Goals and appointments: Laser focused and missed opportunities
As a startup and entrepreneur having a Mac makes running my business much easier. Using the Mac allows me to concentrate on my essential business tasks, including looking outside for more opportunities.
Radio Show. Recently I was attending an internet radio show where a young lady was discussing her recently published book. She talked for an hour and there were about 10-15 people there in the coffee shop listening to her and drinking their coffee. After her talk, she gathered her things and book and left the coffee shop.
What?
You heard me right, she just upped and left. Not once did she even look in our direction or visit with any of us to discuss her book and her life and talent. Not once did she reach out and try to connect with one person.
She had the potential of adding another 10 customers to her name and business list, but she did not even see the opportunity of who might be interested in talking with her, or as we used to say in the service, do a “grip and grin” with those that are important to us, in this case, potential customers.
Her one hour of talking was her “sales presentation” to those listening to the internet radio and those in the coffee house and she missed out “closing the sale” with those in the coffee shop.
Book Marketing. The same goes for a recent encounter with another author. In discussing the many aspects of getting books sales I mentioned that getting into the brick and mortar establishments versus going online can tie up some of your capital, i.e. getting your books on consignment (the book store giving shelf space to your book until it sells, then both of you earn the profit). This person came back and said, “If anyone can get their book into all of the stores, they can.” Based on this web site (http://www.manta.com/mb_34_B63AE_000/book_stores) there are over 29,000+ book stores. If each book cost you $10 to ship to them and the cost of the book, that’s $290,000 in capital getting your book into each store. Do you think a beginning author has that much capital in their checking account, let alone a major book chain, to devote to getting your book on their shelf?
Both the radio show and the book marketing: Missed opportunities!!
Being laser focused can be good at keeping out the “noise” of non-essential business or “Getting Things Done,” but this laser focus will “burn” you if you don’t broaden or “soften” your focus and looking right next to you for opportunities. This also means learning what to do first or put some thought into your efforts so you don’t waste them.
Do you have a similar story, let me hear it.
