A few months ago I signed up for their birthday program and never received my free coffee from Starbucks when my birthday came around. I was angry. I went through all the trouble to give them my information and I got nothing in return.

I felt used and now Starbucks would be sending me email promotional offers that I didn’t want.

I swore off Starbucks.

I swore at Starbucks.

I told all my friends about their shitty site.

I went on their website and complained about how I was mistreated and neglected. I’m not an asshole so I was decent with my language, but they got the point.

They knew I was never going back. Ever!

Then…

Yes, there is a then.

Then I got a letter in mail. It was from Starbucks.

They sent me two free cups of coffee coupons. It was like Starbucks put their big arms around me and gave me a big hug with a whisper of “sorry” in my ear.

They really seemed apologetic. It felt real and I took them back. They deserved a second chance.

Hallilullah! I’m a believer once again.

All relationships have their fights and issues, but the ones that are willing to say sorry and really mean it then we forgive them. How can we not?

You don’t have to build relationships just with social media. You can use snail mail and send out some bad ass looking coupons when people complain. It’s the whole system of relationship building that needs to be implemented.

Online and offline.

It’s not easy and there are a lot of jerks out there that will get free coffee, but make those jerks happy and they won’t be swearing your name up and down to their friends.

Image courtesy of Luis Fdez.

You have amazing superpowers that people need, but they don’t know about you. This is crazy.

Maybe you should take my “marketing” placebo pill. We can rewire how you look at marketing in less than 10 minutes.

Wouldn’t that be cool?

Seriously it’s not pushing your crap on to people and hoping for the best. It’s about qualifying your right people and letting these people know how you can solve their pain.

I love when people solve my pain. I want to hear about people who can solve my pain. I pay people to solve my pain.

It’s this simple:

• Where are your favorite kind of people? (The kind of people that want to buy your products/services.)
• Go to them. (online and offline)
• Ask them what type of problems they have.
• If you can help them then tell them how you can help them.
• Let them ask how much you charge.

When you make your marketing system too hard it becomes painful. Marketing should be fun. Really. If you aren’t having fun connecting with new people then you aren’t doing it your right way. That’s important. Your right way.

It takes a little practice, but after trying a few techniques that you think you would like you’ll know what works and what doesn’t after 30 to 90 days.

Most of the people reading this don’t enjoy marketing because it pulls them away from work that they would prefer to do. You can’t sustain a business with this attitude. You have to keep the pipeline pushing in new people, so when people don’t need your product/service you have new people who do.

What type of marketing do you enjoy?

Do you try to do this marketing every single working day?

The main thing holding you back is in you.

The unlock switch is there, but needs to be found.

That’s why you need to relax, observe, and meditate. You need to take time to sit and be with your thoughts.

Are you creating negative thoughts that are wreaking havoc on your motivation?

Making a daily habit to review your progress and process the emotional baggage so you can move on to the important work is vital to doing awesome work.

Try keeping a one sentence journal that helps you watch and learn from your mistakes.

“If we know the divine art of concentration, if we know the divine art of meditation, if we know the divine art of contemplation, easily and consciously we can unite the inner world and the outer world.”

- Sri Chinmoy

Your business’s  success depends on how well you adjust to your circumstances.

Ta Da!

I’ve learned a ton about social media, building rock solid relationships, and leveraging my superpowers to create a business that is profitable and fun.

If you have any questions I’m listening.