What do you want to say?

Who do you want to stay it to?

These two questions have become my mantra. They are the starting point to all my marketing projects and plans. By answering these simple questions your marketing path becomes clear. Once you have a path to follow execution is easier because it is a matter of putting one foot in front of another, moving step by step to your goals.

Granted there are overlaps in platforms. The four big players Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and TikTok all use videos but how they present them is functionally different for each. Answering these two questions allows businesses to streamline their messaging and avoid wasting time on platforms that don’t resonate with their audience. I don’t choose one platform over the other as a be all , end all,  but have a policy of creating for the primary platform and repurposing content for the secondary and on down.

What Do You Want to Say?

• •Define Your Message:

I’m a huge fan of Donald Miller and the Business Made Simple marketing method. Donald’s mantra of “confuse You Lose” is simple yet extremely difficult to accomplish. It took me years to get to BWCI’s - Get To The Surface of mobile, desktop, and tablet. My industry is very complex and always changing. Even my tag line “We create video for all your marketing needs” has morphed into “We Create, post, and track, …” as my services have grown. Honing in your message takes focus, deep thought, and time. Get it wrong and this becomes costly, get it right and you’re on your way.

• •Brand Voice

This is a bit tricker to get right. Start with knowing your audience. Good old fashion research and avatar building is where you get your footing. Developing your brand voice and then being aware of how each platform will have a different tone is how you navigate these waters. LinkedIn is professional, TikTok fast moving bullet points, YouTube informational searchable, and Meta with imagery and message.

Who Do You Want to Say It To?

• Your Audience

A deep knowing and understanding of your audience is essential here. I personally use AI for this initial research. But with all AI adventures make sure you check and double check the results. There were some examples I played with today that fact checking could not substantiate.  

• Matching your Platform

It is important that you take the time to understand each platform’s best case usage, its functionality and the demographics the platform attracts. I can’t tell you how many times I get “Instagram’s the best” when in the actual world Facebook delivers again and again. The backend of Facebook allows for more sales where Instagram has never been frictionless from concept to purchase. This is where tracking comes in. You want to check the numbers that are important to you and your business.

In our current marketing landscape navigating the ever changing waters has always been a challenge.  Everyday and every project I begin with what do I want to say and who am I talking too. These two questions lead me down doable action paths. A beginning to a complex journey. Take a moment and break down your marketing needs into these two questions. See where it leads you.

If there is a topic you’d like to hear more about by all means comment below or direct message and I’ll do my best.

Nothing better than a good question to jump into.

Reach out for a talk over coffee or a hike I give information freely. I only ask to be paid when I do the work. tgold@bigwaterci.com

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Trina Gold

Master Creator

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