“The Planning Process" (part 1) By Joseph Lukacs (from Chapter One of his new book, Practice Power - 12 Steps to Take your Business to the Next Level)   The process you are going to use to create your plan is designed to serve you throughout the year and throughout your business life. You begin this process by starting no less than 30 days from a deadline you establish. This event can take place at any time of the year. If your goal is to complete the plan by December 15, begin working on it the first part of November. Or, if you designate March 1 as your finish line, get it started the first week of February. Giving yourself four weeks to work on it means you won’t have to rush to get the job done and the quality of your final product, your business plan, will be greatly enhanced.   Once you have your deadline established, begin by creating a folder containing last year’s plan (or your notes or outline from last year if you don’t have a complete plan), along with a notebook or pad to use throughout the month ahead. Take this folder with you wherever you go. Have it in your briefcase, take it to your office, take it home, take it in the car, wherever you are going.   Using the folder and its contents, begin a thorough review of last year’s business plan or notes. Examine all of your goals, your marketing ideas and business strategies, noting what worked and what didn’t. Keep the winners. Drop the losers or, at least, revisit how your strategy for them can be implemented with a fresh perspective for the coming year.   You can have the greatest goals in the world, but if your strategy for achieving them is fl awed, your results will be no better. In order to turn last year’s negatives into the coming year’s positives you have to be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty.   NOTE: Typically, at this point, many advisors simply decide the process doesn’t work and the goal is booted out the door. The truth is, they haven’t attacked the problem in every way possible. This can be the real difference between success and failure.   The next part of your 30-day process involves spending a few minutes every day writing and reviewing goals on the pad of pa- per inside your folder. Write down everything you want to accomplish in the coming year because, later on, you will be using what you’ve written in a workshop-type exercise.   Most advisors do what I call “on-the-fly” goal setting. They come up with something in five minutes and that’s the end of it. I want you to take a different approach.   Begin by picking a number for the dollar revenue amount you want to do next year. Write it down. This represents one of the first goals most advisors include in their business plans. A few days later take another look at the amount you’ve come up with. At the end of 21 days, if the amount is still there, and you haven’t felt the need to change it, then chances are it’s probably a pretty good number that you are comfortable with.   THE REASON FOR THIS EXERCISE: When you write down enthusiastic goals it’s because you’re feeling a certain way that day. Maybe the next day your feelings have changed and it becomes apparent that what you wrote down the day before doesn’t really match your potential, or it needs more work. Whatever the case, keep revisiting what you write down until it begins to age like a fine wine and you’re satisfied with it. Get comfortable with what’s on your list and your business plan will reap the rewards. _________________________________________________________________________ Author's note: Joseph J. Lukacs, Business Coach, is the founder of International Performance Group LLC., a professional business coaching company delivering customized coaching and training, by telephone, to financial and insurance professionals. International Performance Group LLC. is based in Melbourne, Florida. Joseph can be reached at 321-255-2889, by e-mail to JJL@jpginc.net, or visit our Web site: http://www.jpginc.net   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Since our inception we have helped over 400 financial consultants make the move to independence. "I cannot express to you the joy and the increase in quality of life that I have found since leaving the wirehouse world." Shane Merritt, Branch Manager Merritt Capital Management      Tired of Searching for the Right Independent Broker-Dealer? Would you like to find your next Broker-Dealer the EASY way? Would you like access to an informed executive who can narrow your options, preserve the confidentiality of your search and save you time and hassle? With over 10 years experience placing reps with independent broker dealers, we are able to offer many unique opportunities and there is no cost to you. For example:    *Companies with deferred compensation or profit sharing    *Producer groups that provide marketing programs    *Independent Broker-dealers that offer Transition funding    *Independent Broker-dealers with 100 percent payout on VA and VUL    *Independent Broker-dealers with 95 percent pay out on investment advisory services    *Firms with proprietary research in Mutual funds, asset allocation and stocks    *Firms offering Equity participation via options or common and preferred stock    *Broker-dealers that can accommodate compliance issues    *Firms specializing in stocks and bonds    *Independent Broker–dealers that are successful with large producer groups    *A firm with 11 years experience in hedge funds that will create your own fund of funds    *Firms who are friendly to custodying assets at Schwab, Fidelity, TD Waterhouse & Fiserv    *Firms with lower ticket charges and monthly fees    *Firms with Syndicate offerings, IPOs, and market making **For a FREE "Guide to Moving Your Book", please visit: www.goingindependent.net. This Month's Registered Representative Opportunity: At this B/D, their dynamic teamwork environment offers you all the advantages of independence plus the support of a regional team, making it easier for you to succeed. For more than 20 years, this B/D has perfected the art of building high performance teams through our unique regional team structure. They bring experience and knowledge that aims to build your business and help you achieve better results. You can rely on the local service offered through our extraordinary teams to guide and support you; the national attention of the B/D to help your business thrive; and the global strength and resources of the parent firm as a foundation for continued growth. This dynamic - and wholly unique - combination will contribute to your success. That is why we believe: Teamwork makes it easier to succeed. Through the support of their regional offices, you get local access to professional development programs, peer meetings, marketing support, and personalized assistance. You can also depend on national and global resources, tools, and programs for your business needs. They give you direct access to unbiased Product Research, multiple Advisory Service options, and individualized Advanced Markets case consulting. To help you do business even easier, they provide a proprietary one-stop, full service workstation that integrates tools, data, and information, saving you time and money. You also have access to proprietary services, such as pioneering banking products and professional trust services. Choose from a vast selection of products in a product neutral environment. There are no mandates or sales quotas. You choose what's best for your clients. It's all about teamwork and providing you with the support that allows you to spend more time building relationships with your clients. More than two decades since they formed, this B/D has grown into one of the nation's largest independently managed broker-dealers - over 3,000 financial professionals strong. Their exclusive model combines the best of local, national, and global expertise that only comes from teamwork. If you know someone who might be interested in the above opportunity or who might be ready to go Independent, please have them contact Jason Burke directly at 727-725-8876.

Here's some additional information from Turning Point, Inc..

TURNING POINT PLACEMENT!
Congratulations to Mike G. for joining Raymond James Financial Services.  We wish you continued success with your new affiliation!

Turning Point recently hosted a Tele-Seminar Event  - "Lead Generation Made Easy" presented by Kevin Poland, CEO of The Renaissance Group.  In case you missed this Free seminar, it is now available for download on our website by clicking here.

FREE BENCH-MARKING TOOLS:
Are you interested in comparing your practice to others in your sector of the industry?  At TURNING POINT, INC., we have a strategic alliance with a well-respected firm in the consulting industry, Tiburon Strategic Advisors.  Through them we are able to offer the following FREE industry reports:

www.BrokerBestPractices.com
www.BankBrokerBestPractices.com
www.IndependentRepBestPractices.com
www.FABestPractices.com (Financial Advisors)
www.InsuranceAgentBestPractices.com

By clicking on any of these links, you will be taken to a webpage where you can Preview these reports, take a short survey, and then print the entire report when you're done. It's that easy.

TURNING POINT PARTNERS:
Are you getting the most out of your business?  Are you operating at peak efficiency?  How about your marketing, your compliance,  or your HR?  We have some friends who can help you out.  Just visit our Partners section in our website for links to a variety of services that are helpful to building your business!

Quote of the Day:

"Nature magically suits a man to his fortunes, by making them the fruit of his character."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)