A few days ago, I asked people in one of my communities how they were experiencing the stress of the pandemic in their businesses.
One of the most common responses I got was that people are feeling a lot of extra pressure right now. Pressure to:
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Be more visible
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Have new offers ready to go, sooner
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Create more content
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Be extra nurturing in your communities
Another way to think of this pressure is as an increased sense of URGENCY in response to the Coronavirus Crisis.
Are you feeling this urgency?
Here’s how my friend Wendy of Your Happy Workplace put it:
“I’m feeling like if I don’t continue to put content out and keep myself visible, that’s like neglecting to water a plant (my biz being the plant).”
I really like this plant analogy, does it resonate with you?
Do you feel like you’re neglecting your business if you aren’t creating new offers all the time? New lead magnets or free offers? Going live in all the social medias every day? Dreaming up new and different ways to offer support to your community during this weird time?
Look, I know there’s a lot of noise right now. There are lots of business owners freaking out, and you’re hearing a lot of advice from all angles. And I think, despite our best efforts to tune out the noise and just listen to and process the little bits that we can, we’re still feeling bombarded.
Let’s return to that plant idea. Here’s the thing about plants: they don’t grow when you dump buckets of water on them everyday: they die. Plants don’t need a new kind of fertilizer every week. They don’t need to be dug up and re-potted every month.
They need just a little bit of water. Just the occasional plant food. And time. They’ll grow.
The same is true for your audience. You don’t need to dump buckets of content on them. They don’t need a new freebie every week. You don’t need to present a new offer every month.
Look, you guys know I’m all about productivity. But I’m never an advocate for unnecessary stress or burnout. If you’re feeling extra pressure and urgency right now, here’s my challenge for you. Ask yourself, “Do I have to do this thing now?” And if the answer’s yes, ask yourself “Why?” Then sit with that “Why” for a little while.
Is your “why” coming from a place of fear? Fear that your audience will disappear? That your plant will die?
Obviously, your business isn’t a houseplant. Thankfully, it’s much stronger than that.
Stop. Breathe. Provide what you’re inspired to and leave the rest behind. Your audience won’t disappear.
