Dear Reader,
I sincerely hope you and those you hold dear
continue to be healthy and safe.
Or, if you or they have gotten sick, allow yourself the time and space to overcome this illness.
Based on hospital numbers, we’re flattening the curve in New York City. But this data only accounts for the most seriously ill.
Since we lack the ability to track the full impact of this virus, we don’t know how many people have had the coronavirus and recovered without being tested or seeing a doctor.
Yet the virus continues to hit close to home.
Last week, a friend of mine sent me an alarming email with the innocent subject: “Lots To Tell You.”
What she initially thought was allergies had grown into coronavirus symptoms. She knew this because her husband, a first responder, had gotten the virus a week earlier. Since then he had been quarantined in the bedroom.
After confirming my friend’s suspicions via phone, her doctor gave her the option of spending 4 hours waiting to get tested and another 4 days to get its results. But even if the test proved negative for the coronavirus, she could still have another strain that the test couldn’t detect.
So she chose to self quarantine in another part of her home.
And, my friend considers herself lucky because she has friends to do her food shopping, and a job with a supportive management team.
Like her, we must all find hope in new aspects of our lives.
Across the street the white blossoms on the Bradford Pear tree spent the weekend waving in the wind. As they did, a good portion of its small white petals sprinkled down like grains of rice thrown at a wedding couple.
Despite sheltering-in-place last week, we celebrated the spring holidays of redemption and renewal. Please accept my belated Passover and Easter wishes if you observed one of those holidays.
Regardless of your beliefs, these holidays provide guidance for how to maintain your hope through these difficult times.
At the heart of these holidays are stories that continue to get told and retold. Over time these holidays evolve and acquire new rituals and traditions to meet changing needs and situations.
As a result, participants do more than just survive. And you will too!
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So what can you do to find or to keep your hope during this period?
Create your own story of hope.
How?
Use this time to dream big, even if it feels crazy.
Take a page from Felice Benuzzi.
While an Italian imprisoned in British Camp 354 in Kenya during World War II, Benuzzi decided to climb Mt. Keyna. Although he had been an experienced mountaineer in Italy, the second tallest African mountain’s 17,057 foot height exceeded his skill set when he was in shape and had the right equipment.
Since no safe locations existed beyond the mountain, Benuzzi decided not only to escape from the POW camp but also to return to it. So little by little he developed a plan for his adventure including creating the necessary equipment and persuading 2 other men to join him.
In January 1943, the three men spent 17 days slipping out of the POW camp and hiking to the top of Mt. Kenya.
Wonder how Benuzzi managed to accomplish this feat?
“When we are pursuing a goal, that goal focuses our effort, emotions and thinking in a way that promotes positive states sometimes called ‘flow states’.” According to Texas A&M University Professor Heather Lench. But note that, “[a]fter we attain a goal, our response to it fades pretty quickly.”
During this period of sheltering in place, a number of marathon runners around the world have figured out how to transform the constraints of their current environment to allow them to continue their workouts and marathons.
What do they have in common with Benuzzi?
A dream that fuels their hope!
Each person decided to do what seemed initially to be impossible.
Like them, you can pull yourself out of the dark place we’re in now by reaching for something important to your personal and/or professional growth.
I get that you have to take care of those close to you and/or earn money.
Because I face similar challenges.
So find the time, no matter how short to take care of yourself.
By being human and reaching out to those you know, personally and professionally.
Why?
Because people crave human-to-human interactions during this period. So take advantage of this opportunity to build and improve your relationships.
Even better, this advice works for everyone regardless of business type or size. In addition, you can use it if you’re looking for work.
And, I’m not the only marketer who recommends the need to make your marketing human.
In The Context Marketing Revolution, Matthew Sweezy points out that the key for customer experience success is to deliver them personally from one human to another.
Mark W. Schaefer states this approach more directly in Marketing Rebellion. He makes the case that companies must be more human to survive and thrive going forward.
In Mark’s words: “Marketing is supposed to be “all things human,” but it is clearly not.”
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Here’s how to build human-to-human relationships to get results:
- Write a short personal email or message. Approach people you know. Your objective is to build quality relationships, not to spam people.
- Ask to connect in real time via phone or video option. Your goal is simple. Ask for time to talk to them and to find out how you can help them. This isn’t about you or your business. Focus on the person you’re reaching out to.
- Let them talk while you listen. Ask open-ended questions to help you find out more about them. Follow up by asking “why” to get deeper into their needs. Take notes to help you remember your conversation. Also use this information to update your contacts and marketing persona.
- Follow up within 24 hours. Reference specifics from your conversation. Also send relevant information based on your discussion where you can.
- Schedule at least one call per week day. And continue to keep up with others in your network. BTW, Joe Pulizzi’s wife scheduled half hour calls for him everyday.Bonus: You’ll feel better and more connected.
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Please let me know how I can be of help to you.
Stay healthy and safe.
Shoutout to new readers: Gary, Gretchen, Sydnee, Lawrence, Staci, Jessica, Bill, Toyin, Luca, María, Hayley, Ararat, Elizabeth, David, Sameer, Colleen, Kariende, William, Jj, Abhinav, Rose, Roger, Nath and Toni.
Welcome and thank you for joining our community.
Happy Marketing,
Heidi
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