by Christine Kane 
"But I'm not a widget!" she whined. "It's harder for me!"
Denise was giving me her number one reason she despises marketing. I laughed and told her that it was also the number one reason EVERY solo-business owner claims to despise marketing!
Why is that? Because it feels different when YOU are the product.
You're not selling widgets. You're selling YOU, your soul, your passion, your ideas, your services. And marketing YOU feels like ego. It feels phony. It feels sales-y.
I won't lie to you. There will be discomfort when you uplevel your marketing efforts and when you become more present in the marketplace.
But know this:
The people who release their marketing fears are the same ones who have more clients than they can handle and more cas.hflow than they ever imagined. They learn that marketing is actually how they serve!
In fact, it's a relief when you realize that the problems in your business are not the Universe telling you that you're lame. They're just "marketing problems." Learn the valuable skill of marketing and watch your wealth build.
And take heart! It doesn't have to be slimy. In fact, authenticity rules!
Here are 5 tips for creating success while keeping it real...
1 - Know Your Peeps.
You must get VERY CLEAR about who your "peeps" are!
That's because when you know your ideal client - then you get to speak ONLY to her in your marketing. This not only saves you time and money (after all, marketing to "everyone" is expensive) but gives you true freedom to be yourself and to cater to that one ideal person.
2 - Build Trust. Be Yourself.
People buy from people they "know, like, and trust."
So, how do you build that?
- Establish a regular contact schedule. Make SURE your newsletter goes out at the exact same time each month or week. This shows that you honor your peeps, and that you are reliable.
- Be yourself. Allow your peeps to see your human side. Even the most distinguished among us burns the veggies and forgets to pay the water bill sometimes. Let your peeps see themselves in you.
- Let go. Some people will unsubscribe and get snarky. No problem. They're just telling you that they're not your peeps. This is the beauty of marketing well.
#3 - Be an Expert.
Getting over your fear of being an expert is crucial.
Know what else?
Get over the worn-out belief that you need to go back to school and get more letters after your name before you do this.
You can be an expert in body work, organic veggies, vegan cuisine, gemstones, native plants, still-life photography, alcohol addiction, collage, journal writing... and the list goes on.
The difference between you and someone who goes back to school before she'll let herself write is that your enthusiasm, passion and experience are your expertise! If someone requires that you have letters after your name - then they aren't your peeps!
4 - Give it away.
So, if you have a newsletter, blog, and tutorial videos, won't people just figure that they don't have to pay you for your services, your coaching, or your work? After all, you're giving away all your secrets!
Or so it seems.
The truth is that giving it away is what makes people want to work with you even more because they trust you so much.
5 - "The Fortune is in the Follow Up"
A musician friend called me disappointed the day after he had hosted a huge event in his town. "Hardly anyone came last night," he said.
I asked him if he told his list about the show.
It turns out he wrote to his list two weeks before the show. No follow up. No reminders.
Listen up, people!
The biggest mistake we make is to play small when it comes to follow up. Your peeps are busy. They need reminders. Many people respond to that last-minute sense of urgency.
There are strategies to doing this well, for sure. But not following up is a surefire way to get NO response!
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Does this stuff take time? Yes.
But remember, it's the pushy people who want to rush the process that make us all despise marketing. Be patient and allow that strong connection to grow, and you'll have never ending cashflow in your business.
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Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 20,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.
