By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing
The prevailing marketing attitude amongst a large percentage of Independent Professionals is what I call "Silver Bullet Marketing."
It's exemplified by this story:
A few years ago a subscriber purchased my InfoGuru Marketing Manual. Only a few hours after downloading it I received an email from him that said, "I'd like a refund on the manual. I couldn't find any silver bullets." (I kid you not!)
A silver bullet is a magical, all-in-one solution that will cure all your marketing ills in one deft stroke. It's what we all want and hope we'll find one lucky day.
Well, sorry to disappoint you, but there ain't no silver bullet!
However there is a marketing approach that is more powerful, more certain, and more reliable than any silver bullet. It's something that we all have the power to implement immediately and it almost always produces favorable results.
I call it "Bet Your Car Marketing."
Most human activities are based on trying. That is, we *try* to produce results. We make an effort. We struggle. We give it our best shot. You know the drill:
"I tried to get that article written, but I'm just not a very good writer." or "I tried to do speaking engagements but nobody returned my call." or "I tried to get my eZine started but the technical part is just too complicated."
Trying includes a degree of effort accompanied by an excuse.
Imagine this scenario instead. You are talking to a friend or perhaps your business coach. (Feel free to substitute any marketing project you are procrastinating about.)
"I'm going to try to get that article written this week."
"Will you bet your car?"
"What do you mean?"
"You've been futzing over that article for weeks. Will you bet your car that you'll complete it?"
"Well, like I said, I'll try my very best. It isn't easy you know, and besides, I have a lot of other priorities I'm juggling."
"Fine, but either you do it or you don't do it. If you're going to commit to writing it, I suggest you make it real and bet your car."
"What exactly does that mean!?"
"It means that you commit to completing the article, and if you don't complete it you forfeit your car. You can give it to a local charity."
"Are you crazy!?#"
"I'm not crazy. At a certain point it takes putting something at stake to get something done. You could agonize over that article for another several weeks or you could just write it. And if you don't, you lose your car. Let me tell you, if you put your car at stake, don't you think the article would get done?"
"I guess it would, I hadn't thought of it that way."
"No, because you're reasonable. And when you're reasonable, you always have an excuse that undermines your goals. Everyone buys into those excuses. But can you honestly say that the excuses are as fulfilling as actually completing the article?"
"No, I guess not. But what if I make the bet and I don't succeed? What if I lose the car?"
"Well, that's the game you've been playing for years. You always hedge your bets; you never commit; you play it safe. And look at your results. It's time to change the game. Will you bet your car or keep making excuses?"
"OK, I'll do it!"
"Now you're talking!"
I've actually had similar conversations with clients. A couple weeks ago I put the pressure on with a group I'm working with. In that case, they didn't bet their cars, but they agreed to write checks to certain unsavory political organizations if they didn't complete the projects they were procrastinating about.
Guess what? Everyone got their projects done.
Want to produce breakthrough results in your marketing? Want to accomplish things you thought were impossible? Want to step outside your comfort zone and make something happen?
Don't wait for a silver bullet. Bet your car instead.
The More Clients Bottom Line: The big key to getting anything done is by putting something at stake. The exercise of betting your car is a start. But ultimately you need to tap into a deep commitment to your business and to yourself and then you'll always have something at stake. How else do you think I get this eZine written every week?
What's the marketing project you'll bet your car on? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the comments section below.
there are no silver bullets
Posted by: magnaflow | November 14, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Great article Robert,
I read it last week, but I've been applying it over the past 7 days. I've used the principles here to force me to get a couple of projects completed.
Thanks for the ideas.
Posted by: Allan Ward | June 15, 2009 at 11:18 PM
Wow!!! that was great and important!! I just finished listening to the tele from John Eggen and today I am writing my forth coming book on How to begin - making money and making time by being organized.
Lisa Giesler
www.atimeandplaceforeverything.org
Posted by: Lisa Giesler | June 09, 2009 at 10:15 AM
All of your columns are terrific, but this one really struck a cord with me. It's all about being held accountable. Not only does this hold the potential to change one's business, but how about the world? A simple yet powerful concept practiced all too infrequently. Thank you!
Posted by: Geoff Phelps | June 09, 2009 at 09:37 AM
Great post!
It reminded me of another article I read that suggested that you keep promises you make to yourself as if you made the promise to someone else.
It was saying that folks are more likely to keep a promise made to others than they do for themselves. Why do people do that? Be on time; do a certain something or whatever for others but not them self?
I never realized I was more willing to do something if I was doing the task for another than myself.
It's one of the challenging things when working for yourself. That's why a coach is invaluable.
Again great article.
In addition to making sure I don't break promises to myself I will be going through my "to do's" and betting my car AND my laptop.
Posted by: Kenny Wagner | June 09, 2009 at 09:17 AM
Robert, I believe this is right up there with the best articles you have ever written! I'm not as excited about passing this along to others as I am in using it *myself*.
Posted by: Doug Saylor | June 09, 2009 at 07:10 AM
Thank you so much for this idea! Marketing is all about "compelling messages" but selling to oneself is sometimes the toughest job. This is straight to the point and a lot more powerful than "Oh I'll have a cup of tea when I've finished a paragraph". I think I could use this with a few clients who are struggling to get copy written for their websites too...
Posted by: Caroline Hogarth | June 09, 2009 at 01:29 AM
You're right, of course. Procrastination must be the biggest obstacle to achieving results.
In the Finnish language, there is a saying "The best is the worst enemy of good". Or, as I recently read someone saying: It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be done.
Posted by: Kimmo Linkama | June 08, 2009 at 11:36 PM