And no, you don’t HAVE to have a plan to market your business. But if you don’t, here’s what you risk:
Continuing to go in circles without really growing at the level you know you can. Listen, you started this business for a reason. Perhaps it was to make a difference, build your community, be financially independent, leave a legacy for your children or simply play by your own rules. But the daily grind is wearing you down. Don’t get it twisted, owning a business IS hard work. But it shouldn’t be the same struggle 5, 10, 20 years down the line! You already know where you want to be, but a good RoadM.A.P. will also tell you where you are and what paths will get you there.
Getting more information that’s potentially bad for you and your business. At the point you’re ready to go beyond the do-it-yourself marketing and finally offload your crowded plate, you interview service providers but here’s what actually happens. If you speak to a/an:
- Social media consultant – They will swear that you’re missing the boat and free marketing by not on-boarding social networks (like Linkedin and Facebook). But then they’ll try to convince you to spend 8-10 hours of your time or hire them to do it. Truth be told you can’t afford to spend hours on Pinterest or Facebook, alone. And you shouldn’t.
- Website or graphic designer: This is the person who will talk to you about branding and your visual identity. They’ll get you caught up in feel versus function. Last I checked – feelings don’t add dollars to your bottom line, not alone anyway. And I actually know of a few high 6-figure businesses that have actually thrived with NO website or online presence because they understood the basics of connecting and selling.
- SEO professional: Now this technical professional will tell you that you’re not getting sales because you’re not being found online. And then he will use plenty of Google-ese to get you to spend thousands on pay-per-click ads and such.
- Ad agency: A.K.A. ‘Add more cost’-agency. I love these guys but they can be a bit old-school. The only marketing they know how to focus on is advertising – the one that costs the most and pays (as in putting money into your business) the least.
We know all of these marketing functions are important, just in their place.
The difference is that we know when and how to engage marketing service providers (and have a cadre of professionals available on our team). The question is, do you?
A lot of trying and buying, with no results to show. As an entrepreneur, you know how to take risks and make things happen. And up to now, perhaps it’s served you well. But when you’re ready to really step into the roles of Entrepreneurial Leader and Business OWNER, you start to take note of the investments you make and you know better than to always go about it the do-it-yourself way. Beyond the investment of your money, there’s your time – which you can never get back – and the skills you either have or don’t have. There’s a better way.
A long list of to-do items that will never actually take you from here to there. Information overload. That’s what many plans really are. The plan creator will tell you that she wants to give you all of your options. But we know it’s because she’s unsure of what will actually work. That’s why we clearly identify your #1 business challenge (relative to increasing your sales), define your key goal and then plan out the top things to start, stop and continue using our 8M Process.
The greatest thing you receive is knowing what will take you from here to there. You will be confident you’re avoiding missteps and have considered the pitfalls and the possibilities.
So Who Is Our RoadM.A.P. for? It’s for you if you’re:
Looking to move past your current sales level
Going after a new or different audience
Adding new products or services to your lineup
Ramping up for a bold, new endeavor OR expanding an existing one.
Ready to get specific action steps versus more info you can’t do anything with
Tired of flying by the seat of your pants and want some structure to what you’re doing
Confused about the best way to grow your business
Feeling paralyzed by all of the options for how to market your business, including the new world of social media, content marketing and inbound marketing
So what’s the investment?
Contact us today to learn more about the investment in this service (along with the latest promos and payment programs) or simply complete the form below.
When you think of the money you save buying and trying marketing tactics that get you nowhere, it’s a steal.
How Will It Work?
Step 1: Complete our Pathfinder’s Assessment (formally the Growth Path Discovery Assessment). During this online assessment you will answer questions about yourself, your business history and where you think you want to go. (Value $1,500)
Step 2: Schedule and attend your 1st of 2 virtual one-on-one sessions. During this session and the follow up conversation we will discuss the assessment results, identify where you are in our 3-Stage Marketing Model and discover:
- why you are losing opportunities
- where your greatest growth potential exists
- how to take better advantage of the people already coming through your door, calling your phone or clicking on your website
- how to focus and/or integrate the use of online and offline strategies to reach your goals
You will also get our FREE 3 Stages of Marketing audio course to understand your results.
Step 3: Receive your customized set of action steps (average 3-5 week timeframe) divided into our 8M’s that define what you should start, stop and continue to get on the path to getting seen, getting known and getting more sales. And no, this isn’t a thick binder with hundreds of to-do items. It’s a simple, visual guide (like a RoadM.A.P.) so you can understand what to do (month-to-month) and how to implement the actions or have our team of professionals help you.
If you’re looking for in-depth marketing research or a competitor analysis – this service doesn’t include those parts. BUT we can do them. Ask about these a la cart services to add to your RoadM.A.P.
What’s This 8M Process and Why Is It Important?
Our RoadM.A.P. is not a template but customized as it relies on several variables including your personal goals, your team, your skills, your marketing system, your capital (money, resources and time) as well as the ability to know how and where to invest them all. All of these variables are wrapped into our 8M’s – the process we use to help you get what you want, in business. Our RoadM.A.P. includes:
1. Your mission is at the intersection of your expectations, your hidden fears, your dreams and your goals. Part of what makes us tick is really getting to know you AND your business (and we’re not simply talking a quick Google search) to use this as the anchor for your path forward.
2. Your model tells you how your business will operate and make money. We focus on how the model should be setup so that you capture, convert, serve and keep customers or advocates to create the same great results over and over again (without always having to be at the center of it all). What’s more is you identify your income engines and learn how to keep these engines moving and the cash flowing.
3. Understanding your market is more than just identifying race, gender and location. We dig deep until you have a face, a name and buyer preferences for the person that matters most to you and your business – your customer.
4. Your message should be the common thread that weaves through every piece of communication. We work to tell your story in a way that’s clear, compelling and communicates why it matters. Your message is what people and companies use to choose you (or someone else).
5. Methods are the vehicles that carry your message, they’re the marketing of your plan. You’re flooded with marketing options and it’s easy to get caught in the “you need this one, too” camp. We don’t subscribe to that. You will identify what works and aligns with your business, your audience and truth be told, you. Where possible, we recommend tactics that work on autopilot for things like follow-up, relationship building and selling – to not make your marketing revolve solely around YOU.
6. Sell more stuff and save more money (Isn’t that the goal?). Yes, but the way it happens is key. We help you develop a simple budget to finally know where you will invest, where you should potentially save and look to make more money.
7. Management is at the core of helping you develop as the leader you were meant to be and surrounding yourself with the right support team. Your confidence, competence and belief in yourself and your team is just as important as the business itself.
8. Metrics create a healthy balance of action and measurement. Unless you measure your success, you won’t know what’s working until it’s too late.
Are You Ready?
P.S.
I know you’re busy and that there are plenty of things you can do with this investment. Perhaps you’re thinking, “I’ve gotten this far without having to spend on a so-called plan.” And that may be true.
But consider this, often times the stuff that got you where you are becomes the barrier to where you want to go. So to get something different you must do something different. And our plans are proven to be that catalyst. But don’t take my word for it, see our testimonials here and on LinkedIn.
P.P.S.
If you’re still on the fence, let’s chat (as in have an actual conversation either face-to-face or ear-to-ear). Call us 504-298-9255, email grow[at]venturewalk[dot]com or set up a meeting online here.
P.P.P.S.
Oops, I almost forgot to tell you who ‘we’ are. Please forgive my manners. Learn about me – Desiree H. Young, Chief Entrepreneurial Officer and my company VentureWalk. Then come back to this page and make a change for the better!