Have You Dropped This Ball?

A few weeks back, I shared a story about our smoke alarms going off in the middle of the night. It prompted me to ask you, is there anything that’s beeping at you in your business that’s keeping you up at night?

I had some terrific responses, and wanted to share one from Martie McNab, Show&Tales, who took this concept in a direction that I thought was worthwhile exploring in today’s email.

She said, “…if we market our business like those fire alarms – infrequently, sporadically, and in the middle of the night, we won’t be known, liked, or remembered.”

In the initial stages, when I interview potential dream prospects, this concept almost always comes up.

One of the questions I ask is — how often do you engage/connect with your followers on social media and/or on your email list if you have one?

This is a telltale sign of whether you’ve dropped this major ball in your business.

You may be juggling several glass balls that are in the air…Yet, the biggest one you don’t ever want to drop is the marketing ball.

I know, I know, you might be saying, “There’s so much to do. Where do I start to make the most impact?” Or “I feel so overwhelmed, I’m not sure what one thing will make that impact.”

Especially now with the holidays looming ever closer…

My party line for marketing your business is – Do Something Consistently – Pick a method (Content Marketing – blog, social media posts, podcast, affiliates, PR, OR Paid Advertising) to market your business. Then make sure–

1. You enjoy doing it – Maybe it’s writing blogs, posting and engaging on social media, making videos, sending emails, etc. Yet, if you’re uncomfortable and don’t like it, it will bleed through your messages, and you will get fed up and stop doing it consistently or just stop, period. . And that leads me to…

2. Do it Consistently – I tell my clients repeatedly that if they’re going to start emailing their list, it’s a commitment. You can’t just send a one-off. (Well, you can. Yet, it doesn’t build trust or engagement.) When you start sending emails haphazardly, the people on your list start to not trust you. It’s about being consistent in your connection and communication.

Plus, if you can do it on the same time/same day – EVEN better. When I used to do a free one-page monthly snail mail newsletter, I always aimed to get it in the mail by the first week of the month. I was very consistent for five years. You can check out some old ones here if you’re curious. It was when my hair wasn’t as white as it is today 😉

3. It takes Way More Touches to Be Remembered – Because we are so overladen with too many ways to connect. (Check out last week’s email about my communication tool method. Did you know the average person is exposed to 6,000 to 10,000 ads daily? That’s A LOT! Did you also know that it takes at least 7 times for someone to see your ad/communication before they take action? And now, with all the ways to communicate, it’s even higher, up to 15 times or more – eek.

4. Be Authentic & Generous – Have your content evoke curiosity, interest, education, entertainment, ideas, and more. The more real you are, and the more you speak in first person, like right now, what I’m doing – I’m talking right to you, just like we’re having coffee… My goal is to share valuable information that you can use to help grow your business…. Oh, and how do you take your coffee, BTW? 🙂 You want to be authentic, honest, open, and simply be YOU.

Your goal – is for people to start to know, like, and trust you.

Once you get that, the next step is knowing their biggest frustration or problem and how you can help solve it. So make sure once you are consistently communicating, you make an offer at some point to them to buy something.

Keep in mind – it could take someone up to one year to buy something from you when they’re on your email list or on social media. Don’t let that discourage you!

Cuz… it could take less time depending upon your offer, price, and bonuses. And you know someone who can help you with that… hint, hint… me. :-)Remember – Consistency is good.I know you got this.

And you know my hands are always at your back.

When you need me … I’ll be there…. (as corny as that might sound – I do mean it.)

We’re in Lake Tahoe this week, and it’s been amazing! See pics below. So much snow, ice, and cold -brrrrrr – I LOVE IT! Got dumped about one foot or so of snow. This southern transplant, formerly from New Orleans, can’t get enough of snow after a lifetime of heat and humidity. Bring it on!