With something for even the most productive, Dan S. Kennedy’s book will change the way you operate.
This book is chock-full of valuable information, I found myself frantically scribbling down notes while flying through it and have already witnessed a tremendous uptick in my effectiveness. Some of the lessons that stuck with me were the following:
Minimize meetings:
“Find every way possible to minimize your time spent in formal meetings. Most meetings end where they begin anyway.
I deal with one company where literally every time I call, anyone I call is always “in a meeting.” The company has six conference rooms— a very bad sign. If Noah had convened a meeting of architects, interior decorators, goat and sheep herders, lion tamers, navigators, we would all have fins. Nothing ever got done in a meeting. I hate ‘em. For a lot of people, meetings are a place to hide out. Or preen and be important. But not a place to actually do work or get any- thing done. You need a strategy to avoid them. If you lead meetings, you need a strategy to abbreviate and focus them. If you must attend meetings, you need a strategy to escape from them at will.”
Your bank account balance:
“I can do a good job of predicting what your bank balance will be a year from now, if you’ll give me the following information:
1) What’s in the account today
2) A list of the books you read and tapes you listened to last month
3) Some information about the five people you hang out with most
4) A little analysis of how you spend your time during an average week
For 90% of all people, by the way, making this prediction is a no-brainer. The correct guess is: same as it was last year.”
Be the “busiest” person in the office:
“Obviously busy people are interrupted less than unbusy people. Just like burglars pass up some homes in favor of others, looking for the easiest, safest targets, those who steal and suck up time by interrupting others tend to cruise the office looking for the best opportunity and the easiest target. If you are sitting at your desk, comfortably, appearing relaxed, you’re it. Of course, you might be contemplating a formula for disarming a nuclear warhead, but that won’t matter, because it’s not obvious. When you are visible to others, it’s best to be visibly busy.”
Create demand every day:
“I do not let a day go by that I do not send out a letter or a package, make or return a phone call, get an article published, do something to keep my books on bookstore shelves, secure a high profile speaking engagement, or do something else to create and stimulate “deal flow.” It doesn’t matter how busy I am. Or how tired I am. Or if it’s the Friday before a holiday weekend. Whatever. Before sunset, at least ONE thing will be done intended to stimulate demand.
…As a direct result, “demand” for me has steadily grown, even as the “supply” I am willing to offer has diminished, which has allowed me to very substantially raise my fees, keep raising them every year, fire troublesome clients without remorse, and do business entirely on my terms, to suit me.”
In conclusion…
There is a lot more nuggets in this book such as: linking everything to your goals, a suggestion to take speed reading courses, the wisdom to spend all your time on what you are the best in the world at and to hire people to handle the rest, encouragement to become a master marketer because you can hire for practically all other positions. And finally, to have short, medium, and long term business goals and to be working on at least one goal from each category at all times.