“There is no right time to do the right thing, the only time to do the right thing is now”. As a financial adviser, I don’t know how many times I have heard “This is just not a good time right now”, but if not now when? When you get back from holidays, or when you’ve paid the car off, or when the kids leave home. Most people know what is the right thing, and they know that the right time to do it is now, but they use time as the defence against making a decision. Truly successful people know what to do and just do it, the less successful know what to do and don’t.
Often this just an excuse for inactivity. In my world, ”This is not a good time” is code for “No, go away”. If someone wants me to go away, they should just tell me, because part of my role as I see it is to help people to do the things they need to do to get the results they want. If they truly want me to go away, and don’t want my help, that is their choice, and not something I can do anything about. If they do need my help, but are just reluctant to commit, then it is my responsibility to try to change their mind.
Those of us in business encounter this all the time. We as business owners also have competing demands on our time, and must decide what our priorities are. Very often we find ourselves unable to commit the head space necessary to do what we know we need to do. We also know that it is likely that the space to achieve those things we want will never appear without help, this is where outsourcing comes in. Somebody we know and trust can be engaged to sort out the necessary “stuff” so we can get on with what only we can do.
A very wise friend of mine once lamented the fact that so many business owners are unwilling to commit the time needed to save time. This might be in “proper” implementation of software, engaging bookkeeping assistance, or hiring a cleaner. It could be undertaking training in time management, or developing better ways of doing what it is that they actually do, rather than continuing with the inefficient practices of the past. An investment in a small amount of time now can have long term benefits, and allow future time for the fun stuff, or the profitable stuff, or the stimulating stuff.
We also encounter similar responses from our customers, and those of us who are successful at what we do have found ways to overcome the “time” excuse. So what are the ways you use to remove time as a barrier to your customers reaching a decision? Once you have tho
se clear in your mind it is “time” to use those techniques on yourself. If you know you need to do something, and now is the right time to do it, then get on with it, use your skills to overcome the time barrier and just do it. No time like the present” is a truism, but a very important one.
Goodness is that the time? Time to do what I know is the right thing, right now.
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How do you go about helping clients to overcome time in order to get them to commit to doing what they need to do to get what they want?
There are only three possible scenarios here.
1. The client really has no time, but stuff needs to be done. In this case outsourcing is the only option.
2. The client does have time, and the stuff needs to be done. In this case gentle persuasion, and conversation pointing out the stuff’s importance is all you’ve got. Lack of time is likely being used as an excuse. Posting a blog or two might help :-), or at least using some of the stuff in this article as conversation starters.
3. The client does or doesn’t have time, but his stuff has already been done. In this case congratulate him or her for their foresight, and move on. If they are already organised (and some people are), they don’t need your help, and that’s OK.