Show Me the Money—I Mean the Meaningful Client Connections
Orson Welles in promotional still for the 1941 film, Citizen Kane
Cerries Mooney’s got me thinking…
No, it’s not a song.
And I swear I’m not going to spend the next month dumping an avalanche of affiliate marketing into your inbox so I can pick up some megabucks.
I’m not a fan of that method.
Even when the entrepreneurs I respect and admire participate in affiliate marketing, it still feels slimy to me.
I get it. People have to make a living.
Some of the most creative marketing strategies are in affiliate marketing. They’re campaigns that’ll make you swoon.
Of course every business must market, but do we have to twist our words to do it?
I like who I like and I suggest their products and services for that reason alone. No need to bribe me.
I thought I was a lonely only in that decision. That everyone bends the truth for marketing purposes.
Until Cerries Mooney made me realize other people feel icky about manipulative marketing tactics, too.
Lousy liars unite!
Oh, yes, I’m very aware of how well certain marketing tactics work. There are some brilliant businesswomen using the good ol’ scarcity model to drive new clients their way.
Who can blame them, right? They make bank.
But there are others who are starting to question those kinds of strategies, even when it means making less money.
I’m in the second group.
That scarcity model is so last year… okay last decade. It just doesn’t make me feel good about myself or my business.
How about you as a client?
Do you want to feel like you need to purchase something because you’re lacking in some way? What if you just want to write a soulful and inspiring manuscript? Isn’t it high time we embrace the truth—that good tools aren’t scarce and there are plenty of consultants and guides who can help you learn how to use them?
I think so.
You just need to work with someone who is the right fit for you.
When I read Cerries Mooney’s post about manipulative marketing I started to question my entire business.
I’ve always shied away from manipulative marketing, but I used to think it was because I was lacking in some way. That I didn’t have the chops to grab the microphone and announce myself.
I bought the line that staying out of the spotlight meant I was “playing small.”
Really? Helping writers dig deep to find their voice is playing small?
Well, sign me up. I’ll be the one sitting in the toddler chair.
I made a definitive decision to start a business that would help writers grow. If my core objective is to help people tell an authentic and enlightening story, shouldn’t my marketing strategy reflect that objective?
On the surface, all my offerings will stay the same.
But as I roll out digital projects, I want my objectives to be crystal clear.
For example, I’m not promising to get you published in record breaking time.
I’ve always disliked the “write and publish your book in 90 days” sales pitch. If you think you can complete and publish a memoir in 3 months, you better hire a damn good therapist and get yourself a padded room.
Writing memoir is challenging and emotional work. You simply cannot do it quickly without facing mental health consequences.
I want no part of convincing anyone they should try for that goal.
These kinds of promises don’t serve the writer in any way other than maybe monetarily.
Of course we all want and need money. The decision to not chase dollar bills like a rabid animal around a racetrack doesn’t come from lack of desire for lucrative business opportunities.
It comes from a need to value my client connections first.
Writers confront a lot of pain when crafting a memoir—bouts of PTSD, anxiety, and depression can creep in. Emotional experiences that can cripple a writer in the middle of her process.
What support do writers need most? To get the words to flow again?
I’m not speeding anyone towards some magic end point. Not when they may be forced to face emotional or spiritual upheaval. Instead, I have to tailor each editing session to the specific client. What are their sensitivities? Where can I push them a little harder?
My one-on-one clients know I’m not cheap. I’m not your typical red-marking editor sprinting toward a finish line. This is a long and intense journey for both of us. One that requires excavating deeply hidden pieces of the self.
Even when marketing my more affordable digital products, I’ve got to adhere to the same philosophies.
I don’t believe in pressuring you into buying an evergreen class now, Now, NOW!
Investigate my work and take your time deciding when to make a purchase. There’s no rush.
I also hope to have some pay-what-you-can pricing mixed in with regular pricing in the future.
What I’ve discovered as I guide women through the memoir writing process is what a strong therapeutic tool it is.
I could put my efforts into marketing. But instead, I’d rather spend my time and money on resources that better foster my clients in their writing work.
So, I’ve made a decision.
I’m going back to school for Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Currently, I’m taking classes through the Philosophical Research Society. My latest is Walking the Path of Grief from Buddhist Hospice Chaplain Carlyle Coash who’ll be speaking at PRS in Los Angelos on Oct 30th. If you’re in the area definitely go check him out (see that pitch didn’t cost anyone a thing).
I’ve also been attending seminars from The Center of Story and Symbol including the Wisdom of Mythic Stories: Adult Identity Transitions in the Wizard of Oz and The Shadow Knows: Shadow Work in the Phantom of the Opera. I’ll also be attending their November class It’s a Wonderful Life: Suicide and the Soul. It’s a suicide prevention seminar taught by Jonathan Young (Joseph Campbell’s protégé) and Anne Bach, a psychotherapist who specializes in therapeutic writing.
These are the same classes professional psychotherapists take for recertification purposes.
I’m always learning. Adapting new skills to my work of using storytelling as a transformative practice.
It’s not a quick fix or get-rich publishing plan.
I’m more driven than ever to equip authors with writing resources that will allow them to 1) know themselves and 2) publish, if they so desire.
Real storytelling skills will benefit you both personally and professionally.
I don’t have all the answers, but I plan to spend a lifetime guiding writers toward finding them.
That’s my seeker’s quest.
And I can’t wrap that up easily in some slick marketing campaign.
I’ve got no sassy slogans.
If my approach to writing appeals to you, here’s what you can do about it:
Keep writing: realize that using your voice to tell a story can help you unravel deep-seated traumas. And dealing with your painful past is one of the best ways to work towards a brighter future for you and the people your story will impact.
Consider writing a lifetime journey: Slow down. Take the long way toward your turning point. Consider every line of writing you’re creating. Don’t feel pressured to push out unfinished work before you’ve fully processed it.
Share your stories with the right people: Don’t force your work on anyone. But don’t keep it to yourself, either. Find the people who would benefit most from your story and share. Accept feedback and let your audience influence your writing.
Over the next few months, I plan to roll out 3 new ebooks.
There won’t be any flashy launches or countdown clocks. No top-secret VIP reveals for a super selective audience. Just the tools and techniques I use to help my clients produce writing that examines and transforms their lives.
Speaking of, let me toot some client horns here:
Hawker Vanguard, a journalist/news producer for Albuquerque’s KOB 4 (also my good friend and the kid I once mentored in storytelling before he became a super savvy TV newsman) was just nominated for an Emmy® for his Eerie Enchantments Feature Series.
Olivia Stiffler, another dear friend and client had her second poem While I Was Sleeping featured in Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor.
Congratulations to you two. I’m so proud of your accomplishments and the opportunity to collaborate with you both.
What monumental manuscript are you working on? How will it transform your life and the lives of others?
