“The Case for ‘Busy Work’ Marketing”

You’ve probably heard the term “busy work” before.  It means, work that is not that important and/or doesn’t really further your business goals. It may be work that has to be done or administrative minutia that takes up time.

So, what am I talking about when I say “busy work marketing”? Well, let’s get a little background first.   Here’s what I’ve found with a lot of businesses that have either neglected or simply don’t know how to take their businesses online. Or, if they have tried to market their business online, they don’t know where to really start.  They’ll ask questions like, “What social media platforms should I use?”, “What should I post on them?” or “How do I build an email list?”

These are all good questions, actually.  The point here is that when you really don’t know what to do with your online marketing, do something! Anything! “Paralysis by analysis” has killed  a lot of businesses. You can learn as you go along.  Just get into action and start letting people know about your business. 

The online world changes so rapidly that it’s easy to get caught up in the latest marketing fad or trend and forget that simple things like this—a blog—have been around for well over 10 years and are still a very reliable way to market your business.  Podcasts? The same thing. They’re getting even more popular as people realize their value simply because they can listen to a podcast while they’re driving or doing some other activity that doesn’t demand their complete focus. 

Doing “busy work marketing”, where you’re posting some content that your prospects would like or would help them on Facebook, putting a profile up on Instagram or putting a lead magnet on your website to start building an email list isn’t really “busy work” at all (but the title got your attention, didn’t it?).  It all adds up to the same thing: getting your sales message out to your audience online consistently.

In my work as an online marketing consultant, I like to teach and use “marketing systems” that include a mix of marketing methods that build a following, generate leads and keep a businesses brand top of mind in the consciousness of their prospective buyers.  

The point here is, if you don’t know what to do first, don’t worry.  Just do something marketing-wise. Anything is better than nothing.  Start with something as simple as posting something on your Facebook profile every day.  If you don’t have a Facebook Business Page, set one up and post on there—and then share it on your personal page. 

Then, add to your marketing mix gradually by maybe putting a lead magnet on your website. This is a “special report”, informational audio or maybe a 4-part video course of high perceived value that people in your target market can download in exchange for their email address.  You can then market to them by email on a regular basis.

From there, you can maybe start posting regularly on another social media platform like Twitter or Instagram.  Again, with social media, the key is posting consistently. There are companies that can manage this for you as well (including ours!). 

Obviously, it would definitely benefit you to set aside time to develop an overall online marketing strategy for your business.  After all, you can’t hit a target unless you can see it.  Doing this will give you clarity and focus on what you need to do on a regular basis to build a “tribe” and communicate with them regularly.  This builds trust and credibility and they’ll be more receptive to buy from you.  

In the meantime, get in the habit of doing some marketing activity every day to further your business.  Again, something is better than nothing.  

If I can help you with any of this, please reach out to me by emailing me at tim@marketpitchllc.com or by calling (352) 638-4284.