8 Point Checklist: Can I DIY My Business Marketing?

8 Point Checklist: Can I DIY My Business Marketing?

If you have set your virtual foot on the web before now, you probably have seen mentions of DIYs. Just to refresh, the acronym ‘D.I.Y.’ stands for Do It Yourself. DIYs are all over the internet. People are sick and tired of paying for expensive services and products when they are able to watch a quick video tutorial and complete projects by themselves. While mixing up a Mocha Cappuccino at home instead of heading to Starbucks can save you six bucks, are Do It Yourself’s for more complicated undertakings, well, do-able?

Maybe you’re a DIYer with years of experience under your belt. You’ve made some creative wall art, put together a fire pit, and stained an entire deck! As a business owner, you’ve even succeeded in one of the most intimidating DIYs ever, establishing your own company. Now, you’re questioning whether you should tackle your business’s marketing. Decide for yourself by reviewing this checklist.

DIY Marketing Might Be Right for My Business If…

  • I have fully defined my buyer personas. In order to accurately market to your target audience, you need to know your target audience. It’s more than concluding that they’re probably on the internet and interested in your services. What are their hobbies, goals, and challenges? Do they live in an urban, suburban, or rural area? Distinguish your own personas with the guide below this article.
  • Investing in multiple marketing software products is not a problem. Expect to dish out a monthly fee for marketing programs. While prices vary and some are listed as low as $200 monthly, learning how to use and maintain the software is a feat in itself. From social media interaction monitoring to SEO (Search Engine Optimization) data collection, you’ll need multiple programs. Multiple programs translate to multiple payments.
  • I’m a decent writer. Unfortunately, even if you’re an expert in your industry, many readers will rule you out if they don’t like your writing. Maybe you’re extremely thorough and it bores them, or words just aren’t your thing and readers can’t understand you. Try attending a writing workshop or read online for tips to improve your writing.
  • I’m just “starting-out”. If you launched your business two weeks ago and are saving your pennies, DIY is for you. Since the word probably hasn’t spread throughout the world yet about your products and services, you have more time to put into hands-on marketing. At the start of businesses, the majority of owners do not have the resources to invest into hiring marketers. Although you might have to skip out on more effective DIY marketing programs, creating a basic Facebook business page is free.
  • I know how to find and implement keywords. Keywords are essential for your business to be discovered in search engines. Include them in your website, social media posts, blogs, and any text you have on the internet. Programs are needed to generate your unique niche’s keywords, and you’ll need to be able to read the results. For instance, a keyword may rank high for user searches and rank even higher for it’s use by other websites. This means if you select this keyword, users are likely to search for it but the legion of competition will push out your website from search engine results.
  • I have lots of time. Effective Inbound Marketing is pretty much a full time job. In fact, it is a career for many people. Researching, brainstorming, and editing to produce content takes time, and let’s not forget those arduous writer’s blocks. Scheduling social media posts, collecting data, and maintaining prompt responses can be difficult if you’re running your business all day.
  • I’m passionate for marketing. Half-heartedly produced content is painfully obvious. Quality content is at the center of inbound marketing and if you are sharing sub-par blog posts, social media posts and content offers, you are hurting your brand. The world of marketing is constantly evolving which means you’ll need to continue researching and educating yourself. Learning is much easier and enjoyable when you appreciate the topic.
  • My marketing strategy is organized and based on results. In the beginning it may be difficult to base your strategy on results without any data. It’s important to research what other marketers have found effective and begin implementing your own best methods as you move forward.

In each of our blogs here at OSC, the goal is to share different inbound marketing and web development techniques we have learned along the way. We fully support each of the DIYers out there and encourage you to continue using our content and blog posts as a resource.

However, we also recognize that running a business often depletes spare time you would otherwise have to employ a marketing plan yourself. If you are beginning to feel overwhelmed or are struggling to find time, the team at OSC Web Design is just a phone call away!

Share on Twitter

Ready to increase your success?