One of the most inspiring commencement speeches is by one of my favorite writers, David Foster Wallace:
There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says,
“Morning, boys, how’s the water?”
And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”
Many business owners today don’t see the water right in front of their faces. They’re following the “school” of fish with their outdated marketing tactics, not able to see the bigger picture of what’s really happening.
Today:
- Consumers can spot your sales funnel. And they’re not buying.
- What worked just a year ago no longer works today.
- Spending thousands of dollars on a “launch” doesn’t work (we’re launching in every connection that we make).
It’s easy to not see something when it’s everywhere and right in front of your face.
“Content marketing is the only marketing that’s left.” — Seth Godin
Seth Godin clarifies this point in Episode 40 of my podcast. He says that “the content of what we do — the essence of the change that we make — that’s marketing. The spin and the hype and promotion is not marketing.”
What is Embodied Marketing?
The definition of Embodiment is “the representation or expression of something in a tangible or visible form.” Embodied Marketing is marketing that’s embodied in actions, beyond the GIF humor and clichéd quotes. It allows you to build your own unique sales funnel because it steps away from the one-size-fits-all approach to marketing. And it takes marketing one step further: It offers you the techniques, encouragement and feedback to guide your business into the right currents.
Embodied Marketing is a conversation that swims with the school of innovation, technology, and ideas. It’s:
- Fluid instead of static
- More about the soul instead of the ego
- Energy tunnels instead of sales funnels
Embodied Marketing rebels against the static of the online noise in a quiet, sincere way.
It calls out the status quo so that you can start not just seeing the water, but feeling the water too.
What’s disembodied marketing?
It’s a cover-up for not engaging more deeply. It doesn’t have meaning, purpose or soul. The failed luxury music festival, Fyre Festival, is an example of disembodiment in our culture today. Influencer Marketers were posting for the ego. The entire marketing strategy was focused on promotion without even knowing what was at the core of the festival. Instead of the luxury villas and gourmet meals for which festival attendees paid thousands of dollars, they received prepackaged sandwiches and FEMA tents as their accommodations. The Fyre Festival is an example of how the pursuit of fame puts a strain on our time, energy and resources.
Embodied Marketing exudes a sense of meaning and stimulation; it adds a new dimension to who and what you are, through using the peaks and valleys of our human experience.
Content marketing is the tactic. And consciousness is the strategy.
In other words, content creates your reality — but your experiences need to be embodied first and foremost.
Embodied Marketing creates marketing with more meaning. It allows you to become more mindful of your emotions and patterns and, in turn, use this internal GPS as “data” and guidance to create self-expression in your marketing.
We’ve evolved past creating content that simply checks a box. We need marketing that communicates the essence of the change that we make.
Embodied Marketing is how it’s done.
Embodied marketing is all about reflection before you post anything. When your post is based on your perception, your audience will see their own reflection through you. Your perception causes greater awareness. And awareness is what summons your new reality, removing the mystery to your content strategy.
Companies can no longer walk around with masks and hope to be seen. We need to cut to the core, to be more fully understood — and create from this place. Embodied Marketing intersects consciousness and content marketing.
Who is Embodied Marketing for?
It’s for CMOs, digital marketers, entrepreneurs and transformative leaders who are seeking a more effective way to connect with their customers. Embodied Marketing is for you if you want to be proud of your content that you publish and distribute. Embodied Marketing will help you to create content that’s aligned and invigorating.
It’s a co-creative content strategy with soul-aligned entrepreneurs and visionaries.
I’ll be walking you through how to do this in a 7-day #embodiedmarketingchallenge.
