Internet Marketing: Cures for Resourcing Burnout
Owning your own business can be an exciting and rewarding experience that provides you with freedom from the 9 to 5 daily grind and gives you the lifestyle you want. It can also be a 24 hour-a-day source of stress and exhaustion. If you find yourself experiencing more of the latter than the former, you may be suffering from Resourcing Burnout.
Resourcing is one of the three Preferences for Interaction that we all have and use on a regular basis (The other two are Transactions and Operations.). Each of us has an equal capacity for the behaviors associated with all three, but each of us develops a distinct ordered Preference for Interaction during our childhood that stays with us throughout our adult life. We demonstrate our preferences by naturally gravitating towards activities associated with one category over the other two. The higher Resourcing is for you, the more prone you are to experience Resourcing Burnout.
Resourcing involves behaviors and skills that are focused on enabling yourself or others. A common characteristic of Resource-based skills is providing information, action, or support. Defining strategies, researching, teaching, counseling, sharing, advising, coaching, and connecting people are examples of Resourcing activities.
The nature of internet marketing and its large demand for social networking requires a high degree of Resourcing behaviors. It is the way we connect online and build that all-important “know, like, and trust factor” that makes internet marketing viable. But if you do not balance Resourcing interactions with Transaction based interactions you are a candidate for Resourcing Burnout.
Resource based interactions are how we give of ourselves to others, while Transaction-based interactions are how we get for ourselves from others by giving something of equal value in return. Resourcing Burnout is the result of too many Resource-based interactions and not enough Transactions. There is a common denominator in that both involve giving, but there is also a major difference. When Resourcing, we do not expect immediate return. When Transacting, we do. If we are Resourcing but think we are Transacting, we give too much and get little or nothing in return.
To compound the problem, in the face of such a lack of reciprocity, a person who prefers Resourcing, especially one in or close to Resourcing Burnout, is likely to Resource again rather than asking for an equal exchange. This arises from a misguided belief that either what has been given had no value, or that the recipient didn’t realize (and rightfully so) that the giver intended it as a Transaction.
Transactions is not only the basis of business, it is (albeit arguably) the dominant mode of interaction in our current culture. Everywhere we turn, it seems, we are confronted with some type of marketing message. Resourcing Burnout can result from offering too much to potential customers as a rebellion against this, in an attempt to ‘humanize’ business, having grown weary of this constant marketing barrage.
Unfortunately, Resourcing Burnout can become chronic and self-sustaining, and when it does, it can be a real business-killer. Here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be.
‘Cures’ for Resourcing Burnout
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When offering something or agreeing to a request, make a conscious effort to include an overt Transaction statement along the lines of: “I want . . .”, “What I need in return is . . .”, or “I can do that for $XX.” Entrepreneurs often don’t get what they want because they don’t communicate it clearly.
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If you are caught up in Resourcing Burnout and find yourself continuing to offer your services for free in the hopes that the recipient will eventually ‘get it,’ stop interacting with them! Tired people almost always revert to the type of behavior which is familiar, even if not successful or appropriate to the situation.
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Put on your armor,’ so to speak, before you interact. Make your initial mental response to all requests for free assistance ‘no’. This will act as an anchor to consciously think through the interaction and allow you to determine what you need to do in order to turn it into a Transaction rather than let it resolve into Resourcing.
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If Resourcing Burnout becomes chronic, get some coaching to help you learn the behaviors of Transactions, or hire someone else to help market your business.
Resourcing Burnout does not have to be a ‘deal breaker’ for your business. Learning the cures can keep help you keep it at a minimum and keep your business vital and rewarding.
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About Dr. Gary M. Jordan, Ph.D.
Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 35 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He is co-creator of Perceptual Style Theory, a revolutionary psychological assessment system that teaches people how to unleash their deepest potentials for success. He’s a partner at Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents. For more information, visit https://thepowerofyourperception.com.
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