How to Conquer Your Marketing & Get Results with a Marketing Assistant
Entrepreneurs spin ideas every single day. For many, the problem is that they don’t have the time or a person to delegate the projects to. They have the idea, but the execution is floundering.
Alas, what to do. It’s a bit like the chicken or the egg. Do you build out all the marketing systems so it will be easier to delegate? (Who has time for that?!?) Or do you “hire and hope” that the person knows what they are doing? (Hint: Not a great strategy!)
For many that are growing their business, you get this. You’ve been in this predicament, and you are searching for a better way.
Here is a clean 3-step process to reach the path of having a marketing assistant make you a 5-time return on investment.
STEP 1: Get Clear on the Type of Marketing Assistant You Want.
Let’s be honest, “marketing assistant” has a vast range, change that, an enormous variety of possible tasks and job duties. From online presence in social media to cultivating relationships with newsletters, writing blogs to sending cards and gifts, creating graphic design to audio/video editing… there are literally hundreds of tasks a marketing assistant could do. The key to success is to get clear on what you want this person to do and hire for that position.
Start with choosing just a few tasks that can help you build up your backend marketing systems. These are processes that allow you to cultivate the relationship with people who know you, like you, and trust you. Start here because backend marketing is the quickest way to see a return on your investment.
Finding the right person, whether for an in-house position or as a virtual staffer, means first getting clear on what you want them to do so you can find a person with that experience… or else have the systems in place that can train anyone on how to do it.
STEP 2: Hire and Onboard a Marketing Assistant.
Using the clarity from step 1, draft a job description and a job ad to attract the right person to the job. Does the person need certain computer skills? Will they be interacting with others or just working on their own? Do they need certifications or competence in a particular philosophy of marketing? Are there specific programs they need to know?
Properly vet the potential candidates by using the 5 Key Steps to Hiring Success.
- Job Ad with Instructions.
- Written Interview.
- In-Person Interview.
- Check References.
- Make an Offer.
Once you finally decide on the person to hire, have a clear onboarding plan that will spell out clear expectations, day in and day out, for the first 30 days. For many business owners, this is a chance to get clear on what you want your marketing to be doing.
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin
This doesn’t just mean give them a 30-minute welcome on day 1. This means taking the time to map out and orchestrate exactly what they will be working on or learning each day. Remember, while a new employee may know how to do a job, it is incumbent on the owner to make sure the new employee is doing it the right way as per the company’s policies and procedures and in the same style as the company. That means each day mapping out time to review how you want things done to get on the same page.
STEP 3: Set Clear Milestones For Marketing Projects.
It’s great to onboard a new employee and think of extensive training, but keep in mind they want to be productive right away, and you need them to be productive to give you a solid return on your investment. Hiring a marketing assistant should never be seen as an “expense.” It should be seen as a fantastic opportunity for the business to make five or a ten-time return. That return won’t happen unless there are clear marketing projects that need to be launched that are designed to bring paying clients in the door.
“The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave, is not training them and having them stay.” ― Henry Ford
This means plan a training project that will also drive clients to your door. Here are some ways to create clarity with the onboard trainings tied in with the marketing projects:
- By end of Day 2, spend at least 2 hours reviewing the 10,000-foot view of what your business is trying to accomplish and build out a marketing plan that describes how you will bring in the right clients over the next 6-12 months using marketing messages that resonate.
- By end of Day 4, discuss and identify which marketing channels are most likely to be used or viewed by your ideal client and establish a plan for how to cultivate those relationships.
- By end of Week 1, create an editorial calendar with clear outlines of the dates and themes for upcoming marketing projects. This can be a great way to communicate your upcoming plans and plan out content.
- By end of Week 2, get granular by having the marketing assistant build out a social media calendar for the coming month.
Yes, there is a lot to build out, which is why for busy business owners it is vital to surround yourself with people who have done this and use packets of policies and procedures that will save you time.
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