Resources For The Community

Marketing Tips, Book Reviews and Other Information to Help You Build your Practice

How to Keep Going When Marketing Gets You Down

By Jennifer Lewy, Marketing Coach

On a recent coaching call with a client, we were discussing her major success with a public presentation. She felt the presentation went very well, and she had made great progress on marketing her business during the week. Yet she was feeling “down.” Why does this happen?

On the path to a building sustainable, profitable business doing what you love, many people (all right – everybody) will feel, at some point, down in the dumps. Sure, it’s exciting to make progress towards a dream. But when things start to really happen – when the wheels of the universe actually start turning in your favor and your business picks up steam – the old “critic” in each of us perks up and says: Watch out. Watch out, or you’ll…

ü        Have to spend more time and money on marketing

ü        Actually have to do what you said you would

ü        Have less and less free time

ü        Get what you want

ü        Start having too much fun

ü        Lose sight of what’s really important… which is…

The critic can paralyze us. We feel anxious and worried. Nothing seems “right.” All options for getting things moving again seem too hard and complicated. It looks tempting to give up… to spend hours scanning the Internet for jobs or books to buy or other projects we will never act on… and then we feel guilty and even worse about ourselves.

It’s easy to hate the critic, but the critic plays an important role in our businesses. Without the critic, we might make crazy decisions with no basis in reality, overspend, make fools of ourselves and get nothing done. So we thank the critic for helping us to achieve our goals, stay focused and be productive. But occasionally, the critic doesn’t know when to stop. Unchecked, it will wreak havoc with your confidence and sense of purpose.

To get back on track when you’re feeling down, and prevent the critic from taking over, try these exercises:

ü        Gently remind yourself that YOU are in charge, not the critic. Feel the strong presence of your core self, and see the critic outside of your core self. What does the critic look like?

ü        Ask the critic if there’s a message you need to hear. What does the critic need you to know? Listen to this message. Let the critic tell you as much as it needs to.

ü        Acknowledge the critic. Let the critic know that you appreciate its help. Explain to the critic how it helps you, and let it know that you would like it to continue helping you.

ü        Comfort the critic. When in high gear, the critic is afraid of… of what? Ask. Let the critic know that you will take care of business. You will let the critic observe and tell you what it needs to, but you won’t let it take over.

ü        Change tasks. Do something unexpected, outside of your usual routine. Take yourself out for a cup of tea with your notebook. Take a walk. Go to a matinee. Treat yourself to something fun that is not related to what you “should” be doing.

ü        Finally, get in touch with someone you know will be supportive.

As you build your dream business, fears, dreads and critics will be part of your journey. Occasionally, they will take over and make it seem like your business is a bad idea, that your services aren’t good enough and that you should just give up. None of these beliefs need be true. Challenge your critic to make the journey with you, not against you. And be prepared for wild success.

Need help taming your critic? Call 617-922-0098 or email jen@zenmarketing.net for a free consultation on how to partner with your fear, build on your natural strengths and create a business that you love. For more marketing tips and articles, and a free marketing plan template, visit www.ZenMarketing.net.

Book Review

The Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine on the Internet

Author: Lillian R. Brazin, MS, AHIP

The Haworth Information Press

Reviewed by Catherine Saar, IMA Newsletter Editor

As a person who spends hours a day doing Internet research personally and professionally, I was ready to dismiss Lillian Brazin’s new book, The Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine on the Internet.   How could this book teach me something I didn’t’ already know?

But it did.  Brazin has not only highlights some excellent search engines, but she also identifies over 25 CAM therapy/philosophy sites that are reputable, reliable, and very informative.  An entire chapter is dedicated to CAM sites for eight specific illnesses and symptoms, including cancer, fibromyalgia and menopause.  As a result, her book can save hours of search time.

Brazin successfully draws upon over thirty years of experience as a medical reference librarian.  The book is easy to read, well organized and well documented. Brazin did her homework.  As a result, the beginner Internet researcher can benefit from every page – including her guide to the basics of Internet searching, good advice on netiquette and ways to determine if a site is indeed factual and trustworthy.  

The savvier researcher may also save time by using Brazin’s guide.  For example, I searched the topic of Shamanism, one of the therapies listed by the author. Then I compared what I found to what Brazin offered.  I got three pages of listings and had to go through every site to determine which ones were worthwhile and reliable.  Brazin’s listing, the Foxfire Institute of Shamanic Studies site, was comprehensive and complete.  Had I started there, I would have been more efficient and benefited from the author’s previous, thorough investigation.

Of course, the Internet is dynamic and that means that sites and their addresses change all the time.  On balance, however, I found this information to be very up to date.

So whether you are a novice or a well-heeled Internet sleuth, you too, may learn something new and save a little time in the process.  To find out more about this book, check out http://www.haworthpressinc.com or call 1-800-Haworth (1-800-429-6784)       9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET M-F.