This shocking statement just came in from the US National Library of Medicine regarding diets: “They all work…when you stick to them.”
Back when I was teaching fitness classes, the most common question I would get was “What is the BEST exercise I should do for _______ ?” with the blank being filled in with the body part or thing they were most unhappy about. Didn’t matter if it was a beer belly, flabby thighs, a big butt, cellulite, or my personal favorite, “bingo wings” (look it up).
My answer was always the same: the one you WILL DO. Not the one you’ll think about, not the one you’ll read about, and not the one you’ll talk about. The one you’ll actually, consistently DO.
Setting up for success
Recently, I polled a group of brand-new members regarding their participation in a new program we’re experimenting with called “The 4-Week Fast Start.” This is a series of live webinars held weekly for a month to give them the easiest to implement and the MOST successful campaigns I’ve got.
Every week we give them ONE campaign with full instructions on how to implement it. Sessions are delivered live so they can ask questions, and recorded so they can watch on demand. We also provide support via the queue and an email “hotline” for questions. No stone is left unturned and I’m certain these campaigns WORK.
Of the nine members I polled, only one had implemented a single campaign. Unsurprisingly, they actually got results, generating roughly $2,400 in new monthly MRR, along with a number of Windows 7 end-of-life upgrades.
The rest who responded didn’t implement a single thing. As in nada. Zilch. Zip. When I asked why they didn’t even try to implement a single campaign, here are the answers I got back:
- I didn’t attend any of the sessions.
- I’m still trying to get my list (which was from the first session, four weeks prior).
- We’re focusing on fixing operational problems.
- I was on vacation.
- We’re already doing the things that were covered.
- I didn’t pay attention enough to implement, but I will do something in the future.
There you have it, folks – your competition’s ambition, summarized. When presented with multiple surefire, moneymaking campaigns that THEY PAID to receive, this is how they performed.
That’s why I find it funny anyone is worried about sharing a working campaign with me, fearing I’ll show it to our community, revealing it to their competition, who will then steal it. I wish it were that easy. Reality is, most simply cannot get beyond day-to-day “stuff” to take action on sales and marketing.
Your MSP can’t be “normal”
Of course, this is NORMAL behavior, not a failing on the training, support, or instructions. Normal people break and abandon New Year’s resolutions by January 31st.
Normal people don’t read non-fiction books, go to seminars, or invest in training unless paid for and mandated by their boss. Normal people (98 percent) who enroll in an online class never finish.
Normal IT services firms never get past the $1 million mark, and a scant few beyond $5 million. That’s why you must be VERY careful about acting and behaving “normal.”
In business, everyone wants a competitive advantage, but they look in all the wrong places: A “secret” marketing campaign nobody knows about.
They are looking for ultra-rare rock-star employee who is self-motivated, problem-free and highly capable. Or a vendor with the magic pill for operations and staffing. A guru on the mountaintop with all the answers (yep, I put myself in there). Perhaps an elusive client base that forks over money without question for IT services.
That’s not to say these things don’t exist (but they are RARE). It’s to underscore that the only TRUE competitive advantage you have any control over is YOU, getting yourself up early day after day and CONSISTENTLY implementing good ideas and solid fundamentals.
That’s it.
Photo: a master photographer / Shutterstock
I am such a fan of this, i’ve had it in my inbox for a few weeks now and just read it every few days for energy. Thanks Robin.