You Can't Fatten A Pig On Market Day

I loathe last minute merchants.

I’m not talking online auction or hotel-day-of-arrival chancers.

My ire is for those who expect their atrocious time keeping to be my fire to fight. As the old phrase goes;

don’t think your bad planning can make my crisis.

Nowhere can this be more stark than foolishly thinking that nothing focuses the mind sharper than a rapidly looming deadline.

It does not.

And never will.

I was reminded of 2014’s Warwick university study. One producing the lovely graphic up-top. Which showed students leaving work until the latest possible moment to complete and hand-in scored significantly lower marks. Easily a whole grade’s worth worse. Distinctions but a dream.

Now I discover a phrase from Aussie politics in similar vein.

you can’t fatten a pig on market day

In the context of electioneering, it means much spade work is required way before actual polling day.

You must trail your main buzz.

Sudden and surprise giveaways at the death do not sway.

In Sales, this particular porcine morsel baconly points to getting your prep done, done early and done right.

I can’t begin to tell you the despair-triggering frustration I’ve experienced from a salesperson’s orbit who thinks they can wing it. They can’t.

You cannot convey a winning presentation without rehearsing.

You cannot craft a compelling Proposal the very day alone your prospect stipulates its delivery.

You cannot conjure a finishing close out the blue without vigilant process beforehand.

It can’t be done.

So. When you next feel your efforts might well get torpedoed late on, livestock destined to stay far too lean, you now know a route to help light up market-day riches…‘your poor planning does not my emergency make…’