We have often come across quotes that inspire, motivate, and enlighten us at StartUp TakeOff.  Today we decided to share a few of our favorites and explain how these words will help our Clients.

“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.”
—Seth Godin, writer & former executive
People want narratives. Why should they use this product or service? How could it improve their lives? Content marketers should seek to answer those questions. As we have covered in a previous blog post, storytelling is an effective approach to content marketing. It is a way to connect to your customers. By creating a story, customers do not feel as though you are communicating with them versus marketing to them.

“When you can’t find someone to follow, you have to find a way to lead by example.”
—Roxane Gay, writer
Let’s face facts: it is often easier to be the second person. Being the first person to do anything–first couple to dance at the prom, first student to give an oral report, first wedding guest at the reception buffet line, or first person of your gender/race/religion/nationality/astrological sign to start a business–can be daunting. As Dr. Gay explains so succinctly here, however, someone has to be first. Someone must lead–why not you?

“Know what you bring. Know what you don’t bring. And build a team that covers everything you need.”
—Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List
While we assure our children that they can do absolutely anything they put their minds to, we adults understand that we each have strengths and weaknesses: Lucas is excellent at systems analysis, but he hates working on group projects; Dick is a great team leader, but he tends to get bogged down minutia; Helena is your best corporate trainer, but she is a weak writer. Successful business people understand the areas where they fall short–technology, presentation, design–and hire people who excel in those areas. Too often we see entrepreneurs who believe that they must do everything themselves: this is a recipe for burnout. Instead, surrender your ego and surround yourself with competent people who will help your business soar.

“If you don’t have room to fail, you don’t have room to grow.”
—Jonathan Mildenhall, CMO of Airbnb
Risk-taking is essential to success. Accept that your business will face obstacles and setbacks. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Another way of interpreting this quote is that, while risks are generally good, entrepreneurs must take calculated risks if they hope to grow their brands. You might not have the resources at the very beginning of your business to start anew after a major setback. Look before you leap, but don’t be afraid of leaping.

“You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.”
—Shirley Chisholm, U.S. politician
Innumerable products and services were created because their inventors saw a problem and devised a solution. Whining about your problem is passive; successful entrepreneurs actively develop solutions. Only complain about it if you plan on doing something about it.

“Content is anything that adds value to the reader’s life.”
—Avinash Kaushik, entrepreneur
We advise our Clients to see content marketing as a way to establish themselves and their businesses as a resource for their customers. An assisted living facility could post caregiving tips or a hardware store might create how-to videos: these techniques go a long way to establish the companies as valuable sources of information to potential customers. When your audience needs the services or products later, they will then immediately think of that resource.

See how we can help you create the ultimate marketing plan for your business. From social media to website design, we can help your business fulfill its untapped potential.

At StartUp TakeOff, we understand the value of a strong team. We also know that finding the right people can be nerve-wracking and time-consuming, so we made it easy for our Clients. Choosing the wrong partners can be a costly misstep for any entrepreneur, which is why StartUp TakeOff’s founder, Stefani Thionnet, has assembled a diverse group of marketing experts from across the industry who will provide you with solutions that save you time and money. Our team of marketing industry veterans will get to know you and your brand so that we can provide solutions perfectly tailored to your needs. The best people often strike out on their own, but we’ve brought them together to get results you will love.

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