Before you invest in marketing, read this.

What is marketing, anyway? 

Basically, marketing consists of these two elements: brand awareness + sales.

As a business, your core values, your philosophy, your product, your services, your mission, and even your personality, are all a part of your brand. So, when I talk about building brand awareness, what I really mean is, making your target market aware of these things so they know exactly what you’re all about. 

This requires showing up consistently online in a way that is helpful, entertaining, educational, or inspiring. If you’re telling a story that resonates with your ideal client or customer, or providing a free resource that meets one of their needs, they’re going to choose you over your competition every time because you’ve built a rapport with them. 

They trust you. They like you. They want to see you win.  

This is what brand awareness is all about.

Sales on the other hand, is the act of converting a potential lead into a new customer, patient or client. Guess how we do that? Yep, you guessed it, brand awareness!

The bottom line is…you can’t have consistent sales without brand awareness. They’re two sides of the same coin. With that being said, marketing is not a quick fix or a get rich quick scheme. It is a system of various strategies that nurture your business and its growth over time. 

Think of it this way...

Say your business is a seed that you want to see grow and thrive. As a marketing expert, my job is to plant that seed in rich soil (aka your target market), and water it consistently by employing an effective marketing strategy.

Now, with that being said, it’s important to remember that growth takes time. 

A seed doesn’t just sprout up overnight. However, over time, with consistent watering and a lot of intentional care, it will grow into a healthy, flourishing plant that bears a TON of fruit for you to enjoy year after year. 

See where I’m going with this? Great! 

Let’s take this analogy a little further, shall we?

When a gardener is getting acquainted with the process of growing a new plant, there is a lot of trial and error involved. Of course, they’ll research what is recommended for that plant and develop a strategy for its growth and development, but sometimes things don’t go according to plan. 

How many of you have tried growing a vegetable in your backyard, following the instructions to a “T”, expecting a bounty of fresh produce, only to end up with a few measly sprouts?

I definitely have, and it can be a little disheartening.

BUT, if you want those veggies to grow, do you simply hang your head and give up?

Of course not! When this happens, You have to experiment a little in order to figure out what this specific plant needs to thrive. 

Does it need fertilizer to help it soak up more nutrients? 

Does it need more light or more shade? 

Does it need to be watered every day or just once a week? 

Does it need to be pruned? 

What about deadheaded? 

All of these details are learned along the way by trying out different methods and then, here’s the kicker, waiting to see what works and what doesn’t. 

And guess what? The same rules apply to marketing.

I work with an incredible group of creatives, and a big part of our job is trying out different marketing strategies to see what an audience responds to, and sometimes, what it doesn’t respond to. Then, we analyze that data, and further refine our marketing strategy from there. 

Okay, let’s go back to our gardening analogy one last time before I land the plane.

As talented as they are at nurturing plants, a gardener is not the sun, meaning, they are not the source of life that causes the seed to grow. Their job is to tend to the seed and provide the right environment for it to grow if and when the sun shines on it.

You know those giant, horse-pill vitamins that are really hard to swallow? The kind that feel so uncomfortable going down that you almost regret taking them, even though they’re really good for you?

Well, what I’m about to say may feel very similar to that.

I am not God. 

Ultimately, I am not what is going to make your business successful. But, I firmly believe that if this business is what you were created to do, the harvest will be plentiful. Not only that, I am convinced that there is no other team of designers, copywriters, videographers, photographers, or content creators who will work harder to advocate for the success of your business than my agency. 

We are dedicated to telling your story to the right people and nurturing the relationships you form with them. We can’t force their hand, but we can put something in front of them worth reaching for.

That’s our job.

If you’re considering investing in marketing, or if you already are, I want to encourage you to take some time to answer these questions:

1. What do you want more of in your life? Why do you want more of it? Ex. “I want more time, more freedom, etc.”

2. What do you want more of in your business? Why do you want more of it? 

3. What is your primary goal when it comes to your business? Why did you start it in the first place? Do you simply care about making more money, or is there something deeper that motivates you to get out of bed in the morning? 

All in all, if you’re investing in marketing, I highly encourage you to set aside time to think through and answer these questions. 

“I insist on a lot of time being spent, almost every day, to just sit and think. That is very uncommon in American business. I read and think. So I do more reading and thinking, and make less impulse decisions than most people in business.”

—Warren Buffet

Just like a garden, our minds must be tended. And, in answering these questions for myself, I’ve realized that my primary goal for my business is to see you win too.