While I have completed a few 10ks in my time, I would never put myself in the category of being an athlete. I have been known to run, yes, and put me in a swimming pool and I'll just keep on going (I usually stop at 100 lengths) BUT I am not a competitive athlete and I'm pretty much aware of the fact that I never will be :)
What I do know about races though is that you don't slow down when you see the finish line—you keep on running, and if you have it in you (there's always that little bit in reserve, right?) then actually you speed up when you see it. One last push to the finish. I've surprised myself more than once that, after a solid 9k+ slog, I'll still have something left for the last 100 metres or so.
And you need to do this with your business goals and your marketing too.
Running an event is a good example (as is anything with a deadline). Don't start to slow down the few days before the event in terms of promotion and ticket offers. Keep on running. Maybe even save a little flurry of activity for the day before.
In all the events I've run I've always had last minute bookings. And I've seen this happen with other events I've been involved with too, and the same thing with launches for programs and anything that has a non-negotiable start date. You keep on running!
If you start to slow down when you see the deadline/finish line coming up then you're missing out on all those late sprints. All those people who are going to leave it up to the wire to join.
In fact, in my experience (and this doesn't work with events logistically!) but it works with online launches and other programs that run over a few weeks—you can still let people finish the race/start the program even when the finish line has been crossed. When I run a program I always keep the doors open for the first few days after we've started as there is still time to catch up easily after the first class. And I've ALWAYS had people who 'missed the deadline and kicked themselves' join in a little late.
Not all of us are organised—in fact, I am very much the last minute sprinter when I buy a lot of things. I might have 'decided' in advance but I might not take action 'til I am pushed up against a deadline. I actually did this recently with a program I bought that I knew I was going to do, then went to sign up on the last day only to find the program had closed because the deadlines were on Australian time! (11 hours ahead)—eeeek! Cue a quick email to customer support and they realised that was a little unfair to the rest of us who are a bit behind on time zones and I got in the program. Phew.
If you don't keep promoting, and reminding, and mentioning and having a deadline (and a post deadline deadline) then you'll miss out on a lot more clients that you might have thought were interested.
Keep on running and look PAST the finish line to the spot where you'll stop.
I know this is how sprinters win their races and get their best times—they are focused on a place PAST the finish line and they aim for that. You want to be running at full tilt through that tape, not strolling through it catching your breath.
Keep on running!
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