By Linda Feinholz

It may not be immediately apparent to you, yet the Hollywood Writer's Strike of 2007 has lessons and opportunities for you in your business.

The event has filled the news for months. Over time, the reported stories have shifted from the repetitive newscasts of who fed donuts to folks walking in circles to those who negotiated special deals.

Those special deals have been interesting on their own merits and for the speculation and gossip they generated among the public. What's hidden from view are the opportunities faced by people whose lives are being thrown into turmoil by the labor union's strategies.

This situation might be considered "special" or "unusual" - if it isn't quickly resolved, people whose livelihoods are placed at risk by the strike will find themselves forced to examine what they'll do to rescue themselves.

You don't have to wait until your survival is threatened to  take a fresh look at your business. The fact is this is your chance to leverage their self-examination and see what opportunities you may have been missing.

So here are 5 ways you can use the Writer's Strike to take a new look at your business:

1 - Buyers Will Change HOW They Use Their Time

Television viewers are going to be looking for other uses of the time that the Strike has freed up. That means they'll be reading more, listening to more audio material, and having more conversations. And some of those people are your customers.

How will you maximize on the attention that has been freed up? How can you tease people into giving you that attention? What experience can you give your clients or prospects? What information do you want to put in front of them? What could you invite them to?

2 - Sellers Will Have More Time On Their Hands

Just as the Hollywood writers will have time to work on scripts, you'll have more time to work on your business. Instead of the hours spent watching television, you can invest them in getting your High Payoff activities completed and accelerate your results. What are the Top 3 challenges you can give that attention to?

3 - Suppliers Will Be Threatened Economically

Not only are the Studios and the Writers affected economically, so too are thousands of vendors to the industry. Staff, crew, drivers, gaffers, caterers, dry cleaners, set designers, hotels... I could go on. They may "know" that it will eventually turn around. Yet the actual future results is unknown. And they may be out of business before then.

If you considered the impact on your business of changes to your suppliers and vendors and associates, what contingency plans would you put into place today? If your business depends on those same people's success, how might you work to assure their success in order to stabilize your own?

4 - People Will Re-Examine The Future They're Building

Many of those striking writers are looking at their bills and their family and weighing how long they'll hold on to their ambition as writers. That means they'll be taking a hard look at the goals they thought they were aiming for and deciding if those goals still hold true.

What goals have you been holding for your business? Did you have a clear Vision you were aiming for these past years? Or did you just sort of fall into the work you're now doing? If it were all likely to disappear, what would you turn your attention and efforts to? If that's so, why not focus there now?

5 - The Internet Will Get More Attention Than Ever Before

Entertainment, personal and professional development, alternative business models and much much more are all thriving on the Internet. Writers have the opportunity to become direct suppliers of material in this growing medium. Whether in copy writing for web sites, scripting blog entries, developing learning materials, running webinars, these folks are skilled with language and this is a land of opportunity for those who want to explore it.

How might you increase your online presence to build your business? Are there ways of attracting new clients, providing services to prospects and customers, or staying in touch that you've not given much thought to? Are there technological systems that you've been pooh poohing and missing out on using, such as an emailed newsletter? And what about videos to provide sales support or ongoing customer service information?

Don't just watch reruns... and don't keep living them in your business! The Strike is offering entire industries a chance to examine the risks and rewards built into their business model. It's an opportunity for you to embrace as well, before your favorite shows put out new episodes. 

© 2008 Linda Feinholz  Management expert, consultant, and coach Linda Feinholz is "Your High Payoff Catalyst" If you're ready to focus on your High Payoff activities, boost your professional and personal results and have more fun, get her FREE audio mini-course "7 Quick & Simple Steps to Increase Your Focus, Ease Your Effort & Accelerate Your Results" and the free weekly newsletter The Spark! Visit http://www.YourHighPayoffCatalyst.com