We hear that we should be everywhere.
We should be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Last year it was Periscoping and Blabbing, and now we should be on Facebook Live!
We stress over blogging every week – no let’s make that a vlog – what if we make it a podcast!
And we also need to write a book. And we need to be speaking and attending all these conferences and events all around the world because networking is essential.
Then we need to be hosting webinars, having free clarity sessions, asking for referrals, doing all the things to build our business.
It’s overwhelming isn’t it?
One of the biggest challenges we face as entrepreneurs is simply understanding what strategies are the right ones to grow our unique businesses.
Without this clarity and focus in your marketing, it’s nearly impossible to gain real momentum in your business & adding more tips and tricks and tactics simply dilutes all the effort you put into a marketing strategy.
That’s right – adding MORE will often cannibalize the results of everything else you are working on.
It’s time to uncomplicate the decision-making process so that you can sharpen your focus and choose the most aligned marketing strategies for you and your business.
So how do you decide what marketing strategies are a perfect fit – and which ones you should pass on? I’ve got three steps to help you align your marketing strategy with your Business Sweet Spot:
Step 1: Know Your Strengths
It sounds easy enough, but the truth is most of us overlook our own strengths. Why do we do this? Because when something comes easily to you, it’s easy to assume that it comes easily to everyone else!
The truth: Our strengths are our competitive advantage!
Your strengths are how you can differentiate yourself from everyone else doing similar work. When you tap into your strengths, you get laser focused on what you do best. You stand out – something you can’t do when you’re spreading your energy across too many marketing tactics.
How can you get clear about your strengths?
Ask! Yes, I know this can feel a little scary and vulnerable! But there are a lot of people in your world who can give you incredible insight into the value that you bring to your work.
This is one of the first assignments I give to all my clients because I know that when they reach out to their clients or colleagues, they are going to see a 180 degree assessment of how they provide the most value to those around them.
This can literally be as simple as sending out a quick email asking people questions like:
- What do I bring to the table?
- What is my biggest asset?
- What makes working with me unique or different?
Assessments. Specifically, a strengths-based assessment (not a personality test) that helps you to identify your natural strengths and learn how you can harness them as your competitive advantage.
Over the last 10+ years of working behind the scenes consulting solopreneurs and small business owners, I started to see that what worked for one type of client didn’t always work for others.
As I started digging deeper, I realized patterns within my client base, there were four distinct themes based on their strengths and unique businesses.
That’s why I’ve created the Sweet Spot Quiz. You can take it 100% free at rachealcook.com/quiz. This assessment was specifically designed for entrepreneurs to help you get laser-focused on what you do BEST and how you provide the highest level of value.
When you take the assessment, you’ll discover your Business Sweet Spot Theme and get a detailed guide with clear action steps so you can leverage your strengths in your business and marketing strategy.
What is your Business Sweet Spot Theme?
Are you a Maker? If you’re a maker, you get it done. You implement. You follow through. You like to see something from start to finish. I tend to see a lot of makers in behind the scenes type businesses – like project managers, event planners, makeup artists, or photographers. When you focus on making your CLIENTS look amazing, you will thrive.
Are you a Maven? If you’re a maven, you can command a room. You’re magnetic. You have presence. You’re a catalyst meant to spark big ideas. Most mavens are natural leaders who enjoy being in the spotlight. I’ve seen Mavens across nearly every industry build an expert platform through speaking, writing books, anything that gets their message out to the masses.
Are you a Mentor? If you’re a Mentor, you are everyone’s BFF. You’re warm and nurturing. You’re lovingly encouraging. You are here to help people make a deep and lasting transformation. Many Mentors are naturally drawn toward healing and helping professions – yoga teachers, life coaches, health coaches, doulas, massage therapists, holistic health practitioners. When Mentors focus on a deeper connection with their clients, they can facilitate amazing results.
Are you a Mastermind? If you’re a Mastermind, you are a strategist. You love sitting in a pile of new information. You can put all the puzzle pieces together. You’re meant to teach the world how to make sense of it all (did you guess that this is my theme?). You can bring order to chaos, then hand over the checklist so others can do it too. Masterminds are everywhere, developing new processes and systems to uncomplicate our lives and solve our problems.
ASK YOURSELF: What is your sweet spot theme? Take the quiz! Once you know your sweet spot theme, you can use that as a filter for what marketing strategies do and don’t make sense for your unique business.
Step 2: Invest in Your Strengths
Knowing your strengths isn’t enough – it’s essential to understand how you can develop and use them to help your business stand out.
We live in a society that often tells us we need to not focus on our strengths but work on our weaknesses? but this is the opposite of how the most successful entrepreneurs in the world became successful.
They know that when you attempt to improve your areas of weakness, you’ll only incrementally improve your results. When you focus on improving your areas of strengths, when you build your skills in those specific areas, you’ll see exponential results and improvement.
In terms of your investment of time and energy…
Entrepreneurs see a greater Return on Investment when you focus on your strengths.
How Can You Invest In Your Strengths?
Invest In Your Maker Strengths: Delivering a stellar customer experience, showcasing your work and asking for referrals {in fact if you’re work is AMAZING, those referrals will come without asking because you made your client look incredible}.
Your marketing language is creativity – it’s all about showcasing your work and creative process.
A great example of a smart MAKER strategy is my friend Sydney Lester. She’s a stylist who works with women to create a wardrobe they love and I absolutely adore her instagram feed ChicStripes. She showcases her client makeovers, behind the scenes of her work, and professional style tips.
By leading with her creativity, she helps her dream clients see the results of working with her and aspire to work with her in the future!
Invest In Your Maven Strengths: Invest your marketing energy into getting on bigger platforms to build your own via interviews, speaking on stage, and contributing to major sites, then nurture those peeps consistently via video or audio.
Your peeps want to see and hear you! Your marketing language is INSPIRATION – it’s all about leading a movement with your message.
I love my friend Ashley Beaudin and her Imperfect Boss campaign. She’s a perfect example of a movement maker who rallies women entrepreneurs behind a big idea – in her case, embracing imperfection in a world of instagram perfection – by showcasing not only her inspirational stories, but creating a platform that encourages others to share their stories as well.
Seriously – this girl is like Oprah for Imperfect Bosses! When you follow her, you just WANT to be involved with her movement.
Invest In Your Mentor Strengths: It’s all about connections and relationships for Mentors. Focus on high-touch, community-focused strategies. You’ll thrive connecting and collaborating with like-hearted entrepreneurs. Those relationships will help put you in front of more of the right people! Your marketing language is all about CONNECTION.
A great example of a Mentor is my friend and client Shannon Siriano Greenwood. She is a super connector – this woman is a networking QUEEN! She knows pretty much every woman entrepreneur here in my hometown of Richmond VA, she’s the co-founder of the local Boss Babes RVA group, and is co-hosting an amazing conference Rebelle Con this year.
One of my favorite things that she does is her annual THANK YOU party each November around Thanksgiving, where she brings together over 50 women to simply express gratitude for being in her life and business. CONNECTION is her secret sauce and keeps the referrals coming in her business
Invest In Your Mastermind Strengths: Always be teaching. Your peeps look to you as a subject matter expert – they trust you to do all the research, then share the bite size insights and inspired action steps.
Of all the themes, you’ll do best when you’re consistently publishing content across multiple platforms (blogging, video, podcast) to facilitate multi-modal learning. Your marketing language is TEACHING!
This is my sweet spot theme! If you follow my work, you know that each week I show up LIVE to teach on the Uncompliate Your Business Show, which is then republished on my blog for the readers and on my podcast for the audial learners.
I offer several free in-depth masterclasses and 5 or 10 day challenges. EVERYTHING is built around teaching.
ASK YOURSELF: Now that you know your marketing language – what marketing strategies should you focus on?
Step 3: Double Down on Your Business Sweet Spot
The real secret to long-term success is not just understanding and building on your strengths. It’s doubling down on what is working for you and staying consistent.
Too often I see entrepreneurs who can’t stop watching what everyone else is doing, and as a result they get trapped by comparisonitis. We start thinking we should try something new because so-and-so is raving about how great this new thing is!
Once you understand your Business Sweet Spot you now have a filter. You can decide if these new strategies fit under your core strength and skill sets. If they don’t, then just say no!
The most successful entrepreneurs often keep their marketing simple and strategic because they know that doubling down on what works and staying consistent is the secret sauce to long term success.
Denise Duffield-Thomas of LuckyBitch.com is a fantastic example of a Mastermind who has embraced a KISS (Keep it Simple & Strategic) marketing philosophy.
Each week, like clockwork, she releases a new video answering a major question around money blocks for her audience. The video is also distributed via an audio only podcast, transcribed into a blog post, and emailed via a newsletter.
It’s important to note that while Denise now has a 7-figure business, it took her a few years to embrace her Business Sweet Spot and streamline her marketing efforts.
This is especially essential to embrace if you are learning a new strategy for your business. Why? Because as you learn a new sweet-spot aligned strategy, you’re facing a learning curve.
Just remember – there is a LOT more upside for you (aka higher ROI) when you dive into learning how a strategy really works then refining it over time.
When Denise started doubling down on her sweet spot, she didn’t have a system in place to produce the level of content she currently produces.
She has dedicated years to improving her own process by creating a system and hiring a team. These days, Denise batches months of content at a time so she can stay focused on her clients and family.
When you really happen to us and you understand how you can leverage your strengths, you’re able to do less with more focus.
You’re able to focus on only the strategies that you know are going to yield the best results for you and your business.
The best part? You’ll stop feeling like you’re spinning your wheels or starting over every other month with new marketing tips tricks and tactics, you will have a clearer system in place that delivers consistent results for your business.
A quick recap for you:
1: Know your strenghts!
2: What do you need to say NO to? This is a time of year when a lot of us are saying YES to way too much – leaving no room for what matters most to you. It’s OK to say NO!
3: Block out TIME for those big goals! You can’t just hope you’ll have time left over to work towards what you really want in your life and business – you’ve gotta make some time. Get out your calendar and block it out!
So I hope that this helps you think about how you’re gonna make the most of the LAST 90 Days of 2017! And get ready – we’ll be announcing a free 5 day challenge to Plan Your Best Year soon to help you ramp up for 2018!
Thanks again for being here. I can’t wait to connect with you again the next of the Uncomplicate Your Business Show. Talk soon!