Beau Ushay

Become really great at your niche. Doesn't matter *how* niche it is, if you can find an area you can excel at, be better than anyone else at, that becomes your marketing leadership superpower. It is very important to know how your niche fits in with the broader marketing ecosystem, but as a starting point, doubling down on what you do best is a great jumping off point.

This is the step which requires the most attention. If you don't understand who you're trying to reach, then none of the other steps matter. Really zero in on who they are, what motivates their decisions around your offer and where they go for information. Those elements are what will decide the promotional mix. Sharpen the axe before you start swinging.

What is the common motivation in your customers? Regardless of what demographic they're in or the segmentation which has been created, find the consistent driver behind the purchasing decision. If you can zero in on that, the 'who' doesn't matter as much. You can then craft a narrative and purchase journey which speaks to that problem, at every level.

Shift your focus. As a Sales professional, the focus is on short term results. Closing the deal, getting money in the door. Short term results are important in marketing, too but the understanding needs to shift from 'what will make them buy now' through to 'what makes them buy in the first place?'. Marketing is closely connected to Sales. The Sales team are a marketer's best resource because you're at the coalface of customer problems, hearing them first hand. Start looking further up the funnel and you're well on your way to kickstart a transition.

Before you start creating and posting content on Facebook, first ask yourself... ..should I be on Facebook? Is that where business decisions are influenced? It might work for some sectors, services and industries but my first question would be to make sure your budget is well directed. There are plenty of other channels out there which can give you the penetration you need. Also, have you ever tried to fix anything on Facebook? It's a black hole. There are better channels.

Specialise early. You don't need to know everything, but zero in on something you can do really, really well. Be it TikTok videos, animations, cool events, anything you know you can absolutely nail better than most, work on that first and foremost. There will be a need for it out there and if you show you can deliver value in that niche, it will open doors. It doesn't have to be a creative field, either. There are many, many aspects to marketing you can be great at which don't require right-brain flair. Research is integral, pricing is complex, supply chains make the world go round. Know what you're great at, that will be your entry point.