Groundhog Day is once again upon us. If you live in the Northeast, my guess is that you are hoping Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early Spring. Whether you believe in Phil's magical powers or not, Groundhog Day is a symbol of folklore in American culture. Not only has this tradition been carried on for over 100 years, it also inspires popular culture.
Bill Murray's classic movie Groundhog Day followed 'Phil the weatherman' as he repeated February 2nd over and over again. The plot of the movie is something that can be seen in everyday life. As Phil repeated Groundhog Day over and over, he became more miserable. Day in and day out, Phil would follow the same routine, and in turn, would have the same outcome. Finally, he decided to do something about the outcome. He began to change his behaviors! He took risks, said things he normally wouldn't, and at times was even reckless. The more he did differently, the more he learned. Eventually, he had his perfect outcome - a perfect day.
In business and in life, it can sometimes feel like we’re our own version of Phil the weatherman – just repeating our days over and over again. Write a post, promote the post, engage a bit on social media, maybe even get crazy and do a newsletter. We rinse and repeat over and over again hoping that somehow we will get better results 'this month'.
If you could learn from everything you've done from a marketing perspective; if you could even be a bit reckless by going against common standards, what could you do to improve your results to get to your 'perfect day'?
Marketing Changes to Make on Groundhog Day
Revamp your posting schedule
A lot of companies set a posting calendar based of research and best practices. This is typically set once and hardly looked at or questioned again. Try experimenting with posting on different times and days to see if something really hits when your audience is actually paying attention.
Try something new
Try a new social media platform. Invest a small amount in AdWords or social media advertising. You never know what might work until you try it. Isn't that the name of the game anyway?
Try something edgy
Most companies are scared or doing something too edgy. They are afraid of saying the wrong thing, or being perceived in the wrong way. This Groundhog Day do something you've always wanted to try. Post a raw video. Take a few pictures of your office and team. Maybe even...gasp...post something your company does on your personal social media accounts.
Post somewhere else
There are hundreds of conversations happening online at any given moment. Instead of hiding behind compliance and the norm, find someone asking about a service you provide, or find an online debate where you could bring value. Maybe even add an opposing view to a news article.
Talk about someone or something other than you!
Yes, I am sure you have the best people, great knowledge and years of expertise built up. This Groundhog Day highlight someone other than you! Highlight a client, someone local, or heck - maybe try and be entertaining.
Do What You've Always Done
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
The quote above has been attributed to several people, mainly Albert Einstein. If your marketing results aren't producing the way you hoped, perhaps it is time to stop doing what you have always done, and start trying new things. Don't get caught in an endless trap of 'Groundhog Day'. Instead, break out and test things to see if you can find your perfect day.
