A Solopreneur's Guide To Making Marketing Enjoyable

Marketing. It's a word that often sends shivers down the spines of many solopreneurs. For these brave souls who have embarked on the journey of running their own businesses single-handedly, marketing can feel like a daunting and never-ending task. It's not uncommon for solopreneurs to view marketing as a necessary evil, something they have to do to keep their business afloat but don't necessarily enjoy.

But what if I told you that marketing doesn't have to be a chore? What if you could actually look forward to and even enjoy marketing your business?

Yes, it is possible. Let me explain.

The Marketing Challenges of Solopreneurship

Before we dive into the tips and tricks to make marketing enjoyable, I want to take a moment to discuss why many solopreneurs dread it in the first place.

Solopreneurs Wear Multiple Hats

Solopreneurs are a one-person show. They handle everything from product development and customer service to financial management and marketing. This means that they're stretched thin, and marketing can easily fall to the bottom of the priority list, especially when they're constantly tending to client's or customer's needs. Who has time for a LinkedIn post when an order needs to be filled, right?

Solopreneurs Have Limited Resources 

Unlike large companies with dedicated marketing teams and budgets, solopreneurs often have limited resources at their disposal (time, money, and energy!). This can make it challenging to compete effectively in the digital marketing landscape.

Solopreneurs May Have A Hard Time Keeping Up With Trends

My entire career has been dedicated to marketing and even I have trouble keep up with best practice and tools. For those who didn't start their business with a background in marketing like I did, the world of SEO, social media advertising, and content marketing can be intimidating. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and uncertain about where to start.

Solopreneurs May Not Like Rejection and Criticism

Let's be honest, does anybody like rejection and criticism? No. Marketing involves putting your business out there for the world to see. This vulnerability can lead to a fear of rejection or criticism. Many solopreneurs worry that their marketing efforts won't be well-received or will be met with indifference.

I get it. And these are all valid concerns and reasons to put marketing last on the priority list. However, you can't do that. It's just as important to work on your business as it is to work in your business, so you need to change your frame of mind when it comes to these efforts.

Here's how.

Embrace the Fun in Marketing

Yes, you read that right. Marketing can be fun and enjoyable, and dare I say, an exciting part of your business! Let's explore some ways to make it that way for you.

Find Your Passion and Purpose

One of the keys to making marketing fun is aligning it with your passion and purpose. Think about why you started your business in the first place. What problem were you trying to solve, or what passion were you trying to pursue? When your marketing efforts are rooted in your genuine enthusiasm for your product or service, it becomes much easier to get excited about them.

We talk about finding your why so much at LifeStarr, but that's because it truly needs to be the North Star for everything you do.

Action Steps:

• Write down your business's mission and vision statements to remind yourself of your purpose.
• Identify the aspects of your business that truly excite you.
• Craft marketing messages and campaigns that reflect your passion and purpose.

Get Creative

Marketing doesn't have to be a monotonous routine of posting on social media and sending out email newsletters. Embrace your creativity and think outside the box. Try new and unconventional marketing tactics that align with your brand and target audience. Whether it's creating entertaining videos, hosting a themed event, or launching a quirky social media challenge, injecting creativity into your marketing can make it a lot more enjoyable.

I hit a point in my career where marketing just felt like analytics, social posts for the sake of social posts, and doing things to check a box. The creativity had seemingling gone away. This was rough but remembering that it didn't have to be that way and taking matters into my own hands to bring the creativity back into what I loved doing made me remember why I fell in love with marketing in the first place (back to my why). Don't fall into that rut like I did and get ahead of it.

Action Steps:

• Brainstorm creative marketing ideas that you'd genuinely enjoy executing.
• Experiment with different content formats, such as infographics, podcasts, or interactive quizzes.
• Don't be afraid to take risks and be different – that's what makes your business unique!

Connect with Your Audience

Marketing isn't just about selling; it's about building relationships with your audience (now more than ever!). When you shift your focus from pushing products to connecting with people, marketing can become a lot more enjoyable. Engage with your customers on social media, respond to their comments and messages, and show genuine interest in their needs and opinions. Building these connections can be incredibly rewarding and make marketing feel less like a chore.

Action Steps:

• Schedule time for genuine interactions with your audience on social media.
• Conduct surveys or polls to gather feedback and involve your customers in decision-making.
• Share user-generated content and stories that highlight your customers' experiences with your product or service.

Gamify Your Marketing

Say what? Gamification is the process of adding game elements to non-game contexts, and it can work wonders in making marketing fun. Create marketing campaigns or challenges that involve rewards, competitions, or interactive elements. Encourage your audience to participate and engage with your brand in a playful and competitive way. The element of fun and competition can turn marketing into an exciting adventure.

Action Steps:

• Design contests or challenges that require participants to complete certain marketing-related tasks.
• Offer rewards or prizes that align with your brand and appeal to your target audience.
• Keep scoreboards or leaderboards to add a competitive edge to your campaigns.

Collaborate and Delegate

Remember that you don't have to go it alone. Collaborating with others or delegating certain marketing tasks can relieve some of the burden and make marketing more enjoyable. Consider partnering with influencers or other businesses in your niche for joint marketing efforts. Alternatively, if there are specific aspects of marketing that you find particularly challenging or unenjoyable, consider outsourcing them to professionals who specialize in those areas.

We are big fans of solopreneurs supporting solopreneurs and have a huge community where partnerships are formed all the time. Visit The Solopreneur Community and join today!

Action Steps:

• Identify potential collaborators or partners who share your target audience.
• Research marketing agencies or freelancers who can help with specific tasks like content creation or SEO.
• Delegate tasks that don't align with your strengths or interests so that you can focus on what you enjoy.

Celebrate Small Wins

This is something I need to remind myself of regularly. Marketing can often feel like a long and arduous journey, especially when you're a solopreneur. To make it more enjoyable, remember to celebrate small wins along the way. Acknowledge and appreciate the progress you're making, even if it's not yet resulting in massive sales or widespread recognition. Small victories can boost your morale and keep you motivated to continue your marketing efforts.

Action Steps:

• Set achievable marketing goals and milestones.
• When you reach a milestone or achieve a marketing objective, reward yourself and your team.
• Share your successes with your audience to build momentum and credibility.

Stay Informed and Adapt

The world of marketing is constantly evolving. What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. To keep marketing fun and effective, stay informed about the latest trends and technologies in your industry. Continuously educate yourself and adapt your marketing strategies to align with the changing landscape. Learning and experimenting can be enjoyable in itself.

Action Steps:

• Subscribe to industry newsletters and follow marketing blogs and podcasts.
• Attend webinars, workshops, or conferences to stay updated on best practices.
• Be open to trying new tools and platforms that can streamline your marketing efforts.

Measure and Learn

One of the reasons marketing can be frustrating is not knowing whether your efforts are paying off. To make marketing more enjoyable and effective, invest time in tracking and analyzing your results. Use analytics tools to measure the performance of your marketing campaigns. Learning from your successes and failures allows you to refine your strategies and see the tangible impact of your efforts.

Action Steps:

• Set up tracking tools like Google Analytics to monitor website traffic and user behavior.
• Use social media analytics to evaluate the engagement and reach of your posts.
• Regularly review your marketing data and adjust your tactics based on what's working and what's not

I do marketing for a living and even I need to remind myself of the points above. So, don't get discouraged. Marketing can feel tedious, but it can also be really fun and exciting, you just have to reframe how you look at it.

If you're looking for more marketing tips and inspiration, or how to run your business as a whole. Be sure to check out The Solopreneur Success Cycle. It'll help get you back on the right path if you feel lost or are just starting out. Enjoy!