Last week we had a new addition to our household, a beautiful puppy called "Casper". You can see from the photo how cute he is. He's a great companion for our other dog "Beasley". They're both Bischon Frise's, the perfect companions - they don't smell or drop hair everywhere, easy to look after and fit perfectly on your lap! And they're quiet.

So after picking Casper up from his original owners last week, I immediately booked an appointment at the vet to check him out and provide me with details about looking after a puppy. After all, it had been 3 years since we went through the puppy stages and you quickly forget some of the basics.

The questions I asked at the vet were things like:

What type of food do we feed him and how much? What vaccinations will he require and when? When can he be taken out on the street? What about toilet training? and many other commonly asked questions that no doubt many clients had them before me.

Instead of having a Checklist or "Frequently Asked Questions About Your New Puppy", the clinic had no standard paperwork addressing these questions.

I had my list prepared and would have spent at least an additional 30 minutes asking all these questions on top of the general check-up. However they only charged me for the consultation. In fact, the vet could have saved himself 30 minutes if he had the answers typed up. And if he were 'marketing savvy', he could have produced a "Puppy Pack" which would include "Frequently Asked Questions About Your New Puppy" plus relevant products. He could have included the worming syrup, a couple of toys, toilet training pads etc. And guess what? I would have bought it and so would many other new puppy owners.

Have a close look at the way you run your business and see how you can save time and make more money. Being too close to your business means you often miss opportunities to improve it.

It was so easy for me to see what the vet could do to use his time more effectively and increase his profitability. He could easily have more time and make more money without working any longer or harder. It's just knowing what to do and then taking the necessary action.

Lorraine Pirihi is the founder of productivityqueen.com and creator of “The Productivity and Profit System” the complete one-on-one training program for solopreneurs and small businesses.

Lorraine is also the celebrated author of “The Productivity and Profit Home Study System” which helps you to easily organize your time, your marketing, your people and your systems so you are much more profitable and have time to enjoy life. This is available at www.productivityqueen.com Online Store.

Lorraine is a productivity expert, leading business coach, author and speaker. She’s known for her practical approach, combining a unique blend of innovative, straight-shooter, no-fluff strategies that really work. Being in her own business for over a decade she is committed to helping small business owners and entrepreneurs work less, earn more and have a life!

She is a well known and respected expert on showing small business owners how to free up their time, organise their systems and their marketing so they make more money and enjoy more time off.