A marketing plan to cure your monkey mind

Three things to include in a smart marketing plan 

A marketing plan is more like a scientific experiment than a game of darts. Thinking about it like a “a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact.” will take the unreasonable pressure off of you to take perfect action each time.

The outcomes of a marketing plan aren’t guaranteed but you can get better results over time. 

Three elements that’ll make your own marketing plan, however small, kick ass are:

1) A very clear & specific value proposition

This is the biggest challenge most solopreneurs have – the urge to serve everyone! Because they can. But doesn’t mean they should. A great value prop summarizes your unique value, your target person for the offer and is bolder than your competitors. Along with this then comes the messaging that describes it so well that people get it quickly.

You know it’s specific enough when you feel a little uncomfortable niching down that far. But you’ll get more traction for the stuff you truly excel at delivering so don’t hold back. It also means stopping selling stuff you don’t want to deliver.

Write it out by using this template and use this statement to evaluate your marketing plan.

_____(you/your business) is the only _____(title/type of business) that provides _____(target audience/problem) with _____ (the value/outcomes you deliver) because _____ (why it’s so important/why you are credible) unlike ______ (your competitors/the average joe or jane that does this).

2) Following through for 6 months

Marketing could also be called “showing up”. The more consistently you show up the more leads you’ll get. Your credibility will grow in those areas. Life can get in the way but if you fall off the horse you get back on again. That’s still showing up. Set yourself up with structure to make it easy.

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve spent most of my business career expecting immediate results. It’s a huge mistake. When you decide on where you’d like to show up, have a plan to do a number of “campaigns” or “events” over a set period so you can properly evaluate them. Then and only then do you have the knowledge to perfect them.

For example if you decided to do workshops, you’d know much more about how to improve it after delivering it three times, or at three different groups than just one. There are too many one-off factors influencing each event.

And don’t wait until your delivery is perfect. If you do that, you’ll likely never deliver it or never do it again from raising the bar so high. Repetition will help you gain so much knowledge about your target audience and what they want just by seeing who also “shows up”.

Work your plan with someone else’s guidance so you don’t get discouraged and see it through.

3) A curious and objective observer

Separate your ego from your business. Find your connection to what you do in a deeper way instead of making it just about making money, and lots of it, right now. Accept the work that has to be done and know tenacity and objectivity will get you results.

Getting curious about the solution and committed to finding it is your mindset for success. This entails sticking to the goal without attachment to each and every detail and finding intrinsic value in the whole challenge, not just when good things happen.

When I realized a business is more like an investment than a job, I was able to approach marketing like a long-term project. Worth any effort. And that feels more aligned with what I value.

I want to see you adopt this approach naturally and use it every single time.