You didn’t start your business because you wanted to spend all day writing blogs and figuring out Facebook ads. There are bigger issues that need your attention, especially if you’re running a social enterprise. But focusing on your marketing is necessary to get your message out to more people.
Below are several ways to make marketing easier and less stressful. These tips will help you get organized, so you can spend less time on marketing, and get better results.
Be Honest
The first step is to be honest about what you’re able to accomplish on a weekly and monthly basis. It’s common to compare yourself to bigger brands and feel like you’re not doing enough. However, you’re just 1 person, or a small team, not a corporation with a large marketing department.
Determine how much time you realistically have available to spend on marketing. This will help you focus on the most important tasks. The quickest way to feel overwhelmed is to take on more than you can handle.
Editorial Calendar
An editorial calendar is a great way to stay organized. Plan your marketing campaigns and content topics 1-3 months in advance. This will help you stay on message and deliver relevant content to your audience.
Be sure to schedule time into your calendar for brainstorming and strategic planning. Doing the “heavy lifting” once per month, or per quarter, frees up your energy on a day-to-day basis. By batching your planning into one session, you can see the bigger picture and create a more cohesive strategy.
Track Metrics
Knowing the results of your previous marketing campaigns is the best way to plan for your next campaign. What worked? What didn’t work? The data doesn’t lie.
Figure out which metrics are relevant to your goals, then create a spreadsheet or dashboard to track them. This will keep you focused on the most important outcomes. You’ll be able to spot trends over time and notice which campaigns resonate most with your audience.
Ideas Notebook
Sometimes you’ll see a great idea for a new marketing campaign, or a tactic you want to try out. Instead of diving in right away, jot it down in a notebook. You can use a physical notebook, or a digital platform like Evernote.
Refer back to your ideas notebook during your planning sessions. This will help you integrate your ideas in a more strategic way. A lot of stress and confusion around marketing for entrepreneurs comes from trying too many tactics at once without a plan.
Plan Ahead
All of these tips revolve around one main theme: planning. Creating a marketing plan doesn’t have to be a time-intensive burden. Most small businesses only need a simple plan to help them stay on track.
Your marketing plan will help you focus on the most important tasks, so you can create the most impact with your limited time.
Not sure where to start? Check out my new 90-Day Planner: click here.
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