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TASKS vs OUTCOMES – Change your life TODAY 

TASKS vs OUTCOMES – Change your life TODAY 

by | Oct 7, 2021 | Digital Marketing

If you sit down first thing in a morning (at work or at home) and say to yourself “What would I like to achieve today or this week?” and write down your answers, I GUARANTEE you will make MASSIVE progress.  

You should note this advice is very different to what many folks will advise. Most people advise you to create TASK lists! WRONG, throw away all of your task lists, burn them (preferably in a sustainable way), and say “Goodbye Task Lists, Hello MASSIVE future“. 

So I wander around the office on a Monday morning and someone proudly shows me their task list for the day, I read through it, “ordering some stuff, doing some expenses, blah blah,” then down near the bottom I find it, “Get back to that customer about our proposal we sent last week”. WTF is this little golden nugget doing wallowing down at the bottom of the task list? Because this lovely person is avoiding the most IMPORTANT items, the things that will really add VALUE to your business! Instead they will focus on menial crap for over half the day rather than making a real difference, and possibly not get round to it at all as other menial crap also finds its way in. 

  

What are tasks? 

TASKS are boring, they are nitty gritty, they don’t see the big picture, it’s way too easy to end up writing down loads of things that “need” doing without really taking you any closer to any of your dreams, goals or outcomes, task lists are a way of avoiding what is most important. 

I remember someone once saying “ok, write down your task list, prioritise it, then throw away the bottom 20%, because you know you’ll never do it”. This was absolutely true, as time went on it was higher, maybe 50% at least.  

The only thing that matters is achieving the OUTCOMES you are aiming for, however, I grew to realise that this approach was all wrong, I needed to start with outcomes. 

If you think of a task and you are afraid of forgetting it, you can write it down, however, put it in a bucket (or a backlog in AGILE project management), and every now and again sift through the bucket to see if anything will make a big difference in achieving your goals.  

You only let yourself sift through the bucket on planned times of the month, not as a distraction. 

  

TASKS lack focus on OUTCOMES.  

If you always focus on outcomes, you will naturally complete the most relevant tasks to achieving that outcome, but you will waste far less time on tasks that do not achieve that outcome. 

So, what are outcomes?  

Ask yourself, WHAT would you like to have achieved at the end of the week? The answers will be much more powerful than the question “What should I do?”. Doing stuff can be a waste of time if it is not aligned to a greater objective, and will see you achieve a load of low value outputs. 

Here’s a table of Tasks vs. Outcomes:  

Tasks Outcomes 
I need to upload new imagery to the site. I want my website to look more modern. 
I need to chase invoices. I need to stabilise my cashflow. 
Check out my marketing analytics. Create strategy for effective marketing plan going forward. 

YES, I agree that we all have menial stuff to do, but do it when you aren’t going to be very productive anyway, like a Friday after lunch or something, and keep the time focussed and short. 

By ditching the task list and focussing on OUTCOMES, you will stop writing down menial tasks that merely help you hide from WHAT YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE.  

No more BS, focus right down on what you need to deliver to add value, and, by the laws of the universe and statistics you WILL, if you do this all the time! 

Death to TASK lists, YES to OUTCOMES. 

Want to learn some more about Fred? Check out his LinkedIn here!

Or check out another one of our blogs: The Top 10 Marketing Tools for Your Business

Is Your Manufacturing Brand Making These Common  Marketing Mistakes?

Is Your Manufacturing Brand Making These Common  Marketing Mistakes?

by | Aug 27, 2021 | Digital Marketing

Marketing is a vital function of every business but it can be a confusing venture. There are many common marketing mistakes that can be made by manufacturing brands, but don’t worry! We can help you rectify these issues to ensure your brand is achieving its highest potential, let us give you our top marketing agency tips.

Let’s look at some of the common marketing mistakes you could be making and how they can be fixed or straight up avoided. 

Poor product imagery  

When people are looking to buy your product, imagery is very important. Your product may be of good quality but if the images of it are unprofessional, it may be dismissed before you even get over the starting line. Lets be honest, no one wants to be dismissed. 

Ensure the images you use for marketing purposes are professional, show your product in the best light and show it in use (if possible). 

The person buying your product may not have extensive knowledge in the area, if you make information easily accessible to your prospective customers, they will be far more likely to pick your product.  

Why would a customer buy your product if they don’t understand it or why they need it? 

Not monitoring results 

When utilising digital marketing, think of your analytics as a gold mine! Not keeping track of them is like winning the lottery but not cashing in. 

Monitoring your results will help you understand what is/isn’t working so you can change your strategy accordingly. 

Not keeping track of results can cause your business to spend unnecessary money on marketing which isn’t bringing in business. 

Revisit your marketing strategy to keep track of and maximise your reach and lower your costs. Want to design your marketing process to be as cost-effective as possible? Click here to find our top tips. 

Not modernising your marketing 

Manufacturing brands are often family businesses that have been running for a number of years. If this is the case for your business, you need to ensure that your marketing techniques are as fresh and dynamic as they can be.  

Businesses that rely on paper adverts, brochures and local events will struggle if they do not embrace the digital world.  

Social media, email campaigns, and blogging are all forms of digital marketing that could significantly improve your brand’s exposure. 

Lack of website upkeep 

There are very few businesses without a website, but is it working how it should?  

Just having a website is not enough, it needs maintenance and attention like all aspects of your business. You wouldn’t leave your machinery operating with faults, would you? Your website is just as integral to your success, trust us! 

Use quick fixes and outsource website work if your business is unable to keep on top of or doesn’t have the resources to complete to a high standard. 

Generalising customers 

Customers want to feel appreciated for their purchase. Viewing customers as accounts or numbers can expose your business as generic and impersonal. Researching and understanding your customer’s individual needs can lead to return purchases and help you build brand loyalty. 

It’s likely you have competition and your customer therefore has multiple purchasing options for this product, you need to demonstrate why yours is the best choice. Do you have special expertise? Can you offer advice like no other? Customers appreciate businesses that can offer more than just the product. They want the story, the experience and quality of service.  

Building strong client relationships is vital to gain returning customers and referrals. Don’t underestimate the value of customer loyalty! 

Is your manufacturing brand making these common marketing mistakes? Let’s get you back on track, the best time to start is now! Book a discovery call with CREATIVE in TiME now.  

CREATIVE in TiME
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