Marketing
Where to start, budgeting, social or print, and word of mouth.
At this point of our series, What's Next?, we’ve discussed your website, niche, as well as tone and branding. Marketing is next on our list.
Tasks to consider when focusing on what's next:
- Website- August newsletter
- Niche- September newsletter
- Tone, branding, personality- October newsletter
- Marketing
- Social
- Business name
This can seem like an overwhelming task. Before you dive in, break down your goals and plans.
- What is the purpose of your marketing?
- How is your marketing plan aligned with your purpose?
- Who is your prime audience/ client?
- How much time do you want to spend on marketing?
What is the purpose of your marketing?
Is your purpose to connect with potential clients? Start conversations and shine a light on topics? Promote your value? Or something else?
Decide on your goal, this will guide your next steps. Once you’ve decided, stick to it. Similar to the branding blog in October, your marketing goal needs to be your guide in all things; content, direction, graphics and word choice. This is an answer only you have so take some time with this.
How is your marketing plan aligned with your purpose?
The old saying about the tree falling in the forest is very applicable here. You’re ready to promote yourself as a coach and source clients or maybe your plan is to encourage interaction and conversation. How are you going to reach people? What tools are you going to use?
Another list of questions to ask:
- Have you planned your website theme, look and feel?
- Have you planned your brand colors and voice?
- Is your website more a landing page than a full website?
- Will you be writing blogs?
- How much time do you want to spend on marketing?
- Other than website costs, do you have a marketing budget?
- Do you have the skills to write a blog, create content, and or create graphics?
- What, if any, social platforms will you be using?
- Is print an option? Local magazines? Direct mail postcards? Every market is different both geographically and demographically.
Who is your prime audience/ client?
This question leads back to our September blog regarding niche. Who are they? Where are they? Why are they your prime client?
Your marketing is how you communicate to your potential clients. If you want to be heard you need to meet them where they are, in a voice and tone that they can relate to and feel comfortable with. Think about that…does this feel overwhelming or comfortable for you? Yes, for you. Move into that seat, that viewpoint, see through that lens to ensure that you’re aligning with your audience.
How much time do you want to spend on marketing?
Have you budgeted time as well as money for marketing? Once your website is up and running, how much time per week do you want to spend on marketing? IE content for your website/ blog, social media, any avenue of reaching your target client. Depending on your network and clients that you may already be working with, you may not need as much time spent here vs someone starting at the beginning. Also consider networking and word of mouth. Both valuable, time consuming but may be less costly that other items on your marketing wish list.
This is really food for thought.
The overall marketing budget- both in time and money- is up to you. Your success will most likely be tied to how much you spend of both. Amount in equals amount out.
This is a great topic to discuss with your coach and be sure that you’re landing on a plan that will help you reach your goals.
List of next steps/ list of to-do
- Branding/ theme of the website
- Website- full website, blog or landing page?
- Full website list (and a few questions for blog only site)
- What pages do you need?
- Does it include a blog?
- Who’s writing the blog?
- Do you have content ready?
- Are your pages outlined and ready to be created?
- Marketing budget created (financial)
- Time management re marketing- set number of hours allotted per week
- Do you have the skills to create your website, write blogs/ source content, create/ source graphics? What resources or contacts can you call on?
- Social media- tune in next month for more detail. For now here’s your homework…where does your ideal client scroll? Facebook? Instagram? LinkedIn? TikTok?
Keep planning, stay true to your goal and yourself.
