Recently, I was a speaker at Women Unlimited’s Thrive!, one of the UK’s leading women-only business conferences in London.

It’s the only conference I make a point of attending each year. I’m always excited by the variety of speakers sharing their real stories, inspiration and expertise. There’s plenty of  laughter, tears, and the energy is electric (200 women together in a room has that affect).

So, when founder, Julie Hall, asked me to speak at the 5th Women Unlimited conference this year, I was thrilled and honoured. It had been a dream of mine for some time…

As I prepared for my moment on stage, I remembered back to my first time  - 4 years before, not long after I had set up my first business as a VA. I was shy, wide-eyed and my 10 hour work days were fuelled by ‘new in business’ excitement and enthusiasm.

I remember clearly – as I sat quietly at the back of the auditorium soaking up the whole experience and every golden nugget the speakers shared – a tiny voice inside my head whispered,

“I’d love to be on that stage one day.”

Then a louder, more dominant voice replied,

“IN YOUR DREAMS, girlfriend!”

I ignored that negative voice and four years later my dream came true!

What’s more, when I think about the future vision I had for myself  back then, I realise I have created the business and life that I dreamed of.

This is what it looks like:

Thank YOU, Internet

None of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for the internet. More specifically how we communicate using social media, websites and content marketing. Plus, the other tools that make planning, collaborating, hosting events and automating business systems super easy  - mostly at low cost or for free.

Now is an AMAZING time to be in business!

The internet allows us to connect with people all over the world and gives us the freedom to choose the life and business we want.

So  it’s no surprise then, that I think that the internet is the coolest and most powerful business tool of our times.

Your vision for your own business may be very different to mine. Whatever your dream business looks like, when you combine the internet with business smarts, honest marketing, savvy sales techniques and a healthy dose of creativity, you really can achieve anything. you. want. 

The problem is, it’s very easy to get the marketing piece wrong

The barriers to entry are very low – anyone can set up a social media account and start marketing their business TODAY. Or, they can set up a cheap-o website for a few hundred dollars and start selling their products.

And, while that immediate accessibility is amazing, it can lead to wasted hours on tasks you think will help but they don’t get the results in return for the time, energy and money you invest.

Or you avoid it completely because you have no idea what to do and worry about how much time it will all take.

This is a big mistake because people who embrace and leverage the internet and online marketing have the highest profits and are able to make money 24/7.

So how can you use the internet to reposition yourself and your business for more sales and more profits?

Focus on the Right Things

Seems obvious? Except too often business owners look at social media, their website, their blog and email list like they are separate from each other and the rest of their marketing in general.

Here’s what I mean – they:

• put all their efforts into a variety of social media networks expecting it to reap a consistent stream of customers OR…
• spend HOURS blogging thinking it will magically make a difference to their business and income OR…
• worry about emailing their subscribers too much because they don’t want to be a nuisance or they simply neglect their list because ‘it’s too small’ OR…
• spend no time updating their website to generate leads and business – using it only as a shop window when what it should be is the busiest sales person on their team

Instead of bringing them all together to create a MASSIVELY powerful marketing system.

When used correctly, together they bring in consistent sales, more enquiries, and recognition. This snowballs and builds on itself bringing more and more of the same.

Yet, if one piece isn’t working properly or is ignored, it impacts the rest of your marketing and the success you have finding clients and business consistently. That affects the growth of your business making it more stressful, harder work and leaves you feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and like your business is a constant struggle.

Whether you sell products, services, sell online, have a high street shop or home office.

I know – I’ve been there and I’ve worked with many other businesses who have been there too.

When I work with my clients 1:1, it’s these 4 areas above that we focus on first. Getting this right in the first place means better results quickly so that your business can keep growing and growing.

Let’s look at them in more detail…

Grab attention

Your website is your most precious marketing collateral. It’s your hub – you own it and you can do what you want with it. It’s also where you want to direct everyone you come into contact with – online or offline.

But there are 2 major problems website owners face everyday:

1. most people aren’t ready to buy the first time they visit your website. Statistics show that it takes an average of 7 touch points before someone is ready to part with their dosh
2. once a visitor has read your static web pages, there isn’t a reason for them to come back again. Unless, they happen to remember you when they are ready to buy. But you’re relying on them for that and running the big risk of losing that potential customer forever in the process

So your website has to grab attention and make an impact from the very first visit. But HOW?

First, really understanding your ideal customer, designing your website and writing your copy with them in mind is SO IMPORTANT. If you don’t get really clear on who they are and instead, market to everyone, you won’t make a personal connection with anyone. That means the majority of your visitors are less likely to buy, remember you or come back.

So in summary, your website needs to grab attention on the first visit; give people a reason to come back and visit often; take more control over the relationship so that you can build trust and familiarity with them over time.

Understanding your ideal customer is the first step. Here’s what else you need to do to make that happen to bring you more consistent sales and less struggle in your business…

Influence your customer buying decisions

Trust me when I say that creating your own content is one of the most powerful pieces of free marketing at your disposal.

Writing articles (or podcasts, videos – anything you create and add to the blog area of your website) that serve your customers – entertain, educate, inform and inspire – positions you as someone to trust. It builds a stronger connection because we ALL want to work with other people and brands we feel connected to. Fact.

Not only does a blog give people a reason to revisit your website (remember, this is where you want them to be), it attracts more people – new visitors – people searching on Google for something they need (that you can help them with).

How many times do YOU do this? Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of Googling, scouring online forums and review sites as I plan my visits to my second home in Ibiza and familiarise myself with the island. Finding vets and transportation services for my cat – Humphrey, finding the good supermarkets, Spanish lessons, community events, so many things to help me settle in…

The internet is influencing our buying decisions more and more as we hunt for the answers we need, and seek out recommendations and reviews to help us make those decisions.

When it comes to our own online marketing, a massive bonus of creating our own content is that each piece lasts forever on the web, and continues to bring people to our websites long after it’s been created.

Some of my oldest blog articles continue to bring thousands of targeted visits to my website every week, shares on social media, comments and recommendations without me having to do anything.

Getting blogging to work for your business is not always easy. It’s one of these areas that I work on most with my 1:1 clients and investing some time and money in learning how to blog professionally is definitely worthwhile to save you time, frustration and get better results for your business quickly.

To get you moving in the right direction, here are 2 of my favourite tips. Remember them, use them – they will make a big impact, I promise:

Planning ahead is a big part of maintaining a blog practice. Knowing the topics you will write before you get down to the creative act of producing the content will save you loads of time and brain space and stress.

Your overall goal of each blog post is to help your readers understand and imagine what working with you is like, or how your product helps, inspires, brings joy – how it makes them FEEL.

Always put your content through that filter by asking these questions:

• Is this information valuable to my ideal customer? How does it serve them?
• Have I demonstrated how I work with my clients? Directly or indirectly. (Often the subtle approach is the most powerful way of helping your prospects imagine working with you).

Now, you have your website looking hot and appealing to the right customers, you are blogging consistently but you’re still marketing passively. You’re relying on your visitors to come back without maintaining any control over the relationship.

This is where the third area comes in to play…

Attract your hottest prospects

Guess what? We’ve moved on a LONG way since the days of ‘newsletters’. Massively boring e-documents filled with the latest news about a company. Now it’s all about offering content that benefits. Rather than being business focused, they’re customer focused. And when someone takes action to subscribe for your updates, they take the very first rung on your conversion ladder.

These people are your hottest prospects and leads.

They are telling you in no uncertain terms – ‘I’m interested in what you have to offer. Email me!’

It also means as a business you are able to take more control over the relationship with those prospects by developing trust and familiarity where they are most likely to see you (and have expressly invited you to visit) – in their inbox.

And, just to be totally clear, I’m not suggesting you do that by spamming or bombarding them with crap they’re not interested in as that does not develop trust.

When putting your own list building strategy together, here’s one of the most valuable pieces of advice I can offer:

Consider the prospect journey they will experience when they sign up. Test it, go through it. How can you make it more personal and a fun, special experience for them? How can you make it really easy?

Test your own journey – how does it make you feel? Is that how you want your customers to feel? And, test other opt ins, too – research ideas and see how you can incorporate them into your own. TEST TEST TEST!

Release yourself from F.O.M.O

So, let’s just say these 3 areas are all working fine. Your website looks hot, you blog consistently on topics that your visitors love and they subscribe to your regular email updates where they are most likely to convert into loyal customers.

These guys are the hardest workers on your sales team – selling your products and services for you.

Except people aren’t hanging out on your website. They’re busy having fun hanging with their mates on Facebook or some other social media network.

It’s time to include the final missing piece – and that is your social media presence.

To hang out where your prospects are hanging out, the most likely first point of contact. This is where you attract your ideal customers – where you find them and where you introduce yourself to them.

If you really want to leverage social media for your business there are two things you must know:

If you are in business and using social media to market, you must send people back to your website from social media by posting links to your blog posts and encouraging people to opt in to your email list on a consistent and regular basis. All of this with an emphasis on serving and providing value.

I see too many small business owners worrying that they should be on 2, 3, 4 or 5 different networks. THIS IS A WASTE OF TIME. Instead, pick one primary social network. Work it, rock it out, get amazing results there and spend the time you save putting your energies in the other 3 areas of marketing; your website, blogging and list building.

You are not missing anything by setting yourself free from the other social media networks. Don’t sweat the F.O.M.O. (*fear of missing out)

Make buying from you easier

Focusing on these areas and approaching them as connected pieces brings more ease to your marketing. It gives you more clarity about your messages and how to communicate with your customers. It makes understanding what you do and buying from you easier for them, and that means more growth for you.

Once all pieces are mastered, I KNOW this approach works – it has for me, my clients and hundreds of other modern entrepreneurs I know.

Let’s Discuss!

Is there a part of marketing online that is tripping you up? Are you mastering 1 or 2 areas I mention above and leaving the other ones by the way-side? Leave your comments below and share what works for you and what doesn’t.

FREE ONLINE TRAINING
Your Marketing Makeover: the secrets to transforming your bottom line

Join me for a free training event where I’ll reveal the big mistake most business owners make that stand between them and business success.

So, if you THINK you’re doing the right things to attract new clients – using social media, paying for an expensive website re-design, blogging regularly and email marketing – but it’s not bringing in results you will definitely want to be there! Click here to join.