Is your marketing plan best described as a wish and a prayer?
No doubt you’ve heard this philosophical debate.
"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
I think about this quandary often, but not in the context you’d think. It’s such an apt description for how so many businesses treat their marketing beyond the launch.
In the beginning, an entrepreneur identifies a problem that she can solve. So she builds a unique service (or product) that will tackle it head on. Not willing to take unnecessary risks, she vets out her idea by asking potential customers if they’ll buy it and she gets a resounding yes.
Then she launches her business and puts a lot of effort into making a big splash during those first few months. She posts to social media several times per week. She sends out a weekly newsletter. She puts up flyers in the nearby coffee shops & boutiques. She plans a grand opening sales and asks all of her friends to attend and tell their friends. She is “making a sound” and people are responding!
But after those first few months, the social media posts and newsletters don’t seem to be generating new customers. And the “word of mouth” referrals aren’t coming in fast enough to really grow the business. And now our entrepreneur friend is left with lots of questions…
Is my business failing?
What am I doing wrong?
Do I need to offer new products & services to attract more customers?
And these are all valid questions. But the one question that often isn’t getting enough attention is this.
Are you marketing your business to continue to bring new customers to your door?
All too often I hear business owners say “I can’t afford to invest in marketing my business right now.” And this is precisely the moment when your business becomes that tree in the forest that doesn’t make a sound.
Let me give you some tough love, beautiful. The statement “I can’t afford to invest in my marketing” is damn near fatal for any business.
As Kim Orlesky, our rockstar sales mentor says, “Marketing is what brings customers to your door. Sales is what invites them in.” Its mission critical that we do both. We must “make a sound”, not only during the launch, but also during the weeks, months, and years that follow.
Think about some of the biggest brands in the world...McDonald’s. Target. Walmart. Coca-Cola. Toyota. Did they stop marketing when they got big?
Of course not! They doubled down. Because what Fortune 500 companies know is that you can’t rest on your laurels. Just because you’ve experienced some level of success, doesn’t mean you always will.
So I ask you this.
Is your marketing plan best described as a “Wish & A Prayer”? Are you hoping those new customers will magically show up at your door without you have to do any work or invest any money?
Let’s agree to put that to a stop right now!
We’re devoting the entire month of August to helping you uplevel your marketing toolbox so you can continue to grow your business! We'll be joined by 4 incredible mentors who all work in the field of marketing, yet each one of them bring a special expertise to the table.
Here’s a sneak peek of our Marketing Allstars & what you’ll be learning inside the Members Circle this month.
Building a World Class Brand - What can entrepreneurs & small businesses learn from the best brands in the world? Kevin Reilly, the Founder & CEO of Fuss Marketing in Minneapolis, MN will teach us what he’s learned from over 20 years working on some of the best brands in the world, including Polaris, Miller Lite, Blue Moon, and more.
Social Media Advertising - What do you need to know to avoid wasting money on social media ads? Christy Owenby, the CEO of Moxy Company in Madisonville, LA will teach us her top tricks for getting the best results from Facebook & Instagram advertising.
Influencer Marketing 101 - Influencers are all the rage these days. While they can be a wonderful way to bring personality to your brand and increase awareness you’ve got to know how to do it right! Blaire Massaroni, the Head of Influencer Partnerships at Cooperatize in New York, NY will teach us the foundation of a great influencer marketing campaign.
Free & Low Cost Marketing Tools - There are a lot of wonderful marketing tactics & tools that are inexpensive or free. They just take a little time & energy to make them work for your business. Holly Fisher, the Founder of Fisher Creative in Charleston, SC will share dozens of great resources that will maximize your impact on a small marketing budget.
This is all happening exclusively inside the Hatch Tribe Members Circle, our VIP community for women entrepreneurs. Get access to exclusive content, training, events and connect with inspiring female founders across the world when you become a member! Click here to get details & join the tribe.