Permission to Stay in Your Own Marketing Lane

It’s hard enough to market your small business without constant distractions from “experts” encouraging you to try their “new” approach! Or, the new platforms that are started and you MUST get on board, or you will be left behind.

One of my clients was recently told by their peers they must get on TikTok – it’s the place to be. They felt under pressure to try it out, thinking they were missing out. But they knew deep down it wasn’t right for them and doesn’t play to their strengths, so I suggested they don’t do it.

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with TikTok – it’s an amazing platform and I know many people doing brilliantly there, but your marketing must be right for you and your clients.

Our inboxes are constantly bombarded with different marketers trying to convince us they have the answer to all our marketing dreams. Whilst it could be the best next thing, is it the right thing, right now?

Shiny Object Syndrome

Shiny object syndrome happens when you’re working away on your marketing and suddenly something new and seemingly much more interesting appears. It’s very easy to get side-tracked and start playing with the exciting new thing, convinced it’s the answer to your marketing success.

Do you remember Clubhouse – the invitation-only platform where you could listen in on rooms or do broadcasts yourselves? It was launched in 2020 and was different from other platforms – audio-based social media where people gathered in chatrooms for discussions and talks. I lost count of how many times I was invited to join by my peers, and how often I was told it was the place to be, and I had to join. Where is Clubhouse now? A quick Google search shows it’s still around, but downloads are down by 90% - ouch!

While it’s tempting to jump on every new trend, staying focused on a few carefully selected strategies will pay dividends.

Be Selective Over Your Activities

Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint, so you need to be consistent with your chosen strategies. Dipping in and out of different activities isn’t a good way to build relationships and find clients.

There are different considerations when deciding on the right activities for you:

Do they work to your communication strengths? If you pick activities based on your strengths and how you find it easiest to communicate, you’ll save time and energy and you’re more likely to be consistent with it.

Is it something your clients enjoy consuming? If you enjoy making short videos and putting them on TikTok but your clients aren’t there, you’re wasting your time. If your clients use LinkedIn, create videos for that platform instead.

Is it something you know how to do, and have the resources to do? Whilst there’s always the opportunity to learn new marketing skills, start where you are and with the resources you have. Once you’ve got some marketing working for you, you can add to it – don’t use having to learn new skills as the reason not to let prospective clients know how you can help them.

Where does it fit with your current activities? Is it something you’re adding, or will it replace a different activity?

Does it feel right for you? Just because your peers and competitors are jumping on board with a new marketing activity, it doesn’t make it right for you. Does it fit with your values, feel ethical and allow you to show up in the way you want to?

Limit the Number of Marketing Activities

It’s tempting to think you need to be everywhere, but unless you have a team, it’s better to focus on a select few strategies, and do them well. You don’t have to be everywhere and doing everything - you’ll achieve better results by focussing.

Ask Yourself 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.

A good trick is to ask yourself why out loud as it will help you to put things into perspective. Sometimes you just need to talk things through with a trusted peer or coach to get the right answer for you.

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

If your answer to ‘why’ doesn’t align with your goals, values, or audience needs, it’s okay to let it go.

Understand What’s Working

Whilst you need to be consistent with your marketing, you need to understand if it’s working. By understanding what activities are attracting enquiries and clients to your door, you can focus on doing more of them and letting things that aren’t working go.

The best way to understand what’s working is to ask every enquiry and new client where they heard about you – you’ll soon know what activities are paying off for you. For more ways to understand what’s working, check out my blog – How to Focus Your Marketing Efforts.

Stay in Your Lane

It can be difficult at times to stay focused, especially if things aren’t working out as fast as you want them to. When you see other holistic practitioners trying different strategies, it’s easy to assume they’re more successful than you. This is purely an illusion and your interpretation of their success, rather than their reality.

Give yourself permission to stay in your lane and focus on what you’re doing and do it well. Regularly review how it’s working and adapt as necessary.

Ready to create a plan that helps you identify the marketing that’s right for you?

Join me for my Planning to Thrive in 2025 - Live Online Workshop and let’s create your plan together

10am - 2pm GMT on Sunday 8 December 2024

Join us and show your small business some love. Treat this as a mini-retreat for you and your business where you will create a solid plan for 2025! I will help you simplify your planning, so you know what to do and where to direct your marketing efforts to achieve your goals including the scary financial goals. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a clear, achievable plan to thrive in 2025 - and enjoy your holidays stress-free. Get the full details here.