March 23rd, 2010
by Lorrie Thomas
“Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible.”
-M.C. Escher
Marketing on the web can manifest amazing things for organizations. We can brilliantly position our companies to brand, build and boost business in ways we never imagined. We can work anywhere we choose, create the life/work balance we want and become the masters of our own professional destinies – IF we know what we want and are willing to take the steps to get there.
Web Marketing Therapy has clients who are solo entrepreneurs who earn 7 figures out of their homes, we’ve watched clients double sales year after year, and we have seen professionals completely re-invent themselves to create the careers and lives they dreamed about.
All examples I mention above are positive web marketing role models who attempted the absurd and achieved the impossible.
Success comes in cans, failure comes in can’ts
The passionate professionals we are fortunate to advise are all willing to dream the impossible dream. “Can’t” was not in their vocabulary. There were moments of “I don’t understand this, let’s talk more before I proceed”, but they always had a open mind. These professionals I mention did not leap without looking, but they were open to taking calculated risks to attempt the unthinkable, often stepping out of their comfort zones. Successful professionals are open to using rethinking web design, investing in creative messaging, testing new online advertising channels, taking calculated risks and investing in the ongoing work needed to make marketing matter.
A client and I were discussing the wildly successful journey his company has had over the last three years. I credited him for taking some HUGE web marketing risks (new websites, social media, online PR, content that called out problems in the industry and created solutions, testing things their competition never thought about) I loved it when she smiled a huge grin and said “It’s been a lot of work and we’ve been so successful because nobody in our industry has been crazy enough to do what we did” as a way to explain his success.
Most companies or professionals do not have the guts to do things differently.
Use their fear of being absurd to your advantage!!
I can blog all day about ALL the people who told me I shouldn’t call my company Web Marketing Therapy. I heard things like “nobody will admit they need marketing therapy”, “people will be offended by the word therapy”, “the idea is too cliche” “you can’t be a marketing therapist” ”oh, don’t tell people you work at home in your PJs, people may not think that is professional” Their problem and insecurity was THEIR problem, not mine. The fire in my belly knew that had always been a marketing therapist and my incredible team helps diagnose what organizations need web-wise, prescribe what steps need to be taken, then support and guide the execution. Our work involves some uncomfortable moments, comic relief, launching healthy web marketing foundations, dishing out tough love and more…sounds like marketing therapy to me!! I could have listened to the nay-sayers and launched another boring website about yet another web marketing agency, blah blah blah but it wouldn’t have the marketing power our distinct positioning has…
I know what it is like to attempt the absurd, I did it and IT WORKS. I walk the talk, I have tested all the wild web marketing we help our clients implement on my company first. I am a 32-year old entrepreneur who is typing this blog post in her workout clothes. My office is a laptop and a cell phone. Nobody handed me financial support to live my dreams. I have busted my buns, made some mistakes and tested some nutty things but it has all been an investment that I will have forever. I knew who I am, I know what I want and I know that my biggest risk is not taking a risk. My journey has not been a cake walk, it has been rough, stressful and scary at times but I wouldn’t have been able to do the impossible without some absurdity.
I am so grateful for the clients of WMT who have inspired us, the students who follow or advice and email us their success stories and the passionate professionals who have used web marketing to carve out the careers they want and the savvy web socialites who use the power of connection and connection to accelerate their organizations. I am grateful for the professional help we have outside of our team who are worth every dollar I spend because they make us a better organization.
Successful professionals all share three traits whether they are individuals or part of a larger organization:
1. They use the web to offer tremendous value
2. They are clear on their personal and professional values
3. They use the web as a remarkable voice for their organizations
Smart business people understand marketing means making relationships, serving customers and sharing educational content to empower their prospective and current customers. They know web marketing is not magic pixie dust, instead a necessary support tool that can compound and scale by making ongoing investments.
Re-train your brain – let the absurd look a little more appetizing
- it will do wonders on your web marketing!
Web Marketing Therapy Related Links:
- Weekly Web Marketing Motivation
- Monday Marketing Motivation – Fear of Failure = Failure
- Monday Marketing Motivation
- Marketing Motivation – Train for the Blog Marathon
