The Pareto Principle
On Tuesday of this week, we successfully held on our first XD LiveOnline! Workshop!
I would like to again thank those that were in attendance and hope that you received something useful that you can start implementing in your business right away. It was my job to educate attendees on what I felt were solid ingredients to grow their businesses. Those topics included processes, workflows, productive habits and the Pareto Principle. While each topic of equally important in the success of your business, it is the latter topic that garnered speculation and something I want to discuss today.
When I teach the Pareto Principle to other folks, I see the same astonished reaction on their faces as I had when I first heard of the principle. The principle is so simple, yet so accurate, that it somehow feels like a trick. The principle, or rule, is simple: 80% of the results/effects come from 20% of the efforts/causes. Apply this to rule to your revenue report listed by customers, and you will find that 20% of your clientele accounts for 80% of your revenue. So, for an example, let’s put some real numbers into this principle. Let’s say that you had a client database of 100 businesses that you have serviced last year. Furthermore, let’s say that your records indicate your revenue was $100,000 in the same year. According to the Pareto Principle, 20 of those clients account for $80,000 revenue. The other 80 customers that you probably spent the same amount of time and resource (if not more) only account for $20,000. Now, my question to you is: Do you see a problem or an opportunity? If you business-minded, you will see both.
The problem you should see is that you are wasting time and resources on 80 businesses for less money. The opportunity here is that you don’t have to! This is where you make your own choices as a business owner. I can’t tell you to drop those 80 businesses and concentrate on the top 20% for additional revenue, client retention, etc. And I also can’t tell you to look for additional businesses that match the mindset of those top 20 customers and have them compete for your time, resources, and services. I can’t tell you how to run your business. I am not a shareholder or your wife. I can tell you that this math is too simple and accurate to ignore.
Give the principle a chance to work in your business and let me know how it goes. You can reach me anytime via email at Michael@ownwebnow.com. I am very interested to learn how you put the Pareto Principle to work in your business and the results that followed.
Michael D. Alligood
Partner Sales & Support, ExchangeDefender & Shockey Monkey
michael@ownwebnow.com
(877) 546-0316 x707