Marketing V.S. promotions; Why understanding the difference will free you to be fully YOU online.
Why do so many Healers, Coaches and Therapists hold back from being more seen, more visible online?
Because they are scared to be SEEN online, and uncomfortable promoting themselves.
Marketing V.S. promotions; Why understanding the difference will free you up to be fully YOU online.
I was taking a beta program with an online content expert.
And I was getting frustrated!
She said "Here is a basic Online Marketing Plan”.
But I couldn’t let go of a building frustration within me.
What the heck was going on?
Did I trust her? Yes
Did I like her? Yes
Was I willing to try it out to see if it worked for me? Yes
This showed me that I was willing to learn what she was teaching, but something else was “Sticky" for me. Something else was making me frustrated.
Then I saw it. I needed a new definition, a new understanding of a key concept.
When I get frustrated or impatient, I look at 3 things:
1. Is it a negative or limiting belief? (This is 90% of the time)
2. Am I trying to push myself to do something I just shouldn't be doing? It's not "For me", not a passion, etc? (5% of the time)
3. I need a new key term or concept redefined so I can own it myself (The last 5% of the time)
That led to a new definition in my business between Marketing VS. Promotions.
(P.s. The woman that helped me see this is Lauren Najar and she’s wonderful! Her beta program was one of the last pieces I needed to start promoting myself properly and more regularly on FB)
Note* If this is the only email that you’ve opened of this series of 6 gifts, I would encourage you to go back and use the first 4 energy tools. This perspective shift only “Stick” if its on the foundation of the rest.
So here goes ….
Almost every Healer, Coach and Therapist that I work with has no problem actually delivering valuable work or content.
They provide value as easily as they breath. They can "Show you the money" (the value) of their work like a pro.
They do it brilliantly, either 1-1 or in groups. (Some have fear doing workshops, but it is usually only online workshops. When they are taking “At” instead of “With” clients)
If you are reading this you probably have something profound to share. Or 100 things! The challenge you face isn’t having something to say, it’s probably getting the words out!
So why can’t you “Put yourself out there”? Why can’t you promote yourself? Why can’t you Market your work with ease?
Because promotion and marketing are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS.
My Definition of Marketing
“Any content or material that deepens a relationship for business purposes.”
That means your long form blog posts, your value giving video’s, your freebie’s or Give-aways that you worked on for ages.
This also includes when you are on someone else’s podcast, producing your own podcast, or being a guest on someone’s show or FB group.
That is all marketing. You are deepening relationship. You are giving depth. You go deep instead of being shallow like “everyone else on Instagram.”
So why does “Everyone else on Instagram” have more followers, etc, and often make more sales? Because they are getting SEEN. They may or may not be giving deep value, but they are getting seen and therefore getting paid.
They spend less time on Marketing and more time on Promotions.
My Definition of Promotions:
“Any content or material that gets attention for business purposes.”
That means your “Polls” and Meme’s, and sexy yoga teachers on the beach, and the selfies etc. It usually doesn’t mean random cat photos, etc. Unless that has something to do with your brand, you, or your actual business.
This is the part that my clients HATE doing. Its all to “Get attention” and is all a “Fake show”. It’s “Not me”, etc.
Well, that can all be true.
But if you don’t get SEEN, you don’t get paid.
Does this mean you should be shallow to just “Get seen.”?
No. Of course not. Let's shift from the “Either/or” conversation and figure out the deeper blocks that make it uncomfortable to put yourself out there.
If you are not willing to be seen, you probably avoid promotions like the plague. You probably would rather do anything than take a selfie, or post a cute cat photo.
Does this mean you should only do the deep stuff, what i'm calling "Marketing"?
No. Of course not. People need something to get started on.
Did you read the Entire Bible at once? Probably not. You probably heard a few passages that intrigued you and then if you are that 1 in 10,000 people you went and read the whole thing.
Did you watch a brand new movie that you knew nothing about in the theatres? No, you probably saw a trailer first that got you Intrigued.
This brings up the complaint “But what about those teachers like Deepak Chopra, or Wayne Dyer, etc who never did that kind of shallow promotional stuff?
Reality check. They did.
They showed up to book signings, and alternative holistic fairs. They made posters. They created media sound bites. They got a promotional team. They got themselves out there. Then they wrote books. They wrote articles and showed up on radio and TV.
Promotion doesn’t have to mean “Shallow”. That is a judgement we put on the work when we don’t want to put in the emotional effort to create attention grabbing content that means something to us and to others.
Read that again.
THAT is the hard work. At least it is hard at first.
It takes thought, and practice, and most importantly ...
A willingness to be seen.
We often mask and hide behind “Well, I don’t want to put out shallow content” when often it has more to do with a fear of being seen, judged, getting it wrong, looking like an idiot, etc.
(And of course, once you shift this energetic resistance, you find a creative way to do "Attention getting promotion" that actually provides value for you and your audience.)
If all you did was promotion
You’ll likely get lots of attention, but not a lot of customers or impact.
If all you did was Marketing
You’ll likely have some deep relationships, lots of respect, but not as many eye balls on your work. It’ll just take longer to get to the level of business that you’d like.
There are two exceptions to this:
Exception #1
I have noticed a few colleagues who do FANTASTIC referral systems in their work. They get to a full private practice quickly just doing some podcast interviews, heavy referrals, etc. This usually depends on a niche or industry where you can have very visible and tangible results, like sales, or weight loss, etc. I’m not saying it’s not possible in other fields, i just don’t see it happen as much so I can’t speak to that.
Exception #2:
HUB Marketing. This is something my Colleague Tad Hargrave talks about a lot. It’s brilliant. It’s using other peoples communities to grow your own. It’s more authentic than “Affiliate Marketing” I find. Its about proper win-win relationships and deeper connections. Not just a commission check. Still, I find that if we don’t address the skeletons in the closet that make it so darn uncomfortable to be seen, this approach will also fall flat.
So what is the answer?
A balance in what you put out there, and most importantly, addressing your limiting beliefs.
Focus your “Deep dive content” creation time on answering the key questions your potential clients might have.
Then take 1-2 hours on a Monday morning to create all your other content for the week. For me that includes weekly email to my list with a deeper dive video. (I’m writing this very email during that time)
Is this the “Right” way to do it? Nope.
What is the “Right” way? I don’t know!
That is why I listen to actual social media experts like Lauren Najar and Marketing Experts like Tad Hargrave.
This allows me to focus the majority of my time on my actual expertise, my gifts - helping you address any limiting beliefs holding you back.
I have an expertise; the energetics, the Impostor Complex and all the places where you stop yourself from being seen, believing in yourself, and creating what you want.
I can support you through the Burn out, the overwhelm, the procrastination by identifying the specific beliefs that are creating all those challenges.
All of my work is designed to help you get to the root belief quickly (not always easily btw!) so that you can be off and rocking with the work you love.
For the “What to do” online I have recommendations and colleagues to put you in touch with.
To hear the coles notes version of this article in a video, and to get the key belief clearing process to support you in getting this new definition deep in your energetic bones - See my New video here - Marketing V Promotions - How redefining both gives you more ease online.
If you would like my help on the deeper energetic part first before you learn your next steps of the “How to” game, I have my upcoming program for you called “Have ease with online promotions”
I also have a series of free gifts that I have sent out to my email to support you in being visible online with more ease, and most importantly, having permission to be fully YOU in everything you do.
You can find the first one here -
10 Minutes to feeling good about online visibility
These audio’s, and all my energy tools in this 6 email series, are designed to help you have Ease, Peace and Joy in your heart as you express who you truly are, and deepest gifts. The more of YOU that you are willing to express the more of a difference you can make for more amazing clients.
These tools will help you do that.
This is all part of the lead up to, and my blatant attempts to get your attention, to come check out the 4 week energy healing program called “Have peace with online promotions”
You can find out more info about the program that starts November 18th here.
“Have peace with online promotions”
Even if you have no interest in this program, I hope you will enjoy the other free gifts and find them supportive.
Feel good being seen online - A meditation
One minute to Peace + 5 Minutes to flow
Feeling like an impostor? - A PDF Cheat sheet to shift from Impostor to just being YOU.
Two tools to deal with online judgement like a pro
Marketing V.S. promotions; Why understanding the difference will free you up to be fully YOU online. - VIDEO
My “Hidden Chest” technique for dealing with the Inner Critic
Would you like a few very powerful belief clearings to support you on this topic?
Marketing V.S. promotions; Why understanding the difference will free you to be fully YOU online.