How to Be a Marketing Warrior, Not a
Marketing Wimp
by Linda C. Puig
Having recently returned from a most remarkable five-day training known as the Enlightened Warrior Training Camp, I’ve been examining how I “do” various areas of my life, including running my business, Claire Communications.
I have come to the conclusion that I’ve been a marketing wimp!
Consider this: (Uh-oh…major confessions ahead!)
Is This 100% Effort?
I’ve ignored my own best advice to clients to send newsletters consistently and regularly. This is only the fifth Momentum I’ve produced in three years…a far cry from the minimum of once a month that I recommend for email newsletters or quarterly for print newsletters.Reasons or Results?
I have claimed more than a few times that I can’t get around to marketing because I’m too busy with client newsletter production and business operations. In essence, I’ve accepted “reasons” rather than results!Follow Up? What Follow Up?
I’ve neglected follow-up calls with people who’ve inquired about Claire’s newsletters, using the ultra-passive rationale that people will call back when they’re ready.The “Not Enough” Syndrome
I’ve resisted starting a blog, a well-proven marketing strategy, on the grounds that I don’t have enough to say or offer. (The old “not enough” belief that keeps many of us from marketing ourselves.)
I could go on…but I think I’ve revealed enough for you to get the picture! And you? What are your marketing wimp confessions?
So what does it take to go from marketing wimp to marketing warrior? For if Claire Communications is to reach our goal of 2,007 newsletter clients by the end of 2,007, it’s going to take some serious warrior action! To get an idea, I improvise on the eight attitudes of a warrior that I learned at Enlightened Warrior Camp (with grateful credit given to T. Harv Eker and Peak Potentials Training, who developed them).
- A marketing warrior acts in spite of fear. Marketing warriors are not fearless, but they don’t let fear stop them. Imagine my fear at letting you in on my previous marketing passivity. In the past, I’ve also let “What if it doesn’t work?” stop me from trying new marketing strategies. What are you afraid of when it comes to marketing?
- A marketing warrior is willing to do whatever it takes. First, I have to ask myself what that “whatever” is. What will it take to market my business? What will it take to get a newsletter out to my constituency every month? What will it take to make follow-up calls to every single qualified lead within two weeks? When I break it down, I can tackle it in smaller pieces. And then just frickin’ do it!
- A marketing warrior does everything at 100%. How often do we (I) get distracted by little things or meander through a morning without the 100% laser focus that’s essential to hot results? I know when I’m on a tight deadline, I can go like the wind through tasks that might take four times as long any other time. I’ve begun giving myself mini deadlines to complete tasks (and celebrating when I complete them on time!). What percentage of “full-on” do you typically do your marketing tasks.
- A marketing warrior is willing to do what’s “hard.” The definition of “hard” differs from person to person. For one, asking for referrals is unbearable; for another, networking lunches are of the devil. But when we take the easy way out, we get mediocre results at best.
- A marketing warrior acts in spite of his/her mood. I know of people who reserve one day a week exclusively for marketing tasks. That hasn’t worked for me because inevitably, that day rolls around and I just don’t feel like marketing. My new trick? I repeat to myself “I don’t want to today. I don’t feel like it. Today’s not the right day for this. I just don’t feel like it.” And as I repeat this “mantra,” I’m sitting down to my desk. I’m turning on the computer and opening the file I need. I’m gathering the numbers to call, etc. Pretty soon, I’m into the marketing project I need to be doing.
- A marketing warrior is bigger than any obstacle. What is your biggest obstacle? Is it that you don’t know how to market your practice? Is it money? Time? I guarantee you that whatever the obstacle is, others have faced the same obstacle and gotten around it somehow. Usually the obstacle is mental chatter that says “I can’t” or “It’s beyond me” or “I’ll fail.”
- A marketing warrior succeeds in spite of anything. If you’re determined to succeed in your marketing, and for your marketing to help your business succeed, nothing—NOTHING—can stop you.
- A marketing warrior never gives up. It’s not that deciding to be a marketing warrior means everything you touch will instantly become gold. Marketing is all about trial and error. If you stop at error, you’ll never find the gold. My grandmother used to always say, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” While that’s good advice in terms of never giving up, be careful about using the word “try.” Marketing warriors don’t try to do things. They DO them. Then they evaluate, adjust and DO something else, always looking for that sweet spot. And never giving up!
©2006 Claire Communications.
You may reprint this, but it must be complete and include the copyright and the following information: Linda Puig is the president of Claire Communications, a company specializing in newsletters and articles for therapists and coaches.