The 5% Difference
I once went to look at having a classic car restored by a man that had been doing this type of work his entire life. The first question he asked me is the same question I typically ask my clients:
How far do you want to go with this project?
Puzzled by the question the first time I heard it, I asked “What do you mean?”. This old auto restorer explained to me that with any project, it will take an arbitrary amount of effort, time, and money to get a project to 95% complete and perfect. So, to get this car 95% perfect, it will take X hours and dollars. For each percentage point closer to perfect you want it, it is going to take another X amount of hours and dollars. For instance, 97% perfect is going to take X to get to 95, another X to 96, and then another to 97 leaving you with 3X.
That is why most people will stop at 95% and are satisfied with the project because the remaining 5% is not worth the trouble and additional costs. However, if you drive out in your 95% completed car just about everyone else is going to have one also. It is that additional 5% that separates the good from the great.
I have been able to apply this lesson learned to just about every project I do, including website development and SEO. This 5% is what is separating your $5 a month Adwords site from the super affilate sites that are bringing in thousands. They were willing to put in the work and spend the time and money necessary to be successful and thus far you have not.
Now quit reading other people’s blogs and get to work.
