SALES & MARKETING: Put off Procrastination

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people talk about all the things they’re going to do once they have time, as if time were something waiting for them in great abundance just around the corner. A mentor of mine likes to say, “Successful people do the things unsuccessful people aren’t willing to do.” I’ll go one step further and say that successful people do the things unsuccessful people aren’t willing to do – today. So let’s discuss some strategies for putting off procrastination and taking action.

For starters, do you have a clear idea of what exactly you need to accomplish? I recommend keeping one to-do list and one calendar and carrying them with you at all times. This way, your priorities are always right where they should be: with you. You can see what’s ahead of you and what’s – often thankfully – behind. And if a new idea should strike you while you’re standing in the check-out line, or you make a new business contact at your child’s soccer game and want to schedule a lunch, you’ve got your list and calendar right there with you. And while you might invest in a PDA or Blackberry, I find that a simple pen and paper work just fine. The key is to adopt a system that works for you.

How should you organize your to-do list? You might begin by numbering all of the items on your list, then placing them up against each other like you do with the basketball teams on your NCAA pool sheets. Decide which tasks or projects are more important – which are urgent necessities and which are secondary pursuits. Then move the necessities on to the next “competition.” As you move down your list, your priorities should become increasingly clear to you and eventually you’ll arrive at a significantly pared down number of tasks to accomplish.

Now write out what will happen if you complete each of the tasks on your list. Let’s say that selling the Conley job is one of your priorities. You might write: “If I sell the Conley job, our company will have three weeks of work with two crews, and the company will make a nice profit. And I will have another great project under my belt.” Visualize your success. This is what will motivate you to take action now. When you can’t clearly foresee the payoff, the mind has a hard time concentrating on the task at hand and seeing it through to completion. You might also find that the payoff is, in fact, rather poor in comparison to the effort it will require from you; when this happens, it’s time to rethink your priorities. You are after all running a business – never settle for less than a good return on your investment and never overlook the bottom line.

If  the task is something you’ve needed to do for some time and haven’t, ask yourself why you keep putting it off. Confront and conquer what’s been holding you back. Maybe you have a call from a difficult customer you’re reluctant to return. Maybe you have several calls from several difficult customers you’re reluctant to return. My advice? Pick up the phone. Now. In my experience, even the most prickly of clients will soften if you deal with them in a professional, solicitous manner. What’s more, problems don’t solve themselves –  left untended, they have a way of multiplying. 

If the task is complex, then write out all the steps you’ll need to take to complete it. If procrastination is still holding you back, you might consider finding a professional coach or mentor who will help hold you accountable and force you to meet your goals. Schedule regular appointments with this person, and stay honest. Don’t exaggerate or distort what you’ve gotten done – a coach is there to help you with what you can’t do on your own and to motivate you to keep striving until you can.