What do you want to be known for?

This was the question asked of me by the fabulous Suzi Dafnis who runs Australian Businesswomen's Network (ABN).I excitedly joined as a Growth member late last year after leaving full-time employment, to start JoElla Marketing. As part of this membership, I get to join their quarterly Roundtable of which I am surrounded by amazing colleagues who are a few years ahead of me on the start-up journey.It was my second Roundtable a few weeks back and I admitted, finally, that I was struggling with my message, my pitch. I was ashamed; I'm a marketer who helps customers find their pitch and I wasn't aligned with my own unique selling proposition.Do as I say, not as I doAs a marketer I was so focussed on the micros of my message. I was missing the real opportunity to find my pitch by listening to why my customers wanted to engage me. Why did people meeting me over a coffee want to stay in touch for future work possibilities?It was fascinating for the light globe to go off: I was so focussed on listening to others that I was forgetting to listen to them respond to me.I started JoElla with enormous dreams and did the number 1 mistake of any good marketing message and plan: Not define my key target market.So here I am, declaring my flaws as my own marketer. I've always told people marketing yourself is the hardest thing to do, because you're too close to your message, dreams and plans to simplify and target the message.I needed to learn this lesson to become a better marketing consultant. With true empathy I can assist more effectiveky. Is there anything more comforting as a business owner than hearing: I know exactly how hard it is to [insert issue]?And my marketing?  Yes it is becoming clearer and defined. I'm not saying it's perfect yet, but I have never said a marketing message has to be perfect from the start, it evolves.I see too many business owners not moving forward with their marketing worrying about dotting every i. Give yourself a break, as I did, get your starting message out there and allow yourself to re-define it as you grow. You'll be amazed at how your customers will support and enjoy being on this journey with you.