Any business coach or copywriter worth her salt will tell you that your copy is NOT about you. Nothing wrong with that – I have used that approach for myself and my clients with great results.

However, my recent personal experience and my work with a client have told me otherwise. This client has a big heart, big message and he is so freakin’ poetic that it hurts me to stuff him into the “client-facing”, marketing-kosher mode every “guru” is teaching. I know that even if I box him into that way of writing, it won’t last and he won’t be happy. If he can’t shine fully, then his business won’t bloom or let him be him in his fullest potential.

Frankly, as much as part of me loves systems and the “proven” whatever, most of the time those “tried-and-true” systems, blueprints or processes you have learned in the 1000’s “look pretty much the same” training programs leave you with lukewarm materials that are quite a few inches away from scratching the itch.

So here I am, throwing you a challenge to SUBVERT what you have been told and “navel-gaze” your way to more clients!

“Navel-gazing”, if done right, can help you become a Natural in your marketing because it helps YOU shine through. Cool, huh?

I love the Lord Of the Rings Trilogy. The one thing that I don’t dig is the “unicorn and roses”/”happily ever after” scenes in the last 10 minutes. But every time I watch the movie I sat through this part because they have earned it! (On the other hand, the drag out “day in live of big-feet little people” in the Hobbit lost me)

You have to EARN your navel-gazing moments.

In your communications, don’t start with “navel-gazing” content. Catch your readers’/clients’ attention by talking about their pains and challenges, or by writing about something that is relevant to or resonate with them. Make it about them first. Make it about them second. And make it about them third. When they have decided that they dig you and think that you can help them, then you have earned your rights to talk a about yourself, your big idea, your philosophy and maybe you can even geek out on your process (a little).

Practice the “Art of Selective Navel-Gazing”.

Even after you have earned your rights, you can’t then spend the next 1000 words talking about yourself with no regards to your readers/clients (or respect of their time and attention). You have to make your story relevant to them so they will read on and see what you can do for them. Note that I said “navel-gazing MOMENTS” – moments, as in sprinkles of fairy dust coming through here and there. Not tomato paste and cheese on cheap pizza.

Use “navel-gazing” moments to shameless communicate your uniqueness and secret sauce without sounding “cheesy”.

This is the perfect opportunity for you to toot your own horn without looking out of place. As you are talking about YOU, it is only appropriate that you tell people why you are unique and what your secret sauce is, right? What makes you, YOU? Let your voice come through and take a stand because this will make you standout from other lukewarm marketing copy.

Bonus point: if you can tie the horn-tooting back to your readers/clients needs, it will rock their world and sell your goods.

Use “navel-gazing” content to score more ideal clients.

When YOU comes through in your content, it turns into a pretty effective “self select” tool for you to attract your ideal clients. As a coach, people don’t just buy your process, your knowledge (what can’t we find on THE Google these days?), or even the results you promise (how many weight loss coach is out there?) They want to feel connected to the person they are working with. When you voice and your opinion comes through in your communication, people who resonate with you will want to learn more about you. They will be “sold” before you even have your enrollment conversation.

The Zen Of Navel Gazing

I have always wanted to “Make Art Have Fun” in my biz and marketing while serving my peeps. I want our businesses to full expression of ourselves. To that end, I can’t hide my voice behind some formulaic, “boring”, lukewarm stuff. The challenge I set for myself and for you so to do “Navel-Gazing Marketing” all the time without “navel-gazing” at all. How can you make your voice, your opinion and your philosophy permeate everything that you put out into the world, yet make it all about your readers and clients?