actionable marketing guide

Dear ,

My husband and I are on our way to Lenox nestled in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. In the summer it’s an arts epicenter with Tanglewood’s music, Jacob’s Pillow’s dance and Summer Stock Theater.

Last week, I didn’t think that we’d be taking this short respite from Manhattan.

I was in pain.

I pinched a nerve in my lower shoulder and nothing provided any relief.

After living with what I classified as level 3 pain for a few weeks hoping it would just get better by itself, I went to see my primary care physician. He prescribed x-rays and pain management doctor. 

When I couldn’t get an appointment for a pain management doctor, I tried acupuncture. While relieving the pain, it released other issues.

Back to the doctor.

My symptoms where atypical. Most neurological pain goes from your neck or your hips.

While I rated the pain as relatively low level, it prevented me from doing more than moving from the bed to the couch where my husband had heating pads placed to provide maximum comfort.

Even worse the pain was relentless. Once I fell asleep, it would wake me with a sudden jolt.

Finally after a week of doctors, tests, medicine and alternative approaches, the pain is retreating. Although it’s still putting up a fight.

Until now, I didn’t realize that pain could stop you from being able to do anything.

When I finally saw a pain management doctor, he told me that if the pain was interfering with my life to that degree it was level 10 pain. He recommended a variety of approaches to get the pain under control.

While waiting in the pharmacy, a woman sat down next to me. She was in worse pain. You could see it in her eyes. Even the slightest movement sent ripples of pain through her body.

I saw myself and what I had experienced in her eyes. I urged her to take it easy and allow herself to mitigate the pain.

This made me think about how as marketers we talk about understanding our audience’s pain and putting ourselves in their shoes.

But do we really?

Or do we just fool ourselves? Do we think we're being helpful when we’re really just trying to promote our next campaign?

I thought hard before I wrote this newsletter. I’ve never talked about something this personal.

But it was the first time I haven’t published a post for a full week in 7 years. Therefore I thought you deserved to know why.

I never knew I could be literally flattened by pain.

As I spoke to the woman in the pharmacy I knew I had to share my painfully gained knowledge.

Use this lesson to appreciate the challenges your audience has. Don’t guess—ask them.  Then give them the information and help they need. This is how you build relationships over time.

Remember quick impulse sales are fickle. They don't necessarily yield more sales in the future. These customers are just as likely to buy from another vendor next time. Your goal should be to build for the future.

BTW—If you’re practicing content marketing, I would love it if you joined me in Cleveland for Content Marketing World this September. I’m teaching a cutting edge workshop on Interactive Content.

Happy Marketing
Heidi.

Heidi Cohen
Actionable Marketing Guide

Content: The Atomic Particle of Marketing – Book Interview

• Heidi Cohen was one of the experts contributing to ReportGarden's roundup post: Growth Hacks From Top 30 Social Media Influencers