"Marketing is not something you do to people, it’s something you do for people. Marketing is the service of helping people make the best possible decision."  
— George Silverman: Author & viral marketing expert.

The truth of this quotation, and two recent events, prompted this blog post:

1. Yesterday, I gave a short presentation to my wonderful local chapter of my networking organization, The Professionals Network Group, on the power of using Marketing Syntax to communicate what it is you do, and to stand out from the competition (for a refresher on Marketing Syntax, see my March 2007 newsletter article). I was struck by how difficult it was for people in common professions, like law, to really distinguish themselves from all their colleagues and help others understand what their work accomplishes. And how it was even more challenging for people in less well-understood fields like coaching (!) and actuarial services to communicate their impact.

2. A physician client of mine expressed this morning "how hard it is to do the marketing and how much I dislike it". The refrain sounded familiar.

Who else feels this way about marketing? 

I confess that my own journey into marketing started out on rocky terrain. I felt very self-conscious and uncomfortable about "pushing my services" onto people and somehow forcing them to open their purses, against their will. At least, that was my distorted fantasy.

As my experience of coaching clients grew and I saw how much they valued the insights, accountability and "shove in the rear" that a rigorous and loving coaching relationship offers, I was free to embrace the idea that my marketing conversations were truly focused on helping others make good decisions for themselves. If they felt they'd get something from coaching and I was the right person, they'd hire me. If not, they didn't. I stopped taking it personally. The ride got a whole lot smoother!

I'm going out on a limb to hazard a pop-psychology guess that fear of marketing is really all about scarcity. A lack of belief in your unique value, a lack of belief that there is enough business for everyone, and a lack of belief that you deserve to work with only those clients or patients you enjoy.

Instead, you leave it up to fate to send in though your doors anyone and everyone - including all those whiny, demanding, or hostile people that ruin your day. Or you fail to ask for referrals from colleagues and your good customers or patients, letting them know that your work produces X, Y and Z benefits (not what YOU do or how wonderful YOU are, but how your customers are benefiting from your services). Your desperation to keep some money coming in stops you from turning away those people who sap your energy, leaving you depleted and short with everyone around you.

I am on a mission to help physicians build practices or businesses filled with wonderful patient or clients. 

This doesn't just happen. These special environments are created, one person at a time, by you getting really clear about why you are in business, learning how to communicate in simple language what is unique about your particular offering (even clinical care can be offered in a unique way!) and intentionally attracting and inviting the right people to use your services or buy your product.

Don't be baffled by marketing, and I beg of you, don't look down your nose at it. Render a real service to your prospective patients or customers - help them make good decisions about their options. And your business will flourish - sending both professional joy and money in your direction!