Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have massive success with their marketing while you may feel like you’re struggling just to get that nurture sequence finally written?
Or maybe you get a bad case of Shiny Object Syndrome each time you hear about the latest tool or piece of software “guaranteed” to help you see results, but you’re still trying to figure out how to use it.
Today I want to give you a new spin on how to think about the relationship between strategy and the tools that you use in your business so you can get the results you’re looking for.
I believe there are two types of people:
- PLANNERS: These are the people who love planning and mapping out new strategies for their business. They could fill up an entire moleskine notebook full of really great ideas for their business, but when it comes to actually implementing them, they find it difficult to actually put down their pen and get to work executing the amazing plans they came up with.
- DOERS: These are the people who have an idea and BAM! They’re on it. They’re not wasting any time getting started. They’ve already signed up for 3 trials for 3 different tools they can use, but they have no idea what the actual goal is or what they’re aiming for when it comes to the WHY behind their actions.
Sound familiar?
Regardless of which type of person you are, you have to think about your marketing plan with both components in your mind. The strategy and the tools have to be present and work together before you can see the results you want to see.
I see people get this wrong all the time because they don't understand why they need to have both strategy and tools to see results, and they tend to only focus on one of those two components.
This is what happens when you only focus on strategy.
If you are focused on all the fancy software and all tools that you can use to grow your business, but you are not building an actual plan or strategy to use those tools successfully, you're not going to see the results of what you were after.
Let’s say you have a membership and you are transitioning over from a platform like Teachable or Kajabi and you want to build this super customized website and membership portal for your members but they have no idea how you’re actually going to engage and retain those numbers, that's going to be a problem for you when it comes time to actually measure the results.
This is what happens when you only focus on tools.
If you are only focused on building your marketing plan and figuring out where you're going to post, and figuring out how you're going to reach your audience, but you don't actually have tools to implement your strategy, you're not going to see the results that you are looking for.
Let's say maybe you're just getting started in business and you are ready to dive into an email marketing platform that has all the bells and whistles a marketer would dream of, but is way too expensive, complicated for you. It's like basically having a Ferrari in your garage and not knowing how to drive stick shift, right? You may find yourself stuck and not making any forward progress despite the fancy tools and software eating a hole in your bank account each month.
You need to have the right combination of strategy and tools if you want to see results.
What do you need first: Strategy or Tools?
I always think it’s smarter and more efficient to figure out what you’re going to do before actually doing it. I know my Quick Start friends may disagree and want to spring into action right away. If that’s you, I hereby give you permission to JUST START if you know that will help you build momentum. But you do need a general idea of what you want to accomplish and how you’re going to accomplish it.
You also won’t be able to accurately determine what tools you need to help you see the most success without doing a little preparation and planning before you get started working toward your goals.
How do you figure out what Strategies & Tools you need?
Below I’m giving you some questions to ask yourself so you can quickly build momentum, gain traction, and find success in determining your strategy & picking the right tools to make it happen.
- What is my big goal?
- Why do I want this goal in my business?
- How will this goal impact my business?
- What is the first thing I need to do to get started?
- Do I have the tools I need to do that thing right now?
- If yes -- great! Go do it!
- If not -- what tool(s) will help me get started quickly?
Next time you’re working on your marketing plans, ask yourself these questions to identify the important strategy & tools you need to get results.
How can I help?
We help our clients at Zenplicity understand this relationship between strategy and tools and figure out what combination works for their business, goals and offerings.
We can talk about tech tools all day, and we also help clients put a strategy in place that’s right for their level of time, energy and commitment they’re ready to devote to growing their business through marketing.
If you want more specific support with understanding this dynamic, reach out and let’s talk about it. I’d love to see how I can help you grow your business with the right combination of these two important elements of a marketing plan.
