Are you a business owner, an employee or in between opportunities? We all have to market ourselves whether it is our services, products or mostly, our ideas. Marketing is about articulating our unique value to the right people for a specific result. Each Type, within the Human Design System, has a slightly different approach to impart their message. Yet, the basic premise of personal marketing applies to all Types.
My sales and marketing career began in 1987, selling office equipment. Oh, those early days were pain staking and full of rejection. Changing industries and putting my energy where my heart is, personal and professional development, brought my growth and success. Then, dominate marketing styles were ‘sell’ features and benefit, compete, embellish results and focus on the transaction. Gratefully, and largely due to the internet, these trends are fading into history. Today the general public is more sensitive to manipulative moves. They tend to invest in educating themselves before making purchases or beginning a business relationship. Forcing the marketing climate to soften and morph to be more educational, cooperative, creditable, and relationship focused.
These refreshing and more authentic marketing approaches fit well with the Human Design System. Each Type can deliver their message congruently with their Strategy and Inner Authority. In this first of a series, I’ll lay out the essentials of personal marketing appropriate for all Types. In subsequent editorials, I’ll share tactics and suggestions each Type can utilize to carry out their unique value.
1. Who are your clients?
Though it may feel counter-intuitive, marketing doesn’t begin with a great idea or unique product. The most brilliant branding or strategy, does not promise a successful outcome. Perhaps it is you or someone you know who’d been excited about a great business opportunity, spending resources to market that business, and then finding no one responds to the message.
Marketing begins with, who are your clients. Who is going to utilize your products, services, partner with you or hire you? To discover or rediscover your ideal clients, reach to your current or past clients, your history, to apprise what you really appreciate about them or work environment. Reflect on; how did you sync up, what did you have in common, how did or could you make a contribution and what is it you appreciate about them? Begin here with a basic sketch of your favorite clients. Embellish and refine your description by adding other qualities or values you’d like to experience (more of). Such as, they give referrals, are on time for their appointments or they pay their fees in advance. Keeping in mind the basic Law of Attraction, what we focus on expand. Write only the most positive portrayal of your client experiences. Formulate a clear description based on what it is you like and want.
Many marketing experts suggest tuning into your clients demographics. Such as, where do they live, how old are they, what is their profession and hobbies. These have merit but they do not really connect with the personal aspects.
With your description and preferences as your guide, formulate your message to connect and build your client relationships using multiply mediums including: email, web site, brochures, presentations, social media, and a host of others.
2. Identify and follow your passions
Do you authentically love what you’re doing? Are you turned on and enthusiastic about your life’s work or services? What is the heart of your business?
First, you need to know your natural gifts and talents. There are many tools, tests or assessments which can provide insights. Life experience alone gives clues. Undoubtedly, Human Design provides an accurate road map to follow. What is it that you love to do? How do you like to help people? Are you good with numbers and facts? Do you love animals? Are you passionate about food, decorating, medicine, research?
Today’s economy has forced everyone to rethink, retool, and reinvent themselves and business practices to create a more sustainable future. We’re being called to dive deep into our passion and persuasions to allow for a fuller and more authentic self expression.
Once you’ve identified your passions and accessed your skills, integrate them into a service/product for others to establish an income or an empire for yourself. The explosion of the pet industry is a great example. Money spent on pets and pet supplies have more than doubled in the last decade. This trend provided an opportunity for one of my clients to take her love of animals to establish and maintain a successful pet care business, as it has for 1000’s of others.
As stated, Marketing is about finding your unique abilities and being able to communicate these to others effectively. What are your unique abilities?
3. Be seen as an expert
Marketing actually has a language. And the purpose of this language is to get attention, generate interest and motivate people to take action to find out more about you. To get people’s attention your communications must offer credibility and have a long-term mind set to build trusting relationships.
Another client used her 10 years experience as a Casting Director and parent of a child TV star (who matured to movies) into a career as a life coach. Realizing, as a Casting Director, her focus was ‘coaching people’ on the best acting roles and to development professionally. She launched her business with a newsletter and a parent’s survival booklet for child actors. Eventually adding workshops for client base.
When you’re seen as an expert your illumined presence is a naturally attractor for ideal clients, partners and opportunities. Keep a pulse on the latest in your field through:
- Magazines
- Internet Research
- Books
- Organizations with like-minded people
- Conferences or Workshops
- Getting involved with nonprofits that are in harmony with your expertise
What is one action step you can take to develop your expertise?
These three concepts are in constant motion. We are ever changing and growing Beings. As we transmute and evolve, our messages continue in concert with the changes. Effective marketing requires you to tune in for more ways to stay in touch with your vocation and clients, discover innovative ways to create more value and being consistent to build trust. People do business with people they like and trust.
Free yourself from your fears of not getting it or doing it ‘right’ in the past. Begin fresh, today, by refining your ideal client profile, assess your passions and submerge yourself in your research, studies, and innate pleasures. The rest will take care of itself.
I invite you to send me your questions related to your personal marketing. Please include your Birth information so I can review your chart, along with the specific challenge you’re experiencing. I’ll select a question for each Type.
“People who look for great ideas to make money are not nearly as successful as those who say ‘Okay, what do I really love to do? What am I excited about? What do I know something about? What’s interesting and compelling?’ ”
– Michael Dell, Dell Computers
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Brilliantly stated. You are really on to something here my dear…enjoying the series