Welcome to video #4 in my marketing plan video series. In the first three videos, I talked about how to drive traffic to your website, how to get people to stay on your site once they arrive, and how to get out there and provide tons of value to your audience, without forgetting to ask for something in return.
This is the final video in this series, and it’s all about being authentic in your marketing strategy. It turns out, many entrepreneurs are beginning to create businesses with authenticity at the heart of their brand, but the authenticity comes to a screeching halt when the marketing efforts begin.
If you’ve been paying any attention to me lately, you’ll know I talk a lot about being authentic with your branding. I’m a firm believer that everyone of us has a unique gift to bestow upon the world, and that by harnessing the power of our authentic, core genius self, we entrepreneurs can create amazing businesses – as well as do amazing good in the world.
Many of you agree with me and are already building a business around your passion. And that’s great.
But then you go out into the world and try to market yourself simply by copying the tactics you see other people using. Whether they’ve worked for them or not.
“Well everybody says you have to build your email list, so I’m going to focus on that.”
“Facebook ads seem to be all the rage to drive traffic to my website, I’m gonna do that!”
The problem I am seeing is that when it comes to marketing, entrepreneurs are focused more on tactics than on strategy. In other words, you are looking at the actions that other people are taking, and merely copying them because they’re popular. Often the results are less than stellar. This is what happens when you are tactically focused – you copy the actions but don’t have the proper mindset or skill set to execute the tactics properly.
A tactical approach to marketing is usually driven by fear, lack, and a mindset of reaching a mass quantity of people as quickly as possible. It’s a “get rich quick” dream, and it rarely works.
That doesn’t mean there’s a problem with those tactics, only that those tactics were not correct for you.
When marketing myself or my clients, I take a more strategic approach and let the strategy dictate the tactics we use.
For some of my clients, list building through ads is key to their success. We’re working on a series of content, and driving targeted traffic to that content through targeted ads.
For me personally, I am finding those same tactics don’t work that well. I’m more of a one on one guy.
I’ve learned that I shine when I present myself to a smaller audience, like in a Facebook Group. It’s easy for me to answer questions, get into conversations, and make friends. This strategy leads to the tactics I’ve begun to implement in my Groups. I am connecting with group leaders, and getting asked to contribute to online magazines, and podcasts. I’m connecting with entrepreneurs who are learning from me, working with me, and forming joint ventures or strategic partnerships.
The moment I approached my marketing with a strategy that was authentic to my own beliefs and skills, everything in my business transformed for the better. I was no longer trying to make something happen by copying someone else’s actions.
When you see an entrepreneur’s business take off, and they say it’s because they mastered Facebook ads, or YouTube, or any other platform or tactic, you have to realize they succeeded because they found a tactic that resonated with their core genius. They were a vibrational match to that tactical approach.
Then someone else tries the same approach, fails miserably, and denounces the same tactic.
“Facebook ads stink! They don’t work at all!
“Instagram is a waste of time! Nothing but posers!
“Twitter is horrible for marketing, nobody is paying attention!”
If you believe you can or cannot do something, you’re right.
When you approach a tactic from a vibrational point of fear or lack or desperation, you have a deep belief this will not work. And you’ll be right.
When you approach a tactic from authenticity, and your true higher self, you will feel excited and confident in your belief that you’re on the right track. And you’ll be right.
