The Only Bad Marketing Strategy

DiegoPH; Unsplash

Did you know that there are 33.2 million small businesses in America in 2024? That's ... hang on while I do math ... about 1% of the total population! So, not that many people when you put it in perspective - but still a massive uptick from pre-pandemic levels.

Which tracks with what Semrush tells me about keywords like "how to market a small business" "affiliate marketing" and "how to do affiliate marketing" and really any offshoot of "how to market": they are extremely hard to rank for right now.

This reflects that more people need marketing services to stay afloat, and more people are interested in being the people who provide those marketing services to small(and large) business owners.

People want to have more autonomy over their own lives and work schedules, whether as business owners, service providers who freelance, or both.

And I want to address why so many people are zeroing in on marketing in a world that's becoming noisier and noisier and noisier on every front.

More businesses, more people claiming they can actually get business for your business, and more people competing for spots on Google with the rise of online business models like dropshipping and affiliate marketing.

Wouldn't it be easier to throw in the towel on a comprehensive marketing strategy?

Why I Don't Have a Comprehensive Marketing Strategy

Yes, it would. In fact, I want to be transparent with you: I have thrown in the towel on many of my marketing efforts. I find that there are two types of freelancers/business owners/entrepreneurs in online spaces, specifically:

1)those who devote most of the energy they have to their clients and perfecting their writing/web dev services/marketing/PR/whatever you do for their clients

2)those who make a living selling their "expertise" to their colleagues and advertise the Bali nomad four-hour workweek lifestyle

Shockingly, I'm in the first category and find myself with very little time to improve my website, update my services page, or create a content strategy for these newsletters.

I use conjunctions at the beginning of my sentences in my writing, even though I have clients whom I specifically focus on not using conjunctions for because that's their preference.

And that's all okay. Even with the money to hire people to take care of these things - maybe not the conjunctions, but the rest - I know I want to wait until I can sit down and strategize about my business long-term.

Even though I could pay someone to write these newsletters weekly, I'd rather do it myself, on the fly, and save the money for something else.

Here's what I've learned from not putting a lot of time and energy that I don't have into my marketing strategy.

A Half-Ass Marketing Strategy Is Better Than No Marketing Strategy

This has just been true for me. It may not be true for you, and it certainly isn't gospel. Here's the thing: clients who pay me aren't paying me to throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks. They're paying me to be a good writer, to get better, to take note of their tone and style and preferences.

I, however, am winging this all on my own. I've found that showing up here on LinkedIn every day, even if my writing isn't top-notch or my ideas don't land, still works to connect me with other freelancers and potential clients. It gives me a sense of authority in my field.

To be clear, some posts land much better than others. This popular post about having my first 5K month netted me two clients.

I think it's fair to say that showing off success on LinkedIn tends to attract work, and maybe I should do that more. But frankly, my favorite part of showing up on social media platforms is simply building community.

Showing off results sometimes feels awkward(but I'll probably do it this week now that I've gently reminded myself it's effective).

I have almost 1500 followers and a few clients from LinkedIn with a marketing strategy that consists of one newsletter a week I do not plan in advance, loose ideas about what I'll write about each month, and of course some strategically placed internal links and CTAs. That's it.

I am not the guru solving your problems. In fact, I rarely have the energy to create a LinkedIn or Instagram post that addresses a problem my audience has. However, I've learned that you don't have to solve a problem to stay in business. I hear that a lot in online spaces - "What problem are you solving?"

I would rephrase that.

"What value are you adding?"

While my marketing strategy is admittedly half-assed, people mention to me not infrequently that they loved a post or newsletter I shared. That, in and of itself, feels like a win.

Beyond the fact that you don't have to be the best marketer in the world to snag clients, I would ask yourself this:

What would your reputability, authority, and connections look like if you didn't engage in some type of marketing?

No Marketing is the Worst Kind of Marketing

This is how I present services to my clients. When I first started out in this field, I asked my now-fiance, then-boyfriend how I could be sure of succeeding when I wasn't necessarily solving a problem.

"A lot of my clients are already successful," I said. "How can I convince them that updating a website that looks like it hasn't been touched since 2003 will bring in more business?"

He's a capital equipment salesman, so part of my concern was that his customers need his products. When they buy a new machine, it isn't because they want to spend thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars; it's because they need to replace an old model that's no longer working for them.

Note: this may be a gross oversimplification of the nuances of selling capital equipment in the textile industry, but it's good enough for our purposes.

"You may not always be solving an immediate need for your customers," he said, "but what you're offering - writing, the chance to rank higher on Google, better marketing for their companies - increases their chance of bringing in business. The proposition is that they'd be worse off without it."

So, to bring this article full circle, I think that everyone is dying to know how to market their business because they intuit that if they don't engage in marketing efforts, they don't stand a chance.

If you, as a small business owner, feel like:

• it's an uphill battle to stand out

• several businesses are trying to meet the same need you are

• it was easier to rank on Google in 2015

• it was easier to get business(especially in online spaces) pre-pandemic

• Customer expectations are higher than ever

You aren't alone. Or crazy. These things aren't untrue. There are simply more small businesses. There are more freelancers and more people who want to make work, well, work for them and their lifestyle.

Customers desire authenticity and hyper-personalized marketing after a global pandemic that left us able to connect to one another mainly through squares on a screen, which is why you're probably getting articles about personalized packaging or hyper-personalized cold pitching or personalized whatever.

Pile economic fluctuations in the past few years on top of that - which several businesses have felt - and you've got quite a doozy of factors that might seem to work against you.

Here's the Takeaway: You've Got to Try

1) We may be facing unique challenges today, but we also have more tools to help us achieve our dreams. Social platforms, online job boards, and accessible tools available via your state's secretary of state office make it easier for aspiring entrepreneurs to learn.

2) You stand (almost) no chance of success if you don't invest in SEO, marketing, and at least a decent-looking website.

If you're going to start a business and fail, it's important to know you tried. And to succeed, it doesn't take thousands of followers or a huge customer base. It takes a loyal following that believes in you.

People who take the time to let you know what their win for the week was, give you a good review, reply to your cold email, or send a referral your way.

It's a numbers game, really. So if you're throwing spaghetti at the wall, like me, just remember: some of it will stick.

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