“There is a moment in your life when you have some say as to what your currency is going to be. I decided early on it was not going to be my looks.”
I watched a video today by Michael Harris at the TEDx-SMU , his talk “Why Businesses Should Work Like a University“, provided some thought provoking information on the history of business. The statistics he shared were overwhelming to illustrate that the higher education model in America has been a world leader for over 100 years. In the TEDx talk, Michael Harris offers a powerful argument that it is slow and focused learning, and fostering an environment for ideas that creates sustainable change and makes the human race better, builds better enterprise, and makes companies stronger. As I thought about this in light of my marketing tip this week, I realized that sometimes we get it backwards in our marketing. We see a new trend or we see a new product and we jump on the bandwagon to promote that product or trend, or we impulsively purchase it thinking it’s going to be the answer to our marking problems, without first educating ourselves – and our clients. We react without thinking, we respond without first educating ourselves. We move forward without knowing who we are and what our true gift is. We move forward in an exchange with our prospects without knowing what our real currency is.
So what is your marketing currency? What fuels your company, your ideas, and your passion for your business? When everything is at its lowest, what keeps you going in your business? What empowers YOU to move on? This is what I would refer to as your own personal currency. So, think of it in a marketing frame. What fuels your marketing? What is the passion behind your story? Is it idea driven or sales driven? Is it helping others, saving the environment, providing a net for people in trouble? Some have a currency of ideas; others may have a currency of love and helps. I think you get the idea. “I have a feeling that most of us don’t realize how amazing we could be. If you aren’t certain of what your currency should be, ask those you love and trust to point out what they see as your strengths and remind you of the weaknesses that you may be letting hold you back. Sometimes we can’t see ourselves clearly, and it isn’t until we see ourselves through others’ eyes (those who are compassionate, yet truthful) that we are reminded of how amazing we can be.” ~ TheSimplyLuxuriousLife.com What I am encouraging you to do is to take a step back as you approach new goals and look at your motivation for your business. What fuels you? What are your strengths – your weaknesses? To define what currency of exchange you will be using in your business to help your clients. Knowing your currency exchange in marketing will be the strongest foundation to build your marketing strategy. If you are looking for longevity, this is the approach to take, as no one tires of authenticity and true knowledge. It is what changes the world.