Are Fear and Resistance Blocking Your Marketing?

Are Fear and Resistance Blocking Your Marketing?

Imagine this conversation, between me and a client who’s looking to bring in more business.

Me: What about giving your potential client a quick call?
Client: That’s not really in my lane.
Me: How about grabbing lunch with a colleague you haven’t seen in a while?
Client: They already know me. Not sure what difference that would make.
Me: Could you reach out to some current clients and deepen those relationships?
Client: They hear from me monthly already via my newsletter.
Me: That’s the generic newsletter your assistant sends out, right?
Client: …Yes.

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If You Dread Follow-Ups, Your Prospective Clients Will Too

If You Dread Follow-Ups, Your Prospective Clients Will Too

The classic approach to following up with prospective clients brings some challenges with it. You may picture yourself picking up the phone to ask them some version of, “Are you ready to hire me?” Or sending an email or text with the same question. If it’s a potential referral source you’re following up with, the question may become, “Got any referrals for me?” For many self-employed professionals, following up in this way isn’t much fun. In fact, it may feel disagreeable enough that you avoid it entirely.

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Not an Extrovert? You Can Still Market Your Business

Not an Extrovert? You Can Still Market Your Business

It seems that a considerable amount of marketing and sales advice to self-employed professionals is aimed at extroverts. “Go to networking events and meet new people,” the authorities say. “Speak in front of groups.” “Call people up and chat with them.”

If you are an introvert, these experts might as well be telling you to fly to the moon. What if you don’t enjoy public gatherings, dislike being the center of attention, and hate to call strangers on the phone? Can you still do well at personal marketing?

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The Dark Trifecta of Marketing: Fear, Resistance, and Procrastination

The Dark Trifecta of Marketing: Fear, Resistance, and Procrastination

When it comes to getting your marketing done, you may have the best of intentions. You’ve set aside time on your calendar, outlined the actions you want to take, and called an accountability buddy who’ll check in with you in a few hours. And yet, here you are, stopped in the face of getting things done, wondering what the heck happened.

It’s likely your old friends fear, resistance, and procrastination have come to visit.

When this trifecta hits, it can be unsettling. You’re an accomplished person, running a business and taking care of those you serve. How can it possibly be that you’re finding it hard to do the marketing you said you were going to do? Especially when you actually want to do it?

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Breaking Down the Secret Marketing Formula

Breaking Down the Secret Marketing Formula

Is there really a secret formula for marketing? Yes.

The secret formula is this:
Find a marketing strategy that you like, that you’ll use, that’s enjoyable for you, that you know how to do, that reaches your ideal client, and that produces results. Then do it over and over until you have the amount of business you want.

Pretty simple when you look at it that way.

Fear may start to creep in, though, when you break that sentence down.
What if I don’t like any marketing strategies?
What if I don’t know how to “do” marketing?
What if I don’t like doing any kind of marketing?
What if what I do doesn’t reach my ideal client?
What if what I like doesn’t produce results?

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7 Ways to Overcome Sales Call Reluctance

7 Ways to Overcome Sales Call Reluctance

No matter how many emails you send out, how much time you spend on social media, or how many networking events you attend, you still need to pick up the phone sometimes and call potential clients.

As a self-employed professional selling your own services, you may believe that you feel uncomfortable about calling prospective clients on the phone because you’re not a “real” salesperson. But studies reveal that 40-90% of experienced, full-time salespeople still have episodes of call reluctance at times.

The good news is that the fear or resistance you experience about making calls doesn’t have to be permanent. Research also indicates that for 95% of people who are reluctant to make sales calls, their fear subsides once they make contact. If you stop avoiding the calls and start making them, there is a very good chance that you will feel better once you start talking to someone.

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Are You Circling Dallas?

Are You Circling Dallas?

I’m not sure where I first heard the term but I fell in love with it immediately: Circling Dallas. Being a Texan I naturally think everything orbits the Lone Star State; however, that’s not what I’m talking about. Circling Dallas refers to that state where you are going somewhere and you just can’t seem to land. You could be going to an event and you just can’t seem to make it out the door. Or you’re going to write an article and you can’t sit down and get typing. Or, you’re going to get around to your marketing any minute now, just as soon as you do the dishes, walk the dog, rearrange your desk, and plant those petunias. Even if you’ve gone to the effort of making a marketing calendar, and choosing your preferred marketing strategies, you find yourself still not taking the necessary steps to get going.

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Marketing: Five Steps to Replace Your Resistance with Persistence

Marketing: Five Steps to Replace Your Resistance with Persistence

Do you find yourself resisting sales and marketing at times? Or all the time? The impact of feeling resistant can be subtle. If you don’t like marketing or selling, don’t feel like you should have to do it, or just plain don’t want to do it, those activities often slide lower on your to-do list without you consciously noticing. You may tell yourself you are too busy, decide other tasks are more important, or conveniently avoid looking at your to-do list until the day is over. The result is that your marketing doesn’t get done.

But most of the time, repeatedly avoiding what is difficult is much harder than facing it head on and doing it.

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