The Digest: Fairfield County Marketing & Media Pros (1)

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Digest.

Last month marked 7 years since I started my media + marketing consulting business, DeepWater Strategies.

I almost missed it because I’ve been deep in the work. Looking back, I took a moment to reflect on the journey.

If you’re just starting out as a consultant, or wondering how to get started, here are 7 lessons I’d go back in time to tell myself in Year 1:

1) Nobody cares what you do. They care what you can do for them.

Don’t sell people on your skills and experience. Show them how you’ve made an impact for others. Use this format: Achieved “X” by Activity “Y” in Time Period “Z” - learn it, know it, love it.

2) Relationships are the business.

In 7 years, not one deal has come from cold outreach. Community and connections are everything. Keep in touch. Show up where your ideal customers “hang out” virtually or IRL.

3) Work on the business, not just in it.

Have a marketing plan. Have a financial plan. Have an operating plan. If you’re not growing the business, you’re just an employee going from gig to gig.

4) Say no more often.

Be ruthless with your time. It’s often the only thing you can truly control. Focus on bigger priorities and don’t feel bad about it.

5) If it’s not on paper, it doesn’t exist.

Make a one-sheet that clearly explains each of your services - who it’s for, what they get, how it works, examples of results for past clients - and make a deck to showcase the benefits (not features) once you have clarity on your offerings.

6) Consistency compounds.

You don’t need to go viral or be an established thought leader already, but you do need to do something consistently over time to build trust and give clients comfort that you know what you’re doing.

7) Solve real problems.

Nobody hires a consultant or agency for fun. They have a problem and you offer a solution. Get clear on: what problem you solve, who has it, and why they should believe you can fix it.

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These are all lessons that I’ve learned the hard way. I’m thankful for each experience, and excited for the future. More on that coming soon.

But enough about me. On to this week’s news and jobs.

What’s Next?

This digest is a starting point. The goal is to build a community of senior marketing and media professionals in Fairfield County. If you have news to share, a campaign to highlight, job opportunities, or an event to promote, please email me at [email protected] 

Best,

Shawn

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