It seems like every time I conduct a marketing workshop for small business owners about half the crowd admits that they don't really like marketing - it makes them feel like they are self-promoting. This mindset is particularly common among professional services providers. (Yes, doctors, lawyers, and accountants, I'm talking about you.)

Here's my take (some might find this hard to swallow, but they might be the exact people I am referring to.) First off, marketing is the most important function in your business. No matter what your business does. Marketing (a customer) is the engine that makes your business a business. You can't "not like" marketing and really achieve your potential. You can't be "no good" at marketing and expect much from your business.

If you've been taught all your life not to toot your horn, you need to get over it. Here's how. If you know in your heart that you have something, a product or service, that can really help someone get what they want, transform their life, or move to the next level, shame on you for keeping it to yourself.

You can ethically, professionally and honestly toot your horn with this mindset. And, you can accomplish in a manner that you are proud to be a part of. Holding back may actually be a sign that you don't really believe in the value you have to offer.

Here are my suggestions for this:

Go back and take a really hard look at what you have to offer and find ways to dramatically increase the value of your products and services.

Raise your prices - people buy value period.

Get to a podium, contribute to a newspaper, join a networking group, and find a way to make referring your business an expectation for every new client.

Look, it is very difficult to deliver a result that you don't in fact believe in with all you heart and soul. You can't give someone something that you yourself don't own.

This is a theme that I will revist. I've found that I can give small business owners marketing tactics and tools until I'm blue in face, but real growth won't happen until I can get them to adopt an abundant marketing mindset. (Sounds like a great way to start the new year off, doesn't it?)

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