In Australia, series 4 of the “Biggest Loser” television show has just commenced. What happened in last night’s episode was a great reflection of what happens to most of us in business, and especially in marketing.

The contestants had to race from Fitzroy Island to Manly (in Sydney). They touched down at Sydney airport and ran directly to a Biggest Loser table where they had to select a mode of transport voucher of their choice – bus, train, ferry, $20 or a “hitchhiking” sign.

For those who don’t know Sydney Manly is about 25km from the airport across the harbour. Getting there involves multiple trains or bus rides and/or a ferry ride thrown in as well. So, the Biggest Loser contestants picked one form of transport and off they went. They soon realised though, that no matter which transport voucher they selected, they would need additional funds and additional modes of transport to get there. It wasn’t a direct route. And the challenge is they had no money to do that.

Many couples took the traditional route following utilising their vouchers where they could and found themselves on multiple buses and/or trains and found themselves begging for money.

Andrew and Nathan, who ended up winning the race did something different. They took the “Manly or Bust” hitchhiking sign because they recognised that the fastest way to get to Manly was to get a ride in either a taxi or a private car straight to the door. And they no doubt recognised too that because they had “Biggest Loser” t-shirts on along with a camera crew behind them, they wouldn’t have too much trouble scabbing a lift. And you know what - they didn’t. They soon got a lift for free, in air-conditioned luxury and arrived at the destination way ahead of the others.

How often do we make things in our business more difficult than they need to be?

Most of the Biggest Loser contestants tried to arrive at their destination the fastest by asking the question, “How can I do that using the train or the bus or the ferry or $20?”

The boys who ended up winning, on the other hand, (I imagine) asked the question, “What’s the fastest way there and what resources do I need to get there fast?”

Instead of identifying which is the most direct route to get us from where we are now to where we want to be, we often complicate the journey and try to get there using the resources we currently have.

Instead what if we asked the question, “What people, what money, what products, what tools, what knowledge, what networks do I need to achieve my goals?”

So – think simple. Don’t try and fit those square pegs in round holes. Instead, identify what you want to achieve.

Next - identify what market you want to help THEN identify the various resources you will need to help those people and in turn help you achieve your goals.

When you do that and then take action to find those resources, your marketing and your profitability will magically transform.

Take Care,

Kristina Mills - Words that SellBusiness Improvement and Marketing Consultant