Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Evan Carmichael Top Header
Share for a Cause









Patience for Entrepreneurs

Written by: Bonnie Harris

Article Overview: Over the years, I have witnessed small business owners make one of the most harmful mistakes of all; they do not have adequate patience when it comes to their marketing efforts. This lack of patience can be detrimental to any professional, particularly small business owners. Oftentimes, a client tries a new marketing tactic, and when it does not produce the desired results within the client’s desired time frame, they immediately reach the conclusion, “Well, that method does not work.” As a small business owner, do you have the patience you need for the marketing tactics you are employing? This article will help you determine if you are an impatient entrepreneur.

Free Download - Finding inspiration when the well runs dry By Bonnie Harris
Name: Email:

Patience for Entrepreneurs

It’s summer and so for that reason I’ll break from my insistence on pragmatic advice and write on a topic you might consider fluff. Yet it’s the biggest mistake I see small business owners make, including me. We have no patience. I think that it’s a given that a requirement for being an entrepreneur is to have a low grade case of ADD, or in my case, ADHD with an emphasis on the H. And in marketing, that will kill you.

I can’t tell you how many times a client tries something and when there are no immediate results says “Well that doesn’t work.” It’s like lifting weights one day and expecting that tricep cut to develop overnight. I’m not suggesting that we all go out and spend a bajillion dollars on advertising during American Idol. But I do think that in order for your PR and marketing tactics to work you have to learn to wait a bit. Here are a few tips to use to figure out if you’re too impatient.

1. Are you measuring your campaign results by the number of orders you’re getting off each initiative? In a word, DON’T. Look at your website hits instead, or the traffic in your store. What’s the first step toward buying your product or service? Do they request a brochure? Do they visit the website? Measure by those “first steps” in the short term.

2. Are you changing your marketing strategy on a weekly or monthly basis? WRONG. You had better have confidence in your strategy (or your consultant) from the start. Nothing works if you don’t believe in it 100% from the beginning. Switching around what you’re doing on a constant basis and you’ll end up running circles.

3. Are you relying on only one outreach method? It may work now, but it will stop working eventually. Or you’ll end up trying one thing after another. BLEND your messaging channels. If you’re doing radio, connect it to an online promotion as well. Trying guerilla marketing? Make sure you’ve got some PR working in conjunction with those “on the ground” techniques.

Particularly in the online world, patience is the key to success. Jay Conrad Levinson, the founder of Guerilla Marketing, believes that patience is the most important characteristic of successful entrepreneurs. Be confident in your approach. Measure it wisely. And then, like that old farmer in the field, be patient and watch the seeds of your marketing work grow.

About the Author:

Bonnie Harris is the president of Wax Marketing, a marketing and PR agency for small business. She also operates waxcoach.com, a DIY marketing and PR site for entrepreneurs. Bonnie can be reached at bharris@waxmarketing.com.

Related Articles
  Entrepreneurs Persist To The End
  Why an Outstanding Resume is Not Enough to Get an Interview: Reason 5
  The Top 10 Entrepreneurial Qualities
  Recipe for Home Business Success: Why Patience Determination and Willingness to Learn are Paramount
  Manufacturing Excellence - Inspire, Lead, and Succeed with PATIENCE!

Home > Public-Relations > Bonnie Harris > Patience for Entrepreneurs
Article Tags: guerilla marketing, small business marketing

About the Author: Bonnie Harris
RSS for Bonnie's articles - Visit Bonnie's website

Bonnie Harris is an expert in integrated marketing communications strategy. Read her blog for tips on social media, PR and marketing at http://blog.waxmarketing.com and reach her at harris@waxmarketing.com


Click here to visit Bonnie's website
Dashed Line

More from Bonnie Harris
Finding inspiration when the well runs dry
Creating good marketing karma
Are press conferences dead
Are you selling too much on your blog
9 things you should consider when choosing a new PR


Related Forum Posts
CEOs and Email - Slaves? CEOs and Email - Slaves? - I wonder if the emails they are responding to are filtered thru their assistants first 'cos they seem to spend a lot of their off hours responding to them. True they are successful but I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay that price. I'd be interested to know what's the in the typical day planner of Entrepreneurs on the Forum. Entrepreneurs are a different breed than Paid Employees- so it would be interesting to view the contrast.
Fundraising for 3rd world Entrepreneurs Fundraising for 3rd world Entrepreneurs - How great to learn that Evan is doing something for Entrepreneurs in Africa! It just makes me even more thankful to be part of this forum! After helping create a new charity for animals in my local community last year, I created a vision for a charity empowering Women Entrepreneurs. It won't happen for a while yet, but I know it is something I will do within the next few years. As we allow ourselves to think bigger, the opportunity to impact people becomes much bigger as well. Does anyone else have a desire to really make a difference in the world through this means?
Re: Greetings from Camping Embroidery Re: Greetings from Camping Embroidery - You are welcome to the club. You are networking with the best Entrepreneurs on the whole wide web
Re: New Funding Source Now LIVE! Re: New Funding Source Now LIVE! - I have checked the site and it seems it for American Entrepreneurs only. Please correct me if I am wrong
Re: Hi from Baku Re: Hi from Baku - Welcome to the site. I have been reading some of your posts. I'd like to get some of your feedback in the Young Entrepreneurs section. See you there.


Recommended Article for You close

  Entrepreneurs Persist To The End

Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.



Featured Article


Bottom Footer
Share for a Cause












Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Popular Articles

Download a template or see a lawyer?

LISTENING SKILLS IN COACHING

Live To Work Or Work To Live?

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.