Failing To Fail

I was talking to a business associate yesterday who is doing webinars to promote his business and has been having some success. After about three months of doing them, he decided to start emailing a reminder one hour prior to the event to everyone on his list. When he started doing this, his attendance rate went up significantly. He had no idea if this one small change in how he was doing business would provide any real benefit but it proved to be a great idea.

Another friend of mine is always trying to find new ways to increase his sales and to promote his services. He has a small operation that does a solid seven figures every year. Most people only see his success and don not see the many failures of marketing campaigns and ideas that did not work. He actually has a bulletin board on his wall with failed direct mail campaigns and failed ideas. He likes to say he fails more than anyone he knows. But by failing more, he finds more things that do work and is in the top 1% of wage earners in the country.

Whether you are talking about a new career, a new business, or marketing an existing business, it is all about testing to see what works. Just do something different if you want a change in your life, your career, or your business. I see business owners getting into routines that are not productive and not generating income for their business, and they choose to stay there because they are comfortable. My recommendation is to get comfortable being uncomfortable. If you have never failed at anything, then you have probably never done anything of any real significance. Increase your rate of failure if you want to increase your chances of success.

Here are a few tips to help you try new things in your business and in your life:

1. Do not be afraid of failure. Embrace it as part of the learning process. Most things we fear or worry about never happen anyway.

2. Know your brand. Know what and who you are at the core. Know your values, strengths, abilities, etc.

3. Do your research. When you do your due diligence, it will boost your confidence because your knowledge increases. You will have the tools and resources you need to make good decisions.

4. Get involved in social networks like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Use these networks to find out what other people are doing and what is working for them.

5. Always be testing and finding what works in your business and in your life.

Make small changes in your business and in your life to see what happens. After a few failures, you may find success like you never dreamed possible.