No, I haven’t lost the plot. I am telling you to stop marketing and start a marketing campaign.
Why?
Because, if you’re like the majority of Solopreneur and Side-Hustle business owners I interact with, you aren’t marketing.
You’re probably doing something you call marketing but, TBH, it’s probably more a lot of ad-hoc, online and offline ‘chatter’.
- attending networking events is not marketing
- posting regularly on social media is not marketing
- going Live and creating videos is not marketing
- attending trade shows and exhibitions is not marketing
- and so on, and so forth …
What is Marketing?
Marketing is planned and strategic.
Planning and strategy are imperative because marketing is the thing that carries the key message of a business to a specific target audience in order to achieve an overall business objective.
So, the key features of marketing are:
- a constant, consistent range of activities across a wide variety of channels, both online and offline
- objectives and measurable targets
- not a ‘quick win’ solution
- it isn’t free, it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, but it does need a budget
This is why I believe many Solopreneur and Side-Hustle businesses need to stop doing what they call marketing; because what they are doing is likely to be having very little impact on their business and profitability, while having a massive impact on their time and stress levels.
Does this mean I advocate doing nothing?
Absolutely not!
I believe that if you have a Solopreneur and Side-Hustle business you need to start a marketing campaign
The Difference Between Marketing and a Marketing Campaign?
A marketing campaign will give your business momentum.
Where marketing is constant and consistent delivering a key message to a target audience a marketing campaign takes place within a designated timeframe.
Campaigns are designed to achieve a specific objective such as:
- attendance at an event
- taking up an offer or a promotion
- reach a specific group within your overall target audience, such as VIP clients
- get repeat business from customers who haven’t purchased anything for the last three months
The Four Stages of a Marketing Campaign
1: Planning
- Identify your goals and desired outcomes for the event, offer or promotion – for example, 20 repeat orders, 50 attendees at the event, turnover £5,000
- Define your client group – for example, customers who previously spent more than £250
- Set the event, offer or promotion date(s) – for example, 1st to 5th December
- Create the title of the campaign – for example, ‘One Day to Day One’
- Develop the content of the event, offer or promotion – for example, One-day, VIP Strategic Success Marketing Campaign Planning Day
2: Build-Up
- Start a social media campaign blogging, Tweeting, posting etc. on topics connected to your event offer or promotion [NB: this is not a sales or a ‘buy me’ message]
- Use email marketing and newsletter to drop hints about what is coming
- Network as widely as possible to make new connections
3: Launch
- Increase your social media output – be more specific about what is on offer
- Ensure that your diary is clear and has enough space to enable you to handle enquiries or take-up of the offer.
4: Analysis and Follow-Up
- Measure the outcomes of the campaign. Did you reach your target? What went well? What didn’t go well? What will you do differently next time?
- Set the follow-up process into action
- Send a personalised thank-you all those customers or clients who took-up the offer
- Post out a general thank-you message across all social media channels – ensuring people know what they missed – perhaps they will be at the front of the queue next time!
If you really want to get to grips with your marketing campaigns, book your complimentary 30-Minute Consult
