(Steve Holmes)
One thing I’ve noticed about business owners over the years is how they fall into two camps: those who know that marketing thing is a good idea; and those who know marketing is a good idea… and then actually DO something with it by taking action.
Many people spend so much time thinking about and analysing what they should and shouldn’t do, they replace ‘Action’ with ‘Analysis.’
So here’s a foolproof system you can use to kick-start your marketing and avoid the “analysis paralysis”. Believe me, no matter how many good ideas you have swirling around inside your head, not one of them is worth a penny until you actually take action on it.
- Make a list of your top 7 marketing ideas. These are the 7 different things you think have the best chance of working for you. Bear in mind you cannot possibly KNOW for sure until you test, so let go of any fear of “failure” you might have.
In marketing there is no such thing as “failure”. There is only a result.
- Start working on the first idea and stick with it until you’ve either completed it or you can go no further. Then move onto number 2.
The trick here is not to get into the situation where you’re getting diminishing returns. The 80/20 rule applies here.
For example, if you think it’s going to take you 20 hours at the keyboard to write the perfect copy for your website or next email, the truth is you’re going to have it roughly 80% “right” after the first 4 hours.
The remaining 16 hours you work on it are largely a waste of your time, because they’re responsible for such a small return.
So, decide how long you think it’s going to take you, and then whatever you’ve got after, say, 25% of the time, you run with it. Get a kitchen timer, set it, and be strict with yourself.
- Don’t waste time working out whether something will or will not work.
When I used to do consulting work, I would sit around board tables with business owners and their marketing managers and listen to hours of debate about whether a certain strategy I had recommended would work. I can assure you that many years on, some of these businesses are still having the same discussion. Being great at Marketing is not about trying to predict the future.
It’s about testing new methods and finding what works best. And wealthy business owners know it’s also about finding out what does not work so you can move on to the next approach.
- Take action.
Life’s too short, so take action. It’s breathtaking making decisions and running with ideas.
Inaction is very often the result of being so time poor and ‘getting distracted’ with your core business function, like giving advice and meeting with your clients. The best time to take action with marketing activity is when you are busy because results take time. When you are quiet it’s often too late.
If time is your enemy and you want to regularly engage with clients and prospects (even when you’re too busy) then Feedsy could be right for you.
After analysing our video we encourage you to act by booking in a GETTING STARTED session where we can help you chose the best news, email and social media package for your business and get you engaging in days without you hardly lifting a finger.
