When you make decisions in business, do you consider your timing?
Not whether or not the timing is right for your circumstances, but whether you're getting in the game early or late.
Take internet marketing, for example.
I remember the good ol’ days when I could publish a blog post — and have it show up on the first page of Google just a couple of hours later.
Today, that’s virtually impossible, unless you’re in a micro-micro-niche or you’re targeting a super long-tail keyword.
But I’m still reaping the rewards of building one of the first content-rich websites.
Even though I don’t work on my blogs consistently anymore, people still find me organically and offer me various opportunities, from advertising to free products.
And yes, some of my old posts still get a lot of love from Google (which means free traffic, yay!)
It’s simply easier to succeed before the market gets saturated.
What does this mean for you, especially if you’re not one of the early adopters in your market?
You can always put this “early bird” knowledge to good use.
For example, if you’re thinking of enrolling in an online course or program to learn a specific strategy or tactic:
Stop and think about how saturated that particular strategy or tactic is. Is almost nobody in your industry doing it? If so, is it because it doesn’t work in that specific market? Or because few people know about it yet?
If everybody’s already doing it, is it because it’s a timeless and enduring strategy that’s bound to keep working indefinitely? Or is it because it’s a bandwagon that everyone has already hopped on to?
Use the same lens to look at the guru or expert’s success. Did they succeed because they were an early adopter? Or did they succeed because they truly knew what worked? (Again with the timeless principles….)
A lot of online experts who have guru status today really only got there by being one of the first to do whatever it was that made them successful.
Like one of the first folks who started selling online courses, or using online video, or Facebook ads, or Facebook groups, or Instagram, or [fill-in-the-blank] for marketing.
Wouldn’t you agree?
And if you’re thinking of trying a new tactic, ask yourself: Is it a fad?
If so, you could still succeed with it especially if you’re one of the early adopters. Otherwise, maybe you’re jumping into something that’s already on its way out.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t do something unless you’re one of the first.
I’m saying be aware of the role timing plays in getting the results you want.
Have you ever experienced a quick and easy win by being an early adopter of something?
Do share!
PS. One of the timeless and enduring skills for every business owner and marketer is persuasive writing. Let me know if you need help with that.