helping healthcare organizations grow

Welcome to The Healthcare Marketing Connection! This week we are talking about making changes. Do you dream of doing something big and different, perhaps are trying to get a project started but you never quite finish it? Let's take a look at this problem in this week's feature article, and most importantly, what you can do about it.

My oldest daughter is leaving this morning on a 5-day backpacking trip in Wyoming. There are about 10 girls going on this "Wild Expressions" excursion. They are going to hike above 12,000 feet in the Snowy Range, cook their own food, pitch their own tents each day - totally care for themselves. All of the leaders are artists (someone is even making a documentary) and the kids are going to incorporate art into many of their activities. Should be fun. The parents met last night and the leaders told us about what the girls would be doing and answered our questions while the girls got to know each other and slimmed down their packs. I was amazed at the other kids. Eight of the ten teens going were overweight. Not a little bit either. What is going on with us Americans that childhood obesity is becoming such an epidemic? I have been thinking about this all night and it is bothering me. I'm sure we'll have a nice discussion on this in next week's issue.

On another note, a group of copywriters are having a get together in Denver on July 11th. Email me if you're in the area and would like to meet some fellow writers for a few drinks and some great conversation.

To your success!

Kelly

Different Things are not Going to Happen Unless You Do Something Different

I am writing a book. It's something I've wanted to do for several years, but has been put on the back burner. The fact is that while I've really wanted to be published by a major publishing house, it's been low on my priority to do list. I've started the book and have written several chapters, but what I do is I put it last on my to do list each day and it ends up not getting done. Or I'm tired by the time I get to it and get frustrated because my writing juices are fried.

My logic is that it's not an emergency if I don't spend time writing this book each day. Frankly it's not immediately serving a current client or gaining me new clients (right now anyway), it's not part of my marketing plan and my world will not come to a screeching halt if I skip a day. Or two.

Because it's not a priority in my day-to-day work, this book that I really want to write and publish is not getting done - at all. I spend my work day doing what HAS to get done rather than what SHOULD get done.

How many of you do the same thing? Are there "extra" projects or ideas you have that you'd like to implement but don't take the time to do? Is there a big project you'd like to start but you keep procrastinating because you don't know where to start?

Or, like me, is it because you do not see immediate results you tend to get bored with it or make it a low priority - even though you know that in the long-term accomplishing this goal will bring you great results; or at least a sense of accomplishment that you tried?

I know I'm not the only one out there that does this. In fact, I would wager that the majority of people do what I am doing...procrastinate.

The question is what are we going to do about it? What changes are we going to make to stop this negative pattern?

I am not going to publish this book if I don't work on it. You are not going to take your business (or yourself) to the next level if you don't make time to do or try the things that take you out of your day to day "tasks" and get you into the proactive, forward moving mode.

Here is what I am going to do.

I am going to get on my computer a ½ hour earlier every morning and spend the first hour of my day writing or researching for my book. Not checking my emails. Not working on my tasks that must be done to run the day-to-day business.

As many of you know I started using Mark Joyner's simpleology program a few months ago and I really liked it. I liked the simplicity of it, the price (the first program is free), and how by it's very nature you were forced to set and prioritize short and long-term goals and indicate how you are going to achieve them in your day-to-day work.

For me to finish my book I need to make a change in my everyday patterns. My routine is pretty set and I need to integrate this important goal I want to accomplish into my routine.

Is there one important goal you want to accomplish? Something EXTRAordinary? What changes will you make in your day to accomplish your goal?

Different things are not going to happen unless you do something different.

 Today is the day to make a change.

(c) 2007, A Marketing Connection

Want to use this article in your e-zine or web site? No problem! Just let me know at info@KellyRobbinsLLC.com. I'll send you a short bio to include at the end of the article.

This week Kelly recommends Online Image Optimizer. Are your pictures taking forever to load on your site? This fr ee Image Optimizer allows you to optimize your .gifs, .jpgs, and .pngs so that your images load faster. And you can also use it to convert a .gif to a .jpg, .jpg to a .gif etc.

If you have any other great resources you'd like me to share with everyone, let me know and I'll check it out. kelly@KellyRobbinsLLC.com

247coaching - Thursday June 28th 11:00 MT: Writing your own marketing materials…

"Marketing 101 - Basic skills to communicate your value" - Wednesday August 15th Kelly Robbins with Philippa Kennealy MD of The Entrepreneurial MD

Annual SHSMD conference in Washington DC - October 3rd - Kelly will be presenting a 3 hour workshop, entitled It's Lonely Out Here...How to Connect with Customers When You're on a Limited Budget.

To learn more about healthcare copywriting and marketing, visit my Web site at www.KellyRobbinsLLC.com/article_archives.shtml. There are tons of fr ee articles on a variety of helpful topics.