Marketing can feel exposing. I define marketing as creating and nurturing relationships to let the people who need you know that you're here to help them. To market effectively, you've got to be genuine, and allow people to see who you really are. It's hard to let go of wanting everyone to like you. I encourage my coaching clients to let go of the fear of repelling people. You've got to let the people who will love you know who you are. When you boldly step in to being you, YOUR people find you, and the people who don't love you walk away. When the people who aren't meant to work with you walk away, that's just making more room for your people.

Imagine you're going to a party, and you're planning to try to make everyone like you. Maybe you will do this by anticipating what every person would like you to say or how every person wants you to act. You'll have to wear something you think everyone will approve of. If there's a quality about you that stands out, you'll have to be careful to make sure everyone likes that quality or you'll have to tone it down. If you have a loud laugh, for example, you'll need to lower it a bit in case it bothers someone. If you love video games, you'll have to make sure every person approves of that before you mention it. Doesn't this sound like an awful way to spend your time? And if anyone at that party would have really liked YOU, they won't even know it.

That is how most people approach marketing. So no wonder so many of you hate it. What if you were to step into every aspect of marketing with the faith that your people will recognize and love you? What if you knew that when you repelled people, they weren't meant to work with you? I encourage you to try these ideas on. From the moment you get dressed in the morning, to when you are talking to potential clients, to when you are talking to colleagues, to when you are writing copy for your website, look for every opportunity to be your unique self. I'd love to know how it goes.