We've been speaking to a lot of people in our network recently, and everyone seems to be struggling to figure out how to grow. Across industries, different business sizes, from solo consultants to multinationals, everyone seems frustrated.

People have different reasons:

• The world is changing, and it feels impossible to get a meeting.

• There’s so much competition - the market is saturated.

• AI seems to be getting blamed for a lot these days. Love it or hate it, it’s definitely reshaping the way we all work. My view? We should embrace it, but I’ll save that AI chat for another day.

Here are a couple of things we’re currently focusing on to try and help us on our way:

1. Embracing AI
We’re not necessarily at the stage of using AI for creative client work, but we’ve started incorporating it into our own processes - from content creation to image generation for social media.

Day to day, it’s making me so much faster, whether it’s speeding up research, checking spelling, or even tracking my time and managing timesheets more effectively. We’re actively exploring what else we can do with it.

2. Standardising our offering
We’re packaging our services into solutions. Having clear processes and structured solutions makes it easier to sell - and easier to scale.

We’ve found that when approaching cold outreach, saying, “Hi, we do marketing and design - do you need anything?” doesn’t work nearly as well as, “we can solve your problem for x.”

It also helps filter out leads that aren’t the right fit - like businesses looking for a branding but have no budget.

A bit of advice if you’re in the same boat

I’ve been in marketing for 12 years - it’s second nature for me to write a blog, send an email, or set up a campaign because I know the systems and processes inside out.

But if I didn’t? Here’s where I’d start:

Get Specific
Who is your audience? Where do they spend their time? What are their pain points? The more niche and specific you can get, the better.

Focus on one thing
It’s better to execute one tactic really well for a niche audience than to spread yourself too thin trying everything - especially if you’re short on time or new to marketing and sales. Think about where your audience is - are they at networking events? On LinkedIn? Wherever they are, double down on that.

Leverage Your Network
One big mistake I see? Overlooking your network. Do you know someone who needs your services? Is there someone who can introduce you to potential clients? Can you collaborate with complementary providers in your field or set up referral agreements? Your network is one of your biggest assets - use it. It can feel awkward at first to reach out, especially if you haven't spoken in a while, but the worst-case scenario is they ignore your message. The best case? They help you out. There’s really nothing to lose.

I’d love to know what’s working (or not working) for you. Have you got any advice? Need to bounce ideas off someone? Or just have a vent? Drop me a line: chloe@themarketingmix.agency

Speak soon,
Chloe

‍