Are paid ads right for your business?
I had a conversation with a friend today about marketing techniques and tactics. Specifically, the dilemma of whose Kool-Aid he should drink: advertise on Google, purchase Click Funnels, use Facebook ads, Instagram, or the like. Other than the fact that all of the above require time, money, and attention from you or your team, they can all perform magically or fail miserably. But why is that?
The Ultimate Truth About Marketing 📢
The ultimate truth about marketing is that none of these advertising techniques or tactics work without true value. Sure, you'll get in front of people's eyeballs and catch their attention. If you're lucky, they could even buy your product or show up to your workshop. But the real question is: Will they come back for more? Will they tell their friends about you? Will they sign up for your service? Will they subscribe to your channel? The answer to these questions lies in the reason why you run your business in the first place.
Why Do You Run A Business? 🛎️
Assuming that the reason you run your business is to bring value to your audience and customers, then you know that refining your unique value proposition is not only the most important part of your marketing strategy but is also fundamental to your business's success.
Unique value proposition or UVP refers to the thing that differentiates your product or service from others in your industry or market. The uniqueness of the value you propose to your audience makes you rare in your market, leading to demand for your product. And if you manage to consistently serve the value your audience demands, you have yourself a thriving business.
Are You Serving With Value? ⭐️
Serving with value is what businesses are built on, not marketing tactics. Tactics like social media marketing, billboards, and click ads are like megaphones, extremely useful in helping you get the attention of a wider audience. But what is it that you're shouting through your megaphone? Can you keep their attention and get them onboard? Do you have a concise message and a pleasant tone? Are you even in the right neighborhood? If you try to answer these questions, chances are you’ll start feeling your passion bubble up and come to the surface. This very feeling is what you must nurture and use as your compass in refining your UVP.
Where Your Passion Lies 🤩
You may have a different name for it, but "passion" refers to the one thing in life you can't ignore - a problem that bugs you that you have to solve. It's the thing that tickles you every time you notice it - the thing you nerd out on - that idea you can't shake. Hopefully, you've started a business around solving the very problem you're passionate about. Now, you need an audience to benefit from your solution. Welcome to marketing: the act of reaching the right people who can benefit from your solution.
Welcome to Marketing 🪝
Reaching the "right" people is difficult but not impossible. After all, there is an entire advertising industry dedicated to it, valued at $305 billion in 2022 in the US alone, according to Forbes. Does that mean you should throw money at ads and marketing campaigns? Only if you've really figured out the answers to the questions I posed earlier. Those answers outline a strategy - a plan on how to reach the right people so you’re not shooting in the dark and wasting valuable capital.
The reality is that no marketing campaign works in the long run or in a meaningful way without a proper strategy. An effective marketing strategy requires a solid understanding of your brand. Additionally, there cannot be a brand without a business built on your unique value proposition. Ultimately, there cannot be a UVP without a passion to serve.
So, I have a simple question for you: What are you passionate about serving?
Discovering Your Uniqueness 🔎
If you're struggling to answer the above question, let alone build and grow your business, it's time to discover your own uniqueness. If you don't think you are unique, I have good news and bad news: The good news is that you are; you just don’t know it. The bad news is that you’re probably so busy doing the work that you haven’t invested time in exploring the journey that brought you to where you are today. That journey tells the story of your uniqueness, the story of why you do what you do today. Great brands are the ones that tell great stories. Great stories have emotions, and people connect through emotions.
So before you spend a dollar on advertising, regardless of the platform, tactic, techniques, or your industry, make sure you have a clear message with unique value that connects with people emotionally. Developing your UVP is the one true path to transforming your service from a commodity (i.e., the thing that anyone can offer) into an indispensable brand; one that's rare and raved about.
Rising Above The Noise 🚀
Crafting your UVP is easier said than done, which is why businesses hire consultants for branding and marketing strategy. It's hard to be yourself and see yourself from the outside. But if you're up for the challenge and want to DIY it, I suggest making a list of what you're already good at, digging deep, and not being shy. This is the only way to differentiate yourself from the crowd and be seen in your market. The sooner you start working on this, the better. And if you find yourself stuck at any point, send me an email, and I'll help you get unstuck. Because the only place you should be stuck in is your audience's minds.
