As a member of various networking organizations like BNI and Rainmakers, I make an effort to create referrals for people in my trusted networks. One of my favorite ways to create connections is through an email introduction.

So much of the time, I see attempts at referrals take the form of someone saying "call so-and-so... I told them about you" or "I told so-and-so to call you" or perhaps your referral source just throws a phone number at you (which is really just a lead).

While the phone has its place and is certainly a great communication tool, it also has some disadvantages. If you start off a connection with a phone call, you are in danger of getting sucked into playing phone tag since we are all busy and more often than not we get voice mail. Also, calling someone out of the blue can catch them off guard and might not be as well-timed as you would like. Finally, while not really a cold call, it does have a certain element of chilliness in that a phone call does not give you a chance to prep the referral with any background information about you. You are forced to start off with a verbal introduction which limits the depth to which you can teach the referral about your company or what you do.

For this reason, I prefer an email introduction. If you are the one making the referral, a good email introduction starts off with you (the connector who is making the referral) sending an email to the referral (the person that you are connecting your referral partner to - we'll call him "Bob"). The email should explain that an introduction is being made, should also contain an endorsement or testimonial for your referral partner (we'll call her "Mary") that highlights something unique about her services (for example "Mary specializes in providing marketing services for chiropractors that typically increase incoming patient volume by 70%"), and a call to action encouraging communication ("I would encourage you to give Mary a call to see if there are any opportunities for her to help you"). You then include Mary's contact information in the email (phone, email, website, etc.). One final but important point is that you should CC Mary on the email.

Following that, Mary has the responsibilty to click "Reply to all" in her email program and create a followup message that includes you and Bob. This way, you are able to easily see that Mary followed up and can rest assured that the handoff has been made. Mary should thank you for making the referral, should thank Bob for his willingness to connect with her, and should request further communication. Mary should use this opportunity to send Bob a link to her web site and perhaps explain a bit more about her service. She should then attempt to set up a phone call or a meeting with Bob based on a few times that she provides. This way, Bob can plan for the meeting and both parties can be prepared. At this point, it is an extremely warm referral that has given all parties involved lots of background information and has set the stage for a comfortable conversation via phone or meeting.

It may seem like more work, but it's a much better way that simply calling out of the blue. Next time you want to facilitate a warm referral for someone in your network, try an email introduction. It may lead to a more successful connection.

• The Chiropractic & Wellness Center is honored to be a guest speaker at the 2009 Endurance Symposium hosted by the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis.

• You can not have good performance without the proper support.  That is what we offer to all of our patients and that is why we were asked to speak at this event. 

• The goal of the YMCA Endurance Symposium is to educate people of all fitness levels and backgrounds about various topics that will help them increase their fitness level, their knowledge about endurance training and their overall health.

• The doctors at Chiropractic & Wellness Center have been asked to speak at two of the break out sessions. The following is a blurb of what we will be speaking on.

Nutrition overhaul for the athlete

Presenters: Dr. Heidi Kline and Dr. Mary Jo Johnson

• This presentation teaches about the most effective way of keeping balance in your body nutritionally. We will introduce a topic of enzyme nutrition which, if implemented will have a major impact on your bodies ability to recover and perform. This session will include how diet digestion and nutrient balance can be accomplished.

When: February 28, 2009

Where: Second Presbyterian Church
7700 N. Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46260

Unless you have not seen a single piece of news in the past few months, you are probably aware that these are uncertain economic times. Though we all hope for a fast recovery and stronger economic times soon, it also pays to be pro-active and look for ways to become more efficient and re-evaluate how we are investing money into our businesses. Here are some ways to reduce costs while actually improving sales, service, and flexibility in your business.

Replace Your Office Software with Google Apps. Most businesses use Microsoft Office on PCs to allow employees to create documents and spreadsheets. However, did you know that Google also offers an office suite that happens to be free? Additionally, utilizing Google's office suite (which includes Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations) allows your entire office to collaborate on documents and track changes in real time. This can reduce your expense for purchasing and upgrading office software to $0.

Replace Expensive Office Phone Systems with Cell Phones. Most businesses have a traditional phone system that consists of big, clunky phones that sit on desks. At the same time, many companies also provide cell phones for key employees. Why pay for both? Ditch the desk phones and go to a sleek, efficient, mobile-only system. Inbound calls can be handled by an auto-attendant such as Onebox, or by a live reception service like The Intelligent Office (be sure to ask for Matt!). These services will route inbound calls directly to the appropriate mobile phone and present a seamless experience to the caller. Not only can this reduce your costs, but it also facilitates better customer service since employees are no longer tied to a desk.

Re-invest your Yellow Pages Budget Into Online Search Marketing. Many businesses are beginning to understand that the Yellow Pages is a dying advertising medium and is producing fewer and fewers qualified leads as time goes on. At the same time, the online search market is booming (ever heard of Google?). Reduce your Yellow Pages budget down to $0 and re-invest that money into Search Marketing and I can almost guarantee that you will get a dramatically better return on investment. Search marketing reaches more people and allows you to generate targeted leads, unlike the Yellow Pages which has a higher percentage of people who are just price-shopping. Before you start your search marketing campaigns, be sure that your web site is current and professionally-designed.

Network, Network, Network!. As customers become more and more cautious, trust becomes even more important. Referral marketing and networking is a great way to build a network of trust that can lead to strong business relationships. Consider investing in memberships like BNI, Rainmakers, and other groups that are designed to facilitate referrals. While these groups include an initial investment in the form of membership fees, the rewards typically far outweigh the cost when done with full commitment and participation.

Reduce Travel and Communication Costs Through Videoconferencing and Web Meetings. With gas prices and travel expenses still high, it pays to consider holding meetings via Skype or other videoconferencing services. Skype is free and allows two people to talk and see each other from their computers over the Internet. Need to meet with a group and share visual aids? Hold meetings via GoToMeeting or DimDim (which is free). Both services even include a VoIP option which means no phone cost.

There are many ways to save money and keep sales strong in an uncertain economy. Interested in learning more about any of these ideas? Have some ideas of your own? Please comment.

Networking within our chapters is a great way to exchange new business and develop new relationships. However, it's also a good idea to expand our networking sphere beyond our chapter. The new ConnectBNI site started by Hazel Walker and designed by SpinWeb, is a great online resource for supplemental networking. Here are some ways this site can be used for networking.

Meet other referral partners from other locations. In a recent conversation with Hazel, I learned of a situation where a BNI member in the Southern part of Indiana met another BNI member in the Northern part of the state and ended up doing business together. Now that's helping BNI members overcome geography!

Build your online profile and reputation. Many sites like Facebook and LinkedIn allow individuals to build up credibility online by answering questions, posting valuable information, and keeping an up-to-date profile that keeps others informed. ConnectBNI allows BNI members to do the same thing but within the sphere of the BNI community, where reputation is of the utmost importance.

Create an information hub for your chapter. The ConnectBNI site is a social networking site, which means it is designed to promote communication! Your chapter members can carry on discussions, post content, and share information online through the site. Think of it as an after-hours BNI event that runs 24/7!

These are some great ways to use ConnectBNI to supplement your networking. To get started, visit ConnectBNI.com and create a profile. All you need is an email address. Happy online networking!

Many times in BNI, we are guilty of going through the whole week without thinking of our network and then coming into a BNI meeting without any referrals. This can lead to "on the spot" referrals which are not very strong and sometimes lack follow-through because we have not done the groundwork beforehand. So how do we prepare during the week for referrals? Here are some tips.

Refer while closing business. When you're finalizing a sale or finishing a project for one of your clients, it's a great time to inquire about other services your client may need. Questions like "are your accounting needs being met?", "who takes care of your web site?",  or "your employees are hard workers... do you ever gift them gift cards for a massage to help them relax?" are all great lead-in questions that can open up opportunities for referrals.

Invite your clients and your BNI referral partners to the same workshop. If you provide workshops or other events, invite a mixture of current clients and BNI members to the event or workshop. This allows you to make in-person introductions and facilitate a conversation between parties.

Utilize Google Alerts. Google Alerts allow you to set up certain keywords, such as company names of your clients, and then receive email alerts whenever those keywords are mentioned in news stories and blog posts. When you receive a news story about your client, you can use the information to follow up with potential referrals. For example, if your Google Alert sends you a note telling you that one of your clients has posted a new job opening, you can use that opportunity to do an email introduction between your client and the recruiter in your chapter.

Give gifts to your clients in the form of products and services from members of your chapter. Many of us gift thank you gifts for new clients that have signed on with us or existing clients that are providing us with significant business. A great way to say thank you to these clients would be to send a gift basket from your Mary Kay consultant. A massage gift card is also a great gift. You could also offer to cater lunch for their staff compliments of the caterer in your chapter. This not only is a nice gesture, but also gets that BNI member's name and brand in front of your client and opens the door for more business. You can also ask how they enjoyed your gift later and take advantage of the additional opportunity to talk up the BNI member.

Use your own work to cross-promote your BNI network. For example, if you are a design agency and you've designed brochures for the massage therapist in your chapter, use those brochures as examples of your work when meeting with prospective clients. Then, give the brochure to the prospect and say something like "by the way, you should give Cheryl a call... she is an outstanding massage therapist." As another example, if you sell promotional products, you should use branded examples from work you have done for your BNI members, which gives you a chance to talk up those members while showing off your own work.

By doing some thoughtful planning throughout the week, you will be better prepared to give strong referrals during your BNI meetings.

Power teams are a great way to do a "deep dive" into your referral partners in BNI. Power teams are made up of individual who have businesses that are closely aligned and can therefore achieve great success in referring business to each other. Here are three tips to a successful power team:

1. Have one person be the team leader. Power teams need structure, and it works very well to have one person "in charge". That person is responsible for scheduling meetings, keeping the meeting on track, and generally being the point person for the group.

2. Stick to an agenda. It's important to have structure and clear goals. A great way to run meetings is to have everyone bring their calendars and then go around the group and share appointments with the group. This way, the group can get a more specific view into each member's business activities to see what networking opportunities exist.

3. Keep meetings consistent. A good schedule is the hold power team meetings every two weeks on the same day at the same location. This gives your members a consistent routine to plan for and improves attendance.

Power teams are a great way to do a "deep dive" with your networking partners and really supercharge your networking.

Web content is different than content in a magazine or in other media. So much of the time I see web sites that are filled with pages and pages of dry, long-winded, boring content that is doing nothing to help connect with the site visitor. There are plenty of web sites that contain beautiful imagery and great design work but then fail to complete the package with good content. Here are some guidelines for writing good web site content.

Less is more. People reading a magazine have time to read articles and stories. They are sitting down with a paper publication and are expecting to invest 15 minutes into a reading session. On the web, attention spans are measured in seconds. For this reason, web content must get to the point very quickly and directly. When someone is visiting a web site, it's usually because that person is looking for a solution, getting a question answered, buying a product, or trying to achieve some other specific goal. This means that most people will have very little patience with web pages that ramble and take more than a few seconds to digest.

Use bullet points. Since web content needs to be action-oriented and get straight to the point, bullets points often help your readers scan and digest text very quickly.

Break paragraphs with a double line break and no indentation. In a book or paper publication, indented paragraphs are the norm. In web pages (and in emails, as well), paragraphs should not be indented and should be separated by a double line break. This improves readability.

Use polished grammar. While this seems obvious, I continue to see web sites riddled with grammar mistakes, typos, and broken sentences. Content on the web should be written with the same care that would go into a magazine article or a book. Polished, professionally-written web site content will dramatically boost the credibility of your organization.

Keep it constituent-focused. A constituent is a customer, a donor, a member, or some other type person with an interest in your organization. That person is taking the time to read the content on your web site. The content on your web site should connect with that person and show him or her the value gained from your solution, product, service, or mission. Some amount of self-promotion is acceptable but should not become the focus of your message. Instead, keep the majority of your content focused on the benefits to your constituents. Another great direction for your web site content is to tell stories about how your organization helped other customers solve a problem. Case studies like this take the focus off of self-promotion and place it onto your constituents. This gives your content higher perceived value, which builds trust.

Content is often the most neglected piece of a web site. Be sure to present a complete package to your site visitors with effective professional content. Crafting your message carefully can dramatically improve trust with your constituents which leads to greater success for your organization.

Meetings get a bad rap. To most, the word "meeting" conjures up unpleasant images of bored business people sitting around a conference table or on a conference call listening to material that doesn't interest them while wishing they were somewhere else. Why have meetings become so hated and so generally unproductive? Personally, I blame all parties involved. Both the meeting leaders and participants are responsible for creating engaging, productive meetings and there are many things that all parties can do to create better results.

Have an agenda and stick to it. For some reason, meetings tend to bring out everyone's desires to ramble about various personal topics in front of the audience in the room. This leads to straying off topic, tangents, and "rabbit holes" that go nowhere. This is usually caused by people not reading the agenda before the meeting, which causes them to show up unprepared and focus on things other than the topics at hand. Meeting leaders can help by sending out a clear agenda and keeping the meeting on topic by gently squelching stray conversations.

Start on time. This is one of the hardest things to do. People have a natural tendency to wander in on their own schedules and when multiple people are involved, this leads to a build-up up pre-meeting chatter which can be difficult to rein in. Furthermore, it is disrespectful of everyone's time when a meeting starts late. It was scheduled at a certain time and it should start at that time. Ending on time is also important.

Eliminate side chatter. When someone is speaking, do not start a side conversation with your neighbor. This may seem innocent and natural but it is extremely rude to the person speaking and slows the entire meeting down. When someone had the floor, look at that person, be engaged, listen, and don't interrupt. If everyone did this, meetings would start getting dramatically shorter.

Silence means consent. I loved this point which was explained in the article "Meetings suck, but they don't have to" (CNet). If you ask a question and no one responds, take it as consent and move on. Don't try to badger people into a response - this wastes time.

Don't beat dead horses. When an outcome is reached, move on. There is no need to re-hash decisions or points. Learn to recognize when a topic is resolved and avoid dragging it out.

Don't be afraid to table things. Learn to recognize when a discussion is going nowhere and table it. If you can see that no resolution will be reached during this meeting or that the group is missing information or substance needed to move forward, table the topic for a future meeting and move on.

Think in outcomes. Rather than thinking of a meeting as a big group discussion, think in terms of "what is the outcome of this discussion". Is there a problem to be solved? A decision to be made? An action to be defined? By keeping your eye on the goal in mind, you will remain focused on results, rather than on just talking.

These are a few guidelines for improving the quality of your meetings. It doesn't guarantee that all meetings wil be fun, but it can improve everyone's level of satisfaction and productivity.

At SpinWeb, we are always looking for ways to streamline our business practices, create more efficient systems, and implement smart customer service methods. We have noticed over the years that email and communications has always been a pain point for many organizations and so we would like to share a way that we've found to enjoy a more zen-like state of email and group communications. We use Google Apps.

Google Apps (short for "Google Applications") is a suite of applications from Google that includes email, calendaring, instant messaging, and shared documents. Google Apps allows organizations to implement a full groupware suite at no cost at all. There is no setup fee, no hardware to buy, and no ongoing fee. Though there is a corporate level which includes a nominal yearly fee, the basic services are all free. So what does Google Apps include?

Email. If you've ever used Gmail, you know how powerful and easy to use it is. By using Google Apps for your business, you get Gmail but branded with your organization's domain name. All of your employees or team members can have "yourname@yourcompany.com" email addresses and can access it via a Gmail web interface. You also have the option of using Outlook, Apple Mail, iPhones, Blackberries, or pretty much any other email program or device.

Spam/Virus Filtering. Email through Google Apps comes with outstanding spam and virus filtering. It is all handled seamlessly with no setup or configuration. We have found the accuracy of Google's filtering to be excellent.

Group Calendaring. Google Apps includes a robust group calendering feature which give you the ability to manage multiple calendars as well as see other team members' calendars for group scheduling. Calendars can be synced with Outlook, iCal, iPhone, Blackberries, or almost any other major calendaring program. Syncing can also be done "through the air". For example, if you add an event on your iPhone, it will instantly show up on your Google calendar and vice-versa.

Group Instant Messaging. Google Apps also comes with built-in IM via Google Talk. Your organization can utilize the built-in chat server to see when other team members are online and can keep in touch via instant messenger.

Group Document Management. One great feature of Google Apps is its free office suite. Using Google Docs, Google Spreadsheet, and Google Presentation, your organization can have a free set of office applications that are hosted "in the cloud". Additionally, your team can collaborate by editing a single document as a team and track changes online.

At SpinWeb, we manage Google Apps accounts for our clients as a courtesy. We have found that utilizing Google Apps has given us a powerful business communication system that rivals many of the "enterprise" systems in use today. Interested in implementing Google Apps in your organization? Contact SpinWeb to learn how.

There's been a lot of discussion lately about the best time to stretch. Ultimately, there's no right or wrong here. What works for you works for you.

The main point is to be sure to stretch.

Recent exercise physiology studies do show that static stretching (slow, easy stretching) actually reduces muscular power and strength in the short-term. So, for competitive, high-level athletes, static stretching is best done AFTER exercise.

For people in their thirties and beyond, many of whom have had back issues at some time, it may still be a very good idea to do static stretching before exercise. The primary value here is to prepare the muscles, ligaments, and joints of the lower back for work. Static stretching of the big muscles of the legs - the hamstrings, calves, and quads - reflexively loosens and elongates lower back muscles and supporting structures.

So, for many of us, doing our regular stretching routine first, followed by five or ten minutes of a dynamic warm-up, is still the best preparation for a safe, enjoyable, fulfilling workout.

Application: When I teach cycling classes at the YMCA we warm up for 10 min-->stretch for 3-4 min-->ride intensely for 40 min-->cool down and stretch again.  This is a great example of how to use the information above.

Stay Well Adjusted!,

Dr. Heidi Kline @ www.chirowellnessindy.com  

 ²Peeler J, Anderson JE: Effectiveness of static quadriceps stretching in individuals with patellofemoral joint pain. Clin J Sport Med 17(4):234-241, 2007.
³Behm DG, et al: Effect of acute static stretching on force, balance, reaction time, and movement time. Med Sci Sports Exercise (36(8):1397-1402, 2004.

I recently read an article on TechCrunch titled "Think Before You Voicemail" which basically contributed to the recent bandwagon chatter of "voicemail is dead!" and so forth. Though I agree that there are sometimes better ways to communicate certain types of information, I disagree that voicemail is ineffective, dead technology. Rather, I feel that many people simply don't use voicemail effectively. Here are some tips for getting greater benefit from voice mail.

As the sender:

Speak clearly and leave your callback number (with area code) at the beginning and end of the voicemail. This may seem obvious, but so many times I get voicemails from people who speak almost inaudibly, rush through the phone number, and only leave it once in the middle of the message so I have to replay it over and over. Usability applies not only to web sites and software, but to other kinds of information input, as well. The easier your message is to deal with, the more likely it is that the recipient will act on it.

Make your message compelling. If you are leaving a voice mail for a potential client and you leave a message that says you are just "following up" and would like a call back, what reason does the recipient possibly have to call you back? Instead, try leaving a message for your prospective client explaining that you discovered a way to save him $500 a year by using your solution and you would like to run the details by him. Perhaps you saw an article in a recent publication about his company and you have some questions about it. Perhaps you would like to invite him to be a guest on your next podcast episode. Make it interesting. Voicemails that are just "following up" will get deleted.

Give the recipient options and be specific and actionable. Some people don't like to return calls but they will email. If you feel that an email could work as a response, leave your email address in the voicemail and encourage the recipient to use it. If you want a call back, leave some good times to reach you. If you don't need a call back but you would like a specific outcome, say that in the voicemail. The voicemails I hate the most are the ones that simply say "call me back." That tells me absolutely nothing about the call and gives me not way to decide how to process it. Be clear and specific and make it easy for the recipient to digest, process, and act on your message.

As the recipient:

Batch process your voicemails. Don't try to haphazardly write notes from your voicemails every time you get one. Wait until you have the tools or materials necessary to capture the information from the voicemails into your personal productivity system. If you have 5 voicemails to deal with, give yourself 15 minutes after lunch to listen to them all at once and decide what the next actions are. Return any calls or perform any actions that will take 2 minutes or less, place the rest on your todo list, and delete the voicemails. Basically, follow Inbox Zero but apply it to voicemail.

Move beyond phone tag. If you get one of those voicemails that says "call me back" and then you get the caller's voicemail when you call back, leave a message requesting specific information. When this happens to me, I leave a message such as "Hi, Bob... it's Michael Reynolds at SpinWeb returning your call. My number is 866.SPINWEB x1200. I received your message but there was no information in it about your call. If you get my voicemail when you call back, please leave a detailed message that specifically outlines what I can do to help you. You can reach me at 866.SPINWEB x1200, or by email at michael@spinweb.net. Thanks!" This helps move the conversation forward and keeps both parties from wasting time.

Clean out your voicemails after processing them. This also may seem obvious but I've met so many people who have hundreds of voicemails in their inboxes that they never delete and then they end up losing track of which onces they've responded to. Get voicemails out of your inbox and into your personal productivity system - then delete them. If nothing else, this keep your voicemail box from getting full. Imagine how embarrassing it would be for a client call you and be unable to leave a message because your voicemail was full. How unprofessional!

By being mindful, careful, and systematic about how we use voicemail, we can increase the usability and effectiveness of our messages, turning it into a powerful tool for sales, networking, and productivity.

Having an email newsletter is one of the most powerful and cost-effective ways to communicate with your constituents in a positive way. However, I've noticed that many organizations are not taking full advantage of this medium. There are many subtle guidelines that are important to follow when publishing an email newsletter. Here are a few tips to help maximize the effectiveness of your newsletters.

1. Utilize a professional design. It amazes me how many times I receive an email newsletter that contains broken images, low-quality photos, and incorrectly formatted content. Most people get at least some spam and you want to make sure that your newsletter does not look like all the poorly-formatted spam that gets sent today. Make sure you are using a professionally-design email template that matches the branding of your company.

2. Keep the content subscriber-focused. Most organizations make the mistake of filling their email newsletters with "look at us!" promotions and "latest specials". News flash: your subscribers want value from the newsletter. They do not want more marketing. A great way to structure your newsletter is to make the main article a useful piece of information that educates your subscribers, offers them useful information, and gives them something they can take away and use. Marketing messages will get ignored and lead to unsubscribes while useful content will get saved and read. There is nothing wrong with promoting your business in the sidebar areas but keep the main content useful to your subscribers.

3. Stick to an appropriate schedule. Another common mistake is to send out your newsletter whenever you feel like it or whenever you have something new to announce. Big mistake! The more sporadic your newsletter is, the more it will feel like spam. Pick a schedule and stick to it. We've found that every 2 weeks is a very good standard to follow. Once a week is often enough to be annoying but once a month is infreqent enough to be forgotten. Every two weeks is a great balance and gives your subscribers a routine to get used to. We also recommend sending on a Friday morning.

4. Give your subscribers an easy escape via one-click unsubscribe. Any unsubscribe process that takes more than a single click is absolutely unacceptable. I am always amazed at newsletters, even from large companies, that require me to "update my subscription preferences" in order to unsubscribe, or ask me to send them an email with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line. This is burdensome and rude. Your subscribers may have very valid reasons for wanting to leave. It's their choice... let them unsubscribe easily. It's also important that your unsubscribe process is automatic and instant. Additionally, if your unsubscribe process is too difficult, your subscribers are more likely to simply flag your message as spam, which can lead to you getting blacklisted on the Internet. Very bad!

5. Keep your list clean and 100% opt-in. Adding subscribers to your list without their consent is very bad manners. It can also get you flagged as a spammer. Just because you exchanged business cards with someone at a networking event does not give you permission to add his/her email address to your list. Just because your local chamber of commerce gives you a spreadsheet of all the members' email addresses does not give you permission to dump that spreadsheet into your list. If you add subscribers to your list, make sure your have their consent. Offer an easy way to subscribe on your web site. If you meet someone in person, ask for his/her permission to subscribe that person. It's better to have a list of 500 people who want to hear from you than a list of 5,000 people who don't.

These small details can make a huge impact on the effectiveness of your email newsletter. By following proper newsletter ettequitte and establishing your organization as an expert in your field, you will be able to build and strengthen trust with your audience.

In today's educational moment in BNI, I highlighted the concept of decreasing the amount of clutter in your life and streamlining your energy. The quote I referenced is by Bruce Lee and it is:

"It's not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential. If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you'll never get it done."

This concept has many direct business applications. Are you going after a client base that is too broad? Maybe you should narrow your focus to more specific verticals. Are you trying to provide too many products or services? Maybe it's wiser to cut out the things you are not an expert in so you can focus on the things you are very good at. Do you find yourself doing too much paperwork and administrative work instead of networking ad selling your products and services? Maybe it's time to outsource the little stuff so you can get out and sell.

By cutting out the things in your business that are unprofitable and distracting, you will be able to focus more fully on your primary business goals and will likely have greater satisfaction in your work.