Whether you live in Washington, DC or Washington State, if you own a business, you need to market it. There are often a number of misconceptions about marketing requiring trained professionals. But the truth is that with the right strategies, any business owner can become their own marketing department. Sharon Redd of Live All The Way shares the following tips on how you can become your very own marketing department.

1. Identify Your ‘Channels’

A channel is any way you can reach your target market. That includes both online and offline channels, such as:

• Your website

• Social media pages

• Billboards

• Community bulletin boards 

• Posting on telephone poles

Think about the many ways to reach your audience, and choose the most effective channels for your business.

2. Write a Marketing Plan

Before marketing, decide what you're trying to achieve. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Drive more traffic to your website? Get more people to sign up for your email list? Once you know your goals, you can start planning how to achieve them.

3. Create Marketing Materials

It's essential to have a variety of materials. These could be things like:

•             A website

•             Blog posts

•             Social media posts

•             Ads

•             Flyers

•             Email newsletters

When building your marketing materials, you may need to make edits to your PDF files. Most PDF editing programs have limited ability to make changes, which can be difficult and time-consuming. To make these edits, use an online conversion tool to turn your PDFs into Word format. Then you will easily make any needed changes and can save them as PDFs when you're finished.

4. Design a Logo 

Your logo is a visual representation of your business, so it's important to ensure it's well-designed. If you're not a designer, there are a lot of places where you can get help. One of the most popular options is using an online logo maker. All you'll need is to choose a style template and icon. From there, you can add your chosen text, and the tool will create several options for you to choose from. You can always go in and make adjustments to the generated product.

5. Develop Your “Message” 

Your message is the way that you communicate with your target market. It includes the language you use, the tone of your voice, and the overall message you're trying to communicate. When figuring out your messaging, it's important to consider your target market and what they want to hear from you. For example, if you're selling a product to busy moms in Washington, DC, your messaging might be about how your product can help them save time. But if you're selling that same product in Washington State, your messaging might be a little different to fit that demographic. This is why demographic research is crucial to the success of a marketing plan.

6. Assess Whether Your Marketing Worked

Make sure to set up a tracking system so you can see your results. Some of the most common metrics include website traffic, sales conversions, number of leads, social media engagement, time on site, and bounce rate. Use these metrics to determine which methods are working well for you.

Getting Started

Marketing can be a lot of work, but it's worth it. By identifying your channels, creating marketing tools, and tracking your results, you'll be on your way to success.

Sharon Redd created Live All the Way to help others live life to the ABSOLUTE FULLEST. She believes life all the way is a life with all the toppings! It’s ordering guacamole and queso at the restaurant. It’s wearing those bright pink shoes, no matter what anyone else thinks. It’s using your formal china for every meal and hugging your friends every time you see them. It’s eating ice cream for breakfast and so much more. Her goal, each and every day, is to live all the way and her mission is to help others do the same.