If My Work is Good Enough

"If My Work is Good Enough, I Shouldn't Have to Market, Right?"

Don't you think that good work should speak for itself...thatif you're good enough at what you do, you shouldn't have tohustle up business?

I've been working with a lot of really Smart People lately.Physicists, Economists, Chemists, Electrical Engineers,Programmers, Researchers and highly educated professionals ofmany kinds. These folks are at the top of their game andworld-class contributors in their chosen field.

Here are some of things they've said to me about marketing:

"If you're good, the money will come; we're above the moneygame."

"It feels sleazy to have to sell our market impact..."

"Isn't there an implied value to what we do? Why do we have tomarket it?"

"Yes, I'm angry that I have to market. It's not why I chosethis career."

If you can relate to any of these statements, you're not alone.Even these really Smart People have to face the harsh realitythat great work can't protect them from the "M Word"(marketing). Whether you've taken an entrepreneurial route, orwork inside a large organization, marketing is a life skillthat's essential for survival.

I remember fighting this reality early on in my professionalcareer, limping along and barely surviving as a businessbecause we were in denial about the reality of our situation:that if we didn't step up and figure out how to attract moreclients, we'd be out of business.

Of course it wasn't until I was in a whole lot of pain (i.e.,cash flow was a problem) that I changed my behavior. I had achoice to make: figure out how to bring in more clients orperish!

If you want to get your professional services understood,valued, and used in the marketplace, ignoring thisresponsibility is not an option. So as a Smart Person, do whatcomes naturally: LEARN your way out of your problem.

We're all on a learning curve about something, regardless ofPhDs, technical expertise, or years of professional success.For many professionals, finding yourself at the bottom of theMarketing Learning Curve is a frustrating experience. To makematters worse, your target clients are on a steep learningcurve about the value of you and your work!

So the key is to move both yourself and your target clients upthe learning curve. And knowing how to market, then skillfullyapplying this knowledge to your target audience is what willget you there.

Here are the four stages you have to go through (picture astaircase or ladder, with one stage on each level). In turn,you can take your target clients through these stages to learnabout you and your firm:

Stage 1: Unconsciously Incompetent. In other words, you'reclueless. This is when you don't know what you don't know. Foryou, it could be not understanding the driving principlesbehind effectively marketing a professional service...or the 5P's of marketing a professional service that you must follow,in exact order, if you wish to be successful. For your targetclients, it could be that they don't know you exist or thatthey have no idea what problems you can help them solve.Ignorance can be bliss, but it won't get you more clients!

Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent. Now you're anxious. You'vebecome aware of what you don't know. Reading this article couldmove you to this stage. Witnessing a colleague or competitorwin a contract that you missed out on could do it. For yourtarget clients, this could happen if you do a free or low-costassessment of their needs, or give them a short case studyillustrating other client successes that they've not been ableto achieve on their own. Bottom line: you're more motivated toclose the gap between your current state (in pain) and yourdesired state (pain-free and successful).

Stage 3: Consciously Competent. Armed with new knowledge,you're starting to feel more confident. With some effort,coaching, courage to try new things, and small successes,you're starting to get better results for your efforts toattract more clients. It still takes a conscious effort to dothe right things, but you're on your way. For your targetclients, this stage means that they see "What's In It For Them"to do business with you, are confident that you can solve theirproblem better than anyone else, trust that you'll not let themdown, and see a clear path of action to get their needs met.This is a good place to be, because it means there's a goodchance that you'll close the deal.

Stage 4: Unconsciously Competent. Like tying your shoes, thisis when it all feels natural and easy. You're probably here inyour chosen field of expertise. With the right approach andaccumulated successes under your belt, you'll get here in yourability to attract more clients. Your target clients are hereonly after they've gotten the results they want and can solidlytrust their relationship with you over the long haul. Theyvoluntarily and enthusiastically refer you to others. Theyeagerly ask about and await your next solution or offer of howto continue helping them. This is a blissful place to be andwill get you more clients than you ever thought possible!

Facing your "marketing reality" can be a tough pill to swallow.To make this easier, give these things a try:

* Start with increasing your knowledge. Read some articlesabout marketing in your particular field that you might notnormally bother with. Attend a talk or workshop about marketingthat typically wouldn't make it into your schedule. Exposeyourself to new ideas and fresh knowledge. A good place tostart is my free articles at:

http://www.turningpointemarketing.com/free_resources/articles.html

* Next, pick one new thing that you've learned and schedule itinto your calendar to try. Start small, get some successesunder your belt, and keep moving. Aim for one new marketingaction every week.

* As you start experiencing better results from your actions,you'll notice a shift in how you feel toward marketing. Itwon't feel like such a burden. It'll feel like a natural partof what you do. It won't be "someone else's job." You'llactually start to enjoy it (trust me, it can happen - I used toHATE this stuff!).

* Be patient with yourself and with the process. You didn'tbecome an industry expert overnight, nor will you become agreat marketer instantly. If you really want the freedom to dothe work you love, you've got to commit to the life skill offunding your passion for the long haul.

* Don't let naivet? or arrogance stand in your way. Marketingis not about hustling, twisting arms, misleading, or shamelesspromotion. It is about sharing what you know with the righttarget clients, in a way that they can understand and see thevalue for themselves in the good work you do.

A very wise and successful business professional recently toldme the key to his success: being willing to do the tasks thatmost other people aren't willing to do - even if you don't wantto do them. Marketing may not be as difficult as your chosenprofession, but it's still a stretch for many of us. Yourwillingness to try new things that most others won't, alreadyputs you ahead.

(c) 2004 TurningPointe Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved.
Marketing educator, Kelly O'Brien, is creator of the "Create a
TurningPointe!" Marketing Bootcamp. To learn more about this step-by-step
program, and to sign up for FREE how-to articles and 20-page marketing
guide, visit http://www.turningpointemarketing.com