What to do when you hate marketing

Not everyone is a born self-promoter. In fact I don't reckon any of us are. This is what I've learned in the last five years as I transitioned from hiding behind a "logo brand" and a company name, to one where the brand is "me".

“I hate marketing”

I felt sad when I saw this comment in a community I'm part of yesterday.

Sad because #marketing has received such a bad wrap over the years.

A tad frustrated because this has often been often for good reason too.

As people have done all sorts of shady, icky, less-than-ideal things in the name of getting attention and spreading their message.

I don't blame good people for the stereotypical view they hold.

BUT I do feel like I want to offer a helpful and empowering perspective on it.

A reframe, if you will, especially if you are a "personal" brand - where "you" are the product.


This is what I've learned in the last five years as I transitioned from hiding behind a "logo brand" and a company name, to one where the brand is "me".

It doesn’t have to be hard.

Or icky.

Or burdensome.

Or overwhelming.


Much of that is determined by the mental frame from which we approach it.

In the same way that we can reframe “icky sales” to “a powerful act of service”…

When you are a #personalbrand, marketing is simply about letting people know "who you are, what you do, how you can help them, and why they should can you."

If you have the Icks about it, that’s going to come through whether it’s you, you delegate that to an assistant or a marketing team.

So don't think that delegating is going to be your magic wand.

The vibes don't lie...

We need to have agency over our brand and how we show up in the world.

And not give that power away.

I'm all for enlisting logistical support (and I do lots of that!), but if you want your brand to connect authentically there are elements that absolutely need to emanate from YOU if you want to truly connect and build trust and desire.

Because if you’re not connecting it’s just noise and work and effort and it won’t stand out anyway.

And of course it will deplete you!

I ran a marketing agency for 20 years, and totally get that "marketing ourselves" brings up a lot of stuff for people.

It did for me too when I first started out to do it for myself as a “personal brand”.

But I was determined to find a better way.

As a mum of five, I’m also very practical and for the last year or so have embraced the philosophy that if you’re a personal brand and you spend more than an hour or two a week on your basic marketing system, it’s just not sustainable.

Because you know what?......it isn't!!

And consistency is so important in building trust and your digital footprint.

So what's the solution?

It’s finding the expression of “marketing” that truly lights you up and brings you joy, because then it’s all about “you being you” rather than doing a "task" of marketing.

And I so love helping people identify what this is for them.

Because it's the golden key to unlocking the #confidence you need to let people know about what you do, in alignment with how you enjoy showing up in the world!

******
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nina Christian is a Marketing Futurist & Global Marketing Mentor who helps people do their marketing in a more human way. 

She is a Certified Practicing Marketer (CPM), Life Member and Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute & AMI State Chair (Vic) and for 20 years was director of Braveda (Winner, Best Marketing Agency, Australian Marketing Excellence Awards).

Several years ago Nina saw the world of marketing shifting – this time as people became their own brands.  With this, she created a new business as a thought leader, combining her expertise in brand building with personal positioning, resulting in a breakthrough praxis known as Marketing Me™.

She has a knack for simplifying the complex which comes from being a hands-on mum to five children, and uses this to turn time-sucking activities into easy-to-follow systems and processes that make a lot of sense and get outcomes fast.

There are different ways to work with Nina based on your situation and organisation size - with all of them you'll see rapid transformation and tangible outcomes fast. Book a chat with Nina here.