I have been doing a lot of reading over the past couple years as I have formulated what has become Doulos Marketing. I have read about marketing, business relationship building, social media, inbound marketing, facebook, twitter, and on and on and on. I have read the blogs of the top 150 and those who are called/considered to be the best people in the area of marketing.
I have learned tons! I really have enjoyed nearly all I have read and have found some wonderful people that I follow every day.
This being said, I think I have found one glaring problem. Nearly all of the people I read and even some of those who I follow every day all seem to be saying the same thing. It’s like someone establishes a “business principle” and then folks from all over the world seem to jump on it, re-purpose it and tell it to everyone who will listen. They then re-purpose it and tell it again and so on and so on. Before long and with rare exception there is less innovation and more of the same.
While I understand the necessity of learning business principles, I have found that the most successful people are the one’s who march to the beat of a different drummer. They are the one’s who create a business that follows after their dreams and aspirations. They create a business model, they establish their own measurements of success, they become their own evangelists, and they secure followers who will then become raving fans and ardent referrers.
In the end, while they understand basic business principles and models, they stand unique and on their own. They stand out because they don’t say the same things everyone else says, and they move unlike others in their own niches. They are innovators, independent thinkers, and thought leaders in their world.
Every business must decide early how they are going to exist and grow. We can choose to be like everyone else, say the same things, and sell our products/services in the same ways or we can choose to be like the greats. Walking and talking in a way that sets us apart and reflects who we really are as people and business owners.
I’m a photographer, and currently doing a month-long webinar training series focusing on client interaction during sessions. The methodology being taught is something I implemented nearly a year ago and inspired by the teacher doing the training. This individual has gotten a lot criticism recently in the photography industry for his methods and practices, mainly by those who’ve never tried what he’s teaching and think he’s “out there.” Yes, he definitely marches to a different beat – one that’s happened to transform how I view my work and my clients. People like myself who believe in him, his methods and eager to learn are very protective of him. During one of his talks he said this: “It takes courage to be an early adopter… My feeling is you either know it’s for you or it isn’t… and no hard feelings… I’m only interested in serving people this really resonates with.”
Shuva – thanks for your insight. I does take courage to build a business that reflects your character. Many who have “successful businesses” already are quick to criticize, but as you have learned, you have to develop a “thick skin” and build with people for whom your methods, concepts, and life values resonate!