One of my favorite things to do happens to be an excellent way to take in the beauty of the outdoors while enjoying great exercise.

Hitting the Trail

You can certainly see the parallels between achieving success and hiking into the wilderness. The path ahead is both exciting and unexpected but always an adventure.

Just as you set out on a hike to see new sights, be in nature, and get exercise, you start a new marketing campaign to see new results, reach goals, and build a healthy brand.

Reaching Goals

Think of that feeling you get when you start to hear the faint sound of a river flowing off in the distance. Your excitement level rises, your pace picks up, and your heart rate increases a bit – you get a nice burst of energy.

This is like the point in a marketing campaign when you are starting to get close to achieving one of the many goals you set. One of the peaks of all the hard work. You can see you and your team’s hard work making a measurable impact.

Then, you turn around the bend on the trail and – wow! – you see the river. It’s rushing sounds are now crystal clear and you stand there for a minute to take it all in.

This is the time to celebrate the accomplishments made so far in the marketing campaign. You know there is a lot of ground to cover, but this victory is definitely worth celebrating, and a clear stepping stone to the final results that are desired for the campaign.

Pay Attention to the Details

On a hike, you will miss a lot if you don’t pay attention to the details. Whether it’s a caterpillar on the trail, a mushroom on a fallen tree, or a blue bird perched high in a tree, always be on the lookout for the little things – they make all the difference.

The same is true in a marketing campaign. A photo selection, a word choice, a typo, or a new media outlet to add into the mix. Every detail counts and the smallest details that were planned can make a big impact on the results of a campaign.

See the Results

Take a few minutes to take in the view! Breathe in the fresh air, relax among the trees and take in the endless sky’s treasures.

If you hadn’t challenged yourself to go on the hike, you wouldn’t have experienced this amazing moment. This feeling can follow you and you can look at this photograph later and remember the joy.

The same feeling of accomplishment happens when you measure the success of a marketing campaign. You think about all that you did and the all work you’ve done flashes through your mind. Now you can bask in the excitement of the success it brought to the company…and start planning your next campaign (and hike) now…