From Procrastination to Process

[UndertheBar]

I've been lurking this forum for a couple of months now, but have been a lifetime lurker of entrepreneurship ideas and processes. After accidentally discovering this forum and MJ's book, I decided to take action and start my process,but....

I didn't. I posted an introduction here and decided to change my life. I had an idea, but I never researched the market correctly and didn't adhere to MJ's principles. But worst of all, I never took action. Since my post in December, I have been thinking of ideas and finding excuses and moving on. After working this past weekend, I realized enough was enough. I was picking one of my many ideas and acting on it immediately.

That leaves me here, after reading the Ice Cream thread, I decided that I was to stop picking ideas and changing them. I was going to find something that is failing and fix it and now here I am.

I live in one of the fastest growing areas in the United States. My county is estimated to double it's population over the next 5 years and continue to increase at rapid rates. I see my suburban county drastically rising in population, but I am still seeing this same type of local business shut down and close it's doors. I've researched into why these businesses are doing that and it hit me. After researching their websites, customer base, etc., they are not doing anything to acquire new customers. They are doing the same or less than all of their competitors and aren't providing a better value nor are they providing a better price. So after being a customer of several of these businesses, I've decided to begin a consulting biz concentrating on this niche.

I've read Fox's thread on web development and am researching marketing techniques for local businesses. (If anyone has any great reads for local marketing let me know!). I've also read ICK's thread on calling 100 business to see their problems and I will be doing that in this niche as well.

So here starts my process....

As of right now, I am reading through a lot of Gary Halbert's work and learning how to copy. I drive a lot at my job so I have been listening to different books to increase my knowledge on the niche and on marketing.

On top of learning copy, I am using Fox's advice on learning to code, even though web development isn't going to be my main approach, but I feel that if I know a decent amount of coding, I can provide a better value to the customer.

Although I work over 40 hours a week and am going for my MBA, I waste a lot of time doing nothing so I've cut out my wasteful time and have set up strict schedules on time management.

Overall, I'm making this thread to hold myself accountable, but hopefully, this thread can help others on this forum by providing information and hoping others learn from mistakes I made. Thank you to everyone else who has taught me so much in such little time!

 

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[miked_d]

That sounds like a lot of perpetration without any action.

When do you start looking for clients?

 

[UndertheBar]

That sounds like a lot of perpetration without any action.

When do you start looking for clients?

I am currently putting together my list of 100 businesses in this niche and contacting them and interviewing them to understand their problems and difficulties. While I am contacting these businesses, I am looking for clients and building a relationship.

 

[extraordwealth]

I am currently putting together my list of 100 businesses in this niche and contacting them and interviewing them to understand their problems and difficulties. While I am contacting these businesses, I am looking for clients and building a relationship.

I don't think this idea is fastlane.

Sent from my Infinix-X551 using Tapatalk

 

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[UndertheBar]

I don't think this idea is fastlane.

Sent from my Infinix-X551 using Tapatalk

I rambled a lot in the original post, but I'm going to be consulting a specific local business niche in business development and marketing. There is huge opportunity in this niche that has been ignored.

The reason I'm contacting the 100 businesses is to build a client list and understand what exactly these businesses are failing in. While I'm doing that I'm learning more marketing and copy skills. I want to provide the best possible value so I'm trying to learn as much as possible before I start pushing sales.

If you think this is a bad approach Id like to hear your advice and see it from another perspective.

 

[Kingmaker]

But worst of all, I never took action

I am currently putting together my list of 100 businesses in this niche

So you have a history of action faking, yet you're making a list of one hundred. How many have you actually called?
If none, make a list of ONE business, call them, and report back.

 

[RazorCut]

If you think this is a bad approach Id like to hear your advice and see it from another perspective.

As @Kingmaker says. Not moving forward until you have a list of 100 is action faking. Pick a handful (what's that an hours work, tops?) and get on the phone.

The hardest call is the first call so eat that frog.

Also, you say you have a full time job and are studying for an MBA? In that case free time is valuable. You do not need to spend it on low value areas such as learning to code. It is a waste of your most valuable asset. Put that time to better use building your business.

You couldn't possibly build a site for less than employing someone who builds sites for a living. Especially if you factor in your hourly earning potential and the time it will take you compared to a specialist. Outsource it via Upwork, or one of the other sites out there.

You need to be on the bridge of the ship. That's where you find the captain, not in the galley cooking eggs.

But worst of all, I never took action.

Learning to copy, learning to code, listening to audio books, making a list. Think about it. This is all action faking.

Looking forward to your next post where you let us know what you learned from the first handful of phone calls you made.

 

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[stepbystep]

As @Kingmaker says. Not moving forward until you have a list of 100 is action faking. Pick a handful (what's that an hours work, tops?) and get on the phone.

The hardest call is the first call so eat that frog.

Also, you say you have a full time job and are studying for an MBA? In that case free time is valuable. You do not need to spend it on low value areas such as learning to code. It is a waste of your most valuable asset. Put that time to better use building your business.

You couldn't possibly build a site for less than employing someone who builds sites for a living. Especially if you factor in your hourly earning potential and the time it will take you compared to a specialist. Outsource it via Upwork, or one of the other sites out there.

You need to be on the bridge of the ship. That's where you find the captain, not in the galley cooking eggs.



Learning to copy, learning to code, listening to audio books, making a list. Think about it. This is all action faking.

Looking forward to your next post where you let us know what you learned from the first handful of phone calls you made.

I'm not sure if learning to copy, and listening to audio books is necessarily an action fake. It could be, but if you're learning those things as a means to an end then it's an action step. TMF talks about marketing as the queen on the chess board. A solution to a problem is useless if you can't connect to other people. But, then again, to quote IceCreamKid, don't get stuck in the learning loop.

I drive a lot as well. I've listened to quite a few audio books. But I'm now finding that the books i need to propel me to the next level, i.e. books about copy, are mostly unavailable in audio format. I think that makes sense because, the more specialized a book becomes, the fewer people will read it. I think that's because, most people are willing to listen to a book that tells them to be their own boss, but far fewer read books that are more involved, because they're all about action.

Take Ca$hvertising for example. It's not going to pump up your ego and tell you to quit your job and be your own boss. But, it does tell you how to write good copy. One wouldn't read a book like that unless they intended to take action.

 

[Shonit]

I've been lurking this forum for a couple of months now, but have been a lifetime lurker of entrepreneurship ideas and processes. After accidentally discovering this forum and MJ's book, I decided to take action and start my process,but....

I didn't. I posted an introduction here and decided to change my life. I had an idea, but I never researched the market correctly and didn't adhere to MJ's principles. But worst of all, I never took action. Since my post in December, I have been thinking of ideas and finding excuses and moving on. After working this past weekend, I realized enough was enough. I was picking one of my many ideas and acting on it immediately.

That leaves me here, after reading the Ice Cream thread, I decided that I was to stop picking ideas and changing them. I was going to find something that is failing and fix it and now here I am.

I live in one of the fastest growing areas in the United States. My county is estimated to double it's population over the next 5 years and continue to increase at rapid rates. I see my suburban county drastically rising in population, but I am still seeing this same type of local business shut down and close it's doors. I've researched into why these businesses are doing that and it hit me. After researching their websites, customer base, etc., they are not doing anything to acquire new customers. They are doing the same or less than all of their competitors and aren't providing a better value nor are they providing a better price. So after being a customer of several of these businesses, I've decided to begin a consulting biz concentrating on this niche.

I've read Fox's thread on web development and am researching marketing techniques for local businesses. (If anyone has any great reads for local marketing let me know!). I've also read ICK's thread on calling 100 business to see their problems and I will be doing that in this niche as well.

So here starts my process....

As of right now, I am reading through a lot of Gary Halbert's work and learning how to copy. I drive a lot at my job so I have been listening to different books to increase my knowledge on the niche and on marketing.

On top of learning copy, I am using Fox's advice on learning to code, even though web development isn't going to be my main approach, but I feel that if I know a decent amount of coding, I can provide a better value to the customer.

Although I work over 40 hours a week and am going for my MBA, I waste a lot of time doing nothing so I've cut out my wasteful time and have set up strict schedules on time management.

Overall, I'm making this thread to hold myself accountable, but hopefully, this thread can help others on this forum by providing information and hoping others learn from mistakes I made. Thank you to everyone else who has taught me so much in such little time!

Hey man whatsup .

I can help you with your situation .I have been doing this consulting thing for the local businesses here in India.

Before jumping in , I read cashvertising and the ultimate sales letter .Did not practice or anything ,just went straight to the killing field .I looked for the advertisements in my local city .
Noted down their business name and phone number .

I would literally make the call just after going through their advertisement .

This is how the call usually goes

Me : Hi am I speaking to "business name "
Business: yes
Me: are you the business owner ?
Business:no or yes

If yes continue forward otherwise ask whoever is on the line to forward your call to the owner. If they sound resistant , tell them it's urgent .

Business owner : yes who is this
Me: my name is " " .I just saw your advertisement few minutes ago and I just want to tell you it's quite ineffective .

Business ownerkay
Me: Because of this you are losing thousands of potential customers because no body pays attention to your advertisements . Moreover , you are just losing money on advertisements .

Business owner : okay but I have hired this "local company" to make ads for me .
Me : well they are stealing money from you because they have not used any influence or persuasion in their ads . They are not emotionally persuading your potential customers to choose your service or product .
And sir I'm not calling from some marketing company or anything . I genuinely want to help you . You can make use of copywriting ,persuasion influence techniques to dominate the market .you can eliminate your competition .

I'll tell you how I can help you . I have done copywriting on freelance platforms , local businesses in some distant city . They made huge profits because of my services .
Sir I would like to discuss this with in person . When are you free?

This is their usual response.

Business owner: no , no I don't want this . I don't have time .

Me: think about this , this can profoundly change your business . In addition I'm not charging anything for the meeting .I will just take 5 minutes of your time .

Half of them agree on the meeting .Those who don't , move on to another call .

Also , go the meeting with strong intent . Just get a yes or no answer. Don't waste time on owners who are not sure will tell you about in z days .
I wasted a lot of time at this stage . Just sitting on the old leads for a few days , and most of the times they don't call you back or say no if you call them .

I hope this helps you . Again , I am not an expert or even good at copywriting . Just go out there and build a portfolio and then you can go surfing amid bigger fishes .

Your skills will improve along the way .

Anyway , people in this forum are thousands of level above me . So , consider their advice before mine .