A friend of mind is starting out on his own. He’s launching a business for the first time in his life. I reached out to say “congrats” and “welcome to the club.” I let him know he can call me anytime he needs anything. Business owners know that starting your own thing can be incredibly rewarding. But, it can also be occasionally isolating. I wanted my friend to know he wasn’t alone.
Coincidentally, my friend reached out a few days later, and we chatted on the phone. He had an important question: “How do you target prospective clients?”
“Easy,” I said, “activity leads to productivity.”
Admittedly, that concept doesn’t make the most sense. My point was, when I’m active it leads to work. Work equals productivity. (It can also equal busyness, which isn’t at all the same thing).
I further explained that when I’m active doing workshops, meeting with new people (not necessarily prospects), and going to events, new prospects show up. Not cold prospects, but prospects that I have interacted with on some level. The more prospects I get to meet, the more clients I pick up. It’s simple math.
But, here’s the rub. It’s easy to become busy with productivity. All that intentional activity that leads to productivity can lead to something else if you’re not careful. You can become so productive that you stop with the activity. You’re so productive, you forget to do the things that matter. You start taking care of your clients and stop taking care of yourself. While activity can and will lead to productivity, productivity can sometimes lead to inactivity. So, you have to be vigilant in making sure you are always active, despite how productive you become.