Copyright 2006 Marketing On The Playground (TM)
We all have choices in our lives and I remember saying to a therapist years ago -- "experiences need to be difficult for me to learn." I remember the look I received in return from a person that had been through more life experience than me and "knew" I was being, for lack of a better word, a martyr. However, I was "all knowing" at the time and was quite set in my ways that if anything was worth learning and worth doing, it must be difficult. WRONG!
When I first started my business, Marketing was hard. It was hard because I let it be hard. I even supported it being difficult by saying, "I wasnt a marketer. I just want to do what I do best and let my prospective clients waltz to me." I was my own cheer squad of "Sis Boom Bah -- Marketing is Hard" over and over.
The fact is, anything is hard if you give it that kind of support. To flip that around, anything is easy if you think it so. Now, how do you make something easy thats a struggle?
1. First and foremost -- make it (them) your ally and give up the struggle!
Let me give you a personal example. I remember when I first came up with a new style of marketing approach; people didn't get it and of course, didn't support it. What I realized was those people were actually doing me a favor.
I knew deep down I had something and they fueled the flame inside of me. I began to really appreciate their negative support almost to the point of asking for more...but I didn't. Because those people became my allies, I now have a business helping others find their inner marketer. I did a basic, simple flip from negative support to ally.
Write a marketing example down that youre struggling with and turn it into a positive.
2. Keep it Simple -- Marketing is 'smply' letting people know what you do.
How many times have you thought you needed some big elaborate marketing plan to make successful connections? Of course, the next step to that is when you thought you needed an elaborate plan, how fast did you stop in your tracks and out went your marketing?
To keep it simple, think of what you enjoy doing. I love to bring solo-entrepreneurs together to brainstorm, both in-person and tele-conference. They really get a lot out of it and I meet more possible clients. I am 'simply' bringing a group together in a format that I enjoy and as the facilitator, all participants know what I do because I tell them about my business and myself during my introduction.
Write down what you enjoy doing that would gather your prospective clients together. Then, create a format to benefit their business and introduce yourself.
3. Write from your Heart -- Tell a story of an experience.
Articles on the Internet or in print happen to be one of the best ways to get yourself in front of people. Guess what I hear the most? "No one would want to read anything of mine and I'm not a good writer."
My response to "No one would want to read anything of mine" is don't sell yourself short. So many of us take our talents for granted or dont even look at them as talents. I bet if you searched the Internet you would find something for sale as a product or service that you do quite naturally AND you may do better. Don't hold your information back -- get it out there and if you think youre not a good writer, simply tell a story and write from your heart. It doesn't get any better than that.
Marketing can be very simple and basic if you let it be. You can make it difficult by letting it be this HUGE thing or you can see it for what it really is -- letting others know what you do via basic, simple methods. And don't forget; turn your Nay Sayers, into your allies. |
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