Oftentimes, we act too fast when it comes to pulling the plug on a marketing effort we don’t think is working. So how do you know when or if it is time to pull the plug? It comes down to hard work.

One issue with hard work is that when we dedicate our time, we REALLY want it to pay off. However, sometimes it doesn’t. Occasionally this makes us question whether to put time, effort, and money behind a new marketing initiative. We start to over-think and worry about the potential of wasted time and no return.

Did you know that Thomas Edison’s invention of the light bulb was preceded by thousands of experiments, theories, and hard work before he discovered the successful formula?

Yet, we often find that small firms will give up on a marketing strategy after just one effort (or never start it at all). What they desire is an elusive, quick fix boost in new business. But when we look at the most successful individuals and businesses, they almost always failed, spent time and money, and subsequently learned the answer to generating success.

Part of the hard work is spent learning what works. Often that doesn’t happen on the first try. I don’t think any of us are afraid of hard work. We are afraid of wasting our time. But if we don’t try, the success often never comes. So go out there and try, learn from it, and try again.