Improve Your Business - 30 Day Trial

[geniegal]

Who wants to join me on this 30 day trial?

I am a 1 (wo)man band with a business Internet marketing - mainly web writing with SEO and optimisation etc plus 2 websites on parenting and weight loss.

I seriously need to make more money, and it has occured to me that I actually know what to do to make that happen right now. It's about pushing myself out there more, asking for sales etc - basically being more proactive.

I have taken Steve's idea about the 30 day trial - 30 Days to Success to push myself with my business.

Every day I am going to do something that I know will push my business forward in terms of short term ROI (I live far too much in future ROI mindset - eg No I won't ring that prospect, I'd rather build this webpage etc) but that makes me feel uncomfortable.

I've already started and will record that in the next post below.

I will record something every single day for the next 30 days.

Who wants to join me? What are you shying away from doing that you know you should?

[geniegal]

OK so I went networking and there was a guy there who'd said he was interested in link building last time I saw him. So I was a bit nervous but I asked for a meeting and we spent half an hour talking and he said he is very interested. I now need to put together a proposal based on researching different link builders.

Odd ly enough someone else asked me to write for their website - so looks like my frame of mind has reached beyond my original intention!

Good start Happy girl

[SquarePeg]

Originally Posted by geniegal

Who wants to join me? What are you shying away from doing that you know you should?

I'd love to take you up on the offer, but right now I see myself doing a lot of foundation-building, groundwork-layin'...not so much a question of shyness as getting myself into the proper mindset.

Steve is advocating what military historians faulted the German Army for doing in WWII -- focusing on tactics, or short-term ROI, figuring that if you win the day-to-day battles, the larger war will somehow take care of itself (that is, a series of short-term ROI ultimate success makes).

It's exactly what my boss has been doing for the past five years, and why the firm hasn't grown in all that time (I'm just starting out my third here). He's great at operations, but apparently not too strategic.

Of course, I'm just a budding 'preneur myself, so I'm still learning...and as a fitness buff, I do understand the "just do it -- something, anything!" ethos.

Just prefer to think a little more right now.

Good luck to you if you've got all the ingredients together already, ready to be cooked!

[SquarePeg]

Originally Posted by geniegal

Who wants to join me? What are you shying away from doing that you know you should?

I'd love to take you up on the offer, but right now I see myself doing a lot of foundation-building, groundwork-layin'...not so much a question of shyness as getting myself into the proper mindset.

Steve is advocating what military historians faulted the German Army for doing in WWII -- focusing on tactics, or short-term ROI, figuring that if you win the day-to-day battles, the larger war will somehow take care of itself (that is, a series of short-term ROI ultimate success makes).

It's exactly what my boss has been doing for the past five years, and why the firm hasn't grown in all that time (I'm just starting out my third here). He's great at operations, but apparently not too strategic.

Of course, I'm just a budding 'preneur myself (I actually don't have a business right now), so I'm still learning...and as a fitness buff, I do understand the "just do it -- something, anything!" ethos.

Just prefer to think a little more right now.

Good luck to you if you've got all the ingredients together already, ready to be cooked!

[CoolBee]

Fab idea and I would love to join you but the time isn't right for me just now as I'm working on some new ideas.
I am very interested to follow your progress though!

[geniegal]

Cheers square peg and cool bee. any constructive feedback welcomed. i didnt know that thing about WW2 - have you got a link for that?

I do realise that lots of things dont come to fruition immediately so I need to focus on those that do, and just accept that not everything will have results this month.

Today my thing to do is to work out the estimated income and outgoings this month - what me and hub def have coming in then i have a financial goal of what else I need to make £ wise.

Other things I shy away from doing that will help my goal:
*Regular control of finances. I realise I need to devote half hour a day to updating what we are spending
*Asking people to do things for me that I need urgently but 'I just don't like to bother them'
* Following up emailed quotes with phone calls
* Having a specific call to action at networking events
* Asking clients for referrals
*Putting adsense ads in prominent places on my websites - trying them out
*Selling to my email lists
*Asking JV partners for referrals, extra work they might want doing
*Making talks at network meetings part of a promotional strategy, rather than just giving value
* Finding out what people I meet might need and then offering it them without embarrassment
*Anything I don't want to do, need to do and would do right now if you offered me £1000.
*Finding web JV partners who can compliment my writing skills

[CoolBee]

Originally Posted by geniegal

*Anything I don't want to do, need to do and would do right now if you offered me £1000.

Excellent question

[geniegal]

so yesterday I completed the action for that day - working out after all definite expenditure and definite income worked out, what extra we need to have come in by end July. It comes to £525 at the moment. Hubby is doing a building job at the mo so that will cover some of it. I can definitely come up with a few hundred quid extra.

Enormous relief to know where we are with the old ££s

[geniegal]

Today I finished doing my accounts for tax yr 10/11. Talk about not shying awayfrom the uncomfortable!

What a massive kick up the rear end. Cannot believe I have wasted so much time for so little return the last 12 mo. It's like somebody's turned the lights on!

Very glad I have this 30 day trial to allow me to do something about this.

I also put ads on my weight loss blog

Results so far
- followed up an enquiry - potential client now very interested
- know what I need to earn short term (approximately)
- see the need to spend half an hour a day controlling household finances
- finished year end accounts
- ads on blog prominently

[geniegal]

Loads of paperwork today but am done with e xcuses. Posted a link to a page on my wl blog in a forum. It's apost I am really proud of and felt very anxious putting it out there for feedback.

I haven't checked back in the forum - another day's challenge!

Am loving this 30 day trial. All my other trials have been about abstinence - this is definitely the most fun!

[CoolBee]

Well done, you! Keep it up! I'm keen to see your progress

[SquarePeg]

Originally Posted by geniegal

Cheers square peg and cool bee. any constructive feedback welcomed. i didnt know that thing about WW2 - have you got a link for that?

It's actually the conclusion of the official U.S. Army (or maybe War Department) after-action report...don't know the title; sorry. But it's conventional wisdom in mainstream military circles.

Anyway, good luck with your 30-day trial -- I'm also following it from the sidelines and rooting for your success!

[geniegal]

Today my biggest client has given me more work, so I've been busy doing that. So no challenges today - no point forthe sake of it if I'm busy doing what I wanted as my goal = more work

Did look in the forum and nobody had read my post. So much to do that it doesn't bother me.

Re

focusing on tactics, or short-term ROI, figuring that if you win the day-to-day battles, the larger war will somehow take care of itself (that is, a series of short-term ROI ultimate success makes).

Interesting as I'd never heard that and am so used to people urging me to think big which I always assumed meant the detailswill take care of them selves. The opposite seems to be true. I am building courage via all these small challenges.

Off line for 2 days so will post back on Friday - got a network meet tomorrow so my goal will be to identify at least 1 good prospect there and proactively talk to them. Thursday I'm having off.

[SquarePeg]

Originally Posted by geniegal

Re

focusing on tactics, or short-term ROI, figuring that if you win the day-to-day battles, the larger war will somehow take care of itself (that is, a series of short-term ROI ultimate success makes).

Interesting as I'd never heard that and am so used to people urging me to think big which I always assumed meant the detailswill take care of them selves. The opposite seems to be true. I am building courage via all these small challenges.

Well, it's like astrology: generalizations that can apply to most anything.

But the thing to realize with ideas is that if they are useful, they are useful.

Since you're obviously getting great results here, building courage and developing a rhythm for things, thinking tactically is useful right now for you!

But it's the conventional wisdom that strategic vision is the ultimate arbiter of success.

I think the main point of Steve's 30-day trial is to get folks to be more sensitive to the proverbial little things in a world that's otherwise enamored of grand gestures.

[geniegal]

You are so right square peg - I'd add to that that the 30 day trial is making me realise how inconsistent I can be. I was away 2 days, but haven't posted for 2 days. Here I am now, renewing my commitment. In this way I will develop these good habits.

Realise I need to write down actions I need to take - I'm full of ideas, and need to push them into reality. Whenever I decide to action something, it will have a deadline for completion - and I will write i t on a post it to go on special part of my wall - when a deadline is completed, I just remove the post it.

Anyway update

Day 6 - networking meet. Had no courage and didn't push self but potential customer spoke to me then emailed me.

ACTION TO TAKE - he wants some internet marketing done so I need to assess a new link builder I'm looking at to see if it's any good. I give myself 1 week - until Monday 25 July then I will ring him.

Day 7 - day off away

Days 8/9 - spent assessing link builder and completing copywriting work for client. Also sorting the finances so on Monday I will have a clear picture of what I need to make by end July.

My main priorities are
1. assessing the link builder - this is full of hiccups as it's quite complex
2. following up any other immediate money making opps. It would be too easy to just concentrate on priorty 1 - but what if I end up thinking the new link builder is not right for my business?? I will have spent all that time - eggs in 1 basket etc.

These opportunities are:
1. caterer client who asked for more web copy. have emailed quote. chase up tomorrow (today is sunday) by phone

2.propsect I met on Wed - once I have assessed the new link builder email him next Mon 25th

3. other SEO prospect very interested - ring him next Mon 25th

4. exciting but scary - why not ring round customers and ex customers just to ask if they need anything? This is way out my comfort zone so I need a reward for doing this. It just so happens I want to order some books off amazon this week for holiday reading. I am going to make myself make a certain amount of calls before I let myself order those books.

Yikes!

[geniegal]

Originally Posted by geniegal

4. exciting but scary - why not ring round customers and ex customers just to ask if they need anything? This is way out my comfort zone so I need a reward for doing this. It just so happens I want to order some books off amazon this week for holiday reading. I am going to make myself make a certain amount of calls before I let myself order those books.

Yikes!

Just to make myself do this, would anyone like to suggest how many calls I have to make? Pls choose a number between 1 and 10.

That will make me do it! I'll do them on Tuesday.

[CoolBee]

5

Not so many that you get 'sales patter fatigue' but just enough to stretch you. And ALSO time to review what you did for those clients and for some 'reflective learning' after each call maybe what you did well, what you would do differently next time?

I think one of the gurus recommends a number every week but I can't recall who or what the number is (probably bigger than 5 though!)!

Someone else on here a while back had a challenge to 'get rejected 50 times a week' which was quite a good way of seeing it because even if he got 50 nos, he was building up practice and also overcoming some of the fear of rejection many people have. (PS I don't recall whether it was 50 business rejections or 50 'chat up women' rejections btw!)

[geniegal]

Thanks Coolbee - 5 is perfect. I know the 'go for no' philosophy but like so many things, do not apply it. That's what this 30 day challenge is all about

Well day 10 was stuck in the link building research but I did write my ideas out in my last post.

Today (11) is prioritise the money day - I know what we def got coming in, so now I need to work out what I can cover (credit card bills etc) til end July

[geniegal]

Sorted the money! I need £409 extra by end july.

Also finished researching the link builder.
good day

[geniegal]

Well it's phone everyone up day. I'm looking forward to it actually - and I can order my books straightaway!

Here's who I'm going to ring:

Kevin - who asked me to quote to do copywriting
Glenn- also asked me to quote for seo. need to assess what I can do for him first. will ring him last

Lisa - ex client - conveyancer
Geoff - ex client
John - client who I can offer SEO to
David - prospect I had a meeting with last year
Susan - friend who mentioned seo a while back

There we are - they are all named now, so here i go...

[CoolBee]

Fingers crossed for you

[geniegal]

Here's the results

Kevin - said he wanted £130 of work doing arranged call on Fri to sort it out

Glenn - sent veeeery long email about the proposal - he needs time to absorb this - so will ring him another day

Lisa, Geoff, John - no reply. left messages

David - as I havent seen him in a long time, I did bottle this one and emailed him

Susan - felt nervous as she is a good friend.

So I partially succeeded in this day's part of the challenge. Still have not ordered my holiday reading as not sure if I've risen to the occasion sufficently. I do notice I have a habit of not rewarding self in situations like these - ie where I set a reward/goal

[geniegal]

Felt bloody awful this morning so I got on with some work - am not just trying to duck out of making follow up calls. I think my old self that didnt want me to succeed (just trying to protect me from the scary fulfilling potential stuff) is trying to drag me back to my old ways, of not putting myself out there... the feeling crap is result.

However heard an interview with someone who worked at Google a while talk about the crocodile. basically he said their attitude to business was if you hit a wall, get a ladder, if you are in a moat, swim...amd if you meet a crocodile, give it an arm and use the other to paddle across the water - but on no circumstance are you allowed to say you can't do anything.

Of course this approach can be damaging, but it was the right thing to hear for me at this time. The fact is that everything I want to achieve has already been achieved by many people, and so I can too.

So instead of focusing on how bad I feel, I am going to focus on the crocodile - the one that says everything I want is possible

[CoolBee]

Hang in there, I know how easy it is to bottle the follow ups. Try not to dwell too long on it.
Schedule 1 a day until they're done

[geniegal]

It is about 2 weeks since I posted. Other things outside my business have cropped up plus finishing jobs for clients and my web connection has been bad (been away). What I realise is that I am exhausted and the other day I counted how many days that have been completely work free this year - and it comes to about 5 or 6.

I have got a new client and 2 prospective ones in this time though

So I am stopping working completely for 2 weeks now.

My thoughts on this trial:

I am glad I did it and it has made me money, and made me more focused. However next one I do will be even more focused for example make 1 sales call a day. Also maybe 7 day trials are more suitable when there are so many things to do in a business and I can see I work best when I can 'chunk' activities - so for example write a short ebook and do nothing else 1 week, then the next focus on getting more seo clients.

anyway thanks for looking in everyone and commenting, it has certainly helped

[nzmegs]

hey Geniegal, I have just come across this thread. You sound just like me - I am also a freelance writer from the Uk with a builder husband...very strange!

One of the things I find hard is that you have regular clients with regualr daily jobs to do and somehow everything else gets put aside. You just end up treading water bgecuase your days a full. You sometimes fail to notice that the jobs you are doing are not as well paid as you would like or that your personal career dreams are being left by the wayside.

lately i have been working very hard on a project with my husband - setting up an online retail business. this is great fun, but no money coming from it as yet. Another week or and it should be up and running. But my motivation for my other work is falling to pretty low levels.

I have also had just a hnadful of days where I have not worked in some sense. even weekends! I have one week off planned for the end of the school hols, but it is the first this year!

Good luck with your challenges.