You know you've got muscles in your body. But did you know you also have marketing muscles?

So just what are marketing muscles?

They're the skills or ways you excel when it comes to marketing your business.

What are you good at?
You may not have a lot of strengths when it comes to marketing your business, or you may still have a lot to learn, but I guarantee you have at least one strength ... one thing you're good at, either naturally, or because you have a lot of experience or training in it.

Assess your skills to find your marketing muscles
Perhaps you're a naturally outgoing person. You love meeting and talking to new people. If that sounds like you, then your marketing muscle is likely networking.

Maybe you fight hard for the things you believe strongly in. You're a natural debater. You like convincing people that your way is the best way or perhaps that they should give your point of view consideration.

If this sounds like you, your marketing muscle is likely sales.

Can you guess what my marketing muscles is?
I love to write. Always have ... always will. I always did well in English and I studied Journalism in college. So, my marketing muscle is written communications. Things like this ezine, and article marketing.

Even though I have a few marketing muscles, I consider writing my strongest marketing muscle. Yes, I started with some natural ability ... plus my dad was a teacher so I got plenty of lessons from him growing up - in fact, when he reads my website or this Ezine, he still corrects my writing!

I've been building it for 20+ years
In addition to this, I've also spent the better part of the past 20 years honing my writing skills. Working my writing muscle, if you will. The result is the same as the result you get when you go to the gym and work the muscles in your body. You get stronger. And your body is better equipped to serve your needs.

Strengths = Success
I believe that to be successful marketing your own business, you need to start with your strengths. Start using those strengths to market your business.

Do what you do best
I've used writing and posting articles, this Ezine, and now my blog as primary marketing tools for 10stepmarketing. All of these activities utilize my strength in writing.

Then, hire or barter with others to do what you don't like doing or aren't very good at.

And build the rest of your marketing muscles
At the same time, keep working all your marketing muscles to make them stronger. Take classes. Read books. Consult experts. Do whatever it takes to improve your skills in all the areas necessary to market your business.

Because strong marketing muscles equal a strong, successful business.

(C) Copyright 2006 Debbie LaChusa

Debbie LaChusa

Debbie LaChusa is a marketing veteran with 20 years in the business. After 13 years in the advertising and marketing agency business, Debbie founded DLC Marketing, Inc., a marketing consulting and coaching business. Her goal? To give entrepreneurs and small business owners affordable access to the same high-level strategic marketing and advertising expertise that typically only large companies with big budgets can afford.

Debbie's commitment to making marketing expertise accessible to small business also led her to pursue speaking engagements and teaching. She has spoken at meetings and conventions across the United States and in Canada. She also is on the faculty of Wellcoaches Corporation, where she teaches wellness coach trainees around the world how to successfully market their new coaching practices.

Debbie has written and self-published two marketing workbooks, "A Step-by-Step Marketing Guide" and "A Step-by-Step Marketing Guide for Your Fitness Business" which have sold copies worldwide. Her advice is also featured in Entrepreneur Magazine's "How to Start a Personal Training Business," part of the magazine's Business Start-Up Series. And she is a contributor to the San Diego Business Journal.

Debbie created The 10stepmarketing? System to provide small business owners, coaches, consultants and other independent professionals with all the tools they need to market themselves.

This simple, step-by-step system, features an easy-to-use question-and-answer format that walks business owners through every step they need to take to develop and implement their own marketing plan designed to achieve the success they desire and deserve.

On a more personal note, Debbie LaChusa is a fraternal twin. In 2004 she launched Twin Connections, a web site that celebrates the unique and mysterious bond shared by twins. She collects twin stories and hopes to compile them into a book.