11 Ways to Market Yourself (without social media)
When it comes to marketing your business, social media isn’t the end-all be-all.
And while no one is forcing you to be on it, it might feel like as a business owner, a lot of your marketing is reliant on social media and you’re being held captive without knowing how to spread your wings and expand your marketing efforts elsewhere.
When you’re looking to amplify your message, spread more good in the world, and make more of an impact by working with more clients, there are things you can do other than social media that will help to increase your visibility!
11 Things to Do Other than Social Media
1) Email Marketing
Regularly connecting and touching base with your people through email is a great way to market yourself away from social media.
Focus on building relationships, sharing valuable content, and showing your personality through emails as you share:
- Helpful tips, information, and education
- Your own stories, client stories
- Inspiration and motivation
- Content you’ve created elsewhere (ie. blogs, podcasts, etc.)
- Events and opportunities for them to get in that you’re a part of
- Promotions, offerings, or updates about products/services
- And MORE!
2) Content Marketing
Ok, so technically, social media is a form of content marketing too. But what I’m talking about here is content off social media: blog posts, submitting articles, creating video content, podcasts, guesting on people’s podcasts. Using your expertise and experience to create content and attract new people to your website, blog, and working with you!
3) SEO: Search Engine Optimization
One major focus for me this past year has been the SEO on my website and in my blogs as a way to market myself other than social media. When your website and content are optimized, you can rank higher in search engine results and increase that sweet sweet organic traffic we all crave to your site – even while you sleep!
4) Networking
I’m an ambi-vert (not really introvert, not really extrovert -somewhere in between) so I make networking something that I do on occasion but go all in on when I do! You can network on larger scales at conferences, industry events, and charity events, or you can keep it small and cozy such as at local business meetups, masterminds, or create a small group of your own!
You can pretty much guarantee with me that I have a blog or a podcast for that! And networking is no exception, here are two She Built This podcasts I did on Networking:
Networking Your Way to Your Dreams with Julie Brown
Networking: How to Meet Other Entrepreneurs and Make More Connections, with Emily Aborn
Networking is a fantastic way to grow your business through valuable connections, collaborations, and partnerships. Plus, it can be a whole lot of fun!
5) Referral Marketing
Lots of my clients come via word-of-mouth! I love when they do because satisfied, happy clients tend to lead to MORE happy clients!
You can encourage your happy clients and customers to refer new clients to you by:
- Asking for reviews, recommendations, and testimonials. Some people like these sent right to them to put on their website but I also encourage you to have them put it somewhere public such as Facebook, Google, or LinkedIn as well so you can have the social proof on social media as well
- Ask your clients who else they know that they can send your way, or to keep their ears out for others who may need xyz that you offer
- Give an incentive for word-of-mouth referrals (My M.O. is that I like to surprise people who refer me by sending random thank you’s and gifts!)
Make sure to extend gratitude when you do receive a referral. I don’t take someone’s referral lightly and appreciate their trust and respect.
6) Get Your Content Out There!
Share your content on other websites and platforms to expand your reach. (Plus, in my happy little SEO world – backlinks from other websites to yours = GOLD). Offer to write a blog for someone’s website, or submit articles to publications that take guest writers and get your name out there!
Sometimes the organization’s you’re a part of have a built-in opportunity for guest writers, so make sure to look at what you’re already subscribed to and take advantage of what they have to offer.
7) Podcast Guesting
Probably one of my favorite ways to market my business because it’s not really “marketing” at all… it’s just chatting and conversing with another human being who’s looking to provide value to their listeners!
I absolutely love podcast guesting and have been a guest on many shows.
It’s a great way to share your expertise, reach a new audience, AND you can repurpose the content you share on their show into content of your own!
Like my guest, Alesia Galati did HERE with a blog she wrote from an episode she did on my show.
I talk a lot about podcast guesting and have some resources for you to dive into whether you like blogs or listening to podcasts:
Content with Character Episode: How to Pitch Like a Human
Blog: How to Be a Guest on More Podcasts
Also check out my podcast speaking page if you want a sample of how I structured my topics.
8) Workshops and Webinars
Hosting workshops and webinars is a great way to educate your audience and share your expertise. You can host them yourself or get an opportunity through an organization or group. Workshops and webinars give people a really good chance to hear for themselves how you are and tends to give them enough generalized information to decide whether or not you might be a good fit for their unique needs.
I love using workshops and webinars as smaller ticket entry offerings to work together 1:1 with people!
9) Speaking Engagements
Along the lines of workshops and webinars, speaking engagements such as conferences and events can be a great way to increase your visibility and market yourself outside of social media. They help establish you as the authority, clarify your message, and introduce new people to your work.
I recently joined a group called Innovation Women to get involved in more speaking engagements! ((I’ll let you know how it goes.))
Places to check out locally: your Rotary, Chamber, women’s organizations, business organizations, health practitioners who already offer workshops (depending on your industry), small teams and groups, and so many more!
10) Collaborations and Cross-Promotions
The opportunities to collaborate with others are endless! You could host an event together, run a summit, offer a challenge, put together a group program.
Partnering with other business owners and brands is a great way to share platforms and cross-promote one another. It’s a win-win-win because you each get exposed to new audiences and your audiences get exposed to YOU!
11) Community Involvement
Ok, I’m not even talking about just sponsorships, charities, events, and volunteering here. Though, that could be part of it. One thing I’m looking at right now is being a part of my local town government and also joining our conservancy for the woods and outdoors. But, I’m also just talking about going to the grocery store, cheering your kids and your friends’ kids on at the sidelines of a game, and being an active participant in your life outside your business.
Take a pottery class, go to a ladies’ night out with your friends, or relocate to a café for the day.
The people you meet – no matter where you meet could change your life and I believe that the more we focus on relationships THROUGHOUT our lives, the more our businesses will grow and flourish.
Marketing most certainly doesn’t equal social media, it doesn’t mean always selling, it doesn’t mean you’re always going on and on about your business.
For me, marketing simply boils down to creating CONNECTION. Sharing what you’re excited about and letting others do the same. Letting them see you as the holistic human you are and seeing them too.
Social media’s just one slice of the marketing pie and there are plenty of ways to market yourself other than social media!
Want to strategize some ways to market YOUR business besides social media?
Let’s chat! Book a Strategy Session with me HERE and I’ll guide you through unique, actionable advice that’s specific to you and your business.
You’ll walk away with an action plan and probably a copious amount of notes I prepare just for you to take you through every step.
Prefer your marketing advice to be FREE and more generalized?
I got you covered! Check out my Content with Character podcast where I share weekly new ideas for marketing and visibility in an unconventional and HUMAN way!
