These days, one of the hardest tasks can be to create a plan and then stay the course. We are bombarded with flashy sexy promises and solutions for quick sales and exponential growth. Problem is, most entrepreneurs get stuck in the setup stage and fail at the execution. Time, money, frustration, updates – many obstacles get in the way – and the effort falls flat.
Enter Meringue3.14 – The Unsexy Marketer
On a call recently, we were laughing with a client as we referenced “the newsletter”. Lol, the newsletter. Where are we, 1992? But guess what, sometimes simpler is better. No need to be hip over here, we just want you to get clients and retain clients. End of story.
The Unsexy Method Is Surprisingly Cheap AND Easy
There are two questions that SMBs should ask themselves when setting up a marketing campaign:
- Is it easy?
- Is it cost-effective? (let’s avoid the word cheap, that was just for effect)
Both of these are great questions and a good place to start. If you don’t understand how to use it or you can’t afford the cost of entry, no point in going any further.
Our job is to put two more considerations on the table:
- Can it grow with me?
- Who will be there when I need help?
Ease of Use
First and foremost, the solutions provided need to be simple to use. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t nuanced and complex behind the scenes, but the UX has to be simple or guess what? No one will use it.
Cost
The hard cost of any application is a big consideration to any business owner, but SMBs need to quickly be able to assess ROI of any new expenditure. Factors like price of product and resources (ie time) saved.
Real Cost: The nominal price of a good is its value in terms of money/time. The relative or real price is its value in terms of some other good, service, or bundle of goods.
Scalability
Not always a piece that decision-makers are considering, but this is where you improve profitability over time. Any new system you invest in will have some degree of onboarding and learning curve.
One of the biggest indicators we have for whether or not a client will succeed is their ability to stay the course. With all the distractions out there today, some business-owners have a hard time staying on track. The problem with changing direction all of the time is you have an endless learning curve so it never pays off. Sticking with a simple, proven system can feel unsexy against the latest and greatest, but working and reworking a solid platform for a long period will yield far better results than constantly pivoting. – Amy Perzan Merrill
Good systems are built on good foundations.
Not all platforms are created equal, and sometimes you have to cut your losses. It is best to start building on a solid foundation that will allow you to grow and expand. The trick is to find a digital marketer who understands the true cost of onboarding and will get you started on the right foot.
Support
The last point comes down to connection. Human connection. This is skin in the game and can be the piece that makes or breaks the entire effort. After a couple of years of honing in on a streamlined system and approach for our clients, we hear one thing over and over. People like working with people.
When a problem comes up (and they will!), our clients send us an email and we are on it. Quickly. The best part is in most cases, since we are a trusted and valued partner working alongside them, we need very little input and explanation to jump in and help. This circles back to simplicity and cost, if your solutions are too hard to use or support is too hard to get, the cost will be too high.
Opportunity Cost: the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen.
So what does this mean?
Ultimately, these solutions are about more than sexy promo material. They’re built to be effective and dependable, helping you achieve real results. Because when it comes down to it, simplicity, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and great support are what keep your business moving forward—no flashy gimmicks required.
Ready to move your business forward?
One of our most trusted and reliable tools for helping our clients grow, keep in touch with their existing customer base and reach new people has been Constant Contact. The reason we’ve been affiliates with Constant Contact for so long is because they cover all the bases above and can be a powerhouse solution for landing pages, email marketing, social media, sales funnels and more for out clients. Find out more about how we use Constant Contact here.
