As a marketing consultant, I often feel like I’m in the role of “marketing therapist.”
When I begin to work with a new client, I’ll hear of ALL the marketing strategies they’ve tried to implement. I’ll hear how nothing has worked. They’re afraid that nothing WILL work… but nothing could be further from the truth.
However, every once and a while… by no means with every client, but definitely with a few… I find can really related to the therapist’s situation in the following joke:
A husband and wife came for counseling after 20 years of marriage. When asked what the problem was, the wife launched into an extended tirade, listing every problem they had ever had over the past two decades.
When she finished, all three sat in silence. Then, the therapist got up, walked around the desk and asked the wife to stand. He took her into his arms and began kissing her passionately. The husband watched their impassioned embrace. When the therapist released her, the woman quietly sat down as though in a daze.
The therapist turned to the husband, “This is what your wife needs at least three times a week. Can you do this?”
The husband thought for a moment and replied, “Well, I can drop her off here on Mondays and Wednesdays, but on Fridays, I fish.”
I can relate. Every once and a while, I’ll be working with a client and suddenly get the feeling like I’m the only one who cares if this works. I feel like I’m doing the kissing while the business owner watches dispassionately and then plans a fishing trip for Friday.
Can you do this?
Can a small business owner REALLY handle the marketing for his/her own small business.
YES!
However, you’d better get passionate about your business if you want to do so.
You’d better get passionate about what your business can do for your clients/customers.
You’d better get your head out of “me” thinking and get it focused on your customer.
You’d better see clearly the destination you want to reach and the path you’ll take to get there.
Otherwise, you’ll end up watching as your customers embrace your competitor’s business.
Lol – nice story.
I’ve definitely been there where it feels like I’m the only one who really cares about the business. Sometimes though, it’s not lack of caring that causes the person not to get “excited” about marketing their business – it’s complacency. They feel that all that’s needed are a few tweaks and they can get back to business as usual.
So part of what we have to do is introduce them to reality.
Ian