“I just got so sick of it. You do a trade, and when you don’t hire them (hey, I have a masseuse already) – and they stop talking to you! Or, it’s all, “Look at my service, look at my product, will you buy it, buy it, buy it?” Ugh!”
My new business acquaintance – let’s call her Wendy – was telling me what inspired her to start a meetup group that had “nothing to do with business.” I could feel her pain. I could totally understand her frustration – and see the creativity in her problem solving. But would her overcompensation bring her the results she was hoping for?
There is an e asier way. The Soul Fired Client Attraction Mastermind (SFCAM) is starting on the Walk the Talk section of our four month learning curve. This is the point where participants get out there, get more visible, and do intentional networking. You can bet they won’t be falling into any of the above traps, or misguided sales dramas. What a relief to know how to do this with integrity.
Let me tell you how talking about your business can shift from the networking hell that was imprisoning Wendy.
NEW WORDS NEEDED?
Networking, marketing, sales, oh my. I bet it’s what, “1%” – that leap out of bed excited to engage in these activities. You hear of these mythical creatures, and you want to believe that marketing can be soul-connected – a world-changing service even. You’ve been working to get to that fabled sweet spot yourself perhaps.
When you do get there, I can only describe it as this MLK Jr. “I have been to the mountain” kind of feeling. And it is like climbing a mountain, in that it takes a lot of effort to get to the peak – before it’s shifts to downhill. Yes, new words may be needed to make “sales” and the business skills you need feel honorable. Or, you can just put the word “sacred” in front of them – e.g., sacred sales. Intentional marketing. Because when you return from the mountaintop, and you arrive in the sweet spot of equanimity with marketing – it all starts to feel like one big prayer.
For crying out loud, it starts to be fun.
The Sweet Spot’s Influence on Marketing
I’ll talk more of the HOW you make this shift next time, but for now, let’s jump to the fun part of what it’s like to hit the downhill glide off marketing sweet spot mountain top.
1) It’s effortless to deliver your “marketing message”, your description of what you do. You know what to say, in a relaxed, conversational way. You know how to respond to questions that arise, and can even predict the flow at times. Just think how that would change your networking experience.
2) Your message attracts perfect clients right from the bat. They perk up. They make interested and appreciative sounds. You have a good sense of who might be a good person to talk with again (“prospect” or “lead” this is called). You know whose card you can respectfully toss, and who to follow up with. Lovely! No pressure, just responding to voiced interest.
3) You are no longer doing the marketing polarity pole dance with either feeling too shy, or too aggressive, when you talk about your business or attract clients. You have found the peaceful, even joyful stance of promoting yourself and your work in a powerful, effective, community-blessing way.
4) You feel in cahoots with the universe, versus swimming upstream when it comes to attracting new clients and attracting new business opportunities. Your work and mission is bigger than you. You can ask for help, and you get it.
5) You’re confident about creating the income you design and need. You understand how the marketing process works, and it’s no longer a hit or miss mystery that leaves you chewing your nails or powerless to plan future steps, like needed vacationing. You can abandon the idea of looking for a “real” job.
OH WHAT A FEELING!
There is certainly a code to crack to reaching marketing sweet spot peak. I do have 2 – 3 openings for individual clients over the summer who’d like to master these steps as soon as possible. Reply to this email if this rings a bell in your bones.
Soul Biz Savvy Bottom Line: You don’t want to get stuck in the networking hell that Wendy and many solopreneurs struggle with. Yes, it’s a hike to stay on the trail to get to the sweet spot. Yet, getting the word out about your soul genius work with ease and honor makes the challenge of the hike a very worthwhile ascent.
My best to your marketing sweet spot journey,
Denise Barnes