Not Far from the Tree

A Trail guide to eNewsletters for Outdoor Pros

March 6, 2009

Issue # 11

Start with One Step!

Last week, my daughter's second grade class released a book of stories about what their lives will be like in 20 years. Did you know that in 20 years we will have air-conditioning inside our shirts and that shoes will be made of ice?

While reading through the book, I came across this paragraph written by my daughter.

...I would love to climb a mountain with my dad. Did I tell you, I'm afraid of heights, isn't that weird? What a brave girl I am in 2nd grade. When I was little, I wanted to climb mountains and I asked my dad if I could when I got older. Right now, I am 7 and that dream is about to come true! Guess what, I think I like it for once.

Although excited that my daughter still wants to climb a 14er (14,000 foot mountain) with me, I also find that I'm a bit daunted by the task. This won't be so easy. I've got to get Charis ready if she ever hopes to get to the top. Oh dear…

I've got to help overcome her fear of heights. And I need to find a way to get her ready even though she has never completed a hike without at least one complaint of foot weariness or boredom or, in one notable instance in the Arizona desert, being attacked a by a killer cactus that seemed to jump from off-trail directly into my daughter's path.

So we have a bit of a journey in front of us before we ever get to the mountain. If my daughter really wants to climb a mountain, we are going to need to do some training, both physical and mental. And we've got to find a way to do this while she is busy with her 7-year-old life (school, too much homework, art class and a preference for playing over anything I suggest).

After some thought, I've come up with a plan to build her up to where she can climb an easy 14er.

Step 1: Build excitement. I need to help her understand what we are going to be doing. I'm going to talk to her about mountains, show her pictures, talk up the hiking process so she stays committed.

Step 2: Short hikes. We will start with short hikes in the parks around Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Step 3: Longer hikes. Once she is feeling good on the flatlands, we'll add some elevation in the foothills of the Rockies. I'll work on her endurance and (more importantly) her expectations. Once she begins to expect some pain and discomfort to pay for the reward of triumph, she will be less likely to complain and quit.

Step 4: Mountain conquest. We'll climb an easy 14er here in Colorado.

The whole thing is a process that starts with a first step and builds from there. It may seem daunting, but it can be done with preparation, planning, and persistence. In fact, it's a lot like starting an eNewsletter.

Starting an eNewsletter can seem like a very big challenge. Questions whirl through your head:

  • Who do I send my E-Newsletter to?
  • How will an E-Newsletter help my business?
  • What do I do if I can't write?
  • What do I do when I run out of ideas?
  • What should I call my E-Newsletter?

But in the end launching an eNewsletter is just like training to climb a mountain. It's a process that starts with one single step: excitement leading to commitment.

And you should be excited because an eNewsletter can change your business. Done right, it will lead to more committed customers, repeat business, referrals and more money.

But like climbing a mountain, you are going to have to commit to a plan and stick to it if you want your eNewsletter to succeed. An eNewsletter won't happen by itself. You are going to need to spend some time or some money (or a little of both) if you want to connect with your customers in a profitable way.

You've got to make a commitment to get your eNewsletter off the ground. Then, you've got to commit to keep writing it month after month. You might even need a reference book (like ENewsletterSuccess.com) or a guide (like me) to help you find your way. The good news is that an eNewsletter costs less money and takes less time than most marketing strategies. But like anything worth doing, it takes effort to succeed.

Bottom Line: If you have been thinking about starting an eNewsletter for a while, then now is the time. You can do it. But you've got to take that first step. You've got to make the commitment to keep going even when it might be hard. Nothing worth doing is ever easy, but that's what makes success so rewarding. I think my daughter is in for a treat.