How to Create a Simple Marketing Plan that Gets Results

Most of us approach marketing as this complex puzzle that we have to figure out. While terms like
evergreen content, sales funnels, and opt-ins may be new words in our vocabulary, the best implementation of these marketing tactics is often very simple.

Any marketing tactic works if you work it, because results come from consistency, not complexity. You get to decide how you want to attract clients. There is a lot of power in deciding because when you choose the marketing methods that you enjoy and play to your strengths, you are much more likely to be consistent.

You can always grow and hire a team to help you launch a podcast, run a networking group, set up more complex funnels, or create Facebook ads. Trying to do any or all of these things yourself, show up on every platform and actually do your client work is an impossible strategy that won’t give you the results you really want.

Try my approach to create a simple marketing plan that actually gets you more clients.

Create a clear message

All of your marketing efforts will fall flat if people don’t know who you are, what you do, and who you do it for.
You want your online and in-person presence to be seamless. From your elevator speech to your Instagram bio, it should always be clear, the number one problem you solve, who you solve it for, and how they can hire you.

If potential clients don’t know what they could hire you for, they won’t ask or investigate. They will double-tap that cute photo of your puppy and move on. Clarity in your message is the most important piece of your marketing strategy. If you need some help making sure you know how to tell people what you do you can take this free brand foundations mini-course.

Create a signature piece of content

It’s easy to feel like not only do you need to show up everywhere, but you also need to have new content to be effective. What you really need is one great piece of content per month. If you have the capacity for more, go for it, but one is a great place to start.

A great piece of content gives your potential client value in relation to the number one problem that you solve. It represents your tone and unique point of view so that the receiver of the content knows what it would be like to work with you.

This piece of content can be created as a podcast, video, blog, newsletter or workbook. It’s your decision. You get to choose which method you can commit to.

As my business and family has grown, my ideal way to be consistent has also changed. Where I used to enjoy writing, now I really love the ease of creating a quick video. In fact, the time it frees up to make a video won over the usual resistance people feel about being live and being perfect on camera. Figure out what will work for you, but don’t be afraid to try new things!

When you can consistently create one high value piece of content, it becomes really easy to fill out your market plan with content that connects with your ideal clients.

For example, you can create a blog post that also becomes your monthly newsletter. This same blog post can be cut into a weekly social media post and serve as the topic for a podcast or IGTV video. With this example, you are able to reach people in multiple places with one key piece of content. I live by and teach an important rule when it comes to content. NEVER create something you can’t reuse!

Decide where you will generate leads

Now that you have a clear message and content that supports that message, you have to decide where you will share what you do, to generate leads. I like to think about this as, “ how can I build my own network and how can I tap into other people’s networks to build relationships?”

Building your own network can look like picking one or two social media platforms where your ideal clients are, sending out a newsletter, creating a Facebook group or Podcast. These are all ways that you can share your content and give value to the people that come to you. When you pick two or three ways to build your network you give yourself the time to really be present and form relationships with potential clients.

Tapping into someone else’s network can look like joining Facebook groups, being a podcast guest, or writing articles for another outlet. You can form collaborations where you are a guest speaker in a group or event, share promotions to each other’s newsletter list, or become an affiliate. Get creative! There are so many ways to collaborate and reach a new audience.

Once you decide how to expand your reach, you will have the social media platforms, group, or podcast where you regularly show up, give value, and build relationships to send your new leads to.

Create evergreen value

You have probably heard of an opt-in. An opt-in is a piece of content that people can get if they join your email list. I like to think about this as evergreen value and it’s one of my favorite ways to connect with potential clients. A successful opt-in should be easy to digest, give an immediate win, and be a great first step for a potential client to work with you. Ask yourself, “ What do people need to know, do, or feel before we work together?” This will help you figure out what small problem can you help them solve, which will set them up perfectly to work with you.

If you are a web designer, for example, it could be a five questions quiz to tell you which platform you need for your new website. This example gives a clear result to a problem, without a big time investment and leads into working with this web designer.

What most people do is create their opt-in, link to it on their website, and forget it. They don’t leverage this as a key piece of their marketing. I’m going to use this same example to show you exactly how to do this.

If people in a Facebook group are asking questions about which platform they should use for their website you would comment telling people who you are and what you do and then leave the link for the quiz. If you are a guest on a podcast talking about web design you would tell people where they can connect with you online and take your quiz. In your social media bios, you would leave the link so that people can take the quiz and get on your email list. You can create blog posts or social media posts about different platforms and link to the quiz.

Most people spend a lot of time creating their opt-in and very little time driving people to it. The magic of the opt-in is that it is a key piece of content that you can use again and again to offer people value and start building a relationship with them, so that working with you is a no brainer.

A simple marketing plan that gets results, is about having a clear message, creating value for your potential clients, and deciding how to share that value in a way that you can be consistent. If you want to dive deeper into your marketing strategy by defining what content you should share to have clients dying to work with you, I invite you to learn more about Discover Your Brand Voice. In this two-hour intensive we define your core message and map out a custom strategy so you know exactly what you need to share online.