The secret to effective digital marketing (and how to put it to work for you)
I am going to go on record as saying that if the key to business success is getting up at 4:30am, I will just have to remain a failure.
I'm a productivity junkie, slightly obsessed with the habits and routines of high achievers, and I had myself convinced for a while that the missing link in my business was that I needed to get up and start my day at 4:30am.
Meditate, journal, exercise, solve all the world's problems etc ... you know, do all the things.
I've never actually managed to get up at 4:30am. My personal best is 5:00am, and I can't say that I really recommend it.
And, yes, I've read more than one article and listened to more than just a few podcasts with notable entrepreneurs, business owners and other high performers celebrating the fact that they start their days at 4:30am. One just this last week, in fact. His 4:30am routine included an infrared sauna, trampoline and a BioCharger, all before 6:00am.
Nope, that's just simply never going to happen at my house.
I aspire to be an early riser. I really do. I've tried everything ...
Putting my alarm in another room.
Setting my workout clothes out the night before (I've also finally had to admit I'm not a morning workout person, but that's another conversation).
Buying an alarm clock that simulates the sun coming up.
Unsuccessfully breaking up with the snooze button.
I'm not proud, I'm just notoriously slow to start in the morning.
I still have PTSD from my Dad's early morning wakeup calls that started with him singing Oh, What a Beautiful Morning at the top of his lungs from one end of the hallway all the way into my bedroom and jerking the covers off of me to rally me for school.
So I've officially given up on my dreams of ever becoming a 4:30am riser. But I have settled into a routine that starts generally sometime between 6:00-6:30am with a very strong cup of coffee. Like super strong. Like I want it to stand-up-and-salute-me-in-the-cup strong.
And while I can't get on board with a 4:30am wakeup call, I can get on board with the merits of that kind of routine and consistency.
Especially when it comes to your business marketing efforts.
Doing digital marketing well for your business.
Doing digital marketing and social media well for your business is very different than doing it well personally. Promotion, value, community building, there's so much that goes into it.
And the thing we see most often is businesses jumping into it solo without any plan of action or way to measure success. Just because you can manage your digital marketing doesn’t mean you should. There’s a broad range of digital marketing agencies out there, and with a quick search, you can easily find the one that best fits your specific business needs.
The second most common mistake? Never sticking with a strategy long enough to generate a return before they're off trying something else. You know shiny object syndrome.
The result is a lot of wasted time, money and effort on tactics that fail to provide the best (if any!) results.
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but there is no silver bullet.
The secret to effective digital marketing.
You want to know the secret to effective digital marketing?
Here it is: content and consistency.
It might not be sexy, but it works. And you don't have to overcomplicate it—share what you know, make offers and do it consistently.
That's it.
It's so simple and obvious, and yet it's often the hardest thing to do.
For ST49 we've found that publishing an informative blog post with small business marketing tips and digital trends at least once a month is most effective. That content is then repurposed in an email newsletter and across our social media channels.
Don't worry that doesn't mean you have to start a blog, if writing isn't your thing.
There are many forms of content and many mediums with which to share it.
For you, that might be video. Think about the questions your clients and prospects are repeatedly asking and answer them with a series of introduction, "how to" or behind the scenes videos. Don't be afraid to give your expertise away for free. Remember, there's a huge gap in the market between knowledge and taking action.
The goal of all content is to attract, engage and eventually sell to your ideal client. Video is a powerful way to accomplish that goal, and like writing, you can then repurpose it.
Whatever your "it" is, pick one and do it with consistency.
Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.
And don't think you have to constantly reinvent the wheel. Decide on your 3-5 content topics, 1-2 offers and repeat them in rotation.
In marketing speak, the rule of 7 states that a prospect needs to hear the advertiser's message at least 7 times before they'll take action to buy that product or service. Digital marketing and social media have amplified those efforts and allowed us to take them one step further to engage or "touch" clients and prospects with meaningful content 7 times a day, so why wouldn't you want to leverage these powerful tools to grow your business?
Like diet and exercise where everyone wants a magic pill to lose 10 pounds before the weekend, everyone wants to find the quick trick or social media hack that will see them get 10,000 followers, loads of new website traffic and add-to-cart clicks overnight.
True, lasting results don't happen like that. And conversions regardless of how you define them—a booked consultation, product purchase or something else—take time.
Like any relationship, the one with your ideal client starts by making a connection.
With a consistent content strategy, you have the opportunity to not only make real, genuine connections, but also build trust with your audience and start conversations. And conversations create opportunities for conversions!
Are you struggling to stand out online? Learn more about Studio Three 49's SERVICES or GET IN TOUCH!
