I Breath, I Market - That Is Who I Am

Many in the Alexander Technique community think of marketing as disingenuous hype, and feel an aversion to it. They think marketing has a false feeling, a lack of genuine concern and authenticity. I know because I have been that way my self. I eventually discovered that marketing works best when harnessed with my organically or naturally driven desires. As you study Alexander's discoveries, you come to know this easily: consider these parallels between the process of breathing and the process or marketing…

Successful breathing works organically, it arises from natural mechanisms, and is driven by a deep, biologically wired wish to live. There’s no conscious effort involved, it just does itself.

Successful marketing works organically: it arises from your true self, and is driven by a deep wish you have recognized as being your primary driver. There’s no conscious effort involved, it just does itself.

People are born breathing - it is one of life’s essential tasks. Without the ability to find the air you need, you can not develop and grow.

People are born marketing - it is one of life’s essential tasks. Without the ability to find people you need, and who need you, you can not develop and grow.

As you get older, organic breathing is almost never sufficient for the demands of certain professions. When you want to sing opera, run a four minute mile, or play the French horn in Britten's Serenade for Tenor, organic breathing needs to be harnessed to conscious intention: you need to develop skills to manipulate and control your breath in all kinds of unexpected and original ways. You need to study breathing.

As you get older, organic marketing is almost never sufficient for the specifics of your business needs. When you want to launch a new product, build a back-end business or capture the elite 1% of your market, organic marketing needs to be harnessed to conscious intention: you need to develop skills to manipulate and control your marketing in all kinds of unexpected and original ways. You need to study marketing.

Get the idea?

Marketing is about finding people who need each other - the teacher needs the student as much as the student needs the teacher. Both win - that’s ideal. This is organic - both parties are fulfilling a need, no-one is losing. It is life’s natural movement.

If you are surprised to read people are born marketing, just think of some childhood experiences. Children are the most ruthless sales people you could ever meet - if they want something, and they feel secure in their wish, they will sell you on their idea tirelessly, relentlessly - finding different ways to convince you of the merit of their wish. I know, I have been on the other end of this salesmanship, and I usually give in. Why? Because I ultimately see their point - they truly convince me.

Your problem with marketing, if you have a problem with marketing, is that you most likely don’t know your true need. To clearly communicate who you are, and what you need, you need to know who you are and what you need. If you are not clear about that, all the techniques and strategies of marketing will not solve that basic disharmony. Instead, you come off hyper and false and don’t connect with the people who actually need you.