Marketing is like Exercising

NoSpin Debunker #55: November 25, 2002

A short debunker before the Thanksgiving holiday, but first please take 5-seconds to complete the new NoSpin Poll regarding the marketing potential of your web site.

Yup, there’s good news—and bad news in this new Debunker: Indeed, Marketing is a lot like Exercising:

You have to start a program—and stop procrastinating. Marketing and Exercising usually sound like admirable things to do, but there are always lots of reasons not to pick a program(s) and get going. You’re too busy and don’t have time, you’ve (sort of) tried it before without getting the expected results, you don’t know precisely what’s best for you, the economy (or status of your health) is already so lousy that what difference would it make? etc. etc., You have to choose wisely among options, possibly adjust as necessary, but you have to do IT—and not talk about it.

You have to make an investment. Both take time, and Marketing certainly takes money as well as time. There’s no such thing as a free ride or a free lunch when it comes to either Marketing or Exercise. Make a serious investment or stay an Exercising and Marketing couch potato.

You have to do IT regularly. Earlier this year, I half-heartedly went along with one of my clients when they wanted to do a relatively a one-time direct mailing campaign to a small, new audience using a new message about a new service. A recipe for failure--and it was. Once is not enough. Cardiovascular conditioning takes at least 3-5 half-hour sessions per week. In fact, many times is not enough—depending on the Marketing vehicles that you use. You need regularity, or you are wasting your time, energy, and money.

You have to fight through the pain. Especially starting out (or starting out once again), both Exercising and Marketing can be painful—sore muscles from the new exertion or sore brains from putting that grey matter to work to think about what really makes you different and what you need to communicate to your prospects. Get that heart rate up and endure a little pain for some big gain.

You can’t get discouraged because you do not see immediate results. Lack of patience is why most Exercising and Marketing programs fail. Even when you get on a program, those pounds don’t melt away and that cardiovascular system doesn’t shape up without weeks and months of work. Same with Marketing. It takes some time to get the right word out (and it may take some trial and error) and make it stick. Exercising and Marketing are not immediately self-gratifying.

You may need to ask for some help. You made need someone to help design your Exercising or Marketing program, get you started, and make sure that you stay on a program. You may need constant encouragement and cajoling to keep it up. Hence, there are Exercise trainers and Marketing trainers to guide you and whip you into shape.

You’ll experience results that you never thought possible—IF you stick with it. You’ll wonder why you didn’t start Exercising or Marketing sooner. The results of well being from Exercising—or increased sales from Marketing—are so addicting that you’ll feel bad (and often guilty) if you fall off the Exercising or Marketing wagon.

Regardless of what Exercising and Marketing shape you’re in, don’t wait to make a flimsy New Year’s Resolution. Hop to it and get going today. And if you need a Marketing trainer to get you on program and make sure you stay there, please call or email me.

Also please let me know what YOU think about this debunker! And please add these unconventional business professionals to the Debunker mailing list.

If you would prefer to be removed from this email list, let me know.

Tom Ranseen NoSpin Marketing 615.383.7157