Three months ago I couldn't see straight for all of the work I had to do and keep track of. Seriously, I spent more time in my car and on the phone than I did with my kids. I started taking them with me on staging days so that I could be in the same room with them for more than a meal. I kissed my husband goodbye as he was walking in the door at night more than I did when he left for work in the morning. I decided to cut out a few things to keep my sanity and family together.
Unfortunately, one of the things I let slide was marketing. I kept blogging and even started a newsletter, but other than that I did nothing. No extra phone calls, not office stops, nothing. And I shot myself in the foot.
While things calmed down at home, my kids stopped hating my cell phone ringtone, and I did start getting a full night's sleep, my work slowly dried up. I have had work, mind you, but depressingly little. I know, I know, the market is a bit slower in the Fall, but this slow? In two weeks, I have done one consultation and am still waiting for the go ahead for one vacant, but that is it. Now, I am backtracking and practically starting all over again to get things going again.
See, it's odd, but it seems that people only want to work with you when you are busy, not when you actually have the time. So even if you really don't have the time to market, you have to do it anyway. You cannot afford to rest on your current business and contacts, because if you lose touch with those contacts they get used to your not being around.
Marketing is not about needing business right now, it's about WANTING to have it in the future. It may sound good to float in the pool with your children all summer, but not working on your business equals no work for your business and you can blame no one for that but yourself. So, even if your kids are complaining about your being on the computer too much or your husband is making remarks about the low quality or recent dinners, take a few minutes to drop some flyers in the mailbox.
Make it a pratice to make at least two phone calls a day - even if you have to shut yourself in the bathroom to do it. If you have to send a few emails at midnight, so be it. If you want to work tomorrow, you have to market today!
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