5 Pillars of Practical Marketing

All businesses must market themselves to make the sales and impact they want. The better your marketing is at communicating what you do to the right person, the less you'll have to sell your services - people will be drawn to them.

There are many different aspects to marketing, and it can be overwhelming knowing where to start, especially if marketing isn’t your thing. But there’s no getting away from it, as a small business owner, you must market yourself to survive.

Unfortunately, in many small businesses, marketing is one of the most neglected areas. When things get busy, it’s put off till later and only revived when sales start to slow down. Or it’s seen as a luxury that can be cut back on when times are tough, like during a recession, but these are the times you need to be showing up more. Your marketing is your opportunity to nurture relationships because people buy from businesses they trust, especially during challenging times. Your marketing is a way of maintaining relationships and showing that you care.

When I support customers with their marketing, there are 5 pillars in the process we go through to get their marketing set up and working for them. Use this framework to identify any gaps in your marketing.

#1 Clarity

Before you do anything, you need a clear idea of what you want to achieve in your business. Your mission, vision, and goals act as a compass for all your business decisions. They aren’t set in stone and some aspects will evolve as you do, use your best thinking right now to give your business the direction it needs to help you succeed.

Review your current marketing and recognise what’s working and what’s not. This will help you to decide what marketing strategies are right for you. Collating a library of your existing marketing assets e.g., leaflets, workshops, and articles can save you time and money in the future as you may be able to repurpose them.

Get clear on who your competition is and do a comparison of services and/or products. It’s not about copying what they do but being aware of any gaps in your offers and using them for inspiration. It will also help you to decide how you want to be perceived by your customers in relation to them which will affect how you market yourself.

#2 Customers

Understanding your best customers will help you to communicate with them effectively and attract more like them. Fully understanding their problems and the emotions they feel around them, will help you market yourself in a way that will resonate with them, demonstrate your expertise, and show that you care.

All customers go on a journey starting from when they find out about you, to when they decide you’re the right business for them. Your marketing supports the route they take from building awareness when they initially discover you, until they’re ready to buy, and then reinforcing their decision after their purchase.

The better you understand your customers, the more effective and efficient your marketing will be. And the better you will be able to create offers that they will want to pay you for.

Time spent doing some simple customer research, for example, having conversations with your best customers will pay dividends in your marketing.

#3 Offers

When you have a business, you need something to offer your customers and it needs to be something they want to buy. So often holistic businesses try to sell their services based on features such as selling appointments. Whilst these features are important, they don’t connect with anyone at an emotional level, and people buy on emotions – they want to know what’s in it for them. The benefits and transformations are what will make your offers irresistible to the right people.

Having great offers with identified outcomes will make it much easier for you to sell them and help you increase your income and impact.

Review your current offers and ensure you share the benefits and not just a list of features.

#4 Communication and Connection

Everything you do in your business is communicating something. Having a brand that reflects your values, messaging that resonates with your audience, your choice of marketing platforms, and how you show up are constantly communicating and helping prospective customers decide if you’re right for them. Ensuring your communications and marketing strategies are aligned to connect you with the right people will make selling easier.

Deciding what marketing activities are right for you will be individual to you and based on your skills, strengths, and available resources.

#5 Implementation

To market yourself effectively, you must take consistent action. Having a simple plan of action will focus your efforts, and knowing the steps you need to take will help stop you from feeling overwhelmed, but you will need to implement it.

If you struggle to be consistent, find someone to hold you accountable – there are lots of ways you can get this whether it’s teaming up with a business buddy, or employing a coach-mentor.

If you struggle with inspiration or creating your marketing, you can always outsource different marketing activities. Still, I would always recommend, that you interact with prospective customers, especially if you'll be working with them personally. Marketing is about building relationships and you’re the best person to do that for your business.

If you need help with your marketing, contact me and we can have a chat and I will help you identify your best next steps.