Calling all Creative Entrepreneurs! Some tips to stay focused and keep your projects moving!

Creative entrepreneurs are an engaging bunch. When you look into their eyes, and they start talking “business,”; they light up with passion and wonder; they are more than entrepreneurs in business; they are explorers. All entrepreneurs strive to create what others just dream about, they’re not satisfied with the way things are now, but asking how else the world can be, exploring not just one solution, but endless solutions.

Where some entrepreneurs get stuck is in the information collection phase. They start building an idea and discover more articles, resources, workshops, and thought leaders to follow. While all of this research informs their outcomes, the outcomes become delayed by another course or another book, and then a change in direction, the cycle continues. The result – information overload or analysis paralysis. There’s almost too much information and too many options – so what’s next?

The scenario I see play out too often is: An entrepreneur gets an idea and starts building a product/service to take to market, they come across a thought leader that they’d like to emulate, and they start designing their product delivery around this concept, and then they come across another thought leader, and start rethinking plan 1, building in new concepts to form plan 2, and then they come across another thought leader…. You see where I’m going here.

The project stalls.

Here are our tips for staying on track and getting your products to launch:

1. Keep an “ideas” file – Imagine this scenario – you’ve planned your product launch, have chosen the elements, timelines, delivery to market, and you stumble upon an amazing article that outlines a new concept. It’s BRILLIANT, and you can’t wait to implement it. Ask yourself, does this have to happen now? If not, print off the article, write your thoughts about why you love it and think it aligns with your business model, and tuck it into an ideas file, that way you don’t have to worry about using it now, or forgetting why you thought it was brilliant. It’s still there for your next brainstorming session. What you don’t want is for the first product to go off track and lose momentum.

2. There is no “one” way to launch a product – Chances are, if you’re an avid learner, that a variety of concepts will influence you, and that’s ok. Use the experiences and learnings from those around you to build your unique style.

3. Remember, you know your market best – you know the frequency of emails, tone, and delivery style that your clients most connect to, so stay true to them. Always keep the “avatar” of your prospect in mind, and use what you’ve learned from others to inform, not dictate, how your product should be launched, or even ultimately delivered.

4. Accept that its ok to build ideas into your product launch based on your current influencers, but don’t let this stop you. Keep your momentum moving forward.

5. Enlist the help of a colleague to keep moving you forward, and to help you categorize your ideas (use now, hold for later, and just not aligning with your message). Better yet, have a creative team (you!) and a development team. Keep enjoying the creativity, but let someone else line up the delivery.

Of course, we have one BONUS tip for you – Remember that your clients need you. Continuous development of new products and services to offer them is your gift. Don’t get stuck in development, information overload, or analysis paralysis. Keep up the cycle of development and delivery.

By Peggy Murrah, Founder of PMA Web Services