|
|
Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! |
|
The Less I Do, the More I Make
Written by: John JantschArticle Overview: The trap of the small business owner is, that in many cases, to grow a business to some level of success means putting your head down and working real hard doing the making it, fixing it, shipping it of the business.
![]() |
Free Download - Weekend Favs May Twenty One By John Jantsch |
The Less I Do, the More I Make
The trap of the small business owner is, that in many cases, to grow a business to some level of success means putting your head down and working real hard doing the making it, fixing it, shipping it of the business.
Problem is, that also eventually stops you from growing. Delegation is an art, but a necessary one. Until you can unload the technical work and focus on the strategic work you will find that your business will fall into cycles of expansion and contraction eventually settling on some sort of entrepreneurial homeostasis that neither pays well of satisfies.
I don't mean to paint such a somber picture, and after all this is a marketing blog, so what's the point of a discussion of management strategies. One of the best things you can do in your business if you can free yourself from the technical work is to finally spend more time on strategic marketing work - in my mind some of the most productive work you can do.
In order to break free you might want to compute your strategic minimum wage - this is an hourly rate computed by taking what you would like to make in a year and dividing it by 2080 (that's 40 hours a week x 52 weeks.) If you want to make $200,000 this year then you need to do work that is producing profit of $96 every hour. Are you?
Let go of doing everything yourself, let your business grow up a bit and get others doing for you. Can you contract for services for some work for less than $96 per hour? The tough part is that transition period. It's harder to teach someone how to do something than it is to do it yourself. Invest the time now and it will pay dividends later - just make sure you document the procedures while you train.
I can't find time to blog? Who has time to build relationships with journalists? I can't seem to find time to develop referral partnerships and line up speaking engagements. Ever said any of these? All of the above are worth far more than $96 an hour. Why then can you always find time to unjam the copier and check your email.
Article Tags: business problem, delegation, dividends, expansion and contraction, homeostasis, hourly rate, journalists, management strategies, minimum wage, partnerships, productive work, referral, relationships, small business owner, speaking engagements, strategic marketing, transition period
|
About the Author: John Jantsch RSS for John's articles - Visit John's website John Jantsch is a veteran marketing coach, award winning blogger and author of Duct Tape Marketing - The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide (foreword by Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myth) published by Thomas Nelson - due out in the fall of 2006 He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system and Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coach Network. His Duct Tape Marketing Blog was chosen as a Forbes favorite for small business and marketing and is a Harvard Business School featured marketing site. His blog was also chosen as "Best Small Business Marketing Blog" in 2004, 2005 and 2006 by the readers of Marketing Sherpa. Click here to visit John's website Selling the Soul of the Business What Do Successful Small Businesses Do That You May Not My Daughters Are So Pissed But You Do Need To Be Smart Enough to Buy It Sell Em What They Want |
Related Forum Posts
Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.
Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.
Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Presenting Yourself With Impact at Work
RULE YOUR BUSINESS LIKE A SHINE STAR
Google Panda and Your Search Engine Rankings
Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.



