Renew Your Marketing: My Simple Roadmap to Revamp Your Strategy in Q2
Welcome to Q2! Some of us have welcomed new clients and initiated fresh projects and some have found themselves at a crossroads of doubt and exhaustion. Regardless of where you are in your journey, there’s no better time than now to pause, evaluate and rejuvenate your marketing efforts.
Before we get into future planning, let's flashback to 3-6 months ago..
What did your marketing approach look like?
How much dedication did you actually invest?
Was your messaging clear and compelling?
Did you actively seek and gather feedback?
Were you diligent in measuring and tracking your progress?
Reflect on the clients you attracted..
Did you attract your ideal, aligned, clientele? (This tells you how good your marketing was or wasn’t)
It’s through this introspection of asking the tough questions and meticulous attention to detail that will often lead to valuable insights, uncovering hidden opportunities that will help you see your blind spots and create the right solutions in your marketing.
Be brutally honest and think deeply. If you’re not where you expected to be in your business, a pity party is likely to come up as a result of this interrogation, welcome it, but just make sure not to stay there for too long. Collect the data you need and aim to see things objectively because in marketing, a level of neutrality is crucial for clarity and focus in problem-solving.
Now, before we go any further into the year, I’ll share my 5 simple & actionable steps that can help you realign and refresh your marketing:
1. Reimagine - Think with the end in mind.
When I think about where I want my business to be, or how I want my client's campaigns to turn out, I always start with the end in mind.
When I was a baby marketer, I only dreamed of being a leader, some type of Chief of Marketing. I didn’t know how I would do it, especially with very little experience. But I did it fairly quickly, and on my terms too.
You have access to the same powers.
Strive to be a big-picture thinker. Envision the impact you want to make, the dream clients you want to attract, and the collaborations that will propel your success. It's this vision that will ignite your passion and prepare you for action. This is the foundation. See it clearly.
Reimagining the possibilities has always been my remedy especially for breaking through stagnation and moments where I lacked inspiration. Often, we unknowingly limit ourselves. Focusing solely on one path yields just that: one path. Open yourself to the possibilities, and you’ll expand the different avenues through which success can find you.
If you’re stuck in the details, remember to THINK BIGGER and embrace the broader vision of your mission.
2. Reassess
Regardless of your current achievements, take inventory of your progress objectively. Identify the areas of success and the areas that need improvement. Pivot where necessary.
Sometimes we unnecessarily reinvent the wheel because we see others doing something cool and we want to follow the trend thinking it’ll work for us. What works for them will work for them and won’t work in the same way for you. Double down on the strategies that are yielding positive outcomes FOR YOU.
You could realize you are killing it in word of mouth referrals. How can you nurture that part of your marketing?
You could realize that after a recent campaign, traffic has increased suddenly. How can you ensure you’re converting that traffic?
Maybe you started tracking and you’re seeing helpful trends.
Maybe you find that your audience responds better to carousels than reels.
Maybe you discover you’re better off building relationships in person than running ads.
Maybe you mastered one area of your marketing? Then it’s time to grow.
Explore a new channel. Testing is absolutely necessary if you want to expand your reach and secure a healthy pipeline. Evolve or dissolve!
ALSO, reassess your capacity too. I’ve reconfigured my business in a way that works for me and that is an essential part of the reassessment. I cannot take on a ton of clients period. So I rearranged my offerings so that I’m not overextending myself.
Do we want to go into this new season experiencing the reruns of our past efforts or are we ready to work smarter? I’d choose the latter any day. By analyzing what’s working, what’s not, and the gaps that exist in between, you can refine your focus, to make sure you’re tracking gracefully into the right direction. Invite the flowwwww.
Remember, reinventing the wheel isn't always necessary. Instead, consider repurposing strategies that worked and utilize lessons learned to propel you forward. The right approach to reassessment should empower you. Know that you have the agility and insight to steer yourself towards success. Take time to reassess and see what comes up!
3. Realign
In the unpredictable world of business, we're constantly pulled in different directions by the highs and lows. It's easy to lose sight of who we are amidst the chaos. We’re consuming far more than we’ve ever consumed and it all influences our behaviors, including in business.
That's why, before delving into the 'why' of our endeavors, it's crucial to first remember WHO YOU ARE. Ground yourself in your core values and ensure that your mission remains aligned with your identity.
In my own journey, I often find myself deeply immersed in my clients' worlds, to the point where I begin to lose sight of my own boundaries. While my genuine care for their success is undeniable, this tendency of becoming overly involved has led to scope creep and dissonance with my own mission. It's important to maintain authenticity among the many influences vying for our attention.
Take the time to revisit your beliefs, actions, and practices, ensuring they still resonate with your soul's calling. Ask yourself: Are these choices aligned with my true purpose? I've found that this introspective practice is most effective when done alone, allowing enough room for deep reflection and honest answers to emerge from within.
4. Recommit
Commit wholeheartedly to your marketing plan, and take aligned action, but keep in mind not to mistake action for haste.
In working with clients, I often have to remind them that there are no shortcuts to success, especially in marketing. If you try to sprint in a marathon you will likely burn out and give up.
Your marketing is the keeper of your value proposition. It not only speaks what you offer, it embodies the essence and soul of your business. It's the creative expression that connects your vision with the hearts and minds of those you aim to serve. Invest patiently in its clarity and resonance.
Be real and commit to the capacity that works for you and remember that it's the steadfast dedication to even the most mundane tasks that yields great results. Prioritize consistency and quality over quantity. Sure it’s far from glamorous, but there's magic in the simplicity of consistent effort. So start small if you need to, then and add later once you’ve mastered your commitments.
Act with intention, embrace sustainable practices, and allow yourself the space to move at a sustainable pace. Avoid burnout at all costs because burnout and commitments is a relationship bound to breakup.
Recommit to a marketing plan that suits your business in a way that lets you be consistent and most of all BRINGS YOU JOY.
5. Refine
If you find yourself not receiving, it might be a sign that something needs to be let go. As we rise in business, we naturally outgrow people, ideas, beliefs, partnerships that no longer serve our growth.
I recently had to go through a release in my business. It was a hard decision to slash my comfy revenue in half, but once I did I was met not only with peace, but I actually called in more abundance, I increased my prices, I’ve expanded my capacity and now I’m able to focus on serving in my zone of genius to make the most impact. Emphasis on “peace” for me and being available only for the clients that are most aligned with me.
Because we can’t serve to the best of our abilities from an empty cup or a cup that is tainted with anxiety and negativity.
By releasing what no longer aligns with our vision, we can create space to receive what is meant for us in this new season: improved clients, consistent referrals, a seamless flow of qualified leads, etc. I firmly believe that by remaining intentional and dedicated to making a meaningful impact, success and financial abundance naturally follow as byproducts.
Keep in mind that on this journey, doubt and adversity are likely to strike when we least expect. So when life gets in the way, give yourself the grace you need, and remember challenges help us grow. When these moments arise, draw inspiration from past successes. Remain optimistic and open to receiving the rewards of your efforts, trusting that diligent work will yield generous returns. Remember you are the source of your own inspiration. If it seems like you’re all out of ideas, its likely you might just be experiencing a block and its a sign to release: gripping on too tight to expectations, pressure, people pleasing, egoic needs.
As you sow the seeds of your marketing efforts in Q2, be mindful that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay intentional, be precise and authentic in your messaging, targeting the avenues best suited for your business. What you plant now holds the potential to flourish in the next 3-6 months so embrace this phase of growth with unwavering optimism and determination, confident that your efforts will yield abundant rewards.