Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan

10/16/12

36 comments Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan by Tiffany | 36 comments

This contributor post was written by Tiffany (Moore) Han.

I’m here today to tell you why you don’t need a marketing plan.

For those of us who have our own businesses, whether they’re creative or service-based, it’s easy to get caught up in all the things that all the experts tell us to do – have a marketing plan and a content calendar and a newsletter and a thriving twitter stream that’s no more than 30% promotion and blahblahblah.

Yes. This is all helpful information.

Yes. At some point, someone has figured out how people can market themselves.

Yes. I’m sure if you followed all the rules, more people would know about the work that you do.

But the problem with all of this is that we are often so busy following the rules and making sure that our bases are covered and that we’re doing everything right, that we get so caught up in the doing and don’t have any time left for the creating. At this point, it’s easy to lose sight of why we even started our own businesses.

Instead of following along with all of the checklists and to dos and what-everyone-else-says-you-should dos, just simmer your Marketing Plan down to these two basic steps:

Make cool stuff. Tell the world about it.

It can be that simple. While there are more specific steps you can take should you choose to, if you are someone who is stuck or feeling frustrated or not sure which steps to take next, bring it back to the simple.

Make stuff. Tell people. Repeat.

—

image Damn Fine Day

Tiffany (Moore) Han, CPCC is a life & business coach for highly-creative people who aren’t living the highly-creative lives they want. Just yet. With provocative questions & hard-edged encouragement, Tiffany helps skittish someday-ers become fiercely focused creators — and proves that dreams do come true. But only when you demand it.

This entry is filed under help, marketing, small business.

36 comments to Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan Click here to reply

True story! Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan http://t.co/FQ5KZm7O via @sharethis

(@RUaDSarah) (@RUaDSarah) commented on October 16th, 2012 at 11:11 am

Thanks so much for this post. As someone who has a day job and have limited hours with which to work on my creative business, I spend a lot of time feeling frustrated when I see all of those marketing posts telling me to do so many things I just don’t have time to do right now. I end up feeling sometimes like success is just not within my grasp unless I’m doing exactly what they are all telling me to do. So I truly appreciate the message to “Make cool stuff and tell people about it.”

Elizabeth commented on October 16th, 2012 at 11:18 am

thank you! what great words to hear. let the creativity flow <3
peace & love
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rachel commented on October 16th, 2012 at 11:23 am

You got a point – however this does not apply to everyone! I would really benefit from a marketing plan, as it would keep me focused on what i can do and help me in my brainstorming processes. However I do agree, that you should never just follow advised or rules strictly. Read them – and use what will help YOU in your work.
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M. Kongsfelt commented on October 16th, 2012 at 11:37 am

I totally understand the sentiment. Especially because the reality of marketing yourself and your product (or blog) can seem incredibly daunting.
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Jillian@TheHumbleGourmet commented on October 16th, 2012 at 12:37 pm

Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan http://t.co/TyZ93cLT via @sharethis

Shannon Marie (@little_fever) commented on October 16th, 2012 at 12:52 pm

Thanks for this – just what I needed to read today. It’s so easy to get caught up with what we are “supposed” to do that we forget that that’s all it actually boils down to. (We just need to make sure we connect with the appropriate people.. that’s the hard bit!)

Rebecca commented on October 16th, 2012 at 1:41 pm

As a marketing coach/consultant I would say YES to throwing out rules and instruction manuals, but a qualified NO to no plan at all. Making great stuff and telling the world about it doesn’t ensure you’ll be profitable. It only ensures that you’ll be having a great time (which definitely needs to be the SOUL of your business). I recently wrote about this conundrum myself: http://thewordchef.com/2012/09/dont-read-the-instruction-manual-its-time-to-improvise/ and then it evolved into this: http://thewordchef.com/2012/10/in-favor-of-slow-marketing/. So a big HELL YES to doing things at your own pace and in the way that’s perfect for you. But let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
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Tea Silvestre, aka the Word Chef commented on October 16th, 2012 at 2:03 pm

Hmmm…maybe? > Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan http://t.co/XbIF4Vzm via @papernstich

Tea Silvestre (@TeaSilvestre) commented on October 16th, 2012 at 2:04 pm

This is gonna be my motto, because I totally agree… the focus of a creative endeavor needs to be creating. Then sharing. Simple as that.
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Erica commented on October 16th, 2012 at 4:03 pm

Creative peeps: I have a new post up on @papernstitch. Why you DON’T need a Marketing Plan and what you can do instead. http://t.co/S5ym180Q

(@tiffanycmoore) (@tiffanycmoore) commented on October 16th, 2012 at 4:14 pm

Creative peeps: I have a new post up on @papernstitch. Why you DON’T need a Marketing Plan and what you can do instead. http://t.co/0UOrrsLX

(@teahousestudio) (@teahousestudio) commented on October 16th, 2012 at 4:14 pm

Such a simple message I love it, I think I’ve been focusing on the marketing too much lately and not the creating and it’s left me a little blah, thanks for the shove in the right direction.

Maddison commented on October 16th, 2012 at 4:35 pm

RT @papernstitch: Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan: This contributor post was written by… http://t.co/tOGysaGh

(@CreateHype) (@CreateHype) commented on October 16th, 2012 at 5:27 pm

Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan http://t.co/MvtGyWTn via @sharethis

Anna Przybylska (@anna_devil) commented on October 17th, 2012 at 9:04 am

Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan http://t.co/K2zMGzZU via @sharethis

Kristi Jackson (@1throughthelens) commented on October 17th, 2012 at 9:15 am

A great simple reminder that I know I forget time and time again.

<3
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Ashley Rae commented on October 17th, 2012 at 9:41 am

This is what I’ve been doing the whole time, works much better!
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Katie commented on October 17th, 2012 at 10:15 am

RT @papernstitch: Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan: This contributor post was written by… http://t.co/wnerl8oM

Jessica Mack (@BrownPaperBunny) commented on October 17th, 2012 at 10:39 am

good post – keeping it real. i knew where you were going with this before i got there. because it is what is happening with me. too busy doing all the other stuff and not enough time creating art. thanks for the reminder and the empowerment
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alice commented on October 17th, 2012 at 10:53 am

Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan http://t.co/FWf2XuM2 via @sharethis

(@vaseme) (@vaseme) commented on October 17th, 2012 at 12:04 pm

Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan http://t.co/IEB5grW1 Ohh papernstitch, you never cease to get it right.

(@Laura_C_George) (@Laura_C_George) commented on October 17th, 2012 at 12:05 pm

great advice! thanks – i needed to hear that today.
i made this picture yesterday, and now i’m telling you all about it!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112340951/cold-october-sky-original

justin brown durand commented on October 17th, 2012 at 12:11 pm

Love it! Sometimes we all need to be reminded to get back to our art and get those creative juices flowing again.

Andrea Goo commented on October 17th, 2012 at 12:16 pm

oops! I left out a letter in my second url. It should be TheCardCraftersCove.

Andrea Goo commented on October 17th, 2012 at 12:22 pm

Thanks for these words,this post has renew my self drive to show the world.
Reusing,recycling to reduce and create something beautiful for a better tomorrow is real,

keith barkley commented on October 17th, 2012 at 12:26 pm

RT @papernstitch: love the dialogue happening here. marketing plan vs no marketing plan. where do you weigh in? http://t.co/Hktbqo4z

(@vaseme) (@vaseme) commented on October 17th, 2012 at 12:37 pm

Keeping it Real: Why you Don’t Need a Marketing Plan http://t.co/nMC7aAEU via @sharethis

(@MixedKreations) (@MixedKreations) commented on October 17th, 2012 at 2:28 pm

I get what you’re saying and understand how daunting it can be to do everything when you run your own business. I just think that you you don’t understand that when you say “Make cool stuff. Tell the world about it.” that the “Tell the world about it” IS the marketing and for those of us who enjoy the creative part the most that part of the business is time-consuming and draining. What I would say is “Make cool stuff. Outsource the marketing.”

Linda commented on October 17th, 2012 at 9:14 pm

Hmmm! That is such a simple piece of advice, but it seems to be so true for MOST people upholding a business. I think I’m beginning to see more and more just how much better it is when we can create or come up with good content and let word of mouth take it from there. When this is taken care of, I bet telling people about it won’t be as overwhelming.
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Ellie@Fit for the Soul commented on October 19th, 2012 at 6:29 pm