Dear ,
It’s the week before Memorial Day and the unofficial start to summer in the US.
And there’s a sense of change and expectancy in the air.
It extends beyond the changeable weather filled cool temperatures and spring showers.
But it's also people and their work.
Recently a friend chose to retire from a major tech firm after spending 25 years doing cutting edge research. She was tired of the increasingly stressful and budget-cut driven environment.
Despite several personal projects, she feels lost without her old job’s structure. Errands that she tucked into her work schedule now balloon into hours.
What does this mean for you?
First, let's look at the data:
Edelman research shows that people turn to their employers for leadership.
And Cone Communications revealed that we expect companies to be purpose-driven.
BUT the stark reality is:
Our employers don’t always rise to our expectations. And it may not be realistic to seek fulfillment and care from our work.
For example, despite peer marketing recognition, many of my friends and family either don’t know or understand what I do. They think that I can drop my work at a moment’s notice to talk, meet for lunch, or do something for them.
If you’re a solopreneur or freelancer, you’re probably nodding in agreement.
What I’ve learned since starting to work for myself is that I MUST create my own daily routine and work structure. A calendar, a To Do List and a project plan help.
Use paper or tools like your phone’s calendar and Trello.
But:
YOU are the ONLY one who can make your life fulfilling.
Beyond your family, job and other commitments, find ways to get what you need including love, exercise and challenges.
Actionable Marketing Lesson:
Whether you have a conventional job or are part of the gig economy, you are the only one to whom you are responsible.
Therefore:
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Set boundaries to do your best deep work,
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Remove obstacles that cause you to get sidetracked, and
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Provide rewards that keep you motivated to achieve your work and personal goals.
Beyond focused work, you need a community of business peers with whom you develop real life relationships and get feedback.
For example, at the end of last week's NYC OPA Panel on Media Membership fostered community and support, attendees could announce if they had a job opening or if they were in job search. This allowed attendees to connect about specific positions.
Actionable Marketing Lesson:
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Become part of business communities, online and offline.
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Get out and meet people IRL. Schedule at least one coffee or lunch per week.
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Talk to people beyond your family and/or housemates. Even better use Facetime or Skype to see the people.
BTW, Brandie McCallum (aka: @lttlewya) visited me this week.
What do you do to get out from your office?
If you’re planning your event attendance for the rest of the year, please join me at the following events:
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MAICON July 16th to 18th in Cleveland.
Please use code Cohen100. Since it’s an affiliate code, I’m offering any of my readers who use it a 1-on-1 meeting during the conference. (That’s a $300 value!)
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Content Marketing World (September 3rd to 7th) in Cleveland. Please use code Cohen19. Since it’s an affiliate code, I’m offering any of my readers who use it a 1-on-1 meeting during the conference.
NOTE: Get your tickets before May 31st when prices go up!
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MarketingProfs B2B Forum (October 16th to 18th) in Washington, DC. Please use code B2BFriend19. This isn’t an affiliate code. Therefore there’s no special reader offer.
Further, to improve your social media and content skills, please join us for the first 24 hour Wave.Video Around The World Project. It starts at 8:30pm EDT 31 May (or 10am AEST 1 June) and ends midnight EDT 1 June. I’m speaking on
Content Distribution. And did I mention that it’s FREE! (Sorry, I don't currently have the event URL. Please check #WaveAroundTheWorld.)
Shout out to new readers:
William R, Osiris, Safeer, Robert, Tom, Timilehin, Fonzy, Alex, Lusa, Lisa, Emilie, Newton, Ruan, Melinda, Vinoth and Anuj. Thank you for joining our community.
Heidi Cohen,
Actionable Marketing Guide
Happy Marketing,
Heidi
PS: Do you have a friend or colleague who would benefit from reading the Actionable Marketing Guide newsletter? If so would you please forward this email to them?
Have you dipped your toe into the Marketing AI waters yet?
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