Last week, you got two bursts of brilliance and breakthroughs in the same “Peak Your Profits” column. Yet, since I always think you, my reader, deserves more and desires more... This week you get a terrific triple — three strategies in one column!

But it starts with a double!

Double it!

The “Rule of 72” is a pretty cool financial tool. Here’s how it works: Let’s say you invest $1,000 today at 6 percent interest.

For that investment to double to $2,000, it would take 12 years. (6 x 12 = 72.) If you’re earning 9 percent, it would take you only eight years to double your investment.

While the “Rule” is obviously a valuable assessment tool to calculate financial success, it also has direct applicability to the growth of you and your business.

Imagine growing your “book of business” conservatively, at 12 percent this year. And then at 12 percent for the next five years. By then, your business will have doubled! However, if you grow at approximately 24 percent annually, that means your “doubling” will happen in only three years.

Wow! Now that’s something to think about.

More important, how can you make it happen? How will you deliver greater value to your customers? How will you positively leverage relationships, referrals and sources of influence? How will you raise your level of service? Externally? Internally?

How will today, mark a new beginning for the growth and success of you and your company?

Web winners

Here’s some great online marketing advice from friend and Web strategy expert, Philippa Gamse:

Ask yourself, if your online image is:

— Consistent with your offline branding, in terms of look, colors and logos, conveying a unified image with your “hardcopy” marketing pieces such as brochures, flyers, and ads.

— Conversational in tone and easy to understand, easy to navigate versus cluttered with content and an abundance of links.

If you’re going to create an online media center, consider including:

Your mission statement, annual report, previous interviews, downloadable, print-quality photographs, contact details including e-mail addresses and phone numbers for all spokespeople, searchable archive of recent press releases, listings of recent media appearances including TV, radio and print, and sample interview questions to help reporters formulate their stories.

Think about the emotional appeal of your site. Does it:

Use words your visitors use, address situations and issues they face, reveal solutions, success stories and case studies with quantifiable results?

For more of Philippa’s Web wisdom, take a peek at www.cyberspeaker.com.

A coat worth wearing

Several years ago, when my son Chad was a high school freshman, he had an interesting assignment — to create a family coat of arms, similar to the ones designed in medieval Europe.

To stir Chad’s creative juices, the instructions prompted him and his classmates with some dynamite questions, which also have direct applicability to you.

For example:

What am I doing with my life?

How am I in control of the direction of my life?

Is my life making a difference?

What is my best characteristic?

What do I regard as the most important thing in the world?

What is a personal motto or saying I live by?

What is my greatest personal achievement?

What will become my next great achievement?

What is something about which I would never budge?

What is something I’m striving to become or be?

These are really fun and revealing questions to ask yourself, team, leaders, potential new hires, friends and family.

Look forward to seeing your coat of arms!

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Jeff Blackman is a speaker, author, success coach, broadcaster and lawyer who lives part-time on Marco Island. His clients call him a “business-growth specialist.” Send an e-mail to jeff@jeffblackman.com or go to www.jeffblackman.com to subscribe to his free e-letter.

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