Marketing sucks.

Hey Reader,

Let's be real: marketing sucks. I mean, it can if you're balancing ten million other things, like pets, family, school, work, projects, business operations, you name it. Curious, have you ever dealt with any of these specific fears or challenges?

Not knowing how much you should be doing
Not knowing what kind of content you should be creating
Coming off as too "salesy"
Unsure if you should even be on social media at all (raise ya hand if you're a writer 'cause I KNOW some of y'all are feeling this one! 🖐🏼)

Trust me -- from your friendly neighborhood marketing pal Lauren -- you do not need to be everywhere all at once. In fact, you shouldn't. So how do you know what's worth prioritizing?

What should you actually be doing?

The best way to answer these questions is to get a better idea of who your target audience is, or who you think would most benefit from what you do/know. It's very boring, but insanely helpful.

If you want to learn more about how to do that, check out this webinar I streamed a while back. Try it out, because it might help the suggestions below a little "stickier."

Pick one thing. Just one.

Start with one manageable thing. Maybe it’s a biweekly blog post or a quick video tip you share on Instagram. Your goal here is consistency, not perfection.

By choosing one thing, you'll have more capacity to lean into that particular platform or medium and see what kind of results/interactions you're getting. If it works, great! Lean into that. If not, choose another and repeat.

Identify the gap you're filling.

This sounds bad, but strangers don't care about you. But strangers do like answers -- good ones -- and if you're able to help answer specific kinds of question, then it's easier to get and keep their attention.

(This is why identifying your audience really comes in handy, so seriously consider check out this webinar after reading this.)

Define your mission.

Fearful of coming across as "salesy"? You won't be if you identify your "why" (AKA: anchor, north star, your reason). Because at that point, it becomes less about you and more about the cause.

Consider this: "I simplify digital marketing for people through a relatable, sustainable approach because I know difficult it can be to self-promote." I'm trying to save people time, money, and headaches by doing what I do, and if their into that kind of thing, they'll really be in for a treat if they join my newsletter.

It's not selling, it's serving. The reason comes first, and then the person (you).

Lean on your community.

In a writing group? On the board of a local nonprofit? Volunteer your time at the soup kitchen?

Social media becomes less necessary if you've got a solid relationship with your physical community. Why? Because it's easier to support you if they already like, know, and trust you. Pairing social media with it is like serving milk with your cookies.

Here's a brief snippet from a friend of mine about virtual vs. in-person promotion.

I hope you found this helpful! Keep your eyes peeled for the next newsletter coming out soon. In the meantime, would you mind answering that question below? It'll help me with the next newsletter I send out. :)

Which one is your biggest marketing challenge now?

Feeling awkward on camera 🎥

Self-promoting without feeling weird 📣

Getting clients with my marketing 💰

Until next time!

Onward,