Getting into digital marketing is essential for almost any business, but it needs to be done right. Throwing money at a hodgepodge of avenues and hoping that something will stick is a recipe for disappointment in your efforts. Jen McFarland is a marketing master who helps small businesses in Portland, Oregon find their place in the digital realm and she shares her One Big Tip for getting a digital campaign off the ground.
Mission Drift
One of the major errors that people responsible for large tasks and projects make (whether you’re a solopreneur or a project manager) is to put the cart before the horse. They think of the projects that need to be done rather than the goals that they have in mind.
Jen learned this during her time working on diverse projects in Kazakhstan while in the Peace Corps. “I wasn't coming in and saying what the project was,” she recounts, “I was like, ‘What do you want to get done?’ And we would just figure out how to do it.”
Your goals need to drive what you do, not the other way around. “What we have oftentimes among entrepreneurs and small businesses is a disconnect,” Jen explains, “And then that's what causes things like mission drift, where you're working on something that's really not connected to what is core to your business.”
- Cut Through the Noise: 3 Pillars
The key to avoiding mission drift is to not get distracted by things that don’t line up with your company’s goals. You need to be able to cut through the noise of what works for everyone else and discover what works for you. Jen outlines three pillars that every approach to digital marketing should have in order to be successful. - Develop a means to lead
Even if you’re the only one in your business, you need to be able to lead yourself effectively and build positive relationships with associates, contacts, and clients in order to grow. - Focus on strategic project planning
This is where you really dissect what your business’ goals are and stick to them. Your vision and your mission should align with your goals. If you find yourself constantly working on tasks that are disconnected from your vision, then you’ve experienced mission drift.
Launch your digital marketing
With the first two pillars established, your business will have a strong foundation. That way, when you go to pay for marketing, you’re well-positioned to reap the benefits.
If you would like to reach out to Jen and learn more about getting a small business seen in the digital space, you can visit her Women Conquer Business website at womenconquerbiz.com.