Many a small business owner sees marketing as some sort of alchemy…

One of those rarefied “arts” left to the exclusive domain of “creative types.”
And when you consider some of marketing’s core building blocks — marketing strategy, copywriting, graphic design, website coding, and so on — it’s easy to understand this perspective.
The thing is, those disciplines are all technical skills. And most marketers, while they may have a basic grasp of each skillset, hire specialists to handle those needs.
Those specialists, however, are driven by the business knowledge and market expertise of the marketer employing them.
Meanwhile, as a small business owner, YOU are the “marketer” behind your enterprise. Thus, it’s your knowledge — of your business, the market you serve, and individuals who personify your ideal clients — that form the basis of your marketing.
Sure, the specialized service providers you hire guide you along the path. Their work illustrates the dos and don’ts of design, website + email layouts, crafting a written sales pitch, and the like.
But these specialists take direction regarding your business, market, and clientele from YOU.
All of this said, however, marketing is more than understanding your business. Here’s a pitch I use all the time in selling my services… “Just because you understand your business doesn’t mean you know how to sell it.”
But the reality is, you can learn how to sell your business. You really only need two things: dedication and practice.

By way of example, let’s consider Jimi Hendrix for a moment…

Jimi was certainly a man of rare and exceptional talent. And to this day, he remains one of the most innovative guitars and expansive musical visionaries of his generation.
But he didn’t start out as the famed rock guitar icon we know today. He didn’t pop out of the womb ripping off screamin’, other-worldly guitar leads.
Jimi had an aptitude for the guitar and demonstrated some talent early on. Yet he wound up in the Army for a time and lived a whole life before he became a professional musician.
His journey to super-stardom began by learning the rules of music and the structure of his instrument. And later, he honed his craft playing with Little Richard and other working bands as a touring musician on the R’nB music circuit. It wasn’t until he solidified his skill set and shined his talents to a high gloss that Jimi emerged as the transformative force the revolutionized rock guitar.
In short, it was dedication and practice that saw Jimi become the legend he’s known as today.

The Lesson For Your Business…

The same goes for you. Your business doesn’t grow, flourish, and blossom into a long-running successful enterprise because you have a unique talent or special skillset. Those factors probably help. Yet, plenty of incredibly talented people are doing nothing of consequence with their lives. Their “talents” are wasted due to a lack of dedication and practice.
In other words, your business succeeds because you put in the time and effort to cultivate your success.
You may hire specialized pros to aid in your marketing efforts. in fact, if you’re a savvy business owner, you will hire specialized pros.
But again, it’s your knowledge, direction, and drive that channels the efforts of these specialists to achieve your goals.