Marketing. It has been much on my mind. I’ll start by acknowledging that I’ve worked in Marketing much of my life. I have only worked to market products or services I believed in – not just to be authentic to my values, but because I market effectively by loving something and presenting it in such a way that it appeals to others, too. If I don’t believe in it – I’m just not very effective at promoting it.
But I find myself really repulsed by marketing, these days. I feel like I have a kind of PTSD around it. That image from the Trump press conference, of all the manila folders, supposedly full of plans to turn his business over – and, apparently, all blank pages. It’s all about image, and nothing about substance.
And Oprah’s big push for WeightWatchers right now. In the commercials, she’s so energized. So gleeful. As though she hasn’t led women to spend millions on her other “this is the final solution” weight loss plans. It’s all about image, and nothing about value.
It’s all about how you spin it. And nothing about honesty. I know the idea that marketing is vile is not a new concept. I just haven’t ever been as repulsed by it as I am right now.
Which brings me to sustainability, and sustainable spirit – my own. I am in the midst of finding my way into being self-employed. This process is proving to be thrilling and laden with anxiety. I need the work, I need the income, and I’m determined not to do anything that falls outside my values (or why not just go work for someone else?).
After a few weeks of trying different things, here’s what I know. Marketing myself is, for the most part, not sustainable for me. There’s something about it that decreases my effectiveness doing my work. Meaning – when my focus is on marketing myself, my effectiveness with my clients is, I believe, lessened.
I don’t entirely understand this. I don’t in any way cast aspersions on the healers, energy workers and spiritual workers I know who do market themselves, and do it well. I get to keep in touch with them and their work, in part, through the marketing they do. I have every faith in their authenticity.
But I believe “marketing” played a big role in where my nation and our culture seem, to me, to be today. So though it sounds crazy to say it – for now, if people want to work with me as a coach, and for healing, they will just have to find me. I have a web page, and I’m keeping it. I’m posting what I hope are helpful posts on my Facebook page.
But I’m not spending ten hours figuring out how to run an effective Facebook ad. Instead, I’m staying in touch with the change agent within me, and the energetic desire my clients have to change, and working with them to build a bridge between what is, and what can be. I’m better at that work. And just hoping that’s enough, on its own.
many thanks to Gardenwitch Whitewing, for reminding me it was time to get back to the blog …