But assuming that it is, can be problematic.
Over the years, I’ve found all kinds of marketing methods, charts, formulas, strategies, and outlines, many of them brilliant, some of which produced meaningful results.
But as we explore these options, there’s one thing that becomes clear – there’s no such thing as a “perfect” formula.
Certainly, there are personal biases, circumstantial considerations, and resource-based limitations that can come into play.
But what works for one doesn’t always work for another. Read that again.
Some bloggers create six-, seven-figures and beyond without a dime spent on ads or a minute spent on social media.
Some podcasters found their audience trying their hand at a variety of topics with different formats and different co-hosts, weaving their way to an eight-figure internet marketing empire.
Others have used omnichannel marketing with astonishing precision and finesse. They’re able to get their resonant message in front of many audiences across multiple channels with targeted content, and they make it look easy.
But it may not be your experience, it may not be your path.
You can talk to coaches, experts, executives, specialists, you can listen to podcasts and audio programs, you can take courses and seminars, and more. Again, you may have some stellar discoveries. But it doesn’t mean you’ll have found the answer.
Allow your journey to be your journey. Hypothesize. Set up experiments. Execute time-bound campaigns. Monitor results. Adjust and iterate.
It’s a lot for a solopreneur to handle. So, find help. Or keep the scope manageable.
Marketing is not a formula. It can be frustrating when we assume that it is. And that’s not helpful.
What is helpful is to recognize what’s not working and to adapt and iterate quickly. If it’s not a hit, switch.
Marketing is supposed to be fun. You’re doing it wrong if it isn’t. Even spectacular failures can be exciting and enlightening. Many successful online marketers have publicly documented their greatest failures. Read them. Learn from them. Understand that no one succeeds 100% of the time.
Some of my greatest successes were the crowdfunding campaign that raised $15,000 for a jazz artist, a content marketing campaign that drove a website’s traffic from 0 to 800 in three years, and a social media / email / PR / word of mouth campaign that sold 188 of 200 tickets for The 3 Project (more to follow on this).
But my personal graveyard of failed experiments and marketing campaigns continues to grow. I’m grateful for the successes, and I can honestly say I’m grateful for all the failures too. I’m grateful for all of it.
So, don’t worry about the formula. Do some speculation, come up with a game-plan, get into action, and track what happens. Then, if it doesn’t work, adjust course or try something new.
