Progress Over Perfection

This past month on the blog, I shared the five most common reasons your marketing isn’t working. The reality is that these are the most common reasons, but they’re not the only reasons. And whilst that blog post was about marketing, it also comes back to your customer’s experience and the journey your customers go on as it relates to your brand.
 
Let me explain what I mean by that. Think of all of the touchpoints that a potential customer has with your brand; website, social media, in-person enquiry, online onboarding, whatever is relevant in your business. Suppose there are bumps or hurdles anywhere along the journey, your messaging is unclear, or you’re not delivering on your promise; in that case, you are potentially repelling your ideal clients.
 
Ultimately, if your prospects can’t immediately understand what you offer, why they need it and how they can get it, you are likely turning them away unbeknownst to yourself. It all boils down to a clear message and story that places your ideal clients at the centre of your entire business strategy. When you do that, they will feel that you care.
 
Marketing is a core element of customer experience and impacts the customer journey from start to finish. Remember, though, if your marketing is fantastic and the customer experience is poor, you’re cancelling one out with the other.

Marketing effectively is a super way to grow your business, and it’s worth taking the time out to make sure you’re not making any of the mistakes I outlined in the blog or other mistakes highlighted here. In contrast, mediocre marketing is costing you time and money. It’s good to look at your numbers regularly and see whether your marketing is where it needs to be for you to achieve the success you desire.

Because I help clients get and keep their ideal customers, I regularly get asked, ‘how can I grow my business?’. Believe it or not, marketing is a significant part of that, but again, it's not the only thing. Here’s a summary of what my answer might be:
Niche
Get to know your ideal customers better than they know themselves
Build a brand that will make an impact. Tailor your brand's identity to suit your ideal clients
Put yourself out there. Be visible. Be helpful. Online. In-person. Everywhere.
Show up consistently and persistently to serve your clients and prospective clients (expect nothing in return, be open to receiving payment, and it will come). Share free, valuable content regularly. Be clear and concise with your messaging.
Leverage social media marketing. Everyone and their granny is on social media.
Introduce sales funnels. They allow your prospects the opportunity to get to know, like and trust you.
Be relatable and empathic. (Easier when you niche, know your customers and your brand’s identity is tailored towards them.)
Include a call to action at each engagement. It doesn’t have to be salesy; it can be ‘download now’.
Outline the deliverables of doing business with you. Tell or show people what they’re going to get so they can visualise it.
Work hard to make sure that your clients get what they signed up for, else they will not become brand ambassadors, raving fans or cheerleaders of your business.
Ask yourself, ‘what’s been stopping me until now?’, ‘What am I afraid of?’. Many of us get in our own way. Push aside your inner critic, perfectionism or procrastinating self. Move them aside and take intentional action for growth.
Look at what you’re doing every day and make sure it is productive in achieving that growth (do the 'need to do', instead of 'nice to do' stuff). Avoid pushing paper. 60% of your time should be spent on the things that will help generate revenue.
Get support by way of a coach or mentor.
Be accountable for your own growth - personal and professional.
 
More often than not, everyone can grow their business. Caveat here. It is hard. No one said it was easy. If there were a get rich quick scheme, hey, I wouldn’t be sending you this newsletter! But just like Rome, you won’t build a successful business in a day. And you certainly won’t do it on your own. Having a community to support you, to keep you motivated and on track is a great way to get the results you’re after.
 
The main thing is to get started. Progress over perfection. Think about it!

Some small service-based businesses struggle to attract and retain their ideal clients. With marketing and customer experience coaching, they clarify their message and effectively craft their customer’s journey to scale and grow a successful business full of their ideal clients.

Deirdre knows that most small business owners want to build a successful business whose reputation precedes them and where the sales and growth look after themselves. To do that, they need to clarify their message, illuminate their marketing and find a way to convert their existing clients into their raving fans.
The problem is getting their ideal clients to stop scrolling and take action when they come across their business and then figuring out how to retain those who do become their clients, which can leave them feeling overwhelmed. They should have messaging like a beacon to their ideal clients and a journey that their clients will want to use megaphones to tell everyone about.

Deirdre Martin, founder of CX Creators and Deirdre Martin Consulting gets it, which is why she studied customer experience back in 2015. She is a practised performance coach with qualifications in coaching culture and emotional intelligence. She has co-authored a #1 bestselling book about Customer Experience, where she talks about how Human Experience is Fundamental to Customer Experience. Deirdre is a StoryBrand certified guide who has helped dozens of small service-based businesses clarify their message and captivate their ideal clients so they can achieve the business success they deserve. Visit her website for more.