Don't Count Your Chickens Before Your Eggs Hatch
Honestly, this IS advice for those in business, and not just
colorful local lingo!
People have a tendency to do two things when closing that first
big sale, or watching the hit counter fly due to the newest
supermonster-nothingbeatsit-trafficgeneratorX: A)sit back, start
filing your nails, and say "wow, I did it, smooth sailing from
here on in"...or b)jump around, pat your self on the back and
celebrate-go fishing, buy a car, start writing acceptance
speeces for business of the year ... but both hold a highly
dangerous common thread: neglecting the immediate future.
It's ok-even appropriate and deserved-when you finally start
seeing those results you've been working toward, to take a deep
breath and relax. It's super to think in grandiose terms;
without dreams, life would seem small indeed.
BUT, come back to earth quickly; the supermonster might crash,
your big customer can also go bust, and your silver lining might
tarnish fast. Go ahead and start reeling in the next "big one."
This IS actually the best time to either prospect or close other
sales; when you're on a sales high (yes, you athletes, it
happens!), you're feeling your best, and that energy will be
reflected!
Hopefully your business plan includes daily income producing
activities (IPAs). These can be small; send a new ad to a
different type of ezine, add a new product or try a new type of
service (eg ppc search engine or lead generation program). They
are also the activities that bring you up in unexpected
setbacks, because just at the point something falls through,
those seeds sown start springing up. If you put all your eggs in
one basket, what happens if you drop it?
Don't neglect outside opportunities: pass out business cards,
make specialized auto tags, magnets, pencils, feather caps,
whatever might be appropriate for YOUR type business; join
organizations, talk to people at the grocery store checkout or
your child's ballgame, conduct a local class or volunteer to
present a free seminar at the communicty center...Use Your
Imagination! How many IPAs a day? Just depends on how much you
want back.
It's important to cater to your present customer now too; you
want to retain them. Remember THEY are your most valuable
asset-they ARE buyers, and know others!
I like to do my KGA (Keep it Going Activities) right after a
major accomplishment; trying out new software to see how I might
improve efficiency or presentation, revising/editing website
content, reviewing data, implementing plans to improve those
places which are lacking or deficient, updating keywords...this
is sort of my 'round tuit' list! These activities primarily are
for the benefit of current customers.
After all, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
(c) Shelly Rich Friedling