Whether it’s in your business or in your personal life, have you ever had those moments when it just seems like nothing you do is working? Like you just can’t catch a break or get “it” right, whatever “it” is? 

Yeah, I’ve been there!  

So what do you do when you’re in the thick of all these feelings?

What do you do when nothing seems to be working?

This is a question that’s been swirling around my brain for a while now, and while I am definitely still figuring it out.

Spoiler alert: there isn’t a one size fits all answer.

But in this episode, I want to share with you some of the most common “it’s not working” complaints I’ve heard (some I’ve even said myself) and what you can start to do to “fix” it. Let’s talk… 

Whether you’re a seasoned designer, newbie entrepreneur, or somewhere in the middle, no one is immune to feeling, at least once or twice, like you have no clue what you’re doing! And if you are, feel free to shoot me a message and share your ways! But here’s the thing, you can’t succumb to the weight of the doubt otherwise you’ll risk making zero progress. Instead, discern what’s not working, why it isn’t working, and then come up with a plan to fix it.

Your Marketing

Everyone gripes about their marketing plan, especially in the beginning. I have a marketing degree and I gripe about my marketing plan! You’re worried about whether or not you’re reaching the right people, attracting the right people… hell, who are the “right” people?! Your marketing is so much more than creating a logo and choosing your brand colors.

Does it all matter? For sure. But bigger than the pretty fonts, colors, and lingo, is the actual message that you’ll be telling.

How will your story — you’re telling a story right? — spark interest in whomever you’re talking to? Is what you’re saying intended to inspirational or aspirational? Do you want your audience to feel something (inspiration) or to do something (aspiration)?

If you feel like your marketing isn’t working, there’s a strong chance it’s because you haven’t clearly answered these questions for yourself. Take a step back, slow down, and ask yourself if your message connects with your objectives? If you were anyone else, what sentiments would resonate with you?

Stop marketing based on what you think people what to see from you and start marketing on what you know will deliver the message you want them to receive.  

Social Media

Some of you might be wondering why I’ve separated social media from marketing. So glad you asked. Can social media be used for marketing? Duh. But it’s only a tool. Social media, if you think back to many many moons ago, was rolled out as a way to connect people.

While creating connections is one of the many tenets of effective marketing, the two are not synonymous.

Social media is such a powerful tool, and I’ve talked about how it’s propelled my career in many ways; but not harnessed effectively, it can be a crippling distraction. In the past I’ve gone on a year long social media hiatus and currently I’m doing a 21 day fast so I know when it’s time to shut it all out. But guess what — that in no way effected my marketing. 

Getting too wrapped up in the vanity and clutter is when social media stops “working”for you.

Instead of fixating on perfect feeds and obsessing over likes, ask yourself, “why am I on social media?” Is it to be a resource to potential clients, to serve as an extension of your portfolio, to connect with friends and family, or to share the other pieces of your life outside of design? Why are you here? Be honest & unapologetic about what you want from social media, and watch it start to work wonders for you.  

Client Relations

If there was a support group for designers recovering from difficult clients, designers would be lined up for miles! Client complaints that I’ve heard have ranged from projects lasting forever to not being paid.

While all valid complaints, you have to be willing to ask yourself what part you played in the problem.

Was your pricing clear?

Did you walk your client through the timeline and your process?

How specific was your contract?

Are you attracting client personalities that complement your own?

While some people are just innately difficult to work with, there is  almost always something you could’ve done to ease the situation. Like your marketing, put yourself in the other person’s shoes so that you’re more mindful of your role in the relationship. What can you improve upon, specifically, to prevent future hiccups? Whether it’s better communication or just a few tweaks to your contract, don’t simply complain —

look at the situation objectively then course correct. 

Work-Life Balance

Full disclosure: still totally working on this one and I don't know that I’ll ever not be working on it.

While your work life balance may looking nothing like mine, for me balancing time with my husband and daughter with time for myself with time in my business is probably the hardest juggling act I’ve ever attempted. Admittedly there’s always a veil of guilt over everything I do — wondering if I should be doing something else — but I have gotten better at “fact checking” my feelings.

Are my feelings of imbalance coming from a place of inadequacy and insecurity, or  am actually neglecting an important part of my life? If it’s the former, then it’s more of a mindset shift, but if it’s the latter, how can I better apply my time to the things that matter most?

What working for someone else has taught me is that when I am off the clock, I’m OFF THE CLOCK. Running my own business shouldn’t be an excuse to never unplug. My business may need me, but so does my family; and more than that, I need me.

I remind myself that I cannot pour from an empty cup (as the saying goes) and prioritize accordingly. 

Finances

Money is such a tricky topic and very very personal but more often than not, besides not having any, when I hear people complain about it “not working” for them, it’s all a state of mind.

So many of us have pretty unhealthy relationships with money and we don’t even know it.

Whether it’s from our upbringing as children or mismanagement as adults, by the time we enter the workforce, there’s a lot of unlearning that needs to happen when it comes to money. Most of it we were never taught or we are conditioned to never talk about.

So how do you make it “work” for you if you can’t even talk about it? Start by talking about it.

Be honest about your fiscal  situation — no matter what that looks like — and then really think about where you want it to be and why? What does financial health mean to you? What does it look like for your lifestyle? If it’s that you’re not making enough, what is “enough”? Quantify it then qualify it. Don’t pick a number that sounds nice, but actually be intentional about the goal and the reason behind the goal. From there, you can come up with a plan.

Today was obviously a very truncated list of all the things that you could possibly feel just aren’t working for you but the overall approach is the same no matter the area that you’re struggling with…

1. Identify the struggle

   …and not with vague, cliche terms, but with very explicit and clear language. Until you can be completely honest about what’s not working, you’ll never figure out why it’s not working, much less how to fix it. 

2. Visualize the solution

   …and I don’t mean just being all “woo-woo” about the end goal, although there’s some woo involved. I mean being very very clear about what it would look like if this thing was working for you. How do you know it’s not working exactly? What does the alternative look like. See that and hold on to that. Hell, write it down!

3. Create a plan that actually addresses each piece of the problem

   …and gets you closer to the solution you’ve envisioned. You may have to start at a very uncomfortable (and unpopular) beginning, but in the end, it’ll pay off. Marketing not reaching the right people? Might be time for a rebrand. Social media getting too overwhelming? Consider a following/follower purge. Client relations are a constant struggle? Rethink the services you’re offering. Work like balance totally non-existent? Outsourcing might be just what you need to create white space. Coping with an unhealthy money mindset? Maybe a therapist can help you work through those mental blocks. 

4. Execute and commit

   …to whatever your plan is. You know exactly how you want things to look and feel when they’re working so now we just follow the breadcrumbs till we get there. 

I’d love to hear from you guys, about specifically what isn’t working for you, whether it’s in your business or the peripheral pieces of your life. If I get enough feedback we can do a followup Q&Albie episode addressing what you guys share! 

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the show so that you don’t miss any of the new upcoming episodes. To catch up with me off the show, and to submit your questions, be sure to follow along with @thedesigninfluence on Instagram. Til next time friends…