If you’re an online entrepreneur, you know the marketing buzzwords:
- Create a lead-magnet with a landing page
- Build a list through permission marketing
- Pay for traffic via advertising
- Post a thousand times a day on social media
- Create a sales funnel
- Write SEO-rich blog posts
- Start a podcast
- Use swipe files
- Get videos ranked on YouTube
- Do free webinars
The list is endless.
A lot of these tactics make sense. I’ve considered all of them and tried most of them.
But, can I be real for a minute?
After having a lot of success in the brick-and-mortar business world, I was really discouraged to find that running a business online is a HECK of a lot harder than all those fancy gurus make it out to seem.
You’ve seen the Facebook ads where all the professional model slash “entrepreneurs” are having a blast making money poolside with their perfect, white smiles and their 22-year-old abs, right?
I tried taking my laptop outside once to “enjoy my freedom” while working in the sunshine.
Within 7 minutes, I had a headache from squinting, the dog was barking like a maniac and bird poop landed right next to me on the deck.
It’s not as glamorous as the well-placed stock photos would lead you to believe.
But, I’d trade glamour in a heartbeat for an online marketing system that actually worked.
I tried a ton of them. But, eventually, I had to come to terms with the harsh reality:
None of those online marketing tactics had resulted in sales.
Zero.
Ouch.
For a while, I thought I just needed more “training” on how to do stuff online.
I learned how to set up marketing funnels, how to write copy, how to set up all the tech stuff behind-the-scenes.
Still no sales.
I was determined to find out what I was doing wrong.
Then, it finally hit me.
I had a big “AHA” moment and rediscovered the ONE tool that moved me from zero to $10K in less than a week.
And the awesome didn’t stop there.
Seeing the sales finally show up (after what was starting to feel like a very expensive hobby) helped me learn HOW to market more effectively. It showed me EXACTLY what I had been doing wrong and where to focus my efforts instead.
When I took a step back and looked at what I had been doing versus what I needed to do to actually make money, there was decrease of 62% in terms of the amount of marketing “work” I needed to do.
For ME, this meant:
- FEWER social media posts (which is a WIN because it was driving me crazy)
- NO MORE trying to figure out what to blog about
- NO MORE wasting time on platforms that I didn’t need to learn (Read: snapchat)
- NO MORE FOMO (“Fear Of Missing Out”) on the latest, fanciest marketing programs
So, what was the big gamechanger?
The thing that jumpstarted my sales while reducing my marketing workload?
STRATEGY.
I had an inspired business strategy in my successful consulting business.
I had NO strategy in my online business.
There seems to be this unwritten RULE of online business that somehow “online marketing is all the strategy you need.”
No one ever said that to me, but that’s certainly how all the online marketing gurus make it sound, right?
- Just build your list and you’ll be set.
- Just blog regularly and you’ll have a six-figure empire before you know it.
- Just build your platform and your business will take off.
Are there “celebrity” online entrepreneurs who are just naturally gorgeous or funny who build huge fan-bases with online marketing and then turn that celebrity into a payday?
Allegedly.
I hear their stories, and I believe they mean well.
But, their stories don’t pay my bills at the end of the month.
Their “marketing-first” tactic is ridiculous.
Can you imagine going into the bank and telling them you need a business loan for the following reason:
“I need the loan to produce a television commercial. I’m not sure what business I’m in, what customer I’m serving or what my strategy is…but all the successful people have commercials, so I need one, too. I’m sure I’ll figure it out as I shoot the commercial.”
A commercial can be a powerful piece of advertising, but it’s not a business strategy.
In fact, marketing without strategy isn’t a business. It’s a crapshoot.
But, marketing based on an inspired business strategy? That’s a game changer.
Thankfully, I know how to build solid business strategy. In fact, it’s my absolute favorite part of business.
When I realized I could apply my 20 years of real-world business and project management experience to my online business…everything changed.
When I started implementing strategy, those previously terrible marketing attempts started working, as if by magic!
The “magic” was not a better font or a catchier tagline.
The “magic” was strategy.
If you want to be an online celebrity, hire an agent.
But, if you want to start a business – online or otherwise – you need a focused, inspired business strategy.
Not a stale business plan.
Not a bunch of disconnected numbers on a page.
Not a bunch of marketing tactics that don’t add up.
Your inspired business strategy:
- Gives you a clear plan to reach your ideal customer.
- Helps you see the exact tactics you need to become profitable.
- Helps you serve your market in an excellent way without exhausting yourself.
- Helps you focus and prioritize tasks so you can invest your time taking action things that actually build your business.
In honor of finally turning the corner and becoming profitable in the online space, I’m giving away FREE strategy training, two ways:
#1) Join my private Facebook group dedicated to helping you run your online business like a PRO – with strategy. In this group you’ll find support, encouragement and free training to help you learn (and craft your own) strategy: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thestrategicbusiness
#2) Book a free strategy call. We’ll talk through what you’re currently doing in your online business and how we can help you get you toward the results you want to see: http://www.reachwhatmatters.com/apply
Looking forward to connecting with you soon!