Normally, I prefer to use this space in my blog articles to show n’ tell awesome marketing that I’ve helped business owners create. I find that showing examples is the best method for making complicated marketing concepts and principles “click” for people. It’s the power of visual presentation. Sometimes you just have to see it for it to make sense. It’s also an important element of “Idea to Implementation”. An idea that never makes it to implementation don’t do no one a lick o’ good.

But there is also one particular aspect to implementation that I want to talk about. It’s something not many people talk about, but many people deal with.

Here is how it starts: we go to conferences, masterminds, marketing meetings and other seminars. We see and hear people accomplishing amazing things at warp speeds and seeing results.

We might even get pumped up with all the ideas we’re getting and start envisioning our business doing the same.

Then, we put pen to paper… and wonder how the heck to get started, where to start, and what the finish looks like.

During one of my presentations at a seminar I was at back in 2019 , I asked people to complete a feedback form. There was a question on that form that said:

“If I could ask a marketing expert one question, it would be…”

Of all the people who responded, more than half of them were some variety of: where the heck do I start??

There was a distinct undercurrent of overwhelm. Both during my presentation and in my meetings with the attendees.

Here is the secret to battling overwhelm that no one really talks about…

Just make a move.

When it comes to progress…everyone moves at their own pace. You might be going 100 mph, learning, implementing and testing ideas in rapid fire. Or you might launch one major marketing effort per year.

Both camps are overwhelmed. And both camps are moving forward. As one smart marketer once said:

"If you're not overwhelmed, you're not growing."

If you’re on the Slow and Steady Track to implementation, that’s OK. Most people don’t even get on a track. As long as you’re moving forward, you’re doing good.

Never let the overwhelm of ALL the things you have to do keep you from doing SOME thing. Don't compare yourself to your peers who are doing 50 new things every year, while you're still trying to figure out step one. Most people don’t even bother to get to step one.

If you’re in a place at the moment where you’ve attained tons of new ideas but haven’t started anything, or even made a move, stop focusing on the overwhelm. Stop overthinking about where and how to start. Pick one thing and start.

The 30,000 foot view of marketing might help —

Basically, there are three parts to your marketing:

Part One: Grow your audience (your leads, your in-house list contacts).
Part Two: Stay in front of them with interesting messages, build trust and rapport (nurture them).
Part Three: Give them opportunities to do business with you (convert them to clients).

Which area will you get the most bang for your buck? Which needs the most help? Start there. Sure, there are 50 different things your can do in each of those three. But, you only need to do 1 or 2 really well.

Start with your best tool — what you already have.

For most people, the starting place is in their own house list of contacts. Your warm list.

Your past and current clients, and people who have inquired with you or are in some way affiliated with you.

Whether it’s 25 or 2500 contacts, start with that list.

They are the acres of diamonds at your feet. No need to travel far and wise to discover the next big client or case People who already know you are willing to listen to you (probably), like you, and trust you are by far your best prospects to do business with you -- or refer people to you. 

What ONE thing can you do to start talking to them? Send a newsletter? A postcard? A sales letter? Or just start emailing them? (That’s scaaary proposition for some!)

Whether you're on the Slow Track or the Fast Track, you're among the few who are moving forward and accomplished. Keep your eyes on the goal (not on each other) and keep moving forward.