marketing message and develop your marketing materials (website, brochures, business card, menu of services, flyers, etc) focused on your key client. You don't need to attract everyone, you do need to attract clients you want to work with. Then watch the magic happen...

The Disorganized Mind: Coaching Your ADHD Brain to Take Control of Your Time, Tasks, and Talents by Nancy A. Ratey Quote from Publishers Weekly: " Ratey has produced a valuable resource for people addressing the daily challenges caused by the neurobiological condition of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Symptoms of ADHD include difficulty with organization, focus, and time management. Ratey, a professional ADHD coach who was diagnosed with the disorder herself while in graduate school, provides a set of concrete tools that ADHD adults can use to help themselves traverse both personal and professional situations, though the author emphasizes that her book is not a substitute for diagnosis and treatment. Short sections explaining the biological reasons for the disorder's more exasperating symptoms are contributed by Ratey's husband John, a psychiatrist specializing in treatment of ADHD and co-author of Driven to Distraction, a seminal ADHD book. With a nod to her ...

QUESTION : I would like to learn how to do workplace assessments for litigation lawyers. Most of them have paralegals and other staff dealing with the paper. The lawyer needs an integrated system to file and retrieve others' work, and integrate her/his own work with theirs . Any ideas? ANSWER : The Paper Tiger software would address it. For more information look at www.thepapertiger.com .