Taking action
Taking action – actually getting started – to launch your business is probably the hardest action you will take. This is where most people who set out to become financially independent lose the plot.

Think back to the last seminar you attended. When you were talking with others during coffee breaks, at lunch or in the evening, most said something like this, ‘Well, I bought So-and-So’s package but it doesn’t seem to work.’

When you discussed this further with them, you discovered they never really took any action. Some never truly identified their markets. Others never chose specific products. Most never designed a cogent model and used this to launch their business (I heard recently that 92% of people who attend a seminar and buy a package never even take the cellophane wrappers off the DVDs).

They never took the action.

They never wrote a sales letter and sent it out to their target market. They never, in fact, took the very big step of sending out a sales letter to prospective customers and asking for their business. Somebody told me along the way that 85% of sales that are lost are because the sales person simply never asked for the order.

I have no idea why this is so. My guess is because this step is scary.

The pundits will all tell you the first order is the hardest – after that it gets much easier. Never be afraid to take the action.

So, if you have been to a few seminars, bought a few packages and subscribed to a few newsletters, and yet you haven’t made any money, ask yourself these questions:

• Have I identified my market? Have I sat down with my A4 pad in a quiet corner as we discussed in Part One and decided what hungry crowd I am going to fall down in front of?
• Have I identified my product (or products)? Have I been very clear about what products I want to sell as we discussed in Part Two?
• Have I made arrangements so wh
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  When you were talking with others during coffee breaks, at lunch or in the evening, most said something like this, ‘Well, I bought So-and-So’s package but it doesn’t seem to work.’
  
  

  When you discussed this further with them, you discovered they never really took any action. Some never truly identified their markets. Others never chose specific products. Most never designed a cogent model and used this to launch their business (I heard recently that 92% of people who attend a seminar and buy a package never even take the cellophane wrappers off the DVDs).
  
  

  They never took the action.
  
  

  They never wrote a sales letter and sent it out to their target market. They never, in fact, took the very big step of sending out a sales letter to prospective customers and asking for their business. Somebody told me along the way that 85% of sales that are lost are because the sales person simply never asked for the order.
  
  

  I have no idea why this is so. My guess is because this step is scary.

  The pundits will all tell you the first order is the hardest – after that it gets much easier. Never be afraid to take the action.
  
  

  So, if you have been to a few seminars, bought a few packages and subscribed to a few newsletters, and yet you haven’t made any money, ask yourself these questions:

  • Have I identified my market? Have I sat down with my A4 pad in a quiet corner as we discussed in Part One and decided what hungry crowd I am going to fall down in front of?
  • Have I identified my product (or products)? Have I been very clear about what products I want to sell as we discussed in Part Two?
  • Have I made arrangements so w
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    What comes to your mind when you hear the word leverage? For most people it means borrowing money or taking in investors. The term has even been popularized to the degree that it is often referred to by initials -- OPM -- other people's money.Yes, that is the most common definition and certainly one everybody understands. Using other people's money is also something most successful entrepreneurs practice. They understand ho
    ir business (I heard recently that 92% of people who attend a seminar and buy a package never even take the cellophane wrappers off the DVDs).
    
    

    They never took the action.
    
    

    They never wrote a sales letter and sent it out to their target market. They never, in fact, took the very big step of sending out a sales letter to prospective customers and asking for their business. Somebody told me along the way that 85% of sales that are lost are because the sales person simply never asked for the order.
    
    

    I have no idea why this is so. My guess is because this step is scary.

    The pundits will all tell you the first order is the hardest – after that it gets much easier. Never be afraid to take the action.
    
    

    So, if you have been to a few seminars, bought a few packages and subscribed to a few newsletters, and yet you haven’t made any money, ask yourself these questions:

    • Have I identified my market? Have I sat down with my A4 pad in a quiet corner as we discussed in Part One and decided what hungry crowd I am going to fall down in front of?
    • Have I identified my product (or products)? Have I been very clear about what products I want to sell as we discussed in Part Two?
    • Have I made arrangements so w
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      y that 85% of sales that are lost are because the sales person simply never asked for the order.
      
      

      I have no idea why this is so. My guess is because this step is scary.

      The pundits will all tell you the first order is the hardest – after that it gets much easier. Never be afraid to take the action.
      
      

      So, if you have been to a few seminars, bought a few packages and subscribed to a few newsletters, and yet you haven’t made any money, ask yourself these questions:

      • Have I identified my market? Have I sat down with my A4 pad in a quiet corner as we discussed in Part One and decided what hungry crowd I am going to fall down in front of?
      • Have I identified my product (or products)? Have I been very clear about what products I want to sell as we discussed in Part Two?
      • Have I made arrangements so w
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        and yet you haven’t made any money, ask yourself these questions:
        • Have I identified my market? Have I sat down with my A4 pad in a quiet corner as we discussed in Part One and decided what hungry crowd I am going to fall down in front of?
        • Have I identified my product (or products)? Have I been very clear about what products I want to sell as we discussed in Part Two?
        • Have I made arrangements so when I start to receive orders I can fulfil them? Do I know how I plan to ship them?
        • Have I decided how I am going to build my list? Have I decided how I am going to approach my prospective customers as we discussed in Part Three?
        • Have I written my sales letter and made it the best I can make it? Have I sent it out?
        
        

        Have I really, in fact, tried to sell anything?

        Sorry to be so blunt about this, but if it’s not working for you, if you’re not earning any money yet, it probably is because you haven’t tried to sell anything.
        
        

        If you have taken all three steps – if you have taken the action – and it’s still not working, then the problem is bigger. As I have indicated, we shall discuss markets, products and traffic in more detail in later articles. However, if you haven’t sold anything yet, it’s probably because you haven’t taken the action.
        
        

        Take the action.
        
        

        Do it now!
        
        

        That’s all for this time. See you soon.
        
        

        Next time we shall talk about some of the technical stuff you need to deal with as you get your business off the ground.
        
        

        Thanks for listening :-)
        
        

        William Rice-Johnston
        
        

        Copyright © 2006 Mary Rice-Johnston & Golden Goose Direct. All rights reserved.