Better Results With Less Time
As an entrepreneur it is easy to work from sunrise to sunset and not move the needle in your business.
Does that mean that hard work is irrelevant?
No!
Does that mean you need to work harder?
No!
When I push too hard, I get sick and it takes me at least 2 weeks to get back to full speed. This is the lingering effects of my Chronic Fatigue. This reality slap, that forces me to see that consistency beats short bursts of activity.
So, how can you move your business forward without burning yourself out?
The answer lies in...
The Truth About Time Management!
Time Management is NOT about doing more tasks... it's about doing less.
Time Management is about identifying the tasks that will move your business forward. Focusing on those. And excluding everything else!
When you do that, you will get the important things done. You will move your business forward. You will enjoy watching your business grow because you are not exhausted every day.
But...
How do you sift the important tasks from the urgent or time wasting items on your to-do list?
How do you find the "golden opportunity" activity that will give your business a giant leap in results?
The answer lies in the amazing power of the 80/20 Principle!
Put The 80/20 Principle On Steroids!
The mention of the 80/20 Principle is likely to make some people roll their eyes, and others to stop reading. You've heard it. You've never used it. So you think it's a waste of time.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
For years I thought the 80/20 Principle was a management or personal development joke.
Why?
Because no one ever showed you how to identify the most important tasks.
It's one thing to understand that 80% of your results come from 20% of your activity.
But...
If you don't know how to find the "golden opportunity" activity. You will never improve your productivity.
So, for years I thought this productivity principle was a waste of time. Until...
I Read Perry Marshall's 80/20 Sales & Marketing Book And My Life Changed Forever!
You see, for the first time I could see how to identify the most important tasks. It all starts with putting the 80/20 Principle on steroids.
80/20 is a mathematical ratio. That means you can multiply it for an even more potent result.
80/20 doubled is 64% of your results come from 4% of your activity. Giving you a ratio of 16/1
80/20 tripled is 52% of your results come from 0.8% of your activity. Giving you a ratio of 250/1.
That insight blew my mind!
Once I started to ask myself to find the 1% Task that will give me 50% of my results, I started to see the world in a new light.
The Power Of 1% Tasks
As an entrepreneur, I'm going to assume that you work a 50 hour week or more.
If you work 50 hours a week, then 1% of your weekly time is 30 minutes.
So...
What 30 minute activity could give you 50% of your results?
You might be thinking, that's impossible.
I don't know your business. So, I don't know if this is possible or not. It's possible in every business that I've consulted in. It's possible in my business. So, I'm going to assume it's possible in your business.
Proof Of 1% Tasks
Before you can find your 1% Tasks, you must know your Business North Star.
Your Business North Star is the ONE thing that will double, triple or 10x your business in the next year!
My Business North Start is to make lead generation free.
That's the ONE thing that will 10x both my training business and my consulting business. Knowing that makes all time management decisions effortless.
If the activity is contributing to making lead generation free, then I'll do it. If not, then I'll ask myself if it is important. If not then I will dump it.
To make lead generation free I need 2 distinct components.
The first is a high converting sales funnel for an introductory product.
The second is an affordable source of entrepreneurs that want to grow their business.
Where can I find entrepreneurs that want to grow their business? Facebook is one place to find them.
Another source of entrepreneurs are other business owners. If another business owner teaches entrepreneurs how to grow their business in a different way to me... then we could work together for mutual gain.
You see, if I can help their customers in a way the business owner cannot. Then there is no competitive clash.
I can give the business owner a commission on sale. This makes lead generation free because I'm not paying for eyeballs. I'm paying for money in the bank.
Would you agree, that's a much better way to do business?
Most importantly, I've found a partner to work with for years to come.
So...
Finding new affiliate partners is a 1% Task.
What other 1% Tasks are on my list?
Finding new consulting clients.
As a consultant, I'm looking to work with a handful of clients for the next 40 years.
I want to find a client that I trust, enjoy working with, and where I can make a huge difference in their business. They must also be able to pay my consulting fee.
So...
My 1% Tasks both involve picking up the phone and speaking to someone. That's it!
Yes, it takes time to know who you are going to call - that's on my 20% Task List.
Yes, it takes time to know what you are going to say when they answer the phone - that's on my 20% Task List.
What Difference Do 1% Tasks Make In My Life?
A 1% To-Do List is short. It's really short. And the tasks on that list don't change from week to week.
1% Tasks, allow you to grow your business with zero stress.
1% Tasks give you the no excuses way to grow your business! Let's face it, if you are too busy to carve out 30 minutes a week to make a phone call, then you've got your priorities messed up.
1% Tasks are so tiny - 30 minutes a week - that you can always get them done. That feels like winning. I don't know about you, but I like winning.
There are always unexpected things that happen in business and in life. The 1% Tasks always get done because they only take 30 minutes from your week.
1% Tasks Dovetail With 20% Tasks
As I've already said, calling business owners to work with is my 1% Task. It's the easy part. And there is other activity that set's up the call.
I never cold call anyone. Ever. I send them a printed letter first, so they know that I am going to call. The letter tells them why they should take my call.
I know that we are all busy and don't want to be interrupted in our day... especially for a sales call.
Unless, the sales call is going to help us to grow our business. Unless, the sales call is going to help them solve an immediate problem.
That's how you transform your sales call from pest to guest.
Yes, it means you've got to do more work. Yes, it means you've got to do more planning. Yes, it means you need a separate 20% Task list.
When you do this. You will never fear picking up the phone to a stranger because you aren't making a cold call. You will grow your business with a repeatable process that is fun.
Now It's Your Turn
Before you can find your 1% Tasks you need to know your Business North Star. You need to know that ONE thing that will double, triple or 10x your business in the next 12 months.
This exists for every business. It could be winning the whale client. It could be creating a new product. It could be growing your audience.
But...
You must know what it is or you'll never find your 1% Tasks.
If you spend a day figuring out your Business North Star. Then you will win a huge success victory. It will give you clarity. It will make taking action easy.
When you know your Business North Star it's time to look for the 1 or 2 tasks that will take 30 minutes to complete. Think about the implication if the task goes the way you want.
Not every call will go the way you want. And that's okay.
You see if the 1% Tasks are big enough. Winning 4 times a year completely changes your business. 4 times out of 52 is not an unrealistic strike rate.
Doing the task every week, no matter what, guarantees your success.
If you've found this useful then please leave a comment below.
If you know a business owner that struggles to get their name out there, then please share this with them.
Until next time...
Carpe diem
Roland Eva
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About The Author
I’m a copywriter and business growth trainer, mentor and consultant.
For the last 5 years, I’ve helped business owners to sell products and services in a range industries. The products and services have ranged in price from £5 to £12,000.
My most successful campaign made £672,989 in 9 days.
I took that result and transformed it into a simple repeatable system. A system that I teach to ambitious entrepreneurs that want to make money on demand without a sales team.
Why do I want to help other business owners? Because my marketing journey began when I lost my first business. The pain of watching my business die, motivated me to discover how to make sales on demand without a sales team.
Today my mission is to prevent every business owner from suffering through the same pain as I did. I’d like to take entrepreneurs on the joy ride that comes with having a proven system to make sales on demand without a sales team.