Why Your Marketing Feels Hard (And How to Make it Feel Good Again)
You know that feeling when you sit down to do some marketing and suddenly your brain goes "Nope!" and suggests 47 other things you could be doing instead?
Don’t get me wrong, I love marketing. But even for someone like me, there are times when marketing sometimes shifts from feeling joyful to feeling like pulling teeth.
After working with hundreds of small business owners during my career, I've noticed some patterns in what makes marketing feel hard - and more importantly, how to make it feel good again.
Why Marketing Feels Like Hard Work Right Now
The Perfectionism Trap
You're trying to create Instagram-worthy content while running a business, possibly managing a family, and attempting to have some semblance of a life. No wonder it feels overwhelming!
You’re looking at the output of others - that classic one of comparing your behind the scenes to someone else’s highlights reel. What stories are you telling yourself, and what pressure are you putting on yourself to be perfect? It is exhausting.
The "Should" Spiral
You've fallen into the trap of doing what you think you "should" do rather than what works for you. Maybe you're forcing yourself to make Reels because everyone says video is essential, even though you'd rather stick pins in your eyes than dance on camera (side note, reels can be so much more than that…).
The Consistency Conundrum
You've been told you need to post every day, email weekly, blog monthly, and generally be everywhere all the time. It's about as sustainable as trying to run a marathon every day (spoiler alert: it's not).
Making Marketing Feel Good Again
1. Embrace Your natural marketing style
Think about when marketing has felt easy and enjoyable. What were you doing? How were you doing it?
For example:
If you love writing, how can you do more of that?
If you're hilarious on video, embrace it!
If you prefer one-to-one conversations, make that your focus.
2. Create joy-filled marketing habits
Remember how we make other tasks more enjoyable? Apply that thinking to your marketing:
Could you write your newsletter in a lovely café?
What about doing your social media planning while having a bath?
Maybe you could combine networking with walking, or attend an industry event with a pal.
3. Drop the "Rules" That Don't Serve You
Here's your permission slip to:
Post less frequently but with more intention
Choose only the platforms you actually enjoy
Create content in a way that feels authentic to you
Take messy, imperfect action instead of waiting for everything to be "just right"
Making Marketing Sustainable
The key to marketing that feels good is making it sustainable. Here's how:
Define Your Minimum Viable Marketing
What's the smallest amount of marketing you need to do to keep your business healthy?
Which activities bring the best results for the least effort?
What can you realistically maintain even in your busiest weeks?
Create Sustainable Habits
Block out specific times for marketing
Batch create content when you're feeling inspired
Build in regular reviews to celebrate what's working
Make It Easier on Yourself
Repurpose content across platforms
Use templates to speed up creation
Keep a swipe file of content ideas
The Joy Formula for Marketing
Here's what I've learned after 20 years in marketing: when marketing feels good, you do it more consistently. When you do it more consistently, you get better results. When you get better results, it feels even better. It's a beautiful upward spiral.
Your formula for joyful marketing might look like:
15 minutes of engagement on your favourite platform
One thoughtful newsletter every month
A quarterly planning session with cake
Zero guilt about the marketing you're not doing
Your Next Steps
Audit your current marketing activities: What brings you joy? What brings you results? What's just causing stress?
Choose 2-3 core marketing activities that light you up (or at least don't make you want to hide under your duvet).
Design a simple routine that feels sustainable for YOU.
Remember: Marketing doesn't have to be a source of stress in your business. It can be something that energises you, connects you with your ideal clients, and yes, even brings you joy.