The #1 problem I see small business owners face is a lack of direction.

Sound familiar?

I often hear things like:

👉 "I need someone to tell me what to do."

👉 "I'm just not sure what I should be doing."

Or maybe you feel like you need to:

• Post to Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Threads, LinkedIn, X (previously Twitter)
• Start a blog, newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel
• Rebuild your website
• ...and the list goes on!

Then you mistakenly correlate your lack of these things with a shortage of leads and sales.

🚨 Spoiler Alert 🚨: You don't need all that stuff to run a successful business.

Especially when your most valuable asset, your TIME, is limited.

So today, I'm gonna get you thinking like a strategic marketer. Let's figure out what kind of marketing your business actually needs.

It All Starts With the Customer Journey

Whenever I'm chatting with a business owner, I'm thinking about their customer journey.

Why?

Because:

Successfully growing your small business depends on moving people through the customer journey.

And guess what?

That's the job of your marketing.

In other words:

Successful marketing moves people through the customer journey.

Like this 👇:

Everyone goes through the customer journey differently and at different speeds. You can think of the entire journey as your Customer Lifetime Value—how much a customer spends with you over time.

Two key concepts to remember:

1. There are 4 marketing objectives: Awareness, Lead Gen, Sales, Retention
2. You need marketing for each objective

So the million-dollar question is...

Where’s Your Problem? 🕵️

Let’s play a game.

I'm going to share some common pain points small businesses face, and your job is to decide which marketing objective (awareness, lead gen, sales, retention) the problem falls under.

Problem #1:

FitZone Gym is losing members to bigger chains. Despite offering great classes and equipment, they're struggling to keep their current members engaged and coming back regularly.

Problem #2:

John's Plumbing has a solid reputation, but they're not getting many new customer inquiries. Their phone isn't ringing as often as it used to, and they're not sure how to reach potential customers in their area.

Problem #3:

Sarah's Boutique has a growing social media following and email list, but these potential customers aren't making purchases. People seem interested in their products but rarely follow through to buy.

Problem #4:

Mike, a freelance web designer, is having trouble getting his name out there. He knows he does great work, but potential clients don't seem to know his business exists.

Take a moment. Which marketing objective does each problem relate to?

And the answers are... 🥁

1. FitZone Gym: Retention
2. John's Plumbing: Lead Generation
3. Sarah's Boutique: Sales
4. Mike the web designer: Awareness

How did you do?

👉Remember, identifying the right marketing objective is the first step in creating an effective marketing strategy.

How to Build Marketing that Works:

Let's focus on Mike, our freelance web designer who's struggling with awareness.

Remember, Mike's problem was that potential clients don't seem to know his business exists—an awareness issue.

Here's how Mike can create effective marketing:

1.Understand the Goal:

Mike needs to get his name and services in front of potential clients who are looking for web design services.

2. Deploy the Right Tactics:

1. Create and share valuable content on a platform where his potential clients hang out (like LinkedIn)
2. Network at events and conferences
3. Speak on podcasts or at conferences about web design trends
4. Team up with complementary businesses (copywriters, graphic designers)
5. Run targeted ads to a lead magnet

Notice how these tactics are all focused on getting Mike's name out there and showcasing his expertise.

Here are some marketing solutions that WON'T solve Mike's awareness problem:

• Rebuilding his website (unless it's to improve local SEO)
• Creating a customer loyalty program
• Developing an email sequence for existing clients

While they’re good ideas, and might be useful for other objectives, they won't help with Mike's current awareness issue.

Mike should keep an eye on:

• LinkedIn post engagement
• Number of new contacts made at networking events
• Increase in inquiries from potential clients
• Cost per lead (CPL) for his ads

By focusing on awareness-specific tactics, Mike is much more likely to solve his real problem: getting potential clients to know his business exists.

Identify Your Marketing Objective

Now it's your turn! Think about your own business and which problem sounds most like yours? That's likely your primary marketing objective.

To help you out, I've created a handy checklist.

You can grab a copy of it by clicking here.

If you’re not sure what type of content you can use for each objective, check out this useful graphic from AWAI:

Grow Your Small Business with Effective Marketing

Marketing isn’t about doing everything at once…

It’s about doing the right things at the right time.

Focus on what matters most for your business right now. Start with one marketing objective, align your efforts, and watch how even small changes can lead to big results.

If you’re unsure where to begin or need a sounding board, just hit reply. I’m here to help.

Thanks So Much for Reading!

Are you as excited about the new season of Rings of Power as I am? 🤓🧙💍

Because if so, please share you’re thoughts on the matter:

Are the elven rings corrupted by Sauron?!

Warmly,

Nicholas

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