You Are The Expert
You are the expert at your craft. You are a phenomenal crafter, attorney, cpa, designer, artisan, author, financial planner, baker, computer programmer. Whatever your craft, you are the expert. You are passionate about what you do and what you make and whom you make it for. You have trial & error-ed. You have failed and improved; truely grown in your craft. You can deliver a phenomenal product.
How do you find the people who need and want what you have to offer? Marketing. Marketing is the act of making change; the act of inviting someone to consider trading their attention, possibly their dollars, for your services or wares. (Seth Godin talks about this in his book This Is Marketing, a great read for any entrepreneur).
So what do you do then, if you are a phenomenal knitter of scarves, but don't know a thing about marketing? You outsource your marketing needs to someone who understands you and believes in what you have to offer. Find a marketing professional who believes that what you make improves the world and benefits the greater good. When you say, "I just make scarves." your exceptional marketing partner reminds you how your scarves improve the lives of their intended wearers every day. Your scarves are adorned by those whom, without it, would feel less authentically themselves. Your scarves are worn with pride by a woman undergoing chemotherapy and covering her head with your scarf is the trademark of her unique and gorgeous style. Your scarf is the key piece that brings the whole look together for the newly minted CEO during her first board of directors presentation. Your scarves plays an integral role in people's lives. These people believe that your product makes a difference and they are willing to trade their attention, time and money for what you make. These are your people. These are the people who need you. These are the people who find you through your marketing efforts.
Your scarves are part of their story.
When done well, your marketing partner becomes an extension of your business and also your trusted advisor. They will show you what needs to be done to bring your goods to market so that those who want what you have to offer are notified accordingly. Your marketing team will remind you (if they are well-qualified): You and your products are not for everyone. Your services or goods will not appeal to everyone, but they are most definitely for a certain and select few.
Does this mean you make a bad product or deliver a terrible service? Absolutely not. This means that you make exactly the right product or deliver the ideal service for a select and certain few. It is for them. It is not for everyone.
Leading you through this concept is the job of your marketing team.
Appealing to the right audience is job of your marketing team.
Presenting you with qualified leads, an engaged audience, and elevating the perception of your brand is the job of your marketing team.
Delivering a phenomenal product or service to that audience is the job of the expert: You.
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