As the Boston area continues to get pummeled with snow storm after snow storm this winter, people are finding themselves home a lot more than usual. This may seem like the perfect opportunity to hunker down and get things done.  But are you struggling to focus?  Somehow, Boston has been brought to a grinding stop while the rest of the nation continues along their path.  But be careful… your commitments, deadlines and every day work isn’t going away. It is quietly piling as high as the mountainous snowbanks we see around town.  Need some words of advice to keep you in the right direction so that you don’t find yourself standing behind a huge mess come spring? Here are some suggestions for this snowy winter:

• It is far easier to market your services in small steps.  Think about it…when you are faced with 18 inches of snow, it is daunting to shovel out the driveway in one outing.  Much the same with marketing.  If you try to do all your marketing all at once, you will exhaust yourself before too long and risk giving up. Break up your large marketing tasks into smaller, more manageable activities and spread them out over regular intervals.
• Use leverage.  When lifting anything (lots of snow definitely qualifies), it’s important to lift with your knees and support the vulnerable areas of your back. When marketing your services, it is effective to leverage lots of different tools that gain you visibility.
• Layer Up.  During cold weather, it’s best to dress in layers.  That way, you can shed layers as you warm up and get comfortable. The same concept applies to marketing your services. Use content across multiple layers of platforms (email, Twitter, Linked In, Facebook, etc…) to reach your targets.
• Use quality tools.  You would never try to shovel snow with a teaspoon.  You need an appropriate tool for the job. Plan marketing approaches that take advantage of appropriate, available resources.  This doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money, it just means you need the right tool for the right job.
• Outsource efficiently.  If you can’t shovel, you can choose to hire someone to do the job for you. Perhaps you have the resources to hire someone with a snowplow or snowblower.  Marketing your services can sometimes feel like a lonely road, but it needn’t be. It does take personal dedication, time and experience to accomplish your goals. The option to outsource components of your marketing plan is very helpful, but outsource appropriately…no one can replace your personal effort to build relationships.

So now what? Take advantage of travel bans and blizzards to connect with people and further your relationships from the safe comfort of your home.  We can all relate to one an other in times such as these.  It doesn’t take a huge effort– but it does take a concerted one.  Don’t give in to the many lazy snow days.  Take 15 minutes to connect with someone today via email, phone or social media.  Besides, it beats shoveling!