Many people fail in their business pursuits because they're afraid to utter four little words: I need your help. I've seen million-dollar executives stay unemployed because they're afraid to reach out to their friends and business acquaintances. It's silly. Others will gladly help us, if only we ask.
One way to ask for help is simply to say, "Here's what I'm trying to do . . . have you got any thoughts or ideas?" This letter, written nine years into my consulting practice, clearly says, "I need your help.
March 10
Ms. Annmarie Califano
INXINX Consulting
2400 S. Colorado Boulevard
Denver, CO 80222-5233
Dear Annmarie:
Although I haven't seen you recently—I know we're both busy—I think of you often as a friend and colleague in consulting.
A lot has happened since we last talked, and I want to keep you up to date. As you may remember, I left ULTD Partners in December 19— to establish CareerLab, a human resources consulting firm specializing in executive career development and outplacement (helping people leaving a company to find new jobs).
That was a good decision, and last year was a great year. CareerLab expanded into permanent quarters at 7700 East Arapahoe Road, and companies like . . .
- AT&T
- BATTELLE
- Coors
- First Interstate Services
- Glasrock Home Health Care
- Honeywell
- Kaiser Permanente
- Millers Mutual Insurance
- Schlumberger
- Bank Western, and
- WestAmerica Mortgage . . .
hired me to provide pre-termination counseling, one-on-one executive counseling, outplacement workshops, spouse counseling, early-retirement programs, and management teambuilding.
I continued working with individual clients too, helping them with:
- Promotions
- Pay raises
- Career changes
- Small business startup and marketing
- Corporate politics, and
- Other important issues.
Some of my work is outside Colorado. I have traveled to 15 states, and much of my work is by long distance telephone.
I now charge $X-$Y per hour, but I bill in tenths of an hour. Keeping conversations short keeps the cost quite reasonable.
In order to continue to grow, I need your help. If you know companies that are reorganizing, merging, being sold, going out of business, or laying off, please call me. I can be a great deal of help to them. Or if you know individuals frustrated in their careers, I can help them too.
Any ideas or suggestions you could give me would be very much appreciated. In any case, I hope you'll call or write to let me know how you're getting along. I'd really love to hear.
Best wishes,
William S. Frank