how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell

Today I have the great pleasure of being the host on Day 12 of the Virtual Blog Tour of author Lynn Serafinn whose book The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell launches on Amazon on Tuesday December 13, 2011.

Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC is a certified, award-winning coach and teacher, marketer, social media expert, radio host, speaker and bestselling author. Her eclectic approach to marketing incorporates her vast professional experience in the music industry and the educational sector along with more than two decades of study and practice of the spirituality of India. In her work as a promotional manager she has produced a long list of bestselling mind-body-spirit authors. Passionate about re-establishing our connection with the Earth, she supports the work of the Transition Town network in her hometown of Bedford, England.

Yesterday, Lynn visited Yvonne Perry on her blog, where Yvonne shared a recent podcast interview she had with Lynn about the 7 Graces of Marketing.

Today, I'd like to share with you a recent interview I had with Lynn when I got to ask her some questions on the subject of how can consumers help biz owners behave with more Grace?  I hope you enjoy it.

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Tambra Harck: In The 7 Graces of Marketing you present a clarion call to change both perspective and practice in business. What is the message you believe is most timely and essential for entrepreneurs to hear right now?

Lynn Serafinn: In a nutshell, Tambra, the message is that the only pathway back to healing our society, our health, our economy and our planet is through Connection. Connection is the first of the 7 Graces in the book for the simple reason that it is the foundation of all the other Graces. When we are disconnected from Self and Source, every aspect of our lives begins to suffer.

If we are disconnected from Self, there is little chance of having a healthy, functional relationship with others. Also, our relationship with our businesses or employment will tend to be distant, which not only makes us unhappy, but makes us less able to provide service to the world. When we lack Connection with Self, we also tend to have a dysfunctional relationship with money, where money becomes a sort of representation of our fragile self-worth. When this happens, our behaviour with regards to money can become aggressive, resentful or even reckless.

When we are disconnected from Source, it not only leaves us feeling alone and fearful in the world, but it can create a profound impact on the way we do business. If a business owner feels little Connection to Source, he will also feel little responsibility towards the planet and all the wonderful resources she provides us. While every human on the planet can benefit at a personal level by greater Connection to Source, for a business owners Connection to Source is especially vital, as the decisions he makes have the potential to impact thousands, or even millions, of lives.

Tambra Harck: How is it possible for bigger business and international corporations to create sustainable change in how they view and practice marketing?

Lynn Serafinn: Well, that's the one-billion-dollar question, isn't it, Tambra? I'll tell you how it will NOT happen: it cannot happen simply as the result of tighter laws and regulations. It cannot come about simply by means of even the most sincere protests by the "little people". While laws and protests might seem necessary on the surface, they will have no significant effect unless and until a tipping point of hearts—not just minds—within the corporate sector are shifted.

And here's the important thing to remember: we will not ever shift those hearts and minds if we marginalise and demonise big businesses/multi-nationals in this issue. Humanity is one. If we turn back the clock, we can see at some point in history we all lived in close-knit communities that supported each other and worked together to create social stability, as well as environmental stability. Each one of us has it within us to create that kind of interdependent, compassionate, humanity again.

So where do we start? My book starts with the words, "This is a book of questions, not a manual of answers." I ask the readers to engage in an open dialogue with me, and with each other, both while they are reading the book and after they have finished it. The answers to these questions cannot happen without worldwide dialogue. My goal over the next year is to begin that dialogue in the form of online communities and physical conferences in which thousands of business owners come together for the sole purpose of creating positive change.

There have been so many wealth seminars offered of the past decade or so, and people all over the world have spent uncountable amounts of money trying to learn how to get rich. But at what cost? Most of them only send themselves into debt, while in the meantime the system itself is getting less and less efficient at sustaining society at large.

Now is the time for everyone on the planet to get to the real root of poverty and financial dependency—and let me tell you, Tambra, marketing has a lot to do with it. I truly hope The 7 Graces of Marketing will help not only business owners but also consumers learn how they might be unconsciously being led to overspend and over-consume, so they can start back on the road to a more sustainable way of living.

Tambra Harck: What role do you see that we as consumers and citizens have to help facilitate moving into Grace?

 Lynn Serafinn: Start by paying attention to how you respond or react to marketing. Pay attention to the words that trigger your fears or feelings of inadequacy. Pay attention to the emotions (even the good ones) that make you want something. Pay attention to how much you spend simply because the marketing has influenced you.

Then, as you become more and more aware, make the conscious decision not to be the passive recipient of this kind of mental and emotional manipulation. Start to see your spending habits change and your innovation increase when it comes to using your money the way you want to, instead of the way you think you need to. Make financial choices that are meaningful to you. Refuse to spend money on products (or from companies) that are contrary to your values, or that create harm to people or planet.

Consumers can assert their values without even saying a word. Protests are not necessary. Just change your spending habits, and send the message that you will no longer be manipulated at the expense of your health, your financial wellbeing or our beautiful planet. Then, watch businesses and marketers change. They'll have no other choice but to change. 

And do, please, read the book. I provide so many examples within its 400+ pages that will help open people's eyes so they can start to build this important awareness.

I know you've read the book, Tambra, and you know how passionate I am about this topic. I thank you so much for allowing me to speak about The 7 Graces of Marketing to your readers today.   
 
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I hope you enjoyed this interview with Lynn Serafinn and that you’ll check out her book The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell

 

 

 

Here's why:

 

The 7 Graces of Marketing Telesummit
A FREE 7-Part Online Happening!
December 6th-9th, 2011
Register Page

 
When you visit the page at the link above and request a "launch reminder," you will automatically receive a FREE pass to Lynn's 7-Part online happening “The 7 Graces of Marketing Telesummit” with an illustrious panel of 24 bestselling authors and world-renowned speakers and media experts on society, business and marketing coming together to discuss how we can bring ethics and values back our business and marketing practices, and restore balance to our health, our economy and our natural environment.

Here's the spectacular list of guests speakers for the event:
Dr. Joe Vitale * Greg S. Reid * Dr. Eric Pearl * Dan Hollings * Pamela Slim * Liz Goodgold * Allison Maslan * Suzanne Falter Barnes * Tad Hargrave * Misa Hopkins * Richard S. Gallagher * Ward Vandorpe * Barbara Altemus * Andrea Conway * Renee Baribeau * Renee Duran * Michael Drew * Chris Arnold * Jeffrey Van Dyk * Tanya Paluso * Kate Osborne * Shelagh Jones * Paula Tarrant * Lynn Serafinn

You can listen to the telesummit online in the comfort of your own home, and even ask questions during the broadcast.
   
If you are reading this after Dec 9th, 2011 you can still access the playback for a limited time when you register at free-telesummit

This telesummit is a completely free

"no purchase necessary" gift from Lynn

FREE GIFTS
When you buy Lynn's book on Tuesday December 13, 2011, you can ALSO receive the MP3 download of all 10 hours of this historic telesummit, plus a complete library of beautiful personal development gifts from authors, speakers, coaches and other enlightened professionals from around the globe including one from me; Soul-Level Success System (online course)

To claim your FREE pass to the 7 Graces of Marketing Telesummit
and read about the free gifts, go to webpage here.

Thanks for reading! As always, feel free to share your comments and thoughts below. I love reading your thoughts and feelings, and feedback.

AND… be sure to follow Lynn tomorrow when the next stop on the Virtual Blog Tour is Kimberly Ann Coots, who will be sharing her recent interview with Lynn about how does the 7 Graces of Marketing support Abundance in marketing? To visit that "stop" on the tour, go to Kimberly Coots blog.