Why You Should Always Put Yourself First

I wanted to write my blog again after a hiatus of a few months. I love writing it, but somehow it had slipped down the priority list along with other elements of my marketing system.

Does anyone else get this? You are working away at marketing your business, you gain a bit of traction, get some clients and woosh! you drop everything to focus on their projects?

But meanwhile that system you set up starts to, not exactly unravel, but it slows right down. And you only notice this when things get quieter.

I find that. When I am busy with client work, I forget about my business.

Which is stupid, because once my marketing system slows down, it is hard to get it cranked up again.

Why would I put everyone else before myself: my clients, my kids, my neighbour, her budgie? (I am just kidding about the last two.)

Because it doesn’t make sense. Of course I want to fulfil my responsibility to them, but they also rely on me to be the best I can: My clients - because they need my service if they want excellent content for their business. My kids - because they like to eat and have a warm cosy house.

My success affects me and the people I care about. So, it is essential that I put myself (and by extension, my business) first. I am in the business of marketing copywriting services, to paraphrase Dan Kennedy in ‘Magnetic Marketing.’

But sometimes small business owners and solopreneurs act as if everyone - or everything - else is more important. One of the the ways this manifests itself is in the way it never ‘a good time.’

“I’ll get to work on that project once I’ve moved house, am in a better place emotionally, the cat is over the ‘flu.”

It’s never a good time, so you may as well get started.

Are you guilty of being optimistic with your time, agreeing to unrealistic deadlines, spreading yourself too thin and having to sacrifice your own projects in order to deliver on your word?

Me too.

But it is not good for you or your clients. And although it is right to put others before yourself where appropriate, unsuccessful people forget to ever prioritize themselves.

This is why I selfishly take the first hour of my day for myself and work on my business. Depending on my needs, sometimes it’s my creative writing projects - like my novels. Sometimes it’s the marketing for my copywriting business.

Make it a rule to work on you and your business first. In practice, this means always be marketing.

And if you find you simply don’t have the time or skills to write compelling and persuasive content for your website, blog, email newsletter, video, or print collateral (that continues to be effective marketing in this digital age) get in touch.

rachel@rachelhunterwriting.co.uk