Pract•ad•goal is a word host Heather Holloway created. It is the sum total of the words ‘practical advancement goal.’ Her intention with this podcast is to teach women entrepreneurs how to advance their careers with practical social media marketing advice.
The most important asset of your business is your audience. It’s more important than your service or program. Seriously.
It’s not your inventory; it’s not your knowledge; it’s not your product.
You should be aggressively investing in acquiring and nurturing an audience. With an emphasis on the nurturing part.
Your audience is the only asset in your business that proves to appreciate year over year. And that happens because of the relationship you have with your people.
There are 3 reasons why most business owners fail at managing this asset:
- They take it for granted
- They refuse to invest in it
- They abuse it when they only send out communications asking for money
Gut check… is this you?
You must have a system to attract good clients and maintain solid relationships.
So, what’s an entrepreneur to do? Here’s what we do with our clients:
Stand Out
We make them stand out! Our clients have a different life experience that offers something profound to their audience.
Here are the 4 ways you can showcase your genius:
1. Value
Reflect deeply and determine your statement of value. This isn’t a job title or something you put on a resume. A statement of value is a powerful way to describe what it’s like to work with you.
There is an excellent exercise on our blog where I walk you through writing a memorable Statement of Value. Visit hollowaymediaservices.com/statement-of-value or click the link in the show notes.
After you write yours, use it on all of your marketing materials. Show everyone what makes you valuable.
Tip #2. Professional Photo
Up your photo game with a professional photo. Professional photos make more of a difference than you think. If you want others to see the worth in you, you’re first going to find it in yourself. So hire a professional photographer, and have your picture taken on a day when you feel confident and vibing with life. The right photographer will be able to capture that confidence in a single image. We use Shannon Confair as our photographer.
On the day of your shoot, make sure you wear something that makes you feel happy, confident, and 100% yourself. You can elevate your look with help from our friends Kristen & Kristin at Threads of Hershey.
Both Threads and Shannon will take super good care of you.
Tip #3. Professionally Designed Graphics and Photos
DIY looks DIY y’all.
So if you’re going to spend time on a professional photo, why not level up your graphics, too. If spending one more moment on Canva makes you want to lose it, grab a Snickers and hire a professional to take care of your cover photos, quote graphics, audiograms, blog headers, email images, and video memes.
This is the only way to separate yourself from Canva’s more than 60 million monthly active users.
Tip #4. Showcase Your Expertise
Be picky about what you create and post. Only add the most expert content you can in your voice and your style. Follow a theme and stick with it to create beautiful, cohesive platforms that inspire.
Follow Up
Following these 4 steps will build an audience that is attracted to what you have to say and will be eager to learn more.
And thus, your next job begins! The follow-up!
Managing the relationship with your audience relies on a few factors:
Frequency of communication – your list loses value every month it’s neglected. When was the last time you sent an email? Communicate to your list frequently by being interesting, informative, entertaining, personal, and commercial.
Another factor is consistency. In social media, you hear that word often because it carries a lot of weight. Our brains are so busy, and we’re bombarded with 1000s of messages a day. It’s too much to ask that your audience remember you from one post. Make your communication with your audience ritualized and sustainable.
The last factor is quality, creativity, and personality. Don’t take yourself too seriously that you bore your audience. Boring is a marketing sin, and vow to take a stand against it! How can you educate, inspire and entertain with your stories and messages?
The Takeaway
Wooo! We covered a lot in this blog!
To recap, your audience is your most important asset! Attract an audience by:
- Write a statement of value
- Using professional photos
- Leveling up your graphics
- And showcasing your expertise with high-quality content
Then follow up with your audience frequently, consistently, and creatively! That makes for a one-two knockout marketing punch.
Happy posting!
We’re Here to Help!
Social media marketing still carries the same rules as all other marketing – results rule. Period.
If you don’t know what numbers to track to see if your marketing is working, download our 15 Marketing KPIs To Start Tracking Today.
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