Titan Tips for Running a Business: 3 Years In the Making
Celebrating three years in business is a monumental milestone for us at TMC Marketing. Just two days ago, we paused to reflect on the journey, the lessons learned, and how each step has shaped our understanding of the digital marketing landscape and business growth. It's been a ride filled with challenges, triumphs, and invaluable insights. As we look back, we're excited to share some "Titan Tips" that have been pivotal to our success—business tips and insights we believe will resonate with fellow small business owners navigating their paths in their dynamic industries or aspiring entrepreneurs looking at starting a business in their near future.
1. Embrace Continuous Learning
The digital marketing world is in constant flux, a landscape where change is the only constant. Keeping abreast of the latest trends, algorithm updates, and marketing tools has been crucial for our ability to deliver cutting-edge strategies for our clients. We've made it a point to foster a culture of continuous learning within our team, encouraging attendance at webinars, participation in online courses, and regular knowledge-sharing sessions. This commitment to education keeps us sharp and our strategies effective.
Moreover, leveraging online resources has proven invaluable. Industry blogs, forums, and digital libraries have been treasure troves of information, offering fresh perspectives and sparking innovative ideas. In digital marketing, yesterday's methods may not work tomorrow, so staying informed and adaptable has been key to our growth and success.
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
To me, this was the ultimate story of the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, and a lesson in the need to fight through the tough times no mater how hard they may be.
The other thing that has kept me both advancing as an entrepreneur and inspired to go after my goals is reading books on other successful entrepreneurs—people like Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Steve Jobs, etc. Immerse yourself in videos of their interviews. When you do this, you start to see trends and repeating ideas or principles that you can apply to your own life and business.
Action items
Subscribe to leading digital marketing blogs and newsletters.
Set aside regular time each week for team knowledge-sharing sessions.
Attend at least one major industry conference or webinar each quarter.
2. Understand Your Niche
Identifying and understanding our niche has allowed us to focus our efforts and refine our expertise. In the vast ocean of digital marketing, specializing in specific areas such as SEO, content marketing, or social media has enabled us to develop deeper insights and more impactful strategies. This specialization not only sets us apart from competitors but also attracts clients looking for experts rather than generalists.
Conducting thorough market research has been instrumental in understanding the unique needs and challenges of our target audience. It's allowed us to tailor our services and messaging to speak directly to their pain points and aspirations. Knowing your niche inside and out enables you to create more targeted, effective marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive results.
Action items
Conduct competitor analysis to identify gaps in the market you can fill.
Engage with your target audience on social media to understand their needs better.
Create customer personas to guide your marketing strategies and content creation.
3. Build a Strong Online Presence
For a digital marketing company, our online presence is both our portfolio and our battleground. From the outset, we focused on creating a website that not only showcases our work but also reflects our brand's values and expertise. A professional, user-friendly website has been our most powerful tool in attracting and retaining clients. It's where first impressions are formed and where those initial connections turn into lasting relationships.
Being active and engaged on social media has also played a pivotal role in building our brand. These platforms have allowed us to demonstrate our knowledge, share our successes, and interact with our community in real time. Social media is a powerful channel for storytelling, and we've used it to tell ours, sharing the journey, the learnings, and the successes that have marked our three years in business.
Action items
Regularly update your website with fresh content to improve SEO rankings.
Use social media analytics to refine your content strategy based on what resonates with your audience.
Implement SEO best practices on your website to ensure it's easily discoverable by search engines.
4. Leverage Networking and Partnerships
The value of networking and building partnerships cannot be overstated. In our three years, attending industry events and participating in online forums has not only expanded our professional network but also opened doors to new opportunities. These connections have led to collaborative projects, client referrals, and invaluable exchanges of knowledge. Networking is about building relationships, and in business, relationships are everything.
Strategic partnerships have been another cornerstone of our growth strategy. By aligning with complementary businesses and people, we've been able to offer our clients a broader range of services and tap into new markets. These partnerships are mutually beneficial, driving growth for both parties and solidifying our presence in the digital marketing ecosystem.
Action items
oin local business associations or networking groups related to your industry.
Collaborate with non-competing businesses to offer bundled services or promotions.
Use LinkedIn to connect with industry leaders and potential partners.
5. Prioritize Client Relationships
The core of our business is our clients, and prioritizing those relationships has been key to our success. Clear, consistent communication has helped us manage expectations and build trust. We've learned that being transparent about processes, timelines, and results fosters a collaborative environment where clients feel valued and involved. We also try to go above and beyond when we can for our clients. There are many instances where an extra social media or blog post, or being available for something a little outside of the scope of the work you do, can make a big impact for the client and be minimal work for you. It’s all part of providing that great customer service that leaves them feeling good about working with you.
Soliciting and acting on client feedback has also been critical. It's provided us with direct insight into our performance and areas for improvement. This feedback loop has not only helped us refine our services but has also shown our clients that we are committed to delivering the best possible outcomes for them. Happy clients are our best advocates, and their referrals have been a significant driver of our growth.
One of our key partnerships has been with the City of Kenosha’s Fire Department. When we first launched, we were trying to make a name for ourselves. I had a contact in the fire department who connected me with someone looking to do some content to help their hiring and diversity initiatives. We offered a pro-bono recruitment video for them (which you can see here), asking only to put our name in the video’s description. We worked on it for months and put out a really great final product that helped them hire their largest class in years.
We just signed on for our third year of paid work with them, and that relationship has turned into more with other departments of the City’s administration and multiple other clients. The relationship has more than paid for that video, and having the fire department in your corner can earn you a lot of goodwill with the community you’re doing business in. In some cases, a relationship can be more valuable to your company than the extra few hundred dollars they might pay you.
Action items
Implement a client relationship management (CRM) system to track interactions and feedback.
Schedule regular check-ins with clients to discuss project progress and solicit feedback.
Create a client onboarding process that sets clear expectations and builds trust from the start.
6. Develop a Content Marketing Strategy
Content is the lifeblood of digital marketing, and developing a robust content marketing strategy has been a game-changer for us. Producing valuable, engaging content has helped us establish authority in our niche, improve our SEO, and attract organic traffic to our site. From blog posts and case studies to success stories, our content aims to inform, educate, and inspire our audience.
Moreover, optimizing our content for search engines has been essential for visibility. By conducting keyword research and applying SEO best practices, we've been able to increase our content's reach and effectiveness. This dual focus on value and visibility has been crucial in driving our content marketing success.
Too often, businesses try to rely on word of mouth, referrals, or old and ineffective advertising methods. Only when that well runs dry do they try and turn to creating content. The problem is that content marketing can tend to be a slow burn and take months to start seeing a serious return. But if business is weak, they may not have a few months to spare. It’s best to have the content marketing flowing all the time than try and get it going in an act of desperation.
Action items
Use keyword research to guide your content topics and ensure they meet search intent.
Repurpose popular content across multiple formats (e.g., blog posts into videos or infographics).
Measure content performance to identify what topics drive engagement and conversions.
7. Utilize Data and Analytics
Data has been our compass in the vast sea of digital marketing, guiding our decisions and strategies. Early on, we invested in analytics tools to measure the performance of our campaigns, understand our audience better, and identify trends and opportunities. This data-driven approach has allowed us to optimize our efforts continuously, ensuring we deliver the best results for our clients and ourselves.
But it's not just about collecting data; it's about interpreting it correctly. We've learned to look beyond the surface numbers and dive deep into what they mean for our business and our clients. By doing so, we can make informed decisions that drive meaningful growth. Analytics has transformed how we approach marketing, moving from a "best guess" methodology to a precise, targeted strategy.
Action items
Set clear KPIs for each campaign to measure success and guide future strategies.
Conduct A/B testing regularly to optimize your website and marketing materials.
Use analytics to personalize marketing messages and improve customer targeting.
8. Emphasize the User Experience (UX)
In digital marketing, UX is everything. A website that’s difficult to navigate or slow to load can turn potential customers away in seconds. That’s why we’ve placed a huge emphasis on optimizing the UX for all our digital assets. This includes ensuring our website is responsive so it looks great on any device and streamlining the navigation to make it as intuitive as possible.
Moreover, we focus on creating content that’s not only valuable but also accessible and enjoyable to consume. Whether it’s a blog post, a video, or an infographic, the aim is to provide a positive experience that keeps users coming back. UX isn’t just a part of our strategy; it’s central to our philosophy. It's about respecting our audience's time and providing them with quality interactions every time they engage with our brand.
Action items
Conduct user testing to gather feedback on your website’s usability.
Ensure your website design is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
Optimize website speed to reduce bounce rates and improve user satisfaction.
9. Stay Agile and Adaptable
If there's one thing we've learned, it's that flexibility is key. The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, with new platforms, algorithm updates, and consumer behaviors emerging all the time. Staying agile—ready to test new ideas, explore emerging platforms, and pivot when necessary—has allowed us to stay ahead of the curve and capitalize on new opportunities as they arise.
This agility extends to our service offerings as well. We’re always looking to expand our capabilities to meet the changing needs of our clients. Whether it's adopting new technologies or developing new strategies, being adaptable has been crucial for growth and resilience in the fast-paced world of digital marketing.
Action items
Keep an innovation fund or budget to experiment with new marketing technologies or platforms.
Encourage a culture of experimentation, allowing team members to test new ideas without fear of failure.
Regularly review and adjust your marketing strategy based on industry trends and performance data.
10. Fostering Our Compact, Mighty Team
At the core of our operation is a tight-knit team of four, each of us bringing unique strengths to the table. Despite our small size, our commitment to nurturing growth—both for our business and in our team members' careers—is immense. We place a high value on continued education and training, ensuring that as we expand our reach and capabilities, our team does too.
Our dynamic includes myself, my two business partners—who contribute their insights and expertise—and our invaluable content manager, who plays a pivotal role in bringing our digital marketing strategies to life. Together, we've cultivated an environment that champions creativity, innovation, and personal development. This approach has not only propelled our business forward but has also ensured that every member of our team feels valued, heard, and integral to our shared success. In investing in our team's growth, we're building a foundation for sustained success, underscoring our belief that when our team thrives, our business thrives.
Action items
Commit to Regular Team Learning Sessions: Carve out time each month for team workshops or training sessions that focus on the latest digital marketing trends and tools, allowing everyone to learn and grow together.
Personal Development Plans for Each Team Member: Work individually with our content manager and business partners to create personalized development plans that align with both their career aspirations and the company’s growth goals.
Cultivate a Culture of Shared Learning: Encourage each team member to share insights, discoveries, and learnings from their own areas of interest or expertise, fostering an environment of continuous learning and mutual growth.
Wrapping Up
As we celebrate three years of growth, challenges, and success, these "Titan Tips" encapsulate the most valuable lessons we've learned. For fellow business owners on their journey, we hope sharing our experience offers guidance, inspiration, and perhaps a shortcut or two to success. Here's to the next three years and beyond—may they be filled with learning, growth, and continued success.
Remember, in the dynamic world of digital marketing, staying informed, adaptable, and customer-focused is key. Whether you’re just starting or looking to take your business to the next level, embracing these principles can help you navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead.
