That darned ole 80/20 Rule just won’t go away, will it?
Recently I heard someone talking about the 80/20 rule in the way of “getting back to the basics.” Ultimately the point was that the basics account for 80% of your success. At first, I was all arrogant… “I’ve known that for years. I get it.”
But do I really stick to it?
More and more, I’m reminded of the fact that business (read sales) really is just a numbers game. The first 80% of your effort is what will really pay the dividends. We all like to get caught up in the 20%, though, don’t we? What is the new social media trend? What new offering can we bring to the table?
This made me think about running. Running has become a hobby for me. I love to run. I also really like my running shoes! I can tell you one thing is certain, though. The shoes did not help me condition myself at all. What makes me a runner? The answer is simple: Running. It was only after I began to form a habit of running that the shoes seemed to make any difference at all. In fact, I could (and did) get into reasonable shape with my old, gross shoes.
As you consider your marketing strategy, just ask yourself this one very important question: Are you busy picking out the coolest shoes when you really should just start jogging?
Let me rephrase that:
Are you currently marketing your business on a regular, systematic basis?
If not, you are just shoe shopping. The shoes will be comfy and look cool – but will they make you a runner?
