Conquer the Fear of Missing Out in Marketing
September 26, 2024
Fear. It’s the shadow that follows you in entrepreneurship. You don’t like to talk about it. As a seasoned business owner, you’ve walked the path and weathered storms, but every new venture brings that familiar twist in your gut. If you’re honest with yourself, there are some aspects of your job that stir up anxieties you’d rather leave behind. Funny enough, marketing campaigns can trigger some of those insecurities. What are these fears, and how can you navigate this unspoken territory?
Fear Often Disguises Itself in Four Common Forms
1. Fear of Rejection
You’ve built something incredible. But what if no one cares? The fear that your marketing won’t resonate, or worse, that it will fall flat and be ignored, can paralyze you before you even begin.
2. Fear of Embarrassment
Putting yourself out there means a new level of vulnerability. You wonder, if you’re doing it wrong or if you look like an amateur. When you’ve already established a name, the last thing you want is to tarnish it with a marketing misfire.
3. Fear of the Unknown
Marketing strategies constantly evolve. If you’re not comfortable with the latest technology, platforms, or trends, the unknown can feel like a risky leap, especially when you’ve gotten used to playing it safe.
4. Fear of Missing Out
Even when you launch a campaign, there’s often that nagging thought: “Am I missing something?” The fear of mediocrity haunts you because you want your efforts to truly stand out, but you’re not sure if you’re pushing the right buttons or pulling the right levers.
The fear of mediocrity haunts you because you want your efforts to truly stand out, but you’re not sure if you’re pushing the right buttons or pulling the right levers.
Losing It
Many successful people tuck these fears deep down in the nooks and crannies of the mind. You might think you have managed yours. However, when you douse those fears with a healthy dose of internal and external expectations, it’s like pouring lighter fluid on it.
Do you ever feel like your emotions have hijacked your logical mind? You find yourself snapping at your coworkers when you know they’re just trying to help. When it comes to marketing your business, a lot is at stake. But take heart, even the best in their fields grapple with crippling feelings of fear. As marketing experts, JamboJon’s team is here to help.
Facing the Anxiety
Marketing doesn’t HAVE to launch you into panic about your business. In fact, with the right approach, marketing can be an exhilarating challenge. Let’s look at three ways to conquer these marketing fears and move your company forward.
1. Reframe the Fear as Curiosity
Curiosity kills fear because it shifts the focus from the outcome to the journey. Instead of mulling over the possibility of rejection or embarrassment, get curious. Each marketing campaign offers a learning experience, and valuable insights to adjust and refine.
This incremental approach allows you to explore without being swallowed up by the unknown.
2. Test, Don’t Leap.
When you have a genuine phobia, psychologists suggest gradual exposure to the source of your fear to eventually overcome the fight or flight response. Peace replaces panic. When it comes to marketing, start small. Overwhelm stems from thinking you need to do everything at once. Don’t dive headfirst into a massive marketing overhaul; test the waters. Try a mini-campaign or a new platform, and see what kind of response you get. As you see results, build from there. This incremental approach allows you to explore without being swallowed up by the unknown.
3. Embrace the Imperfect
As an entrepreneur, you strive for excellence, but sometimes, it’s the raw, authentic efforts that resonate most with audiences. Don’t wait for perfection. The more you put yourself out there, the more comfortable you’ll become. Realize that your voice, your message, and your business have value even if it’s polished perfectly. People connect with authenticity, not flawlessness.
Your Business Serves a Greater Purpose
For some of us, fear keeps us on level ground, never ascending to great heights. Others refuse to set foot in a deep body of water. Fear is real. Fear of missing out in marketing is real. You might have experienced marketing flops that justify your hesitation. We completely understand that. But the truth is, when you own a business, you can’t avoid marketing. Your business serves a greater purpose–it meets the needs of someone else. You need a plan to advertise your services in a way that resonates with your audience. Your company needs to stand out.
A marketing professional can coach you through each step of the process. At JamboJon, we’ve got you. Together, we’ll take it slowly, a step at a time, until you feel more confident, comfortable, and curious. Every aspect of marketing can be a learning opportunity. We don’t have to speak about our insecurities in whispers. Own them! Believe it or not, everyone around you has probably felt the same.
