Ever stood in the cereal aisle staring at 57 varieties of breakfast flakes, completely unable to pick one? That's exactly what marketing feels like for most small businessowners. But it doesn't have to.
Figure out what you actually want
Before you dive headfirst into the deep end of marketing madness, take a minute to decide what you're swimming toward. Do you need more customers? Better-paying jobs? To stop getting calls for work you hate doing? Write down what success looks like for you – not what some guru says it should be. Having a clear target is like having GPS instead of wandering around hoping you'll magically end up somewhere good.
Spy on your customers (in a totally legal way)
The best way to figure out how to reach people is to understand what makes them tick. What problems keep them up at night? Where do they hang out online? What makes them roll their eyes about businesses like yours? Talk to your favourite customers, look at what your competitors are doing, and keep an eye on what's happening in your industry.
Dip your toes before diving in
Nobody builds a house by starting with all four walls at once, and you shouldn't try to conquer all marketing channels simultaneously either. Pick one thing that seems promising, give it a proper go, and see what happens. If Instagram reels are bringing in leads, awesome – do more of those! If your email newsletter is getting ignored, try something else. Small tests save you from big disasters, and you'll sleep better knowing you haven't bet the farm on a TikTok dance that might be yesterday's news by tomorrow.
Remember, the perfect marketing plan doesn't exist – but the one you actually stick with is better than the "someday" plan that never happens!
