How to Create a Powerful 12-Month Marketing Plan: A Simple and Realistic System for Planning Your Marketing and Getting It Done.

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1 How to Create a Powerful 12-Month Marketing Plan: A Simple and Realistic System for Planning Your Marketing and Getting It Done Summary Handout Introduction You already know you need to market your business more consistently. The challenge is that you're not sure how to get it done. There are SO MANY things you feel you should be doing that you end up doing nothing (or next to nothing). In this execution plan, I'll show you how to: Make smart decisions about what to do Increase the probability that you'll actually do your marketing Pick yourself back up if and when you get off track The Strategies There are a million things you could do to market your freelance business. But in this execution plan, I've narrowed down this list to the most viable 18 strategies. I've grouped them by intensity level: Light intensity Medium intensity High intensity 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 1

2 Light-Intensity Strategies These are strategies that, when done right, generally require a minimal amount of time, energy and resources. Reactivate Past/Dormant Clients Dormant clients are clients for whom you've worked in the past but aren't currently engaged with. This is often a huge source of high-probability opportunities and one that most freelancers tend to ignore or forget about. Some ways you can reactivate: Bring an idea to the table The "new service" campaign Cross-sell services Re-establish contact and stay in touch through steady nurturing Reach out to a new contact in the organization Send a reintroduction reminding them of your capabilities Tap Your Network This is about reaching out to people who know you personally or professionally. Group your contacts by potential "direct hire" and "referral source." Craft a simple message template for each category, and customize each note based on the individual. This can involve a combination of , phone and postal mail. This is a drastically underused strategy. Active Referrals You may get some referrals as part of your business, but if you want to make serious improvements in your business and in your income, you have to make referral generation a more purposeful and proactive activity. It needs to be something you plan for, take time to do and cultivate in a more mindful way. A few tips: Ask regularly and methodically Create a referral expectation from the start Local Networking The key to getting value from local networking events is to keep as focused as possible. Just because you're local isn t a good-enough reason for someone to want to do business with you. Don't use it as a crutch. Get as narrowly focused on your target market as you can Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 2

3 Newsletter Your newsletter does NOT have to be a big production. A simple newsletter with just one short article will do. And sending it out every four to six weeks is fine. Your newsletter launch is a perfect excuse to reach out to every prospect, dormant client and current client to get permission to add them to your list. If you keep it short and simple, this becomes light-intensity marketing with high impact. A Simple Blog The two main goals of a freelancer's blog are: 1. To show prospects that you know what you're talking about 2. To create "content seeds" you can flesh out and repurpose What do I mean by "content seeds"? Some blog posts can easily be repurposed into longer articles. Those articles could be reused in your newsletter. Or they could become the basis for a guest article in an outside publication. Or the basis for a 15-minute talk at a conference. Or part of a short e-book you create as a lead magnet for attracting prospects to your business. In other words, it's where much of this content is born. If you get into the habit of writing daily as an early-morning exercise and if you keep your blog simple this is not a big undertaking. Plus, it can make content marketing easier and less time-consuming. Nurturing Longer-Term Leads Even when you start dialogue with prospects, there's a very good chance that they won't have a direct need that very moment. But if you have a way to stay in touch with them in a low-key, value-added way, you increase the chances that the prospects will contact you when they have a need in your area of expertise. How do you solve this dilemma? By creating a simple lead-nurturing system that enables you to stay in touch in a relevant and nonthreatening way over the course of six, 12, 18 or even 24 months until they're ready to engage you. What can you send? Articles you've written Reports or white papers you've authored for this purpose Success stories Third-party content (articles, reports, white papers, stats, etc.) Books (no one throws away a book!) News articles or news releases 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 3

4 Strategic Social Media I'm specifically referring to connecting with colleagues, clients and potential prospects in order to: Forge connections with them Start some dialogue Develop the relationship further Share ideas Be helpful Connect people Medium-Intensity Strategies Targeted Conferences This is about carefully searching for and attending very targeted and focused conferences with the objective of: Making prospect and/or partnership connections Developing existing relationships Positioning yourself as an expert (speaking, participating in a panel, etc.) Learning new prospecting or marketing methods/approaches Strategic Networking This can be local. But the main difference between basic networking and strategic networking is your level of involvement. This type of networking entails getting involved in the organization. For instance: Joining the board Joining a committee or two Volunteering your time and talents Do this only with organizations that have lots of prospects in your target market. Guest Articles This involves getting your blog posts or articles published in a publication. It gets your name in front of prospects who normally wouldn't have known about you. Plus it builds credibility and generates targeted leads for your business. And it can lead to other opportunities, such as speaking invitations. The biggest time investment is finding and pitching the blogs or publications that would be a good fit for you. This requires discipline and commitment on your part Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 4

5 Direct Mail Campaigns The most effective direct mail approaches for freelance professionals are: The lead magnet approach: Prospect trades their contact information for your lead magnet (a report, cheat sheet, checklist, etc.). This will generate leads rather than immediate project opportunities. The "hire me for your next project" approach: This is a direct invitation to contact you to discuss a project. It will generate fewer responses, since the probability is lower that a prospect is ready now. The warm letter approach: Basically a copy of your warm script in the form of a printed letter. It's a good follow-up to a warm . Warm Prospecting Think of this as cold calling with . But unlike cold calling, where you're pretty much using the same script with everyone you call, you'll instead customize your message for each prospect. Here's the basic architecture of an effective warm Relevant and personalized subject line that grabs attention "I noticed this about you and/or what you're doing..." "Here's who I am and why I may be able to help you..." "Here's some evidence..." (credibility) "Should we connect?" Cold Calling Going after clients where the type of work you do is very "transactional" increases your chances of success. For example, if you're a writer, ad agencies and marketing firms are very often in need of good or specialized writers. Writing and copywriting are transactional services for them. Another approach that can be very effective is to leverage a very specific specialty or background you have. This makes your pitch more relevant. Even though I'm not a big fan of cold calling, I still believe in using the phone when reaching out to people in your network. It's also a great way to contact past and dormant clients. It adds the human touch you lose with . Online Job Boards There are instances when online job boards can make sense. For instance, when you're starting out and you have had no results tapping your network or sending out a significant amount of warm s to prospects in your target market Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 5

6 The main advantage of a big online job board: these prospects have something they need done. But there are three key challenges you need to keep in mind: Problem #1: More junk than treasure. Think of it as the world's biggest consignment shop. There are gems hidden in those clothing racks. But you have to be patient! Problem #2: There are many other freelancers vying for the same opportunities. Problem #3: Landing your first gig is your biggest challenge, because very few prospects want to take a chance on someone without ratings or reviews. Keys to success: Differentiate yourself Look for your best bets and bid on those only Match needs with your expertise Show how/where you shine (as it relates to prospects' needs) Agencies When you're looking to land work quickly, agencies and other firms with a client base can provide a great opportunity. They tend to have a steady amount of work and are used to hiring freelancers. Agencies can keep you very busy and enable you to add depth and breadth to your portfolio very quickly. However, there are some disadvantages: There are difficult deadlines You can't always name the end client or use the sample You'll typically get paid less than you do when working for direct clients Getting paid can be challenging Many people are involved, which can lead to communication problems Suggestions: Start with small agencies Go after the creative director Leverage your specialties, target marketing knowledge, unique skills 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 6

7 Partner with Like-Minded Complementary Freelancers This is about reaching out to noncompeting freelancers in other fields (e.g., writers partnering with designers) who seem to share your work ethic, philosophy and target markets. Your objective is to explore working together on some projects or to refer work to each other. Why It Works: Sometimes you stand a greater chance of winning the deal if you can present a more comprehensive solution to the client. Having a complementary partner can open new doors and put more money in your pocket. How to Deploy: Use warm s, direct mail or cold callss Find local freelancer meetups or groups Create your own freelancer meetup where you live Go outside your local area if necessary (location no longer a barrier) Work on building relationships, not on getting immediate work Recommended resource: Interview with Peter Bowerman on how he built his freelance writing business on this idea: High-Intensity Strategies Publish a Book This is about writing a book to generate leads and build trust and credibility with your prospects. Having a print book to your name gives you an unfair advantage over other creative professionals. It elevates you immediately in people's eyes by: Positioning you as an expert Giving you greater confidence when prospecting Increasing your ability to supercharge your other prospecting strategies Improving your lead-nurturing efforts (books make great nurturing tools) Examples: High-tech copywriter Janice King ( wrote a book titled Copywriting That Sells High Tech Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 7

8 Freelance writer Rebecca Livermore( wrote a Kindle book titled Content Repurposing Made Easy: How to Create More Content in Less Time to Expand Your Reach. Freelance ghostwriter Derek Lewis ( published The Business Book Bible to attract new prospects and build trust and credibility. Note that each of them wrote a book on what he or she knew well, even if he or she still had to do some research. Also note that your book doesn't have to be long. Rebecca's book is 90 pages. But even at 90 pages, this can be a time-consuming project. So that's why I've put it in the "high-intensity" category. Useful Tip: One of the great (and little understood) benefits of launching a newsletter or blog and making daily or weekly writing a habit is the fact that you can repurpose this content in many different ways. If you do that, within a few months you'll have enough content to form the basis of your book. Shock & Awe Campaigns You'll occasionally have prospects that justify greater effort and persistence. They deserve more than just one or two warm s, because they're on your "dream clients" list. The idea behind shock and awe is to "touch" these high-value prospects several times (and in a variety of ways) over a 12-to-24-month period. Timing is the biggest factor in why prospects don't hire you. The timing just isn't right. By marketing to them in a consistent, multimodal and creative way, you'll increase the chances they'll think of you when the timing is right. Examples: Warm Follow-up warm Follow-up warm letter Voice mail Bulky package Warm to another contact in the organization 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 8

9 Public Speaking This is not one of the most popular thought leadership strategies among creative professionals, but it can be extremely effective when done well. Additionally, learning how to speak and present effectively in public is a transferrable skill that will have far-reaching impact. What could you speak about? Here again, repurpose as much of your existing content as possible. Go back to articles, blog posts and reports you've created on topics related to what you do. Many of these could make good presentation topics. As far as what groups to approach, how to pitch them and how to make your talk memorable, I have a great resource for you. It's an interview I did a couple of years ago with Coach Jenn Lee. Jenn is a good friend of mine and an expert speaker who drums up an incredible amount of business every year as the direct and indirect results of her talks. In this interview, she shares exactly what to do and how to do it. It's great stuff. So make sure to check it out. Free Resource: "How to Generate New Business by Delivering Talks to Organizations and Professional Groups." Currently resides here: Notes: 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 9

10 How to Pick the Strategies for Your Plan Again, I just shared the 18 "best bet" strategies for marketing your freelance business, regardless of your specific profession. Are there others? Yes, but as I said in a previous lesson, the first step is to narrow your options to the list of most viable ideas. From there, you can start making some smart decisions about your plan. So let's look at the list again, grouped by intensity. Publish a Book Shock & Awe Campaigns Public Speaking Targeted Conferences Strategic Networking Guest Articles Direct Mail Campaigns Warm Prospecting Cold Calling Online Job Boards Agencies Complementary Freelancers Reactivate Past/Dormant Clients Tap Your Network Active Referrals Local Networking Newsletter Blog Nurturing Longer-Term Leads Strategic Social Media 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 10

11 And let's look at these strategies another way. Here they are grouped by the type of marketing they represent. Knocking on Doors (KOD) Reactivate Tap Your Network Active Referrals Direct Mail Warm Prospecting Cold Calling Online Job Boards Agencies Complementary Freelancers Shock & Awe Campaigns Follow-Up Nurturing Longer-Term Leads Reactivate Direct Mail Warm Prospecting Cold Calling Complementary Freelancers Shock & Awe Campaigns Networking Content Marketing Tap Your Network Local Networking Strategic Social Media Targeted Conferences Strategic Networking Complementary Freelancers Agencies Public Speaking Newsletter Blog Nurturing Longer-Term Leads Strategic Social Media Guest Articles Publish a Book Shock & Awe Campaigns Public Speaking So how do you choose? Here are some general guidelines to consider: 1. Consider where you are in your biz today 2. Consider where you're trying to go 3. Consider what's worked (and not worked) for you in the past 4. Get real with your time constraints; in other words, assume that you're going to be too ambitious with your initial decision 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 11

12 Exercise Look back at the past one or two years: How did each client find you? How did your BEST clients find you? How did your WORST clients find you? Are there any patterns? Consider keeping strategies that are generating good clients and ditching or reworking strategies that are generating bad ones. Create Your Baseline Mix Next, create a diversified mix of strategies to start with: 1. Start by laying out one or two recurring KOD strategies 2. Then add a follow-up strategy (consider "Nurturing") 3. Pick one content marketing strategy 4. Add either one networking strategy or another follow-up strategy Think of this marketing mix as your baseline as the "set point" in your thermostat. It's a starting point you can adjust up or down based on where you are today, your goals, constraints, what's worked/not worked in the past, etc. Use the Strategy Scheduler to Refine Your Plan Next, get an even clearer picture of your constraints by using my Strategy Scheduler. It's a tool that will help you visually plan your marketing mix and how you'll deploy it throughout the year. Start by adding the "baseline mix" from above into the scheduler. See how it looks visually and adjust as needed. A few tips: Factor in your preferences and what's worked for you previously Consider intensity levels as you pick and settle on your mix Consider all your relevant factors (stage of business, etc.) Consider vacations, busy times of year, other constraints Assume it's going to take more effort (so don't go overboard) Start with less and do it consistently (and then add as needed) 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 12

13 How to Market Consistently You need a simple system you can actually follow a system based on simple rules that will make daily decision-making super easy (so you don't have to think and allow emotion to drive your actions at the moment of truth). Turn your marketing into a mindless habit. According to a 2006 Duke University study, 40 percent of the actions we take each day aren't the result of conscious decision-making. They're automatic. If these "autopilot" actions take us where we want to go, then great! But if they don't, we veer off course. When we do something habitually, we think less. Our neurological activity actually decreases. That s why the behavior feels automatic. Great resources on the subject of habits: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg Mini Habits by Stephen Guise The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor Jamesclear.com "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." --Jim Rohn Motivation and willpower are depletable resources. They get us started, but they don't keep us going. You need to have habit take over. Idea #1: Micro Actions It's much easier to develop a habit by working on it day by day than by setting a big goal. If you set a big goal and assign a deadline, then you risk getting off course. It's almost impossible to perfectly "reverse engineer" a big goal from achievement date to start date. A better approach is to start with a ridiculously small step or action an action so small that you have no reason not to do it. That's what will lure you into taking the action. And once you start taking the action, it becomes much easier to do more. Plus, you start developing the habit that will make taking future action "mindless." 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 13

14 Your plan of action: If you're very busy, start with marketing for 15 minutes a day (micro action) Work your way up to 30 minutes a day If you have zero to little work, work on marketing full time When you get slammed with client work, revert to just 15 minutes a day Anyone can do 15 to 30 minutes of marketing per day. No excuses. The trick is to know ahead of time exactly what you'll do during that allocated time. Otherwise, you'll lose time figuring it out. James Clear has an excellent article on this topic here: Idea #2: Treat It Like a Recurring Project Schedule it into your day like you would a project. And if you're still having trouble, schedule it for first thing in the morning (start with15 minutes). Also, focus on daily-level execution. This is about assigning a theme to each day of the week. Ilise Benun from is a big proponent of this, and it works! For instance: Mondays: prospect research Tuesdays: KOD Wednesdays: KOD Thursdays: follow up Fridays: content marketing Another example: Mondays: prospect research Tuesdays: KOD Wednesdays: follow up Thursdays: content marketing Fridays: networking Besides giving you structure, this approach reduces the number of decisions you have to make every day. You can start each day knowing exactly what type of marketing activity you need to focus on. Again, focus on committing to the system, not the outcome. Doing so increases your chances of getting the outcome you want Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 14

15 Idea #3: Gamify It! Don't break the chain! Create a visual chain to track your progress. The "Way of Life" app enables you to create chains, set reminders, see progress over time, etc. It's very easy to use and very powerful. Fall in love with winning the game, seeing lots of "green" (or checked boxes in your calendar) and seeing your progress rather than loving the actual activity you're tracking. Finally, consider getting an accountability partner who can help keep you on track. A short weekly call or check-in can be an effective way to keep at it until the activity becomes a real habit. What If You Get Behind, Get Off Track or Get Hopelessly Discouraged? First, develop strategies for dealing with failure. Develop an if-then strategy to get back on track before you slip up. Missing a habit one day has no impact on the long-term success of your habit if you get back on track quickly. Try to avoid the all or nothing mentality. Doing something small is better than doing nothing at all. The motivational boost you'll get from knowing that you at least took some action that day is priceless. If you continue to have trouble getting your marketing done, revisit your marketing mix and your annual marketing schedule. Ask yourself What's happening? Why do I keep missing half of my marketing activities? Maybe you've overdone it. If that s the case, don't beat yourself up. Instead, strip down your plan to the bare minimum. And don't feel guilty about it. Strip it down, but then commit to getting back on track with this new plan. And once you're consistent with the stripped-down version, start adding to it incrementally. Other ideas: Build in recovery time to make your habit more sustainable Take some breaks Adjust your plan as you go (it's totally OK to do that) Better to adjust down than to do nothing 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 15

16 Remember: developing the habit is much more important than getting immediate results. It's the habit that's going to enable you to eventually meet those goals. If the reason for getting off track is that you're suddenly crazy-busy with client work, have a plan for that, too. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you don't need to market now. Idea: shift from prospecting to expansion to nurturing based on your workload (how this built-in flexibility keeps you on track) Idea: have a plan for which strategy you'll put on "pause" if work gets crazy (and which ones you'll commit to continue) Notes: 2016 Gandia Communications, Inc. Please do not copy or distribute. 16