Tom Fishburne is a cartoonist, speaker, and marketer.
And he has a quote I absolutely love: “The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.”
Here’s an example of that philosophy in action…
I received an email from Robert Middleton the other day — he provides marketing consulting to service providers. Inside, he shared a strategy for presenting your services that I hadn’t considered before and am eager to try. He laid it out in detail, holding nothing back. And he finished by offering a free download… just a simple “click to get.” No contact information required.
Nothing about that email felt like marketing.
It built up my trust in Robert and his services… gave me a way to test out his ideas… and made me feel good… like he really cares about my success, which I believe he does even though he has no idea who I am.
In other words, though it didn’t feel like marketing, it was… and it was very effective.
As a freelance writer, you’re well-equipped to market yourself without it feeling like marketing.
There are many ways to do this, but I like to focus on three. Be generous and helpful, be personable, and build relationships.
You can be generous and helpful by writing and publishing on topics that will assist your audience in solving a problem or inspire them to try something new. You can also be generous and helpful by responding to questions on social media, by sharing relevant tips and techniques to your list, and by entering into more conversations (both digital and in real life) with the mindset of offering something useful.
You can be personable by developing your voice and using it in your publishing and on social media. You can also be personable by writing short notes and emails to people in your network paying them a compliment, offering congratulations on their accomplishments, sharing a useful resource, or simply asking them about their day.
And you can build relationships by doing much the same. You can also build relationships in your local community by attending or even hosting events and talking to people… and then following up with them after. You can join social media groups on topics of interest and make it a point to get to know individuals rather than promoting yourself. And you can answer the comments people make in response to the things you publish and the posts you share through social media.
None of this feels like marketing.
It feels like people with shared interests bouncing ideas off each other, getting to know each other, and helping each other out. But eventually, work relationships grow out of these efforts… and one day you look back and realize that somewhere along the way, you got really busy doing work with people you like.
Which is why Tom says this is the best way to market… I challenge you to give it a try!
New on the Site
The hardest part about changing comfortable routines and habits is finding the time to do it. Most of us are in a hurry more often than we might like to admit, and it’s hard to find the time to experiment with new ways of doing things. In this Reality Blog, Suzanna Fitzgerald explores why we get stuck in the ruts we do, and how to break out of them.
Are you using deadlines to improve your writing business? Setting self-imposed deadlines can help you land more clients, market yourself more consistently, and even manage your money better. In this featured article, Michele Peterson walks you through some useful ways deadlines can grow your business.
And in case you missed any of our December events, the replays are available.
- Member Update — A Little End-of-Year Fun
- Add Depth and Interest to Your Content
- Practice Assignment Review — Writing an Email Welcome Series
Mark Your Calendar
January 6: Next week, we’ll ring in the New Year with our first live event of 2022. (Gulp.) In our next Member Update webinar, we’re going to take a closer look at procrastination. If you struggle with procrastination, especially when it comes to the goals you’ve set for yourself, we’re going to look at some ways to start on projects sooner, so nothing is getting left until the last minute. More details will be posted to the site soon.
Around the Web
Are you struggling to make decisions… even small ones? That’s a natural result of living with a lot of uncertainty. This Marketoonist cartoon will give you a laugh, and the accompanying post will give you a bit of insight into what’s happening and why, which might make it easier to decide… at least on the little things.
Copywriters, content writers, and content strategists… learn more about these different roles and how they work together.
Holding down a full-time job and freelancing on the side? Check out Contently’s tips to strike a balance that works for both you and your employer.
And finally, creative lessons from the Beatles. How could you go wrong?
That’s all for now. Make it a great week!
