What would it be?

This is an exercise in focus. So follow around with me, OK? it’s based on a recent email from Erin Flynn.

So, when people think of me, what do they think of first? Hum…this is the work for the morning. Defining that thing. It’s not that I don’t have ideas, and I know I’ve been trying to do it all. And maybe it’s because each person that comes to me needs something different. Someone to add content, someone to move a website, someone to teach them FaceBook,  someone who can do that thing they don’t have time for, or don’t want to have to do. Maybe my focus is too spread out and maybe being a generalist marketer is the problem.

Or is it in the spin? I love being able to talk to someone, listen to them, define the problem, come up with a way to move forward and then implement it. I love the success of teaching. So I try to teach it all, I try to support it all. And it’s fun! But in order for this to be successful, I must become an expert on lots of things and then manage the marketing to be an expert on lots of things. Managing the marketing of a generalist is hard.

I want to be known as someone who supports WordPress. Who supports and strengthens the practices of people who use WordPress in their businesses and lifestyle blogging. When people see my name, I want them to remember that I helped this person, I gave this great talk about this WordPress topic. That I encouraged this small business to get busy and start doing content marketing with their website (also using that content on social because why not?)

Working at Crossings, a job I really do love, has led me to work with other aspects of marketing that are also fun and really helping that business. Vital stuff, working with the social calendars, the online marketing channels. A big part of my joy at Crossings is working with the teaching artists, helping them find success within our walls. I’m still learning how to best implement and run the classes – my goal is to start recruiting for 2020 in January but I really am still recruiting for Spring, 2019 because I’ve worked reactively rather than proactively.

But I digress. This is in part a brainstorming exercise. If it’s going to be useful, though, I want to stay mostly focused.

Here’s a bit of that I am uncomfortable to write. I believe I would like to focus on women who want my help. I feel a bit sexist to say that, though; a part of me feels we won’t achieve equality as people as long as we are deciding who to help by balancing issues such as gender, sex, race, political leanings, age… But just maybe that is a battle for another part of my life? Can I announce that I prefer to work with women? I have to tell you, just typing that gave me shivers and power. I want to help other women become stronger online, more successful, and yet…will people judge me for stating that? Still have to think about that. So, for now:

I support the small business owner and lifestyle blogger who uses WordPress. For the creator and the service provider, the hobbyist and driven. When I walk into the room, I want people to think about how I helped someone be successful and then about WordPress as the underpinning for that success.

Why do you want to be known for it?

To quote Erin, “Focus without passion won’t last…Your WHY needs to be strong. You need to be completely and utterly behind your why. You need to feel excited to wake up in the morning and work on becoming a better whatever-you-want-to-be every single day.”

It’s not the money. That’s important for me so that I can justify continuing to do this thing I’m doing. But it’s not really why I want to teach and support women who are using WordPress as the platform to get their message out. It’s because I LOVE teaching and supporting women who are working hard to get themselves online, to connect with other people in this vitally interesting world we live in right now. So many opportunities! And I LOVE WordPress.

Yes, I will work with men. If, as I roll out the changes I’m going to make do my business marketing due to the things I’ve said in this post, if a man wants to work with me I will be happy to talk. Because the first thing always is compatibility and mutual respect for what each of us is bringing to the table we share.