10 Things I've Learned About Marketing

#1: Marketing is FUN!

Do what works for you. Have some fun already. Think about what makes you have a good time, laugh or smile. Learn to share some joy and happiness with the people in front of you. Be willing to “PLAY” around with your opportunity.

#2: Marketing is about PLANTING SEEDS!

You have to plant a lot of seeds before you grow anything. Keep planting. Don’t give up. Share your message and wait for the harvest. Water the seeds. Clean out the weeds. Trust the natural rhythms and patterns.

#3: Marketing is about using your CREATIVITY!

Think in a new way. I get many a marketing idea in the Walmart craft aisles….crazy huh? Or a gift store? Be creative to get them talking about you and your product or service. Do something outrageous!

#4: Marketing is something you do ALL THE TIME!

Always have your business cards available. Bring post cards and flyers too. Have them in the car or in your tote bag. You ARE your business so you are living and breathing it even when it doesn’t seem like you are. Don’t ignore the power of your business name on your vehicle or your brochure on a bulletin board.

#5: Marketing is a LEARNED BEHAVIOR!

We can learn to eat better, exercise, and be a better friend. We can also learn to be better at marketing. If you believe in something, you will talk about it with your friends, family, and even strangers at the coffee shop. Learn new ways to be authentic and still share about your business. Be coachable and willing to learn.

#6: Marketing is SIMPLE if you let it be!

Just tell the truth. Who do you serve? How do you help relieve pain? What do you do each day? Don’t make it more complicated than it really is.

#7: Marketing is about BEING YOURSELF!

Don’t do it. Don’t try to be like that other person and do what they are doing. It won’t work for you. It is a crucial ingredient in marketing that I know YOU, like YOU, and trust YOU. How can I do that if YOU aren’t acting like YOU?

#8: Marketing is about TELLING A STORY!

Tell me your story. How did this product or service help you? What is your testimony? That is really what I want to know. So tell me.

#9: Marketing is FICKLE, just like you!

Yes….fickle. It changes often. What worked last week, might not work this week. But it might work again in 5 months. Just learn to “bounce” and be amazingly persistent in your efforts. Enjoy the ride!

#10: Marketing is FAST!

Move fast. Keep moving. Try things and see what happens. Fail often. Get back up and try another direction. Don’t wait and analyze and get yourself all worked up into a frenzy. Just listen to Nike and “do something”…yes even if is wrong.

Diane Cunningham is the CEO of Diane Cunningham Companies LLC and the president and founder of the National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs (www.nacwe.org) and the Life Inspiration Center. You can visit Diane, access her free reports, and stay connected through www.dianecunningham.com and www.lifeinspirationcenter.com. Diane lives in Wichita Falls, Texas with her husband Robert and her dog Bear.