When you are running a business, every chance you get to convert a prospect into a customer should be treated like gold, because it literally is gold in your pocket. Nothing is more frustrating than finding out that the time, energy and effort you spent getting leads in the door is being wasted due to not striving hard all the way to the finish line.
There is something lying under the surface of our businesses today that threatens to capsize all we hope to create. Our people are the very creators of our future. And not surprisingly, their are a select few that are pure gold. We never have to worry about these team members, because they do their jobs superbly. It would be nice if we had more of them. In fact, we’ve come to rely on them so much that maybe we are leaning on them too much—possibly to the point that they are not only tired but seriously considering moving on. What a loss!
No matter what size your business is part of what you do involves hiring outside marketing services. You can’t put everyone on staff; it isn’t feasible on so many levels. There are certain jobs that you don’t need full time, but you do need their expertise. You want vendors who you can trust to take the load off, which means if their a nightmare to manage you chose wrong. Don’t make that mistake again.
There was a time when marketers had a bad reputation. They were seen as slimy, manipulative agents who tricked consumers into buying something the either didn’t want or that didn’t even come close to delivering what was advertised. That is changing. Why? Because your audience can sniff out your BS. And not only that, they will actively, aggressively and immediately jump on their technology to tell everyone else you are a swindler. Scared? You should be.
Your business isn’t run in a silo. In fact, your business lives within an ocean of possibilities–alongside of dangerous currents, sharks, El Nino, and so on. You wouldn’t believe what a simple lesson in surfing can teach you about how to ride a wave to a life of margaritas on the shore. This begins with a single statement from my surf coach Crash. Don’t let the name fool you.
Even though there are hundreds of thousands of ways to market your business, it doesn’t mean they are all right for you. Thank goodness, right? Because your marketing budget is not endless, and there isn’t enough time in the day for you, or your team, to do it all. The trick is figuring out how to make what you need to happen, happen.
Time goes screaming by faster and faster. What’s worse is there are more and more things piling up threatening to drown us. Sounds like a losing battle. Which it will be if we let it. We have to recognize the value of managing our day instead of just letting it steamroll us. Not taking the proverbial bull by the horns stripes away your ability to succeed.
Negative Side-effects of Poor Time Management leave you:
Shot from the hip marketing only gets you so far. Yes, you need to be nimble in order to take advantage of the wide range of marketing opportunities available to you today. However, you will always feel like you are running in circles if you do not have a marketing plan serving as your foundation to basic day to day marketing activities. Not only is this approach ineffective, it is also completely exhausting. Greatness rarely falls in one’s lap. The best of the best start with a plan.
You are a brand in your own right. Every action you take and in every word you say you tell the rest of us something about your brand. What is your personal brand saying now?
When you meet an executive or owner of a business, ask them to tell you their mission, then their vision. Did you notice anything? Maybe it felt clunky, confusing, a bit off, or somewhat pointless. Better yet, let’s take a shot at your company’s words on that wall. Start by simply defining the terms vision and mission. This exercise alone should not be difficult. In fact if it is, then living your vision and mission will be awfully hard across your organization.
