This blog is the first in a new series around is business basics. The basics things you need to know about business, to be successful. Maybe you’ve been in business for a while, but don’t be fooled sometimes going back to basics is exactly what you need to do to move forward.
Okay, so the most basic I can get with business is going back to the three questions you need to be able to answer in order to have any real success in your business.
Ready for them?
- Who is your who?
- Where do they hang out, and
- What do you want to be famous for?
Get these three questions right and you will be on your way in business.
But get them wrong or get stuck marketing to the wrong audience or in the wrong place, then that’s why you get sick of marketing, tired of business and fed up because nothing seems to be working, despite all your effort and energy.
You are quite possibly:
- Marketing to the wrong audience with the wrong message, or
- Marketing in the wrong places, or
- Have no real idea what you want to be famous for and therefore your message is sloppy, and confusing and no one has any real idea what it is that you are trying to sell them.
Sound at all familiar?
Now if you think you know who your ideal client is, then you could possibly be right. But if you haven’t done this exercise in a while, then your ideal client might have changed. It might be the same person you are targeting but their buying habits or the messaging you use to get them to buy or buy again, is no longer relevant and your sales strategy is falling on deaf ears.
So, this stuff is so important!
I cannot stress how important it is.
I used to fluff over this stuff, and used to think, possibly like you are right now, that it’s just marketing speak and something us marketers just talk about to fill space (lol like a podcast episode or blog!)
But it’s not. I promise.
Whenever I am having a lull in my business, I can guarantee that it comes to back two things, and two things only:
- Me – I’m not putting in the energy and effort
- Or my messaging is off, and I need to go back and examine these three questions of who is my who, where do they hang out and what do I want to be famous for. Although if I’m honest, it’s really just the two questions – what I want to be famous for is pretty solid!
So, let’s workshop these questions.
QUESTION 1 – Who is your who?
How on earth do you find that out?
My biggest hint is to close your eyes and imagine your best client – the one you want more of. The one that fills your cup, pays on time, never asks more of you than they have paid for, is always pleasant, champions your business to others and so on and on it goes.
Close your eyes (except if you are driving, running or walking or doing anything that will cause you harm!) and imagine that person.
Take notice of some things. Why that person? When I said imagine your best customer why did they come to mind?
Now this person could exist, you might have a customer who is your exact perfect customer or they might be a collection of different aspects of customers. That’s okay and whoever or whatever they are! Give them a name, and get to know them really, really well in your head and then on paper.
I used to have a copy of my ideal client hanging on my corkboard above my desk. So every time I wrote something or started to go down a rabbit hole with a new product or service, I thought, would Michelle (that was her name) buy this, want this, pay that much etc etc.
I don’t have that piece of paper anymore … a good point, maybe I should bring that back!
I do have a workbook to work through all this – you can find it here: https://jenn-donovan.myflodesk.com/basicsworkbook
Download it, print it and work your way through it.
QUESTION TWO – Where does your WHO hang out?
This is a vital question obviously because it will tell you where to market to reach them!
No use having a podcast if your ideal client doesn’t listen to them. Or be on Instagram if they are on LinkedIn or not doing email marketing because you don’t like it but your ideal client would! Can you see where we are going with this? Of course you can!
So, other than doing the workbook as mentioned above, how else do you discover where to market to your ideal client?
Well, you have to do two things:
- Market research – test and measure and
- Listen to what your clients are saying …. Like really listen!
Do you ever hear your ideal client or someone who falls into that characterisation, say things like “I found this great video on YouTube the other day or I spent a whole hour scrolling TikTok last weekend or I listened to this great podcast yesterday or I hate LinkedIn, it’s such a waste of my time ….” And so on. Listening to what your customers say, will give you the edge you need in knowing where your ideal client hangs out.
Even go back and listen to episode 262 around Generational Marketing to find out more about different marketing strategies for different types of people or the different generations.
Get the workbook, work through it, start listening and doing some research to find the best places to market. I find that so many small business owners get a strategy that works, for example Facebook, and keep going long after their ideal client has left, but they don’t realise they’ve left, they haven’t listened enough or done continuous research. Don’t be like them!
QUESTION 3 – What do you want to be famous for?
In a room full of people, your ideal clients, what would you like me to say about you so that all those people go “I need to work with them, can I have their number?”.
For me, it’s marketing. If you need a marketing mentor, coach, a marketing strategy or a speaker on the subject of marketing, I want you to recommend me. I want people to think marketing, and then go, I need to get in touch with Jenn Donovan.
PS – if your Council, local business group or membership are after speakers or have them regularly at events during the year, would you drop my name or get them to get in touch or give me a shout with their details and I can send them an email? That would be freaking sensational!
So, its marketing for me, but what is it for you? In a room full of people what do you want them to remember about you and your expertise?
It is important as it brings to life your message, enables people to connect with you with familiarity and trust and it brings you referrals and good old word or mouth marketing – still the best marketing!
Ask people what they think you do? And when I say people, potential clients, not your family! And see if the answer they give is accurate or do you have a messaging problem or a brand awareness issue?
People should be able to describe what you do in one or two words.
Jenn Donovan – marketing
Jules Brooke – PR
Emma Lovell – Retreats
Amy Treacy – Startups
Kate Toon – SEO
Sam Winch – Courses
Tracy Sheen – AI
Therese Tarlinton – Partnerships
Wendy Lloyd Curley – Strategic Networking
And I could go on and on and on. I know these people and know what they do because they tell me. They tell me in every conversation, in their messaging, their marketing, the way they continually show up and so on.
This is the goal – what do you want to be famous for?
Again, go and get the workbook and work your way through these questions. This workbook was actually part of the deal when you buy my Small Town Big Impact book but I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel, so now it’s part of the podcast as well!
That workbook link again: https://jenn-donovan.myflodesk.com/basicsworkbook
What did you take away from this blog? Send me an email, a DM or jump into the Like Minded Business Owners Facebook group and let me know.
But that’s it for episode 290. If you loved this episode and found it valuable, please take 30 seconds out of your day to leave me a rating and review if you want where you are listening.
Do you have a friend who might like to listen in too? Can I ask a favour, and have you share this episode with them? I’d love that and appreciate it SO much.
Again, I’d love you to join in the community in the Like Minded Business Owners Facebook group. You can join the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LikeMindedBusinessOwners
I would love to work with you on figuring out who is your who! Simply book a Discovery Call with me and we can talk about how I might be able to help you. Here’s the link: https://calendly.com/jenn-smm/discovery
Or if you’d like a copy of my book, or the Nine Week Marketing Transformation Program which can give you some great ways to level up your business marketing, head to my website www.socialmediaandmarketing.com.au and you will find them both there!
I’d love to hear from you in the Like Minded Business Owners Facebook group! The group is such a valuable place for business owners to be encouraged and supported! And you are welcome to ask any of your other marketing or business questions too!
Or if you want to chat, get in touch. Email me jenn@jenndonovan.com.au or DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn – I would love to hear from you.
CONTACT JENN:
I would love for you to book a free discovery call with me to talk about how I can help your nail your business goals, planning, strategy, marketing and social media! Simply click the link and grab a spot!
My Like Minded Business Owners Facebook group is also a great community to join – full of awesome people in small business!
Or you can DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn, or send me an email jenn@jenndonovan.com.au
I wish to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Yorta Yorta People, on which I conduct my business today and pay my respects to their Elders past and present. I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples reading this blog post today.
About the Author:
Jenn Donovan of Social Media & Marketing Australia. Jenn’s an expert marketing coach and mentor from rural NSW. She is all about empowering business owners to earn what they’re worth so they can make a bigger difference in the world. Not only is she a sought after expert on all things marketing for Small Business, she is a keynote speaker, author of Small Town Big Impact, was the Founder of Buy From a Bush Business and a Co-Founder of Spend With Us e-commerce marketplace, and is the host of the very popular podcast Small Business Made Simple and Stories from the Bush. Jenn is all about community and humans interacting with humans! H2H Marketing – human to human marketing. Jenn talks the talk but importantly walks the walk!
Get in touch – www.socialmediaandmarketing.com.au
On Instagram – @jenndonovan_
On Facebook – Jenn Donovan
Or on LinkedIn as Jenn Donovan
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