Irony (part 2)

Irony (part 2, read part 1 here). The same morning I wrote my rant about reducing marketing noise, a team member sent out my weekly Start Strong newsletter with this headline: “Less than 24 hours left to take action…”  Through my miscommunication, the newsletter email headline did not emphasize the essay on decision making tips as I had intended and instead focused on one of my programs that was closing. Can you see the irony? The same day I clarified in my mind the relationship-based marketing that felt so right to me, my team sends out what felt like an artificial “time is ticking” deadline. One option was for me to pull the rant I shared in part 1 and just let this one headline slide and hope it didn’t do any damage (and it likely didn’t because people are so used to all of the noise). But, this isn’t the way I tick. It’s never been more critical to simplify our lives. It’s never been more essential for marketers to stop following each other like sheep and shift into forming a deep, true, transparent, service-based dialogue with their tribes. This is what marketing is to me – an honest conversation sharing the resources I have to offer in a way that allows my tribe to make a decision in their best interest about whether or not a particular resource is right for them. Next time you get hit with a big dose of irony (life loves to serve it up!), see it as an invitation to further explore where you stand and why. Then stand.