In today’s world, the act of waiting for anything is considered a major annoyance. Wi-Fi is never fast enough. Delivery options, even overnight, seem like too long to wait. And when it comes to business and results, the truth is that we have an even greater sense of urgency.
Although we conduct business in an ultra fast-paced marketplace, success still comes to those who plant high quality business seeds (through excellent marketing), water their seeds (through consistency over time) and enjoy the fruits of their labor after a bit of a “quiet” period.
THE DIP
All new projects, initiatives and goals start out as exciting. When you first implement marketing initiatives, whether one-offs or within a comprehensive plan, you and your team likely feel hopeful and empowered. The novelty and challenge of the unknown creates a buzz of initial invigoration that overpowers even the toughest of tasks. Then, it happens: The Dip. The Dip is simply the valley between the initial excitement and seeing the results of your work.
In his book “The Dip,” Seth Godin discusses this valley at length.
He writes that, “Extraordinary benefits accrue to the tiny minority of people who are able to push just a tiny bit longer than most.” What Godin means is that if you are able to push through the uncomfortable valley where you’ve planted your seeds but are not yet seeing fruits, you will be one of the very few. While you can and should apply this concept across a number of areas in your business, lack of consistency, especially in The Dip, is a problem of epidemic proportions in small business marketing.
ANTICIPATE THE DIP
So, what’s the answer? Anticipate The Dip.
The Dip is inevitable. You will get tired. Your team will get discouraged. You will expect an influx of business and only get a trickle. An expert will tout a shiny new idea that catches your eye. You will get bored. Your team will get bored. Something won’t go as planned. It will happen and that’s all you need to know, but as long as you plan for it, you can overcome it.
Think of your marketing plan as a marathon in that it will take a significant amount of time and energy to complete, but you know crossing the finish line will feel wonderful. Anticipate and prepare for the amount of time you will need to execute your plan fully and properly. Think about what kinds of challenges are likely. A marathoner would anticipate getting dehydrated, having a leg cramp or pulling a muscle. In response, the marathoner can visualize how he or she will overcome those issues and make the commitment ahead of time. That way, choosing to quit in the tough moments is not an option.
Your team should anticipate doubt, tedium and Shiny Object Syndrome. What else might derail your efforts? Now, think about how you will overcome these issues. For example, you may be concerned your team will become bored, so anticipate ways to overcome boredom and monotony. Can multiple team members contribute to keep everyone excited? Is there someone on your team who innately loves and excels at this type of task? If you are concerned with Shiny Object Syndrome, be sure to have a system in place to record new ideas as they arise as well as a policy for exploring and implementing new ideas in conjunction with ongoing initiatives.
The key to reaping the benefits of your marketing strategy is to be realistic about the inevitable valley between implementation and seeing the fruits of your labors, and then plan for it.
TAKE ACTION
For all of your current and future marketing initiatives, answer the question, “What will happen if we successfully follow through with this project?” Lean on your team to help paint a clear picture of what success will look like. Then, talk through challenges and plans to deal with those challenges. Post your vision and plans in a common area as a reminder for when The Dip happens.
STEPHANIE GORDON is the founder and CEO of Psych’d Marketing, a boutique marketing firm based in Gainesville, Florida. She holds degrees in both psychology and business from the University of Florida. Psych’d offers full service, concierge marketing solutions for small to medium sized businesses. Stephanie prides herself on connecting phenomenal businesses with the people who need them. www.PsychdMarketing.com