As someone who has spent half her life in marketing and PR, I get how frustrating it can feel when your efforts to get more visibility aren’t working. I think most businesses have a love/hate relationship with marketing.
When it works, it can make a huge difference.
I also understand when it feels like you’re pouring a ton of effort and resources in without getting as much reward as fast as you thought you would.
You start wondering, “Is it even worth it?”
But…this can lead to stopping and starting, which, just like yo-yo dieting, makes growth even slower and require more effort.
So, how do you know when you’re actually wasting time or if you just need to trust the process?
Here are four questions to help you determine if something needs to change, and if so, what that is.
1. Are you only sharing with your existing audience or are you getting in front of new audiences regularly?
2. Are you sure you’re getting in front of the right audience?
3. Is your messaging clear to someone who knows nothing about you?
4. Are you infusing your stories and personality into your messaging? That’s the part that helps your audience connect with you and not just take your tips and run.
The good news is that all of these issues are fixable.
Let’s break them down one at a time.
1. Your current audience can be highly lucrative and you should be nurturing those relationships and sharing your offers with them in email marketing and social media, but if you’re not also growing your list and subscribers at the same time, you may get to the point where you feel stuck. That’s ok, it just means you need to start finding more people.
Right now, podcasts are HUGE! It doesn’t mean you need to drop everything and start one. It does mean that you need to start finding some shows that your ideal clients already listen to and pitch the hosts to have you on as a guest.
Don’t worry about how many downloads or reviews the show has. A lot of people get hung up on that. But if you had a chance to speak to a room of 250 people who were interested in your topic, wouldn’t you be excited at the potential there for leads and clients? You need to view podcasts the same way. As long as it’s an engaged audience and your topic is relevant to them, then it’s a great opportunity.
2. If you feel like you’re already doing everything in #1 but you’re still stuck, then are you sure you’re reaching the right audience? If you haven’t created your buyer personas this is a must! If you still believe that your message is made for everyone and you don’t focus on one specific person, it will come across as impersonal and people will tune out. Ouch! Sorry, but it’s true!
If you’re stuck on exactly who you should target, download my free worksheet: Create Your Buyer Persona. Pinpointing your ideal buyer persona is a game changer because then everything you speak and write will feel like you’re only speaking to them, that you’re a mind reader, and that you understand exactly how they feel, what they need, and they would be crazy not to hire you.
3. If you’re consistently reaching new audiences and you know for sure they are your ideal buyer persona, then maybe something about your messaging isn’t clear. For some reason, there’s a disconnect. Try making these two changes.
First, find competitors who speak to your audience and see if they’re communicating something differently. It still needs to come through in your unique voice but maybe they’re sharing things differently that translates better to the audience. Take notes!
Second, go into social media groups where your ideal buyers spend time and post about wanting feedback. Be honest. Let them know you’re trying to clarify your messaging and you would love to schedule some 10-minute calls to clarify your messaging - and that it will be pitch-free. This can make a world of difference - FAST!
To make it worth their time, offer them something free or low cost in exchange for helping you out.
4. Are you sharing your stories, personality, and opinions? If not, your audience may listen to your great content and bolt. If you want them to stick with you, you need to let them in on who you are. This can be easier said than done. Ask me how I know… In school and the corporate world, I was taught that my professional self was different than my personal self. If I came across as personal, it would make me look bad and seem like I’m not taking this seriously.
We all know the rules are different in business now. If you feel stuck wondering which stories to share and how to inject more of your personality into your content, either talk to someone who knows you well to help you come up with ideas or hire me. I specialize in helping women business leaders become thought leaders. We can discuss pieces of your journey you may have never thought to share that can go a long way in building your brand.
Which one of these four are you going to explore?