[Bruce Achterberg]

Originally Posted by Anna Conlan

E.g. Using my intuitive abilities, I reflect back to people how they really feel about the options and choices in front of them, so that they can choose the paths in life which provide the most fulfillment for them.

Or something like that.

Nice work--like that one. It has a clarity to it that's very down-to-earth and easy to reply to.

(You're much better at this than me, it seems, but I think that's because you can spot the essence of things a little faster than I can.)

Thanks for the feedback, Anna.

Originally Posted by Anna Conlan

I don't know if you're supposed to include it in a 15 second marketing message, but I'd put something about benefits of what you do and in what context you do it.

Benefit and context are important, but might be a bit challenging to include that in the initial marketing message--i.e. the response to "so, what do you do?"

A nice, shortened version of your suggestion:

I reflect back to people how they really feel about the options and choices in front of them so that they can choose the paths which fulfill them.

I really like that one, but it's missing one vital ingredient (at least for me): I don't feel strong when I say it.

I've realised that a good marketing message not only covers what you do for people, but engages your strengths--i.e. makes you feel strong and energised; excited to talk about it.

A good marketing message seems to be a balance between brevity (something around 10 to 12 words; about the size of a short reply), meeting a need (i.e. they have to be able to associate a real-world issue, need, or desire with what you say you do), and alignment with fuels you (i.e. when you tell people what you do, you want your passion to come through. This will happen if you choose something that truly touches on what drives you; something that's married to what energises you).

So that gives us a criteria of:

1. Brevity
2. Meets a real world need
3. I feel alive and energised when I talk about what I do

I'm trying to avoid any mention of the abilities I use, mostly because I find it just distracts people and I have to go into explaining mode. Having to teach people about my beliefs or justify my beliefs is very draining to me (specifically, it's frustrating--frustration is a sign of a weakness). In other words, it doesn't strengthen me and when I have to do it I suddenly become less competent.

I did a bit of a 180 and brought my marketing message down to earth a lot more.

Here's one of my newer, better messages:

I help people to connect to their strengths and be true to themselves.

Looking at the criteria:

1. Brevity (yes)
2. Meets a real world need (sort of)
3. I feel alive and energised when I talk about what I do (yes)

I find it's hard to balance criteria 2 and 3.

* * *

I've been considering why I'm suddenly obsessed with my marketing message, and it occurs to me that I'm trying to become clear about what it is I do.

I realised that while part of what I do is about reflecting back how people feel about things, that's not really why I do it. I do it to see people empowered and strong; to see them being true to themselves and putting their potential to use. I like to bring people back to a point of empowerment because I can feel (empathy) whether or not they're empowered, or, as Abraham would put it, tuned in, tapped in, turned on.

If I had my way, when asked what I do I'd launch into something like:

I help people align with their natural birthright, to sift through the contrast of their situation, identify their desires, and align with their inner being so they're in a state of pure positive energy and become powerful creators of their life.



I feel that's the core of my message, beyond the specifics of how I accomplish that. It's seeing people brim with alignment that strengthens me.

Now if I could just fit that into a marketing message in a way that won't produce vacant looks.

But that's what this process is for: it helps you become clear about what you're actually trying to express.

I'm probably better off just taking lots of action for now (rather than work on a marketing message), although it would be nice to experience the interesting conversations and connections that could result from a good marketing message. I also like the focus it brings (it's sort of like a purpose statement in that sense).