Make Marketing Suck Less for Expertise-Driven Solo Businesses

This week on the podcast, we're doing something a little bit different. A pod takeover. I invited my friend, Michelle Warner to take over my podcast feed.  Her podcast Sequence Over Strategy is the only business podcast that I religiously listen to. Michelle and I are incredibly aligned with how we approach business (and she's also the opening speaker for the Make Marketing Suck Less virtual event). Aligning Marketing and GrowthDo you struggle to decide your marketing strategy? Do you know if you want to reach as many people as possible or just your target audience? Michelle Warner, a business designer and strategist, discusses a shift in her marketing strategy. Previously focused on one-on-one work and relationship marketing, she’s now transitioning to teaching more bootcamps, which requires a higher volume of leads. This shift means she needs to balance her marketing strategies, incorporating more traffic marketing alongside relationship marketing to align with her new product mix.Michelle explains the difference between relationship marketing (deep, authentic connections) and traffic marketing (mass outreach) and stresses the importance of aligning marketing strategies with your business model. She also highlights her involvement in Michelle Mazur’s summit, "Make Marketing Suck Less," which aims to help businesses find suitable marketing strategies.For more details and to join the summit visit: https://drmichellemazur.com/event

A special invite to the Make Marketing Suck Less Virtual Event!Social media feels like a 20-lb weight choking all the joy out of my business.All the "shoulds." All the rules. All the head trash around having the "perfect" hook." Maybe you feel it, too?Here's the deal: you don't have to RELY on social media for audience growth.You've got a ton of options. Finding what works for you is freeing.I'm hosting a virtual event, Make Marketing Suck Less to help you do just that. I'm gathering 10 business owners to reveal their  BEST marketing method to book more business this year beyond likes & shares.Because this is a conversation that the industry needs to have, as there is no ONE way to market your business.Your way is unique based on your strengths, who you serve, and how you want to show up.Join us here: https://drmichellemazur.com/event

Is your business flying under the radar?  Happy clients who get great results see you as their secret weapon.  Being the best-kept secret kind of sucks, doesn't it? It means that you're losing out on clients revenue, opportunities to let your expertise shine through so that it reaches more people.  How can you stop flying under the radar? Well, it starts by letting go of this one pesky little thought that stops you from putting your work out in the world.  And then it's just about following this three-step process that will help make marketing suck less. Are you ready for that? Let's dive in. In this episode: Why no one is actually noticing what you're doing as much as you are Two big Rebel Truths about getting marketing right  The three steps to making marketing less intimidating Resources mentioned:   Brene Brown Wes Kao Spotlight Effect Don't Like Marketing?  Here’s what to do at the minimum Achilles’ Heel Assessment Minimum Viable, Meaningful Marketing Message Episode  

Let's face it. Experts are made to feel shame about their expertise. We too often hear things like:>>don't be an expert, be an explorer>>don't be smart, be curious>>don't be an expert, be a humanAnd these things are said by the very people who claim to get experts known and hired for their work. And it is time, my friend, that we stop shitting on experts because here's the truth. The very thing you are told to deny about yourself, about your experience is what will make you great at marketing your business. Experts bring three great untapped strengths when it comes to marketing, and I'm gonna tell you all about it on this episode of the podcast.In this episode, you will hear:The pressure and societal messages that make experts feel ashamed of their expertise.How expertise can be a superpower in marketing rather than a liabilityThe three untapped strengths that experts bring to marketing: insatiable curiosity, willingness to experiment and change course, and humility.Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

“I've been thinking all that time I'm spending over here on social, and I'm not spending really any quality time with the people that voluntarily chose to be in my world by opting into my thing.”Riddle me this, Batman.Why do we spend so much time on marketing that leads nowhere vs. focusing on marketing that works to get clients? It's probably because everybody on the interwebs is screaming at you to do more marketing and do it on social media, when for so many people, that is just a waste of time. At least that's what my guest, Norma Frahn, found out. When she right-sized her marketing efforts, she realized that social media wasn’t better for business. She changed course. Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

Marketing feels like a time suck of doom. There's all this doubt. >>>Is it really working? >>>Am I getting it right? Whatever right means. And then despite spending so much time on your marketing, you're just not seeing the results you want to see. And then there's the beating yourself up of feeling like you're never doing enough despite your best efforts. And what I want for you is to stop the doubt, the worry, the beating yourself up. I don't want you to feel like you're wasting your time, energy, and money on marketing. Because as a solo business owner, you've got too much going on for any of that nonsense. But how do you stop? How can you make marketing suck less?I've got something brand new just for you. Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

“I went down a whole path that was completely not right for my business, and it was very frustrating, and I wasted a lot of time doing a lot of stuff that wasn't really helpful.”You know what really sucks about marketing? When you're told to market in a certain way that works for every business. And only after you've done all that work, invested all that money, you find out that ish was never gonna work for your business. Over the years, I've worked with so many B2B consultants who've gone down this exact path only to find out what works to market for them doesn't look like any of that online BS. And this is why I wanted to talk to Camille Rapacz about how she corrected the course and found out that marketing could actually be, dare I say, fun? In this episode, you will hearCamille’s approach to meeting people and the importance of building relationships with fellow business owners.The need to tailor marketing strategies to specific businesses and the importance of understanding industry differences.Camille’s realization that traditional broadcasting marketing (social media posts, blog posts) did not work for her B2B consulting business.The importance of using one's unique personality and strengths, especially as an introvert, in shaping effective marketing strategies.Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

“And then it kinda dawned on me last year, I don't need a lead magnet or an opt in. I think you talked about how every time you create something, even if it's free, you still have to “sell it”. I'm just selling my newsletter. It was like a weight lifted.”Think fast. How many lead magnets have you created for your business? For this iteration of my business, I have created at least 6 different lead magnets. Rarely have I created one that I was really satisfied with.I've spent so much time and energy trying to devise an irresistible opt-in that would lead people to my work. And it's hard to do, but know there is a different way. This is what Bev Feldman is here to talk about because trying to find that unicorn lead magnet was making marketing suck more for her and not less. So she went a different way. In this episode, you will hear:The pressure of social media and the overwhelming task of creating appealing lead magnetsFrustration with the conventional approach to creating lead magnets and opt-insBev’s decision process to “sell” her newsletterThe significance of creating engaging emails that encourage responses and conversations.Ready to Market Like an Expert: Grab the Free CourseFull show notes and transcript are here

“I want to make sure that if someone happens to find me when I'm not posting content, that they have a way to hear about me, learn about me - without me having to pump out content to the feed.”Nothing makes me want to dive head-first into a vat of lava like the thought of making a 7-second video to post on Reels or TikTok. And if you feel that way too, please know that you are not alone.And today, I'm talking to Jessica Lackey, who, like me, hates short form content, so she decided not to do it.  If you wanna know what she does instead, you'll just have to listen.In this episode, you will hear:The challenges of short-form content creation for experts and its impact on long-form contentWhy the difference between feed based content vs playlist based content is important for expertsThe interconnectedness of content creation, repurposing, and business programsMarketing approach focusing on transparency, consistency, and offering free resourcesThe importance in building personal connections and relationship-building in marketingWant to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

“I know that there's this unicorn idea that you can preschedule things months in advance, and preschedule all of your content, and, like, sit down for 8 hours in one day, and record 17.6 reels. But that is a lie unto me, and it never worked for me. And so for me, it had to be. It sucked even worse if I tried to batch content.”Marketing is relentless. It is something that is never done and dusted. Yet, it's a core pillar of what you need to do to have a sustainable business. So when marketing is relentless, how do you make it suck less? That's exactly why I am talking to Expert Up Club member and my dear friend, Michelle Markwart Deveaux.Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

“I know that I'm extraordinary at what I do. And because I have messaging, because I have my packages, because I have my pricing, I can keep moving forward in confidence in one area of my life”.There comes a time when the shit hits the fan in your life and you just can't keep showing up the way you like. The first thing that always goes is marketing.Let's face it. Most of us don't have the option of just stopping marketing altogether.We can't put our businesses on hold because we need it to pay our own bills. So how do you keep going? When marketing already sucks for you, how do you keep going when your personal life has gone off the rails?I am thrilled to have Expert Up Club member, Nicole Trick Steinbach, on the show today to talk about how she made marketing suck less even when the proverbial shit hit the fan in her personal life. Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

“I used to always think - I have all these great ideas and I make these products, like, you know, digital-based products. And if only I had the money that I could actually hire a team and build the thing out and then actually pay money for advertising, I just know it would hit.”If you just build the right funnel, have the right welcome sequence, and the right lead magnet, you can put money into ads and people will come out and wanna work with you. And this seems like the absolutely best way to make marketing suck less. But is it? I am so excited to have Rachel Alexandria on the show today. Rachel is one of the founding members of the Expert Up Club, and she's here to talk about her experience building a funnel. What worked, what didn't, and how she is making her marketing suck less nowWant to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

“It was such a detour to go the whole social media, build a course, webinars, free webinars, pitch, cart closed route.  The whole thing was such a detour for me. It seriously tanked my business.”So many business owners have gone down this path only to realize, “Hey. This isn't for me!” With all the hype around “stop trading dollars for hours” and make money while you sleep, there was something she was NOT being told. Choosing to create a course meant that Elise Enriquez, productivity coach, had to give up doing something she loved (working with clients) for something that sucked (marketing).You'll want to hear Elise's story about how she recovered from making this strategic misstep and how she's adjusted course and, finally, what she's letting go of in her marketing to make it easier for her and make it more effective. Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

Anytime you decide to work on your marketing message, it's going to require you to dig deep and do some thought work around your business, who you want to serve and what you want to be known for. If you're like most people, by the time you find this podcast, you've already tried another messaging framework. (I’m looking at you, StoryBrand.) So before you start digging deep into the 3 Word Rebellion, how do you know if it's right for your business? Well, there are 3 telltale signs, and that's what we are talking about on the show today. Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

Your client has a lot of options when it comes to solving their problem. There's so much competition and competition for their time, energy, and financial resources. >>>How do you make sure that your business is the one they choose? >>>How do you show you're different from the web celebs with charismatic marketing? You do it by differentiating your business. So what is differentiation and why is it critical for your business? That's exactly what we're gonna talk about on today's pod.Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

“How does having a 3 Word Rebellion make marketing suck less?” That's a question I got from a listener and it's a super smart question. To truly make marketing suck less:you have to know that the work you put in will actually pay offthat it will make marketing easier and more effective to bring in your right-fit clients.Today, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my own business and showing you how my 3 Word Rebellion makes marketing take half the time while being twice as effective for my business.Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

“Hey! Look at me!”“Hey! Buy my program…Read my blog…Listen to my podcast!”“Smash that subscribe button!” “Hey, I've got the only foolproof way to solve your problem!”Let's face it. It's noisy out in the marketplace. On social media, it seems like everyone is hawking their wares, talking about how much money they make and how they can teach you to do it too. It's enough to make you want to give up on marketing. I get it. And you can't because there are people out there right now searching for you and your solution. So how do you rise above the noisy marketplace? How do you get the attention of your right fit client and then create connection and conversation with them? You do it with your 3 Word Rebellion. And today on the pod, I'm going to talk about why expertise driven businesses need a 3 Word Rebellion now more than ever.  Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

Do you ever find yourself reading an Instagram post or listening to a podcast, and you're absolutely horrified by the advice being given?  You shake your head and you think, “That's not how any of this works!” I know I've been there, and the reason is because experts can spot BS a mile away. I believe that's one of the reasons why marketing is so hard for you. The pseudo experts out there who are promising the quick fix, big rewards for little effort, and the easy to follow blueprints make whatever the challenge is seem so simple and easy to solve. Then an expert looks at it and thinks, “Wow. Yeah. That's not how that works. It's not that simple.  It's more nuanced.”As an expert, you look at those kinds of marketing messages and think, “is this what I really need to say to get people to want to work with me? I just can't say that. It's not right”. And you're right. That instinct is the correct one. Your honesty, your integrity is exactly why we need to get your work in front of people. So it's time. It's time to stage a rebellion with your expertise, and I'm going to give you 3 big reasons why. Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

Why is it so hard to claim your expertise?To own what makes you truly exceptional at your work.To own the capacity and the ability you uniquely have to guide your clients to results. Then why is it so hard to promote that? To tell people about it? And I get that marketing sucks, but it is truly time to expert up and claim your expertise for yourself. We live in a world that currently doesn’t value expertise so claiming it is an act of rebellion. Let’s define what anti-expert bias is and why we need expert now more than ever. Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.

If everyone is saying the same thing to market their business, how do you— as an expert—stand out? How can you say something different that catches the attention of your right-fit clients so they pay attention to you and hire you and not your competition? Today we're doing something a little bit different.  We’re diving into Marketing Message Makeovers so you can stop using overused marketing cliches that make you blend in. Instead, you can stand out by asking yourself two very simple questions. Want to hear more about The Expert Up Club? Book Your Private Tour HereFull show notes and transcript are here.