The Two Lauras

There are a lot of books about how to stand out in your market & 'niche down'

Not to mention all the articles, tweets, podcasts and courses.

But the best book I've found is A Marketer's Guide To Category Design by Category Pirates.

Once you've read this book, you will never look at niching the same way again.

Most people think you need to find an existing niche and fit your business into it.

This book debunks that theory entirely.

Almost all niching advice regurgitates the same information to help you stand out from the competition.

This book helps you realise there shouldn't be any competition!

This is not your typical boring business book; the examples and storytelling keep you hooked throughout.

If you are at all interested in how to stand out & get hired as a freelancer, I can't recommend this book enough.

(And if you've read it, do you agree? What other book would you recommend for beginners?)

The cost of living crisis means most British families will be at least £1000 worse off each year.

And it's a scary time to be a freelancer. Typically we're the first to be let go, despite marketing being the most important part of a businesses future.

"Stopping marketing to save money is like stopping a clock to save time" Henry Ford

But when they've made it through a global pandemic and now have the cost of living crisis looming on the doorstep, you can't blame them for being cautious.

Freelance social media marketers who empower businesses through this tricky time are the ones who will survive and thrive.

Businesses need you now, more than ever.

• Social media marketing has never been more crucial.

• Platforms are changing almost daily and it's hard to stay up to date.

• iOS14 has changed the way people manage ads.

• Businesses need to be front of mind now more than ever.

By helping small business owners to overcome all these frustrations, you'll ensure they can keep the lights on and provide for their families.

Here's how to help small businesses in 2022:

1:1 support

As a freelancer, you have the luxury of being able to support anyone, from anywhere. So 1:1 support can be in person or virtual.

Businesses often have small issues holding them back. Like not understanding the functionality of platforms. Needing more insight into their analytics or wanting to know what to do to improve results.

A 1:1 session with an expert like you will leave a client empowered to move forwards.

Group training

A masterclass or workshop helping a business to master one key marketing strategy or tactic will make a huge difference to their business.

What should you teach? That depends on your audience. Look at your comments, DMs and FAQ's to pick a topic. Then test your audience's interest before taking bookings.

'Done with you' services

Even if they can't outsource the whole service, a business can still benefit from you looking over their shoulder and giving intermittent advice and support over a period of time.

Offering these services helps a business continue to thrive in times of adversity and you'll be gratefully remembered for the positive impact you had on their team and family.

Let us know if you're worried about how this will impact you?

The biggest mistake you can make as a freelancer is not claiming your niche.

There's a misconception that niching down means you'll lose business. But in fact, the opposite is true. Claiming a niche means you'll find it easier to win clients.

You think niching will narrow your business.

What actually happens is that by being specific you narrow your potential client's choices.

Niching makes you the only option for the right people!

People are time-poor and their consideration span is short. Being clear makes it easy for them to see if you are right for them. And you won't be right for everyone but that's okay!

Truth is, the biggest mistake you can make online is not positioning yourself.

Because if you don't have certainty in who you help and what you do, how can you expect anyone else to be certain you're the one they need?

It's time to own it. And if it doesn't work. Change it.

Avoid these 3 big mistakes:

#1 Don't think of a niche as forever.

Your niche isn't set in stone. You can change it anytime.

#2 Don't put it off

The internet is crowded, people are busy. So positioning yourself as THE choice for them is non-negotiable.

#3 Stop trying to find a niche to fit into - claim your own.

Specificity might feel uncomfortable at first. But that's what sets you apart. And when you're the only one doing it, it has the added benefit of stopping your imposter syndrome.

Once you claim your niche, be loud and proud about it. Make sure people know what you do, who you do it for and how you can help them.

If you spend your days on social media it's no wonder the imposter syndrome strikes.

You're surrounded by people celebrating huge wins day in, day out. Bragging about their bank balance. Celebrating new clients.

It can make you feel a bit shit!

But those 6-figure business braggers didn't get where they are overnight.

It took a whole bunch of small wins to get the big ones. But small wins rarely get shared on social media. Which is a real shame.

Imagine how much imposter syndrome would subside if we were exposed to more of the small wins on social media each day.

3 things that should be celebrated more.

#1: When you've learnt something new

Even if it was something small you picked up in a Twitter thread.

When you're surrounded by knowledge it's important to notice that something new snuck into your brain. If you've managed to implement that new knowledge then shout about that as well. And then share it with others so they can benefit too!

#2: When you've made a new connection

Imagine how great it would feel if someone celebrated meeting you!

You can give that gift to someone else. And you should be celebrating all the relationships you're making online. It's no mean feat being surrounded by people day in, day out - even if you never see their faces!

#3: When you've knocked something off your to-do list

Why do we only celebrate when we finish the whole list?

Every single thing you knock off your list deserves a little celebratory dance. It means you're making progress. And that's massive!

So, if you're waiting for permission to celebrate your small wins, this is it.

Be the change that helps put someone else's imposter syndrome back in it's box.

When you're marketing a business on social media you only have a split second to win someone over.

People have really short consideration spans and want to make decisions in split second. If they can't decide, or it takes too long they quickly move on. So everything about your social media presence needs to help them quickly get the information they need.

Without adding an extra click.

Unfortunately, most people fail to do this and they lose people's interest before they've ever had a chance to win them over.

But with a few simple tweaks, you can make sure that you never miss an opportunity to make a great connection. The important thing to remember when making these tweaks is that they are not set in stone, you can change them anytime. But they will make a whole heap of difference to your results.

#1: Tell me WHAT you do

People are selfish and they don't care about you!

But, when they land on your profile they want to know exactly what it is you can help them with. But they're busy and distracted so they won't go out of their way to find out. Make it easy for them to see what you do and more importantly, what you can do for them!

#2: Tell me WHO you do it for

Your socials should repel more people than they attract!

Scary I know, but by being clear in who you serve you make it far easier for people to self-identify if you're right for them. Plus you'll become well known and get recommended by more people. The riches really are in the niches.

Putting your audience first and making it easier for them to make decisions will always have a positive effect on your marketing.

There's a huge problem arising amongst freelance social media managers.

We were baffled to discover that freelance social media managers are outsourcing their own social media marketing. Which is bad in itself. But when we learnt they are outsourcing to VA's and trainees we were even more stunned.

Freelance social media managers should never outsource their own social media marketing!

You're giving social media marketing a bad name!

Freelance social media managers are forever complaining about clients who don't value their service.

But it's hardly a surprise that business owners think social media marketing is simple. Just posting a photo on Instagram. When they're seeing first hand that that is what the experts think too.

You're making yourself look bad.

By outsourcing your own social media marketing you're telling people you're too busy to manage your own marketing and they're asking themselves:

"How will you have time to manage mine? Did you outsource yours to someone better than you? In which case, I'll hire them instead."

If you outsource your own socials, you can only ever expect two results:

• They make you look bad.

• They make themselves look good.

Neither is a good look for a freelance social media manager expecting a client to pay them good money for social media marketing.

By outsourcing your social media marketing you are risking the most valuable asset in your business. Your platforms are your portfolio where you show off your marketing expertise. That's what people look at when considering if you are the right person to hire.

And if the person you've handed them over to is doing a great job, they look like a better option than you!

If I discovered my mechanic didn't service his own car I'd question why and want to hire whoever does. We'd say the same to any freelance service provider. Outsourcing the thing you're known for is a terrible business decision.

We know you're busy and you want to grow your business but this is one non-negotiable.

Outsource something else. Not your own marketing.

Most content doesn't work because the creator fails to add a Call To Action (CTA).

They mistakenly believe that using a CTA will make people think they are pushy or 'salesy'. They've been told social media is not for sales content and that you can only use a CTA when you want someone to buy something. Holding that belief means:

• They spend ages writing captions that don't sound pushy.

• They focus on only providing value to the reader.

• They forget why you're creating content in the first place!

But content without a CTA means the post probably won't work!

People aren't opening their app to find a post to comment on or share and they're certainly not looking for a reason to click a link that takes them away from the app entirely.

Instead, they're filling time, scrolling to relieve boredom or chatting with friends and family (unless they are marketers!) And when they spot a post they resonate with or a product they want to buy, they might not know what to do next.

Using a CTA in your post removes the confusion.

It provides clear direction as to the next step they should take. Which could be as simple as leaving a comment or sharing your content with someone else. Or take the next step towards buying from you.

The CTA helps the reader!

A mindset shift is needed to understand this, but even a strong CTA won't push someone to do something they weren't already considering. It won't make someone buy something they don't want. And it won't make you look pushy or salesy. Most people aren't thinking that deeply when they're reading your content!

The CTA is simply an ending statement or question which invites your audience to do something.

And there's nothing pushy or 'salesy' about that!

If you know someone who needs to hear this, do share it!