Putting and Advertising Both Can Drive You Nuts

Many life comparisons can be drawn to golf; advertising is one. I am happy with most of my golf game; my ball striking has never been better, and lessons from our pro certainly helped with that. Last year, I began to lose confidence in my putter. It started with the club championship last fall and compounded this winter when trying to defend my match play championship. I never once heard the sound of the ball landing in the cup. Ousted in the first round, ouch! I thought the stroke would appear this spring, but NO. Now, it had become a mental battle. The definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results,” so a change was in order. I changed my grip to my left hand. Sometimes, a change in your advertising or golf grip can lead to immediate results, but more often than not, patience is required. With advertising, just a change will not garner the immediate results you want, just as I am not draining every putt right now. Practice putting green is no different from building frequency against the new audience you are trying to reach. Spending time practicing with my new stroke builds comfort and confidence, like building a relationship with your ‘Likes’ and ‘Followers’ on social media. The more I practice the stroke, the more I feel that I am making the proper correction for this year. It is no different from the more consumers see or hear your message; they will feel more comfortable buying your products or using your services. While I have felt like switching back for a couple of days, I am reminded of the business owner who quickly loses patience with advertising in a different medium. Putting and advertising both take commitment. There are several ways to do it right. Many different grips can be used putting. Many other mediums can be used in advertising. One thing is sure: with the right message against the right audience, you can succeed in your chosen medium. Practicing failure isn’t fun, nor can you remain in business long, but if you stay committed and focused on the right change, you will soon hear the ball go in the cup, just like you will hear the registers ring, the Facebook comments light up, and followers responding to your tweets. Here’s to me hearing the sweet sound of the ball dropping in the cup this summer.