Trying too hard to hit the marketing home run
Fear of failing to meet big expectations may be one reason some professionals struggle to find the motivation to actively engage in marketing. After all, if the end goal is to land major new clients in a short period of time, it will be all too easy to give up when the new work fails to quickly materialize.
Instead, focus on simple daily tasks and small wins that will help you to develop a positive marketing routine, strong long-term marketing results and, most importantly, a sense of progress and satisfaction. This ‘tiny win’ approach was the conclusion of a study by Harvard Business School professors who conducted a survey of 12,000 white-collar employees. They asked respondents to identify the events in their work day that stood out. The findings showed that making some forward progress each day, regardless of how small, had a huge psychological benefit.
So instead of aiming for the fences with your next marketing plan, maybe it would be better to think small. Set one small objective each day that will classify as a small win. In short order, those many small wins will begin to add up, create a sense of progress and help build momentum. Too often, fear of being unable to hit the marketing home run prevents professionals from even stepping up to the plate. If the goal changes to achieving something small, the fear can ease away and the steps to successful marketing can begin.
If you’re interested in learning more, read Smartcuts by Shane Snow, which references the study. You can also get the full story from The Progress Principle, written by the professors from Harvard who conducted the research.
