Spring is here and summer is just around the corner, and I don't know about you, but right now I'm dreading seeing my body in a bathing suit. Yes, the effects of the winter and not closely paying attention to my diet and exercise routine are clearly evident to me.
So why am I sharing that with you? I strongly believe that marketing and exercise can be very closely related and will show how when you think of your commitment to exercise and all the benefits it provides you, you will realize the same thinking can be applied to your marketing. Who knows, perhaps I'll even inspire you to focus on exercising too?
To start, let's talk about what exercise means:
It's when a person pushes themself, increases their stamina, builds muscle, establishes a solid regular routine in order to reach new limits to obtain their maximum health and fitness goals.
So how can you exercise and flex your marketing muscles?
Plan of Action
I think anyone who has decided to make a commitment to exercise knows you need to have a plan and fully commit to it. You typically would establish what kind of exercises you're going to do, how often you will work out, perhaps you'll track it in a journal and tell people or even ask someone to work out with you to help you keep accountable. You also understand that you're not going to see actual results by just having a plan but actually following and committing to that plan.
The same goes for a marketing plan. You need to establish one, you need to commit to it, not just create it, but doing it every day. You can exercise your marketing skills by creating a master plan and breaking it down into small manageable pieces. This way it's not too overwhelming and you will actually be able to not only feel like you're accomplishing your goals but actually seeing the results. I invite you to read a previous post in which I describe simple things you do can each day to improve your marketing efforts.
Additionally, have a daily routine of sharing and acquiring knowledge (blogging, social networking, marketing in all forms) and practice those techniques. Whether you have 20 minutes or an hour for your exercise and marketing routine - do it - it will put you that much closer to your goals and the end results you are looking for.
Repetition
Once you make the commitment to your exercise action plan, you know you must pay attention to it on a regular basis, repetition is a good thing! You can't expect to see results by just looking at your workout clothes, your equipment and stuffing another morsel of food into your mouth without doing some sort of physical activity. Ever notice when you skip a few workouts that it's often hard to get back on track? You often feel like you're starting all over again. 
Yes, the same goes for your marketing efforts. Skipping days and putting our marketing off to the side will have the same sad results. Ever hear the phrase "when you don't promote yourself a funny things happens...nothing!"
Now that you have a solid action plan in place, look at it and do something from your list daily. Are the areas you've identified leading you closer to your goals? Continue to reevaluate those goals and make the necessary changes - if it's not working why keep doing it?
One of the most important things to remember when it comes to our exercise and marketing routines - don't give up. Sure the results may be slow or sometimes feel as they are non existent but keep these words at the front of your thinking - stay focused, do something daily, success will come.
The Results
If you've committed yourself to exercise before you will know that hard work, commitment and seeing it through provided great results. It didn't happen overnight and without significant effort and commitment. Even on those days that you didn't feel like working out, you pushed yourself and look where it got you.
When you first commit to marketing you may feel overwhelmed, you can't do and you will especially feel that way if you're not seeing results. Maybe you feel that you've tried everything and it's still not happening. True success does not just come with hard work but with time. Create marketing solutions, commit to them, track them, change them after you've given them some time to truly evaluate their worth and don't give up.
By making a daily, strong and lasting commitment to your marketing, you are toning your skills, increasing your knowledge, becoming a skillful marketer and you will get the results that both you and your clients need. In the end, you will realize it was so worth the commitment you made - hard work, effort and time does truly payoff whether it's in exercising or marketing.
Have you committed to your marketing efforts the same way you have your exercise routine?
Perhaps this post inspired you to make a stronger commitment to both?
Where do you find your motivation to commit to exercise and marketing?
****************************************************************************************
Ready to take your Marketing to new levels? Anne Marie Malfi ~ Malfi Marketing Solutions.com ~ Copyright 2009
I love your post....It is just that, a training program to marketing sucess ...."A person pushes themself, increases their stamina, builds muscle, establishes a solid regular routine in order to reach new limits to obtain their maximum health". You said it well and it can be fun if you have some great the marketing partners to challange you!
Comments(57)