Virgil Winston:Marketing Guru
I went to my favorite coffee shop the other day and ran into my stockbroker, gulping a triple espresso and looking like he hadn’t slept for days. I reluctantly asked how he was doing and he launched into a tale of woe, the likes of which I haven’t heard since Nana told us stories about living through the Great Depression. The guy was a wreck. I reminded him that historically, the market corrects itself and that even though the current landscape was bleak, it would get better. He shook his head, smiled weakly and ordered an extra large piece of chocolate walnut cake to go. Apparently, the pressure was getting to him and he had taken up stress eating.
He’s definitely not alone—times are uncertain and many of us are feeling the strain of the shaky economy. While it’s no fun to worry and wonder, stressing out will not help the situation. In fact stress, defined as “a mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression,” can be harmful to our mental health, as well as our physical health. I find yoga and plain old deep breathing helps quell my own anxiety but nothing calms my nerves more than a good belly laugh.
Sure it’s a cliché, but laughter really is powerful medicine and, although I’m not a medical doctor, I recommend you indulge as frequently as possible. In fact, think about injecting a little levity into your marketing campaign. Whether you are in the financial services or any other industry, your clients could use a chuckle. Rush Imprint offers a wide variety of Money Stress Relievers that will bring a much-needed smile to your customer’s face. Add your company logo and a clever message, and you will instantly be associated with relieving stress…rather than causing it. You know what they say, “if you’re not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.”
Well, I’m off for a double session with my yogi—his business is booming—so I’ll leave you with the wise words of Tom Rataj. “When stress is at it’s highest, just know it can only go down.”