It’s common for professionals to neglect their own business. A painter decorator may have a home that’s tired and outdated. Likewise, a hairdresser may not treat themselves to a new colour. I too have been guilty of leaving my own marketing to the bottom of the to-do list. When business is busy, clients always come first. Coronavirus presented new challenges, and juggling childcare leaves very little time free. However, as lockdown continues and the show must go on, I’ve realised I need to start taking my own advice. In order to reach the organisations I want to work with, I need to find them and showcase how I can help. Here are the steps I recommend to my clients that I’m going to follow to start marketing the marketer.
Give yourself a marketing health check
Firstly, analyse how your current marketing is performing. A quick glance at Google Analytics is enough to see I’ve not been active for quite some time!
Remember who you’re talking to
Secondly, take a moment to revisit who you’re trying to reach. Focusing on one or two audiences will help you refine your approach. When you can target your efforts, then they’re more likely to succeed. At the present time, I know my focus is the charity sector.
Come up with a marketing plan
Next, plot out the ideas you have to reach your audience. Don’t try to go from 0 to 60pmh in under six seconds. Accordingly, make your plan realistic to the capacity and the budget you have. For example, I know I can post once or twice per week, but that’s better than nothing!
Refresh the website
Websites are like living creatures, that is to say you must maintain them continuously. Specifically, update them as you would a mobile phone. Equally important is renewing the content. And above all, ensure your message (and your keywords) is relevant to the audience you’re trying to reach. Despite search engine optimisation being a service I offer, my own site wasn’t optimised at all. After some quick research, I have a list of keywords to weave into my content.
Plan your communications in advance
Finally, make life easier by writing your blogs, social posts, etc. ahead of time. Set aside time each month and block it out for the task. Use a scheduling tool like Hootsuite to prepare a few weeks’ of social posts in advance. That way, you don’t need to work on this constantly.
As you can see, the steps to get started are simple. However, I understand that some organisations simply lack the time and expertise to take care of it. Many charities and businesses are so busy delivering their services, they fail to tell people about them. If you feel you would benefit from some marketing support, please get in touch.
