We are well into the 2nd quarter of the year, and if you feel like you’re spinning your wheels and have lost focus of the goals you’ve set at the beginning of the year, don’t stress!
Every entrepreneur goes through cycles of being super pumped and focused and then dips into overwhelm and lost momentum, especially if growth isn’t happening.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or like your business isn’t moving the way you want it to, there are a few simple things you can do to get back on track:
1. TIDY UP YOUR DATA
If you’re unsure how to clean up your data, here are a few places to start:
Clean up your email lists. Go through and remove all your unsubscribers, and make sure that you’ve added all of the new contacts that have given you permission to email them.
Divide your contacts into the proper segments with specific tags for future email campaigns.
Clean up your digital files and toss what you no longer need. This includes your downloads, unsorted documents on your desktop, and don’t forget to empty your recycle bin.
Make sure that all of your data is neatly organized into files and folders. Be sure to keep your data protected by investing in storage space to suit your needs. There are plenty of free options available as well.
“Where there is data smoke, there is business fire.” — Thomas Redman
If you don’t have a file system yet, now is the time to create one. Don’t worry if it seems like a daunting task. Just start with a little each day.
If you don’t have somewhere to store your contacts, you better get one. A (CRM) Customer Relationship Manager System is where you can keep all of your contacts’ information and even track your interactions with them.
There are a ton of them ranging in prices and complexity. I’ve found Hubspot to be useful for me and have used Salesforce in my previous corporate life. I encourage you to explore and find one that fits your budget, needs, and capability.
Even if you’re just starting out, you want to have a place to store your information for your business and your customers because as your business grows, you will have less time to go back and file it. You do not want to be slammed with business and have a bucket full of business cards as your system. (This was literally me. A real bucket with business cards.)
Data is life - you need to keep it, file it and secure it. This will make your life as an entrepreneur so much easier. Trust.
2. BEEF UP YOUR SOCIAL
One fantastic way to improve your marketing strategy and make the most of your digital presence is to build a better social media presence. Make social media work for your business and not just be a time suck. Here’s how:
Make sure that your Instagram bio is clear, concise, and captivating and drives your followers to your website. Use the space available to describe exactly what you do and offer and tell people what you want them to do - visit your website.
Because external links do not work in posts on Instagram, you always want to include a call to action (CTA) in every post driving your audience to the link in your bio. Something as simple as “LINK IN BIO” works wonders!
Make sure your Facebook is completely up-to-date and complete in all sections. It may be time to add some new profile and cover photos to your social media accounts and give them a fresh look.
Separation of Church and State
If you’re using your personal profile page for business, then do a quick audit and clean up any content that doesn’t represent your business. You may want to remove old photos or posts that aren’t in alignment with the business image you want to portray.
I personally recommend keeping your personal profile separate and creating a business page and inviting all of your peeps to follow you there, but depending on your business, do what works best for you.
If you have a dedicated business page (highly recommended), take some time to complete each section. You want your business page to be as robust as possible especially if you don’t have a website. This is a great place to start if you’re just beginning your business and aren’t quite ready to invest in a website.
You’ll have a place to send people to get more information on your products and services, and you can start creating a community. This is also a wonderful place to advertise your offerings and start getting reviews and recommendations.
Become a Groupie - Why Entrepreneurs are Flocking to Facebook Groups
In addition to creating a superb business page, you’ll want to join groups related to your industry and where your ideal clients and customers spend their time. The Facebook Groups feature is probably the best resource I’ve found on social media to increase my business reach. In fact, it’s really the only reason I use Facebook.
When joining and interacting in Facebook groups, don’t be selfish and salesy. You want to contribute to the conversations in an authentic way and provide a ton of value. This will naturally create curiosity around your business and improve the likelihood that people will want to work with you.
And it goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway - stay away from negative conversations and comments. Keep it cool and classy. You are representing your business and want others to experience you in a positive way. Be helpful, courteous, and have fun connecting!
3. GIVE YOUR WEBSITE A FACELIFT
One of the most effective ways to improve your business is to revamp your existing website.
Review your images for quality. Are they fuzzy, grainy, or poor quality? It’s okay if you’ve got a selfie or two from your phone until you can afford professional photos, but be honest with yourself and make sure it’s the best photo you’ve got.
If you’re using stock images in place of your own, make sure they are royalty-free or legally yours. There are a ton of royalty-free image resources out there. I personally love Unsplash.com because they support independent photographers, and the images are unique. They’re not the same stock photos you see everywhere.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...What Are Your Photos Saying?
If you’re a product-based business, always try to use your own photos. Even if you can’t afford professional product photos just yet, take a little time and practice your photography skills. There are literally hundreds of videos on YouTube on how to shoot product photos yourself.
When time and budget allow, invest in yourself and your business. Hire a local photographer to get some professional headshots and/or product photos. You could even ask around and see if a newbie photographer is looking to add to their portfolio and you could make a trade. Being resourceful is a crucial trait of entrepreneurship.
Why Words Matter for Your Business...
Make sure all of your copy is well-written and optimized for search engines. This is one of the most overlooked elements of a website. Businesses often spend hours on the design of their website only to give half a thought to the actual words.
Creating a beautiful website is only half the battle; you also want it to be user-friendly and most importantly, easy to find. Without well-written, SEO-driven copy, your gorgeous website will be invisible.
Copy is like a GPS for your website. It tells search engines how to find your business. Having great images and cool features on your website without quality copy is like giving someone a picture of your house and telling them to find it without an address.
Make sure you have plenty of content to engage your audience and boost your ranking on search engines. Sprinkle keywords and search phrases throughout your website and make sure to edit for grammar, spelling, and clarity to secure the credibility and authority of your site.
And please, verify that all of your links function correctly.
Focusing on copy alone can do wonders for your website’s visibility so DO NOT skip this step!
If you need help in this area, let’s talk! Servin Creative's copywriting services can assist you. I’m happy to review your website and optimize it for the best positioning on search engines.
4. REVIEW YOUR MARKETING PLAN
One of the most forgotten or neglected areas in business is the marketing plan. Often a company will create one and then never look at it again. You should review your marketing strategy at least once a quarter, if not monthly.
Evaluate your marketing tactics and see what works and what is no longer serving you. Plan your content for the next quarter, look at the advertising spend, make sure your branding is cohesive and your copy is effective.
Don't have a marketing plan? This is a must! Take some time and create a marketing strategy - even if it’s just a basic marketing plan. Be sure to include a content calendar and follow it.
Your marketing plan should include, at the very least:
Budget
Content Calendar (blogs, social media, video, podcast, etc)
If you’ve never created a content calendar before, check out my FREE “Super Simple Content Plan” Template
Advertising Plan (digital/print)
Events/Promos/Sales
Branding - copy & messaging, logo/brand graphics, images & digital assets
5. GET CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
One of the best ways to increase your business and grow your community is to request reviews and recommendations.
Reach out to all your clients and customers from this year and ask them to do you a kindness and provide a recommendation, testimonial, or a Google review, or all of the above. Be sure to make it easy for your customer by including a link to your Google Review page.
If you haven’t claimed your Google business listing yet, stop what you’re doing right now, and do it! It’s simple, free, and extremely valuable for your business. Claim your Google listing now.
And don’t forget to respond to each review - this is also great for SEO and shows your commitment to excellence in customer care.
People Buy from People they Like and Trust
Ask for Facebook recommendations. This is key, especially for businesses that don’t have a website just yet. Tons of people are utilizing the recommendations feature when looking to support a local business and find what they’re looking for. People buy from people they know and trust, so start building your credibility on your social platforms.
Request testimonials to add to your website. Don’t be afraid to ask your customers if they’d provide you with a testimonial - be sure to ask their permission to use it on your website.
A great way to entice people to give kudos to your business is to offer some type of incentive. It can be a coupon, BOGO deal, promo code, or a small freebie. Love your people and they will love you back.
Word of mouth marketing is still one of these most effective marketing strategies. It can make or break any business so make it work for you.
Regain Momentum in Your Business Today
By following these simple tips to get your business back on track, you are making some serious power moves.
It can be easy to get overwhelmed as an entrepreneur and lose sight of what to focus on when you’re building and growing a business. Sometimes it helps to hit “reset.”
I hope these tips help you feel more empowered in your business journey and help you regain some traction in making your business successful.
If you’ve found any of my content helpful or have attended any of my seminars, do me a solid and give me a shout out on Google and Facebook.
If you’d like to dive a little deeper into more tips and ways to grow your business, let’s have a chat to discuss your goals and how content marketing can be a powerful tool for you!