Marketing is not just posting on socials and writing the odd blog. There’s so much more to it than that!
First you need to know who you’re trying to reach – and that will help you to choose what tools to use and where you need to be visible.
Then there are the tools – and there are a lot of them.
You can’t do everything – even with a full-time marketing person on your team, nor would you want to. Even ‘social media’ isn’t a tool, it’s a collection and not everyone needs all the platforms. If your audience isn’t on LinkedIn, investing time on it isn’t useful. So, it’s worth exploring all the social platforms and the skills you’ll need to stand out on your chosen platforms.
I don’t really like doing video, so I’m not on TikTok and don’t post many videos on other platforms. If you’re doing your own social media, choosing to do something you hate, means creating your social content and posting will always be pushed down the to-do list – so your visibility will drop and subsequent engagement be at virtually nil. Most platforms reward regular posting by showing your posts to more people.
Content generation
Are you writing content – and where are you publishing it? On your blog, in thought-leader articles, as newsletters, in email campaigns, as a lead magnet with an automated value-led nurturing email campaign to convert ‘interested’ to ‘paying’.
Are you running a podcast that showcases your opinions and expertise?
Do you have a YouTube channel with regular content to influence people?
What do you send to your list to keep them engaged?
Remember, you don’t own your social media contacts – until they give you their email address!
Promotion and Publicising
Also referred to as PR. A good PR agency will put together a plan to get you in front of your target market positioned as an authority.
If you’re not ready to pay a monthly fee for that, start by looking at what your target reads and see if they might be interested in an article sharing your expertise (typically called ‘thought-leader articles’). If you deliver a good quality piece you may be asked to write for them regularly or even get a column of your own.
Are your potential clients positively influenced by awards? If so, entering in relevant awards may be a useful strategy. There is a cost and you will need to invest time in completing the entry, but even a short-listing can be something to boast about!
Listen to your local radio stations and contact either the presenter or producer to ask if they might be interested in you being a guest interviewee. Remember that this is NOT free advertising, you’ll be expected to deliver value and will probably be briefed. If you try to pitch your services live on air, you won’t get asked back. However, the presenter will usually introduce you with your name and your company and may give you the opportunity to give a short overview of what you do.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, your website, networking activities, presentations, books, lead funnels and more are all part of the mix. The secret is choosing the right ingredients for you and your business.
