Before I get into the nitty gritty, let’s get one thing straight: Anyone and everyone can say they know how to market your brand. Especially if they have special access to a hard drive, monitor, mouse, keyboard, and a social media account. Sounds pretty legit right? If you say so.. Going into business for myself was risky – especially in the marketing and advertising spaces where plenty of amateur marketers give me a bad rap.
At the same time, I knew that once I was able to clarify the value that I bring to the table, everything would work itself out. So, let’s discuss some of the inconsistencies in marketing and why I deem them as wasteful. After I’ve highlighted some popular waste, I’ll explain what PreFocus can do with a similar budget. Deal?
This has never made any sense to me.. Are most of you aware of how this is done? It’s quite time consuming and rather tedious, but people actually spend all day soliciting users to follow their personal accounts. If you’ve received an awkwardly short comment on Instagram, this is why. Once these “marketers” sell you on their “free followers” plan, they simply promote your company to the hundreds of random followers they’ve conned into following them. It’s almost like magic.. This is also done in data form.
Websites and other forms of subscription content store email addresses and customer cookies, then attempt to sell this user information. It’s basically unethical, and for whatever reason, people buy it. In my opinion, nothing is more valuable than a customer you earn for free because you supply them with relevant and engaging content.
No matter your perspective, how can you be sure these users are even interested in your product or solution? You can’t – it’s just a numbers game that sustains engagement long enough for you to believe it’s actually working. The further you read this article, the more you’ll begin to understand that followers, likes, and shares doesn’t equate sustainability.
This is the main objective behind inexperienced and irrelevant marketers. Although it feels good to see people like your posts, it doesn’t mean their interested in investing in you. Simple demographics and numbers don’t necessarily drive a solid return even though it seems like you’re “growing”.
How we address this with a PreFocus: We help you understand the value of original and purposeful content. Instead of taking shortcuts by purchasing followers, we enhance your presentation so that it resonates with those that are already engaged. We use your “shortcut budget” to capture relevant photos of your branded value in action. This can encompasses your staff, customers, facilities, equipment, processes, quotes, or even success stories.
Users that already follow you will promote post they can relate to as they’re proud to be apart of the value you’re providing. When someone endorses you based on their own experience, others become intrigued. We call this an organic following that is genuinely interested in you – not just your posts.
Outsourcing marketing efforts has been a commonality in the last few years. Finding a freelance marketer in order to increase your productivity is a solid idea, but not when their posts lack quality and purpose. Although they can drive down your costs, amateur marketers aren’t necessarily invested in your brand or the way it’s perceived.
In fact, they’re more likely invested in volume in order to collect a check. They tend to follow the same checklists they use across other verticals for various clients. Again, you may see some improved engagement – but you’re essentially trying to drive [growth] with the e-brake on. Let me paint a picture for you.
A few things bother me about the above post. First, I doubt this is an original photo from their gym with a paid athlete or compliant member. Plagiarism anyone? Second, the message has no purpose and means nothing to the average bear. Lastly, it’s an effortless design that lacks quality. The logo isn’t transparent and the typography doesn’t stand out at all.
If you’ve taken the time to research successful marketing tactics, I’m sure you already know that consistency is crucial. But, it’s important that you read between the lines here. Consistently promoting low quality posts without a strong message is a recipe for mediocrity. Whether you want to believe it or not, consumers trust brands that establish a voice and value consistently.
Consider the second post that promotes an original shot of a member working out at the gym. The message is informational, but it provides meaningful substance behind joining a boxing class – which should be their only objective. Although the first example targets daily motivation (for already converted members), those looking for a gym may associate the low quality of the post with low quality results.
Moreover, this isn’t a real-life inspirational story they can relate to. To me, this is wasteful and a common tactic of amateur marketers hanging onto retainers. Targeting volume and general interest will keep you around a 2% conversion rate while purposeful campaigns create the most return. Do you like being average?
How we address this with a PreFocus Solution: The best part about our business model is that we photograph all imagery (for a specific number of posts) on the front end while strategically captioning each photo. From here, we help you schedule out all posts to ensure you’re capturing your audience at ideal times with certain events and holidays in mind.
In addition, all images are formatted to fit certain social media platforms in order to ensure quality resolution. Consider the value we’re providing by simply eliminating the hassle of communicating with your social media manager on a weekly basis. For the most part, we strategically showcase your value while avoiding the development low quality posts that only satisfy monthly social post requirements.
In turn, many of my clients find themselves surprised by the results of a simple testimonial or caption with superior graphics and imagery. Although our service costs more on the front end, it allows you to streamline your promotional strategy for months to come (compare this to your monthly retainer over the same time frame). You also receive exclusive rights to all photos which enables you to use PreFocus imagery in other forms of media as you please.
There’s no way you can’t see the value in this..
Let’s start off by defining the term relevancy. In this case, it refers to generalized topics a marketer assumes your perfect customer is interested in. In other words: conceptual guesswork lacking purpose with hopes of possible attraction. What really grinds my gears is that some companies pay up to $1,500/month for these randomized topics. In my opinion, spending initial capital on content that has nothing to do with your provided value is wasteful – and my experience backs it up.
Over the years, I’ve been blessed to work with some exclusive brands in Phoenix. I’ve also been forced to deal with unhappy clients that second-guess campaign effectiveness – and rightfully so. For the most part, their poor experience derives from a well written article with high bounce rates. I can only imagine the drop-off for those of you investing in a amateur marketers. For the most part, objectives are only geared to drive traffic and shares so marketers can attempt to claim attribution and monetize your results.
Some examples include: opinionated articles, guest writing, tips, top 10’s, guides, etc.. I’m sorry, but this is a waste of everyone’s time. From experience, these types of strategies mainly generate an influential relationship. If you don’t tie in your value or present a solution, users tend to only return for free advice. If you’re paying someone to develop content on your site without purpose, I beg you to throw your dollars elsewhere.
How we address this with a PreFocus Solution: To be frank, it’s really as simple as understanding which topics and ideas drive users with intent to your website or business. If you’re a landscaping company that continues to promote articles teaching homeowners how to care for their garden themselves – how can you ever expect them to request your service?
At PreFocus, I help service companies alter their message so it clearly funnels into their solutions. Instead of letting amateur marketers run the show, there are a number of ways to showcase landscape value. Why not educate homeowners on reasons why weeds keep growing throughout their grass patch? Why not reiterate how lawn care and professional treatment is one of the many things that can be addressed with maintenance packages?
Communicating actual value gives consumers an opportunity to figure out the convenience and effectiveness of your business themselves. With that being said, here are some additional ways I’ve enhanced campaigns to ensure they don’t veer away from brand objectives.
Investing capital without a vision never seems to sit well with me. Although I can understand some business owner’s mistake of paying a social media manager or content writer, I will never understand a blind investment with an advertiser. Whether you’re paying someone to manage your social media ads or pay per click (PPC), your outsourced team needs to understand your customers and vision. Some of you may say: “Well, I’ll just fire them if they’re ineffective, it’s their job to figure it out.” That’s fine, but you’re still flushing dollar bills in the meantime. Advertising is no joke, and once you decide to go all in it’s imperative you have a plan. Trust me..
I’ve literally witnessed external PPC managers use up monthly adspend on some of the most general phrases, such as “care”. Do you know if you’re paying for stuff like this? Do you even know what I’m referring to? If not, please call me and I’ll gladly explain for free. While managing overseas teams, I’ve even come across instances where we were paying for keywords with another state’s abbreviation – and we were local! This is unacceptable, but it’s the reality of hiring amateur marketers for the low.
To be honest, advertising can be one of the most wasteful expenses in your bottom line. Most companies think it’s essential so they invest in the cheapest option and it can be a huge mistake. Not only are you paying someone to manage, but you’re also paying on a CPA, CPM, or a CPC format. This can become very costly quickly and there’s nothing you can do once a user “clicks.”
A previous employer chose to ignore my concerns and their overseas team ended up spending $30,000 on advertising in a 3 month span. The worst part? They didn’t even set up their analytics properly and were unable to attribute any results. Save yourself the headache and understand the importance of an ad strategy before you start throwing money at someone to experiment with. To put this in perspective, you can pay an inexperienced advertiser $300/month and garner $600 in sales (2:1); or invest in an advertising strategist for $1000 and drive $10,000 in revenue over a 6 month span. (10:1)
How we address this with a PreFocus Solution: For starters, we follow a discovery process that helps us understand your brand, customers, goals, and competition. In order to clarify expectations, we help educate you on the media buying process so you can accurately determine focal points throughout the campaign. Instead of targeting broad search terms like “care” or “home service” – we drive intent with long tail keywords.
(Examples: Phoenix child care at home, Senior care for homebound patients, Emergency HVAC home service in Phoenix, or 24/7 certified home service.) Using phrases like these tell us the person searching is in the market. We also help you develop display ads for social and display networks. Honing in on all of these moving pieces and solidifying everything on the front end allows us to place campaigns on autopilot and select specificities when the time arises.
Disclaimer: Since the end of 2020, Google and Bing have now disallowed “exact match” bidding. This impacts small business tremendously. If you’re unsure how, I am more than happy to explain – free of charge. It’s worth knowing.
One of the hardest things about working with small business owners has been their misconception of marketing. Although I”ll never get used to being stereotyped due to someone else’s failure, it motivates me to improve my presentation and prove my tactics are effective. For those of that are content with your current performance, I challenge you to ask questions and seek answers. I’m personally tired of combatting what others believe works, and I’m committed to helping my clients return to promoting substance and value. Hopefully I was able to inspire you to be better and do better. Feel free to inbox me with any questions and best in success nonetheless..
There are plenty of reasons that small businesses fail. Learning from our mistakes (as well as other’s) can help us reach sustainability, but uncovering potential takes things to a whole new level. My story is not much different than most start up companies as resources and marketing spend can be scarce for us new business pioneers. But, before tackling my budget, I needed to overcome my fear of failure and identify the actual value I provide. From here, I was able to establish a clear message with an identified purpose so my marketing would be effective.
Although it seemed like a never-ending process, I’m glad I invested the time. Once I clarified and memorized my vision, I knew I needed to invest in a marketing approach that maximized my budget. The problem was, I didn’t have much of a budget to invest with. I was faced with two decisions: Dump everything into an advertising reach campaign, or slowly build traction through purposeful content that expanded on my identified value.
Being the sole provider for 6, I’ve been forced to strategically market with patience. In other words, I chose the second option – but refuse to look at it as a negative. Low to no budget marketing may not provide immediate results – but realizing I’m not piling up debt or counting on a specific ROI has allowed me to stay focused on my vision. Proper planning (and a dedication to your plan) will help you perform with low cost business ideas that drive growth. Here are some affordable ideas that I’ve been using throughout my story.
1. Tell your Story & Promote your Brand for Free.As I’ve mentioned before, far too many start up companies think launching an SEO optimized website is enough to garner a sustainable revenue. Witnessing businesses with this perspective fail has caused me to look at start up marketing from a different angle. Unless you have money to blow, why go “all in” when you’re model hasn’t even been proven yet? As far as I’m concerned, a good business idea is just an idea – and nothing more until it’s put into effect. No matter how passionate you are, you have to realize you’re not the customer. Until the model has been proven capable, don’t throw all of your eggs into one basket. If you’re just starting out, consider promoting your story for free until it’s time to scale.
I know, I know.. Networking is overrated, right? Wrong. Although it may seem like you’re not receiving much revenue from these events, you’re garnering something even more valuable – experience and practice. Use networking to loosen the kinks in your sales pitch and eliminate any confusing banter that might hurt your conversion rates in the future. What’s the worst that could happen? You make a mistake in a room full of hungry entrepreneurs that more than likely will provide crucial feedback that sparks personal growth and improved competence? Winning..
Email marketing can be a drag, am I right? Especially when you’re taking the time to write something personal and purposeful. Consider a few introduction emails in place of some of your salesy ones. Number one, this will more than likely keep you out of spam folders; and number 2, it shows the recipient that their feedback or initiatives are important to you. All you’re doing is simply telling your story and expanding on your vision with a hope for support or even kudos. What’s the worst that could happen? The recipient thanks you for your interest and remembers you when a need comes about down the road? Not too shabby..
Similar to my second suggestion, inquiries surrounding intrigue show that you’re hungry to provide value. Reaching out to like-minded individuals (or complimentary companies) not only gains you exposure, but relays that you’re living with intention. Aligning with an established brand can eventually provide you with credibility and support that you’re not getting by cold calling. Take the time to research upcoming events and other opportunities that can enhance the way your brand is perceived so that you’re more likely to be accepted. I don’t see any worse-case-scenarios here..
One of the best things that I’ve invested time in is critical feedback. Before I designed my business cards and built my website, I sought constructive criticism. The best people to ask tend to be those that already care about you and your success. Once I solidified my business plan, I reached out to old colleagues, partners, and even my church congregation for feedback. Not only was I able to listen to other’s perspectives, but I was able to correct errors and clarification issues that I was blinded to. The best thing that happened? I gained 4 clients ($3900) from referrals – simply by showcasing a dedicated passion towards quality.
This approach has been huge for me. A few months ago, when I was going through my fear of failure, I found myself sparring with my own confidence. After researching ways to combat this, I was determined to highlight the successes I’ve had. Even though my strategy surrounded overcoming fear, I realized I was paving the way for credibility. I began asking past colleagues (employees, supervisors, etc) to write recommendation letters regarding my competence as a business owner and leader. Not only did this improve my confidence level, but it made me realize the impact I’ve had throughout my journey. It was so rewarding that I began reaching out to past agency clients and even partners for their opinion too. I found that no matter the response, everything was valuable to my personal growth. Even more, I was able to notify a lot of people that I was finally going into business for myself!
Taking the time to tell your story with a specific purpose can gain you a lot more traction than you think. There’s a quote by Vince Lombardi relating to this: “Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” No matter how wasteful you think the above initiatives may be, practicing your pitch with like-minded, or well-known people will enhance the way you market your brand moving forward. If you can’t make sense of your vision, you can’t expect anyone else to. A perfect pitch doesn’t really exist, but passion is a perfect recipe for success. Eliminate expenses and learn how to market your business for free by telling your story.
2. Break Down your Story into Promotional Means.Promoting your journey can be an exhilarating experience. Not only are you growing and learning, but you’re gaining a better understanding of your market niche and company objectives. My approach is no different with my clients. In order to effectively market their offering, I need to truly understand their purpose – and corresponding values, objectives and customers. Taking a brand’s story and turning it into a purposeful campaign is a great way to maximize a small promotional budget. Here’s how you can start off marketing your business for free!
Once you’ve received some feedback and told some of your contacts about your brand, it’s time to start executing a marketing plan. Now that you’ve introduced yourself, begin to explore opportunities that align with your objectives. Promote some relevant events or speaking engagements that you plan on participating in – or have already attended. Expand on your experience and the value that other’s have provided you with. Once you establish credibility, you can inquire about being featured as a speaker or sponsor. Moving forward, you’ll be able to expect well-known companies, events, people, and even groups to endorse you and the value you’ve provided them with.
One of the best ways to garner initial results is to highlight your perspective. This is essentially the bread and butter of what I’ve been discussing throughout this entire blog series. Stick out your chest and tell your audience about your growth, pivots, revelations, or even failures so they’re engaged through transparency. Solidifying your value isn’t considered arrogance – it’s a reassuring tactic that allows them to trust you. In most cases, people want to do business with a no-nonsense-professional that satisfies their immediate needs. Talk about the benefit your journey will have on them as well as what it’s done for your company. Show them you’re human while showcasing the value you’re capable of.
There are plenty of promotional means that enhance this approach. If you’re monetarily strapped, you can develop simple creative graphics, slide shares, and other forms of content to publish in print or online. Find affordable ways to get your message out there instead of a quantitative approach.
If you think you’re lacking content, try utilizing performance reviews, recommendation letters, certifications, partnership testimonials, or anything else that advertises your knowledge and capacity. If you’ve completed step #1, you should have plenty of material to work with. Additionally, don’t be afraid to promote the benefits of doing business with you, especially if you have a unique business model. The same goes for effective work flows or processes that enhance the customer (or partner) experience. Create case studies that touch on successful past projects or achieved objectives. All of these things are readily available to you! If you have a low startup budget, then take the time to maximize the capital you have and promote the quality you provide!
3. Invest in a Low Budget Advertising Strategy.After you’ve invested your time and effort in discovery and uncovering, you can begin to think about a low costing advertising strategy. There are plenty of ways to execute an ad campaign but the most important factor is your customer’s agenda. For example, the last company I worked for was committed to a $2,000 monthly budget towards social media. Even though our target audience averaged 67 years of age. Be smart with your adspend, especially if you’re budget is limited! Allocate opportunities and do your best to invest your money in a strategy.
Although my belief isn’t always supported, clicks can be deceiving and inevitably very costly. If you’re going to invest in social media ads, take the time to identify which platforms your customers use and analyze their intentions while logged in. It’s better to engage them with relevant material when they’re interested vs ruining a first impression. Once they block you, you’ve lost your chance – I cannot stress this enough.
If I were to invest in low budget advertising, I’m going to spend on manual bidding through a pay-per-click platform. (Keep in mind, I may not possess the same objectives as you). This may not be “low hanging fruit” for everyone, but my experience has proven this to drive the best conversion rates and ROAS (return on ad spend). You can learn more about my PPC Strategy here. In a nutshell, we focus on extensive keyword research that allocates specific long tails that funnel user intent to spend. We don’t overbid for keywords until we’ve returned our client’s investment and taken over opportune niches. If you have a minimal adspend, please use it wisely.
At the end of the day, advertising can break your bank and there’s nothing you can do to reverse this. If you’re going to travel down this road, it’s important to at least consider a consultation before handing your budget over to an affordable PPC manager. Serving ads with a purpose can be a lot more rewarding than cheap business advertising ideas lacking purpose. If you’re unsure of the expected return, then steer clear until you have money to blow. Just my humble opinion..
4. Promote your Hunger for Success.This is one of the easiest (and sometimes most effective) ways to promote your start up business. “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” You’ve got to be the biggest cheerleader for your brand – you’ve got to.. One of my favorite quotes is, “Wherever you are, there’s opportunity – it’s up to you to harness it.” There’s never an excuse to not have a handy business card for a relevant moment. Whether you’re in line at the grocery store or waiting to board a plane – promote your hunger for success!
Don’t get me wrong I’m not advising you to present a sales pitch on every occasion.. The goal here is to seamlessly position your value into a conversational opportunity. From experience, even mentioning “my business” or “this project my company was working on” can easily transition the conversation into “what is it that you do?” Once someone inquires, it shows that you’ve been accepted. Initiating acceptance leads to earning trust, which paves the way for word of mouth. If there’s one thing we all can agree on, it’s that word of mouth is a strong form of free marketing for your brand. As long as it’s positive – but, that’s on you..
The last thing I want to touch on is your level of hunger. It’s never a good thing to come off as desperate. Even if your company is struggling to stay afloat, keep the conversation positive. Remember, we’re attempting to market your hunger for success, not greed. Try to refrain from boasting and focus on your dedication to client satisfaction. Use my first 3 suggestions (above) as a guide for your talk track. Discuss the quality you long to provide and what you’ve overcome to get where you are. If you want someone to trust your company, they have to believe in your leadership – not your hunger for power and wealth. Show an interest in their initiatives and offer ways you can help them achieve their goals. Once you get the ball rolling it’ll become more casual and routine. The better you become at communicating, the more effective your sales will be. This doesn’t cost anything, guys..
Wow, that was a lot to take in. Throughout my journey, I’ve spent a lot of time developing my brand as well as my personal capacity. I really hope you’ve appreciated my story thus far. Moreover, I hope you’ve gained an improved understanding of my commitment to excellence through purposeful branding. No matter what I’m faced with, even if it’s a limited marketing budget, there’s always a way to execute a strategy. In order to generate competence and trust, I needed to solidify my experience and expand on my capabilities. Taking advantage of low cost business ideas has tested my patience but enhanced my company, for sure.
Hopefully this installment helps you uncover a number of ways to promote your business for free. Although it may seem time consuming, “sweating it out will eliminate doubt.” Set yourself up for success by investing in a purpose and highlighting your solution. Not only will this process help you improve your personal presentation, but you’ll begin see things from a different perspective. The more you practice, the more effective you’ll become – whether you’re selling, training, or speaking.
A growing confidence is crucial for start ups. Until you believe in your message and value, no one else will. Allow feedback to ground you while support fuels you. Work for it until you’re able to sustain, then you can begin taking chances in the unknown realm of marketing. For now, stick to ideas that work with a minimal marketing budget and control your return. But, hey – it’s your story..
One of the main reasons I waited so long to invest in my own brand was my simple fear of failure. I had so much drive and ability to succeed while working for someone else, but it wasn’t enough when overcoming my fears of putting my family in a financial bind. Taking the leap was very difficult, but preparing myself was easy. This is why I wanted to share some of my concepts behind ditching the fear and getting in gear..
For most leaders, it tends to be easier to immerse yourself in entrepreneurship when you’re single and not supporting children – but doesn’t necessarily mean you’re against the odds. I leaned on this excuse for years. Even though I mentioned the benefits of being patient in my last post about finding value, I knew I had to overcome my fears before I’d be able to execute a satisfactory service to my client base.
Don’t get me wrong, I spent an extensive amount time planning for this happening. Hell, I even procrastinated by simply trying to perfect every aspect of my business model. I was in denial for the most part. After understanding the value I could provide, I still had second thoughts about myself and rightfully so. We all have something that holds us back. At the same time, nobody skips through life without failure. It’s your ability to rebound, recover, and execute that sets your success story apart. But, since I’m human like most of you, I knew I had to address some things in order to avoid tarnishing the brand I put so much effort into. Before I pulled the trigger and “bet on myself”, here are some of the ways I was able to nip fear in the butt.
Fear of failure tends to stem from past failures you haven’t been able to let go. Even when competitive (or driven) people experience 9 wins in a row, they still harp on the 10th situation that cost them. We spend so much time over analyzing the reasoning behind our minimal failures that we forget about the mountains we climbed beforehand. Even worse, it eats at our confidence as a sense of ineffectiveness may begin to creep in.
From experience, the most impactful way to overcome this is to over analyze all of your successes – even the little ones. I’ve been fortunate enough to experience a blended family over the past 7 years. As hard as it can be, I’ve realized that we’ve made some major headway in less than a decade. Whether it be communication, child development, respect, or responsibility – my wife and I have plenty to hang our hat on. Not only am I able to reference this often, but I’ve been able to pile it on top of professional successes that have defined me as an individual. When you find yourself doubting the process, take advantage of memory lane and highlight what got you where you are today.
As aforementioned, self doubt lingers because of insecurities developed through past experiences. Identifying some of your success stories creates a boost of confidence, but digging deeper can create a sustained euphoria that drives your business. Whether you invest in a business coach, psychology specialist, or even counseling – it’s definitely worth your while.
Before I began building my home office, I decided to set aside time for weekly family counseling to overcome my biggest fear (letting down my family). I wanted to ensure they were all on board and understood what the next couple months might look like. It was amazing to be able to receive honest feedback and concerns on the front end so we could work through it before experiencing them firsthand. Not only was I able to understand perspectives, but I was able to grow as a father and husband. Allocating worse case scenarios and planning together extended everyone’s confidence level. Being on the same page over the last few months has lessened stress levels and tension while allowing me to focus more on results than the experience itself. This has been a huge relief for me.
The last phase of overcoming my fears allows you to put everything into perspective. Look, you’re going to fail. Whether you screw up and miss a spelling error on your website or overprice and lose a deal – it’s inevitable. Learning how to harness the reality of launching a business will help you overcome the roller coster ride of startup-dom.
Once you’re able to discover and understand certain scenarios, you can begin to plan your contingencies. As I mentioned in the last installment, I started off by offering everything under the digital sun. My confidence was solid in all phases, but I realized that my confidence could take a major hit if I failed across multiple verticals. Slowing down and keeping things simple has now allowed me to develop messaging and promotions that makes sense. I’m not sure this would have been a reality if I didn’t take the time to overcome my fears and establish a vision.
Another epiphany that sparked my intrigue was the simple fact that competition will always exists. If I really wanted to set out and provide value, why set myself up for failure by competing across multiple markets through a number of initiatives? I might be superior in a handful of ways, but building a message that relays competency et al is plain stupid. Honing in on my passion and capable skills has allowed me to develop a solution that compliments a multitude of industries while still promoting a unique value. No matter how well you do something, there will always be a competitor looking to overcome your successes. Don’t let it get to you, let it motivate you.
Understanding the challenges and inevitable failures of your brand will prepare your confidence levels while keeping you motivated with a contingency plan. Leave yourself room to pivot and frequently adjust your capabilities. If someone takes the time to provide feedback, take the time to listen and react accordingly. When you lose a potential client or a long time customer leaves, let it go. The nature of business can be refreshing, but it can also be quite frustrating if you let it get to you. Facing these facts before you go “all in” will allow you to move onto the next task without losing any sleep.
One of my favorite (original) quotes is the H2 title above. But, I wouldn’t have said this if I didn’t take the time to development my mindset before entrepreneurship. Although fear itself doesn’t drive failure, it sure does play a part in your outcomes. Just remember, you can only control today. If you’re able to put your best foot forward and eliminate the thoughtful distractions, you’re already half way there. Identify your mental capacity, don’t overstep your boundaries, and invest in a support group that can help you when you do. Overcoming my fears was one of the most impactful investments I’ve made. All of these things will do wonders for your confidence level and keep you focused throughout.
Allow your failures to build you up instead of bringing you down, and identify a plan to fend off insecurity that disallows potential. Every entrepreneur is going to experience setback – but, how they exit the clouds will define their reward. Thanks for taking time out of your day to hear another portion of my story. Stay tuned for the next installation about launching on a small budget.
Prepare with your own PreFocus, and best in success nonetheless!
Launching your own business can be a stressful occasion that’s surrounded by an extensive amount of situational placement and planning. Especially when you’re attempting to support a family of 6. I first started contemplating launching my own business in 2013 when I parted ways with Enterprise Rent A Car as an operations manager. The salary was great, but the work life balance heavily impacted my creative ambition. I slowly saw myself turning into a corporate puppet going through the motions. Finding my value became rather difficult.
For those of you that have launched a business, you’ll know that it’s not as simple as launching a website and waiting for people to find you. A number of marketing tactics, presentational executions, relationships, and even funding opportunities play a big role in your ability to be found and heard. But, it’s important that you allow yourself to be heard, first and foremost.
When I first began brainstorming for the services I would provide potential clients, I struggled. I realized that my experience was so broad that I couldn’t necessarily pinpoint one offering to execute. I was confident in my knowledge and processes, but I wanted to present the public with a unique entity that showcased my personality and strengths. I remember mapping out my website for the first time and saying: “Man, how am I even going to manage all of this?” It was quite frustrating – I even began to fear the decision I made. Instead of ditching the uphill battle and slow-to-no income, I ended up spending a lot of time analyzing my past successes.
Not only did this motivate me to push forward, but it allowed me to understand the importance of allocating my value. Although it seemed like I didn’t accomplish much, I finally understood that my ability to present an idea in an engaging manner is what I excelled at and loved doing. This enhanced my personal reach even further. Sure, I can provide SEO services or build an e-commerce website – but I wanted to be valued. Isn’t this why most of us start our own business in the first place? I ended up coming to the conclusion that I was best at servicing the following values:
Instead of putting together a business model that was similar to most marketing agencies, I decided to invest my time into the artistic side of promotional criteria. Meaning, I wanted to bridge the gap between poorly developed branding and full service marketing. After working in the agency realm, I already knew there was a disconnect between agencies and their clients. It was frustrating to watch a client terminate their contract because visitors weren’t converting on-site. Especially when the main reason surrounded a confusing sales pitch that didn’t align with consumer value – or a CTA that told you what to do instead of providing a solution.
This is where I was able to expand my value in more ways than one. Not only do we advise our clients on ways to improve their message, but we develop promotional content that aligns with their objectives and specific consumer values. We want to ensure that all start ups and outdated businesses enhance the way they’re perceived. This can be done through purposeful imagery (headshots, event photos, influential graphics), cohesive resonating messaging, and design with clarity. We provide this “enhanced fix” to brands before they invest in marketing. This enhances conversion rates, drives down costs, and increases their revenue.
If I wouldn’t have taken the time to assess my personal value before launching, I could be overwhelmed with uncertainty. This was the first epiphany I had over the last 60-90 days, and we’ve come a long way since. As I continue to expand on the development of my company, I want to provide transparency so readers can understand the reasoning behind our solutions.
I look forward to hearing feedback and gaining an even better understanding of what businesses truly value from a strategist. The objective behind telling our story, is to build credibility and understanding behind the value we aim to provide. Keep an eye out for my next post that touches on overcoming fear and harnessing potential when launching a business.
