When we asked you on Facebook what the biggest trouble with your business was, the answer was all too clear: how to market.

But here’s the thing.  You’re thinking of marketing as advertising.

Well, I have some news for you: it’s not.  Marketing and advertising are so far apart and get such different reactions.  And here’s the thing, you DON’T want to be advertising.  You want to be marketing.

Let’s break down what advertising is:

Advertising is those horrible infomercials.

Advertising is annoying flyers in your mailbox or on your doorknob.

Advertising is tweeting: Purple crystal bracelet in my Etsy shop only $25!  Buy now!

Advertising is solely posting EVERY product you make on Facebook.

Do you see the pattern?  Advertising talks AT your customers, not with them.  It leaves them feeling like one in a million, a faceless number in the market.  They get no sense of who you are or why your work is so amazing.  Advertising is hollow, self-promotional, egotistical, and downright dreadful to your business.

In that case, what is marketing?

Marketing is sharing photos of your work in progress.

Marketing is asking your customers what they think of a new piece or what they would like to see from you next.

Marketing is tweeting about your purpose, retweeting what someone else wrote about you, and tweeting back to someone who said something nice about your work.

Marketing is posting links to other artists, new blog posts, and asking questions of your customers.

Marketing lets your customers interact with you.  They get to know you AND your purpose.  They spread your word and also share your work with all their friends.  Marketing enriches your business, increases your reach, and creates raving fans.

So stop trying to learn all the tricks of Twitter and how to get 1,000 new followers a day.  Just share your purpose, share your work, and interact WITH your customers.  In essence: be yourself.  Your purpose will bring your true fans to you and create a tribe.  Advertising will only bring people who are attracted by low prices; they are not your true fans.

{Featured image via Megan Auman – marketing how her jewelry is toddler-proof}