you can move today’s unfinished items
to the top of the list. In so doing, you
will always be working on the highest
priorities you have.”
“speculative” marketing. His mentor
advised, “You have a lot of highly
satisfied previous clients. Sit down
every day and phone ten former clients,
tell them how much you appreciate
Schwab thought it was a silly idea. But their former business, and let them
Lee convinced him to give it a try and know you’re looking for new business
said, “Send me a check for whatever and to please let you know if they have
you think the idea is worth.”
any suggestions. Do that, and your
business will take off again.”
A few months later, Schwab sent Ivy
Lee a check for $25,000 ($475,000 Winston said, “I’ll do that.” He started
adjusted for inflation) and said it was immediately. Every day he’d sit down
the single greatest business idea he and make those ten calls. Two weeks
had ever received.
later, the floodgates opened. Business
started coming in over the gunwales.
THE POWER OF A “SPECIFIC” ACTION He called his mentor. He said, “I don’t
PLAN
get it. I’m doing what you said, and my
business is rebooting and taking off.
Winston wanted to reboot his previously But very little of the business has come
successful real estate career, so he from any of the phone calls I’ve made!”
decided to make it a higher priority. His mentor laughed. He said, “I never
Over several months, he poured a told you your business would take off
great deal of effort into a social media from the phone calls you’re making. I
strategy, but it wasn’t getting traction just said that if you faithfully made ten
fast enough.
calls a day, your business would reboot
He reconnected with a former mentor and take off. Word gets around when
who suggested social media was you’re open for business!”
54 • Solutions