Marketing is awkward, especially in the beginning.
Talking about your work, promoting your latest album, telling your peers and colleagues that you have an idea for a new business venture… it’s awkward.
Printing business cards, going to networking events, starting a company with your name on the front door… all awkward.
(Writing this blog for you to see is awkward.)
Initially, marketing feels uncomfortable for everyone (particularly if what you do is close to your heart).
But, if you can learn to tolerate it, if you can sit with the awkwardness and not run from it, then you have a real shot at having all the things others spend their lives silently dreaming about.
Because, most people avoid uncomfortable stuff.
Most folks avoid marketing.
So, their brilliant ideas sit on the shelf.
They never learn the art of great promotion, so their dreams and goals lay unfulfilled.
The people who create big brands, attract big audiences, and make great money doing what they love are simply those who have gotten to the other side of awkward marketing.
They’ve learned to tolerate extremely long pauses, difficult conversations, failure, embarrassment, and the painful sting of rejection.
They’ve learned how to deal with the discomfort of self-promotion.
They’ve learned to stomach the awkwardness of marketing long enough to get good at it.
The truth is, marketing your work is awkward as hell.
There’s no way around it. The only way out is through.