Hi -

Some months I think long and hard about what topics to write on and others I know in an instant. The subject of this month's tip is one of the latter. From the moment I first saw it, I knew I had to share it with you. If you've ever wished you could design your own personal version of Google that looked just where you told it to uncover what you wanted, you're going to love what's described below.

Be sure to also check out the webinar we'll be doing later in February. If your goals for 2007 include enhancing your referability, managing your time more effectively, and systemizing key elements of your business this event was tailor-made for you. You'll take away dozens of little-known (and inexpensive) tips, tricks, and techniques for leveraging the Web as a business-building resource.

My most favorite emails from readers are the ones that describe how they are using concepts and tools from this newsletter or Winning Clients to improve their business results. If you have a story you'd like to share, please drop me a quick email. I'd love to hear it.

There's a reason many advisors steer clear of the Web. It's called TMI -- too much information. At 100,000,000 sites and counting, the Internet for them is a distraction to be avoided, a black hole that pulls them away from doing the stuff that pays the bills.

But suppose for a minute you could suddenly shrink cyberspace down to size and concentrate your searching on a handpicked list of sites you knew contained information that would help you connect on a deeper level with a client, or open a window of opportunity to close a hot prospect? Things like newspapers, magazines, and trade journals that clients, prospects, and centers of influence routinely read, sites that cater to their hobbies and interests, or those managed by professional groups they belong to, or focused on the industries and companies they work in. Being able to pinpoint useful intelligence quickly from those types of sources could change your entire perspective about the Internet's value to you and your business.

That's exactly what Google's recently launched Custom Search Engine can do for you.

Now, I could walk you through a lengthy description of how Custom Search works but here's the crux of what you need to know:

• It's free
• You need to have a Google account to set one up
• There's almost no limit to either the number of sites you can include in a custom search, or the number of different custom searches you can create
• A wizard will step you (or someone on your team) through the process of tailoring a search that reflects your requirements
• And most important... using it will radically reduce and improve the volume of results you generate with certain searches

Live Webinar: Tips and Tricks for Untangling the Web

It's one thing to read about tools like Google's Custom Search Engine; it's another to put them to work in your business. Tips and Tricks for Untangling the Web is an hour-long interactive session that will show you how. I'll walk you step-by-step through what you need to know to begin harnessing the Internet as a business development and relationship management tool.

You and your team will walk away with concrete ideas you can implement immediately to improve your efficiency and effectiveness -- most of them using tools you already own.

And as a Tips subscriber, you automatically qualify for a special discount (33%) off the normal price. Just be sure to enter the coupon discount code KT1098 when prompted.

Click here to learn more about this exciting event and reserve your spot!

One-on-One and Team Coaching

A lot of my current coaching work is centering on helping teams identify the key processes in their business and how to effectively streamline them through better delegation and automation. What's interesting is that all of my clients share a common trait, they're already successful to one degree or another, but they've plateaued and are looking to break through to their next level. If that sounds like you maybe we should talk. I can help you implement solutions to a variety of challenges that routinely hold advisors back:

• Finding and fixing productivity leaks - minimizing the time you lose to email, putting a stop to recreating information you know you already have, locating what you need online faster, and delivering on follow-up commitments more efficiently are just a few examples
  
  
• Defining sales and service processes – from contact to contract to ongoing care and feeding of clients… understanding who does what when, and where technology fits (or could fit) into the picture
  
  
• Developing a marketing communication strategy and calendar – mapping out an annual plan for keeping in touch with and in front of clients, prospects, centers of influence, and the media
  
  
• Cultivating referrals from current clients – strategies and tactics for expanding your business with help from those who know it best
  
  
• Designing a step-by-step improvement plan for strengthening key aspects of your business - identifying opportunities and developing work flows in designated areas of the practice
  
  
• Team building and successful delegation – defining the vision, setting expectations, identifying desired results, managing the process, and the tools that make it easier

Keynote, Breakout, and Workshop Speaking

Please keep me in mind if you're involved in booking or recommending speakers for corporate sales or due diligence meetings, or national or chapter events for industry groups you're involved with. I can show you how to increase your meeting ROI by delivering tangible, value-added content that participants can take back to the office and put to work immediately.

Here's a quick sampling of the presentations I can deliver.

Practical Strategies for Improving Productivity

If you suspect the technology you already own could solve many of your time, information, and business management challenges... but you've no idea how or where to get started, this presentation is for you. It outlines fast, easy ways to unlock the power of your PC to save time and achieve the results you want. In it, you will learn how to: 1. permanently conquer information overload with a simple system for cataloging important information, 2. build a systematic, measurable, and repeatable roadmap to success, and, 3. put an hour of selling time back into every day by taming today's #1 productivity killer: email. And that's only the beginning. You'll come away from this session with easy-to-implement, inexpensive tactics you can take back to the office and put to work immediately!

Topics include:

• Understanding your productivity gap… and how to close it


• The 80/20 rule of information - how to keep what's critical at your fingertips


• A simple approach to creating your team's process playbook


• Developing a 30-day improvement game plan


• Eliminating email overload -- managing your message flow (optional)

Things I Thought You Should Know About

Got a tip you'd like to share? Or a topic you'd like to see covered in a future issue? Email me your ideas.

Until next time wishing you all the best,

Kip Gregory

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

http://www.kipgregory.com

© 2007 Kip Gregory. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or republishing this content either electronically or in print without prior permission is prohibited.