Always Ask “Why?” When Picking Marketing Activities

The “why?” question is one parents are very familiar with. A child will ask why to help them understand the world around them. As adults, we can stop asking “why?” and start accepting things the way they are.

Just because something has become the norm in marketing doesn’t mean it’s right for you.

We’ve all fallen into this trap at times. Comparing ourselves to others and thinking we should be doing the same as them, doing more, doing bigger, doing better. You then get caught up doing the things you think you should be doing instead of what works.

So, before you start the next marketing activity, ask yourself why:

• Why am I doing this?
  • Does it help me achieve my goals?
  • Is this what I really want to spend my time doing?
  • Does it make my clients happy?
  • Will it attract more of the right clients to my business?

While you should strive to be visible, make sure you do it strategically and not as a knee-jerk reaction to something you’ve seen someone else do.

Reality Check

This is a classic example of following trends without asking 'why?' and how that can create unnecessary work. Recently a practitioner friend decided she wanted a sparkling new website and to start making videos. When we talked about why she was doing it, it was because she thought she had to.

She has a full diary of clients from an established referral system. She’s happy with her business as it stands and only wants to work one-on-one. So why did she want a singing, all-dancing new website? It was because it’s what other practitioners have. Why was she planning on doing weekly videos? Because she’d heard you must make videos these days.

On reflection, they didn’t add anything to her business other than a lot of work and money. She had no intention of creating additional income online and was at capacity with her client numbers.

For now, she can have an online presence by claiming her Google Business Profile and being listed in her professional directories and on LinkedIn. If she changes her mind in the future and wants to move online, absolutely build an amazing website. But do it because the time is right.

Stop and Ask "Why?"

Next time you find yourself drawn to doing something new to market your holistic business, stop and ask why. Think about what you want to achieve from the activity and whether it is the best use of your time and resources right now.

Ask yourself why out loud as it will help you to put things into perspective. Sometimes you just need to talk things through to get the right answer for you.

You may have to delve a little deeper by asking yourself why a few times. Eventually, you will get to the reasoning behind it and will then be able to make a considered decision.

Does it Fit?

How does this activity fit in with the other marketing you do and your goals? Is it something that easily fits alongside what you already do or will it replace something else? By understanding how it fits, you will understand whether it will help you, or potentially be a form of procrastination for you.

No May Mean Not Right Now

Not doing something now doesn’t mean it’s off the table forever - it just means it’s not aligned with your current priorities. For example, redesigning your website may be fun but if your immediate goal is to get clients, it’s not your priority.

Get Help!

If you’re not sure why you should do something, do your research first. Talk it through with a business buddy, your mastermind group or coach. It will help you to focus on the things that are important to you and your business.

When you create anything in your business, you want your clients to care about what you are doing. It has to be something meaningful to both you and the person consuming it. After all, marketing is about building connections and relationships so you want to do it in a way that feels good and for the right reasons.

Planning to Thrive in 2025

Live Online Workshop | Sunday 8 December 2024 | 10am - 2pm GMT 

Let me help you figure out your marketing approach! Join me live for a practical half-day workshop and I will help you create your simple plan for 2025, so you know where to direct your marketing efforts. Imagine being able to put your feet up and relax over the holidays, knowing what you need to do to thrive in 2025. Find the full information here.