I fell in love with marketing the first time I went to a women's networking event, and a woman was talking about it in a way that made me feel like it was an exciting and authentic world. Soon after that event, I opened my first social media marketing company. My business model at the time consisted of me being the hands-on technical person regarding what Facebook would do next. I was also the person you went to if you didn't want to write a social media post yourself. The only problem with that model is that I needed to be made aware that marketing was more than consistently posting. It was about a marketing strategy supporting the company's business goals. Fast forward a few years, I had taken my first company and umbrella it under another company, left that company, opened up a marketing agency, and returned for my MBA with a focus on marketing. And yet, with my knowledge and experience, there are times in my business career I have sabotaged my marketing efforts. And this sabotage ranged from not asking for help, getting too much help, being consistent, and making things much harder than necessary.
Below are my Top 6 marketing sabotages and how I overcame them.
1) My Mindset - I had terrible imposter syndrome when I started marketing. The words social media guru made me want to gag, and the idea of me thinking my skills were worth top dollar was mind-boggling. I always felt like someone who knew more than I was going to call me out as a fraud and tell me to take my tiny marketing company home, so the big boys and girls could play. And as a result, it would come out in my marketing. For example, I would re-write a post three times because I would double-check it to make sure it was sound advice and other marketers agreed with what I thought should be done. It was exhausting to be afraid to be me in my marketing.
We all have our unique way of looking at things, so there's no right or wrong way to approach a marketing mindset. However, if you want great results, it can help to be aware of your mindset and how it might affect your marketing efforts. An example of this is constantly saying, I understand technology. But, unfortunately, these words reinforce that you don't know and make learning harder because your brain shuts off to the possibility of learning it. As a result, you are defeating yourself before you even start.
2) It Worked, But I Still Recreated the Wheel
When I started my business, I would find a marketing strategy that would yield results. The problem was that I'd burn it down and start over again instead of refining what worked. Today I find the most straightforward way to fix this is by sticking to what works while refining it to be used in multiple platforms and marketing formats. So, the next time you start thinking about creating something new, take 10 minutes and ask yourself how you could make your current process easier and even more successful.
3) Lack of Consistency
One of the most challenging things about being a freelance writer is the need for more consistency. One day, I'll be able to write three blog posts; the next day, my brain won't let me do anything productive. And this applies not only to writing content for my site but also to when I used to write for my DIFY clients that needed content written promptly. To combat this problem, I have each of my marketing processes written so that they can be done a little bit every day, and this helps me not do my marketing with an all-or-nothing attitude.
4) I Don't Say Thank You for Online Reviews
Gratitude is one of the best ways to share that you love the company you are working with. So, I remember to leave an online review. When someone takes the time to leave a review on your website or app, it's an excellent way for them to show you that they care. The only problem is that many business owners need to take the time out of their day to say thank you. Even if you're not regularly leaving reviews for your favorite brands, make this one small change, and you'll see a massive difference in engagement with your online presence. So, say thank you for every review that comes your way. It doesn't need to be anything fancy - just a simple, Thank you so much! will suffice. If people feel like their feedback is being valued and acknowledged by the business owner, they're more likely to keep reviewing, which benefits both parties!
5) Not Updating My Website to Be Aligned With Who I Am As a Business Owner Today
One of the most significant issues I had with my old business was that I knew better and would need to remember to update my website to align with whom I grew to be as a business owner. Unfortunately, one of the easiest ways to sabotage my marketing efforts is by neglecting the site that is supposed to be the hub for everything I do online. Maybe it's because it's just so much work, and so many other things need tending, or this isn't where my creative heart lies. I say all the time that I'd instead write or do videos and then create my website. Either way, I'm reminded whenever someone emails me about needing help finding a specific piece of content on my website or when I need help finding something. It reminds me how far behind I am and how much catching up needs to happen before anyone sees what we can do in 2019.
6) I Don't Think I'm Being Authentic If I Recycle My Content
For years, I didn't think I was being authentic if I didn't write a new post daily. Unfortunately, when you're a small business, you're usually unable to produce new content daily, especially when you are always writing next month's content for your clients. This leaves me with two options: 1) post consistently or 2) recycle old content. At that time, I chose to recycle content from my blog. I'd write a blog and then break the blog into individual posts. I know this works some brand archetypes well; while others feel like a blog is the hardest thing to write, others believe that writing a post is painstaking. It's all about finding what's comfortable for you and your company.
Remember, the most extensive sabotage you can do in your marketing is not doing it. You have a beautiful gift to share with the world. Go and share it.
If you would like to meet with me to discuss how to find out the best marketing strategy for you and your company, please sign up for a clarity call with me. https://wendymanganaro.as.me/claritycall
