Over the years, we have found that one of the most common things every entrepreneur and business owner wants out of their business is more freedom. However, often, business owners find that they have built a job with immense responsibilities and more hours - rather than freed themselves from the rat race.
Adi Klevit discussed this issue with Darcy Juarez, Chief Business Strategist at Magnetic Marketing, as it pertains to marketing. During their discussion, Darcy and Adi shared why building business systems is an essential strategy when working to free up more time while still growing your business.
Read on to find a summary of their fascinating conversation.
Why Building Business Systems Supports Automation
Many business owners run into an issue when they take time away from the company. That is, things slow down - and even stop. Your business shouldn’t stop working when you take time off. This is where building systems and automation come in.
A well-structured system with established metrics lets you consider what areas can be automated. Establishing that system is the first step in determining where to automate.
As Adi and Darcy discussed, marketing is often one of those areas.
However, many business owners engage in marketing without knowing what precisely is working. They invest in ads, brochures, or social media campaigns without an established system to track whether those efforts bring in new clients.
So, the first step is documenting the existing system. The next is creating metrics to measure what is effective and what is not. From there, you can innovate, automate, and improve your marketing efforts, attracting and converting clients while taking a step back to focus on the big picture or even taking a vacation.
Four Key Elements of a Marketing System
One of the biggest challenges business owners face is ensuring their marketing runs effectively, even when they are not directly involved. By designing repeatable systems and automating what they can, a company can experience consistent growth without constantly tapping into the business owner for fresh ideas.
Every marketing system should have the following:
1. Ideal client avatar.
You must deeply understand your ideal client. Who are they? What challenges do they face? How can your service solve their problems? Creating a well-defined client avatar allows businesses to craft messaging that resonates with their audience.
2. Referral system based on value.
Many businesses rely on word-of-mouth marketing but lack a structured system for referrals. Instead of expecting referral partners to sell your services, provide them with valuable resources that position your business as the go-to solution. For example, creating a guide or educational content that referral partners can share makes referrals more natural and increases credibility.
3. Automated marketing funnel.
One of the most powerful ways to generate consistent leads is through an automated marketing funnel. This includes a combination of lead magnets (eBooks, guides, or webinars), email sequences, and follow-up systems designed to nurture prospects and convert them into paying clients. Implementing an automated sequence allows your business to continue marketing without requiring constant attention.
4. Metrics and accountability.
Every marketing system must have measurables that indicate what is working and what is not. This may be a little tricky with indirect marketing activities like social media posts or generalized informational articles. However, it’s still possible to measure what is gaining traction and what is not in the marketing world. Additionally, adding metrics to the mix may encourage you to try direct marketing, which can be more effective in getting immediate results than the indirect approach when you’ve already established your business brand.
How to Build a Marketing System That Works for You
How do you discover if your existing marketing strategy has the above four vital elements?
You must document your existing system. Here’s a quick how-to you can use to document your system and then compare your existing system with the above elements.
- Run through the step-by-step marketing procedure with your team.
- Document each step. Leave nothing out.
- Go through the steps and determine why they are done.
- Compare the steps with the above elements. Is anything missing?
- Compare the steps with your ideal avatar and your metrics. Are there extraneous areas that you are advertising to, or do you have a market not encompassed by the avatar? Make sure everything lines up.
- Remove actions that do not improve the metrics or align with the market you are trying to reach.
- Go through the improved marketing process. What could be automated?
- Automate anything that can be, then run through the process again. Is there space to try new marketing tactics? Do those tactics match your long-term goals?
By taking the thoughtful, structured approach, you and your marketing team can automate repetitive actions and strengthen your marketing system.
Are you ready to build predictable, scalable systems that keep your business growing, even when you’re not actively managing it? Get in touch with the process experts here at Business Success Consulting Group. We are ready to help you support exponential business growth while giving you the freedom you sought when first creating your company. Contact us today.
