[Day 13] An Easy Framework For Learning Marketing

Michael Jackson Impersonator

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I have been practicing Marketing since 2003.

Along the way, I have done all sorts of things to try to get better:

• Read Marketing books
• Listen to Marketing podcast
• Study Marketing masters
• Etc.

And all of these things helped me a ton.

But if I had to start all over again (as a beginner), this is the simple framework I wish I had for learning Marketing.

Step 1: Know your audience
You need to know who you are talking to. For better understanding your audience, you should understand yourself.

Step 2: Build value
This is a fantastic way of permission marketing to build trust and authority.

Step 3: Experiment and Track
This is how you refine your approach.
When you're first starting out, this is all that matters.

Marketing Demystified: A Beginner's 3-Step Framework (No More Overwhelm!)

Feeling overwhelmed by the vast world of marketing? You're not alone. Marketing encompasses a wide range of strategies, tactics, and ever-evolving trends. It's enough to make even the most enthusiastic entrepreneur throw their hands up in frustration.

But fear not! Whether you're a complete beginner or someone looking to refresh your marketing knowledge, this post offers a simple 3-step framework to get you started. Forget the information overload; this framework focuses on the foundational elements that truly matter when you're first dipping your toes into the marketing pool.

I've been in the marketing trenches since 2003, diving deep into books, podcasts, and the wisdom of marketing masters. While all these resources were invaluable, if I could go back and start again, I would have benefitted immensely from a clear, concise framework that stripped away the unnecessary complexity.

So, let's break down the three essential steps for marketing beginners:

Step 1: Know Your Audience – Understanding Who You're Talking To

This might seem obvious, but it's the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy. Before you even think about crafting a message or launching a campaign, you need to understand who your ideal customer is. This goes beyond demographics like age and gender.

This is my audience on Facebook profile (11K followers):

This is my audience on Youtube (15K subscribers):

You need to delve deeper and grasp their:

• Needs and Pain Points: What problems are they facing? What keeps them up at night?
• Values and Aspirations: What do they care about? What are they striving for?
• Behaviors and Habits: Where do they spend their time online and offline? How do they consume information?

By understanding your audience on a deeper level, you can tailor your marketing messages to resonate with them. You'll speak their language, address their specific concerns, and offer solutions that truly matter. Think of it as striking up a conversation – you wouldn't talk about luxury cars to someone saving for a bicycle, right?

Here's why Step 1 is crucial:

• Targeted Communication: When you know your audience, your message becomes laser-focused. You avoid wasting time and resources on generic marketing that falls on deaf ears.
• Increased Engagement: Relevant content that speaks to your audience's needs naturally fosters engagement. They'll be more likely to listen, interact, and remember your brand.
• Conversions and Sales: Ultimately, understanding your audience paves the way for conversions. By addressing their pain points and offering solutions they value, you'll be well on your way to closing deals.

Step 2: Build Value – Offering Something of Worth Before the Ask

Marketing is not just about pushing products or services. It's about building trust and establishing yourself as a valuable resource in your audience's eyes. This is where creating value comes into play.

There are countless ways to provide value to your audience:

• Informative Blog Posts: Share your expertise by tackling industry trends, offering practical tips, or answering common questions your audience might have.
• Engaging Social Media Content: Post entertaining, informative, or inspirational content that resonates with your audience and allows you to connect with them on a more personal level.
• Free Webinars or Ebooks: Offer in-depth knowledge or insights through free resources that showcase your expertise and establish you as a thought leader.

The key is to consistently deliver content that educates, entertains, or inspires your target audience. This builds trust, positions you as an authority, and makes them more receptive to your offerings down the line.

On my Youtube channel, you can see I create various types of content.

This is an example of entertaning content. This video generated 10 million views already and still continue to bring traffic to my Youtube channel:

Actually, most of the content on my Youtube channel are entertaning ones. Because I have tons of my performance videos. If you are interested, you can watch my live performance playlist here.

For inspiring content, I sometimes make a kind of Vlog like this to speak out my honest opinions like this:

Or I document my workout progress like this serial videos of my workout challenge without any heavy editing:

And based on audience's request, I created content to teach them specific dance move such as Michael Jackson's Moonwalk tutorial in this video:

Or Michael Jackson Spin tutorial:

Or this special James Brown shuffle dance move:

And I am very happy and proud to see my tutorials recevie positive feedbacks:

As you can see, my dear forever true good friend Yvette Sanchez has been a loyal audience of my Youtube channel for more than 1 year. Yvette Sanchez is still watching my videos everyday and comment on every of my videos and blog posts. I feel so grateful and this is my true motivation to continue maintain and grow my Youtube channel. I don't want to repeat my biggest marketing mistake: Depends too much on others' opinions.

I plan to release more Moondancing tutorials in the next month (June, 2024). That marks 15 year since The King Of Pop passed away. So I really hope to do something special and value to the community.

Here's why Step 2 is so important:

• Brand Loyalty: Creating valuable content fosters brand loyalty. People appreciate brands that genuinely care about their well-being and offer something of worth beyond just a product.
• Thought Leadership: Consistent valuable content establishes you as an expert in your field. People will trust your recommendations and seek your guidance when the time comes to make a purchase.
• Building Permission to Sell: By offering value first, you earn the right to eventually present your paid services or products. Your audience will be more receptive to your offerings after experiencing the value you provide.

Step 3: Experiment and Track – Learning and Refining Your Approach

Marketing is not a one-size-fits-all formula. What works for one business might not work for another. That's why experimentation and tracking are crucial for success.

Here are some ways to experiment and track your marketing efforts:

• Test Different Content Formats: Try out blog posts, infographics, videos, and other formats to see what resonates best with your audience.
• Run A/B Tests: Test different headlines, calls to action, or landing page designs to see which ones convert better.
• Track Your Results: Monitor key metrics like website traffic, engagement rates, and conversion rates. This data helps you understand what's working and what needs tweaking.

I haven't done much with my Engish blog, but for my Vietnamese blog, I experiment and track my writing a lot. I learn what is working and refine my approach. And I boost my email open rate and maintain it around 25%-35% with my daily newsletter. It is a very high email open rate.

Continuous experimentation and tracking allow you to refine your marketing approach. You'll learn what resonates with your audience, identify what drives conversions, and ultimately optimize your campaigns for maximum impact.

Here's why Step 3 is essential:

• Data-Driven Decisions: Tracking results takes the guesswork out of marketing. You'll base your decisions on real data, not just intuition or industry standards.
• Continuous Improvement: Marketing is a dynamic field. By staying in tune with your audience's evolving needs and preferences through data, you can continuously improve your marketing approach.
• Maximizing ROI: Tracking your efforts ensures you're making the most of your marketing budget. You can identify areas that are yielding results and optimize spending for maximum return on investment.

Marketing Doesn't Have to Be Scary

By focusing on these three core steps - knowing your audience, building value, and experimenting & tracking - you can build a solid marketing foundation as a beginner. Remember, marketing is a journey, not a destination. Embrace the learning process, be willing to experiment, and don't be afraid to adapt your strategies based on data and audience feedback.

Bonus Tips

Ready to Take Action? Here are some Bonus Tips for Marketing Beginners:

• Set SMART Goals: Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals for your marketing efforts. This will provide direction and help you track progress.
• Learn from the Experts: Follow marketing blogs, listen to podcasts, and attend industry events to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices.
• Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help: There are plenty of resources available online and in your community. Leverage the knowledge of experienced marketers to guide and support you.
• Focus on Consistency: Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Consistency is key to building brand awareness and establishing yourself as a reliable resource.

Marketing can be a powerful tool for any business, big or small. It allows you to connect with your target audience, build relationships, and ultimately grow your brand. By following this beginner's framework and implementing the bonus tips, you'll be well on your way to conquering the world of marketing without feeling overwhelmed.

Now it's your turn!

Share your marketing journey in the comments below.

What challenges have you faced? What marketing tactics have worked best for you?

Let's build a supportive community of marketing learners!