Just say “no” to marketing?

Don’t fall off your chairs at what I’m about to share -- but sometimes, saying “no” to marketing -- can do wonders for your business.

Am I suggesting you stave off marketing altogether? Of course not! But certain aspects of it might not be worthwhile for your goals. It’s important to find what works for you, your strengths, and your business, and to filter out the rest.

Remember our former Mix Mistress, Colleen Wainwright (a.k.a. communicatrix)? She has been having lots of new adventures and she’s still writing her fabulous blog and newsletter filled with brilliant marketing ideas.

Here is an excerpt from her latest newsletter about what she’s learned from Jack, who said “no” to marketing.

Recently, I spent an invigorating afternoon hanging out with some really smart people while taping my friend Bonnie Gillespie's Your Actor MBA series.

One of the smartest things I heard that day (and there was a lot of smart stuff) was actor-teacher Jack Plotnick's assertion that most of "that marketing stuff" didn't work for him, so he didn't do most of it. Instead, Jack spent his marketing time working on other loosely-related-to-acting stuff, like learning how to get out of his own way—removing mental road blocks to his success, rather than getting past gatekeepers. Or in creating shows he could perform in and finding stage time to play, rather than getting the word out.

In other words, he did not ignore the fact that he needed to get himself out there—he was just realistic about what was going to work for him (and, conversely, what was not).

These days, Jack is online. He posts articles. He's begun dabbling with Twitter. But the core of Jack's strategy is that Jack does what works for Jack. And guess what? The more he hews to his own strengths, the more clear and less chaotic he is, the better he's able to be seen by others. In other words, the more Jack does what works for Jack, the more Jack works. (And the ones who cannot BELIEVE he doesn't postcard/Facebook/whatever? Not his people anyway!)

So—how can you be like Jack?

Find 4 tips to be like Jack in Colleen’s latest newsletter, and sign up to receive her newsletter, Communicatrix Focuses.

Have you said “no” to marketing?

Comments

[lidia varesco design]

I totally agree! I think it's easy to OD on all the marketing we think we are supposed to do. Personally, I'm not on Facebook (gasp) but I do use other social media and offline marketing methods that work for me.

With so many marketing options available to us nowadays, I find it's easy to get bogged down and overwhelmed. This was a great reminder to stop and see what's working. Thanks for sharing!

[Colleen Wainwright]

So glad you enjoyed this, Ilise, and grokked the spirit in which it was written.

I'm obviously a big fan of marketing, but especially as the marketplace gets more crowded with the same-old, same-old, I'm finding it's better for me to focus on what it is I love and do best, and leave the rest to the rest.

And Jack is just terrific. Really—the real deal. If you're an actor, you should be following Jack. If you're anyone else, you can totally take away great learning from him.