Finding Your Online Purpose and Working from There Instead of Chasing the Numbers

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Who is frustrated by online marketing—from email lists to websites, social media to Amazon keywords?

I think we can all agree we’re exhausted by the rat race. The world has us chasing an ever-changing target. 

Let’s think about that statement for a moment. 

THE. WORLD... has us chasing an ever-changing target. 

I don’t see God anywhere in that sentence, do you?

Personally, I believe the world has sold us out when it comes to marketing. We have been told to be successful we need to grow our numbers, increase our reach, and find ways to get to our audience. 

But what if we’re looking at things from the wrong perspective? What if none of this was part of God’s plan when He called us to share our words? 

What if, His purpose for us is obedience, service, and love? Not growth, marketing, and sales?

God has given me personally a passage of Scripture—which is above my desk—to help me focus on HIS will for me and my interactions.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3 – 4

Consider how our goals would change if we measure success from God’s perspective instead of the world’s?

• We would find joy as God is pleased with our obedience
• We would find contentment as we walk in the strength of our part in God’s plan
• We would find peace as we let go of the things that are not our responsibility

Here’s how I think things might go if we followed God’s path:

• 1. God would inspire us and we would obediently set down our words—sometimes spoken, sometimes written, sometimes set to music, sometimes through video.

• 2. We would obediently let people know about our message—websites, podcasts, manuscripts, speaking.

• 3. We would trust God to do HIS PART—guide us to the agent we need, who will find the publisher God chooses. 

• We would NOT worry and stress and strive for numbers or position.
• We would NOT fall for the lie that we are entitled to a publisher or to a certain level of visibility.
• We would NOT allow envy, jealousy, or competition to enter our hearts and dominate our actions.

• 4. We would serve the people God sets before us. Whether we have one or one thousand, we will be obedient. 

• 5. We follow the purpose of our message as we share with those God sets before us. This doesn’t mean we don’t use the tools God has given us. We can trust God to do His part, but we must also do ours. And part of that is learning to use those tools.
• Social media
• Marketing
• Speaking
• Blogging
• Writing
• Proposal writing
• Amazon interfaces

• 6. We would pray for the people who are currently reading our words and interacting with us.

I know your anxiety and your thoughts:

• Publishers and agents tell us we MUST have numbers
• Who here has seen someone get a contract who does NOT have the numbers?

What we must not do is expect to be the one who dictates where our words and our message lands.

God is able to do what He says He will:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8 – 10 

• God didn’t save us for fame and fortune. 
• God didn’t call us to get rich
• God called us to the works HE ordained before the beginning of the world!

Consider this passage as it pertains to publishing and speaking:

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:6 – 9 

This publishing and speaking thing takes a lot of people—whether we’re going the traditional route or the indie route. 

So how do we make sure we’re aligning with our purpose? 

I have 12 questions to share to help drill into our writing purpose

1. What is my mission statement? You do have one, I assume. If not, it’s time to work on one. A mission statement is the perfect way to filter out noise and make sure we’re staying true to our calling. (Here’s mine: I believe God has a purpose for everyone’s unique story. I encourage others to live that story by telling stories of my own—through words and pictures. I’m a writer who feels lost without her camera and a reluctant speaker who loves to encourage an audience. All my books point to the transformational possibilities inside each of us when we tap into our God-given strengths)

2. How does my current project reflect either all or part of my mission statement?

3. Who is my audience?

4. Where is my audience?

5. What is God showing me through my current circumstances and how does that align?

6. What felt need(s) dovetail with the previous answers?

7. How much time do I have to spend on my current project(s)?

8. How much time do I have to spend online?

9. What are my favorite ways to interact? (written words, video, audio, images, graphics, etc)

10. What do I enjoy about being online?

11. What do I dislike most about being online?

12. How much time AM I spending with God daily?

I challenge each of us to spend some in depth time seeking God and realigning our purpose. Care to join me?

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Finding Your Online Purpose and Working from There Instead of Chasing the Numbers from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers observing life through the lens of her camera. She’s a writer who feels lost without her camera and a card-carrying introvert who loves to encourage an audience. She also embraces the ultimate contradiction of being an organized creative. As a popular speaker, she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books, including the award-winning Soul Care series reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts and apply them to their lives.

She and husband Kirk have been married 43+ years, and live near their three sons and three grandchildren in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Edie and Kirk can often be found with their big black dog hiking—Edie hanging off ledges for the best camera angle and Kirk patiently carrying her tripod. Connect with her on her website, WWW.EDIEMELSON.COM and through social media.