Make Marketing Suck Less

Dr. Michelle Mazur (00:00): I just need to know the right thing to say that will resonate with my client. I recently realized that you are a bit obsessed with getting it right. Last fall, I surveyed my audience and I kept hearing from you that you want the right, the best, the most appealing message that's going to resonate with your clients and magically get them to work with you. And boy, do I get that intention. I really, really do. But what if getting it right or finding the best, most appealing way to say something is actually keeping your clients from finding you? That's exactly what we're going to be talking about on today's podcast. So let's dive in.

(01:01): Get ready for the Rebel Uprising Podcast, the only podcast dedicated to business owners who feel overlooked for their expertise, skills, and experience. Let's claim your expertise and turn your complex ideas into unmistakable messaging that grows your business. I am your host, Dr. Michelle Mazur, the author of the 3 Word Rebellion and Your Rebel Troop Telling Guide to Building a Business That Gets Noticed.

(01:33): Oh, the pressure. I understand the immense pressure that experts put on themselves to get things right. I experience it every day in my business. After all, I do messaging and positioning work for clients. And I feel like if my messaging and positioning isn't spot on, if it's not perfect, I worry that no one will take me seriously and I'll never be hired again. This became very apparent to me when one day I was on Amazon and I was looking through the reviews of the 3 Word Rebellion book, and there was one review, basically the review said, "This is a great book. It's super helpful, but I went to the author's website and it's clear she doesn't walk her talk." Oof. She was saying my messaging was off. And in fact, my messaging was way outdated because when I released the book, I got so busy working on other people's messages that I kind of let mine go by the wayside.

(02:45): You know what didn't happen? I didn't go broke. I was still getting clients, even though my messaging wasn't what it needed to be. Was that review a wake up call that it was time to update the copy on my site? Ugh, 100%. But an okay message that wasn't really aligned with what I was talking about now? Well, that still is getting me clients. So you're not alone in this immense pressure. Heck, I'm not alone in this immense pressure. I even see it with my clients all the time. Often a client will email me right before they turn in their playbook for our session and say something like, "Ugh, this isn't very good. I really don't think I gave you what I need. I'm sorry it's such a mess."

(03:41): And per the use when I dive into the doc, it's brilliant. It's exactly what I needed to move the creation of the message forward. Because my job is to make sense of the mess and turn it into a message that leads people to work with you. Your job is to dump it out of your head, to be imperfect, to be messy. Then I take that imperfection, analyze, structure, organize, and refine it. But I get it. Messy is hard for you. You want to get it right. And anytime I survey my audience, I read a lot about the need for the right message. Underneath getting it right, there's something deeper lurking that's sabotaging you when it comes to getting the word out about your work. It was something I never saw before, even though I was experiencing it daily. But it wasn't until I was working with my community consultant, Sophie, for the Expert Up Club, which you'll be hearing a lot more about in the coming months because it is designed to help you move past the perfectionism and get known and hired for your work.

(05:03): Sophie pointed out to me that the people that I work with, they're not the types that suffer from imposter syndrome, but they are perfectionists. And after all of these years, despite me being a perfectionist, I never saw that in my people before. Perfectionism, it's a defense mechanism. It's like you think if you can get the right message, you'll be able to protect yourself. You won't ever hear no again. No one will be offended by your work. You'll never pissed anyone off because you've gotten it right. There's nothing for other people to be upset about. But the rebel truth is no message can ever do that for you. There is no amount of rightness that guarantees that your work isn't going to be rejected. Brene Brown says, "Perfectionism is a 20 ton shield that keeps us from being seen, heard, and valued." The work that you need to do to get the message out there is all about being seen, valued, and hired.

(06:32): So no wonder work like messaging and marketing gets your perfectionist hackles up. It makes total sense because you're putting yourself in this vulnerable position. So what can you do about perfectionism? I think the first thing is to realize that yes, your messaging impacts every aspect of your business, from marketing to sales, to delivery. That is a fact. And because it is such a big deal and it is so impactful and touches every aspect of your business, this makes getting it right seem even more important. So you work to get it right. But here's the thing, there is no right message. There's no perfect message. It's a constant evolution. But the only way to get it even approaching right is to do the foundational messaging work and then put it out into the world and then you can tweak and evolve it. If you wait until you get it right, you get stuck. And if you wait until you get it right, your clients won't be able to find you and hire you.

(07:55): So my challenge to you is let go of finding the right message. Instead, strive to find a message that is better or more persuasive, compelling, engaging, more meaningful to you and your clients. Curiosity provoking. Specific. Try to make your message incrementally better. Make it a message that moves you closer to the world knowing that your business exists one person at a time. A message that gives your right fit client a fighting chance to find you. Going for right only prevents you from getting your work out to the people who need it. It keeps your business hidden in plain sight. So stop trying to get it right and embrace a spirit of experimentation.

(08:59): One thing that I've been doing a lot of thinking around especially for the Expert Up Club, is how we can celebrate trying, how we can celebrate fucking around and finding out in the best way possible. Because if you don't try, if you don't put it out there, you don't know. And once you start putting your message out there and getting feedback, only then can you improve, only then you can start becoming known for something, and only then can people find and hire you. You don't need the right message to be hired by clients, but you do need a message. You do need to let people know your business exists. So why don't we let go of the perfectionism and start putting your imperfect work out in the world? If you want support, the Expert Up Club is going to begin taking founding members this March so we can do this work together.

(10:06): Hey, rebel, wouldn't it be amazing if people just recognized your expertise on the spot and decided to hire you? Of course it would. But we know business doesn't work that way. Instead, you have to show up and market. And let's face it, marketing has not been your jam and it feels like it doesn't work for your business. And there's a reason for that. In order to market effectively so you grab attention and lead people to your offer, it takes having a one of a kind message and an ability to build the case for why people should hire you.

(10:48): And that's exactly what will create in the 3 Word Rebellion messaging intensive. Yes, we will co-create your three word rebellion, but you'll also create all of the other messaging your business needs to efficiently and effectively show up and market your business while translating your expertise into a message your clients want to know more about. Interested in that? Then let's chat. Go to 3wrcall.com. That's the number 3, wrcall.com, and book a free consultation with me. I look forward to helping you get your message out in the world so that more people can hire you.

(11:38): If the Rebel Uprising Podcast is helping you claim and communicate your expertise so that your clients can find and hire you, please share the show with a friend. The easiest way to do that is through PodLink. You can find the show at pod.link/rebel, and that page will allow anyone you share the show with to subscribe and start listening in their favorite podcast player. That's pod.link/rebel.

(12:07): The Rebel Uprising podcast is a production of Yellow House Media. Our production coordinator is Lou Blaser. Our production assistant is Emily Kilduff. The podcast is edited by Steven Mills. Our executive producers are Sean and Tara McMullin. The Rebel Uprising Podcast is recorded on the unseated traditional land of the Coast Salish People, specifically the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish people, original stewards of the land past and present.