What Is The Secret to Great Marketing? or, Why am I Wearing THIS T-shirt?

As I write this I am wearing a sharp black new T-shirt with a small logo on the front and a giant one on the back. It's a fan t-shirt for my favorite blues-rock guitarist: Joe Bonamassa http://www.jbonamassa.com/

I have a lot of t-shirts. Out here in the Texas Hill country our dress code is typically shorts and t-shirts. And even though it's Winter, it's warm here. So I'm dressed appropriately.

But why this t-shirt?

Well, I love Bonamassa's music. He's a descendant of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, my all time favorite blues-rock guitar-slinger. So I'm delighted to wear Joe's new t-shirt. It makes me feel good, much like his music makes me feel. Plus I think I look good in black.

Now here's the key question --

Am I marketing Joe Bonamassa by wearing his t-shirt?

And here's another question --

Am I marketing him by writing this blog post right now?

My answer is this:

I am sharing my passion.

That's it.

I'm not getting paid to wear this t-shirt or write this post. Bonamassa has no idea who I am. His Street Team http://www.jbonamassa.com/joe_bonamassa_street_crew.htm (of which I am now a member, like many other fans http://www.bonamassabluesrock.com/) doesn't know about me, either.

So what am I doing?

And why?

I am sharing.

That's it.

And that's the best kind of marketing around.

When you have a business so terrific that people will advertise it for you by writing about it, wearing your t-shirts, and telling others about it, (think Google and Nike and "The Secret" http://www.whatisthesecret.tv/) you will have a success.

But the people raving about you won't be marketing in their mind, they will be sharing their love.

I have t-shirts for Stevie Ray Vaughan, Melissa Etheridge, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Nike, Jack London, Mark Twain, the TV show 24, Steve Reeves, Frank Zane, Harry Houdini, my BMW 645ci, and of course for Joe Bonamassa.

I'm not marketing those people or products strictly speaking; I am sharing my passion for them.

I still remember the massage therapist who spent an hour massaging me while raving about the movie she had seen the night before. She saw What The Bleep Do We Know? http://www.whatthebleep.com/ Her contagious enthusiasm wasn't "marketing" per se, but her passion got me to go see that movie.

Your marketing should be from that level.

It should be from your heart.

You should be sharing your love for your product or service.

If you don't love what you do or sell, what are you doing it for?

Think about it.

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS - See a picture of the t-shirt I bought and learn about Joe's hard-rocking house-shaking blues-rock guitar driven music at http://www.merchdirect.net/x/c/home.php?csid=240

PPS - The same marketing=sharing trend is happening with the hot buzz around the movie The Secret http://www.whatisthesecret.tv/, to air Feb 15. I'm in it, and that's one reason I'll promote it, but I also believe the movie will awaken humanity. So I'm glad to share my passion for it. Again, contagious marketing works best when it's not marketing but is heart-felt sharing. Dig?