How to kick marketing butt even if you “hate marketing”
“How did I get here?”
This plaintive and bemused question came from a woman I met at a networking event. She was reflecting on the fact that she claims to hate marketing, yet now she’s in the throes of launching a new business.
Ah, the joys of entrepreneurship.
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking cranky thoughts about the need to market your business, implement these tactics so you can kick marketing butt anyway.
1. Challenge your definitions.
Do you equate “marketing” with “slimy sales tactics”? If so, it’s no wonder you don’t like to market; after all, who wants to be a slimer?
Instead, shift your thinking. Begin to view marketing as “how I get my authentically valuable message out to people who need to hear it most.”
This works particularly well when used in conjunction with the next tactic.
2. Claim your strengths.
Many of us were taught as children not to brag, not to be too full of ourselves, not to toot our own horn…not, not, not.
Few were taught that none of these behaviors are the same thing as honestly acknowledging areas in which you’re skilled and have real value to offer others.
So start dumping those childhood messages. Instead, share – accurately, without exaggerating OR minimizing – just what you bring to the table and how it makes life better for your ideal clients.
3. Focus on being of service.
It helps a lot to remember that, if you love being of service, honestly sharing your message will enable you to serve more people.
Face it: If you wuss out of effectively marketing your business, you’re depriving your ideal clients of the chance to learn of your problem-solving skills. And that benefits them how?
At the same time, you don’t want to fall into the trap of thinking that it’s wrong (tacky, unspiritual, greedy, unethical…) to be well compensated for putting your knowledge and abilities to use on a client’s behalf. To avoid said trap, remember to…
4. Respect yourself.
If you don’t respect yourself, you can’t realistically expect others to respect you. And if prospects don’t respect you enough to even explore what you have to offer, you’ll soon be out of business.
You wouldn’t expect your best friend to give away her time and talents; neither does it make sense for you to do that.
So suck it up and admit you have a lot to offer and you deserve to be paid well for it. It may help to remember Simon Sinek’s observation that “the money is always a result” of effectively bringing your skills to the marketplace.
5. Identify what makes marketing hateful, then do a 180 on it.
This tactic takes some work, and it’s so worth your time and effort.
Sit down and brainstorm what makes you claim to hate marketing. Then figure out what the exact opposite view would be and begin using that as your lens when sitting down to tackle marketing activities. For example:
Is marketing a pain or a ton of fun? It’s largely your choice.
- I hate it because…I feel pushy.
- I’m comfortable with it because…I know I can provide powerful pain relief for the right client.
- I hate it because…I don’t know how to NOT sound like I’m bragging.
- I’m comfortable with it because…I’ve listened to and accepted people’s compliments on the value of what I offer.
- I hate it because…I feel like I have to talk to everybody about what I do.
- I’m comfortable with it because…I’ve figured out where my ideal prospects hang out, how to connect with them, and how to explain how my services (or products) make their lives easier.
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So…What’s it worth to you to begin applying these tactics to your current “I hate marketing” mindset? Could doing so enable you to exchange dread for excitement? Discomfort to ease? Struggle to satisfaction?
Then go for it!
And if you’re wondering just how to go about that, let’s talk.
My specialty is showing entrepreneurs how to toss aside what’s not serving them – and that includes counterproductive views toward essential business functions like marketing – and focus on what will propel them toward their desired outcomes.
While what I do is not for everyone, my best-fit clients and I do serious business butt-kicking together.
So if you’re curious about whether I can show you how to shift your thinking and actions to energize rather than burden you, let’s do a no-charge, no-risk get-acquainted call. In just 40 minutes or less, both of us will be able to confidently know whether we’re a fabulous fit or not, and we’ll proceed accordingly. Just grab a spot in my calendar, and we’ll see what shakes out.
(BTW, thanks to Wonder woman0731 for posting the fabulous sign of confusion in the Creative Commons section of Flickr.)
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