When you’re about to do something significant, perhaps launch a new service, build a website or tackle a major project, there’s a lot of thinking and planning that needs to happen before you get stuck in.
And sometimes, working out what actually matters can feel harder than the project itself, especially when you have to juggle it all between the daily demands of running a business and the unrelenting barrage of marketing advice out there.
That’s where I come in.
My marketing strategy consultations begin with me listening.
Listening to:
- what’s going on right now
- what you want to achieve and
- what’s getting in the way of you achieving it.
I've been there
When I first started out, I spoke to plenty of lovely professionals who were ready and willing to help me…if only I’d been able to articulate what I needed from them.
I wasn’t ready to use their expertise because I didn’t have my thoughts organised. I had no idea what a good business outcome looked like. I needed someone who would guide me through the brainstorming stage. Someone who didn’t laugh at my big ideas. Someone who could take the jumbled thoughts out of my head and turn them into a coherent plan.
I muddled through, of course. But you don’t have to!
Whether the challenge you’re facing is marketing-related or simply a significant business decision that needs a sounding board, my strategy consults are designed to help you think it through, work out your priorities and leave with a plan you can move forward with.
I’m not a business coach and I won’t tell you how to run your business…but I will ask you the questions that help you work it out for yourself.
You know your business.
I know words.
Let’s make beautiful copy together.
Need some great copy?
Who this is for
- If you're running a business or a team within a larger one and have no dedicated marketing support, this is for you.
- If you need someone to think it through with rather than hand you a template and wish you luck, this is for you
- And if you've been muddling through on your own and suspect there might be a better way…this is definitely for you.
How marketing strategy and copywriting work together
If you don’t have a marketing strategy, you might as well stand up in the middle of the MCG on Grand Final Day and shout, ‘Buy my thing!’
Of the 100,000 people present, those nearest to you will tell you to sit down because you’re interrupting the game. The people three rows back will be wondering why someone was shouting about Burger Rings. And your ideal customer might be on the other side of the ground, completely oblivious to you and what you have to offer.
A good marketing strategy makes sure you’re not shouting into the void. It makes sure you’re talking directly to the right people at the right time.
It’s also not something that sits in isolation from the rest of your business. It’s an integral part of your broader strategic goals and reflects:
- your values
- the direction you want to take the business in
- the kind of clients you want to be working with in three years' time.
When your marketing strategy reflects all of that, it stops feeling like something you have to do, and starts feeling like something that’s actually going to work for you.
Marketing strategy:
- sets the direction for everything you do to gain customers.
- frames who you want to reach, in what formats and on what platforms.
Copywriting:
- is one of the tools you use to execute that strategy
- takes your objectives and puts words together that attract the right person and encourage them to take the action you want them to take.
So, while you might be lucky and have someone sitting right next to you at the footy who is primed and ready to buy, it’s fairly unlikely. A strategy makes sure your marketing hits the spot.
Which comes first – a marketing strategy or the copy?
There’s no simple answer to this. You don’t need a complex marketing strategy in place before you can have copy written, but you do need to know:
- who you want to attract
- what they fear, want and believe
- what you want them to do after they read your copy
- what alternatives there are out there for what you offer
- why customers should choose you over everyone else in your category.
Once you have that, I create copy that meets your criteria and speaks directly to the people you want to reach.
If you already have an existing marketing strategy, I can slot straight into it and write the copy you need to meet your business goals. I can also work alongside your existing marketing team, taking on overflow work or bringing fresh eyes to what’s already happening in your business.
How it works
Once we’ve worked out which marketing strategy consultation type suits you, I’ll send through a brief set of questions so we can make the most of our time together. There’s no homework to dread…just a few prompts to help you arrive with your thoughts in order rather than your head full of noise.
And then we get to work.
This isn’t my first rodeo, so while each consultation is different, you’ll always walk away with what’s most important to you. That means you’ll end up with:
- your questions answered
- your focus refined
- a clear set of steps to move you forward.
Not sure which option is right for you?
Marketing Strategy Session
One Hour to Get Unstuck
Best suited to those who have a specific problem or one clear question they want to work through.
For example, you might want to discuss how to align the messaging on your Home page to better reflect how you express yourself in your LinkedIn posts. Or perhaps you want to find a way to describe one of your services so it attracts a specific type of customer. Or maybe you want a second opinion on whether your current marketing is actually reaching the right people.
You don’t have to be a marketing expert to follow the conversation. I didn’t start out as a marketer, so I know how it feels to be overwhelmed by confusing terminology. I take the jargon out and use language any business owner can understand. We work to a focused agenda…which is to solve your biggest challenge. And there’s only a little you need to do to prepare.
How does it work?
1. Let's discover the issues
2. I do your homework
3. Helmets on for the deep dive
4. This call is being recorded for quality and training purposes
5. And I would walk 500 miles…
You also receive a detailed summary clearly outlining your next steps: a framework against which you can adjust your other priorities, plus any further learning or professional consultations that would help you get the job done.
And because no-one wants to be abandoned, I check in with you three months after our session to see how you’re progressing.
No templates. No pointless tick and flick exercises. Just clear objectives and support from a real human.
Need some clarity on a persistent issue?
Marketing Strategy Intensive
A Full Day to Map Your Path Forward
Best for people who need to make serious progress on a major task or unpick a complex problem.
You might want to:
- review who your ideal customer is and whether your current marketing reflects that
- set up a yearly social media plan
- craft your Vision and Mission statements
- audit the customer journey on your website
- nail down your point of difference in the market
- plan a product or service launch from scratch.
These are just examples. You may have something entirely different in mind.
How does it work?
1. We discover the issues
We start with a discovery call to explore the project you want to complete and whether or not a full day is the right format for it.
2. You set the scope
3. We get realistic
4. We get to work
5. You get the facts
6. We celebrate
7. We persist
Ready to make some serious progress?
Ongoing Marketing Support
Your marketing person, minus the overheads
For businesses and organisations that know they can’t handle all their marketing themselves…but don’t want or need a part-time marketing manager on their books.
Maybe you’ve realised that your time is better spent in your zone of genius than trying to learn the ins and outs of marketing. Maybe you’ve been doing it yourself for years and you’re tired. Maybe you’re growing and the marketing is growing with you, and you just need someone who can keep pace.
Whatever the reason, you know you need help, you value it and you’re prepared to invest in it.
What does it look like in practice?
Each month, we work through a set of agreed tasks and priorities. There’s a regular rhythm to it: scheduled check-ins, strategy reviews and an ongoing conversation about what’s working and what needs adjusting. Over time, the work becomes more efficient because I already know your business, your voice and your goals. New work builds on previous work rather than starting from scratch each time.
Tasks might include reviewing and refreshing your website copy, writing blog posts or newsletters, advising on your content strategy, reviewing campaigns before they go out or working through a specific marketing challenge as it arises. It’s flexible by design.
How does it work practically?
Want to talk through whether ongoing support is right for you?
Client Success Stories
Not sure? I can help!
If you’re still not sure or there’s something you’re looking for that’s not listed on these pages, drop me a line contact@mariealafaci.com.
Better still, let’s talk like real humans in an obligation-free 15-minute call. I’m always happy to help. And if I can’t help you, I probably know someone who can.
