Living In The Present

Dec 16, 2011 by Holly Ralston-Oyler

There are times I feel I live two to three months into the future, working on a magazines schedule. Then there are the days I feel like I live 40 years in the past and have to snap out of it. Lately, I feel like I am living  in a scene from Groundhog Day, where the same day keeps happening over and over. Am I missing something here? Oh, let’s try that thing called living in the present.

After being in the public eye for the past 50+ years I thought I would go crazy after stepping away from the daily interaction with clients. Needless to say, it has been way too easy to become lost behind my two computers and desk. So much so,  it is really hard to think about changing that mode of operation at this point.

Interacting with clients in real time and day to day activities is something I have avoided for the past sixteen months. I did branch out with a trip in this past spring only to immediately crash and burn. What was scheduled to be a seven day trip turned into a less than 24-hour trip.   On to a new year and new beginnings.

My Internet Marketing list is extremely small by industry standards. Not by personal choice but very definitely by my personal insecurities. When you get it in your head that you are not good enough, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

So for me, the new year is going to be all about some strong self-talk and some serious interaction with my current and hopefully growing list. My goal is to start the year with teleseminars and videos. By mid year I hope to graduate to webinars and web cam conversations. For good measure I also intend to throw in some Ustream and You Tube presentations for a little extra stretching of my new IM mindset.

This is going to be a year of relationship building with my current and prospective clients. Personally, I am at the top of my game when it comes to questions and answers. I am most comfortable talking off script and not so great when I am scripted. Unscripted is he perfect way to start out on such an adventure.

The thing I loved most about client interaction were the endless possibilities they presented by their comments, questions and suggestions. I always came away from the experience with pages of notes, book titles and ideas that could fill a lifetime. One of the more serious blunders I have made in my Internet Marketing writing and blogging is not asking questions to open a conversation. So in 2012, be aware – questions there will be.

What are some of the things you have used in your business that your clients have sparked with their comments or suggestions? Did the project work like you hoped it would? Do you keep an idea, blue sky or someday journal? Share an entry or two with us so we can give you additional input and suggestions on expanding the thought.