The 3 things to fix at the foundation of your business if your marketing is not paying off
Keeping up with the constantly changing online marketing landscape is a full time job in itself. And even if you do manage to crack the code and get a swarm of attention, it’s no guarantee that that attention will result in new clients.
In fact, back in 2020 I watched a colleague’s instagram carousel go viral earning her nearly 4k new followers in a span of a week. Number of new clients as a result: zero. And as a business coach I can tell you that this is not uncommon. I have worked with people who have a nearly non-existent online presence who are running thriving businesses. I’ve also worked with folks who are struggling to sell $10 workshops to their tens of thousands of followers.
The truth is, no matter how many eyes you get on your work, if the foundation of your business is not clearly set, you will struggle to convert those new eyes into new customers.
Think of your business foundation as a container or vessel. The role of your marketing is to draw people into this space. Once they are there, solid business foundations do the work of directing people into the appropriate working relationship (or offer).
If this vessel is intentionally designed, it will be able to hold and support the people who you draw in through your marketing. But if the vessel is thrown together without care or doesn’t even exist to begin with, you can expect the attention that you draw in through your marketing to fall through the cracks.
THE 3 THINGS TO FIX TO CREATE A SOLID FOUNDATION
A well designed offers ecosystem
It may seem basic, but many business owners struggle to remain clear on what they are actually selling. Specifically, what the different options are for working together, how each of those options works, who each of those options are for, and what folks can actually expect to be different after making an investment in this service.
Remember, potential clients don’t care what you do, they care about what they get as a result of investing in your expertise!
With that, it is on us as business owners to not just sell “coaching” or “support” but to instead create intentional options for working together that consistently deliver results so we can speak clearly and honestly to who they are for, how they work, and what potential clients can expect to gain.
An offers ecosystem is a collection of different offers that, together, deliver consistent results for folks at different starting points, with different budgets, and/or different needs.
Clear, resonant messaging
Once you are clear on your offers, who they are for, how they work, and the intended outcome, you can then develop clear messaging that communicates this to your audience.
A great tool for thinking about your core message is to think about what your ideal client thinks they need to do to solve the problem they’re experiencing and then identify what you, as the expert, know they really need to do.
The job of your messaging is to help potential clients identify themselves as a good fit for your work and to give them the education or mindset shift that they need to understand the value of your approach.
For example: let’s say you are a yoga teacher who primarily teaches gentle yoga classes. Your ideal client is someone who tends to push themselves and is looking for more ease and relaxation. They may think they need to complete 5 vigorous 30 minute workouts every week to get the benefits of moving their body. But you may know that actually, for the benefits they are looking for, the key is to slow down and invite in more gentle movement.
In this case, your offer is your gentle yoga class and your core message may be something like “you don’t have to go hard to get the benefits of movement”.
Having a clear, resonant message allows you to focus your marketing efforts by creating content that relates back to this concept again and again. This build credibility with your audience, gives them time to learn from you, and eventually, helps them shift out of the unhelpful mindsets or beliefs that are keeping them from taking meaningful action. Once they do that, you will be a natural fit should they need some support.
A business model that makes sense for you and for your clients
Your business model is the foundational design that allows you to run a profitable business. In this instance, we are going to focus on two elements of your business model: how you deliver on your offers and what you charge.
When looking at these two elements, it is crucial that they make sense both for you and for your ideal clients. Does the way you are delivering on your offers and what you are charging actually make sense given how much money you want to be making and how much you want to be working? And do the prices and structures of your offers make sense for the ideal clients you want to work with?
