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If you’ve been reading this blog, you know I’m a big (though not uncritical) fan of Simpleology.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the new online version. I also wrote about some of the flaws in their software.

Well, the good folks from Simpleology got back to me within just a few days. What happened in the ensuing back and forth with them taught me a whole lot about success, lessons I’d like to share with you.

1. You don’t have to wait until something is perfect to get your product “out there.” The very first thing Mark Joyner says on the video that introduces the new WebCockpit is that this is the first version, and no matter how much testing one does, it’s not going to be perfect. It’s definitely “good enough,” and good enough is the starting point.

Yes, you always want to put your best foot forward. To deliver value, no matter what the product or service. However, perfectionism can easily stop you in your tracks. A quote I learned from a man named Francis Schaeffer applies here: “If you demand perfection or nothing, you will always end up with nothing.”

Another maxim that fits this is: “Ready-fire-aim!” You prepare as best you can, you “fire,” and then you “aim” or course correct as you go. Your goal is excellence, yes, but you achieve it as you go, not before you start.

If you’re been waiting to get your book idea perfectly clear in your head … or if your manuscript is finished and languishing in a drawer somewhere … wait no longer! Take a next step. If you’re not sure what that next step is, I’ll tell you–find out! Read some of my past newsletters and you’ll come up with some idea for sure. Or email me: diane at wordstoprofit.com and ask (you know what to do–this way I won’t get loads of spam).

2. Let the actual users of your product/service help you perfect it. The Simpleology team was on top of what was happening concerning their product. (No doubt they did a Google alert for “Simpleology” and found my blog.) There’s a certain humility in asking for honest feedback and being willing to learn from mistakes.

They asked for feedback, I gave it, and they listened well. (One change is already in effect on the site.) They answered all my concerns, they explained some things I didn’t get (my fault, not theirs).

That kind of close attention and respect for what their customers think is very exemplary, in my book!

3. Make everything a team effort, and invite people onto your team. As mentioned, from the start Mark Joyner invites Simpleology users to help him perfect the new Web version and the software. In this way, he expands the “team” that is working on this project. He’s not trying to do it alone.

4. Include the personal touch. I don’t know how many people work for Mark Joyner on Simpleology, but I’ve met a few of them (via email) and I feel like a part of the team, in a way, as a result. This kind of personal attention is what I strive for in my own business, especially in a world that is increasingly depersonalized. (When’s the last time you called a business and got a real person on the line right away?)

Thanks for Simpleology, Mark and team! Thanks too for the great lessons I continue to learn through not only what you say and teach, but from your example as well.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 28th, 2007 at 6:26 pm and is filed under Productivity tips, Resources, Writing, publishing, promoting books. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.