When I first launched my business my brain was literally exploding. All. The. Things.
… it was too much!!!
I needed structure and processes, a simplified strategy for my social media, email marketing and website because even though digital marketing IS my business, finding time to work ON my business not just IN my business was so damn HARD!
So, I created CEO day. Every week (I alternate between a MONDAY and a WEDNESDAY) - I spend the day working ON my business and in furthering my skillset.
I created the Hello Media strategies and refined my funnel, which literally turned it all around!
Very quickly I became fully booked, increased sales, had more clarity and low and behold - a whole lot less STRESS. Woohooo! PLUS because I had a clearer head, I had endless ideas for content ... my mind was fresh, and I was able to offer more to my clients, so I was feeling PROUD of what I was sharing!
So, I went from overwhelmed and discombobulated … and I turned it around with this simple strategy of creating CEO day. What day of the week can you turn into CEO day?
As business owners, it's really easy to over complicate things, AMIRITE?! My 2024 word of the year is FREEDOM and I spent much of my CEO days with my team, simplifying our systems and uncomplifying our processes and offerings ... we're so often head-down-bum-up doing all the things - customer service, marketer, copywriter, bookkeeper, sales person, financial advisor (and the list goes on) that we forget to take time working ON the business, because we're so absorbed with all the work needing attention IN the business ...
BUT without taking the time to step away, we're probably not reaching our sales goals, relationship goals, visibility goals!
If you're overwhelmed by doing all the things, easily distracted, good at procrastinating when it feels like you have too much to do ... then perhaps your sales are suffering? Whenever I feel utterly discombobulated, my sales definitely suffer!
So I'm sharing my 4 top tips; how to optimise your business - and keep moving towards your goals!
REACH, PROSPECTS, SALES & CEO DAY!
1. REACH
Reach is two-fold for me. It's not just who you're reaching OUT to, it's also your REACH on your social posts. With both, the greater the number, the closer you are to success! It's so easy to feel despondent for not reaching our sales goals, or our social goals, and we can think that no-one wants what we're offering - whether our products or services. So we get stuck in the spiral of changing our offers, adding new products, moving away from our funnel, confusing our audience, and sometimes even reinventing our business (if we are being really dramatic!) before it's time, OR we get stuck in a downward spiral of low energy, low confidence and a scarcity mindset.
BUT often slow sales is nothing other than we're not reaching the right audience, and we're not reaching NEW people!
By focusing on both aspects of REACH, using ORGANIC strategies, will ensure more people see your content, are aware of what you do and how you help people with your service or product offering, help you build brand awareness and get VISIBLE!
You don't need to REACH a gazillion people ... just the ones who will love what you do, resonate with you, and pick up what you're putting down!
Thinking about stepping up your social media game? Pop into The SHINE ONLINE hub! It's a brilliant spot for every small business owner keen to boost their marketing strategy. Fancy learning new skills, finding support, and getting seen more? You've found your spot! We also invite you to attend networking events (find out more about our Positive, passionate business women's group), collaborate, offer yourself up as a speaker, host your own events, and work in your customer avatars so you're really clear on WHO you're wanting to REACH!
2. PROSPECTS
First, let's clarify the difference between a prospect and a lead.
A lead is someone who is interested in a product or service you're selling. Leads are the most basic type of contact for any sales or marketing person (and as I mentioned above, many small business owners are wearing ALL THE HATS!)
As soon as anyone shows an interest in your organisation, they become a sales lead.
A prospect is a potential customer or client who fits your criteria based on your product or service offerings. Without understanding your customer avatars, it's hard for you to know who your prospects should be, and where to find them.
In most instances, a prospect fits your target market, can prioritise buying your products or services, and is the person authorised to make the buying decisions. Prospects haven't necessarily shown an interest in buying; they just need to meet your criteria.
Once you've determined that the lead could be a prospect, The type of "leads" you capture will vary for each business. For me, it's booking a zoom discovery call, for you it might be picking up the phone and BOOKING a chat with you, or submitting an enquiry form on your website. It may also be signing up to what you're offering (lead magnet) and then clicking through to buy your product or book your service. The more leads we have, the more prospects we have, the more sales we'll make!
The main difference between a lead and a prospect is that your lead has moved beyond one-way communication and has now engaged with you.
If you're concerned at a lack of leads and prospects, it's time to social audit your strategy and your customer journey funnel ... are you posting content that edutains and leads people to take action? Are you getting to know your community? Are you inviting your followers to take the next step? It's not just about creating content for the sake of having something to post. That's just wasting your own time, the goal is to have a clear strategy and direction for your whole digital marketing plan! (book a zoom discovery chat if you want to discuss about your strategy!!)
Oh, and is it CLEAR what you action or step you want people to take, across all your platforms? Spend time doing a social audit, you may be surprised at how much clearer it all is, to get more leads and prospects with just some content tweaks!
3. SALES = HELPING
I worked with a fabulous sales coach a few years back and I'm now sooo into learning more about it, and it was at times confronting, but at all times it was inspiring! I have often thought of the word SALES as a dirty word (that's a topic for another day!) but as soon as I turned it around into sales = helping, everything changed for me! Not everyone will buy from you. Not everyone will be your customer. And that's OK. That's exactly how it should be. Not every person you REACH becomes a lead, not every lead becomes a PROSPECT, and not every prospect becomes a customer or client.
If you can think in the language of the problems you solve for your customers and clients, and focus on the relationship, not the transaction, and if you can add value each time you interact with them, that's RELATIONSHIP MARKETING!
By engaging with your audience and helping them even before they need to buy, you're building trust! You're then going to be top of mind when they’re ready to make a purchase. That's winning! That's RELATIONSHIP MARKETING!
So you see, SALES really IS helping! and before we can HELP people, we have to understand who they are, find ways to reach them, invite them to connect with you, engage with them, and then show them how your product or service is the solution they're looking for.
Some good places to start to improve your sales conversions are looking at your systems and processes, and reviewing what you're doing in your digital marketing strategy, follow up on enquiries, and the messages around your product service offerings. Creating a brilliant customer experience to increase referrals is one of the best ways to increase TRUST from your audience, and speed up sales!
Would you like my free magic guide, "Cool systems and tools to get structure in your business?" Click this link and it's yours!
Set aside your CEO day, schedule it in your calendar so it actually happens, then work through your processes, get clarity on your systems, overhaul your social strategy, get clear on your audience and your offerings ... and get ready to SOAR! Become a helper first, then a seller. 💥