It’s been a whopper of a year for everyone, but especially for marketers in health tech and biotech companies. The military uses the phrase “fog of war” to describe uncertainty in situational awareness experienced by participants in military operations. We’re living through the Fog of COVID-19 War.
Uncertainty has been the mantra of 2021, and marketers are feeling the stress:
- Trade shows were canceled or stayed virtual after the Delta variant emerged.
- It’s difficult to plan and budget in a chaotic environment.
- Many life sciences and health IT companies pivoted within weeks to offer a COVID-19 product or service.
- People are still balancing work and home life in ways they never did before.
- It’s really hard to find and keep talented marketing people.
Why the stress of uncertainty is an issue
Mounting stresses inevitably lead to burnout. When you become burnt out, it can lead to poor performance, losing your job, or even quitting the position altogether.
So how do you avoid burnout?
5 ways to avoid marketing burnout
1. Set a plan then tackle work in chunks. If you have a marketing plan roadmap, it’s easy to figure out what you should be doing each week.
2. Let go. Do you really need to get on that lower-level Zoom meeting, or should you be empowering your team to do more? Is it really the best use of your time to design a sales slick? You should be spending a least a day a week strategically looking at the future, not fighting fires or doing tactical work.
Check out Good Authority by Jonathan Raymond. I love his advice to “Dear Boss: Be more like Yoda, less like a Superhero”.
3. Find your tribe outside of your company. Find a mentoring group or association that will assure you that you are not alone in your struggles. Members may even share creative solutions. We love HITMC for health tech marketers and PR pros and our local BIO chapter for life sciences. Women in BIO is also excellent.
4. Take this quarter to reset and up your marketing prowess. When I was young, I loved fall because it meant new books and new classes. If you are stuck in a rut or learning healthcare marketing from another field, check out our Clarity Academy coaching and mentoring programs.
5. Hire an agency or freelancer to offload specific internal work. You almost need a Ph.D. in each marketing platform today to fully realize the benefits. If you’re not managing LinkedIn Ads, Google Ads, or HubSpot every day, hire a digital marketing agency that knows the ropes inside out. We can get campaigns and workflows done in half the time, freeing you up to focus on strategy and product marketing.
Want more?
Check out my article on MarketingProfs entitled “Market like an athlete, not a weekend warrior”.
Bonus: My personal burnout-busting faves outside of marketing
Aura: An app with great meditation, life coaching, and hypnosis content.
Peloton: You don’t need the bike or tread to use the app. I love their meditation, restorative yoga, and outdoor walk classes.
Oura or Whoop: One’s a ring and one is a wristband, but both give you stats on sleep quality and when you need to rest and recharge.
Need help?
Our outsource marketing pros and Academy coaching experts are standing by at the ready.
