Analysis paralysis
You’ve got something new to say, but where do you start? Maybe you want to launch a new product or service? Or you’ve decided to niche down your target market? Maybe you’ve made a big change in your business, such as taking on office space, or going completely virtual? If you’ve got something to shout about, how do you know where to start? You need to know you’re going to make the best investment of your time, effort and money. There’s so much choice when it comes to marketing channels these days, with new channels popping up every day (are you on TikTok yet?!) Don’t worry, I have the answer.
Real talk
It’s actually simpler than you think! And here’s the real secret: all these marketing channels you think you ‘could’ or ‘should’ be using? They don’t really matter. I know, I said it! The underlying problem you’re facing is probably not that you’re faced with too much choice. It’s likely to be one of two things: either you’re not confident in what you’re saying, or who you’re saying it to. The bad news: if either, or both, of those are true for you, then you aren’t in a position to make the most of the channels you OWN. But all is not lost, you can absolutely turn that around!
Let’s talk about control
So here’s the deal: marketing channels can be broken down into three categories: OWNED, EARNED and PAID media. You might have even heard someone in marketing or sales fling these words before. All it really comes down to is the level of control that you have over the content they contain.
OWNED media includes you (and what comes out of your mouth!), your website, your blog, your social media profiles/accounts, your mobile app, your email and any printed materials you produce. The key here is the content they contain is WITHIN your control.
EARNED media is that which you ‘earn’. For example word of mouth, referrals, shares or mentions on social media, or customer reviews. You cannot directly control what people are saying about you, but if you’re doing your job well then you can ‘earn’ additional free marketing because other people are doing it for you (This is easily the most powerful form of marketing!)
PAID channels are essentially advertising. This encompasses anywhere, like social media, TV, radio or print, where you are paying money in exchange for exposure. This also includes things like Social Media influencer marketing, pay per click advertising and affiliate marketing.
How to get started
The most important place to start is ALWAYS your owned channels, because guess what? They’re the most cost-effective! But before you consider spending money to broadcast your message, you need to know how you’re really talking to and why they need to hear what you’ve got to say. What symptoms do they have? And how does your product or service not just take away the symptom, but solve the underlying problem?
Move over Funnel, meet the Flywheel
Once you have nailed your message, how do you organise your channel activity accordingly? Well, it’s easy once you’ve met The Flywheel! The traditional funnel totally works when you’re planning how to bring in new leads, warm them up and encourage them towards becoming a sale. However, it doesn’t work as well for marketing. Maybe that’s why it should just be called a sales funnel! The Flywheel is different because it takes into account the MOST IMPORTANT part of the process: the bit AFTER you make a sale. The reality is: marketing is no longer a one-way broadcast channel, it’s a two-way CONVERSATION. As I hinted at earlier, if you are nailing your customer experience and encouraging your happy customers in the right way, they will walk around doing a tonne of marketing FOR YOU. Imagine that? Sounds like heaven, right? All you need to do is ensure your OWNED marketing channels are working in harmony at each point of the Flywheel. Think about the emotional temperature of your audience at each stage. Where would they like to hear from you and why? This will help you organise and tailor your content, so that it lands every time.
Need some help?
Last year, after being told they needed to throw a tonne of money at paid social media ads, I helped a client of mine to unleash the power of their email list, saving them time and money, whilst significantly increasing their engagement. If you would like to do something similar, or you need help with messaging, your ideal marketing flywheel or anything in between, please do get in touch. I would love to help you OWN your OWNED channels! Hit the button below to book a free call today.