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“There’s no time like the present.”  There’s so much truth in that old adage, and we can use it not only in our personal lives, but in our business as well.  In marketing and sales, we spend so much time in setting goals, identifying revenue targets, planning our course and identifying income streams.  Is there anything missing?  Only the obvious, and that’s taking action.  In fact, it so obvious I’m almost hesitant to bring it up.   But for some, it’s a hurdle to clear.  Past experiences may have taught them that they must get everything in place and wait for the perfect time to begin an undertaking.

You must ignore your past experiences because if you keep waiting for the right time, the perfect time, to take action, you may be waiting for quite awhile.  The truth is, conditions may never be perfect.  There will always be obstacles, there will always be excuses, and you will always be able to find something that can stop you from taking action.

I found this to be the case when I set a goal to make $1,000,000 in sales.  I had my strategy, my path was set, or so I thought.  I discovered, much to my joy, that I was pregnant.  What a wonderful excuse not to go for my $1,000,000 goal.  Maybe next year, perhaps?  No, I took action, and took it with a sense of purpose.  In fact, my purpose was even more focused since I had a deadline, in this case a birthline, looming.

When I made the decision to take action, I set in motion a whole new course of events, different paths and new opportunities opened up.  And that happened because I moved forward even though the timing was not optimum.

But there’s more to it than just taking immediate action, it’s taking action to get you closer to your goal.

So when you take action, do it with a sense of purpose. Bear in mind:
• When it comes to goals, be firm on the what, but flexible on the how;
• The 80/20 rule – higher priced projects for a smaller number of customers;
• Put past experiences behind you and focus on the here and now and what’s in front of you;
• Stay adaptable, opportunities change, things happen, be willing to adapt to changing situations;
• Stay resolved; realize that there may be bumps in the road.

When you look back as you’re striving to meet your goal, look back only to remind yourself what your end goal is.  Take that opportunity to analyze whether your actions are bringing you closer or leading you away from your goal.  Stay firm in your resolve, if you’re not, you will fold at the first challenge that comes along.  If your resolve is strong, you can weather each bump in the road.

Part of growing a business, making more sales and getting more customers is being willing to take actions before the conditions are perfect.  So if you’re waiting for the perfect time to take action, the time is now.

Bernadette Doyle is a small business marketing expert. Get more tips and advice at http://www.clientmagnets.com

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