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Marketing Agency Tips From Boss Lady: 1 & 2
Feb 02, 2019
Ever wondered What it's like to start your own marketing agency?
Well, as the founder of Sisu (thanks for visiting!), I've had the good fortune of doing just that for the past six months. In many ways, Sisu represents the one job that I've searched for since my career began around 10 years ago. Simply put, I'm finally my own boss (or boss lady, to be precise) - and it continues to pay off in more ways than one.
While it's a big thrill to see the early success that we've built at Sisu, I'm most excited about what I've learned along the way. Ultimately, the desire for continuous learning is what enables all of us to thrive and realize our potential. That said, starting your own business is equal parts inspiring and terrifying. Plus, when you're the boss, every bit of accountability rests squarely with you.
What's the secret to racking up check marks and keeping your open items at bay? I'm still new to the game, but I've picked up a few things along the way.
To kick off my blog series called "Boss Lady's Marketing Agency," I'll share some best practices that have helped me make lemonade at Sisu.
1. At the end of the day, you have to deliver.
When working at large companies, you're never too far away from resources or co-workers who can help you get things done. For example, I had co-workers who could help me with last-minute email copy or proof an ad template. Plus, if a deadline slipped, there would usually be a grace period of a day or two to get it done. However, when a marketing agency is your show, there's no grace period.
Ultimately, you're on call for every project and there's no margin for error. Even when a staff member forgets a task, you have to make it happen by any means necessary. In the end, you have to prepare yourself for long days and longer nights. Take it from me - you'd better get used to only catching two hours of sleep. But there is good news - those who embrace the grind and respect the hustle will always find a way.
2. Have a plan.
In my experience, the biggest point of failure for small businesses is the absence of a strategic plan. This can be a painstaking exercise and is certainly one of the least-fun aspects of running a business. However, it's critical to build a detailed overview of your goals to ensure that you're staying on schedule.
For example, a marketing agency must have a target number for clients and their associated billable hours. Next, you can build revenue projections
for these targets and start to think about how you want to grow. The final step is to build out your first three years of business planning to align with these targets.
Typically, the three-year trajectory will look something like this.
First Year: Build The Business.
Second Year: Optimize The Business.
Third Year: Scale & Grow The Business.
Don't worry, I've definitely learned more than constantly delivering and building plans. Stay tuned for the next round
of "Boss Lady's Marketing Agency" coming soon. Rest assured, I'll continue to run into some more lemons - but as always, I'll find a way to keep making lemonade.
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Google Updates Google Search Algorithm May 2020 Update Small businesses need to be on the lookout for impacts on their local SEO. Early data shows the update is ranking directories and aggregate listing sites higher while reducing search positions for pages with minimal content. BUT... as with any update... give it a few weeks to see how the algorithm learns and adjusts. Until then, you may see a fluctuation in search rankings. One thing to keep in mind is the continued focus on search intent with this update. If you haven't shifted your blog content to focusing on user intent keywords, then now is the time to do so! Google Surfaces - Product Listings Free For years it was only possible to have your products listed on Google Shopping through paid ads. Google announced they are allowing brands to feature their products through Google Surfaces for free. This is huge for small businesses! You can opt into Surfaces by creating a Google Merchant Center account. Google Local Inventory The next awesome release from Google is the ability for local retail businesses to list their local inventory on Google Surfaces for free. Buyers will be able to shop local inventory without having to visit the store.