It only seemed right to follow up my 10 things we hate about marketing with a post about all the things there are to love about marketing. I wouldn’t want you to think I hate marketing! After all, I’ve been in the business for 20 years and it hasn’t become stale to me. So, if you don’t enjoy marketing your work, let this list persuade you that marketing can be fun, varied and creative.
Want to grow your audience? You need a compelling brand message.
1. The satisfaction of communicating clearly
This is the reason I got into marketing. I knew in my bones it was possible to communicate things well, whether through words, visuals, icons … I got frustrated when it was unclear what a company was about or what a product would do for me. I wanted to call up the CEO and ask them to tell me what they really did and why I should buy their product. Even now, I get excited when I read an author bio which succinctly sums up what they’re about and leaves me wanting to meet them for coffee.
2. Marketing is about relationship
This is the second reason I got into marketing and one of the key things I learned early on. Marketing isn’t about ads. It’s not transactional. Not for me anyway. The best marketing is about building a relationship with someone else, showing how you can help them and developing trust. This is what makes it meaningful to me and makes me stick at it.
3. It’s varied
Having worked as a marketing consultant for 20 years, this job has kept me on my toes. I’ve had the privilege of working with clients from lots of different industries, but even if you’re a writer marketing your own work, you have options. There are many ways to market to your readers, so if you get fed up with one activity, turn your hand to something else for a while. Now, don’t get me wrong. I am a believer in having a focus and sticking to it, but that doesn’t stop you from tinkering at other things in the background if you get fed up with your current chosen activity.
4. Marketing is creative
It doesn’t matter that I’ve done this for years, every time I look at Facebook or Instagram, I see a creative way that someone is reaching out to their audience. Authors are constantly coming up with innovative ways to launch their books and connect with readers – dedicated Facebook groups, author hops, cool giveaways. It means that marketing doesn’t have to be a dirty word for writers; we can make it fun and tap into our creative side.
5. Meaningful connections
One of the things that never fails to cheer me up is the meaningful, human connections that come when you keep putting your heart into your marketing. Recently, I reached out to a writer in a Facebook group to offer my daughter’s services as a beta reader. When she saw my email signature she visited my website and took the time to reply with these words, “What a great business you have! I need to follow all of your advice :). I’m trying to ramp up my next steps as a writer and get smart about ‘the business’. So I’ll be checking you out more often.” Needless to say, she made my day and I had to shout about it on my Facebook page! Yes, partly because her words were flattering, but more because I thought, “yes, my work is helping someone!”
6. Marketing is adaptable
In my mind, good marketing is about getting the foundational philosophies in place. After that, there are so many strategies, tools and platforms out there to suit every type of business and person. Which means writers can make marketing work for them. You don’t need a big advertising budget, you just need time and focus.
7. There are new tools all the time
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. None of these existed when I started as a marketing consultant. Sure, it means I can’t rest on my laurels, it means I need to keep noticing and learning, but it does mean there are new ways of reaching new readers all the time. In a few years’ time I’m sure there’ll be a new platform of some kind, or these existing platforms will have morphed and we’ll have to adapt how we use them.
Want to grow your audience? You need a compelling brand message.
8. Marketing impacts the whole business
In my work with entrepreneurs and small business owners, it never ceases to amaze me the impact marketing planning has on the whole business. Once a business owner understands the foundations of marketing, and how it exists to help them reach their financial goals, they get excited about how these principles can impact everything they do – from HR, to customer service, to their messaging. And often the first ‘marketing’ activity I’ll suggest has nothing to do with the public face of the business. A client I worked with years ago still raves about how the introduction of customer surveys transformed their business. And yes, customer surveys are part of marketing! Don’t discount yourself if you’re a writer; you’re CEO of your own business and that business involves more than writing.
9. We’re always learning
Human beings are complex, and so is culture. If we’re doing marketing right, we’re always discovering what people want and how they respond to things. This is fascinating if you’re anything like me and love learning what makes people tick. Yes, it does mean we have to adapt our strategies and messaging, but how fun to keep growing.
10. Longevity
This might sound counter-intuitive but one of the things I love about marketing is that it’s not a flash-in-the-pan activity. True success only comes over time as you keep building consistency and trust, and keep showing up. Yes, this means we have to find motivation to market ourselves consistently, but it also means there’s greater satisfaction when we start to see results, because we know those results represent skin in the game.
I truly believe everyone can get to a point where they enjoy marketing their work. However, that might take a little one-on-one support to start with. Reach out if you want to brainstorm ideas for how to market your work. I’d love to help.
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