Does the thought of marketing conjure up thoughts of pushy salespeople, hours of phone soliciting, or stacks of monthly mailings? As business owners, many of us cringe at the thought of promoting our business. “After all,” we think, “I am offering a particular product or service and that is where my strength lies. I am knowledgeable about what I offer, not about how to offer it.”

It’s true that trying to promote your business can be mentally and physically draining, not to mention time consuming. This is especially true if you are using a method that doesn’t seem natural. Yet, visibility and exposure is key to attracting customers and building a sound business foundation.

Here’s the key. Marketing doesn’t have to be a business owner’s nightmare; and you don’t need a college degree in marketing to do it. You may not even need a set strategy. As a matter of fact, you can make up the rules as you go along!

Marketing can be fun and enjoyable if you market from the heart. In fact, contrary to popular opinion, when you are just getting started in marketing, it doesn’t make sense to start talking about strategy. I’ve noticed that coaching clients who are just beginning to promote their businesses are pretty shy about stepping out there to gain exposure. That’s why marketing from the heart resonates so well with them.

Marketing from the heart means that you break the stereotypical mold and do it your way! Forget all the “shoulds” you ever learned about marketing and do what comes naturally. Trying to market your business any other way isn’t authentic. It takes a huge effort to do what is not natural and the results aren’t nearly as promising.

One of my clients, who is a people person, set up a booth at a trade show. She was able to meet people, network, and have fun at the same time! She made sure to hand out business cards, brochures, and to follow up with potential leads.

Another way to add personal flair to your marketing is to educate people. Those who love to talk and teach find this to be personally fulfilling and an effective way to attract business. There are many forms of teaching: workshops, presentations, or formal classes, at colleges, libraries, bookstores, on-line, or for associations.

For myself, I love to write. That skill has been useful in marketing my coaching practice. I started by subscribing to online ezines that sparked my interest. Once I read a few issues I submitted an article and it was accepted for publishing. Articles generate inquiries from those interested in coaching. So if you like writing, start writing articles about what you do and submitting them to magazines, newspapers, or online venues. This will get your name out there and will attract potential customers.

Many business owners volunteer their services. Do you enjoy helping people? If so, volunteer your time or donate your product. People will get to know you and will tell others about your business. I am a personal trainer, and volunteer one day a week teaching fitness classes to at-risk youth. As a result, the person in charge of the facility is now interested in hiring me to teach the staff. You could get business contacts through your philharmonic, or through volunteering for any professional or social organization, your children’s school, or any other place where you interact with people and they get to know you.

One client of mine enjoys the Internet. She gets a lot of pleasure out of messing around with email, web design, and all the rest of it. So she sends out a monthly ezine to friends, family, and clients to keep them all in the loop. An ezine is an effective way to advertise your product or service. If you make sure it has information that lots of people find interesting, it will keep your name and business in front of them in a positive way, frequently. And don’t forget websites. With the tools and help available today, creating your own web site isn’t as intimidating as it sounds.

If you want to have some additional Internet fun, then post advertisements or announcements in ezines and on message boards. Send online or local press releases to announce what you’re doing and what you’ve been involved in. By typing in key words on the Internet, you can locate web sites that will circulate your press releases for free. I send press releases for every event I’m involved in. So far, I’ve landed five media interviews in local papers, four online interviews, and one radio interview. Again, this opened doors and attracted potential clients.

This is all marketing from the heart. Doing what you love to attract customers, network, gain exposure, and build a strong business foundation. In addition, this will rarely cost you any money. Allow yourself to feel inspired by doing what comes naturally. If you are doing what you love and having fun at it, how can it be a chore? And you’re much more likely to do it if it’s not a chore. Make up your own rules, do what inspires you, and watch your business flourish!

© 2002 Monique Rider

About the Author
Monique Rider is a transition coach, fitness trainer and the founder of Bodylife Dynamics. Through her Internet business she provides telephone-based support to domestic and international clients. Monique is a champion of women and helps them to focus on their inner life, building strength from the inside out. Based in Arizona she can be reached at 480-699-0527 or Monique_Rider@msn.com.