Authentic Marketing For Heart-Centered Entrepreneurs & Creatives
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The word marketing scares you a little bit - doesn't it?
Perhaps, you're thinking of starting your own business (or already have one established), and you want to get your products & services out there more effectively. When you think of marketing, you think of pushy sales people or people shoving things (that you don't need) down your throat. As a heart-centered entrepreneur/creative that scenario is so far from who you are.
You don't want to force your services on people, and you definitely do not want people buying your products if they don't resonate with what you’re offering. You want to get to the people who benefit from what you have to offer (and do it in the most authentic way possible).
I understand you completely and I've got you covered.
From this point forward, I invite you to think of marketing in a new way.
“Marketing, is linking what you have to offer with the people who will benefit from it most. ”
That would be your tribe (the people who you are best at helping/serving). They are the people who want what YOU (specifically) have to offer.
You have a piece of art that can uplift someone's spirit, you have a service that can help someone get from point A to point B, or you host a retreat for women wanting to reconnect with their inner peace. All of that is valuable and needs to be shared. That's where marketing comes in. You can share what you have to offer in a way that is authentic and effective.
Here Are 14 Authentic Marketing Tips For Heart-Centered Entrepreneurs & Creatives (Meaning This One's For You)
1. Make Connections & Build Relationships
You know who you want to serve. That's great! Now it's time to start building relationships with them. Connect with them online, like their photos (only if you really really resonate with what's there), and add your input to their posts.
Show people who you are. Before anyone buys from you, they want to know who you are and what you're about. So add valuable input on the forums, connect with those you would like to serve on platforms like Instagram and Twitter, and start building a relationship with those who will benefit from what you have to offer.
Only post genuine comments and befriend those who you really connect with. Please don't befriend people, just to get them to sign up for your offering, and then de-friend them. Only make connections with the people who you would love to serve and who you resonate with. Make those authentic connections.
2. Invite People To Explore Your Offerings
Don't you love going to the store when they have samples of something you would like to try? Give your potential clients/customers the same kind of experience. People want to buy from you, but they want to know that what they're getting is "worth it" to them. So show them some of what you have to offer.
If you've written a book, give a few chapters away for free (when people sign up for your newsletter). If you created a meditation series, let them hear a few minutes of it. If you host a retreat, share extra photos of past successful retreats or of the location you'll be meeting at. This gives people an idea of what they're actually buying. We all love to sample before we buy!
3. Set Up A Blog (If You Haven't Done So Already)
A blog is a great way to share your process, some behind the scenes things, and what you are going through as you build your business. So set up a blog if you haven't done so already. Share helpful tips and strategies with your audience. Give them great advice. Let them into your life a little bit. People want to see that you relate to them. When you share a little bit of your world ~ it helps people learn to trust and appreciate you.
4. Share Some Behind The Scenes Photos
I don't know about you, but I love to see people's creative process. I love to see how they do what they do. I love to see what inspired them to start their businesses and what "really" goes on behind the scenes. People love stuff like that.
Show your audience your creative process or some behind the scenes photos. Again, it helps people learn to trust you and it gets them excited about what you have to offer.
5. Shift Your Focus To Your Customer/Client
Sometimes when we're marketing, we can become too "self" centered and I say that in the most loving way. What I mean is, we talk about ourselves, our experience, and what we want from our business. Marie Forleo gives a simple tip that can change everything for your business. Here's the video.
It's a simple switch in focus from "who you are" & "what you want" to "who your customer is" and "how you can help them". I think shifting the focus to your customer is essential in marketing yourself authentically. After all, you are serving your client. So it helps if your words and your offerings are geared towards them. This lets them see that you're really listening and that you care about their needs.
6. Create Super Helpful Content For Your Audience
How did you get to this article? You're here because I serve heart-centered female entrepreneurs/creatives. When I think of you, I think of seeing you thrive in your creative business (do what you love, make money, and have a creative passion that fuels your life). Everything I create, will cater to seeing that version of you ~ come alive fully.
So you're here because I am creating content that is helpful to you & to the industry that I love to serve. I want to see women (just like you), doing what they love to do & thriving. Anyway that I can help you do that (be it resources, helpful content, creating guides/courses, etc), is what I am going to do.
Be sure to create that same kind of helpful content for those who you serve best. It will keep them coming back again and again.
7. Use A Conversational Tone
This is so important. People do not want to just be sold to. Speak to your audience like they're your friends when you're posting on social media or blogging. Don't just jump right into your offer. Share a story with them, ask some questions, and then guide them to what you have to offer (with the best intention of course). You have the intention to guide them to a product or service that can benefit them, but share some stories of your connections to the product or service first.
8. Get To Know Your Audience Better
When you send out your weekly newsletter, send a short survey with it. Get to know them more. Who are they? What attracted them to your business? What are they enjoying about what you have to offer? How can you serve them more effectively? Ask. Open up the conversation. People love to give feedback. I send surveys out to my little Spirit & Muse tribe from time to time too. If you're a part of my little tribe - thank you so much. If not, you can sign up here and you'll get an exclusive 2018 Align & Thrive Digital Kit. Enjoy!
Once you ask for their opinion, try to honor what they're saying. Take the feedback and craft your services/products/offerings towards what they say they need. You'll then be giving your clients exactly what can help them in their lives, and people buy what they need.
9. Provide Excellent Customer Service
Every point of contact with your clients/potential clients needs to be on point. Remain kind, give your best, and always go above and beyond. Word of mouth travels fast. When you give people an excellent experience, they remember it, and they will happily refer their friends and family to you. We love that ~ don't we? Of course we do!
10. Share How Your Products/Services Have Helped You (Personally)
Our offerings sometimes comes from ideas that have worked for us personally or from things that have enhanced our lives. Let your clients know how your products or services have helped you transform your life. They want to know that it works and that it's going to benefit them. So share your story and don't be shy about it. You don't have to give them all the details, but share a little bit of how your product or service helped you move along your journey.
11. Believe In What You're Offering
This too, is super important. If you don't believe in yourself and in what you're offering, do you think that you're going to be excited to sell it. The answer of course is NO. So you have to connect with what you're offering. You have to believe in it. When you believe in it, it's no problem to talk about it or to share information about it. Connect with your work and then happily spread the word.
12. Share Your Testimonials
When people rave about how great you are ~ share that! It's a great way for other people to see that your service or product offers value.
Share those testimonials on your about page, on your products/services page, and on your social media platforms.
This is tip #7 on the Authentic Marketing Pinterest Board
13. Invite People To Your Other Social Media Platforms
When you're writing your blog posts, create links to your other social media platforms. Get people to connect and to engage with you.
You can build Pinterest boards that are relevant to the industry that you work in and that speak to your clients/target market. You can tweet quotes that inspire and uplift people or lines from your work (if you're a writer/storyteller). Make sure they are things that you really connect with. Again, this is authentically showing who you are and inviting people along to see what you have to offer.
Don't you love how I set up the link to the Spirit & Muse Pinterest gallery above? That's exactly what I mean. There are mood-boards there that are relevant to the things that I love & that will benefit the creative entrepreneurs that I love to serve. The boards are relevant to all things Spirit (to uplift the spirit) & Muse (inspire your creativity).
14. Be Yourself
This is the last (but certainly not least) tip. BE YOURSELF.
You have a lot of wisdom, creative genius, and resourcefulness that can help you as you build your business.
You don't have to be someone else to market yourself, you don't have to be at the status that other people are at, and you don't have to change who you are (meaning fit into a certain mold).
You don't have to force people to buy your stuff or deal with people who don't resonate with you. You can be exactly who you are, be genuine, be honest, share your best, and those who want what YOU (specifically) have to offer, will find you.
This is tip #8 on the Authentic Marketing Pinterest Board
Well There You Have It ~ Some Authentic Marketing Tips For Heart-Centered Entrepreneurs & Creatives
I hope these tips help you move forward in a powerful way. I know you've got this, but it's pretty cool to have a little help along the way ~ don't you agree? Keep sharing yourself with the world. As Marie Forleo always says, "the world needs that special gift that only you have". So go out there and show this world what you’re made of (in the most authentic way).
Live Well & Keep Creating!
Intuitive Guide
P.S. If you know another heart-centered entrepreneur/creative who could benefit from this list, feel free to share it via the social share buttons below this post + thx for sharing.
Photo Source Credit: Unsplash.com | @stilclassics