Marketing: There’s Really Nothing Magical About It!

For some marketers, there’s a need to make social media and digital marketing almost anything except what it really is.

Buzz words like easy, simple, cheap, delicious, killer, awesome, and I could go on AND on, are filling our feeds. It’s apparently easy to be epic. It’s simple to succeed in marketing, business, AND life. Working for yourself is delicious and delightful.

Sadly, these simplistic simperings don’t factor in the reality of what it actually takes to create, build and maintain a successful business.

Recently I came across an article discussing the magical nature of social media marketing and I realized I just couldn’t take it a second longer. This marketing myth must be addressed, dressed down and put on a time out.

Magic & Marketing Don’t Mix!

There’s no magic wand being waved over marketing campaigns.

The “magic” you’re seeking actually happens when you put your muscle and your mind behind the project, task or campaign.

That’s right! The main ingredient in any success recipe is hard work. Synonyms for hard work include hustle, sweat equity and perseverance.

Smoke & Mirrors Rarely Reveal Success

When you get right down to it, many of the “magical” musts touted by marketers are simply tricks. It’s tempting to fall for the idea of the time-saving trick, I know. But trickery has a way of turning around on you and biting you in the butt.

Think about Loki, the Nordic god, the trickster. He often found himself in a lot of hot water, or some thunder from Thor, after engaging in his patented trickery.

Loki isn’t someone I’d look up to as a business mentor. In modern times his tactics and tricks would be described as sketchy or shady. You rarely see sketchy or shady preceding success in a description about a business!

Testament To Time & Tireless Effort

There’s a reason we look up to people who have paid their dues “in the trenches.” We value that effort, that focus, that drive. Tricks and tantalizing tactics aren’t based on drive or effort. In fact, they look to negate the necessity of hard work and hustle.

Crafting quality content, maintaining relationships that matter with clients and peers, creating new relationships and delivering quality customer service … they all take time. Time and effort.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Easy and #entrepreneur rarely go together. #smallbiz #realyourealbiz” quote=”Easy and entrepreneur rarely go together. “]

Passion without perseverance and some sweat brings little reward.

The easy button, the magical “minutes a day” schemes, they’re silly dreams that too often turn into nightmares for those that decide to rely on them.

Learn To Love What You Own

In closing I leave you with this New Pornographers cover of the Destroyers “Hey Snow White.”

[clickToTweet tweet=”Own your efforts and your ethics. Stop looking for the free, easy or quick fix. #realyourealbiz” quote=”Own your efforts and your ethics. Stop looking for the free, easy or quick fix.”]

Prince Charming isn’t waiting in the wings to bestow a magical kiss that will make all your dreams come true. There’s no fairy godmother who’ll change your pumpkin into a carriage that will carry you to business success.

Own your effort, your sacrifice, your blood, sweat and tears. And love that ownership!

You create your own magic through the relationships you maintain, through the effort you expend and with the mind you use to master your craft.