Rinse and Repeat.

In just about every post I have written I have stressed the need for repetition. And yet it is the one thing that most business owners drop the ball on. We often grow tired of a strategy, message, or approach long before it becomes effective. Here are some examples of areas that need consistency in order to be effective.

Networking

Many people go to one networking meeting and stop when they don’t walk away with a paying client the first time. In Tina Torres’ post How Building Relationships Will Build your KLT Factor she talked about how building the Know Like Trust Factor can positively impact your business. She spoke of building relationships over time. Well, you can’t build relationships by going to one networking event, calling it a bust and never going back.

You must cultivate relationships to make them grow. You can only do this by getting to know the people that are attending networking events on a regular basis. And you can only do that by also attending the networking events on a regular basis.

I began attending events hosted by the Atlanta chapter of the eWomenNetwork in the summer of 2016. More than a year later I have gained four clients, have two more potential clients reviewing proposals, and forged a partnership with another business who will is marketing my services to their clients. None of that would have been possible if I had gone once and never returned.

Messaging

In my recent post, Putting your Message Map to Use, I talked about how being consistent with your message is key. This is where that premise of rinse and repeat comes into play. Consistency in your messaging is an integral part of your success. And it is often the area where most small business people and entrepreneurs struggle. Remember that just as soon as you get tired of the message you are delivering your audience is just starting to get it. You want your audience to get used to hearing your message to build that Know part of the Know Like Trust factor. And the key to building that Know part is consistency.

Now I’m not saying you can’t tweak your messages when something has changed, or something isn’t working. And you will often adjust your message for different audiences. But don’t say or write something different every time. It confuses people and depletes your Know Like Trust Factor instead of building it.

Strategy

Stay the course. We have all heard this phrase, but we often forget it when we are too close to things. But staying the course and remaining consistent in your strategy is a much faster path to success. Many people become distracted by bright shiny objects that take them off the path they are on. In my very first post, Charting the Course for Your Ultimate Destination, we covered that as an entrepreneur, you can only be successful if you have a vision and the courage to sail off the map. And that means you should not change direction constantly.

By determining where you are headed and what you want to achieve in a certain period of time you can ensure you are moving in a consistent direction. If you are constantly veering off course you will find yourself wondering why you aren’t ever getting anywhere.

Once you have set your strategy for a predetermined time stick with it. Only adjust as new information becomes available. And only if it gets you to your end goal faster.

So, as you tackle each day in front of you always ask yourself if you are remaining consistent with what you set out to do, say, or achieve. Because as Robin Sharma said, “Consistency is the DNA of mastery.”