Melanie
The Monday Morning Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Esther of IPA Group, bringing premier online promotion to your business.
Esther
And Melanie of STOMP Social Media Training, who empowers business owners to manage social media and marketing for themselves. And welcome back to another episode of It's a Monday Morning Marketing Podcast. Today we're talking about planning your business and content for the year ahead. That's quite a big, scary topic.
Melanie
It's about time we got our duck in a row, don't you think?
Esther
Yes. Well, I mean, at the time of this recording, it is the perfect timing. And if you're listening to it as it first goes out, there's no excuse. It's the start of the year.
Melanie
But even if you're listening to this later in the year, we have to keep going back and reviewing and updating and seeing what's worked and what hasn't worked and what new platforms or new tools have come out. So you need to do this year round anyway.
Esther
You do. You do. And at least take a look at it monthly.
Melanie
Yeah.
Esther
And make sure you're still on track and still going in the right direction. And whether something has changed in your business or something has changed in your personal life that affects your business or something has happened around the world that might affect your content. There's so many things to factor in. You can't just sit down and make a plan for 12 full months and then go, okay, I'm done, and sit back and rest on your laurels. You do have to go back to it every so often. So what's the first thing that we need to look at when we think about planning for the year ahead?
Melanie
Well, I think, personally, you need to look at your If you haven't got a direction for where you're taking your business, if you've got no particular area that you want to achieve, any specific lessons that you want to learn for yourself, or maybe you want new deliverables for your clients, unless you actually put that in a diary somewhere and plan for it, it's not going to happen.
Esther
Yeah. Well, I wouldn't just put it in a diary somewhere. I would put it somewhere visible. Somewhere that you can see, maybe you have a whiteboard or a corkboard in your office, whether you have a screen saver, that would be a good place to put it. So that every time you open-.
Melanie
We know a lot of people use Post-it notes as well, don't we?
Esther
Yeah, but every time, put it somewhere visible so that you can see it daily, weekly. Every time you open a certain app, it reminds you, or every time you walk into a room, it's right there. Just because having your goals front and centre will help you reach those goals. Because if you just say them somewhere and don't write them down or you don't go back and look at them, then they're never going to come to fruition.
Melanie
Now, when it comes to creating goals, I do like to try and punch above my own weight where possible, but they do need to be achievable to a standard. So we've all got, I hope, our mission statements and our vision statements. And the hope is that these goals will help you actually make real your vision statements. I would personally go for maybe a slightly pie in the sky goal for the end of the year, but then the more smart, achievable goal could be something that you can do quarterly and you could build upon that achievable goal.
Esther
Yeah. And they should be things that you can break down into bite-sized chunks because if you just say, make a million pounds without actually saying how you're going to do it, then you'll get overwhelmed. You'll give up on the goal, even though it's probably totally achievable in your line of work. And you just won't want to think about goals in the future ever again.
Melanie
Yeah. So outside of goals, what things do we need to also put forward for our business and content planning?
Esther
Well, personally, I would say that included in your goals and what you're planning, obviously, you need to plan your strategy and to plan your strategy to be able to reach, we're going to say, keep with this goal of a million. You're going to need to know who your audience is, who you're talking to, what they like, what they want to buy, how they like to be talked to, how they like to be marketed to, where they like to hang out in terms of marketing. And you just have to double down on that. And and run with any changes like we mentioned in a previous episode. If they have jump ship from one platform to another, go with them. There is nothing stopping you from moving to another platform.
Melanie
I think also having a review of your customer journey might be a good thing as well, because your customer journey, if you have a look at your analytics, that helps you understand where they're really coming from. Are they coming directly from social media, or is it from you meeting people and taking hands, or is it maybe you did a press release, or is it a combination of all three? So I think looking at your customer journey and emphasising what's working and making it easier and faster. And remember, part of your customer journey is also bringing them through your sales funnel, potentially through something that Esther specialises in, email.
Esther
Yeah, and also it could be something that we also specialise in here at IPA Group, your website. I'm making sure that there are less click points, because the less times people need to click on something, the more likely they are to purchase. So make it super simple for them and make it a pleasurable experience to go through your website, to receive emails from you, to read your social media, to read your press releases, to meet you in person. All of these are super important, but keep it short, sweet, simple. Don't use jargon. Don't use words that people aren't going to be able to recognise straight off and make it so that they can easily connect with you. So if you're in person at an event and you have a business card, does it have a QR code on it or do they have to physically I know it sounds really banal saying this, but do they have to physically go and put in an email address? Or would it be simpler that they just click a photograph and open their photo, Click the link and they're straight into your website. People like to do things as simply as possible. Think about all those things as well going into the new year. But definitely look at your analytics at least once a month, if not more often, while you're getting this all figured out, because you might think they come from one place, but they might come from a totally different source.
Melanie
As you're looking at your analytics, it might be worth bringing together a seasonality planner as well. Now, for some of us, that might be a little harder because we haven't got that many years in business, or maybe we have no record of experience with our clients. But you know what? We can imagine when our business is going to be busy. We can we can speculate, even if we can't actually use, we can't matriculate. Because we can speculate, matriculate, I like If you can do that, if you can speculate or look back at why you were busy at certain times of year, that can also help you understand which platforms, how best to approach people, when to start approaching people, building awareness, consideration and conversion. At this time of year, the hope is that, any time of year, but this particular time of year, This is where we can start planning how to approach our audience. Is it to get on podcast? We had somebody towards the end of last year who made plans to go on, I think she said 18 podcasts, and that was October, and she achieved that by December. She wasn't looking for a million pounds or a million euros, but she had a specific measurable, achievable, timely, and everything else. And the fact that she was able to do that was because she had made an objective and created a goal. So let's try and find ways to make the journey of our customers so much easier so that they can understand us better. And that's also touching on our brand persona as well. Maybe we need to tweak that or update that or reinforce it, if we haven't done it over the last few months.
Esther
Yeah, and I would add in there to look back at what didn't work last year and over the past few months, because there's no point in doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting a different result. If you are posting five times a week to any of the meta platforms and you aren't seeing a return, I would say that your audience has moved to a different platform. If you are sending out emails just once in a blue moon, that also will not work. You can't just throw things into the air and see if they stick. We're not working with spaghetti here. You need to have a way to change what's not working and modify it to what will work for your audience. Something that I see a lot is just people saying, Oh, but this used to work for me in the past. Now it's not. And I don't know why. Because your audience grows and they grow, and they change and they adapt to what is going on with other companies. So check what your competition is doing and see what's working for them and see what's not working for them.
Melanie
I also think you need to give a certain amount of time for these things as well. A lot of things don't work if you only give them a couple of weeks or a month. Definitely. Sometimes you do need to give them a good 2-3 months.
Esther
Oh, yes.
Melanie
As much because you need to get into a much better organised forward planning state as to understand that your audience needs to really adjust and see how you're doing things. So if something isn't working for a month, then give it another month.
Esther
Yeah, but what I'm saying is don't give it 10 years.
Melanie
Well, no.
Esther
Don't even give it one year. If it didn't work... And this doesn't go for new platforms because there are a lot of new platforms that are coming out all the time. So if you're jumping over onto Bluesky or Mastodon or one of those platforms and it's not working the same as it did with Twitter X, that's normal. And it is because there's a lot less people on it and not everyone has moved or at least opened a profile on it. So you can't compare apples to oranges either.
Melanie
So when it comes down to your planning, you can't just take into account everything that you have power over. You've got to take into account that there are internal and external factors that may have impacted the success or not of something. Maybe when you did something last time, you didn't have enough money, or maybe you didn't get enough support, maybe you needed a VA to make something a reality. Now you have a VA and you're thinking, Well, okay, it didn't work last time. What can I do to adjust this time? Sometimes the internal factor could be you just don't have the right knowledge at this time, so you need to work on that and improve on that. Esther and I, we didn't wake up and know it all.
Esther
No.
Melanie
Both of us, at some stage, have made thundering mistakes that we've learned from. Well, I'm not wrong, am I?
Esther
No, you're definitely not wrong.
Melanie
We didn't just wake up and be an expert. Neither of us did. In fact, I don't think either of us actually consider ourselves experts now, to be honest. No. You've also got to take a little bit of a harsh look at yourself. If there is a scope for you to improve on something. I mean, this time last year, I realised that my knowledge about Google Analytics, GA4, as it was called then, but now there's no option to have anything else, wasn't really there. And I knew because of the big changeover last summer, that that was a big gaping hole in my knowledge. So I had to do something about it. I knew it was important for my clients, and it was going to be important for my business to have some knowledge. So I said it before, and I'll say it again, I started doing a regular swot, and every six months I do a swot. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. And that is something to look at and update and make sure that you're really objective about. And one other thing I think is also vital is an accountability buddy.
Esther
Yeah, I would agree with that because in the past 12 months, I've had an accountability buddy, and it has been really important to sit down and figure out what I want to be accountable for, first of all, what I'm going to share, not share, recognise the struggles of why I didn't get to the point that I needed to or that I had projected for myself to do. And it does help you with that accountability, obviously, to have somebody go, But why? And what are you going to do differently? And how are you going to change this situation? And you said that you would have this done within two weeks. What happened? How can I help you? Who else do you need to get involved? All of those things can help you to go, okay, I'm not alone in business, especially as solopreneurs or small business owners, you seem to think you need to do it all by yourself. And we don't. There's only so many hours in a day. And maybe part of your strategy and planning for 2024 and beyond should be looking at who else can we get in to help us, whether it's a virtual assistant, whether it's somebody in-house, whether it's your teenage child helping out around the office and making sure things clean and tidy, because that's also helpful for creativity and productivity. So take a look at what resources you have already, whether it be financial, emotional, support.
Melanie
Good point.
Esther
And then see how you can grow with those and use them for growing your business, because that's what we want. And just a lot of people that I know like to take a day, sorry, a word for the year. So they grab onto a word for the year and say, right, so this year is going to be, and they say the word, whether it be power, thrive, strength, recovery, whatever word fits your business, grab onto that. And that can also help make your strategy for your content even stronger, because then you've got something to relate back to. So how are we going How are we going to make the business powerful through this post? How are we going to make the business thrive through this publication?
Melanie
That's a really good tip. What also came to my mind as we were talking there was networks and groups and people that we communicate with because we have accountability bodies, yes, but there are communities and networks that become your tribe that you look to how to progress your business, who support you, who have gone through thick and thin with you. I appreciate it's very difficult to find these networks. I do appreciate that, and it took me a long time before I found mine. But you know what? There is a community and a network for every single business out there. You may enjoy and be bolstered by weekly networks, and you may have time and the money for those. But if you don't, there are other monthly networks or communities that meet up, maybe for breakfast meetings or weekend meetings. There are tribes that are connected with well-known influencers, like we have Tweeting Goddess, Samantha, Kelly, and Lucy Hall, and then we have the boys, Andrew and Pete. There's lots of communities, and we're just talking about the ones we know over here in Europe, but there's going to be ones over in the US, in Germany, wherever our listeners are, that you can reach out and be a part of, that understand your background, your circumstances, the business rates, all the white papers that are coming out and having an impact on your business, on your tax.
I can't encourage you enough to find your tribe because it's made such a positive impact, I think, on both of our businesses.
Esther
Oh, definitely. Definitely. And don't be restricted to geographical location either. There are lots that meet online, and there are ones that have recently started. So if you can't find one through Google, maybe start your own.
Melanie
Yeah.
Esther
There's So there's nothing stopping you from grabbing a bunch of your business friends or join the local chamber of commerce if you have one near you. And they might not all be in the same size of boat, but we're all in the same storm.
Melanie
Oh, I like that. You're getting good at these little one-liners, aren't you?
Esther
What else before we wrap up this episode?
Melanie
Well, it's all about planning and for yourself and your business and your content. So ultimately, I think when it comes down to content, don't be afraid for calls to action. The amount of times I've seen some amazing imagery, some great work in the wording that goes around the posts, but then they don't ask for the sale.
Esther
Yeah, So nobody knows what they have to do. No. So it doesn't even have to be the sale. It can be, click here for more information. Contact me, send me a DM, download this free e-book. It doesn't have to be buy now.
Melanie
There are lots of ways. We've got to stop being afraid to ask people to do things. I'm to blame as well. Oh, yeah, me too. I don't do it enough. But at the end of the day, we all want to help people. Whatever we're doing, whatever size business we are, whatever service or product, the whole point of our business is to answer a problem. We are a solution.
Esther
We are. We are. And whatever business you are in offers a solution to a problem as well. Whether it be a service business, a product business, you are solving problems, giving solutions to people every day. So make sure they know how their problem can be solved.
Melanie
I think that is basically the crux of every single strategy. Just remember that you're a solution. You are a problem solver. And we've got to be brave enough to say it.
Esther
Yes, we do. But I also wouldn't put by now, by now, by now on every. Oh, no. There has to be on strategic ones and every so often. There's a golden rule. Is it 50, 20, 30?
Melanie
Yes.
Esther
50, 30, 20. Let people know what you're doing. Let people see the problem that you're solving, and then let people know how their problem can be solved.
Melanie
Yeah, it's much more important to serve, share related content that matters to your audience, and then do something that's like a sale, whether it's building awareness, building consideration, or building conversion of some description.
Esther
Yeah.
Melanie
It's not all about buying now and looking like a giant-.
Esther
Billboard.
Melanie
Discount show or billboard. They don't work.
Esther
No.
Melanie
They really don't.
Esther
No. People have become wise to them as well.
Melanie
Yeah and so they should. I hope this has got you all motivated. I really don't mind what time of year you're listening to this. This can really, I hope, kick some butt. I all we ever want, myself and Esther and the rest of the team want, is for your success, for your growth. We've been very lucky, very lucky to be an award-winning over four-year business now.
Esther
Over four years. Yes.
Melanie
That's been thanks to you guys. So we want to give this back. We want you to grow. We want you to foster a great relationship with your customer. And if you guys have got any questions for us or if there's any topics that you'd like us to discuss or any guests you'd like us to try and get a hold of or even yourself, then we would love to hear from you.
Esther
Yes, we would.
Melanie
So that's all we have time for for now, but we'll be back very soon with another podcast, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.
Esther
Bye-bye.
Melanie
Bye.
