Listen to Your Intuition

When you are ready to refocus your marketing, there are practices you can begin right away. First, consider that when you do not listen to your intuition, things often go very, very wrong. Consider these examples:

Case Studies: FedEx and Starbucks

Let's start with understanding the value of intuition. Like these successful business founders, you must continually practice "trusting your gut" to make appropriate marketing decisions.

Based on his intuition of the market demand and potential for a guaranteed overnight delivery service, Fred Smith wrote a paper for his college professor. Said professor was not encouraging in the slightest. But Smith still followed his gut instinct, did his research and preparation, and developed solid marketing. As a result, his company, FedEx, is one of the world's biggest success stories.

A similar intuition struck Howard Schultz. While in a café in Milan, Schultz realized that Americans would pay over $3 for a cup of coffee. Thus did the creator of Starbucks give birth to his company, which has enjoyed phenomenal international growth in the past few years. Obviously, Schultz was correct in following his instinct!

Willingness & Risk-Taking

Willingness is the state of mind that takes an idea from intuition to creation. But too often, this willingness is defeated by a belief (especially inherent in business owners or entrepreneurs) that "we can do it all ourselves." If you are open to assistance and you have good direction, you will usually reach your goals.

Case in point: We worked with a writing firm owner who wanted to return to her roots, doing more journalistic projects. After years of writing marketing materials and web content for technology-based firms, this owner lacked the confidence to approach editors of consumer-focused publications and pitch her story ideas.

After a Speed Consulting session (just $180), our team helped her map out a strategy for breaking through her pain-points, and created several simple-to-execute tactics:

• development of a story outline

• creation of an attention-grabbing & strategic editorial pitch

• identification of a targeted media list to contact

In just a week, we convinced two publications to pick up one of her articles. True, few stories are sold this quickly. But we believe that it was the writer's willingness to adapt to the editors' exact needs that allowed her business goals to be realized. In fact, one of the publications has since advised her that they would like her to write a series of articles...so this could be the beginning of an exciting, ongoing relationship for this very talented writer.

What is the Value of This "Spiritual" Approach? In Her Own Words ?

"After 20 years as a writer, and writing about everyone else's products and services, I found it hard to pitch my own. But Allison helped me to remember that editors are simply another target market seeking a product (my writing) that will meet their editorial requirements, and will be of interest to their readers.

What was really wonderful about my consultation with Allison was that she made the process so simple. I had only to accomplish a few tasks, play to my own strengths, and the rest took care of itself. I could never have done this without Allison's immediate grasp of my needs, her very wise counsel, and her help with the pitches.

I tell my friends: If you're paralyzed by a bad case of the "buts" (I'm really good at this, but...), and you truly have a willingness to succeed, do yourself a HUGE favor and call Allison! She can get you "unstuck" and back on track in no time, with her intelligent, caring, cost-effective, no-BS brand of marketing" - Owner, Lucchesi Communications

More Tips for Implementing Marketing as a Spiritual Practice

• If you really care about your clients, you owe it to yourself and to them to stay in touch. Think they'll automatically remember you? Realistically, when they have a zillion other pressing concerns, and you haven't been in touch for a while, it's not likely. It's absolutely imperative to stay in touch with those you have put so much energy into helping. So keep helping them! Establish a communications program to let these potential clients know you're still around, and that you're still available to help them.

• Use your network! Trust those who have benefited from your products or services in the past to value you, to want to help you, and to want to help their friends or colleagues by referring you. Ask them to refer you to their associates! Better yet, give them an incentive for referring closed business, such as a coupon for a free massage, dinner for two, tickets to a game, or perhaps an industry-appropriate gift.

• Take your referrals and leads seriously. If you're trying to develop your business, you should talk to every potential customer or client, at least, to determine if they need your product or service now or later. If they're in the "later" category, add them to your database and be sure to stay in touch regularly. Make a concerted effort to do this in the next four months, and you can expect to see some real rewards.

• Get help when you need it. When you find yourself working on the tenth revision of a postcard, flier, website, brochure, letter to clients, or similar tool, it's time to get professional help ? no, not a psychotherapist, a marketing pro!

We have New Marketing Products Under $15 that will help busy business owners get what they need right away!

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• Write a Job Description to Attract the Best Employees

• Stop Sabotaging Your Marketing

• Removing the Thorn: When Marketing Hurts

About The Author

As a former film & television director, producer, and manager, Allison rebelled against misleading, pushy marketing by consulting with businesses on "Marketing as a Spiritual Practice". Clients include United Airlines, Apple Computers, Chevron, ABC-TV, HBO-TV, advertising agencies, and hundreds of other smaller businesses.

Allison Bliss Consulting combines an expert team of seasoned professionals from the fields of advertising, promotional design & copywriting, event and television production, who offer Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurs an integrated range of do-it-yourself marketing products & cusomized hands-on services.

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