Some Marketing People don’t always Market Themselves that well. I think there are some key reasons for that, but we can learn some great lessons from the ones that do it well!
My own Marketing is far from perfect, but I think I market myself reasonably well. I have massive website update coming, I have a tight elevator pitch, great business cards, an awesome referral network and I use blogging (such as this article you are reading now) to promote myself.
Talking quite directly to you, even though I am a “Sales & Marketing Person”, Marketing oneself is always a personal challenge for a range of reasons. I don’t struggle with it anymore, but originally things such as self-worth, low budgets, learning the market and finding one’s “Position” in the market was tricky at the start. I think it took me at least 2 years full-time in business before I could look anyone in the eye and say “I am great at my own marketing” and what I find interesting is looking at many other Sales & Marketing People around town.
Some are brilliant and I often learn from their inspiring businesses, (e.g. the Anna Porter for her energy, Martha Arifin for her Technical Understanding, Matt Craig for his Entrepreneurial Vision etc) but the reality is that many people who say they work in “Sales & Marketing” usually have lot of trouble marketing themselves.
Even people I have seen who have been in the industry for say 10 years and more, you still find have wafer thin business cards, their websites don’t work property and if you ask them for them to email you details about what they do – they try and evade the topic saying “Let’s Chat on the Phone” or something lame like that. I think many Sales & Marketing People aren’t that good at their own business in that regard because at some deep level they don’t actually believe in what they are saying or recommending. For example, if you know that great business cards can help you get more business and only say cost $500 to get 1000 of them done then why wouldn’t you? If you don’t, yet you have money to spend on other items then it is the only thing I can think of. If a Marketing person won’t buy themselves decent business cards, they don’t believe great business cards are worth it!
I think it’s quite sad actually and I totally respect why many people out there are very sceptical when it comes to Marketing People. I am right into the industry, it was what my Post Graduate in Marketing was in, and even I am quite sceptical of many others I meet. I think this is a bad thing, but the good news is and the message I have found personally is that when “Marketing People” start “Marketing Themselves” better, they get immediate results themselves.
Sure, when you start out in business, even if you are a Marketing Coach, Mentor, Consultant or into Sales – your own Marketing skills are going to need some work. I think only few people in this space really believe in their own advice – because if everyone else did, they would have Awesome Sales & Marketing! Of the ones I consider brilliant, they almost always have:
1) A Great Concept.
2) A Cool Logo, Business Cards and Sales Material.
3) A Tight Compelling Sales Pitch.
4) A Beautiful Website.
5) A Great or an Emerging Reputation.
6) A Clear Offering with Great Packages.
7) A Stack of Great Testimonials!
+ Many More!
In short, I think you can judge a lot by a person (especially if they work in Sales & Marketing) by how they market themselves. If someone is personally doing what they are recommending you to do, then you can sit back with good confidence and calculate that this person probably is telling you the truth.
Now I have written this article, I am more (rightly so) self-conscious about my own Sales & Marketing than ever before! I better get to work so people reading this article don’t start laughing at me.
Thank you for kind read and happy days and nights! Edward Zia – Marketing Mentor who Believes in Marketing!
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