I was over in Geneva a whle back doing a marketing strategy workshop for a client.

As sometimes happens with workshops, we overran by 30 minutes or so. Combine that with a snarl-up on the roads on the way to the airport and I only just made my flight. Yikes!

In fact I had to run to the gate, and I was too late to check in my bags so I had to jettison all my toiletries on the way as, of course, you can't take liquids in your hand luggage.

As I collapsed in a heap in my seat before take-off, I wondered just how we'd managed to get so far behind.

The workshop was well planned and we'd been pretty much on track for most of the day.

But I just hadn't paid attention to the time when it got to the critical last hour or so. The team had come up with some great ideas and we allowed ourselves to get sucked into a few interesting but lower priority side discussions.

If I'm honest, I sometimes let the same thing happen with my marketing too. I wonder if you're the same?

It's easy to start out with a solid plan, but to get sidetracked by things that are interesting, or we enjoy or feel comfortable doing; but just arent real priorities.

You fiddle about with making your website looking pretty instead of focusing on the content. You get comfortable delivering a presentation again and again, even though it doesn't bring you any leads.

And while missing your flight is a pain in the butt, missing your financial targets because you let your marketing get off track is a whole lot more serious. A big “yikes”.

In the same way that I should have kept an eye on the time, you need to keep track not only of sales but of “lead flow”. How many initial contacts are you getting with qualified potential clients? How many meetings? How many people are opting in to your newsletter?

Whatever the right metrics are for you, check them weekly. Keep yourself on track. Don't end up metaphorically running through the airport and having to ditch any liquids you're carrying.