I'm just completing my third book, "52 Internet Marketing Secrets for Small Business" and I'm really glad I had to go "THROUGH THE PROCESS" of writing it.

Putting things in writing is a valuable exercise for any business person. I'm not talking about goal setting here. I'm referring to your ability to organize your thoughts around a topic in a way that lets someone else read it and know exactly what your message is. That message might be about you personally, or what you believe and value. It might be a business idea, for example how you're going to provide a service and value to your customers.

The value of writing things down is in the process of clarifying what you stand for, what you believe and more importantly what you will ACT on. While we all scribble notes, collect emails, bookmark web sites, write to-do list and continually tell ourselves that we should DO things differently, KNOWING and DOING are often poles apart.

Writing "52 Secrets" reminded me that it's our ability to communicate an idea "on paper" that often makes our ideas clear enough to act on. Did the book turn out the way I had originally intended? No, not even close. Magic happens when you're forced to write things down in a way that someone else will understand.

When I went through the process of writing the book what made perfect sense mentally was unclear on paper. What was assumed was no longer certain and what was simple became complex.

While I was writing 52 Secrets, it became pretty clear that I hadn't been taking my own advice. I couldn't remember the last time I had actually written down what my business stood for. I couldn't write my own USP (Unique Selling Proposition) so that the message made sense to me. How could it possibly be communicated to someone else?

What part of your business isn't written down? You may know it - but are you doing it?

• Do you have a documented Sales Process?
• Do you have a documented Marketing Process?
• Do you have a documented Personal Development Process?
• Do you have a documented Product Process?
• Do you have a documented Web Site Process?

Your business success lies with your ability to "Write - Re-visit - Clarify" what you are about. Take the time now before it's too late.

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