Save Time & Money with Strategic Procrastination
I think procrastination gets a bad rap!
Most often we hear only the negative side of the story. We’ve all heard the famous quote, "Never put off til tomorrow what you can do today." (Lord Chesterfield said that.)
But I say, never say never!
Though admittedly I am not a procrastinator by nature, I do believe that everything has its proper time and place. Procrastination is no exception.
Why We All NEED to Procrastinate
Every day we all are barraged with sales messages. If you own a business, you get more than your fair share of sales pitches hurled at you. There is always a shiny new electronic gadget, cutting edge software program or slick new marketing method that promises quick results in no time at all, if you just hand over your dough NOW.
Surprisingly enough, as jaded as we are, these sales tactics still work! We get sucked into the emotion and hype, and buy into the manufactured urgency and quickly reach for our wallets, without ever really thinking about what we are doing.
The thrill of buying is short lived though. That shiny new do-hicky will require our time and attention, if it is going to be of any real value. And time is something most small business owners have in short supply. It may be months or even years before we get around to actually doing anything with that new purchase, if ever.
The reality is, the only true quick result is a drain on your cash flow!
Procrastination Done Right Saves Time and Cash Flow
Used strategically, procrastination can help you recognize the real opportunities that will keep your business on course. You can forget about the rest. Literally!
Here’s how to save time and money whenever your eye gets caught by some shiny new product or service that promises big benefits for your business.
Stop. Go into procrastination mode. Then check to see whether the new product or service is what you really need right now. Ask yourself these questions:
1. Will this new purchase move my business more efficiently in the direction I planned THIS YEAR? Or will it only distract me from my goals and move my business in a different direction or toward some distant goal?
2. How long will it take to recover the cost of this product? Can I justify the cost RIGHT NOW?
3. Is there another way to accomplish the same purpose cheaper or for free with the resources I already have?
4. Do I really need this RIGHT NOW? Or can it wait a week, a month, or a year?
5. Do I have the TIME to devote to learning how to implement this new product or service right away? WHEN exactly will I have the time?
Your answers will quickly show you whether the prospective purchase merits any more of your attention, or if it should be ignored.
However, even if you feel the purchase does deserve further consideration, I suggest that you procrastinate just a bit longer.
One of the most basic marketing tactics that works is to make you feel you have to act NOW! That’s because the marketers know if you make the buying decision while still caught up in the newness and excitement of it all, you will quickly hand over your money. Which, of course, is what they want.
Instead, I suggest that you save the sales information and let it cool off. Set up a reminder to revisit the decision later after you’ve cleared your mind. Outlook works well for this. I usually wait a week or more.
Even if I know I definitely want the new product or service for my business, I will not make the purchase in the initial excitement of the sales pitch. Instead, I reschedule a reminder for a time when I expect I will actually USE it immediately in my business, which is most often not right away.
By using this simple method of strategic procrastination, you will be amazed at how long you can put off most purchases, even when you really do need to make them! You will also find yourself making fewer purchases of unneeded items. And best of all, it will prevent premature draining of your precious business cash flow.
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