“I think the one job I could never do is one that revolved around selling people stuff,” I said to myself about 15 years ago.
And now? My day job totally revolves around marketing.
Granted, I get to help people buy into the Plant With Purpose vision of environmental restoration, which is heaps more appealing to me than trying to market an energy drink or something, but still. The word marketing has kind of a scheemy feel to it. Like when people say, “ah, that’s just marketing,” to dismiss somebody as just trying to sell you pointless crap.
My outlook on marketing has since totally shifted. When you apply the act of marketing to something that adds real value to the world, marketing becomes all about generosity, storytelling, and connection.
I like how Seth Godin puts it– “Marketing is the generous act of helping others become who they seek to become. It involves creating honest stories—stories that resonate and spread.” Yes!
Because honestly, most of what I do is give stuff away for free! I spend hours each week working on a podcast that costs nothing. I write thousands of words and create dozens of graphics for social media and email that people can sign up for all for free.
Because if at the end of the day, if it helps make the world a little smaller, and if bridges the gap between a financial advisor in California and a farmer in the Congo, that’s worth it. My idea of marketing is rooted in the idea that generosity sparks more generosity, and in the end, that ain’t so sleazy at all.