Marketing for Hippies

becoming a hub:

marketing in the new economy

a day long, marketing workshop for independent, green and holistic entrepreneurs on how to build a resilient business by building community around your business

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WORKSHOP DATES:

WHEN: May 22, 10am - 6:30pm
WHERE: OUR Ecovillage
COST: Pay what you want at the end
SPACES AVAILABLE: 15
SPACES REMAINING: 8

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE

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Welcome to the New Economy.

I want to submit that, in this day and age - the best form of marketing is community building.

I suspect this has always been true - but sometimes things become 'especially' true.

The past few years have seen some changes in the economy and our marketing needs to change with it.

My name is Tad Hargrave. Since 2001, I have traveled around North America working with conscious entrepreneurs just like you. Some successful, others struggling. And I've gathered quite the assortment of success stories and strategies right from the horses mouth.

And all this traveling and learning has shown me that there are a lot of approaches to marketing. But only one that really works in the long term.

Becoming a hub.

What does that mean?

Well, I think there are . . .

Three Approaches to Marketing:

LEVEL 1 - THE COLD APPROACH: At this level, you start with people you know and then . . . you quickly run out. And then we're left with approaching people 'cold'. Meaning, they totally don't know us. No relationship. We're talking to strangers about our business. At this level we're just getting our name out there. We're talking to everyone we can. We're attending random mixers, business luncheons and networking events. We're asking our clients to 'tell their friends' about us (when we remember to do it). We might even be cold calling (ugh). But the challenge with this level is that it's incredibly time consuming and not that effective. And that leaves us feeling desperate and in a constant level of crisis.

LEVEL 2 - WORKING WITH HUBS: At this level, you start to realize the power of using 'hubs'. We realize that our ideal clients are already spending their time, money and attention in other places. There are certain events and locations we're most likely to find them at. There are certain magazines, blogs and websites they check out. There are certain people that are already well connected to and respected by our target markets. So we start attending targeted events and connecting with the right people. We strategically build relationships with key hubs. This is a huge leap for most businesses. At this level, when you approach people they are 'warm' to you because they've already heard about you from someone they trust.

LEVEL 3 - BECOMING A HUB: At this level, we not only 'work' with hubs - but we become one. And not just for our clients. We become a hub for the scene and for the 'hubs' in the scene. At this level, people are seeking YOU out. People are adding YOU on facebook. You're no longer trying to receive awards - you're giving them. Your reputation precedes you. You've shifted from being the spotlight - trying to chase people around - to be being the lighthouse - drawing everyone in. Instead of being a guest in the community - desperately trying to fit in and be accepted - you are now the host of the community. You become a hub.

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Consider what it could mean for your business to become a hub:

the community adopts you deep into the fabric of their 'scene'

you will enjoy deep, reserves of trust because people know you're not just i'n it for the money'

you become revered as a 'trusted advisor' on not only the things you sell, but on the whole scene (e.g. if you're a magician, people call to get your advice on other entertainers in general. If you're a reiki practitioner, people look to you for guidance on holistic health in general).

by becoming a hub, you create a virtuous, self-reinforcing, collaborative, upward spiral not only help to grow your business - but you help to grow the whole 'scene' . . . which then grows your business more.

it's not so much that you end up getting a bigger slice of the pie for yourself - but that you help make a bigger pie for everyone (e.g. not only are you selling more of your fair trade products - but more people are buying fairtrade period).

By being willing to stand up for your values and sense of value in business you become a powerful voice in your industry - an industry leader, critic. Challenge your own industry to a higher standard of conduct. Integrity.

Your community sees you as their advocate and defender.

People read your emails and communications because you're such an incredible 'hook up'.

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The Five Biggest Mistakes That Will

Stop You From Ever Being Seen as a Hub:

All four of these mistakes have to do with how we 'see' and relate to marketing. I want to suggest that it is a challenge to see marketing as something that is:

one time vs. relationship building: some people have the idea that they're going to put out some marketing (e.g. a website, billboard, poster, ad in a magazine etc) and that their ideal customer will see it and just instantly want to BUY NOW. You're much more likely to succeed if you see marketing as a natural process of building trust and familiarity over time.

urgent vs. patient: many entrepreneurs have this fear that, "If I don’t pitch them right now and promote myself I’ll totally lose this opportunity forever!" But that sort of desperate attitude turns people off. You're more likely to succeed if you can focus on building a real, 'feel good' connection with them and trust that it will evolve naturally as it should. This is also solid dating advice.

one directional vs. a larger conversation: the old style of marketing basically can be summed up as 'talking at' your potential clients. You put up a billboard and they read it. You place an ad - they read it. You put an ad on the radio - they listen to it. But they can't talk back. This is largely old news: you're far more likely to succeed if you see marketing as a conversation not a monologue. So, marketing is about creating a conversation between you and them. But also helping them to communicate with others in the scene. This could take the form of online forums, parties you host, a blog you write that people can comment on. etc.

the agenda to sell vs. the agenda to serve: have you ever given money to a non-profit and all they ever do is ask you for more money? Or added a facebook friend and all they do is send you self promoting stuff? Or gotten on someone's email newsletter (likely without even asking to be) and been barraged with pitches for their services? This kind of marketing is going the way of the dodo. You're more likely to succeed if you follow the 80/20 rule where 80% of your communications need to be about adding value. Giving without asking for anything in return. When you do this - you become seen as a source of good things. You are earning people's attention. If you don't you risk being 'hidden' on facebook or having mass numbers of people unsubscribe from your newsletter.

immediate vs. organic: many entrepreneurs live in silent hope that the impacts of their marketing will be immediate. They hope that every time up to bat they'll hit a homerun on the first pitch. You're more likely to succeed if you realize that relationships develop at their own pace. That your potential clients need to be given space to decide when and how they want to interact with you on their own terms. And that sometimes this process is slower than we might hope.

TO REGISTER
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What you're going to learn at this workshop:

how to use parties and events to grow your business

the difference between competing with other businesses and leading your industry.

how social media (e.g. facebook, twitter and Linked In) ties into this all

how to identify your hubs and build deeper relationships with them

how word of mouth marketing relates to becoming a hub

most people think about getting more clients. some think about 'growing the whole scene'. We'll talk about what's even more important than that.

how to use your email lists (critical blunders to stop making!)

The Biggest Shift in Marketing
in the Last One Hundred Years . . .

There's been a seismic shift in marketing in the past few years. A lot of people are literally calling it Marketing 1.0 vs. Marketing 2.0

Marketing 1.0: one directional communications. You are marketing two the community. I put a billboard which you read (but can't talk back to). I buy an ad. I put up a poster. And all you can do is look at it and decide to call or not.

Marketing 2.0: two way communication. It's interactive. It's about creating conversations. I create a facebook group about a theme of my business (e.g. The Pay What You Can Economy, The Green Business Facebok Group, or Marketing Strategies for Holistic Practitioners)and then you join it and participate in it.

I create a new flavour of vegan chocolate and ask you to help me name it. I put an instant messaging function on my site so when people visit it they can start chatting with me and ask me questions directly. I, myself, go to other onlines forums and add valuable comments and tips. We create a conversation between us.

And I think the best expression of this new, Marketing 2.0 is captured in the metaphor of the 'hub'. Like the center of a wheel. The center is called the 'hub' because it's where all of the spokes connect.

What this means is that our marketing needs to change. In some cases radically.

I'll get to 'how' in a moment - but first let me give some background and 'big picture' . . .

Over the past few years you may have noticed a change in not just the economy - but our culture.

To oversimplify it - there's been a shift from 'me' to 'we'.

And this shift is critical to understand both in the tone of your marketing, but also the style of it.

Let me back this up.

A couple of decades ago, our culture seemed to be all about being, 'an idealistic individual'.

It was about being an individual, unique and setting big goals! Land a man on the moon, own a huge mansion, buy your own private jet. We were told "you can achieve anything". We were constantly reminded that we can be bigger and better than we really are. We weren't encouraged to think about limits or taking responsibility for our own actions. There was an overall air of individual entitlement. "I can do whatever I want." we were raised to think.

But all this 'me' focus but eventually became plastic, phony, and turned us into a culture of narcissistic posers.

What I want to suggest is that that cycle is done.

But that a lot of people are doing their marketing as if it weren't.

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We are now moving into a "Conscious Community" cycle.

You're probably seeing it everywhere. The rise of green business and local food, crafts, arts . . . everything. Volunteerism is on the rise. Coops are on the rise. We're seeing the rise of social media (e.g. facebook, twitter and linked in).

People have started talking to each other.

And this really is a change. Twenty years ago there were lots of progressive people. But now they talking to each other - they're creating meet-up groups, facebook groups, NING communities.

The age of the 'guru' is rapidly coming to a close and the dawn of the 'everyman' is on the rise. Every day, thousands of new blogs go up. Thousands of new videos. People are sharing links and files with each other.

We've moved from the days of the gourmet chef to more of a 'stone soup' model.

Lord of the Rings is a good metaphor. A rag tag group of people working together for a common cause larger than themselves.

People are learning from each other.

The whole seminar business is feeling the pinch of this. Numbers (even for the big names) are at an all time record low.

Why?

Why go to a seminar when you can buy the book or DVD cheap, when you have friends who lead seminars too, or you can download the audio for free online (because in an age of file sharing - what does 'copyright' mean anyway?) And plus - why spend thousands on a seminar when most of the ones you've been to were way overhyped anyway? Why go to a seminar when they're likely going to use the whole three days to just sell you into another seminar.

We've become a bit more cynical about where we spend our 'personal growth' dollars these days.

Even huge corporations getting into the game by sponsoring charities or creating their own big 'cause related' events.

British Petroleum rebrands itself as "Beyond Petroleum" (leaving us beyond belief).
HSBC (a huge multinational bank) rebrands itself as 'the world's local bank'.
Becel Margarine takes on 'heart disease' (a condition that it's product no doubt contributes to)
Dove creates the 'Real Beauty' campaign all about self image issues for women.Why are they doing this?

Because they realize that this shift isn't so much 'happening' as that it's already 'happened'.

In this cycle of conscious community we value small actions, doing your part, we value use and utility over hype.

We are encouraged to do what’s best for society as a whole. It’s about coming together as a team. In a word - Community. We’re not so important as individuals.

And we're craving things that are authentic, transparent and real. "Talk is cheap," we tell people. "Do something. Help somebody. Give me something real." These days most of us want the truth, even if it’s ugly. And we hate pretense. We hate 'fake'. We hate hype where everything is 'AMAZING! Never before seen! One time only! Life changing!" etc. We hate telemarketers calling us with 'sales scripts'. We are likely the generation with the most finely tuned BS censors in the history of our culture.

We want humility, straight talk and a genuine point of view.

It used to be enough to say things powerfully (sell the sizzle not the steak). But these days you actually have to say something powerful.

Increasingly - shared values and 'seeing things the same way as your customers' is vital. Increasingly, it's not just what you’re selling – they’re buying a perspective, a point of view. They are buying based on your vibe. They're buying based on whether or not you're a part of their community - or, compellingly, if you're able to create a community that they want to be a part of.

Crowd sourcing. User generated content. Collective ownership.

Something real.

Jusy Wicks said it best when she spoke of wanting to foster and economy that values, "fair trade not “Free” trade, alternative education that nurtures the whole child, not just reading, writing and “rithmetic”, a maximization of relationships, not of profits; honesty and transparency, not more lies, hype and manipulation; naturalness, not pretense; the growth of consciousness and creativity, not brands and market share; democracy and decentralized ownership, not concentrated wealth; a living return, not the highest return; a living wage, not the minimum wage; a fair price, not the lowest price; sharing, not hoarding; simplicity, not luxury; life-serving, not self-serving; partnership, not domination; cooperation, not competition; win-win exchange, not win-lose exploitation; family farms, not factory farms; biodiversity, not monocrops; cultural diversity, not monoculture; creativity, not conformity; slow food, not fast food; our bucks, not Starbucks; our mart, not Wal-Mart; a love of life, not a love of money."

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