There is a BIG difference between being strategic versus reactive in business and that difference can have a BIG impact on things.
I have my own storyline going on right now between being strategic versus being reactive because on the other day – unexpectedly – the first copies of my book Pilot To Profit: Navigating Modern Entrepreneurship to Build Your Business Using Online Marketing, Social Media, Content Marketing and Sales were delivered to my office. When they arrived my reaction was, “OMG! MY BOOK!”
Immediately, I shared on Facebook and I got really excited about and I opened up a shopping cart, and I did a bunch of advance-copy sales, and then…
I got a bit of a wake-up call. A girlfriend of mine said to me, “What are you doing? Do you want to be a best-selling author? Because if you do, what you are doing right now is sabotaging your effort.”
When she said that, I had to take a step back and think about what my actual goals were. That brings me here – to the place where I’m being reminded to think strategically about the goals around my book instead of reactively. I thought this is a great learning opportunity for me to share.
So, what is so important about being strategic over being reactive
When you are strategic in your business, you separate your emotional feelings from the cold hard facts and goals. Your progress will be a steady incline. Keep in mind, it may not always be the easy route, but I guarantee that you will be better off in the long run.
When you are reactive in your business, you let your feelings and the shiny objects get in the way of what you actually want to see. It’s the instant gratification that feels so darn good in the moment but not long-term. Your success will have it’s highs and lows, and when you’re in the low – there is the danger of getting stuck.
Think about it clearly, what are some of the measurable objectives that validate the strategy, and how are you going to make that happen?
In my situation, my overarching strategy was to become a best-selling author, to profoundly impact the way people do business, and to have this book be a lead generating tool for my business. I knew that the entire time when I was writing my book.
95% of authors never sell more than 200 books. My objectives were that I wanted to become a best-selling author and to beat out those 95% odds. I wanted to leverage my book to increase my visibility by getting on podcasts, radio shows, tv etc. And finally, for this book to be a direct pipeline to my online programs and coaching programs.
I was reactive when the delivery truck pulled up with all of my books… my hard work all packaged up waiting for me to open. I let my emotions and excitement cloud my business goals.
When you are reactive, you lose control of what the big picture is, you’re caught up in the moment and that can create a negative outcome for you in the long run. Yes, you may get the boost of initial sales, but if you don’t follow through with your plan to achieve your set goals, you will never be able to reach them.
Leave me a comment and let me know about your own experiences with this issue.
