Hey there, my fabulous listener, welcome to episode 76 of the Small Business Made Simple Podcast.
Thank you for lending me your ears today – I know you have lots of choices, so I sincerely appreciate me being one of them!
If you’re a first time listener, super super welcome, I am so pleased to have you here. I am your host Jenn Donovan, and, it’s my job, via this podcast, social media and everywhere else actually, to make your business life simpler.
Business can be lonely and hard and complicated and it’s hardly ever easy, but it should be simple or at least simpler, so that’s my commitment you to on the Small Business Made Simple podcast!
One way I help to make your life simpler is by having a group of like-minded business owners all in one stop. To ask questions, get answers and enjoy the journey of business! If you haven’t joined the Like Minded Business Owners Facebook Group, then hope over there after this episode and join! Simply search Like Minded Business Owners in Facebook or come to the show notes for the like. Show notes are at www.socialmediaandmarketing.com.au/76
www.facebook.com/groups/LikeMindedBusinessOwners
I note only teach marketing, study and research marketing, but I also watch marketing from, of course, a marketers’ perspective.
There’s a few things I see go wrong in business’ marketing.
Today on the Podcast I want to chat to you about 7 of them – all of which I hope you can say, Nup, not me Jenn.
But because I am honest enough to say, even I do maybe one or two of them sometimes, I’m pretty sure they are going to be helpful to you too! In case you’re wondering, number 6 – it’s my weakness when it comes to marketing ….
So, 7 Common marketing mistakes:
- No Strategy
Posting for posting sake. Posting because some bat crap crazy marketer said you have to, posting so you can tick that item off your list as done.
Emailing once or twice – maybe this week, maybe next week, maybe when I can think of something to say.
Showing up when you’re ready – not when your client is.
Choosing hours, platforms, methods that suit you – not your client.
Sound at all familiar?
Marketing your business without a strategy is like travelling without a map. Yes, you’ll get there, probably, at some stage, but if only you had a map you could make it quicker, simpler and more fun!
They say life is not about the destination – it’s about the journey.
Marketing IS NOT like life then! It’s all about the destination.
Perhaps the destination is a sale, perhaps it’s a lead, perhaps it’s a discovery call or someone new walking into your bricks and mortar office or store.
Step 1 in any strategy is START WITH THE END IN MIND.
Start with the destination – what you want your client/customer to do and work backwards from there.
Please stop posting for posting sake. It could be doing your brand and business more harm than good.
- Treating social media as your entire marketing strategy.
Oh, good lord – yes. I want you to raise your hand and say, I (say your name) promise you Jenn I will NOT put all my eggs into the social media basket and will start talking to your clients/customers offline as well.
Ask yourself this question, in Facebook/Instagram or any of the other platforms, or all of the platforms, shut down tomorrow, do you still have a business?
Be honest. It’s only yourself you are being honest too.
But sincerely if your answer is yes or maybe, or not sure, please, please, please start to look into other marketing strategies.
I have seen it, heard it too many times before where businesses have been lost over night because the only business they did was over social media.
Social media is fabulous – don’t get me wrong, it just can’t be everything.
- Good content is enough. Done is good enough.
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you we live in a highly competitive and crowded market space – no matter what your business is – so, no sorry, good is not good enough.
If you want to stand out from the crowd, you need to be putting out content that’s freaking fabulous – or at least what your clients/customers think is freaking fabulous.
No matter what industry you are in, become that go to person in your industry, in your town or wherever.
How do you become that go to person- by putting out freaking fabulous content that your ideal client loves, gets enormous value from and builds a relationship with them, that’s there is no question, when it’s time to buy, it’s time to buy from YOU.
- You use social as a substitute for personal contact.
Like number 2 above social media can’t be everything and it can’t be the only way you communicate with your people either.
Posting, DMing, commenting, messaging – they are all great communication strategies when used correctly – but don’t forget about the one from ages ago – the phone or the modern one, zoom/skype etc. Or the one we are missing right on in June 2020 – the actual face to face meeting.
It’s so important that we are showing up the way our clients/customers need us to. And for some, that means actual human to human contact – actually human to human conversations with words and facial expressions to fit.
- You don’t back up your efforts
If you say you will do something, do it. What’s that old retail saying, “under promise and over deliver” – not the other way round.
Also, if you are telling a client or customer to go online and do x (book a call, buy that thing), make sure your efforts are backed up with a good, seamless customer experience.
And to look at it another way – make sure your social media accounts, your website and your bricks and mortar store all look like they belong to the same brand. Wherever you are, make sure the branding is consistent, the messaging is consistent and, it goes without saying, you are somewhere in the mix – I can see YOU – yes you the owner of the business!
- You forget why you are on social media and fall down the rabbit hole.
Ok, this is my trap! I actually think it’s a condition I have – I’m calling it the rabbit hole condition.
I hear from so many business owners that they are “too busy” to post on social media, but honestly, I think they just go down rabbit holes – maybe trying to see what everyone else is doing to give them an idea of what you should be doing or get involved in things that don’t involve you.
Good maybe not good enough these days but done is done. Perfection is a trap. And there’s a huge difference between something that mediocre and something that’s just not perfect!
- Bright Shiny Objects
I talk about BSO’s a bit. Be aware of bright shing objects. Distractions masquerading as opportunities.
Following the trends of the next best thing – even though you haven’t thought about a strategy of that “new” thing or how it will impact your current business strategy or even if your clients are there or wanting it.
Business fail or fail to grow from simply getting distracted.
Being distracted by what someone else is doing, what your competition is doing or what Bob down the road told you was working so well for Amanda around the corner who sells bricks but you sell sandwiches – is not the best use of your time, effort or energy.
When you feel like you need to take on a new strategy or follow a different path, ask yourself those 3 little words (the ones I love/hate) FOR WHAT PURPOSE?
If you can clearly state the purpose and tell another trusted source and they don’t give you the “look”, when perhaps it a good thing – if you get the look of “WTF”, then perhaps it’s not a good thing.
Remember, for what purpose?
So that’s 7 marketing mistakes I see all too often.
Like I said at the start, I hope you don’t see yourself in too many of them. But if you do that’s ok, acknowledging them is part of the journey to change!
Let’s recap them
- No strategy
- Treating social media as your entire marketing strategy.
- Good content is enough. Done is good enough.
- You use social as a substitute for personal contact.
- You don’t back up your efforts
- You forget why you are on social media and fall down the rabbit hole.
- Bright Shiny Object Syndrome!
So, that’s all for episode 76, I’ll be back next Thursday with another great episode to help you simplify your business in 2020.
If you’re enjoying this podcast, which if you have listened to here – you hopefully are, don’t forget to subscribe, share this episode with another superstar business owner who’s doing the daily grind and would appreciate someone making their business simpler, and leave a rating or review to show how much you are loving this free weekly content.
Massive love coming your way if you do!
See you next week on the podcast for episode 77. But in the meantime, let’s hang out on social and get social on social – you’ll find me on Instagram, Facebook and my fav LinkedIn.
But whatever you do,
……..remember small business peeps, as my opening song says, there’s no point in dreaming small!
WANT IDEAS ON WHAT TO POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA? Free eBook – https://bit.ly/108Social
READY TO LIFT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA GAME? Take the Challenge: https://bit.ly/5daysocialchallenge
WANT TO CREATE YOUR FIRST SUCCESSFUL FACEBOOK AD? Download the FREE eBook: https://bit.ly/beginnersguidetoads
SHOW NOTES (including a transcription of this episode and all links and resources): www.socialmediaandmarketing.com.au/76
DM JENN OVER ON INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/smallbusinessmadesimple/
Subscribe and Review in iTunes
Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I’d really encourage you to press that subscribe button today! I don’t want you to miss an episode. There’s amazing guests with expertise you need to hear and lots more tips and tricks where this episode came from – I’d hate for you to miss out! Click here to subscribe in iTunes.
If you’re already subscribed and loving this podcast and feel like sharing that loving feeling – please head over and leave me a review. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go and read. Just click here to review, select “ratings and reviews” and “write a review” and let me know your favourite part of the podcast! Hand on heart – thank you XO
0 Comments