So what is a marketing professional, anyway?

A few years ago, I went to visit Mom and Dad. I had a zippy new digital camera for work, and I took it along for the trip to start learning how to use it. When I pulled it out, my dad sort of grunted at me, “What do you have that for?”

I smiled and said, “Dad, you don’t really know what I do, do you?” I got the dad-look that says, “Watch your tone, young man.” I watched my tone.

The truth is, it wasn’t Pop’s fault that he wasn’t sure what I did as a marketing professional. The tasks seemed all over the map—everything from writing ad jingles to organizing promotional events to designing websites—but most of it really came down to one thing. I helped people and organizations tell their stories. And I’m still doing that today.

Tales of adventure …

If you’ve ever walked down Bourbon Street in New Orleans, chances are you ended up with a story to tell. I know I have a few. I remember one time, this woman in a squirrel suit … perhaps that’s a story for another time. My point is, the story of your business is no less worthy of telling.

Much of what we do for our clients at Citadel Digital is help with message development. That’s just business-ese for helping people find their voices. In that, we’re more like archeologists carefully working to bring forth treasures already there than we are scientists creating them. We listen, learn, get to know our clients, find out what they dreamed their businesses would be, then tell their stories and use marketing to help them realize their dreams. I love it.

Your business matters. Tell people why.

You already know what you do for the world and how your business is good for your customers and community. You already know how you want to change the world, what you want to accomplish. We simply help you define and clarify your purpose and aspirations, then express them so your customers and community can understand why doing business with you is good for everyone. Then we help you tell your story in ways and across the right channels to reach the right people and connect with them.

Community, meet You. You, meet Community.

In a real sense, Citadel Digital helps you form relationships in your community that help it grow. When your community grows, your business grows. Everybody wins. I love it.