Market my business and we’ll see how brave you are
“Market my business!” they cry at me. As though the ask is something straight forward and known to all. But marketing is not just the idea or the ask. It’s far more involved.
Take my business for example. Marketing my business has never been easy. But it has involved a lot of bravery.
Apart from stealing that headline from a lyric by Ms Tori Amos (which I can do, being a card carrying fan), “we’ll see how brave you are” speaks to me on a very personal business level.
Whenever I meet a client, whether in my current incarnation as Unashamedly Creative, as part of creative projects I work on the side, or in previous client services and marketing roles, bravery is there. The concept of bravery is something I not only admire, but it is something I seek in the people I am going to collaborate with.
Bravery is really, really important. You cannot really expect a massively fulfilling project or business without it. Even as a direct marketer for a large corporation you need to be brave in order to gain fulfilment.
You can’t ask me “market my business” without being unsure and a little brave. And it would be impossible if I didn’t show some bravery in return. Here’s why.
What bravery in business isn’t
Bravery isn’t about coming up with a crazy idea and running with it- at least not without a solid foundation and a lot of practical planning behind it.
And bravery isn’t about big budgets or dressing up flash mobs in lingerie and sending them out to collect donations out the front of the local conservatives club for shock value. Bravery is about having enough spirit within you to face potential failure but having enough belief and conviction about your idea to follow through.
It’s about making a change or following a path despite there being seemingly easier options available. Bravery is about using ability, brains, heart and creativity in an attempt to make something inspiring.
Bravery is different things to different people
The way I see it, it’s actually quite brave to chase the ideas of being fulfilled and inspired, especially when temptations like security and wealth can often derail them. Not that they are mutually exclusive entities, but there are a lot of people out there “just doing” because they maintain a standard of living or think that’s where their degree or experience has lead them.
Look at it this way, we wouldn’t need sayings like “If you love your job, you never work a day in your life” as they would be the reality for all of us as opposed to the minority.
And you can be brave in a secure job, and you can be brave whilst you hold onto one. It’s just a matter of asking yourself what you find fulfilling and inspiring and then comparing it to what you are currently doing. Brave people will invariably say yes.
Market my business with love
Many years ago I met a guy who had found his fulfilment and inspiration in of all things, sourdough bread. He had walked away from a good job to start again at apprentice level, getting up at 4am six days a week to go and make bread. He was fairly skint, had unsociable hours and yet smiled with his mouth and his eyes as he talked passionately about the various kinds of bread he made.
To him, it was a pretty simple thing- he got to enjoy an after work surf every day at lunchtime, to work with his hands making a quality product he knew people loved and was so happy with his job and lifestyle didn’t care about going out or spending money. At the time, I thought the guy was a fruit loop. Now I totally understand why he made the change.
Market my business like you care
See we all have dreams of doing something when we are little. So why do we let that part of ourselves die? Having a dream or a plan, seeking fulfilment and inspiration, opting for things that make us happy and being brave enough to say “Pffft! “ to the detractors is actually a lot of fun.
There are communities sprouting up like www.pozible.com.au which give us the chance to tackle what we want to achieve. The internet is buzzing with people seeking, searching and self publishing their creative works and business ideas. And I, being one of them, want to help market and write for as many of these awesome creative and business ideas as I can.
So if you have a hankering for a little bravery, want to follow your dreams and adventure, let’s make contact.