In addition to running a marketing agency with customers across the globe and A seven -digit local business, today’s master is also A kickboxing -master and mma -fighter – To make Jennifer waters easy to the marketing employee I least liked to fight for.
Although Flo from progressive appears to be a scraper, right? It’s not just me?
But rather than spending our time discussing which mascot would win in Octagon, today she is here to teach you to kill it … in Small and local business marketing, that is. But don’t worry; You SMB and Enterprise Marketers also get your kicks in.
Meeting the master
Jennifer Waters
Co -founder, 7 Figure Dojo; Executive Sensei, Seigler’s Karate Center
- Claim of fame: Her small business grew into seven figures (thus the name of her agency!)
- Fun Fact: She is a sixth-degree kempo karate black belt and purple belt in tetsu shin ryu jiu-jitsu
Lesson 1: Forget the omnichannel. Think ubiquitous.
“In order to survive as a local business, you need to think and market as a Fortune 500 -Company”Says Waters.
If it reflexively did your wallet pucker, you can relax. She thinks you have to think bigger than just a few scattered Facebook ads.
“You have to do what I call Omnipresence Marketing. Digital Marketing is just an arm of it, ”explains Waters.
So while Omnichannel referring to coordinating your marketing across all your digital channels, Omnipresence means you include the real world. In fact, Waters says foundation Of marketing small businesses are live events.
“This is where you are out of hands and kissing babies,” she smiles.
For a karate school, this may host a monthly parent’s evening. For a florist it could be weekly wine-and-design classes. (As a real example, Kung Fu school I go to host of a monthly classic Kung Fu movie evening.) The exact details will vary, but the goals are the same: generating leads and building visibility.
“We want to be physically present in society. We want internal events to bring people to us to create advertising. And because your name is constantly out there, you become category king or category queen with your local business.“
Meanwhile, as your digital marketing promotes these live events, your live events are providing feed for your digital marketing. And when you coordinate both of them? Voilà! Omnipresence.
Lesson 2: Relationship is everything.
Because I’m a massive dork I can’t resist asking the cheese question: What does Martial Arts Masters know that marketers need to learn?
Waters’ answer is anything but cheese.
“Relationship is everything,” she says. “Your relationship with the individual customer or in this case to your martial arts student is what will hold them back. Or feel comfortable with referring other people to you.“
Every touch point you have with your audience – on live events, on social media, on your site, on the phone – is a chance to build this relationship.
Imagine watching a great video ad so you call the business and … some rude jerks answer the phone.
“All that marketing did nothing because the relationship wasn’t there.”
This is a good time to take status: When you answer your E emails, do you maintain that relationship? Do you proactively so out to customers talking about you on social media? When they land on your website, they get the same atmosphere they can expect at your live events?
Lesson 3: Cause a break.
For Waters, the current era is about marketing about asking, “What can we do to make this person stop?“
Stop rolling and watching your video. Stop clearing the inbox and read your newsletter. Stop going and check your booth at your local fair.
“If I’m going out personally, I don’t wear plain clothes. I will throw on a karate gi and now I stop the traffic. “
“If I advised a chef trying to get people to come and taste the cakes, I would say you put on a chef’s clothes with the hat and all,” she moves on an imaginary toque like Ratatouille.
And the same principle applies online; You just have to find out the digital equivalent of your gi. Waters notes that since they are still new and new to most people, dropping AI-generated images in your social feed a great way to get people to stop rolling.
The key is to find out what makes your unique business stand out both online and off.
Now go out there and don your GI clothes.
Lingering questions
This week’s question
What is a career you have always wanted to get into but never have?—Eric Munn, Director of Marketing, Chicago Transit Authority
This week’s answer
Waters says: “Frankly, I’ve always wanted to do what I’m doing today! No other career I would like!“
And when you sail on her resume master martial artist, several belt holders, small business owner, the agency’s co-founder, who helps other small businesses to thrive every day-ja, is a reasonable answer.
Next week’s lingering questions
Waters asks: “What is a marketing mechanism that quickly generates the most income for a start -up? “
