Ever really looked at a Julia Child’s cookbook? It was all the rave to have one when my kids were young. But I found it sooo overwhelming that I threw mine out! Everything in that cookbook seemed to be so complicated and take so many steps! I don’t really like cooking so I need something simple — with a few simple steps that I could follow so that I could create a great meal without costing me a ton of time and money!
Marketing is kind of like that! Some people think it’s very complicated and others make it complicated — but I like to simplify things. So if you feel you’re not spending enough time (money or energy) on your marketing, perhaps you’d like to simplify things and consider whether you have these 6 marketing must-haves!!!
- A great looking, up to date website and/or social media! Don’t get me wrong — you can have significant sales without a FANCY website or multiple social media platforms; however, in today’s world you do need to establish your credibility — and that’s what an up to date website and social media do for you. Your website can be as SIMPLE as one page. It’s function being to clarify your message to your dream client or to state the problem that you want to solve for your dream client!!
- Customer testimonials are the 2nd must-have that also bring credibility. One reason why I like testimonials for small business is that they don’t COST you tons of money!! It may cost you some time but when you know how to ask for them — it’s a breeze. If you’d like my ebook on how to get KILLER TESTIMONIALS, send me an email (diana@dianalidstone.com) and put in the subject line — KILLER TESTIMONIALS. Oh… btw, these testimonials are proof that you HAVE solved the problem for your dream client — that you have the ‘solution’!
- You must have a couple of ways to create new leads or in marketing terms, you need a sales funnel! How do you create leads? For most small business owners, the top 3 ways to generate leads is networking, speaking and referrals! And all of them don’t cost a ton of money just a little time but oh, so worth it.
- You also need a way to follow-up with customers and keep track of prospects & customers. I do that with a CRM – customer relationship management tool. There are tons of them out there that are FREE or you can upgrade to paid versions. I’ll admit that several years ago my CRM was a bunch of index cards but that’s not the way to run a growing business; believe me! Here’s a CRM that has both free and paid versions – it’s called “Less Annoying“.
- Another must–have for marketing is a system to nurture your prospects. You’ve probably heard of creating an email list and using platforms such as Mail Chimp, Constant Contact, etc. All of these have free or almost free versions. But they are a MUST-HAVE. You need to keep your name (and solution) top of mind with your clients, your prospects and yes, even your friends — no matter what type of business you have!
- And last but not least, you need to be CONSISTENT in your marketing! For my clients, we create their own SIMPLIFIED MARKETING SCHEDULE that suits both their ‘superpowers’ and their stage of business growth. If you’d like help creating your own Simplified Marketing Schedule — let’s talk (click here to set up a COMPLIMENTARY 20 min chat – no sales, just helping you get more out of your day!)
There you have it — 6 marketing must-haves! How did you do? Have you got them all? Which ones are you missing? Which ones would you like help creating? Share with me on FB here
