A recent New York Times Happy Day Blog post reminded me how the need to be in control and actually being in control matter. Research has demonstrated that when people lose control over their situations, they get depressed, stressed, and sick. The need to be in control is so strong that people are prone to feel in control even when they aren’t.
The recession may make you feel like you don’t have control over the future of your sustainable organization. You’ve buckled down because everybody else has and because you lack certainty about what’s going to happen next. You feel powerless, in the face of the large macro forces shaping your environment.
Do this: 1) Accept that some things are and will always be beyond your control. Quit stressing about what you cannot change. 2) Then, take charge. The world needs you and what you have to offer.
Which brings me to marketing. Your customers are buying less or stopped buying altogether. You’re losing customers and new ones are ever harder to come by. Is this really the time to stop or scale down your marketing efforts? I’m not saying step up your marketing or do more with less. I’m saying do the best with what you have. I’m saying do marketing more smartly, more efficiently, and more effectively.
Simply pausing, taking stock, and analyzing your options will give you the sense of control you crave: What are you trying to achieve? Who are your customers, what are their needs, and how can you best satisfy them? What are your competitors doing these days? What strengths and positive trends (yes, they still are out there) can you capitalize on? What weaknesses can you work on fixing while the economy gets out of the ditch?
Basic questions, all, but uncertainty comes hand in hand with fear. Fear paralyzes. Paralysis eliminates control. Take it back. It’s not about fate. It’s about your individual action.
If the recession takes the wind out of your sails, it’s time to start rowing or start the engine. You know where you’re going, right?
