I recently had the good luck to participate in the B2B copywriting webinar. Four days of intense information delivered by 4 of the top B2B writers. Each one running a successful copywriting business. But even with all this great information their #1 tip for success is so simple…
Follow up
Excellent leads can only turn Into good opportunities by following up on them. I realize I have let many good opportunities past me by because I didn’t following up.
But why?
- Fear of failure
- shyness
- lack of time
- fear of failure
- focus
I don’t even want to count the number of times I have missed a great opportunity because I didn’t follow up.
What about you?
Have you ever kicked yourself because you forgot to follow up?
Do we “forget” because we are so busy or is it fear that holds us back? Our conscious minds convince us that the prospect really wasn’t that interested in our services. Or that our spec assignment isn’t ready to be handed in.
Personally, I think it’s fear of success. I constantly say I want an entrepreneur’s life – to have my own business, be my own boss, control my own time.
My job may not be perfect, it occasionally drives me crazy, but…
It is secure. That paycheck comes every 2 weeks – whether my technical writing was good or bad. My job is my security blanket.
I read an interesting article recently about the fear of success. It tests our limits and involves change. There are several signs that make us vulnerable to new situations. Success usually involves change. So we subconsciously sabotage ourselves by:
- putting less important items ahead of your <fill in the blank>. Mine is cleaning the office. I tidy it cause I can’t write at a messy desk. Then I let it get messy again. A vicious cycle that ensures I can’t write.
- Procrastination. Putting projects, follow-up calls, assignments off while you take care of non-essential fluff or make work chores.
- Talking about your dreams. (Writer or own your own business) but instead, you watch tv or surf the internet for research.
- Negative self talk
While the article was interesting, I think it missed the underlying point of all these behaviors – perfection.
I think in some ways we put off handing in the assignment or putting off the call until the perfect time or until we have the perfect words.
So from now on, let’s embrace “unperfection”. I’m not suggesting we don’t do a good job. Make your particular task close to perfect, but give yourself a time box. If you continue to look at that blog post or piece of art, but don’t see ways to improve it, then release it to the world. Its time has come.
