Marketing and getting clients can be one of the easiest things you do, I kid you not.
It doesn’t have to be overwhelming or confusing, yet I find that it often is one of those things that really spins people out.
It can feel overwhelming because there are so many options, so many things you could and should do to market your business and get clients.
All the marketing gurus and facebook ads are shouting: Do it this way! Here’s your magic pill!
You start doing one thing and then another… you’re juggling (or trying to juggle) all these competing marketing strategies… networking, blogging, social media marketing, webinars, newsletters, ads, etc.
Before you know it you’re overwhelmed, freaking out about not having enough time, feeling bad about yourself that you can’t handle it all, wondering how everyone else does it… something must be wrong with you if you’re struggling, right?
Wrong.
It just means you’ve put the cart before the horse.
You’ve rushed into action before being clear in your message or your marketing strategy. You’ve put the emphasis on getting into action, rather than what you’re communicating or clarifying a plan that’s actually aligned for you.
This makes marketing your business hard.
This will leave you feeling off, disingenuous, like you’re trying to be someone you’re not. It feels salesy and sleazy, rather than connected and real.
This is so frustrating because you have something amazing to offer the world. You just need to be able to get it out there to the right people so it resonates with them and they say YES and buy.
To make marketing your business easier and much more effective start with…
- Getting clear on your message–what you stand for.
- Simplifying your message so it functions as a guiding principle that keeps you on track in all that you do.
- Finding your voice, which really means… how to say what you mean in a way that makes sense to you and your clients.
Then move into creating an aligned plan for yourself.
If you start “doing” all the marketing activities without thinking through what’s going to work for you, it’s going to feel hard to you… and it’s going to flop. It won’t connect with your potential clients.
So spend some time answering these questions…
- What do you stand for? What’s your message?
- What do you really want to say and get out there in the world?
- How do you help and serve?
If you’ve been in business for awhile and you’re feeling challenged by marketing, you’re either not clear and aligned with your message or your not clear and aligned with your marketing actions. Which is it for you?
Definitely go back and revisit your message. Does it still sync up with who you’ve become and how your business has grown?
Then go back and look at what you’re doing. Does it feel fun and easy for you? (It needs to!)
Marketing can actually be very easy if you clarify and simplify these two things: your message and your plan.