No Way Out
I was once told we are all selling something. And years later, I agreed.
Regardless of what industry, what product or service, we are all selling something, that person was right. Most of us cannot move forward without clients, customers, patients, students, listeners, buyers, consumers. We need them, they need us. But what to do, how to react, when a user consumes too much time. What strategies can you rely upon to appropriate the right amount of time without sacrificing attention to other users?
First, evaluate who the absconder of your time is. Are they a top client, are they a client who makes referrals that help keep your business going in the right direction, are they family, or a long time buyer of what you are selling? Most importantly, are they someone who you need more than they need you? An affirmative response to all these questions means you really need to put the time into understanding why they use up more time than you have to offer.
Do not be afraid to let them know you are on a tight timeframe. Suggest a Zoom or conference call instead of an in person meeting. It is easier to exit your conversation when you are not face to face. Let them know when you schedule the meeting that this is the amount of time you have allocated and indicate you have additional appointments after said timeframe.
Most importantly, take control and manage your schedule. Set alarms on your phone or watch which will act as a reminder that both of you will hear. We live our lives based upon increments of time. Years, months, days, hours, minutes - allowing others to steal time beyond what you can offer, can impact profit margins, reputations, and appear discourteous to the next buyer of your time. Especially if you charge by the hour, you can literally sit there and watch your profit margins erode.
We all can ramble. We all can tell stories, ask more questions, keep talking, be caught up in the moment. But when it comes to business, your livelihood, set a schedule and maintain it. Be upfront about the time you can allocate and kindly apologize and move on when that time is up. Value your time, value your business, and value your profit margin.
As time ticks away, do not find yourself trapped behind a door or a chatty client. Set the parameters upfront, set the alarms that they will also hear, and set your own path for the timeframes that work for you and your profit margin. Never be afraid to set yourself free from time pressures imposed by others.
Don’t find yourself staring at the exit barrier like our dog in today’s photo. Conduct your business like you left the gate open.
Be well.
