The easy way to success is to focus on the outcomes that you want and then find the easiest way to achieve them with the least effort, least sacrifice, and most pleasure.
First, think results. Then get them with the least energy possible.
The secret is to think hard rather than work hard:
Thinking hard may sound a bit frightening.
But isn't it much better to do a little hard thinking, arrive at a much better result, and avoid a lot of hard doing?
Richard Koch gives an interesting example of 'thinking hard' in his book:
Imagine you're a caveperson in the town of Bedrock, home of The Flintstones.
You need to get to the other side of town in a hurry.
Your alternatives are to either walk or run.
Walking will take forever.
Running is quicker, but requires a lot more effort.
To run would be to make the very common mistake of trying to get a better result by working harder.
The easy way is different.
We look for a better result with far less effort. So we do some thinking.
How can we get across Bedrock much faster but without the slog of running?
Like the waitress at the prehistoric diner, we could roller-skate with less energy than it would take to run, yet arrive quicker. Or we could go one step further and jump on the back of a friendly brontosaurus.
Either of these choices will give us a better result with less effort.
Now let's apply this 'better result with less effort' approach to your sales and marketing strategies for 2012.
Here is something you could start doing right now.
Show a number of real life testimonials from your best clients whenever you present your product or service to potential new buyers.
Here's a simple example.
It's a testimonial I was sent about a free 396 page Ebook I offer called 'The Unfair Business Advantage Report.'
"You can't read this amazing report without finding at least a dozen million dollar ideas!" Robert G. Allen. (New York Times Best Selling Author.)
Notice how effective it is when someone else says nice things about your product or service compared to you saying the same thing on your own behalf.
Positive client testimonials are an excellent way to improve the number of sales you make without working harder.
(I'll talk more about how to collect testimonials in a future Herald column.)
Helpful Resource:
I'm presenting a free 75 minute webinar on Wednesday January 25, 2012 called '7 Secrets to working less and selling more in 2012'.
In this webinar I explain seven proven strategies that any business can use to quickly increase sales and profits without working harder.
(The webinar is being recorded so if you can't make the live presentation you will be able to listen to the replay at your convenience.)
You are welcome to watch this webinar (or the replay) at no charge.
Just go to this link to register.
Action Step:
What can you do this month to work less and sell more?
"The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking."; Albert Einstein
Graham McGregor is a marketing consultant and the creator of the 396 page 'Unfair Business Advantage Report.' www.theunfairbusinessadvantage.com (This is free and has now been read by business owners from 11 countries.) You can email Graham on graham@twomac.co.nz
