This question came up in one of our Mastermind groups recently. If you want the short answer, it’s yes, there is a minimally viable marketing effort, provided that you’re in maintenance mode. You see, the minute you stop marketing you lose all of your contacts and momentum. People forget who you are. So not stopping is the minimally viable marketing effort. Marketing maintenance mode is the answer but how does it work?
Minimally viable marketing (MVM) is treading water until your next marketing campaign launches. You’ll be in MVM mode between any big marketing campaign. MVM is your default marketing mode.
Minimally viable marketing (MVM)
Treading water in marketing terms means that we’re going to work on keeping our name out there, but we aren’t going to run any specific campaign. For example, a campaign might be to promote a new offering, or an event that you’re hosting. It’s an active effort whose purpose is to gain new clients. Most small businesses aren’t capable of sustaining those campaigns continuously and it might not even be desirable to do so. For the rest of the time, you’ll be in maintenance mode.
If you’re not running a campaign and you’re not in maintenance mode, then you’re losing ground. Don’t do that.
Components of MVM
There are a few essential components to staying in contact with potential clients. Let’s look at a few options.
- Use an app to push posts across many social media platforms weekly. Schedule out the posts for a month or two at a time. Then let the app do the work. I like to schedule one fun post a week and one serious post a week. Your serious posts could be informative, or a quick how-to. Pick topics that show off your expertise rather than just reposting news items. There are many apps that can do this for you. I use one called Publer (Yes, I’ll get a tiny discount on my monthly fee if you use that link.) Publer will help you setup 12 social media platform accounts. Put an appointment on your calendar
- Spruce up your Google local listing. Add some new photos. Ask customers to put up a review for you. Make sure that the words reflect your current offerings. Do this twice a year. Put the appointment on your calendar to do this task.
- Spruce up your website. Look at the language. Make sure that it still represents who you are. Add some new content. Review SEO elements of the site. I use an app called Yoast for this. Another great service is DIIB. Do this twice a year. Put the appointment on your calendar.
- Spruce up your LinkedIn profile. Update the language. Change your profile photo. Change your headline. This will trigger LinkedIn to message your contacts and alert them to the update in your profile. It’s another touch point that reminds them of you.
- Build your LinkedIn contact list. Every month, connect to your clients and connect to the connections of those clients. This will make sure that you have a great list to market to when you’re ready to run your next campaign. Add this activity to your calendar too.
Items 2, 3 and 4 above might be more important than you realize. If a customer comes along and is interested in you they will do 3 things.
- they will perform an internet search,
- they will look at your website and,
- they will visit your LinkedIn profile.
This is how a quick search is done to see if you are legit and trustworthy. If you pass, then they’ll contact you.
Altogether these activities should only take you about 2 hours a month, once you get used to doing these activities. You’ve noticed that with each item that I wrote, add this to your calendar. This is because, if you’re anything like me, nothing exists if its not on my calendar. Further, you won’t prioritize your marketing maintenance if the time hasn’t been blocked off for the activity.
Few people like doing marketing activities but they have to be done. Don’t let your business slide backwards by stopping. Always be marketing. At least in a minimally viable way.
In conclusion, implementing a minimally viable marketing strategy is crucial for maintaining visibility and momentum in the market. By focusing on essential components such as consistent social media presence, optimized Google listings, and regular website updates, businesses can ensure they remain relevant without overextending resources. This approach allows for a balanced effort between maintaining current relationships and preparing for future campaigns, ultimately safeguarding against losing ground in a competitive landscape. By dedicating just a few hours each month to these activities, businesses can sustain a strong marketing foundation that supports long-term growth and success.
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