who assesses...the assessors?

lady firewall and your friendly neighborhood happyfunboy were kicking over a couple things tonight via im.

commiserating on common frustrations, talking about stuff coming up, sharing ideas, etc.

that's community, baby!

now she and yours truly, last week, had kicked around some talk about the initiative mothership has running concerning the small business technology assessment toolkit.

that's right...you know the one.

the toolkit was supposed to be sent out on disc, to all small business specialists. it's also available for download.

and ms is right now running a webcast series...attendance at which qualifies you to potentially receive leads upon whom you would be required to use the assessment tool...gratis.

but that got me thinking...why wait?

think up a catchy name for such an assessment, and send out a postcard mailer, or something else.

make your own opps & leads, and tie them to your business, not the mothership.

not only that...but it also got me thinking...

show of hands...who out there has run this toolkit on themselves?

oh c'mon...that should be an automatic one, people.

now...it does take a fair amount of discipline to be open and honest with yourself about your business, since...in most cases out there, sbsers themselves are their business.

and no one really enjoys taking a long hard look at their own failings and weaknesses.

so let me suggest this...

why don't we all pick somebody...with whom we don't compete...and run the toolkit on each other?

talk about a mountain of potential benefits...but at a minimum

• deep knowledge about the toolkit
• an instant second opinion about the toolkit to boot
• knowing the process fully from both sides of the table
• practicing your delivery before you get in front of a lead/prospect
  

thinking how much more effective all that will make you at using the kit with prospects almost boggles the mind.

but, prolly most of all...

• a natural "incubator" for new ideas

seriously...folks

i can't believe that i...mr. knucklehead-o-rama...am the one to have to be saying this...

but mastermind is utterly and completely right.

we need to communicate more!

i mean...this is really a no-fracking-brainer here...

there is no community whatsoever without communication.

and...quite frankly...there is no communication when either one side or the other has nothing to say.

so let's get something fracking meaningful going in terms of discourse already.

in the immortal words of mr. t...

got no time for the jibba-jabba!