The (3M)Cubed Marketing Formula for Success

Why YOU Can Stop the Marketing Dread Today

Everyone has to make decisions for themselves.  Even so, it’s sad to watch freelancers giving up on their dream and going “back to work.”  The money wasn’t flowing freely enough to live on.  

Were they not good enough?  That was never the problem.  Usually their issue comes down to marketing.   

People hang up on marketing in three areas.  Mindset, method, and message.  Once those are straight, only then can you apply the compound factor and leave the other job in the dust.  You can even use this to moonlight until you've replaced your income.

Mindset

Problem:  Frequently, when the subject of marketing comes up, unless marketing IS what you do, people groan.  Why is that?  And what if it doesn’t have to be that way?  Let’s dive in.

It feels terribly boastful to say what a great solution you can provide for someone.   It also feels like you are begging for work.

Mental shift:  Someone out there is looking for someone exactly like you.  If you don’t give them a way to find you, they may be stuck with a solution that doesn’t fit nearly as well.  (And if you have to beg, they aren't the right client for you anyway!)

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Problem:  There’s so much advertising out there, it feels like spam.  People don’t want another unsolicited ad.

It’s true there are many ads out there.  Untargeted ads by inexperienced business owners merely waste money.  Mass mailings may not make it into the inbox if they aren’t white-listed. 

Mental shift:  Sometimes people don’t know they need you.  They barely have time to quantify the problem, let alone figure out a solution.  Your marketing effort to the right person, at the right time, will be a breath of fresh air.  Real relief.  You are saving them time and money with your solution.

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Problem:  I know I need to make money to be able to pay the bills, but I’m uncomfortable with the whole money thing.  I don’t want to become one of those “rich” people.  “Money is the root of all evil.”

Many people have hang-ups about money.  By the way, the verse actually says that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. 

Tony Robbins said, “As long as you’ve got negative connotations to “rich,” your chances of achieving the wealth you desire are slim to none, because at an unconscious level, we all move toward the identity that we think is aspirational. As such, if you have a negative belief about money and you begin to have some monetary success, you will unconsciously sabotage your success to remain congruent with your deep-seated beliefs.”

Mental shift:  Many fantastic, down-to-earth people are also wealthy.  Holding yourself back from earning means restricting yourself from greater giving.

If your character is good, and if you give at the financial level you are at, you likely have no worries in that department.  The key is staying humble.

Once you have the mindset shifted to allow success, you are one step closer to being able to apply the compound factor.

Method

Problem:  I hate (fill in the blank with the marketing method you may believe you have to use.)           

There are many methods.  Some work better than others do.  It will depend on your prospect.

Solution:  Hate cold calling?  Email is your best friend.  Hate awkward networking meetings?  Learn to use LinkedIn resourcefully.  Hate email?  Make a video sales letter.  There are several ways to reach your prospect.  What works for your industry?  Within those, what fits your personality best?

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Problem:  I’m just starting out and I don’t have a track record.

Developing credibility is a big deal.  Fortunately, it’s easily accomplished.

Solution:  Creating articles, blog posts, v-logs about aspects of what you do is a great way to let people know you understand their needs.  LinkedIn is a platform you can use to create influence as well as network with prospective clients.   Connections that don't need your services can recommend you to people in their network who do.  Ted Prodromou's book on LinkedIn is incredibly useful if you want to build your business quickly.

Using your best method helps you want to be in the marketing game.   

You are almost ready for the compound factor.  However, let’s check one more thing.

Message

Problem:  I’m using a marketing method I like, but people aren’t responding.

Solution 1:  Get yourself in front of enough people.  Marketing is a numbers game.  Keep getting your marketing in front of people. 

Solution 2:  Get yourself in front of qualified leads.  Getting 100 ads out to a general audience reduces likelihood of success.  Why?  Most of them don’t use what you offer.  If you target your audience based on people who are likely to use what you offer, your success rate goes up.

Solution 3:  Correct your market message.  If you are getting yourself in front of enough qualified leads and aren’t getting a good response rate, you may be missing what I call the personal SEO.

Each market has its own keywords.  Travel isn’t just transportation, lodging, and food.  It’s about the experience.  That’s why people really travel.  An app isn’t just about functionality.  It’s about time - effort saved. 

Use the keywords that tap into what your prospect really wants to get their attention. 

They may be searching for a copywriter for their building fundraiser.  

They've been making do with a multi-purpose room for a long time.  What they really want is the satisfaction of sitting down and watching their amazing drama students perform on stage in the brand new theater with professional quality sound and lighting.

You are marketing to make ideas and dreams come to life.

Now that you’ve tapped into the personal SEO and are using the methods they respond best to, you are ready for the compound factor.  However, don’t be fooled by the simplicity of it.

The Compound Factor

Consistent Frequency

Yes, it really is that simple, once you have the other parts in place.

Think of your marketing like water in a pipe.  The water flows right along.   If you market like crazy and then stop because you work, guess what happens?  You get to the end of your projects and the money stops coming in.  It’s like having air in the system.  The water sputters and spurts and doesn’t come out – just like the money once your work dries up.

Steady marketing means getting booked up and staying booked up.  Don’t be afraid of making someone wait.  The best clients know that the best are in-demand.  They plan and book freelancers well-ahead.  To the extent that they can’t, they might ask to pay to put you on retainer if they’ve established a good relationship with you.

Obviously, if your marketing pipeline is empty, you will market a lot more now than you need to later.  However, marketing never stops completely or you risk dry spells that wreak havoc on your cash flow.

Bottom line?  As a short daily habit or a longer weekly habit, marketing will be your best friend when you (3M)³ your process.

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