Playing it Safe...

Another great post from Robert Middleton. Take the time to read this one well rather than just glancing over it. Then think about how you promote your Noah's Ark business... really think about it. Are you playing it safe or are you really enthused, energetic and do you REALLY believe that Noah's Ark Workshop is a great opportunity for birthday parties, child care centers and more? Really?

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Playing It Safe
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Note: today's eZine just may offend you. Please don't read if you
don't like being challenged. You have been warned.

In the InfoGuru Marketing Manual, I discuss the most successful
way to promote professional services. Understanding this
approach can have a profound impact on how successful you are
with your ability to consistently attract clients.

In the Manual I say:

"InfoGurus work at spreading the word about how to make things
work better. They are committed to results, passionate about
solutions, fanatical about what really works. And they spread their
gospel far and wide using any and every marketing tool they can
get their hands on. InfoGurus get business from all corners
because so many people hear about them and their innovative
problem-solving approaches."

If I lined up ten of your friends and associates, would they all
report that you are passionate, even fanatical about the work you
do and the difference you make?

My observation is quite the opposite.

Most business owners may love what they do, but more often
than not, they come across as tepid, hesitant, and uncommitted.
When they talk about their business they are about as inspiring
as a wet sponge.

Look, I'm not out to insult you, but to challenge you.

If you are not passionate about what you do, excited by the
difference you make, eager to share with others, inspired by your
clients and moved by the abundance of opportunities and
possibilities afforded by your business, you are missing the boat.

And what's perplexing to me is that this is the very last thing
that business owners focus on.

Many people will do very little to nothing. Others will study
everything they can about marketing. Still others will work hard
to make external changes to their marketing. But very few will do
the thing that makes the biggest difference of all:

Expressing Authentic Excitement About Their Business!

Excitement, enthusiasm and passion are contagious. Certainly
more contagious than "knowing it all" or having a perfect
marketing message or even a beautiful web site.

Those things (and many more) will emerge naturally out of your
enthusiasm and passion. You don't do all of that stuff and hope
that it adds up to excitement. You come from excitement and all
your marketing will come together effortlessly.

But you say:

"But I can't act excited, Robert, if I don't feel excited! You might
be enthusiastic and passionate about your business. That's great,
but my business is not inherently exciting. And besides, that's
not my style. When you talk about having marketing
breakthroughs, I just can't relate."

I hear this kind of thing a lot. And it sounds very reasonable. In
fact, most people would nod in agreement: "Yes, don't get too
excited, you might be disappointed and you'll probably turn
people off. Better to be low-key and play it safe."

Ah yes, the mantra of the mediocre: "Play it Safe."

What you may not realize is that playing it safe is killing your
business, eliminating your future, suffocating your soul. Playing it
safe has become more important than being fully alive.

When you are fully alive, you don't think about yourself much or
how good you look. You think of those you can serve, those you
can make a difference with, those whom you can contribute to.
And what more natural outlet to do this than through your
business?

Ask yourself, "What is the deadly cost of playing it safe?"

And then ask, "What's really the worst thing that could happen if
I let myself be excited, enthusiastic and passionate about my
business?"

Finally, ask, "What breakthroughs might happen in my business if
I allowed myself to express this excitement, enthusiasm and
passion?"

Are you ready for this kind of breakthrough?

*

The More Clients Bottom Line: Marketing breakthroughs come
from expressing your natural excitement, enthusiasm, and passion
about your business. They do not come from playing it safe.
Honestly answer those questions above. They are the gateway for
the breakthrough you are looking for.

By Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please visit
Robert's web site at www.actionplan.com for additional
marketing articles and resources on marketing for professional
service businesses.

Please comment your thoughts about this below - I'd love to hear!