I recently did a podcast interview and we got to talking about my take on the marketing shoulds. You know the idea that you should do this, or you should do that to build your business.
The next thing you are shoulding all over yourself and you feel all kinds of wrong.
And why? Because someone told you should.
I don’t know about you, but the day I jumped out of the plane with no parachute and quit my super comfy career complete with fancy title and paycheck, it was because I didn’t want to be told what I should do for another second.
So why are you letting the shoulds run your business?
That case of the shoulds is what has you running around trying to be on 7 social networks and launching a million things without a plan. Without an idea of how they really map to your big picture goals.
Save the shoulds for suckers who don’t know better.
[Tweet “Stop shoulding all over yourself. Do this instead. New post with @magspatterson http://bit.ly/1ihBSV0 “]
Best Practices are a Starting Point
But Maggie? What about best practices? If so and so says to do it, they are successful so I should too.
See how that works? Before you know it, you’re running a business based on the success of someone else who in all actual fact is not at all like you at all. Or has a different market. Or flexible ethics.
Did you get into this business to do exactly what someone else tells you?
Best practices or shoulds are like the 101 course on how to do things. Learn the principles and take it and make it your own.
Your willingness and ability to make it your own is where the rubber meets the road for your business.
Here’s some common business and marketing shoulds that I decided simply aren’t for me:
- Popups on websites. So. Annoying.
- 49 page long sales letters.
- Pricing where I have to hit the buy button to see the cost. Also, pricing where I have to watch 20 minute of video to get the price.
- Sending me the “wrong link” and another email with a special offer right after with an apology. Please.
- Hating on one-on-one work and trading time for dollars.
- Drivebys where you stop by a group with your salesy post and can’t be bothered to participate any other time.
- Talking about six figures as a goal.
- Sales conversations that tell me I can’t afford not to do something.
- Acting like everyone should be an entrepreneur or expert. Some people, just no.
- Kissing ass to get ahead. Not now. Not ever.
What’s your list of things that you aren’t going to do? That you won’t accept? That you want to do better for your marketing and your business?
Afterall, it is YOUR business, not the million dollar making expert or the latest it girl. Hit me in the comments with some of your shoulds that have got to go.
[Tweet “Are you running a business based on shoulds? @magspatterson wants to know what’s got to go. http://bit.ly/1ihBSV0 “]
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