by Cara Lumen
Your marketing strategy should be built on your strengths. If you are a good networker, focus on networking, if you are a good writer you can leverage that strength into a complete sales cycle.
Michael Port has put out a call to his Book Yourself Solid Coaches to help him revise his cornerstone book Book Yourself Solid and of course, I answered. In fact, I volunteered to organize the original signups for what sections people wanted to work on. And that’s what gave me the idea for this article. Several coaches had really focused on networking. It is their natural strength and they have developed that into their major marketing strategy. There’s going to be a new section on Social Media and several coaches had been taking more training in that as they made that a major marketing strategy for themselves. But me, I signed up for the Writing Strategy – my absolute favorite thing to do.
Writing is good for your soul
It’s Sunday morning as I write this and although I have 12 to15 posts in varying degrees of completion, it was important for me to bring something new to life – to explore this topic and see what I uncovered. I use my writing to sort myself out, to expand a concept, to learn something new, and to teach. It allows me to capture the ideas that are swirling around me in nebulous form and bring them onto the physical plane for examination and consideration.
Write to sort yourself out
Journaling has long been a cornerstone of self-understanding. When we write it down it stops spinning around in our head and becomes concrete for us. We can make lists and compare opportunities and make choices once we bring our ideas into form.
I wrote an article about my cat Sebastian who was busy pulling push pins off of my bulletin board. I saw that as an opportunity to think and write about curiosity and exploration and how we might increase that in our lives.
When I moved from California to Kansas City to be near my children I wrote all sorts of articles on choices, and giving stuff away, and rethinking where you put things in the new environment.
Emerson says “For the instinct is sure, that prompts him to tell his brother what he thinks. He then learns that in going down into the secrets of his own mind he has descended into the secrets of all minds. He learns that he who has mastered any law in his private thoughts, is master to that extent of all men whose language he speaks, and of all into whose language his own can be translated. The poet, in utter solitude remembering his spontaneous thoughts and recording them, is found to have recorded that which men in crowded cities find true for them also.”.
Our thoughts have value. Our insight will be the insights others need to hear. Writing is a great way to think outloud on paper and figure things out for you and for others.
Write to expand a concept
This article is an example of expanding a concept by writing about it. My participation in Michael’s book revision made me very aware of how I very much prefer the writing strategy above all others and I wanted to look to see what that meant for my choices and my results and how that might also be applicable for others.
Write to learn something new
When I read a book I underline and I take notes. Then I go type those notes into my computer. And ultimately I try to explain some of those concepts to someone else – which helps me learn it even better. And often there is a phrase or a word or a concept that inspires me to write about it. What does it mean to me? How can I apply that to myself.
Write to teach
When you teach you learn. I love to do this. Several years ago I wanted to get better at writing and submitting articles so I created a teleclass Article Magnetism, How to Write Articles that Attract. Recently I spent a lot of time creating my own marketing plan and decided to teach a teleclass on that, which I did and will again. Ultimately I put many of the great systems I had created into an ebook How to Write a Magnetic Marketing Plan
As I coach I create new handouts for my clients. They are part of my coaching library and many have become articles. I’ve created so many great systems that I’m working on combining them into one book Your idea Generator.
Writing as your sales cycle
So here’s what writing has produced for me so far.
1. I have lots of blog posts which are often the starting point for exploring and expressing my ideas.
2. These turn into articles which I post in article directories like Ezine Articles where I am a Platinum Expert
3. Posts and articles often become part of my radio show Passionately On Purpose
4. I write articles that become my cornerstone series
5. I turn those ideas into ebooks
6. I turn them into teleclasses and home study courses
7. My coaching handouts become articles and enter this cycle of possibilities
A sales cycle consists of products and services at different price points so people can join you wherever they will. Think of it as a merry-go-round where people can choose their adventure – their entry point – the steady benches, the off-the-ground-but-steady pony or the exciting and adventursome galloping horse. Your sales cycle must contain a product for each of those levels. This may mean price point and it may mean beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. Think variety, think levels of opportunity and engagement.
One idea wears many hats
I think of ideas as actors – they can put on different costumes and play different parts. When you have an idea that appeals to you, begin immediately to see how many ways it can be presented. Chunk it up, or chunk it down. Make it a series. Take each point in one article and write a separate article for each point. Leverage your ideas into your sales cycles from many different directions.
If you are a writer, there are many wonderful ways to add value to your business. Go exploring and see where it takes you.
©2010 Cara Lumen
