Often when I speak to people about marketing they think it means spending thousands each month on paid adverts or creating a big complicated strategy to help them grow.
It’s always big, scary and overwhelming, which usually means you ever get started with it.
But I think that it’s the small things that add up over time and make the biggest difference to my business, without feeling overwhelming.
The little things that build momentum across the year so you can look back and feel proud of what you’ve done.
The only problem is having the motivation to keep doing them!
Today I thought I would share some of the small things I’ve done in my business which I think have had the biggest impact and results.
It’s important to remember that things that seem small for me might seem big to you or the other way around.
There might also be small things that stay as small things, not everything has to be done for big results.
1. Committing to sending a newsletter every week
I started my newsletter last year and it has been the best thing I’ve ever done for my business. I started it up while we were on the train to Manchester and after a few months I noticed that I enjoyed sending it on a Sunday, and so The Social Sunday newsletter was born.
Actually getting started with a newsletter is a big thing and there’s no denying that. Creating a landing page and a template and setting up your list takes time and you might need some guidance on what to do. If you'd need some help and support you can access my 5 Day Newsletter Fix course here.
Starting the newsletter was definitely not a small thing for this list, but committing to sending one each week was a small thing that has made a huge difference and is something that everyone can do.
You don’t need to commit to sending a newsletter once a week, or posting everyday, or recording a twice weekly podcast. You can commit to being consistent in a way that suits you so you can make sure you deliver on your promise.
Ask yourself, what is a commitment that I want to make for my business? Make it doable, you don’t want to be feeling overwhelmed and check in with yourself too.
If you aren’t doing what you expected, maybe it’s time to rethink your commitment.
I saw a quote the other day from Brock Johnson who said - The point of one reel per day is not growth or followers or fame or dollars. The goal is building the habit of consistency. All the other stuff is just benefits.
I really love that the focus isn’t always on massive growth, it can be on being consistent and reliable for your audience.
2. Posting almost every day.
I know that this is definitely not a small thing, but It really can be.
I’m not talking about a daily detailed graphic or a 15 minute video or even an image with a caption. It’s about taking the pressure off to create something new and incredible every time and just get posting instead.
It could just be a story, a saved post, sharing a post you like from someone else or something on my personal account like my car boot sale hauls on a Sunday afternoon.
But showing up, connecting and reminding people that hey! I’m here! Has been so useful for building that consistency that I need.
I’ve found it to be the same with my daily goal to do some daily exercise like yoga or stretching. It doesn’t have to be a full 10 mile run everyday, small 10 minute chunks have an impact too.
If I give myself the chance to talk myself out of it and skip a day, it’s so much harder to stay on track.
Did you know it can take 66 daily to form a habit? So if we stop something after a week it’s no wonder we find it so much harder to get started again.
Show up in a really small way every day and see how much better that consistency feels! If you can make it to 66 days you might even find you’ve formed yourself a habit.
3. Reusing content
I’m not sure when I got really serious about this, but adding it into my routine has been a game changer.
The reason I think of this as something small is because for me reusing content can literally mean spending 5 minutes uploading my newsletter as a blog post to my website.
Or it could be looking at a popular post I shared 6 months ago and copying and pasting it as a new post. Or adding a podcast to my website.
The idea behind reusing content is to save time, so don’t let it takes ages.
Reusing content feels like it will take a long time, but it can actually be the quickest piece of content you’ll ever share, so if you’re short on time rather than try to create something new, why not use something you’ve already written?
The other reason I like doing this is because as Lucy Sheridan would say, it helps you to be reassuringly repetitive.
One of the things that people find hard about talking on social media is covering the same topics over and over.
But when you have a certain niche it is going to feel like you are talking about similar topics alot.
That isn’t a bad thing! It’s important to keep sharing about the topic that you’re known for and remember that post could be the first time someone has heard of you, so they won’t have heard you talk about it before.
When you’re resharing content start small and build it up to be a part of your marketing strategy, especially when launching the same products or services each year. Don’t make things harder for yourself!
4. Planning in advance
Next up is planning in advance with things like year calendars, notebooks and a to do list, basically any excuse to buy new stationery.
This year has been the first year I’ve used a year calendar and I’ve absolutely loved it.
It might be a small thing, but having that up on the wall is a really visual way of seeing when I’m going to be busy or quiet. When I have something in like the launch of The Best 90 Days Ever I block off the time so I can see when I’ll be using my energy.
I also include personal dates too. Events like weddings and the marathon will mean I’m going to be busy at that time and I need to make sure I don’t over do it by adding in a launch or something big for work.
I’ve used it to plan our launches and to notice gaps where I could release something new or where there might be opportunities to spend more time on my marketing or more time for rest.
This year I’ve used the Alice Benham and Sign Studio year planner which my lovely friend got me. It also has quarterly planners that are split into each month so you can decide what your goals will be.
One of the questions that they ask is what are your intentions for the year? You can pick 3 words that guide where you want the year to go.
Mine have been Expand, Explore and Efficient because I wanted to grow my audience, do lots of fun things like swimming in the sea and be more efficient with my time.
Breaking it down from a whole year to a quarter and then to a month, week and each day helps me move forward and knowing that I want to focus on those three words and intentions means I’m not as distracted.
You might find that an electronic way of organising works better for you like Trello or Asana or just a big sheet of paper to write down your ideas.
Find one small thing that helps you feel more organised and put it into action for the rest of the year!
5. Mindset
The final thing that has made an impact on my business is my mindset.
Changing your mindset is a huge thing, but there are lots of small steps you can make everyday to improve.
I loved watching a reel from Elizabeth Stiles the other day that said to always assume the best.
It’s so easy to feel negative or doubtful when you’re running a business, especially when things don’t always go to plan.
But instead of worrying why not hope for the best and assume that things will go right for you?
I’m always learning that it’s okay to show my personality, be a bit silly and not worry about acting too professional online, because the people that want to work with me are the ones who will be there when you’re authentic and honest.
It’s safe to show up as yourself and be proud of your work.
What has been one of the small things that’s had a big impact for you and your business? Let me know on Instagram and give me a follow at @hicommunications_!