10 Ways to Market Your Business on a Shoestring

Welcome to Dawn of a New Era, a business and marketing podcast with a difference, ranking in the top 5% globally for people who want to start, scale, and grow their own business. Dawn McGruer shares tips to improve marketing, motivation, and mindset, as well as her own real-life challenges and experiences as an entrepreneur. Guests include some of the world's most inspiring leaders too. So if you are an aspiring, established, or serial entrepreneur, this is your go-to podcast to fast-track results and rise to meet today's challenges and master the art of online influence and business success, and avoid common pitfalls along the way.

Never miss an episode and subscribe and listen at dawnmcgruer.com. Welcome to episode 47 of Dawn of a New Era with myself, Dawn McGruer. Now, in this episode, we're going to be focusing on the most asked question that I get day in, day out, which is, how do I market my business?

And we're going to cover 10 ways to market your business on a shoestring. And this is great because it's my favorite topic. These are super easy, super practical ways that you can action today, and that's what makes it so exciting. You know, if you are stuck in a rut or you really want to get your business out there, get it noticed, then all you've got to do is grab a pen and a paper and take some notes, because these 10 things are ways that you can boost your business instantly.

And these are things I use with my clients and myself. And when we talk about marketing on a shoestring, it's not because we're a small business or maybe a startup. These work for any sized business, at any age or any stage of the business. And this is what's so exciting because many people believe that you've got to have this super large marketing budget.

And guess what? You don't need to. You know, it's wrong. If you are looking to get your business up there to really ramp up your customers this year, you don't need to be having deep pockets and really, really kind of thinking about all these huge advertising costs, because this is what makes it so special: the internet, the power of marketing your business online.

Now, in the Academy Business Consult, every day I am talking to clients about how to master online marketing and social media to grow the business. And the special aspect of online marketing and the uniqueness of it is there's no monopoly. It means that any business can get that online visibility. They can be seen.

They can be found, and you could build a website, you could start ads, you could do all sorts of different activities that mean that you could reach and attract customers in a matter of minutes. You know, think about email campaigns. You can literally send an email and start getting action from your audience in minutes, if not seconds. So what is number one?

Well, the first thing sounds super simple, and obviously, you know, we want to be seen everywhere online. But what I actually mean by this is creating the perception that you are everywhere. Like so many people come to me and say, Dawn, literally, I feel like I go onto every channel and you're always there. But this is something that doesn't take a lot of time, doesn't take a lot of effort.

It's just about working smarter, not harder, and creating, as I say, a perception that you are everywhere. So how do you do this? Well, it's about thinking more about where your audience hang out. Where are they going to see you?

Where are the top three places that you know that your audience are, and focusing purely on those. So for me, LinkedIn has always been a social network, a channel of choice, one that brings, you know, free engagement, free reach, and works in a very powerful manner for the business because we're generating like 80% of leads through that channel for free. So you've got to find the channel that suits you, that suits your business, that you know that you're currently generating leads from, and focus your efforts on there. Now, if you think about consistency and frequency, everybody harps on about these, but it's just about having a plan.

And all I do is in my diary, my Google Calendar or whatever, I take time and I put in a notification that I'm going to show up three times a week. That really is the bare minimum. That you need to be visible for. So it's not that hard.

All you've got to do is think about what is going to be the biggest impact, the most persuasive way that you can get what you do out there and really start resonating with your audience, creating that desire for what you do and building those all-important relationships. For me, it could be doing one live, one post that I'm really trying to get engagement, and maybe on the third piece it could be a question, it could be a poll, it could be anything. But think about what would be the three things and just chart it into your diary. Try it out.

Instantly, as soon as you get that consistency and frequency, you're showing up, people start to notice, and this perception starts to happen that literally you are everywhere. So try it out and let me know how you get on. Now, on to number two. This is a biggie.

Get your face in front of your audience. So as much as, you know, you have your brand and your company, you want to put a face to the actual company, so you humanize it. People buy people, and this is why it is something that people, I suppose, are maybe less comfortable with because it's all very well hiding behind a corporate brand. You know, you maybe are newer to the online space.

It could be that you're more comfortable just putting your brand out there, and everyone assumes you have to be an extrovert. Now, the weird thing is, for me, yeah, I'm a speaker and I train people. So, you know, I go online, I do lives, videos, all these things, but people would assume— I'm an extrovert. I'm actually not.

I'm probably more introvert than I am extrovert. And the thing is, for me, is I show up in a way that's comfortable for me. Now, speaking in front of audiences hasn't always been something I enjoyed or even liked. In fact, I would go as far to say I absolutely hated it.

And the thought of getting on stage in front of like 3,000 people, you know, you go back, you know, 10, 20 years, I would have been in absolute panic if you'd said that to me. But crazy enough. 2019, I was best female speaker. You know, that is something for me that was a big challenge to overcome, but I knew it was something that would give me the biggest visibility.

It would be the biggest way that I could share my message with lots and lots of people. You know, instead of working one-to-one, I knew that I wanted to work one-to-many. So you've got to find something that's comfortable with you. And the only advice that I would give is, do you know what?

Once I'd done it once, twice, three times, it wasn't that bad. And once you realize nothing's going to happen, nothing bad is going to happen, it's the fear, I think, of being judged, you know, and you panic because you think, Oh my goodness, all these people are going to be staring at me. Do you know what? Most people are probably looking at you thinking, Oh my goodness, do you know what?

I wish, I absolutely wish I could do that. And that's the crazy thing. As soon as I came off stage one of the first times, people were coming up to me going, Dawn, do you know what? That was so powerful.

That really resonated with me. You know, wow, I wish I could do that. And I said, You know, this is the first time actually I've done it. And people were, like, you know, mystified that I could get up and do it.

But we all start somewhere. No one, you know, wakes up and can public speak. No one wakes up and loves doing lives. It's just you get used to it.

And when you start to get into the flow and you lose the fear and the panic, and that naturally happens after a couple of times, you get into flow and it just starts to feel something that energizes you rather than puts you into that complete panic. And remember, public speaking is the most feared thing in the world. So imagine that if you nail that and you just start doing a couple of lives, even if you show up with someone with you on a live and do an interview, it just might feel more comfortable for you. So let me know, what is your thoughts around it?

Are you someone who is super comfortable about being visible online and you feel that you could get on stage, or are you someone who was like me, who was in an absolute... Fear. I mean, literally, the thought of it would just paralyze me, you know. But I've moved forward, and it's about taking small, steady steps that feel comfortable and just doing bit by bit.

Let me know where you're at. Come and join the community. All you've got to do is go to the website, dawnmcgrew.com, click on the group, and come and join the community because we talk about all things marketing, motivation, and mindset.

Now, number three. This is about getting reviews and case studies. This is the most persuasive content in the world, the most powerful content that you could have. So please, please, please do me a favor.

And just reach out to one person, one person you know you've made impact, you've made a difference, you've driven change, and then just interview them. Just ask if you could do a quick 15-minute Zoom interview with them and talk to them about why did they choose you? What was the one thing that made you stand out for them? What was the whole challenge that they came to you with, and what was the solution that you helped give them?

And the best bit, what were the results that they actually got? The results are the best bit. People want to see the whole story from start to finish, where they were, the challenges they had in, you know, implementing your product or service, and, you know, the highs and lows, because no one goes from instant, you know, win in a day. It might take time, but the more authentic the story, the more people will resonate with that, and people will trust that content.

And, you know, there's nothing better than social proof. So just reach out to one person, do that interview, but remember this is their time, so give them something back. You know, if you've got a book or a little gift that you could send them, even an Amazon voucher, something just to say thank you. You know, your time is valuable, and I really appreciate this.

Number four, searchability, being seen and being found. It's huge. So for me, my name, if someone types that into Google, there is no escape. Literally, there is pages and pages of Dawn McGruer.

Thankfully, I have quite an unusual surname, which makes it easier. But literally, this has taken me time to build up, and this is about me creating profiles in lots of different spaces. So as soon as you start up social media profiles under your company name or your name, it starts to happen. As soon as you are on a business directory, whatever it is, you've got to think about where could you put your name or your brand or your Your business that would give you more of an audience, more of a reach.

Now, go to Google, type your name in, type your brand in, whatever you feel that your audience would find you through, and see how visible you are. You want to be found when you are not the person pushing that marketing out. And this is the lovely thing about marketing. If you get your content in the right place, so it could be YouTube videos, as soon as people type in my name, they will find an abundance of places: LinkedIn profiles, YouTube, websites, podcasts, you name it.

And people will be finding me as I'm sleeping. But that is the most powerful way of pulling people in, because that doesn't rely on me pushing content out. It means that it's there serving me while I'm sleeping, and it's 24/7. Okay, number five, relationships.

People buy people, as we know. This is marketing at its absolute pinnacle, because relationships are all about marketing and sales. Now, I put quite a controversial post on LinkedIn the other week. It's had about 30,000 views so far, just one post, yeah?

And I asked a question. I said, What do you think about sales and marketing? I feel they go hand in hand, and I do, because think about how people buy online now. People might go on, see a Facebook Live, and click through and buy something with no sales intervention at all, right?

So I'm not saying that gone are the days of salespeople, gone are the days of, you know, actually having people, physical human beings in that mix. But it's not always necessary, especially in the online space. You know, one of the biggest things that builds a brand is building relationships by talking to people. So if someone engages in your post, talk back to them.

If someone comments on your live, mention them. These are all amazing ways that you can really close that gap and start forming a powerful relationship with your community. And then in turn, these connections will turn into, guess what, paying customers. So it takes a time.

You know, social selling for me is about building these relationships, and the more that I engage with their content, with whatever they're posting, then they come back to me, and it's a two-way street. So think about ways that you can really, really build a relationship, be it just reaching out and sending a voice message in response to someone's question. You know, how can you take that relationship Ten times further than the norm. Stand out from the crowd.

Do something different. If your go-to is someone emails you and you email back, how could you improve that relationship? How could you make it deeper? Yeah?

So just think about this week, how could you change the way that you interact? How could you really, really make it special? And honestly, once you start doing this, you start to see things change in a huge, huge way because people start engaging, talking, and they start to feel like they really know you. And it's about giving your authentic self, sharing a story, something personal to you, so that they feel uber connected.

Number six, don't forget good old direct mail. Something that we actually did this month, we did 10,000 leaflets in our local area all about the academy. And obviously, I have multiple brands. We've got Business Consort, Digital and Social Media Academy.

You know, we've got 30,000 people in the alumni there. It's a big part of obviously my life. And one thing that we do know is, yes, we're delivering digital courses and qualifications, but word of mouth and referral are biggies for us in terms of, you know, reaching new students and clients. And because our market's like 25 to 55 on average, what better way than to actually get leaflets to people's homes?

And one of the things the pandemic has done is meant that people are more at home. You know, we've changed the style of communication. And what we did is with the direct mail leaflets is we just made them that little bit chunkier, that little bit thicker, and they stand out, you know, when someone picks their mail up. So think about unique ways.

Is there a way that you could connect with your audience whereby you could have leaflets? They're a very cheap and, you know, inexpensive way of getting your message out there, and it's physical. Is there a way you could use direct mail, leaflets? Is there something you could put into local shops, you know, posters, something?

Something like that. So think about what ways you could actually reach people that maybe aren't on the online space. And it could be that word of mouth and referrals are a big one for you. So, you know, networking events could be something that you put into your marketing mix.

Now, number seven. Ah, this is something that is a very turbulent topic for many people. And as soon as I mention funnels, people think, What on earth is a funnel? Well, a funnel is actually, if you are looking to build a list, we hear this day in, day out.

You don't just want to build a list because what's the point of having a load of people sitting in your email list that are doing nothing? What you actually want to do is create a lead magnet. And what I mean by lead magnet is, is a guide or something that is going to be super attractive to your audience, something that they really want. So it could be like a checklist, a free guide, a free masterclass, a free workshop, something that you could get people to sign up for.

So adding value rather than just getting people to join a list, give them something that is going to really pique their interest, something that is going to showcase that you know your audience, your ideal clients' pains and challenges inside out, and that you have a solution, be it a product or service, that can actually solve that. And this is it. It's like the taster. It's like the bit that attracts.

So you've got to look at what could you create? What is the one lead magnet? It could be you've got something at the moment that you just might need to tweak or, you know, revamp, or create something new. And as soon as you start putting it out there, people start signing up.

And what happens there? Well, you don't want to stop. What an actual funnel means is that someone comes into your world, gives you the most valuable asset in business today, which is an email address. So they're there, they're signing up for something, and they're either going to consume your guide, your masterclass, whatever it is that you're giving for free.

But you don't want to stop there. As soon as you pique your interest. You have to nurture that person through to become a paying customer. And this is why 79% of leads that come into businesses don't convert.

Why? Because they don't get nurtured. The follow-up doesn't happen. They just sit in a list, yeah?

So if you've piqued their interest, you want to be able to send them a series of emails, you know, be it instantly, you know, day one, day three, day seven, 14, 21, and 28, so that you're creating this desire and overcoming any FAQs or sales objections. So ultimately, you're building this relationship and hopefully converting a percentage of these people. Okay, number eight. Eight is all about videos.

We know that about 80% to 90, nearly 90% of people's online internet activity is video. People are watching video. So we know that it's something that people are engaged with, and it's something that people are spending the most time with. So you need to have video.

Now, the great thing with video is as soon as you put video on a web page or something like that, guess what happens in good old Google? Well, you've got 53% more chance of appearing on page one. You know, that's massive, yeah? Everyone wants to be on...

One of a search result. So it means that your content will rank higher in search engines. It means that you're on YouTube. People can find and search, you know, in Google or on YouTube.

Video is going to be one of the biggest, biggest parts of any business going forward. You know, I can't see it changing. So even if you had one video, it's better than none. So this week, think about how you could get video, even doing a live or something like that.

And as I say, mentioning people in lives really builds these relationships. Number nine, this is about branding. And people think about branding like logos and, you know, websites and things like that. Whenever I create a new product, and at the moment I am launching a brand new program and mastermind in September.

So what are we working on? A sub-brand. So I have DawnMcGruer.com.

That's my brand. That's me. That's me as a public figure and authority in the online space. Now, I have a huge audience.

I've got like five million subscribers, and, you know, this has taken an epic amount of time to build up. You know, it didn't happen overnight. But I started at 21. I'm 42 now.

I've been building my presence in the online space. So what happens is, is when I'm designing a new program, we develop a sub-brand for the name of the program so that every time someone sees it, they absolutely know, right, that is Dawn McGruer's program, okay? And you need to have that association. I can't emphasize how important branding actually is and getting it right.

If there was one thing that I had to invest in, yeah, and it doesn't cost a lot of money, it's getting a graphic designer, right? Someone who absolutely knows your brand and style and what you stand for, who can create something that you can utilize again and again and again. Imagine, you know, the return on investment on that branding is huge. But if you get it right.

And people start to recognize it. It is very, very important for your business. And I can honestly say, with some of the programs I've created, so for instance, in Business Consort, our academy, I created the Fast Track, and the Fast Track is our signature course. It is absolute number one course, and, you know, it's been one of the biggest sellers.

And in the first, I think, 17 months, it was a million-pound product. And the great thing is, is with that program came my book, Dynamic Digital Marketing. I actually created a model that was the Fast Track, Eight Powerful Ways to Market Your Business Online, which was the eight modules of the course, and that was my signature program. So getting that branding right initially, honestly, had a big impact in, you know, getting to a million-pound product so quickly.

And that was released back in probably maybe five, six years ago. So you imagine the amount of revenue that that drives, you know, and the return that we've got on that branding, and getting the model right and trademarking it, okay? So last but not least, this is number 10. This is about how you reach and attract your audience, right?

And this is the bit where a lot of businesses fail because they've created the lead magnet, they've got the branding, whatever it is, but how do you actually get your business out there? How do you get your business noticed? So this is the most difficult part, I guess, that any client that I meet has. How do they actually get the lead magnet to the people in the first place to get them to sign up?

Because you could have the best landing page for this free guide or whatever it is, but if no one's visiting it, then no one's signing up. So how do you get it out there? Well, you have to think about your activities every day. This week, find one activity that is going to get your lead magnet in front of an audience, be it posting it in a group, posting it on a social media platform in the newsfeed.

Sending an email out to your current audience. Think about all the routes and channels you could reach people that are already in your world to get them to sign up, and also people who are not in your world, brand new audiences. Because talking to the same old people again and again who are on your list isn't going to change the world. You need to have new people coming into that funnel every single day.

So chart it out Monday to Friday and think of five ways, five ways that you could get your amazing lead magnet out in front of people, okay? And think about where you could put it. Could you ask people to share it in the group? Could you do a live and then share that lead magnet?

What are the five most important ways that you think you could get in front of an audience whereby you could get them signing up to this all-important lead magnet? And that builds the sales funnel, yeah? You can't fail if you are pulling people into your world and nurturing them through. And remember, if you are looking to just kind of get your whole marketing in place, just take some of these ten ways and start implementing some of the actions that I've given you for this week.

So number one, remember, be everywhere online. This is all about getting, you know, visibility three times a week. Get it in your diary. Where you're going to be, what you're going to do.

Get a face to the company. So remember, make it human and think about this week, how can you get yourself more visible and showcase who you are to build those relationships? Number three, reviews. Reach out and get one person to give you that review, that testimonial, that case study, whatever it's going to be, because that's the most important and most persuasive content.

Number four, searchability. How are you going to get your brand, your business in front of more people who are searching search engines like Google? Go and Google yourself and find some places that you can register your business. Where can you have a listing, a business directory, social profile, whatever it's going to be, and type in some of your competitors to see where they're listing.

And guess what? Go and list yourself in those places too. Number five, this is all about relationships. Mention people in your lives.

Think about how you're going to build a relationship. Respond in a way that's slightly different and stand out from the crowd. You can do this through, like, you know, if someone messages you on LinkedIn, just send them a little voice message back rather than the staid old generic email message. You can always put a message on there too to support the voice note, but do something different.

Number six, is there a way that you could get physical literature, be it direct mail or a poster, in your local area? Number seven, email. Don't just build a list. Think about creating a super strong lead magnet, a free thing, and getting an email nurture series.

Even if you build one email and every week just keep adding on so you've got something that comes out three days later, a week later, and build it slowly over time if you feel that it's too daunting to do straight away. Number eight, how can you get video into your marketing mix? Think about creating video, be it live or something. Video is going to be here forever.

Number nine, branding. How strong is your branding? Do people look at your products and services and associate a brand? If not, look at getting a graphic designer and getting that in place.

It will serve you for the future. And remember, you know that Fast Track course that we have, if you type it into Google, you can find it anywhere, and the branding is just associated all the way through. Number ten, last but not least, remember reach and attract an audience. Five ways that you can get your super strong lead magnet in front of an audience so that you can get people signing up.

So I hope you found this useful, and I want you to have a great week. Don't forget, please subscribe to the podcast because if you don't subscribe, you don't get notified about new episodes. Episodes, and I'm going to be doing a whole series about marketing, motivation, mindset, and building on these concepts and giving you lots and lots of juicy tips that you can action straight away in your business. So I shall see you as ever every single Tuesday.

We do our podcast and we release it on Thursday, okay? So every Thursday you're going to get a new episode. So remember, DawnMcGruer.com and sign up, and I shall see you next week.

Thank you for listening to Dawn of a New Era podcast, and for your free checklist to find out how to boost your business for growth, profit, and success, and join our community, go to DawnMcGruer.com.