Moving Sidewalks

A Whirlwind of Ideas

When I first set out to build a business, my mind was a whirlwind of ideas. Picture this: me, running around with a head full of ambitions, not unlike a squirrel on caffeine. Webinars, masterminds, group coaching, online courses—you name it, I wanted to do it all. My business journey was like stepping onto one of those endless moving sidewalks at the airport. You know, the ones that promise a smooth, straightforward path, but you never quite get to the end because you're constantly hopping off to explore something new.

It's Simply Digital was born out of a desire to help small businesses and entrepreneurs navigate digital marketing. My enthusiasm was boundless, and my energy? It was also boundless! But here's the thing—I was so busy starting new projects that I rarely saw them through to completion. Spoiler alert: it didn't end well.

The Haphazard Approach

My team was getting whiplash, and I was throwing spaghetti at the wall, hoping something would stick. Webinars were halfway planned, group coaching sessions started with a bang and fizzled out, and those online courses? They sat half-finished, gathering virtual dust. The time, energy, and money we poured into these endeavors were draining. We were constantly busy but never truly productive. It felt like I was perpetually standing on that moving sidewalk, never quite reaching the destination because I kept getting distracted by shiny new ideas.

In those early days, a new brainstorming session was held weekly:

• What if we launched a podcast?
• How about a webinar for entrepreneurs?
• Let's create a series of online courses!

The enthusiasm was infectious, but our follow-through? Not so much. We were spreading ourselves so thin that none of our projects got the attention they deserved. The result? A lot of half-baked initiatives and a very exhausted team.

Amidst the chaos, we learned some valuable lessons. Lesson number one: trying to do everything at once is a surefire way to do nothing well. Our energy was scattered, and our efforts were diluted. It was like being on a treadmill set to "sprint;" lots of movement, but we weren't getting anywhere. The constant hustle was mentally draining. We needed a new approach to channel our efforts more effectively.

The Turning Point

Building out The TOKE Agency stemmed from a deep passion for serving the cannabis industry and addressing its unique challenges. Although we had been working with clients within the cannabis sector, our expertise was under the radar. The challenge was creating a distinct brand to highlight our specialized knowledge and communicate our experience to a broader audience. To make a real impact, we needed to position ourselves as leaders in cannabis marketing, which required refining our services and rebranding to reflect our focus. A scattered approach wouldn’t suffice; we needed a cohesive strategy to make our mark. This realization drove the creation of The TOKE Agency, with a clear mission: to bring our expertise to the forefront and help cannabis dispensaries thrive through strategic, focused marketing efforts.

The turning point came when we brought in our lifesaver, Barbara Carneiro, a Senior Strategist at Word Revolution. Barbara threw us a rope when we were floundering in a sea of our ambitions by asking us the hard questions and diving deep into the why behind the why.

With TOKE in full swing, anxiety crept in—I was still confused and hesitant about how to run two businesses simultaneously. I clung to the idea that I could do it all and had to do it all. The fear of committing fully to one niche was real. I worried about immersing myself in the cannabis industry, concerned about how it would be perceived, and scared that I might be tearing down the brand I had worked so hard to build. But this was where the real breakthrough happened.

Our second consultant, no-nonsense Ken Yarmosh, who has a knack for cutting through the noise, asked me point-blank: "Why are you spinning your wheels trying to be everywhere? Why not go all-in on the cannabis industry?" This question hit me like a ton of bricks. The truth was, I was terrified. I feared the unknown, the perception of diving into a controversial industry, and the possibility of failure. But facing those fears head-on was the best decision I ever made.

The TOKE Agency team realized that focusing on cannabis marketing allowed us to become experts in our field. It wasn't just about choosing a lane and fully committing to it. Going all-in on cannabis turned out to be a game-changer. My fears about immersing myself in this industry and the perception issues never materialized. Instead, I found a community, a sense of belonging, and a market hungry for our expertise.

Implementing the analogy of moving sidewalks became our guiding principle. We established a process where any new ideas had to be qualified through our team before implementation—no more scattergun approach. Every new idea had to pass a rigorous set of questions: Can we do it? How does it serve our audience? How does it serve us? This qualification process prevented distractions and kept us focused on our core mission.

Since adopting this focused approach, our efficiency has skyrocketed, and our results have been phenomenal. The decision to niche down wasn't just a strategic move; it was transformative. We are damn good at marketing in the cannabis industry, offering deep insights and unparalleled service to our clients. The moving sidewalk analogy wasn't just a metaphor for us; it became a testament to the power of focus and the importance of seeing things through to the end.

I will let the results speak for themselves for one of our current clients:

30-Day Metrics for June 2024

• Open rate: 26%
• Cost per conversion: $0.16
• Revenue generate: $1,086,072

Key Takeaways

• Focus is Key: Trying to do everything at once leads to scattered efforts and diluted results. Choose one niche and commit to it fully.
• Seek Expert Guidance: Bringing in consultants and strategists can provide valuable perspective and help you navigate challenges.
• Establish a Process: Implement a qualification process for new ideas to prevent distractions and maintain focus on your core mission.
• Overcome Fear: Facing your fears head-on can lead to breakthroughs and transformative success.

Are you tired of spinning your wheels and feeling like you’re constantly hopping off that moving sidewalk without ever reaching your destination? It’s time to focus on what truly matters.?

Let us help you channel your efforts and expertise into a strategic, cohesive digital marketing plan that drives actual results.?

Schedule a TOKE Sesh today and discover how we can elevate your brand, streamline your marketing efforts, and achieve transformative success in the cannabis industry.