When Marketing Becomes A Chore…

Posted by Kevin Dervin · May 27, 2009 · Print This Article

Does marketing ever feel like a burden or a chore for you?

You know you need to be marketing your business continuously if you want to build and grow. But, sometimes it just doesn’t get done. After all, there are so many darn things you have to do as small business owners and independent professionals.

There are times when marketing becomes a real chore. It’s just one more thing in a long list of things that you have to get done. You know it’s important, but then again so is everything else you need to do.

You need to take care of your clients.
You need to respond to all of those emails.
You need to return phone calls.
You need to organize your office.
You need to make sure the bookkeeping is in order.
Etc, etc. You might never be able to get caught back up.

Unfortunately, it’s often marketing that goes on the back burner. “Yes it’s important, but I’ll get back to it when I get caught back up,” you might say. Your ezine or newsletter starts going out late. Your direct mail pieces stop going out consistently or maybe even altogether. You start missing those networking events used to be regularly scheduled on your calendar.

Eventually what happens is that the effects of not marketing begin to show up. Business slows down or client projects end. Maybe follow-on projects get delayed or certain client relationships suddenly end.

This is usually the worst time to get marketing off the back burner and try to get things going again. Primarily because it tends to lead to scattered, unfocused, one-off marketing approaches. One business owner described it to me as “desperate searching” versus “marketing” at that point.

If any of this sounds familiar to you, trust me when I say you are not alone. Everyone goes through times when they feel like they have to force themselves to get things done.

So what’s going on and how can you turn this around?

It’s a simple answer that takes some commitment on your part to address the issue. If you want regular and consistent results from your marketing then it takes regular and consistent effort.

Here are just two quick thoughts for you to consider:

(1) Set up your own accountability system. One way to do that is setting up appointments in your calendar to proactively work on marketing and then holding yourself accountable for keeping the appointments just like you do your best client appointments.

Consider an accountability partner. Share the schedule of appointments with them so they can help you hold your feet to the fire and complete them.

When you set an appointment, you make a commitment. When you honor the commitment you create a success for yourself.

(2) Refocus your efforts on what you can do for your clients and prospects. Let me explain what I mean by this. Often when marketing becomes a chore or a burden it’s because you’re focusing on you. You need to get this or that done. But, when you’re focused on your clients and prospects and what you want to help them get done, it’s a completely different energy.

When you’re focusing on your clients and prospects and their needs, you may not even feel like its marketing. Instead you’re focused on what problems, issues, and challenges you can help them solve and what outcomes and results you can help them achieve.

Do you see the difference in the mindset? Don’t let maketing become a chore for your business. When you’re passionate about what you do and the problems you solve for clients, it would be a shame not to get the message in front of prospective clients who need it.