Business Growth & Success with Marketing
The other day an aspiring, introverted entrepreneur asked me, “So, do you think I will be able to have clients within a few months and a steady client flow by the end of the year?” She asked with fear and curiosity and excitement in her eyes wondering if this could really build to what she wanted it to and support her financially. My answer to her was this, “Absolutely you can. It all depends on how much exposure you are willing to do with really getting yourself out there and if you can get out there and talk to people, do presentations, make relationships, and even do some videos, I have no doubt you can and will.”
I know with certainty she is extremely gifted in her trade and has incredible value to offer so many, but what I don’t know is if she will be able to market herself so that people can know about her and truly experience what she has to offer. To be honest, I had fear in that moment myself breathing life, energy, and hope in to her dream not because she is not incredible at what she does, but more because I wasn’t sure if she would do the marketing it would take to be seen, to grow, to thrive in her business.
When your the Marketing Department & Not a Born Marketer
Many of us business owners and entrepreneurs are the experts, specialists, artists and craftsmen of what we do and deliver exceptional products and services. We believe in what we do, we have some raving fans, we know we offer outstanding value, but our business growth and revenues are not at the goal we set out to achieve. We are running our own business and wearing all hats including being the marketing department all by ourselves. Most of us would love to hand over our marketing to an agency who could take care of it for us so we can do what we do best, but our budget or stage of growth puts that option off the table for the time being. That leaves us scrambling, fumbling aimlessly, and staying comfortably safe with no one to push or advise us outside our comfort zone.
How a Simple Marketing Plan Will Grow Your Business
Since you are short on time and have a strict budget, but do not want to let that hamper your gusto for growth, you can advise your marketing department, that would be amazing juggling hats wearer you, to follow this simple 10 step marketing plan:
- Where can you find your target market online and off line? Know where they are first. Make a list.
- Who can you create relationships of either value exchange or referral exchanges with? List 15 to start
- Who are the influential people in your industry, market or community that could get the word out? & What can you Give to them in exchange?
- What one thing can you do online to drastically increase your exposure, engagement, experience sharing in a BIG way?
- What one thing can you do in person or publicly to exponentially expose your business?
- How can you Give, Contribute, Build Community aligned with your business?
- How can you create consistent VALUE?
- Where will you focus your energies to build your following and raving fans. Choose 2.
- Who wants to help you, who believes in you, who is already your fan? Ask for help!
- Where or What can you do to get people to know, like, and trust you more?
Implementing Your Marketing Strategy Plan of Action
Hold on before you tuck those great ideas away to mull over for a while, let’s devise a plan for you! You see, those are just a bunch of ideas for you right now, but they stay ideas unless you give them a plan. Ideas need a track and time to run on where you can take action and implement them. Creating a marketing plan of action will bring you results and therefore business growth success. The first next step is to actually schedule time every week and perhaps daily towards marketing. Your marketing plan schedule could include any of these examples:
- Monday mornings 1:00-3:00 pm map out Social Media marketing for the week
- Daily 11:00-12:00 pm make calls for New Business / Relationship Marketing
- Friday afternoons create Video content to Promote Business Online
- Once a month or once a week do Presentations for Exposure
- Tuesday mornings create Value, Content, and Give Aways
The track you need for your marketing plan is how you will deliver the marketing including what methods you will employ that work for you, your brand, and your target customer. You cannot be everywhere and do everything so you will need to choose what platforms work best for you and where you want to focus your time and resources. This must match where you are having success or where your customer can be found. It is really important here to decide the best places that align with your brand and gives your customer what they are looking for along with a sneak peak in to the experience they will have with you.
Your Next Step for Business Growth Requires Exposure
If you have read this far you are that entrepreneur who is committed to growing their business and wants to implement new strategies for success. It comes back to the original story I shared of that entrepreneur wanting to know where her business could be by the end of the year and me knowing what could evolve, but not knowing if the challenges of marketing and exposure would prevent her from the results she could have. When you are not a born marketer and are thrown in to a market place that demands standing out, differentiation, being seen, being vulnerable, sharing your story with the masses, and consistent widespread exposure, it can limit your potential. Don’t let the lack of marketing stagnate your business growth.
Action Challenge to Create Your Marketing Strategy Plan:
- Choose 2-3 Steps you will take from the list above that you can take action on right away
- Commit to doing one thing every week that will increase your exposure & is a challenge for you
- Set aside a day every week or a time every day or blocks of time to take action on your marketing plan
- Hire someone to help you create your marketing action plan for the quarter or year
It would be great to hear from you on what you learned, what challenge you accept or what you commit to doing to grow your business!
If you would like a private marketing plan coaching session, contact me here:
Marketing Strategy Action Plan
If you are local in the Vancouver area, you can join us for a value packed, low cost event where you will walk away with your very own marketing action plan to grow your business. You can view the event details and join us here: Marketing Plan Event April 21st 6:30-8:00 pm
You may also enjoy this blog post on 7 Simple Strategies to Grow Your Business on a Budget
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