A good friend and I were gabbing about marketing the other day.
We came to the conclusion that like fashion, marketing ideas, methods and formulas are merely recycled and repackaged from years gone by, into something that feels fresh and new.
It therefore is a bit disappointing (for some) when you hear of a ‘new’ approach only to dig a little deeper and find out it’s not new at all and is instead, an old idea in a different dress.
So why can’t anyone make the true ‘this is unique’ claim?
Because the truth is we haven’t changed…
Marketing is in part the emotional and psychological arm of your business. While branding is the emotional and relationship building center of your business, marketing takes that emotion, wraps a little psychology around it with the intention of getting people into action. I won’t even go into the BIG problem of marketing when the element of branding is left out of the equation!
And because we are still motivated by many of the same things: the need for more money, more time, more problems to solve, more love, more fame, etc., the ‘game’ of marketing (and the steps of the game) is as old as the Levis brand.
In order for marketing to change, what we desire needs to change. Until then, it is a matter of looking at the new lines, shape and drape of marketing and choosing a path that is your ‘best fit.’
Some things to consider as you go through the marketing ‘racks’:
1. Does the method honor the integrity of your personal and/or business brand?
2. Does the teacher and their philosophy honor the integrity of your personal and/or business brand? Would you be proud to state, “I am a student of….”?
3. Can the method grow with you as you grow?
4. Will you need to hire an entire crew to execute the method because of its technical or advanced nature? Delegating is wonderful (you don’t want to be a technician in your business if you don’t have to!) but if you can’t implement even the first part of the model without some help…give it some serious thought or consider hiring a Marketing Manager instead.
Until next time…
Love and thanks,
Liz
Tags: branding, branding maven, levis, liz pabon, liz pabone, marketing to women, mavherick, personal brand, small business marketing
