The Revenue Growth Habit: The Simple Art of Growing Your Business by 15% in 15 Minutes Per Day

5“But I'm Already Really Busy!”

I know you're busy.

You spend your days managing, selling, responding, helping, processing, answering, detailing, and pouring water on fires so that they don't turn into raging infernos.

You're on the road visiting customers.

You're taking calls from them also, dealing with their problems, frustrations, emergencies, catastrophes, and anger. They scream. You solve their problems. They pat you on the back. They eat the dinners you buy and drink your drinks, and go on your customer appreciation trips. The next day, they're screaming again, and the cycle begins anew.

And we haven't even started talking about what happens inside your company. If the shipping people are behind, you need to run the part to the customer yourself. If your customer service colleagues are swamped on the phones, you're dealing with issues you don't have time for. Conversely, if the salespeople are too busy to deal with this customer, the folks in customer service need to address issues that fall beyond your scope.

I understand what you're dealing with, and what your days are like.

And yet, on top of all of this work you already have, I'm asking you to find even more time for this revenue growth work.

That's because, today, like most people, you're busy with reactive work—others have a need, and you react to it. You are on the left of the continuum in Figure 5.1. But, as I've already said (if I repeat something, it's important!), revenue growth is proactive work. We must move ...