My dear readers,

I’m at it again…On February 28, 2010, I will run my 5th marathon, this time the Mardi Gras Rock & Roll Marathon in New Orleans. Frankly, I can’t figure out why I continue running marathons*: my knees hurt; I love the couch; no one wants to see me in spandex; … I could go on and on. But I can tell you why I keep running them with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society…

…. My madness can make a difference.

Speaking plainly, cancer sucks. By running to raise money to find a cure, I’m contributing to the research and support The Society gives to people with blood cancers. Mom is fighting thyroid cancer, and last year was more difficult than I could have ever imagined. I hope with every mile I run, with every dollar I raise, I can prevent other families from having to suffer.

Please don’t let my madness be for naught. If you enjoy hanging out here on Avenue Z and listening to the ups and downs of a professional freelance writer, please consider a donation. I’m asking for at least a buck a mile – that is $26.20 – to help find a cure. I’ll do all the running, but you’ll know you’re a part of the efforts. To donate, please visit http://tinyurl.com/Marathon5.

Thanks in advance for your support. Wish me luck!

Beth

Wait… ain’t got much dough this year? You can still help.

• Use my shopping portal to make your online purchases, and the stores will kick back a donation at no cost to you!
  —> http://bethz.mytnt.org
• Order a great cup o’ Joe at Jittery Joe’s, and I receive $3 for every can of TNT Blend you buy!
  —> http://tinyurl.com/BuyGreatCoffee

* Ok, you and I both know why I run marathons… it’s to support my cupcake habit.

About a month after I started my business, I created the most successful marketing campaign I’ve ever had. I sent about 50 letters to business owners with a pitch about how I could help their business. From that one mailing, I think I received 10 inquiries and at least five paying customers. Furthermore, two of those customers are still with me, and both use me each and every month.

Since then I’ve sent out probably 10 or so other campaigns — emails, letters, postcards. The ROI has been dismal, yet I keep trying new things. I’ve *never* gone back to that successful campaign tactic.

This, of course, makes no sense. When a small business owner discovers a strategy that produces amazing results, why wouldn’t she keep doing it until it no longer produces?

The problem stems from one of my weaknesses as a small business owner and as a professional in general: I get bored. Yeah, that worked. What else will work? How can I be even MORE clever? What else can I do that will catch the eye of a potential client?

I’ve been plotting another huge letter campaign to announce my new look, services and website. Oh boy did I have some great ideas about promoting Avenue Z! I’ve been so excited about the prospect that I haven’t stopped to think about the potential ROI. Is it a good idea to send hundreds of “look at me” letters to a general audience, or would my time be better spent identifying more people in that original pool of contacts and sending them an updated version of that successful letter?

Dang. You’re right. I’ll be a good little business owner and take the more traveled path.

This morning I paid a visit to my friendly, neighborhood printing store (PB Printing), where Mario the manager was on hand to listen to my latest tales of printing mishaps.

“I have a business card crisis,” I announced. “I am trying to print my new cards with the new logo, and two printers have produced disappointing results. See, this one is too flimsy, and this one was cut too small. And I have 1000 of each! Don’t you think I need to redo them?”

Mario paused, thinking for a moment. “Yes, this one’s a little thin. And it’s so strange that these cards are so small, but honestly — and I don’t mean to talk myself out of a sale — honestly, you’re just being too picky.”

Too picky? Didn’t he see that the cards were not PERFECT? Couldn’t he tell that I was ready to pay yet more money to make everything EXACTLY the way I had imagined it?

Mario continued, “I know these little things mean a lot to you, but frankly, no one else will care. It’s a business card. It holds your information. These are both perfectly acceptable, and I’m sure you can think of better ways to invest in your business that will pay off more than this.”

Ahhh. Mario is indeed wise. Although my new business cards are not PERFECT, not one recipient would look at them and say, “Wow. Bad cards. I’m never calling her.” If I hadn’t talked to Mario, I would have gone to yet a third discount online printer to try to improve on the cards, and I would have ended up with another 1000.

Things I learned this morning:

1. Experts are helpful.
   Talking to Mario and benefiting from his years of experience, I saved myself time and hassle, not to mention more money. Thank you, Mario! (Plus, by talking me out of these cards, he probably earned himself another sale the next time I need to print something.)
2. It’s easy to lose perspective.
   As Mario pointed out — these are just business cards. You get them. You give them. Some stand out. Some don’t. It’s just no big deal.
3. Perfection is tough to find.
   The whole logo and site redesign started because I ran out of the old business cards. I needed to update my address and add other services to my site. Thus began a complete redesign that took several weeks, about a thousand bucks and a whole lot of worrying. And I had envisioned the perfect business card to be the culmination of my hard work.
4. Two thousand business cards is a lot.
   My original business card order in 2007 was for a thousand cards. It took me two years to give them all out. Now I have 2000 new cards. Anyone want one? Or a dozen?

Last Sunday I was sitting in the steam room of an upscale spa that sits steps from the water in Pacific Beach. I arrived a couple of hours before my appointment for a Vanilla Latte Pedicure so I could take some time to clear my mind.

I decided the day was going to be about celebrating the good things in my life. As I sat there sweating in the eucalyptus-scented room, I vowed to not leave until I had listed 50 things that I was grateful for.

I started off pretty easy:

1. I am sitting in a spa in San Diego, California, waiting for someone to pamper me.
2. I’m healthy.
3. I run marathons (but I should be running faster).
4. My mom’s doing well.
5. I love what I do for a living (but I want to write for myself).
6. I own my own business (but I should be doing more).
7. I have lots of loyal clients (but I owe them some stuff… I should have finished that press release… I need to take care of that… oh no! I need to write that letter!…)

The more I tried to add to the list, the more BUTs I added to each item. On certain items (like the one about the loyal clients), I got so far off track thinking about all I hadn’t done that I forgot I was making a list at all!

This is crazy… I have so much to be thankful for. Yet instead of focusing on how much I have, I worry incessantly about how much I haven’t done. This is especially true when it comes to my career. I have persistent feelings of being far behind in my business. I should be juggling more clients, making more money, writing more of my own words vs. other people’s brochures.

How do we combat this? How do we look at what we have without focusing on what’s missing? I know a dozen writers who have other jobs and would love to be making a living doing what I do. And yet I feel like I’m slacking, not pushing hard enough, not living up to my potential.

I have a feeling many of you do the same thing… how do you fight the negative thinking? I’d love to hear your ideas…