Digital marketing for a small business owner
Digital marketing for a small business owner can often feel like a never-ending race. It can be overwhelming with so many things to consider. The business owner often has so many balls in the air. We wonder what’s working and what isn’t. And I must tell you, in many ways this is true. It is overwhelming and the race is never-ending. That is why I often say that a key word for digital marketing is vigilance.
I was thinking about the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. This classic tale was designed to teach us a little about humility and gives us the slogan “slow and steady wins the race”. But is that always the best approach to digital marketing? If you are familiar with Gig Strategic at all you will know that we look at our “being there and being sticky” strategy as diet and exercise. A holistic approach that will ultimately lead to success.
Sometimes We Sprint
When it comes to marketing, sometimes we may need to sprint. Some real world examples could be a huge promotion, launching a new product, service, or location. Sometimes we may need to sprint to catch up when we realize how far behind our competitors we are. But the thing about sprinting is that it takes effort, energy and focus. It is temporary. If we tried to sprint endlessly, we would collapse or at least need to take a nap with the rabbit. So, sprinting is ok when done in the right way, but only for a short period of time.
Digital marketing examples may be a series of email blasts or specific social media posts that are more rigorously boosted. This could be a YouTube overlay ad or an aggressive paid search campaign to generate beaucoup traffic. If this is done too hard for too long, it leads to fatigue for the advertiser and the prospective customer.
In Digital Marketing Success, Consistency is Key
I truly believe that long-term digital marketing success comes from consistency more than anything else. I heard a prominent social media influencer recently say that they would take quantity over quality any day. This seems strange perhaps, but when it comes to online presence, I agree. Instead of worrying about having the perfect post, video, etc. you have to just do it. Just post something and do it consistently. Many business owners never get started because they are waiting until everything is perfect. Just start the race! Commit to doing a little bit across as many channels as possible day in and day out. Over time you will have a plethora of content and a massive online presence.
Stay Humble
We may be tempted to take ourselves too seriously when it comes to our marketing. Many business owners have a lot of pride in their companies, and they should! However, it shouldn’t be an excuse to not put ourselves out there on various platforms to get the exposure we need to grow our businesses. Don’t be tempted to start sprinting because it seems like a competitor is doing something that you aren’t – or is doing it better. We should always be watching and learning from our successful competitors but don’t let their campaign distract you from yours. Develop a digital marketing plan and stick to it. The plan is yours. You choose the KPI and measure success based on your goals.
Don’t Quit
A business grows and develops over time. There is not really a finish line for most businesses. Even if a business owner wants to retire, they may want to pass the business along to an employee, family member or sell it to an investor. But the business ideally could go on and on forever. So don’t quit! This is critical for marketing a small business. Things get hard, budgets change, something is working differently or not working anymore. We are always adjusting but we can’t give up. Slow and steady, consistent marketing is key. Vigilance will pay off!
