Don’t Like Marketing But Want To Increase The Number Of People You Help? Consider This . . .
November 15, 2021
If you’re in personal development or spiritual formation fields of work, you might live in the tension of wanting to reach more people but not wanting to market yourself.
For many in our field, the thought of marketing stirs up immediate resistance. Maybe it conjures up the old caricature of a gregarious used-car salesman with his plaid suit and hyperbolic promises. Or a driven business-person who cares only about making money at someone else’s expense.
That’s. Not. Marketing.
The way you resist that approach is the same way most everyone else does, too!
Not only is it unethical, it doesn’t work.
Your marketing material must represent YOU
So how do you let the right people know that you have gifts they need?
It’s tempting to mimic the work of someone who is really successful. What words does she use? Is he humorous? What do their social media posts look like?
If you copy what someone else does, it would seem, maybe you can also copy their success.
But wait. You’re not a copy of anyone else. You have a unique set of gifts some people need for their inner life and growth.
It is your uniqueness–your particular combination of personality, training, and skills–that will serve the people who seek you out. That’s the most important contribution you can make.
It is essential for your marketing materials to highlight the best of what you offer your clients. Don’t settle for the common statements made by other coaches and spiritual teachers. Promote your uniqueness! Let people know the substance you bring to their search for transformation. They need to know YOU are the one who can help.
Dr. Seuss’ wisdom for your marketing
The story is told of the Lake Forest College graduating class of 1977. This small liberal arts college in Lake Forest, IL was looking for a speaker for their graduation ceremony.
The senior class offered multiple recommendations for speakers. The leadership reached out to person after person. The board was offering an invitation to receive a citation along with a honorary degree from the college. The honoree would then share a keynote address.
No one was interested.
Finally, one board member reached out to his good friend, Ted Geisel. Most of us know him as Dr. Seuss. He was indeed willing to attend the ceremony and receive the honorary degree.
Word quickly got out that Dr. Seuss was going to be the graduation speaker. What a joy! Closer to the day of graduation, though, the President of Lake Forest College discovered that Mr. Geisel didn’t realize he was to give a keynote speech.
He wasn’t inclined to.
No amount of pressure could convince him otherwise. The night before, he met with the Seniors at a special reception, signed their Dr. Seuss books, and had many one-on-one talks with them. Maybe that would have to do.
The time arrived at the graduation ceremony for Mr. Geisel to receive his Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa. Lake Forest President Eugene Hotchkiss III read the citation. Two faculty marshalls placed the academic hood over his shoulders.
One last time the request was made. “Might you say a few words?”
Mr. Geisel pulled out a piece of paper from under his gown and read the following poem he’d written for the occasion.
My Uncle Terwilliger on the Art of Eating Popovers
Theodor Seuss Geisel
Lake Forest College Lake Forest, Illinois, USA
JUNE 4, 1977
My uncle ordered popovers
from the restaurant’s bill of fare.
And, when they were served,
he regarded them
with a penetrating stare
Then he spoke great Words of Wisdom
as he sat there on that chair:
“To eat these things,”
said my uncle,
“you must exercise great care.
You may swallow down what’s solid
BUT
you must spit out the air!”
And
as you partake of the world’s bill of fare
that’s darned good advice to follow.
Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.
And be careful what you swallow.
The truth is what’s “solid”
You know how easy it is to tell yourself what you wish was true, yes? To justify your actions by making them sound better than they really were? Yeah, me too.
In my training in pastoral counseling and as a spiritual director, my task is always to help people recognize the deeper truths in their lives. First I had to learn how to tell myself the truth. Well, usually.
Often I will say to clients–and to myself–”Go deeper. Poke around in there and find the real motive.” People are amazingly courageous and insightful! They can often find a deeper truth.
They can find what’s solid. And spit out the air.
The truth of your unique set of gifts is what you market
What is “hot air” you can “spit out”? If you cringe at the thought of marketing yourself, may I suggest that could be “hot air”? It’s not worthy of you. You risk keeping yourself too small. People who need your support won’t get it.
The bigger question is what solid substance do you offer others? What is your unique contribution to people who are seeking help in their personal development or spiritual formation?
When you know that, you know what you need to communicate with your prospective clients.
How do you recognize and claim the unique, strongest gifts you have?
- Ask 12-15 people who know you well “what do I do especially well?” Ask them to tell you what unique set of gifts you offer the world. Just in case it feels too egotistical to ask, cushion it in the form of “I’m working on a marketing project for my coaching business (or whatever business you are in) and I need your help. Would you please tell me . . . “
- Take seriously what feedback they give you. Are there common themes? What stands out? What do people who know you well recognize as your uniqueness?
- Practice your own capacity for self-reflection. What might be keeping you from really making your gifts known to the world? Odds are, “marketing is icky” is a superficial excuse that is just limiting you. Dare I say, “it’s hot air”? Claim the best of who you are, make it known, and bless other people with it.
There’s a lot of “hot air” out there. Be the “solid” that people can count on!
If you’d like help discovering your particular set of skills and learning how to strengthen your marketing through them, I’d love to visit with you. You’ve got a specific purpose and there are people who need your gifts. You can contact me at carmala@carmalaaderman.com or message me on LinkedIn.