There’s a lot of marketing advice out there and while some of it is genuinely helpful, there’s a good chunk of it that’s either outdated, oversimplified, or just… not as ethical as the person sharing it would like you to think.
As a sales copywriter who spends most of her time at the intersection of marketing, psychology, and what actually moves people to buy, I want to share the three things I believe you (and every service provider in the online AND offline space) needs to hear.
#1. Posting is Selling
But your posts can work against you. Everything is sales—but posting something because it’s “personal” or “on brand” won’t make sales if it’s unrelated to what you do, who you are, what you offer, and who your audience is.
For example, creating a carousel sharing the behind the scenes of the last month from your wedding, the trip you took with your boo, or the rebrand (or relaunch) of one of your offers builds connection. It’s a lever you have to pull to make sales.
But if your business is targeted towards childless single men in their mid-twenties and your posts are based on your experience as a post-partum mother, you’re creating a disconnect. You’re losing the “they get me” moment in your sales funnel.
These posts don’t have to be strategic, but they shouldn’t feel disjointed or disconnected.
However, if your goal IS to sell and sell directly, your posts need a strategy beyond just “posting” and calling it a day.
#2. Not All Advice is Good Advice
I’ve watched so many talented service providers feel like they’re failing because the strategy or tactic they were taught isn’t working… when the real issue is it wasn’t that great of a strategy in the first place.
Some of the strategies out there—countdown timers that restart when you refresh the page, “last chance” offers that have been last chance for the past 6 months, cold DMs with scripts—they swear work but more often than not end with “blocked” vs. a response.
And those are worst case scenarios, but everyday you’re introduced to a new strategy that worked for someone else and should, theoretically, would for you but doesn’t because it wasn’t meant for you.
What you can trust:
- Marketing advice, strategy, and experts with testimonials, feedback, and results to back up what they’re sharing (an explanation of who exactly it worked for and why is a bonus!)
- Strategy backed in science—and yes, there’s a whole science to selling! It’s called sales psychology and explains why people buy. Read also: The Reveal Brain-Based Buying Framework©
- People you know, not in a parasocial relationship type of way, but in a “I know you, I’ve chatted with you, I’ve worked with you” type of way
And even if someone (or their advice) checks all the boxes, test it! Talk to others, have open conversations, do your due diligence.
#3. It’s Okay to Test Things
Speaking of testing things, here’s your personal reminder: you can test out a strategy and decide if it is or is not for you.
Let’s take your Instagram strategy for example. At one point, it was recommended to post everyday, then three times a day, then three times a week, or stop posting altogether and pop a nine-grid up there.
The same applies to email newsletters and email marketing. Experts recommend sending weekly on the same day of the week at the same time week over week. Others suggest sending one email a week is enough (whatever day you decide to send it), others recommend sending 2-3.
Does every strategy have the potential to work? Yes, but it’s also impossible to commit to every strategy. Find what feels doable for you based on yourself and the support you have available.
For example, if you’re solo-ing your business right now and know you’re out-of-office almost every weekend for the next month, you probably shouldn’t commit to posting every day. But three times a week? You could make time to do it! Or if you’re OOO all summer, a temporary 9-grid supporting you while you’re posting on stories could be a better option.
Luckily, if one doesn’t work out and you have more or less time, you can 100% make the executive decision to post more or less and swap your strategy until you find the one that works for you.
You Don’t Need a “Popular” Marketing Strategy to Get Seen (or Make Sales)
A strategy you can sustain will carry you a thousand times further and perform better. Finding a strategy you can commit to and help you make that work for you is more valuable than any copy-paste marketing strategy shared by a “guru.”
Let the expert’s advice guide, inform, and educate—then you can implement in a way that works for you.
And if you’re having a hard time balancing the “what you feel you need to do” vs. “what you can realistically do” in your strategy, book a call.
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