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Maori -
The Tattooed Face Of Native Marketing
In a global world, your marketing must align with the culture of
each market. You need to think like a native. Show respect for
ancient custom. Tap into the cultural vein so that you
understand the wisdom behind the tattooed face.
Tattooed faces of Maori warriors from New Zealand. Performing a
war dance. Raw, authentic, alive. You think, this what my
marketing should be like. Real, natural, authentic. A facial
tattoo worn with pride rather than an uniform with a brand on
the pocket.
Tell me, have you heard of the Maori of New Zealand? Probably
not. Just like not many people outside of China have heard of
Sun Tzu. Yet his ancient text on the arts of war has influenced
Chinese business thinking for centuries. So what's the point?
Well in today's global markets, understanding different cultures
is very important. Even more important is the ability to sense
the subtle layers of communication. To perceive what's important
in the minds and hearts of your international customers. It's
about vibrations. Picking up what your customers are thinking.
What they are feeling.
Now the word Maori is a very interesting word. Physically it
means the native people of New Zealand. There are about 650,000
Maori in a world of 6.5 billion people. They are one of the most
advanced native cultures in terms of integrating western
thinking. They managed to sign a treaty with the British which
showed strong independence and political acumen. Metaphysically
the word Maori means pure, natural vibration. You are 100% pure
natural vibration wrapped up in a body. You are 100% pure YOU.
Every person has their own unique vibration. Their own personal
signature. Their own individual tattoo. Everybody is a natural
vibration of energy.
Here is how you can use the word Maori as an acronym to market
and celebrate your uniqueness...
M = Metaphor.
Use stories. Use symbols. Use the senses to impart your message.
This is why the tattooed Maori face is such a powerful metaphor.
It evokes the primeval emotions. The whirling spirals of the
cosmos. The star patterns. The flowing tides. The unfurling
fern. These images were all metaphors. They all represented
aspects of nature. By tattooing these symbols into the skin they
strengthened a man's connection to the universe
A = Authentic.
You must be authentic. Your marketing, your business is an
extension of who you are. So you must align the purpose of your
business with your own higher purpose. What would you die for?
Or what would you survive for? Your answers to these questions
point towards your higher purpose. Your true path. This is why
the tattoo was so respected by the Maori. The spilling of blood
and the intense pain endured during the tattooing process gave
the tattoo-wearer much mana or prestige. The blood and the pain
strengthened the character of the person for peace and war.
O = Organic.
Model the wisdom of nature. Look to the insects, the plants, the
animals, the trees for lessons on life and business. We are a
part of nature, not apart from nature. So finds way to be more
organic in your thinking, in your actions. Think about your
mortality for a moment. One day you will die. What will endure
after your body has gone? In death there is life reborn. So find
ways to leave a legacy that will last for a 1000 years or more.
R = Reciprocity.
The Maori law of reciprocity is called Koha. It means to
exchange energy. It is the principle of giving and receiving.
Just like breathing, you must exhale in order to inhale. Life
and nature operate on reciprocity. For example a forest is a
marketplace of exchange. Energy is being exchanged right now
between the many species that comprise a forest. It represents
the perfect economy. The perfect marketplace where everything
benefits. There is no waste. Just transformation of raw matter
into useable energy. So make sure that you are finding ways to
cooperate and share your abundance with others. You make a
living from what you get. You make a life from what you give.
I = Inspired.
The word "inspired" comes from the Latin root word spiritus
meaning breath. So what ignites your breath? What makes feel
alive? It is essential for the longevity of your business that
you build it from the heartwood of inspiration. Carved with the
labouring hand of love. There to stand for centuries as shelter
for the homeless and the needy.
So when you need to add more impact, just think Maori and set
your inner vibrations to high. Tattoo your mark upon the face of
the world.
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