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Print Business Results with the Domino Theory

Print Business Results with the Domino TheoryBy Bill Prettyman

Are you reaching the goals you desire in your job or for your print business?

The key to achieving the results you want is to focus on your purpose and your priorities. When we know what these are and can allocate more and more time to these priorities then we will achieve more print business results.

I recently listened to The One Thing by Gary Keller, co-founder of Keller Williams, the largest real estate sales company in the world. Here are some great ideas I learned on how we can accomplish more print business results on purpose:

Ask the Focusing Question for Your Print Business

The focusing question is: “What is the one thing I can do such that by doing it everything else becomes easier and unnecessary.”

The goal is to create a domino run—when I focus on the first thing, all the other dominoes (goals, projects, actions) begin to fall.

When we decide which priority has the most leverage to accomplish the greatest results in our print business, we move closer to our purpose.

Go Small 

If we want extraordinary results we have to narrow our focus to what really matters and what will make the greatest difference in producing results. Therefore, go small and focus on the vital few rather than the trivial many. Line up your priorities every day and push on that lead domino until it falls over.

Plan Your Print Business Domino Run

Line up all the dominoes. Consider which domino will start the sequence of all the other dominoes falling. When we prioritize based on which action will start the domino sequence we visualize what it is we need to do to produce the results we desire. This will make it easier for us to continually refocus on the lead domino.

Keep after the lead domino until it falls

Allocate a Disproportionate Amount of Time to the Lead Domino

 If we want extraordinary results we must allocate a disproportionate amount of time to our most important priorities. The most difficult part of this action is knowing we will leave many things undone—things which might never get done.

Make your peace with the understanding you sacrifice work on the small things to focus on the one thing which will start the domino run in order to get the big results you desire in your print business.

Create Your Timeblock

The concept of timeblocking allows you to allocate time on your calendar to work on your most important priorities.

The key to success is to protect your timeblock at all costs. Most people are most creative and effective in the mornings. If you fall into that camp carve out one or two hours to start, and work your way up to four hours/day timeblocks in which you workon your most important priority.

This might feel impossible, but it isn’t.

Simply start with a small timeblock and slowly expand it.

Evaluate the effectiveness of your work. For example you if you working on too many details which do not matter? If that is the case then ask your supervisor if they can be delegated or eliminated. , if you can delegate them and if you can schedule them at a different time.

You may consider waking up earlier to work on your most important priority before the normal work day begins. Whatever the best method is for you, a timeblock is your best vehicle to knock down the lead domino.

Success happens when we focus on our most important priority to the exclusion of all others.

What ideas have you found work for you in accomplishing your most important priority?

The Value of Creativity in Business and the Print Industry

The Value of Creativity in Business and the Print IndustryHave you ever thought of the value creativity in business brings to you, to others, and to the print industry?

Without creativity in business, we would not have ink jet printing, digital presses, or web-to-print software. There would be no apps for phones and tablets, nor would we have bar codes.

There wouldn’t even be unique labels and packaging that make a product stand out from the crowd.

Creativity helps us advance our businesses and ourselves. But we sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day we do not employ our creativity in our print business.

Here are several reasons to consider focusing more on creativity in business. When we do these things, we will bring more value to the print industry.

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