Harnessing the Power of Profit Time

One challenge that all online marketers face is information overload and distractions. We’re constantly being bombarded with new offers that claim to be the end all and be all to online marketing success.

If you look at the typical online marketers e-mail inbox you would see offers to purchase the newest and best traffic generation course, an invitation to watch an online video that guarantees instant profits with very little effort, offers to join the latest and greatest money-making program. Plus, there are e-mails to answer, phone calls, forums to visit plus a host of other distractions that add very little to our bottom-line.

In addition to these external distractions there are a host of self-generated things to do that have very little to do with making money. You get a great idea for generating traffic, you remember you’re supposed to call John about tomorrow’s meeting, you see a book that you wanted to read, and on and on it goes, distraction after the distraction.

Highly productive and profitable online marketers have made it a habit to devote a specific amount of time every day to profit producing activities. This is their “Profit Time” and they refuse to allow distractions to sabotage their success.

Start today to use the power of this habit, here’s how:

• Decide how much time each day you want to devote to income producing activities. Be realistic, most people who work an eight hour day are lucky to have two hours of productive time. I suggest that you start with no more than 3 hours, allowing a few minutes each hour to take a brief break. As you build this habit, you can increase the time you allot.

• Select one project that is directly related to making money. It could be generating traffic through article marketing, creating and posting a product review on your blog or a web 2.0 site. The key is it must be an something that leads directly to increasing the revenue in your business. Important Note: Do not spend any time planning the project during profit time. Planning is not an income producing activity. Do your planning during your non-profit hours. Your profit time is devoted to taking action on your project.

• Turn off your phone, close down your e-mail program, turn off Skype or other IM programs so you can focus solely on the project you have selected.

• Do not allow yourself to be distracted by anything. If you get an idea, even if it is one that can increase your income, write it down on a sheet of paper and get back to work.

• During your “Profit Time”, never take longer than 60 seconds to make a decision. Again your focus should be on action, not thinking.

• Make “Profit Time” a habit by applying this plan for at least 21 day.

Don’t be concerned with the results you are getting until “Profit Time” becomes a habit. One it is a habit you can focus on improving your results.

We’ve all heard the term, Ready, Aim, Fire. The successful marketer follow the Ready, Fire, Aim approach, which is what profit time is all about. First you Get Ready by eliminating distractions, then you Fire by getting to work and finally you Take Aim at improving the results.

In the next time management article, “The Profit Making Power of Simplicity” you’ll learn how keeping it simple leads to more profits.