Always Busy But Don’t Feel Productive? (I’ve Been There!)

A couple of weeks ago I was on a call with my Success Mastermind group when one of my clients asked “Amy, where should I focus my time and energy? What things can I do to have the biggest impact?”

I absolutely love this question because it’s one of the most important questions to ask (and answer) when it comes to your business.

This client is very serious about growing her business. But she’s a mom of 2 children (like me and many of you!), so her time is limited.

She doesn’t want to mess around and waste time.

I’m guessing neither do you!

And that’s why I decided to share my insights with you.

So let’s get to it!

First, let me ask you a question…

Do you often find that you get to the end of the day or end of the week and know that you’ve been busy, but don’t feel like you’ve accomplished very much?

I call this the “Busy Work Trap.”

I sometimes have days and weeks like this, and it’s NOT fun. It leaves me feeling blah, drained, and uninspired.

Are you staying busy with “busy work” such as…

• spending time on social media (without a targeted plan/goal) and doing so more than twice a day
• checking email nonstop without a schedule
• taking classes
• listening to free calls/webinars
• formatting documents
• working on graphics

I’ve come to a conclusion.

I think we often get stuck filling our time with “busy work” because we’re either not sure what we should be focusing on, or we’re using the busy work to “hide out” and avoid taking certain steps that are new and perhaps a little intimidating.

If this struck a nerve, know that I’m sharing this with love and empathy. I’m no stranger to hiding out, so I totally get it!

But if you truly want your business to be successful (and I know you do!), it’s vital to clear away the “clutter” so you can focus on what’s most important.

That begs the question: What *is* most important?

If you want to bring in more revenue, you want to focus your time on what I call “revenue generating activities.”

What are revenue generating activities?

Appropriately named, these are activities/tasks that have the end goal of helping you make money.

The easiest way to get out of the Busy Work Trap is to crowd out the clutter by filling your time with revenue generating activities.

Below I’m sharing 10 money making activities. Which activities you focus on will vary depending on the stage of your business, your strengths, and the direction you want to take your business.

10 “Money Making” Activities

#1 Email your friends, family, and contacts

Let everyone you know what you’re up to and invite referrals. If you’re a new coach, this is a great way to start to get clients. This is how I got several clients when I was staring out!

#2 Network face-to-face in formal networking groups

While networking can be a drag, if you find groups that are filled with like-minded people, it can be fun and lucrative! Go into networking with a game-plan of what you want to get out of it. I used networking to connect with potential referral partners, to connect with places I could give talks, and to find potential clients.

#3 Organic networking

Organic networking is something you do as you’re going about your normal activities such as talking to other parents at your child’s soccer game, at yoga/gym, at work (if you have a “day job”), when speaking with friends and family, etc. Basically, anytime you are around people who are similar to your ideal clients, you have an opportunity to talk about what you do.

#4 Speak locally

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I’m a HUGE fan of giving talks. This is hands-down the FASTEST way to get clients and fill your programs. When I was still in nutrition school, I enrolled several clients by giving talks at local gyms, YMCA, and the company I worked for at the time.

#5 Speak online

Give a webinar or teleseminar to your list or in front of someone else’s list. I used both of these strategies as a health coach (even when I was brand new), and in my current business. It’s a great way to reach beyond your local area and reach a wider audience.

#6 Follow-up with people who have expressed interest in what you do

Think about people who have said something like “oh, I could use your help” in passing. (This is actually their way of saying they’re interested, even though they may not realize it completely.) Also think about people who you’ve had initial sessions with in the past, but who weren’t yet ready to sign up.

#7 Form affiliate or joint venture partnerships

While terms like “joint venture” may sound intimidating, it doesn’t have to be! It simply means forming a relationship with business owners who have a similar audience as you have, but who offer something different. This could be other types of coaches, other practitioners, doctors, personal trainers, fitness related venues, juice/smoothie bars, or healthy meal delivery services. These relationships can be structured any number of ways, but the basic idea is that they promote you/your programs to their audience. You can also do the same for them!

#8 Send an email campaign to your list promoting an initial 1:1 consultation

I used to assume that if people were interested in working with me, they’ll call or email me to schedule an initial consultation. Interestingly, what I’ve learned is that this often isn’t the case and invitations help motivate people to take action. Want more private clients? Create and send a mini-campaign with 3-4 emails that invite your list to schedule a consultation with you.

#9 Create an autoresponder email sequence

People are most engaged after they first join your list. With this in mind, set-up a series of emails in your email marketing system (such as AWeber or MailChimp) that invites new subscribers into an initial consultation or invites them into a low-cost product or program you offer.

#10 Write/send promotional emails that promote a group program

Have a group program coming up, such as a cleanse or detox? Spend time crafting promotional emails that motivate your audience to sign up.

Generating revenue is about getting your offer in front of the right people, and that’s what these revenue generating activities will help you do!

Instead of filling your days with busy work, imagine what could happen if you filled your work hours focusing on these activities.

 
Now I’d love to hear from you!
What types “busy work” do you get caught up with? Which of these money making activities would you like to focus on in the next week?