In regards to anything in life worthwhile, you need a plan. You have heard it a hundred times but often still, this saying goes by the wayside “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” So why is it that so many people fail to plan?
I find that the reason most people fail to plan, is the simple reason they don’t know how to plan properly or effectively. You see, in sports, you have a pre-season, you have the season, then you have playoffs which lead to the big finale in a “Championship Game” now, because the season has defined parameters, it’s easy for the coaches to strategize a “plan” for the season. In the pre-season they are getting ready, honing their skills, getting in shape, getting organized for the season. During the season they have games. And, the preparation in “practice” prepares them for the next game. At the conclusion of the game, they look forward to the next game. However, there’s a step that more often than not, we in home business overlook.
The coaches of the team, and the players will review “film” to learn from the errors of the past to be sure to take corrective measures for the future. This is KEY, and they’ll go over in slow motion, over and again to find out where the breakdown occurred if there was a mistake, or if the play was not executed properly. They diagnose the problem, and take corrective measures to prevent this from happening in the next game. They then come up with a solution to correct the problem or mistake, and then, they’ll instill special drills to shorten the learning curve to overcome the problem in the fastest most effective manner. If they don’t fix those minor mistakes, they are doomed to continue to repeat the errors of the past, which will result in lack of progress. Every team strives to get better day in and day out. At the higher levels of athletics, the coaches even record their practices, to not only evaluate their players, but to evaluate their own coaching so they can continue to get better day in and day out.
The point is, if you don’t review what you have done, and find out what went well, what didn’t and why, and how you are going to take corrective measures to prevent yourself from making the same mistake in the future, you are really missing a VITAL piece of the puzzle of achieving your goals and dreams. Start recording your prospecting calls, interview calls, sign up calls etc.
So what does that all have to do with a 90 Day Action Plan? Well, here’s the deal. I started this article talking about defined parameters of a season. A beginning, the in-betweens, and the end. Well, in home business, their is no “championship game” so what do we do?
We have to trick our mind into believing that there is. And, 90 days, because many studies have shown it takes 90 days to eliminate bad, unproductive habits, and replace with good, productive habits. Our objective in this “90 Day Blitz” is to first and foremost identify your start date and your end date. Place an X on the day of your calendar that you use most, or all of them, and count forward 90 days and place another X. This is your “season” the 90th day will be your championship game, and then you’ll reward yourself for following the plan through.
Now, we have our dates set. We have, and I mean HAVE to identify the obstacles, the distractions, that we will be facing, so we know exactly what we are up against, and plan for how we are going to avoid these distractions and overcome these obstacles. This biggest deterrent of success for people in home business is the subtle distractions that come along with the luxury of working from home. Phone calls, pets, family, events, and the most deadly distraction of all the “internet” and “email!” Now, I love the internet as much or more than anyone here, I couldn’t imagine living without it. However, the internet and email can suck you in to a “black hole” that many never climb out of. I have had friends that have went in never to be heard from again! Just kidding, but you know what I am talking about. You have to prepare, and plan time during your 90 Day Blitz to check your email, to do your stuff on the web, it has to be planned accordingly. I mean seriously, do you think Coach Izzo for the MSU Spartans runs to his computer in the middle of practice if he hears his email beep that he’s got a new message! No, that would be idiotic, it would cause the entire team to lose focus, and the practice would be completely unproductive. It sounds ludicrous, but how often do we do this while working on our business? Only to spend the time to read the email, reply to the email, and then another one comes in, and it’s got a link to something on the web, and then boom you are sucked into the “black hole” and maybe, just maybe, you crawl out in time to make 1 or 2 calls, and then it’s dinner time, or you have to take the kids somewhere, or you have to do this, or have to do that. So, schedule a time to check email. Maybe 2-3 times/day max. If you are going to check 3 times/day. Morning, noon, and night. And, when you get email, go through it as quickly, and efficiently as possible. If someone asks you a question, if you can direct them to where they can get their questions answered do that, let them find it for themselves. Don’t spend 10 minutes writing a two paragraph email to answer something that someone can find the answer for themselves. Don’t baby sit your organization. You don’t need to feed them and change their diapers. If you do, you are catering to their weakness, and weakness breads weakness in your organization, which will be disastrous in the long run.
Define what working on your business means. Let’s talk about what it doesn’t mean first: sharpening pencils, organizing your desk, deleting files off your desktop, answering emails, getting on the company conference call, listening to cd’s, surfing the web, or even reading books. None of those things will make you a dime. YES, they are necessary things you need/have to do. However, there is a time and a place, and it doesn’t happen in your scheduled business building time. Yes, you have to schedule time to build your business, answer email, plug into the training, read books, clean your office etc. But, you can’t, you CAN’T let these activities deter your productivity in your 90 Day Blitz.
So what is productivity in building your business. Four things:
1) Exposing new people to your business.
2) Following Up with people you have exposed to collect a decision.
3) Signing New Distributors/Affiliates/Customers up.
4) Getting them started.
Those are the only activities that are truly productive business building efforts. Now, you need to spend 70% or more of your time exposing new people to the business. That’s right 70% or more of your time scheduled to build your business HAS to be spent exposing new people to your marketing tools. The other 30% has to be done quickly, and efficiently. Very quickly find out if someone is ready to join the team and get started making money. Then plug them into the training that’s available, this is not the time for you to “breast feed” your new distributor. Either they will or they won’t, they have to want it. They have to be self-reliant, and self-motivated enough to plug into the training, and get themselves started. You shouldn’t have to take responsibility of the training, this is a waste of time. Yes, you read correctly, if you take the time to train, coddle, and cuddle your new distributor you are playing Russian roulette with your time. Some will, some won’t, some do, some don’t. Your time is precious, it’s valuable, if they want it, they’ll go get it. Now, what you have to do, is make sure you show them where they get their training, and what tools and resources they’ll need to educate themselves on how to build this business. Show them where they get the conference call and webinar schedule. Give them short reminders in the beginning, build to impending events, edify the speaker and the message, and create value for attending, and loss if they miss it. They need to know that they’ll be gaining some vital information that’s crucial to there success, and if they are not on the call they will not get the “golden nugget” that’s going to be given on call, webinar or training.
In regards to following up, and signing up new distributors. “Hey John, the other day we spoke about starting a home business for you, so you can finally get out of debt (or whatever their REASON is for wanting to start a home business) and you’ve had a chance to review (marketing tool you used, and you MUST assume they have reviewed it) I just wanted to get back with you and find out if you are ready to join the team and get started. Be short, sweet, to the point, and there are only 3 possible outcomes. Yes, they are ready to get started. No, it’s not right for them. Or, they still have some questions that need to be answered. In the case of Yes, sign them up, and point them to the training. In the case of No, thanks for your time, bye. In the case of they still have some questions, find out what their top 3 questions are, write them down, then ask, provided I get you answers to these questions, and they are to your satisfaction, are you ready to get started? That will enable you to determine right then and there if they are a “tire kicker” and you take the cookie away if they are. If they say yes, if their questions are short and easy, answer their questions or get an upline mentor on a 3-way and use the third party trick. Or, point them to the information where they can get their questions answered and sign them up.
The point of this entire article is that you have to have a plan. It has to have a start date, and an end date. You must reward yourself at the concuslion by taking a few days off, do something special, go out to eat at an expensive restaurant you wouldn’t normally go to, take a vacation, whatever, define what that reward is, make it worth while, put your plan into action and go to work. It will be a bumply road, so you HAVE to identfiy the obstacle, and plan accordingly for them. You have to SCHEDULE time for everything, including checking email, training, spending time with the family and friends, everything must be scheduled. Go over your schedule with your spouse, make sure they are in congruence with your plan. You need their support. During the time you have scheduled to work on your business, LET NOTHING GET IN THE WAY OF YOUR PRODUCTIVITY. This will be difficult at first, but you’ll progress and get better. Record yourself making your prospecting calls and take the time to review the “film,” identify the breakdowns and create a plan of action to get better to prevent the same mistakes from recurring.
Once you complete your first 90 Day Blitz, plan for your second. The second is where the money is. Because you will be 400-700% more productive with your time you spend building your business as you’ll have become a master at eliminating your distractions, small things that prevent you from making big profits, and you’ll have mastered your scheduling of activities. Your third 90 Day Blitz, will likely cause you to be Rich for the rest of your life. So, don’t just read this, get off your Duff and do something about it. Only you have the power to do what it takes to be successful.
This article was inspired by one of my favorite trainers in the industry Tracy Biller and his CD “The 90 Day Blitz” I encourage you to get his training, and other great free information from HERE
I have also done a video training on one of our webinars recently for putting a 90 Day Action Plan Together HERE
I just set up my own personal training Blog HERE where I’ll be posting other great articles like this as well.
Hope this article was more than helpful, please leave your comments any feedback or additions or 2 cents are greatly appreciated.
God Bless & Make it a Great Day!!
To YOUR Success & wHealth!
Zeb Olsen
skype: zeb.olsen
Hey all, I’m using Twitter a lot now and just wanted to send you my link.
If you’re not using Twitter with your prospects and friends, you should be! It’s a great way to communicate without having to worry about filters or junk boxes…
