Posts Tagged ‘authentic marketing’

Sometimes I get so tired of the hype that marketers use to sell their products or services.  These marketers are sometimes the exact people who preach about being authentic and using the highest degree of integrity when marketing.  Here are some of my pet peeves and how to avoid them:

1. The Automatic Sign Up

This just happened to me last week at my local Chamber meeting.  I gave this person my business card and before I got home I had her most recent ezine in my in box!  Did she ask me if she could send it to me?  No, she didn’t, but I got it anyway.  And the icing on the cake…she told me if I put a link up on my website to her website she would do the same for me!  Now this may be appealing to some but I wasn’t falling for it!  Don’t do it!

2. Going, Going, Gone

Marketers who say stuff like, “We have 15 spots left, no I mean 17, no I mean 19.” Or the other version is, “Offer ends Monday, no I mean Tuesday, oops I mean Friday.”  Give me a break!  No matter if the game is played with numbers or time, the bottom line is it is still a game; and one that is insulting to potential clients.  Again, don’t do it!

3. Direct Messages

It seems like every day I get a new direct message from some yahoo  telling me how I must  check out this link so that they can sell me their stuff!  No thanks…and then I block them.  You heard me right.  When I get pitched to immediately I block them.  I don’t need to be sold too all day long and this is what some of these people on twitter are doing and frankly I won’t stand for it.  Don’t do this one either!

4. All Promo, All The Time

Some marketers send one promotion after another and it gets tiring.  Usually their ezine is full of useless information and when you check out their website they offer nothing free.  You guessed it, don’t do it!

5. Bad Twitterfeed

I like Twitterfeed,  but I really don’t need to get every feed, post, and link about everything.  Twitter is used best when used as a marketing tool; one that has been given careful consideration and is in line with your marketing plan.  There is no need to post every single thought, action or food you consumed because bottom line -  nobody cares.

6. Immediate Action Required

You all know what I am talking about!  You must act NOW.  Everything is urgent and it’s urgent all the time.  Give me a break…reading these emails and sales letter exhausts me.  I mean really do they think we have nothing better to do then stop what we are doing and attend to ANOTHER urgent message.  Now that is not to say that sometimes you get a notice and it is urgent but you will quickly learn if this is an ongoing case of the “emergencies” or if it out of the ordinary for this person.  If it’s all the time just hit the unsubscribe button.  And remember just don’t do it yourself!

Are you guilty of any of these mistakes?  If so, you know what to do…don’t do them again!

As a business owner our time is valuable so if you come across people who present their products and information in a manner that sends up the red flag then move on.

My last post was the first in a series of seven marketing beliefs that many people have that get in the way of feeling and being successful when marketing your product or services.  Here is belief number two for you to ponder over:

Belief #2: Marketing makes me feel like a phony

How do you ensure that you never feel like a phony?  By being authentic.  That’s it – it’s that simple.  Just be yourself and you will never feel like a fake.

Many of us share the need and desire to be authentic. Think about who you currently do business with – your accountant, hairdresser, chiropractor, massage therapist.  Do you know, like and trust these people?  I would assume if you are doing business with them the answer is yes! If they can provide a valuable product or service to others, get paid for it, and ask for referrals why can’t you?  You have special gifts and talents that are just as valuable.  Be yourself and go out and share them!

When you think of marketing what immediately comes to mind?  Do you recoil in disgust at the thought of having to put yourself “out there”?  Do you immediately think cheesy, phony, pushy or inauthentic?  Well you are not alone.  Many business owners, particularly women feel uncomfortable with marketing. How do you get past these feelings so that marketing your business becomes fun, easy and authentic?

You’re in the Business of Marketing Your Business

Did you know you were in the business of marketing your business?  When you ask most people, “What business are you in?” they respond with what they do – I am a lawyer, a photographer, a graphic designer, etc.  But the truth is we are in the business of selling ourselves.

There are several ways you can market yourself; not all activities need to be done by you.  In fact I like to outsource many of my marketing activities to my Assistant; this frees me up to work on other aspects of my business.  However, no matter who actual engages in the marketing activities you must know enough to decide how and when to implement your marketing plan.  No matter how good of a coach, massage therapist, photographer or wellness expert you are, you will fail in your business if you don’t market yourself.  You must embrace marketing as another tool to help you spread the word about your knowledge and expertise so you can create the thriving business you dream of.

Your inner beliefs and thoughts influence everything about the who, what, when, where and why about marketing your business.  These thoughts and beliefs will either positively or negatively affect your business.  If you are one of the many women who feel uncomfortable about marketing you need to look at why that is.

Over the next several days I am going to review some common marketing mindset issues and give you some tips so you can love marketing!

Belief #1: I don’t know how to network effectively

I write, teach and train about effective networking strategies all the time.  I could be a millionaire ten times over if I had a dollar every time I heard someone say they don’t know how to network effectively.  And I hear it more from women than men.

Does this surprise you?  Well it did me.  Why? Because women by their very nature are relationship builders and effective marketing is about building relationships.

In order to build an effective business relationship, you need to build a strong network of trusted business professionals from a variety of industries so that you can give and receive quality referrals.  I have blogged extensively about effective networking and you can read my blog posts at by searching under “networking”.

The bottom line is this:  Networking is a great marketing tool, one of several in your business toolbox, but it won’t bring you immediate business.  I’m sure this is NOT what you want to hear, but it’s true.  The flip side of this is:  Through effective, targeted networking you can build a list of respected colleagues and business professionals with whom you can do the following:  engage in joint ventures, conduct business, share clients, build your list, and send quality referrals.

So how do you network effectively? Be genuine and authentic.  Listen for how you might be able to help the other person. Extending yourself goes a long way in building long lasting business relationships.  Did you notice something?  Nowhere in that description did I mention collecting business cards, being phony or trying to immediately pitch your product or service.   Which by the is a real turn off.  Instead the focus is on helping others solve their problems.  Do this and you will build your credibility very quickly and people will see you as the go to gal.  Next networking event go with the intention that you are going to help two people with their business and see what happens.

I love to network and make new business connections. It was the main reason behind starting the DARE To Be Phenomenal Women’s Only Networking Events. I wanted a place where women could meet and build long lasting connections that would help to grow their businesses.

But for some, networking conjures up all sorts of negative thoughts and anxieties. Will I know anyone there? What if no one talks to me? I’m no good at these events; I never know what to say. And the list goes on and on.

So what’s a gal to do who hates to network? Follow these 9 simple tips to gain more confidence and you too can be a networking diva in no time flat!

1. Networking is about meeting, building and sustaining quality relationships. Be genuine and authentic. Don’t immediately try to pitch your product or service, which by the way is a real turn-off. Instead, listen for how you might be able to help the other person. Extending yourself goes a long way in building long lasting business relationships.
2. Know your goal. Not all networking opportunities are the same. Some focus on service like Rotary Club, while others focus primarily on making business connections…think BNI and Chamber of Commerce. Identify your target market and then focus your efforts on attending those events where your potential clients would be.
3. Visit as many events as possible in order to get a feel for what group will best support your efforts. Look to see that members are friendly, supportive and interested in helping each other grow their businesses. Get a feel for the members and trust your intuition! If a group doesn’t feel right, find one that does.
4. Be prepared to answer the question, “How can I help you?” Although it is important to be mindful of how you can be helpful to others, it is just as necessary to know how others may be of service to you.
5. Always ask open-ended questions in networking conversations. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Using this form of questioning opens up the discussion and shows listeners that you are interested in them.
6. Develop and practice your elevator speech. Use simple language that talks specifically about what someone receives as a result of using your services.
7. Be the go to gal. Be the person that others turn to for referrals, suggestions, and ideas. When you are known as a strong resource, you remain visible and on people’s radar screen.
8. Follow up quickly with all referrals that are given to you. Nothing is more damaging to your reputation than when you neglect or forget to contact the referral that a business colleague has gone out of their way to give you. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow.
9. Follow up with the people that you meet. Send a simple note expressing how much you enjoyed meeting them. Schedule a time where you can meet for coffee and learn more about each other. You will be hard to forget if you take the time to follow up and continue to build those solid business relationships that will help your business grow.