A 3-step guide for when you feel stuck with marketing

Are you feeling stuck with marketing your business?

You're not alone. Many solo business owners find themselves running out of ideas and budget and are still not attracting a consistent flow of clients. It can be so frustrating, but before you dive into thinking you have to do more, let’s take a step back and reassess your approach.

Step 1: Re-evaluate your offer and target audience

When overwhelmed with the pressure of finding clients, it’s easy to lose sight of the basics. Start by revisiting what you’re offering and who to.

Grab a pen and paper and consider the following questions:

What am I actually selling?

Make sure your offer is clearly defined and easy to understand. Is it clear what journey a client would go on with you? Are you proactively selling it?

A well-defined offer will make it easy to promote and more appealing to your audience.

Does it solve a critical problem or fulfil an urgent need or desire for my ideal clients?

Your service should address a significant issue or desire that your ideal clients face. If it doesn’t, it’s time to rethink your offering.

How is your ideal client feeling right now? What is their most critical problem? How do you help them address this? How will they think, feel and behave after working with you? (By the way, you've just started to create some content).

Is there enough demand?

Determine if there is a big enough group of people willing to pay for your solution. If you’re not sure, conduct some research to validate your idea. Check out competitor offerings, google keywords, ask past clients, see what questions are being asked in Facebook groups. Maybe even create a beta offer to test it out.

Who is my ideal client and where can I find them?

Understand your target audience on a deeper level. Know where they seek help and how they can discover you.

Check out this guide to help you develop empathy with your ideal clients and understand their deepest challenges, problems and desired outcomes.

Do I already have an engaged audience?

If you already have a large, engaged audience then you’re on the right track. If not, it’s time to focus on building that audience.

Step 2: Build & engage your audience

Once you have clarity on your offer and target audience, the next step is to make connections and build engagement. Think of marketing as a journey where potential clients move from not knowing you to becoming your most loyal supporters. Visibility and standing out are crucial at this stage. Consider these points:

Do I have a recognisable brand?

Your brand is about more than just your logo. Consider how you want people to think and feel about your business? What look and feel will you have? What language will you use? What emotions do you portray and invoke?

Do you include these elements across all of your marketing.

What makes me stand out?

Your brand is your story. Your brand is your reputation. Your brand is how you bring your business to life. YOU are the key differentiator in your business.

If this is unclear, take some time to reflect on all aspects of your life that have led you to now. Consider your abilities, capabilities, personality, skills and lifestyle. You will have a unique style and approach, you just need to tap into it. Let your personality shine!

This guide will help you uncover your unique brilliance.

What do I want to be known for?

If you could only be known for 3 things, what would they be? These should align with your strengths and the value you provide, positioning you as an authority in your niche.

How can you tell your story through those themes? Focus in on your zone of genius and position yourself as an expert. Create content that showcases your knowledge in these areas and consistently position yourself as an expert through a variety of channels

Am I consistent in my messaging & content?

Consistency is key to building a strong brand - it helps build trust and recognition. Make sure your messaging, content and visuals align with your brand identity and resonate with your target audience.

Start to craft a look and feel for your business that represents YOU. Be consistent in the language you use and the topics you talk about. Focus on what you’re great at and the transformations you create. Show up consistently as you!

Step 3: Set clear goals & take action

With your foundations in place, it’s time to set specific goals and take small, actionable steps to achieve them.

Set a clear, measurable goal

Choose one service to focus on for the next month. Set a specific target, such as generating a certain amount of income or signing a set number of new clients. This focus will help you channel your marketing activities effectively.

Write it down - By [insert date] I will have [insert goal]. This is important to me because [insert reason] and I will feel [insert how you'll feel]. It will enable me to [insert your motivation].

Brainstorm your options

Think about where you can promote your offer.

Start with your existing clients and close network - get calls in the diary to catch up, ask for testimonials or referrals, offer a discount or bonus to your biggest supporters. Engage with your email list, share on social media, attend networking events, be proactive in relevant Facebook groups. Let your imagination run wild!

Increase your visibility

Make visibility a priority. Create a related lead magnet, host an online taster event, write a relevant blog, try something new (go live or try a different format). Create content that resonates with your ideal clients.

Choose tactics & take action

What are you actually going to do (you can't do everything)? When? How? Who can help you? Prioritise your chosen marketing tactics and schedule when and how to implement them.

Focus on the strategies that align with your strengths and have the most potential for impact. Commit to consistent action, and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Conclusion

Don't let desperation drive you off course. Instead, follow these steps to review your foundations, build an engaged audience and take consistent action. Remember that successful marketing comes from deeply understanding your unique value, communicating it effectively and consistently showing up for your audience.

Good luck! I’d love to know how you get on.

Where do you think your biggest gap is? What will make the biggest difference to your business and approach? If you would like a free 30 minute strategy call to talk this through in more detail, book a time to suit you here .