5 Guiding Questions for Self-Marketers
1. Do I know my brand value?
2. Am I visible?
It pays to dig into the psycho-demographics of your client base to know where they spend their time online. Consider the average age, income, interests, buying habits, and hobbies of your intended audience. For example, in B2C marketing, you’re more likely to reach customers on Pinterest, Facebook, or Instagram. Alternatively, most B2B marketing is conducted in professional-oriented spaces like LinkedIn, Twitter, or Alignable. Other factors that indicate visibility include the area of interest, hashtags on posts, timing of when to publish posts, and targeted advertisement. Building a profile on the customer database helps build the social media persona which allows a deeper understanding of the audience being targeted. Find where your customers are and speak their language.
3. Am I helpful?
Put yourself in your customers’ shoes when you’re producing written content. Words like “synergy and solution” sound impressive, but it’s not helpful if your audience has to work to understand what you do or how your services benefit them. Keep in mind people reviewing options often choose the path of least resistance.
4. Can I prove it?
One of the most powerful tools for gaining customers is social proof. By adding testimonials to your website or receiving Google reviews, you empower customers to make informed decisions based on others’ experiences. Incorporating surveys and feedback opportunities into your customer service goes a long way when promoting your services.
5. Can I improve it?
Sometimes marketing feels like posting content into a void and crossing your fingers. To avoid this, create SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-based) goals. Using SMART goals to track performance will help you focus on measuring successes. Maximize on what works for you by consistently reviewing performance metrics and creating repeatable successes.
Conclusion
While there’s no one size fits all marketing strategy, there are endless opportunities for growing your business online asking these questions. Now more than ever customers are seeking a more personalized and accessible sales experience. With online marketing, we have the resources to build relationships with our customers in a way that prioritizes their needs and offers value to them. For anyone willing to invest in knowing their space, customers, and value, success is achievable.