How to successfully complete London Marathon or a CRM project (not so different)
How to successfully complete London Marathon or a CRM project – not so different!
CRM expert, Duncan Wood (middle)
I feel like I have been on a long journey since last June when I applied to run London Marathon 2011 for Guide Dogs. So I felt compelled to write a blog article about it and how what I have learnt can apply equally to implementation of a customer relationship management (CRM) project as running a marathon.
I have broken out some of the key points that helped me achieve what I set out to do and hope they may help you if you are interested in CRM or running, or both!
1. Start with an end in mind!
Decide what your high level goals are. For me this was twofold: 1. raising some money for charity; 2. be more healthy. The next trick is to make those goals measurable, actionable and optimistically realistic (don’t be afraid to reach high). The way I did that what was to apply to run the London Marathon 2011 for Guide Dogs, this meant that I had to run 26.2 miles and raise £1500 – definitely measurable. At the time, I did not know how I was going to do either but I knew they both had to be possible. In business, exactly the same applies; you might want to improve profitability by 3% or grow revenue by 10% next year – at the time you are not quite sure how you will do it but you feel that it is possible somehow.
2. Eat the Elephant – bite by bite
At first a big goal can seem very daunting. Many others have referred to this as the “eating the elephant” analogy which seems impossible at first inspection but can actually be achieved over a long period of time by eating a little bit every day. The easiest way to do this is to come up with a plan. For me, somebody bought a book on how to run a marathon with a ready-made plan inside, I read it and I did it – it was almost that simple. Every day I woke up and I followed the plan whether that was resting or running 10 miles – except when I could not, read on for more on that topic. In a CRM project this will involve coming up with a strategy and plan, for example, mapping out the business strategy, user engagement sessions, software selection and finally project implementation plan and rollout.
3. Get the right support
You need the right tools and people on board to achieve the tasks you have set out in your plan and therefore achieve your goals. I needed to get the right running gear. I needed a supportive team of friends, relatives and sports professionals to help when I needed help, for example, raising money, giving advice on running, treating injuries and emotional support when things got tough. In a CRM project the team is everyone affected by the CRM project in the organisation and any outside help required to boast the skills for the project. Getting the right people around you is critical and getting them to understand what you are doing and why makes all the difference. I had an amazing experience both running and fundraising – the people that helped me where wonderful and constantly surprised me with their wisdom, generosity and humanity. Ask questions and really listen.
4. Stuff Happens – Be flexible
It is all very well having the goals, the plan, the tools and the team in place for success. However, life has a funny way of moving the goal posts on you when you are not looking! I managed to pick up two injuries since last June when I embarked on this journey. One was through bad advice and the other through bad luck. The point though is that when circumstances change the “bury your head in the sand approach” or “carry on regardless approach” does not normally work very well. You need to take a good look at your plans and goals and decide on what you can optimistically do. In my case, I was able change my training plan to incorporate enough rest to recover from my injuries and still complete my goal of running a marathon but it did require me to change my plans and rethink a few things. Sometimes however you might have to revise your actual goals – don’t do irreversible damage to you (running) or your business (CRM project) if things have radically changed.
5. Enjoy it – every minute or most of them!
I cannot recommend enough running London Marathon – I had the best time, from the time I filled in the application form to the time I crossed the finish line on Sunday. I have to admit there were hard times and I did not particularly enjoy yesterday – had you seen me walking up my stairs you may have been amused – it was quite a sight. Today, I am better. I achieved my goals and I feel great! I raised over £3.2k and ran 26.2 miles in 3 hours 56 minutes and 22 seconds. You can see my finishing picture cuddling Molly (13 week old Guide Dog puppy) – what a brilliant 10 months of my life http://www.justgiving.com/DuncsDogRun. In the end the final day (running the marathon) was just part of the whole experience.
So whether you are taking up running, swimming, canoeing or embarking on a CRM project I hope some of my reflections on the last 10 months will help you!
In summary:
Decide on your goals and define them in an actionable and measurable way
- Running – maybe this is a half marathon, marathon, or improving your 5K time by 5 minutes in 3 months (try www.parkrun.com free 5k trails in your local area)
- CRM – look at what your business goals need to be, for example, growing revenue by 5%, improving customer satisfaction by 10%
Come up with a plan
- Remember don’t be daunted by a “big” goal – break it down into achievable chunks and tasks set out on a timeline
Get the help you need
- Build the team you need and get the advice and tools required to deliver on your plan
Expect change and adapt
- Things do change – hopefully you can adapt your plan to cope with the new circumstances and still achieve your goals. If not, don’t do permanent damage – come up with new goals (there is always next year).
Enjoy it
- CRM or running is all about the experience – don’t forget to also enjoy and celebrate the smaller achievements along your journey.
Duncan Wood, CRM Expert (and marathon runner)
www.justgiving.com/DuncsDogRun
