Written by: Maggie Perotin, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
We're in times where every business should have a mere presence not only online but also fully benefit from it to build brand recognition, marketing, and sales. And if it wasn't that apparent pre-COVID-19, it has become a necessity now.
Even when COVID restrictions are fully lifted one day, the new reality is going to be different. And as the savvy business owner, you want to pivot in the direction of where the new normal is going.
Therefore, whether you're just starting your business and know the online world is the place to be or thinking of expanding your presence online, avoiding these 5 common mistakes will save you money, time, and sanity.
Mistake 1: Being present on the wrong online platforms
The key to achieving maximum visibility in your business is to be present where your ideal clients are hanging out. If your audience is mostly on LinkedIn and put all your marketing efforts into Facebook, you won't succeed even with the best campaign ever.
If you focus and master even one right platform, you’ll be able to establish your expertise, attract a loyal audience and turn them into loyal fans and clients.
Solution: Do your research first. Find out what platforms your ideal clients go to, especially for information on issues that your offer solves, and be consistently present there. That's how they will notice you and get to like you and develop trust and respect for your expertise.
Mistake 2: Starting your presence on too many platforms at once
Trying to be present on all the social media platforms there are, especially when you're new to the online world, can be overwhelming. Every platform is different.
So, unless you have a big team and unlimited financial resources, resist the “shiny object syndrome” and need to be everywhere. All it will do is overwhelm you, take up too much time and make it extremely difficult to stay consistent.
And you probably know by now that consistency in showing up on-line is key.
Moreover, spreading your focus and energy in too many areas in the beginning will most likely lower the quality of the content you put out on these platforms.
Lastly, once you have an audience, you need to nurture them by staying active, replying to their comments, showing that you care. If you can’t do that promptly, your brand image will suffer.
Solution: If you're just starting, pick one or two platforms you want to be present on and get very good at those. Focus on building your audience and nurturing them. Stay consistent. Once you've mastered these platforms, then move on to the next one.
Mistake 3: Writing online content in your expert language
To attract your ideal client to your website, newsletter, follow you on social media or buy from your landing page, you need to write content (copy) that speaks to them (converts). The two most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when creating content are:
a) writing in their own expert language;
b) tooting horns about their offering without really showing how it can benefit their ideal clients.
Solution: Write your content in a way that your audience understands and can relate to. When we're passionate and knowledgeable about a topic, we tend to think everyone has the same level of expertise in it. It’s called a cognitive bias. Let me tell you that it's not true. What seems obvious to you isn't so evident to others.
So, try to go back in time to when you were a newbie to your industry. What did you think about similar offerings? How did you describe the concepts you want to share with your audience?
Additionally, talk to your ideal client and listen deeply to what they say. Tune in to their language. How are they describing their issues, and what do they want the solution to bring them? Because all they want is to understand your offer is what's in it for them, how you can help them solve their issue or reach their goals.
Once you know all that, use it in your content.
Mistake 4: Focusing only on Likes and Follows
The purpose of your presence on online platforms is to build an audience filled with your ideal clients whom you can serve and help. Once you deliver lots of value, one day they will be ready to buy your offer.
Therefore, attracting a qualified audience to your platforms is vital. It's not about having 10K likes and following random people who will never buy from you. Please don’t buy followers. There are many other better ways to invest that money in your business.
Focusing on “vanity metrics” rather than on providing value only keeps you busy.
Solution: Focus on attracting the right audience to your platforms rather than only a sheer number. It's better to have 1K of your true engaged ideal clients following you and 100 of them buying than 10K random followers who are not.
Ultimately only the true fans will engage, sign up for your free offers and eventually hire you to help them.
Mistake 5. Creating a sales funnel without a promotional plan
Sales Funnels, which are series of landing pages and emails that take your ideal client on a purchasing journey, are popular because they work great if done right.
They help you automate your client acquisition process and create a predictable flow of income. There are many ways you can utilize them in your business.
The most important thing that many entrepreneurs overlook at first is that creating a funnel with an excellent copy on the landing pages and in emails is only one side of the coin. And this site will not bring you email opt-ins, consult calls, or sales.
The second side of the coin is often missed. And it is equally essential also requiring a budget — sometimes even more significant than the first one. And that is promotion and advertising.
Because you can have the landing page, copy, and e-mail sequence in the world, but if no one knows your funnel exists, you won't be getting any results.
Solution: When deciding on using a sales funnel to grow your business ensure that you have a solid promotional budget and robust marketing plan to support the whole project.
Lastly, I wanted to share with you the primary root cause of these mistakes that I see with the entrepreneurs I help and talk to.
In most cases, it's the lack of an overarching STRATEGY for their business. And as you can now imagine, the consequences of that can be dire and painful.
The crazy amounts of time spent creating posts that bring no or minimal results.
The loads of money spent on building funnels that don't generate any sales.
The stress, overwhelm, and lost opportunities for spending all that time and money on activities that would actually grow the business.
So whatever you do in your business, always start with a strategy and plan. Once you have it, the rest will be much easier, less painful, and produce faster results.
And if you don't know how to create it, you can share your challenges with me via e-mail to maggie@stairwaytoleadership.com, and I’ll help.
Maggie Perotin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Maggie Perotin is a business and leadership coach, helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses without the overwhelm so they can live the life they want. Through her DREAM-PLAN-DO coaching model, she helps her clients reach their potential and get results while maintaining balance in life.
Maggie has over 13 years of coaching and leadership experience in the corporate world in various domains. She holds a Masters Degree in International Relations, Facility Management Administration designation, and currently pursuing an Executive MBA at Jack Welch Management Institute. Maggie uses all her knowledge and experience to help entrepreneurs be strategic and creative in building a successful business and brand that attract their ideal clients. She is passionate about spending quality time with her blended family with four kids in the Canadian nature, traveling, self-development, and healthy cuisine of the world.
