[00:00:00] mIA fileman
Are you tired of empty promises and stolen ideas? Me too. Got. Marketing is a podcast for marketers and small brands who want real talk and clever strategies without the bs. Running an online business is hard, but everything gets easier when your marketing starts performing. I am Mia FileMan, your straight shooting campaign loving friend here to talk marketing, running a business, pop culture, and everything in between.
Let's dive in.
Hello, friend. Do you know a really. Pisses me off about female small business owners sometimes is that we say one thing when we really mean another. Like that looks great, Jane. But what we really mean is we don't like the colors, the font, the messaging, and the quantity of text. Why do we do this? Male [00:01:00] entrepreneurs?
Don't behave this way. Women want to be cheerleaders lifting each other up, and I love that. But often what we need is someone to point out that our dress is stuck in our knickers, right? And that our messaging is so confusing that we are unsure about what they even offer. I know that this is easier said than done.
So today I'm gonna walk the walk and I'm gonna talk the talk and I'm gonna share 10. Radically honest opinions about small business marketing to show you that it is possible to just say what you mean and mean what you say. So let's go.
Number one, it doesn't matter how much you love solopreneurs and loath corporations, we can only work with people who have money to spend.
So plase be very mindful about that when designing your product or service.
Number two, I will not work. With people who have unrealistic expectations about what's possible, and if we are being honest, which we are today, that's about [00:02:00] 79% of people who post on like-minded bitches drinking wine. That group is a constant source of content for me, but not much else.
Number three. I do not under any circumstances want to join your Instagram broadcast channel. That is the most silliest feature that Instagram has ever created. What is the point in a one-way conversation and the relentless invitations to join people's broadcast channels? Horrible.
Number four. Please do not send Facebook friend request.
It is just weird. The gurus really love doing this and it is an immediate no for me, it is just not how the platform works, right? It is not okay. If you wanna be my friend on Facebook, all you are going to see is happy Names, day posts from my family and lots of kids photos. And honestly, my account is locked for that reason.
No, just know. Okay.
Number five. This one is tricky. I posted this to Instagram and I've got a little bit of heat, but I'm okay. I'm okay with that. I can back this up. Here is the cold hard truth about apps like Mighty Networks or Circle. We do not wanna spend hours figuring out how a app or a dashboard works and setting up a profile when realistically, how many times are we going to log in to a new platform like Circle or Mighty Networks.
I 100% agree that Facebook is evil, but the reason why it works for groups and communities is because it's easy and people are already using it. I would love to break up with Facebook, however, I would miss every notification about my kids' sport. So just think about what is best for the customer and what they're actually going to log into.
I joined a group. The community was on Mighty Networks. I never logged in. I forgot my password, and then that was it, and then I was done because I wasn't using it.
Number six. If you believe that a content strategy is sharing quotes from Brene Brown, Simon Sinek, or quotes like surround yourself with people who would mention your name in a room full of opportunity, then I have absolutely failed you as a marketing trainer and mentor this.
Is not a content strategy regurgitating a quote that has been shared and reshared not just 1 million times, 10 million times on Instagram, but because you put it on your own pretty Canva template somehow makes it your own. It's not. If you wanna share a quote like that, tell me what it means to. To you tell me a story where this quote became so life changing for you and a light bulb moment happened, but to just regurgitate somebody else's words shows that you don't really understand what kind of content is being shared and what has been done, like when something has been overshared.
Number seven. We all follow Adam Moi on Instagram. He's the head of Instagram. We don't need every social media manager on the planet to regurgitate his updates when we can get them directly from Adam Moi. So please don't do this. This is also not a content strategy. Taking somebody's words, who is the head of Instagram, and then just replaying them for your audience.
Get specific talk about your specific customers and your specific industries that you work with and what these updates. Mean for your niche.
Number eight. I know exactly who needs to hear this. If you are ripping off my content, I know that you are. I do. And if you are ripping off other people's content, they know that you are too. And you are massively annoying to those people. And the minute you cross a line, they are going to contact you about it. Well, I certainly will. So if you think you are getting away with it, you are really not.
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Okay, number nine.
Being visibly frustrated and disillusioned with your business is just not a good look. I won't let one or two tricky customers make me jaded or change how I show up for everyone else. Our policies exist to support our incredible members, not to be gamed. So just consider this and how you're showing up and what vibe you are bringing.
Run your business for the majority, not for the squeaky wheels in your business. And just remember that desperation and disillusionment is just, it's not a vibe, babe.
Number 10. I know I've said this before, but it definitely is worthy of this list. Discounting because you are new or you've got a new product or service or new offering is the fastest way to stay broke. If you don't value your work, then nobody else will charge properly, market smartly and build a business that lasts.
And I've got a bonus one. This one might also ruffle some feathers. I am so bored of AI talk. We all use it. Everything's powered by ai, but it doesn't need to be the topic of every masterclass, every headline, every podcast, every marketing message.
Oh, we incorporate AI into our marketing. No. Sherlock. Everyone does move on.
Okay. I was a bit harsh. Do let me know if you feel like I have missed any. I'm very open to your replies. Okay. I feel like I got a little bit salty then. Can we say yes, we can say that. That was quite salty and so I'm gonna follow this up with five ridiculously positive marketing messages from me.
I don't usually do positivity all that well, but there are five things that I can get really, really excited and jazzed for. So I'm going to end this episode on a high with some positive marketing messages for small business owners.
Number one, you can make any channel work. If you love the [00:09:00] Reds, if you prefer LinkedIn over Instagram, there is more than one way to success.
There is more than one path, so you don't have to be everywhere. You don't have to be on Instagram. The key is playing to your strengths and showing up where your ideal customers hang out. If they hang out there, we can make that work for you.
Number two, creativity will beat budget any day of the week.
You do not need a six figure ad spend to make a splash or to make an impact. Honestly, a sharp idea, a thoughtful execution is going to outperform a bloated budget. Michael Hill recently did a campaign with Miranda Kerr. It absolutely sucked and it cost a million bucks. And yeah, not required. So focus on creativity.
Don't worry about the budget.
Number three, real raw and a little bit scrappy. Beats polished any day of the week. These days, people are craving connection. They're not craving perfection. Share your strong opinions. Show your rough edges. Show us how the sausage is made in your small business. That is what is actually working across all marketing content today.
Number four, small but mighty is worth celebrating. Honestly, friends bigger is not better. I would take a small, loyal audience who deliver more profit and joy than a disengaged crowd of thousands of single customers who never come back for more. Any day of the week, any day of the week, I went from cohort based online courses where I would work with people for a maximum of nine weeks and then really never to be seen again.
And now that I work with just 45 members and I've been working with most of them for over a year, I am so much happier, so much more profitable. I don't have to constantly be going out there to win more, more, more, more, more. I'm happy with what I've got. I just want more of the same. So can we celebrate that please?
And number five, consistency compounds and repetition builds reputation. I've got such good news for you. This is gonna make your day just keep saying the same things over and over again until people get the message. Really that is half the trick with marketing people. Do not remember what you said. Said once they remember what you repeat.
So get comfortable delivering the same core messages over and over, and that is how we actually build brands, repetition and consistency. So no need to reinvent the wheel, nail your messages, and then just keep repeating them until they stick.
Alright, friends, that is my 10 radically honest opinions on small business marketing and my five ridiculously positive marketing messages.
Gurus in the wild. You are not going to believe what this woman did. Holy moly. Okay. A Western suburbs primary school is investigating what is believed to be a major data breach. After a former staff member contacted families trying to drum up business in her new role as a real estate agent. So she was working in a comms and enrollment position at a primary school in Western Australia, and then she left to start a career in real estate, and then she started calling the families of children at the school.
Schools, so she obviously ripped off the database to try to solicit business. Oh my God, my mouth has hit the absolute flaw. Who in all consciousness would do this and think that this was a good idea? I mean, this is, I, I just, honestly, I, I have no words. So this has been published in a western Australian newspaper and this woman has just committed career [00:13:00] suicide. I do not understand.
Alright, friends, that's a wrap on today's episode. As always, I welcome your feedback and your opinions, and I'll see you next week. I've started a substack as the ideal companion to the podcast. It's packed with extra insights, visuals, and nuggets that didn't make it into the episodes.
Plus, you can revisit past editions anytime If you want more or just prefer to read, you'll love it. Plus it's a place for us to connect. Want the backstage pass to Got Marketing? Subscribe [email protected]. Thank you. You listened right up until the end, so why not hit that subscribe button?
And keep the good marketing rolling. Podcast reviews are like warm hugs and they're also the best way to support a small business. You can connect with me, Mia FileMan on Instagram or LinkedIn, and feel free to send me a message. I'm super [00:14:00] friendly.
