FoM: Get It Done!

Have you ever missed a marketing deadline, because you had to get it just right?

Wait, is that carmine or maroon?
Our customers hate maroon.

You know what I mean... you spend hours pouring over copy, trying to get the phrasing just right, trying to find that perfect adjective or adverb, picking that right image, and finding the right color palette.  You look at it from every angle, making sure that every part of it is just so.

And you end up with a marketing emergency as you miss every production deadline. It's possible that this obsession with the minutia makes it too late to execute at all, wasting your time and money.

True story:

It's late March. We were getting ready to go to press with a postcard invitation to a gift giveaway taking place in early April.  Just as it was going on the press, I get an emergency call from the event manager asking if it was too late to change the piece.

Was there a problem with the gift?  A date change?  Legal problems?  Venue change?

No... you see, they'd been talking and they thought the piece was "too Christmas-y".

(We went to press as it was, and the event was as successful as projected.  And to the person who made that phone call - love ya!)

Hey, what's the word for "cool"
in Elvish?

Why does this happen?  Procrastination?  Indecision? Perfectionism run amok?  Yes, all of those, but I think this really happens because of fear.

Fear of saying the wrong thing the wrong way, in such as way to invite ridicule or blame, and ultimately, fear of wasting your time and money. Fear of appeasing a co-worker or boss.

It's the classic perfectionist's problem:  do it right, or not at all.

Well, here's the thing:  you just have to do it.  You have to do marketing.  You have to let your customers know when your next sale is, or how great that new product or service is, or how to reach you so you can serve them!  You do not have the option to skip it.

So, how do you get over your fear and just get it done?  Remember this:  It is highly unlikely any customer or potential of yours will scrutinize your marketing collateral like you do.

They will not notice if the color is slightly different than usual.  Their behavior will not change if you use the word "stunning" instead of "amazing".

You will obsess over it like a literature student's examination of "The Lord of the Flies" and speculate on the depths of meaning of every word ("What does the author's use of the color red here mean? Y'know the part where the stabbing is happening?"), every image, and every square inch.

On the other hand, your customer just wants to know what's going on, what's in it for them, and what they need to do to get it.

Yes, brand identity and style are important, of course.  But they aren't the ONLY item of importance, and when time is short, you have to go with the clarity of communication.

Don't let your fear keep you from getting out there and promoting your business.

Need help getting past the perfectionism?  Let me know - I can help!