As one of my former partners in the law firm used to say:
“Michael, never put off until tomorrow what you can put off until the day after.”
This sort of procrastination is a real issue when it comes to business development. BD really isn’t rocket science: get out there – send the emails, make the calls, ask for the coffees, lunches and BD meetings; get in front of people – listen, talk a good game, ask for the work (at the right time and in the right way of course).
So fundamentally it’s easy to do.
The problem is – it’s also easy not to do. When you next check your emails and voicemails today I can promise you there won’t be any from clients or prospective clients saying:
“Come on – when are you coming to hit on me for work – get on with it!”
I have completely lost count of the number of emails I’ve received after delivering a BD skills session (I’m looking at two in my inbox today from lawyers) which say:
“I realised during your session that I have been putting off sending those BD emails and making those calls. I’ve been over-analysing how the recipients might respond. What am I worrying about? They don’t respond? So what? I can try again. So I just picked up the phone and made the calls; I sent the emails. And do you know what – I’ve now got some BD meetings in my diary. The whole thing took me about ten minutes. So – you were right when you said the main thing I needed to do was to stop thinking about it and actually just to do it. Thanks!”
So there you are – an incredibly simple message for you today – J F D I:
Just
[Fearlessly, Forceably] – what did you think I meant!
Do
It
Go on – what are you waiting for.
Do it.
Now.