Strategic marketing and rowing have a lot in common.
The other day I started rowing again for the first time in a year and a half. As I lay in bed, feeling my sore muscles, I started thinking about the similarities between a solid crew and strategic marketing. This isn’t the first time I’ve drawn similarities between the sport and publicizing your business, but I thought there was new insight to draw.
How a Solid Crew is Like Strategic Marketing
Here are a few ways that rowing is like strategic marketing:
- A common goal. A fast, efficient crew has common goals. From reaching the finish line first to swinging together, before the rowers take their first stroke they know where they want to be. The same is true for your marketing plan. Did you take the time to establish your goals first?
- Different roles and tactics. Each member of a crew has a different role. The stroke sets the pace. The coxswain steers the boat and makes sure everyone knows when to start, stop, ease off the pressure, etc. The coach guides the team and provides constructive feedback to everyone as a group and individually. Ultimately, every single person makes a different contribution. In the same way, every single tactic in your marketing plan should play a role. Although they will play different roles in achieving your overall goals, each activity should have a purpose; if it doesn’t, it’s a waste of time and effort.
- Refocus. When rowing, it can be easy to get distracted. In addition to letting your eyes wander to something outside the boat (such as another crew or an eagle flying above), it’s also easy to get inside your head and over-think what you’re doing. Sometimes it’s important to take 10 strokes to refocus and reset your mind on what you’re doing. In business, it’s important to take time to refocus, too. It can be easy to let your marketing plan get away from you as you try to get everything done in the day-to-day. Every once in a while, make time in your schedule to refocus and get back on track.
- Time, patience and flexibility. As with everything, being successful takes time, patience and flexibility. In rowing you need to take the time to let your muscles master the perfect stroke, and the patience to build your strength on and off the water. Sometimes you’ll be asked to switch sides, too, which means you need to mirror the movements you’ve been trying so hard to master. In the similar way, you need to take the time to carry out your marketing plan and be patient when it comes to seeing results, and as problems arise, sometimes you’ll need to be flexible and adjust your activities.
Strategic marketing for your business is important, but applying lessons you’ve learned in other areas of your life can reinforce your habits. As you think about your company and its marketing plan, do any of your other interests come to mind?
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Photo Credit: Brandon Snow