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Lessons from Authentic Marketing
by Mark Silver
Published on this site: October 5th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
I'll be honest with you from the get-go: I cancelled the Focus on Marketing
class. Although some of you stepped forward to take me up on the haggling,
the class wasn't full, and it didn't feel right to me. I want to explain
my experiences here, because this is of prime importance in your marketing:
the willingness to try something, to face your fears, and to receive unexpected results.
The last ezine I sent out was a spirited attempt to fill my latest class,
by opening it up for haggling. I had a lot of fear about sending it out,
but my heart just kept saying "send it." And, I'm glad I did.
I received more emails in response to this one, than any other in the last six months- comments like: "Brilliant!"
"This made me laugh- thank you!" "How fun!"
I received unexpected bonuses- new clients, offers from people who want
to refer their clients to me, and other things that came in. I also had
some great, enriching interactions with people when I called to tell them
I was canceling the class. But the best gift was the email I received
that had me face my biggest fear. My biggest fear was that I would have to face someone saying to
me: "Well, you can't fill a -marketing- class- I guess you aren't
such a great marketer if you can't do it for yourself. Ha!"
Crushing. I only received one email like that (minus the Ha!), and my
first reactions were to go into self-doubt and fear. But, using the Remembrance
I was able to sink more deeply into my heart and remember (!) a few things:
Seven out of the last nine of my classes have sold out. I consistently
remain full or near-capacity with individual clients. My business has
grown by at least 15% every year, and this past year it's nearly doubled
- and continues to grow.
The truth helped me feel better. But, even though remembering felt helpful,
it still felt like I was fighting with the person who wrote me- "See,
I AM a good marketing guy, so there..." Yuck.
As I took a few more minutes with my heart, I realized a few things:
- Was doing fine,
- My business was doing fine,
- There is a helpful message for me even in the critical email. What
was it?
A few more minutes provided me with the answer: humility.
My last ezine article was on The Sacred Sale, and how humility and vulnerability
are key elements in business. I could see in myself where I was losing
some of my humility.
And, with that, I came back into alignment with the three most important
outcomes for marketing from the heart:
- That it help your business develop organically, without pushing the
river, at a rate that creates a sense of health, balance, and rightness.
This can be quick, but it must be organic.
- That it create authentic, vulnerable relationships between you and
your prospects. Not only do these types of relationships engender trust,
which is the most important element of any sale, but it helps to bring
more love and connection into the world. Yes, I said "Love."
Isn't love the most important thing in your life?
- That it provides some benefit to your prospects, whether or not they
ever buy from you. This can be a practical benefit, such as "how
to's," or it can be a necessary intangible, such as helping someone
to smile, or inspiring someone to be more authentic during their day.
If my marketing accomplishes this, then I'm happy, whether or or not
my classes sell out.
Especially on the internet, there are a lot of people trying to convince
you that all you need to do is this or that and you can make untold millions.
As tempting as these messages can be, I want to support your desire for
simple, organic growth in your business, and marketing that supports that
growth, and your heart. It's much more sustainable.
Being vulnerable in your marketing means taking risks. But how much is
too much?
Keys to "Lessons from Authentic Marketing."
- The usual extreme we go to is to not reveal anything.
Yet risking yourself and admitting to mistakes creates real trust and
connection with your prospects. My Sufi teachings say that when you
teach, "What the student wants is your Divinity, but what enables
the student to take it is your humanity."
Without showing your humanity, the prospect can become discouraged,
feeling like they can never bridge between where they are to where you
are. It's a lose-lose situation, and a marketing disaster!
- Yeah, but how much is too much? The other extreme is to "spew"
all over people, and this can be done by bringing too much fear out,
and it can also be done by bringing too much enthusiasm out. How much
is too much fear or enthusiasm?
The real test is: is it keeping you from seeing and connecting with
your prospect? Even when being vulnerable, the point of being vulnerable
is to connect with the other person. If, in being enthusiastic or showing
human emotions, you've lost sight of the person you are talking to,
or writing for, you've crossed a line. Not a line of showing too much,
but the line of putting the focus on you.
If you can see them clearly, and see how whatever vulnerability you
are showing is connecting with them, you are doing fine. If you find
the spotlight is mostly on you, then you want to recheck it.
- Here's the way I do it: I write out want I want to say. And
then I go through the whole article, in addition to the editing, and
check each sentence- how could this sentence help the reader, or is
just for me? If it's helpful, and passes my other editing, it stays.
If it's just for me, I keep it just for me... and you don't see it.
I challenge you to take the next step in being vulnerable with your prospects
this month.
My very best to you and your business,
Mark Silver
Mark Silver - is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your Business:
How Money, Marketing and Sales can Deepen Your Heart, Heal the World,
and Still Add to Your Bottom Line. He has helped hundreds of small business
owners around the globe succeed in business without losing their hearts.
Get three free chapters of the book online: http://www.heartofbusiness.com
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