Marketing Is Harder Today Than Ever Before
Are you feeling overwhelmed marketing your small business? You’re not alone. According to a recent survey, If you’re a small business owner, you probably feel like you’re juggling a hundred balls in the air, and marketing is the one that keeps slipping away.
The truth? Marketing is harder today than it was five years ago. Let’s take a look at just a few of the challenges we face today:
The Digital Landscape is Crowded: Let’s face it: the digital world is a noisy place. With millions of businesses competing for attention, it’s harder than ever to stand out. The average consumer sees 4,000 to 10,000 ads every day. That’s a lot of noise! It’s like trying to shout your message at a rock concert while everyone else is trying to do the same.
Consumer Expectations are Higher: Today’s consumers are savvy and expect personalized experiences as well as instant gratification. They want to connect with brands that understand their needs and values. If you’re not giving them that connection, they’ll take their business elsewhere.
The Rise of AI: While AI can help with marketing, it can also complicate things. With new tools and technologies emerging every day, small business owner must constantly adapt and learn. This can lead to feelings of overwhelm and frustration.
The Need for Expertise: Marketing has become so complex that many businesses need specialized help. According to a recent survey, 63% of marketers say they lack the necessary skills to execute their strategies. This is where fractional marketing experts can help.
The Pace of Change: Marketing tools and trends are changing rapidly, making it hard to keep up. The average lifespan of a marketing tool is just 18 months, which means marketers must constantly adapt and learn.
But, here’s what I hope you will take away from this blog post: marketing doesn’t have to be hard!
With the increase in marketing challenges, we’ve also seen many invaluable resources surface in the last few years. While there are many different solutions to simplify the marketing of your small business, here are three things you can do immediately to make marketing more manageable:
Delegate Your Marketing to an Expert
Consider hiring a marketing expert to help with some (or all!) of your marketing. This could be a consultant, Fractional CMO, or an agency like The Marketing Concierge that specializes in the industry. By delegating your marketing, you can focus on your core business and leave the marketing to the experts. Most small business owners spend 20 or more hours on marketing a week — imagine having that time back!
Focus on the Right Things
Despite working so hard on marketing each week, 73% of small business owners feel uncertain about whether their marketing strategies will help them achieve their goals. At The Marketing Concierge we recommend clients first focus on their brand message, then do a brand audit, and then define their strategy. When all of this is done, then create a marketing plan. By focusing on the right things, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are effective and aligned with your business goals.
Have a Lead-Generating Sales Funnel
Without one, you’ll remain frustrated. A lead-generating sales funnel is essential for converting leads into customers. By creating a sales funnel, you can ensure that your leads are nurtured and converted into customers.
Marketing a small business is both exciting and challenging. And, with new marketing challenges popping up every day, understanding where to invest your efforts and budget is key to success. But remember, marketing your small business doesn’t have to be hard. By delegating your marketing to experts, honing in on what truly matters, and ensuring you have a solid lead-generating sales funnel, you can simplify the process and achieve the results you desire.
As a small business owner, you have the power to drive your marketing in the direction that works best for you. And, best of all, you don’t have to navigate this complex landscape alone—there are resources and experts available to help you thrive.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by marketing, consider jumping into The Marketing Concierge Blog for resources and training, or Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with us today, and let's discuss how The Marketing Concierge can help.