I regularly work with creatives and business owners on honing in on their marketing plans and strategy, and more often than not there is no shortage of ideas. There’s rarely a lack of inspiration or an empty to-do list. Instead, I’m generally shutting ideas down (in a loving way), streamlining processes, and encouraging entrepreneurs to be more realistic with what they focus on and commit to.

Because although their ideas might be new and fun and exciting, there is always a cost to pursuing them. And far too often I see business owners spinning their wheels – trying to do way more than they have the resources for, and bringing themselves to the point of burnout, because they don’t have a plan in place.

How to know when the expert you're hiring is the right choice

Many entrepreneurs have bigger business goals than what they’re able to achieve on their own. They crave bigger impact and expanded reach. They want to free up more of their time and energy. They desire greater revenue.

This transformative business growth can’t happen though, without the recognition that you don’t have all the answers, and that you can’t do everything on your own. These goals generally require hiring, delegating, automating, and outsourcing.

Here’s how to know you’re making the right choice when hiring.

Marketing, BusinessJasmine IrvenMay 3, 2023hire, hiring, business planning, business growth, MarketingComment

How to create effective calls to action (CTAs) in your content

Your call to action directs your audience as to what you want them to do in each piece of content. It provides consumers with clear next steps and direction, which can reduce friction for customers, prevent decision fatigue or overwhelm, and generate more conversions.

Unfortunately, these calls to action are also often misunderstood, which can make them frustrating.

Here are some examples of the common issues I see with CTAs and how to fix them.

How learning chess reinforced my love of strategy and strategic marketing

Earlier this year, my son decided he was going to teach me how to play chess, and despite my initial disinterest, he not only managed to successfully persuade and teach me, but I even almost won a game against him...once!

As green as I am on the chess board, I have a deep appreciation for the time players spend learning various tactics, as well as the skilled practice of thinking through and playing out different scenarios. Thinking strategically in marketing and business is a lot like a chess game, which is why chess is so often used to visually convey strategy.

Let’s explore the parallels between chess and business and marketing.

How to test the credibility of the experts you highlight

Though most of the time random quotes and mentions of an author or creator won't have an impact on your brand or reputation, doing a little extra work to vet the people you highlight in your content is a good way to reinforce what you stand for.

It’s almost inevitable that consumers will draw parallels between you, your business, and the content you’re sharing. Whether those associations are positive or negative is largely up to you.

Don’t risk losing the trust of your audience because of something that could be avoided with some upfront time and energy on your end.

Branding, Content, MarketingJasmine IrvenJanuary 26, 2023diversity, inclusivity, inclusion, research, credibility, branding, content, content marketingComment

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