September 24, 2024 • 42 mins
How many of you are relying solely on social media for your marketing? Maybe you’ve thrown some cash at ads, hoping they’d work miracles? Well, in today's Business Bible episode I’m here to drop a bomb... social media alone is not a marketing strategy. But don’t stress, because, as always, we’re here to give you the real scoop on what it takes to build a successful marketing plan that actually works. We’ll cover the essentials, from defining your brand identity to understanding the power of your owned media, so you can get off that content wheel and start seeing results.
SIGN UP FOR THE INVESTING MASTER CLASS! Use the code PODCAST for a cheeky discount.
Acknowledgement of Country By Natarsha Bamblett aka Queen Acknowledgements.
The advice shared on She's On The Money is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's On The Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision. If you do choose to buy a financial product, read the PDS, TMD and obtain appropriate financial advice tailored towards your needs. Victoria Devine and She's On The Money are authorised representatives of Money Sherpa PTY LTD ABN - 321649 27708, AFSL - 451289.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
My name is Santasha Nabananga Bamblet. I'm a proud or
the Order Kerni Whalbury and a Wadery woman. And before
we get started on She's on the Money podcast, I
would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land
of which this podcast is recorded on a wondery country,
acknowledging the elders, the ancestors and the next generation coming through.
(00:23):
As this podcast is about connecting, empowering, knowledge sharing and
the storytelling of you to make a difference for today
and lasting impactful tomorrow. Let's get into it.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Hello and welcome back to the Business Bible, your go
to guide for building our business that thrives. I want
to kick off things by asking how many of you
are relying solely on social media for your marketing. Maybe
you've thrown some shit adds hoping to see a miracle. Well,
I am here to drop a bomb. Social media alone
is not marketing strategy, I know, right. I am Victoria Devine,
(01:10):
an ex financial advisor who has a background in psychology,
and I currently run this is weird but several successful businesses.
As always, I am joined by my beautiful friend and
one of the hardest working side hustlers I know.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Miss jessic Ricci.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Hello, I'm so excited about today's episode because it's easy
to get stuck on just like the content treadmill, where
you're pumping things out and you're putting up posts, but
you don't necessarily have a real plan. So I'm excited
to talk about how marketing isn't just posting on Instagram
and hoping for the best. It's about having that solid
strategy behind you, and I'm excited to hear how you
(01:45):
think it all works.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Febee, I'm really excited about this, but before we jump
into any marketing activities, it's really important to get your
brand strategy and messaging in place. My friend Phoebe, who
grew the Blow and now has grown the Memo, really
talks a lot about brand DNA and I think it
is so important. But this means that you're really defining
(02:06):
your brand identity. You're going to nail down your unique
selling proposition, and you're going to craft what your core
messaging is that is true to you. Right. These elements
are going to guide all of your marketing efforts and
really help connect you with your audience in a meaningful way.
Gorne of the days where you could just stick up
a for sale sign, and it's not how it works anymore, guys. So, firstly,
(02:28):
your brand identity is actually the backbone of absolutely everything
you do in marketing. Your brand is so much more
than just a logo or a really catchy tagline. It's
the complete experience that you offer to your consumer. It's
how your business looks and feels and sounds and makes
people feel. Right, a strong brand is going to help
(02:50):
you stand out in a very crowded market. It's going
to build some good trust, and it's going to create
an emotional connection with your audience. It's what makes people
choose you your competition. So before you dive into any
marketing tactics, Jess, let's take some time to define your brand.
Let's use Cheese on the Money as like a little
user case I think, because I mean, you're on our
(03:12):
podcast now, But what are your values? So your values
are there things that are core to you and your
individual being right, But your mission is what you are
trying to achieve. So, like as Sheese on the Money,
we really value trust, we really value authenticity, we really
value transparency. But what's our mission, Jess, it's to create
(03:32):
financial literacy. So like our values aren't financial literacy. Our
values are you know, sharing and empowering and all of
those things that help other people. But our mission is
what we're trying to achieve in the long term, but
our values is kind of what carries that mission. Like
you could have a mission, but if you've got terrible values,
like you're going to go in the wrong direction.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Right.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
You also really need to identify your ideal audience. So
it's not spicy, but I don't think people like hearing
you can't be everything to everybody, Like you're going to
want to resonate with your ideal consumer instead of just
being like, oh, we're great for everybody. Oh, Jess, do
you like it? Oh? Great? You know Emma, do you
(04:12):
like it? Oh? Shane down the road, he loves it. Like,
you're not going to be everything to everybody, And when
you do, you actually dilute your value, like you're not
a carton of milk where everyone just buys it because
it's a staple. Like more often than not, if you've
got a business, you have a unique selling proposition and
you really need to know your market to go. I'm
(04:32):
actually for Jess, And if Shane doesn't like me, that's okay,
because I want to attract more Jesses because Jess is
going to be obsessed. Like Jess is going to be
so connected, she's going to be so engaged instead of Hey, Jess,
what brand of milk do you buy at the shops?
Like you haven't got that connection, it's just what you've
always bought, like just one yeah, right, Like we're not
going for a unique experience, We're not going for engagement
(04:56):
with something like that. But when it comes to our
ideal audience, we really you need to understand that, we
need to understand how we want people to feel when
they interact with your business. Do you want them to
feel empowered? Do you want them to feel lux Have
you got a clear brand identity that's going to guide
all of your marketing efforts, So from the tone of
your social media posts to the design of your website.
(05:16):
Something that's really important is to have that be cohesive.
And that's something that over the last few years I've
tried so hard to do that. Hopefully now Jess, when
you see our bright pink and you see our orange,
it kind of go, oh, that feels like she's on
the money post Emma, our producer the other week, wore
a really cute jumper in and we were like, oh,
that's so she's on the money coded because it was
(05:37):
those colors, and that's what we want people to see.
We want people to see our color or our fonts
or our tone and go, that feels very she's on
the money.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I want you to see that in our newsletter. I
want you to see that when you visit our website.
I want that on our social media so that if
you're scrolling, you're doing the doom scroll and something that
is ours passes you. You knew what is ours without
reading our When we first started, I had literally no
budget and I created our first logo on Microsoft PowerPoint
and screenshot it. And I didn't know anything about the
(06:09):
power of brand. I just started and I think that
that's something that we all do. But this for me
has been a learning along the journey. And I'm not
expecting you to have started with a perfect brand or
started with this idea of okay cohesiveness. I mean, it
would have been nice if at the start I had
those tipbits, because I feel like everything would have felt
a little bit more cohesive and gelled. I feel like
(06:32):
it was a bit of a dog's breakfast. If I
scroll really far back on my Instagram, I was like,
that quote's cute. Were all the fonts matching? Jess, Absolutely not,
Like it was just what I thought was cute in
the moment. Ye, now I know more. It's really about
that customer experience totally.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
I think it's an interesting point as well, that you
can totally market something that isn't perfect to make it sell,
Like if your brand is not, you know, fully optimized,
if it's in its startup phase. The way that She's
on the money was whenever first began, you still marketed
the brand well, which is what.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Life trying my highest lead to its success.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Like, you don't have to have something perfect for marketing
to be successful. That's the whole point of marketing, is
it not.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah, And I feel like now I look at it
in retrospect, we did a really good job. It didn't
feel like that at the time because I felt like
I was flying by the seat of my pants. But
I think the reason that it worked, and I think
the reason that it did well, Jess, was because we
actually always had the consumer at heart. It wasn't me
doing stuff because I looked good. It was me going, Oh,
(07:32):
they're gonna love this, or they're gonna want this tip
on super or they're gonna want to know about this
about tax or you know, Jess is really going to
think that this money wins cute. And I think having
that idea, even though I didn't know that that's what
I was doing at the time of this is my
ideal customer and I kind of don't care about the fluff.
If you don't resonate with Shees on the Money, that's cool.
There's actually other places on the Internet that you can
visit to resonate with money in a way that makes
(07:54):
sense for you. But this is for me, This is
for my community. I think operating in the way has
built Cheese on the Money into what it is, and like,
I'm proud of that, but I would be lying if
I said that was intentional.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
All right, So you've nailed down your branding and everything,
what just falls into place?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yeah, magically, it's actually magic. What you need to remember
here is that you don't want to forget your secret source.
So that's also known in marketing as your unique selling proposition,
which I touched on just before. This is what's going
to set your business apart from its competition. It's that
really special element that makes your product or your unique
service more valuable or more appealing to your target audience,
(08:34):
whether it's superior customer service or a unique product feature,
or just a distinct approach to solving a problem. Your
USP is what's going to convince customers to pick you
over someone else. And you know what, Jess, sometimes your
product isn't different. Sometimes you are your unique selling proposition.
So to nail down your USP, you need to think
about what makes your offering different and how it specifically
(08:57):
addresses your particular customer's needs better than the competition. It's
not just about what you do, but why you do
it and why you are standing out and what that means. So,
once you've identified what your usps, you need to make
sure that it's woven into all your messaging. That is
your brand's superpower, Jess, and it's what should be front
(09:17):
and center of basically everything that you communicate. So you
know how I always use candle businesses. I don't know why,
it just default to it. But take two candle businesses
for example, they might both be selling candles great, but
their usps can set them worlds apart. So Brand one
it might be really around sustainability with usp like our
(09:37):
candles are made with the one hundred percent sustainable ingredients
including natural soy wax. Maybe they've got like lead free
weeks and some recyclable packaging. They might say something like
we're really committed to leaving a light of footprint on
the planet, so you can enjoy your favorite scent, your
free Jess. But meanwhile, Brand two might be zeroing in
on personalization, so instead of that sustainability, for they offer
(10:01):
a really customizable candle experience where you can choose your
own sand and you could like add some personal touches
like initials or messages, and this is what's going to
make them perfect for personalized gifts. So same product, different appeal,
different reasons you might purchase that product.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
And they both sound really cool for their own different reasons,
Like I can see myself loving either of those brands
for different things, and they.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Might be identical Jess, like bit truly the second company
that is like, you know, we offer unique touches, they
actually could be like sowy wax led free candles. They
could basically be in the same packaging, but like you're
purchasing for different reasons and their selling points are so
different that you're not really thinking about that, are you.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Could you say they're being marketed differently. Wow, one focusing
on those eco conscious buyers who care about sustainability, while
the other is looking for those who want the personal
touch for their candles, the same thing that, as you said,
just positioned differently makes all the difference to me as
a prospective buyer.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
On why I might want to purchase one hundred percent.
And that's why I say, like, it could just be you,
Like it could be like, oh, just made my candle.
I've got one of Jess's candles on my shelf, and
every time I look at it, like I remember that
I bought into a small business. Like it could be
so many different things, But it is really important to
remember marketing isn't all about you, as I keep saying,
and your brand. It's actually about your customer. It's about
(11:19):
understanding their needs, what their pain points are, what their
desires are, and then positioning your brand as the solution
to these things. So your messaging should speak directly to
your audience, addressing what matters to them, not just what
you want to say, which sometimes can be hard to do, Jess.
This means really shifting your focus from here's what we
offer to hear, Jess, is how we can help you.
(11:42):
I want you to be talking to the benefits to
your audience rather than just like features. So show empathy
by acknowledging challenges. So, for example, instead of being like, hey, Jess,
we offer really fast shipping, you might go get your
favorite products delivered to your door in no time so
that you can enjoy them sooner. Like it's shifting the
way that you articulate the exact same thing to make
(12:06):
it more attractive. It's a really subtle shift, but it
makes a very big difference in how your audience is
going to connect in with your brand.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
It's getting right click synonyms. When I was writing an
essay and I was like, I've used the same word
like five times in a.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Literally is that Like, isn't that important? Because you just
know that if you handed that essay in, your teacher
would have like circled the word and been like, yes,
you've used the word exquisite five times. Yeah, And you'd
be like, yeah, I know, it's a good word. Yeah,
but like people are bored of that, A little creativity
goes a long way. Yeah. Also, we want to make
sure that our messaging isn't too messy. We want to
(12:40):
make sure that it's really clear and straightforward. So we're
going to avoid overly technical terms and jug and that
might confuse or even unfortunately alienate some of your audience.
So there's a saying in marketing, if you confuse, you lose,
which I think is quite to help. Yeah, but if
your audience doesn't understand what you're saying, you probably were
going to lose the sale, which makes sense. But too
(13:03):
many times we get a little bit too complex, and
then we're trying really hard to look intelligent or look attractive,
and then all of a sudden we've lost the customer
because they're like, wait, what's she on about? Yeah, I
can't be bothered with this excerpt. Back to doom scrolling
on TikTok. So let's go back to my favorite example,
candle business. Instead of saying something like it's infused with
complex of factory compounds, Jess, which is kind of confusing
(13:26):
in a little bit, now very appealing, I mean, it's legitimate,
like that is factual. Instead, you might go, it smells
just like fresh linen. Haha, you laugh, But like, I
love fresh linen, and it's quite straightforward, it's really relatable,
and it immediately tells you what you're gonna get. You
don't want to sell the feature, you actually want to
sell the benefit. Another way that you can do this
(13:49):
is by leveraging social proof, which is so important. So
you're going to share testimonials. You're gonna share case studies
or real life examples of how your product or service
has made a difference. So according to Big Commerce, just
seventy two percent of consumers say that positive reviews and
testimonials make them trust a business more. I make it
seventy two percent.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
The first thing I do before I buy something is
I go to TikTok or tool and I type in
the name and review and I see what comes up.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
I do exactly the same thing. I'm not buying anything
without seeing what other people that I don't know have
said about it. Yeah, isn't that weird. I'm like, Oh,
this random person I've never met made a video on it.
She says she likes it.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
I must love it, So why I say I'm a
marketer's dream, like all it takes is a positive word
from someone.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Like the time that you almost bought hydrogenerated water.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
Yeah, shout to the girl who slow.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
It's not just about telling people what you offer, Jess,
It's about showing them through the voices of others who
have actually experienced it firsthand. Social proof makes your messaging
more relatable, more authentic. It helps potential customers see themselves
benefiting from your product. Always keep your customer at the
heart of your communication as well, and use your stories
(14:59):
to create genuine connection.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
Okay, I just go on a little tangent.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Of course you can. I'm black for the hydrogen water water.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
I feel like that's such a good, perfect example for
this episode of marketing because for those who don't listen
maybe to every Friday episode, we spoke about it. A
couple of weeks ago, I was scrolling on TikTok and
it was late at night, and this was when I
realized I truly am a marketer's dream. Is because I
saw someone promoting and it was a disclosed sponsored ad
for a company that does hydrogen water, and they were
(15:28):
talking about how it fixed all of these health problems
for them or like helped eat some of their benefits.
Talking again to the benefits of the product, not the
complex science. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, they just use
the name hydrogen water, which made it sound fancy, and
I was like, oh my god, I need to buy this.
And then I came in on Friday and we were
talking about it, and.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
You said, Jessica, there is two hydrogens per one oxygen
bond in water. You already have hydrogen in water. And
you were like, you're a smart woman, I you are
so smart. And you were still like, oh, oh yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Oh that's what good marketing does. It sells me something.
It gotcha that I have access to from my tap.
And yes it might be ever so slightly different, but
it's them showcasing as you're saying, really got sold water.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
It's basically the same thing as selling ice to Eskimos
completely did.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
It because they had a testimonial, They spoke to those benefits,
they did all those things, and I, as a consumer went,
I have that problem.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
That hot fitness model who did pilates and then drank
that what I could be her?
Speaker 4 (16:29):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
It's crazy, how you down jest?
Speaker 3 (16:32):
They gotcha?
Speaker 4 (16:33):
They truly did. At my one am doom scroll. But
that's the thing, that's what good marketing can do, and
if you're keeping that customer front of mind, it's going
to be easier to sell to them what would just
do by the water? Obviously, now that we have that
solid foundation, I hope everyone listening kind of has that
good understanding for me to go. Should we talk through
(16:54):
all of the different types of marketing that are available.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
So I like to break it down for me personally,
because like it needs to be simple for me to
get it, but also I like to break it down
into four different categories. So we've got owned, rented, earned,
and paid, and that simplifies things for me in a
really nice way. So it makes it hopefully really easy
and clear so that you're also able to figure out
(17:17):
where your business fits in and what might need a
little bit of TLC. So owned, that's all about the
channels that you actually have full control over. So for me,
that's my email list, it's my website, it's my podcast.
It's basically your own turf where no one can change
the rules on you like I own those things. Like,
no one's going to swoop in and take my website
(17:38):
off me because I actually own it, and I have
full creative control of what's on that and how it works. Right,
This is where you can really build those deeper connections
without worrying about like a surprising I don't know algorithm overhaul,
which if you're a small business, you're always like, oh
my god, I don't know how that algorithm works. Like
that's always changing me either, girl, me either. The next
(17:59):
is rented And this is usually, I guess, the first
thing people think of when they hear marketing, especially in
twenty twenty four. This is your social media. So this
is your Instagram, your Facebook, your TikTok, you name it.
It's someone else's platform that you're then using to drive leads.
And while it's great for visibility, you're just borrowing space.
You might not be renting it with cash, but like
(18:20):
it's borrowed space, Jess, you're at the mercy of those
pesky algorithm changes and platform whims Like at the moment,
I don't know if you're on this side of TikTok, Jess,
but a whole heap of people who are American content
creators are really worried at the moment because they're talking
about TikTok maybe being banned there, and they're like, but
I have a million followers on TikTok, Like, what's going
to happen to my business? And it's like, actually, you
(18:41):
need to diversify your marketing channels and build something that's owned,
because you don't own your followers. Yeah, Like you don't
have their number. You can't call them. If your Instagram
or your TikTok got deleted, they're gone, like they were
never yours to call up.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Yeah, that's why we talk about it. So you can't
just get Taylor on the phone. You can't get Taylor
on the phone, as much as we wish that we could.
And that's why we do talk about how it's so
important to funnel those people from social media to a
platform that you do own.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Yeah, because like what happens if she's on the money
Instagram gets deleted tomorrow. Hopefully my community like our content
enough that they're a bits out about that. Well, I
can email you ess and be like, hey, here's our
new handle, here's where to find us, Like I don't
have to be reliant on me begging Instagram for my
username back, Like it's stressful and I'd be heartbroken if
that were the case, but like I know that I
(19:26):
still have my business in the background totally.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
It's scary if.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
You're not relying on multiple sources what an other two.
So we've got earned and that's all about what you
gain through reputation and relationships. So things like pr use
generated content like you're looking up reviews Jessica, and even
like a shout out from a happy customer. This is
where your business earns attention because people are talking about you,
(19:50):
they're sharing your content, and they're singing your praises without
you having to pay for it. Okay, important distinction, the
important distinction you earned it, you didn't buy it, which
is the next topic that we're talking about, which is
paid and it's exactly like what it sounds like. You're
paying to be seen. So this might be like your
(20:11):
Facebook or your Google Ads, or even traditional stuff like
a full page magazine spread. It's a quicker way to
get your name out there, but you've actually got to
keep a close eye on that ROI so that you're
not burning cash. And also just it costs cash and
lots of small business owners don't have a lot to
throw it paid, so it's not until you're often further
down the track, or you really want to invest in
(20:31):
the business that you might be looking into this option.
And you'd also put pay UGC and influence under that
same one percent because you're paying to be seen. Yeah,
like you didn't earn that you paid.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
For that, paying for the advertising. That makes total sense.
So which one should audience be focusing on the most
all of them?
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Sorry, sorry, you've always heard me Jess on this. She's
on the Money podcast, bang on about diversification when it
comes to investing, right, I mean our investing musterclass just
came out, so you should be a cross how important
diversification is. But marketing is thankfully no different, so I
haven't had to reinvent the wheel here. But relying solely
on one channel, like just your social media might feel
(21:11):
really simple and it's really easy and it's familiar, but
it's really risky. So algorithms can change, the platform could evolve,
It might be banned in your country at some point,
and what works today might not work tomorrow. Like, think
about historically, I don't know if you remember, like triangle bikinis.
Speaker 4 (21:28):
Ah, triangle bikini that I have beef. That's a story
for another time.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Oh my gosh, this story for another time, like beef
with the actual business, or like beef in the way
that I had where triangle bikinis were built for I
don't know side note a twelve year old pre pubescent
boy's body, and I didn't have that and so never
looked good in them, and therefore crucified myself for not
(21:52):
looking cue. But remember triangle bikinis. They got really big
on Instagram at a time when it was so easy
to build an audience, like you just kept posting and
you got followers and it was really simple. Their marketing
strategy today would not work, Like you can't just start
posting on Instagram. You can't just expect the people to
come in the way that it did when Instagram was founded.
(22:13):
Like things have changed, and that's a very good example
of what worked today might not work tomorrow. Right. So,
by spreading and making sure that you're diversified across rented, paid, owned,
and earned marketing, you're kind of creating a safety net
for your business. You're doing all of it. This diversified
approach makes sure that if one channel slows down or
(22:33):
changes unexpectedly, your overall strategy remains really strong and adaptable.
It's about being prepared and being flexible and maximizing every
opportunity to reach your audience in really different ways. And
I feel like so many times people think it's like
down to followers, like, oh, you've got a million followers,
you must be really good at this, or you must
have a really successful business. Some of the most successful businesses, yes,
(22:57):
I've seen, they don't have heaps of followers. They just
have a really good diversified strategy and a good funnel
setup to get that consumer in, get them really engaged
and get them buying, but often getting them buying multiple times.
I don't need a million followers if none of them
are buying, Jess.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Yeah, you used to be nurturing them as they do want.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
To exactly we're going to create that engagement now. I
know that this might sound like a lot, but don't stress,
because this isn't something you have to tackle all the once.
Like you don't need to go, oh, yes, I need
a four point marketing strategy tomorrow. Building a marketing strategy
is kind of like running a marathon. Probably a really
bad analogy because yourself, yes, but like, we're also not
(23:35):
going to run a marathon. Jess So no, like we
are going to do the marketing strategy. It's a marathon
we want to do, but start small, take it one
step at a time, and focus on what you can
realistically manage today. It's obviously a really big topic, in fact,
so much that I have made this episode and two
part up.
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Oh we love a follow up.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
We love a two part up. But let's go to
a really quick break and then on the flip side,
dive even further into owned strategies. So guys don't go anywhere.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
All right, jess we are back.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
And as I said before, like if you are on
socials and that's your base and you don't have an
email platform, this is probably true for everybody, but I
really want you to start in that owned category because
I want you to own everything that you've created. So
let's start there, because like, why pay people if then
they're coming back to a platform that you don't own, silly?
But I want you to start in owned because it
(24:37):
kind of sets the groundwork for absolutely everything else. And
it might seem like a kind of obvious one, but
a website in twenty twenty four, Jessica is a non
negotiable for your marketing strategy.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
It is your online digital storefront. It is your business card.
It is in a way social proof. Like Jess, if
a company doesn't have a website, I'm like, do you
even exist?
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Yeah, I'm immediately thinking.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
I'm immediately like what why don't you have a website? Like,
it's so easy to do, it doesn't matter. I also
get confused when I'm like looking up a business and
I'm trying to work out if they want to want
to engage in, like tell me more about you. It's
the one place that you not only have full control
over your brand, your messaging, and how you present yourself,
but it's kind of like that central hub where all
your marketing efforts converge and come together and hopefully capture
(25:26):
your client to go, ah, these are the people I
want to get involved with.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Yeah. And it's where you can also showcase what makes
you and your business unique without some of the limitations
that maybe other platforms.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
You can do whatever you want, You totally can.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
You're fully in control whether you want really detailed product
pages without the character limits, or you want to share
lots of testimonials.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
I'm a yapper.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
We're born to gap in this podcast. That's why we
have a podcast.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Can you imagine if they were like, yes, so you're
gonna have to limit it, I'd be let I'm gonna
have to find a different outlet totally.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
Or you want to blog that highlights your expertise, your
website is where you can really tell your story and
guide visitors through the journey that you want them to take.
And it's all yours at.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
One hundred percent and could be like really passive or
really active. Like if you want a blog that you
update every day, you do you boo. But I don't
have time for that, Like that's not something that I
can commit to. So it's not just about I guess
looking professional. Having a website boosts your credibility, but that
doesn't mean you need to update it every day. Like
if you want to, you can, And I mean I
now just log into the back end and change things
(26:26):
when I'm like, oh that kind of looks cool, let
me try that feature, let me do this, like I
love it. It annoys the team though, because I like
change things and I'm like, why is the role different?
And I'm like, so hear me out. But consumers today
expect businesses to have a good online presence and a
really well designed website can make a strong first impression.
Like if you're a new business as well, and you
(26:48):
have a strong website, I'm like, oh, this business has
its stuff together. Even if you don't have any social
proof yet, Jess, I look and I go, oh, they're legit.
Maybe I don't need the social proof or I haven't
gone looking for it because the website was enough. Yeah. Plus,
it's a space where you can capture leads, you can
collect emails, and ultimately drive conversion in a way that's
fully within your control. And I mean historically I really
(27:11):
focused on socials. It's not about socials, Jess. It's really
about getting that engaged customer in your door. I know,
getting our website up and running it can feel like
a really huge task, and it was for me. But
trust me, there are super easy solutions out there, even
for beginners, Jess. You know, and I've said this a
million times idi wide my website. I spent literal weeks,
(27:35):
Jess building my website on squarespace without any tech background,
and it used to be really complicated. I wish I'd
started today because now it's just like drag and drop.
I'm really glad that. When I was growing up, I
thought I was a MySpace hacker and I learned how
to HTML code so that I could have the glitter mouse.
But it's literally now just drag and drop and you
(27:56):
don't even have to code. So I think that there's
that mentality in the background, like some people are like, oh, website,
it's really hard. Yeah, it's not like it used to be.
It's so easy. And Jess, as you know, at the moment,
they have stunning templates so you don't even have to
start from scratch. You can like get a good template,
customize the colors, change the photos, you know, drag and
(28:17):
drop things around so it looks custom it looks like
your brand, but your online and your online quickly and
in a super professional way. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (28:25):
And I'm currently jujing one of those very templates as
we speak, because I know I've been saying for ages,
I'm working on my website and I'm documenting it. So
maybe we'll share it our cheese on the money at
some point we need.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
To, because it's so much easier. But I think the
problem being a business owner is you like want everything
to be perfect, and I keep telling you, just get
it up. Yeah, it's like that she's on the money website.
I still think that website is a work in progress,
but I'm pretty sure if anyone went to that website, they'd.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
Be like, it's definitely hopefully hopefully hopefully.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
They're like, oh, it's really good. I'd be like, yeah, okay,
but like I don't really love this part. That doesn't
mean don't publish it. Publish it and you can keep
changing an update. And I think that that's the best
way a website exists now, because it's no longer like
a set and forget like sign Yeah, it's like an
ever moving platform that is consistently changing in the same
(29:12):
way that your consumers are. And I guess another thing
I want to note here while we're talking about it
is just did you know that once you create your
business website, you don't actually automatically appear in Google work
And it's all about SEO And this isn't sponsored. I
just think it's really important. But Google actually has a
free Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course that's going to show
(29:33):
you how to get found when people search. And as
a small business and I used to be a very
small business, just do you remember that time that I
spent a whole heap of money on marketing.
Speaker 4 (29:44):
Oh yes, we.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Don't talk about those days, no, But like I spent
upwards of fifty thousand dollars I think on marketing and
it went nowhere. For an agency, yeah, I would say
they definitely did the wrong thing by us and took
advantage of it. But I didn't know what I didn't know,
And it turns out I could have done a lot
on my own, and courses like this or what has
helped me get to where I need to be. And
(30:07):
I'm very lucky that now I'm in the position where
I can hire people internally to help me and we
can build it that way. But I also started here
and being able to do a free Fundamentals of Digital
Marketing course so that I can nail my own SEO
like money win, especially as a small business owner because
you feel so overwhelmed all the time. So the course
(30:27):
is about SEO, which is search engine optimization, and it
shows you how to make sure that you're getting listed
on Google, and it also teaches you strategies to increase
your visibility and search results, making it easier for potential
customers to find you. It's honestly all about actively managing
how your business appears online rather than just leaving it
up to chance. And I mean just small things like
(30:48):
one thing I learned jes that I didn't even know
it was a thing. So on your website right now,
you're probably like just uploading the images that you want.
What are you naming them?
Speaker 4 (30:59):
Whatever they'se aged in.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Yeah, they're probably like IMG four four two or something, right,
change the name of that so that if people are
looking up Jessica Ricky, they're going to go to images.
Maybe those images are coming up because they're saved like
Jessica Ricky at the beach or Jessica Ricky. And use
your search terms in your image captions because it's saved
(31:20):
in the back end of your website. But Google picks
up those words and then serves it to your potential customer.
So I can almost guarantee that all the images on
that She's on the Money website are like She's on
the Money Investing for beginners, and like if you looked
at the name of the image, you'd be like what,
But no one's looking at the name of the image.
And it's like a little hack that can get you
more visibility without spending anything.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
Genius right.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Also, just another one is make sure that you're setting
up your Google My Business profile, so that, I would
say is a really critical step. So you know, when
you search for a business on Google and that little
box pops up to the right with all of the
important dates, so it's like the hours and their address
and the photos and you can go look up Zella money.
Like we've got one set up at the moment and
(32:04):
it kind of has all the information that you would
need at a glance without having to go to our website.
So that's Google My Business working its magic. Without setting
up your profile, I would say, you're actually missing out
because it's free. So this will make sure that you're
coming up when you need to come up. And all
of this is actually covered in that course that I mentioned.
That is free and it's one of the easiest and
(32:24):
most impactful ways to boost your visibility on Google. Also,
according to Google, businesses with a verified My Google Business
profiler twice as likely to be considered by reputable customers.
Isn't that wild? They go, You just get a little
Google badge for free. Plus they're more likely to show
up in local search results, which means that you're putting
your business right at the front if people are actively
(32:46):
searching for what you're offering. It was explained to me that,
like a website, Google doesn't know how to find it,
Like it's kind of creating a book and then throwing
it into the library and not categorizing it. Like people
aren't going to walk in and be like, oh, immediately
I know how to find this book, or you know,
I'm looking for this topic, I'm going to go to
this section like they can't find it. You actually have
(33:07):
to categorize it. And the Google my business actually gives
all your information to Google so that they can go, oh,
that's what Jess does. No worries Jess. We'll keep you
in mind for when someone's looking for you or looking
for a service similar to you.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
And I think you a decimal system of the Internet.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Yes, I love a library reference.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
It's huge, especially for small businesses who are trying to
get noticed without having that massive ad budget behind them.
And once you've got your profile setup, you can start
collecting those reviews on Google Reviews right, Like I went
I've got a massage recently, and I said, oh, if
you enjoyed it, we'd love a Google review.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
I always enjoy a massage so out of town so
you can have a review. And like, reviews are a
really big deal when it comes to building trust and credibility.
I mean, whopping, eighty eight percent of consumers trust online
reviews as much as personal recommendations. So if you think
about it, when's the last time you booked a service
or bought something online with out checking the reviews first.
(34:01):
It was saying to add a personal anecdote in here.
I run a mortgage breaking business called Zella Money, and
I see it as such a privileged Jess to work
with people to get them into their first homes. But
it is not beyond me understanding that. You know, Jess,
if you come to Zella, which you do, you're kind
I do.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
In fact you do.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
In fact, if you come to Zella, I'm talking to
you about your life savings. I'm giving you advice on
how to spend it. You know, you might come to
me with a property and I'm telling you whether that's
a good idea or not. I'm talking you through these things.
That's a big deal. So for me, reviews are so
important because Jesse, if you're like a little bit unsure about,
(34:40):
you know, spending your life savings on a property, but
you know it's in line with you. I want you
to be able to Google and see that so many
other people have bought their houses with me and they're
super happy and had a really positive experience, because that's
just going to add to you being like, okay, cool.
I trust them, like they know what they're talking about,
Like it's a process you've never been through, so it
makes sense that you might be a little bit confused.
(35:01):
You might go, I don't really know what's going on.
But with that level of social proof, you're a little
bit more settled. You're feeling a little bit safer. And
I think that that's really important, especially for me, and
I think that's why it's so important that all businesses
do that. I look up reviews on everything I want
to know, and if the reviews are ad, I'm like,
oh interesting. Positive reviews obviously not only help you stand
(35:23):
out in search results, but also give like potential customers
the extra nudge to choose you over the competition because
they can see people are like, oh my god, I
loved buying my house with Zella money. You know, Jack
was amazing and Victoria really helped, Like, I want that, Yeah,
and I want you to see that from other people
in a way that's not paid, because like the reviews
(35:44):
on Google are not paid. You see it and go.
She could have written anything, Yeah, and Jess. The cool
thing here is if you're sending people to Google, you
can also use these testimonials in your other marketing content
to make them extra valuable.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
Yeah, and you can even send past customers and email
afterwards after they've used your service or bought from your business.
Maybe they didn't think to leave a review straight away,
but more often than not, if you ask someone and
they really liked your product, people are often happy to
say something good about it, especially if you just send
them something with the little link saying hey, like if
you liked it, use this Sometimes. I know businesses will say, oh,
if you leave as a review, you get five percent
(36:17):
off on your next purchase or something.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
It's something I actually need to be better at. Like,
we do have some reviews, but I'm not as good
at asking for them as I should be, because I
don't know as a small business owner, I often feel
like it's a burden. I don't want to be like, hey,
so Jesz, I had a really nice time working with you.
Can you leave me a review? That's probably something that
I need to get over because I love seeing them,
(36:39):
not just because it's validation that I'm doing the right
thing and my business is on the right path, but
like I want to see your sould stick up, I
want to see you buying your first home. And I
guess speaking of being really proactive, and I should be more,
but being proactive with emails. One of the next things
that you need to consider is setting up your email lists.
So start collecting those email addresses from maybe you're offering
(37:01):
a freebie or like a discount or something valuable to
get people to sign up. Email marketing is an absolute powerhouse.
For every dollar spent, Jess, the average return is reported
to be around thirty five to forty five dollars, which
is an insane return on investment. So unlike social media
where posts just get lost in the feed, emails land
(37:23):
in your customer's inboxes, making it one of the most
effective ways to connect and communicate with your audience. But
Jess sadly, it's actually not all about sales. It's also
about relationship building. About sixty percent of consumers say they've
made a purchase because of an email that they've received,
and with average open rates between twenty to twenty five percent,
(37:44):
email engagement is actually way higher than what you typically
see on social media flas you actually own your email list, Jess.
No algorithms, no platform chains, just a direct line to
your consumer, which is arguably from my very sexy. So
if you're just getting started, you need to prioritize your
(38:05):
email listed from me is a no brainer. And if
you're just starting, Jess, there are so many free email platforms.
It's not going to cost you anything. It's like social media.
Just set it up and you can work it out later.
It's one of those small steps that can lead to
really big lasting results for your business.
Speaker 4 (38:21):
And what kind of emails should people be sending?
Speaker 1 (38:24):
It could be a plethora of them. But I also
just want to touch on that platform thing before. We
just use the standard one through our website, but there
are so many out there, like have a look, choose
what's right for you. One of the first things you
should be sending to your email list is an automated
welcome sequence, so you know those emails that you get
when you subscribe, like you go onto a website, you
(38:44):
hit subscribe. They're more than just a nice gesture. They're
actually a really serious money maker. J Just did you
know that welcome emails can drive up to three hundred
and twenty percent more revenue per email than typical promotional ones.
That's crazy actually inside Plus, they have higher open rates
and click through rates because you're catching your audience or
(39:06):
their most engaged, like they've just said, oh, Jess, I
love your website sign up. Oh I just got an
email from Jess, Like it makes sense. It's all about
striking mole the iron's hot, and a really well crafted
welcome sequence does exactly that, turning fresh subscribers into loyal
customers right from the get go. And then going beyond that,
consider maybe adding automated emails like abandon cut reminders. They
(39:30):
get me all the time, Jess.
Speaker 4 (39:31):
Yeah, the ones of the discount code always they're.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Like, hey, we saw you left something in your cart,
and I'm like, oh, that was really rude of me
to let me go buy your post purchase follow ups
to thank customers for engaging with your business and like
suggested related products or asking for feedback. Re Engagement emails
are also a really good way for reconnecting with inactive
subscribers through exclusive offers or fresh content, and each type
(39:54):
of email plays a role in strengthening your relationship with
your audience and then guiding them along the journey boo
seeing their lifetime sales value to you.
Speaker 4 (40:03):
That all sounds really good. And I know we still
have so much.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
More than we talk. I know I can go on
and on. It's like one of those things that I
didn't know what I didn't know, and now I know.
I need you guys all to know too, absolutely.
Speaker 4 (40:15):
So I feel like maybe we pause things right here
and then we come back with a part two next month.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Another deep dive. I'm very excited about it. So focusing
on getting those brand foundations in order and starting with
getting the owned under control is I would say the
best first step before trying to tackle rented, earned, and
paid strategies, which I'll get on to next time, but
reiterating from my perspective, owned is the most important, and
it's all about building that strong base and taking it
(40:43):
one step at a time so that you don't end
up overwhelmed, which just as we know, can be really
really easy.
Speaker 4 (40:48):
Yeah, I'm going to overcome my overwhelm and I'm going
to get my website done. I'm feeling inspired.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Done is better than perfect, Jess. Just get it done.
It's super easy and basically I'm an expert, So like,
call me like I think squad spaces about timing as
like an industry experts. Be like, Oh, Victory of Vine
website builder of the Year ten out of ten, perfect
before we go. I think everybody knows about that She's
on the Money Facebook group, But did you know that
we also have a Business Bible community full of side
(41:14):
hustlers and startups just like you. In it, our community
shares heaps of tips and tricks around all things starting
and growing your business. It's like having your own spot
of business bestI is cheering you on every single step
of the way. So to join us, just search Business
Bible on Facebook and we cannot wait to welcome you
to the Business Bible Fan.
Speaker 4 (41:32):
See you next week, guys.
Speaker 5 (41:40):
The advice shared on She's on the Money is generally
nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's on
the Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not
be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
If you do choose to buy a financial product.
Speaker 5 (41:55):
Read the PDS TMD and obtain appropriate financial.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
Advice tailored to your needs.
Speaker 5 (42:01):
Victoria, Divine and She's on the Money are authorized representatives
of Money sherper P T y L t D A
b N three two one six four nine two seven
seven zero eight afs L four five one two eight
nine
Hello.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
My name is Santasha Nabananga Bamblet. I'm a proud or
the Order Kerni Whalbury and a Wadery woman. And before
we get started on She's on the Money podcast, I
would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land
of which this podcast is recorded on a wondery country,
acknowledging the elders, the ancestors and the next generation coming through.
(00:23):
As this podcast is about connecting, empowering, knowledge sharing and
the storytelling of you to make a difference for today
and lasting impactful tomorrow. Let's get into it.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Hello and welcome back to the Business Bible, your go
to guide for building our business that thrives. I want
to kick off things by asking how many of you
are relying solely on social media for your marketing. Maybe
you've thrown some shit adds hoping to see a miracle. Well,
I am here to drop a bomb. Social media alone
is not marketing strategy, I know, right. I am Victoria Devine,
(01:10):
an ex financial advisor who has a background in psychology,
and I currently run this is weird but several successful businesses.
As always, I am joined by my beautiful friend and
one of the hardest working side hustlers I know.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Miss jessic Ricci.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Hello, I'm so excited about today's episode because it's easy
to get stuck on just like the content treadmill, where
you're pumping things out and you're putting up posts, but
you don't necessarily have a real plan. So I'm excited
to talk about how marketing isn't just posting on Instagram
and hoping for the best. It's about having that solid
strategy behind you, and I'm excited to hear how you
(01:45):
think it all works.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Febee, I'm really excited about this, but before we jump
into any marketing activities, it's really important to get your
brand strategy and messaging in place. My friend Phoebe, who
grew the Blow and now has grown the Memo, really
talks a lot about brand DNA and I think it
is so important. But this means that you're really defining
(02:06):
your brand identity. You're going to nail down your unique
selling proposition, and you're going to craft what your core
messaging is that is true to you. Right. These elements
are going to guide all of your marketing efforts and
really help connect you with your audience in a meaningful way.
Gorne of the days where you could just stick up
a for sale sign, and it's not how it works anymore, guys. So, firstly,
(02:28):
your brand identity is actually the backbone of absolutely everything
you do in marketing. Your brand is so much more
than just a logo or a really catchy tagline. It's
the complete experience that you offer to your consumer. It's
how your business looks and feels and sounds and makes
people feel. Right, a strong brand is going to help
(02:50):
you stand out in a very crowded market. It's going
to build some good trust, and it's going to create
an emotional connection with your audience. It's what makes people
choose you your competition. So before you dive into any
marketing tactics, Jess, let's take some time to define your brand.
Let's use Cheese on the Money as like a little
user case I think, because I mean, you're on our
(03:12):
podcast now, But what are your values? So your values
are there things that are core to you and your
individual being right, But your mission is what you are
trying to achieve. So, like as Sheese on the Money,
we really value trust, we really value authenticity, we really
value transparency. But what's our mission, Jess, it's to create
(03:32):
financial literacy. So like our values aren't financial literacy. Our
values are you know, sharing and empowering and all of
those things that help other people. But our mission is
what we're trying to achieve in the long term, but
our values is kind of what carries that mission. Like
you could have a mission, but if you've got terrible values,
like you're going to go in the wrong direction.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Right.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
You also really need to identify your ideal audience. So
it's not spicy, but I don't think people like hearing
you can't be everything to everybody, Like you're going to
want to resonate with your ideal consumer instead of just
being like, oh, we're great for everybody. Oh, Jess, do
you like it? Oh? Great? You know Emma, do you
(04:12):
like it? Oh? Shane down the road, he loves it. Like,
you're not going to be everything to everybody, And when
you do, you actually dilute your value, like you're not
a carton of milk where everyone just buys it because
it's a staple. Like more often than not, if you've
got a business, you have a unique selling proposition and
you really need to know your market to go. I'm
(04:32):
actually for Jess, And if Shane doesn't like me, that's okay,
because I want to attract more Jesses because Jess is
going to be obsessed. Like Jess is going to be
so connected, she's going to be so engaged instead of Hey, Jess,
what brand of milk do you buy at the shops?
Like you haven't got that connection, it's just what you've
always bought, like just one yeah, right, Like we're not
going for a unique experience, We're not going for engagement
(04:56):
with something like that. But when it comes to our
ideal audience, we really you need to understand that, we
need to understand how we want people to feel when
they interact with your business. Do you want them to
feel empowered? Do you want them to feel lux Have
you got a clear brand identity that's going to guide
all of your marketing efforts, So from the tone of
your social media posts to the design of your website.
(05:16):
Something that's really important is to have that be cohesive.
And that's something that over the last few years I've
tried so hard to do that. Hopefully now Jess, when
you see our bright pink and you see our orange,
it kind of go, oh, that feels like she's on
the money post Emma, our producer the other week, wore
a really cute jumper in and we were like, oh,
that's so she's on the money coded because it was
(05:37):
those colors, and that's what we want people to see.
We want people to see our color or our fonts
or our tone and go, that feels very she's on
the money.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I want you to see that in our newsletter. I
want you to see that when you visit our website.
I want that on our social media so that if
you're scrolling, you're doing the doom scroll and something that
is ours passes you. You knew what is ours without
reading our When we first started, I had literally no
budget and I created our first logo on Microsoft PowerPoint
and screenshot it. And I didn't know anything about the
(06:09):
power of brand. I just started and I think that
that's something that we all do. But this for me
has been a learning along the journey. And I'm not
expecting you to have started with a perfect brand or
started with this idea of okay cohesiveness. I mean, it
would have been nice if at the start I had
those tipbits, because I feel like everything would have felt
a little bit more cohesive and gelled. I feel like
(06:32):
it was a bit of a dog's breakfast. If I
scroll really far back on my Instagram, I was like,
that quote's cute. Were all the fonts matching? Jess, Absolutely not,
Like it was just what I thought was cute in
the moment. Ye, now I know more. It's really about
that customer experience totally.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
I think it's an interesting point as well, that you
can totally market something that isn't perfect to make it sell,
Like if your brand is not, you know, fully optimized,
if it's in its startup phase. The way that She's
on the money was whenever first began, you still marketed
the brand well, which is what.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Life trying my highest lead to its success.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Like, you don't have to have something perfect for marketing
to be successful. That's the whole point of marketing, is
it not.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah, And I feel like now I look at it
in retrospect, we did a really good job. It didn't
feel like that at the time because I felt like
I was flying by the seat of my pants. But
I think the reason that it worked, and I think
the reason that it did well, Jess, was because we
actually always had the consumer at heart. It wasn't me
doing stuff because I looked good. It was me going, Oh,
(07:32):
they're gonna love this, or they're gonna want this tip
on super or they're gonna want to know about this
about tax or you know, Jess is really going to
think that this money wins cute. And I think having
that idea, even though I didn't know that that's what
I was doing at the time of this is my
ideal customer and I kind of don't care about the fluff.
If you don't resonate with Shees on the Money, that's cool.
There's actually other places on the Internet that you can
visit to resonate with money in a way that makes
(07:54):
sense for you. But this is for me, This is
for my community. I think operating in the way has
built Cheese on the Money into what it is, and like,
I'm proud of that, but I would be lying if
I said that was intentional.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
All right, So you've nailed down your branding and everything,
what just falls into place?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yeah, magically, it's actually magic. What you need to remember
here is that you don't want to forget your secret source.
So that's also known in marketing as your unique selling proposition,
which I touched on just before. This is what's going
to set your business apart from its competition. It's that
really special element that makes your product or your unique
service more valuable or more appealing to your target audience,
(08:34):
whether it's superior customer service or a unique product feature,
or just a distinct approach to solving a problem. Your
USP is what's going to convince customers to pick you
over someone else. And you know what, Jess, sometimes your
product isn't different. Sometimes you are your unique selling proposition.
So to nail down your USP, you need to think
about what makes your offering different and how it specifically
(08:57):
addresses your particular customer's needs better than the competition. It's
not just about what you do, but why you do
it and why you are standing out and what that means. So,
once you've identified what your usps, you need to make
sure that it's woven into all your messaging. That is
your brand's superpower, Jess, and it's what should be front
(09:17):
and center of basically everything that you communicate. So you
know how I always use candle businesses. I don't know why,
it just default to it. But take two candle businesses
for example, they might both be selling candles great, but
their usps can set them worlds apart. So Brand one
it might be really around sustainability with usp like our
(09:37):
candles are made with the one hundred percent sustainable ingredients
including natural soy wax. Maybe they've got like lead free
weeks and some recyclable packaging. They might say something like
we're really committed to leaving a light of footprint on
the planet, so you can enjoy your favorite scent, your
free Jess. But meanwhile, Brand two might be zeroing in
on personalization, so instead of that sustainability, for they offer
(10:01):
a really customizable candle experience where you can choose your
own sand and you could like add some personal touches
like initials or messages, and this is what's going to
make them perfect for personalized gifts. So same product, different appeal,
different reasons you might purchase that product.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
And they both sound really cool for their own different reasons,
Like I can see myself loving either of those brands
for different things, and they.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Might be identical Jess, like bit truly the second company
that is like, you know, we offer unique touches, they
actually could be like sowy wax led free candles. They
could basically be in the same packaging, but like you're
purchasing for different reasons and their selling points are so
different that you're not really thinking about that, are you.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Could you say they're being marketed differently. Wow, one focusing
on those eco conscious buyers who care about sustainability, while
the other is looking for those who want the personal
touch for their candles, the same thing that, as you said,
just positioned differently makes all the difference to me as
a prospective buyer.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
On why I might want to purchase one hundred percent.
And that's why I say, like, it could just be you,
Like it could be like, oh, just made my candle.
I've got one of Jess's candles on my shelf, and
every time I look at it, like I remember that
I bought into a small business. Like it could be
so many different things, But it is really important to
remember marketing isn't all about you, as I keep saying,
and your brand. It's actually about your customer. It's about
(11:19):
understanding their needs, what their pain points are, what their
desires are, and then positioning your brand as the solution
to these things. So your messaging should speak directly to
your audience, addressing what matters to them, not just what
you want to say, which sometimes can be hard to do, Jess.
This means really shifting your focus from here's what we
offer to hear, Jess, is how we can help you.
(11:42):
I want you to be talking to the benefits to
your audience rather than just like features. So show empathy
by acknowledging challenges. So, for example, instead of being like, hey, Jess,
we offer really fast shipping, you might go get your
favorite products delivered to your door in no time so
that you can enjoy them sooner. Like it's shifting the
way that you articulate the exact same thing to make
(12:06):
it more attractive. It's a really subtle shift, but it
makes a very big difference in how your audience is
going to connect in with your brand.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
It's getting right click synonyms. When I was writing an
essay and I was like, I've used the same word
like five times in a.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Literally is that Like, isn't that important? Because you just
know that if you handed that essay in, your teacher
would have like circled the word and been like, yes,
you've used the word exquisite five times. Yeah, And you'd
be like, yeah, I know, it's a good word. Yeah,
but like people are bored of that, A little creativity
goes a long way. Yeah. Also, we want to make
sure that our messaging isn't too messy. We want to
(12:40):
make sure that it's really clear and straightforward. So we're
going to avoid overly technical terms and jug and that
might confuse or even unfortunately alienate some of your audience.
So there's a saying in marketing, if you confuse, you lose,
which I think is quite to help. Yeah, but if
your audience doesn't understand what you're saying, you probably were
going to lose the sale, which makes sense. But too
(13:03):
many times we get a little bit too complex, and
then we're trying really hard to look intelligent or look attractive,
and then all of a sudden we've lost the customer
because they're like, wait, what's she on about? Yeah, I
can't be bothered with this excerpt. Back to doom scrolling
on TikTok. So let's go back to my favorite example,
candle business. Instead of saying something like it's infused with
complex of factory compounds, Jess, which is kind of confusing
(13:26):
in a little bit, now very appealing, I mean, it's legitimate,
like that is factual. Instead, you might go, it smells
just like fresh linen. Haha, you laugh, But like, I
love fresh linen, and it's quite straightforward, it's really relatable,
and it immediately tells you what you're gonna get. You
don't want to sell the feature, you actually want to
sell the benefit. Another way that you can do this
(13:49):
is by leveraging social proof, which is so important. So
you're going to share testimonials. You're gonna share case studies
or real life examples of how your product or service
has made a difference. So according to Big Commerce, just
seventy two percent of consumers say that positive reviews and
testimonials make them trust a business more. I make it
seventy two percent.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
The first thing I do before I buy something is
I go to TikTok or tool and I type in
the name and review and I see what comes up.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
I do exactly the same thing. I'm not buying anything
without seeing what other people that I don't know have
said about it. Yeah, isn't that weird. I'm like, Oh,
this random person I've never met made a video on it.
She says she likes it.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
I must love it, So why I say I'm a
marketer's dream, like all it takes is a positive word
from someone.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Like the time that you almost bought hydrogenerated water.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
Yeah, shout to the girl who slow.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
It's not just about telling people what you offer, Jess,
It's about showing them through the voices of others who
have actually experienced it firsthand. Social proof makes your messaging
more relatable, more authentic. It helps potential customers see themselves
benefiting from your product. Always keep your customer at the
heart of your communication as well, and use your stories
(14:59):
to create genuine connection.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
Okay, I just go on a little tangent.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Of course you can. I'm black for the hydrogen water water.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
I feel like that's such a good, perfect example for
this episode of marketing because for those who don't listen
maybe to every Friday episode, we spoke about it. A
couple of weeks ago, I was scrolling on TikTok and
it was late at night, and this was when I
realized I truly am a marketer's dream. Is because I
saw someone promoting and it was a disclosed sponsored ad
for a company that does hydrogen water, and they were
(15:28):
talking about how it fixed all of these health problems
for them or like helped eat some of their benefits.
Talking again to the benefits of the product, not the
complex science. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, they just use
the name hydrogen water, which made it sound fancy, and
I was like, oh my god, I need to buy this.
And then I came in on Friday and we were
talking about it, and.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
You said, Jessica, there is two hydrogens per one oxygen
bond in water. You already have hydrogen in water. And
you were like, you're a smart woman, I you are
so smart. And you were still like, oh, oh yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Oh that's what good marketing does. It sells me something.
It gotcha that I have access to from my tap.
And yes it might be ever so slightly different, but
it's them showcasing as you're saying, really got sold water.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
It's basically the same thing as selling ice to Eskimos
completely did.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
It because they had a testimonial, They spoke to those benefits,
they did all those things, and I, as a consumer went,
I have that problem.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
That hot fitness model who did pilates and then drank
that what I could be her?
Speaker 4 (16:29):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
It's crazy, how you down jest?
Speaker 3 (16:32):
They gotcha?
Speaker 4 (16:33):
They truly did. At my one am doom scroll. But
that's the thing, that's what good marketing can do, and
if you're keeping that customer front of mind, it's going
to be easier to sell to them what would just
do by the water? Obviously, now that we have that
solid foundation, I hope everyone listening kind of has that
good understanding for me to go. Should we talk through
(16:54):
all of the different types of marketing that are available.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
So I like to break it down for me personally,
because like it needs to be simple for me to
get it, but also I like to break it down
into four different categories. So we've got owned, rented, earned,
and paid, and that simplifies things for me in a
really nice way. So it makes it hopefully really easy
and clear so that you're also able to figure out
(17:17):
where your business fits in and what might need a
little bit of TLC. So owned, that's all about the
channels that you actually have full control over. So for me,
that's my email list, it's my website, it's my podcast.
It's basically your own turf where no one can change
the rules on you like I own those things. Like,
no one's going to swoop in and take my website
(17:38):
off me because I actually own it, and I have
full creative control of what's on that and how it works. Right,
This is where you can really build those deeper connections
without worrying about like a surprising I don't know algorithm overhaul,
which if you're a small business, you're always like, oh
my god, I don't know how that algorithm works. Like
that's always changing me either, girl, me either. The next
(17:59):
is rented And this is usually, I guess, the first
thing people think of when they hear marketing, especially in
twenty twenty four. This is your social media. So this
is your Instagram, your Facebook, your TikTok, you name it.
It's someone else's platform that you're then using to drive leads.
And while it's great for visibility, you're just borrowing space.
You might not be renting it with cash, but like
(18:20):
it's borrowed space, Jess, you're at the mercy of those
pesky algorithm changes and platform whims Like at the moment,
I don't know if you're on this side of TikTok, Jess,
but a whole heap of people who are American content
creators are really worried at the moment because they're talking
about TikTok maybe being banned there, and they're like, but
I have a million followers on TikTok, Like, what's going
to happen to my business? And it's like, actually, you
(18:41):
need to diversify your marketing channels and build something that's owned,
because you don't own your followers. Yeah, Like you don't
have their number. You can't call them. If your Instagram
or your TikTok got deleted, they're gone, like they were
never yours to call up.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Yeah, that's why we talk about it. So you can't
just get Taylor on the phone. You can't get Taylor
on the phone, as much as we wish that we could.
And that's why we do talk about how it's so
important to funnel those people from social media to a
platform that you do own.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Yeah, because like what happens if she's on the money
Instagram gets deleted tomorrow. Hopefully my community like our content
enough that they're a bits out about that. Well, I
can email you ess and be like, hey, here's our
new handle, here's where to find us, Like I don't
have to be reliant on me begging Instagram for my
username back, Like it's stressful and I'd be heartbroken if
that were the case, but like I know that I
(19:26):
still have my business in the background totally.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
It's scary if.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
You're not relying on multiple sources what an other two.
So we've got earned and that's all about what you
gain through reputation and relationships. So things like pr use
generated content like you're looking up reviews Jessica, and even
like a shout out from a happy customer. This is
where your business earns attention because people are talking about you,
(19:50):
they're sharing your content, and they're singing your praises without
you having to pay for it. Okay, important distinction, the
important distinction you earned it, you didn't buy it, which
is the next topic that we're talking about, which is
paid and it's exactly like what it sounds like. You're
paying to be seen. So this might be like your
(20:11):
Facebook or your Google Ads, or even traditional stuff like
a full page magazine spread. It's a quicker way to
get your name out there, but you've actually got to
keep a close eye on that ROI so that you're
not burning cash. And also just it costs cash and
lots of small business owners don't have a lot to
throw it paid, so it's not until you're often further
down the track, or you really want to invest in
(20:31):
the business that you might be looking into this option.
And you'd also put pay UGC and influence under that
same one percent because you're paying to be seen. Yeah,
like you didn't earn that you paid.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
For that, paying for the advertising. That makes total sense.
So which one should audience be focusing on the most
all of them?
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Sorry, sorry, you've always heard me Jess on this. She's
on the Money podcast, bang on about diversification when it
comes to investing, right, I mean our investing musterclass just
came out, so you should be a cross how important
diversification is. But marketing is thankfully no different, so I
haven't had to reinvent the wheel here. But relying solely
on one channel, like just your social media might feel
(21:11):
really simple and it's really easy and it's familiar, but
it's really risky. So algorithms can change, the platform could evolve,
It might be banned in your country at some point,
and what works today might not work tomorrow. Like, think
about historically, I don't know if you remember, like triangle bikinis.
Speaker 4 (21:28):
Ah, triangle bikini that I have beef. That's a story
for another time.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Oh my gosh, this story for another time, like beef
with the actual business, or like beef in the way
that I had where triangle bikinis were built for I
don't know side note a twelve year old pre pubescent
boy's body, and I didn't have that and so never
looked good in them, and therefore crucified myself for not
(21:52):
looking cue. But remember triangle bikinis. They got really big
on Instagram at a time when it was so easy
to build an audience, like you just kept posting and
you got followers and it was really simple. Their marketing
strategy today would not work, Like you can't just start
posting on Instagram. You can't just expect the people to
come in the way that it did when Instagram was founded.
(22:13):
Like things have changed, and that's a very good example
of what worked today might not work tomorrow. Right. So,
by spreading and making sure that you're diversified across rented, paid, owned,
and earned marketing, you're kind of creating a safety net
for your business. You're doing all of it. This diversified
approach makes sure that if one channel slows down or
(22:33):
changes unexpectedly, your overall strategy remains really strong and adaptable.
It's about being prepared and being flexible and maximizing every
opportunity to reach your audience in really different ways. And
I feel like so many times people think it's like
down to followers, like, oh, you've got a million followers,
you must be really good at this, or you must
have a really successful business. Some of the most successful businesses, yes,
(22:57):
I've seen, they don't have heaps of followers. They just
have a really good diversified strategy and a good funnel
setup to get that consumer in, get them really engaged
and get them buying, but often getting them buying multiple times.
I don't need a million followers if none of them
are buying, Jess.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Yeah, you used to be nurturing them as they do want.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
To exactly we're going to create that engagement now. I
know that this might sound like a lot, but don't stress,
because this isn't something you have to tackle all the once.
Like you don't need to go, oh, yes, I need
a four point marketing strategy tomorrow. Building a marketing strategy
is kind of like running a marathon. Probably a really
bad analogy because yourself, yes, but like, we're also not
(23:35):
going to run a marathon. Jess So no, like we
are going to do the marketing strategy. It's a marathon
we want to do, but start small, take it one
step at a time, and focus on what you can
realistically manage today. It's obviously a really big topic, in fact,
so much that I have made this episode and two
part up.
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Oh we love a follow up.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
We love a two part up. But let's go to
a really quick break and then on the flip side,
dive even further into owned strategies. So guys don't go anywhere.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
All right, jess we are back.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
And as I said before, like if you are on
socials and that's your base and you don't have an
email platform, this is probably true for everybody, but I
really want you to start in that owned category because
I want you to own everything that you've created. So
let's start there, because like, why pay people if then
they're coming back to a platform that you don't own, silly?
But I want you to start in owned because it
(24:37):
kind of sets the groundwork for absolutely everything else. And
it might seem like a kind of obvious one, but
a website in twenty twenty four, Jessica is a non
negotiable for your marketing strategy.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
It is your online digital storefront. It is your business card.
It is in a way social proof. Like Jess, if
a company doesn't have a website, I'm like, do you
even exist?
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Yeah, I'm immediately thinking.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
I'm immediately like what why don't you have a website? Like,
it's so easy to do, it doesn't matter. I also
get confused when I'm like looking up a business and
I'm trying to work out if they want to want
to engage in, like tell me more about you. It's
the one place that you not only have full control
over your brand, your messaging, and how you present yourself,
but it's kind of like that central hub where all
your marketing efforts converge and come together and hopefully capture
(25:26):
your client to go, ah, these are the people I
want to get involved with.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Yeah. And it's where you can also showcase what makes
you and your business unique without some of the limitations
that maybe other platforms.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
You can do whatever you want, You totally can.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
You're fully in control whether you want really detailed product
pages without the character limits, or you want to share
lots of testimonials.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
I'm a yapper.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
We're born to gap in this podcast. That's why we
have a podcast.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Can you imagine if they were like, yes, so you're
gonna have to limit it, I'd be let I'm gonna
have to find a different outlet totally.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
Or you want to blog that highlights your expertise, your
website is where you can really tell your story and
guide visitors through the journey that you want them to take.
And it's all yours at.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
One hundred percent and could be like really passive or
really active. Like if you want a blog that you
update every day, you do you boo. But I don't
have time for that, Like that's not something that I
can commit to. So it's not just about I guess
looking professional. Having a website boosts your credibility, but that
doesn't mean you need to update it every day. Like
if you want to, you can, And I mean I
now just log into the back end and change things
(26:26):
when I'm like, oh that kind of looks cool, let
me try that feature, let me do this, like I
love it. It annoys the team though, because I like
change things and I'm like, why is the role different?
And I'm like, so hear me out. But consumers today
expect businesses to have a good online presence and a
really well designed website can make a strong first impression.
Like if you're a new business as well, and you
(26:48):
have a strong website, I'm like, oh, this business has
its stuff together. Even if you don't have any social
proof yet, Jess, I look and I go, oh, they're legit.
Maybe I don't need the social proof or I haven't
gone looking for it because the website was enough. Yeah. Plus,
it's a space where you can capture leads, you can
collect emails, and ultimately drive conversion in a way that's
fully within your control. And I mean historically I really
(27:11):
focused on socials. It's not about socials, Jess. It's really
about getting that engaged customer in your door. I know,
getting our website up and running it can feel like
a really huge task, and it was for me. But
trust me, there are super easy solutions out there, even
for beginners, Jess. You know, and I've said this a
million times idi wide my website. I spent literal weeks,
(27:35):
Jess building my website on squarespace without any tech background,
and it used to be really complicated. I wish I'd
started today because now it's just like drag and drop.
I'm really glad that. When I was growing up, I
thought I was a MySpace hacker and I learned how
to HTML code so that I could have the glitter mouse.
But it's literally now just drag and drop and you
(27:56):
don't even have to code. So I think that there's
that mentality in the background, like some people are like, oh, website,
it's really hard. Yeah, it's not like it used to be.
It's so easy. And Jess, as you know, at the moment,
they have stunning templates so you don't even have to
start from scratch. You can like get a good template,
customize the colors, change the photos, you know, drag and
(28:17):
drop things around so it looks custom it looks like
your brand, but your online and your online quickly and
in a super professional way. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (28:25):
And I'm currently jujing one of those very templates as
we speak, because I know I've been saying for ages,
I'm working on my website and I'm documenting it. So
maybe we'll share it our cheese on the money at
some point we need.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
To, because it's so much easier. But I think the
problem being a business owner is you like want everything
to be perfect, and I keep telling you, just get
it up. Yeah, it's like that she's on the money website.
I still think that website is a work in progress,
but I'm pretty sure if anyone went to that website, they'd.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
Be like, it's definitely hopefully hopefully hopefully.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
They're like, oh, it's really good. I'd be like, yeah, okay,
but like I don't really love this part. That doesn't
mean don't publish it. Publish it and you can keep
changing an update. And I think that that's the best
way a website exists now, because it's no longer like
a set and forget like sign Yeah, it's like an
ever moving platform that is consistently changing in the same
(29:12):
way that your consumers are. And I guess another thing
I want to note here while we're talking about it
is just did you know that once you create your
business website, you don't actually automatically appear in Google work
And it's all about SEO And this isn't sponsored. I
just think it's really important. But Google actually has a
free Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course that's going to show
(29:33):
you how to get found when people search. And as
a small business and I used to be a very
small business, just do you remember that time that I
spent a whole heap of money on marketing.
Speaker 4 (29:44):
Oh yes, we.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Don't talk about those days, no, But like I spent
upwards of fifty thousand dollars I think on marketing and
it went nowhere. For an agency, yeah, I would say
they definitely did the wrong thing by us and took
advantage of it. But I didn't know what I didn't know,
And it turns out I could have done a lot
on my own, and courses like this or what has
helped me get to where I need to be. And
(30:07):
I'm very lucky that now I'm in the position where
I can hire people internally to help me and we
can build it that way. But I also started here
and being able to do a free Fundamentals of Digital
Marketing course so that I can nail my own SEO
like money win, especially as a small business owner because
you feel so overwhelmed all the time. So the course
(30:27):
is about SEO, which is search engine optimization, and it
shows you how to make sure that you're getting listed
on Google, and it also teaches you strategies to increase
your visibility and search results, making it easier for potential
customers to find you. It's honestly all about actively managing
how your business appears online rather than just leaving it
up to chance. And I mean just small things like
(30:48):
one thing I learned jes that I didn't even know
it was a thing. So on your website right now,
you're probably like just uploading the images that you want.
What are you naming them?
Speaker 4 (30:59):
Whatever they'se aged in.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Yeah, they're probably like IMG four four two or something, right,
change the name of that so that if people are
looking up Jessica Ricky, they're going to go to images.
Maybe those images are coming up because they're saved like
Jessica Ricky at the beach or Jessica Ricky. And use
your search terms in your image captions because it's saved
(31:20):
in the back end of your website. But Google picks
up those words and then serves it to your potential customer.
So I can almost guarantee that all the images on
that She's on the Money website are like She's on
the Money Investing for beginners, and like if you looked
at the name of the image, you'd be like what,
But no one's looking at the name of the image.
And it's like a little hack that can get you
more visibility without spending anything.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
Genius right.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Also, just another one is make sure that you're setting
up your Google My Business profile, so that, I would
say is a really critical step. So you know, when
you search for a business on Google and that little
box pops up to the right with all of the
important dates, so it's like the hours and their address
and the photos and you can go look up Zella money.
Like we've got one set up at the moment and
(32:04):
it kind of has all the information that you would
need at a glance without having to go to our website.
So that's Google My Business working its magic. Without setting
up your profile, I would say, you're actually missing out
because it's free. So this will make sure that you're
coming up when you need to come up. And all
of this is actually covered in that course that I mentioned.
That is free and it's one of the easiest and
(32:24):
most impactful ways to boost your visibility on Google. Also,
according to Google, businesses with a verified My Google Business
profiler twice as likely to be considered by reputable customers.
Isn't that wild? They go, You just get a little
Google badge for free. Plus they're more likely to show
up in local search results, which means that you're putting
your business right at the front if people are actively
(32:46):
searching for what you're offering. It was explained to me that,
like a website, Google doesn't know how to find it,
Like it's kind of creating a book and then throwing
it into the library and not categorizing it. Like people
aren't going to walk in and be like, oh, immediately
I know how to find this book, or you know,
I'm looking for this topic, I'm going to go to
this section like they can't find it. You actually have
(33:07):
to categorize it. And the Google my business actually gives
all your information to Google so that they can go, oh,
that's what Jess does. No worries Jess. We'll keep you
in mind for when someone's looking for you or looking
for a service similar to you.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
And I think you a decimal system of the Internet.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Yes, I love a library reference.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
It's huge, especially for small businesses who are trying to
get noticed without having that massive ad budget behind them.
And once you've got your profile setup, you can start
collecting those reviews on Google Reviews right, Like I went
I've got a massage recently, and I said, oh, if
you enjoyed it, we'd love a Google review.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
I always enjoy a massage so out of town so
you can have a review. And like, reviews are a
really big deal when it comes to building trust and credibility.
I mean, whopping, eighty eight percent of consumers trust online
reviews as much as personal recommendations. So if you think
about it, when's the last time you booked a service
or bought something online with out checking the reviews first.
(34:01):
It was saying to add a personal anecdote in here.
I run a mortgage breaking business called Zella Money, and
I see it as such a privileged Jess to work
with people to get them into their first homes. But
it is not beyond me understanding that. You know, Jess,
if you come to Zella, which you do, you're kind
I do.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
In fact you do.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
In fact, if you come to Zella, I'm talking to
you about your life savings. I'm giving you advice on
how to spend it. You know, you might come to
me with a property and I'm telling you whether that's
a good idea or not. I'm talking you through these things.
That's a big deal. So for me, reviews are so
important because Jesse, if you're like a little bit unsure about,
(34:40):
you know, spending your life savings on a property, but
you know it's in line with you. I want you
to be able to Google and see that so many
other people have bought their houses with me and they're
super happy and had a really positive experience, because that's
just going to add to you being like, okay, cool.
I trust them, like they know what they're talking about,
Like it's a process you've never been through, so it
makes sense that you might be a little bit confused.
(35:01):
You might go, I don't really know what's going on.
But with that level of social proof, you're a little
bit more settled. You're feeling a little bit safer. And
I think that that's really important, especially for me, and
I think that's why it's so important that all businesses
do that. I look up reviews on everything I want
to know, and if the reviews are ad, I'm like,
oh interesting. Positive reviews obviously not only help you stand
(35:23):
out in search results, but also give like potential customers
the extra nudge to choose you over the competition because
they can see people are like, oh my god, I
loved buying my house with Zella money. You know, Jack
was amazing and Victoria really helped, Like, I want that, Yeah,
and I want you to see that from other people
in a way that's not paid, because like the reviews
(35:44):
on Google are not paid. You see it and go.
She could have written anything, Yeah, and Jess. The cool
thing here is if you're sending people to Google, you
can also use these testimonials in your other marketing content
to make them extra valuable.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
Yeah, and you can even send past customers and email
afterwards after they've used your service or bought from your business.
Maybe they didn't think to leave a review straight away,
but more often than not, if you ask someone and
they really liked your product, people are often happy to
say something good about it, especially if you just send
them something with the little link saying hey, like if
you liked it, use this Sometimes. I know businesses will say, oh,
if you leave as a review, you get five percent
(36:17):
off on your next purchase or something.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
It's something I actually need to be better at. Like,
we do have some reviews, but I'm not as good
at asking for them as I should be, because I
don't know as a small business owner, I often feel
like it's a burden. I don't want to be like, hey,
so Jesz, I had a really nice time working with you.
Can you leave me a review? That's probably something that
I need to get over because I love seeing them,
(36:39):
not just because it's validation that I'm doing the right
thing and my business is on the right path, but
like I want to see your sould stick up, I
want to see you buying your first home. And I
guess speaking of being really proactive, and I should be more,
but being proactive with emails. One of the next things
that you need to consider is setting up your email lists.
So start collecting those email addresses from maybe you're offering
(37:01):
a freebie or like a discount or something valuable to
get people to sign up. Email marketing is an absolute powerhouse.
For every dollar spent, Jess, the average return is reported
to be around thirty five to forty five dollars, which
is an insane return on investment. So unlike social media
where posts just get lost in the feed, emails land
(37:23):
in your customer's inboxes, making it one of the most
effective ways to connect and communicate with your audience. But
Jess sadly, it's actually not all about sales. It's also
about relationship building. About sixty percent of consumers say they've
made a purchase because of an email that they've received,
and with average open rates between twenty to twenty five percent,
(37:44):
email engagement is actually way higher than what you typically
see on social media flas you actually own your email list, Jess.
No algorithms, no platform chains, just a direct line to
your consumer, which is arguably from my very sexy. So
if you're just getting started, you need to prioritize your
(38:05):
email listed from me is a no brainer. And if
you're just starting, Jess, there are so many free email platforms.
It's not going to cost you anything. It's like social media.
Just set it up and you can work it out later.
It's one of those small steps that can lead to
really big lasting results for your business.
Speaker 4 (38:21):
And what kind of emails should people be sending?
Speaker 1 (38:24):
It could be a plethora of them. But I also
just want to touch on that platform thing before. We
just use the standard one through our website, but there
are so many out there, like have a look, choose
what's right for you. One of the first things you
should be sending to your email list is an automated
welcome sequence, so you know those emails that you get
when you subscribe, like you go onto a website, you
(38:44):
hit subscribe. They're more than just a nice gesture. They're
actually a really serious money maker. J Just did you
know that welcome emails can drive up to three hundred
and twenty percent more revenue per email than typical promotional ones.
That's crazy actually inside Plus, they have higher open rates
and click through rates because you're catching your audience or
(39:06):
their most engaged, like they've just said, oh, Jess, I
love your website sign up. Oh I just got an
email from Jess, Like it makes sense. It's all about
striking mole the iron's hot, and a really well crafted
welcome sequence does exactly that, turning fresh subscribers into loyal
customers right from the get go. And then going beyond that,
consider maybe adding automated emails like abandon cut reminders. They
(39:30):
get me all the time, Jess.
Speaker 4 (39:31):
Yeah, the ones of the discount code always they're.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Like, hey, we saw you left something in your cart,
and I'm like, oh, that was really rude of me
to let me go buy your post purchase follow ups
to thank customers for engaging with your business and like
suggested related products or asking for feedback. Re Engagement emails
are also a really good way for reconnecting with inactive
subscribers through exclusive offers or fresh content, and each type
(39:54):
of email plays a role in strengthening your relationship with
your audience and then guiding them along the journey boo
seeing their lifetime sales value to you.
Speaker 4 (40:03):
That all sounds really good. And I know we still
have so much.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
More than we talk. I know I can go on
and on. It's like one of those things that I
didn't know what I didn't know, and now I know.
I need you guys all to know too, absolutely.
Speaker 4 (40:15):
So I feel like maybe we pause things right here
and then we come back with a part two next month.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Another deep dive. I'm very excited about it. So focusing
on getting those brand foundations in order and starting with
getting the owned under control is I would say the
best first step before trying to tackle rented, earned, and
paid strategies, which I'll get on to next time, but
reiterating from my perspective, owned is the most important, and
it's all about building that strong base and taking it
(40:43):
one step at a time so that you don't end
up overwhelmed, which just as we know, can be really
really easy.
Speaker 4 (40:48):
Yeah, I'm going to overcome my overwhelm and I'm going
to get my website done. I'm feeling inspired.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Done is better than perfect, Jess. Just get it done.
It's super easy and basically I'm an expert, So like,
call me like I think squad spaces about timing as
like an industry experts. Be like, Oh, Victory of Vine
website builder of the Year ten out of ten, perfect
before we go. I think everybody knows about that She's
on the Money Facebook group, But did you know that
we also have a Business Bible community full of side
(41:14):
hustlers and startups just like you. In it, our community
shares heaps of tips and tricks around all things starting
and growing your business. It's like having your own spot
of business bestI is cheering you on every single step
of the way. So to join us, just search Business
Bible on Facebook and we cannot wait to welcome you
to the Business Bible Fan.
Speaker 4 (41:32):
See you next week, guys.
Speaker 5 (41:40):
The advice shared on She's on the Money is generally
nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's on
the Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not
be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
If you do choose to buy a financial product.
Speaker 5 (41:55):
Read the PDS TMD and obtain appropriate financial.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
Advice tailored to your needs.
Speaker 5 (42:01):
Victoria, Divine and She's on the Money are authorized representatives
of Money sherper P T y L t D A
b N three two one six four nine two seven
seven zero eight afs L four five one two eight
nine
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!