When you hit a plateau or spiral downward

This situation happens to everyone in all industries and it doesn't discriminate for gender, class, background, or education even to NY Times Best-selling Authors. You have to constantly be on the go, be consistent, and disciplined when it comes to marketing and promotion, and yet with all your efforts and investments, there is no guarantee of immediate results.

Note I said immediate results. We seem to be a society driven by the 'now' factor. We want this now, but it surprises me when the reverse doesn't happen, meaning, you are not ready to take action now!

Anyway, here are a few suggestions to help you when your sales or progress in your estimation has hit a plateau or has spiralled downwards.

1. Don't panic. In almost all situations you think better when you are calm and collective. In some situations, some persons think best when there is an adrenaline rush, and, yes, this is necessary.

However, when it comes to strategising a plan as methodical as this to turn that arrow around, you need to take a breath, stay calm, and start talking o yourself. Literally. Don't worry if anyone thinks you're crazy. Just have a conversation with yourself and listen to the answers you will encounter.

2. Evaluate. Look back at what you have done thus far. See what has given you the best results over a specific duration and why you may think that is so.

Look into the investment, if any, to see if it netted you any results. Always do a 90-day plan and repeat, of course, evaluating what is working over the first 90 days.

3. Don't give up. Just when you are about to give up is when things turn around for you. People give up too fast because of that now factor or the need for immediate results. Be patient.

I have written blogs and done some activity years ago for which I am just now seeing results. Go figure! That's just how the universe works.

4. Stay Positive. Always keep the faith and believe. Without this, you have failed already and have thrown in the towel. That's too easy. Come on! Trust yourself that you are doing the right thing and stick with the 90-day plan no matter what.

5. It may not be the right time. Yes, this is also true. It just may not be the right time to implement certain strategies. How would you know beforehand? You don't! You just have to give it a go and see what happens. If we all knew exactly what would happen, life would be too boring, right?

6. Look at what others are doing. You have competition out there. Look at what they are doing, customise it, and implement. What do you have to lose? Nothing. You are already at a low anyway. Research what others are doing in your industry what's the in thing, new technologies, new software, etc to reach the target audience. I remember speaking and writing some time ago on video marketing. It is still a big thing. Try it! Go for it. You can't lose!

7. Focus on other things. So what if sales are low or you are not progressing? Focus on you. Consider it time to self-appreciate. Pamper, read, go out, laugh. These things help to clear your mind and generate creative thoughts. Start writing something new or from a fresh perspective.

Start journalling and sharing these on your website, blog, or social media.

Believe me, you are not the only one going though this slump, and by just sharing, others may come to your aid and help with ideas to get out of it or uplift you in your time of need.

8. The only way is up. If you are down, the law of polarity says the only way is up. The universe works in opposites, so take heart.

You may be down for now, but not for long.

9. Create other formats. If your book is in print, create an ebook or audiobook or a condensed version that offers varying prices. Not only would this approach capture a wider audience, the pricing and convenient alternatives may be attractive to also catch their attention.

10. Seek professional help. I have to put this in. Seek a subject-matter expert on the issue. If you don't know one, find someone who does. Be prepared to pay as time is money and intellectual property is not sold for free.

There you have it. Ten suggestions to get you to see that hitting a plateau or being in a downward spiral isn't as bad as it seems and there are many ways of approaching it. I like to always look at the positive side of things. There is a reason for everything. You just need to wait for the answer and have an open mind to receive it.

As usual, let me know if these helped and if there are any other concerns that I can answer that can benefit others.

• Corine La Font is a speaker, author, coach ,and self-publishing consultant. She is also an award-winning publishing resource in the 2013 Small Business Book Awards. Get a copy of her book at http://amzn.to/TFHQka. Subscribe to her magazine at http://bit.ly/1IDj7pQ. Tune in to her radio programmes at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/helpdeskja and http://www.blogtalkradio.com/youtripping .

Check out her website at http://www.helpdeskja.com.

She can be reached at corinelaf@gmail.com.