One of the most beautiful things about a blog is that you get a platform to document your life. Your wins, losses, thoughts, observations, and most importantly, your evolution as a person. I don’t know about you, but for me, that’s a powerful motivator.
And if you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you will know I’m a minimalist marketer by choice. Not because I don’t want to do the work, but I don’t want to do what feels unnecessary to me. What might be a best practice for the rest of the world doesn’t mean I have to do it too.
I think I posted an update on my marketing plan for 2021 earlier this year, but I’ve had a lot more clarity as the weeks have progressed. I’ve been talking and interviewing a lot more solo and micro-entrepreneurs like myself and have had breakthrough insights, compelling me to relook and reconsider what’s important.
Here’s what my marketing plan looks like as of right now:
- Blogging — Show up every single day without fail. I need to work on not only getting up-to-speed but ensuring that I’ve got ideas in excess. That cuts down the time to think and helps me get moving in no time.
- Podcasting — I haven’t prioritised this as much as I would love to, much to my fault. This is a serious commitment that I want to invest in, but I’m not acting towards it. Right now, I’m working with my coach to keep the motivation high and build on the momentum.
- Website — I need to build this site instead of focusing on my “corporate” site. Why? I’m the most active here than there. While not everything has to “unify,” there comes the point when you begin to question everything you do. Right now, having an active company site doesn’t make sense. I need to think through how am I going to manage that along with this site.
- Social Media — I have LinkedIn and Facebook pages updated every day with super-useful content automatically (I curate a bunch of useful links every Sunday). Please don’t ask me how many people read it. I don’t care, and I’m not relying on the metrics. The real thing is when I engage with my audience, connect with them, and engage with them further. I’m not doing enough of that. And honestly, I don’t have an excuse not to do so. The only way to get it done is to slot it in my calendar.
- Email list — I have an active email list of 50 people. I want to grow this audience further by creating meaningful content (no “lead magnets,” please!) that resonates with them. I also need to send them emails regularly. At least once every week, if not every day (as marketing gurus recommend).
- Public workshops — I had mediocre success with a few workshops I hosted on Eventbrite last year. Though the turnout was super-low, it was motivating to see people signing up for the workshop. This time, however, I will be charging people. That might change the dynamics, but I’ve realised that people don’t value free.
- Teachable course — I’m working on creating an Emerging Leader’s program. The outline is ready, and I need to get going with the video production, which will be lo-fi (just me and my webcam) but with solid content that people can’t ignore. The plan is to educate the young and upcoming leaders on the universal concepts of leadership. I’m figuring out a way to club a coaching option in case some people need guidance.
- Google Ads — I know Facebook and Instagram ads are cheap right now, but I’m not into interruption marketing. It makes more sense for me to connect with an audience that’s actively looking for a solution. So, search advertising is something I want to focus on. It resonates with me and is tricky to master. Yes, many ad dollars will go into this, but there’s a reason why it’s number 6 in this list — it’s low priority right now but essential enough to be picked up a couple of months down the lane.
That’s it! I wish I had the time and energy to document each aspect of the eight-core marketing initiatives, but that’s for another post. I will continue to document my experiences as we tread along 2021.
Managing time and energy continues to be my number one challenge. I’m tweaking things here and there to maximise everything, but it isn’t perfect yet. The aim is to get to a place where I can do what I want without maxing myself out. And that looks like one heck of a journey I will have to take this year.
I’ll keep you posted on the developments.