Passion. It drives (most) everything we do.   From our choice of what to eat, what to wear, to whom we talk to, to who we date, and with whom we spend our time or lives with.  As marketers, it defines us. 

I spend a lot of time observing, as much as I do creating. And it resonates with me that when I produce my best work, or when I see others do so, it’s because my/our heart is in it. I/we care about every little detail because it genuinely matters. And it becomes (and feels) much less tactical, as it does exhilarating.

So what separates good from great marketing – in big or small organizations?  It is passion. 

Sounds simple. Perhaps even a bit naive to say – that passion alone might drive a good or bad marketing effort. But I actually believe it does.

A marketer is much like an artist, even a dancer. Sure there are basic guidelines we follow, certain rules that are played by. But near anyone can read a marketing textbook and go execute. But those who execute well, and in a memorable way, do so with passion behind their work.

Steve Jobs, as with many other infamous marketers, was renown for his passion. His passion for how every detail looked and felt.

The result? That everything from an email, to a store front, to an ad campaign, to a product’s shipping container exuded his (personal) passion for it. It was that simple, but very strong, emotion that conveyed itself into every end-product or message an end user received.

So unleash your passion.  Talk (market) something you really care about. Steer clear of things  you’d distribute only on fliers. Find that sweet spot both in  life and work. It will then naturally seep into every aspect of what you do.  From how you identify marketing channels, to how you focus and create messaging. Something (small), can then become very big.