There are fewer things that people dislike more than change, especially when it comes to how we do business. Sometimes, though, stuff just stops working. There’s no traceable explanation for it (at least not immediately); there are no canaries in the coal mine telling you that the market is shifting. If you’ve noticed changes in how your audience is responding to your content as of late, it might be time for a new idea or change in strategy.
I know it’s frustrating… you had a good thing going for a while. You were getting loads of engagement, a ton of conversions, and your ROI was absolutely stellar. Then, out of nowhere, everything changed. I talk to marketers about this kind of phenomenon all the time. One day, the money is rolling in; the next, they’re barely breaking even; the next, they’re cutting bait before they lose every penny they made in the past year. Nobody likes the idea of rebranding, but sometimes, it’s just plain necessary to stay afloat.
When I ask savvy marketers what the solution was (what action got them back on track), the answer is almost always the same: “We took things in a totally different direction, and things started happening again.” This is why it’s really important not to get so fixated on one product, service, or content area. Things change. Markets shift. Technology becomes antiquated. Pandemics happen. It’s always something. How we, as responsible marketers, deal with those changes is the single most significant deciding factor in our overall success equation.
With that in mind, let’s look at how you can give your marketing business the fresh start it needs to start seeing results again.
Analyze Past Successes
What worked well with your last marketing plan? Can you pinpoint a time when things took a turn? Can you identify the real cause for things going sour? Consumer markets shift rapidly, even in industries and niches that seem to be pretty solid.
What parts of your marketing strategy led to the most conversions? What’s your strongest suit in written marketing content? Did you find that email was your ace in the hole? What about social media? Did your blog have a big following? The things that worked before can work again. It probably wasn’t the content as much as it was the changes that just happen as the result of market shifts.
What Do You Want to Market?
I’ve said before that sometimes it’s necessary to venture way out of our comfort zones in pursuit of success. Still, I do think that this is one of those “last resort” moves that should be saved for when all else has already failed. Enjoying the work you do has a direct impact on your success. If you don’t care about the things you’re marketing, it will show in how you market them.
Think about your next move. What marketing areas do you think you could move into and maintain high levels of energy and excitement? Granted, success is great fuel for both, but what about when you’re in those launch stages and need to get people excited about what you’re marketing? Your ability to present your idea with enthusiasm will have an impact on your success.
Do You Know Enough About the Niche You’re Trying to Penetrate?
This point falls well on the heels of the last. What you want matters, but what matters more is whether or not you know enough about your new-chosen niche to really make a go of it. If the answer is no, it’s not necessarily a lost cause, but you will need to commit to two things if you’re determined to take your efforts in a positive direction.
First, you need to be committed to educating yourself. Learn about this thing that’s caught your interest. Start by seeking out authoritative, unbiased sources. Look at sources that aim to educate, not market for starters. Once you have a working knowledge of your new niche, that is when you want to educate yourself about marketing within it. Follow influencers and thought leaders. Read their tweets. Read their blogs. Get on their email lists. Learn how they do things and what makes them successful.
Next, work with professional marketing content creators who already have a working knowledge of your niche. You’ll be amazed at what a good copywriting company or content marketing team can do to give you the reputation you need to succeed. You’ll probably learn quite a bit by just collaborating with people who already know your niche.
Will You Bring a Unique Voice to Your Chosen Niche?
This is another area where working with a talented marketing team can help tremendously. Sometimes, having the best, most unique voice out there means not being overly committed to that voice being your own. The cool thing about working with different people is that they bring their own perspectives to the messaging. You just might have a few moments of epiphany along the way when you discover just how well a good copywriter conveys your ideas.
With that advice comes a word of caution: Be open to fresh perspectives. Remember, you’re working with people who have been here before. Never reject a writer’s ideas because they clash with your own. Use their perspectives to start developing your own. Over time, this will help you become smarter about your niche, and your target audience is bound to notice.
Are You Staying One Step Ahead?
Keep in mind that this is likely not the last time you’re going to have to regroup, so be prepared for the bottom to drop out again. How you roll with the changes will have a direct effect on future successes.
Don’t wait until you start losing money to begin planning your next move. Always listen to the market and figure out how to be OK with it when the market stops listening to you. The best conversations are rarely linear. The subject changes often. How will you respond the next time it does in your marketing efforts?
The best way to stay a step ahead is to be plugged into a content creation network that deals with the ebb and flow of marketing every day. Working with an established and successful copywriting service like BeezContent is a smart move and one that can help you maintain levels of success you just won’t be able to on your own. Contact us today to discuss your next big idea and get help developing a content strategy that will keep you that crucial step ahead.
