Marketing doesn’t come easy to many people. Especially when we need to market ourselves. But it’s like learning most new skills.
I’ve recently started reformer pilates – I think some people call it clinical pilates but that sounds rather well clinical. Anyway it’s the pilates you do with the complicated machine and I go twice a week.
When I started the business (9 years ago) – I stopped going to the gym, for a walk – anything which would take me away from the computer. I thought I couldn’t afford to take the time (so so wrong) – in fact, it has not been good for me or my business.
Over the years I’ve decided to start different fitness programs – BUT it’s always with the attitude ALL OR NOTHING. Go hard or go home. I thought that was how it should be or needed to be.
So I would sign up for a bootcamp or 10 week challenge and seriously believe this may be the thing… this might be the time I finally get it. So my brain and heart are telling me if If I work hard enough then I’ll be able to do everything I dream of. Of course I’ll turn into a superfit healthy person not quite overnight but in just a few weeks.
But really my body is not ready for that kind of high impact exercise.
I try to do too much too soon. I would feel disappointed and annoyed and often I had done more damage. So I would give up again.
After consulting with my chiropractor and physiotherapist we decided reformer pilates would help me strengthen those long forgotten muscles.
Time for a review after 10 lessons and I had this realisation about how starting pilates was like marketing our businesses.
Think about this.
How often have you put one offer out there and been disappointed your marketing didn’t work?
Posted on Facebook and Instagram to crickets?
Sent an email to your people and got no replies and only a few emails even clicked?
We’ve all done it. Yep even me. So then you stop. Marketing doesn’t work for me, it doesn’t work for my business. Sounds like my approach to exercise previously.
This time when I started Pilates I worked on my mindset first, because I knew it was going to take time. My muscles hadn’t been used for years or they had developed bad habits which I had to retrain and there was no quick fix for that.
Each class and I was constantly being told to slow down, make the movements smaller and then I realised something. It was my all or nothing attitude coming to town again.
My clients are the same and maybe this is something you’ve done as well in your own marketing.
You create a Facebook account, then you join all the groups and they tell you need to be on every platform out there.
But – marketing is about showing up consistently with core messages and a brand voice (personality) your people can grab onto.
You can’t really show up consistently to all of the platforms all of the time.
And I’ve done this for my own marketing as well – I spent days devising a huge marketing strategy/plan – I devoured so many resources and also went through what I’ve created over the years for my clients trying to put together the magic solution.
But if I think about how I’m improving at pilates and translate this to how I approach my marketing – I would have seen the issue. All I needed to do was focus on one small thing.
Implement that, consistently do it and learn before adding something new.
When it was time for my review I was anxious to get a new program – to feel like I had improved. But the physiotherapist pointed out I just needed to make some small tweaks to make it harder.
Oh boy were they right… my muscles let me know every time.
My muscles also let me know during the exercises if I’m on the right track. This is an approach I’m using more often in marketing. I listen to my spark/heart to know if it feels right – does it have the right intention/energy? Who am I speaking to? What message needs to be shared?
And while I’m not doing super fancy moves on the reformer yet – my balance has improved a lot. I can actually stand on one foot on the wobble board for 3 minutes (oh wow have you tried it?)
With a professional close by though I know if the creaking of my joints is normal or the discomfort will pass. Or if I’m completely off track they will come and watch me move different muscles and body parts to get the exercise just right.
And that’s the benefit of having someone who knows their stuff right?
So a sum of my lessons for Pilates and Marketing:
Start by doing one thing well
Small consistent actions are better than trying to do everything and failingYou need an experienced support person to help guide you
You are not going to get immediate resultsBe vulnerable and show up – be okay with being a learner and asking for help
If you want someone to be your experienced support person and give you guidance on how to get better at marketing your business – I can help. Book your FREE clarity call here to find out more.