Over the years, my wife, Ashley, has become an exceptional gardener and turned our backyard into a mini arboretum. This season, we had the beautiful surprise of a Stargazer Lily coming out to bloom in full view. We were surprised because that plant had not bloomed in over 10 years! We thought it had died. But, Ashley left the bulb in the ground, continued to water and fertilize the garden, and got quite a show in return.
Similarly, my biggest client this year is someone who I had not talked to since 2011. Out of the blue, the client called my office and requested assistance with a major book launch. Even though we hadn’t spoken in years, he kept reading my weekly newsletter and reached out to reconnect. Since I’d continued to “water and fertilize” my audience over the years with my newsletter and other marketing activities, I got quite a surprise in return.
Marketing and gardening are quite similar. You must continually provide nutrients to plants. You must be patient. Some plants will bloom while others may take a year or more off. In marketing, you must continually provide value to your audience. You must be patient. Some customers will consistently buy while others come and go.
What are you doing to water and fertilize your audience? If you let your marketing activities dry up, it’s no different than putting your business into a drought. And, neither a plant nor a business will grow during a drought.
