It may be confusing sometimes to really understand where the line is between running your business and marketing your business. So I wanted to clear this up for everyone: EVERYTHING IS MARKETING.
Yep, you read that right, everything. That is at least, everything that is client or customer facing affects how people view and feel about your business—the branding, the pricing, the packaging, your business ethics, etc. Even the things that you think no one will ever see about your business have a way of coming to light—how you treat employees or vendors, how you talk about your customers or clients behind their backs, your personal ethics, etc.
If everyone in the world knew every single thing there is to know about your business, how would they feel about it? Would they want to buy from you immediately? Would they trust you? Would they want to talk to their friends how about great you are?
Now obviously, everyone and every business cannot possibly be perfect. (And even if you were perfect, would anyone even believe that these days?) But you can do your very best at making sure that your business reflects your personal values and that all current and potential customers or clients can clearly see this through everything you do—even through the things that you wouldn’t typically label as marketing.
So remember, right or wrong, everything you and your business do has the capability of gaining or losing customers or clients. Be aware that your actions may have marketing consequences, even when you least expect it. And make sure that every business and personal decision you make holds up to your own personal morals and ethics.
All the best,
Ryanne Zender
Disclaimer: While marketing is based in part on statistics and psychology, it is not an exact science. Every business and market are unique. What may work for one business, will not necessarily work for another. There are no guarantees in marketing, and this post is for informational and educational purposes only and does not replace professional advice. You can check out the full list of disclaimers and disclosures here.
