Do you cringe at the very thought of marketing? Is it something you dread doing, going after all those sales you know you need, the advertising, the SEO, and sending regular emails out, just for starters?
I was interviewed by Voyage Atl about my work, and I wanted to share some highlights from that interview regarding marketing.
Every successful business owner understands the importance of letting clients or customers know that we have a service or a product that can help them.
Yet marketing is something many business owners struggle with, and I believe it is because most people simply don’t understand the real meaning of the word.
“If marketing feels difficult, overwhelming or stressful, you are doing something wrong.”
What is Marketing?
Let’s start with what marketing is not. Marketing is not advertising, sales, emails, websites, social media, or SEO. These are only tools to support true marketing.
The traditional definition of the word marketing is “maximizing exchanges.” If you’re not getting the results you want, you are likely still using that old paradigm. My approach to marketing is radically different. I define marketing as “maximizing RELATIONSHIPS.” Genuine, quality relationships.
The Web Marketing Therapy team and I have been helping clients optimize their marketing strategy and invest in sustainable marketing solutions for over 15 years. I believe that if marketing feels difficult, overwhelming or stressful, then the leader, team or vendors are doing something wrong. We offer an alternative “Diagnose, Prescribe and Guide” process to get my clients on a better path.
What we do to support our clients is far more than providing the tools for marketing.
I coined the word “markeding®” to describe what we do and what marketing should be.
“Give People Reasons To Support Your Products and Services”
Marketing vs Markeding®
Markeding® is a mashup of the words marketing and education, a revolutionary, transformational marketing approach that yields successful and sustainable results. I created markeding® to inspire a marketing standard that puts trust, creative mindshare, and two-way dialogue at the center, so you are executing your marketing strategy in an educational way.
Every piece of content and every exchange in a markeding® strategy helps the other person understand your value and how you can change their lives. When you approach marketing in this ethical way, from a desire to purely educate, this intent comes through to others. It gives them reasons to support your organization’s products or services.
Coming from this honest and helpful perspective takes the stress out of marketing and gets more “good” organizations over their fear of marketing so they can get in the game.
On-Brand and On-Purpose
Let’s talk branding for a minute. You may already know that branding is much more than a logo, tagline, or colors. While having these things in alignment with your company is essential, being on-brand means much more.
For me, my commitment, client experience, walking the talk, and the promise I make every damn day when I show up for my clients, my employees and my communities in a meaningful way – these are what make a successful, sustainable brand.
“Do what you do best and have others do the rest.”
There is another critical piece of being “on-purpose,” and that is being true to your gifts. That means do what you do best, and have others do the rest. My magic is being a guide, advocate, advisor, and transformational marketer to my clients. So while there are times I need to roll up my sleeves and do admin work, dive into projects or strategize, my purpose remains clear: to make marketing less stressful and healthy and to help women step into their unique beauty.
Living my life on-brand and on-purpose fuels me, lights me up, and keeps me going year after year and attracting ideal clients!
Do you want to continue marketing?
Or start markeding®?
If you want wild results from being your wonderfully wild self and doing what you do best, we’d love to support you! Let us know how we can help.