As a passionate marketer, I find it interesting to see that many people think branding is about creating a fake or pretended identity. Old-school marketing tried to make you fit into a set of guidelines to get to you to sell anything at any cost. But new-school marketing, mostly triggered by social media, and thus digital marketing, is very different.
Thank you millennials for proving that your true story and message sells!
Most old-school marketers will try to sell you magic solutions, “email templates” that will sell anything. Set structures that work “every time”. Beware! That is not how true marketing works! Not to say that there is nothing to learn, or that all sales and marketing courses or techniques are obsolete. However, there is no one strategy that works “every time” for “any” product or service. Using all these generic trends and templates is what makes you feel “empty” or like your selling your soul for the sake of making your business work. All of this, when the truth is:
What you really need to make your business work is PROMOTING YOUR SOUL; sharing with others why your business, content or service makes your soul feel good.
The beauty of social media, and true content marketing, is the opportunity to share stories, experiences, and knowledge. It is to provide content that brings value to users. Social media was built to connect, and tell stories! So if you really want to find the best way to sell, you need to get two things straight:
Your message
Your message includes your story, who you are and what you’re doing. What sort of product, service, or content you’ll be sharing. Why is this message important to you, and why do you think it should be important to others?
Your values
Your values are part of who you are. What do you stand for? Where did your message come from? What makes your message true and valuable? This will help you attract the right crowd to your message.
True marketing doesn’t sell everything to everyone. It just helps both sides of the economic transaction be found, connect, and understand whether they meet each others’ needs and expectations. This is why true, honest, and soulful marketing works best! And this is why you will be appealing to the right audience if you get your message and values right. The next step is the strategy, the channels, and those cool things that you can actually learn from those marketing specialists who are trying to reach out to you.
Quick marketing tip: Keep it short, sweet, and soulful!
To learn more about why it’s not so bad to think of yourself as a brand visit my podcast “Healthy Digital Life” here.
