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Do You Take A List When You Go Shopping?

by John Taylor
10 replies
When I notice that I'm getting low on sugar,
tea and other items I add them to my shopping
list.

When I get to the local shops my list help me
to purchase the items I need.

Have you considered preparing a shopping list
before you purchase business resources?

If you compile a list of necessary resources and
allocate a budget to your purchases, two things
will happen..

1. You'll focus your attention on the resources
that really matter to the success of your business.
The things that you need rather than want

2. You'll be less inclined to be tempted by the
glittering baubles associated with the latest fad.
And if you are tempted, you'll have a benchmark
against which to measure suitability.

I wonder if such a basic, common sense approach
to business planning is so common?

John
#list #shopping
  • Profile picture of the author sentient
    Interesting points John - it certainly wasn't a common approach for me!

    Sometimes I take a list when I go shopping, and I get what I NEED.

    Sometimes I go shopping without a list, generally get what I need, maybe forget the sugar, and get some stuff because I think I might need it.

    As a relative newbie to IM, I didn't make a list. I now have about 10 WSO's I've bought (nothing too expensive), and huge amounts of free programmes, ebooks, articles.

    It's taken me a couple of months to build up my collection, and most of it has gone straight to the back of the cupboard, and I'll forget it's there until I have a clear out (I'm trying to keep the metaphor going!). It may be past it's sell by date then.

    Just before Christmas I decided to focus, bought myself a whiteboard and wrote up what I want to achieve, and worked backwards, so I could see what techniques and tools I needed.

    I'm using a few of the resources that I've bought/downloaded, and the difference in mindset and results is extremely positive.

    Received my first Clickbank check on Monday (in $, and I'm in the UK, so it will take a bit longer to clear!), and will receive my next one in a couple of weeks.

    I'm seeing increases to organic traffic to all my sites (niche affiliate blogs and ecommerce dropship sites) and have a plan of what I'm doing each day.

    If I'd taken the approach you've suggested from the outset, I would have saved time and money - but at least I'm there now!
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    • Profile picture of the author John Taylor
      Originally Posted by sentient View Post


      Just before Christmas I decided to focus, bought myself a whiteboard and wrote up what I want to achieve, and worked backwards, so I could see what techniques and tools I needed.
      Identifying the techniques (or training) and tools
      that you need will help you focus and save you
      a lot of unnecessary expense too!

      John
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Bestel
    Just nice, simple, common sense advice John. Thank you.

    I'll admit to being caught out by the impulse buy, both at my local shops and on-line. The value of those items is usually comparable too; if it's not used up and binned within a day then it's usually still lying in a forgotten place in a cupboard or folder on my hard drive, unopened. I shouldn't have bought it because I didn't need it.

    Peter
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  • Profile picture of the author GarrieWilson
    What would go on an IM shopping list?
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    • Profile picture of the author JayXtreme
      Originally Posted by GarrieWilson View Post

      What would go on an IM shopping list?
      Things that you need

      If you need sugar, then buy sugar......

      i.e.

      Need to learn about drivin traffic?...
      Need to learn adwords?
      Need to learn SEO?
      Need to learn list building/email marketing?

      If you answered yes to these 4 questions, then there would be 4 things on your list and don't stray off it

      I'm not sayin' you need to learn any of these things Garrie.. just responding to your question.

      Peace

      Jay
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      Bare Murkage.........

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    • Profile picture of the author John Taylor
      Originally Posted by GarrieWilson View Post

      What would go on an IM shopping list?
      Garrie,

      It depends on what you want to achieve, for
      example:

      Building a minisite?

      Domain name
      Hosting
      Graphics
      Copy/Content
      Payment/Delivery system

      Building A Review Blog?

      Domain name
      Hosting
      Theme
      Plugins
      Content
      Link Cloaking/Tracking system

      And, as Jay mentions above, it would also
      be useful to have an education & training
      list so you can focus on learning the skills
      that you need..

      Traffic
      SEO/Link building
      Writing
      etc,

      John
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      • Profile picture of the author GarrieWilson
        Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

        Garrie,

        It depends on what you want to achieve, for
        example:

        Building a minisite?
        Ok, to me, thats a "to do list".

        Garrie
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        • Profile picture of the author John Taylor
          Originally Posted by GarrieWilson View Post

          Ok, to me, thats a "to do list".

          Garrie
          Not if you outsource such tasks.. then you need
          to shop around

          John
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          • Profile picture of the author kf
            Let me throw in another analogy ...

            If you know WHERE you are going (Istanbul, London, Toronto), and
            HOW you want to get there (fly, train, bus, auto), and
            HOW LONG you think it will take (12 hrs, 12 days) ...
            then you can look at a map and a bus schedule and get there in an efficient manner.

            If you just know you want to go somewhere (make $$$),
            then you often have no idea how you will get there (buy every WSO and new 'secret' available), and
            you risk going around in circles, without a map, burning up fuel and daylight and not going anywhere fast.

            However, if you are creating a business (where you are going)
            and know how to get there (business plan)
            then how long is determined by the above and some project planning.

            Then, if you need to go to Istanbul and you're currently in Toronto, you can dispense with the bus and train schedules and go straight to the airport - at least until you get off the continent.

            Great question John. Sorry if I took it 'off track'.
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  • Profile picture of the author JayXtreme
    Hey kf..

    Far from it... I think you kept it VERY on topic and that is a great example/analogy...

    Cool addition to a great OP

    Peace

    Jay
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    Bare Murkage.........

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