Page 40 - Demo
P. 40


                                    NO B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs 27CHAPTER 3 / HOW TO DRIVE A STAKE THROUGH THE HEARTS OF THE TIME VAMPIRES OUT TO SUCK YOU DRYcomes in on Thursday it will wait to move to me until the following week. They realize that I work by a set, certain program, and if they want to work with me, they need to, as our dads said, %u201cGet With The Program!%u201d This is not all onesided to my benefit. First, they have certainty. Second, when I am scheduled to speak with them by phone, they own that time and have my undivided attention. When they get a fax, letter, request, material for review, etc. into the office by a Wednesday, they know it moves to me on Thursday and has 90% likelihood of going back to Vicky at my office the following Tuesday, to then be moved to them by fax, FedEx, mail, or a phone call from her. There is a rhythm to working with me. As I was writing this, I had Vicky tally last year%u2019s back %u2018n%u2019 forth: I sent 114 FedEx packages of work to her for her to handle%u201452 of the regular weeklies plus 62 extras. She sent 71 to me%u201452 of the regular weeklies plus 19 extras. I know you instantly think any such organization and discipline isn%u2019t in the cards for you, with your customers or clients, but your business life is not a card game and you do not need to play the hand you are dealt. In my neighborhood, there is a thriving, independently owned bakery run by a woman I think of as the sister of Seinfeld%u2019s Soup Nazi. She has %u201chow to behave%u201d signs all over the store. My favorite is: %u201cI ONLY HAVE SO MUCH TIME IN A DAY. IF WE ARE BAKING A CUSTOM CAKE FOR YOU AND GET AN UNDUE NUMBER OF EMAILS OR CALLS ABOUT IT, YOU WILL BE CHARGED A CONSULTING FEE.%u201d Amen and Hallelujah! My first jaw-dropping lesson in real time management came when I first met Dan Kennedy. I was at a conference and had asked for a meeting 
                                
   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44