What I Learned from My Broken Ankle or 3 Lessons for Marketers

It’s been almost 6 months since my climbing accident, and I’m still in the midst of physical therapy, but for the most part, things are back to normal. Even so, I’d like to think that I’m a little wiser from my experiences.

And as I like to draw parallels between various topics and marketing, here are a few thoughts I’ve had about what marketers can learn from my broken ankle.

Use it or lose it

Having been in various types of casts for 8 weeks, I lost pretty much all range of motion in my ankle and my calf withered away to a very sorry state. It made me realize for the first time in my life that muscle mass is incredibly easy to lose and that I didn’t appreciate it enough when I had it.

In marketing, we often create profiles and marketing presences on a variety of channels. But those communities will atrophy if we don’t nurture them. Don’t create profiles only to abandon them. Either close them down completely or be thoughtful about where you start them in the first place.

Ask for help when you need it

As an entrepreneur, a self-starter, and a boss girl, I found it difficult to need so much help for everyday activities. From washing my hair to getting groceries, I really relied on friends and family during the first couple of months of my experience. It made a huge difference to me.

What I often see with my smaller clients is that the marketing activities can get in the way of the other business activities, and I often counsel business owners and executives to find supportive, thoughtful outside marketing help to run their social media presences and create content. It can be hard to let go, but it can make all the differences.

Scars can be strengths

Now that I’m further along, my orthopedic surgeon has encouraged me to invest in some good scar cream—in time, the surgical scars on my foot and leg should fade. At the same time, I don’t mind the scars. For me, they remind me that there’s a lot that I can bear.

When I talk to companies about honing their brand stories, some business owners and executives want to pull focus away from failures and what they see as “the ugly stuff.” But the ugly stuff can also be the experiences from which your company draws strength and differentiates itself.

That’s relatable. That’s human. That should be embraced.

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I’ll be done with physical therapy soon, but there’s much more recovery ahead. Thanks for your support.