If you feel like it’s taking forever to get your website up and running, publish your newsletter, or launch your first program or information product, then procrastination is probably the cause.
Surprisingly, if your marketing projects are stuck in a holding pattern, waiting for someone like your web developer or an assistant to finish their part, this is also a sign of procrastination.
The thing is, procrastination has a powerful emotional charge. That’s because procrastination is a form of resistance. Once you unlock that resistance, you are free to act quickly and easily.
To put it into action, here are three simple tips you can use right now to prevent procrastination from stopping you from marketing your business.
Tip #1: Stop accepting excuses from others
If your marketing project—like a website, newsletter, sales letter, or program launch—is delayed because you’re waiting on someone else, then it’s time you stopped letting your excuses hold you back.
In this situation, what you’re probably putting off is having to get tough on your web developer, or whoever you’re waiting on. Clearly, it’s time to have a frank conversation. My advice is to stop letting them tell you when the job will be done and instead tell them when it needs to be done. Let them know that if they can’t meet that date, you’ll be happy to have someone else take over the project.
Hard love? Yes. But if you’re that clear and decisive, you’ll quickly get your project back on track and complete.
Tip #2: Stay focused on WHY you are marketing in the first place
What are you so passionate about in your business? Is it helping people and making a difference? Is it feeling that delicious sense of accomplishment that you’ve done something you’re really proud of? Is it to make the money to send your children to college?
Whatever the reason, if you focus on it, rather than marketing, you’ll be inspired to take action, even if the action itself is new to you or not your favorite thing to do.
Tip #3 Publicly commit to a launch or start date
Once you commit to publicly releasing something by a certain date, it’s unlikely you’ll go back on it. You will find yourself overcoming the doubts or fears that have been holding you back, and instead quickly move into action.
For example, one of my clients, Beverly Harvey, an executive career coach, recently completed her first senior group coaching program for senior executives who need help finding a new job. While she had been thinking about offering this program for months, it wasn’t until she publicly announced her start date that she quickly sprang into action. Good thing she did, because Beverly’s show brought an easy and exciting $15,976 of additional income to her business.
The next time you find yourself procrastinating…
Realize that procrastination is just a cover up. Pick one of these three tips to help you and you’ll quickly find yourself in action, breathing a sigh of relief as you happily sail onward marketing his business.
