Swing Batter, Swing!

In baseball and in business, timing is everything. You miss a phone call, you could lose the deal. You hesitate on a contract and a competitor can beat you to the punch. Timing even affects professional ball players - swing too early or too late and you strike out. Performing any action at the proper point in time has a major impact on their level of success.

It's all about the timing.

Research has shown that the best time to send e-mails, make phone calls, and get in touch with your clients and customers is midweek and mid- afternoon, when your customers' responsibilities are fewer and they welcome diversions from their work.

Whenever deciding to launch a product, market a service or even send an e-mail, always put yourself in your customer's shoes to be sure you time it right.

Seasonal Marketing: Everything in life has a season. Fans and cooling systems are needed in the summer; toys and personal gadgets should be featured around the holidays. If you focus on your customer's needs, then your marketing timeline will naturally follow.

Punctuality: Arriving on time for meetings and interviews makes a favorable impression. If you're late, you'll need to work harder to gain favor and recover lost ground that you've relinquished to competing individuals or businesses.

Tomorrow’s Technology Today: Technology changes rapidly. Keep your business, computers and phone systems in the 'now'- updated and modernized- in order to maintain your competitive edge.

Apparel Time: Be sure to dress right for each occasion. Tuxes are for weddings, shorts for the beach. Each item has a place and time. You need to dress to impress at some points in time; at others, you may need to tone down your garb in order to put your customers and clients at ease.

How do you determine proper timing in marketing? There are many factors that affect this decision, but a lot has to do with your client relationship. If you have a solid connection with your customers and have your finger on the pulse of your target market, you'll know what they want and need - now. Last month, something may have been vital - this month, it's already old news. Don't miss your chance. Keep in touch with your clients, find out about their requirements and figure out a way to service them with your products and services.

Just like in baseball, too early or too late, you will strike out - no matter how great and how strong a swing you have. Timing is everything: your creative ideas and inspiration are vital to success, but employed at the wrong time, those great ideas are just a useless waste of energy.

Go Yankees!