Yes, I know how to spell. I realize the word marketing doesn’t actually begin with the letter “C.” However, when it comes to marketing, there’s really only one word you need to know, and that word is Communication.
Marketing is about generating awareness. It’s about letting people know what you have to offer and what you can do for them. To do that effectively you need to be able to communicate.
Find your voice.
To find your marketing voice, you must first identify your point-of-view (POV). A strong, distinguishing POV will set you apart from the crowd. It will help your voice be heard. Without a strong POV, you may be talking but no one will be listening. Why? Because it will sound like something they’ve heard a thousand times before.
Decide how you want to communicate.
Every marketing activity stems off one of the following two ways to communicate. If you want to be an effective marketer, you’re going to want make sure you do both well.
Speaking
You absolutely must be able to articulate what you do in a clear, concise, and compelling way. This is one of the biggest challenges for most service professionals. They know what they do, but they don’t know how to talk about it in an engaging way. In a way that resonates with people and makes them want to know more. And, with language that is interesting and provocative.
In fact, many business owners are downright uncomfortable when it comes to talking about what they do. And, if you’re uncomfortable, you’re not going to attract clients.
When you’re able to speak confidently and effectively, it opens up all sorts of marketing opportunities. Presentations. Speaking Engagements. Networking. Video. Teleclasses. Partnerships. Live Events. Podcasting. BlogTalkRadio. Interviews.
Writing
Everywhere we turn are opportunities to market using the written word. And most of them are free. We can create a website. Blog. Write and post articles online. Create and give away special reports. Publish an e-newsletter. Post status updates on social media. Issue press releases. Create ads, flyers, or brochures.
If you can’t write, all of these options are off the table. Or, you have to pay someone to do them for you. Or, maybe worse, if you attempt them and your writing is poor, you can alienate the very clients you’re trying to attract.
Your writing doesn’t have to be perfect, however if it’s poorly constructed, difficult to comprehend, or filled with typos and grammatical errors, it will not portray you and your business in a flattering light.
Writing is a skill. It can be learned. Consider taking a writing course. Or hiring an editor or coach. Most important, just keep writing. The more you practice, the better writer you will be come.
I encourage you to take a few minutes to honestly evaluate your point-of-view, along with your speaking and writing skills. If you’re not 100% confident in all three, invest in improving them. It will definitely be a worthwhile investment.
Guest Writer – Debbie LaChusa
After spending 25 years in the marketing industry, Debbie LaChusa became so frustrated with its “be more, do more, have more” mentality that she began speaking out about it. She wrote a book entitled Breaking the Spell: The Truth about Money, Success, and the Pursuit of Happiness, created The Money Success Happiness Blog, and reinvented her business as The Business Stylist®, vowing to help service professionals learn how to Package, Brand, Market, and Sell their services with integrity and without hype. Her mission is to help people wake up and stop chasing money, success, and happiness and instead discover the true path to a happy, healthy, wealthy life and business. To learn more please visit www.DebbieLaChusa.com
Beautiful article! It is so true that consistency is key to engaging with your audience. I’ve gotten in the habit of constantly writing by having a ezine I send out each Monday. This keeps my writing muscle buffed as I know I need to stay accountable. My next project is do this for my speaking muscle -to post weekly videos…! Thanks for sharing this insightful article on the power of communication and engagement.
I’m glad you enjoyed the article Brenda. And congrats on working out your writing muscle weekly. It IS the best way to strengthen your written communication skills and to find your voice – a key element in developing your brand. Best of luck working on your speaking muscle as well. :-)
Debbie – great post! I agree that communication is key to the success of any business… and it’s not just what you say. Your business communicates visually in how your business shows up and looks, and in the colors, typefaces, and shapes it uses. It communicates in the written form with your marketing messages, copy, advertisements, social media posts, blog posts, and print marketing campaigns. It also communicates verbally in the way we speak about our businesses … and some businesses even communicate by smell!
Jennifer Bourn, Bourn Creative
Hi Debbie! I enjoyed seeing your information about Point of View. That is something that many people really struggle with. Lots of people are doing copy cat things instead of really molding their message to conform with their own passions and strengths. We should be putting our own spin on things, and LOTS of our own personality! Thanks for mentioning it.
Amy Kinnaird
UnCommon Sense Marketing
Great information! I think so many people these days get caught up in the hype of what they are “supposed” to do, they forget their own Point of View. I think everything you said above leads to entrepreneurs standing in their light and owning it. To do that, they need to have a message (POV) and a way to communicate it (speaking and writing). So many entrepreneurs I know are uncomfortable with writing and/or speaking. Nowadays, I think you are right, those skills are imperative to success. Staying true to who you are while keeping up with the times can be tricky, but it is possible, and I am sure the benefits are exponential!