Most of my long time readers know that I am a juggler and came from a juggling family. My father called the act "The Juggling Jacksons" because that was our last name. Besides the alliteration sounded good.
Juggling was a sideline for us. We would have loved to do it full time, but my father wisely chose the security of a regular daytime job. His career was as an accountant for an industrial contractor. And though he juggled books for a regular paycheck, his true passion was juggling objects.
So what's this have to do with marketing and promotion? We always had an agent or agents who booked shows for us, but as is often the case with anyone who has an agent sometimes you have to get out there and do things yourself to get the ball rolling--or in our case the balls and other objects tossing.
We practiced our act regularly to stay in top shape for our performances. Stage attire and props had to be kept maintained. My father was always on the lookout for new gimmicks to make our act stand out. He put a lot of thought, time, and sweat into making our act marketable.
Like The Juggling Jacksons you and your business have a juggling act underway. Some of you may be working jobs to pay the bills while you work at trying to get your passion off the ground. You are juggling family and relationships, job, education, health, relaxation time as well as the dreams of success in whatever it is you are trying to achieve.
Then there is the juggling act of your marketing efforts. What do you need to promote what you are doing? Photos, brochures, resumes, and other media? How about conferences, trade shows, or other events that will further your reach? You juggle time, money, and personal well-being and hope your act will reap some benefits of what you've put into it.
Marketing can be a real balancing act for sure. Plan your act carefully. Practice the tricks you'll be using and then when you're ready you can hit the stage and perform before a real audience. One thing you don't want to do when you're in the spotlight is drop the balls, but if you do just pick them up and act as though it's part of the act.
What are you juggling in your life? Have you achieved balance?
How about these J's:
Jenny Hansen's blog is More Cowbell. If you don't get the reference and don't fear the reaper I think you'll find out where her blog title comes from if you go there and look around.
Reversing the initials we also have Hart Johnson who blogs at Confessions of a Watery Tart, the blog where no pants are allowed and naked people get in free.
Are we bloggers a wacky bunch or what.
Finally, Michelle Jones at The Family Tales is offering a give-away at her blog. Head over to her blog and you may be a lucky winner of a a new customized blog design and/or custom header graphic. The graphic design will be created by fellow A to Z blogger, Lisa Campbell.
