Let’s face it. Marketing isn’t the world’s favourite thing. Cynical and switched off in the face of many marketing techniques, we hit a problem when it comes to marketing our own businesses.
Do you need to develop an extra loud voice so you can shout about yourself from the roof tops? Do you need to grow extra thick skin so you won’t worry about annoying people? Do you, in fact, need a complete personality transplant, to turn yourself into a smooth talking motor mouth with the morals of a banker and the hide of a rhino?
The answer is ‘no’. There’s a simple way that you can be yourself, and win more of the work you really want. Do it this way, and not only will your customers thank you, but you’ll fall in love with marketing. Yes, really.
Here’s how.
- Remember why you started your business. What did you want to change? How did you want to make things better for your customers? Reconnect with your original mission.
- Think of marketing as helping, not selling. Create valuable content that helps your customers with their challenges, not empty sales messages that will only get ignored.
- Market to people you like. Don’t try and attract everyone. Think about your perfect customers and focus on helping just them.
- Be your customers’ friend. Maybe not their best friend (that would be creepy) but someone who knows them well and always has their best interests at heart.
- Treat your customers as you would like to be treated. If pushy intrusive marketing techniques annoy you, don’t use them.
- Stop worrying about your competitors. No need to look over your shoulder. Keep your customers and your mission in mind, deliver real value and you’ll be beyond compare.
- Focus on growing your email list. Nurture it carefully. These people have chosen to let you in – they’re your customers, your advocates, your fans – treat them to the best of everything.
- Relax. Stop trying to measure everything, only measure things that matter to you and the business, and that you can change.
- Give yourself a break. Focus on creating fewer, high quality things – the grind of being everywhere, all the time is too much – both for you and your customers. Less is more.
- Use laughter as a test of whether something is good or not. If your content idea makes people in the office laugh you could be on to a winner.
- If not laughter, then try pride. Does the marketing that you’ve created make you feel good and feel proud?
- Create some content just for one favourite customer. Then share it widely. We’ll bet it will be better than something you created with everybody in mind.
- Create some content with your favourite customers. Ask them for their ideas, stories and tips. Promote those and make them feel and look good.
- Read more, watch more, listen more. Inspiration is everywhere. Treat yourself to brilliant experiences from all walks of life and you’ll be inspired to create better content.
- Talk more. Get closer to customers and listen more. The more you know, the better you can help.
- Get up from your desk and walk more, preferably outside. Walking helps you think more clearly, so we reckon it’s a legitimate marketing activity. It’ll help you think up the best ideas.
- Be silly. Give yourself permission to try new ideas, however ridiculous they sound at first. It’s scientifically proven that people create better content when they’re having more fun.
- Celebrate your successes. Marketing is hard work, and it’s easy to keep looking ahead at the next thing without pausing to reflect on things that have gone well. (We’re so guilty of not doing this. We sent off our book and started writing a newsletter all within the same minute.) Let yourself be happy.
- Learn from your mistakes but don’t dwell on them. Not everything will do as well as you hoped. That’s life. Pick up a few lessons and move on.
- Know you don’t have to be perfect. In fact showing the messy workings behind a business will often win you more friends. Admitting to your weaknesses is a strength.
- Make a plan but feel free to deviate. Planning is important but if your intuition or enthusiasm senses an opportunity then it’s ok to go off piste from time to time.
- Take a risk. Feel the fear and do it anyway. When it come to your content it’s worth it.
- You don’t have to do this alone. Reach out to your customers. Ask them to help you spread the word (like BeerBods). If you’re following these suggestions they will, and they’ll be happy to be asked.
There you have it. 23 reasons to make marketing an enjoyable part of any business owner’s day. Like so much in life, it’s a mindset more than anything else. Marketing this way makes you one of life’s good guys. So relax. Enjoy it. Have fun.
More on the joy of marketing
- Marketing people love?
- Feel good marketing
- We’d highly recommend Bernadette Jiwa’s book – Marketing, a Love Story
- And there’s loads you can learn in the all new Valuable Content Marketing book too.
