Want Immediate Marketing Results?

Me too! I love quick wins, fast starts, immediate marketing results...

BUT... my experience has shown, whether it's weight loss or marketing, when you first start a new initiative, you exert a ton of energy, but it doesn't always feel like anything is happening.

In fact, sometimes it seems like NOTHING is happening.

You may feel like you're actually moving BACKWARDS.

Your mind starts playing tricks on you to tell you give up, and go back to your comfort zone.

DANGER at that point is that you give up and say

"Nothing works - or it won't work for me."  

Don't do that. Keep reading! 

What can you do to keep your motivation strong in the lag time between action and results?

1. Realize that marketing is a long term strategy.

You may be able to get immediate SALES RESULTS by picking up the phone... if you already have a relationship, or you have a particularly clever or needed marketing pitch.

You can generate leads relatively quickly using Facebook, LinkedIn or Google AdWords ads. But if you sell expensive products and services (like consulting services), you still have a long sales cycle in front of you.  As the saying goes,

"The best time to plant a tree was 50 years ago. The second best time is right now."

Another saying I heard recently that really stuck with me was "Stop digging new holes" - meaning, if you don't get immediate results, don't stop, move on and try something new. Keep digging in the same place, keep doing the same things, until you are sure that strategy will not work for you.

2. Focus on changing your marketing habits.  

In December, I read "The Compound Effect " by Darren Hardy. Darren does a great job of driving home the point that it's not the big things we do that impact how our lives are - how much money we make, how fit (or fat) we are, and how great our relationships are - it's actually in the small daily decisions that have become routine.  So while you are planning a big marketing campaign, also plan on making small daily changes.

What are your marketing habits? Are you consistently getting your name out there? Networking? Developing inbound marketing campaigns? If you're not consistently marketing, you are not going to be consistently driving leads into your pipeline.

3. Notice the positive changes you are seeing.

While it might be unrealistic for your business to close sales immediately, pat yourself on the back for the changes you have made. More traffic to your website. YEAH! More emails on your list. YEAH! Improved website pages! You go you! Celebrate the small wins to keep your motivation strong.

4. Create a 30-day PUSH.

I did this recently in my personal life. I wanted to get healthier, so I created a game for myself. I created rules and each day I succeeded, I checked off a box on a calendar I hung prominently on my fridge. I didn't want to break the chain, and that was motivating to keep on track.

You can do the same thing with your marketing efforts. Come up with a 30-day marketing push. With effort, you increase the likelihood of ALMOST immediate marketing results. Start by writing a list of the areas most in need of improvement and then get into action!

• Write a new blog post every week.
• Update one web page a day.
• Call one potential or existing customer.
• Initiate a referral relationship.

Speaking of starting new marketing habits, I invite you to try out the "Invisible to Impactful eCourse." If you enroll, I would truly love to hear your feedback on what you liked, and what could be improved.