I'm a library addict. I've memorized the location of all of my favorite subjects at the local library. Metaphysics - 110's, Philosophy - 100's, Religion - 200's, Languages - 400's, Cookbooks - 641's, Business start-up 346.7, Marketing 658.8, Yoga 613 for practice and 181 for philosophies.
I'm not sure if I've spent more time on spirituality and philosophy or business and marketing at this point in my life. The two are passions of mine that sometimes compete and other times overlap. I think being a conscientious business owner is something that's really important because it seems like the world revolves more and more around the profit margin every day, and that's something I have a real problem with. I won't even get into my frustration with the completely unbalanced distribution of wealth.
So in my own small way, I fight the system with my personal code of business practices. I read this or that business or marketing thing and try to find the most responsible way to do whatever the book or article suggests. Like setting prices for work, I read what the percentages should be and decide that they're based more in trying to keep up with what some fool with a MBA and other illustrious letters following their name that really mean little in the bigger picture, and decide what I really need to take care of me. I struggle with others about what I charge ALL the time. The thing is, I don't care what another artist working at the same level gets. If that's what they need, great for them. I do things for free way too much, undercharge every time and never do the same henna for the same price. Maybe that's not a good standard. I just feel like each situation calls for a different thing. I did one event for $20 an hour just because it was a church function, and it was a working vacation. It seemed like not only a responsible choice karmically, but also in that it would bring me other business from the church ladies, making it a marketing write-0ff of sorts.
I think people get caught too often in the trap of trying to keep up with the going rate and lose sight of doing what's responsible. We allow big business to dictate what we have to do to survive, and we get lost in the perceived reality of 'making it' instead of standing up and changing things by not following along with what we can see is unbalanced. I realize that the established system is not always easy to defy, but just going along with it reinforces it every time we do.
So dare to be responsible. Every little thing makes a statement when you allow it to be about that rather than just a cheaper choice because that's what you can afford. Take business cards for example. Does it make sense to support the companies that are overcharging because they can like all the major business supply and printing chains? Or does it make more sense to support a company that's giving you a free option because they realize they can afford to give it away? Sure, it's a marketing choice on their part. But why not take advantage of 250 free cards that keep you from having to charge more for your services instead of 250 cards for $25 for raised lettering and pretty whatevers. Or, if you need to have the more expensive presence with your business card, find another way to choose responsible spending. Get them done on recycled paper or by a company that sets profits aside for charity. Every person that makes even one choice like that adds to the momentum of change.
Guerrilla Marketing is about finding ways to make a big impact with less money and more creativity. It has some great concepts that are useful for people trying to start or manage a business that don't have a huge marketing budget, but guerrilla tactics make me think we're out there waging war instead of just trying to make a comfortable living with our talents. I'll be a conscientious objector, thank you. I'll use Gorilla tactics instead, being at one with my place in nature and surviving on available resources. I'm not in this to win or conquer or have a huge enough profit margin so I can get stupid with my money. I'd love to take trips abroad and buy the occasional extravagant Moroccan Palace Door Mirror, but I think I can do that without overcharging for my services. It might take a while, but I believe we are where we're supposed to be. When it's time for those things, they'll come to me.
In the meantime, I'll follow the Gorilla code of conduct.
Be at peace with your situation, whatever it is. You're there, what's the point in whining about it really? Do Gorilla's even whine? Probably not, considering they're not surrounded with overachieves setting an unattainable standard.
Create a responsible marketing plan. Decide what amount of actual money allows you keep your prices below the 'going rate' and use more creativity and energy to market yourself and your business. When was the last time you saw a gorilla with a shiny four-color business card or brand new SUV with his name and logo on it just to say "I'm a pretty hot gorilla, you want me!" Think about what you need to be happy and create a budget for marketing yourself accordingly, and always try to make the most socially conscious choice when possible.
There's no such thing as competition. If you're just doing what you do, and not worried about how many other people are doing it, you take yourself out of the business warfare mindset. Everyone has something different to offer. Even if I'm at a faire with another artist, people are going to go where they want, no matter what you do. Why fight it? Just live and let henna! You may have to find a way to balance your income with another talent. Just do what you do best and be who you are and it'll all work out. Not everyone is entertained by a gorilla in a tutu juggling colored balls. And some people are. Do your thing, find out how it fits best, and use it rather than trying to do something you're uncomfortable with or not good at just to come out on top. If there's a winner, there's always a loser, so opt out of the competition all together and go get a nice frosty glass of stress-less-whenever-possible with a way-happier-existence chaser. Cheers!
Find a way to give back with your talents. It's all one big human family. Be connected to what you have to give and where you can put that to some balancing good work. If it's free face painting for disadvantaged kids once a month at homeless shelter, a free class every other month in your talent at the local community center, career day at your closest middle school, whatever you can think of and honestly afford with your time and funds. There are lots of forms of giving of yourself that are becoming lost. People are so busy with their lives that the disconnect from the good they have to offer. Even one of your hours a month could change someone else's life. Give what you can the best way you can figure out because the more community we share, the less the distribution of 'wealth' there becomes. A generosity of spirit and random actus of kindness should be the currency of the world. Imagine what the world would be like if you could only buy food with kindness... Gorillas are chilled out, gentle beings unless provoked. What provokes them? Attacking their families. Protect your family by giving what you can to make the human community a better place to be a part of.
Let karma not coin be your profit margin. We all need to eat, I get that better than you might think. I currently live in an extremely challenging financial situation. It makes the soapbox wobbly all the time. It's a struggle to choose karma as a guiding principle all the time. I have teenagers who want to keep up and fit in. I have rent and electricity and have a cellphone that the karma fairy isn't paying my bills for. But I try to mindfully make ethically and karmically aware choices as much as possible. I think what comes around goes around. Sure, sometimes it seems like people driving a nicer car or living in a nicer house have a better situation. But having more money than you need comes with it's own set of challenges. No thank you! Once upon a time I felt differently. I thought having a huge house and a gas-guzzling SUV and expensive presents under the tree was what I wanted for my family. Fitting in is really more expensive emotionally than financially! I stress less and have more to do good things with than I did when I was living the proverbial american dream. Creating good karma is much more satisfying for me. And with a string of misspent youth bad karma to work off, hopefully someday I'll balance it all back out. I think gorillas are probably karmically neutral like everything else on the planet that isn't human. I wouldn't mind a little karmic neutrality, how about you? I'll just hope for as close to balanced karma as possible and spend my karma points helping out others whenever possible with my blessings. I feel much more accomplished when I can do what I do from a place of love rather than one based on what I'm putting in my savings account at the bank. I think karma earns a much higher interest rate in the what you do comes back to you rate plan anyway.
So my marketing action for today is to just be myself. Eat a banana, hang out with my kids and know that I'm where I'm supposed to be. Post a business card if I pass by a bulletin board, do something nice for a random stranger if the opportunity presents itself, and just accept my place in the universe the best I can.
