Ever since Monday the number “1” has been on my mind.
Why?
Because most the day I was without any long distance phone service or Internet access.
Not sure what happened, exactly.
And I have to admit, I got a TON of work done. In fact, I’ve even seriously been thinking of doing a periodic “Internet fast” now. My productivity was off the freaking charts.
But what sucked is it happened at the WORST possible time.
I was literally right in the middle of sending out an email for another business I’ve been partnering with when the Internet pooped out. This was NOT good as there was a lot of moolah on the line.
Murphy’s Law strikes again!
But you know what?
It’s completely my own fault because I’ve foolishly taken my eye off that evil #1.
Here’s what I mean:
Few years back, I heard Dan Kennedy say something that changed a lot about how I look at my business and the vagaries of life.
He basically said “one” is the most dangerous number in business.
In other words…
Relying on ONE way of getting leads, ONE way of contacting your leads, ONE piece of software, ONE service provider, ONE source of income, etc.
Doing so leaves you vulnerable — and basically naked.
Because if that one thing is ever taken away… you’re screwed.
Just ask all those marketers who relied ONLY on fax broadcast and cold tele-marketing when they were all but outlawed in the U.S.
Or the people who were caught with their pants down from ONLY using AdWords during that nasty “Google Slap” a few years back.
Or someone who loses a job that’s their ONLY income source.
It ain’t pretty having the rug yanked out from under you like that.
And Monday I was made painfully aware of the fact I’ve been too reliant on certain technologies. That I may have to do the unthinkable and get a new mobile phone (I don’t even remember where my old one is, I never use it). And that I should probably put some serious thought into getting a second Internet connection — even if it’s local dial up.
Ugh.
I thought technology was supposed to make life easier?
Anyway, if you rely on any one thing in your business, think twice.
You could be setting yourself up for some serious chaos. Especially in THIS kooky day and age where laws, technology and circumstances change like underwear.
So to paraphrase the famous “Three Dog Night” song:
that you’ll ever do in business.”
Avoid it like the plague and you’ll be better off.
Ben Settle
P.S. Another thing you don’t want to rely on “one” of is sales and marketing strategies. You can learn 101 easy & ethical sales secrets that have been proven to work for thousands of years at:
