Marketing "Should-Haves" to Rethink in 2023

When it comes to small business marketing, we're always told what we should do. Year after year, we're updated on the hottest trends that we absolutely have to follow if we want to keep up with our competitors, and made to feel inadequate if we don't follow those trends.

But who said those "hot" marketing trends are the right answer for our business? Perhaps they don't make sense for our particular business model, or the demographics of our specific audience don't align with those the trend is expected to attract. Or perhaps, we just aren't into it...and if you ask me, being authentic is much better than faking a trend because the gurus say so.

Even as a marketing consultant, I've had to catch myself from time to time giving my clients and followers the "shoulds" versus the "what ifs." Over time as I tested and tried various trends in my own business, I realized that while there are certainly some excellent marketing strategies and tactics, not everything is for everybody.

So as we continue marching into the new year and face getting flooded with all the things a small business should do for marketing success, here are five expectations that you *should* probably rethink:

Consider if it makes sense for your business as we enter a new year and you get inundated with the latest trends. And if it doesn't, it's OK because there's no "one size fits all" when it comes to business marketing!

Expectation: Small businesses should be on the most popular social media platforms.

As social media networks grow and increasingly impact our daily lives, small businesses are pressured to create social media profiles for every platform. After all, social media comes packed with benefits, such as reaching a larger audience in a shorter amount of time, connecting directly with your followers, and showing more of your personality. And with the rapid growth of platforms such as TikTok, it's essential to step outside one's comfort zones to keep up with current trends and reach new demographics.

Reality: Not every social media platform makes sense for every business.

However, while social media comes packed with benefits to propel your small business forward, being on every social media platform isn't exactly the key to success. In fact, it can be a HUGE time suck if it isn't done right! 

If you're blindly posting on social media without knowing whether your audience is there, it's the same as shouting about your business into an empty room. If you're going to be on social media, take the time to research what platforms your audience is on and the best strategy for reaching them (as I discuss in my social media guide). Until then, you're better off directing your time and energy to other strategies.

Expectation: You should create content regularly to be seen by your target audience.

As if it isn't enough to keep a presence on all of the latest social media platforms, making multiple weekly posts on those platforms is necessary to keep your audience engaged. A solid social media presence entails consistently posting photos and videos, writing interesting captions, and engaging with those who may comment on the posts. And it doesn't just stop at social media: E-newsletters are vital to staying in touch with your audience (unlike social media, your e-mail list actually belongs to you)!

Reality: Content creation is time-consuming.

While regular content creation does increase visibility and the opportunity for engagement from your audience, the fact of the matter is it takes time. And when you're a small business with limited resources, it may be challenging to incorporate it into your already busy schedule. 

Consistency doesn't mean constantly. Even if it's just once a week, as long as you develop a schedule that works for you and you do your best to stick to that schedule, it beats creating no content. And when you do start to create content, be sure to check my 10 tips for creating quality content.

Expectation: You should bring in "XX" leads to be successful.

I can't tell you how many times I've gotten e-mails from businesses promising to help me to increase my number of leads by some ridiculous amount to help me grow my business. For service-based small businesses especially, we're expected to be constantly flooded with new leads if we want to keep growing. If not, then our business is failing.

Reality: Quality is much better than quality.

Contrary to popular belief, the number of leads you bring in has nothing to do with success because not all leads will convert into customers. For example, a person could have 100 leads, and only two will turn out to be ideal customers or clients for the business. But even if all those leads magically converted into clients, it would equate to an increased workload. And if you're not ready for that workload, it could result in overwhelm and burnout. 

Expectation: You should take advantage of artificial intelligence to be smart with your time.

Artificial intelligence (also known as AI) is the talk of the town these days in the marketing world. With the ability to predict patterns, perform market research, provide customer service and even automatically create your content, it's a godsend for small business owners who already have too many hats to wear. Sure, it can be expensive to implement, but considering all the time and effort saved on time-sucking yet necessary tasks, it's a smart business move.

Reality: AI could cause more damage than help.

Implementing AI in your business may save time, but there are also some significant downsides. Although automation is praised when streamlining and simplifying business functions, AI eliminates actual humans from performing the work. And while you may be thinking, "Well, that's the point..." you also need to consider that eliminating humans from a process means taking the human emotion out of those particular functions. 

One key factor that pushes people to make purchases or choose one service provider over another is the emotion that gets invoked when they think about how that product or service will change their life. So when you remove this aspect from your customer service or marketing materials, you also remove the ability to connect with your audience deeper, putting your sales at risk.

Expectation: You should constantly display social responsibility on your website and social media channels.

In this day and age, where social issues and opinions become increasingly displayed via social networks, businesses are also expected to talk about their part in being socially responsible. People want to know what a business stands for before supporting them, so it is critical to speak openly about these things. In addition, being vocal about your business values and stances on major issues ensures that you attract an audience who shares the same values.

Reality: People want to see you in action, not hear about it.

It's easy to get on social media, participate in hashtag campaigns, and post about your opinion or what you're going to do about specific issues. Still, it isn't enough to talk the talk without walking the walk!

Physically leading by example is a powerful way to show your followers your viewpoints. When you take steps to make a difference in your community via partnerships, donations, and visits to the places and causes you support, you show the world that you're all about taking action, not just following a "trend."

Consider if it makes sense for your business as we enter a new year and you get inundated with the latest trends. And if it doesn't, it's OK because there's no "one size fits all" when it comes to business marketing!

Need some help deciding what trends could work for your small business? Let's chat about it. Click here to schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation call with me!