A Bigger Purpose

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

My favorite day of the week is Monday.

That's when I get to be my own best marketing client.

I realized some time ago that if I wasn't my own best client I was in trouble for two main reasons.

1. Not Experiencing Accomplishment

I'd be marketing myself half-heartedly, trying to fit it in when I had the time and not really making a commitment to growing my business.

I've been there. We've all been there. We just don't want to do any marketing. We live in the purgatorial condition of avoidance and hope.

Not to mention that when I don't market my business intentionally, things tend to slip and revenues decline. And my self-esteem declines in parallel.

2. Not Walking My Talk

If I wasn't marketing myself as good as or better than my clients, how could I keep learning and transferring that learning to my clients?

Right now I'm in the middle of my Marketing Mastery Program where I'm training and coaching 18 Independent Professionals from all over the world.

My job is to "keep their feet to the fire," so how could I demand much of them if I wasn't demanding even more of myself?

A Bigger Purpose

Over the years, a big part of More Clients has been egging people on to actually do the marketing that they know they must do, and in many cases even know how to do.

But if you think a little deeper, what is the bigger purpose for you to market yourself, to attract new clients and to grow your business?

Why does it matter?

If it's just about money, it all becomes a very empty game after awhile. Someone called this game "King on Dunghill." Yes, you are at the top, but at the top of what? In my experience, this can be a life-sucking endeavor.

Another reason for marketing yourself can be to make a contribution. After all, the more people know about you and the more clients you get, the bigger a difference you can make. And this is certainly more uplifting than just raking in dollars.

Look, I could think of a lot of reasons. But I think the point is that you have to find your own reason, your own purpose and then pursue it with a passion.

But if you don't connect with that bigger purpose, whatever it is for you, you'll never get far in your business and your marketing. You'll just "go though the motions" and just settle for "good enough" when deep down you know you are capable of so much more.

In any case, this is why Monday's are so much fun for me as I write this eZine, create programs, tweak the Marketing Club, develop new materials for the Marketing Mastery, etc.

When I'm in the middle of being my own best clients I know without a doubt that I'm fulfilling my purpose. And it always feels great!

So what's your bigger marketing purpose?

*

The More Clients Bottom Line: You'll never be a great marketer of your services if you don't have a bigger purpose, what my friend Patrick Summar calls his "True North." When you are clear about that, everything else falls into place.

*

What is your bigger purpose for marketing your services? Please share your answer on the More Clients Blog by clicking on the comments link below:

Comments

[Caryl]

Robert, thanks, this boosts me with my current marketing message/coaching program to single women in midlife - to attract love and their special soul-mate.

Why my passion about this topic? Because it is congruent with my own life (babyboomer honeymooner at 57!) and my mission coaching people to break-free where they are stuck or blocked - to live the life they love...all using powerful energy psychology tools like EFT-Matrix Reimprinting.

I care passionately because I agonized over my mother "stuck" in a loveless marriage - then repeated that myself for 25 years. Yes sireee - I want to shout it from the top of the world - women in midlife - "it's YOUR TIME TO BREAK-FREE!" Caryl Westmore
http://www.attractlovemidlife.com
I love your marketing approach!

[Shelhorowitz]

Robert, this is very timely for me. I got into marketing via social change and environmental activism, have written several marketing books that have very solid improve-the-world content (especially my latest, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet, co-authored with Jay Conrad Levinson, http://guerrillamarketinggoesgreen.com)--and made a decision this month to try to take my message bigger, attempt to develop a national/international platform such as syndicated columnist and/or national radio commentator. I'm also in the very early stages of launching a trade association for Green marketers: International Association of Earth-Conscious Marketers (http://earthconsciousmarketers.com/).

So thanks for writing something so very much in alignment with those goals.

[Steven Washer]

Thanks for this post, Robert. I agree completely. Without a higher purpose, it's all just so much smoke and mirrors. In my business we have a higher purpose which I don't really talk about too much, but it keeps me in the game.

We want to be part of restoring the American Dream. This will happen, as it always has, from small businesses growing and prospering, creating jobs for the 90% of people who have no wish to own their own businesses, but want to move up the ladder.

I believe this is completely possible and want to employ as many people as I can, which will also take my business to great heights by motivated, ambitious, high-performing, excited employees working for their own success.

Steven Washer
http://www.brainyvideo.com