You’ve heard the expression “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” right? Well, the statement is also true when marketing your online service provision or virtual assistant business.
Having your business exist solely on one platform is the easiest solution when you’re just getting started, in order for you to find your footing and lay your foundations. However, as you grow and spend more time in business, it’s not the most strategically sound idea.
This article will explore why and help guide you through how to approach multi-platform marketing in a way that’s sustainable and customised to your unique business framework.
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Multi-platform marketing for service providers - minus the overwhelm.
What does it mean to run multi-platform marketing?
Creating a multi-platform marketing strategy, simply put, means allowing your business to exist and be visible on various platforms, by having consistently active profiles or accounts, on these platforms.
At least once a year, the major social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook, will give us an absolute fright and completely black out for several hours, leaving us to question every decision we’ve ever made to get to this point.
It’s generally in these moments that one tends to realise we should probably not have put off starting that email list, or creating that other account.
But for most people, it sounds like a lot of extra work, in an already busy schedule. Which is why it’s very often added to the to-do list and lost in procrastination.
Before we cover how to get rid of that dread and approach multi-platform marketing with excitement and productivity, let’s take a look at why it’s important to diversify your visibility.
The Benefits of more than one platform
👉🏼 By having your business on various platforms, you actually allow yourself more visibility on any given day and by extension, create more opportunities to be found by potential leads or other business collaborators.
👉🏼 With the above, you also increase your earning potential and can increase your sales because you have the chance to implement multiple strategies that reach your now wider audiences.
To give you an insider sneak peak: what I’m selling on LinkedIn at any given time is very different to what I’m selling on my Instagram or talking about with my email list.
👉🏼 Additionally, you have the chance to show your potential clients various facets of your business and your personality and create that much sought after genuine human connection, with the various features that each platform allows.
👉🏼 Finally, the most obvious benefit of consistent multi-platform marketing, is that you always have a back up plan and know that if one platform goes down, it doesn’t take your entire earning potential with it.
What are your options for multi-platform marketing?
In other words, what are the best platforms and marketing tools you can set up to benefit from multi-platform visibility as described above?
All the major social media platforms provide opportunities to connect with, market and sell to a variety of audiences: Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Pinterest and Tik Tok are all widely used.
YouTube: There’s no disputing the impact of video content and starting a Youtube channel is a popular way to connect with current and new audiences through longer form video content.
A blog: If you enjoy writing, specifically long form content, starting a blog is a tool that will allow you to indulge a passion and skill as well as have far reaching audience potential.
Longer form written content is also a strategic starting point from which short form content for social media can be repurposed.
A podcast: Did you know there are currently over 2 million podcasts? A podcast is a great way to share content, insight and generate collaborations and new businesses opportunities in your industry.
Since it’s purely auditory content, it can be consumed anywhere, at any time, on all major services like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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How do you pick which mix of platforms are right for your unique business framework?
Creating multi-platform visibility is an element of business expansion. When we think of a business plan and the 5 stages in the life of a business, this comes after the Development and the Startup stages, once a business has begun to hit bottlenecks and is ready to streamline and then expand.
So how do you know what type of expansion will feel most aligned for your business?
Your first reference point is your goals.
Ask yourself: What am I looking to achieve?
Get really clear on what you’re working towards, both in terms of business growth and financial goals (long term and short term) so you can think about working backwards.
The next thing you need to ask yourself is: Where are my ideal clients?
It may be tempting to join a platform because it’s trending or popular, but there’s absolutely no point in spending resources and time building on a platform that your ideal clients don’t understand and aren’t navigating. So it’s important to do this research first.
Finally, you should look to ask yourself: What do I desire to lean into right now, what do I know I’m good at and will enjoy actioning?
To give some examples, if you don’t enjoy filming video content, you won’t find fulfilment on YouTube and if you’re not a fan of long form writing, a blog is probably not for you. (Note: there’s a difference between really knowing you won’t enjoy it and being afraid of putting yourself out there and trying.)
How to make multi-platform marketing less overwhelming?
As the saying goes, “work smarter, not harder”!
You don’t have to fill your plate to the brim in order to grow in your business. Being on multiple platforms and creating content for them doesn’t have to feel more overwhelming.
The answer you’re looking for involves:
- streamlining and systemising
- outsourcing and automating
- investing and learning
- simplifying and planning.
Here’s how to get started:
- Audit your current situation. What are you doing day to day that is clearly not working? What is working but isn’t quite there yet? What is working really well and doesn’t need to change?
- Brainstorm a new plan of action. Sit down and prompt yourself with questions on your goals, your skills and what you’re looking to lean into in order to expand.
- From your plan, identify the things that you already know how to do and can begin to action immediately, and the things that you don’t know how to do and need to learn.
- Then start making moves.
Now is not the time to shy away from taking action and being uncomfortable.
Making decisions about growth is uncomfortable but leaning into what is going to feel right for you, and putting the steps in motion to create the long-term future that you desire, is key.
More resources to support your multi-platform strategies moving forward
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