What Hiking Taught Me About Marketing
“Trust your feet.“
That’s what one of the seven women on a three-mile hike told me as we began to descend down a mountain.
Saturday was the first time in my life I attempted hiking. I’m a city girl who knew the trek would be challenging, but the word insanity didn’t come to mind until the first 10 minutes passed as I struggled to keep up with the regulars.
My head stayed positioned on the ground because the rocks-and-leaves terrain covered more ankle-turning foliage, while the frequently muddy trail kept me clinging to trees as I either scaled boulders or squeezed between them.
My eyes teared when we finally reached and stood atop the mountain, relieved that I accomplished a feat beyond my belief. Returning to the starting point was more of a challenge than the initial route, starting with a steep angle down a long slate boulder.
What I wanted was a helicopter to airlift me off that mountain, but I always finish what I start, and my fellow hikers were more than supportive to this first timer.
This heightened feeling of insecurity is similar to what we experience when putting our initial marketing plan into place or launching a new idea. The mind begins asking questions, one by one:
Will it work successfully?
Can I achieve this goal?
What’s the alternate plan?
Although I didn’t know what was in store during that three-mile hike, I acted on faith and believed that I would complete the mission. The same faith is necessary as you move forward. Here are five tips I learned during the hike.
1. Create a route before you start. Decide what you want your marketing plan to accomplish. This often entails starting your plan at the end rather than at the beginning and plotting the course backwards.
2. Stumbling is allowed. Nothing goes smoothly. Can you imagine how many times a home improvement show records a demonstration before the host gets it right?
3. Review your progress along the way. Make sure you’re still on track during each step, and if you must deviate, think of the worst case scenario before proceeding.
4. Ask your support system for help. What can trusted, local friends and colleagues on LinkedIn and other social media advise about the plan or parts of it that’s new territory for you?
5. Celebrate no matter what the outcome. When arriving home, I treated myself to a shower, followed by enjoying a peanut butter sandwich, banana, and large container of water.
Whether you flip, dance a victory jig, or talk about the ups and downs with friends or family, you’ll decide the right way to share your joy.
Most of all, keep your plan simple and trust your instincts all the way up the marketing mountain where the view from above is your greatest reward.
Related posts that support your marketing:
- Reminders that Keep Your Momentum Going
- How to Jump Start Your 2010 Business Development Plan
- Friendly Mentorships Strengthen Marketing
- Can Your Marketing Survive a Disaster?
- Keep Marketing Even When You’re Being Watched
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Comments
Another point about reaching your peak is that when you consider quitting, you’re closer to success than you think.
At one point I stopped to catch my breath, which was about 20 steps from the top. It was the most-difficult part of the hike, and this is also true about marketing. When the plan seems skeptical, that’s when you’re close to a breakthrough.
I appreciate your feedback.
Wait; you’d never hiked? And I thought I was the sheltered one! lol
Glad you made it, and I bet you found walking back down much easier. That’s the part about marketing I want to find. I’m doing all the other stuff, but I keep waiting for the easy walk back down to come. Not yet, but I guess I’ll just have to keep plugging along at it.
Mitch, the hike was just as treacherous going back down as it was going up! In fact, we had to walk upwards in several areas to come down. It was just as difficult.
So hiking is truly similar to marketing in both directions. All the preparation leads hopefully to success, and then monitored maintenance is required to ensure that what we achieve stays on track.
It seems that “easy” is easier when working for someone else because you’re paid no matter what the outcome. I like it better working solo, and I know you do, too.
Marketing isn’t child’s play so I tend to agree with you. One should be already prepared to face the ups and downs. Indeed, resistance is the thing which can make the whole world fall apart. So I would recommend being persistent and innovative in your marketing campaigns and plans. Have some brainstorming first and come up with a plan. Just stick to the plan, never lose your track and hope for a better outcome.
Hi Sara,
You make wonderful and realistic points about market preparation.
Brainstorming is a very-necessary part of planning. I’m reminded of that each time I want to jump start a project but know that my accomplishments will be better if I stop and think before I begin.
I love this post. Great analogy.
When it comes to marketing your business, it can certainly seem like you are taking an endless hike:-) But then you reach a “peak” and you are encouraged to go on to the top.