Marketing and Psychology – Stay Positive and Do Good Things

So let’s talk a little bit about psychology.

What does psychology have to do with marketing? Well, everything. Marketing is all about reaching out and using psychology to influence people’s buying. This can be done in a positive way or a negative way. I hope that all of us recognize this and focus our energy on being a positive influence. Perhaps one day we can explore this further. But today I want to focus on YOUR psychology. The marketer, not the audience.

These days, it is hard to find anybody who is untouched by the current depression (yes, we can call it that…calling it something else doesn’t change the facts). In heavily populated areas, “For Sale” signs are as ubiquitous as mailboxes. In commercial areas, signs advertising “For Sale or Lease” are popping up like the dandelions on my lawn. Blink and there are 10 more. It can be down-right depressing.

But we still have to market. We have services to offer and our customers need us now more than ever. Not only that, but our customers need the most qualified, the most learned, and the most practical advice they have ever received. It is no longer a question of whether a customers sells 10 percent more this year than last, it is now a matter of survival. It is a question of whether the people who work for your customers will have jobs and be able to put food on their tables. It can be overwhelming. You might be feeling that too. I know I sure as hell am.

But we cannot let the fear and uncertainty of the times get the best of us. It would be easy to do so, no question about it. It would be easy to shut off the alarm clock, sleep until noon, watch a few game shows and call it a day. But now is not the time to give up. With a few simple strategies, we can turn this around and create amazing, unprecedented opportunities. I’ll just review some very quick, easy exercises today. If you would like some more information or to go deeper into this topic, please comment and we can discuss further. But for now, let’s look at three simple strategies to stay focused and stay positive no matter what is going on around us:

Planning: The old adage “plan your work and work your plan” has never been more true. Not only is there the regular distractions of email, phone calls and the office “pop-in,” but now we’re dealing with Twitter updates every quarter of a second, Facebook friends asking for another game of Scrabble and YouTube videos being forwarded in the time it takes to blink. The key to staying focused and on task is planning.

By taking 10-15 minutes at the end of a day to plan the next day, your effectiveness will increase exponentially. Look at your list of desired outcomes and determine which are most important in the overall picture of your life. List them and set time aside for them. Prioritize them and schedule them. Will you accomplish everything everyday? Heck no, but you will get more done than if you had no plan or agenda and just did whatever popped up. I admit, I have had days like that where I had no plan. I worked twice as hard and got done half as much.

Create a plan, and you ensure greater productivity.

Gratitude: I read and watch a lot of news. It’s usually all bad. The economy is in the tank. North Korea is about to bomb Alaska. These people were murdered. Those people had their home burn down. It’s awful. But in reality, the vast majority of us have more to be grateful for than to lament. Our health, loved ones, a warm meal and a roof over our heads. These are all blessings for which we should be wildly grateful. Focus on that, not the negative.

Of course, there are some, more and more lately, who are not fortunate enough to share in all of these blessings. Another way to stay positive and grateful is to reach out to those who are less fortunate than we are and lend a hand. That helps you feel good and it helps others get to a better place. Another tip I have is to keep a journal and list the things you are grateful for at the end of every day. But even doing simple things can help. Pat a dog. Hug your kids. Kiss your spouse.

Life is too short to take for granted.

Action: In psychology there is a theory called learned helplessness. Briefly, it is when a person is so thoroughly beaten down that they simply give up and accept whatever hardship they are suffering. The antidote to that is action. Do something to get out of that situation. Do ANYTHING to get out of that situation. And if what you did does not work, do something else. The key is to focus on an action item that will move you closer to your goal and do it. Don’t dwell on the past. You can not ever change that. Focus your energy on making positive changes in the future.

What happened to lead you to whatever situation you are in today is in the past. Get over it and move on. Look to the future and take the steps necessary to create the future you envision. Again, planning is key here as action for the sake of action is pointless. Your actions should move you toward your goals. But goals are a topic for another post.

Always move toward where you want to be.

OK, we got a bit off the topic of marketing and printing. But staying strong, staying positive and doing everything you can to help yourself and others in these challenging times is so key to success in marketing, but more importantly in life.

Today’s take away:

• Planning: Create a plan, and you ensure greater productivity.
• Gratitude: Life is too short to take for granted.
• Action: Always move toward where you want to be.

About the Author:
John Rothstein is the President of Nextgen, a marketing and printing company just outside Boston, Massachusetts. Being a lifelong learner, marketing fanatic and all around positive thinker, I try to share what I have learned as our world travels around the sun. I hope you will comment on what you read here, what you would like to read here, what you agree with and especially what you disagree with. John Rothstein — Marketing Fanatic and Positive Thinker – Check out my updates on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nextgencomm. Visit my blog, GET TO THE POINT, http://www.nextgenprinting.com/blog/ for effective marketing tips in plain English.

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