You May Be A Finder, Binder, Minder, Or Grinder – But Are You A Writer?

In Financial Planning Magazine, Stephanie Bogan talks to financial planners who are thinking ahead towards retirement and trying to recruit younger planners who can be trained to take over their practices.  Bogan explains that, in any business, there are four distinct roles that must be filled in order for the business to succeed.  It’s very rare, she points out, to find any one person who is comfortable and skilled in all four of the following roles:

Finders develop new business – they’re the rainmakers.
Binders have the presentation skills to consummate the relationship with the new client.
Minders are relationship managers, and they provide client service.
Grinders provide the office and administrative services that free up the professional’s time.
The point of the article is that these roles require different strengths, and not every recruit is going to be strong in all the areas.  Of Minders and Grinders, for example, Bogan remarks bluntly: “You can try to force them to become rainmakers, but it’ll be a bit like trying to teach a pig French – it won’t work and it will frustrate the pig.”

As a professional ghost blogger working with business owners, I can appreciate the truth in Bogan’s insights.  Most entrepreneurs are aware that blogging is fast becoming an indispensable part of any business tool kit. The only problem is that their efforts are devoted to being Finders and Binders (in fact, out of necessity some need to be the Minders and Grinders as well!), with no time left to compose blogs.  Since so many professionals and business owners lack the time and inclination (and sometimes, as my clients readily admit, the talent) to write, that’s where a ghost blogger enters the picture – rather, behind the picture!