I like the term ‘low hanging fruit’… It means to do what is doable here and now and within arms reach; rather than busting yourself by trying to push business boulders uphill. Yes, there’s a time to move those boulders, but they should not obscure the doable goals you can achieve right now.
But ‘low hanging fruit’ doesn’t mean doing things that are low value. It means working with people who want to work with you — and setting aside (for now) those situations where you are fighting to be heard or justifying yourself to those who will never understand your purpose.
Women have tenacity, but this means we often fall into the trap of ignoring the easily achievable in favour of holding onto something that is not working — instead of letting go and moving on. And that applies in our personal lives and in business.
We tend to be highly self-critical, and can feel like failures if we are not working with the people we think we should be. This is where the balance of perception and reality needs to be considered. For example, even though it’s nice to have a big brand or publication behind what you’re doing, if it is in name only and they are not delivering or adding value, then it isn’t doing anything for you.
So how can you change your behaviours and make life easier by targeting low hanging fruit in your world?
Choose your ‘friends’
- Start looking at the people who are already putting their hands up to work with you and on your project. Filter out the players and the users and then arrange discussions with the rest. Their passion for your cause or business will shine through.
Be realistic
- Learn to let go of the image you have in your head of what you think you want and look at other ways you may be able to get it. For example, if you are eager to connect with a particular company and they are ignoring your or not very responsive then look at their competitor.
Research
- Ask your closest networks first, before investing time and money going out to market and outsourcing your needs. You would be surprised how many people you see regularly in the business community that may be just what you need.
Don’t be fooled by the shiny
- Instead of falling for high profile names or brands, look at tier 2 instead. So instead of going for the ’top shelf’ look at the mid tier level of businesses in that industry. Secure your foothold there, and attack the top shelf later on.
Size doesn’t matter
- Don’t despise small beginnings, bigger isn’t always better so look for small niche groups or industries. This is a lot more powerful than you realize. Especially with businesses that don’t look big (in the media and online) but it fact are the strong quiet types.
Decline time wasters
- And say no quickly. A big part of seeing opportunities that are in front of you is saying no to things that sound exciting but have nothing to do with your vision. Don’t waste your time and you definitely don’t want to be mixing in the wrong groups.
Hone your pitch
- When people ask how they can be involved, have a very specific reply. This will help them be a part of your vision or it will show them you mean business (if they are no genuine) and they will leave you alone.
All these strategies will help you harvest that low-hanging fruit — and will also help you up the ladder to reach the higher fruit later on.