Many solopreneurs have probably heard that they should embrace “authentic” marketing. That means communicating the value of what they're selling in a natural voice, rather than a canned marketing campaign. But how can small businesses bring their ideas to life if they don't have the budget to hire an outside marketing agency?
To gain some insight, I recently spoke with Stacey Blass Russell, host of the podcast Passionate & Prosperous and a business coach in New York City. She works with many clients to develop authentic relationship-driven marketing, a “non-profit” approach based on finding authentic connections with clients while delivering products and services that get them what they want. We are working on creating a “sales-like” approach.
Consumers increasingly prefer more authentic marketing approaches to the sophisticated campaigns of the past. The 2023 Sprout Social Index, which examined consumer and marketer priorities for social media, found that the most memorable brands on social media made a name for themselves by simply responding directly to consumers (51%), and trending found that they prioritize original content over following topics (38%), engaging directly with customers and publishing more content (37%).
“This may be post-pandemic, it may be a reaction to AI, but what we're seeing is people are taking longer to buy and are being more careful about who they invest in. “It means we're paying more attention and being more careful,” Blass-Russell said. “We need a more personalized, human-centered approach.”
According to Stacey Blass Russell, authentic marketing is not about delivering perfection.it is … [+]
That's true for Matt Meyer, owner of What's Out There, a Union, N.J.-based company that provides schools with supplemental astronomy education programs. He found that he could often win new business simply by sharing his lifelong love of astronomy and the programs he designed about the solar system and other subjects. “When I talk to them, they get the sense that I'm passionate about the product and I'm not going to 'mail it to them,''' he says. “They know that I will do a good job and do something special for students and spark an interest in astronomy and space.”
Blass-Russell learned the tricks of authentic communication as a Broadway actor for more than 20 years. She appeared as one of the orphans in her original work. Annie I studied theater arts and theater at New York University. After that, she supported herself for many years with a day job as a yoga teacher, and she worked as a partner at yoga studio YogaMama from 2010 to 2017, after which she became a small business owner in 2010. Ta.
Blas Russell became a coach seven years ago, helping students take action to create the businesses and lives they want. At her yoga school, she noticed that many students envisioned changes to their yoga classes but didn't follow through with their ideas. Initially, her practice attracted other yoga teachers and wellness professionals, but soon other types of business owners began reaching out and taking the master classes and other programs she offered. I did.
Brass-Russell prioritizes taking practical steps, such as building an email list and designing signature courses and workshops. The basis of her approach is to use the right message to express the owner's niche expertise and resonate with her ideal customers. It's about “knowing what the client needs and communicating how we can actually help them,” she says.
Here are some tips from our conversation.
Know who you are meant for. “Your niche starts with who you are, your expertise and what you have to offer, and the specific talents, skills and tools you bring to the job,” Blass-Russell says. Masu. “Then it's all about who wants what you offer, the way you deliver it.”
By focusing on your identity, you will attract clients who naturally gravitate towards your approach. “Not everyone will resonate or relate to you or your unique, personal style, and you're not going to be for everyone, and that's okay,” Blass-Russell says. “The truth is, if you try to be good for everyone, you'll end up being good for no one. So this is exactly what makes you different from all the other people doing the same thing. I'm really going to work on it.”
Think of your customers as real people, not deals, dollar signs, or avatars. Imagine their lives, their emotions, their desires, and the conflicts, challenges, and problems that need solving. “This will completely change marketing and messaging strategies,” says Blas Russell.
Overcome your fear of sight. This is one of the biggest hurdles Blas Russell has to work with his clients on. “The people who are trying to run a business and are not willing to do whatever it takes to make themselves known and get themselves talked about are the ones who have the hardest time,” she says. To tell. “Everyone is out there selling something. If you're not confident enough to walk into a room and say who you are, you're going to fall behind.” Fortunately, In a world where it's easy to showcase your business online, even if you're an introvert, there are many ways to increase your visibility, including maintaining a social media presence.
Emerging from a place of service. This is difficult, but it will help you think as a business owner and service provider, Blas Russell says. “It gives you the freedom to not be attached to outcomes and to show up for others with the sole purpose of helping them make the decisions that are best for them.”
The first step is to provide value in the form of free content, not just conversations. “Your first priority should be to help others make their own empowered decisions about whether to invest in your services,” Blas Russell says. .
Let them know the “why?” What's behind what you're doing. “Share your story, values, voice, and mission in all your messaging and marketing,” advises Blas Russell. “People invest in people they feel connected to. They're looking for authenticity. In fact, they don't want or need anything perfect or generic. People invest in people they feel connected to. They want to know “Why?” Because it shows them that you not only care about something, but that you care about them and may be helping them get results. ”
Don't hide behind handouts and FAQs. Real marketing means that if people are interested in your services, instead of pointing them to a page on your website, for example, you make time for a phone call or Zoom call. “People value and crave real, authentic connections, even if they don't know if they'll work with them,” Blass-Russell said. “Feeling seen and heard by potential service providers goes a long way in helping people decide where to put their money.”
Leverage transformation and information as a marketing strategy. Rather than selling the content of your offer, such as the number of sessions you offer or the videos you include, focus on the “how” of changing to make the change they’re looking for. “People don't want more information, they want change,” Blas Russell says.
It helps to map out a “signature transformation system” – a loose framework that makes clear how the transformations are done. “It's a way for you, as a professional, to create an outline for how you'll help your ideal client get from where they are to where they want to be,” she says. Especially if you're selling a high-ticket item, your customers need to believe that you have a process in place. “And that's something they can do,” she says.
Tackle one goal at a time. a challenge Customer retention is important in the service industry. ““Successful coaches work on one aspect of a person’s business or life and then move on to another,” she says. “They complete that mission and build on that platform to take it to the next level.”
This approach helps keep marketing costs down. “If your business is built on acquiring new customers, and there is no part of your business that allows people to stay or stay with your company, then you have a tough business model. The only way to scale is to either get more and more customers or keep increasing your investment,” she says.
Create opportunities and experiences for people to connect with you in your community. Organize unique opportunities for people to come and join you in a live Zoom call or physical room. Or you can figure out how to get in front of someone else's audience.
“People are now very wary of pre-recorded webinars online,” Blas Russell says. “They know these are bait-and-switch sales pitches that don't really provide value, and they sit at home and watch these things alone, with no human interaction.
Practice cooperation over competition. By networking with other business owners and entrepreneurs who share a similar or common audience with you, you can work with them to leverage their audience and vice versa. says it will be possible. “If you don't want to invest tens of thousands of dollars in that access, this is actually the ultimate growth strategy,” she says. That might mean doing an Instagram Live together, creating an event, or participating in a podcast.
The key is finding ways to connect with the individuals who will buy from you. “It's really about connecting with other people and helping them bring out what they want,” she says. That way, if you're the right person to tell them, it's much easier to tell them that you know how to help them. “They have to believe in themselves as well as you, the expert,” she says.
