06.02.11

the intersection of pr and spiritual practice

So I rarely write about my work here; in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever written about my design work (!?) Considering this blog is directly connected to my freelance design business, this is a bit ridiculous. And herein lies my love/hate relationship with advertising/promotion….I love to promote the amazing work of other people through compelling design, but when it comes to self promotion, I get a little queasy. I’ll spare you the whole psychoanalyses behind this, but I will say that I am working on it…and here’s one way:

I signed up for Brigitte Lyons’ PR Ideas for busy people newsletter

I’ve been designing for the amazing Brigitte Lyons, a writer and pr expert (check out her thoughtful blog, Unfettered Ink, that we rolled out this spring (with the programing finesse of Sam Hatchett) and the cards above, letterpressed by DeFrance Printing).  Brigitte’s approach to pr/marketing throughout our design conversations has reminded me of what marketing can and should be about: empathy, generosity, consideration, the promotion of Good in the world….all things I want to inform my life anyway, even if I didn’t have a business. So of course I signed up for her newsletter, and her very first post was about expressing gratitude to people you don’t yet know who are doing work, saying things, crafting lives you admire. Not just thinking that their work is inspiring, not just telling other people about them, but reaching out and thanking them, expressing the finer points of what I appreciate about their efforts and creativity. Who wouldn’t want to receive genuine praise from someone who gets and deeply appreciates what they do? Who wouldn’t want to give that praise? What an honor to be able to gift someone I admire with an expression of gratitude…Maybe a relationship will form, but even if it doesn’t, I get to wholeheartedly say thank you, and that’s good for my spirit. And I thought, if this is part of what self promotion looks like, I can do that….

Comments (4)

  1. Girl–you are so good at that already! I was so inspired by your post that I thought I would take a second to reach out and say that your work, and the self-hood that is behind it, is consistently beautiful. Not beautiful like “pretty” or “cute” or “aesthetically pleasing”–although it is all those things, but all-around, deeply what it is, calling-my-name-just-to-look-it, can’t-avoid-promoting-it, sense-gripping, feminine-tastic beautiful. Keep on rockin.

    Comment by Kate — June 2, 2011 @ 4:11 pm

  2. e,

    awesome post! Thank you… this is what I aspire to as well and I’ve had many of the same reservations as you… so just want you to know that you inspire me, Brigitte inspires me and I’m honored and deeply grateful to have you guys working with me on my new site… you are truly the cream of the cream of the cream of the crop…

    Comment by Kevin Rains — June 2, 2011 @ 4:57 pm

  3. Thank you, Elizabeth! Your words today are so moving…and motivating to me. I’m seriously blushing right now.

    Comment by Brigitte — June 2, 2011 @ 5:01 pm

  4. wow…you guys made my day!

    Kate, I think i’m going to tattoo your post somewhere on my body just so I can remember all the great things you said about me. And feminine-tastic is my new favorite word.

    Kevin, you are completely trailing the path for me when it comes to people stepping up and getting the word out about worthwhile things. It’s an honor to work with you.

    And Brigitte, I’m so glad the lessons you are living can boomerang back and motivate you!

    Comment by betty — June 3, 2011 @ 8:08 am