success

by Cara Lumen

There are seven marketing strategies I could use to promote my business Two I’m really, really good at, one I have the talent to be good at but I need to step up to the plate, The other four vary from medium to definitely less than medium and I feel a great resistance to pursue them.. My question is do I stay safe in the comfort zone of my strengths, do I push myself out of my comfort zone and broaden my spectrum, or do I bluff my way and do them all?

 Let your strengths be your guide

There is a reason we tend to favor some activities over others, we love doing them and we are probably very good at them. I love to write, I love to teach and I’ve been doing them all my life. So I’m going to keep those at the core of what I am doing. Fortunately my strengths are in the most technical aspects of marketing: a strong Web Presence Strategy, a Writing Strategy that includes information products and a steady article writing campaign and Speaking and Demonstrating Strategywhich even with teleclasses, I’m not fully taking advantage of.
But what about the other four marketing strategies I could use to promote my business? They are the ones everyone should be able to do. They are the “easy” ones. And they are not yet my strong points.

Check out your second best strength and develop it

But hey, I’m into growth – both personal and business. So I really ought to just pick one and strengthen it. But they are all about reaching out to others. They are all about connecting and relating and talking to others. So in the midst of my discomfort over these strategies I have to find what I am willing to do; how can I adjust how I view them and find my own unique ways to get the results these strategies produce?

Align with your passion and purpose

I love what I do and I love sharing it with people. I write an emagazine and a blog. But those are one-way conversations from me to them. It’s not a two way exchange.

The Keep in Touch Strategy is one of the most important and effective of the seven strategies and would be within my comfort zone. I already know these people. This is just a matter of emailing a personal note, picking up the phone for a chat, or sending them a card. The point is to have an exchange, to reach out on a personal level and see how they are doing. I need to listen to what’s going on for them.

I’m going to schedule an hour a week to reach out and acknowledge someone I know. There now, that’s one strategy added.

Flex those muscles!

That leaves three strategies and I don’t have to do them all. But being aware of them helps me notice when I do them organically. I activate the Referral Strategy when I connect my client who makes home-made gourmet dog treats with a client who wrote a wonderful book about a dog. I activate the Networking Strategy when I volunteer to help people connect with potential roommates for an upcoming training we are taking together. And the Direct Outreach Strategy may just be as simple as reaching out to someone I admire to explore some joint ventures.

Follow Your Strengths

I’m not going to beat myself up for what I can’t do comfortably. I’m not just going to focus on the things I do easily either.  I’m going to stretch a bit. I’m going to flex my muscles and look for my personalized version of a strategy that gets the results I want. I’m going to pick my moments and move gently into expansion. I’m going to follow my strengths to success.

Skills and talents are two different things.  You can learn a skill like riding a bike, but it takes talent and passion to win a bicycle race.

Cherish your gifts.

When you look carefully you will see your talents. They are about what you love to do. They are what others always ask you to do for them. These are your strengths. Build them up. Bundle them creatively. Use them as your foundation.

Develop your own version

I’m a whiz at coaching. I’m a really good writer, but networking is not something I’m very comfortable with. So how can I create my version of networking that will be comfortable for me and still work?  I’ve decided to start interviewing people for my podcast. That gives me a reason to call them and get to know them. That’s my version of networking and that will be fun.

Morph your fears into productivity

What business strategy do you need or want to put in place that is outside your comfort zone. Morph it. Tweak it, adapt it, and personalize it till it works, but don’t fret over it.

Build your own strategy

Go with your natural talent. Partner with or hire people with the natural talents you don’t have. 2+2 make a lot more than 4. Create your own version of the seven core marketing strategies. Nurture your natural abilities and follow your strengths to success.

© 2008 Cara Lumen