6 Ways to Do Message Marketing on a Shoestring

Yesterday, when I asked my neighbor’s kid if she could walk my dog, she directed me to her dog-walking website, complete with client reviews, a mission statement, customer testimonials and pricing tiers. In the About section, I learned that she is 10 years old.

Say what you will about Millennials, but today’s kids have more sophisticated message marketing skills than most Baby Boomers. Still, even if you aren’t a born entrepreneur, you can learn six essential skills necessary to earn extra income with your home-based business.

Why become an entrepreneur?

With companies hiring fewer full-time employees, careers like that of my father, who had one job his entire life and retired at 55 with a lucrative pension, are few and far between. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person now has 12 jobs in his or her lifetime, and many of them are simultaneous.

Want to be able to afford a great lifestyle? You'll have to be a self-starter and know how to maximize your earnings. 

So, if you are that self-starter, and you're starting a business with modest funds -- from home -- you'll be making a mistake to immediately hire someone to do a website, write copy and handle the marketing before you understand the following marketing skills:

1.     Know your 'message.' Your essential business message is based on identifying your audience, your personal passion, your skill set, the challenges you solve and the results you can offer. How can anyone know what you are about if you don’t know, yourself? Worse, what if you can't yet communicate that message? Learn what I call the Message of You Formula here. 

2.     Be clear about your 'promise statement.' Once you have your message, reduce it to a five-to-seven-word statement that describes the results of someone using your service or product. The message should go on your website, form the essence of your social marketing campaign and be reflected by your logo. Here is a link to a free webinar to show you how to find your promise statement. 

3.     Help Google to find you. As the old adage goes, what good is a website if Google can’t find it? Engage in some DIY SEO marketing to increase your online ranking without having to hire an expensive expert.

4.     Write findable and sizzling web copy. Take note of what I call the 3 Essential Stories you have to have on your website: the one about your customers, the one about your business, and your own personal heart story.

5.     Create a great demo video. Before hiring an expensive video production crew, assemble an authentic video that will connect with millennials. A phone and selfie stick will be useful. Millennials are not often praised for their traits, but one thing in their favor is that they feel a part of something bigger than themselves; they want to make a difference. Don’t you want to be part of something bigger, too? Capture that in your video and marketing.

6.     Use public speaking to promote your business. Yes, public speaking is scary, but there is no better marketing than a 12-minute TEDx talk to turn you into an expert on just about anything. 

Your message is your foundation to your marketing. To help you find it and polish other marketing skills, view free video lessons online. Think about my young dog-walking neighbor, and get started today.

Written By: Judy Carter

Credit: Entrepreneur.com