18 Jan Hope is Not a Strategy
Business owners and sales managers hear it all the time: “I hope to pick up that sale next week sometime”, “I’m hoping things turn around soon”, or “I hope to increase my sales by 100% next month”.Unfortunately, “hope” is not a strategy.
Fate does not generate sales. Karma will not make you successful.
In marketing and sales, strategy and hard work earn business. Hope creates myopia. If there is not a strategic marketing plan and a set course of action, success is unlikely. People that are more successful than you are not more hopeful, they are likely outworking you.
In marketing your business, hope is debilitating. It often causes bad decisions to creep into an otherwise sound business mind. Instead, take control and embrace a domination mentality. Until the ink is put on paper, the credit card is billed, or cash is exchanged, you must continue to pursue that piece of business or that campaign or that next big opportunity for exposure. If you are not actively taking actionable steps towards the end goal, you have fallen into the “hope trap”.
Market your company. Build your brand. Increase your sales knowledge. Offset a competitor. Make another dial. Do another drop by. Call and schedule a follow up meeting. Reach out, touch base, but don’t hope real hard that something will happen. The greatest thing about being a small business owner is that you have enormous control over your success. You will decide your fate. Do not lose that key strategic advantage.
I hope this makes sense.
Jason Hutcheson
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