Marketing today is no longer about slimy sales tactics. Or slime in general (unless that's your thing). So, the slime-free way to , and grow your business…is through karma. What do I mean by karma? Karma is the act of good deeds that contribute to future happiness. Karma is also best understood through the following cliches:
- “What goes around, comes aroundâ€
- “You reap what you sowâ€
- “The laws of cause and effectâ€
and my personal favorite (which may or may not be because my dog is named Karma):
- Karma is a b*tch
There are a lot of misconceptions about karma. But the thing is, karma isn't bad or good. It's just a teaching tool – it's a way to learn.
Whether or not you believe in karma, the concept itself can teach you how to grow your business. Because one of the keys to incorporating karma in business is to educate your customers. To add value. And the best way to educate and add value for your customers is to provide content with context. This creates a customer-centric business, and sets up a virtuous cycle – one of future happiness. And if customers matter to you, then karma's best friend – growth hacking – should matter to you.
Karma (and growth hacking) are ways to acquire new customers, and cultivate meaningful change. It's creative expression coupled with radical self-love, in action. It's transforming present potential into future growth. And it's simply good business.
In the old economy, concepts like this were kept with a locked key and a clenched fist. But in the connected economy, the ego is freed. Knowledge is expressed with an open heart. Ideas are extended with an open hand (and maybe a slime-free smile). 
When you educate and entertain your customers, you open up doors of opportunity. You become a thought leader. And you no longer view knowledge as a possession. You perceive it as a path to freedom. You cultivate compassion, and practice patience. You focus on the long-term because you know all about the long tail (not the tail of my dog).
The long tail is the new approach to marketing and growing an audience. Wired editor Chris Anderson first wrote of this concept in his book: “The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More.” If you read into it more, you'll see the big picture. And you'll learn how to evolve your business when our new economy and culture is shifting into millions of niches.
Karma grows your business from a place of compassion. Accentuated with passion. And happy, long tails (that wag).
