Aligned Marketing - What is it? And why it's important.

It is definitely possible to market yourself and get clients without an intentional marketing strategy. Especially in the first few years of solopreneurship.

But to continue to grow your business and hit those 8-10k months, an Aligned Marketing Strategy that sits behind your daily marketing activities and plan, ensures that you know exactly why you're doing whatever you're doing.

Aligned Marketing is having a Marketing Strategy and Action Plan that fully aligns with your strengths, interests, values and desired work schedule.

It's marketing in a way that uses your existing skills, has you doing activities you enjoy and speaking in a way that amplifies your personal values and purpose. All in the time you allow for it - and not a moment more.

Because unless you're a marketer, marketing yourself is not your area of expertise. And the reality is, it sometimes feels hard or like it's not working.

And when you know that each individual activity is part of a larger strategy that fits with who we are and what we stand for, it makes it so much easier to execute consistently.

The biggest mistake solopreneurs make when it comes to marketing

Too many solopreneurs try to market themselves by copying others. 

Taking someone else's strategy and trying to implement it. 

Observing what competitors are doing and imitating them.

And not surprisingly, it doesn't work. 

Not only is it not effective for client acquisition, often it's also just hard work.

Of course most solopreneurs I know aren't afraid of hard work.

So instead of questioning their marketing strategy, they throw themselves into what is often the wrong strategy for them and then, after peddling a while without getting anywhere, they hit a wall and need to take a break.

I know this story because I have been there.

Back in 2016 when I started to market my first business, I tried doing what the gurus advised or what I saw other people doing.

It didn't work.

But rather than question just the strategy, I also questioned myself - whether I had what it takes, whether I could actually make this a success.

The self-doubt that comes along can be crippling.

This is one of the reasons I believe having an Aligned Marketing Strategy and plan is SO incredibly important.

Because not only does marketing start to become enjoyable, you actually see your marketing efforts translate into clients, income and impact.

I couldn't imagine marketing any other way now.

This is something I work closely with my clients on to ensure their strategy is the most Aligned, effortless and effective it can be.

Because you didn't become a solopreneur to spend hours at your desk creating content or endlessly cold-dm'ing people.

Don't let anyone convince you to market any other way - especially if it doesn't feel right to you.  Trust your gut feeling.  Listen your body when your nervous system fires up.

Simple & Easy Marketing

If your marketing was "working," what would you be doing to market your business?

What activities would you be doing?

What would you find most enjoyable?

What are the main messages you would be delivering?

What does your audience need to hear from you?

What do you need to say for them to feel that you not only understand them, but can help them?

How much time would you be spending on your marketing?

What results would you be getting from your marketing - not just the tangible numbers such as no. clients or revenue, but the intangible ones too - confidence, freedom, ease, joy...

How would you feel about your marketing?

What would you be thinking about your business?

If you struggle to find answers to some of these, or notice that your answers are vastly different to your current reality, then it's probably a good time to take a pause and reflect on what you're currently doing.

Marketing and Your Values

When your marketing reflects your unique values, your audience gets to know you - who you are and what you stand for.

Your audience is likely to align with the same values or at least hold yours in high regard.

Ask yourself:

✅ What kind of things would I be saying or talking about if I were 100% in alignment with my values and purpose? 

✅ What are the main messages I would be focused on delivering to my audience? 

✅ What do I need to talk about more?

I encourage you to speak from your heart, in the most natural way. 

Use the words in your marketing that you would use in an everyday conversation.

Use the voice you would use to talk to someone in real life.

Your people want to see you.

They want to know you.

They want to hear you.

How you know you've got an Aligned Marketing Strategy

You know you are executing an Aligned Marketing Strategy when your marketing feels effortless, not because it is supposed to, but because it uses YOUR unique strengths to reach the exact people who WANT your support. 

It eliminates any confusion about what the right content is to produce, where to post and how often. It ensures you are being strategic - not just with your content, but your own time and energy.

It puts YOU in control not only of your marketing but the demand it creates for your services. 

Lead generation stops feeling so hard and you know exactly where your next client is coming from. 

So that you can focus on serving and changing lives, rather than "marketing".

Grab the Aligned Marketing Workbook here

If you want to go deeper on this and start to truly figure out how you can make your marketing easier on yourself, then I invite you to download the free workbook here.