Have you ever been to one of those towns set up to reenact the old west and watched a blacksmith work the metal? It is a fascinating process to watch them shape the raw metal into something useful. The metal is heated so hot that it glows and then the smith strikes it with a hammer and other tools to shape it. It is hard work, but in the end the blacksmith has turned the raw metal into the intended end product.
Here’s the point, if the craftsman tries to make something out of the metal when its cold it generally does not work. He can hit it over and over and the metal will not take the needed shape. But when the metal is hot, the blacksmith can forge something from the raw metal. And….it often makes SPARKS!
In order to make sparks in your own business you also need to strike while the iron is hot. This point was recently brought home to me within my own business. Approximately 3 months ago I was driving through the southern part of town and passed the building of a large company in town. I was struck with the thought that I should approach them about their web marketing needs. I know the guy that is over all their websites (5 of them) and thought it would be a great opportunity.
But its a rather large company, so I decided to get “prepared” before I called them. As things often do, I got busy and didn’t get around to calling them for a while. Well, guess what? Within that short time frame my friend had received a new position in the company and the “new kid” had hired someone else to help with the SEO and online marketing. They had just finalized the deal two days before, OUCH! And yes, I had done all my “preparation.” Hours of it.
So, I came away with a lesson. Act on your inspirations. Jump on opportunites when you find them. The single biggest factor to making any business work, online or offline is action. That is what makes sparks.
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I’ve had similar experiences (I wont go into it). But enough so to know that you’re absolutely correct. When you get that feeling, it’s better to just go with it. What’s the worst that could happen though, really? They say no, it doesn’t workout, whatever. You still learn from it, and you still tried. The more you get yourself out there, the better chance you have in the first place.