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What could skirting boards, dodgy kitchen drawers and tidying the shed possibly have to do with business transformation?

We all have things in our lives we’ve grown so used to that we barely notice them anymore.

No, I’m not talking about the significant other (😉). I’m talking about the everyday things that surround us; the things we see but don’t really see. (Though, sometimes maybe we’re just suffering from ‘selective seeing’!) 

Photo by Ante Hamersmit on Unsplash

That kitchen drawer that doesn’t close properly. Those skirting boards crying out for a lick of paint. Or that mountain of books you keep meaning to drop off at the charity shop, but somehow never quite get round to it. (Me.)

We promise ourselves we’ll get to it — next weekend – yes, definitely next weekend; when the kids go back to school; over the Christmas break. Swear. And so it goes on...

Well, over the Christmas break, I decided to stop kicking the can down the road and tackle one of those jobs. A big enough one, to be fair.

Of course, there were plenty of other things I’d rather have been doing. All involved combinations of wine/beer/cheese/crackers/Thorntons/reading a book.

Anyway, with a heavy heart I got on with it.

A few short hours later it was done. And a fine job, too.

But that was just the start of it…

When my partner saw the results, she caught the bug and took what I’d done to a whole new place. In the end, what started as a drudge ended up a real transformation.

We were both so pleased with the result that we kept going back to look at it like a baby in a cot. [Insert pat-on-the-back here.]

All it took was a start. 

OK, yes, but what has any of this got to do with business transformation and growth?

Of course, this isn’t about kitchen drawers or skirting boards or tidying the shed. It’s LinkedIn, after all...

In our businesses, we’ve all got those things we keep putting off: that out-of-date marketing plan, the website content we know needs a look (boy, does it need a look), or the customer segmentation work we’ve been meaning to do (joy).

Things that could achieve real business growth but somehow always get bumped for something more pressing (though, possibly less productive).

So, how do we break that cycle and get it bloomin well done?

As with the housey-type stuff – just start!

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“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.” — Bruce Lee

Let’s give it a name (incoming acronym)…

PLATE: A Framework for Business Transformation

P: Plan

Block out time. Commit to it. Put it in your schedule and treat it as non-negotiable. 

L: Look

Take a step back. What’s been sitting on my to-do list that needs ‘to-done’? Are there things I need to prioritise? Which of them are going to help me achieve my marketing goals or make me more money? Are there things I can’t see because I’m just too close to it?

A: Act

Start small, but start. Do something tangible that moves the needle—anything that gets you going and that you can count as progress.

T: Transform

T: Transform. Work your way through it. If it can’t be done in one go make sure to plan in more time to continue working on it.

E: Enjoy

Take satisfaction in the sense of achievement. High-five yourself (or someone else). Enjoy the benefits and rewards.

Image from Pixabay

But here’s a thing: When you’re in the weeds of the day-to-day plate spinning and fire-fighting, you might not even see the things that matter most, or may not know where to start to address them.

Very often, we can only see the opportunities for business transformation when we stand back from them… but most business-owners are just too close to things to see them properly.

I can help with that.

I can help you step back, take a fresh look, and identify the opportunities you might not see yourself. Together, we can prioritise what’s most important—whether it’s strategies to boost your sales, refresh your brand, define/redefine your value proposition, connect better with your audience, or simply help you fall back in love with your business.

Whatever it is, I’ll guide you on what to do and how to do it.

Ready to Transform Your Business?

Let’s stop kicking the can down the road.

It all starts with a conversation, so let’s make that start. Just call me on 00447891672009 or drop a note at i-adman@live.com and we’ll have a chat. If you like what you’re hearing when we talk, we can move forward. There’s absolutely no jeopardy!

Image by Magda Ehlers on Pexels

Now, about those books for the charity shop… I finally got them in to Oxfam this morning.

About the author

Damian Donnelly, Principal at Ad_Man Digital Marketing is an award-winning advertising, marketing and communications professional with over 30 years’ experience in the business.

During this time he has worked with everybody from senior government officials and marketing managers for international brands, to owners of start-ups and micro-businesses… and everybody in between.

He has delivered 1000s of hours of marketing, digital marketing and social media consultancy, training, coaching and mentoring to 100s of businesses and organisations across Ireland, both face-to-face and through seminars, workshops and keynote talks.

He also develops and delivers master-classes and workshops on a range of digital marketing subjects, including social media, digital marketing planning, content marketing, copywriting, search engine optimisation, and web and social media analytics.

He holds a CAM Diploma in Digital Marketing, is an InterTradeIreland approved digital marketing provider, and an approved Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) tutor.

Get in touch at i-adman@live.com or 0044 7891 672009