What’s Your Eat, Pray, Love Marketing Strategy?

One of my favorite books is Eat, Pray, Love, and I was so excited to see the movie, which just came out. What made it a real treat was that I went to the opening day with a group of women from Ladies Who Launch. Afterward, we gathered together to discuss the movie and what it awakened in each of us for our own lives. What does this have to do with business (besides the fact that I saw the movie on opening a day with a group of business women)? Through these three areas of Eat – Pray – Love, the author gained a deeper understanding of herself and got into touch with her passion for life. She came alive in a way that was deeply genuine and self-appreciating. This got me thinking…. what if you apply these principles into the marketing of your business. What would this look like? What would be possible? Eat Eating is about gathering with others, nourishing yourself and taking a break. Magical things happen around a dinner table when everyone relaxes and falls into easy conversation. In your business, this looks like getting out of your home office and meeting someone for lunch or coffee. Looking them in the eyes, telling stories, connecting in person instead of just on the computer or cell phone. It means sharing stories, dreams, problems and ideas. Perhaps you meet colleagues for dinner to relax and connect together. Invite a potential client or contract person to tea. Each of these “breaking bread” opportunities makes you a real person to them, more than an email. Personally, I love to get out of my office each morning and go to a café to read something inspirational and journal a bit before I start my day. (You may have heard me talk about Creative Bagel Time.) It nourishes my spirit, reconnects me to what’s important, and aligns my energy for the day. I’ve gotten to know the owners and gals and guys at the various cafes I visit. Each has his or her own personality and way of being. They greet me by name and ask if I want “the usual.” I feel connected when I sit down at this very real, physical place. From here… I create. I connect. I nourish my soul. Pray To me this is about realizing that you are never alone and that you are always co-creating with a higher wisdom. Even in your business. Especially in your business. This can be literal in that you journal your JoyFlow Sightings or daily gratitude. Pray or ask for guidance about a decision or a new path in your business. I like to ask my guides when I need inspiration for a new article, a creative marketing piece or a teleclass topic. Even listening to an intuitive nudge to buy a certain book, follow a link in an email or to pick up the phone and call a colleague is reinforcing and working with a higher power. Consciously being aware that you have access anytime to a wisdom that is deeper and richer than your everyday self means that anything is possible. Cultivate that by spending time writing a vision story for your business and life, mind mapping possibilities to stretch your creative thinking, or outline ideas for new programs or philosophies and let the wisdom flow through you. Love Love is about passion, caring, purpose and daring to create in your business for the sake of changing your clients’ lives. Love in your marketing looks like writing blog posts that are meaningful and truly helpful to your clients, instead of just because you have hot keywords. Love is fiercely holding a client capable of something bigger than she can see at the moment for herself. Love in your business looks like creating a team of people who care about the growth and success of your business as much as you personally care about their well-being and growth. When you are marketing yourself as a solo-entrepreneur, marketing and delivering the service, it’s essential to love yourself. Appreciate and honor what makes you unique and amazing. Love yourself enough to know that there are people who are waiting for you to show up in your marketing so they can find you. And know that you can change their life with your work. NOT loving yourself – means holding yourself small and resisting marketing activities that will help you reach people because you are scared, confused or think it’s beneath you in some way. When you love yourself enough to know that it matters when you show up genuinely big and brilliant – that’s world changing. We need more of that! What is your Eat, Love, Pray marketing plan? How will it change your business?