You will not believe what I'm doing...
Basically, as soon as the Sun started shining and the winter fog lifted, I felt the familiar manic tug of the Spring and started revamping my site, my shop, and my marketing strategy. Sounds like a lot? Well... it is.
But the one part that has truly changed everything for me is:
Repurposing content…
My clients always ask me how I started...
And I have to say, the only thing that got me started and trampolined into the air, high enough to be able to start a business, was blogging.
That's right, all you need to do is start blogging.
If you don't have a business yet, or you have one, but it's not going anywhere, the only "magic pill" that I know of is adding a blog to the equation.
Why?
Because it helps people. It engages them. It attracts them. It makes them want more. And it's FUN! Unless you'd rather do a podcast or a vlog... hey, whatever form of content you work with best, i say go for it. Because your strengths will trampoline you into the future, just like my writing did for me.
Enough with the vagueness, here's the story...
You create a planet, populate it, and rest on the 7th day.
Or if you're a mere mortal, creation works like this -> first you got the idea, then you grab the tools, then you bring it into existence, and finally you get to figure out what you're gonna do with it and who's going to benefit from it.
Right?!
Well, these days the process goes differently...
First you get an idea, then you figure out how to package and market it, then you might even presell it, and all that BEFORE you create it. This is probably why we spend our days overplanning and underdelivering. Some of us will abandon projects before we start them and jump from idea to idea, plan to plan, before we ever get to create our unfortunate, miscarried masterpieces.
I have just started my own [creative business] and I'm not really sure how to market myself? I think I know what I have is good, but I hate singing my own trumpet, so do you have any advice for that?
This is a really common question and I want to crack this and help anyone who has this particular problem. You're not alone, a lot of people feel the same way at the start of their own business. We have been conditioned to compliment others, but not brag. We have spent our online careers promoting others, but not ourselves. And now it's seriously getting in the way of our progress.
Because you can't grow your business with this particular damaging mindset.
OK?
Instead of throwing the usual daily tantrum:
Waaaa, I don't wanna do this today! and Work is boring, when do I play?
Now I find myself feeling more excited than frustrated:
Wheeeeeee, I can't wait to start tomorrow, and enthusiasm-related insomnia.
Don't get me wrong, work is still work, but I feel like I stumbled upon something that really helped me design a life that is more fun than it is work. It's a simple exercise, which you can try for yourself after watching the short video below.
I could spend an entire day listing things that don't *seem* like marketing.
Doodles, thought pieces, blackout poetry, your photos on Instagram, a collection of your favorite blogs, your crazy creative process, 5-minute podcast monologues, a free consulting session, a 30-day challenge and community where everyone creates together...
These are all things people use as marketing because IT IS MARKETING!
You know how sometimes you start reading an article, but you quickly find yourself skimming the rest? Or you start reading and stop at the second sentence? Or you read the whole thing and end up feeling empty and betrayed, like something was missing?
Today we'll learn how to avoid doing that to our readers by becoming more ENGAGING writers (and bloggers). It's not enough to just write something and share it like mad. You need to make it intrinsically engaging, so your readers won't just skim and walk away, but get hooked and read more and more of your writing. I've been getting some great feedback on my own writing, so I've decided it's time for a crash course.
Ready? Let's engage them out of their pants, rebels!
I see people trying to be everywhere and burning out. It's this frenzied way of hustling that's not exactly healthy that I see all around me. It's why the book "Essentialism" is so popular, because what we need is a solution to this modern madness.
Wanna hear about my solution? -> Don't try to be a master networker if it doesn't come naturally. Invest in things that have more YOU in them.
To paraphrase Dr Seuss, you were born to stand out, not blend in.
Sorry for swearing, but I just believe in this so much!
Look, it's not about me. It's about you and how awesome you are. You have amazing ideas and you can make amazing things happen. If you'd just stop listening to "experts" and comparing yourself to everybody else. I mean, sure, they give good tips and everybody else is amazing, but come on! Nobody else is YOU, therefore their tips and styles don't matter.
What matters is that you're a creative rebel and you're allowed to be one.
Let me show you a few examples of people who do their own thing.
When it comes to marketing, I've tried it all.
I've read pretty much everything marketing-related, followed the experts and influencers, and practiced what I learned to help brands grow. I'm still learning and growing, but recently I noticed something curious. When I looked at all the things I've done, I could pinpoint ONE THING - and one thing alone - that worked consistently.
SEO? No. Social media? Blogging? Yes... and no.
Let's just say it's something individual and evergreen. And if you make it to the end of this post, I'll help you leverage the hell out of it. Deal?
