I’m looking for ideas from fans. Instead of me always writing about what I want to, how about I write about topics near and dear to your hearts. Within reason of course.

Below is a quick form that can be submitted instantly. No strings attached and no identification needed. If you’d like to email me you’re always welcome to do that as well.

Chances are you’ve arrived here from the plug in my weekly newsletter. If you’ve just stumbled on this post from a Google search which happens many times per day then I’d love to hear from you as well.

I have blogged about one of my favorite characters in TV/literature on my personal blog at bryceraley.com. Over the next few weeks I’m pointing out some of the effective habits of the famous sleuth Hercule Poirot. If you have never seen Poirot or read anything from Agatha Christie you may want to read my past post here.

As I was watching an episode this week (I have the entire A&E series on DVD), I noticed how Hercule Poirot was a masterful delegator. Whether he is dictating a letter to Mrs. Lemon (his secretary) or sending Captain Hastings on a fact finding mission, Poirot exhibits the following traits.

1. First he is precise. He gets on topic fast.
2. Second he is direct. He doesn’t add extraneous details.
3. Third he is decisive. He makes his mind up and then communicates with confidence.
4. Fourth he clarifies. He makes sure the task is understood. He listens to input but is the ultimate decider.
5. He does all this politely. He says thanks and earns the respect of his assistants.

I haven’t mastered delegation yet. I haven’t even delegated much to this point, but I know that I have to start learning this artform.

Hopefully, the famous Belgian detectives M.O. can help you delegate your work more effectively. We all need to spend time as efficiently and effectively as possible in this time-strapped day and age.

This is not a new revelation to anyone in the digital world. I am going to link to a video which explains how Google Reader increases the efficiency and organization of online reading. Most small business owners I meet are not using this time saving method of keeping up with their favorite blogs.

Instead of the old way (going out to each website, news site or blog site to see what they’re up to) you can read your online news the new way using feeds. RSS feeds are changing the way we get info.

Check out this video from Common Craft.

1. Start a blog- I have used google eblogger but I like Word Press better. Don’t know how to get going- call me- it’s a service I offer.
2. Start reading and commenting on a select few blogs that you really like. This will get your name or business name circulating on the Google organic search results.
3. Start an email newsletter. There are plenty of good programs and if you preplanned your content it is something you can keep up with. Pick a frequency- I suggest weekly but monthly would be OK as well.
4. Create a Facebook page. I have one but it’s not at all customized or tweaked. Remember this is a process and Rome wasn’t built in a day.
5. Get a Twitter account (it’s free just like Facebook) and start telling the world- What you’re doing? You’ll be surprised how many people will begin to follow you or your business based on the content of your tweets. Tweets are the short two line entries you make when you answer the question- What are you doing?
6. Post reguraly on Twitter and on your blog. Make it a habit at certain times of the day or the week.
7. Set up a profile on LinkedIn. It’s a site for professional business networking. Every little bit helps.
8. Use Youtube, Vimeo and Flickr to host your videos and pictures that you’d like to share- in an effort to promote your business of course.
9. Try as hard as possibly to do all these things consistently without sacraficing time or attention from the things that really bring in the cash flow.