Spring

February is the beginning of Spring here in North Texas. My grandfather would have been plowing fields in Chilton to plant winter wheat. I'm over at Foreman's Hardware getting ready for another growing season and I feel like Tim, the Tool-man, Taylor, enjoying that unique feeling of being a traditional hard goods store. It's great to be here in the Spring!

We can't see the growth that's happening beneath our feet; but we can believe in it. In nature, we've seen it happen every year, so that's the basis of our faith in the coming growing season. 

Not everyone is a Spring person. Spring people love the feeling of possibility. They can work in their yard, or work on their business, without having to see instant results. Their immediate payoff is in their imagination. They can see how good the yard is going to look or how successful the business initiative will become. When you talk to them, they can't resist telling you how great it all will become. It's a happy conversation as you get carried by their enthusiasm.

In business, Spring exists all year long. Dr. Jeffery Lant popularized the "Rule of Seven" which tells us the first six contacts with a prospect are for awareness. Only after 7 or more do we see results. The email autoresponder industry suggests the following:

2% of sales are made on the 1st contact,

3% of sales are made on the 2nd contact,

5% of sales are made on the 3rd contact,

10% of sales are made on the 4th contact,

80% of sales are made on the 5th - 12th contact.

Both views are about a growing-only season we're going to experience.

To really enjoy a business, we first learn to see and enjoy the possibilities during it's Spring.