Hi –

I'd like to introduce you to Jay, a very special friend of mine. If you're familiar with the bestselling book Tuesdays with Morrie you have some idea of the relationship... except that happily Jay is not only alive and well but vigorously pursuing a remarkable mission. That mission, and its bearing on you and your relationships with clients, family, and friends, is the subject of this month's tip. I hope you enjoy reading about it.

Don't forget that this is Administrative Professionals Week (today's actually the official day of observance). I've put together a special offer below to help you mark the occasion with your team... an everybody wins opportunity I hope you'll take advantage of.

Here in Washington spring is in full bloom. The cherry blossoms and magnolias have come and gone but the tulips and dogwoods are just hitting their peak. May business continue to blossom for you throughout 2006.

Help Clients and Friends Leave a Legacy with Next in Line

Ever hear someone share a poignant or funny situation from their past and think "they should write a book"?

Unfortunately, few ever do.

Which is sad.

Because everybody has a story, and some are truly fascinating... an amalgam of experiences that blend together to tell a tale as unique as a fingerprint.

My friend Jay Jagoe is just such a person. World War II bombardier, successful entrepreneur, husband, father, business leader, mentor, volunteer; Jay's an inspiring study in determined optimism. Eight decades young, he's busier than most people half his age.

A case in point is his latest book: Next in Line: Everyman's Guide for Writing an Autobiography – which he recently published through iUniverse, a division of Barnes & Noble.

Next in Line is Jay's effort to help seniors document their story easily and effectively – from describing their first home and their family album to important events, passages, and people they've known. A dozen different dimensions of their life experience. (You can read more about it here.)

Jay's driven by a lofty objective. He knows 2,000 of his contemporaries die every day. With each one goes a piece of history. Maybe nothing "significant" in the grand scheme but to family and friends their passing permanently shuts a certain window to the past.

Through his volunteer work, he's seen firsthand the rejuvenating effect recalling their earlier days can have on those confined to nursing homes or assisted living, stories that often end up shared with the children and grandchildren of his "students".

So he's working hard to put Next in Line into public libraries everywhere he can, along with a free guide he's written to help librarians facilitate workshops for patrons. His goal: to have 50,000 autobiographies recorded in the coming year. (If you know a librarian in your community maybe you'd pass this message along to them.)

Here's how Jay describes it in the Introduction to the Next in Line Project Guide:

Sounds interesting, Kip, but what's it got to do with my business?

Well, to tell you the truth maybe nothing or maybe something. It depends on your perspective.

To some, encouraging clients to write their autobiography would have little to do with delivering financial service. It's beyond the professional boundary or at least outside their comfort zone. But to others it's an opportunity to demonstrate interest in clients' lives, to reinforce to them that telling their story matters. And while that's not about managing money, it has everything to do with managing, and deepening, a relationship.

There are all kinds of reasons why that's good business. It gets you and your clients talking more about them. It gets them thinking. It may give you insight into people and places that shaped their character. It's a chance at an authentic connection.

When Jay first told me of his effort several years ago I knew when the time was right I'd want to tell you about it. But I'm not here shilling for Jay; he doesn't even know I'm writing this.

What I'm encouraging you to do is think about ways you can use Next in Line or books like it to open doors to more meaningful conversation with clients (or family and friends for that matter). To demonstrate concern that transcends dollars and cents. Leave it in your lobby, give it as a gift, or integrate it into a client appreciation event. There are lots of possibilities. You could even use the knowledge journal concept to set up a template for them.

Here's one final tip: don't overlook iUniverse. It allowed Jay to make his dream a reality in very little time (they proofed and printed Next in Line in less than 60 days) for very little money (about $1000). It also offered him instant access to Amazon's and Barnes & Noble's online distribution. No small thing. (Ever considered publishing a book or guide of your own?)

Jay is an incredible man. I wish you could meet him (you can visit his Web site at http://www.armigerjagoe.com). We crossed paths years ago at a presentation I gave soon after starting my business and that chance encounter quickly blossomed into a deep friendship. One for which I'm very grateful.

If you remember it, think of him tomorrw – the 27th. He turns 85 that day.

Happy birthday, Jay. And thanks.

Take Advantage of Our First Ever 3-Day Sale

Did you know that today (April 26, 2006) is Administrative Professionals Day?

If you're wondering how to recognize the support you've gotten from your administrative team, here's a suggestion from the International Association of Administrative Professionals who inaugurated the event back in 1952. Most administrative support staff prefer observances that recognize their professional role or provide opportunities for professional learning and growth. (The IAAP's put together a whole list of recommendations you can read here.)

Winning Clients in a Wired World makes a perfect gift; it's loaded with tips and suggestions that will make them (and you) far more productive and effective on the job.

Be one of the first 100 readers of this Tips issue to buy a copy in the next three days and I'll send you a discount coupon good through December 31, 2006 for $40 off any ProductivityU courses we introduce this year. That's more than the cost of the book (and the shipping!)... just for being smart enough to say thanks to your staff members in a way they'd most appreciate. (And yes, you'll earn a coupon for each additional copy of the book you buy as well.)

All you have to do to qualify is purchase your copy through Amazon by clicking here or the Buy the Book link at Winning Clients, and then email me a copy of your Amazon receipt.

But act fast, the offer expires this Friday.

So while it's fresh in mind, make an investment in your team and your business that's guaranteed to save you time, money, and frustration in getting to your next level of success. You'll be glad you did.

Make Sure This Newsletter Reaches You

The best way to ensure that future Tips messages reach you without being filtered or blocked is to add the address they originate from, kipgregory@mailer1.cooleremail.net, to your Address Book. Be sure to label it "Kip's Tips - No Reply" because messages sent to that address never reach me.

If you have a corporate email address, I encourage you to pass the email address above onto your IT help desk so they can add it to your company's approved sender list as well.

Finally, please take a minute to review and update your contact information on file in case any of it has changed since you first signed up.

Ways We Can Help You Improve Results

One-on-One and Team Coaching

Nearly a third of the year is gone. Are you where you want to be? If not, don't let another quarter go by before taking action. Find out if you may be a candidate for my one-on-one or team coaching.

Each engagement starts by developing a very clear picture of your goals and objectives, business structure, markets served, clientele sought, team strengths and weaknesses, technology and other resources you own. Then working together we map out an action plan for getting you from where you are to where you want to be, laying out specific milestones by which we can measure success.

We don't just talk, we roll up our sleeves to address specific objectives. Big ones like developing a better profile of your top clients, expanding (or consolidating) your base of accounts, and increasing assets; and little ones like eliminating unnecessary expenses, automating routine tasks, and taking control of your email inbox. We develop practical ways of achieving those results (through smarter use of people, process, and personal technology) and focus wherever possible on executing those strategies using resources you already own.

We also draw on a variety of proprietary tools – forms, worksheets, databases, and online conferencing resources (all available at http://gregory-group.webexone.com) – designed to help you achieve that elusive next level of success.

Sessions run roughly an hour and are conducted weekly… all in the comfort and convenience of your office (which means everyone on your team can participate... and there's no travel expense, time lost in traffic, or nights spent in a "bootcamp" hotel room).

The cost? Just $3000 for a full day's worth (eight hours) of consulting and coaching time that you can access for as little as 15 minutes at a time.

If you are ready to take your business to the next level email or call me at 202.364.6913 and let's visit.

If you're serious about implementing improvements contact me now and let's develop a plan for accelerating your success. The kind of results you're seeking don't happen accidentally.

Keynote, Breakout, and Workshop Speaking

This coming Monday (May 1), I'll be at IMCA's Spring Professional Development Conference in Orlando talking on "Leveraging Technology to Build Your Business". From there, it's on to the IARFC's Financial Advisors Forum in Ohio for a presentation on Friday, May 12. Then on the following Monday, May 15, I'll be the keynote speaker for Investment Executive's Office of Tomorrow Expo in Toronto, ON.

If you will be attending any of those events I hope to see you and say hi (and if anyone you know is going, please encourage them to attend my presentation).

Please keep me in mind if you're involved in booking or recommending speakers for national or chapter events at AICPA, FPA, NAIFA, NAPFA, the Society for Financial Service Professionals, or any other industry group. My sessions offer the kind of practical, innovative, take-it-back-to-the-office-and-put-it-to-work-immediately value attendees are looking for... useful content that will save them time, increase their income, and improve their effectiveness.

Or perhaps you work for a product or service provider and you're currently planning a national sales meeting, due diligence road show, or sales force training calendar. Let me show you how to increase your meeting ROI by delivering tangible, value-added content that draws advisors closer to your firm and helps both you and them do more business.

Either way email or call me at 202.364.6913 to explore how I'll assist you in getting more mileage from your event. I'd be happy to schedule a webinar with your and your colleagues to see and hear my material firsthand.

Until next time wishing you all the best,

Kip Gregory
The Gregory Group: Teaching Clients to Leverage Their Time, Talent, and Technology to Increase Productivity and Profit
202.364.6913

http://www.kipgregory.com