Getting up early and going out and being busy is not the same as being productive. Being productive is a very different thing altogether because at the end of the activity something should have been achieved or a goal met.
Some tips that will help you be productive are
Being Strategic
To be productive, you’re going to have to interact with people on a daily basis, make new connections, and venture into new territories. However, not every interaction is going to be good for you so be strategic.
You have a certain product or offer a certain service but lack certain inputs, look out for those that can help you get them. Actively search for the person that completes the puzzle for you, be it online or in person by going to their location.
Have some face time with other people in the same line in your city at marketing or social events and even have face-to-face meetings with some of the influencers you’ve met online. Networking in person tends to form stronger, more familiar bonds and is necessary for long-term success.
Make your interactions pay off every time you are out there to allow you to reap some rewards after putting in the leg work and the amounts of resources.
Branding Yourself
Give yourself a title, a function and a reason to get up and go out if you do not have a formal title i.e. are in full employment.
It is not always the case but, most people like to know who you are what they are working with so have a personal brand so that you can build trust. And eventually build up customer loyalty which ultimately will increase your revenue.
If you spend sometime managing your personal brand and making new connections, you’re undoubtedly going to find success pretty quickly. Just keep in mind that personal branding is a long-term strategy that takes a serious commitment before you can start to see results. Only after several months of ongoing work will you be able to see meaningful improvements.
Every time you walk out that door know who you are and what you are going out there to achieve and put in the work. There are no shortcuts it all comes down to hard work.
Letting Others Do It
There are times when you must admit that you are not a ‘jack of all trades.’ Yes, you are doing lots of things alone but you are also a ‘CEO’. And there is a time that you must delegate or outsource. Stay back and let others do it.
Simply put as a CEO you are a manager and sometimes you have to wear that hat, this means, staying put, paying others to do the running around and solving technical problems. Also note that it is at this time that you are not out there that social media is your most important employee.
Your social account will not take care of itself so this is the time you use to direct your followers and contacts. To see if there is some change in your numbers and if there are any leads coming your way.
Not Being Perfect
This productivity tip is odd but is necessary as there are some people that spend so much time making things absolutely perfect and make their self less productive.
There are some best practices that can help you be successful but there’s no guarantee that certain actions will lead to certain results. This is due to the fact that many things will come down to your interactions with other individuals, and we know that people are unpredictable. All you can do is your best.
Simply do things and do so by giving yourself a certain amount of time to work on a specific task or project. You don’t need to complete the task in that time period, but dedicating a fixed length of time to it will help you focus and make progress.
