branching out

When you want to increase your visibility, do you prefer writing, speaking or in-person networking? There are many strategies you can use to increase exposure to, and connection with, your target audience, but none is better than… a combination of several!

And although there are several communication channels you could pursue in addition to the ones I’ve mentioned, most marketing experts will tell you that:

1. Writing, speaking and networking are the “Big Three.”
2. The bottom-line success of your business depends on your ability to tap into the ones that play to your strengths.
3. The more communications vehicles you weave together effectively, the greater the chance of your business succeeding.

As you consider how to make the best use of this information, here are some questions you can ask yourself:

• Which of the three gives me the most pleasure – writing, speaking or networking?
• Which has garnered me the most recognition in the past (whether in terms of business success, or even in school)?
• Which is most likely to put me in “flow,” where I could get completely lost in the moment, and hours might pass unnoticed?
• Which are already showing promise in the marketing success of my business?
• Which makes me want to crawl out of my skin?
• Which areas am I most passionate about improving?

Based on your responses, you might already see a pattern emerging. If so, these may be great areas on which to focus your marketing plan. And if you’re still struggling to respond to these questions, you might benefit from making this the first order of business with your coach!

That said, once you’ve identified where to focus your marketing energy, you’re ready to flesh out the details and decide on some next steps. If your individual “magic marketing formula” is built on speaking and networking, don’t be afraid to leave the writing to others. If you’re most passionate about internet marketing and prefer to reach your audience through the written word, release yourself from the shackles of “having to speak or network to get anywhere.” Among these three superstars, there aren’t any “wrong choices.”

The fact is that there are coaches who succeed by consistently leveraging a single type of marketing campaign, and there are also those who make great strides by “reaching out” to potential clients in a variety of ways. It all depends on your level of comfort and effectiveness in the areas you choose. Your task is to identify what areas work best for you and funnel your energy into the activities that leverage your strengths and passion. Happy Marketing!