Well, the year is coming to a close and my focus is turning to 2008. Many of my objectives have been accomplished but there are still a few remaining. Next year, I intend to spend more time marketing my services to qualified prospects. I plan to continue working on my operational efficiency which is crucial to any business, but even more important to a solo practitioner.
The partnership I mentioned earlier this year is not going to materialize which I believe is probably for the best. All in all, it's been a pretty good year. Currently, I'm working on finalizing my marketing materials, systematizing my processes, and solidifying my offerings. Pricing my services is also an issue I'm continuing to evaluate. There are some things under development that I have to hold close to the vest until they're ready to release, but suffice it to say I'm excited about the future.
Last week, I attended an invitation-only networking meeting, sponsored by BNI. There were 30 members present and about 7-8 guests. Here's the interesting part. For a while now, I've wondered who in my local area did cost segregation analysis. I wasn't actively looking but did want to find someone I could turn to for this. The first person I met said he was a tax engineer. Perhaps you can guess what my response was. "What's a Tax Engineer?" I'm relatively sure he gets this question a lot. He gave me his card and there it was in plain English, "Cost Segregation Specialist." Now I have a contact for this. We talked for a few minutes, parted company and moved on to speak with others. At this same meeting, I met several other people who could help me in my business. There was an independent P&C agent and an independent health insurance agent. I'd like to offer a review of these but have no interest in doing it myself. They, like me, are interested in seeing how we can help each other. Ultimately, I'd like to have an ensemble office, with multiple professionals and adequate support staff to provide solutions to clients on a wide array of issues. Until then, I'll just keep working to bring in new clients and service my existing clients to the best of my abilities.
