The Power of Influencers, The Humble Checklist, Chasing Your “Musts”, U2’s Bono Discusses the Book of Psalms
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Business
The Power of Influencer Marketing – I’ve been told for years that networking with people that know you is far less effective in producing actual revenue as networking with people who know people that know you. Translation – when someone who knows you recommends you to someone that might need your goods or services you are much more likely to make sales.
Why? 2 Reasons.
1 – You were probably referred with a purpose (the person has a need) and as someone who is an expert that can probably help them with their need.
2 – You didn’t have to overcome the preconceived notions of someone who has known you forever.
An interesting study was done that shows that “Influencer” marketing (defined as someone who is an influencer recommends your service or product) is 11x more effective than traditional digital marketing. You can find the Inc. Magazine article here.
What should you do with this information? Find the influencers in your industry and make friends. If they believe in your product or service, the people they influence just might buy from you!
The Power of the Humble Checklist – The world of performance improvement is overrun with so many fancy sounding and overly technical solutions (think Lean, Six Sigma, TQM and other flavors of the month) that many managers won’t even touch the stuff. But what if a simple checklist could dramatically improve performance? Turns out it can. A simple 5-point checklist implemented in Intensive Care Units in Michigan decreased infections by 66% and saved 1,500 lives over 18 months.
Sometimes simple is better. Creating a great checklist that will be used by your team is not as easy as you might think. Click here to find out how to build checklists that work.
Health
Learn to Choose Your “Musts” over your “Shoulds” – Living our lives based on what we “should” do seems to be the path to success in this life. We “should” take that job and we “should” do whatever seems most reasonable by cultural standards. That journey is often much smoother than following your “musts.”
As a personal example many would say that I “should” take a job as a Certified Public Accountant. The money is good and very secure. People and businesses have to file tax returns every year!
But, God has been drawing me towards my “must” for years now. He drew me out of my secure public accounting job with Arthur Andersen to the business consulting side of that firm. Then to take one year off to pursue my MBA in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School. Then to start Fowler & Company to pursue my “must” of helping Christian business leaders share Christ with the world by building excellent businesses. Trust me, accounting would be much less scary!
Finding and following your “musts” is a journey and it is usually much more daunting than following your “shoulds.” But, we were made to be courageous, to follow the passions that God has placed in our hearts.
Great article on finding and following your “musts” here. A great book that really inspired me is “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day” by Mark Batterson. I liked it so much I was really wanting to name our son Benaiah, but couldn’t quite sell it with Jill!
My encouragement to you is this. If you are not following your “musts” in life right now, start dedicating some time to figure out what they are. Then start taking some baby steps toward achieving them. Living out your purpose in life is scary, exhilarating and a lot of fun!
Life, Fun, Whatever!
U2’s Bono & author of The Message Bible discuss Psalms – I didn’t know who wrote The Message Bible. I just appreciate that it is there on my Bible app when I need help understanding the Bible. Turns out Eugene Peterson wrote The Message & Bono is a big fan of his work. I also didn’t know that Bono has written songs based on the Psalms.
The folks at Fuller Theological Seminary produced a 21-minute short film recounting the back story of Bono and Eugene’s friendship and a conversation they shared at Eugene’s home. Awesome insights into why Eugene wrote The Message and into the desperate need for honesty and authenticity in Christianity today.
Watch the full 21 minute film here or a 2 minute clip here. Really good stuff. Just the views from Peterson’s lake house in Montana are worth the watch.
Here’s wishing you a great rest of your week!
If we can ever help you on your journey to excellence, just drop me a line!
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