Run Your Business: Set realistic goals

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In most conversations I have, the topic inevitably turns to running sooner or later. The conversation generally goes in one of three directions based on the kind of person they are:

1. Active runners: We geek out talking about our new favorite running shoes, our current paces and races we’ve run or are planning on running.
2. Non-runners: These folks are probably the most entertaining. Some of them give me an entire standup routine covering every reason they would never lace up their
   shoes and go out on a run. I get it. Running is not for everyone, especially long distances. It takes a unique mindset to take that on.
3. The sometimes and wannabe runners: This is an interesting group. Many try to start running every year. They buy a new pair of running shoes, sign up for a local 5K race, but then something throws it off track. More times than not, that something is an injury.

So many of the stories are similar. They sign up for a race to motivate them, start running, then get injured or shin splints and stop running. What so many of them also say, is they don’t understand why this happens, remembering that one time years earlier when they were able to run miles and it felt great. They want that feeling back.

I give them the simplest advice I can: set realistic goals. Just because you were able to jump off the couch years ago and run for miles, does not mean you can do that today. Your body isn’t the same. If you try to go from nothing to several miles, injury is practically guaranteed.

Instead, start with tiny amounts of running mixed in with big chunks of walking — really tiny amounts! Run for a minute and then walk for 4 minutes. Do that for a week, then slowly build up. This gets your body used to running and greatly lowers your risk of injury. Set realistic expectations that your body can handle and then slowly increase the mileage.

A business lesson, too

Setting realistic expectations is essential when we start running. It is also essential as we run our service businesses.

Early on in my career, I realized I was pretty good at sales. I had a knack of knowing what a customer wanted and telling them exactly what they wanted to hear. But too many times, in trying to please them, I set unrealistic expectations on what they would expect. Everyone wanted to hear that we could immediately eliminate any pest issue, for example.

While this may have been a realistic goal for some of our residential customers, many of our commercial accounts had serious sanitation or construction issues that would require a much longer process to achieve the results they desired.

Too many times, I took the easy, “salesy” approach and overpromised and underdelivered. All this achieved was having a dissatisfied customer from the very beginning.

It took awhile, but I slowly learned to point out the huge impact these sanitation issues play in their pest problems. At first, I was concerned they would feel I was pulling out excuses on why our program would not work. But by being honest and setting realistic expectations on what we could do under the current circumstances, they understood why it was going to be an ongoing program.

The success of any program depends on setting realistic expectations. Whether it is wanting to run that first mile or taking on that new client, keep those expectations realistic. Go slowly and you will succeed every time.

Have a Great Run!

<p>The post Run Your Business: Set realistic goals first appeared on Pest Management Professional.</p>

from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/11/04/run-your-business-set-realistic-goals/
Sacramento CA