A Very Merry Christmas…and a Heartfelt Thanks

We at After The Launch want to wish you and your family a most joyful holiday season and a prosperous new year.

Thank you for all the support and love you have shown us this year. We hope you will allow us to continue to serve you and your business in 2008.

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A Holiday Gift - Give Up Your Limiting Thoughts

By: Shama Hyder

The new year is right around the corner, and this is your chance to give yourself the greatest gift. Give up the limiting thoughts that are holding you back. Leave them in 2007, and embrace 2008 with open arms and an open mind.

Here are some limiting marketing thoughts that I keep hearing, and how to tackle them:

• Marketing isn’t my thing
  • Truth be told, marketing isn’t anyone’s thing. Marketing is a skill you can develop over time. The best marketers I know are those who continued to try new things and had patience with the results. It’s a trial and error process. You take what works and keep at it. And that’s not so bad right?

• It’s complicated to explain what we do
  • It’s not. If it is complicated, the chances are you are communicating the features rather than the benefits. When someone asks me what we do at After The Launch, I rarely mention the word marketing. I simply say "we help professional service providers attract more clients." Marketing is the how. The final result is more clients.

• Technology is too overwhelming. I don’t even know where to start
  • One, you probably know more than you think. Two, take it ONE step at a time. The number one reason I see people give up on marketing is because they try to do it all at once. That’s a formula for failure. Take just one marketing step and apply it thoroughly. For example, start your eZine. Work on gaining subscribers and providing quality content. Work at it until it requires just normal upkeep, and then move on to implementing your next strategy.

• I don’t have time to spend on marketing
  • Do you want to grow your business? Then you need to make time for marketing. The surprising thing is that often people with the least clients also claim to have the least time to market themselves. Make it a priority to get organized and use your time more efficiently in 2008. Make marketing your business a priority. It is much more gratifying to have to start a waiting list than it is to scrounge for clients. You do have time for marketing, you just need to find it.

2008 can be your year! Giving up your limiting thoughts and embrace your full potential. We are right here, cheering you on!

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Dear Shama…I Just Don’t Get Marketing!

Dear Shama,

I am an event planner and love helping people create memorable events. I started my business with a lot of love for what I do, but now my passion is getting eroded. And it’s not because I don’t like to market! I do. I am enthusiastic about what I do and have no problems tooting my own horn. However, I just don’t get marketing. I should be a marketing pro by now, because I have read almost every book out there on the subject! Yet…I am not seeing any results in my business. What gives?

-Creative Planner in UK

Dear Creative Planner in UK,

I have a friend who watches every legal TV show known to man, but it doesn’t make her a lawyer. In order to be a good marketer, you have to do more than read books. You have to develop skills!

Buying books or taking classes won’t make you an expert marketer. Implementing those ideas you find in the books will put you on that path. There are a couple of key steps you need to follow here-

• Start with the basics-and get REAL good at it. You may be trying too many things to market your business without having all the fundamentals in place first. If you take just one marketing strategy and apply it thoroughly you will get better results than if you implemented a hundred haphazardly.

• Remember that it’s a process- Marketing is not just a means to an end, it is a constant process. There is bound to be trial and error, and all marketing strategies require patience and fine tuning.

• Take it one step at a time- If you love what you do, it will show. Take your marketing one step at a time, and fully implement each strategy before moving to the next. You are on the right path!

Best of Luck!

-Shama

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