A Home Base for Your Marketing Plan | 104
When creating content, there should always be one big question in your mind: “what’s next for the person consuming this?”
Without a clear next step or Call-To-Action (CTA), your audience won’t know what to do and their excitement will fade.
To keep you audience excited and engaged, we need to ensure they are saying “yes” again and again. This is where a home base can be extremely useful.
What is a home base?
A home base is the one place you send your clients to keep them moving forward.
For example, I almost always direct people to my podcast. Whether they find me on Instagram or a Facebook group or a collab I’ve done with another entrepreneur, I typically direct them to my podcast as their starting point.
By choosing one place, we are able to be consistent and create a clear path for them to follow.
Designating a home base where you send people first allows you to then curate a customer journey they follow easily.
In each podcast episode, I encourage listeners to download a freebie, which obviously is promoting my email list, and to come find me on IG. These are two ways that I keep my audience engaged and continue to build relationships with them.
Let’s take a look at some common home bases, plus the pros and cons of each.
#1 Long Form Content - These are your blogs, podcast episodes, YouTube videos, and so on.
Pro: Long form content is a great way to nurture. You can offer high-value content, which builds trust and positions you as an expert.
Con: Typically to consume your long-form content doesn’t require any form of opting in or subscribing, which can make lead generation and continued follow up a real challenge.
#2 Communities - This is likely a Facebook community, but can be any community-based platform.
Pro: You can do a lot of nurturing and relationship building within a community, which will likely be beneficial for lead generation. You can also have people sign up for your email list on the initial questionnaire or through posts you create.
Con: Communities are a lot of upkeep. You have to be active in order to keep it engaged and worth it, especially at the beginning.
#3 Email List - Using a freebie, such as a checklist or video training, you can attract people to your email list.
Pro: You don’t have to fight the algorithm (big win!). You also are building micro touch points just by showing up in someone's inbox. Of course, if they read the email, you’re also nurturing them and providing value.
Con: Getting people on your email list can be tricky. And once they are there, you have to be consistent.
P.S. I know building an email list can be tricky, which is why I’m excited to open Dream List Essentials again! Dream List Essentials is a 6-week hybrid group coaching program. Within DLE, we’ll talk about how you can build an email list using Facebook and Instagram ads.
Get on the waitlist to hear when the doors open again!
#4 Social Media - This can be TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more.
Pro: People are already on social media, so it’s an easy place to connect. Plus, they get to see the personal side of you and receive tidbits of information, which can make lead generation easier. This will likely be one of the first home bases you have because it is so easy to start with!
Con: People will probably look you up on social media even if you don’t direct them there, so it can be a potential “waste” of your call to action.
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @heyitsjenzaia and tune in next Saturday for more business tips and strategies!
xo, Jenzaia
Don’t Forget To SUBSCRIBE
&
REVIEW the podcast!
Thanks for listening to this week’s Saturday Strategy Session! If you found this podcast helpful for your teacherpreneur journey, then head over to iTunes, so you can subscribe and leave a review. Each and every review means the world to me and helps me continue to create valuable content while also reaching more fellow ambitious teacher business owners just like you!
Episode Transcript:
Hey there - I'm Jenzaia and this is Market Scale Grow - a podcast created for ambitious teacherpreneurs looking to have a bigger impact on the world, achieve freedom, flexibility, and ultimately make more money. With weekly strategy sessions and inspiring stories from fellow teachers just like you, my goal here is to help you create a customized marketing strategy so you can grow your teacher business beyond your wildest dreams.
Okay, so before we hop into the episode, I just wanna remind you to download my free guide to Facebook Targeting Audiences. It has been created specifically for teacher business owners. And I go through the warm lookalike and cold interest-based audiences that you need to have set up to be running Facebook and Instagram ads.
There are checklists and brainstorming pages so that you know that you have everything. But as an exciting special, I'm opening up some audience audit calls where you can hop onto a 15 minute zoom call with me, and you'll get my eyes on your audiences so that you can make sure that not only you have all of the audiences, but they truly are perfect for your business. So head to marketscalegrow.com/audienceaudit to book your free audience audit Call today. Okay, now into the episode.
Welcome back to Market Scale Grow. My name's Jenzaia and this is the very first podcast episode of 2023! Ohhhh dear! I am really, really excited to be recording this and I hope that you had a wonderful break and a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, a Happy Solstice, or whatever else you may or may not have celebrated. I hope that you enjoyed your time off. I hope you had an exciting New Year's celebration or maybe like I probably did, you just slept through it.
So in full transparency, I am recording this in the middle of December, as I usually do record my episodes about a month in advance. So this month is no different and I have no idea what my holiday break is gonna bring. We have tons and tons of family stuff lined up. My sister lives out in British Columbia and I'm in Ontario, and so she's coming to visit. We have a couple of play dates with my niece and so I'm really, really excited. Gonna go see my parents, gonna see my husband's parents, spend some time with the cousins on my husband's side, so really, really excited! I'm hoping that it all goes to plan.
Today was a “crazy” ice storm where I am. It wasn't quite as bad as we were expecting, but I'm a little bit nervous for what the world is gonna look like tomorrow because it's supposed to snow all night and the ice, or rain, that we got all day will freeze over. And I think tomorrow's gonna be messier.
I also am really, really excited about January and a fresh start. So that's enough about me and what's happening. Let's dive in…
Today we are gonna be talking about home base. Not like baseball. This in your marketing is the place where you direct all of your traffic. It's where you're gonna send people as your next step. And typically, I would recommend that you have one home base. That's why I'm referring to it as a “home base” because it's that spot where you're building your community. You are nurturing people and everything is directed there.
Before I get into the rest of the pieces of today's topic, the reason that this is important is because when people are in momentum - when someone in your audience has made an action and they are in momentum - they're saying yes, they're moving forward. We want to give them a next step - always a next step! Consistently sending the people to the same spot is a great way to build that community or build your audience and to know reliably that they're going to the place that you want them. But even there, you still need a next step for them.
So as an example, my podcast is my home base. I always direct people to my podcast. Whether I'm doing a podcast ad review on someone else's podcast, whether it's my emails that go out every week or if it's at the end of a conference presentation or a summit presentation, I always refer people back to my podcast. But on my podcast, you would've just heard at the beginning, I promote my Facebook ad audience targeting list and the accompanying audience audits that you can get. So those are free 15 minute calls where we just go through your audiences and make sure that all of the key audiences are setup. So I'm pushing people to my podcast, but then my podcast also has a next step, and then if you listen all the way through to the end of my podcast, there is a next step at the end as well.
So you never want there to be any dead ends. Everywhere should be taking people to that next step of the journey. And then most of the time, that next step of the journey should be your home base. If you think about the three elements of holistic marketing, we have email marketing, content marketing, and community building. Think of it like a triangle. Each one of those is one of the points with arrows pointing where things are going. And so typically my podcast is directing people to my email list. And my email list is pointing people back to my podcast. Nothing is really pointing people to my community. But in my community, I have promos and then every now and then I'll promote my email list. But even if I point someone to my email list, they will get directed to my podcast. And so thinking about that next step, when somebody is in momentum and they're saying yes to you, there is always a next thing for them to do, right?
So we're gonna talk a little bit more about why I think you should have one. Some examples of home bases, what my personal home bases have been over time, and then we'll go through pros and cons of the different home bases.
So I've already talked a little bit about why you should have one, but the biggest reason is that you always know where to send people.
At the end of a podcast interview, for example, I typically ask people where they can find my guest, and I almost always get asked that question when I'm being interviewed as well. And it's a great question because everyone wants more information to be able to find the person.
Typically the way I answer is, the best place to find me is on my podcast, Market Scale Grow. I'd love for you to come and listen to an episode. That's it. That's all I say. Other times, and I used to do this when I first started, I'd be like, oh, here's my Instagram and here's my Facebook group, and here's the freebie that I'd love for you to download and my podcast, and, and, and, and…
And when you give all of those choices, there's too much. People then shut down and then they don't really do anything. Which is why I have tried to condense myself down to just saying, you can come find me on my podcast at Market Scale Grow and I'm sure we'll have it linked in the show notes below.
So always knowing where to send people is really, really important. And having that focus so that you're not over complicating things. Keep it simple. It just gives you a bit more focus and consistency in your marketing. If people are consistently hearing again and again, and again and again, go listen to Market Scale Grow, eventually they're gonna be like, I should probably go listen to Market Scale Grow!
Just that consistency over time, that focus on one particular thing is really, really powerful. So that's why I really think you should have a home base.
Now, some examples…
As I said already, my podcast is my home base. You could also use any form of long form content, such as a blog, podcast, if you have a weekly video series or a YouTube channel. Another one would be a community of some sort, like a Facebook group or some sort of community that they can join.
The third example is a freebie. So you're promoting a lead magnet to get people onto your email list. And when I say a freebie, it'd be a little bit more robust than a simple checklist or a pretty easy PDF download. Some really great ones that I've seen are video series challenges, more like ebook style, where they're much more robust than just a checklist or a guide.
Then the final example of a home base could be social media. Personally, I started with my podcast and then I started directing people to my Facebook group. I opened my Facebook group and I started really trying to promote it, but then I kind of stopped doing anything in there.
So if you're in my Facebook group, you know that almost nothing ever happens in there. So I started doing my podcast again. Then I got the idea that I wanna grow my email list, so I should be directing people to my email list. And so I switched my home base to my freebie, and then I switched back to my podcast.
It always seems to come back to the podcast for me. I just love the podcast! I love talking. I love feeling like I'm providing value and content and helping people, and so I think that's why I send people to my podcast and why it's come back again and again and again.
But it is okay for you to test out different home bases and feel and figure out which one works best for you, your business and your audience.
But that being said, let's pro and con the different options…
So option number one is your long form content. And the biggest pro here is that it's really great for nurturing. And nurturing is one of the most important pieces of marketing right now. Nurture, nurture, nurture, nurture, nurture. I could say it a hundred times and it wouldn't be enough.
But the more value you're putting into the world, the more value is gonna come back to you. I really truly believe that in my being. So if you can provide more nurturing, then more value is going out and more value is coming in. And so your long form content, like your blog, podcast, or video content is going to do that.
Now, the biggest con is that there's no real way to reach them afterwards. They're not connected to you. I have no idea who listens. I could give you a rough estimate of how many people are downloading the episode every week, but I have no idea who these people are. There's no way for me to directly contact those people once they come to my long form content.
They haven't joined a community and they're not in conversation with you. But for me personally, that con does not outweigh the pro of nurture.
Option number two was the Facebook group or another community. And the pros here are the ability to build relationships and to nurture people. There is the ability for audience interaction. They can ask questions to you, they can make connections between other audience members. With something like a Facebook group, if you have your membership questions then you can include a question that gets them onto your email list. Provide me with your email and I'll send you this freebie. Or would you like to join our newsletter? Add your email here. I always recommend that if you're gonna have questions, that one of the questions is looking for email addresses so you can get people onto your email list.
The con here is that you really have to up your community, and you really need to be engaging in that community and providing value and having those conversations. So it can be very time consuming. Also, if you don't have your membership questions set up, then you may not be able to collect it. They are in a group and you'll be able to promote to that group, and you'll be able to talk to that group consistently, but without the membership questions set up, you're not getting them onto your email.
Which brings me to number three, a freebie or your email list. One of the biggest pros here is more ability to market. You get to send out additional emails to these people and they are now on your list, which you own.
(And now, I have to give this little rant every single time - I say you own your email list, but just like Instagram could shut down, Facebook could shut down. Flow Desk, Convert Kit, MailChimp, Active Campaign, whatever you're using could also shut down. You own the list of people but you don't have control over them shutting down your account, so you need to be downloading the CSV file on a regular basis.)
Emails are also a super, super great way to build relationships and to continue to build connections with your audience and even more nurturing. So that is a huge pro in my opinion - getting people on that list and being able to nurture and build those relationships. Now, a con is that not everyone wants to get on an email list.
They don't want to give you their email, and they don't want to be getting those emails in their inbox every single week. We are inundated with emails and so there's just some people that don't want to do that.
The second con is you need to have a really great freebie to keep people engaged, and that's really gonna draw in the right people for you. So if you don't have a great freebie, then this may not be a great technique. So making sure you have a great freebie.
Also you need to be emailing them consistently, whether that's weekly or biweekly or monthly. You need to have a consistent email schedule. And I highly, highly recommend that it's every single week, especially if you are actively growing your email list through ads or collaborations, and you're frequently getting new people on your list that have never heard of you before. So if you're not already emailing consistently, then pointing people to your email list might not be the best choice.
The last one is social media. So for example, Instagram, your Facebook page (not your Facebook group), TikTok, LinkedIn, and others that this millennial does not know exists yet!
The pro is that everybody is probably already there anyway, and it's a great place to start if that's all you have. If you don't have an email, you don't have any long form content, and you don't have a group, ending people to your social media is a great way to nurture and build that relationship. And it's really easy!
The biggest con is that whether or not you share your Instagram handle, your Facebook page, people are likely going to look you up on social media anyway, so it's the first thing that they're going to do. And so directing them there is, in my opinion, maybe not the most effective use of your direction because they're probably gonna do that already.
And that's one of the reasons why my social media was never really one of the home bases I tested out because I thought about my own experience and my own journey that I take when I hear somebody new.
So those are my thoughts about home base. It's important that you know where you're sending people and that you're always sending people in the same direction. Also remember that people in momentum continue to be in momentum.
Some really great options are your long form content, Facebook group or another community, a freebie of some sort, and social media. My personal favorite is my long form content, but it is totally okay for you to test out a couple different ones. I would say give it 60 to 90 days to see how it feels and how you like it. See what the results are before you switch it up.
Thank you so much for listening to this episode, for coming back after the break and just for being here every single episode.
Before I leave though, I do wanna let you know at the end of January I am opening the doors to Dreamless Essentials. It's my signature Facebook ads course where I help you create your lead generation funnel. So we're growing your email list with Facebook ads, and we're driving traffic to that lead magnet so that we can grow your email list and get more people on your email list to help grow your business in sustainable ways.
If that's something you're interested in then definitely head to the link in the show notes. You can sign up for the wait list and you'll be the first to know when anything happens. You'll also get a special discount code that's only available for people on the waitlist, and you'll get all of the information so that you know exactly when the doors are opening and all the excitement that's coming up.
Thank you again for joining me this week. I will be back in your headphones next Saturday with another strategy session.
Thank you so much for listening to Market Scale Growth. If you're ready to build your email list and generate consistent leads on autopilot, then we would love to partner with you.
Our growth package is perfect for course creators, service providers and coaches looking to inject their list with fresh leads so that they can amplify their amazing program and get it out to new people. This six week package is perfect for you if you have a proven lead magnet that you're ready to turn into an established lead generation machine to get started today.
Head to marketscalegrow.com/worktogether, fill out the application and someone from my team will be in contact with you to schedule a free strategy session to ensure that it's a good fit and to get you on the path to consistent lead generation.
Thank you again for listening, and I look forward to working with you!