Reinventing Professional Services: Building Your Business in the Digital Marketplace

Ari Kaplan has essentially cracked the code on professionals succeeding in today's online world. His latest guide, Reinventing Professional Services: Building Your Business in the Digital Marketplace, contains the roadmap to grow your business and thrive in today's fast-paced and dynamic digital environment. Ari breaks down every aspect of operating a business on the web, combining vital 21st-century business and marketing theory with "hustler"-like strategies to improve client relations and make businesses more searchable in the digital marketplace. From how to be savvy with social media, to tips for students to effectively network, Ari Kaplan thoroughly and eloquently lays out the steps to online success. Many professionals, especially older ones, may feel intimidated by social media, a mentality which is inevitably detrimental to business as this world is increasingly more dependant on social media and marketing. Ari teaches professionals how to effectively and authentically connect with their audiences and create long-standing relationships through sincere communication. Ari sprinkles personal anecdotes throughout the book, rendering it not only an informative read, but also an extremely engaging one. Through scores of interviews with impressive leaders from a variety of fields, Ari provides the reader with countless examples of how professionals can use digital tools available at their disposal to not only increase their online presence, but also their overall marketability. Reinventing Professional Services is a must-read for any professional serious about standing out in today's ever-changing technological world.

A well-respected education, industry experience, and a book of contacts are no longer enough for a professional service provider to achieve success; greater entrepreneurial skills are now required, and each professional is now forced to become a hustler, according to Ari Kaplan in this book. The book seeks to help professionals find their way in a more informal, instant world. To increase your professional opportunities, you need to become what the author describes as a "visible enthusiastic expert". Social media provide means by which you can increase your visibility, and technology offers ways of improving communication. Networking is still important, but it has become more complicated with the rise of social media platforms. Networking is not about collecting business cards, Facebook friends or followers, but about connecting and relating to people. The book goes on to describe a number of other topics relevant to the marketing of professional services, including how to seize opportunities in a difficult economic environment, flexibility in fee arrangements, networking for students, the importance of knowing your clients' businesses, how to maximise the value you offer to clients, building trust, setting expectations, handling mistakes, and cultivating community. Most professionals do not enjoy hustling for business, and they are likely to feel uncomfortable with some of the advice given in this book. On the other hand, there are now numerous different ways in which professional networking can be achieved, and any reader is likely to derive inspiration from at least some of the many tools which the author mentions. This is not the most systematic treatment of professional services marketing that I have read, but it contains quite a number of useful ideas.

A lot has been written these days about technology's impact on the changing landscape of professional services. Author Ari Kaplan approaches these trends by focusing on strategies professionals can incorporate in order to be successful in today's marketplace. "We must engage in a broader conversation that enables providers of services to reinvent instead of simply repeat past services," he says. Technology is a driver of that conversation as well as social media, but ultimately, the most successful professionals today are what Kaplan refers to as White Collar Hustlers. The recession and technology's impact has made it more difficult for professionals to build and sustain relationships with the same longevity as in years past. Now, professionals need to "hustle" by becoming more entrepreneurial - from identifying common connections with clients or customers by leveraging social media to becoming Visible Enthusiastic Experts, those who create opportunities to interact with their core audience. Kaplan argues that success today requires both skill and style and explains how technology can help professionals hone both. His practical approach allows readers to either apply any one of or all of his strategies to their business. Each chapter provides a thoughtful, overall message that applies to professional service providers such as lawyers, doctors or accountants and marketers, as well. Kaplan does a great job in underscoring the value of personal interaction. "While technology offers advantages in terms of setting the foundation for sincere relationships, personal interaction is what helps it develop. Mastering the balance between technology and the relationship that it impacts, however, often contributes to professional success. Kaplan's real-life examples of success from law firms are obviously relatable, particularly in an industry that is only recently becoming more comfortable with the concepts of digital marketing. Kaplan provides professionals with a wide ranging number of individual concepts that are useful to both those beginning their digital education, such as the students he references in the chapter "Students Have Everything to Gain from the White Collar Hustle" to the more seasoned tech-savvy professional who is seeking new and innovative ways to expand their network and ultimately their book of business.

Selling professional services gets more competitive every day. This interesting and well organized book makes it clear just how significant the changes are and what you can do to cope. It's interesting to me that Mr. Kaplan is a lawyer. Although this book is for anyone in professional services, I think it's lawyers that are having the most trouble accepting the new model for sales and marketing. If rainmaking should be part of your week you should read this book.

I somehow got on Ari Kaplan's mailing list and always enjoy reading his newsletters. Because of that, I bought this book and was not disappointed. The author writes from his own experience and has also interviewed many other professionals in different fields. He has demonstrated the power of sharing information in order to showcase expertise and generate a loyal following. His book details many of the tools he uses. There are so many useful resources in this book, you'll want to have post-it notes handy to flag them as you read. I almost skipped the chapter addressed to students, but was glad I did not. The suggestions in there are valuable for anyone looking for new and better ways to develop professional relationships.

Ari Kaplan is truly amazing! His book is a pleasure to read and full of practical, applicable tips on how to incorporate social media into business practice. Lawyers and business professionals alike, will find Ari's strategies incredibly useful. I found his emphasis on enhancing relationships and personal interaction with clients and potential clients particularly refreshing. In this age where elevating client service is a priority, this book is a must!

Lawyers buy this book if you are trying to figure out how to "fit" social media into your practice. This book has very both interesting overarching insights into providing professional services as well as practical advice on technology. It is loaded with tips on resources that will make your venture into social media much easier and guide you in reinventing your own practice.

Reinventing Professional Services is definitely not a step-by-step how-to guide. It is, however, full of insights, ideas, and anecdotes of specific ways Kaplan and countless others have used technology in simple or innovative ways. The professionals and their stories come from varied fields and offer diverse solutions to diverse needs. There is the real estate company in Miami that started a blog (linked to its website) in response to the changing ways people look for homes and realtors. And the accountant who has set up subscriptions for clients to access basic information online and who offers them weekly live-streaming videos on selected topics. At times I felt there were too many anecdotes, but the variety ensures that there is something for everyone. Kaplan has arranged the book in sections - positioning yourself for change, goal setting, adapting to and experimenting with technology, and taking risks - and concludes with a reminder that the overarching goal with all of this is to cultivate a community of people whose needs you know and who require and value your expertise. He notes that the book does not need to be read from start to finish, that readers can dive into the areas that look most useful for them. I found the first three and the last three chapters to be the most useful - the first three because they made the case for innovation and the last three because they offered very concrete suggestions. Reinventing Professional Services seems most geared toward the entrepreneur, the businessperson looking to gain more visibility and, well, business. Its value to the individual starting out or repositioning him or herself is obvious. Using Kaplan's suggestions for a larger, more established organization might pose a greater challenge. Within that larger organization, however, there could be a real place for exactly the types of technology use and relationship building Kaplan sets out. His suggestions and copious resources offer the stepping-off point; the risk-taking is up to you.