I received a lot of feedback from you regarding last week’s newsletter on the difference between knowing what to do and doing it (it’s discipline). A few of you said it was the best Evangelist Marketing Minute ever. So I spent some time last week defining the elements that go into this discipline:

On-demand awareness: You may know what to do after you read an article, or attend a workshop, but can you recall it when it’s necessary? The information must be easily available, on paper, or in your head.

Impactful trigger: The reason to begin doing what you know must be done needs to be impactful and, perhaps, painful enough. I lost 50 pounds last year by eating a strict vegan diet. I did because of a herniated disc in my back that was causing great pain. I did it to avoid surgery. The pain is 80% less now. I’d tried losing weight many times before. This time I did it. My trigger was literally painful.

The first action is key: Starting is the hardest part (think exercise). Ask for the first referral. Change the first web page. Call your customer for the first time, asking for a testimonial. The first step is the most important one.

Habituation: Repeat the action the next day. Same time. Same location. Fast actions, requiring minutes — or moments — are best. If the action is two hours long, we’ll avoid it.

You know what to do. Take the first action. Do it.

Come to The Marketing Summit on May 15

Join me and your peers and colleagues to discuss powerful techniques for growing your organization’s revenue. It’s a free half-day session that begins at 9:30 AM on May 15 at the Four Seasons Chicago. If you attend and apply just a few of the concepts, your revenue won’t have a choice but to grow. Can you afford to not be there?

Click Here For Marketing Summit Details and Registration

This link includes photos and video from the last Summit.

This piece ran in my Evangelist Marketing Minute short-form newsletter, which you can receive every Monday morning for free by signing up here.