Humility and Marketing

Don't get me wrong. That is part of marketing. Increasing the sphere of influence a company's brand has is largely about exposure and reach.

On the flip side from all of that is humility. It's not a common trait these days. Nor a popular one to most people. Which is somewhat ironic when you consider that almost every "great" leader is identified as being humble and giving credit to others for their success. It flies in the face of popular culture, but in reality it is the bedrock of success.

We are blessed to have many great clients to work with, and the people who lead them all possess a strong sense of humility. An understanding that no one succeeds alone ... it takes a great team and mentors and good customers and much more to succeed in business, and in life. And that is reflected in the marketing of each of their companies. Promotion of the team and the people who make up the team as the reason for success is evidence of their grounded beliefs.

This goes back to a post I wrote awhile back on bragging. There is a balance between humility and bragging. On the one hand, you have to be true to yourself. If you're humble then full on bragging is disingenuous. However, there does come a point where, in order to effectively differentiate your company, you have to move past humility and tell it like it is. We are seeing that with a client right now. It feels uncomfortable to an extent, but it's necessary in order to achieve identified goals.

So, don't lose your humility. It's probably a big reason why you and your company are successful. But, when needed, don't be afraid to say what needs to be said.