"There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. " ~Peter Drucker
I think it's fun to watch people running around and exhausting themselves while accomplishing nothing, don't you? {No, actually I really don't.} I'm sure you aren't enjoying life and work if you're doing a lot but not reaping the rewards of your actions. Busy and accomplishing can, and many times are, two different things. If you want to accomplish more of the right activities in less time, then follow this five-step formula for deciding what, when, how and with whom:
1. What's working? You can getting your clients and customers from somewhere, so do a comprehensive analysis and determine the where. Do they come through people, organizations or another channel? You may uncover a referral source you need to reward for their kind service to your business. When I was in network marketing, we had a saying, "Wide for show, deep for dough." That applies to your business relationships: the better you know your clients, customers and strategic partners, ultimately the more you will prosper. Stop thinking quantity is your answer, and start going to quality.
2. What’s not working? Do you belong to, and religiously attend, meetings, networking events, and functions that are literally reaping minimal or no reward? If so, this is what is not working and you must stop immediately! You simply don't have any time to spend doing the things that don't provide a high return on investment. Identify those activities, and then ...
3. Apply zero-based thinking to all activities. What would you never have
started doing in the first place if you knew then what you know now? Once you've identified an activity that has not provided a positive ROI, you must stop doing it, no matter how "good" it makes you feel. If it's not adding cash to your bottom line, unless it's a philanthropic endeavor, you can't afford to continuing doing it. Period.
4. Decide what you need to do, do it. The previous three steps will probably have freed up some of your time, maybe even a lot of your time. Now, take some of that time to strategically decide what you need to do, then commit to yourself and do it. Calendar the most important items and make them non-negotiable activities.
5. Then, double it. If you've decided you need to make 10 phone calls to prospective clients each week, for the next 30 or even 90 days, make 20 calls. There's no harm in this process, only benefit. You'll get desired results faster, and you'll sharpen your skills. The best way to get better at something is to practice. You'll get more comfortable, and better ... chances are great that you'll be getting even better at closing the deal.
Become ruthless with how you decide to spend your time. When you realize how quickly time passes, you realize you simply don't have a moment to waste.
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