I would say that it’s one thing to recognize a problem and quite another to fix it. Yet, when it comes to marketing, a challenge many people face is recognizing what the problem is in the first place. In the case of email marketing, you couldn’t just say that you’re struggling with email campaigns and feel burnt out. There’s always a reason why you’re feeling email marketing burn out – and there’s always a way to bounce back from it. Assessing the situation and figuring out your part in the burn is always step one. From there you can figure out how to approach a solution.

Problem: You’re struggling with ideas on what to create – even in a brainstorm with a colleague.

Solution: Develop a series. A series is a great way to create interconnected content that tells a story and continues through several smaller campaign cycles. It also gives you a break from having to go back to ideation at every new campaign.

Problem: You’re sales pitch to your client is weak, and you’re going in circles about why this next email campaign is a great idea. You’re uninspired and truly have no ideas.

Solution: You need to expose yourself to more industry conversations. Read more books and blog posts. Follow industry thought leaders. Setup Google alerts. Network. Just get out there and expose yourself to new ideas.

Problem: You’re lacking personal investment and enthusiasm.

Solution: You need to bring something to the table and get invested. Take personal responsibility for the project. If you could change something, what would it be and why? There’s your solution, now go out and make the pitch to implement your idea.

Problem: The client is failing to deliver on content and graphics you need to move forward with the email marketing campaign.

Solution: Sometimes the client can’t delivery to you until someone on her team first delivers to her. The solution here is to come up with “plan B” approach that isn’t dependent on deliveries.

The solution to a problem concerning the client is often simply a conversation with the client to really understand where the failure is occurring and how to move beyond it?

Problem: You’re dreading the fact that you’re soon going to have to think of an email marketing campaign.

Solution: Think of the “tree” instead of the “forest.” Stop worrying about sending out a great campaign. Instead think of your customer – what’s going on in their lives, what interests them, etc. If they were in front of you, what would you talk to them about? What advice would you give them? That’s your next campaign.

Pushing Past Email Marketing Burnout: Creating Action-Oriented Silos Charts for Problem Solving

Problem solving by working backwards from the sentiment is a great way to target the root cause of any burn out. Practice it for email marketing burnout or any other problem you might have. Start with writing out how you feel about a dilemma – so, for example, you could state any one of the problems above. Then work backwards to create silos that further break down the “why” behind each problem. Why were you stuck; why are you feeling that way; why can’t you move forward. After a series of identifiers you’ll reach the last couple of silos, which should transition into the “how” or “what.” Here is where you’re going to transition into how you can shift past those obstacles and what solid steps you’ll take to get there.

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by Shireen Qudosi

Shireen Qudosi is Benchmark Email's Online Marketing Specialist and Small Business Advocate. An Orange County based writer, Shireen specializes in online marketing and public relations. She has written for over 75 publications and has launched nine successful new media campaigns to date. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Denver Post, the Oklahoman and Green Air Radio, among others.