Authentic inclusion and activism aren’t tied to a calendar

One of my favourite things about raising a “Gen Z” kid is how outspoken he is about marketing nonsense. Leading up to Pride Month, he mentioned the inevitable rainbow washing that was coming several times. While he may only be 14, he already knows when he sees something disingenuous.

And this applies to far more than our 2SLGBTQIA+ friends. It stands equally for BIPOC, disabled folks and every other historically marginalized group. Inclusion and activism aren’t marketing strategies. You either do it for real from the core of your business, and your business values, or you're not being authentic.

Here are some brands that get it.

The DOs and DON'Ts of automation

While you’re likely always going to have to do some things you don’t love in your business, if you’re spending all of your limited resources on tasks that are draining your energy, your motivation to work on your business is going to wane quickly.

Automation can support you in saving your time and energy, easily generating data, and improving customer or user experience. However, automation is also one of those things that can be a curse when done poorly.

Here are a few differentiating factors to help you determine what to automate, and what’s best left done manually.

What kind of support can you get for marketing your small business? An introduction to outsourcing marketing

Oftentimes there is frustration or aversion when it comes to marketing because entrepreneurs have fallen into marketing because they want a business, not because they enjoy marketing or have marketing expertise. And while I love to help “accidental marketers” find joy in marketing by making it easier for them, I also know that sometimes the best thing to do for your business is to outsource the tasks that are draining your time and energy.

When you allow yourself to let go of some of these tasks, you can instead focus on the activities that are within your zone of genius; working more “on” the business, instead of “in” it. Here are a few of the most common options for outsourcing marketing work.

When was the last time you asked your audience to buy?

It pains me whenever I hear, "I haven't had any sales,” from a business owner, because I have to follow it up by asking how much promotion they’ve done. All too often, the answer is "not much" or "I haven't." Every piece of content you share should have some sort of action associated with it based on the goals you have for your business.

If your current content plan doesn't include regular reminders that they can buy from you, it's time to add those in! Because you don’t want to be spending time on marketing that doesn't lead to sales.

BusinessJasmine IrvenFebruary 22, 2022selling, business planning, sales messagesComment

Goal setting: Know where you're going so you can make a plan to get there

Having a clear process for establishing business goals and scheduling time for a regular reassessment of them is almost like figuring out the driving route you’re going to take for a vacation.

Without directions, even if you have a destination in mind, you’re likely going to end up lost, frustrated, and late, because the trip will most certainly take longer than if you had simply sat down long enough to figure out your route before you start.

And without regular reassessment, you might end up moving towards a destination that’s of no value or interest to you anymore.

Instead, if you set strategic goals that make sense for your business and your marketing endeavours, you can break down the steps it takes to accomplish them and will have a clear path towards success.

BusinessKaren WilsonJuly 21, 2021business, business goals, setting goalsComment

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