My new dance instruction business was going really well during the early part of the year. Now it’s taken an 80% dive because of the holidays. I teach private and semi-private group lessons at a home studio. This is my first year doing this full-time so I’m feeling the significant drop in students. I was pretty depressed for a couple of weeks and just took the time to have fun. Now, I need to work on more promoting and marketing but I’m feeling a physical and psychological adversion to doing it.
What I’ve done in the past was just post on Craigslist to get business and was doing really well. It kept me busy and I know I was really lucky not having to advertise anywhere else to drum up business. I know this is a seasonal trend because a friend has been doing this full-time for many years. I know I need to keep promoting like adding other ad listings on other websites, passing out flyers and giving out gift certificates and such to drum up more business during this difficult period.
But I’m feeling physically ill like I have this terrible sick feeling in my stomach and my body and head hurts. So, psychologically I’m avoiding all the tasks and building my website to promote further. I feel like I’m so out of my comfort zone and it feels like it’s so darn hard.
Have you ever felt like this working on your own small business or any other tasks you had to do and felt this adversion or reaction to? If so, what are some things you did to overcome or help to ease the feelings to move on and work on what you needed to do. Any helpful advice is appreciated. (No wisecracks are needed.) Thank you.