Marketing doesn’t come easy. It’s just one of those things I never got into. I always skip over ads and commercials - trying to avoid looking at or listening to whatever way a business is trying to reach me...feeling like someone out there in the corporate word is trying to trick me into buying something I don't need or want.
While working for a mapping company out of college, I ended up in the marketing department as an analyst - and felt like a round peg in a square hole. My boss wanted to know all the analytics behind website clicks and email campaigns - and I just had to feign interest until it was time to move on.
Now, here I am - with my own business - a great need to market, and a marketing department of 1. It's not easy for me. I'm just not a natural at opening up and speaking out via the interwebs. Am I an old timer trapped in a young body? A Luddite? Or just plain shy? Maybe a bit of each...but it's an interesting challenge, and what makes all the difference in the world, is my mission.
When it comes to overcoming my fear of marketing, I have to continually remind myself of my mission...because it is my mission that drives me to keep going, to find my voice and to broadcast it out to as many people as possible. Let's reduce waste! Let's be creative in how we can reduce waste in beautiful, responsible and practical ways. My town happens to host hundreds of weddings every summer - and it's the biggest way I can find to make a difference - plus I just love weddings and helping host celebrations where the focus is love, family and commitment. So...when I think about my mission, I get charged up, and it overcomes that old fear or marketing. This is my passion, and my way of making a difference in the world. Not only can I help reduce waste at weddings (which generate an average of 400 lbs of trash), but I can also have fun helping couples plan, design, and create a beautiful place to say "I DO! I do commit to loving you and taking care of you until death do us part” - what's more beautiful than that?
So, there you have it…my fear, or just plain dislike for marketing, and how I overcome it everyday in order to get my message out to the world…and as it turns out, I’m having fun doing it. It sure doesn’t come easy, but I’m realizing social media is an unexpected creative outlet for me, and it gets a little easier each time.
Can you relate? Let me know in a comment!
Peace to you and yours -
Theresa B.