I Just Can’t Do the Marketing Stuff


free ads “I just can’t do this marketing stuff! It’s not me.” That’s what the therapist said to me. And she was right. So I asked a question, “Do you want to do it?” She smiled and said, “That’s a good question. I don’t know. But I need more work, so it feels like I don’t have much choice.”

And I think that’s a position many therapists can relate to. They want to do the work of meeting clients and helping them, but don’t really want to do the promotion and marketing. But they’re caught in this bind, because we need a flow of work in order to pay the bills and put food on the table.

So, if you’re not sure you want to do marketing, (or you know you don’t!) how do you resolve this dilemma? Most of us know that we are unlikely to be successful at something we don’t want to do. There needs to be enough desire in there to carry us over or through our ambivalence.

One choice is to hire a professional to do it for you. There are plenty of them listed in the golden pages, or ask someone whose stuff you like where they got it done. Don’t forget though, that even if you do get someone to do it for you, you’ll still have to be involved in what’s done, and how it’s done.

So here are a few ideas to get you started:

  1. Read some books or articles about marketing. It’ll have one of two effects:
    • Either you’ll begin to have some interest in the subject, and begin to think about implementing some of them, or
    • You’ll feel even worse about it, but perhaps have a clearer idea of why it’s difficult for you.

There’s a list of books that you can try out for yourself here, many of which you can borrow from your local library, or ifNeon Signs you have a kindle or kindle app, you can download a sample for free. Try out a few before you discard this idea, different styles suit different people.

  1. Buddy up with another practitioner or group of practitioners. The benefit of having more than one person working together can’t be overstated. Put in some structure to help with the inevitable procrastination. Agree to meet a number of times, have an agenda, agreed actions and accountability. If you’d like me to attend your meeting, I’d be happy to do so. You can find more details here.
  2. Find a marketing student who might be interested in practising their new skills. Approach a local college that runs marketing courses. They may be looking for case studies or examples for their students.
  3. Overwhelmed and don’t know where to start? Start somewhere. Anywhere. Take a notebook with you everywhere you go and look for ideas that other small businesses are using to promote themselves. Even if they are nothing like a counselling practice, you may be able to adapt some of their ideas for yourself.
  4. Collect examples of things you like or don’t like. Create a vision board using examples that appeal to you. Don’t be too quick to discard ideas that repel or disgust you. These may be pointing out places where you are blocked, or have closed your mind unreasonably.
  5. Finally, think creatively. Don’t assume you know where the work will come from. Adopt an open mind as you find what suits you, and what works for you.

If you find that really are struggling with this issue, maybe I can help you. Contact me here for your free 20 minute consultation.


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