Is your marketing sucking up ALL of your time? If you are spending hours and hour every single week sending emails and promoting your business, WHEN are you actually doing your work?
I know, you had to stop for a second and consider that, right? It’s a damn good question.
Harsh but practical business lesson coming right up. You need to work in your business and not just on your business.
Believe me, I know, it’s way too easy to get caught up in the busy work. But all those tasks don’t necessarily bring in the green. (Or if you are Canadian like me, the loonies, twonies and jazzy looking red 50 dollar bills.)
That 89th time you checked Facebook as part of your “social media strategy” is not working for you. Sending out another half hearted guest post pitch when you detest writing is the definition of insanity.
Excuse me while I step up on my soapbox.
Marketing shouldn’t be done for the sake of marketing. It should be done with a plan in mind and driving towards a specific business goal.
It’s totally obvious I know, but many of us fall into this trap without realizing it.
Please stop torturing yourself by doing a whole pile of things because you are “supposed to”…there are no entrepreneur bonus points for being busy. Just because your mentor, competitor or business bestie does it, in no way means it is good for you or your business.
You are not entrepreneurial superwoman. So please just stop trying to do everything.
So, what should you actually do? Cover the basics, but find a way to make them work for you. Work within your zone of genius and then outsource the rest or simply let them go.
When you consistently are working so hard against your skills and talents, time is wasting.
Then what happens? It’s not freakin’ pretty is it?
Frustration mounts and next thing you know it’s wine o’clock and nothing is getting done. Then you wake up with one hell of a headache and want to eat french fries and salt and vinegar chips all day long instead of getting down to business.
Working In Your Zone of Genius
The best thing you can do when it comes to promoting yourself is starting in your zone of genius.
Now, as much as I’m a huge fan of pushing yourself, in this case we are going to play to your strengths in an effort to reduce resistance.
You need to make a decision. Quick.
Is your zone of genius writing or speaking?
This should be pretty clear cut as we all generally fall into one category. If you are blessed to be gifted at both, just pick one to start. (Overachievers, I’m looking at you.)
From there you’ve just narrowed down all of your options. Sweet, right?
- If you’re going with writing: Guest posting, blogging, social media, op-ed/opinion columns
- If you’re focused on speaking: TV/radio interviews, podcast interviews, local or industry speaking engagements
If you are stuck swimming in the sea of overwhelm, dial everything back and focus only on one of those tactics.
If you love writing, maybe you are going to guest post. Or if you are talker, maybe a podcast is right up your alley.
Picking a focus that’s within your natural talents is going to make your marketing so much easier. You can get clear and map out a plan of attack for the next 30-60-90 days.
One thing done really well instead of a bunch of things thrown together and done on a wing and a prayer will be so much more impactful in the long run. It’s your marketing, so step up and do it your way instead.
