For most small business owners and entrepreneurs, you bring up the word “marketing” and you will get a lot of grimaces and unhappy reactions. Here are some claims I’ve heard about marketing:
• It’s so in your face! • All you do is talk about yourself or your products! • It’s just pushing your stuff on other people!
The list goes on and on. I have heard it all–believe me, I have. But it’s important to realize social marketing is much more dynamic than it sounds, and there’s a great reason why we social media marketers do what we do. Working in this social marketing world, I hear just about every excuse for why marketing pretty much sucks. And I am going to be honest with you: back when I knew nothing about what marketing really was all about, I felt the same way. It felt dirty, or like being a used car salesman. Marketing really has been given a bad rap. It’s time to dispel that for all the solopreneurs, entrepreneurs and small business owners out there. Marketing is not the evil byproduct of icky salespeople trying to push their way into our lives. And if anything, social media has helped to breathe new life into what marketing really is and what it should be for small businesses.
What marketing management is actually about
Marketing is about bringing your passion and purpose forward for others to be able to share with you. Simply put, you have a talent, ability or a product or something that you want others to be a part of. It may be that you want them to buy your product or service. Or perhaps you are looking for people to refer clients to you. Or maybe it’s that you are looking to make connections that can mean career opportunities in the future. Or maybe you just have something so cool that you are a part of and you want others to know about it. Whatever it is – put it out there. Share it. Be real. And don’t be shy. [Tweet “‘Marketing’ is just a word for sharing your goals with a supportive audience.”] All the people who feel like they have “made it” will tell you it was because they marketed themselves well. Sure, they may say they networked well, or they may say they sold their product well or positioned themselves in the right market, but at the end of the day – it’s marketing. When you get over the idea of marketing being a dirty word and see it instead as an opportunity to share instead of inflicting a message on people, as a small business owner you will have a great advantage. Think of it as a way to promote something you believe in. When I stopped being afraid of myself and my own power and passion, I was able to put a photo of myself up on the front page of my website. I was able to put myself out there in a way that I was never able to do before, and I was able to “sell” myself in a way that I never imagined myself doing. And guess what? My business has boomed. It boomed most of all because I was willing to be confident about what I was about and show my passion. You can too. For advice on how to get started, you can contact me here! — Photo Credit