I’m just arriving back from a conference with over 500 entrepreneurs in my industry. I have to say that I was a bit nervous…thinking about how that many “organizers” would act in one place. (Of course, I was assuming that they would be OCD!) I was able to meet several hundred of them and now I’m left with the daunting task of following up with everyone.
Conferences are great. They are energizing and motivating and leave you with great and awesome intentions. Taking those intentions and turning them into a plan with a specific goals is the hardest part.
Clutter is like this, too! There is too much information to process and too much to do, and this can keep us from reaching even the smallest goal.
Head clutter can be as bad (and maybe even worse) than physical clutter. Head clutter can make you feel totally overwhelmed, cause appointments to be missed, and really shut down your physical environment.
After spending money on plane fare, hotel, food, transportation and everything else that was required for the trip, I have to make sure that I follow-up with everyone and with everything that I obligated myself to while I was “in the moment.”
So, here is how I’ll accomplish this goal:
Break it down into bits and pieces. First I’ll follow up (personally) with everyone who handed me their business card. No blanket emails for me. This would be much easier, but doesn’t make sense. They all need a personal touch.
If I’m not connected with them already on LinkedIn, I’ll make that request.
If I am connected with them, I’ll make a note in the LinkedIn system that I met them at the conference.
If needed, I’ll put their information into my MobilLogic account to follow-up with them in two to three weeks.
Next I’ll list and contact all of the new affiliates that I plan to connect with – and again, create a follow-up in my MobilLogic account.
I guess my point in this is to share with you that I can’t keep it all in my head. I will do the most important thing first…keep myself, my business and my name in front of them (as soon as humanly possible).
Then, I’ll make sure that I don’t forget to follow-up with anyone by assigning them a follow-up date and time with my organizing software.
This will allow me to keep moving forward with everything else that now needs my attention, since I have been gone for a week.
I think that we are easily a society of information overload (even if we haven’t gone to a conference). Social media has caused us to think that we need to know everything that has happened, even what everyone had has for dinner (Facebook) immediately.
I challenge you to step back, make a plan and prioritize what is important. I have totally enjoyed spending just 30 minutes outside by the pool reading a book and relaxing. It is a great way to start the day. Of course, I don’t have a pool in my own back yard…but that’s ok. I still have lots of woods, trees and blue sky that will be just as peaceful.
Want to avoid information overload…give me a call. Let’s talk about it!
