Building Be Awesome
Building Be Awesome — Beware the Ides of Marketing?
The first product that really took off for Tell 'Em I Said Hi! wasn't a mug. It was apparently me...as a prospect for every marketing consultant on Instagram.
It's something almost every small creator experiences. The moment you start getting traction, your inbox fills with people promising to help you capitalize on it.
"Congratulations! Your posts are getting noticed."
You know how I can tell?
Not because of the likes.
Not because of the comments.
Because my inbox suddenly filled up with people who wanted to help me "unlock my potential."
Apparently, I'm one marketing framework away from world domination.
One funnel.
One positioning strategy.
One secret.
One course.
One free audit.
One discovery call.
One...
You get the idea.
The funny thing is that almost none of them started by asking why I built my shop in the first place.
They didn't ask about the note cards.
Or the mug.
Or why I write Building Be Awesome.
They started with the assumption that something was broken.
Maybe it is.
Maybe it isn't.
But I'm not trying to build the fastest-growing Etsy shop on the planet.
I'm trying to build something genuine.
I'm learning.
I'm making mistakes.
I'm sharing the journey with anyone who wants to come along.
And yes... occasionally selling a mug or a pack of note cards along the way.
There's nothing wrong with marketing expertise. Good marketers are worth every penny when you need them.
Just remember:
When you're building something, everyone has something to sell.
Make sure they're solving your problem...
...and not creating one just so they can sell you the solution.
That's exactly what Building Be Awesome is about.
Not buying every shortcut.
Learning which roads are worth walking yourself.