The Tupac movie is still percolating in my brain. I saw it a few weeks ago, and it really lit a fire under my ass.
(I REALLY don’t care that several “big names” in Hollywood hated it…it was a great fucking movie! It demonstrated a person who had passion for life…and the world needs more people like that.)
One thing stood out…
Tupac was “un-marketable.”
His producers begged him to tone down his music. They were petrified that people would be offended by certain songs. The lyrics were too raw, too intense, too ugly, too true to life, they insisted.
…But Tupac stood his ground.
He refused to water down his message. He didn’t care if people disliked him or disapproved of his language. He had a strong message to deliver…and that’s all mattered.
Because he stayed true to himself, he sold over 75 million records worldwide, many of which were sold long after his death.
He offered “strong critiques of unjust social policies” — saying what no one else had the guts to say. Posthumously, he remains one of the most influential rappers of all time.
To be honest, I was never huge fan of his music (I was more into Ace of Base as a kid lol.) But I do appreciate the raw energy and passion he had for life.
He was gung ho about getting his work done. He knew his time was limited, and didn’t waste a moment. He challenged the bullshit he witnessed all around him, constantly.
I love the fact that Tupac was un-marketable. That’s part of what makes him so fascinating to people, even to this day. His “anti-marketing” nature helped build a name for himself.
Many so-called marketing experts claim you have to be “marketable” to succeed in your business. What they mean is that you need to represent your brand in such a way that will make people like you.
That’s total crap. That advice will lead you off a cliff.
I say, be un-marketable.
If you’re struggling to build your business, or if you’re not making the sales you want — it’s probably because you’re squandering way too much time and energy trying to get people to “like” you.
Instead, do the opposite.
Write the stuff that would freak out a typical PR department. Write the stuff that makes YOU a little nervous to share. Write the stuff that nobody else has the courage to say. Write something to intentionally offend someone, while inspiring a few “unsubscribes” from your list.
Write what needs to be said. That’s how you’ll create a name for yourself, along with massive sales. (Related: request your own “Anti-Sales” Funnel.)
Being un-marketable means being true to yourself.
I don’t mean the “self” you were taught to be, or the self you were programmed to be, or the self you were conditioned to be…I mean the self you truly are.
That’s powerful.
The un-marketable self cannot be reasoned with. It cannot be photoshopped, diluted, or edited out. It cannot be covered up with makeup, or voted for in a popularity contest. It’s the real you, flaws and all, emotions and all, passions and all.
Show me a broke (and forgettable) business person, and I’ll show you someone who’s terrified to be their true self.
(They’re probably also spending a lot of time trying to “market” their business.)
When you’re being real, you don’t need marketing.
You just need to speak the truth, and the right people will listen.
Michelle
Anti-Marketing Manifesto
P.S. Next week my boyfriend and I are headed to Charlotte, North Carolina! It will be our third time “traveling” together as a couple! Six months and going strong… Part of what makes our relationship so great is that we’re completely ourselves around each other. This is priceless. He accepts me for who I am, and I accept him for who he is… and we’re constantly challenging each other in a positive way. It’s the best!
Michelle Lopez Boggs is a copywriter, copywriting mentor, and author of "The Anti-Marketing Manifesto: How to Sell Without Being a Sellout." She's helped her clients sell millions of dollars' worth of products and services online by using the MEI(S) principle — motivate, educate, and inspire, and sell. 