I finally feel confident in knowing exactly what I need to do, which is something I've never felt before.
You need to promote yourself.
But where to start? And
how do you
keep from giving up
before the miracle happens?
Why can't marketing be fun, easy, and creative?
No matter how talented you are, you need to market your work. And you need to keep on marketing to make a good living.
But what if you don't want to market your work? What if the very idea makes you want to hide under the covers?
The Marketing Heebie Jeebies
What is it about marketing that gives creative folks the heebie-jeebies?
For one thing, there's self-doubt. How can you market yourself authentically when you are perfectly (excruciatingly) aware of your shortcomings?
Then, there is so much information about marketing, it's overwhelming.
Finally, how do you know when you're doing enough? Too much? And whether or not it will work?
In the words of one Accidental Entrepreneur:
My crazed self, let out of the closet, says I can't do marketing. Period. (Gosh, I wish my saner self could make statements with half that much confidence!)
She says I can't bear to be seen/heard/the least bit visible. (Funny how I also seem to crave those things!) She says, look at the record - all the attempts I've not followed through with.
Hope for Reluctant Marketers
When I was a little girl, I never thought, "I want to go into business!" I grew up thinking marketing was pushy, phony, and self-centered.
Then I married a self-employed architect, and in 1989 I opened a wearable art studio. Now both of us were self-employed in creative ventures that we held dear.
And, being the less introverted and more anxious of the two, I blinked first. I became the marketer in the family.
It's Not Rocket Science
Fortunately, I was a maniac for learning stuff. I read every marketing book I could find and discovered that marketing is not rocket science, which was good. But it still felt smarmy, which was bad.
One day I overhead myself mumbling and grumbling about how it was all very fine for Jay Conrad Levinson to practice Guerrilla Marketing, but what were nice people supposed to do?
(As far as I know, Jay Conrad Levinson is a nice guy. I'm just not interested in being a guerrilla.)
Then it hit me. Why couldn't I use the tools of marketing but apply them according to my own values and vision?
I tried it, and it worked. Now, since I've never been able to keep anything to myself, I show other Accidental Entrepreneurs how to promote themselves authentically.
A Marketing Manifesto
I believe that marketing can not only help us focus on our work but also be an extension of that work into the world.
I believe that a marketing plan can give creative people just enough structure to focus their endeavors and bring them to fruition.
I believe that marketing can be exhilarating.
I believe that marketing is an art.
An Art?
Yup.
Like art, marketing can be fun, easy, and creative.
Like art, marketing requires us to be authentic, committed, and fearless.
You're willing to take creative risks to do your work. Now I'm inviting you to take creative risks to share it.
Introducing Authentic Promotion 2010: Setting Free the Creative Spirit
Authentic Promotion is a six-week tele-seminar that will show you how to make marketing part of your creative life. You'll start by writing your personal manifesto. Then you'll create a simple marketing plan. Finally, you'll implement your plan, receiving coaching and encouragement along the way.
You have work to do in the world. Only you can do it. And it's your job to be visible, available, and accessible to people who would love to hire you. (They do exist.)
The What-When-Where-and-How
WHAT: Authentic Promotion 2010 is a six-week distance learning course conducted through teleconferences and an online forum. It will be stimulating and fun, and will include imagery, audio, and written materials.
WHEN: 6 consecutive Wednesdays, February 17- March 24, 2010, 10-11:30am Pacific time. To request advance notification, click here.
HOW: The course meets seminar-fashion over the phone. Between seminars, there will be fieldwork and a partner exercise. There will be a private online forum for group discussion and individual feedback.
Read on for details or apply at the bottom of this page.
Authentic Promotion 2010 Includes:
A Completely Revised Authentic Promotion 2010 Workbook
The first Authentic Promotion was a potent program. And in the eight years since its release, I've learned a tremendous amount about both marketing and teaching.
The result is a complete overhaul of the program with an all-new workbook. It's your road map for the course and your guide to staying on track after.
Six Group Tele-seminars
90 minutes long... plenty of time to learn and discuss the material and get coaching on taking action.
Five Partner Exercises
People tell me that the partner work they do in my programs shows them possibilities they never would have seen on their own. You'll receive detailed instructions for each partner exercise. The exercises are simple; the details are to help you keep them that way. '-)
Authentic Promotion Peer Forum
Where the rubber meets the road. This is where participants post fieldwork, ask questions, and ask for feedback from me and from each other. There is no limit to the support you can request. So long as I can respond in the forum where everyone can benefit, I will answer any marketing question you ask to the best of my ability.
Mind Maps
Colorful mind maps provide a visual snapshot of what you're learning. They're a great boon to note-taking and, besides, they're fun to look at.
PLUS The Coaching Clinic (Optional)
Often underlying beliefs keep us from putting what we learn into action. When we don't take action, the learning is just one more thing we haven't used, another stick for self flagellation.
The Coaching Clinic is two 90-minute intensives where participants get laser coaching on the issues that are in the way of taking action. Beliefs about money. Fear that work will take over your life. Worry that you'll lose the respect of people who matter to you.
You can bring any issue that stops you from promoting your work to The Coaching Clinic. The sessions will be recorded.
Authentic Promotion | Foundation |
Option |
Authentic Promotion tele-seminars |
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Tele-seminar recordings (mp3) |
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Workbooks |
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Peer Forum |
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Mind maps of each session |
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Option: Coaching Clinic |
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Tuition after January 22, 2010 |
$290 x 2 payments | $315 x 2 payments |
Early Bird Discount: Register before noon PST January 22, 2010, and save $80. |
$250 x 2 payments |
$275 x 2 payments |
Why This Is More Important Now than Ever
If your livelihood is dependent on your ability to get the word out, marketing is more important now than ever.
If knowing that were enough, Accidental Entrepreneurs would be marketing their fannies off. But most of us aren't. Because fear just isn't a good enough motivation to do something you don't believe in.
So if you plan to stay self-employed and aren't happy with the way you are marketing yourself, please take this course. Open up and let in the light that has made all the difference for me.
If I can do it, you can.
The No Tricks Guarantee
If you attend 5 of 6 session, do the assignments, and participate in the forum three times a week, I believe you will
- Know what you're going to do.
- When you're going to do it.
- And have the motivation and clarity to follow through.
In the unlikely event that you do your part but don't get that result, you get your money back. No questions asked.