3 Things For March 3rd, 2025
Who Chose Your Outfit This Morning?, Your Social Media Reality Check., The Power of Analyzing Marketing Data!
Who Chose Your Outfit This Morning?
I didn’t choose my outfit this morning. And I didn’t choose to just eat a Think protein bar, or to live in Tacoma, or be a salesperson, or become a marketer and then a strategist and eventually a fanatic about human behavior. I did not choose to become a small business owner who loves small business and insists on creating a 3-Things newsletter / blog every 3rd of the month. But all these decisions were made by me. I just didn’t choose them….not at least without a lot of antecedent inputs. If you’re confused right now I don’t blame you. So I suggest you watch this clip from When The Devil Wears Prada…and then come back to this blog/email. I’ve been fascinated lately with Dr. Robert Sapolsky and his books: Behave and Determined. They are dense but if you’re also fascinated with human behavior, they are worth it! I also got the word antecedent from his book (yes, I had to look it up first). What’s the point Leah, you ask. The point is that we are constantly being influenced whether our conscious mind knows it or not. We are influenced by our biology and our environment and by a massive amount of inputs daily (11 million bits of info per second) and only a fraction reaches our conscious mind. The point is that as marketers and business owners we will never know exactly how any one of our customer’s circuitous path worked itself out to end up on our doorstep but we do know the path is often nonlinear. Many, many inputs went into their eventual decision to work with us and some of those inputs we had a say in (our website, signage, social media, salesperson, the feeling of our space, the feeling behind our messaging, the friendly voice who answered our phone, the experience of those who shared Google reviews, etc.). These inputs are important. They need to be meaningful, influential, and on brand, but most of all they need to be consistent and put out into circulation. If you are inconsistent with your marketing you will get inconsistent results. Decide what you want from your marketing and then create the strategy to make it happen. And most important of all: execute! People will say they willingly chose you, and you will smile and say you’re so glad they did!
The Social Media Reality Check: Expectations vs. Truth
Alright, it’s time for some real talk. Grab your favorite beverage, get comfy, and let’s dive into the sometimes harsh, always interesting world of social media marketing. The Dream vs. The Reality We’ve all been there. You create what you think is the perfect post, hit publish, and… crickets. Or maybe you launch a campaign expecting floods of new customers, only to see a trickle. It’s enough to make you want to throw your phone into the nearest body of water, right? Here’s the truth bomb: Social media isn’t a magic wand. It’s more like a garden – it needs constant tending, and sometimes, despite your best efforts, things just don’t always grow as expected. The Myth of Overnight Success Let’s address the elephant in the room – viral content. We’ve all heard stories of businesses blowing up overnight thanks to a single tweet or TikTok. But here’s the kicker: these are exceptions, not the rule. At Strategy 3, we believe in sustainable growth over flash-in-the-pan viral moments. Sales Aren’t Always Instant “But wait,” I hear you say, “I thought social media was supposed to bring in sales!” Well, yes and no. While social media can absolutely drive sales, it’s often more about building relationships and brand awareness. Think of it as planting seeds that may take time to sprout. The Engagement Enigma High engagement doesn’t always equal high sales. Sometimes, a post can get tons of likes and comments but not translate to actual customers. It’s frustrating, I know. But remember, every interaction is a chance to build brand loyalty, even if it doesn’t immediately impact your bottom line. The Algorithm Rollercoaster One day, your posts are reaching thousands. The next? It feels like you’re shouting into the void. Welcome to the wild world of social media algorithms. They’re constantly changing, and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow. It’s not you, it’s them (mostly). Quality Over Quantity In the race for followers and likes, it’s easy to fall into the trap of posting constantly. But here’s a little secret: sometimes, less is more. Quality content that resonates with your audience is worth way more. The Strategy 3 Reality Check At Strategy 3, we’re all about keeping it real (check out my other post about showing up imperfect online!). We won’t promise you millions of followers overnight or guarantee that every post will go viral. What we will do is work with you to create a solid, sustainable social media strategy that aligns with your business goals. Remember, social media is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about building relationships, showcasing your brand personality, and creating a community around your business. Sometimes that translates directly into sales, and sometimes it doesn’t. And you know what? That’s okay. The Silver Lining Here’s the good news: when you approach social media with realistic expectations and a solid strategy, amazing things can happen. You might not see overnight success, but you’ll build a loyal following, establish your brand voice, and yes, eventually see that impact on your bottom line. So, let’s raise a glass to the unpredictable, sometimes maddening, always exciting world of social media marketing. It might not always work the way we expect, but with patience, persistence, and a dash of creativity, it can work wonders for your business. Remember, nothing worth having comes easy. So let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work – the social media world is waiting!
The Power of Monthly Marketing Analysis
There are Two Sides to your Marketing: Art and Science
The “Artistic” piece is when you get imaginative by creating images, graphics, and content that engages your audience and helps define Who you are. Starting with your website and extending to all your marketing such as social media and advertising. This is an ongoing portion of your marketing that changes with your business objectives. It’s important to keep it clean, on track, in line with your brand, and always engaging.
The “Scientific” piece is where the analytics come in. This is how you measure and calibrate the effectiveness of your creative elements. This is where the What, When & How come into your strategy. What engaged a customer and encouraged them to buy, come to your store, or leave you a review? Who is this customer, or potential customer? Where are they from, how did they find you, and why did your message resonate with them? When did they come, how long did they stay, and what did they do while there?
Why Monthly Reporting Matters
We all know that marketing is important, but without regular analysis, you’re essentially driving with your eyes closed. Monthly reporting serves as your roadmap, illuminating which paths lead to success and which need redirection.
Regular analysis transforms raw data into actionable insights. By examining your marketing performance each month, you can identify emerging trends before they become apparent to competitors. This timely awareness allows you to capitalize on opportunities or address challenges promptly.
What Should Your Monthly Analysis Include?
Effective monthly reporting goes beyond surface-level metrics like website traffic. It should also include:
Channel Performance: Which platforms (social media, email, search) deliver the most engaged visitors? Where are your best customers coming from?
Content Effectiveness: Which blog posts, social media content, or emails resonated most with your audience? What topics drive greater engagement?
Customer Journey Analysis:How are prospects moving through your sales funnel? Where are they dropping off?
ROI Evaluation:Which marketing investments are generating meaningful returns? Where might your budget be better allocated?
Google for Marketing Optimization
Google offers two powerful platforms that form the cornerstone of effective business reporting: Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Google Analytics transforms complex user data into actionable insights that directly impact your bottom line. By analyzing traffic sources and conversion paths, you can determine which marketing efforts drive qualified visitors and track customers from first interaction to final purchase or connection. Google Search Console complements these insights by focusing specifically on your search performance. This invaluable tool reveals which keywords are driving traffic to your site, identifies technical issues that might be hampering your visibility, and provides data on how Google’s crawlers see your pages. By regularly reviewing Search Console data in your monthly analysis, you can refine your SEO strategy, ensure your content aligns with actual search behaviors, and quickly address any technical problems before they impact your rankings.
Consistent monthly reporting delivers concrete advantages, such as:
- Resource Optimization: Monthly analysis ensures you invest time and money in strategies that work.
- Customer Understanding: Regular analysis builds a deeper understanding of your audience over time, enabling increasingly personalized marketing approaches.
- Growth Acceleration: By systematically improving what works and eliminating what doesn’t, you create a marketing engine optimized for sustainable growth.
Remember that the goal isn’t data collection for its own sake but rather extracting meaningful insights that drive better business decisions. Balance the artistic elements of your marketing with scientific analysis, and you’ll create a powerful formula for success. Regular reporting serves as the crucial roadmap that guides your business journey and ensures that your marketing efforts remain relevant, targeted, and effective.
