Doing What You Think You Can't: Marketing for Scaredy-Cats

If you are a small business, chances are you've seen it all. You've done it all—or most of it.

As solopreneurs and small biz owners, we wear a million hats.

Seriously. I take out the garbage. I clean the office because my irresponsible cleaning man (notice I didn't say woman) never shows up.

Oh, wait. I don't have a cleaning man.

I make frequent trips to the bank to make sure the business checking account isn't in Overdraft Land. I make the coffee. And pour it. And deliver it to myself. And wash the cup. I fan the business bills out, then put them in neat little piles with dark pink sticky backs: Mail on the 5^th. Mail on the 10^th. Mail on the 20^th.

I answer my own phone (when I'm not in the bathroom). I take breaks to throw slices of whole wheat bread over the deck to the mama deer and her baby. Okay, that one was a little weird.

But what is it that we like to do?

When we—you and me— are deciding how to spend our workday, especially when it comes to the marketing part, we don't just throw a dart and see where it lands. (Well, maybe some of us do.)

Some things we do only because there is no one else to do them.

Then there are the parts of running our business that get us excited. The things that don't seem like a chore. The reason we went into business in the first place.

Funny how it works.

The things I like to do are the things I do best.

Or maybe it's the other way around.

I am best at the things I like to do.

Okay, if you don't have a left brain, like me, you are probably way beyond confused by now. You were probably the one who skipped right over those SAT questions on deductive reasoning.

For me, what I like to do, and what I do best are one and the same: crawling deep inside my brain and excavating new ideas. Telling stories. Not fiction (although that's cool, too). Stories that help small biz owners sell more of their products and services.

And blogging. I love to blog.

I like writing our marketing etips, coming up with new ways to get solopreneurs excited about marketing.

And shaking snow globes and watching the flakes fall. Still trying to figure out how to tie that into my writing. 

These are all solitary things, these things I like to do.

Does this blog post have a point? (As Steve Martin says, 'It makes it so much more interesting for the reader.')

Well, yes, I do have a point.

Many "experts" tell us to focus on our strengths, the things God, the universe, or whatever you want to call it, gifted us with.

You know, that day the fairy sprinkled you with dust and said, "You shall be able to attach a soup spoon to your nose and it will stay even if you shake your head." (Or whatever you’ve been gifted with.)

For me, it was turning out a decent sentence. Sometimes while making people laugh.

It never was giving a speech or acting in a play or, say, being a guest on a live radio show.

So what I did a month ago was a big deal. I climbed the steps to the high dive, and said (looks over edge nervously), "Okay. I'll do that one thing that ties my stomach in a double –strength knot. I will be interviewed on the radio."

Meaning live radio. No rewrites until I get the words perfect. No delete key if I screw up. Oh, and did I say it would be live?

Do the thing you thought you could not do.

When my daughter was in 8^th grade, her middle school had a program called "Dragon Slayers." Each month they would choose something the kids had never done, something that sounded scary hard to them. And they would all go out and do it.

Building self-esteem, they called it. 

Once they went rock rappelling. You know, that thing where you walk backwards down the face of a mountain with only a harness, gear, anchors, rope, and a large cup of courage? 

Another time they went white water rafting. 

Well, I decided to do the thing my middle school self fears most: being on stage. On May 15, I will be a guest on The Brent & Brandi Radio Show.

I got charmed into appearing to talk about storytelling and content marketing by the talented Brent Haeseker and the captivating Brandi Pierce, co-hosts extraordinaire. Please visit their websites and see all the other cool things they are doing.

If you have an hour—which you will never get back, mind you— tune in here. Would love to know that I have a silent, but supportive, audience. 

That's Friday, May 15, 1pm PST, 4pm Eastern time. Somewhere around 2pm, I think, if you are on Central time. 

I'll be there. Because I have a mountain to climb. Or a dragon to slay. Or whatever. 

Comments

[Liz]

So sorry I missed your radio debut! That would scare the pants off me -- even the thought of just contemplating maybe someday doing it makes my knees shake.

Hope it went well!

[Judy Dunn]

Liz,

Haven't seen you here before. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.

Actually, the show went really well (whew!).I think partly because my hosts have a knack for setting their guests at ease. I even had fun!

The archived show is at the brentandbrandishow.com, under "The Podcast," then [talkshoe]. If you ever have a chance to do this, you should do it!

[Brent Haeseker]

Judy,

You were a brave soul to be on our show - entering the lion's den, only to find us as harmless little kittens. :-)

Seriously, thank you for being on the show and the message of your blog post is well taken. Facing one's fears, or at least getting out of our comfort zones allows us to grow and develop. Certain fish that normally grow very big will stop growing at a certain point if put into a small aquarium - they adjust to fit their environment. Getting out of our comfort zone allows us to expand the size of our aquarium.

Keep up the good work!

Sincerely,

Brent

[Judy Dunn]

Brent,

I appreciate your kind words. I have to force myself out of my comfort zone, but when I do, great things usually happen.

I just signed up to get your blog posts, Brent. Am looking forward to reading your insights.