How are you feeling at the moment?
Today is referred to in the media as ‘Blue Monday’.
The third or fourth Monday in January is given the honour of being the saddest day in the year thanks to the reality of debts incurred at Christmas, levels of failed New Year’s resolutions, and the miserable weather.
There’s no scientific evidence to support Blue Monday; like so many ‘days’ in our calendar, it was made up as a marketing stunt by a travel company that wanted to encourage people to book their summer holidays.
But if you’re feeling ‘blue’ about your marketing today, I’m sharing six ideas to overcome the marketing blues in this blog.
1 – Set realistic goals
We’re often told that our goals must be SMART – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.
While we’re only a couple of weeks into 2022, now is an excellent time to review the marketing and business development goals we set for the year ahead and make sure they are realistic.
You might have set yourself the goal of winning 100 new customers this year or growing your sales by 25%. Do your goals need to be this high?
If your goals are unrealistic, they could be making you miserable.
Setting realistic goals helps bring them to a level where you feel like you are winning – and you can always beat those goals if they become too easy.
2 – Connect with other people and learn from them
Despite the best efforts of the pandemic, we’re social creatures.
The phrase ‘no man is an island’ sums this up well; humans do poorly when isolated from others. We can survive alone but need to be part of a community to thrive.
As well as connecting with others in your industry or sector, look more broadly to find support and inspiration.
People generally want to help other people; it’s in our DNA.
Join business groups or attend networking events, and speak to others to find solutions to your marketing challenges.
3 – Find a creative outlet
If you’re feeling stuck with your marketing, you might lack inspiration.
What can you do outside of work to help bring that creative inspiration back to the surface?
We’ve all got different creative outlets; maybe you can watch a movie, read a book, or take some photographs.
Even heading into the Great Outdoors for a walk or bike ride can be enough to shake off your marketing blues.
4 – Don’t try to do too much at once
Does your marketing plan leave you feeling overwhelmed?
With so many marketing options, it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to do too much.
Instead, KISS – keep it simple, sweetie.
Pour your energy into the highest impact activities and stick a pin in everything else, at least for now.
I’ve written before about why less is more when marketing.
5 – Focus on what’s working
Take a look at what is driving your marketing results.
Where are your customers coming from? Interview (discretely) every new customer to find out how they heard about you.
Marketing frustration can often stem from doing activities that don’t produce results.
While it’s unreasonable to expect immediate results from any marketing activity, and long-term consistency is key to success, sometimes it pays to jettison the stuff that’s not serving you.
Delving into your analytics to understand what drives results and what is the marketing equivalent of spinning your wheels is an excellent place to start.
6 – Find some quick wins
If you’re feeling down about your marketing, ask yourself where you can stack up some quick wins.
Perhaps your brand isn’t receiving the attention you feel it deserves. Call five local news outlets today and ask for an interview.
Maybe you need an extra handful of customers each day. Speak to your ten favourite regulars and ask them to bring a friend or family member along.
Write a blog, give something away for free, and upgrade your marketing materials’ quality. Do something.
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It’s time to overcome the marketing blues. The tips in this blog post should help you get started on your journey!
I hope you found these ideas helpful and inspiring. If other methods have helped you, or if you want more information about how we can help, please reach out.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
