Navigating the Marketing Journey: Why It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Welcome to our latest newsletter, where we unravel the intricacies of marketing in the consultancy realm. In today's episode, we'll be addressing a common pitfall – treating marketing as an sprint rather than a marathon. It's a mistake many consultants make, and we're here to shed light on why marketing should be viewed as a comprehensive journey that guides your potential clients through a process rather than rushing them into a sales meeting.

The Sprint Mentality

Let's begin by acknowledging a common pattern: the sprint mentality. Many consultants generate leads, often through referrals, and aim to rapidly convert them into paying clients by diving straight into a sales meeting. While this approach might yield success occasionally, it's a rarity. Most often, clients, even those from referrals, undergo a buyer's journey before making a decision.

Understanding the Buyer's Journey

Every buyer, whether referred or not, embarks on a journey. This journey typically involves becoming aware of a problem, seeking solutions, and then narrowing down options before making a decision. Even with referrals, the client has already undergone these phases, having discussed their challenges with peers or colleagues who recommend your services.

Referrals and the Ready-to-Buy Phase

In the case of referrals, clients are often in the ready-to-buy phase when they reach out. They've done their research, narrowed down options, and are ready to engage your services. However, this is not the case when dealing with marketing-generated leads.

Marketing-Generated Leads: The Interrupted Journey

Marketing-generated leads, unlike referrals, might not have traversed the initial stages of the buyer's journey. They are interrupted by your marketing – stumbling upon an article, a LinkedIn post, or encountering your website. The challenge arises when, in these situations, consultants attempt to fast-track potential clients to a sales meeting without allowing them to complete their natural buying process.

The Importance of Providing the Buyer's Journey

Here lies the core of our discussion – your marketing process needs to replicate the buyer's journey. Instead of rushing potential clients straight into a sales meeting, you should be providing them with assets that guide them through the research phase, help them narrow down options, and allow them to decide on the right solution. This process builds trust and sets the stage for a more fruitful sales meeting.

Building Trust through Assets

To facilitate this journey, consider various trust-building assets. Books, videos, webinars, live presentations, eBooks, and white papers can all contribute to educating your potential clients and building trust. The aim is to provide valuable information that maintains or builds hope while showcasing your expertise and experience.

The Unique Solution Proposition

Additionally, ensure your solution is described uniquely. If it mirrors what competitors offer or if it's perceived as a repetition of past unsuccessful attempts, you risk losing your potential clients. Your solution must stand out, offering a fresh perspective and instilling hope that this time will yield different, positive results.

The Marketing Journey: A Marathon Strategy

In summary, marketing is not a sprint but a marathon. Viewing it as a journey allows you to guide your potential clients through the phases they naturally go through in their buying process. By providing assets that assist the buyer's journey, you enable a smoother transition into sales meetings. This, in turn, reduces resistance, minimizes heavy lifting in sales meetings, and increases the likelihood of successful conversions.

Be the Authority: Lead Your Clients through the Journey

While wanting to have more potential clients speak to you in a sales meeting, the sprint mentality has the opposite effect.? Adopting the marathon mindset seems to be the slower option, but it actually enhances relationships, builds trust and authority and takes many more potential clients to the sales meeting than with the sprint approach.? It's about providing prospects with the vehicle to navigate their buyer's journey in a way that aligns with your their needs. When you offer this guided journey, you become the obvious choice for your clients, making your consultancy more appealing and successful in the long run.

In conclusion, shift your perspective from marketing as a sprint to marketing as a marathon. By aligning your marketing process with the buyer's journey, you create a seamless experience for your potential clients, build trust, and increase the chances of successful conversions. So, take your time, lead your clients through the journey, and watch your consultancy practice thrive.