Growing Your Business with Marketing: A Real-Time Experiment

We all know we should be marketing; we even know a lot about how we should go about it. But actually doing it—day after day, week after week, month after month? That’s another story.

You can’t make me market myself...

I’m not immune to “I Don’t Wanna” Disease, especially when it comes to certain aspects of it (cold research calling, I’m looking at you.) Yet I’ve never been more aware of how important it is to be out there like clockwork, with a consistent message. The stuff I managed to do well in 2008—networking, primarily, both in real-time and via social media—really helped my business. I started landing the speaking and consulting gigs I was interested in, and it’s given me hope that I can fully transition my business from one thing (primarily design) to another (primarily helping people become better communicators).

...or can you?

As many of you know, Ilise is not only one of my co-authors on the Marketing Mix: she’s also my coach, and has been for over two years. She knows me well enough by now to understand what floats my ChrisCraft: I love solving problems, creating order where there was none, and illuminating stuff along the way. So I should not have been surprised when she came up with this genius idea:

“Why don’t you do the Grow Your Business calendars out loud, as a project, here on the blog?”

Love! It! And for a whole host of reasons.

How YOU are going to help ME (and vice versa)

First and foremost, this project will provide personal accountability to keep me on track with my goals. I’ve got a business to get up and running, and I do better when I know people are looking. Sad? Maybe. But true, so I might as well get down with it.

Next, it’s right in line with my personal credo: live out loud; help other people do the same. My writing, my volunteering, my one-on-one work are all about throwing a light on something I’ve been through, to make it a little easier for the next person. I’ve got a lot of good company in the self-as-experiment department, from my friends Gretchen Rubin, Matthew Cornell and Jason & Jodi Womack to the founders of NaNoWriMo to...well, a host of famous pundits.

Finally, it’s a new project! And I’m a nerd—nerds love new projects! I’ll be seizing this golden opportunity to put up a new WordPress site under a sort-of-new imprimatur. Articles will post here every Monday through 2009, and be cross-posted to The Virgo’s Guide to Marketing. Dig it!

Aaaaand...a pitch! (Hey, it’s MARKETING, remember?)

Of course, with any luck, we’ll also sell a few calendars along the way. (Or rather, Ilise and Peleg will.) There are two, so you know: the Start-Up Plan and the Veteran’s Plan (that link again). Each takes you step-by-step through a plan that will get your marketing in place, running 24/7/365, to help you avoid “feast or famine” syndrome.

Since I’m in the unique position of being both a veteran at some things and a newbie with this consulting start-up, I’m going to be drawing on both. You can choose whichever you like, or roll your own. But I’m telling you, the calendars are great. I get nothing for saying this (other than a warm, fuzzy, Virgo feeling of righteousness), so you know I’m not shilling, here. If you'd like some hands-on kinda help, Ilise can provide that a number of ways, as well. For details, click here.

Please let me know if you’re going to play along. It’d be great to have some company. Or just stay tuned and cheer me on. (It’d be seriously great to have some cheering.)

NEXT MONDAY is STEP ONE: Getting your contact database in order!

Comments

[Dyana Valentine]

you rock so hard, Colleen, it's a wonder you still have an ounce of energy to rock some more! I'll be watching, learning and following your lead--as usual. Thanks for taking the leap and doing it out loud so we can all grow from your greatness.

Thanks, Peleg and Ilise for making a useful beautiful tool for us to use as we grow our businesses!

[Susan Mathews]

Colleen,
next Monday? database? I'm there.

[Natalia Perez Wahlberg]

I'm curious to see the progress too, as I am a newbie myself.

So courageous of you, Colleen!

Can't wait to follow on this:)

[Matthew Cornell]

I love it. You've combined my favorite ideas: life/business-as-experiment + accountability from people you trust. Tell me how I can help.

[Howard Levy, Red Rooster Group]

That's a great idea - will definitely cheer you on.

In the interests of doing the same and sharing our marketing efforts, here's a link to all the juicy details of our campaign:

http://redroostergroup.wordpress.com/2009/01/04/secrets-of-a-successful-marketing-campaign

I would love to get all of your feedback on that.