Everyone always says good marketing is created within a strong team. And I can see why they say this, more resources, more brain power & more ideas.
But what if you’re a solo marketer?
How do you combine all the skills into one person? Basically, how do you do everything? The age-old question, ehh?!
Here are 4 ways you can make the most out of your time as a solo marketer & deliver the same level of excellent marketing as a team of any size.
#1 Strategy always comes first
It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day & just spend your time putting out fires or checking things off your ever-growing to-do list. We’ve all been there, I definitely have.
But one thing us solo marketers don’t have is time. So we need to prioritise the initiatives we’re focusing on by the results they bring.
Start with the goals the business is looking to achieve. How can these be achieved? What initiatives do you need to focus on to get them done?
Being a team of one means you’ll likely be jumping from task to task & this is where your goals come in. They allow you to come back, refocus & know exactly what you’re trying to achieve & measure your progress.
Once you’ve set out your goals, you need to work backwards to strategise how you will achieve them.
And that brings me to my next point…
#2 The right marketing channels
Choosing the marketing channels depends on your business & the goals you’ve set for marketing as well as the overall business goals.
If you’re looking to increase the number of leads you’re bringing in, think about which channels will help you achieve this. It’s likely to be the website & content marketing.
What about if you want to build the awareness your brand has? Maybe you need to focus on brand awareness channels such as social media & out-of-house marketing.
It all boils down to your goals (common theme!) & figuring out where you’re going to hit them.
#3 Measure successes & failures
It’s so easy to get excited about something that’s working & just as easy to feel discouraged when things aren’t working.
One word. Data.
Back to point #1, we need to prioritise. And how do we know what to prioritise without knowing what’s actually working?
This is where data comes in. We want to collect insights for every marketing initiative. Whether it’s open rates, follower counts, leads, conversions etc.
A detailed marketing report document will be invaluable to you. And to your stakeholders.
My advice to you? Track everything.
#4 Choosing the right support
Being a solo marketer doesn’t mean you can’t leverage tech, freelancers & agencies to help you.
You don’t have to do everything!
Utilising a CRM (customer relationship management) system & email platform can cost as little as £20 a month but it’s a huge weight off your shoulders when it comes to managing leads/contacts & sending out emails.
When it comes to freelancers & agencies, sometimes it’s more efficient to outsource so you can focus on things that you’re good at & need your focus.
This could be website updates & management. If this is something that takes up a lot of your time, why not outsource it to an expert who can get things done effectively & efficiently?
TL;DR
- Start with the goals the business is looking to achieve. How can these be achieved? What initiatives do you need to focus on to get them done?
- Choosing the marketing channels depends on your business & the goals you’ve set for marketing as well as the overall business goals.
- A detailed marketing report document will be invaluable to you. And to your stakeholders.
- You don’t have to do everything. Outsourcing will save you time & time again.
