Have you ever noticed how sometimes the best things get a bad rap for being boring, like:
🥱 Listening to NPR
🥱 Meditating
🥱 Going to bed at 9 pm
🥱 Waking up at 5 am
🥱 Weeding gardens
🥱 Driving the speed limit
🥱 Flossing
Why is that?
I think it's because none of these things seem insta-exciting on the surface (although saying "Lakshmi Singh" is really fun and if you know who that is, well, we're bound to be friends).
But's not the surface that counts. It's how we animate the "thing" we're doing and the reward for doing it.
Case in point:
If you have me over to your house for dinner, about 70% of my dinner talk will be powered by things I've heard on NPR. And if we find ourselves playing, "Name all the NPR hosts" you want me on your team because we will definitely win (unless we play against an actual NPR host).
Case in point:
Going to bed at 9 pm doesn't mean going to sleep...it means having a wind-down routine that allows me to say goodbye to my day and prepare for the next. Waking up at 5 without an alarm means I have the whole house to myself when it's quiet so I can feel the energy of the world waking up and create the perfect space for meditation, which actually grows more white matter in that brain of mine.
Case in point:
My garden is really beautiful.
Case in point:
Full disclosure: The speed limit thing is still a work in progress. 😁😁😁
Case in point:
Teeth!
Everything on that "boring" list has a huge payoff in my life. The payoff is what eases the discomfort of change as I work to add any new habit to my life.
Marketing planning is one of those things that seems to fall into that "boring" category for a lot of new entrepreneurs. It's the "plan" part that gives it such a bad rap.
But seriously, without a plan, you're setting up yourself for a whole lot of marketing heartburn. 💔
I mean, if I'm driving to a different neighborhood in the same city I've lived in for 23 years, I'm using my GPS. I never think, "Oh, I'll figure out how to get to the alternation lady's house on my own using my own sense of direction."
No. Instead, I just ask Siri to go to the address and boom: map. Boom: directions. Boom: ETA. Boom: no stress!
Think of a marketing plan like a marketing GPS. Boom: marketing map. Boom: direction. Boom: ETA (and CTA!). Boom: no stress!
Yes, not insta-exciting, but exactly what you need to establish a condition of increasing returns over the life of your biz.
💥💥And that's the big boom.💥💥
And if you're wondering where to start with your plan, start by following the "Order of Marketing Operations":
Set your intention by defining your:
- Brand value and how you compete
- Most valuable customers
- Winning offer + opt-in
- Premium pricing
- Distinct brand personality & identity
Then, get consistent and:
- Nail your content strategy
- Define a memorable customer experience
- Get a great website built for conversions
And now you're ready to engage + promote:
- Work your network
- Blog/content
- Social media
- Email marketing + outreach
- Video + podcasts
- Launches
- Paid Advertising
I promise you this: if you have even a thread of a plan...a mere whisper of a plan...a vapor of a plan...it will make your marketing easier. Go ahead and try it.
I double-dog dare you.
And I'm also rooting for you!
xo, Heather
P.S.
Lakshmi Singh is the legendary host and reporter for NPR. I love her. And saying her name.
