As I have been a mentor and trainer since 2013, it's been my experience that I get asked these questions the most over the last couple of years. To this end, I have prepared this blog to answer the top 8 questions and I hope they are the momentum you may need to kickstart your Marketing for the next quarter you have coming up
I very much want to see as many businesses grow as much as possible, as quickly as possible. I hope you find the tips and tools useful.
If you would like any other information or have any questions regarding them, then please let me know. Many thanks
What are your goals? Here's a few to ponder:
If you don't know where you're going, how are you expected to get there?
Not just geographically but what stage in life, how much money do they have to spend, how are they looking for help / answers?
Is it time, money, making their life easier? Are you simply better at it then they are? Is it a faster option or safer perhaps?
Are you green and sustainable? Are you local? Are you reliable? Do you have more availability? Cheap isn't everything...
Depending on the age range and the accessibility of your audience, they could be found on numerous platforms. You don't need to be on everyone though! Check your social media analytics and see there and if you have a website - check the Google Analytics. You'll find a lot of FREE information in both of those. Experience will tell you a lot more.
This the hardest one of all the questions here. People will only buy from you when they have heard of you, seen how you compare with others and been advised of the type of customer service, supports and benefits you have to offer. Then ask them to buy!
Your Audience can change, check this annually and embrace the changes
You do NOT need to do everything here, you may want to add ONE and do it well and add more later.
* If you have a website, you may want to add blogs or latest news (better to not have a static website)
* Create stories/reels using Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
* Create pre recorded short videos
* Go Live!
* Start a podcast
* Be a podcast guest for someone else
* Write a press release
* Write a guest blog for someone else's website
* Enter awards
* Sponsor an event
* Speak at an event
* Take part in a Twitter Space
* Be a guest on Clubhouse
* Create a lead magnet on your website and start an email list
* PDF eBooks and Downloads
Consider doing one or two and maybe add more later!
This is how your audience absorbs what you're telling them. Some people prefer reading, others prefer listening, etc. Ultimately, learn to re-purpose your "content"
Don't be afraid to share your hard work online more than once, no one sees your social media as much as you do. No one...
Might be worth looking into in the next quarter?
Do you have a business that can work along some one else's? If you share a similar audience then you probably could. If you're a Cafe, maybe you could work alongside a coffee provider, I have and still do work with website designers and graphic designers. We all have different "offerings" but a similar audience.
Make the next quarter your quarter of collaboration and maybe sponsor an event or share a promotion together. You both benefit from extending your offer to a broader audience and build a "tribe" around you that is supportive.
Look at Partnership agreements, do them short or long term and make sure you tease out the hard questions at the beginning. Like finder fees (if you do them), splitting the pricing etc.
This helps you build your connections as well.
It might be time to look at your pricing. Everything has gone up, electricity, oil, postage and so on. We can all take a bit of a hit of course but not all the time. Some business owners reading this may not have raised their prices since they started or it could have been years since they have. We all have to watch our margins and make sure we keep our business profitable.
There are ways you can do this though that won't entirely put off your current audience. First think can you offer a range of prices:
But as great as discounts sound, they can eventually cheapen your offering. So consider adding extra value! Tell your customer you will add something if they respond within a time frame with an order to you, create a download that they will benefit from or perhaps work alongside the new collaboration and see if they can add something as a wee bonus that may tip the balance in your favour. You can then do something similar with your partner.
Now time to discuss the implementation and "nitty-gritty" of all of this!
There are so many tools you can use, why not give these a go and see what you think. The ones with an F are Free, P are paid (some have both options).
Perfect for people who write a lot. This tool will share your posts to several platforms at once from 2 weeks to up to a year. Just load it up via your RSS feed or manually add the URL from your website, a bit of editing and then hit a button, done.
For the Budding Podcaster, two entirely free tools to create, distribute and edit.
Create videos from your phone using the iPhone or Android Free Tools
If you have your own images this tool is and will remain entirely free, if you want to use theirs, you have to pay BUT the annual fee is reasonable and if you go Pro you can then resize every image for each social media and even schedule from it to that social profile!
This was my go-to for many, many years but sadly Hootsuite have started charging a LOT for this platform. IF you are however, a registered charity though, you can get this fab tool for FREE
Social Media means you need to post about other people every now and then and these are my go-to to find other content that my audience would like to read. Find and then schedule - easy.
You can use this tool for free to post and schedule from.
This is my go-to measuring tool. I can see any mentions of my business, monitor engagement, who my ambassadors are and get printed reports on everything. Won't lie...not cheap though...
This tool is a little clunky BUT it seems to post to every conceivable platform you can think of. If you sign up to AppSumo you can find a Life Time Deal (LTD) for it for $100 - totally and completely worth it!
If you want to monitor your projects, work with someone else and see how they're getting on - then this tool is for you. Very easy to navigate and very reasonably priced.
I have affiliate links to these *.
In this final section, I want to encourage you to understand what's working or NOT, for your business. Make a concerted effort to check your analytics every month and set some time aside at the beginning of each month to see what your audience has responded too the previous month. Maybe diary that for the year today!
--> Make sure your using your Goals to align your posts, if you missed you goal, look how to redress that and stay on top of it.
--> Don't be afraid to ask for help and support. There are plenty of businesses here that offer services either as a VA, trainer, delivery and a lot more.
--> Remember the Local Enterprise Office are on hand to offer training, support and mentoring if you need a bit of guidance.
--> Remember to Buy Local!
If you would like any assistance with your Marketing and would like to regain control and manage it yourself, then check out my Supported Digital Marketing Strategy Training and contact me today!
Working with clients Nationwide from base in Mullingar.
