The Fallacy of Consistent Marketing
There's this "marketing rule" that says the key to business success is -
My commitment to CONSISTENCY.
Which makes sense, kind of: the more consistently I show up in your social media feed, the more consistently you'll think about my work. The more consistently I send valuable content to your inbox, the more consistently you'll have the opportunity to purchase.
(Which is also to say, I’ve failed on all counts - and will likely continue to fail.)
There's this "marketing rule" that says the key to business success is -
My commitment to CONSISTENCY.
Which makes sense, kind of: the more consistently I show up in your social media feed, the more consistently you'll think about my work. The more consistently I send valuable content to your inbox, the more consistently you'll have the opportunity to purchase.
(Which is also to say, I’ve failed on all counts - and will likely continue to fail.)
BUT, let's also remember that business owners, big and small, who rely on online marketing are primarily dealing with social media algorithms that prioritize whichever companies pay for ads (and pay the most for ads).
And we're all dealing with information overload, inside our email inbox and everywhere else.
(If you’re not sure about this (yet), watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix for a deep dive into the incredible problems with technology companies.)
Is CONSISTENCY really what people want? (Is it, maybe, what we’ve been “trained” to want?)
The idea behind this “Rule of Marketing” is that a business owner's consistency invites customer/client loyalty - because "consistency builds trust," right?
But actually, customer/client loyalty (like all kinds of loyalty) stems from the trust that develops as you follow-through with your promises - whatever they are.
What if I choose to make different promises to you than "consistency"?
What if I promise to take care of myself first, so whatever I create for you is top-notch?
What if I promise to hold boundaries with social media - for myself and my family, but also so that YOU can do the same?
What if I promise to "market to you the way I’d like to receive marketing"? (See what I did with that Golden Rule, Mom?)
My battle with consistency is ongoing (I’ve previously written about my devotion to practice v. my consistency)
But I’m starting to understand that my consistency is “allowed” to wane, much like the moon is “allowed” to wane for a quarter of every month.
Like the moon, I have phases of my month, my week, my day. Like the moon, I have phases of my effort, my enthusiasm, my confidence.
And this is our Natural Creative Cycle - it mirrors that of the Moon:
the new moon: for resting, intending
the waxing moon: for planting, embracing
the full moon: for growing, enjoying
the waning moon: for harvesting, releasing
Like the moon, I am forever reliable, trustworthy - but never consistently the “same.” Like the moon, I am always changing, always moving in cycle.
That’s the kind of consistency I hope you embody, too: the kind that’s not “sameness” but evolution.
So here’s your invitation (if you need one) to wane, to rest, to release if necessary - or to embrace, to grow, to enjoy.
You, like me, mirror the phases of the moon; and I hope you, like me, hold reverence for all of us.
If you’re interested in embodying your Natural Creative Cycles (in business and in life), you might consider one-to-one Copy Coaching with me!
Why Non-Negotiable Habits Don't Work
One of the many, many reasons "non-negotiable" daily habits fall flat for me is that, my daily life is forever changing.
Partly because my babies are forever changing.
For awhile the baby was up really early in the morning; now the girls stay up late jumping in each other's beds. Which means, sometimes we sleep in, sometimes we have a breakfast picnic outside... and sometimes we let an early movie salvage a hard day.
One of the many, many reasons "non-negotiable" daily habits fall flat for me is that, my daily life is forever changing.
Partly because my babies are forever changing.
For awhile the baby was up really early in the morning; now the girls stay up late jumping in each other's beds. Which means, sometimes we sleep in, sometimes we have a breakfast picnic outside... and sometimes we let an early movie salvage a hard day.
If I tied myself to one morning routine, or one evening routine: 1, IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN (I'm slightly averse to do-or-die “to do” lists).
But 2, I would be a forever failure.
I prefer the RITUALS we create together: slowly making hot coffee while the girls eat breakfast, documenting the backyard trees with my whispering babes, lighting a candle at the start of my work time (however infrequent), squeezing together on our too-small couch to read stories they’ll act out later.
But these are never "non-negotiable.” Otherwise I'd be constantly trying, "failing," and re-starting my life more often than not.
I prefer instead to feel the significance of sacred moments as often as possible, much more than regulating their consistency.
Thoughts on this? Share a comment below - I would love to hear your perspective.
xx, alycia buenger