Frank is a man of action, determination and passion. When he gets an idea, he wastes no time; he springs into action like a man possessed. He rallies his friends and anyone else, asking them to join him in his determined efforts. He believes in what he is creating. And he believes you should believe in it, too.
I recently attended the opening of Frank’s new business project. His previous business, a project he was extremely passionate about, had folded two months prior. But, being a man of passion and determination, he wasted no time. He took immediate action and started something new. He didn’t stop to ask questions, like, “How did I miss the mark last time? What am I aiming for now? Who is my target market? Do they want or need what I’m offering? If so, do they care enough to pay for it?”
Frank will tell you straight out that he subscribes to the “Ready, Fire, Aim!” approach, which basically boils down to “take action first, line up your sites later.” This philosophy is often touted as ideal in the world of Internet marketing. Don’t wait to take action, or the other guy may beat you to the punch. Don’t fret the details or try to make everything perfect before launching your idea or product. Just DO it…then figure the rest out later.
But taking action in your business before you aim your sites is just plain stupid. It undermines your success, squanders your time, and scatters your energy.
Yes, there are times when you need to stop thinking and praying and planning and dreaming and go ahead and “kiss the boy,” but that’s AFTER you have, in fact, done some planning and praying and thinking and dreaming! To take action without lining up your energy, making a plan and preparing for execution not only undermines your success, it robs your clients and audience of what they deserve.
Your Clients and Fans Deserve the Best… Not the Fastest
Throwing together something quickly may seem like a good idea because you need to bring in some much needed income, or you think you can attract some attention with your new idea or product. It’s so tempting to “just do it” and cobble something together fast. But to do so doesn’t serve your business… because it doesn’t serve your clients or potential fans. When you take action before really thinking things through, you end up offering people a half-baked idea or product. And they may buy it. And you may make a little cash. But you could end up losing the trust and confidence of your audience. Forever.
I recently went to the opening of new entertainment venue in town. I was curious because I knew the people who owned and managed this venue had only bought the building a few months prior, and it was a building that needed a lot of work. But being someone who is passionate about supporting live entertainment, I was eager to attend this opening.
As I paid my entrance fee and entered the building, the unfinished walls, sloppy paint job, broken toilets and inadequate heating said it all. This place was nowhere near finished, and it was obvious that the people in charge had done a rush job to get the place open. As I sat there, trying to stay warm, sipping the ill-tasting wine being served that night, I tried to maintain my positive attitude. But I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. And slightly insulted.
Here I was a paying customer, someone who loved live entertainment, someone who is the ideal target market for this kind of venue. Yet the owners, in their rush to DO something, to throw open their doors and probably generate some much needed cash, hadn’t considered my experience as their future patron. At least, not enough to take the time, attention and focus to do it right.
Your target audience deserves better than a slipshod, haphazard, thrown-together mess. They deserve a product, service, or show that has been lovingly, thoughtfully created. They deserve the best you have to offer, not the fastest. And you know what? You deserve the same. You owe it to yourself and your business to take yourself seriously, to honor your idea or product by giving it the time and attention it needs to become what it wants to become… without pushing it to “be” before its time.
Planning is NOT Procrastination… or Perfectionism
Taking the time to do your homework, create a plan, ask yourself some smart questions and research the answers is NOT procrastination. Planning IS an action… an essential one if you want to succeed. Often, not always, what some people call procrastination is actually an important time of gestation, where your idea or project is still forming inside your brain. You may not be taking physical action, but there is a lot going on inside of you! You’re thinking, focusing, feeling and hopefully asking questions, like:
• What am I wanting to offer… and why?
• Whom does this project serve… and how?
• How does this project align with my overall mission?
• What resources do I need to see this through to the end?
• How does it feel to offer this right now?
• What’s my first step, and am I ready to take it… or do I need more information or resources?
This is the kind of questioning that allows you to get clear, line up your energy and intention, and then take action that serves that intention.
Often when I am talking to new clients, they will say things like “I need a Facebook Page,” or “I gotta get a blog up and running.” When I ask them why, they pause for a moment, and then say things like, “Well, isn’t that what I’m supposed to do? Everyone is telling me I have to have one. Doesn’t everyone have one? It’ll help with search engine optimization, right?”
This is when I usually say something like, “Having a blog or a Facebook page isn’t going to do you a damned bit of good. Not unless you know what you’re doing and why. Offering your target audience incredibly valuable content through your blog, or being helpful and available on your Facebook Page, those kinds of projects could work wonders for your business. IF that’s what you want to do. Is that what you want to do?”
Then, we dig in and get clear. WHAT is being offered on this blog or Page? WHO is your audience… and WHAT do they need or want? HOW are you going to give it to them through your blog or Facebook Page? And WHY? HOW does social media align with your overall business and/or marketing strategy?
Any time I co-create an Internet marketing and social media strategy for my clients, we start with these kinds of questions. And sometimes it takes a while before we get clear on the answers. Are we procrastinating? Should we instead be flinging up a Facebook Page or launching a new blog without a clear purpose or plan? We could “fire” first and take aim later. But whom would that serve?
It might make my client feel better for maybe two or three minutes (“Yay! I have a Facebook Page!”). But then what? Dollars to donuts, taking that “action” without a plan, without getting clear on the What, Why, For Whom, When and How of it all, is guaranteed to lead to a series of frustrations, disappointments and missteps. The blog will consist of random, uninspired posts read by no one, and the Facebook Page will offer nothing but a reposting of those boring blog posts and a status update from three months ago.
Ready, Aim, Fire!
There’s a reason to aim first before you fire. It increases your chances of hitting the bullseye. Before you take action on a new project, product or idea, give yourself and your potential client enough respect and consideration to think it through, make a plan, take a steady aim aligned with your purpose and goal, and then… fire away, baby!
If you’ve got big ideas and goals for this New Year, let your first step be to make a plan. It doesn’t have to be a perfect plan or even a definitive plan. But take the time to ask yourself the right questions and get clear. Line up your energy and focus. Then, sketch out a roadmap, a travel plan, for your business or project so you can arrive at your goal with ease… and attract a ton of new fans and clients along the way!
And if you need help, well, here I am! I’d love to help you create a 12-month Internet marketing and social media strategy for any new project, show or business you may have in mind. Let this be the year where you take aligned action, informed action, so you reach your New Year dreams and goals with ease, wisdom and peace of mind.