I love Marcia Yudkin's Marketing Minute newsletter. It's short, quick, and easy-to-consume with a power punch awesome tip in each Wednesday edition. Today, she published one that struck home, because it touches on a pet peeve of mine.

I have learned to be suspicious of such “marketing musts,”
which all too often represent dogma from someone lacking in
imagination but puffed up with certainty.

Worse, these rules fill a lot of people with self-doubt and
dread, when their inner voice reacts violently against the
“should.”

In the music business, people go on and on about this or that way is how you become successful in the music business. It usually starts with “it's who you know.” That's awesome for some people… For introverts like me, not so much…

Maybe it's the Pisces in me, or the zen Buddhist, or maybe I just believe in myself enough to realize that it is smarter to use your own strengths to succeed instead of changing who you are.

Sure, all the music marketers tell  you to schmooze, learn to use Twitter, master social networking, start a YouTube channel, or it's all about a live show. For some, each of these things, might be perfectly true. For others, it's useless information.

Each and everyone of us is different. We all have our strengths. Knowing that I was an introvert years ago, I decided to take a different route. I started the Celtic Music Magazine. That developed into the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. I learned how to do internet music marketing, not just because I believe it's necessary for a musicians success, but more importantly because I found it fun and easy.

Is it necessary?
For you, maybe not.

I have achieved incredible success ONLINE because I enjoy podcasting and blogging and finding ways to optimize webpages for internet success. Now St. Patrick's Day approaches, and I'm poised to have a good year. I won't hold my breath and say it will be great, but that's not the point in any case. The point is I am slowly and steadily finding success without compromising who I am. I'm even starting to find people who can help me where I am weak.

THAT is how you succeed.
Use your strengths.
Be true to yourself.
And don't let others tell you how you should succeed. Instead, find a path and inspiration from those who are more like you.