Hello Reader, As we're solidly at the halfway point in the year, it's probably time to think about the end of the year. I know, wild, right? That's because one of the truths across industries is that the end of the year happens FAST—and folks who don't plan for the last few months end up being frustrated because their marketing isn't reaching the right people and they're lost in the shuffle. That means that right now is the perfect time to get ready for the fall and winter seasons (or spring and summer for our friend in the southern hemisphere) to be drama-free and as easy as they can be. I'm a gardener, so I like to think of this like I do planting seeds for plants like purple sprouting broccoli: I do it now so that I'll have beautiful vegetables in the dead of winter. That's basically marketing. If you haven't been thinking that far ahead, I have three super easy steps you can take right now to tend your marketing garden for the future. 1. Review and revitalize a lead magnet that solves one clear and specific challenge for your best clients. It's so, so easy to forget about our lead magnets used to get folks into our marketing ecosystems, but outdated ones can be a big problem. Also, updating your lead magnet is a marketing opportunity because you can announce it to your email list, write a blog post, share it on your social media, you get the drift. Take a look at your existing lead magnets (or at least your best one) and ask yourself:
2. Create an evergreen email sequence of your “greatest hits.” This is one of the best things I've ever done in my business, hands down. If you use your email list as a relationship builder and messaging tool, you most likely have the archives to do this. You new subscribers likely have missed some of your best emails, and you're doing them a favor by actually sending those emails to them! It's a win for everyone! Here's the quick and easy way to build an evergreen sequence to further engage your audience:
3. Quality assure your brand across the internet to protect your brand integrity. Most of us have more online visibility than we realize. Between social media accounts, directory profiles, and places like Google Business Profiles, our online footprints are enormous! To do a quick Q/A of your brand across the internet, try this:
These are just foundational steps, but 90% of the time people get busy and don't do the foundations, which makes deeper strategy and planning so much harder. We don't like playing on hard mode, so let's make marketing easier, okay? Talk soon, Sarah |
The status quo of modern marketing isn't designed for you and me.The hard truth is that most marketing strategies are designed for massive corporations, while small businesses, consultants, coaches, and other experts are left feeling that the advice they’re given just doesn’t fit—and they’re right. We have two choices: we can struggle to force our businesses into an ill-fitting mold, or we can reinvent a system that works for us and allows us to thrive. I don’t know about you, I prefer door number two. 💌 Reach our team at hello@smco.studio. 🌟 Ready to work together? https://sarahmoon.net/get-started
Hello Reader, Over the years, a lot of business owners have "confessed" to me that when they first started their website, they wrote a few blog posts in their excitement about having a a real, legit home online. And then... life lifed and they never kept it up. And... never saw the benefits. This is such a common story and it's one that can feel a bit daunting. If this is you, you may be wondering: Will I look silly if I start blogging again after two, three, five years or more? What do I...
Hello Reader, Sometimes I have to remind myself to take my own advice. This week, I was feeling a bit uninspired with what to write about for my newsletter. August is typically a lower open rate for me, and I know folks are just busy right now—plus I'm just plain worn out after a busy summer! Then I thought to myself, "Sarah, what would you tell a client who had this kind of block?" My answer: "Ask yourself how you can help someone today. Write about that." Which I've probably said more than...
Hi Reader, The pervasive belief that more content is better is enough to make me kick walls (except I would stub my toe and that is the absolute worst). Post more, share more, do more, more, more, more... No one can keep up and goal posts keep getting moved. But this couldn't be further from the truth. Quality, not quantity, is the key to successful marketing. Why is less more? Relevance: High-quality content marketing that directly addresses your audience's needs and pain points is far more...