Sara Orellana
By Sara Orellana
Marketing is continuously evolving.
In my years of owning a business, I have developed and tried more marketing strategies than I care to mention. I have read countless books, reviewed data, and tried every trend out there to discover ‘the secret.’ I would follow formulas to the letter and still miss keywords or feelings my audiences were seeking.
Some of this may be my fault. I loathed marketing.
I wanted to be revered for my skills, what I brought to the table, and the work I did. I believed my reputation would be based on my stellar work ethic, high quality of work I produce, and my uncanny ability to truly hear what the clients want.
Sadly, while these are great business skills, they aren’t great marketing skills.
After years of struggling to market my business, I had an epiphany. I knew what I needed to change.
What if marketing was fun? What if this was the time I allowed myself to be creative?
As a business consultant, my scientific side thrives. I can be strategic, utilize methods, and analyze data all day, but my creative side doesn’t get the opportunity to shine. I missed being creative.
By approaching marketing as a time that I could have fun, I could allow my creative nature to shine. I started to make fun graphics, shared stories about my dogs, and even talked about myself. Once I changed my perspective, started to see marketing as my opportunity to be creative, I stopped dreading it.
In fact, marketing is something I have come to enjoy, and have gained the courage to try new things. I even launched a TikTok channel where I share a variety of tips and resources.
If you are interested in fun, easy-to-follow marketing tips, check out the 3Raptor Small Business Professional Group on Facebook. My team and I have developed resources that have proven to be very helpful for many business owners.
My suggestion: find what works for you, including social media platforms; create a plan and then stick with it. Remember successful businesses find the basics and practice them daily. The only way you will ever have the skills you need to hit a grand slam is if you continually practice the basics. I promise, it will work.
Sara Orellana is an independent entrepreneur who specializes in strategic planning, leadership, and grant writing. She can be reached at sara@3raptorconsulting.com.